Fang Han had long known about Fang Qingwei being transformed into a cat by Feng Baiyu executing a divine ability. He was also shocked by Feng Baiyu's methods that were akin to creation. However, Fang Qingxue had once said she would marry Fang Qingwei to him. Now that the other party had Fairy Crane hold the cat that Fang Qingwei transformed into to see him, he immediately felt a bit uncomfortable, not knowing what it meant.
"Rest assured, Qingwei cannot be worthy of you now. You are currently one of the most capable candidates for the position of Headmaster of the Ascension Sect. Among the true inheritance disciples, after you defeated Meng Shaobai, only Hua Tiandu is left. How could I make Qingwei marry you again?" Fang Qingxue seemed to understand what Fang Han was thinking in his heart: "Qingwei has an unreasonable and arrogant personality. Letting her suffer a bit is also good. When she changes from a cat's body back to her original body, she will presumably also know the severity and will advance diligently in cultivation from then on."
"Could it be that Senior Sister is not interested in the position of Headmaster of the Ascension Sect? You must know, you are also a true inheritance disciple of the Ascension Sect, and your methods are unfathomably deep; you are also one of my competitors. Although I defeated Meng Shaobai, it will probably be even more difficult to defeat Senior Sister."
Fang Han said quietly, his tone carrying a bit of probing.
Fang Qingxue was naturally one of his competitors for the position of Headmaster. If the two fought now, Fang Han naturally would not lose, but to defeat Fang Qingxue, he would probably have to pay a tremendous price.
Although Meng Shaobai's Kunpeng Primordial Spirit was powerful, he had no dharma treasures on him, let alone dao treasures; he relied entirely on his own cultivation.
But Fang Qingxue was different. The "Indestructible Lightning Talisman," this high-grade dao treasure, was an existence infinitely close to superb-grade, with incomparably immense power. It could be said to be more powerful than all the dharma treasures Fang Han currently possessed, and even his "Source Talisman" couldn't match it in a head-on clash.
His "Source Talisman" contained fifty-five types of great divine abilities, and the Five Emperors' Canopy was unbroken by myriad arts, but the power of this talisman was, at most, equivalent to a mid-grade dao treasure approaching a high-grade dao treasure.
If the two talismans collided, the one to suffer a loss would definitely be Fang Han.
However, if the two sparred in magical arts, Fang Han certainly wouldn't use his own talisman to clash with the "Indestructible Lightning Talisman," but would use a thousand methods and ten thousand schemes. Fang Qingxue might not necessarily be able to handle Fang Han's myriad bizarre and insidious methods.
If she didn't have the "Indestructible Lightning Talisman," Fang Qingxue would, of course, be instantly killed by Fang Han.
"Of course I am interested. The position of Headmaster of the Ascension Sect holds extraordinary power and influence. Compared to this position of Headmaster, the emperors of the secular world are simply roles like ants. Even in the Xuanhuang Great World, the Headmaster Supreme is a magnate of a region, an eternal supreme. However, to compete for the position of Headmaster, one must at least cultivate to the Longevity Secret Realm, otherwise everything is in vain. When I step into the Longevity Secret Realm in the future, I will definitely compete with you for the position of Headmaster. Fighting over it now is meaningless."
Fang Qingxue said very straightforwardly, indicating that she definitely would fight Fang Han to compete for the position of Headmaster. But not now.
"Doesn't Senior Sister want to establish her own sect and open up the Thunder Emperor's cave abode? Why do you still covet the position of Headmaster of the Ascension Sect?" Fang Han's eyes darted as he spoke.
"Establishing a sect of one's own, how is that easy? No matter how one establishes it, how could it compare to the profound accumulation of the Ascension Sect? Moreover, I am opening up the Thunder Emperor's cave abode not because I want to establish my own sect, but merely to respect the Thunder Emperor's dying edict. I am still a disciple of the Ascension Sect." Fang Qingxue said: "Now the wind and rain are precarious, and a great tribulation is approaching. Leaving the protection of the Ascension Sect is seeking one's own doom. I suppose both you and I are clear on this point in our hearts."
