Immortal of the Nine Realms

Within the Floating Pagoda Realm, by the banks of the Forgotten River.

Immortal King Huang Chan was being firmly choked by a pale, slender hand. He struggled desperately, and whenever he glanced at the Forgotten River, his gaze would flicker with fear.

Xu Ruinian, whose soul had been drained clean and turned into a wandering spirit, stood in silence beside the bridge, his face pale.

”You said your lord is a man of his word! How can you, a Greater Yin Demon, shamelessly deceive me like this! Let me go! I’m just a wandering spirit now and am no threat to you! I know many secrets of the Spirit Blood Sect and can even work for you!”

”The lord said that you are to be sunk into the Forgotten River,” replied Empress Ci with a gentle smile. ”How could I dare to disobey his orders?”

Immortal Huang Chan cursed inwardly.

Xu Ruinian secretly gasped in shock.

Why would such a powerful being, someone who could rival a Loose Immortal in the mortal realm, be so subservient to Fang Chen? He couldn’t fathom any reason.

Xu Ruinian’s mind was in a mess. Was Fang Chen’s background far more complex than the rumors suggested?

Just as Empress Ci was about to release her grip, she noticed a figure approaching and immediately bowed respectfully.

”Lord.”

Seeing Fang Chen, Huang Chan immediately shouted, ”I’m useful! Let’s make a deal!”

Fang Chen said, ”Before we discuss any deals, I want to ask you about the Fourth Stage Profound Yang Body.”

Immortal King Huang Chan was slightly startled, looking surprised. ”How do you know about that...?”

The method of the Fourth Stage Profound Yang Body was something he had obtained alongside the coffin back then. This inheritance originated from the Immortal Realm, and its origins were virtually unknown to anyone. There were no clues about the Four Stage Profound Yang Body on the coffin itself, so how had Fang Chen discovered it?

Fang Chen remained silent, simply smiling as he stared at Immortal King Huang Chan

Immortal King Huang Chan gritted his teeth and said, ”If you want the method for the Four Stage Profound Yang Body, I can give it to you. However, cultivating this method requires certain spiritual materials that are only found in the Immortal Realm.

”I have spent so many years yet still couldn’t gather all the spiritual materials needed for the third stage, but I have plenty left over for the first and second stage, which I stored in another cave dwelling. I can give all of these to you, just spare my life, how about it?”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Alright, go ahead.”

Huang Chan hesitated, still unsure.

Seeing that, Empress Ci smiled and said, ”The lord’s word is as good as gold; you have nothing to fear.”

Immortal King Huang Chan’s heart was full of struggle, but he decided to bite the bullet and try his luck.

He revealed the cultivation method for the Profound Sun Yang Body and also gave Fang Chen the location of his other cave dwelling, which was in Prison Wind Land.

Fang Chen turned to leave. ”Throw him into the Forgotten River.”

Huang Chan looked at Empress Ci in shock. ”His word is as good as gold?”

Empress Ci chuckled. ”Who told you to lay your hands on his woman?”

With that, she flicked her hand, and Immortal King Huang Chan fell into the Forgotten River.

Countless snakes, insects, rats, and ants swarmed up, along with many pale arms that clung tightly to Huang Chan, dragging him down into the depths of the river.

Empress Ci turned to Xu Ruinian with a smile. ”Little Xu, would you like to follow in your master’s footsteps?”

Xu Ruinian’s heart skipped a beat, and he shook his head desperately.

”Then you must serve me well. You are much more handsome than your master, and I would hate to throw you into the Forgotten River so soon.”

Lady Ci took Xu Ruinian’s hand and together they entered the big red sedan chair.

***

At the Void Immortal Sword Sect.

Wang Chongsong led the peak masters and disciples to gather at the mountain gate to bid farewell to Wang Zhenlong, Bai Qingming, and Fang Chen.

Fang Chen glanced toward Wang Chongsong, who, as usual, had his back turned to the crowd.

The gazes of the Sword Sect disciples were quite complex, and the peak masters, including Zhang Ling, looked at Fang Chen with a hint of strangeness.

Wang Zhenlong waved his hand. ”No need to see us off. If things go smoothly, we will return soon.”

