“That fellow actually harbors that kind of intention!” Jue Panshi was startled.
Selecting an alliance master to decide the rules in the southern region? That is as good as a rebellion! They are effectively declaring that the imperial court can control the northern region, but the southern region is going to be under the pugilistic world’s rule!
What about the other officials in the southern region then? Are they not interfering because they don’t know about it, or are they turning a blind eye because they want the southern region to be free from the northern region’s control too?
Jue Panshi shuddered to think about the consequences. Not even in his wildest dream did he think that he would get embroiled into something as huge as this. A single misstep here could spell the end of him!
“War God Fang, Imperial Duke Fang… You shouldn’t have interfered in the southern region’s affairs!” Jue Panshi murmured with a bitter smile.
Yuan Yu and the others were caught off guard. They didn’t expect the situation to develop in such a direction, and they struggled to regain their senses. Are the martial artists… rebelling right now?
They were aware of the vast differences between the northern region and the southern region, but they never thought the southern region’s martial artists would attempt to stage a rebellion.
Aren’t they afraid that the northern region might dispatch its army over to suppress them?
As soon as that thought surfaced, Yuan Yu and the others recalled the martial artists’ words.
Many of Great Xia’s soldiers are from the southern region, and the soldiers from the northern region will struggle to adapt to the southern region’s climate in the short run. Given so…
“Something huge is going to happen…” Yuan Yu muttered. “Has big brother gotten to War God Fang yet or not? If War God Fang is here, he might still be able to resolve this issue…”
The Profound Saber Sect Master glared at the Greatsword Gate Master. The latter stood still on the spot, but the surrounding martial artists continued to march in on them.
“Son, it’ll be too late if you don’t break out of the encirclement now.” The Profound Saber Sect Master took a deep breath. “Even if we’re destroyed today, we have to leave a seed behind to avenge us.”
“Father, Yuan Zhuang has gone to the northern region to inform War God Fang of the matters. War God Fang should be arriving soon,” Huangfu Jie said.
“We’re up against thousands of martial artists here. Even if War God Fang is here… it’ll be hard for two hands to deal with four hands,” the Profound Saber Sect Master replied in despair.
As he had never seen an Earth Profound martial artist, he could only deduce Fang Chen’s current strength by conjecture. Even if Fang Chen has reached Earth Profound level, he isn’t a god yet. It’s unlikely he’d have the means to subdue thousands of martial artists via brute force.
“Aren’t you afraid that Imperial Duke Fang might settle the scores with you in the future?” Huangfu Jie bellowed. He had channeled his inner ki into his voice, making his words echo many kilometers away.
The nearby martial artists halted their footsteps.
“Most of Great Xia’s soldiers are from the southern region, but you should be familiar with Imperial Duke Fang’s means. He’d still find a way to gather an army and slaughter all of you. None of us, including me, has been to a battlefield; we’re mere martial artists. A battle of that scale is different from a brawl in the pugilistic world. What makes you think the northern region will tolerate this?” Huangfu Jie roared.
The crowd fell silent. Many eyes instinctively turned to the Greatsword Gate Master.
“Hahaha…” The Greatsword Gate Master chuckled. “Fang Chen is not a deity. He can’t single-handedly reverse the tides of the southern region. You’ll be disappointed if you’re pinning all your hopes on him.”
Those words revitalized the martial artists’ confidence, and they continued marching toward the Profound Saber Sect.
“Master, are we… going to rebel?” Zhong Ying was at a loss.
None of the Bear Mountain Sword Sect’s disciples made a move as their sect master had chosen to hold his ground. A few other first-rate sects made the same decision as well.
“It looks like the Greatsword Gate Master dreams of becoming the southern region’s martial emperor.” The Bear Mountain Sect Master sighed softly. “I thought the aim of this encirclement was to avenge the Heavensword Mountain Villa, but now I know I was naive. The Profound Saber Sect might not be the culprit behind the Heavensword Mountain Villa’s massacre. ”
“Which side should we stand on?” Zhong Ying asked.
The elders of the Bear Mountain Sword Sect were also waiting for their sect master’s decision.
“Bear Mountain Sect Master, do you not intend to stand alongside the martial artists of our southern region? Are you still sided with the northern region?” the Greatsword Gate Master suddenly spoke up.
“Junior Zhong, you should stop hesitating! As long as we pull this off, we, from the southern region, will no longer have to bow our heads to the northern region anymore!” Xian Kun shouted to Zhong Ying.
He was excited because he was the son of the Greatsword Gate Master. If his father became the southern region’s martial emperor, that would make him the martial crown prince!
“I don’t think we have a choice here.”
The Bear Mountain Sect Master shook his head. He grabbed his sword and was just about to rise to his feet when he heard a chuckle from behind.
“No, you do have a choice.”
The crowd turned to Fang Chen.
“Hm? Who’s that fellow?”
“He’s fair-skinned. A northerner?”
Zhong Ying was startled. She quickly whispered to Fang Chen, “Young master Li, you shouldn’t speak a word now. You’d be in danger too if you get involved in this!”
The Bear Mountain Sect Master looked at Fang Chen with a frown. “Zhong Ying, who is he?”
Zhong Ying quickly explained Fang Chen’s origin, including their encounter with the Golden-eyed Demon Ape. Their sect members lifted their heads proudly when they heard that the fae escaped upon hearing their sect name.
“You dare interfere in this matter?” Xian Kun’s face darkened when he heard Fang Chen’s words. He turned to the Greatsword Gate Master and said, “Father, that man there is from the northern region. From his dress-up, he’s most likely from a distinguished clan. Why don’t we kill him as a tribute to affirm our southern region’s determination?”
“Senior Xian, you mustn’t do that! He has nothing to do with this!” Zhong Ying was horrified.
“Oh? A northerner?” The Greatsword Gate Master eyed Fang Chen before turning to the surrounding martial artists with a smile. “Everyone, stop for a moment.”
The martial artists stopped in their tracks and turned to the Greatsword Gate Master with a perplexed frown.
A few Greatsword Gate’s disciples stepped forward and dragged Fang Chen and Yuan Zhuang away. Zhong Ying tried to stop them, but the Bear Mountain Sect Master stopped her.
“My disciple, the situation is not in our favor. You shouldn’t act in a way that might bring disaster upon our Bear Mountain Sword Sect,” the Bear Mountain Sect Master quietly advised.
Zhong Ying felt self-reproach as she watched as Fang Chen was dragged away. Her eyes reddened. “He wouldn’t have faced such a disaster if I didn’t bring him here…”
The Greatsword Gate’s disciples pushed the two of them out.
The Bear Mountain Sword Sect’s disciples, who had accompanied them all the way here, looked upon this sight with conflicted feelings.
Huangfu Jie, Jue Panshi, and the others were astounded when they saw Fang Chen and Yuan Zhuang.
“Everyone, these two people here are from the northern region. The fact that they appeared here at this timing suggests that they aren’t of ordinary standing. Why don’t we first kill them today as tribute to our upcoming conference?” the Greatsword Gate Master said with a smile.
“They are northerners?”
Many of the martial artists glared at the two of them with reddened eyes. They harbored great hostility toward the northern region for having gotten in the way of their business.
Huangfu Jie and the others stared at this sight with incredulous eyes. They are intending to use Great Xia’s strongest man, War God Fang, as tribute?
They prompted them to look at the Greatsword Gate Master and Fang Chen. There isn’t even thirty meters between them. With such a distance, Fang Chen only needs the briefest instant to take his life…