Immortal of the Nine Realms

Nie Changkong and Su Ze had yet to recover from the shock of the Young Mountain Lord’s death when they heard Fang Chen’s question. Instinctively, they exchanged a glance and then nodded firmly.

”We came here today indeed to seek the path of Ghost Gods,” Nie Changkong admitted, though his expression turned a bit strange. ”But... what must we give in return to walk this path?”

There was no such thing as a free meal in the world. As second-transformation Loose Immortals, they understood this principle well.

Nie Yunqian said bluntly, ”Father, Elder Su, once we step onto this path, we must follow the lord’s commands and work under him.”

”Follow his commands?”

Hearing that, everyone was startled. A look of reluctance soon appeared on their faces.

Fang Chen was a total stranger they had just met. Following his commands so suddenly almost felt like they were signing away their lives. It was a very steep price.

”Yunqian, I’ve spent my life pursuing the path of Ghost Gods, but that doesn’t mean I want to sign a contract of servitude,” one first transformation Loose Immortal said, frowning slightly. ”There may be other ways to walk this path.”

Nie Yunqian immediately understood that her uncle didn’t want to sell himself simply because Fang Chen’s identity wasn’t convincing enough.

She furrowed her brows and softly tried to persuade him. ”Uncle, you know that the Yin Holy Sect has sought this path for years, yet no one has ever succeeded. The decree... it’s been lost in the Underworld for generations. Legends say that only that person can write them... This is a rare chance. If you miss it, even regret might come too late.”

Everyone was slightly stunned. As they recalled the origins of the decree, their expressions changed.

Nie Changkong looked at Fang Chen with uncertainty and asked, ”Fellow Daoist, is the decree on Yunqian... from Monarch Yan?”

”According to the stories,” Su Ze murmured, ”Monarch Yan died many years ago. Afterward, the Underworld fragmented, leading to the rise of the Floating Pagoda Realm, the Lesser Underworld...”

He paused and added, ”But some time ago, while roaming the Underworld, I heard rumors... that someone has inherited the legacy of Monarch Yan and become the new Monarch Yan.”

”A new Monarch Yan has appeared?!”

The first-transformation Loose Immortal who had hesitated to pledge loyalty earlier was astounded, and he quickly looked at Fang Chen with a grave look.

If this person was indeed the new Monarch Yan, then following him was hardly a humiliation. Rather, it was a priceless opportunity.

In the golden age of the Underworld, every Yin Demon’s ultimate dream was to receive a decree and gain a proper, orthodox status. It was just like how commoners in the mortal world dreamed of becoming nobles.

At that moment, a sudden voice came. ”His reign is not yet secure. Let’s not speak too loudly of such things, lest we draw unnecessary attention.”

Everyone instinctively turned toward the source of the sound and saw that Stone Dragon, Tai Yin Dragon King, and others had quietly arrived.

”And you are?” Nie Changkong asked.

Stone Dragon, Tai Yin Dragon King, and others revealed a brief flash of decree over their bodies. Though the light vanished in an instant, it was more than enough to shock everyone present.

”If we... refuse the decree today... can we still leave alive?” Su Ze suddenly asked.

Fang Chen looked at him and smiled. ”You can’t.”

Everyone immediately understood that there was only one possible outcome from this encounter.

A look of apprehension appeared on their faces, and many turned to look at Nie Yunqian.

However, Nie Yunqian showed no signs of guilt. Instead, she said calmly, ”Father, Elder Su, anyone with sense would know what choice to make. The lord may not yet have the full power of his station, which is why he still needs us. But once he reigns supreme in the Underworld... people like us probably won’t even catch his eye.”

”That’s true. Since you’ve already received a decree, as your father, I can’t fall behind,” Nie Changkong said as he nodded. He turned to Su Ze. ”Don’t hesitate. This opportunity is too rare. This is what they call joining the dragon’s cause.”

Joining the dragon’s cause!

Everyone’s heart stirred at those words. Their breathing grew a little heavier.

Though Fang Chen had never openly claimed anything, it was increasingly obvious. He had likely inherited the mantle of Monarch Yan.

Since ancient times, the entire Underworld had been ruled by Monarch Yan. If the Underworld were compared to the Immortal Realm, then Monarch Yan’s status would equal that of the supreme Celestial Emperor.

With the gates to the Immortal Realm closed shut and everyone forced to tread the rogue path, who would refuse a being who ruled over such power?

”What must we do?” Su Ze asked Fang Chen.

Fang Chen smiled. ”Nothing. Just stand still.”

An hour later, all of them, Nie Changkong, Su Ze, and the rest, received decrees from the Yin Soldier lineage.

Tai Yin Dragon King secretly sighed in relief. Had he joined Fang Chen’s cause at this moment, he too would’ve only been eligible to become a Yin Soldier. Thankfully, he had joined much earlier, allowing him to become a Day Walker, a rank above Yin Soldiers!

A first-transformation Yin Soldier decree consumed around 2,500 years of Yin lifespan, and a second-transformation Yin Soldier decree consumed around 5,000 years. Based on that, Fang Chen estimated that to grant a decree to a second transformation Day Walker or Night Walker, he would need at least 10,000 years of Yin lifespan per person.

He sighed inwardly. Luckily, when I received Monarch Yan’s Seal, I gained some foundation in the Underworld. Otherwise, I’d be helpless here.

As of now, Monarch Yan Token had roughly eighty thousand years of Yin Lifespan. He wouldn’t need to worry in the short term.

On their way back, a first-transformation Loose Immortal said to Nie Changkong and Su Ze, ”My lifespan is nearly depleted. Once I return to the Mortal Realm, I’ll abandon my physical body and step onto the Ghost Gods’ Path.”

Everyone exchanged excited glances.

This was the essence of the Ghost God’s path. For so many years, the Yin Holy Sect had sought this path because they feared that after decades of cultivation, they would simply die when their lifespan ended, reduced to wandering, insignificant ghosts.

That would make all their efforts completely meaningless.

”We’ve never practiced the Ghost Gods’ path, nor received a decree. Now that you’re discarding your body, it’s the perfect test to see whether these decrees are real,” Nie Changkong said with a nod.

Everyone grew increasingly eager. Upon returning to the Yin Holy Sect, they immediately visited the Loose Immortal’s cave residence.

They watched as his physical body began to decay.

All were nervous, including Nie Yunqian.

She stared at the corpse, eyes wide, waiting.

However, she soon frowned, as no change seemed to have taken place.

Su Ze frowned too. ”Could it be... fake?”

”Impossible,” Nie Yunqian said. ”I’ve seen those Ghost Gods act in the mortal world with my own eyes. It can’t be fake. As long as Uncle Zhang steps onto the path, he will become a Ghost God.”

Just as doubt began to creep in, a figure suddenly rose from the decaying body. It took one step forward, and its spectral form gradually solidified until it looked nearly identical to a living person, only its Yin aura was even more powerful than before.

Nie Changkong and the others were overwhelmed with emotion. They immediately gathered around to inspect him closely.

”I knew the lord wouldn’t deceive us,” Nie Yunqian said with a faint smile.

Now, even if they died in the Mortal Realm, they would not truly perish.

This... this is immortality.