The vortex in the sky kept spinning, and simultaneously, the surrounding area sometimes turned blue, at other times purple, black, or white... The area around the vortex became multicolored, and the entire space constantly emitted strong seismic tremors.

The intensity of the space quakes was truly startling.

Leading the group, True Master Ming Liang and several thousand other Independent Immortals who had overcome the Sixth Tribulation stood in two rows, bowing to welcome the visitor. However, Fang Tian and Zong Jue stood below with less than pleased expressions, merely watching the passage in the sky with cold eyes.

As the shaking grew stronger—

"Hiss~~" A deep, resounding sound that echoed through heaven and earth rang out, and the spinning area completely shattered, revealing a white passage. A streak of light shot out from the white passage at such a blazing speed that it even sparked flames.

In just a moment, the light slowed down and took the form of a person.

"Phew, spatial passages are indeed quite dangerous," the figure exhaled deeply, and upon looking down.

"Junior Ming Liang from Qingxu Temple pays his respects to the Immortal Realm Envoy," True Master Ming Liang was the first to speak.

That rich Immortal presence, combined with his arrival through spatial passage, and the news sent from the Ninth Layer of the Upper Heavenly Palace, all pointed to the fact that this person was the Envoy dispatched by the Immortal Realm.

"So you are Ming Liang," the Immortal Realm Envoy was handsome, with a wisp of long hair hanging from his temples and an Immortal Sword strapped to his back.

Watching all this from below, Qin Yu was very puzzled.

Why wouldn’t an Immortal keep their Immortal Sword inside their body instead of carrying it on their back?

Qin Yu had no idea that this depicted a distinction between a Sword Immortal and ordinary Immortals. Ordinary Immortals also had Flying Swords, which they kept inside their bodies, but Sword Immortals carried their Immortal Swords on their backs. Moreover, Sword Immortals didn’t just have Immortal Swords; they also had Sword Infants (comparable to the Nascent Souls of ordinary Immortals).

"Junior is indeed Ming Liang," True Master Ming Liang respectfully said.

The Immortal Realm Envoy nodded with a smile, "I am Sword Immortal Hua Yan. You can call me Senior Hua Yan. When you obtained the Sky-breaking Map, Emperor Yu was extremely delighted. He instructed me to reward you handsomely. Now, where is the Sky-breaking Map? You may hand it over to me."

True Master Ming Liang gave a wry smile: "Senior Hua Yan, half a day ago, the Sky-breaking Map was still in my possession."

Hua Yan Sword Immortal’s expression changed slightly as he listened, but he did not interrupt.

"However, not long ago, Zong Jue from the Chaotic Star Sea and Fang Tian, the Patriarch of the Dragon Clan, joined forces to break through my Qingxu Temple’s Ten Variations Illusion Array. Afterward, a mysterious Sword Immortal named Lan Feng made a move and directly snatched the Sky-breaking Map away. With my weak strength, I had no power to resist and was at their mercy."

As Ming Liang spoke the words ’at their mercy’, his heart was filled with bitterness.

As the foremost among Independent Immortals, True Master Ming Liang’s status was highly revered. Yet faced with two invincible beings, he indeed had no means to resist.

"Sword Immortal Lan Feng?" Hua Yan frowned slightly while his Immortal Consciousness swept across the area below.

"Oh... I don’t blame you for this, the Five-clawed Golden Dragon and the Golden Winged Great Peng Bird are Super Divine Beasts, both of which hold noble statuses even in the Demon World. Even though they are also at the Twelfth Tribulation, their strength is far superior to yours. As for Sword Immortal Lan Feng, where is he?"

Hua Yan noticed Zong Jue and Fang Tian, showing only a hint of surprise but not much concern.

"Sword Immortal Lan Feng has just taken the Sky-breaking Map and just left," True Master Ming Liang said respectfully. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"He was able to snatch the Sky-breaking Map right in front of the two Super Divine Beasts?" Hua Yan was somewhat incredulous.

