Fang Han had already guessed that the childlike voice belonged to the "Nebula Baby." He had once saved the boy's life beneath the earth and even used his Sun-Moon Five-Star Bracelet to advance into the Mystical Realm of Divine Abilities. He never imagined the boy would come to his aid again—much less with such overwhelming generosity. As the son of the Celestial Star Sect's master, the boy's resources were naturally unfathomable.
Yet something nagged at Fang Han.
How had Nebula Baby recognized him?
He had been using the Sea Mirage Art to disguise himself. Unless… someone powerful had tipped the boy off?
"Brother Fang Leng, it's been forever! Now that we've bought the Great Brahma Light Ship, why don't we head somewhere else to talk?" Nebula Baby blinked mischievously.
"Since the young master of the Celestial Star Sect is willing to cover Fang Leng Daoist's purchase, then everything is settled," Elder Gu Meng said, taking the crystal card. He checked the amount, nodded, then added, "Fang Leng Daoist, about the matter of hiring me as your guardian…"
"That promise still stands. In a few days, I'll visit Heavenly Dao Pavilion and hire you for a session—ten thousand Nascent Soul Pills. How does that sound?" Fang Han said.
Ten thousand Nascent Soul Pills—equivalent to ten million mortal-grade pills—was an astronomical fortune.
"Truly?" Gu Meng's eyes lit up. "To tell the truth, I cultivate a divine art that requires enormous amounts of spiritual essence daily. Sun Yang Pills are useless, and Nascent Soul Pills can only be purchased from the Taiyi Sect. If you indeed possess an endless supply, I'd trade treasures for them without hesitation."
"You'll have them within a few days," Fang Han assured him. Then he turned to the two fairies of Linglong Paradise—Floating Cloud and Lotus Cloud. "I'll visit you as well. To be honest, I'm being targeted by mysterious experts, and I need strong escorts. Naturally, the payment will be in Nascent Soul Pills."
"That is acceptable," Lotus Cloud replied after a pause. "I'll await your arrival in the Linglong Pagoda."
"Then I'll take my leave."
Fang Han departed with Nebula Baby, soared into the sky, slipped into the clouds, and masked their presence using the Sea Mirage Art.
"Brother Fang Han, your divine abilities are incredible! Only a year has passed and you've already reached the Heaven-Human Realm! Meanwhile, I've only just completed the Qi Gang Stage and am still stuck trying to grasp Yin-Yang." Nebula Baby clapped excitedly.
"Nebula Baby, how did you recognize me? And where did you get that kind of money? Nearly three hundred million pills! If your father or mother finds out, they'll skin you alive!"
The boy had spent thirty million on the Nine Heavens Breath Earth Crystal, and two hundred sixty million one hundred thousand for the Great Brahma Light Ship. Even for one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, such sums were staggering. A sect heir spending this recklessly would certainly face severe punishment. No sect could tolerate a master's son burning through fortunes unchecked.
"My father sent me out to temper myself. He said my Future Star Astral Art reached a bottleneck. But yes, the money is a problem. Father gave me three hundred million pills to bring back to the sect's treasury. He said the heavens are shifting and disciples need to strengthen themselves. But when I saw you were in urgent need, I spent it. You're powerful—you'll pay it back anyway, right?" Nebula Baby scratched his head with his chubby little hand.
"Future Star Astral Art?" Fang Han murmured. "That's a supreme divine ability. And you've already reached the third stage of Divine Abilities? I didn't imagine the Celestial Star Sect invested so much in you. And that bracelet… it actually became a Dao Artifact. If I consumed it…"
Yan muttered inside the Yellow Springs Diagram, "If only…"
Fang Han asked casually, "Your Sun-Moon Five-Star Bracelet—so it's really a Dao Artifact now? No wonder Heavenly Dao Pavilion treated you so respectfully."
