Immortal of the Nine Realms

Zhao Yan had only used innate qi from start to finish. So, when Ji Lengxing saw that Xu Qingfeng had been defeated, he was shocked, but not horrified. He looked at Fang Chen and asked calmly, "Since you’ve someone in the Innate Qi Stages supporting you, I’m assuming you’re from an eighth-tier empire? Are you from the Tiankun Empire? Hongri Empire? Or perhaps the Yingcang Empire?"

Xu Ge's expression changed slightly. Among the empire names mentioned by the other party, he only knew of the Yingcang Empire, and that was because Qingsong was their vassal state.

During the battle at Three World Mountain, it was precisely because the Yingcang Empire had sent an expert at the Earth Profound Stage that Fang Chen was defeated.

Li Daoye and the others who were cultivators were not familiar with the names of those empires. Only empires above the sixth tier warranted their attention. The rest, be it the ninth tier, eighth tier, or even seventh tier, were merely places for martial artists. Even if there were a few cultivators in there, they were only considered wandering cultivators without complete inheritances and weren't recognized by the cultivation world.

Seeing the silence, Ji Lengxing thought that he had guessed correctly, and he followed in a deep voice, "The envoys from the Tiankun Empire, Hongri Empire, and Yingcang Empire have all arrived in the Frost Water Empire. They are currently in the palace discussing the matter of Grand Xia ascending to the eighth tier. Did you rush here to join them?"

The expressions of Song Yi and the others didn't look too good. If Fang Chen and the others were important figures from an eighth-tier empire, it might be challenging to take back the face they’d lost after their humiliation.

"So, they have all arrived. They are even already discussing the matter at hand in the palace." Fang Chen smiled. "I wonder if they’ve arrived at a conclusion?"

Ji Lengxing assumed that he had hit the nail on the head, and said solemnly, "Grand Xia lacks the foundation of an eighth-tier empire. Now that it dares to arrogantly claim itself to be one, it will naturally face the joint retaliation of our four empires."

Ancestor Xia Yu furrowed his brows slightly. The Frost Water Empire didn't seem to have learned its lesson. Ji Lengyue was currently being held as a hostage in Grand Xia, yet they were already considering joining hands with three other empires to launch an attack on Grand Xia.

Just then, the blockade split apart to reveal several figures approaching slowly. The leader was a middle-aged man with a majestic presence.

Song Yi was delighted to see the newcomer. That person was Ji Junhua, one of the outstanding figures of the current generation of the Ji Family, and the father of Ji Lengxing. He was also the prospective father-in-law, making them relatives!

Ji Lengxing felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had been delaying for time, and it seemed his father had arrived promptly. Evidently, he had sensed the aura from the recent confrontation between Zhao Yan and Xu Qingfeng.

Ji Junhua's hearty laughter echoed even before he reached them. "Song Yi, Song Hui, how are your parents? Is Old Master Song in good health?"

Song Yi and the others greeted him promptly.

Beside Ji Junhua, there was a young man who bore some resemblance to Ji Lengxing. Ji Junhua glanced at him and then turned to Song Yi and Song Hui. "Since you two have yet not been married, according to our Frost Water Empire's customs, you shouldn't have met yet. However, because Lengxiao was worried about your safety, he decided to tag along."

Song Hui cast a glance at Ji Lengxiao, her face turning slightly red as she lowered her head.

Ji Lengxiao chuckled awkwardly but remained silent.

"Dad..." Ji Lengxing stepped forward and narrated the entire situation to his father-in-law in a whisper.

Hearing his story, Ji Junhua nodded slightly. After looking at Xu Qingfeng, he then turned his gaze to Zhao Yan.

"It’s truly rare for one to be able to defeat Xu Qingfeng so easily at such a young age,” praised Ji Junhua. “Whose disciple are you?"

Zhao Yan smiled faintly. "I won't reveal my master's identity."

"Are you afraid of retaliation from the Ji Family? Is that why you won't disclose your master's identity?"

"It’s just that it’s not necessary for me to do so. And yes, I'm somewhat wary of the Ji Family."

"Looks like he's afraid of the Ji Family."

Whispers circulated among the onlookers.

