The Modern Martial Immortal

Outside the Southern Capital, a warship bearing the emblem of the True Dragon Dynasty was speeding toward the city.

Unlike the group that had come before, this time the one at its head was, strikingly, a Void-Refining Realm elder.

It was Qin Zhengfa, a Void-Refining cultivator with extremely high seniority within the True Dragon Dynasty, so much so that even the dynasty's current emperor was a junior of his. With his status, wherever he went, he was shown extra respect.

At this elder's side, however, was the imperial prince who had been expelled from the Southern Capital a few days earlier. In the True Dragon Dynasty, any member of the imperial family who reached the Void-Piercing Realm could be crowned as a prince or princess.

That said, those of the direct line would likewise receive the treatment of a prince once they had condensed an Azure Golden Core, and such was the case with the fourteenth prince who stood on the warship.

He had ignored the rules and traded blows with a true disciple of the Golden Crow Sect, whereupon Qi Sha had led men to drive him straight out of the Southern Capital. For one who had always been the object of boundless favor, it was a deep humiliation.

Now that his own sect elder had come in person, arriving in grand fashion aboard a Dao Artifact warship, the fourteenth prince had naturally tagged along, feeling very much that his moment of vindication had arrived.

"Fourth Granduncle, you must put in a fair word for me when the time comes. A mere true disciple of the Golden Crow Sect dared to spout arrogant nonsense at me, and teaching him a lesson was only right and proper. Yet that one called Qi Sha drove us straight out of the Southern Capital and spoke insolently besides. Such behavior plainly shows that he holds the True Dragon Dynasty in no regard at all." The Fourteenth Prince was airing his grievances before Qin Zhengfa.

"My own humiliation is nothing, but I cannot in any way accept that the dignity of the True Dragon Dynasty has been slighted. I was plainly the victim in this matter, and yet I am the one who ended up like this..."

"Enough. I am already aware of this matter. The people under Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang did indeed go too far. Though you are a Golden Core cultivator, you enjoy the treatment of a prince, and for Qi Sha to disregard that and expel you together with the Golden Crow Sect's true disciple was indeed tactless," Qin Zhengfa remarked mildly.

He paused, then went on, "Of course, Qi Sha is, after all, a Void-Piercing cultivator serving Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, so it would not do for us to press too hard. When the time comes, I will raise the matter with Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang and have Qi Sha offer you an apology, and we will let it rest there, lest others say the True Dragon Dynasty makes trouble unreasonably."

"An apology? When the dignity of the True Dragon Dynasty is at stake, how can a mere apology settle it? Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang should at least imprison him for a hundred years, so he can learn properly what it means to respect a guest..." The fourteenth prince was somewhat displeased.

"That is impossible. Not only would we never make such a demand, but even if we did, Yaoguang would not agree to it." Qin Zhengfa glanced at him. "Do not forget, Qi Sha is a Void-Piercing cultivator."

"What of it that he is at the Void-Piercing Realm? I enjoy the same treatment as a Void-Piercing cultivator myself..."

"Yes, only the same treatment as a Void-Piercing cultivator," Qin Zhengfa said coldly. "If you truly were a Void-Piercing cultivator, then with Qi Sha insulting you so, I would naturally take action myself to win back justice for you. But you are not a true Void-Piercing cultivator, and a Void-Piercing cultivator and one who is not are entirely different in nature."

"Fourth Granduncle..." The fourteenth prince was reluctant to let it go.

"Let it be at that." Qin Zhengfa waved a hand. "Yaoguang did, after all, announce beforehand that no one was to fight within the Southern Capital, and you did indeed fight with the Golden Crow Sect's true disciple, breaking the rule he had set. Though the rule itself is unreasonable, for the sake of Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang's face we must show at least some regard. Once I have raised the matter with him and have Qi Sha apologize to you, this affair will be over."

Though the fourteenth prince remained somewhat unwilling, the sect elder's mind seemed made up, and there was nothing he could do to sway it.

