Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 468: Unexpected Encounter

Fang Chen had witnessed a spirit measurement once before, and Liu Buyun's Spiritual Measurement Bell was similar to the one he had seen before. Only, their quality was different. This Spiritual Measuring Bell was of higher quality.

Slowly, hundreds of children from Niuxin Village took the test.

In the end, most of them couldn't even make the bell chime three times. The one with the most talent had made the bell chime four times.

Back at the assessment that had been held in the Grand Xia Empire, a four-chime talent was only enough to follow a wandering cultivator. A talent such as this was considered only passable.

Liu Buyun was very disappointed. Shaking his head, he turned Fang Chen and said, "Fellow Cultivator Fang, let's return to Qinghua Gate."

The old village chief as well as the many parents looked disappointed, and the hundreds of children were all confused.

Curious, Fang Chen pointed to the thin child and asked, "Didn’t that child produce four chimes? A talent like that isn't enough to make it into the Qinghua Gate?"

The child's gaze was determined as he stared at Liu Buyun.

"Four chimes? The prerequisite to enter the Qinghua Gate is to produce six chimes. Those with four-chimes talent can at most reach the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining Realm, and they would require a lot of cultivation resources to do so." Liu Buyun softly shook his head. "The Qinghua Gate doesn't accept such disciples."

Although the Qinghua Gate had abundant resources, they pursued to nurture the strongest experts.

This made Fang Chen gain some understanding of the situation in the cultivation world of the Azure Cloud Empire.

If this child had been at the Flame Empire, there was a high chance he could've embarked on the path to immortality. Being born in a cultivation powerhouse like the Azure Cloud Empire might not necessarily be a blessing.

Fang Chen suddenly smiled. "If you don't want to accept him, Friend Liu, then I will take this child with me."

The thin child was stunned. He stared at Fang Chen in disbelief as tears streamed down his cheek uncontrollably.

"Little Cow Dung is actually so lucky?"

The villagers of Niuxin Village were dumbfounded, and the middle-aged man who had just used his shoe sole to beat Little Cow Dung was frozen in place.

Seeing this, the old village chief hurriedly said, "Little Cow Dung, kneel down and kowtow!"

Little Cow Dung knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, hitting his head against the ground.

Bang, bang, bang!

No spiritual power stopped him this time.

The three demons didn't find it strange at all. Even small demons like them had been taken in as disciples, let alone the young man who seemed to have a lot of talent.

Unable to help himself, Liu Buyun commented, "Fellow Cultivator Fang, with a talent like his, it would only be a waste of spiritual materials."

Fang Chen didn't comment on that, and instead said, "Speaking of spiritual materials, Friend Liu, do you know where the nearest Heavenly Treasure Pavilion is? I plan to visit Immortal White Tiger, and it wouldn't be good to go empty-handed."

Liu Buyun's eyes lit up. "What a coincidence. I was just about to go to the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion after I was done here. If you want to go there, Fellow Cultivator Fang, why don't we go together?"

Fang Chen nodded with a smile. "That would be great."

"Little Cow Dung, remember to behave well in the future when you're with the immortal master. If you have time, remember to come back and visit the village," the old village chief kept reminding Little Cow Dung as they were about to leave.

Little Cow Dung nodded repeatedly to show his understanding.

Even the middle-aged man who beat him with his shoe sole went back to get some dry rations and a jar of pickles to give him. "Take these for the journey. You will become an immortal master in the future, so don't hold grudges against me."

As he spoke, the middle-aged man's expression was complicated.

“Fifth Uncle, I don't resent you. If it weren't for your help when I was stranded in the village, I would have starved to death long ago,” Little Cow Dung said softly.

The middle-aged man nodded gently, no longer speaking.

Seeing this, Fang Chen lightly waved his sleeve, and a misty cloud lifted everyone into the air.

On the way to Qinghua Gate, Liu Buyun intentionally or unintentionally wanted to probe into the nature of the relationship between Fang Chen and Immortal White Tiger.

"Fellow Cultivator Fang, although the Jade Void Mountain is highly renowned, only a select few human cultivators in the Azure Cloud Empire can visit the mountain. Aren't you afraid that you'll end up devoured by the demon cultivators from the Jade Void Mountain?" Liu Buyun asked tentatively.

