"Damn it all, I'll kill him for you!" Huang Sihai growled, his knuckles cracking with the force of his clenched fists. Upon hearing this, the jailers felt a chill run down their spines—so, in Huang Sihai’s eyes, the Assistant Minister of the Dahua Temple was nothing more than a chick waiting to be slaughtered?
"I’ve killed quite a few people in the last two days—all warriors from Qingsong Country—so they locked me in here to think about how to handle the situation," Fang Chen said with a smile. "I was thinking, since it’s been five years since we last saw each other, I might as well come in and visit you."
He killed quite a few Qingsong Country warriors?!
The prisoners in the jail were stunned. Wasn’t it said that Fang Chen’s cultivation had been crippled, and that he had even gone blind during the battle at Sanyi Mountain?
"Heir, your cultivation..." Huang Sihai suddenly calmed down, staring intently at Fang Chen.
"It has recovered," Fang Chen replied with a nod and a smile.
"Hahaha!" Huang Sihai was startled for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed loudly, his face full of ecstasy. He knew he wouldn't be staying in this jail much longer!
"Military God Fang’s cultivation has recovered?"
"No wonder, no wonder! I was wondering why the people from the Dahua Temple had such sour looks on their faces these past two days!"
"The heavens are about to change..."
Whispers rippled through the jail.
"I don't intend to get involved in the imperial court anymore. If you still want to follow me after you get out of here, I don’t have a general’s position for you to hold," Fang Chen said with a laugh.
"Heir, what’s so great about being a general? Even if you go out to sell sesame cakes, I’ll be there to knead the dough for you!" Huang Sihai laughed boisterously.
The others looked at Huang Sihai, their expressions shifting rapidly. This was a master comparable to a Qi Control Expert—someone who wouldn't even give the warden a look of respect—yet now, he was willing to knead dough for Fang Chen. They tried to picture the scene and found the image increasingly bizarre.
"General Huang, I have provided you with good food and drink all these years, never gave you a hard time, and certainly never humiliated you. You should at least show me some face," the warden, who had left earlier, returned. He looked at Huang Sihai with a complicated expression.
"Old He, it’s not that I don’t want to give you face, but you locked up my heir without so much as a word to me. If the heir hadn't explained things to me, I would have crushed your skull the moment I walked out," Huang Sihai said to the warden, his tone solemn.
The warden’s expression flickered. He never expected that after five years, Huang Sihai would still be so fiercely loyal to Fang Chen.
"Since your heir has explained it to you, can you return to your cell?" the warden asked in a low voice.
"First, bring me the items I asked for, then arrange a single cell for him, and he will go back," Fang Chen said with a smile.
"Did you hear what my heir said?" Huang Sihai looked at the warden.
The warden fell into silence. After a few moments, he nodded slightly and looked at Fang Chen: "Are your people outside the Dahua Temple?"
Fang Chen nodded with a smile.
"Wait a moment." The warden turned and left.
Outside the Dahua Temple, Xu Ge stood quietly, holding a bundle. He seemed to be lost in thought, but he was actually studying the layout of the entire temple. "If I had ten Qi Burst Warriors and fifty Qi Condensation Warriors, I reckon I could dismantle this Dahua Temple front to back. It wouldn't take half an hour to reach the jail."
"The Wind-Cloud Sword, Xu Ge!?" An exclamation interrupted his thoughts.
The warden’s face was filled with disbelief. He never expected that Xu Ge, the Wind-Cloud Sword who had risen to fame in the Capital in recent years, was also one of Fang Chen’s men! Moreover, the mutterings he had just overheard were truly terrifying!
*This guy... he was thinking about attacking the Dahua Temple!? Could this be the intention of Military God Fang?* At that thought, the warden felt his scalp tingle and his legs go weak.
"Are you from the Dahua Temple? Did the heir send you?" Xu Ge frowned as he looked at the man. *What is this guy doing? Why does he look like he’s seen a ghost? Are people from the Dahua Temple all such cowards?*
"...Yes," the warden nodded slightly.
"Take it and give it to the heir," Xu Ge said, handing over the bundle.
"I’ve already broken the rules by doing this, so I must inspect the contents," the warden said.
"Suit yourself," Xu Ge nodded.
The warden opened it and found it was indeed wolf-hair brushes, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper. He was confused; why would Fang Chen need these things in jail?