"Xiao Yi, send a message to whoever is in charge of the southern domain. I wish to call on Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang and discuss the matter with him," Qin Zhengfa said.

"Yes." Behind him, a cold, aloof-looking woman who had likewise condensed an Azure Golden Core replied, quickly sending the message out.

After only a moment, however, she frowned. "Ancestor, all matters in the southern domain are currently handled by a Void-Piercing battle immortal named Li Hanqiu. But he says that Yaoguang is making preparations for the upcoming Dao Artifact auction and has no time to spare for now..."

"No time to spare?" There was obvious displeasure in Qin Zhengfa's tone, yet he still said mildly, "Tell him I have come. He will surely find the time soon enough."

"I did mention your name, but..." the aloof young woman said. "I will send another message. That Li Hanqiu is no more than a lowly Void-Piercing battle immortal. How could he understand the nobility of your status, Grandfather?"

"Fourth Granduncle, there is something you do not know. Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang really is exceedingly arrogant," the fourteenth prince, as though he had seized on some sore spot, said quickly. "These past few days, it is said that Void-Refining powerhouses of the Golden Crow Sect and the Immortal Martial Sect sought to call on him, yet without exception met a closed door.

"Among them, the Immortal Martial Sect's Void-Refining cultivator, Perfected Lord Pan Yuan, flew into a rage and nearly moved against Li Hanqiu to teach him the meaning of rank and station. But the Southern Capital's Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Grand Array had long since been activated, and Qi Sha, bold beyond measure, even dared to borrow the array's power to stand off against Perfected Lord Pan Yuan! This is truly insolent and overbearing!"

Hearing this, Qin Zhengfa frowned as well. Granted, the gaps between the Void-Piercing, Void-Refining, and Void-Shattering Realms were not as impassable as a great chasm, but for a Void-Piercing cultivator who dared to be so bold before a Void-Refining cultivator, the description of insolent and overbearing was indeed accurate.

"Hmph! Turning away calls from several Void-Refining cultivators alike. Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang really is conceited. No wonder even Zong Wenxian finds him an eyesore and turns a blind eye while the Yin Lunar Sect's people make trouble in the southern domain." Qin Zhengfa swept his sleeve. "Yaoguang has offended his own sect master and countless outside forces. Once this Dao Artifact auction is over, he will be in for a lot of trouble!"

The fourteenth prince and the aloof young woman named Xiao Yi nodded in deep agreement.

Just then, the Southern Capital came within reach, and the array shrouding it appeared within the group's sight. The array seemed to sense the fourteenth prince, who by now was on the blacklist, and the light within it started to surge and churn.

Before long, several figures had crossed over and arrived, the one at their head being, strikingly, a Void-Piercing battle immortal of the Heavenly Ruin Battle Hall.

"Honored guests of the True Dragon Dynasty, we welcome you to the Southern Capital. However, aboard your flying vessel is one who is forbidden to enter the Southern Capital, so please have this unwelcome person leave," the Void-Piercing battle immortal said, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Insolence!" For a mere Void-Piercing battle immortal to dare obstruct his warship stirred displeasure in Qin Zhengfa. "Everyone aboard this warship is of the True Dragon Dynasty. What, if I do not have him leave, do you mean to bar us from entering the Southern Capital?"

"So it is Perfected Lord Zhengfa. Greetings, Perfected Lord." The Void-Piercing battle immortal gave a fist-and-palm salute.

His courtesy was proper enough, yet he said, "My apologies. Our deputy sect master gave orders long ago that no unwelcome person may enter the Southern Capital again. Please, Perfected Lord, do not make things difficult for us."

"How bold. Even that deputy sect master of yours, Yaoguang, would not dare speak to me this way. Tell him to come out and face me. Today he must give me an explanation, or do not blame me, Qin Zhengfa, for showing this deputy sect master no face at all," Qin Zhengfa said angrily.

These words made the Void-Piercing battle immortal's expression change, and he at once sent word to Qi Sha. Qi Sha did not arrive, however; instead another Void-Piercing cultivator came hurrying over.

