Immortal of the Nine Realms

The capital of the underworld.

All the Division Monarchs had gathered, chatting and laughing together. Whether it was the Nether Guards Division, the Underworld Official Division, the Judgment Division, or the Soul Capturing Division, they all had harmonious relations now.

The true Monarch Yan had revealed himself, and there was no longer any need for under-the-table maneuvering to vie for scraps of power within the underworld.

Their goals had grown far greater. However, before those goals could be realized, their top priority was to raise their cultivation levels.

Once Qi Tiannan finished reporting the recent developments of the Underworld Official Division, Fang Chen pushed Xing Jintuo forward.

The Division Monarchs had already noticed Xing Jintuo by then. He had an aura that struck them as quite strange. His cultivation was low like an ordinary wandering soul, seemingly without any cultivation at all. Yet, his presence felt different from that of a regular soul.

Now that they were all first-level ghost gods, their eyes were sharp. And since this wandering soul had been personally brought here by the Yama, there was no way he was an ordinary being.

Fang Chen smiled as he spoke, ”Everyone, allow me to introduce him. This is Xing Jintuo. Starting from today, he will serve as the Division Monarch for the Martial God Division.”

Martial God Division!?

The Division Monarchs exchanged glances.

Was another new division about to be established, following the Path of Yin Division and the Killing Spiritual Division?

Many instinctively glanced toward the corner, where Marshall Xiao of the Killing Spiritual Division sat in silence. Perhaps like Marshall Xiao, Xing Jintuo was an old acquaintance of Monarch Yan from the Mortal Realm.

However... while they understood the purpose behind the Path of Yin and Killing Spiritual Division, the Martial God Division was a mystery. The name alone revealed little.

Marshall Xiao lifted his gaze and looked at Xing Jintuo, his eyes narrowing slightly.

From what he knew of Fang Chen, he wouldn’t establish a division for no reason, nor would he do it to balance power among the existing divisions. There could be only one reason for the establishment of the Martial God Division. It had to benefit the underworld and serve as a counter against the Spirit God Sect.

The Path of Yin and Killing Spiritual Divisions had both been created with one goal in mind—to resist the Spirit God Sect.

The Division Monarchs waited for Fang Chen to explain further. However, Fang Chen went straight to introducing Xing Jintuo to Shentu Cang and the other division heads instead; he offered no additional explanation. He only instructed each division to cooperate with the founding of the Martial God Division and to select wandering souls from the cities who had practiced martial arts when they were alive.

At the mention of martial arts, Marshall Xiao immediately rose and bowed. ”My lord, is the purpose of the Martial God Division to teach wandering souls the path of Martial Dao?”

”Martial Dao...”

The others looked puzzled. In their eyes, such lowly methods that were for mortals hardly seemed worth creating an entire division for.

There had to be something deeper behind this move. Realizing that, they all fell quiet. Whatever decision was made, their job was to follow without questioning it.

”That’s right,” replied Fang Chen.

He looked over at Marshall Xiao and nodded with a smile. Then he turned to Xing Jintuo and said, ”Brother Xing, Marshall Xiao here also walked the martial dao in his earlier days. You two should exchange insights sometime.”

”Oh?”

Xing Jintuo had assumed these underworld lords were all high and mighty cultivators, far removed from the martial world. He hadn’t expected one of them to have a martial background.

He immediately smiled at Marshall Xiao. ”I’ll be counting on your guidance from now on.”

Marshall Xiao cupped his fists in respect. ”Please, Monarch Xing, I also look forward to your guidance in the future.”

The meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed. Fang Chen handed Xing Jintuo over to Marshall Xiao, asking him to familiarize Xing Jintuo with the daily affairs of the underworld.

Fang Chen then went to the prison of the Nether Guards Division to visit an old acquaintance.

Inside the cold, desolate prison, the Era Immortal King suddenly sensed something and turned around. Upon seeing Fang Chen, he revealed a faintly teasing smile. ”What brings you here to see me?”

”Do you recognize this?” Fang Chen asked, pulling out the World Gourd.

