I Was the Sun Before I Became an Immortal

"Young friend," Fang Yong's smile remained fixed on his face.

His voice softened, as though he were offering guidance to an ignorant junior.

"A young man's fire is a fine thing, but what is too rigid will break. The grudge between you and Fang Heng — the clan is not without the capacity for forgiveness."

"If you are willing to return with me to the Fang Clan, and honestly recount what transpired at the Dragon's Fall, I may be able to act on your behalf and give you a chance to atone for your wrongs."

On the surface, his words sounded generous — but in truth, they were utterly hollow.

Return to the Fang Clan? Whether he lived or died, whether they ripped out his soul or flayed him alive — wouldn't that all be up to them?

But Si Chen seemed not to have heard a word. He simply raised one hand in a casual, lazy gesture and beckoned lightly in Fang Yong's direction.

The meaning could not have been clearer: stop wasting words and come at me.

"........"

The warm smile on Fang Yong's face faded.

He had seen arrogance before, but never arrogance like this.

A junior whose bone age was barely past his teens — not only was he brazen enough to challenge him to a duel, he had actually crooked a finger at him!

Fang Yong had lived for several hundred years. As a figure of real authority within the Fang Clan, his cultivation at the Late Nascent Soul Stage was enough to found a sect anywhere he went. Wherever he walked, people showed him reverence and fear. When had he ever been treated with such contempt?

Even with his deep scheming and his pride in controlling his emotions, an unnamed fire shot up inside him at this moment.

This brat truly did not know how to write the word "death"!

"Good. Good. Good!" Fang Yong said the word three times in succession, nearly laughing from sheer fury. "Since you are so determined to seek your own end, I shall grant your wish!"

He was well aware that Si Chen had somehow controlled that terrifying corpse-dragon. Though he did not know exactly what strange method had been used, Fang Heng's report had stressed repeatedly that this young man was extraordinarily bizarre.

But this was not the Dragon's Fall — and there was no second corpse-dragon here for him to control!

Without that external crutch to lean on, a mere Late Core Formation Stage cultivator was nothing more than a slightly sturdier ant before him at the Late Nascent Soul Stage!

He would crush this brat's bones with his own hands and make him kneel on the ground, regretting his arrogance this day!

His mind made up, Fang Yong hesitated no longer.

He did not even bother reaching for a weapon — he felt that would be doing the other party too great an honor.

He raised his right hand, index and middle fingers pressed together, and the vast spiritual power within him instantly condensed at his fingertips…

"Star Shatter."

He spoke the words with cold indifference and flicked his fingers forward.

Boom!!

A blazing white beam of light shot from his fingertips, wrapped in howling wind, aimed straight at the space between Si Chen's brows!

This was Fang Yong's signature technique — a single strike capable of piercing through the protective Astral Qi of a same-rank Nascent Soul cultivator. He had once used this very move to shatter an entire mountaintop from a distance!

"Holy shit! That bastard is Late Nascent Soul Stage!" Heishan's expression changed as he bellowed in his rough voice.

"Si Chen, watch out!" Chifeng was so alarmed that his demonic power erupted across his entire body as he lunged forward to save him.

But everything happened too fast!

Almost the instant Heishan's words left his mouth, that tremendous finger-beam had already struck Si Chen squarely between the brows!

Boom!!!

A thunderous impact rang out, and a blinding white light swallowed all sight.

Fang Yong let out a cold laugh, as though he could already see the other man's skull exploding.

But in the next moment, the smile at the corner of his mouth froze completely.

The scene of blood and gore he had anticipated did not appear.

Si Chen's head… had merely tilted back slightly from the force of the impact.

Where his brow had been struck, a faint wisp of white smoke rose — and then… that was it.

Yes. That was it.

Not only had his skull not been pierced — not even a red mark had been left behind.

Si Chen raised his hand and touched the spot between his brows where he had just been hit. It felt like something had bitten him there — a faint, mild itch.

He lowered his hand and looked at Fang Yong, whose expression was that of a man who had seen a ghost, and offered his sincere assessment:

"……A little itchy."

Fang Yong: "……"

Heishan: "……"

Chifeng: "……"

A dead silence fell over the entire scene.

The Fang Clan cultivators who had been bristling with killing intent moments ago now stood with their mouths hanging open, eyes nearly bulging from their sockets, looking back and forth between Si Chen and their leader, wondering if they were all sharing a collective hallucination.

The Star Shatter strike… aimed at the most vulnerable point between a man's brows… and it was… just a little itchy?!

