Chapter 799: Preparing for the Storm [Part 2]

Chapter 799: Preparing for the Storm [Part 2]



Yan Beihan let out a cold harrumph.

Then, with a cheerful smile, he said, "Night Demon, you usually seem quite serious, but it must be tough for you to suppress your true nature, right?"

Fang Che replied, "I am a serious person by nature."

Yan Beihan chuckled, "Hehe."

"I truly am a serious person."

"Wait until I get my hands on you! Dong Yunyu has cursed me in the Yin-Yang Realm."

Yan Beihan was straightforward and concise, informing Fang Che of the location before cutting off the communication.

Fang Che held the communication jade and fell into deep thought.

This news was extremely important to him.

"First, Feng Yun has targeted the Life and Death Squad. Second, Feng Yun suspects that I am Dong Yunyu. Third, I need to leave here to assist Yan Beihan. Fourth, Dong Yunyu is currently in the south. If I leave, he will definitely stay. Extending from this, fifth, it will lead them back to the correct path of suspicion."

"Sun Wutian is not here right now, so no one can impersonate me."

"So, regarding this matter..."

Fang Che's heart raced as he pondered anxiously.

"If Fang Che disappears, Dong Yunyu must also disappear. That's the first point."

"Fang Che cannot completely disappear; he still needs to maintain some presence."

"How should we handle this?"

Fang Che paced nervously.

He thought carefully, knowing that with the information he had about Feng Yun and Yan Beihan, it wouldn't be too difficult to make the necessary arrangements.

Fang Che immediately sent a message to Dong Yunyu, "Are you in the south?"

"Huh?" Dong Yunyu replied.

"Find a quiet place, and come with Qiu Yunshang. We need to talk."

"Got it!"

Dong Yunyu quickly pulled Qiu Yunshang over, "Brother Fang wants us to have a meeting."

"Show some respect to Big Brother!" Qiu Yunshang yelled.

"Okay, Brother Qiu!"

Qiu Yunshang couldn't hold back, "Shut your filthy mouth!"

"That's music to my ears. I love hearing that, say it again!"

"I'm going to kick your ass!"

After walking a dozen steps to the room, the two had already exchanged eighty-six insults!

Their verbal sparring intensified, and by the time they sat down, it had escalated to, "You're like a pile of shit; seeing you makes me sick."

"Hey, we're sworn brothers. Insulting me is like insulting yourself," Dong Yunyu boasted.

This kind of childish insult battle was nothing to Dong Yunyu.

Qiu Yunshang, a well-mannered young master from a noble family, rarely had such opportunities. After spending several consecutive days alone with Dong Yunyu, he was almost driven to reclusiveness.

Desperate, Qiu Yunshang fought back, but the more they battled, the more excited Dong Yunyu became.

Qiu Yunshang's frustration grew with each passing moment.

"You pig! If you keep provoking me, I'll..." Qiu Yunshang foamed at the mouth.

But Dong Yunyu stopped him sternly, "Hold your horses, let's have the meeting with Brother Fang first."

Dong Yunyu's face was dead serious.

This caused Qiu Yunshang to explode, "I fucking... I fucking..."

"Let's start the meeting!"

Dong Yunyu's demeanor became even more righteous.

"..."

Qiu Yunshang's face contorted as he held back, then let out a fart.

"Hahahaha..."

Dong Yunyu burst into hearty laughter.

With his experience, Dong Yunyu didn't need to say a word; he just laughed, and it completely broke Qiu Yunshang's defenses.

Qiu Yunshang exclaimed, "Ahhhh... I'm going to kill you..."

He was on the verge of a breakdown.

But Dong Yunyu immediately took out the communication jade and pointed at it, "Look clearly, this is serious business. You're a noble family's offspring, yet you're farting and cursing. Where's your manners?"

"..."

Qiu Yunshang almost choked.

However, a message from Fang Che had already arrived on the communication jade.

"Are you two together?"

"Yes, we are."

Dong Yunyu replied, but then he felt something was amiss. He quickly added, "We are together as men, not in the way a man and a woman would be."

Qiu Yunshang's face twisted.

You might as well not explain! Fang Che's message also arrived, "Are you two... together?"

