Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Fang Cangyou’s Legs

“Oh? My spirit ki has increased a fair bit. I should be able to forge the third immortal vein soon… Immortal cultivation really isn’t tough at all…”

Fang Chen spent an entire night drawing talismans again. He now had fifty Purple Lightning Talismans, as well as a large handful of Flitting Talismans, Strength Talismans, and Protection Talismans.

He hadn’t slept at all during this period of time. He might have been able to pull off a similar feat back when he was a Ki Manifestation martial artist, but he wouldn’t have been able to remain as spirited as he currently was.

He felt like endless energy was surging inside him, thanks to his spirit ki.

“Once I stockpile enough talismans, I’ll distribute some of them to the Shadow Guards. It might save their lives in times of danger.”

Fang Chen left his room and made his way to the sparring field.

Fang Cangyou often spent his free time at the sparring field. He would push his wheelchair there to watch the Fang Clansmen spar with the guards.

Fang Chen watched the commotion on the sparring field, as a faint smile formed on his lips. There was a mix of people on the sparring field. Some of them were from the main family, some were from the branch families, but most were military orphans.

Fang Canghai didn’t request the orphans to change their surname, but he treated them the same as the others. Whatever the Fang Clansmen enjoyed, they would get a share of it as well.

“Chen’er, what brings you here today?” Fang Cangyou suddenly turned around and looked at Fang Chen with curious eyes.

“Second uncle, I’d like to inspect your leg injury,” Fang Chen said.

Fang Cangyou’s eyes became downcast. He looked at his own legs and shook his head. “What’s there to see? My meridians have been severed. I won’t be able to stand up for the rest of my life.”

Three years ago, someone wrote a protest memorial, urging the emperor to execute Fang Chen for the deaths of the 600,000 soldiers at Three Realms Mountain.

This memorial incited civilians to cause trouble at the Fang Manor, and even Fang Canghai’s West Tiger Barracks started showing signs of instability.

Yet, the imperial palace kept its silence, allowing the matter to continue worsening.

Unable to stand it, Fang Cangyou stormed the imperial palace to berate the emperor. The commander of the imperial guards, Yan Beihan, was alarmed, so he shot an arrow that pierced through Fang Cangyou’s legs.

In the end, the empress stepped forward and placated both sides, and the matter ended with Fang Cangyou losing his legs.

Fang Chen lost his eyes and had his ki sea destroyed, whereas Fang Cangyou lost both legs. The only ones left to prop up the Fang Clan were the old master and Fang Canghai. On top of that, the old master wouldn’t have long to live if he couldn’t make a breakthrough soon.

The Fang Clan lay low for a period of time afterward, and no one stepped out to deal with the Fang Clan, presumably because no one thought they were a threat anymore.

“I might have a way to reconnect your meridians now that I have regained my martial cultivation,” Fang Chen said.

Fang Cangyou stared at him before sighing. “Push me to the rear courtyard.”

In the rear courtyard, Fang Chen was about to examine Fang Cangyou’s injury with his spirit ki when the latter suddenly stood up from the wheelchair and began hopping around. He smacked his legs and said, “I told you. There’s no need to check on my legs.”

Fang Chen was stunned.

His flabbergasted expression evoked a laugh from Fang Cangyou. “You didn’t expect it, right? This is the first time in the past twenty years I have seen such a surprised look on your face!”

“Second uncle, your legs… have been fine all this while?” Fang Chen was confused.

“Of course! Do you think that I, Fang Cangyou, would be that easily crippled?” Fang Cangyou sneered before settling back into his wheelchair and carefully placing the rug over his legs.

“But why did you…”

“Those people might pull something if they find out my legs are fine, so I figured I’d let them get their way and see how pitiful our Fang Clan is. You have lost your eyes and your ki sea, and I have lost my legs. Surely His Majesty can’t turn a blind eye to our plight and allow others to run their mouths anymore, right?” Fang Cangyou sneered.

“It has been hard on you, second uncle. There’s no need for you to put on an act anymore,” Fang Chen said with a bitter smile.

“No way. I have disguised myself well so far; even you fell for it. This works in our favor. No one thinks that I’m a threat. If something happens, I can be a hidden ace of our Fang Clan and catch our enemies off guard,” Fang Cangyou snickered.

He was a pinnacle Ki Explosion martial artist, after all. Others only overlooked him because he had lost his legs.

“All right. I’ll take my leave then,” Fang Chen replied with a nod. If second uncle wishes to continue the act, so be it.

“Wait! You have to push me back to the sparring field,” Fang Cangyou exclaimed.

Fang Chen waved his hand as he continued to walk away. It didn’t take long for him to disappear from Fang Cangyou’s eyes.

“That brat! Where the hell did Xu Ge disappear to for the past two days?” Fang Cangyou clicked his tongue before slowly pushing himself back to the sparring field.

…

Fang Chen returned to the Shadow Courtyard.

In the span of a night, Director Zhao had compiled a massive heap of cases that stacked to the height of an adult man.

“Young master, here are the reported disappearance cases in the last twenty years. I have browsed through them, and there are many suspicious details surrounding them. In particular, there was a huge spike in disappearances eight years ago,” Director Zhao reported.

“Are there anything amiss about the cases beyond eight years ago?” Fang Chen asked.

“Not much. Most were ordinary cases, and some of them had already returned to their respective families,” Director Zhao replied.

Fang Chen nodded. Since that’s the case, I should focus on the cases starting from eight years ago. He did a rough count and found that there were over a thousand of such cases!

This meant that a person disappeared once every three days, and these were merely the reported cases. There were bound to be some disappearances that went unreported too.

All in all, the number of people who had disappeared from Great Xia’s capital was shocking!

With a heavy heart, Fang Chen began browsing through the cases together with Director Zhao, and it didn’t take him to spot many suspicious details.

Time ticked by, and the sky darkened.

Fang Chen decided to further investigate three of the more recent cases, as well as the one involving the Vice Minister of Rites two years ago. It couldn’t be a coincidence that no one else had disappeared from the Vice Minister of Rites’ manor after that case.

If these cases are related to the Blood Spirit Cult, I should be able to figure out who they are working with by following the trail. I won’t let even the slightest detail slip.

“Young master, is this matter related to Greenpine?” Director Zhao asked.

Fang Chen looked at him and chuckled. “Greenpine? There’s no need to worry about them anymore. This case involves something more serious than Greenpine. That rectifier I met the other day is called Yuan Zhuang, right? Is he trustworthy?”

“Yuan Zhuang? I watched him grow. He’s a passionate fellow, but I dare not say that he’s trustworthy,” Director Zhao replied.

“It’s good you haven’t forgotten your vigilance.” Fang Chen nodded with a smile.

The most important thing for a Shadow Guard was to not easily trust others, with the exception of the young master.

“Tell him to look for me tomorrow.” Fang Chen picked up the cases he had selected before leaving the Shadow Courtyard.