"You don’t have to say it,” said Ji Junhua. He glanced at Fang Chen and then shifted his gaze to Zhao Yan. “But in that case, who is this person to you? With your martial arts level, it seems unnecessary for you to pledge yourself to anyone.”

"This is my lord," answered Zhao Yan.

"Your lord?"

The people looked at each other with a strange expression. Everyone grew even more curious about Fang Chen’s background; to have an Innate Qi Stage martial artist act as a bodyguard meant that one’s background was significant.

It was then that Fang Chen spoke. "I'm curious, you have Ji Lengxing, Ji Lengxiao, and perhaps you also have a son named Ji Lengyue?"

The expressions of the crowd changed slightly, and Ji Junhua squinted his eyes slightly.

"You know my eldest son?"

Fang Chen couldn't help but smile. "Indeed, I do."

"Where exactly do you hail from, Little Brother? Tiankun? Hongri? Yingcang?" asked Ji Junhua. "Have your elders arrived in the imperial capital? Might they already be in the palace?"

"Let’s not talk about where I’m from for now. What I want to know is whether the Ji Family will step forward for this person or not. Did he tell you that on that ship, it was his maidservant who provoked us first? We only asked him to kowtow three times, which is already a small punishment."

The crowd fell silent for a few moments. There was a look of humiliation on Song Yi's face. Ji Junhua glanced at Song Hui and Ji Lengxiao, then suddenly clapped his hands lightly.

"Interesting. Daring to humiliate my Ji Family within the borders of the Frost Water Empire, even the royal families of the three empires, Tiankun, Hongri, and Yingcang, wouldn't have the courage to do that." As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Junhua lightly stomped his foot.

In an instant, the ground shattered, and countless stones were lifted into the air by the terrifying aura, floating in mid-air. The next moment, these stones, like cannonballs, shot directly toward Fang Chen and the others.

Zhao Yan waved his hand, and the countless stones were diverted away by his aura, shooting into the sea behind him, creating waves of thousands of layers. The highest wave was already about ten meters high, and everyone present felt the suffocating pressure.

"Good. Come at me!" Ji Junhua laughed heartily, and the majestic origin qi flowed from him. He seemed to transform into a god descending into the mortal world, carrying a terrifying and overwhelming aura as he appeared in front of Zhao Yan.

He was grabbed by Zhao Yan and thrown off to the side with a powerful hurl. A series of explosions echoed, and Ji Junhua's body penetrated several huge ships, finally landing in the sea.

Silence.

A hint of disbelief gradually appeared in the eyes of the onlookers. A Returning Essence Qi martial artist, Ji Junhua, had been thrown so easily by Zhao Yan?

"H-He's in the Returning Essence Qi Stage," stuttered Elder Qin.

Returning Essence Qi?

Ji Lengxing and the others’ expressions flickered, and they retreated a dozen meters back, completely distancing themselves from Fang Chen's group. They were afraid that Zhao Yan would unleash a fatal blow and kill them!

It was only now that Xu Qingfeng's tense face gradually relaxed. "So he's in the Returning Essence Qi Stage. I don't regret losing."

"How could he be in the Returning Essence Qi Stage...? This doesn't make sense at all...."

Song Yi's face turned green as he fixed his gaze on Fang Chen. If Zhao Yan were in the Returning Essence Qi Stage, what kind of identity did Fang Chen possess?

Before he could think further, Ji Junhua burst out of the sea, landing steadily on the top of a ship's sail. He looked at Zhao Yan, his expression unusually serious. "So, you're in the Returning Essence Qi Stage. I was careless earlier, come again!"

"I'll fulfill your wish." Zhao Yan laughed heartily. With one step, he traversed dozens of meters, and in a few more steps, he leaped to the same height as Ji Junhua.

Ji Junhua was about to use his techniques, but he was deterred by the terrifying and familiar aura emanating from Zhao Yan.

Longevity Qi? By the time this thought crossed his mind, Ji Junhua had already been grabbed by Zhao Yan by the neck, held up like a little chick.

Ji Junhua, enveloped by longevity qi, couldn't activate a trace of his inner energy and lost all resistance.

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