Dong Yunyu's face contorted as well.

"Do you have something to discuss?"

On Fang Che's end, he had already called Mo Gaiyun to discuss the matter, and when they saw the phrase 'together as men', they both burst into laughter.

"What a real idiot!"

Mo Gaiyun sincerely said, "Big Brother, you said it yourself, Dong Yunyu is such a bitch... No matter what he says, he always carries this innate arrogance from his bones, and he's also a two-faced bitch! The fact that we can be brothers with such a bitchy guy must be because we didn't burn enough incense in our past life."

Fang Che sighed, "Little Yunyun, your mouth now is not much different from Dong Yunyu's. Think about what you just said..."

Mo Gaiyun harrumphed, "Being with such a bitchy guy makes me so mad I could die! I'm forced into this situation!"

He suddenly laughed, "If Ding Yiran were with Dong Yunyu, he might become a chatterbox too."

Speaking of Ding Yiran, he realized something after he finished speaking, "That bastard joined the Night Demon Sect! Big Brother, following a demon like Night Demon, who is devoid of conscience, Ding Yiran must be crazy!"

Fang Che's mouth twitched.

He rolled his eyes.

With a pout, he said, "Let's discuss serious business!"

He sent a message, "Recently, I need to seclude myself for a period, but I can't disappear in the eyes of others. So, Dong Yunyu, you secretly disappear from the south and return to Donghu. During the day, you'll pretend to be me at Fang Wangfu, and Mo Gaiyun will assist you."

"Qiu Yunshang also needs to cooperate in this way..."

"Create the illusion that Dong Yunyu has disappeared, concealing the truth of my absence. Do you understand?"

"I do!"

For Fang Che, giving orders to Dong Yunyu and the other two was as simple as it gets.

Moreover, these three guys, aside from their shamelessness, were incredibly capable when it came to handling matters.

With just a few words, Fang Che arranged everything. Then, on Dong Yunyu's end, he immediately took action and gave Qiu Yunshang a thorough beating, "Brother Qiu, I'm about to go on a mission and won't be able to beat you up for several days, so I'll give you a good thrashing today..."

Qiu Yunshang was furious, "Just you wait, when I come back, my battle power will surpass yours... I swear to my ancestors..."

It must be said that ever since Qiu Yunshang followed Dong Yunyu, his enthusiasm for cultivation had skyrocketed.

Every day, his heart felt like it was about to explode.

After making the necessary arrangements, Fang Che once again instructed Mo Gaiyun, who nodded repeatedly, assuring him that he would handle it well.

Fang Che felt relieved.

Since Feng Yun suspected Dong Yunyu, he might as well let him continue to suspect her.

Fang Che sighed.

He knew that this cover-up wasn't very effective, and it wouldn't be long before Feng Yun realized the truth.

Or... was Feng Yun's claim to Yan Beihan that the Night Demon was Dong Yunyu his real guess?

Fang Che wasn't sure about this either.

Because if Dong Yunyu was the Night Demon, there were too many things that didn't make sense.

So why did Feng Yun say that? This was a point that Fang Che had to consider.

Moreover, knowing that he was Yan Beihan's man, he still told Yan Beihan specifically, so was this really what he thought?

Countless thoughts flashed through Fang Che's mind.

In the end, he could only remain silent.

Because now that they had reached this point, they could only proceed in this manner and observe Feng Yun's subsequent reactions.

Regardless, this was the only way to respond for now.

Perhaps it was Feng Yun's scheme, or perhaps Feng Yun had genuinely guessed wrong; but regardless, Fang Che was now at ease with either possibility.

He even began to prepare himself mentally: Feng Yun and Yan Beihan already knew his true identity.

With this assumption in mind.

Upon careful consideration, it didn't seem like a big deal, so the tension dissipated instead.

That night, as usual, after sparring with Mo Gaiyun, both of them were drenched in sweat.

This match was purely a test of strength.

Without using spiritual energy.

Fang Che was completely overwhelmed by Mo Gaiyun, who dominated him throughout the entire match. This made Mo Gaiyun feel incredibly satisfied.

However, in the middle of the night, Mo Gaiyun felt the sudden surge of spiritual energy in the courtyard, and he fell into a daze.

