Chapter 1695: This Place Is Already the Taicang Realm
One by one, the core disciples stood ready upon their respective Black Dragon Boats. Once they selected their Immortal Boats, they could condense the Immortal Boats Formation, which would be the moment of departure for Taicang.
Duan Tianying gazed around and marveled at the surrounding sights. He had never seen the world before.
“Core Disciple Fang, you must take good care of your younger brother on the road! If I find any top-grade spirit stones in the future, as long as you take a fancy to them, I will naturally offer them up with both hands.”
Fang Chen glanced at Duan Tianying with a strange expression. “Core Disciple Duan, do you truly rarely engage in combat with others? How many times have you been to the Ancient Forbidden Zones?”
Logically speaking, among all the core disciples in the Enlightenment God Palace, aside from himself and Little Immortal Honglian, everyone else should have visited the Ancient Forbidden Zones at least seven or eight times. Some might have even gone dozens or over a hundred times.
“Once. I’ve only been once,” shared Duan Tianying with great earnestness. “It was that single time that laid the foundation for my promotion to core. It’s a long story. Let me tell you all about it—”
Fang Chen immediately cut off Duan Tianying’s chatter. “If it’s a long story, there’s no need to tell it. Once we reach the Taicang Realm, if you are assigned to my team, I will cover you.”
At the same time, Elder Hou and others arrived through the void, leading the remaining core disciples and the external cultivators stationed on Enlightenment Star.
Elder Hou stood in the void, smiling at Xie Aman. “When you take them out this time, try to bring back as many as possible. Don't let too many die.”
Xie Aman’s expression didn’t even falter at Elder Hou’s words, but the same couldn’t be said about the core disciples, who couldn’t help flinching.
“Elder Hou, why speak such discouraging words? I guarantee at most a hundred and fifty will die; I’ll bring the remaining one hundred and forty-nine back to you in one piece,” said Xie Aman with a faint smile.
“Senior Sister, can we have a few less deaths!?” shouted a core disciple.
Xie Aman glanced at him and nodded with a smile. “Sure. If you all show some backbone, won't you be able to come back alive?”
The core disciples who originally lacked a sense of awe regarding this mission now took on solemn expressions. Seeing that, Xie Aman and Elder Hou exchanged a knowing look and smiled.
“Everyone, as you represent Enlightenment Star in this campaign to the Taicang Realm, I have only two requirements. First: kill or cripple any demonized individuals you see. The Taicang Realm is currently in such a state of misery and ruin because of them that they had to seek our help. Second, do not hold grudges against the cultivators of the Lesser Immortal Realm. No matter how great the conflict, wait until you return to settle it.”
Elder Hou looked toward the three hundred core disciples prepared for battle, his gaze turning stern. After that, he simply gave a light flick of his sleeve and spoke no more.
“Let’s go.”
Xie Aman gave a faint smile and took the lead, steering her Black Dragon Boat toward the outer reaches of Qingming.
One by one, the other Black Dragon Boats followed closely behind, erupting into brilliant rainbow lights as they submerged into the void.
Fang Zhixue and the others stood in the distance, watching Fang Chen depart. Only when Fang Chen’s Black Dragon Boat broke through the firmament and vanished beyond the clouds did they finally withdraw their reluctant gazes.
“Brother shouldn't encounter any great danger this time, right?” whispered Fang Tong via voice transmission.
Fang Zhixue and the other two exchanged glances, then all broke into relaxed smiles.
“Third Brother, what danger could there be for Big Brother? We should focus on our own cultivation. I feel like I’m about to break through to become a first-transformation immortal,” said Fang Xiaotian with a laugh, patting Fang Tong on the shoulder.
“Your cultivation progress is so fast. It's a pity Xiao Hua and I have to help Big Brother keep an eye on our future sister-in-law for a while, so we won't be able to cultivate as often. But don't get too smug. By the time Big Brother returns, Xiao Hua and I will have surpassed you in cultivation,” said Fang Zhixue.
***
Within the Qingming, over a million Immortal Boats represented over a million Qingming Expedition Teams.
Fang Chen noticed that the teams that had followed him to the campaign against Great Thunder Sound had basically all arrived. Since he didn't need to select anew, he let them follow him to form the Immortal Boat Formation.
The other core disciples seemed to be doing the same, spotting familiar expedition teams.
Evidently, the Enlightenment God Palace had already considered this. To make the fighting smoother for everyone, they had mobilized all the teams that had collaborated previously.
Before long, three hundred Black Dragon Formation were stationed in the Qingming.
Their sheer presence was immense.. If an ordinary cultivator saw such a scene, their face would surely turn pale with terror and they would piss themselves.
Duan Tianying stood atop the adjacent Black Dragon Formation, and sent a transmission to Fang Chen. “Core Disciple Fang, do you know how we are supposed to get to the Taicang Realm?”
Fang Chen was about to reply but had a change of heart and pretended not to hear. Sure enough, after receiving no reply to several transmissions, Duan Tianying clearly ran off to ask someone else.
Is Senior Sister planning to lead us there by directly using Escaping Light to fly to the Taicang Realm? That shouldn't be the case. Old Wang mentioned that barriers exist between the Upper Three Realms and they can’t be so easily traveled to.
Fang Chen harbored the same curiosity as Duan Tianying. However, he wouldn't go around asking. By waiting quietly, he would naturally find out soon enough.
As expected, about an hour later, a flash of brilliance suddenly swept out from the Immortal Boat Formation where Xie Aman was located. Like a massive curtain, it enveloped all three hundred Black Dragon Formation present.
Fang Chen’s sharp eyes caught sight of a special token in Xie Aman’s hand. The brilliance from moments ago had originated from that very object.
Fang Chen fell into thought. Could it be similar to an invitation letter?
Before he had time to dwell on it, he saw the surrounding Qingming seem to come alive. It started rotating slowly.
Many core disciples revealed looks of shock.
“What’s happening!?”
Not only was the Qingming rotating, but the very stars themselves were revolving along with it! The speed of rotation grew faster and faster, so rapid that the void itself seemed to begin distorting.
Countless people wore expressions of astonishment.
Fang Chen’s mind raced as he suddenly guessed the reason behind the scene before him.
“No, it’s not the void that is rotating, it must be us. It’s just that... we are protected by that brilliance, so we don't feel a thing?”
How could the universe possibly revolve around them? Even if they were all ninth-transformation immortals, they would not be worthy of such treatment. It was like how the heavens would never turn for the sake of a single insect.
This process continued for an unknown duration. When the surrounding commotion finally slowed down, Fang Chen and the cultivators on the formation suddenly discovered that their surroundings had become empty.
The other two hundred and ninety-nine Black Dragon Formation had completely vanished at some point.
Enlightenment Star was gone as well. Even the distribution of the nearby stars was entirely different from before.
Xie Aman’s voice suddenly rang out in Fang Chen’s mind.
“Old Ninth, open your star map. You can see your current location. Your mission is to rush to Lone Light Star, clear out the demonized individuals there, and find this 'youth'.”
Simultaneously, a portrait of a youth appeared in his consciousness.
Fang Chen’s thoughts stirred. “Senior Sister?”
“Yes, it’s me. For the coming period, I will contact you in this manner. However, this is only effective while you are within the Black Dragon Formation. If your formation is broken by someone, you and I will lose contact. If that happens, head to the Ten Thousand Dao Immortal Sect. Go now, I will contact you again.”
With a strange expression, Fang Chen stepped toward the star map. When he opened it, a route had already been specially marked. The destination was exactly what Xie Aman had called Lone Light Star. This place was already the Taicang Realm.
