Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 445: Cutting Through The Cycles of Life

As Fang Chen unleashed his sword, he suddenly felt a hollow emptiness. His temples were turning gray, and what used to be the face of an eighteen or nineteen-year-old was now showing fine wrinkles, revealing a touch of aging.

Fang Tingjian looked at where the vanished Golden Core Realm cultivator had been and then at Fang Chen. Gradually, a hint of astonishment welled up in his eyes.

That strike... was quite strange! Even though its momentum was not as great as the previous one, it actually broke through the methods of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator like the Kunlong Battle General and killed the Golden Core Realm cultivator he was protecting.

The people initially didn't hold much hope for Fang Chen, but when they saw this sword slay a Golden Core Realm cultivator, they fell into silence. Their rising and falling chests revealed their inner excitement.

The female sword cultivator's eyes showed disbelief. "How is this possible..."

Even she wasn't confident she could injure a Golden Core Realm cultivator that was under the protection of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, yet Fang Chen was able to do so!

"Is this because of that sword embryo!?" That thought surfaced but was immediately suppressed by the female sword cultivator. It shouldn’t just be because of the sword embryo. No matter how strong it was, without skills, it couldn't unleash such attack power!

"This person... should not have been allowed to live!" Qian Wuji was furious, and his methods became even more violent. The female sword cultivator and others noticed Qian Wuji's urgency. They realized that he was trying to finish them off quickly so he could deal with Fang Chen.

"Qian Wuji is getting anxious. Everyone, put in more effort! That lady sword cultivator, put in more effort too. Don't let him escape!" Fang Wanli shouted sternly.

All the Golden Core Realm cultivators dared not divert their attention to Fang Chen and focused on dealing with Qian Wuji. Currently, Fang Chen was their only hope, and they couldn't afford to let the situation collapse; they had to maintain stability!

"This..."

The three Nascent Soul Realm cultivators suddenly opened their eyes, their gazes falling on Fang Chen in unison. Even the eyes beneath Kunlong Battle General's mask were no longer indifferent; there was a hint of fluctuation as he looked at Fang Chen.

Fang Chen raised the sword in his hand and slashed toward the second Golden Core Realm cultivator. Even though that Golden Core Realm cultivator had already sensed that something was amiss and was afraid, he was more inclined to believe in Kunlong Battle General's abilities.

Puchi!

The Golden Core Realm cultivator perished and the flames shrouding the three Nascent Soul Realm cultivators dimmed slightly!

Fang Chen's temples were now completely gray. He now looked like someone nearing his thirties.

"That’s bad! He's consuming his lifespan!"

"Those two sword strikes can kill Golden Core Realm cultivators, but they also cause immense damage to himself!"

Dongfang Haojie and others reacted, their eyes filled with surprise. Lifespan was the foundation for cultivators; if their lifespan was compromised, it would affect many aspects of their cultivation. Without enough lifespan, how could one advance to the next realm? That was the most crucial point!

Ordinary cultivators wouldn't choose to do this easily. Burning lifespan was akin to cutting off their path to immortality!

Fairy Yu, Zhang Xiaoke, Xia Ji, and the others all showed a hint of worry in their eyes. But they knew that Fang Chen could not stop now.

He swung his third sword, claiming the life of yet another Golden Core Realm cultivator.

Qian Wuji instantly felt a chill down his spine. Three Golden Core Realm cultivators under Kunlong Battle General’s protection had been killed in succession! The sword in Fang Chen's hand was probably capable of killing even grand completion stage Golden Core Realm cultivators!

“Why didn’t he team up with these people to kill me first?” A question arose in his mind. Qian Wuji had never thought about it. In Fang Chen's eyes, he was a formidable opponent to be feared, but the female sword cultivator was also someone Fang Chen feared. To avoid affecting today's situation, a duel between them was what Fang Chen preferred the most.

With both sides in a deadlock, no one could influence his next actions. After the third sword, Fang Chen's appearance became that of a man in his forties. Although he looked older, there was a unique middle-aged charm about him.

