Chapter 213

Chapter 213: The Arrival of a Powerful Enemy

After settling household affairs, Fang Lie departed calmly. He first visited the Ancestral Hall, entered the Cycle of Fire, then teleported to Qingyu Island in Wanxing Sea, appearing in the secret room of Fang Family Villa.

Emerging from the chamber, Fang Lie felt at ease and wanted to order a feast. But outside, he found Mao San and Gou Si waiting anxiously with grim expressions.

"What’s wrong?" Fang Lie frowned.

"Master! Something terrible happened!" Mao San cried.

"Our shop was destroyed! Purple Beard Master died fighting! Shopkeeper Liu Dingyi was killed too! All treasures were stolen!" Gou Si shouted. "They’re still surrounding us, demanding your surrender!"

Fang Lie’s rage ignited. "Those Xiaoyao Alliance scoundrels seek death!"

He initially thought the Xiaoyao Alliance had come to avenge Purple Beard Master. But Mao San interjected, "Master, it’s actually the Four Seas Alliance causing trouble!"

"Four Seas Alliance?" Fang Lie paused, recalling they operated the treasure ship he’d once commandeered. Had his past actions been discovered?

"Why target me?" he demanded.

"You’ve been stealing their business," Mao San explained wearily.

The pair then detailed the situation. Though this was Xiaoyao Alliance territory, the Four Seas Alliance dominated local trade. Fang Lie’s recent activities—flooding the market with cheap cultivation resources—had drawn countless customers, severely impacting Four Seas Alliance profits.

Though currently affecting only a few thousand-mile radius, Fang Lie’s status as a Great Pill Master meant his steady supply of high-grade spirit pills would inevitably expand his influence. Since cultivators preferred buying affordable quality pills from him, Four Seas Alliance shops grew deserted.

Their business had collapsed—sales halved last month alone. With news spreading slowly, the alliance risked complete expulsion from the spirit pill trade.

Unable to tolerate this yet fearing backlash (Great Pill Masters usually had major power backing), the Four Seas Alliance investigated thoroughly. They learned from Mo Sect insiders—likely family disciples hoping Fang Lie would fall—that he was merely a disgraced outer disciple with no protection.

Emboldened, the alliance dispatched a Nascent Soul True Immortal and eight Purple Palace realm cultivators. They razed Mo Fang Shop, slaughtering Purple Beard Master and Liu Dingyi before looting everything. Now they besieged Fang Family Villa, trying to flush out Fang Lie.

Only the villa’s powerful Formation prevented the Nascent Soul expert from breaking in, saving Mao San and Gou Si from annihilation.

Hearing this, Fang Lie sneered, "You refuse heaven’s road to charge into hell’s gates! Since they crave death, I’ll oblige!"

He ordered, "Tell everyone to hide. I’m unleashing my fury!"

Mao San and Gou Si gaped. "Master! There’s a Nascent Soul True Immortal out there! You can’t win!"

"Ridiculous! Since when do I fear some Nascent Soul runt?" Fang Lie scoffed. "Watch me slaughter them. Afterwards, I might vanish briefly—about two hours. Stay calm and don’t move, understood?"

"Understood!" They bowed and retreated.

Alone, Fang Lie murmured, "Bird Bro, can I beat a Nascent Soul True Immortal?"

"You’ll die instantly," Old Bird stated bluntly.

"No alternatives? What about fully demonizing with the Demon Sword? You said that state lets me slaughter Nascent Souls like chickens!"

"You’re trying to be a hero, huh!" Old Bird said with a bitter laugh. "Fine, give it a shot. But remember, you might lose control and slaughter everyone in sight."

"Don’t worry, I told them to hide!" Fang Lie grinned.

He soared into the air and spotted cultivators watching from afar.

"Four Seas Alliance scoundrels!" Fang Lie bellowed, his magic-amplified voice thundering across Qingyu Island. "Still breathing? Come out and die!"

Hundreds of sword beams erupted as cultivators surrounded Fang Family Villa. Over a hundred Golden Pool realm cultivators and eight Purple Palace experts appeared, led by a decrepit old man shrouded in glowing treasure light – unmistakably a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Clad in ash-gray robes, the old man gave Fang Lie a drowsy glance. "So you’re the Mo Sect reject," he sneered.

"What stray dog do I see?" Fang Lie retorted. "Which family let their mangy mutt off its leash?"

The old man’s composure shattered. "You dare mock me?" he roared, trembling with rage. "You think this protective array makes you untouchable?"

"My skills make me untouchable," Fang Lie shot back, waving the formation’s control flag. The concealing mist vanished, revealing the villa. "Come in if you’ve got the guts!"

The old man hesitated. "Trying to trap me with your formation?"

"I swear on my family’s honor," Fang Lie declared, "I won’t activate it against anyone who enters."

"Bold words!" The old man led the charge, landing hundreds of yards from Fang Lie.

As the last cultivator entered, Fang Lie reactivated the formation. The mist reappeared, weaker inside the villa grounds.

"Fool!" The old man crowed. "You’ve sealed your own doom!"

"Couldn’t slaughter you all properly outside," Fang Lie said cheerfully. "This is called trapping turtles in a jar!"

"Delusional brat!" The Nascent Soul True Immortal scoffed. "An outer disciple threatening me? You’re mad!"

Four Seas Alliance members jeered. "Lunatic!" "Brainless fool!"

Fang Lie smiled. "You’ve heard rumors – but not the truth."

"We know you angered Mo Sect’s family clans," the old man spat. "They’ll thank us for killing you!"

"Morons," Fang Lie chuckled. "You’re just sacrificial pawns." The black-red Demon Sword materialized in his grip. "I’ve slaughtered thousands of family disciples. Slain three Nascent Soul True Immortals. Today, you’ll join my late Senior Brother Liu!"

"Impossible!" the old man protested.

Fang Lie’s blade flashed. "Who dies first?"

A Golden Pool cultivator lunged forward, silver Flying Sword streaking toward Fang Lie’s throat.

Golden wings erupted behind Fang Lie as he moved like lightning. His blade shattered the third rank top-grade sword before its owner realized what happened. The cultivator’s head tumbled through the air as Fang Lie reappeared in his original position, watching coldly.