True Master Ming Liang answered, "Senior Hua Yan, that Sword Immortal Lan Feng is not an ordinary expert; he is already a First Level Golden Immortal. His strength is so immense that even the strong opponents Zong Jue and Fang Tian have no confidence in winning against him." True Master Ming Liang had a clear memory of the conversation between the sword immortal puppet controlled by Qin Yu and Zong Jue and Fang Tian.

"Impossible!" Hua Yan’s face changed.

"A Golden Immortal absolutely cannot exist in the Mortal World!" Hua Yan’s face looked exceedingly ugly.

True Master Ming Liang continued, "Yet his strength is indeed outrageously great, and both Zong Jue and Fang Tian have acknowledged it. Moreover, that Sword Immortal Lan Feng also mentioned that he has a senior brother."

Hua Yan did not speak, merely pondering.

In fact, Hua Yan was also a First Level Golden Immortal.

Breaking the barriers between the two worlds to form a temporary passage was almost impossible. However, Emperor Yu had invited his friends to form a passage together. This passage could at most barely allow a First Level Golden Immortal to cross. Hua Yan, an elite disciple under Emperor Yu’s command, was sent down.

Although Hua Yan’s strength was weak in the Immortal Realm, he was indeed an individual marked for key cultivation.

Just like if Fang Tian were to ascend to the Demon World, even if his strength was that of a First Level Demon King, he would still be considered a key cultivation target by the Dragon Clan, with a status potentially even rivaling that of an ordinary Profound Immortal. While Hua Yan’s strength might not be strong, he belonged to the category of individuals with extremely high status.

"He is a Sword Immortal, moreover a First Level Golden Immortal! Could he be... someone from another force in the Immortal Realm, or could he belong to ’Eternal Green,’ Green Emperor’s faction?" Hua Yan speculated in his heart.

There were many experts at the Immortal Emperor Level in the Immortal Realm; even those at the super level of Eighth Level Profound Immortal and Ninth-level Profound Immortal were numerous. The once Immortal Emperor Ni Yang belonged to the highest tier of Immortal Emperors, and although Emperor Yu was one of the foremost Immortal Emperors of the Immortal Realm, there were still a few who could match Emperor Yu.

After speculating for a moment, Hua Yan did not continue to ponder further.

"Ming Liang, you cannot be blamed for this incident. However, you have worked hard for Emperor Yu, and everyone has seen your efforts. I will bestow upon you this Top-Grade Immortal Sword ’Dianxing.’ This Top-Grade Immortal Sword ’Dianxing’ was the matching sword of an ancient senior of the Immortal Realm who created the ’Dianxing Technique,’ and it should be the most suitable for you."

A gorgeous immortal sword began to float in front of Hua Yan, who at the same time lifted the Blood Contract.

Storing a Top-Grade Immortal Sword required a space ring of Top-Grade Immortal Artifact level, which was extremely precious. Even Emperor Yu only possessed one such ring. Hua Yan himself only had a space ring of Upper Grade Immortal Artifact level. Therefore, he had to use Blood Recognition to keep the immortal sword safe.

Storage type items were the rarest; even a storage space ring of Upper Grade Immortal Artifact level could be as valuable as an ordinary Top-Grade Immortal Sword.

"Ah." Ming Liang trembled all over.

A Top-Grade Immortal Sword!

An offering of a Top-Grade Immortal Sword as a gift!

"Junior, junior thanks Emperor Yu for his reward, thanks Senior Hua Yan," said True Master Ming Liang, trembling as he took the Top-Grade Immortal Sword with both hands.

Below, Qin Yu also inhaled sharply.

"Such a grand gesture, a Top-Grade Immortal Sword as a gift!" Qin Yu had struggled to death in the Qingyu Immortal Mansion and only managed to obtain a Middle Grade Immortal Artifact in the end. Of course, Qin Yu’s own Black Flame Monarch’s Ring was an Upper Grade Immortal Artifact, and because of its two major domains and being a rare storage type, it was even more precious than a Top-Grade Immortal Artifact.