"Good! Since Senior Sister is intent on the position of Headmaster, then on the day we step into the Longevity Secret Realm in the future, let us have a contest again. To see whether Senior Sister's Thunder Emperor divine ability is powerful, or my supreme demonic arts are sharp."
Fang Han laughed heartily.
"Alright, the Mountain and River Ranking tournament is about to start. It so happens that Princess Hongyi has also successfully cultivated the Purple Lightning Yin-Thunder Blade, so she should have a very big chance of seizing the first place. It's a pity for Fairy Crane; she has also reached the Divine Ability Realm, and could have originally competed for some rankings and obtained spirit treasures and medicinal pills. But she is not a disciple of the sect, merely a spirit bird, and cannot participate in the Mountain and River Ranking tournament."
Fang Qingxue shook her head slightly.
"Who says Fairy Crane is not a disciple of the sect? How could I be unprepared? This jade plate is the verification of her identity. She is absolutely a true inner sect disciple, already registered in the records." Fang Han tossed a jade plate to Fairy Crane: "I got this from the Trait-Passing Elder, and I smoothed things over, having the several managing elders record Fairy Crane's name in the register. These days, I've canvassed the elders, and this little matter can still be accomplished. Fairy Crane, let alone that you have transformed into a human body now, even if you were still in your crane body, I could guarantee you could participate in the Mountain and River Ranking tournament. I, Fang Han, within the Ascension Sect, still have this bit of weight to my words."
These words of Fang Han unexpectedly faintly revealed a trace of the imposing manner of one holding great power.
This was something that had never happened before.
Now some elders were currying favor with him. Even those elders at the seventh level Golden Core, the eighth level Great Tribulation, or even the ninth and tenth levels, had to come to him to ask for Emotion-Forgetting Water, owing him favors. So naturally, his words held weight. Holding power in hand, what was it to arrange a minor inner sect disciple identity?
Fang Qingxue was momentarily taken aback, not because Fang Han managed to get Fairy Crane the identity of an inner sect disciple—she could have gotten it too if she tried—but this imposing manner of speaking from Fang Han truly had a bit of the flavor of a Headmaster ordering people about. It seemed his imposing aura had gradually formed.
Once this imposing aura was formed, that change in mentality and broadening of horizons was precisely a precursor to becoming an eternal giant.
Although Fang Han was still four or five levels away from the Longevity Secret Realm, no one could guarantee that his realm wouldn't soar violently.
Naturally, Fang Han and Fang Qingxue sat down again, discussed Dao arts and cultivation, and exchanged experiences and viewpoints with each other. Both were favored children of heaven with rich experiences, and discussing with each other brought great benefits. Unknowingly, a few hours passed.
"Clang!" Clang! Clang!…
A burst of melodious bell chimes transmitted out. The howling wind and snow outside could not block the spread of the bell chimes in the slightest. It was the gathering bell from within the central great city of the Ascension Sect.
"The bell for the Mountain and River Ranking tournament. Let's go watch. I heard that many outstanding talents have emerged among the inner sect disciples this time. There are quite a few who have cultivated to the Divine Ability Realm. Compared to last year when only one person cultivated to the Divine Ability Realm, it's much more spectacular. Hehe, even those few useless slaves of my Fang family, Fang Man, Fang Rui, and Fang Lie, have actually stepped into the Divine Ability Realm. I don't know who enabled them to do so." Fang Qingxue stood up with a cold sneer, "The experts Qingwei befriended overseas are truly formidable. Even I don't have such methods."
"What? Those three, Fang Man, Fang Rui, and Fang Lie, have also stepped into the Divine Ability Realm? Becoming inner sect disciples of the Ascension Sect? And are about to become true inheritance disciples?" Fang Han was slightly shocked. In his eyes, those three were inferior to even ants.
"It was Qingwei who got acquainted with several rogue cultivators overseas, one of whom is called Mister Huan Zhen. He took these violent slaves as nominal disciples and taught them some cultivation spells. Astonishingly, in one year's time, they have achieved some success." Fang Qingxue said, "I actually want to take a good secret look at these three violent slaves."
"Mister Huan Zhen? Could it be…"
Fang Han's heart gave a thump, and two words floated up in his mind: "God Clan?"
