Chapter 146: The Four Paragons of the Southern Firmament, the Dead Sea of Sword Qi

Zhu Yan was certainly not boasting; he knew a great deal about the affairs of the seas. When the topic turned to True Immortal Jiuyou, he spoke for a solid half-day, recounting every single deed of True Immortal Jiuyou since he first rose to fame.

True Immortal Jiuyou was born in an archipelago academy. His first claim to fame was stealing the academy's supreme treasure and murdering the academy master. He then disappeared for fifty years, only to reappear after achieving the Condensation Realm. He made a name for himself across the four seas by slaying the Gun Monarch of the *Huang* Character.

Later on, True Immortal Jiuyou proceeded to slay the Gun Monarch of the *Xuan* Character, the Gun Monarch of the *Di* Character, and the Gun Monarch of the *Tian* Character, step by step ascending to a high position within the Longevity Pavilion. The reason he was so controversial was that all the opponents he killed had been his close friends.

"This man killed his master and his friends, stopping at nothing to climb to the top. I really dislike him, but my father actually admires him a great deal. My father said that no matter what methods he uses, he is at least constantly growing stronger, and perhaps he might become one of the most powerful existences in this world," Zhu Yan said with lingering indignation.

Xiao Zi could not help darting over, chiming in, "He's certainly stronger than you. You acted like a fool, challenging my young master while loudly claiming you weren't afraid of death. And look what happened."

Zhu Yan's face instantly turned crimson. He was furious, but in front of Fang Wang, he did not dare to act out, and could only lower his head.

Fang Wang glanced at Xiao Zi, frightening her into shrinking back.

This fellow lacked proper bearing. If he were ever truly released into the world, even if he became a demon king, he would likely be betrayed by his own subordinates one day, or even slain.

It was better to keep him close by to provide some amusement!

Fang Wang looked at Zhu Yan and said, "The karma between us prevents me from taking you as a disciple, but I lack a mount. If you are willing, I will do my utmost to cultivate you and will not be stingy with my heritage. If you are unwilling, then leave."

Zhu Yan jerked his head up, his expression one of astonishment.

His complexion shifted rapidly between green and red. He felt humiliated, yet he could not bear to leave. After the previous battle, he had concluded that Fang Wang was even stronger than his father. He had never encountered such imposing momentum before, and he even suspected that Fang Wang possessed unimaginable physical cultivation techniques.

Xiao Zi urged him, "If you feel so humiliated, then hurry up and leave!"

Zhao Zhen drifted over and said, "Indeed, being a mount is quite humiliating. After all, he is a proud son of heaven who should be enjoying glory, wealth, and the ultimate pleasures. Even if the opportunity to attain longevity and immortality were dangled right in front of him, the price of enduring centuries—or even longer—of tedious solitude would cause even a mortal like me to give up, let alone a proud son of heaven like him."

Zhu Yan took a deep breath, looked at Fang Wang, and said solemnly, "Senior, please forgive my impudence. Becoming a mount is not just my personal affair; it also affects my father's honor. Could you display your true power, at least giving me the resolve to face my father in the future?"

He fixed a burning gaze on Fang Wang, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Fang Wang smiled and said, "Since that is the case, let me give you a taste of my cultivation state."

With that, he closed his eyes.

Zhu Yan was taken aback. What was there to see in a cultivation state?

At that moment, Fang Wang suddenly emitted a vast and boundless aura. As soon as this aura appeared, it rose steadily, and the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth rushed frantically into his body.

Zhu Yan's eyes widened, his mouth slowly dropping open.

What kind of Qi absorption speed was this?

And this oppressive presence...

Staring at Fang Wang, who was now wreathed in white ethereal flames, Zhu Yan suddenly caught sight of an ineffable, indescribable brilliance that inexplicably filled him with an urge to bow in worship.

"Senior... I... I think I've made my decision..."

***

Winds and clouds surged across the seas, and every year someone stirred up the currents of the world. After years in secluded cultivation, the Sword Monarch of the *Huang* Character saw his fame begin to subside as other figures captured the world's attention.

Canglan Academy.

Between cultivation sessions, the disciples of the Sage Talent Courtyard resumed their discussions of worldly affairs. Sitting cross-legged, they conversed while practicing.