Zong Jue and Fang Tian were also startled in their hearts.

A Top-Grade Immortal Artifact?

In the Mortal World, there were absolutely no conditions for refining an artifact of a Top-Grade Immortal Artifact level.

The weapon of the Dragon Clan Patriarch himself was only of Middle Grade Immortal Artifact (Demon Artifact) level, and unless using the Dragon Clan’s treasure Inheritance Dragon Ball, it was estimated it could barely compare with a Top-Grade Immortal Artifact. It’s just that... using the Inheritance Dragon Ball in battle was something only to be done in a life or death situation.

Zong Jue’s original weapon was also a middle grade Immortal Artifact, which was fortunate because he acquired a treasure from Senior Lan, and this treasure was Zong Jue’s last resort move.

"Zong Jue, this Immortal Realm Envoy comes from the Immortal Realm, and based on what they have said, it seems that he is one of Emperor Yu’s men. Someone of Emperor Yu’s level of expertise simply wouldn’t care about top-grade Immortal Artifacts. Although this Immortal Realm Envoy’s own strength might not be very strong, he must possess a great number of treasures," Fang Tian sighed.

Hua Yan’s own strength was merely that of a First Level Golden Immortal.

But the number of treasures Hua Yan possessed was astonishingly high.

Even in the Immortal Realm, the treasures of an ordinary Profound Immortal powerhouse couldn’t compare to those of Hua Yan, considering Emperor Yu really went all out for Hua Yan’s descent to the Mortal World this time.

Zong Jue’s eyes gleamed with a golden light: "Fang Tian, look at that Sword Immortal’s Combat Clothes."

Fang Tian also looked carefully, and after a moment, his eyes widened: "Upper Grade Immortal Artifact? Or could it be a top-grade Immortal Artifact?"

The Immortal Realm Envoy, possessed an immense amount of treasures.

Not only did he have superior offensive weapons, but he also wore the best Battle Armor.

Defensive Immortal Artifacts were even harder to refine than offensive ones, and storage Immortal Artifacts were even more difficult to refine than defensive ones. And those Immortal Artifacts with special effects were even rarer and more precious.

For instance, the Black Flame Monarch’s Ring, which was a storage-type upper grade Immortal Artifact, was already quite formidable. Yet it also contained two major domains, making it all the more valuable.

"Senior Hua Yan, this is my junior fellow apprentice, Ming Shan, here is Xue Yuyang, this is True Master Chi Yang, and this is True Master Lan Bing. All of them are Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortals," True Master Ming Liang was just then reporting some actual situations to Sword Immortal Hua Yan.

Hua Yan looked at the four Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortals before him.

Although to him, Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortals weren’t much, at this moment, he was the only one who had descended, and he was also in need of assistance.

"Very well, your loyalty to Emperor Yu will naturally be rewarded. Here are four Upper Grade Immortal Swords for you," Hua Yan produced four Upper Grade Immortal Swords out of thin air, taking them directly from his Space Ring.

True Master Ming Shan, Xue Yuyang, True Master Chi Yang, and True Master Lan Bing were all taken aback.

An Upper Grade Immortal Artifact?

But in the end, all four suppressed their excitement, each shaking as they took the Immortal Swords.

"My friends, any who serve Emperor Yu and contribute will not be stinted in their reward by Emperor Yu. I, Hua Yan, hereby declare that anyone who can retrieve the Sky-breaking Map and hand it over to me will be granted a set of top-grade Immortal Artifact level Battle Armor on behalf of Emperor Yu!"

Hua Yan’s resonant voice echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

Top-Grade Immortal Artifact Battle Armor?

"He really is extravagantly generous," Zong Jue frowned, and Fang Tian could only wryly smile.

