Immortal of the Nine Realms

The members of the Yin Holy Sect were visibly moved. They were staring intently at Nie Yunqian. It was almost as if they wished to tear her open and examine the source of the Imperial Decree up close.

Nie Changkong instinctively brushed aside the silver strands of hair in front of his eyes. With a tremor in his voice, he asked, ”Yunqian, this decree... where exactly did it come from?”

He was like a traveler lost in the desert laying his sight on a true oasis after much struggle. It was the yearning for a way out.

Su Ze shot Nie Changkong a glare. ”Don’t act like that. You’re scaring Yunqian.”

He then turned to Nie Yunqian with a gentle smile and said, ”Yunqian, tell Uncle Su, who gave you the decree that dwells within your body?”

”Yunqian, we’ve all watched you grow up since you were little. As your uncles and elders, you know how much we care for you, don’t you?”

The gathered first-transformation Loose Immortals all chimed in.

Nie Yunqian secretly let out a breath of relief. It seemed the Yin Holy Sect’s obsession with the path of Ghost Gods was just as she had expected. So far, there was no sign of the concern Yan Haoran had raised.

Nie Yunqian smiled and said, ”Father, Elder Su, I brought you all here today to meet the lord. In today’s Underworld, only he has mastered this path. Only he can lead us onto the Path of Ghost Gods.”

Nie Changkong and Su Ze exchanged a glance, their expressions slightly more serious.

”This person you call ’the lord,’ who is he?” asked Nie Yunqian.

The sudden appearance of a mysterious figure in the Underworld—one who had mastered the path of the Ghost Gods—left both Nie Changkong and Su Ze deeply uneasy.

This path was no trivial matter. Since ancient times, their lineage had whispered of Ghost Gods attaining true immortality. It was said that even true immortals struggled with the limits of lifespan, but only Ghost Gods could achieve eternal life.

Yet this path had been severed long, long ago. The calamity that ended it didn’t just affect the Underworld. It shook even the Immortal Realm. Since then, the gates to that road had remained shut.

Just as Nie Yunqian was about to continue, her expression suddenly shifted. She clasped her hands and bowed deeply toward the space behind the crowd.

”I pay my respects to you, my lord!”

Everyone’s eyes flickered, and they turned around. They saw a figure, slender and tall, draped in a faintly colored azure robe.

”He... doesn’t seem particularly remarkable?”

Nie Changkong and Su Ze exchanged another glance, a trace of doubt flickering deep in their eyes.

Nie Yunqian quickly stepped in front of Fang Chen to make introductions. ”Lord, this is my father, Nie Changkong, an elder of the Yin Holy Sect. This is Elder Su Ze, and these are my uncles.”

Fang Chen gave a faint nod. ”Greetings, all.”

”Our apologies for the earlier offense,” Nie Changkong and the others said in unison, cupping their hands in a respectful gesture.

Despite their respectful attitudes, there was still a fair bit of skepticism on their faces.

”Are... are you the lord Yunqian speaks of? She said you have mastered the path of Ghost Gods. Did the... decree within her body come from you?” asked Nie Changkong cautiously, trying to confirm Nie Yunqian’s claim for himself.

Hardly had Nie Changkong’s words fallen when the surrounding void stirred, and dark clouds of karma rolled in.

This sight shocked almost everyone present, as ordinary Yin Demons couldn’t even begin to absorb such energy, much less control it with ease.

Such a sight could only mean one thing. A great Yin Demon was approaching!

Nie Changkong immediately fell silent. Along with the others, he looked up solemnly toward the sky.

They had assumed this great Yin Demon was just passing through. But to their surprise, it seemed to sense Fang Chen’s presence. The black clouds quickly halted directly overhead. ℯ

It was an act of blatant disrespect.

Nie Changkong and Su Ze’s expressions turned cold.

In the Underworld, their strength equaled that of second transformation Yin Demons. Furthermore, the Yin Holy Sect possessed unique inherited arts.

They were capable of more than ordinary Yin Demons and considered themselves to hold some authority here.

”Who goes there? If you’re just passing through, be on your way. If you’re an acquaintance, show yourself. Standing there like that is quite rude,” Su Ze called out coldly.

”Nie Changkong, Su Ze... It’s been a while. You two seem to have grown bolder, how amusing,” a voice echoed from within the black clouds, carrying a trace of laughter.

Everyone was slightly startled. For the speaker to directly call out the names of the two elders meant they were clearly an acquaintance!

The moment Nie Changkong and Su Ze heard that familiar voice, their expressions shifted drastically. They already had a strong guess as to who it was.

The dark clouds dispersed quietly, revealing a mass of Yin Demons floating in the air.

These Yin Demons came in varied forms. Some were paper figures, like Xing Xian. Others had green faces and fangs, clearly having absorbed too much Yin Lifespan and mutated.

Most of their auras were weak. None had reached the level of great Yin Demons. However, at the center stood a unique creature. It was shaped like a giant bird, but with a carriage fused into its back. The carriage was not strapped to its back, but rather formed from the bird’s own flesh and blood.

The bird’s aura had reached the level of a first-transformation great Yin Demon. Inside the carriage sat a strikingly handsome youth with a chilling, sinister gaze.

He looked at Nie Changkong and Su Ze with a pleasant smile. The aura of a second-transformation great Yin Demon poured forth without restraint, forming a crushing pressure that left many struggling to breathe.

”So it’s the Young Master of Dangyin Mountain. Forgive our earlier rudeness. We hope the Young Master won’t take offense.” Nie Changkong and Su Ze quickly cupped their hands and bowed, their expressions turning cautious.

Fang Chen’s eyes flickered. Dangyin Mountain?

He recalled hearing the name mentioned by Tai Yin Dragon King. It was a gathering place for Yin Demons. It was also far stronger than Jiangguang City, commanding over a hundred cities just like it.

The Mountain Lord of Dangyin Mountain was said to be a fourth transformation expert!

”Lord, Dangyin Mountain’s strength is unmatched within a hundred-thousand-mile radius. They’re the dominant power in the region,” Nie Yunqian transmitted quietly, her tone slightly tense.

Still, she no longer felt the dread she once had. Ever since stepping onto the path of Ghost Gods, she had a pillar to rely on.

The Young Mountain Lord smiled faintly. ”You ghost cultivators didn’t stay put in Dangyin Mountain and instead wander so far afield... What business do you have here?”

Naturally, the two elders had no intention of revealing the truth. They laughed it off, hoping the incident would be brushed aside.

They simply wished he would move along and not linger here.

However, the Young Mountain Lord clearly sensed something unusual and had no intention of leaving. He smiled and said, ”I heard there’s a city nearby... It’s called Jiangguang City, where a powerful figure has emerged. Many Yin Demons have pledged loyalty to him. When my father learned of this, he sent me to investigate, just to see who this man really is. Don’t tell me... you’re headed there as well?”

”Jiangguang City?”

Nie Changkong and Su Ze looked puzzled, clearly unaware of its existence.

Nie Yunqian was shocked. So Dangyin Mountain already knows about Jiangguang City?

The Young Mountain Lord’s gaze brightened when he spotted Nie Yunqian, and his smile deepened. ”Huh, your daughter’s here too? Did you pass along my suggestion to her the last time we spoke? If you ghost cultivators want to live comfortably in the Floating Pagoda Realm, you’ll need to rely on us Yin Demons. It’s not just me you have to build good relations with. You need to maintain it with everyone else, don’t you think?”

Nie Yunqian blinked and looked at Nie Changkong in confusion. ”What is he talking about?”