"Have you heard? The once-in-a-century Four Heroes of Nanqiong have emerged, and not a single person from our sea domain made the list."

"I've heard of it. They are Chen Shang, Dugu Wenhun, Ji Haotian, and True Immortal Jiyang."

"Never heard of them. Are they really that strong?"

"All four of these individuals possess transcendent power surpassing the Golden Body Realm. You tell me if they're impressive or not! Moreover, there is a strict criterion for judging the Four Heroes of Nanqiong: they must be under five hundred years of age."

"Hiss—these people surpassed the Golden Body Realm in less than five hundred years? That's utterly absurd!"

Gu Li closed her eyes in cultivation, listening in as well.

The Four Heroes of Nanqiong—it sounded like a rather prestigious title.

She decided to write about this in her next letter, believing that Fang Wang would certainly be interested in such a title.

Suddenly, someone wondered aloud who among the four was considered the foremost of the Four Heroes of Nanqiong.

One person said, "Naturally, it is True Immortal Jiyang. He is one of the Twenty-Four Immortals of the Longevity Pavilion, and his strength is top-tier."

Another held a different view: "I personally feel that Dugu Wenhun is qualified to be the foremost of the four. He single-handedly broke into the Dayu Dynasty, slew the Son of Destiny in broad daylight under the watchful eyes of all, and then departed unhindered. Although that event happened a century ago, it is still widely circulated today!"

"Chen Shang was born in the Spirit-Molding Realm, possessing the Heavenly Origin Spiritual Treasure. Even after his spiritual treasure was seized, he recast a new Heavenly Origin Spiritual Treasure during the Elixir Realm, and by the Condensation Realm, he could already contend with the Golden Body Realm. Who can say just how terrifying his current strength is? Although he doesn't have many recorded battles, his innate talent is definitely the highest!"

"Ji Haotian transitioned from a Son of Destiny to an immortal cultivator. He was born with the aura of a true dragon, preventing demons from coming near him. He once fought five Golden Body Realm experts alone and remained undefeated. Furthermore, he is the only one among the four to possess a major religious sect. He should undoubtedly be the foremost of the four!"

The disciples with ordinary family backgrounds listened as the scions of great clans discussed the Four Heroes of Nanqiong, all of them wearing expressions of yearning.

Each of the Four Heroes of Nanqiong, taken individually, was indeed extraordinary.

Someone mentioned whether Chu Yin would eventually become one of the Four Heroes of Nanqiong, a remark that plunged the courtyard into silence.

The Heavenly Origin Spiritual Treasure was extremely rare, but simply possessing one did not guarantee a spot among the Four Heroes of Nanqiong!

Chu Yin was not in the courtyard, which was why the disciples remained silent. Had he been present, it surely would have been met with a chorus of flattery.

Just then, an elderly man descended from the sky and landed in the courtyard. All the disciples hastily stood up and bowed in greeting.

Holding a whisk and exuding the air of an immortal, the old man swept his gaze over everyone and slowly spoke, "Is anyone here interested in specializing in the path of sword cultivation?"

At these words, several disciples immediately stepped forward—quite a few, in fact, making up a third of the courtyard's occupants, including Gu Li.

The old man smiled with satisfaction and said, "The Sea of Sword Qi Death is about to experience an ebb tide, and the Sword Soul Tombs are about to manifest. Canglan Academy is preparing to lead the disciples to seek out the opportunities of the sword souls. We set off today; those who wish to go should pack their belongings!"

The Sea of Sword Qi Death, the Sword Soul Tombs!

Most of the disciples wore looks of confusion, with only a tiny fraction showing excitement.

Gu Li had never heard of the Sword Soul Tombs, but the four words "sword soul opportunities" held a fatal attraction for a sword cultivator like her.

If she wanted to catch up to Fang Wang, she had to seek out fortuitous encounters to bridge the gap in their natural talent!

Since arriving at the seas, she had heard too many legends of defying fate and altering destinies. As long as one was still young, anything was possible!

***

Ever since Zhou Xue's departure, Fang Wang had focused entirely on cultivation. His goal was to reach the Golden Body Realm within thirty years, giving him greater certainty of dealing with True Immortal Jiuyou when participating in the Longevity Pavilion's trials.

