Immortal of the Nine Realms

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed by. Xing Jintuo stood motionless atop the mountain peak like a statue, while the surrounding martial artists and common folk gradually grew restless.

Some cursed under their breath and turned to leave, unwilling to waste any more time. Others still held faint hope and stayed there stubbornly. They were convinced that as a grandmaster, Xing Jintuo wouldn’t be toying with everyone like this.

In the void above, Xing Deshan and the others were growing increasingly impatient.

Xing Deshan looked down at Xing Jintuo. Seeing the aging man put on a mysterious air, the contempt in Xing Deshan’s mocking gaze deepened.

He sneered, ”Do you think that because he lost his immortal cultivation, he can’t hold his head high before us? So now he has to put on a show in front of these ants?

”My cousin has always been proud since childhood, looking down on us common folk. Then he entered the Ancient Immortal Road, gained an inheritance, and rose to the rank of Immortal Candidate, making him even more arrogant. But now, he’s reduced to seeking validation from a swarm of ants. If this gets back to the sect elders, who knows how much ridicule he’ll face.”

”Senior Brother Xing, do you think he’ll hand over the inheritance so easily? I heard the inheritance he comprehended holds an immortal intent called Po Jun and that it is a terrifying offensive power.”

”If we can comprehend that immortal intent as well, we’d be true Immortal Candidates, and no one could speak ill of us.”

”You all are thinking too simply. Immortal intent can only be comprehended on the Ancient Immortal Road. Even if he handed it over, it’d be hard for us to grasp its subtleties.”

”It’s not so much that these Immortal Candidates can comprehend the immortal intent but that those immortal sects chose them to receive it.”

”How do we know until we try? Senior Brother Xing, why don’t we just act now instead of waiting? This is clearly a waste of time.”

”Wait a little longer,” Xing Deshan replied. ”I want to see what moves he’s got this time.”

Xing Deshan waved his hand and narrowed his eyes, staring at Xing Jintuo. Despite his reluctance to admit it, he did believe Xing Jintuo wasn’t just putting on a show.

If Xing Jintuo truly intended to break the void, it was likely that he had gained a technique or two from that immortal intent. Xing Deshan wanted to see that with his own eyes. It might even boost his cultivation.

While they were sizing up Xing Jintuo, Fang Chen was watching them carefully. However, they weren’t the only ones he was watching.

In another direction, several robed cultivators from the Great Expansion Dao Sect were also concealed and observing the scene.

Ever since Fang Chen and Fairy Yu departed the Void Immortal Sword Sect, several cultivators from the Great Expansion Dao Sect had been tailing them closely. From their conversation, Fang Chen found out that the technique they used for stealth was called Qi Escape Technique. Ordinary cultivators couldn’t detect them, but to Fang Chen’s sharp eyes, their outlines were quite obvious.

”They say these two are causing a stir here just because they have some connection with Xing Jintuo? But that man is a lost cause now. He used to be a cultivator, but his obsession with martial arts was always frowned upon. He’s lost his immortal cultivation, and the Free Transformation Sect apparently kicked him out.. Yet, he’s still pursuing martial arts now? That’s true madness.”

”Maybe that guy’s just curious about how Xing Jintuo intends to break the void today. Haha... I’ve cultivated for so many years, and even though I’m rusty now, I’ve never heard of any immortal technique that can shatter the void, let alone a martial artist’s skill.”

”Don’t get involved. Our mission is only to follow these two; ignore everything else.”

”Yes.”

The robed cultivators fell silent.

***

Another half a month passed by. The weather turned colder, with light rain and even some sleet. A thin layer of white frost gradually covered the Green Bamboo Peak.

”Winter is coming.”

Fairy Yu plucked a snowflake that looked like mist and pine, placed it on her tongue, and tasted it carefully. She beamed. ”My lord, it’s sweet.”

The Seven Kill Hall Master glanced at her, took a snowflake as well, and tasted it. However, he said indifferently, ”Tasteless.”

Fairy Yu replied with a smile, ”When I’m by my lord’s side, everything tastes sweet.”

Everyone was slightly taken aback.

The Seven Kill Hall Master nodded, as if understanding something.

Shi Yu wasn’t angry. Instead, he found Fairy Yu even more charming and adorable. He couldn’t help but say, ”Father, I want to get married.”

The Seven Kill Hall Master nodded. ”Get married.”

Shi Yu pointed at Fairy Yu. ”I want to marry her.”

The Seven Kill Hall Master nodded again. ”Marry her.”

A faint smile appeared on Shi Yu’s face. He wanted to see Fang Chen’s reaction, but he found that Fang Chen wasn’t even looking at him.

This led to Shi Yu revealing a teasing grin. That guy must be seriously scared.

***

Another month passed by. Many of the martial artists were incredibly patient, but ultimately, they couldn’t help but shake their heads and leave. The crowd at Green Bamboo Peak had numbered over ten thousand at the start, and that number had grown as more people arrived intermittently. However, it had since dwindled to only a few thousand. No one climbed the mountain anymore; instead, people descended daily.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, even breaking the bamboo with crackling sounds like firecrackers, adding a certain vitality to the scene.

Then one day at sunrise, the first ray of sunlight fell on Xing Jintuo. His skin seemed to glow with golden radiance, gradually emitting a dazzling light.

The people remaining on the mountain had long grown disinterested, but they gasped in awe at the sight. Their eyes widened and fixed on Xing Jintuo. They dared not blink, fearing they might miss the crucial moment.

The Heaven Profound Stage martial artists present sensed a chilling aura from Xing Jintuo. Even the Seven Kill Hall Master, a martial emperor, found this aura disturbing. An urge to kneel and worship Xing Jintuo was growing in his heart.

Bathed in golden light, Xing Jintuo looked like a golden Buddha statue; his aged face was gradually becoming youthful again.

Fang Chen immediately realized that this was not a sign of Xing Jintuo extending his lifespan but rather something like a last flicker of his life.

In the void above, Xing Deshan and the others exchanged strange looks.

Before anyone could speak, Xing Jintuo suddenly trembled. With closed eyes, he began performing a series of punches. Each strike seemed to ripple the surrounding air, spreading waves in rhythm with his force. It was as if Xing Jintuo was not standing atop the mountain but submerged in deep water.

The Seven Kill Hall Master’s expression was very grave. ”What a terrifying aura. He’s not bluffing!”

Huyan Bing’s face darkened slightly: ”We cannot let him truly make a breakthrough. If that happens, it won’t matter whether he shatters the void. We won’t be able to control him either way.”

The Seven Kill Hall Master nodded. The two exchanged glances and prepared to intervene.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the sky. The figure swelled with the wind, growing into a giant about twenty feet tall. It was like a small mountain pressing down on Xing Jintuo.

Everyone was stunned. They had never seen such a spectacle before.

How could a person be born so gigantic?

”Cousin, hand over the body-refining technique you inherited from the Ancient Immortal Road!” Xing Deshan yelled.

Laughing loudly, he fiercely threw a punch toward Xing Jintuo.

The terrifying punch’s aftershock alone forced the martial artists present to kneel immediately.

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock. It was not only the ordinary martial artists who knelt; even powerful figures like the Seven Kill Hall Master and Huyan Bing knelt down as well!