"A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding." This Void-Piercing cultivator swiftly descended between the Heavenly Ruin Battle Hall's battle immortal and Qin Zhengfa, and said with a smile, "I will go at once and see who is on the unwelcome list and have them disembark. With no unwelcome person aboard, surely there will be no problem with the True Dragon Dynasty's warship entering the Southern Capital?"

"Of course." The Heavenly Ruin Battle Hall's battle immortal secretly let out a breath of relief, and added, "The Southern Capital welcomes any visitor who abides by its rules."

Qin Zhengfa looked at this Void-Piercing cultivator and frowned slightly. This was Wang Que of the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty, and also a direct disciple of the dynasty's supreme ancestor, Zhao Fuxi.

The two great immortal dynasties were joined by marriage, and Zhao Fuxi and Qin Zhengfa were in fact also related by marriage. And so, faced with Wang Que's intervention, Qin Zhengfa, though displeased, held back from acting immediately.

"Perfected Lord, I pay my respects." Wang Que landed on the warship and bowed respectfully.

"What is going on here?" Qin Zhengfa said with displeasure. "Yaoguang is a mere deputy sect master, yet he holds us in such low regard. Does he really believe that because he is auctioning this Dao Artifact, everyone must come begging to him?"

"A deputy sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect naturally carries no such weight. But... what if this deputy sect master has cultivated for less than a hundred years to this day?" Wang Que said.

"A hundred years?" Qin Zhengfa was a little startled, but then gave a cold snort. "He's brimming with talent, so what of it? In an environment as vast as the North Sea Star, a genius has a harder time growing than an ordinary person, all the more so since he has offended Zong Wenxian. With this sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect clearly bent on suppressing him, the higher his talent, the faster he may well die."

"It is not as simple as mere talent."

"Not talent? Surely, you don't believe the news coming out of the Penglai Immortal Sect is true, right? That the moment he reached the Void-Refining Realm he could slay a Void-Refining demon emperor?" Qin Zhengfa sneered. "Setting aside how a perfectly ordinary Heaven-Swallowing Demon King suddenly became a Heaven-Swallowing Demon Emperor, the very fact that Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang sells out his own side and has murky dealings with the Penglai Immortal Sect leaves us no choice but to suspect that this is the Penglai Immortal Sect building momentum for Yaoguang, so that he gains the support of more people within the Heavenly Dao Sect."

"If you do not believe the matter of the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Emperor, then surely you know of Evil Eye, the Yin Lunar Sect's Void-Refining fiendish cultivator?" Wang Que said.

"Evil Eye?" The cold sneer on Qin Zhengfa's face faded somewhat, turning serious. "One of the masters of the Yin Lunar Sect's twenty-three peaks. His Psyche-Deterring Mystic Light strikes straight at the psyche, and no Void-Refining cultivator can withstand it unless he also cultivates a Great Dao of the same kind or has a Dao Artifact guarding the psyche or soul! And besides that Psyche-Deterring Mystic Light, he has mastered two powerful Dao Techniques and possesses a Dao Artifact as well. Among Void-Refining cultivators, he likely ranked among the upper tier..."

At this point, as if something had occurred to him, he suddenly said, "You are not about to tell me that Yaoguang, who has been a Void-Refining cultivator for no more than a few years, could actually kill such a long-renowned, veteran Void-Refining cultivator who wields a Dao Artifact, right?"

"Yes." Wang Que nodded heavily. "Not long ago, the Yin Lunar Sect's Evil Eye led several Void-Piercing elders into the southern domain to wreak havoc. Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang struck out alone, and in the span of a few short days he slew two Void-Piercing fiendish cultivators and, what is more, refined to death the Yin Lunar Sect's veteran Void-Refining peak master, Evil Eye!"

He paused, then reaffirmed, "And this was with Evil Eye and three Void-Piercing cultivators joining forces against him. He cut down one Void-Piercing fiendish cultivator, and then refined Evil Eye to death, showing overwhelming power!"

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