Breakthrough!

Fang Che had actually broken through to the Sage Rank in just one night!

He had truly entered the Sage Rank from the peak of the ninth rank of the Venerable Rank.

In Fang Che's room, thirty top-grade spirit crystals rapidly turned into powder and scattered as they transformed from complete spirit crystals.

The vast spiritual energy poured down from the heavens!

Fang Che's Dantian expanded again, making him feel like his spiritual energy was almost non-existent within it!

The spiritual energy poured in like a mighty river flowing into the sea, but just like a river entering the sea, it couldn't cause the slightest ripple in the vast Dantian sea.

Moreover, this sea was dry.

The river's water rushed in, as if it had entered a vast desert, quickly disappearing without a trace.

The divine perception barrier also expanded tenfold, and the originally almost overflowing divine perception power suddenly became as empty as the Dantian.

Fang Che held a colored crystal in each hand, fully charging his Dantian with spiritual energy.

During this time, he had almost no opportunities to fight, as everything was handled by Yang Luoyu, Dong Changfeng, and Sun Wutian. Every day was spent practicing, practicing, practicing, and practicing like crazy.

Half a year had passed since they left the Mystic Realm, and their cultivation had long been solidified.

There was only one thing: when breaking through from the Venerable Rank to the Sage Rank, Fang Che didn't feel any significant bottleneck, and everything went smoothly and naturally, allowing him to break through effortlessly!

This surprised Fang Che.

He had heard countless people say that breaking through from the Venerable Rank to the Sage Rank was an extremely difficult hurdle.

Countless martial artists were blocked at this hurdle, never to advance further in their entire lives.

But... I didn't feel any vibrations during the breakthrough, it was as if I slid right through... Is this what they call a huge bottleneck?

I'd like to ask, where is this 'huge' bottleneck?

In one hour, two colored crystals turned into powder.

Fang Che felt his Dantian overflowing, filled with 'Qi'. However, the 'Qi' hadn't transformed into 'Mist', the 'Mist' hadn't become 'Clouds', the 'Clouds' hadn't turned into 'Steam', and naturally, there was no transformation into 'Water', let alone the even more distant transformation from 'Water' into 'Liquid'.

But within the Dantian, there was already a continuous, automatic transformation taking place.

Fang Che stopped practicing and used his inner vision to examine his Dantian, letting out a sigh.

Just yesterday, this place was a full lake of water, but now, it had once again become a shallow puddle.

He took out the communication jade and sent a message to Yang Luoyu: "Senior Yang, I've broken through to the Sage Rank, but it's strange. I didn't feel any significant bottleneck, and even the breakthrough sensation was very mild. It was so natural and effortless. Is there something wrong with this?"

On the other side.

Yang Luoyu, who was already at headquarters, almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

His eyes widened as he stared at the message, and his fingers trembled.

Recalling his own arduous struggle of sixteen years to break through from the ninth rank of the Venerable Rank to the Sage Rank, and then seeing Fang Che's words...

No sense of a bottleneck... The breakthrough was very mild... It was so natural and effortless...

Yang Luoyu's lips trembled.

Finally, he managed to send out a single word.

"Get lost!"

Beside him, Lingxue Jian was puzzled: "Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you trembling when you see me?"

Yang Luoyu's hair stood on end as he placed the communication jade in front of Lingxue Jian and said angrily: "Look at this, look at this... This little brat, isn't he trying to infuriate me? What nonsense is he talking about! He's deliberately provoking me!"

Lingxue Jian took a look, then couldn't help but scratch his head, looking confused: "Luoyu... Did you get stuck here for a long time back then? That can't be right, can it?"

Yang Luoyu's defenses were completely shattered!

He glared at Lingxue Jian, his cheeks bulging as if he wanted to devour him.

Lingxue Jian tilted her head and smiled: "Do you want to hit me? Come on."

"Ahhhh..."

Yang Luoyu ran away.

He was truly exasperated.

Yutianqi walked over and saw Rui Qianshan laughing so hard that he was leaning forward and backward. He couldn't help but ask: "What's so funny?"