With that, he transformed into a sword aura, leading the way into the distance.

Fang Chen and Bai Qing Ming followed closely behind.

As the three sword auras disappeared into the horizon, the bearded sword cultivator suddenly turned to Wang Chongsong.

”Sect Master, about Qin Hucheng’s matter...”

All eyes turned to Wang Chongsong.

With his back still turned, Wang Chong Song indifferently replied, ”That matter has been clarified. He did indeed join the Spirit Blood Sect.”

Everyone sighed softly, their emotions growing more complicated.

They knew joining the Spirit Blood Sect was never the right thing to do, especially for sword cultivators who despised the methods of the Spirit Blood Sect. But Qin Hucheng had lived with them for many years and had always treated everyone kindly. If he had died at the hands of an outsider, it would have been easier to accept, but he died under the sword of their own Sword Leader, which was truly lamentable.

”There’s no need for you all to dwell on it. Just focus on yourselves. This was Qin Hucheng’s fate, and it’s no one else’s fault,” Wang Chongsong said before flying toward the main peak.

Everyone bowed and then dispersed.

***

At Celestial Heaven’s Kunlun Sword Sect.

”Haojie, this is your opportunity. When you go to the Prison Wind Lands, you must perform well. At the very least, your bloodline will secure you some benefits,” a middle-aged man said softly as he brought Dongfang Hao Jie to the mountain gate of the Kunlun Sword Sect.

”Father, you said this matter is clearly for sword cultivators. I’ve hardly held a sword in my life. How can I manage this?”

The middle-aged man calmly replied, ”I told you, what Ancestor Li values is not your cultivation but your identity as a descendant of the Dragon Blood Family. Your bloodline is the purest among us thanks to our ancestors’ blessings.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a sword cultivator emerged from the mountain gate, nodded slightly to the middle-aged man, and then led him inside.

The middle-aged man waved his hand and then turned to leave. ”Go ahead.”

Dongfang Haojie felt uneasy. If he hadn’t known that Fang Chen would also be going, he would have found an excuse to escape.

Soon, Dongfang Haojie arrived at a grand hall where several figures were already seated. He was only in the Lower Four Realms, yet everyone present was either in the Upper Three Realms or the Middle Three Realms.

The guiding sword cultivator bowed towards the depths of the hall and said, ”Ancestor, the descendant of the Dragon Bloodline Family, Dongfang Haojie, has arrived.”

Descendant of the Dragon Bloodline Family?

The eyes of those in the hall flickered, and they all turned to look at Dongfang Haojie. When they saw that he was only a small Golden Core Realm cultivator, disdain and doubt flashed in their eyes.

Did such a cultivator have the right to meet Li Changsheng, the first on the Emperor Ranking?

Dongfang Hao Jie immediately knelt and bowed. ”Dongfang Haojie pays his respects to Ancestor Li!”

”Rise.”

Li Changsheng stood up and walked over, scrutinizing Dong Fang Hao Jie for a moment before nodding with a smile. ”Your bloodline is quite pure, roughly equivalent to an ordinary direct descendant of the Dragon Bloodline Family in the Prison Wind Lands.”

Prison Wind Lands, the Dragon Bloodline Family!?

The cultivators in the hall, all top sword cultivators from the Celestial Heaven and Northern Dipper, were stunned upon hearing Li Changsheng’s words.

Could it be that this journey to the Sword Burial Heavenly Step is related to the Dragon Bloodline Family?

”Behind me is the Long Family, which is the Dragon Bloodline Family. With him here, even if we lose this time, we might still be able to ask for some leniency,” Li Changsheng said with a smile, patting Dongfang Hao Jie’s shoulder. ”Find a seat. We’re only waiting for two more people now.”

Everyone suddenly understood, and their gaze towards Dongfang Hao Jie changed, becoming more enthusiastic. So this person was a mascot, someone who could take the blame for them.

Dongfang Haojie felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Just as he was about to ask when Fang Chen would arrive, three figures walked into the hall one after another.

Everyone in the hall directed their attention toward the newcomers, their gazes filled with a sense of gravity.

Their sects had suffered heavy losses at the hands of this person during the Sword Questioning! This was him! The one unmatched in his generation!