Chapter 1833: The Jinyang Alliance
The moment that group of people standing on the clouds arrived at the scene, every divine ability expert in Zanglong City felt as if a massive mountain had been pressed against their hearts, making it difficult to breathe.
A glimmer flashed across Fang Qianxue's eyes. A ripple of energy spread outward like waves across water, sweeping in every direction. The pressure on everyone's hearts instantly eased, and they returned to normal.
Fang Chen breathed a sigh of relief; he too had felt immense pressure just a moment ago.
Fang Han's face darkened, and he immediately cut through the air into the sky. In an instant, the Fang Clan divine ability experts scattered across various locations to maintain order converged, standing in the void and staring warily at this group of 'uninvited guests'.
"Old Fang, it's the people from Jinyang Alliance. It seems Saint Jinyang's attitude toward the Fang Clan isn't very friendly," said Wang Chongsong with a soft sigh, appearing beside Fang Chen at some unknown point as he looked at those existences upon the clouds.
Jinyang Alliance?
Fang Chen's eyes narrowed. Having stayed in Xie Zhi for so many years, he was quite clear about the current situation in the Nether Ruins.
Saint Jinyang was also a veteran figure who had become a Saint many years ago, and his seniority was even greater than that of Saint Luoxue. Among the nine great Saints of the Human Race today, he was an elder whose age could rank in the top three!
However, he had never heard of any previous entanglements between Jinyang Alliance and the Fang Clan. Arriving today in a manner that clearly showed they came with ill intent was rather surprising.
"So they are from the Jinyang Alliance..."
The crowd gradually recognized the newcomers, their expressions turning slightly strange.
Activating his Primordial Immortal Eyes, Fang Chen's gaze pierced through layer upon layer of space until it rested upon the cloud.
Standing on the clouds were several hundred divine ability experts. The lowest among them were at seventh transformation. There were also plenty of eighth- and ninth-transformation experts. There were about twenty-odd individuals whose auras exceeded ninth transformation. Clearly, they were all Limit Breaking experts!
One of them possessed an aura comparable to Fang Qianxue's
According to the inside information Fang Chen had gathered, Fang Qianxue was highly likely to be at the Third Step of the Limit Breaking Realm, only half a step away from becoming a Saint.
Since the cultivation of this Breaking Limit expert from the Jinyang Alliance was not weaker than Fang Qianxue's, he was bound to be a grand figure within the alliance.
That person looked to be only in his twenties, clad in a golden dharma robe with what looked like a blazing sun at the center of the spiritual treasure, and the aura emanating from him leaned heavily toward the fire attribute.
He looked at Fang Qianxue several miles away with a beaming smile, then slowly spoke. "Fang Qianxue, it must have been quite a few years since we last met, hasn't it?"
Fang Qianxue wore a faint smile. "To be precise, it has been two hundred and forty-five years. That year, you lost to me by a single move and fled in panic, and I have never seen you since. To think you are still alive, Yun Qi."
Her voice reverberated across a thousand miles, making every word crystal clear to the experts within Zanglong City.
Yun Qi did not show any anger upon hearing that. Instead, he smiled. "Perhaps we will have the chance to fight another match today, to see whether your powers are a cut above mine, or if mine are a notch stronger than yours."
Fang Qianxue smiled. "Sure, let's fight right now then."
She rose into the air, her gaze cold and piercing as she stared at Yun Qi.
Seeing that, the Limit Breaking experts from the Half Saint Clans who had sided with the Fang Clan all wore rather peculiar expressions. They were certain that this fight would not actually happen.
Indeed, it did not.
Upon seeing that scene, Yun Qi immediately chuckled and said, "Today is the grand and joyous day of Half Saint Fang. What reason is there for juniors like you and me to steal the spotlight? If we are to fight, it should wait until after today. Lady Qianxue, there is no need to trouble yourself with hosting us either. We will simply stay right here today to observe the ceremony. Just pretend I am not even here."
Fang Qianxue cast a cool, brief glance at Yun Qi before returning to the pavilion to resume her casual chat with the Limit Breaking experts of the various factions, genuinely acting as if the people from the Jinyang Alliance did not exist.