Rui Qianshan said: "I suddenly remembered how you were beaten by Duan Xi Yang years ago..."

Yutianqi's battle axe swung down with a whoosh.

Yutianqi was not Yang Luoyu, and he had no fear of Rui Qianshan. In fact, if it came to a life-or-death battle, Rui Qianshan would not be his match.

Of course, he wouldn't let him off easily.

Soon, the situation escalated into a grand spectacle at the headquarters' training grounds.

Rui Qianshan and Yutianqi engaged in a fierce battle, while Xue Fuxiao, Wudao Tian, Feng Rong Cong, Yu Haoran, Dongfang Zhongming, Buchou, and other peak experts from the Guardians, along with renowned masters from the Cold Sword Dream White Cloud Palace, formed a circle around them, witnessing the intense fight.

Rui Qianshan attempted to flee multiple times, but each time, the group joined forces to beat him back.

"Why are you running when the fight isn't over yet...?"

And so... Boom! Boom!

The commotion was intense.

The Heavenly Emperor and Earth Venerable, who were staying at the Guardian Headquarters, heard the noise and came to watch the spectacle. They cheered as they watched, and to their delight, the one getting beaten was Rui Qianshan.

Dongfang Sansan sighed.

"Some people just bring their own downfall..."

She shook her head and continued with her work.

In her heart, she thought, in a few more days, things will be settled, and it will be time to meet with the Heavenly Emperor and Earth Venerable.

It can't be that I'll never meet them...

...

In the late hours of the night, just as Fang Che was about to finish his breakthrough, Dong Yunyu arrived like a ghost.

He had traveled all the way here, hiding his presence and running at full speed, almost to the point of exhausting Dong Yunyu's energy.

Fearing any delay, he didn't waste a single second.

After entering, he followed their prearranged plan and stealthily infiltrated Mo Gan Yun's room without anyone noticing.

Mo Gan Yun immediately pinned him to the bed, saying, "Silence!"

As Dong Yunyu was about to resist, he softened and said, "Brother, have mercy."

"Ugh... yue!"

Mo Gan Yun spat.

Finally, Fang Che finished his cultivation and came over, only to see Mo Gan Yun grabbing Dong Yunyu and beating him up without a word! One was hitting, and the other was taking the blows, both silent.

"This is..."

Fang Che was helpless. Whenever Dong Yunyu was around, conflicts between the brothers seemed inevitable, and over time, they had become accustomed to it.

"Stop fighting."

Fang Che gathered with his two brothers and went over all the details.

Although Dong Yunyu couldn't perfectly impersonate Fang Che, he could manage to maintain a similar aura without revealing his face. This was enough.

With Mo Gan Yun's assistance, the resemblance was almost perfect.

After going over every detail, he explained, "From now on, if there's anything, contact me through the communication jade."

Then Dong Yunyu began to imitate Fang Che.

Meanwhile, Fang Che returned to his study and contacted his father, explaining the situation. His father acknowledged his understanding and agreed to report it.

Next, Fang Che sought leave from Zhao Shanhe and An Ruoxing.

"I have a sudden realization, and I need to enter seclusion to focus on my divine consciousness, which is surging like a tide. I will stay at home and seclude myself for a period of time, and Mo Gan Yun will protect me."

Zhao Shanhe and An Ruoxing, being martial artists, understood the value of such an opportunity.

Enlightenment! How many times could one achieve it in a lifetime?

They quickly agreed.

Then Fang Che contacted his subordinates from the three halls, including Xiong Rushan and Yin Guotang: "For any matters, make decisions on your own. If you need to use my banner, do so. If there's anything you truly can't handle, you can contact Mo Gan Yun at Fang Wangfu, and he will find a way to inform me."

Xiong Rushan and Yin Guotang were overjoyed!

They immediately agreed without hesitation.

It was like a drought finally receiving rain. They were relieved that Fang Che would finally take a break, as he had been pushed to the brink of madness during this time.

Then, Fang Che began his seclusion at home.

The day passed without incident, and by evening, Qian Sanjiang sent a message that he had arrived at Donghuzhou.

Fang Che immediately set out to meet him, his body transforming into an invisible mist as they met discreetly outside the city.

