Immortal of the Nine Realms

In Youhuan City, Qing Sui brewed tea for the young scholar sitting before him, then smiled and said, ”Please have some tea first. I’ve already passed on the message. If the lord wishes to meet you, he should be arriving soon.”

”No need to be so formal with me. In the Underworld, I’m a commoner, and you are an official.” Pu Yuanzhu lifted the teacup and took a sip, sighing. ”The tea here in the Underworld is indeed more nourishing than that of the Mortal Realm. It moistens the yin and nourishes the spirit.”

”Indeed.” Qing Sui smiled. ”Besides nourishing yin and spirit, this tea also increases Yin Lifespan. The tea I have here isn’t the best, but one year of Underworld Lifespan can buy ten jin, enough to last three to five years.”

He paused and glanced at Pu Yuanzhu up and down, finding the man rather familiar. He couldn’t recall where they had met.

Pu Yuanzhu suddenly smiled. ”Do you find me familiar?”

His gaze never met Qing Sui’s, yet it was as if he knew what Qing Sui was thinking.

Qing Sui did not hide his confusion and nodded, eyes filled with puzzlement. ”You do seem familiar. It feels like I met you years ago here, but I can’t recall the details.”

Pu Yuanzhu set down his teacup and smiled. ”It’s not that we met here in Youhuan City. Back when you just died, you were lost and confused, not knowing where to go. I happened to pass by and showed you the way.”

Suddenly, Qing Sui’s memories surged back. The image of the man before him became clearer in his mind until it merged with a distant memory. He quickly stood up and cupped his fists in salute, ”So it was you, mister!”

His eyes were full of gratitude. If not for this gentleman, he would never have come to Youhuan City, let alone reunited with his brothers, gotten married, and been with his beloved.

Qing Sui’s eyes carried a trace of confusion. ”But mister... why did I forget your face? If not for your reminder, I wouldn’t have remembered at all...”

According to his memory, there was no reason to have forgotten his benefactor’s appearance.

Pu Yuanzhu smiled and said, ”I simply don’t want you to remember, that’s my personal habit. Don’t think too much about it. The fewer people who know me, the better it is for both them and me.”

”Mr. Pu, it’s been quite a few years since we last met, hasn’t it?” said a new voice.

Qing Sui and Pu Yuanzhu both looked toward the door as Fang Chen entered the hall, accompanied by Shentu Cang and Du Yunxu.

”Lord,” Qing Sui greeted respectfully, stepping beside Fang Chen.

Fang Chen smiled and nodded. ”No need for formalities. You all may leave first.”

Shentu Cang and Du Yunxu exchanged a glance. Although they had some doubts about Pu Yuanzhu’s identity, they still obeyed Fang Chen’s instructions and stepped outside.

”Senior Yun...shall I hand over this Underworld to you now?”

Pu Yuanzhu looked at Fang Chen with some admiration. ”You were so young back then. Now you command the many divisions of the Underworld. You’ve completely cut off Spirit God Sect’s channels for passing messages in the Minor Underworld.”

”Mister Pu, I have some questions I’m curious about, but more importantly, I want to know why you’ve appeared today?” Fang Chen smiled.

Pu Yuanzhu said quietly, ”It’s nothing urgent. A big shot has arrived from the Killing Spiritual Division. Someone I dare not offend. He specifically requested to see you, so I’ve been sent to deliver the message. Whether or not you meet with him is up to you.”

After a pause, he said, ”This matter might be related to Song Zhili. There are advantages to meeting him, but there are also advantages to not meeting.”

Fang Chen was momentarily taken aback, surprised.

A big shot from the Killing Spiritual Division?

Over the years, in his view, the Killing Spiritual Division had been exhausted from their battle with the Spirit God Sect and was severely understaffed. Otherwise, Pu Yuanzhu wouldn’t have been so decisive back then, leading the Divine Dao Sect to withdraw from Tuxiong Star.

