Chapter 108: Swaggering

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Swaggering

"Hey, what are you spacing out for? It’s time to eat."

Inside Lieyang Martial Arts Hall, Ye Qingshi waved at the boy before her, who was lost in thought.

As she spoke, she noticed that the boy in front of her was subtly different from before. For instance, when had his hair gotten so long? It nearly reached his shoulders.

Her gaze was so completely focused on Fang Can that she failed to notice the other Martial Artists standing stiffly beside her.

Danger! Danger! Danger!

The moment Fang Can returned, an intense sense of crisis surged from within their bodies, like a top-tier assassin had just appeared beside them.

The Heart Image Martial Artists at the scene broke out in goosebumps, their bodies frozen in place.

Only when they realized this sense of danger was coming from the boy in front of them did they relax slightly.

’They’ve noticed the difference, have they?’ Fang Can glanced lightly at the Martial Artists around him.

The changes had been too drastic in too short a time. Trying to go unnoticed would be a hassle, so he decided not to hide it at all.

"My Lord, did something happen just now? I can feel that your presence has grown several times stronger," one of the Heart Image Martial Artists asked curiously.

"It’s nothing. My strength has simply reached the Profound Gate Ninth Layer," Fang Can explained, causing everyone around him to freeze on the spot.

Profound Gate Ninth Layer?!

Feeling the pressure emanating from Fang Can, the few followers had no choice but to believe it, yet this fact was all the more incredible to them.

’Wasn’t he just hovering at the Profound Gate Sixth Layer a second ago? How did he suddenly reach the Profound Gate Ninth Layer? This is a miracle!!!’

The surrounding Martial Artists stared at Fang Can in shock.

Among them, the few who worshipped him as a god had personally witnessed a miracle. The stiffness in their own cultivation Realms began to loosen, showing signs of an impending breakthrough.

"Don’t worry about how it happened. For now, prepare to head north," Fang Can instructed them. "I plan to reach the capital within the next ten-odd days to participate in the Tournament of Nations."

How could the Heart Image Martial Artists present not know what the Tournament of Nations was?

It was the highest honor for Martial Artists of the Transcendent Body Realm. Any contestant qualified to register was an outstanding figure among Heart Image users.

Unfortunately, someone later abused a leveling glitch, causing this tournament—which was supposed to be a grand brawl for the Transcendent Body level—to be filled with overpowered ringers.

The battle scenes escalated from a battle royale to a god-tier war full of cheaters.

The thought of their god descending upon Fangcun Mountain and single-handedly crushing an entire generation of the world’s young Martial Artists made them tremble with excitement.

As for doubt? If you have doubts, what’s the point of worshipping a god? Your purity as a die-hard fan is too low.

You can’t only choose to believe in your god when the wind is at your back.

Even if the god fails and falls, you cannot change your faith. Worshipping a god is for life; you must see the path you’ve chosen through to the end, even if you have to crawl.

Gazing at Fang Can’s lofty, celestial bearing, the Martial Artists suppressed their excitement and said, "Yes! We obey the god’s will. We will go and prepare at once."

"Hey, no way. You’re really going to participate in the great tournament?" Ye Qingshi, who had watched the whole exchange, couldn’t help but ask. "Are you confident?"

"I don’t know. I haven’t seen the strength of the other contestants. I’m only about eighty or ninety percent sure," Fang Can said with a wave of his hand.

"That’s why on the way north, I’ll have to test the young scions of the great families, one by one."

"I guess I have no choice but to go along with you," Ye Qingshi said helplessly. "When do you plan to leave?"

"Hmm... Let’s rest up. We’ll leave tomorrow or the day after," Fang Can said.

"Since it’s settled, let’s go eat first," Ye Qingshi said, pulling Fang Can’s arm and leading him inside.

...

On Jiejian Mountain, as time began to flow again, Jiang Ning’an’s body returned.

At the same time, the real Liu Qingmeng, who had been waiting nearby with an indifferent expression, watched her disciple return and curled a finger slightly.

A wisp of Spiritual Qi that had been attached to Jiang Ning’an began to return to its original body.

As she looked at the wisp of Spiritual Qi in her hand, a dark glint flashed in Liu Qingmeng’s eyes.

’This isn’t all of the Spiritual Qi. A part of my avatar actually remained behind in that Otherworld.’

At this thought, amidst a faint flow of light, she began to peruse her avatar’s memories from its time in the Otherworld. The more she read, the more tightly her brow furrowed.

’Absolutely frivolous,’ Liu Qingmeng thought, watching her avatar’s behavior after it had lost the suppressive influence of her Spiritual Qi. ’Her actions, her mannerisms, her speech... she completely ruined my image.’

She never expected that after just twenty-odd days of separation and an insufficient supply of Spiritual Qi, her own avatar would turn into... that.

Bantering and laughing with Fang Can, with none of the dignity of an elder.

Most importantly, this avatar was disobedient. It only sent back the memories and even secretly left behind several dozen kilograms of matter in the other world. This was the ultimate betrayal.

’Fine. I’ll retrieve the avatar the next time I go over.’ She sighed internally, then began to scrutinize Fang Can’s actions during his time in the Otherworld.

’His talent is decent, and he works hard, but his cultivation methods are too... hmm, strange.’

Recalling Fang Can’s behavior, which could only be described as bizarre from any angle, left her at a loss for words.

At this moment, Jiang Ning’an, who had been regulating her breath on the ground, came to her senses. She stood up and said respectfully, "Greetings, Master."

"Mm. Stay on the mountain for the next few days to recuperate and restore your state of mind. In a few days, I will take you to the capital."

Liu Qingmeng continued, her tone filled with disappointment, "Look at you, completely smitten with that Fang Can. Do you have any of the mettle of a Martial Artist left? What kind of spell has he put you under?"

"During the upcoming Tournament of Nations, do not leave my side. For now, forget about that Fang Can. You can think about romance once you’ve reached the peak of the Third Turn," Liu Qingmeng said coldly.

"Yes, Master. Your disciple understands her mistake," Jiang Ning’an said respectfully, clasping her hands.

...

Back at Lieyang Martial Arts Hall, Fang Can stared at the sedan chair before him. "This is what you meant by a way to take me north?"

"Yes, my Lord!" Lieyang said respectfully, clasping his hands at his side.

"Isn’t this a bit too... ostentatious?" Fang Can asked instinctively. The sedan chair before him was simply too large.

It was less a sedan chair and more a house.

The entire base of the sedan was forged from darksteel, covering two hundred square meters. It was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, the very pinnacle of extravagance.

The sedan glittered with a kaleidoscope of colors from the Seven-Colored Stones embedded in it. The white was silver, the yellow was gold, the brilliant parts were Liuli, and the green was jade...

Dragons, phoenixes, and qilins seemed to dance across its surface, while a Black Tortoise and a White Tiger rested in the center. A sedan chair of this size, even if hollow, would weigh at least several hundred tons.

To move it would require the combined strength of at least a dozen Heart Image Martial Artists.

Even Fang Can was secretly dumbfounded at the thought of having a dozen or so Heart Image Martial Artists act as palanquin bearers.

He hadn’t planned on hiding his power, but he also hadn’t expected to be this ostentatious.