"Go deliver it to my heir. Don’t try any tricks. If I find out you didn't give it to him, you’ll have to watch your step every single day for the rest of your life," Xu Ge said coldly.
"You know I am a warden of the Dahua Temple, yet you dare to threaten me?" The warden was somewhat annoyed.
"So what if you’re a warden? I’m barefoot—do you think I’m afraid of someone wearing shoes?" Xu Ge glared at him.
The warden said nothing more and turned to leave. Not long after, he returned to the jail and handed the items to Fang Chen.
"Old Huang, go back to your side and stay put," Fang Chen said with a laugh.
"Heir, let me escort you to your single room first," Huang Sihai grinned.
The warden didn't say a word and immediately arranged a single cell for Fang Chen, after which Huang Sihai returned to his own cell as requested.
"Military God Fang, attacking the Dahua Temple is not a good strategy. I hope you will reconsider," the warden left behind a comment, his expression complex, before hurrying away.
*Attacking the Dahua Temple?* Fang Chen paused, then ignored the warden’s nonsensical comment. He laid out his equipment, preparing to craft more Purple Lightning Talismans. While he was at it, he would see if he could condense a second Immortal Meridian today. Rising in cultivation would also increase the power of the talismans he crafted.
***
Chapter 22: Promotion, 2nd Level Qi Refining!
In the highest Tribunal of the Dahua Temple, a group of senior officials, including the Assistant Minister Li Huafeng, gathered to review reports. These documents detailed every Qingsong Country warrior who had died.
"Well-deserved deaths," an old man suddenly sneered, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
Everyone had strange expressions. Li Huafeng looked at the old man and said coldly, "Well-deserved? Do you realize how much harm Fang Chen’s antics have brought to our Great Xia? If Qingsong Country launches an attack because of this, how long can we hold out?"
"Assistant Minister," the old man smiled, "For the past five years, the files on Qingsong warriors piling up in our temple have numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands. The crimes they’ve committed are countless. Now that Military God Fang has cleaned them up for us, doesn't that lighten the burden on the Dahua Temple? Isn't that a good thing?"
"As for Qingsong Country... that is not for us to worry about. Military God Fang must have his reasons. I’ve heard his cultivation has recovered. If that’s true, our Great Xia isn't exactly a pushover." Many nodded secretly, finding the logic sound.
Li Huafeng’s expression was solemn. "It’s understandable that you think that way, but in reality, Fang Chen was defeated at Sanyi Mountain even at his peak. Our Great Xia is no match for Qingsong. I called you here to discuss how to dispose of Fang Chen. My suggestion is to sentence him to the Heaven Prison and send him to Qingsong in a few days so they can handle it themselves. This way, we can appease their anger."
The others were slightly shocked. Send Fang Chen to Qingsong? How could that be?
Just then, someone hurried in and whispered, "My lords, a large crowd has gathered outside the Dahua Temple."
"Are they here to demand Fang Chen’s release?" the old man asked hurriedly.
"No..." the messenger said, his expression strange. "They are from Guhe, Longdu, and Yizhou. They claim Fang Chen slaughtered Qingsong warriors and must be severely punished; otherwise, foreign nationals in the Capital of Great Xia will have no sense of safety."
Guhe, Longdu, and Yizhou were also Ninth-Rank empires. They didn't have military conflicts with Great Xia and focused mainly on trade. Many of their citizens resided in the Capital year-round.
"Nonsense! What does this have to do with them?" the old man sneered.
"How could it not have anything to do with them?" Li Huafeng glanced at the old man. "Justice Official Zhao, don't forget the relationship between these three empires and Qingsong. They have massive trade ties and mutual exchanges every year. I fear Fang Chen’s actions have already angered them. If they start pressuring Great Xia, what will we do? Having Qingsong as an enemy is already enough; if we antagonize these three countries as well, our nation’s fate will surely be extinguished!"
The group’s expressions grew grave. Indeed, Li Huafeng was right. No one wanted these three countries to get involved. If they intervened, there would be no peace until a satisfactory explanation was given.
"Oh? The Temple Master is here."
"Temple Master."
Everyone stood up. A middle-aged man in a python-patterned robe walked in slowly. He nodded slightly, sat in the main chair, and said coldly: "You’ve been debating for ages—have you reached a decision?"
"Temple Master, in my view, Fang Chen must be handed over to Qingsong," Li Huafeng said, cupping his hands.
