Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 165

Chapter 165: The Three Faes Falling in Defeat

Fang Zhixue was so shocked that she stuttered, “Y-you must be out of your mind! You’re saying that you’re a Longevity Ki martial artist?! Even Chillwater wouldn’t have more than a handful of Longevity Ki martial artists!”

The Auspicious King’s Sixth Daughter was also surprised by Zhao Yan’s words that her fear temporarily vanished. She hadn’t expected to hear someone in Great Xia making such a huge boast.

“Even your big brother is just Great Xia’s youngest Ki Manifestation martial artist. I heard he recently defeated Chillwater’s Ji Lengyue. That means he has advanced to either first stage Aureate Ki or second stage Primal Ki. Such talent is more than enough for him to tower above others in Great Xia,” Zhao Yan said.

“Let me tell you a story. Many years ago, there was an ordinary fisherman couple who lived by the Great Xia River. For generations, their family has made a living from fishing. It was a tough life, but they were at least able to fill their stomachs. Shortly after, the couple had a child, and the child added much joy to their simple lives.

“Alas!” Zhao Yan suddenly sighed.

“A heavy rain raised huge waves in the Great Xia River, taking away the couple’s lives. Their son was only three years old then. With no other family members to take care of him, he went hungry. He was so hungry that he had to eat grass and tree bark. He thought about fishing like his parents did, but his parents died before they could impart to him the art of fishing, though it was not as if he had the strength to fish either.

“In the end, he couldn’t take it anymore, so he marched into the mountain, determined to find something that could really fill his stomach. He walked and walked, and he eventually found himself standing before a cliff face.

“There, he discovered peculiar fruits growing on a tree, a corpse that had died for many years, and a book. He couldn’t read the words in the book, but the fruits filled his tummy, allowing him to stave off starvation.

“Somehow, a single fruit could keep him full for seven days, so he would only drop by once every seven days to eat the fruit. In the meantime, he secretly stood outside a private school to learn how to read and write.”

Zhao Yan chuckled. “He began trying to read the book. It was tough, but there was nothing else for him to do. Whenever he got hungry, he would munch on a fruit. Four years passed in a flash. Before he knew it, he was already a Ki Manifestation martial artist.

“That gave him the courage to live on despite being alone. Through his hard work, he joined a school and properly learned how to read and write. He didn’t give up on his martial arts though. By the time he was seventeen, he had already cultivated Longevity Ki. It was also then that he learned this was known as the fourth stage of Earth Profound.

“But no matter how strong a martial artist was, there was so much they could do alone. He continued studying in hopes that he could join the imperial court as an official and help those who faced the same plight as him.”

By this point, Fang Zhixue and the Auspicious King’s Sixth Daughter could tell that Zhao Yan was recounting his story.

Could he really be a pinnacle Earth Profound realm martial artist? Is it because of the fortuitous encounter he had as a child? Fang Zhixue wondered.

The Auspicious King’s Sixth Daughter suddenly recalled something. She pointed her finger at Zhao Yan and exclaimed in shock, “Y-you are Big Brother Zhao Yan!”

“Xia He, you finally recognized me.” Zhao Yan chuckled.

“Big Sister Zhixue, there’s nothing to fear! Big Brother Zhao Yan won’t hurt us!” Xia He excitedly said.

Zhao Yan was taken aback. He stared at Xia He in bewilderment before averting his gaze. “What makes you so sure that I wouldn’t hurt you?”

“You’re Big Brother Zhao Yan! Whenever you brought me out and met beggars, you would always give several days worth of your meal money to them. Someone as kind as you wouldn’t hurt us!” Xia He said. “Big brother told me that you ended up starving for the next few days.”

“I am a martial artist. I won’t starve just because I don’t eat for days,” Zhao Yan harrumphed.

Fang Zhixue was confused. “Why did you kidnap us then?”

“…It’s that case, isn’t it?” Xia He’s mood suddenly fell. “I have always believed that Big Brother Zhao Yan isn’t that kind of person.”

“What is it?! Stop talking in riddles!!!” Fang Zhixue was losing her patience. Rather than escaping from this place, her priority had changed to uncovering Zhao Yan’s goal for capturing them.

Just then, a hoarse voice echoed outside the cavern, “Senior Aunt, are you inside?”

“It’s Junior Victorious Buha!” Fang Zhixue was overjoyed. She turned to Zhao Yan and said, “My big brother’s disciple is here. You’re a gone case!”

Zhao Yan frowned. He slowly stood up and walked to the cavern’s entrance, only to see a massive ape standing outside, quietly assessing him with calm eyes.

“A fae?” Zhao Yan stared at Victorious Buha and frowned. “I never thought there were faes in this world, let alone one familiar with the human tongue.”

He surveyed the surroundings and saw Great Mountain Tiger and Azure Sky’s silhouettes too. His lips curled up. “I thought Fang Zhixue was boasting, but it looks like Fang Chen has really tamed the three of you.”

“How dare you call our master by his name!” Victorious Buha’s eyes turned cold.

He flitted toward Zhao Yan as if a flash of lightning and furiously pounded his fist on the latter.

Great Mountain Tiger and Azure Sky didn’t quietly sit still behind either. They surged forth and attacked Zhao Yan’s flanks. Their priority right now was to save Fang Zhixue, and having lived in the forest, they didn’t subscribe to the concept of having honorable 1-to-1 fights either.

“I wonder if you faes are more formidable, or my martial arts are more formidable.”

Zhao Yan remained perfectly calm. With a simple raise of his hand, a surge of longevity ki flowed out and formed an invisible barrier.

This invisible barrier not only kept the three faes at bay but even ricocheted them back!

The three faes crashed into a number of towering trees before they were finally able to stabilize their figures. Grimness flickered in their eyes. How can this martial artist be so powerful? For many years we have cultivated, but this is the first time a martial artist was able to easily overpower our spirit ki!

“Is that all you’re capable of?” Zhao Yan asked with a smile.

He gently pressed his palm down.

Boom!

The longevity ki surged forth and crushed down on the three faes like a mountain.

It was so heavy that nearby trees snapped under the pressure, and the surrounding earth sank three meters into the ground, forming a pit.

The three faes laid sprawled on the ground, crushed by the longevity ki. It was only fortunate that the longevity ki was unable to easily dissipate the spirit ki protecting them, so their injuries weren’t too severe despite being utterly overpowered.

This was the difference between a cultivator and a martial artist!

A martial artist could overpower a cultivator, but it was no easy feat for them to kill the latter.

Fang Zhixue and Xia He walked out of the cavern, and what they saw shocked them.

“What incredible means…” Fang Zhixue gasped.

She could tell that the other party hadn’t lied to her, being able to exert such destructive prowess with ease. There was a good chance he was really a pinnacle Earth Profound realm martial artist.

However, Fang Zhixue quickly snapped out of it and turned to the three faes. “Juniors, are you all right?!”

“W-we are fine…” the three faes replied with difficulty. Their expressions didn’t look too good.

“Hm?” Zhao Yan was intrigued. “Given your strength, you shouldn’t have been able to withstand my attack. Is this the means of a fae?”