Immortal of the Nine Realms

Two days later, aboard the Immortal Boat, Li Baodao walked out of the Yellow Springs with a respectful expression. Behind him, Lin Hao appeared like a walking corpse, his expression numb.

Li Baodao respectfully saluted. ”My Lord, he has confessed everything. We know everything about him, from when he was young to now, every detail. If there’s anything he hasn’t mentioned, it’s likely something even he himself has forgotten.”

Lin Hao glanced at Fang Chen, his eyes showing a faint glimmer. ”My Lord, what you wished to know... I’ve already said it all. Now, all I ask is for peace, to live the rest of my days quietly in the Underworld.”

Fang Chen wore a faint smile. ”You just mentioned that you’ve captured quite a few Killing Spiritual Division members lately. Where are they being held?”

Lin Hao shared, ”They’re in the Handan Empire. The King of Handan is a spirit lord of the Spirit Blood Sect. A few years ago, he secretly ascended to the Soul Splitting Realm. The Hadan Empire might seem like a typical third-tier empire from the outside, but the king already has the methods of a second-tier empire.

”The Killing Spiritual Division had no idea, and the King of Handan set a trap to capture most of them.”

Fang Chen glanced at Li Baodao, who nodded slightly.

Li Baodao confirmed, ”That’s what he told me as well. I’ve asked him repeatedly, so it should be accurate.”

Fang Chen asked, ”The Killing Spiritual Division acts carefully and cautiously, with each member’s identity being unique. How did the King of Handan manage to capture them?”

Lin Hao replied, ”There are mules of the Spirit Blood Sect within the ranks of the Killing Spiritual Division. It was one of our own who sent the message and coordinated things, which is how the trap was set for the Killing Spiritual Division cultivators.”

That wasn’t surprising. Fang Chen had known for a long time that the Killing Spiritual Division wasn’t an impenetrable fortress. There were indeed members of the Spirit Blood Sect infiltrating it, just as the Killing Spiritual Divison likely had its own spies within the Spirit Blood Sect. It was a battle of information, a contest of whose methods were more refined and whose intelligence was more precise. They had to have suffered casualties on both sides.

Fang Chen asked, ”So, why does the King of Handan keep them alive instead of killing them? What is his purpose?”

Lin Hao answered, ”He intends to use them as bait, setting a trap to draw more Killing Spiritual Division cultivators to come and rescue them.”

”Is he not afraid that cultivators at the Fusion Realm will intervene? Or do you have a Spirit Immortal stationed with you?”

Fang Chen smiled lightly. ”Is it the Spirit Immortal who’s fishing for bait?”

Lin Hao’s eyes flashed with shock. The fact that Fang Chen knew about the Spirit Immortal showed that his understanding of the Spirit Blood Sect was far more profound than he had expected.

Ordinary people knew only about the title of spirit lords. Very few knew that the cultivators of the Upper Three Realms were referred to as Spirit Immortals in the Spirit Blood Sect. Such beings rarely took action personally. They could go for one or two hundred years without directly intervening in the Spirit Blood Sect’s affairs, preferring instead to scheme from the shadows.

Since the Killing Spiritual Division’s appearance, there hadn’t been any Spirit Immortals from the Spirit Blood Sect captured. The most notable casualties were a few like the Radiant Sun Spirit Lord.

Lin Hao said, ”My Lord, I can’t say for certain, but my guess aligns with yours. There should indeed be a Spirit Immortal stationed in Handan Kingdom.”

Fang Chen continued asking dozens of questions, covering a wide range of topics.

Fang Chen smiled lightly. ”Xu Qingsong of the Great Expansion Dao Sect, what role does he play in this matter?”

Lin Hao froze for a moment. ”He is an Immortal Seedling of the Great Expansion Dao Sect. He likely has no reason to join the Spirit Blood Sect. However, I can’t guarantee that, as not all members of the Spirit Blood Sect know each other.”

Fang Chen nodded with a smile. ”I understand.”

He then turned to Li Baodao and instructed, ”You can take him back now.”

Lin Hao quickly asked, ”My Lord, could I live as a normal soul in Shuang Ye City?”

Fang Chen smiled lightly. ”With your status, it’s probably difficult. But it’s fine. I will have Lord Li arrange a place for you. If you suddenly remember anything in the future, you can tell Lord Li, and he will inform me.”

Lin Hao felt deeply disappointed, but at least Fang Chen’s tone had softened somewhat. It seemed like he wouldn’t have to endure any more torture.

Fang Chen asked, ”Have the other three Nascent Soul cultivators confessed?”

Li Baodao shook his head lightly. ”These three know nothing about the Spirit Blood Sect. I plan to keep them for another month.”

Fang Chen said, ”No need. Let them go. Shuang Ye City is your territory and is right under your nose. If they have any ulterior motives, they’ll be more likely to reveal themselves.”

