Immortal of the Nine Realms

”Father!”

The crowd bowed in unison. ”Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!”

Dan Xifeng smiled and nodded. He then turned to look at Shen Ji, cupping his fist in greeting. ”I am Dan Xifeng, the emperor of the Handan Empire. Greeting, Fourth Princess.”

Shen Ji responded with a faint smile. ”You’re too polite.”

Dan Xifeng glanced at the prisoners on the high platform, and a soft sigh escaped from his mouth. ”These were once the pillars of my empire, but unfortunately, they have gone astray. If you know any of them, feel free to take them away. Handan’s laws cannot override those of the Central Continent Empire; I still understand this principle.”

These words caused a stir among the nearby citizens, and whispers of discussion spread throughout the crowd.

”These are all traitors who colluded with the enemy. How can they just be taken away like that...?”

”Even if the Central Continent Empire is strong, there must be some rules. This is an internal matter of the Handan Empire. It seems improper for the Central Continent Empire to interfere so forcefully.” Dan Xifeng acted as if he were deaf to the crowd’s complaints and cupped his fist toward Shen Ji once more. ”Fourth Princess, please take a look. Apart from this one from Wutong Dao Sect, if any are familiar to you, feel free to take them with you.”

Shen Ji softly smiled. ”You’re too polite. I will take this person with me. As for the others, you may handle them as you see fit.”

She casually waved her hand, and the chains binding the Wutong Dao Sect’s sect leader immediately snapped.

With the restriction gone, his spiritual energy surged once more, and he regained the abilities of a cultivator at the Enlightenment Realm.

The elderly man scanned the crowd but did not speak a word. He silently followed behind Shen Ji.

”Your Majesty, I will take my leave first,” said Shen Ji, preparing to board the Immortal Boat and depart.

However, Dan Xifeng suddenly sneered coldly. ”You’re leaving already? Won’t you stay for a few days here?”

Shen Ji replied indifferently, ”The spiritual energy here is too thin. I’m not accustomed to it. You needn’t be so polite.”

Dan Xifeng shook his head lightly. ”That’s not the proper way to treat guests here. Besides, inviting you to stay isn’t even my idea.”

With that, he turned to look at the expressionless elderly man beside him and cupped his fist. ”Senior, I apologize for my shallow connections. I am unable to keep the fourth princess here by myself. Would you kindly extend an invitation? I believe the fourth princess will honor your words.”

Senior?

The crowd exchanged uncertain glances. Since the emperor addressed this elderly man as ”Senior,” his cultivation had to be immeasurably deep.

Who is he?

A few perceptive cultivators began to sense that something was amiss. The old man from the Wutong Dao Sect and Li Fu, among others, also exchanged glances, their expressions subtly changing.

Dan Xifeng’s words were clearly laced with hidden meaning.

Something was off.

A cold smile appeared on the elderly man’s face. ”Fourth Princess, please grant an old man the favor of staying here for a few days.”

A fleeting aura unique to a Profound Immortal flashed for a split second. Only Shen Ji and her two accompanying cultivators noticed this aura. The others did not perceive anything unusual.

Shen Ji had come today with only herself and two Dao Union Realm cultivators, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange. However, as soon as the elderly man revealed his cultivation, their expressions changed slightly. They stepped in front of Shen Ji, placing her behind them.

Shen Ji asked indifferently, ”Senior, you’re unfamiliar. I’ve never seen you before. May I ask which Immortal Mountain you hail from?”

”I’m merely a wandering cultivator. I’ve rarely stepped foot in Central Continent, much less any Immortal Mountains. I go wherever I please,” said the elderly man regretfully.

Shen Ji smiled. ”If I am unwilling to stay here today, does that mean you will take action against me?”

Her tone was light, but her words were rife with meaning. ”Have you considered the consequences of your actions, Senior?”

”This doesn’t feel right! Something’s very off!”

The expressions of some of the cultivators who had been quietly observing the scene grew increasingly tense. Among them were some at the Nascent Soul Realm and even a few at the Enlightenment Realm. They had been in seclusion and only came out after hearing about today’s events.

What were they seeing now? The unknown cultivator accompanying the Handan Emperor was pressuring the princess of the Central Continent Empire to stay in the Handan Empire...?

What gave the Handan Empire the audacity for such a bold move? What exactly was the emperor thinking?

The elderly man shook his head with a smile. ”Aren’t we just going to host you for a few days? What consequences could there be?”

At that moment, someone’s voice rang out. ”Old man, the fourth princess has already said she doesn’t wish to stay as a guest. Why are you insisting? Do you have ulterior motives? But you’re so old; it’s really hard to imagine how you’d match with the fourth princess.”

Everyone turned in surprise to see a young man standing outside the crowd. He was observing the elderly man by Dan Xifeng’s side with a scrutinizing gaze and shaking his head lightly.

The Killing Spiritual Division cultivators, who had been standing around, exchanged confused looks.

Who is this person?

Shen Ji’s arrival had already been shocking enough, but now an additional person had also appeared.

They understood the risk Shen Ji had taken in coming to Handan, even if it was just to rescue the sect leader of the Wutong Dao Sect. They could even sympathize with her.

But now, how did this new person fit into the picture?

Shen Ji remained composed, though a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. Her brows furrowing, she spoke before the elderly man could. ”Who are you? My matter with this senior has nothing to do with you.”

Fang Chen cupped his fist. ”Fourth Princess, please don’t waste time with this old man. Leave this matter to me.”

Leave this matter to him?

Shen Ji sighed softly and transmitted, ”This one is a Profound Immortal. Don’t act recklessly.”

Fang Chen replied casually, ”I’m not acting recklessly; I’m just trying to set up a little blind date for him.”

Shen Ji was confused. A blind date?

The elderly man looked at Fang Chen with a half-smile, his tone somewhat mocking. ”Young man, are you saying that I, an old man, am not worthy of the fourth princess?”

”Indeed, but you need not be discouraged. I can introduce a woman to you,” said Fang Chen, nodding.

The elderly man couldn’t help but laugh. ”Really? Then bring her out and let me see.”

As soon as his words fell, the sound of drums and gongs suddenly rang in the air. The crowd instinctively looked up and saw a wedding procession coming toward them, full of activity and noise.

However, whether it was the bearers of the palanquin, the servants beating the gongs, or the maidservants carrying the dowries, all of them had pale faces. Their expressions were stiff, with a strange smile tugging at the corners of their mouths.

As the crowd was stunned, the procession boldly moved through the crowd, making its way to the high platform.

Dan Xifeng and Shen Ji were startled and subconsciously took a step back.

The elderly man also sensed something was wrong, his aura suddenly surging as he prepared to react.

”My dear husband, I’ve set my eyes on you, and yet you want to act against me? On such a joyous day, this is truly inappropriate!”

As the soft voice echoed, a pair of pale, lotus-like arms reached out from the palanquin’s curtain. Before anyone could react, the elderly man was pulled into the palanquin in a single motion.

The atmosphere turned tense and strange. The crowd stood frozen, holding their breath as they watched the crimson wedding palanquin.

Dan Xifeng was astounded. Deep within his eyes, a flicker of terror appeared.

A dignified Profound Immortal had been pulled into the palanquin just like that? What kind of monster was in there?

As the crowd revelled in their shock, the palanquin suddenly started to shake. Everyone’s expressions became odd.

They faintly heard several agonizing screams from within.

Then, the curtain was lifted, and a withered corpse was thrown out.

”Truly useless,” said a cold voice.

The wedding procession vanished in the blink of an eye. If it weren’t for the withered corpse, everyone might have thought that what just happened was an illusion.