These were two terrifying words, even more terrifying than Heavenly Demons, because the Heavenly Demon clan was manufactured by the God Clan, only having separated from the God Clan and become independent hundreds of millions of years ago.
"Senior Sister wants to observe in secret? Then you won't be going to the Mountain and River Courtyard? I'll probably have to hold down the fort." Fang Han smiled.
"I know you reached an agreement with Jialan. You want to help those few disciples of her Jialan Association obtain the Yin-Yang Ten Thousand Life Pills and a few spirit treasures, but in the Mountain and River Ranking tournament, sect rules state that true inheritance disciples are not allowed to interfere. If you want to interfere, you have to think of a foolproof plan," Fang Qingxue said.
"Naturally, I have a foolproof plan. Let's go!" Swish! Fang Han turned into a beam of five-colored auspicious light and entered the central great city of the Ascension Sect. He had a premonition that some unforeseen changes might occur in this Mountain and River Ranking tournament.
"I'm going to participate in the tournament! Haha! I'm going to get spirit treasures, get medicinal pills…" Fairy Crane cheered and jumped for joy, following behind Fang Han. Her voice was still that of a little girl.
While Baby Nebula, this large "giant infant," also flew up, giggling continuously.
Princess Hongyi was much more profound. Her cultivation was the highest; with Fang Qingxue's help, she had actually cultivated true qi, and the Purple Lightning Yin-Thunder Blade could cut criss-cross and sweep in all directions. For the first place on the Mountain and River Ranking this time, she was full of confidence, but hearing Fang Qingxue say that there were unforeseen changes involved, she also didn't dare to take it lightly.
Tap!
Fang Han's five-colored radiance landed directly on the elders' viewing platform of the Mountain and River Ranking tournament. At this time, the nobility of his status was comparable to great elders like the Heavenly Work and Trait-Passing Elders. As soon as he descended, it immediately caused a stir among the disciples on the scene.
In the Mountain and River Courtyard of the Ascension Sect's great city, hundreds of thousands of disciples had long gathered here, densely packed like flies. Fang Han took one look and knew that the Ascension Sect had recruited quite a few disciples again this year, absolutely adding an extra hundred thousand, while the number of inner sect disciples had also fully doubled.
In the Mountain and River Ranking tournaments over the years, inner sect disciples competed while outer sect disciples observed. This time was no exception. As Fang Han's gaze swept over, he immediately discovered that, sure enough, among the competing inner sect disciples, there were several individuals with powerful auras.
Even more so, there were a few inner sect disciples whose auras were extremely obscure, faint and indeterminate, such that no one could discern their level. This made Fang Han sense their profound depth. However, Fang Han did not use his magical power to forcefully peep; he merely let out a cold sneer, waiting to see what exactly would be conjured up in this Mountain and River Ranking tournament.
"It's Senior Brother Fang Han!"
"That's right, it is indeed Senior Brother Fang Han. He actually came to watch too. He just defeated Meng Shaobai yesterday, but unfortunately it was on the Heavenly Punishment Arena of the Ascension Heavenly Palace, so we couldn't see the brilliant exchange of blows at that time."
"Senior Brother Fang Han seems to be the only existence capable of contending with Senior Brother Hua Tiandu. I wonder whose the position of Headmaster of our Ascension Sect will be hundreds of years from now?"
"We don't need hundreds of years; it will be clear after seven years. Senior Brother Fang Han and Senior Brother Hua Tiandu have a ten-year agreement, and both sides will battle to the death. One will definitely be defeated. When that time comes, the victorious side will certainly be the future Headmaster Supreme of our Ascension Sect."
"The future Headmaster Supreme of our Ascension Sect… Holding the great power of the immortal path, commanding the wind and clouds. I don't know when I could have such achievements."
"Forget it, if we can step into the Divine Ability Realm, it will already be extremely remarkable. As for competing for the position of Headmaster Supreme, absolutely do not harbor such thoughts. It's a difference of thousands of miles."
The hundreds of thousands of disciples were all engaged in lively discussion. However, three disciples released sinister cold sneers towards Fang Han…