"Sigh, this is a headache," the Temple Master rubbed his temples and sighed. "Fang Chen’s status in Great Xia is extraordinary. If his cultivation hadn't recovered, we could have used him to trade for several years of peace. But now that his cultivation is back, have you considered that regardless of how we decide to handle him, one thing is certain: he has to agree to it himself."
The Temple Master looked at them. The group was stunned, their expressions turning strange. They hadn't thought of that.
Li Huafeng hesitated. "Could it be... that he would dare to openly defy an order?"
"Do you think he dares not?" The Temple Master sneered. "Don't look at me as the Master of Dahua Temple and a Prince—if I were to curse him to his face, do you think he wouldn't slap me?"
Silence filled the room.
"There you have it. Don't bother discussing it anymore. The Dahua Temple shouldn't get involved; let Fang Chen deal with it himself," the Temple Master stood up. "He’s been brought in, and we’ve done what we were supposed to do. Whatever happens next, what does it have to do with us?"
With that, he strutted out of the room. The others rose one by one and left as well.
"Assistant Minister, I think you shouldn't get involved either, lest you get yourself into trouble," Justice Official Zhao smiled at Li Huafeng before strolling out.
Li Huafeng’s face darkened further.
Outside, Yuan Zhuang saw Justice Official Zhao and hurried forward. "My lord, what was the decision?"
"You, you’ll be able to brag about capturing Military God Fang into the Dahua Temple for the rest of your life," Justice Official Zhao chuckled. "As for the rest, it’s not our business. Go call the other inspectors; I’m in a good mood today, I’ll treat you all to listen to music by the Great Xia River."
Yuan Zhuang was shocked. Ever since Great Xia’s defeat five years ago, Justice Official Zhao hadn't stepped foot in those places of entertainment. What had gotten into him today?
***
Deep in the prison, thunderous sounds echoed from time to time. The prisoners looked on in shock, crowding their doors to see what was happening. However, they soon learned from the jailers' chatter that Fang Chen’s cultivation had recovered and that he was practicing a ferocious martial art that summoned lightning to turn enemies into charcoal!
Xiao Tianci, the head of the Qingsong elite pavilion, had died to this move!
Once they learned this, their initial panic and fear turned into habit, and they even found a sense of security in the thunderous sounds.
"The stronger Military God Fang is, the stronger our Great Xia is! Heaven hasn't abandoned us!"
"There will be a war between Great Xia and Qingsong, and it will decide our national fate. It will be even more brutal than the battle at Sanyi Mountain. The stronger he is, the more stable our nation’s future!"
"Jailer! When are you going to release Military God Fang? Let him out to suppress Qingsong for Great Xia!"
The jailers could only offer bitter smiles. They wanted to, but they didn't have the authority.
In his single cell, Fang Chen quietly crafted Purple Lightning Talismans. Each stroke was vigorous and powerful. He felt his speed improving. The spiritual power within him grew stronger and more abundant, twice as much as it had been when he first condensed his Immortal Meridian! Each time his spiritual power was exhausted, the upper limit of his recovery grew.
"So, cultivating immortality isn't that hard after all..." Fang Chen put down his brush, feeling the surge of spiritual power within him, and smiled. His spiritual power was sufficient; it was time to condense the second Immortal Meridian.
With a thought, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth surged toward him, and before long, a second crystal-clear Immortal Meridian appeared.
Promotion, 2nd Level Qi Refining!
***
Chapter 23: Porcelain-Smashing Tactics (Fake Victimization)
The next day, Fang Chen gently set down his brush. He had discovered a problem. The wolf-hair brush, cinnabar, and yellow paper he possessed were all mortal-grade items and could not contain the higher levels of spiritual power. This meant that although his cultivation had improved, the power of the talismans remained unchanged.
*The power of a Purple Lightning Talisman is enough to make a 12th Layer Qi Refining cultivator fearful, but the ones I craft don't have that kind of force. It seems the problem lies in the tools.*
Fang Chen pondered. Great Xia didn't have traces of other cultivators, but that didn't mean it lacked spiritual materials. He needed better brushes, cinnabar, and paper.
*Perhaps I should arrange for someone to hunt for these things.* He began to search his memory for candidates. Among the Great Xia hidden guards, many were qualified for such tasks. They controlled several merchant guilds, but the only problem was that, lacking spiritual power, they couldn't distinguish spiritual items from common ones.
