Just as the venerable elders of the supreme Moon Sect had guessed, Su Yun retreated into the purification chamber. The sect leader had now proposed another option: they could bring Fang Yuan back to the Moon Sect with them.
This proposal was made unbeknownst to elder Su, who, even if aware, would likely have accepted it with some moral hesitation. However, there was no dialogue between the two sides; they understood each other's intentions through their actions. As the saying goes, a wise person discovers the true nature of an individual not through words but through their behavior.
Gradually, the time for the return of the three elders approached, and they were reluctant to press Su Yun any further. They reached a consensus about Fang Yuan, although they never openly stated it.
After the incident, Yuno and Yan'er were punished. While Yuno blamed Fang Yuan for the situation, Yan'er felt guilty. She tried several times to approach Fang Yuan and apologize, but each time she saw him, she regretted it and turned back.
Elder Su, too, gradually came to terms with reality. He made several attempts to save Fang Yuan, but each time the sect leader's response left him feeling hopeless.
Another incident occurred within the sect. The news of Fang Yuan's fight against Yuno and Yan'er spread like wildfire.
"I heard he confronted them alone. Were zombie slayers always this strong?"
"They say they use hallucinogens that erase their perception of pain and remove fear from their minds."
"That's right! I believe that too. Besides, how else could they search for zombies in dark caves and graveyards?"
Many stories circulated about Fang Yuan, especially how he had managed to hold his ground in a one-versus-two battle against the sect's disciples. Of course, Yuno and Yan'er were not considered powerful cultivators, and although Yan'er was a promising cultivator, her cultivation level was much lower than Su Yun's. Nevertheless, the fact that she couldn't achieve victory against a zombie slayer sent a clear message to everyone.
This led many to seek to regain their lost honor, and thus Fang Yuan was invited to a tournament to compete for resources, just like other immortal cultivators.
Initially, Fang Yuan showed little enthusiasm. He could not cultivate in the conventional way; he was a semi-immortal zombie. However, upon glancing at the list of rewards, he noticed something that could be beneficial to him.
"Maybe I can get something worthwhile, but they're not generous enough to include me in this competition for no reason. They must be seeking revenge and want to conceal their true intentions this way."
And Fang Yuan was right.
In fact, all immortals shared similar ethics, but it was the way they expressed their emotions that distinguished them. As a zombie, he could not afford to overlook any opportunity for advancement. Even if an opportunity lay at the heart of a sea of lava, he would strive to seize it.
Fang Yuan smirked and headed toward his immortal aperture. Within that deadly crevice lay a structure brimming with vitality, shining like a green island in a scorching desert.
The green grapes he had taken from Titan floated in the air, sparkling like emerald stars. The air around the place, now that a vine had grown there, exuded the fragrance of life, and among its climbing branches sat a girl with a sorrowful face.
Fang Yuan approached the tree but did not enter its area. The girl sensed his presence in the darkness but could not see him. The immortal aperture was shrouded in dark mist due to the dense aura of death.
"Is anyone there? Who are you?"
Fang Yuan made his presence clearer. Now it seemed that the presence belonged to the dark mist.
He shaped the dark mist with his hand, creating a shadow that obeyed his will, which he then sent forward. The girl jumped back in fright upon seeing the black figure.
"D... Don't come near me!"
After that, he harnessed the aura of the green immortal grapes to create a magical barrier. When the black figure collided with the barrier, it vanished like smoke.
Fang Yuan immediately created ten more figures and launched his attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The figures now took on an aggressive stance and pounded relentlessly against the magical barrier. The barrier began to crack but immediately repaired itself.
Seemingly enjoying this game, Fang Yuan intensified his attacks. This time, he sent a hundred figures from various directions to pressure the girl further and then sent another hundred more.
The aura of the immortal grapes had weakened slightly. The girl panicked and, worried about the power of the immortal grapes to restore and strengthen the barrier, sought help.
[I have to attack harder. These phantoms can't turn the tide quickly, but they are impactful....]
Fang Yuan smirked and said, "The morning breeze can't sink a ship.... That's the job of the storm!"
Vine of Death!
Suddenly, the dark mist twisted like rope, forming a robust tree with branches that reached the ceiling of the corridor. Then, with the collision of those strands, which wriggled like serpents and dragons among each other, the branches extended in every direction, forming a cross arch above the girl's head.
From the black branches, clusters of grapes sprouted, which were thousands in number. Simultaneously, hundreds of phantoms of death launched an attack against the barrier, distracting the rapidly growing tree from the center of focus.
Suddenly, a deafening scream echoed through the corridor, and the polished skin of the grapes split open. From each grape, dozens of phantoms of death surged forth and rained down on the barrier like hail.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The girl had no other option. She exerted all her strength to keep the barrier intact but was mere moments away from its collapse.
Overwhelmed by despair and hopelessness, she felt her final struggle for survival.
The screams of the phantoms grew louder than ever, their impacts deadlier, and as she looked at the clusters of immortal grapes, she understood one thing: this was the end for her.