Immortal of the Nine Realms

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor slowly approached Chu Lan, examining the Three Solar Fruit for a few moments before nodding. “This is indeed a Three Solar Fruit. Since you were able to find it for Qin Feng in such a short time, I will spare him from death.”

Chu Lan's face lit up with joy.

Qin Feng took a deep breath. Although he had already prepared himself for death, being spared was indeed a blessing.

The Langya Clan ancestor displayed a faint smile. “Congratulations, Brother Qin. Now that you have the Three Solar Fruit, we, the Langya Clan, are willing to make further concessions. I hope you can calm your anger.”

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor’s gaze grew cold as he looked at the mirror. “The Three Solar Fruit was obtained by the Immortal Qin Clan. It has nothing to do with your clan. Now that I have the Three Solar Fruit, I no longer need to worry about the calamity and can take my time dealing with you.”

The Immortal Qin Clan members were immediately startled; it seemed that the war was still on!

Fang Chen furrowed his brows, feeling a hint of unease. Nevertheless, since things were not yet settled, he decided to observe further.

The Langya Clan ancestor’s smile faded, replaced by a very somber expression. As a Dao Union realm cultivator, he had tried to persuade them, but they stubbornly refused to relent.

“Brother Qin, do you truly believe… that we are no match for your clan?” the Langya Clan ancestor asked coldly. “If you continue to push us, I am prepared to fight this war to the end.”

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor smiled faintly. “Are you a match for us? There are only about a hundred prominent clans in the Azure Dao Manor, and how many of them are aligned with your clan?”

The Langya Clan ancestor’s expression changed slightly. “Brother Qin, are you intending to drag the entire Azure Dao Manor into this?”

He had expected the conflict to be between the Immortal Qin Clan and Langya Clan, but the meaning behind the Immortal Qin Clan ancestor’s words was clear. That was to become a widespread conflict involving many clans!

“I am not dragging the Azure Dao Manor into this; it is your clan that has gone too far,” the Immortal Qin Clan ancestor said calmly. “This is your last chance. Will your clan surrender your scripture? Perhaps then we can still negotiate.”

“Brother Qin, if you insist on fighting, then let us fight,” replied the Langya Clan ancestor.

He snorted coldly and then vanished from the mirror.

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor retracted the mirror and looked at the silent crowd. “Prepare yourselves. Soon, we will be dealing with the experts of the Langya Clan.”

Many Immortal Qin Clan cultivators showed fierce looks and expressions of excitement, while others wore worried faces, reluctant to see this conflict unfold.

Fang Chen remained expressionless, as if it was none of his concern whether the Immortal Qin Clan and the Langya Clan were going to war.

He had realized that the Spirit Blood Sect was merely taking advantage of the situation. From the beginning, the Immortal Qin Clan ancestor was the one who wanted this war, perhaps for the Langya Clan's Dao traditions.

However, one thing was clear. The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor believed this battle would not drag on for long; he was confident of the Immortal Qin Clan’s victory. The loss of the Three Solar Fruit was just an excuse.

Given the Spirit Blood Sect's nature, they would never let such a conflict be short-lived. They would use every method to prolong the war to make the casualties as high as possible, which would only benefit them.

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor was unaware of this possibility and had not picked up on any of the clues. Of course, there was another potential reason—he might be a Spirit Blood Sect cultivator.

Chu Lan was also surprised by the turn of events, but she said nothing. As long as Qin Feng was spared, she didn’t care about the Spirit Blood Sect’s involvement. She neither had the means to interfere nor the desire to provoke them.

Suddenly, Qin Nie asked, “Ancestor, could you verify if this Three Solar Fruit is the one we lost?”

The crowd’s expressions shifted, showing a touch of bewilderment. Qin Nie’s comment introduced a new twist to what seemed to be a conclusion.

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor glanced at Qin Nie.

Before the Immortal Qin Clan ancestor could speak, Qin Nie continued, “This junior believes this matter is quite suspicious and must be thoroughly investigated. Otherwise, it might leave hidden dangers.”

The crowd understood that Qin Nie was implying that Qin Feng had stolen the Three Solar Fruit but hadn’t handed it to Langya Yu. It suggested that Qin Feng’s goal had been solely to obtain the fruit, but when his life was put on the line, he was forced to hand over the fruit.

The idea seemed highly plausible to many. After all, how could Chu Lan, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, have found a Three Solar Fruit? It was something even Dao Union Realm cultivators found difficult to acquire. Moreover, she had managed to do it just with some casual guidance from a Grand Thousand Dao Sect cultivator…?

The Immortal Qin Clan head furrowed his brows. “Nie’er?”

Chu Lan glared at Qin Nie, her eyes filled with undisguised disdain.

“Father, this matter is of great importance, so I had to speak up,” Qin Nie said softly.

Qin Xuan frowned. “Brother Nie, your concerns are valid. Langya Yu has already been captured. Let’s have her talk.”

Qin Nie bowed respectfully. “Ancestor, could we have Langya Yu confirm Brother Feng’s story?”

The Immortal Qin Clan ancestor scrutinized him for a moment before nodding faintly.

After a brief period, a pale-faced woman was brought into the ancestral hall.

Qin Feng immediately grew tense and instinctively started to approach her, but he was stopped by Chu Lan.

“Yu’er... have they harmed you?” Qin Feng asked with a bitter smile.

Fang Chen observed the woman, noting her tear-streaked face and decent appearance. It was no wonder Qin Feng was so infatuated with her.

“Brother Feng, I... I’m a bit scared...” Langya Yu said, her eyes filled with terror.

Qin Feng hurried to reassure her. “Don’t… don’t be afraid. The matter has been resolved. My clan will not harm you...”

“You shameless woman, answer me. Did you eat the Three Solar Fruit that my brother stole?” Qin Xuan asked coldly, glaring at Langya Yu.

“Brother Feng... I’m really scared. My family has been reprimanded by the clan elders because of this incident, and now I’ve been captured... I... I’m sorry,” Langya Yu stammered, clearly distressed.

Langya Yu’s tears flowed continuously as she fell to her knees before the Immortal Qin Clan ancestor. “Esteemed elders, I did not eat the Three Solar Fruit. Brother Feng asked me to say this. He said that as a lady of the Langya Clan, the Immortal Qin Clan wouldn’t trouble me. He promised that if I waited for a while, this matter would eventually be resolved...”

The crowd stared in shock, turning their gazes toward Qin Feng.

Qin Feng, however, seemed to have been struck by lightning. He stared at Langya Yu in disbelief. It was as if a vital part of his mind had suddenly been severed, leaving him in a daze.

“What are you saying, you shameless woman?! You clearly admitted before that my brother gave you the Three Solar Fruit, which helped you overcome the Golden Core Realm tribulation!” Qin Xuan roared in fury.

She had never expected that this woman would turn the tables, becoming a weapon against Qin Feng.

Qin Feng suddenly let out a bitter laugh. “Turns out... everything was a lie...”

Instead of defending himself, he murmured, “Back then, Qin Nie told me that you were in great distress due to the Golden Core tribulation and might die in the disaster... From that moment, the plan began, didn’t it? If not for Qin Nie’s reminder, I would never have thought to steal the Three Solar Fruit from the Spirit Herb Garden to extend your life. Ha... how laughable...”

Qin Nie’s expression remained unchanged. He snorted. “Brother Feng, trying to drag me down at this point is truly unjust. No one in the Immortal Qin Clan will believe your words now.”

Qin Nie appeared completely indifferent, not the slightest bit angered by Qin Feng’s accusations.

That made the Immortal Qin Clan members, who were already suspicious of the claims, even more uncertain about them.