The fourth strike.

Fang Chen entered his fifties, understanding the cycle of life.

The fifth eventually fell.

Fang Chen entered his sixties, reaching old age.

The sixth strike also came next.

Fang Chen reached his seventies.

With his seventh strike…

Fang Chen reached his eighties.

Eventually, the eighth and ninth strikes fell.

The tenth move marked his nineties, an age that many mortals struggled to reach.

Fang Chen's hair had turned completely white, and his posture had become slightly bent. From the age of maturity to his current appearance, he only took the time to unleash ten strikes.

People seemed to witness a surreal scene, as they witnessed a young man entering adulthood, understanding the cycle of life, reaching old age, and eventually facing the end of his life.

It was like a Heavenly Dao of the journey of life from beginning to end.

"This can’t go on!" Tears streamed down Fairy Yu’s face as she watched Fang Chen transform into his current state. She suddenly rushed forward and shouted at Fang Chen, “My lord, don’t draw your sword anymore! Don’t!"

My lord?

Several scenes flashed in the female sword cultivator's mind, and she finally recognized Fang Chen.

The female sword cultivator murmured to herself, "So it's him..."

Xia Ji spoke in a low voice, "Fang Chen, do you remember what I told you previously?"

"My lord, I still have a long life ahead, use mine!"

Zhang Xiaoke wanted to rush to Fang Chen's side, but he was firmly held back by the peasant woman.

Elder Su said softly with a complex expression, "You can't intervene in this kind of battle... and he also can't use your lifespan..."

Dongfang Haojie asked hesitantly, "Brother... My blood essence still has some use, do you want to use it? I'll share some with you!"

Fairy Tianyin looked at him, suddenly feeling that the chubby man in front of her was quite different from what she remembered.

Fang Chen slowly turned around and looked at Fairy Yu, Xia Ji, Zhang Xiaoke, as well as the familiar faces of Fang Jue, Fang Xiu, Fang Ao, Jing Jing, and the rest.

He smiled, nodded slightly at everyone, and then turned around, carrying his sword toward the next Golden Core Realm cultivator.

Fang Tingjian suddenly spoke up. "Is it worth it?"

Fang Chen said with an aged voice that lacked the vitality it once had, carrying a heavy sense of death instead. “For matters like this, there is nothing to weigh. Not to mention my friends and kindred spirits, even if it was only for the common people, it is worth it."

The voice of Kunlong Battle General rang out. “If you continue depleting your lifespan, you won’t be able to become immortal in this life. ”

As Fang Chen looked at him and swung his sword to strike the next Golden Core Realm cultivator, a faint smile appeared on his wrinkled face. “If there's no mortal, there's no immortal. If I can’t even be human, what kind of crap immortal would I be?”

Slash.

Another golden core cultivator fell.

After that strike, the white hair on Fang Chen's head began to fall off, and the hair on his head became sparser. He no longer had the heroic and handsome appearance of his youth and instead looked completely like an old man with one foot in the grave.

The three Nascent Soul Realm cultivators were moved at that moment.

Immortal Void Rush stared at Fang Chen and suddenly said, “He’s not cutting down Golden Core Realm cultivator, he’s cutting through the cycles of life.”

“Cutting through the cycles of life?” Immortal White Tiger and Supreme Expert Dragon Wood glanced at each other before looking at Fang Chen. Their eyes were filled with complex emotions.

“He’s not cutting down Golden Cores... but the cycles of life?”

Immortal Void Rush's words deeply moved countless people, plunging them into deep contemplation. From youth to old age, isn't this the cycle of life?

Fairy Yu clenched her fists tightly. “The lord is cutting his own cycle of life….”

Not far away, Abbess Qing He looked at her master, “Master, are we really powerless?”

Abbess Zhu Yue nodded softly, her gaze shifting to Fang Qingyao. “Yes, we are.”

Even though she kept her silence, her eyes never left Fang Chen. Tears started streaming down her face unknowingly.