The spirit stones needed for that kind of operation weren’t trivial. It just showed that the core members of the Killing Spiritual Division had been so depleted they couldn’t afford more losses, which is why Pu Yuanzhu was so resolute.

Now, however, this so-called big shot had appeared.

Given Pu Yuanzhu’s status, if he considered someone a big shot, that person would not be Song Zhili. He simply didn’t qualify. That left only a fourth or fifth-transformation Loose Immortal at the very least.

Fang Chen asked, ”Mister Pu, has the Killing Spiritual Division gained the upper hand against the Spirit God Sect in recent years?”

Pu Yuanzhu shook his head. ”Not exactly.”

”Then what is this big shot doing here?” asked Fang Chen, his curiosity growing. ”Why is this related to Song Zhili? He’s a Spirit God Sect cultivator. He shouldn’t have anything to do with the Killing Spiritual Division.”

Pu Yuanzhu hesitated for a moment before answering, ”That big shot didn’t tell me about the specifics. I’m only here to deliver the message. But... that person’s temper is somewhat unpredictable, and he is known to hold grudges. If you don’t meet him this time, maybe nothing will happen in the short term. But over time, some blades might be pointed secretly at Tuxiong Star.”

Fang Chen’s gaze hardened. He said nothing, quietly watching Pu Yuanzhu for a long moment before slowly speaking, ”Mister Pu, you mean to say this big shot insists on seeing me, and if I refuse, he’ll make trouble for me?”

”You can understand it that way,” replied Pu Yuanzhu, nodding.

Fang Chen snorted. ”The Killing Spiritual Division still has people like this? They’re already overwhelmed dealing with the Spirit God Sect, and yet they still mess around with these complicated schemes.”

”The fact that the Spirit God Sect has managed to plant so many spies inside the Killing Spiritual Division shows it’s not a solid unit. It’s just that the current situation is still stable, for now.”

Pu Yuanzhu got up and poured tea for both himself and Fang Chen. Holding the cup, he gazed into the clear tea and murmured softly, ”Sometimes, we have to grab the chestnuts from the fire. One small mistake, and we become vulnerable both inside and out.”

After a pause, he smiled faintly. ”Recently, many forces, including the Killing Spiritual Division, have been secretly investigating the identity of the Minor Underworld’s Fang Monarch Yan. Some guess it’s you while others deny it, believing you lack the ability to reform the Minor Underworld so quickly. You must have inherited something from Monarch Yan.

”Only I have already guessed that it’s you.. Keep this secret for now. Don’t let anyone else know. Too many eyes are watching you, to the point that it’s like the stars in the sky.”

”Thank you for the reminder,” said Fang Chen, smiling. ”In recent years, I have sensed that someone is trying to uncover my identity. Fortunately, I’ve been spending less and less time in the Minor Underworld. Instead, the Floating Pagoda Realm suits me better.”

Pu Yuanzhu was a little surprised. ”Aren’t you going to deny it? Are you just accepting it like that?”

Fang Chen laughed. ”What’s the point in denying it? Weren’t you the one who sent me to the Minor Underworld back then? You also know about Master Yun He’s matter. Clearly, you know more than I do.”

Pu Yuanzhu fell silent for a while, then gently shook his head. ”When did I ever send you to the Minor Underworld?”

Fang Chen was stunned for a moment. He called Shentu Cang from outside and ordered him to bring in the old abbot of Wolong Temple from back then.

The old abbot stood outside, glanced into the hall, then shook his head.

Seeing this, Shentu Cang took him back out.

Fang Chen looked at Pu Yuanzhu with a strange expression: ”The one who sent me back then was a crane demon. He said he was sending me to Wolong Temple as a favor from the Killing Spiritual Division.”

Pu Yuanzhu smiled. ”Looks like there’s still some misunderstanding between us. That crane demon wasn’t my man; he just used my name. This kind of thing happens a lot. But one thing you guessed right. I do have quite a deep understanding of the Minor Underworld.”

”Enough about that. Are you going to see this person or not? I need to go back and deliver the message.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Tell me the place and time. I will go.”