Immortal of the Nine Realms

Tianxiang Valley, home to many cultivators, was situated thousands of miles away from the Hu Empire. Almost every mountain peak with a bit of spiritual energy had been claimed by major sects.

”Xu Baizhou, I advise you to come out and surrender quietly. In less than a month, we will have completely refined this cave-dwelling. When we do, you will meet your end no doubt.”

Outside a cave, raging flames burned fiercely, almost melting half of the mountain.

It seemed that someone inside the cave was resisting stubbornly, with the light from formations flashing, trying to fend off the relentless spiritual flames.

Nearby, many cultivators were standing around. They watched the spectacle while pointing and whispering to each other.

”Daoist Xu is in trouble this time. I don’t know why he offended the cultivators of the Spirit God Sect, but it looks like there’s no way out for him.”

”Xu Baizhou deserves it. Who told him to be so outspoken? I’ve said it before, this guy was bound to offend someone. Looks like it’s come true.”

”Do you think us wandering cultivators in Tianxiang Valley could join the Spirit God Sect? That way, if something happens in the future, at least we’d have someone backing us.”

”Join the Spirit God Sect? That’s not so easy. They have stricter requirements for talent than some of the big sects. How can we wandering cultivators catch their eye?”

”Daoist Xu is really unlucky. Why did he provoke the cultivators of the Spirit God Sect? If it were ordinary cultivators, we could at least try to help him.”

Fang Chen gazed at the scene in front of the cave, where a few Foundation Building Realm cultivators were standing in the void. ”Spirit God Sect cultivators?”

Wen Fan’s guess was right. Her husband had indeed encountered trouble, and it was because he had offended the cultivators of the Spirit God Sect. They had blocked his cave entrance.

No wonder he couldn’t enter the underworld.

”Everyone, put in more effort and burn this guy to death!”

”Since he dared to shatter the Spirit God statue, he should have expected this outcome.”

As several cultivators from the Spirit God Sect exchanged words, their spiritual energy surged. The spiritual flames intensified immediately.

The rocks around the cave melted visibly, turning into flowing magma.

Fang Chen approached a nearby cultivator and casually asked, ”Brother, are the cultivators from the Spirit God Sect this domineering?”

The cultivator glanced at him. Upon seeing that Fang Chen was an unfamiliar face, his expression turned cold, and he moved a few steps away.

He seemed unwilling to talk about the Spirit God Sect.

One of the Spirit God Sect cultivators’ ears twitched, and he turned to look at Fang Chen. ”Domineering?”

With a sneer, he said to his companions, ”Brothers, someone just said we from the Spirit God Sect are domineering.”

Several other cultivators from the Spirit God Sect looked at Fang Chen with disdain and mockery in their eyes.

”Brother, we from the Spirit God Sect are not domineering. Everything we do has its reasons,” one of the Foundation Building Realm cultivators said with a smile. ”Brother, don’t leave just yet. Let’s have a good chat.”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several cultivators who had been standing near Fang Chen quickly flew away, fearing they might be caught up in whatever was happening with him.

”I’m not leaving.” Fang Chen smiled and shook his head. ”I came here today specifically to find Xu Baizhou. Since I haven’t found him, why would I leave?”

The eyes of one of the Foundation Building Realm cultivators narrowed, and a flash of killing intent passed through them. ”Oh? You’re here to find Xu Baizhou? It looks like you’re all in the same boat. Don’t blame us then.”

The crowd looked on in shock.

”Is this guy crazy?”

”Didn’t he see the cultivators from the Spirit God Sect dealing with Xu Baizhou? He’s rushing in here to seek death?”

As the crowd whispered, one of the Spirit God Sect’s Foundation Building Realm cultivators stopped, turned, and flew straight toward Fang Chen.

The pressure on Xu Baizhou’s cave instantly lessened, and a voice came from inside, ”Who are you, friend? I don’t recognize you. Leave immediately!”

The Foundation Building Realm cultivator turned back with a sinister smile. ”Now you say you don’t recognize him? It’s too late.”

The cultivator then looked back at Fang Chen.

Crack!

