Immortal of the Nine Realms

The souls in Baiyue City had no idea what was happening. All they knew was that thousands of soldiers had suddenly, alongside the Nether Guards, swept through the entire Baiyue City. Every major figure in the city, regardless of their status, had their residences visited.

Their goal was simple: to investigate Xia Yu’s connections in Baiyue City and identify any souls involved with the Spirit Blood Sect.

With the full support of the Nether Division, Xiao Lang only needed three days to deliver a list to Fang Chen. There weren’t many names on the list, and only a few were directly connected to the Spirit Blood Sect—Xia Yu was the main one.

The rest were those Xia Yu had lured in over the years, including some Nether Guards from the Nether Division.

The Nether Guards Division should have been occupied by the Division God, but was now filled by Fang Chen, while the Division God and the Night Walker stood respectfully at his side.

Zhou Wenxing, Xia Yu, and the others knelt below, their heads lowered in silence.

Fang Chen glanced over the list and spoke, his voice calm. ”Interesting. Zhou Wenxing hasn’t been promoted yet, but Xia Yu has already been working to win hearts, planning to take the position of Day Walker and expand his influence.”

He paused. ”Former Day Walker Guard Zhou Wenxing, as a Day Walker Guard, had the power to patrol the Mortal Realm during the day, judging good and evil. However, he has been neglecting his duties and failing to exercise his power, which has led to significant harm. He must be punished.”

Zhou Wenxing trembled. He immediately started bowing repeatedly, pleading, ”Please, my lord, give me another chance!”

Fang Chen said coldly, ”Take him away. Throw him into the Forgotten River, where he will stay forever, never to reincarnate.”

The Night Walker Guard stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Wenxing, and began to leave. ”Brother Zhou, let’s go.”

Zhou Wenxing cried out in panic, ”Day Walker Monarch, I know my mistake! It wasn’t that I didn’t want to investigate, but the Spirit Blood Sect has cultivators in high positions. I dared not interfere!”

The Division God and the Night Walker and the Night Walker exchanged glances, their expressions growing graver. There was fear in their eyes.

Fang Chen paid no attention to Zhou Wenxing’s explanation, and soon, he was taken away by the Night Walker.

Marshall Xiao Lang looked at Fang Chen, seemingly lost in thought. ”This Spirit Blood Sect... is it quite powerful in the Underworld?”

Fang Chen smiled faintly.

The Division God swept his gaze across the room and sighed. It was clear Fang Chen was asking him, but this was a matter he had no desire to get involved in. After a few moments of silence, he stepped forward, cupping his hands in a bow.

”Lord, the Spirit Blood Sect... indeed has many cultivators who have entered the Underworld and held high-ranking positions after their deaths. However, the specifics of their involvement... I truly know nothing. I only know that the matter is highly complicated.”

As the Division God of the Nether Division of Baiyue City, who had held his position for many years, he was certainly aware of some happenings in the Mortal Realm. The Spirit Blood Sect was one such issue. However, he understood well the complex relationships involved and knew that, with his status, he had no qualifications to get entangled in them.

He paused briefly, hesitating. In the end, he glanced at Xia Yu and gritted his teeth. ”Xia Yu is also connected to the Spirit Blood Sect. The City Lord gleamed this connection and thus married his daughter to him, accepting him as a son-in-law. The City Lord even spent a great deal of money to arrange things for him, intending to help him secure the position of the Day Walker guard of Baiyue City.”

Xia Yu suddenly lifted his head and glared fiercely at Fang Chen. ”Fang Chen, whether to kill me is your choice! But remember one thing: You can’t defeat the Spirit Blood Sect! You couldn’t defeat them when you were alive, and you won’t be able to defeat them dead! In the Underworld, you stand even less of a chance! I will be waiting for you in the Forgotten River, waiting for the day you sink into despair with me!”

Xia Yu stood there with his wife kneeling beside him, looking increasingly horrified.

Fang Chen frowned. ”The Forgotten River? Who said I was going to throw you into the Forgotten River?”

Xia Yu was stunned. He stammered, ”Then you...”

Before he could finish, Fang Chen raised his hand, and a shadowy light fell upon him. Instantly, Xia Yu was engulfed in excruciating pain, unable to restrain a scream as if his very soul were burning in a sea of fire!

The Division God’s face changed slightly.

That was the Spiritual Attachment Technique. This technique was akin to tribulation lightning for cultivators, devastating and inescapable.

Xiao Shence and Xia Yu’s wife watched in horror as he was forcibly refined, eventually turning into an ordinary paper figure, his expression blank and lifeless. Xia Yu’s wife seemed to lose all sense of self, her aura in disarray, looking deeply shaken.

Fang Chen wore a smile. ”He still retains his consciousness, but he is just a paper figure now. As a servant, this should cause no issue. Marshall Xiao Lang, you have no attendant yet, right? Let him follow you.”

Xiao Lang bowed respectfully. ”Thank you.”

He stepped forward and released a stream of Yin energy. It flowed into Xia Yu, marking him as Marshall Xiao Lang’s servant.

Xiao Shence watched this scene, and a wave of pure terror filled his heart and mind. This was far worse than being submerged in the Forgotten River. After all, he would have hope of turning things around in the river. Maybe someone he knew would eventually retrieve him and grant him freedom. If he were refined into a paper figure, he’d have no hope of redemption, let alone reincarnation.

The woman suddenly turned to look at Fang Chen, her expression twisted with rage. ”You humiliated my husband when he was alive, and you won’t let him rest here in the Underworld! You want to completely annihilate him!”

Fang Chen smiled faintly. ”Whether it is in the living realm or the Underworld, he has always sought trouble with me. What does it have to do with me?”

He turned to Marshall Xiao Lang. ”Everyone on the list, including the city lord and this woman. Throw all of them into the Forgotten River.”

Xiao Lang nodded slowly. ”Understood.”

***

A few days later, at the bridge.

”Why not keep Zhou Wenxing alive?” asked Marshall Xiao Lang. ”He might know how many people in the upper ranks are from the Spirit Blood Sect.”

Fang Chen smiled lightly. ”How much can he really know? One or two? Maybe that Division God and the Night Walker also have connections to the Spirit Blood Sect.”

Marshall Xiao Lang pondered for a moment, then realized. ”So you intend to make them think that you’re not placing too much importance on this matter? That’s why you don’t want to dig deeper?”

Fang Chen nodded lightly. ”Only by capturing the big fish do we get real value. As for these small fries, they can stay for now. If I act too relentlessly, it may cause some people to hide deeply, leaving no trace behind.”

He paused. ”Do you remember how you and your daughter died?”

Marshall Xiao Lang replied, ”I don’t, but I reviewed the whole event in the Forgotten River, and it was likely Xia Xuanji’s doing.”

He glanced at Fang Chen. ”Grand Xia has already annexed Guhe, Longdu, and other empires. Its territory is expanding at an alarming rate. Before I died, Qingsong was on the brink of collapse. Soon, Xia Xuanji will aim for the seventh tier, and eventually the sixth and fifth. During this period, countless lives will be lost. What’s your take on this?”

Fang Chen smiled. ”Let’s see after we return to the Mortal Realm. Both you and I were played by the Spirit Blood Sect. Countless brothers who should never have died perished needlessly on the battlefield. I made you a Day Walker Guard, and you should understand why.”

Xiao Lang nodded slightly. ”The Spirit Blood Sect is our common enemy. I will help you.”

Fang Chen smiled and nodded in return, then stepped onto the Forgotten River. This time, he would return to the Mortal Realm as the Day Walker, to see what Xia Xuanji was scheming.