Pei Qingfeng and the others felt a surge of joy upon seeing the newcomer; they hadn't expected that just as danger approached, Ancestor Fang would return.
Qin Feng and Qin Xuan exchanged excited and hopeful glances.
Li Daoye secretly transmitted a message, "Master, could you move your disciple back a bit? I don't want Ancestor Fang to see me in this state."
Pei Qingfeng shot him a look. He replied in annoyance, "What's there to move back for? You acted impulsively without considering your own limitations, so it's only natural that you ended up ."
Li Daoye felt utterly wronged. "I was just a bit too angry, alright? Normally, I would think things through and wouldn't act unless I am confident."
Upon seeing Fang Chen, the beggar Daoist immediately laughed. "You want to keep me for tea? Are you also a cultivator of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect? Just so you know, if you keep me here, Pei Qingfeng is likely to lose sleep over it."
"Daoist, your words are quite presumptuous." Fang Chen chuckled. "Little White, Little Black, please greet our esteemed guest."
The black and white paper figures bowed before approaching the beggar Daoist.
Fang Chen sighed lightly. "You're clearly out of touch with current events; it seems you're just cannon fodder."
The beggar Daoist instantly became enraged. "Pretentious nonsense."
With a fierce wave of his sleeve, a terrifying gale swept out, striking the black and white paper figures.
The onlooking worshipers gasped in shock; they had just witnessed the terrifying power of this gale and knew how deadly it could be.
Yet, under the gale, the black and white paper figures remained unharmed.
The black paper figure snorted coldly. "How dare you disrespect our lord?"
"As expected from Lord Black; he's about to unleash his power."
The Grand Thousand Dao Sect's disciples exchanged looks. Their eyes seemed to be mocking the beggar Daoist.
Seeing that the gale had no effect on the paper figure, garnering him nothing but mockery, the beggar Daoist frowned and waved his sleeve again.
Countless black insects flew out. However, before they could land on the two paper figures, the black paper figure gently blew a breath.
The vast swarm of black insects fell lifeless to the ground, turning to dust and dissipating.
The beggar Daoist was stunned; his expression hardened as he felt a sense of seriousness wash over him. He no longer dared to hold back and immediately activated his strongest technique. Ř𝐚₦ȰＢÈ𝘴
"I have an immortal sword that can cut through mountains!"
Brilliant divine light erupted as a terrifying flying sword shot forth, seemingly aimed at piercing through the black and white paper figures.
The black paper figure casually swatted at it.
The flying sword was sliced in half. One end was plunged into the ground not too far away, its tail vibrating and emitting a humming sound.
The beggar Daoist spat out a mouthful of blood mist on the spot. "Pff!"
The black and white paper figures approached him, and the white paper figure gently waved its hand. Suddenly, a tea table appeared in front of the beggar Daoist, complete with tea cups and utensils.
The black paper figure pressed down on his shoulder, causing the beggar Daoist to kneel in front of the tea table.
"Lord, please have some tea."
This casual gesture held an unshakeable force, and upon feeling this power, the beggar Daoist fell silent.
Fang Chen stepped forward to the tea table, and the white paper figure waved its hand again, conjuring a chair with spiritual energy.
After Fang Chen sat down, he was half a head taller than the beggar Daoist, quietly looking down at him.
Pei Qingfeng stepped forward a few paces and whispered. "Martial Uncle, this is Duan Li, a wandering cultivator from Southern Void Mountain and is delivering a message from the Purple Sun Dao Sect, saying that they will come over for dao questioning in three days."
After a pause, he added, "The Purple Sun Dao Sect is backed by the Nine Sun Dao Sect."
Fang Chen nodded with a smile. "The Nine Sun Dao Sect is backed by the Great Expansion Dao Sect. It seems someone can't find me and wants to force me out this way."
Upon hearing the name of the Great Expansion Dao Sect, the beggar Daoist froze. He knew that the Nine Sun Dao Sect seemed to be preparing to act against the Grand Thousand Dao Sect, thus sending the Purple Sun Dao Sect to make a move. However, he never expected that the Great Expansion Dao Sect would be involved in this matter.
What was strange was that this person spoke of the Great Expansion Dao Sect without any worry.
The beggar Daoist hurriedly said, "I really only came to deliver a message."
Li Daoye couldn't help but shout in anger, "Why kill innocent people just to deliver a message? You casually slaughter the guests of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect; this is clearly the act of a demon!"
Fang Chen glanced Li Daoye. "What happened to you? Nephew Pei, hurry up and heal him."
Pei Qingfeng immediately began to treat Li Daoye's injuries. He had been hesitant to intervene while the beggar Daoist was present, fearing it would provoke the man's wrath.
Fang Chen turned his attention back to the beggar Daoist. "Now tell me, why kill innocent people just to send a message?"
Nearby, the guests fixed their gaze on the beggar Daoist, their eyes filled with anger and hatred for the ones who had died; their families would gladly tear him apart if given the chance.
The beggar Daoist hesitated for a long time, unsure how to respond. He had merely killed a few ants; why was everyone making such a fuss about it?
The beggar Daoist forced a smile. "It's a common consensus that messengers are not to be harmed. I unintentionally got involved in this matter. I really know nothing; I was just here to deliver a message…."
Fang Chen said, "Well, you must be thirsty."
The beggar Daoist nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, I am thirsty."
Unsure of Fang Chen's intentions, he decided to go along with whatever was suggested, hoping it would help him stay alive.
"Since you're just a messenger, traveling such a long distance is no easy feat. We have our own way of hosting guests, and we can't let you leave thirsty. It would give people the impression that our sect lacks manners."
Fang Chen said indifferently, "Bring him some tea."
The crowd exchanged glances, realizing there was no tea to be found.
A Grand Thousand Dao Sect disciple stammered, "Martial Uncle, I have some good tea hidden away; I can—"
The black paper figure interrupted, "No need for your tea."
It slowly turned its head to look at the nearby worshipper.
The black paper figure's appearance was quite terrifying, but the guests recognized that it was a servant of the immortals from the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.
The black paper figure spoke in a deep voice, "You there, is anyone in urgent need to pee?"
The healing Li Daoye inhaled sharply. "Gasp—"
The others soon realized what it was insinuating, exchanging wary looks.
The beggar Daoist felt an unsettling realization creeping in, and his face turned ashen.
The black paper figure, seeing that the guests were slow to react, grew a bit more insistent. "My young master has said not to neglect our guests. If anyone is in urgent need, step forward quickly; we'll make sure our guest drinks well and to their fill."
A middle-aged man slowly stepped forward, his gaze fixated on the beggar Daoist, filled with deep-seated resentment. "I'll go!"
The woman and the kid who had just been killed were his wife and child.
Once someone stepped up, many more followed suit, eager to confront the beggar Daoist—all were relatives of the innocent victims.
At that moment, the white paper figure looked at Qin Xuan, Guan'e, and the others. "Ladies, please step back."
Guan'e and the others exchanged strange glances and then turned away.
As the middle-aged man advanced, the beggar Daoist suddenly looked at Fang Chen in sheer panic, pleading for mercy. "Don't do this… I know I was wrong…."
Fang Chen smiled and directed his gaze toward the scattered bones. "Go and tell them."