"This bracelet?" Nebula Baby waved the shimmering band; countless stars rippled across its surface. "After returning to the sect, I entered the Mystical Realm. Father then took the bracelet to several Supreme Elders. In a spacetime pocket within the Tomb of Stars, they transformed one year into a hundred and eighty, using primordial immortal qi refined for six cycles of sixty years. That allowed the bracelet to evolve. It's my life-saving treasure."
"With that Dao Artifact, at least you'll stay alive in dangerous times. But you borrowed three hundred million pills for me, so I owe you this debt. I'll accompany you back to the Celestial Star Sect. With the Nascent Soul Pills I provide, the elders won't blame you—they'll celebrate."
Fang Han understood perfectly: Nebula Baby had misappropriated a colossal sum. If the deficit wasn't filled, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Exactly! Father and the elders told me to use the three hundred million to acquire Nascent Soul Pills and test my ability—since I'll likely be positioned to inherit the role of sect master someday. Father plans to retire into seclusion in a few hundred years and cultivate a supreme art. Then someone must run the sect. But many senior brothers are eyeing the position greedily." Nebula Baby pouted. "I don't want to be sect master. I just can't stand those overbearing senior brothers."
"Don't worry. With me, the position won't slip from your hands," Fang Han said.
He knew all too well the viciousness of sect infighting.
Even if Nebula Baby's father was the current master, the Celestial Star Sect did not belong to one man alone. The next sect master could easily be someone else.
In sects, the position of master always went to a direct disciple—not elders. Elders were like ministers and generals; true disciples were like royalty. One could give up that path to become an elder, but doing so forfeited the chance to lead.
Fang Han himself could become an elder now—enjoy better treatment than some true disciples—but he would forever lose eligibility to become sect master.
If Nebula Baby failed to secure the position, his status would plummet. Even misappropriating money would become grounds for attack—his father couldn't protect him. But if he returned with vast quantities of Nascent Soul Pills, the elders would admire him, cementing his legitimacy.
Fang Han saw this clearly.
"With Nebula Baby holding a Dao Artifact, and myself with one as well… plus Elder Gu Meng and Fairy Lotus Cloud… if we set up an ambush beforehand, we might be able to kill all three mysterious Golden Core assassins in one stroke."
"Excellent, excellent—marvelous talent."
Suddenly, the clouds around Fang Han ripped open by a blade of swordlight. A white-clad youth stepped through the tear as casually as someone entering his own courtyard. His gaze swept over Fang Han and Nebula Baby.
"I knew our Yuhua Sect had birthed another unparalleled genius," he said calmly. "One who inherited the Yellow Springs Emperor's legacy and wields the Yellow Springs Diagram. One who refines Nascent Soul Pills and disperses them everywhere to win influence—plotting for the sect master's throne. Even trying to infiltrate the Celestial Star Sect, hm? Your schemes run deeper than mountains and rivers, deeper than Hua Tiandu's. Good. Very good."
Fang Han stiffened.
He had layered illusions, shutdown auras with the Black Emperor Water Sovereign Fist, mixed in the Ice-Snow Boundary, even used Linglong Grand Da Luo Heaven to distort reality. A Heaven-Human expert stumbling here would be trapped. Even a Golden Core master would need brute force to break through.
But this youth had sliced through it all with a single casual sword.
Worse—Fang Han hadn't sensed him approaching at all.
This white-clad youth was, of course, Meng Shaobai.
"Fang Han," Meng Shaobai said evenly, "I originally planned to challenge you during the Mountain-River Rankings. Who knew I'd see you at the treasure auction—and you even managed to fool me. But today, I want to test your abilities. Let's see just how powerful the magic inheritance you obtained truly is. Take out your Dao Artifacts—your Blood Sky Demon Blade, the Yellow Springs Diagram. Without them, you're no match for me."
He then turned to Nebula Baby.
"And you spent two hundred sixty million pills, ruining my plan to buy the Great Brahma Light Ship. I'll need to teach you a lesson too—so you stop abusing your father's power. Come on. Both of you."