He transferred all the items into his spatial ring, feeling relieved. Just the day before, the Blood Spirit Ginseng Essence of the Five Tiger Generals had been completely consumed.

As he was eagerly awaiting replenishment, this new batch arrived just in time.

He handed the spatial ring to Qian Sanjiang, saying, "Please deliver this spatial ring to my master. He can use it. Anyway, the Deputy Headmaster hasn't asked for it back, and I already have my own."

Qian Sanjiang was deeply touched, "The Headmaster will be even happier to know about your thoughtful gesture than receiving the ring itself."

They found a place to sit outside the city and chatted for a while.

Fang Che could clearly sense Qian Sanjiang's emotions and changes. Compared to before, there was a noticeable sense of 'aging'.

His gaze also seemed gentler.

As dawn approached, Qian Sanjiang stood up, "Take care of yourself, no matter what. Your third master can find his way back."

Fang Che hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll see you back."

"Why?" Qian Sanjiang was puzzled.

"It's necessary for me to see you back."

Fang Che didn't want Qian Sanjiang to encounter any trouble on his way back, as Mu Linyuan had been ambushed after helping him the last time.

If Qian Sanjiang faced a similar situation...

Fang Che was worried.

Qian Sanjiang insisted on not needing an escort, but Fang Che was even more insistent. In the end, they had no choice but to travel together.

They moved exceptionally fast, traversing the mountain forests.

Along the way, Qian Sanjiang was filled with emotion, his spirits high. He continuously shared various martial arts anecdotes and old stories, as if trying to cram his entire life's experience into Fang Che's head.

They encountered no obstacles, and the journey was calm and peaceful.

This made Qian Sanjiang feel even more indebted.

After all, having the Night Demon escort him would cause delays in many matters.

But Fang Che was determined, leaving Qian Sanjiang with no choice.

Ahead, at the mountain peak, they reached the Onemind Sect.

Just then, they received a message from Feng Xing: "Feng Shi Qi has arrived at Donghuzhou."

Fang Che replied, "Please ask Senior Feng Shi Qi to wait a moment. I'm currently dealing with an escort client. I'll rush back immediately."

Feng Xing agreed.

Fang Che decided to escort Qian Sanjiang directly into the Onemind Sect.

The Seal God Palace was delighted, "You came too?"

"This child was worried and insisted on escorting me here, like an old friend."

Qian Sanjiang was touched, "I had no choice but to let him escort me, and before I knew it, he brought me all the way home."

The Headmaster of the Seal God Palace burst into hearty laughter and said, "Since you're here, stay for a meal before you leave."

Although time was of the essence, Fang Che still agreed, "Then I'll have a quick meal and leave immediately. The person Lord Yan sent to find me is already at East Lake, and I can't afford to delay. Please forgive me, Master."

"There's no need for apologies!" The Headmaster's heart was filled with relief.

He quickly ordered a grand feast to be prepared, and during this time, Fang Che, accompanied by the three others, went to pay respects at Mu Linyuan's grave.

Mu Linyuan's grave was already covered in a blanket of withered grass.

All four of them remained silent.

At the banquet, Qian Sanjiang livened up the atmosphere and presented the ring as if it were a treasure, saying, "Headmaster, look what I've brought back for you. This is a gift from the Night Demon."

It was indeed the spatial ring.

The Headmaster felt both pleased and touched. "My child, this was given to you by the Deputy Headmaster. There's no need to give it to me."

"But I already have one, Master," Fang Che explained. "And this side also needs one. So, I took the liberty of bringing it back. Since the Deputy Headmaster has taken it out, he won't take it back. There's no need to worry, Master."

"That's one way to look at it..." The Headmaster still felt a bit uneasy.

He couldn't help but feel that he was benefiting from his disciple's achievements. After all, he was the master.

Qian Sanjiang tried to reassure him, "Headmaster, why worry so much? The Night Demon's accomplishments now far surpass yours and mine. It's the right time for your disciple to show filial piety..."

The Headmaster laughed heartily, "It's just a matter of saving face."

Fang Che earnestly requested, "Then, Master, please accept it."

The Headmaster burst into laughter and accepted the ring.

