Fang Yuan quietly digested this information. The chaos in the Northern Realm was even deeper than he had imagined.
Since the place was filled with so many hidden talents... he decided to remain a bystander for now and quietly make a fortune.
...
It had to be said that the vastness of the Northern Realm far exceeded Fang Yuan's expectations.
The Qing Song flying boat was very fast, traveling thousands of miles in an instant. However, it still took over an incense stick's worth of time to leave the Northern Region. Two hours had passed, and they still hadn't reached their destination.
Looking down, he saw a vast land with water and land interwoven, and the lush forests were sparsely populated.
"It seems that most cultivators in this world are hidden in sects."
Fang Yuan mused. After all, in this area, solitary beings had a hard time making a name for themselves.
Before he could finish speaking, the treasure ship suddenly sank slightly and dived towards the cloud sea below.
"Daoist Fang, we've arrived at the meeting point." Daoist Qing Song rose and spoke.
Fang Yuan looked down and saw a solitary peak rising from the ground. On the peak top, the wind howled, and two figures were already standing there.
On the left was a middle-aged man, dressed in a black crane cloak with an ancient sword hanging from his waist.
On the right was a woman, graceful and still exuding charm, wearing a crimson purple skirt. Nine golden bells on her wrist jingled softly, moving without wind.
As soon as the flying boat landed, Qing Song smiled and cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoists, sorry to keep you waiting."
These two were cultivators from other regions. The man was Yue Qianshan, the law enforcement elder of Lei Jian Sect; the woman was Su Ying, the sect leader of Nan Xuan Yin Pavilion. Both had reached the late stage of the Heaven and Earth realm. This time, they had come to assist the Xuan Ming Sect as invited.
When they saw the unfamiliar face of Fang Yuan, the new Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect, they were somewhat surprised. Su Ying's eyes sparkled, and she gently asked, "Daoist Fang, may I ask where the former Sect Leader Zhang Xuanting is now?"
Everyone came from smaller and more remote regions, so there was some camaraderie among them. They knew each other to varying degrees.
Fang Yuan's expression darkened slightly, and he sighed. "Sect Leader Zhang... has perished at the hands of demons."
"Such a fate..." Su Ying covered her mouth, surprised. "My condolences, Daoist."
Yue Qianshan also spoke solemnly. "Recently, demons have been rampant, and disasters have been frequent in the Tian Heng Region. This world... seems to be on the brink of great changes."
Just as they were talking, dark clouds suddenly surged in the sky. A black iron flying boat cut through the air and arrived, with an old man in a black robe standing at the bow.
Behind him, two middle-aged cultivators with initial-stage Heaven and Earth realm cultivation stood like spears.
The black-robed elder was Zhao Hanchuan, the Seventh Elder of the Xuan Ming Sect.
"Everyone has arrived, please board the ship," Zhao Hanchuan said in a hoarse voice as he stood at the bow, hands clasped behind his back.
The four of them boarded the black iron flying boat one by one. Zhao Hanchuan's murky gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally fixing on Fang Yuan's face. The other three were old acquaintances, but this face was entirely unfamiliar.
Seeing this, Qing Song quickly stepped forward. "This is Daoist Fang, the new Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect. The previous Sect Leader Zhang Xuanting... unfortunately..."
"I see." Zhao Hanchuan raised a thin, withered hand to cut off the conversation. To him, as long as the person was a late-stage Heaven and Earth cultivator, it didn't matter whether they were named Zhang or Fang.
"Remember," he continued, "everyone must follow my orders on this journey. If I tell you to take action, then you take action. Do you understand?"
"After the mission is complete, there will be rewards for all of you!"
"Understood, Zhao Elder." Qing Song and the others responded in unison.
...
The black iron flying boat cut through the clouds and mist. Fang Yuan gazed at the unfamiliar mountains and landscapes below, no longer able to tell where they were.
Another incense stick's time passed before the boat finally stopped in front of a magnificent cave.
On the dark rock wall, the three blood-red characters "Ling Tian Cave" were engraved, looking as sharp as claw marks.
"We've arrived."
Zhao Hanchuan stepped off the flying boat without a change in his expression. His thin, shriveled figure cast a long shadow in front of the cave. He spoke to the cave entrance in a low voice. "Zhao Hanchuan of Xuan Ming Sect, here to attend the gathering!"
A figure appeared in front of the cave in response. It turned out to be a demon in a Daoist robe, holding a whisk. The demon's aura was thick with magical energy, clearly at the early stage of the Heaven and Earth realm.
"Are we... here for a demon banquet?" Qing Song and the others' expressions changed dramatically, clearly caught off guard by the situation. Fang Yuan's gaze flashed, but he remained silent.
Ah, demons are just what I need... we'll feast first, then deal with the demons. Isn't that a good deal?
However, for now, Fang Yuan didn't have any intention of making a move. He wasn't reckless. From the situation, it seemed that Zhao Hanchuan's son had been captured by these demons. If he acted rashly, it might harm the life of the hostage.
Everyone was human, and Zhao Hanchuan had shown no obvious hostility toward him, so Fang Yuan didn't want to ruin the relationship just yet.
He decided to play his part as a tool for now.
The demon guarding the entrance saw Zhao Hanchuan and grinned with a voice like a broken gong. "Xuan Ming Sect's immortal has arrived, quickly come and welcome!"
Soon, the sound of footsteps like a tide came rushing, and before long, the entrance was filled with dozens of transformed demons.
These demons, though bearing animal heads, wore neatly arranged Daoist robes and bowed respectfully toward Zhao Hanchuan, all shouting in unison, "Welcome, Immortal!"
At the far back of the crowd, a giraffe demon was leisurely adjusting its sleeve cuffs. Its three-meter-long neck stretched out from the collar of its robe, looking like a moving pillar.
Once it finished adjusting its clothes, it slowly cupped its hands. "Elder Zhao, welcome. Please, take a seat."
Zhao Hanchuan snorted and walked directly into the cave. Fang Yuan and the others followed closely behind. As they crossed the stone door, a warm fragrance, mixed with the stench of blood, immediately hit their faces.
Inside the cave, it was exquisitely decorated, with pearl-studded ceilings and golden chandeliers. In the center were two golden thrones. Zhao Hanchuan immediately took the one on the left, and on the right was a fat dragon demon.
The dragon demon was gnawing on a human leg, its long, scarlet tongue licking the blood off the meat.
[Ten Thousand Demon Sect · Chiwen Demon Saint]
This was the first Demon Saint Fang Yuan had seen in this world. The demon's origins seemed quite significant.
Unlike the other demons in the cave who bore the prefix "Ling Tian Cave," this one had the prefix "Ten Thousand Demon Sect." Moreover, Chiwen... the name sounded vaguely familiar, like one of the Nine Sons of the Dragon.
Even Zhao Hanchuan showed signs of tension upon seeing this Chiwen Demon Saint, clearly not expecting the demon to be here.
The fat dragon, however, didn't even glance at Zhao Hanchuan. Its small vertical pupils were fixed on Fang Yuan the whole time.
Suddenly, the dragon sniffed the air, its giant mouth slowly opening.
"This friend of mine, you smell so... delicious..." the Chiwen Demon Saint's hoarse voice carried a strangely feminine softness, clearly a female dragon.
Fang Yuan glanced at the dragon oddly and then said, "Likewise, brother, you also smell quite good."