Immortal of the Nine Realms

"Do not announce becoming divine ability users. Continue behaving as you normally would, and do not casually use your divine abilities against others. With your current strength, even Martial Saints are not your match," Fang Chen instructed.

Fang Hai and Fang Ling still looked dazed, nodding subconsciously. They were happy, but the experience felt incredibly surreal.

Had they truly... awakened divine abilities? Had they really become awakened ones, the kind the Hechuan Fang Clan had failed to produce for so many years?

The next morning, Fang Hai and Fang Ling abruptly awoke from their dreams. They hurriedly circulated the power of their divine abilities within their bodies. When they saw lightning coiling around themselves, tears streamed from their eyes.

"This isn't a dream..." Fang Hai muttered to himself.

He had been poor since childhood. Forget becoming a divine ability user; even becoming a Blood Moving Stage martial artist would have drastically improved his family's circumstances. But now, he had soared straight to the heavens in a single leap. From this day onward, his family no longer needed to fear poverty. They would never again fear his mother falling ill without money to buy medicine, forced to suffer bitterly in silence.

Fang Ling's thoughts were similar to Fang Hai's, though she was more delicate and attentive by nature. She immediately dragged Fang Hai along to greet Fang Chen. Yet they discovered Fang Chen had already risen and was currently practicing the Blazing Fist in the courtyard, his movements slow and deliberate.

The two quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Uncle Fang."

Fang Chen didn't pause his movement. He casually asked, "What feels different today compared to yesterday?"

"Today... feels more real..." Fang Hai answered subconsciously.

Fang Chen smiled faintly. "Mm. Sudden fortune often feels illusory because that power does not yet fully belong to you. Once you completely master it and fully integrate it into yourselves, you won't feel as you did yesterday."

The two immediately understood. So that was why they had spent the entire night plagued by nightmares, dreaming that they had once again lost their divine abilities.

"Continue cultivating the techniques. They will help you quickly gain control over this power," Fang Chen added.

The two hurriedly nodded in agreement.

At that moment, Fang Qiurou's voice sounded from outside the courtyard. "Is Uncle Fang here?"

Hearing her voice, Fang Hai immediately ran over to open the gate. His face was filled with excitement as he looked at Fang Qiurou, but remembering Fang Chen's instructions, he forcibly swallowed his words.

Fang Qiurou smiled as she patted Fang Hai's head. "Little Hai, have you gotten used to staying here with Uncle Fang?"

Fang Hai felt boundless gratitude toward Fang Qiurou. It was only through her that he had gained this opportunity at all. If not for her, someone from a poor family like him would have never had this fortune.

"Big Sister Qiurou, I'm doing very well here," Fang Hai replied softly.

Fang Qiurou's smile widened. "That's good."

She then stepped forward and bowed respectfully toward Fang Chen. "Uncle Fang, today is the Hechuan Fang Clan's ancestral rite. Father asked me to invite you. We're going up the mountain together to burn incense."

After a pause, she lowered her voice and shared, "Today, someone may challenge the clan leader. Father has already gone ahead to prepare. He hopes you will be present, Uncle Fang."

Fang Chen nodded. "Then let us go together."

Soon after, Fang Chen boarded Fang Qiurou's carriage together with the two children. Surrounded by over a hundred servants, the convoy slowly departed the estate.

***

Heaven Fang Mountain was the burial ground of the Fang Clan's ancestors throughout the generations. Ordinarily, unauthorized entry onto the mountain was forbidden. Anyone caught trespassing could be dealt with directly by the Fang Clan without involving the authorities.

Today, countless members of the Fang Clan brought their families and children to Heaven Fang Mountain. Every year during the ancestral rite, they came to pray for blessings, hoping their descendants would achieve success and perhaps produce a Martial Marquis who could bring glory to the family.

Along the road, whenever people saw Fang Qiurou's carriage procession, they quickly moved aside, their eyes filled with envy and traces of jealousy.

Fang Yue was the perfect example of someone who had recently brought glory to the clan. Born into a poor family, he had become a Martial Marquis and the chief instructor of the Hechuan Fang Clan. He taught the most outstanding younger members of the Fang Clan.

On the surface, it might seem like this was an exhausting position, worse than spending time freely in cultivation. Yet everyone in the Fang Clan knew that the role of chief instructor carried a deeper meaning. Once those outstanding talents matured into accomplished figures, they would all have been personally taught by Fang Yue. Even if Fang Yue never became clan leader, he could still become the elder of a major branch.

Unfortunately, Fang Yue's recent actions had also become the target of criticism. The criticism itself was not directed at him, but rather at Fang Longshan.

Because of Fang Longshan's recent decisions, Fang Yue, whom he had nurtured, had also become one of the figures disliked by many.

Half an hour later, the carriage reached the mountainside. Beyond this point, everyone had to continue upward on foot.

When Fang Chen led the two children out of the carriage, countless gazes immediately landed upon him. Whispers and pointing fingers instantly arose everywhere.

The four poor children who had withdrawn midway through their training were also making their way up the mountain under the guidance of their parents and extended relatives.

Upon seeing Fang Chen, they all revealed embarrassed expressions and did not dare meet his eyes. Their family members, however, wore openly displeased expressions.

At that moment, another convoy arrived at the mountainside. Fang Sheng descended from the carriage dressed in splendid ceremonial robes, accompanied by his wife, children, and servants. The moment he saw Fang Qiurou, he immediately smiled. "Qiurou, what a coincidence."

Fang Qiurou smiled back. "Uncle Fang Sheng, I thought you'd already arrived at the summit."

"I woke up a bit late, haha," joked Fang Sheng, laughing.

He turned to Fang Chen and cupped his fists with a smile. "Brother Fang Chen, we only briefly met last time and never had another chance to speak. Are you also heading up the mountain for the ancestral rite?"

Fang Chen smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Fang Sheng smiled faintly, though no one knew what he was thinking. His gaze then fell upon Fang Hai and Fang Ling. The two children immediately bowed respectfully toward Fang Sheng.

As children from poor families, they naturally knew of Fang Sheng's status as one of the great figures of the Huofeng Branch.

"And what have the two of you learned under Brother Fang Chen's tutelage?" Fang Sheng asked with a smile.

The two children froze slightly before Fang Hai respectfully replied, "Under Uncle Fang's guidance, I've benefited immensely. However, the true essence of it cannot be explained to outsiders."

"The true essence?"

Fang Sheng barely restrained himself from laughing. The surrounding crowd, however, showed Fang Hai no such courtesy and burst into laughter.

During this period, Fang Hai and Fang Ling had already heard many rumors and mocking remarks. The other four children had lost confidence precisely because of such pressure and were eventually taken away by their families. Now, seeing the surrounding crowd mock and ridicule them so openly, anger rose within the two.

Fang Chen's voice sounded beside their ears. "Do not let insignificant emotions cloud your minds. Now is not the right time to reveal your identities as divine ability users. Endure it."

The two children took a deep breath before silently standing behind Fang Chen without another word.

Fang Sheng sighed emotionally while patting the head of the young boy beside him. "Speaking of which, my own son nearly became Brother Fang Chen's disciple back then as well. What a pity, truly a pity."

The boy looked toward Fang Hai and Fang Ling with a trace of pity before coldly glancing at Fang Chen, remaining silent.

Fang Qiurou smiled faintly. "Uncle Fang Sheng, let's continue up the mountain first. If we miss the auspicious hour, the clan leader will become angry."

"Very well, let's head up first," said Fang Sheng, nodding with reserved dignity, though his eyes carried a subtle smile filled with deeper meaning.