Immortal of the Nine Realms

Xu Changshi’s ancestor had been a sixth-transformation Loose Immortal, and he was slain by Wang Chongsong.

Ever since, Xu Changshi had made it his mission to suppress and oppose all cultivators of the Heavenly Saint Sect. According to Chen Lingding, he barely even bothered with his official duties anymore and was just doing the bare minimum to keep up appearances.

While Fang Chen was sizing up Xu Changshi, the latter was likewise assessing Fang Chen.

After a dozen breaths passed, he finally broke the silence with a faint chuckle. ”You, a Killing Spiritual Division cultivator, dare come to Longdan Star to meet me? Aren’t you being a little too bold? If not for Chen Lingding’s introduction, do you know that the moment you set foot here, you would’ve been subdued?”

Fang Chen replied with a smile, ”I have news about Wang Chongsong, and I know a bit about Song Zhili’s recent movements. Chen Lingding told me you’re quite interested in those two. If you want to hear it, let’s talk. If not, I’ll leave right now.”

”Wang Chongsong? Song Zhili? Never heard of them.”

Before he could finish pretending ignorance, his expression darkened. Fang Chen had already turned to leave.

”Did I say you could go?” Xu Changshi snapped coldly.

Fang Chen’s voice turned sharp. ”Xu Changshi, I came here with sincerity. Don’t play your little games with me. I’ll ask one last time. Will you listen, or not?”

Outside the door, the Spirit God Sect cultivators exchanged glances, shocked.

Is this guy from the Killing Spiritual Sect a complete fool?Does he really dare speak to their superior like that? Or... does he have some hidden trump card?

Xu Changshi remained silent for a long while. Finally, he gave a cold snort. ”Sit.”

”Serve tea.”

Once Fang Chen sat down, a servant poured him a cup of tea and brought out some light snacks.

”You want me to deal with Song Zhili?” he said indifferently, eyes on his teacup. ”Has he pressed you so hard that you’ve got nowhere left to run?”

”Song Zhili is collaborating with Minor Immortal Realm,” replied Fang Chen calmly.

”If you truly have no options left, why not defect to our Spirit God Sect? That way I’d have a legitimate reason to help you deal with him.”

”Song Zhili is about to receive the immortal medicine for advancing to the fourth transformation.”

”...”

Xu Changshi set down his teacup. His gaze locked tightly onto Fang Chen.

Fang Chen smiled. ”Can we speak properly now? Spare me the nonsense. If you keep dragging this out, I just won’t say what you’re so eager to hear.”

”You said Song Zhili is working with the Minor Immortal Realm? Based on what?” Xu Changshi narrowed his eyes. ”Their Heavenly Saint Sect is a small-time sect. Why would anyone from the Minor Immortal Realm value him, let alone promise him an immortal medicine? Do you even understand how priceless such medicines are in the Nine Mortal Realms? Even someone like me, a third-transformation Loose Immortal, even if you gathered ten of us and combined our entire fortunes, without connections, we still couldn’t buy a single one!”

His expression grew grave.

Fang Chen said with a chuckle, ”Exactly. So if Song Zhili really ascends to the fourth transformation, the strength of the Heavenly Saint Sect will rise. And wouldn’t that make your vendetta against them a whole lot trickier? And most importantly, once he’s promoted, how would you address him the next time you meet? You’d have to call him ’Superior Officer,’ wouldn’t you?”

He added lightly, ”And let’s not forget, he still has Wang Chongsong backing him.”

”Tell me more. If you know the details of his deal with the Minor Immortal Realm and the information proves useful, I’ll go along with it. I’ll help you deal with Song Zhili. You and I, at this moment... we share a common target. Let’s call it a partnership.”

”You’ll have to ask Chen Lingding about the specifics,” said Fang Chen, sipping his tea.

Xu Changshi was momentarily stunned, his expression turning oddly suspicious. ”Didn’t you come here today at Chen Lingding’s request? Why would I still need to ask him about this matter?”