The meal was prepared quickly, and they ate swiftly, knowing that Fang Che was in a hurry. The Headmaster even urged him, "Hurry up, we don't have much time!"

Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang complained, "Headmaster, we've never seen you host a guest like this before."

The Headmaster replied, "Important matters take priority. We can eat and drink anytime in the future, but we can't afford to delay the Night Demon now."

The two understood that the Night Demon was pressed for time.

Fang Che bid his farewells and left.

As the Night Demon arrived at the Onemind Sect, his malevolent aura spread, causing everyone in the sect to hold their breath in reverence.

The aura lingered even after Fang Che's departure, gradually dissipating only when the Headmaster and the others returned.

The Onemind Sect's experts treated the Headmaster and the other two with even greater respect, the change being immediately noticeable.

Not only Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang, but even the Headmaster felt secretly pleased by this.

They weren't afraid of any alliances or ambitions. As long as the Night Demon was there, who would dare to cause trouble? This was the Headmaster's greatest source of confidence.

What's the big deal about those from headquarters? With the Night Demon, I'll pin down the dragon and make the tiger lie low.

As Fang Che left the Onemind Sect, he felt something was amiss, so he quickly transformed into a phantom and inspected the surroundings.

However, after searching, he found nothing unusual, realizing that he might have been imagining things. Moreover, time was indeed of the essence.

Thus, he hurried back, moving swiftly and leaving no trace, like a nightmare in the night.

Deep in the mountains and forests surrounding the Onemind Sect, a ghostly figure appeared long after Fang Che's departure. With venomous eyes, this figure gazed at the Onemind Sect, filled with regret.

Originally, this person had planned to intercept and kill Qian Sanjiang, but instead, they had to follow a Night Demon.

Hai Wuliang had been monitoring the Onemind Sect for a long time, and he had been doing so ever since he came out. It was his obsession.

The Headmaster's survival tormented Hai Wuliang, making him feel like his heart was being fried in a pan.

Those accompanying Hai Wuliang in monitoring felt bored. During this time, they had started gambling in a cave—the Onemind Sect hadn't made a move in a year, and they were monitoring in the forest, making their days monotonous.

When someone finally came out from the Onemind Sect, Hai Wuliang didn't notice because he was in the cave.

By the time he came out again, Qian Sanjiang was already on his way back, almost reaching the sect.

If not for the Night Demon's presence, Hai Wuliang was confident he could have killed Qian Sanjiang even at the Onemind Sect's Guardian Array.

However, he was following a Night Demon.

When the Night Demon emerged, Hai Wuliang gathered his people, thinking that if necessary, they could surround and ambush the Night Demon.

But this person was slippery and vanished without a trace, as if melting into the air.

Hai Wuliang was startled and couldn't even track him.

Not only was it impossible to track him, but Hai Wuliang was also shocked by the Night Demon's abilities.

How could they deal with a Night Demon like this? If they tried to intercept him, they might be counter-attacked instead.

So, Hai Wuliang used the Divine Weasel Sect's secret technique and buried himself in the ground. After a long wait, he cautiously emerged, relieved that there was no movement.

For now, he could only continue monitoring, not knowing when the Headmaster, that old turtle, would send someone out again.

Fang Che hurried back, moving like lightning and returning to East Lake.

He quickly contacted Feng Xing, asking him to find Feng Shiqi. Feng Xing threw over a large package without a word and left, expressing his dissatisfaction through his actions.

Fang Che smiled bitterly, not examining the package before storing it in his ring. He apologized to Feng Xing again.

Feng Xing didn't mind, "Just focus on your cultivation. It's more important than anything else. We've already started tracking the Divine Weasel Sect."

"Be careful, Feng Xing."

The two ended their communication.

Fang Che rushed back to East Lake Continent, quickly entering the Fang Manor and briefing Mo Ganyun and Dong Yunyu.

Then, he briefly appeared in East Lake Continent.

He summoned Xiong Rushan and scolded him.

Afterward, he returned home and ordered a feast to be prepared.

However, before the feast could reach the Fang Manor, Fang Che had already disappeared from East Lake Continent, heading into the mountains and forests, rushing towards the meeting location mentioned by Yan Beihan.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end