The muscles in Fang Yong's face twitched. His initial shock was rapidly replaced by an incredulous, furious disbelief.

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

He let out a low, involuntary roar. This shattered everything he understood about the world. Even the physically formidable Demon Race would not dare be so reckless!

"What kind of protective treasure are you carrying on your body?!"

This was not the physical resilience any Core Formation Stage cultivator should possess! Could it be that he had obtained something else at the Dragon's Fall?!

Of course — the dragon pearl!

If he already possessed something as extraordinary as a dragon pearl, then it was entirely possible there were other top-tier Magical Artifacts as well!

A far more intense wave of greed instantly swept over his shock and humiliation.

This young man must be hiding an earth-shattering secret!

Fang Yong quickly steadied himself. He cast aside the last trace of contempt.

Regardless of whether it was a Magical Artifact or something else — anyone who could take a direct hit from the Star Shatter strike without a scratch was absolutely not to be underestimated!

He needed to treat Si Chen as an opponent who required his full strength.

Just as his thoughts were racing and he was preparing to change tactics, Si Chen took the initiative and came at him.

His test of his own physical body was not yet finished.

There was no dazzling spiritual light, no mysterious footwork — he simply stamped the ground and launched himself like an arrow loosed from a bow, shooting straight toward Fang Yong in the air!

Fang Yong's pupils contracted. Fast!

But he was, after all, at the Late Nascent Soul Stage — his combat experience was immense, and though startled, he did not panic.

Facing Si Chen's straightforward punch, he let out a cold snort and threw a punch of his own! He wanted to test just how unnaturally powerful the other man's strength truly was!

Bang!!

Two fists collided without any flourish.

A visible shockwave exploded outward in a ring, sending the robes of everyone below snapping and billowing. Those with weaker cultivation stumbled and fell back.

Fang Yong felt an abnormal, overwhelming force transmit through his fist. His entire arm went instantly numb and aching, and his body was sent flying back dozens of meters before he barely managed to stabilize himself!

He stared at Si Chen in shock — only to see the other man sway slightly on his feet before closing in on him again like a shadow!

"Again."

Si Chen's voice was still flat. The second punch was already coming!

Fang Yong was both shocked and furious. He crossed his arms to block.

Boom!

He was sent flying again. The spiritual power protecting his body surged and fluctuated violently, as though it might shatter at any moment.

Si Chen gave him no chance to breathe — punch after punch, like a storm of wind and rain!

He used no techniques whatsoever. Just the simplest of strikes — fists, feet, elbows…

But every blow carried the terrifying force of a collapsing mountain, and the speed was breathtaking!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shocked and furious, Fang Yong was forced into close-quarters combat with Si Chen.

High in the sky, two figures collided again and again in the most primal, savage manner imaginable.

Every one of Fang Yong's attacks was enough to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator ten times over!

Yet when those attacks landed on Si Chen, it was like a clay ox sinking into the sea — aside from dull thuds, they could not even make him pause for a moment!

Meanwhile, Si Chen's seemingly plain and unadorned attacks — every punch, every kick — were heavy as a thousand pounds, forcing Fang Yong to pour his full spiritual power into blocking, until his internal organs ached with a dull, persistent pain.

He felt as though he were not fighting a person at all, but facing an ancient fierce beast wearing a human skin!

* * *

While this fierce battle raged, at the far end of the long Cloud-Ascending Stairway, a thin and frail figure finally, with great difficulty, climbed the last step and collapsed breathlessly at the edge of the plaza.

It was Li Tiezhu.

He was so exhausted he was nearly spent, sweat blurring his vision.

He had heard the commotion on the mountain long ago, and had nearly been shaken off the stairway several times by the tremors — but he had not wanted to give up halfway.

Besides, he was a little worried about that kind-hearted young master.

And then, he witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

High up in the sky, the young master in blue-grey robes who had given him steamed buns was fighting bare-handed, chasing down a middle-aged man who radiated a terrifyingly powerful aura and beating him relentlessly!

The wild winds stirred by their exchange shook the trees even from a great distance.

The sound of fists colliding rang like thunder, making his ears ring and buzz.

Li Tiezhu stood there with his mouth wide open, staring dumbly at that young figure in the sky — domineering, sweeping all before him — and forgot even to breathe.

That young master… was actually this powerful?

Was this… what a true powerhouse looked like?

An indescribable surge of heat rushed up into his chest, making his entire body tremble.

This moment was forever etched into his heart.

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