At that moment, everyone heard a sharp sound.

Just as the cultivator turned his head, he suddenly found the world spinning around him. Then, his head dropped to the ground with a thud, followed by his headless body collapsing.

A wandering soul crawled out from the corpse, staring at Fang Chen with a confused expression. After a long pause, the soul’s gaze became filled with malice, ”Wait until I reach the Underworld...”

He suddenly fell silent, looking somewhat surprised as he met Fang Chen’s gaze.

This guy... could see me?!

H-how is this possible? This is the mortal realm! How can a mortal cultivator see a wandering soul?!

Fang Chen chuckled. ”You don’t need to go to the underworld.”

A flash of green light appeared, and as the Skin Peeling Technique took effect on the wandering soul, the soul lost its connection to the cycle of life and death. Without cause, it had only one end. The soul scattered, turning to dust. All traces of it in this world vanished.

The crowd stood there, stunned, their eyes filled with shock.

That guy... killed a cultivator from the Spirit God Sect? He killed a Foundation Building Realm cultivator in front of so many people?

The other Foundation Building Realm cultivators exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious. One of them, forcing himself to stay calm, shouted in a deep voice, ”Friend, what is the meaning of this? Why did you kill a cultivator from the Spirit God Sect? If you don’t give us an explanation today...”

”Fine.”

A flash of green light swept through.

The remaining cultivators turned into red, lifeless corpses with their human skin sliced right off.

The raging spirit flames, having lost their controller, began to dissipate. Some of the flames even reversed, burning the corpses to a crisp.

The surrounding temperature gradually returned to normal. After a few moments, the door to the cave slowly opened, and a young man cautiously stepped out, his gaze uncertain as he looked at Fang Chen. ”Fellow cultivator, do we know each other?”

Most of the cultivators from Tianxiang Valley had quietly fled, leaving only a few, who remained frozen in place, unable to regain their senses.

When they finally did, they couldn’t help but gasp in fear. Tianxiang Valley was likely about to face a major disaster.

Several Foundation Building Realm cultivators from the Spirit God Sect were dead! This wasn’t a small matter. It was enough to provoke powerful figures from the Spirit God Sect to come and suppress them. The cultivators of Tianxiang Valley might very well bear the brunt of their anger!

Fang Chen smiled faintly. ”Wen Fan sent me. She was worried about you, so she asked me to come check on you. I didn’t expect you to be trapped in your cave.”

Xu Baizhou was slightly startled, his confusion beginning to clear. He now understood why Fang Chen had come but was still very puzzled.

Even though the other party had come, upon seeing the Spirit God Sect cultivators, he didn’t choose to leave. Instead, he moved to help him. And not only did he help, but he also killed the Spirit God Sect cultivators?!

”We can’t stay here any longer. Pack up and come with me,” Fang Chen said.

Xu Baizhou quickly nodded. ”We can leave now. I’ve already packed up everything I need.”

The two of them soon left Tianxiang Valley. As soon as they departed, others came to check on the condition of the Spirit God Sect’s Foundation Building Realm cultivators.

”Dead... Has anyone gone to inform the Spirit God Sect? This matter has nothing to do with us.”

”Someone has already gone to inform them, don’t worry. We never interfered in this. As long as we honestly explain ourselves, we won’t be implicated.”

***

”Daoist Xu, if you were to carry out the soul-crossing ritual here, would you be able to reach Youhuan City?”

Xu Baizhou looked at Fang Chen with surprise. He explained, ”I specifically paid a high price to go to Youhuan City. It provides better protection, so people won’t come knocking on my door.”

”Daoist, you saved me just now, but you’ve caused yourself trouble. You’re working so hard... Is it because of my wife...”

”Don’t misunderstand, it’s just that I was given 200 Yin Lifespan Coins. Nothing more,” Fang Chen said with a faint smile.

Xu Baizhou visibly relaxed, then let out a bitter laugh. ”I’ve caused you trouble.”

”Tell me, how did you offend the Spirit God Sect? I’m quite interested actually,” Fang Chen said, a gleam of amusement in his eyes.