However, the mood among the Breaking Limits from the various factions grew somewhat heavy. The fact that the Jinyang Alliance chose to observe the ceremony from afar rather than entering the Chaoxian Tower already made one thing abundantly clear. They came with ill intent.
Furthermore, that was by no means an unauthorized whim of the Limit Breaking experts under the Jinyang Alliance. The attitude of Saint Jinyang himself was bound to be involved behind the scenes!
Wang Chongsong muttered softly to himself, "They truly come with ill intent..."
Fang Han returned to the spot at this moment. He blinked in slight surprise upon seeing Wang Chongsong hovering around, but then cupped his hands in salutation. "Brother Chongsong."
"Brother Fang Han." Wang Chongsong also smiled and cupped his hands in return. "I heard that you have already advanced to the sixth transformation. Such natural talent is truly admirable. I reckon it won't be long before you can advance to the Limit Breaking Realm that everyone dreams of."
Fang Han sighed softly. "Limit Breaking? How could it be that simple? If one cannot comprehend what that power truly is, one will never be able to take that step."
He wasn't being humble. That was simply the hard truth.
Within the Nether Ruins alone, even the Fang Clan had many cultivators like Fang Ding who had remained trapped at the ninth transformation for countless years. Out of a hundred ninth-transformation experts, perhaps not even one could comprehend the power of the Limit Breaking Realm and make that leap.
Pausing for a moment, Fang Han cast a half-smile at Wang Chongsong. "On the other hand, Brother Chongsong has quietly reached the ninth transformation realm without making a sound. If I remember correctly, you are only a few years older than me, right? Now that is what a true genius looks like."
"You must be joking. I am at least several hundred years older than you; how can you call that just a few years?" Wang Chongsong waved his hands repeatedly. "My ability to reach the ninth transformation is nothing more than benefiting a little from my background and a stroke of good luck."
Fang Chen chimed in, "There is no need for either of you to be modest. Both of you are great talents."
Hearing Fang Chen's words, a look of embarrassment flashed across the eyes of both Fang Han and Wang Chongsong.
By now, Wang Chongsong had already pieced together Fang Chen's true identity. He had been utterly shocked when he first realized it. Now, however, he deliberately pretended not to know, allowing himself to continue casually calling him "Old Fang" without feeling too uncomfortable.
While the few of them were casually chatting, another group of people arrived at the peak. This group consisted of over a dozen Limit Breaking Realm experts. The rest of their followers remained below instead of standing arrogantly upon the clouds like the Jinyang Alliance.
That indicated that the newcomers' attitude toward the Fang clan was decent and relatively friendly.
Wang Chongsong said with a trace of delight, "It's the Wandao Alliance."
Fang Han also wore a look of relief. "The Wandao Alliance..."
A wealth of information about them flashed through Fang Chen's mind.
Saint Wandao had attained sainthood around the same time as Saint Luoxue, making him one of the relatively younger individuals among the nine great Saints.
However, Saint Wandao's methods were by no means simple. Over the many years of conflict between the Nether Ruins and the Flame Race, he had achieved several proud military exploits. On one occasion, he single-handedly forced two Flame Race Saints to retreat! On another occasion, he personally slew a Saint of the Flame Race. As for the Flame Race Half Saints who had died by his hands, it had long reached double digits.
To the Flame Race, Saint Wandao was their most wanted target and the person they most wished to kill. Unfortunately for them, his methods were truly formidable. As long as the Nether Ruins did not fall, killing Saint Wandao would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
"If Saint Wandao sides with the Fang Clan, it will bring quite a few benefits to them. Could it be that the Wang Family, the Shi Family, and the others chose to stand in the Fang Clan's camp precisely because they caught wind of this?"
Thinking up to that point, Fang Chen shook his head. He feared it was still not that simple.
Now that the Jinyang Alliance and the Wandao Alliance have both appeared, the remaining seven alliances will likely arrive one after another.
Fang Chen suppressed these thoughts. While casually chatting with Old Wang and Fang Han, he waited for the other seven alliances to make their appearance.
If today weren't such a special occasion, it would have been practically impossible for him to see the experts of all nine alliances at the same time.
As they were talking, two more clouds of mist suddenly surged forth in the void, with several hundred figures standing upon each of them. Upon seeing the arrival of these clouds, the expressions of everyone inside the Chaoxian Tower shifted once again.