Chapter 669

Chapter 669: Preparing for Battle

"Are you telling the truth? No lies?" Fang Lie narrowed his eyes.

"No lies! I swear by my Dao heart—absolutely truthful!" Li Fanghe blurted out.

"Hmph, that’s better." Fang Lie withdrew his killing aura.

Truthfully, he preferred not to kill unless forced. Losing a Thunder Tribulation Immortal and master of refining techniques would enrage Abbot Mountain. Mo Sect already faced too many enemies: East Kunlun and Great Thunder Sound Temple from the righteous sects; Zhu Xian, Shi Shen, Ghost Realm Sect, and Ten-Thousand Gu Sect from the demonic Path; even White Bone Sect had lost a Thunder Tribulation Immortal to him. The Neutral Sect’s Ximen family clan had been humiliated recently. Mo Sect had offended all factions—righteous, evil, and neutral—truly becoming the world’s enemy.

Even Fang Lie felt uneasy about provoking Abbot Mountain further. Yet if Li Fanghe stubbornly claimed the Heavenly Dao Turtle belonged to Abbot Mountain, Fang Lie wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. Offending Abbot Mountain was worth it for such a treasure.

Fortunately, Li Fanghe surrendered, tacitly relinquishing the treasure and resolving their conflict.

Relaxing, Fang Lie grinned. "Enough about the turtle. Let’s discuss serious matters. Tell me—" His expression hardened. "What do you know about my mother?"

"I… I only know two things," Li Fanghe admitted under Fang Lie’s glare. "First, she’s not from our Great Thousand World but the Earth Immortal Realm."

"Earth Immortal Realm?"

"A realm with enough Nascent Soul energy to sustain Earth-Immortals. Our world was once like that, but over millennia, the energy waned. Now even Semi-Immortals struggle to exist here."

"Why did she come here?"

"Unknown. Second, her status was exalted—likely a Human Immortal’s descendant. That’s all I know. I swear!"

"Who at Abbot Mountain knows more?"

"The Founder!" Li Fanghe said quickly. "He personally received her. A Semi-Immortal bowing to a Purple Palace realm cultivator—her status must’ve been immense!"

"Arrange a meeting with your Founder."

"Impossible!" Li Fanghe scoffed. "You’ve angered Abbot Mountain! The Founder would devour you rather than speak!"

"Why? Because I won the Celestial Platform Competition?"

"Because you stole our sect’s inheritance treasures!" Li Fanghe snarled. "My grandson carried Eighth-Rank Treasures! Now we’re mocked by our sect—all because you kept them!"

"Lies!" Fang Lie roared. "Zhu Xian stole them during my enlightenment! I never touched those treasures!"

"Convenient!" Li Fanghe sneered. "You die constantly yet lose nothing—except our treasures? Preposterous!"

Fang Lie seethed. His reputation for retaining possessions after death made the claim plausible. "Listen! After killing your grandson, Celestial Platform restrictions trapped me in enlightenment. When I awoke, the treasures floated before me—but Zhu Xian ambushed me! They took everything! I lost face too—that’s why I slaughtered three Zhu Xian Thunder Tribulation Immortals and captured their Semi-Immortal!"

Li Fanghe hesitated. "The Fang Family’s honor is… respected. Perhaps…"

"If I stole them, I’d admit it!"

"Then release me and return the treasures. I’ll plead your case to the Founder."

"Fool!" Fang Lie spat. "After murdering my people, you expect mercy? I’ll negotiate directly with your Sect Leader!"

As Fang Lie turned to leave, Li Fanghe paled. "Wait! Let’s discuss—"

Ignoring him, Fang Lie ascended with the two women.

Upstairs, Mo Lanyun asked, "Serious about negotiating?"

"Li Fanghe’s useless. Abbot Mountain will cave when we threaten his life." Fang Lie wrote a letter. "Their leadership will come."

Days later at Qingyu Island, Fang Lie imprisoned Li Fanghe and dispatched the letter. That evening, he hosted a feast for local leaders—all except Mo Lanfan, who was dragged back to Mo Sect for lifetime labor.

The next morning, Fang Lie fortified defenses. Though the mountain-protection formations were strong, the approaching Hundred Years Sea Demon Disaster threatened even Wanxing Sea’s White Jade Divine Fish haven—the region’s largest town. Its destruction would erase decades of effort.

Fang Lie inspected everything: adding Formation Devices, purchasing Divine Lightning Towers, even preparing to summon Mo Sect reinforcements through the White Bone Gate if needed. This territory, claimed through blood and sweat, wouldn’t fall—not while he breathed.