Li Baodao immediately bowed in acknowledgment. ”You’re right.”

***

Over the past half-year, the front yard of the Purple Pole Dao Academy had been bustling with activity, with cultivators from all directions frequently arriving in a hurry. This was because a contest between disciples of the Purple Pole Dao Academy and the Zhongtian Dao Sect was underway.

The Zhongtian Dao Sect was one of the three great Dao sects of the Zixu Empire.

The Purple Pole Dao Academy practiced the Dao, as did the Zhongtian Dao Sect. However, the Zhongtian Dao Sect’s inheritance was much more profound than the Purple Pole Dao Academy’s.

Usually, cultivators from various factions could never even meet the disciples of the Purple Pole Dao Academy, let alone see them engage in battle with stronger geniuses.

For the cultivators watching, these battles were a rare opportunity—a matter of fate. If they could gain even a little insight, it would be incredibly beneficial to their cultivation.

Bang!

With a muffled sound, a disciple of the Purple Pole Dao Academy spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward for more than ten feet.

His opponent, a cultivator from the Zhongtian Dao Sect, merely nodded. ”Good match.”

He then indifferently scanned the crowd. ”Anyone else would like to step up and spar with me?”

The cultivators from Zhongtian Dao Sect and Profound Yellow Palace both revealed smug smiles.

Since Yun Tiancheng stepped onto the stage, he had achieved seven consecutive victories against cultivators of the same rank. The disciples of the Purple Pole Dao Academy were forced to retreat in defeat, unable to win a single match out of ten.

”Junior Brother Yun is naturally attuned to the power of the Five Elements. The same techniques, in his hands, are dozens of times more powerful. With this kind of talent, it won’t be long before he establishes himself in the Dao sects, and perhaps even the Great Expansion Dao Sect will take notice of him.”

”Indeed. Fortunately, the Zhongtian Dao Sect has sharp eyes and took Junior Brother Yun under our wing early. Even if he joins the Great Expansion Dao Sect in the future, the Zhongtian Dao Sect will share in the credit, and he will never forget us,” a disciple of the Zhongtian Dao Sect whispered to the crowd around him.

The cultivators of the Profound Yellow Palace standing nearby also shared in their pride, as Yun Tiancheng had originally come from the Profound Yellow Palace. The stronger he became, the greater the benefits their palace would gain.

”I never expected that in just a few decades, Yun Tiancheng’s cultivation would have reached such an unfathomable level. I think it won’t be long before he’s at the peak of the Foundation Building Realm.”

”He used to be the top disciple of the Profound Yellow Palace. Among the peers in Purple Pole Dao Academy, few could match him. After joining Zhongtian Dao Sect and practicing for many years in the third-tier Empire, it’s only normal for him to achieve such results.”

”Exactly. Perhaps the next time we meet him, we’ll have to address him as Senior. For us, the Golden Core Realm seems so far away, but for him, it seems like it’s within easy reach...”

Various cultivators exchanged comments, their eyes filled with envy and jealousy as they looked at Yun Tiancheng, wishing they could be him.

Mu Zhaohe overheard the whispers, and a flash of jealousy passed through his eyes. As a fellow member of the Spirit Blood Sect, why did Yun Tiancheng receive such special treatment? He couldn’t understand.

If not for the constant supply of Blood Spirit Pills over the years, how could Yun Tiancheng’s cultivation have grown so quickly?

On the immortal ship, Fang Chen took in everything around him, including the Enlightenment Realm cultivators from Zhongtian Dao Sect, Immortal Void Rush from Purple Pole Dao Academy, and the familiar faces in the crowd.

Fang Jue, Xiao Niushi, Fairy Tianyin, and Dongfang Haojie were standing in the crowd. Dongfang Haojie seemed to have even shed his extra weight after all these years.

It had been decades, and aside from Immortal Void Rush, everyone had changed one way or another.

Finally, Fang Chen’s gaze fell on Yun Tiancheng. It seemed that his status in the Spirit Blood Sect had risen. His cultivation had now reached the late stage Foundation Building Realm.

Seeing him, Fang Chen immediately remembered that he could start preparing for the advancement of his Radiant Divine Eyes to the third rank.

”Is no one else going to come up?” said Yun Tiancheng, looking disappointed.

He shook his head lightly. Then, his gaze fell on Fang Jue, lingering for quite a while.

Unfortunately for him, Fang Jue wasn’t an idiot and didn’t take the bait.

He chuckled lightly. ”The Purple Pole Dao Academy... it’s nothing special.”

He turned back to rejoin the Zhongtian Dao Sect, allowing another disciple to take his place.

His words enraged the disciples of the Purple Pole Dao Academy, their faces flushed with fury.

They glared at Yun Tiancheng as though they wanted to kill him.