Chapter 141: Chapter 130: I Have an Immortal Binding Rope

With a light wave of his sleeve, Fang Cheng recalled the Dragon Abyss Flying Sword, his aura fluctuating.

Activating a Second-Order Magical Artifact with his Sensing Realm cultivation was incredibly taxing. It was even more draining to use an Overbearing Swordsmanship technique like Sword Qi Thunder Sound.

Even though his Magical Power had recently increased significantly, that single strike had consumed half of it.

He stood poised in mid-air and reached out. The Demon Bird’s corpse flew into his grasp, and he tucked it away in his storage bag.

Dongfang Xiong and the Female Cultivator flew over and greeted him.

"Brother Fang, this is my senior sister, Murong Yan."

Dongfang Xiong first introduced her to Fang Cheng, then turned to his senior sister. "Senior Sister, this is the Cyan Profound Sword Fang Cheng I’ve told you about so many times."

Murong Yan did not curtsy like an ordinary Female Cultivator. Instead, she cupped her fist. "Thank you for your help, Fellow Daoist. If my earlier words caused any offense, I hope you’ll forgive me."

"It’s nothing," Fang Cheng said, brushing the matter aside. He then asked curiously, "Why were you and your brother being pursued by that fierce bird?"

He and Murong Yan exchanged a glance, both secretly amazed by the other’s strength.

After all, Murong Yan’s master was merely a Loose Cultivator from the Southern Mang Mountains. Her lineage and cultivation resources could hardly be considered abundant, yet he had managed to train a disciple like her—one comparable to an Inner Sect Cultivator of the Yinluo Sect. That was truly remarkable.

Murong Yan had always held a high opinion of herself, believing she had few rivals among Cultivators of her level. She never expected that this "live-in son-in-law" her junior brother had mentioned would possess such astonishing Swordsmanship.

’To slay a Tier Two Demon Beast with a single strike while only at the Sensing Realm... even with her own prodigious talent, she could hardly imagine what kind of power that required.’

As a result, her tone became more respectful.

Dongfang Xiong, ever the oblivious one, didn’t notice the shift in mood between his sister and Fang Cheng. He just laughed and said, "You might not know this, Brother Fang, but the aura on that fierce bird was strange. It resonated with our sect’s Cultivation Technique in a peculiar way, so my sister and I decided to investigate it quietly. We didn’t expect to anger it and get chased down."

He paused, then sighed emotionally. "Brother Fang, your Sword Technique is truly incredible. I’m completely outclassed! If I hadn’t known you married into the Ye Family, I would’ve definitely introduced my senior sister to you to be your Dao... Ouch!"

He hadn’t even finished his sentence before Murong Yan flicked him on the head.

Murong Yan’s pretty face flushed with anger as she snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Fang Cheng couldn’t help but chuckle. He glanced at Murong Yan, who blushed and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.

He changed the subject. "How about we find a place to take a closer look at the Demon Bird?"

Rubbing his head, Dongfang Xiong didn’t dare to respond and instead looked to his senior sister.

Murong Yan shot him an exasperated glare before turning to Fang Cheng. "Then I’ll have to trouble you, Fellow Daoist."

The three of them found a mountaintop and landed, their Escape Lights fading away.

Fang Cheng took out the Demon Bird’s corpse. Dongfang Xiong and Murong Yan stared at it, both wearing peculiar expressions.

A spiritual light flashed in Murong Yan’s eyes. After scanning it with a Pupil Technique for a moment, she said, "It’s in its belly!"

After a moment’s thought, Fang Cheng flicked his finger. A beam of sword light shot out and instantly sliced open the bird’s stomach, revealing a coil of brilliantly gleaming golden rope.

Countless runes seemed to flow across the rope, profound and unfathomable, giving it an otherworldly quality.

"This is... a Second-Order Magical Artifact?"

With a flick of his sword light, Fang Cheng lifted the Golden Rope from the bird’s belly, his voice filled with surprise.

The Demon Bird actually had a Second-Order Magical Artifact in its belly. Judging by its aura, its quality was not low—at least Tier Two Middle Grade, perhaps even high grade!

Dongfang Xiong reached out to catch the golden rope. Examining it closely, he sighed, "It really is the legendary Immortal Binding Rope."

Murong Yan explained from beside Fang Cheng, "Fellow Daoist Fang, my sect cultivates the Way of Ancient Runes. Our origins can be traced back to a certain Artifact Refining Sect from ancient times. The Immortal Binding Rope was that sect’s most famous and exclusive magical artifact."

Fang Cheng vaguely recalled that during the Ye Family’s Sword Fighting Conference, Dongfang Xiong had used a Magic technique that manifested a Golden Rope from runes. He had used it to bind his opponent, seal their Magical Power, and then toss them out of the golden fighting ring.

Holding the Immortal Binding Rope, Dongfang Xiong said, "I can’t believe it. Besides our lineage of manifesting forms from runes, the Artifact Cultivator lineage has also been passed down."

As he spoke, he handed the Immortal Binding Rope to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng accepted the Immortal Binding Rope. The rope weighed almost nothing in his hand, as if woven from silkworm thread, yet it also seemed to be made of countless fine filaments of Profound Iron Immortal Gold. It possessed both the softness of silk and the toughness of Profound Iron Immortal Gold.

Countless runes flickered and roamed across the golden rope’s surface, constantly shifting. Staring at them for too long was enough to make one’s head spin.

He channeled a stream of Magical Power into the golden rope and refined it in an instant.

The next moment, the Immortal Binding Rope flew into the sky, weaving through the air like a slithering serpent, as if it had come to life.

’No wonder Dongfang Xiong’s lineage followed the path of manifesting forms from runes,’ he thought. ’If they had followed the path of Artifact Cultivators, they probably would have struggled with a lack of resources and their techniques would have been lost to time.’

Just then, Murong Yan gave Dongfang Xiong a meaningful look.

Dongfang Xiong took the hint and said a bit sheepishly, "Brother Fang, would it be possible for us to record the shifting runes on this treasure? If we could study them, it would greatly enhance the power of my sister’s and my Magic."

Fang Cheng smiled. "If I hadn’t run into you two, I never would have obtained this wondrous treasure. Go ahead, take a look."

Overjoyed, Dongfang Xiong took the Immortal Binding Rope. He and Murong Yan then took out a jade slip and began recording.

In less than an hour, the two of them had finished.

Dongfang Xiong asked, "Brother Fang, are you also headed to Netherworld Valley to seek your fortune?"

Fang Cheng nodded with a smile. "I am. It seems you two are as well."

And so, the three of them traveled together, flying toward Netherworld Valley.

...

...

...

Returning once more to Netherworld Valley, Fang Cheng was struck by a sense of nostalgia, feeling that while the place was the same, the circumstances were not.

This time, he didn’t use a disguise or a Concealing Breath Talisman, but arrived at Brocade Cloud Stream openly.

In the pristine azure sky hung a mountain-like mass of snow-white clouds. The Spiritual Light of a restriction flickered upon it, exuding a vast aura.