"Immortal White Tiger and I have a deep connection. It's unlikely that the demon cultivators under him would dare to devour me," Fang Chen said lightly.

Liu Buyun immediately confirmed that Fang Chen indeed was acquaintanced with Immortal White Tiger. No ordinary cultivator would dare to make up a relationship with a Nascent Soul powerhouse. After all, if word went out about it, death would be the only outcome.

The Qinghua Gate was only five hundred miles away from Niuxin Village, so they quickly arrived at the gate of Qinghua Gate.

Fang Chen's divine soul soared into the sky.

All it took was a single glance for Fang Chen to learn that Qinghua Gate had an early stage Golden Core Realm cultivator presiding over it. There were also about a dozen auras belonging to Foundation Building Realm cultivators and several hundred Qi Refining cultivators. This level of strength was similar to the Sea Dragon Sect.

Liu Buyun first went to hand in his mission then led Fang Chen and the others to the front of a cave dwelling.

"Come out and meet Senior Brother Fang," Liu Buyun shouted loudly.

Several young people who were practicing in the cave-dwelling came out one after another.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Fang,” the young people said collectively.

There were five people, both male and female. It seemed they were Liu Buyun's direct disciples.

One of the young men was particularly interesting; he stood there dumbfounded upon seeing Fang Chen, unable to say a word.

Ye Qinghe was astounded. "Senior Brother Fang?"

He never expected to meet Fang Chen at Qinghua Gate. The appearance was unmistakable. He was definitely Fang Chen, even though he looked a few years younger than before. Even if Fang Chen turned into ashes, Ye Qinghe would still recognize him.

"These five are all my disciples. All of them have six-chime talents and above. They may have the opportunity to inherit my mantle in the future," Liu Buyun said with a hint of pride.

Upon hearing this, Little Cow Dung became somewhat restrained, and he peered up at Fang Chen cautiously, like a stray dog who had just been taken in, afraid that the new owner might get displeased and abandon it.

“Friend Liu, looks like there’s someone I know among your disciples....” Fang Chen sighed slightly and looked at Ye Qinghe. “What are you doing here? I remember you were taken in by a wandering cultivator as a disciple, weren’t you?”

What was even more strange was what Liu Buyun had just said; Qinghe didn't have a six-chimes talent.

Liu Buyun and his disciples were a bit surprised to hear that Ye Qinghe knew Fang Chen.

"Senior... Senior Brother Fang, my former master was killed by a powerful enemy. I ended up in this place and met my current master, who took me in," Ye Qinghe said, somewhat unaccustomed to calling Fang Chen his Senior Brother.

But he deeply understood the hierarchy within the cultivation world, which was stricter than the small circles they had back in the capital of Grand Xia.

"Fellow Cultivator Fang, you actually know Qinghe? This is truly a coincidence, it seems we have some destiny!" Liu Buyun exclaimed in surprise. "Is he a junior in your family or...?"

"Master... Senior Brother Fang and I should be considered peers. We are almost the same age..." Ye Qinghe said softly.

Everyone was shocked to hear this. They are almost the same age? But Ye Qinghe is only at the fourth layer of the Qi Refining Realm....

What was this person's cultivation realm?

It was only now that Liu Buyun realized that he had overlooked an important point since the start. Because he couldn't discern Fang Chen's cultivation level, he subconsciously assumed that Fang Chen was the same as him, a Foundation Building Realm expert.

"Fellow Cultivator Fang, you...?"

"I just recently broke through to Foundation Building Realm. Please forgive my lack of manners," Fang Chen said with a smile.

Ye Qinghe took in a sharp breath. Fang Chen had just reached the Foundation Building Realm?!

Liu Buyun used Ye Qinghe's age as a reference and immediately became more courteous.

A cultivator that had reached Foundation Building Realm at such a young age, and who also had ties with Immortal White Tiger, was worth befriending!

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fang Chen cut to the chase and inquired about the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

The Heavenly Treasure Pavilion originated from the Azure Cloud Empire. Their headquarters were located here, so buying a few top-grade, yellow-rank treasures here shouldn't be an issue.