Fang Chen set down his teacup calmly. ”We’re just cooperating. He needed someone to pass a message, so I came. That’s all there is to it.”

”As for the specifics,” he added, ”you’ll need to discuss those directly with him. Whether you strike a deal or not, what’s that got to do with me? If I can’t withstand Song Zhili’s pressure, I can simply withdraw. I don’t even have any real feud with him.”

Fang Chen smiled faintly. ”The tea’s nice. I’ll be taking my leave.”

He turned and left.

A surge of energy flickered through Xu Changshi. He clearly considered striking, but after a few breaths, he forced it down. With a slight wave, he signaled the guards outside not to stop Fang Chen, allowing him to walk away unimpeded.

”Chen Lingding... I heard he died back then, then cultivated into a Grand Yin Demon in the Floating Pagoda Realm. His strength is supposedly on par with a first-transformation Loose Immortal.”

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and he bolted upright.

”Where is Chen Lingding located in the Floating Pagoda Realm?!”

However, Fang Chen had already left.

Xu Changshi’s expression turned ashen. ”Damn it. He didn’t even tell me the location. Looks like this so-called partnership wasn’t all that sincere.”

Annoyed, Xu Changshi considered backing out of the whole affair, letting Chen Lingding’s plan fall apart. But the thought of Song Zhili acquiring a fourth-transformation immortal medicine and the possible lead on Wang Chongsong’s whereabouts left him deeply unwilling to give up.

Grinding his teeth, he activated his own network of contacts and began making inquiries. Eventually, he managed to dig up Chen Lingding’s approximate location within the Floating Pagoda Realm.

He still had his doubts, of course. But the more he considered it, the less reason he found to suspect Chen Lingding of any deception, let alone having the strength to trap him. And seeing how casually Fang Chen had delivered the message, almost like an afterthought, most of those lingering doubts fade away.

***

Floating Pagoda Realm, Dangyin Mountain.

A towering Yin Demon, over a hundred zhang tall, sat at the forefront of a mountain range. His massive back leaned against the mountain, making him appear like a natural extension of the landscape itself, a living peak born alongside the mountain.

Beneath him lay a lake, his legs submerged up to the knees in its waters.

Beside the lake stood several figures. Among them was Chen Lingding.

”It’s been over ten years,” rumbled the Dangyin Mountain Lord, his voice deep as crashing stone. ”How exactly did my son die? You have yet to give me an answer.”

He looked down at the group before him like ants beneath a boulder. His skin was dark greenish-black, rough as mountain stone, mottled with patches of moss and lichen.

”The young mountain lord may have offended a powerful outsider,” said Chen Lingding, cupping his hands respectfully. ”To uncover the truth in a short time is extremely difficult. We beg you to grant us more time.”

”Isn’t your Spirit God Sect supposed to be all-powerful?” the mountain lord said coldly. ”Your people are everywhere, yet you can’t even explain how my son died. Why should I continue trusting you?”

His voice rumbled low and dark. ”At times, I wonder if it wasn’t your Spirit God Sect that killed my son.”

Chen Lingding’s expression shifted slightly. He quickly replied, ”Mountain Lord, what are you implying? Our sect and you have been partners for years. Haven’t we worked together all this time? We hold no grudge against the young lord and have no reason to harm him.”

”Lately, the souls of immortals you’ve been sending have grown fewer and fewer,” the Mountain Lord said flatly. ”And I’ve heard whispers... that a true god of the Underworld has appeared in the Floating Pagoda Realm.”

He narrowed his vast eyes. ”Don’t forget—I have people of my own here in Dangyin Mountain, not just yours. They’ve been gathering information for me.”

”I’ll ask you only once. Has a true god of the Underworld appeared?”

”Your Spirit God Sect is known for its intelligence network. Don’t insult me by claiming you don’t know.”