No matter how powerful they were, they were just people of the Mortal World; how could they compare to Hua Yan, who had the support of Emperor Yu of the Immortal Realm behind him? For someone as high-level as Emperor Yu, ten or so top-grade Immortal Artifacts were insignificant.

A person’s power, while personal strength was surely important, was greatly complemented by their weapons.

Take Hua Yan, for example.

With top-grade Immortal Swords, top-grade Immortal Artifact Battle Armor, various Immortal Pills, and a number of potent Prohibition Talismans, just based on external factors alone, one’s combat abilities could increase several fold.

"He’s even offering top-grade Immortal Artifact Battle Armor as a reward, he’s bound to have his own," Fang Tian said with a bitter smile, "Zong Jue, a First Level Golden Immortal equipped with a top-grade Immortal Sword for offense and top-grade Immortal Artifact Battle Armor for defense. Not to mention anything else, are you confident about facing him?"

Zong Jue was silent for a moment: "If I had the same weapons and the same defensive Immortal Artifacts as him, I could match him."

Hearing what Zong Jue said, Fang Tian was also helpless.

In terms of individual strength alone, they were not weaker than their opponent, but their opponent’s equipment was just too good.

...

Hua Yan’s gaze fell upon Fang Tian and Zong Jue, and with a flash, he was right before them.

"Fang Tian? Zong Jue?" Hua Yan said with a smile.

Fang Tian and Zong Jue nodded, and Fang Tian spoke up, "I wonder what matters Sword Immortal Hua Yan would like to discuss?"

Super Divine Beast?

Others would probably fear offending him, but who was Hua Yan? He was a key figure cultivated by Emperor Yu’s faction, and being sent down for such an important task showed just how much Emperor Yu valued Sword Immortal Hua Yan.

"What matter? Qingxu Temple belongs to the Immortal Path, why did you break the Ten Variations Illusion Array?" Hua Yan’s face lost his smile, and his expression turned cold.

Both Fang Tian and Zong Jue’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a chill emanated from them.

...

Meanwhile, Qin Yu, who stood behind Fang Tian, had been quietly watching everything unfold and occasionally communicated with his two brothers via Immortal Consciousness. Regardless of what happened, they had Fang Tian and Zong Jue to front it. The three brothers were not at all worried.

Hou Fei’s voice rang out through Spiritual Communication: "Big Brother, that Hua Yan is really throwing his weight around, with offensive Immortal Artifacts, defensive Immortal Artifacts, and even a Space Ring. He’s like a walking treasury. I bet he also has all kinds of top-level Immortal Pills from the Immortal Realm."

Qin Yu smiled. Meanwhile, Hua Yan had already approached Fang Tian and Zong Jue to pose his question.

"Big Brother, I have a feeling that Hua Yan is about to make a move," Hei Yu’s deep voice resonated in Qin Yu and Hou Fei’s minds.

Qin Yu agreed with a thought transmission: "Hua Yan already knows the identities of Fang Tian and Zong Jue, and knows that the two are undefeated in the Mortal World. Having just come to the Mortal World, he probably wants to establish his authority. And the best way to do so is to defeat Fang Tian and Zong Jue."

To establish authority, one must challenge the strongest.

And things really turned out just as the three brothers had predicted.

"What does Sword Immortal Hua Yan mean by that? People in the Mortal World have their own disputes to settle; why would you need to interfere? I dislike Qingxu Temple, so what if I broke their Ten Variations Illusion Array? Could it be that Sword Immortal Hua Yan descended with the intention of using us to establish his might?" Zong Jue said coldly.

Zong Jue showed no sign of weakness at that moment.

"It’s just Sword Immortal Hua Yan – one should know one’s limitations. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to establish might, it’s just a pity that... you might have chosen the wrong targets," Zong Jue’s eyes instantly turned golden, and his aura became even more fierce and aggressive, while the corners of his mouth displayed a cold and disdainful sneer.

(To be continued. For further updates, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. More Chapters are available, and your support for the author and for genuine reading is appreciated!)