Suddenly, a thought occurred. Fang Chen remembered some strange reports submitted by his guards years ago. They had seemed bizarre at the time, but unrelated to the war, so he hadn't paid them much mind. Looking back, they might have involved the cultivation world.
*I’ll have to make a trip when I have the chance,* he thought to himself.
"Military God Fang," the warden stood at the door, his expression complicated.
"How did your discussion go?" Fang Chen asked with a smile. He had given them a day and a night; no matter how they stalled, there should be a result.
"The Temple Master has received word from the Palace. You are summoned to see the Emperor."
The warden then ordered the jailers to open the cell door.
"Heir, will you come pick me up later?" Huang Sihai’s voice sounded immediately.
"You’ve been here for five years; there's no rush for a day or two. Stay put," Fang Chen laughed.
Fang Chen followed the warden out of the prison. Outside, Eunuch You had been waiting for a long time, accompanied by You Longchang. You Longchang looked dejected, wanting to speak but stopping himself when he saw Fang Chen.
"Military God Fang, I am ordered to escort you. Please, come with me," Eunuch You said politely, not daring to be negligent.
Fang Chen smiled. "Sorry to trouble you."
The warden escorted them to the gate of the Dahua Temple. Watching them depart, he finally let out a sigh of relief. Every day Fang Chen spent in his prison, the pressure on him increased.
"Military God Fang, do you think the Emperor will punish us?" You Longchang whispered, walking beside Fang Chen.
Eunuch You seemed to hear him but pretended not to. Bringing You Longchang was the Emperor’s order anyway; after all, You Longchang had been an accomplice when Fang Chen killed the Qingsong warriors.
"We killed Qingsong warriors—why would the Emperor punish us? You don't need to worry," Fang Chen replied calmly.
You Longchang wanted to argue, thinking to himself that Fang Chen had been locked up for a day and a night, yet he was still so confident. But there was no help for it now—who told him to let his hot-bloodedness get the better of him that day?
Before long, they arrived at the palace gate. You Longchang suddenly let out a soft exclamation: "Isn't that Uncle-in-law Li and the others?"
A crowd was kneeling before the palace gate—men, women, young, and old. Among them was an elderly woman with white hair, trembling as she knelt. Suddenly, someone spotted Fang Chen and screamed: "The murderer Fang Chen is here!"
*Murderer?* You Longchang immediately thought of Li Huang. He hadn't seen Li Huang since that day. Could it be... You Longchang’s expression shifted, and he looked at Fang Chen in disbelief. *Did this guy kill Li Huang too? Li Huang’s aunt is one of the Emperor’s most favored concubines!*
"Fang Chen! What grievance did my Li family hold against you that you would commit such a vicious act against my son? You’ve cut off my Li family’s lineage!" Uncle-in-law Li stood up abruptly, staring at Fang Chen with intense, poison-filled eyes.
"Son, is he Fang Chen?" the white-haired old woman stood up shakily, pointing a trembling finger at Fang Chen. Uncle-in-law Li nodded, his eyes filled with bottomless hatred.
"You! Why did you kill my grandson? Why! I will beat you to death today! Beat you to death!" The old woman grabbed her cane and charged at Fang Chen, raising it to strike.
Uncle-in-law Li and the others made no attempt to stop her; instead, their eyes showed a glimmer of satisfaction. Eunuch You was at a loss, caught between the mother of the Uncle-in-law and Fang Chen. He didn't know how to act without offending either party.
As he hesitated, the cane was already about to land on Fang Chen’s head.
Fang Chen sighed lightly, grabbed the cane in mid-air, and said in a low voice: "Old lady, Li Huang, along with the Qingsong warriors, treated the people of Great Xia like pigs and dogs, using them as target practice. Even if I hadn't made a move, the Emperor would have ordered his head taken—and it might have brought disaster upon your entire Li family."
"You killed my grandson and you dare to slander him? How could my grandson do such a thing? I’m going to beat you to death!" The old woman ignored the explanation and pulled at the cane, still trying to strike him.
Meanwhile, on the palace ramparts, several figures were watching the scene.
"Your Highness, how do you think Fang Chen will resolve this? Killing the Qingsong warriors is one thing, but he killed Li Huang as well. I don’t think Uncle-in-law Li and Imperial Concubine Fang will let this go," Ye Qinghe said.
The Crown Prince looked calmly at Fang Chen, then at the old woman, and suddenly smiled:
"Resolve it? ..."