Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen brought Song Zhili to Xia Ji’s office in the Hidden Guard Division, just in time to see several hidden guards coming out after reporting their news. They respectfully saluted Fang Chen. ”Lord.”

Fang Chen nodded and led Song Zhili inside. Seeing them, Xia Ji rose with a smile. ”Is the matter with Song Zhili resolved?”

Following behind, Song Zhili wore a complicated expression. The Hidden Guard Division had already taken an interest in his affairs. What was there to explain about his defeat this time?

It was not my fault!

”This is Fellow Daoist Song Zhili,” Fang Chen introduced.

Xia Ji sized him up a few times. ”Fellow Daoist Song is a third-transformation Loose Immortal and Wang Chongsong’s junior brother. He probably knows quite a few things. We should transfer him to the Judgment Division for a proper interrogation.

”The Judgment Division has that group of judges left behind by Monarch Shen. Their methods are flashy but effective. Few spirits can last more than a few days in their hands.”

Song Zhili’s face turned a little pale, but he hesitated to speak.

Fang Chen smiled. ”Fellow Daoist Song is now just an ordinary ghost, with no ties to the Mortal Realm. I doubt he’d still want to cover for the Spirit God Sect. Once he finishes explaining everything, he can live an ordinary life here in the Underworld. That would be a good ending for him.”

”Indeed, I have no more ties to the Spirit God Sect, nothing I can’t say.” Song Zhili nodded frantically. ”As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances. Now that I’m just a wandering soul, I can do nothing and needn’t concern myself with matters of the other realms. I only hope to live a peaceful life here.”

”Good.” Xia Ji nodded. He then called out to the outside with a smile. ”Xiao Ke, come in and take Fellow Daoist Song next door for a chat. Remember to serve him a pot of our signature Underworld Tea.”

Zhang Xiaoke came in, saluted Fang Chen and Xia Ji, then smiled invitingly at Song Zhili and led him to the next room.

Song Zhili glanced at Fang Chen, smiled, and followed Zhang Xiaoke out.

Xia Ji gave Fang Chen a look. ”Are you certain he’ll willingly tell us everything he knows, down to the last detail?”

Fang Chen smiled. ”Of course not. After Xiao Ke finishes questioning him, we’ll have the Judgment Division run through it again, then send him to the Yin Walker Division for Shen Tucang to question personally. After that, I’ll send him to Jiangguang City in the Floating Pagoda Realm and hand him over to Empress Ci. She’s quite adept at this.”

Xia Ji was silent for a few breaths before nodding. ”Let’s hope he can endure it. After going through that many times, he’ll probably end up like some Yin Walkers.”

Fang Chen instructed, ”After Song Zhili’s death, the Great Desolate Immortal and the Myriad Immortals Palace will probably fight. Once Ji Tianjun hears of it, he’ll likely step in as a mediator and speed up the process. Tell our people to keep watch. If he still doesn’t show up this time and only sends his Dao companion and younger brother, take them out.”

Xia Ji’s expression flickered. He mused, ”At that time, if Yu Tingzhai acts, we can push the blame onto the Myriad Immortal Palace?”

”Perhaps, but after these past incidents, even if there’s no trace left, it’ll still raise suspicion. They might not believe it. If they don’t, it could provoke a reaction from both the Great Desolate Immortal and the Myriad Immortals Palace, and we might face two fifth-transformation immortals,” Fang Chen replied. ”When the time comes, use another pretext to kill them. No need to force it onto the Myriad Immortals Palace.”

Xia Ji nodded, then smiled. ”We’ve clarified Emperor Qingque’s situation. He went to the Asura Sea this time to meet the elder of Xie Zhi, but was ambushed midway by Immortal Tulu, who was most likely a hired hand. He’s entangled in too much karma now that he stopped caring altogether. He has become one of the few cultivators in the Nine Realms willing to kill for a little gain.

”Their situation is dire, and the division master following him was badly wounded. If they die in the Asura Sea, the only lead will be Immortal Tulu.”

He continued, ”After we sent that list over, it did solve some problems. Emperor Qingque seems to have contacted certain elders in his clan. Our people saw Huang Daojing being taken away, and then Immortal Tulu’s group withdrew from the Asura Sea.”

”So, Fellow Daoist Qingque is out of danger for now?”

”For the moment, yes. But if the root problem isn’t solved, as long as he continues to lead this group of Xie Zhi cultivators, he’ll eventually face the same issues again,” Xia Ji concluded.

”This isn’t something that can be fixed quickly. Let’s see what methods Qingque uses later.” Fang Chen smiled. ”What about Xie Zian? Is there an opportunity to act?”

A faint smile crossed Xia Ji’s face. ”I was just about to tell you, Xie Zian will soon be presiding over the Xie Clan’s ancestral worship ceremony, held on the clan’s ancestral star, one long since depleted of spiritual energy.

”It’s the kind of place cultivators avoid, since lingering there drains their own spiritual energy. We’ve learned Xie Zian won’t bring Myriad Immortals Palace cultivators; only members of the Xie Clan will attend.”

”That’s a good opportunity. First Song Zhili dies at Yu Tingzhai’s hands, then Xie Zian dies at the hands of the Great Desolate Immortal. This is reasonable enough, right?”

”Reasonable indeed.” Xia Ji nodded with a smile. ”How will you make the Myriad Immortals Palace cultivators certain that Xie Zian was killed by the Great Desolate Immortal?”

”The Great Desolate Immortal is a Blood Flesh Demon Immortal. The old flood dragon is also a Blood Flesh Demon Immortal,” Fang Chen replied.

Xia Ji thought it over, a smile flickering in his eyes. ”That works, there should be no problem. Even if they figure it out afterward, it’ll be too late.”

”By the way, have you heard of the Enlightenment God Palace?” Fang Chen asked.

Xia Ji shook his head. ”Never heard of it.”

”It’s a force in the Upper Three Realms. I heard you need an invitation letter or a hefty amount of immortal crystals to enter the Upper Three Realms. We can’t afford the crystals for now, so we’ll have to try for the invitation letter. Keep an eye out for me.”

”An invitation letter to the Upper Three Realms? All right, I’ll have all the divisions watch for it. The Hidden Guard Division is still a bit understaffed. Give me another thousand or eight hundred years and such things will be easy.”

***

An hour later. ℴ

Zhang Xiaoke returned with Song Zhili, both wearing satisfied smiles.

Song Zhili had expected to be treated inhumanely this time, but to his surprise, they had been quite courteous. This completely put him at ease.

Zhang Xiaoke recorded everything he had been told and handed it to Fang Chen and Xia Ji.

After studying it for a while, they smiled at Zhang Xiaoke. ”Go inform Lord Jiang and have them send someone to invite Fellow Daoist Song over for a visit.”

”Yes.”

Zhang Xiaoke nodded and left.

”Lord Jiang?” Song Zhili was taken aback. ”Who is this Lord Jiang...?”

***

Half an hour later, in the depths of the Judgment Division’s prison came Song Zhili’s venomous, hate-filled roars and curses. ”You asshole! May you die a wretched death!”