Having witnessed Fang Wang's cultivation state, Zhu Yan willingly became Fang Wang's mount, and Fang Wang did not treat him shabbily, directly imparting the Battle Mastery Scripture to him.

Zhu Yan possessed a powerful physique, but his temperament was lacking. The Battle Mastery Scripture was precisely what he needed, as it would enable him to maintain a pure combat mindset during battles.

Upon receiving the inheritance of the Battle Mastery Scripture, Zhu Yan was thrilled. It was his first time encountering such a technique dedicated entirely to combat, and at the same time, he felt even more fortunate about his decision.

Following this Sword Monarch of the *Huang* Character, he might truly attain the immortal destiny of longevity.

Fang Wang also came to understand Zhu Yan's lineage. He was of mixed blood; his father was a Roc—one of the supreme bloodlines among the demon race, though not quite as formidable as the ancient Rocs—while his mother was a vixen.

This made Fang Wang marvel at the fact that the immortal cultivation world apparently lacked reproductive isolation.

Although Zhu Yan was of mixed blood, his true form was that of a Roc, a mutated Roc at that, granting him a natural talent superior to most of his siblings.

Time flowed on.

In the blink of an eye.

A hasty ten years passed.

Fang Wang had already reached the eighth level of the Crossing Void Realm. With another twenty years remaining, it was more than enough time for him to break through to the Golden Body Realm.

On this day, Qu Xunhun came to visit Fang Wang, bringing the Heavenly Origin Spiritual Stones Fang Wang had requested.

In Great Qi, Heavenly Origin Spiritual Stones were rare and monopolized by major sects, but out on the seas, they were hardly uncommon items.

Qu Xunhun glanced at Zhu Yan, who was cultivating by the lake not far away, and then turned to Fang Wang, saying, "Sword Monarch, would you care to hear about the recent major events across the seas?"

Since he had made the trip, he naturally wanted to show diligence.

Zhu Yan's submission to Fang Wang's command had made Qu Xunhun even more reverent and expectant toward Fang Wang.

"Go ahead," Fang Wang said.

He held the storage pouch, inspecting the Heavenly Origin Spiritual Stones inside as he spoke.

There was not just a single Heavenly Origin Spiritual Stone, but over a thousand of them, enough to pile into a Spirit-Molding Platform. Because Heavenly Origin Spiritual Stones could automatically absorb the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, once built into a Spirit-Molding Platform, one no longer needed to worry about external supplies.

Qu Xunhun began recounting the turbulent affairs of the seas, starting first with the Four Heroes of Nanqiong.

Fang Wang found the name Ji Haotian rather interesting, though he had no idea what relation this person might have to Ji Rutian. As for the other three, it was his first time hearing of them.

Afterward, Qu Xunhun brought up the Sword Soul Tombs in the Sea of Sword Qi Death.

"The Sea of Sword Qi Death ebbs once every few centuries. This time, as many as a million sword cultivators went to contend for the sword soul opportunities. However, the most dramatic part of this sword soul contest was that the person who successfully captured the Ten-Thousand-Year Sword Soul was a young cultivator who had just stepped into the Condensation Realm, named Fang Hanyu."

At this, Qu Xunhun clicked his tongue in wonder.

"What? Fang Hanyu?"

Xiao Zi suddenly dashed over. Zhao Zhen and Zhu Yan, not far away, were also listening with curious expressions to Qu Xunhun's account of sea affairs.

Qu Xunhun was momentarily stunned and asked, "Could it be that the Sword Monarch knows Fang Hanyu?"

Instead of answering, Fang Wang asked in return, "What is a Ten-Thousand-Year Sword Soul?"

Qu Xunhun replied, "The so-called sword souls are formed from the lingering obsessions of deceased sword cultivators, containing their personal sword intent. The longer a sword soul has existed, the stronger it is. In this sword soul contest, Fang Hanyu was the only one to acquire a Ten-Thousand-Year Sword Soul. He hails from the Dust Sword Sect, but the ones protecting him are not members of his sect; rather, they are several powerful cultivators of unknown origin."

"Now, Fang Hanyu's name has spread across the world, and countless sword cultivators are eager to seize the Ten-Thousand-Year Sword Soul within his body."