The Era Immortal King had thought that, given his dire situation, nothing could shock him anymore. However, when he saw the World Gourd, he gasped sharply and instinctively stepped forward to examine it carefully.

Seeing that, Fang Chen was already confident in what he suspected.

After a moment, the Era Immortal King took a deep breath and slowly said, ”How did this come into your possession?”

Fang Chen smiled and put the gourd away. ”In the Spirit God Sect, which First-Rate Sect Leader do you follow?”

The Era Immortal King frowned. ”What? I don’t understand what you’re saying. The Spirit God Sect rises and falls as one.”

Fang Chen shook his head gently. ”Immortal King Huang Chan is a follower of Wang Chongsong, or at least... someone friendly with Wang Chongsong’s faction. Wang Chongsong doesn’t want to see Ancestor Li Xiao ascend to an Immortal King, as that would affect Huang Chan’s status here. That means Li Xiao’s faction is at odds with Wang Chongsong’s.

”He’s having Qin Hucheng and Gai Wu do all these things, clearly not wanting his plans to be uncovered by Song Zhili. It also suggests Li Xiao is probably... a cultivator from Song Zhili’s faction because he only follows his orders.”

The Era Immortal King’s eyes widened slightly as he suppressed his shock. He hadn’t expected Fang Chen to find out so much in such a short time.

He even knows about Song Zhili?

The Era Immortal King suddenly grew curious about the situation outside.

Fang Chen smiled. ”I’ve thought it over and can’t help but feel you’re from neither Wang Chongsong’s faction nor Song Zhili’s. So, there must be at least one more First-Rate Sect Leader in Central Continent within the Spirit God Sect, and that’s the one you follow.”

The Era Immortal King let out a soft sigh. ”You already know so much. If I were to tell you which sect leader I follow, would you be willing to let me go? After all, I’m just a wandering soul now and pose no threat to you.”

”Go on, tell me. It’s unlikely I’ll let you go, but like Qin Hucheng, I could arrange a separate courtyard for you to live out your days.”

The Era Immortal King fell silent for a few moments. Then he said, ”I follow the sect leader of the Fire Incense Sect.”

”You’re lying. The First-Rate Sect Leader of the Fire Incense Sect is surnamed Xun. He belongs to the Central Continent’s royal family and is Elder Xun’s senior brother.” Fang Chen shook his head. ”You’d better stay here for now. I hope next time we meet, you’ve thought things through.”

With that, Fang Chen turned and left.

The Spirit God Sect cultivators in the prison exchanged glances but said nothing.

The Era Immortal King watched Fang Chen go. Once Fang Chen was out of sight, he let out a cold laugh.

Du Yunxu silently followed Fang Chen out of the prison and whispered, ”Monarch Shentu said there might be some issues with Liu Xuan, the Left Household Official of the Underworld Official Division. The one who hired someone to assassinate you might have connections to him. But it’s unclear whether he was acting on behalf of the Spirit God Sect or trying to frame the Judgement Division to give the Underworld Official Division an opportunity to emerge.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Let him continue investigating.”

Then he put on a small smile. ”Send more men to Yong’an City in the Central Continent.”

Du Yunxu’s gaze wavered. ”Who’s the target?”

Fang Chen said calmly, ”The emperor of Central Continent and the sect leader of the Incense Sect.”

He paused, then he added, ”Keep a close watch on him. Report immediately if there’s any unusual activity.”

”Yes.”

***

Fang Chen returned to the small courtyard where Xing Jintuo stayed and left with Fairy Yu. Outside the residence, many martial artists hoping to take Xing Jintuo as their master kneeled on the ground to express their sincerity.

When they saw Fang Chen and Fairy Yu, surprise flashed across their faces. They quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at the couple. Instead, they watched the couple out of the corner of their eyes.

Cultivators at the Soul Splitting Realm of the Great Expansion Dao Sect noticed and immediately followed the couple. They had been trailing the couple for two or three years and had no idea how much longer they would have to do this for.