Immortal of the Nine Realms

In Jiangguang City, after handing the half-dead, zombie-like Song Zhili over to Empress Ci, her team gained yet another gong-beater. Sun Gu stood there with a blank face, while Zhao Yunlu and his son, Zhao Mingxua, stood beside him.

Seeing Fang Chen about to leave, Zhao Yunlu quickly cupped his hands. ”Your High—”

The word had not even fully left his lips when a red sleeve swept over, striking his mouth hundreds of times in an instant. The blows forced him to swallow everything he was about to say, left his vision swimming with stars, and his head throbbing.

Fang Chen smiled and said to Empress Ci, ”You’ve met the rest of my avatar, right?”

Empress Ci nodded immediately. ”I have.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Good. In the future, they may come here to deliver messages for me. Since you’ve all met, I won’t linger.”

With that, he went to the residence of his nine avatars. Looking at the various forms before him, Fang Chen spoke softly. ”Return to the Dao.”

The incarnations instantly transformed into their respective Dao and merged back into his body.

***

In Grand Xia, at the iceberg, Fang Chen, the old flood dragon, and Li Wuwang had been waiting for nearly half a year. Finally, Huang Wuji emerged from the iceberg, having stabilized his cultivation at the fourth transformation.

For an instant, the sharp sword intent radiating from him was so intense that even the Old Flood Dragon was moved, instinctively raising a shield of immortal essence to protect himself and Fang Chen.

”fourth transformation...” muttered Li Wuwang.

A flash of excitement passed through his eyes as he subconsciously stepped toward Huang Wuji, then halted.

From a distance, Li Changsheng and the others looked solemn. From this Deputy Division Master, they could feel a vastness unlike anything before. Even Li Wuwang in his prime was far inferior to the current Huang Wuji, proving that his progress in the way of the sword was truly immense.

Fang Chen cupped his hands and smiled. ”Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Huang, on reaching the fourth transformation.”

The old flood dragon and Li Wuwang also offered their congratulations.

Huang Wuji took a deep breath and cupped his hands toward Fang Chen. ”Thank you, lord, for granting me the immortal medicine, allowing me to finally take the step that countless sword cultivators cannot.”

”How do you feel now?” Li Wuwang asked eagerly.

He had imagined countless possibilities for a fourth-transformation Sword Immortal, but only upon reaching that realm could one understand its profundity.

”My sword domain has improved more than tenfold, and my immortal sword... birthed a spirit,” answered Huang Wuji.

He raised his right hand, and an immortal sword condensed in midair.

”Master, are these your friends?” came a childish voice.

The next moment, Little Sword flew out from within Fang Chen’s body and began circling Huang Wuji’s sword.

Sensing something, Huang Wuji’s sword suddenly cried out in joy. Then, a wave of aura surged from it toward Little Sword, as if trying to devour it.

Startled, Little Sword darted back into Fang Chen’s body, protesting, ”Little Chen, it wants to eat me!”

Huang Wuji quickly restrained his sword’s actions, while he and Li Wuwang exchanged a complex glance.

Fang Chen’s flying sword’s sword embryo was the same one stolen long ago from the Void Immortal Sword Sect. Thinking back now, this embryo had to have a special origin; otherwise, how could it have ended up in Fang Chen’s hands?

”Its aura is still weak... yet it has already become a spiritual treasure,” Li Wuwang murmured to himself.

”You must not be rude. This is my lord. His immortal sword holds a status above yours. If you are rude again, not even I can protect you,” Huang Wuji said sternly to the sword.

”Got it, got it...” answered the childlike voice in haste.

It sounded a bit timid, its earlier excitement gone.

So the ”weak little one” was actually of higher status than itself....

The Old Flood Dragon couldn’t resist coming closer to examine it, nodding now and then, a trace of envy deep in his eyes. ”Interesting. An immortal sword awakening a spirit. That means your weapon has directly become a spiritual treasure.”

Even he didn’t have a spiritual treasure. In the Nine Realms, such items were rarer than immortal medicine.

”So it’s true, a fourth transformation Sword Immortal can make their life-bound sword awaken a spirit.” Li Wuwang sighed softly. ”I’ve missed that opportunity.”

For a sword cultivator, having their life-bound sword awaken into a spiritual treasure was a tremendous boost. Not to mention that his sword domain had grown tenfold more powerful compared to the third transformation. The difference in strength was staggering, beyond anything he could imagine.

Li Wuwang judged that if he fought Huang Wuji now, he could defeat him in a single move.

Fang Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. ”The sword awakening is probably unrelated to cultivation alone. It must be tied to the Golden Soul Flower. If every fourth transformation could awaken a spirit, the supremacy of the sword path would need no further proof.”

At that moment, Little Sword’s voice rang in Fang Chen’s ear. ”Little Chen, I should improve as well. To have some newly awakened spiritual treasure flaunting itself before me, it’s unbearable.”

”You should indeed improve,” Fang Chen agreed.

”Unfortunately, now that I must hold this post, I won’t be able to test the power of my immortal sword anytime soon,” Huang Wuji murmured to himself.

”There will be a chance,” Li Wuwang comforted him.

Fang Chen smiled and said, ”Who says you won’t be able to test your sword? You must stay here, yes—but there’s something I need you and the old dragon to do together.”

Huang Wuji’s eyes lit up. ”Who do we kill?”

”Myriad Immortals Palace’s Xie Zian,” answered Fang Chen

”Count me in!” Li Wuwang said immediately.

Though the Great Desolate Immortal had ordered the destruction of the Heavenly Sword Division, it was the Myriad Immortals Palace that struck the blow. Killing Xie Zian would be revenge for the Heavenly Sword Division.

”Xie Zian will be returning to his ancestral home for a memorial. Apart from him, there will be some Loose Immortals from the Xie Clan. When you act, avoid their notice so all blame falls upon the Great Desolate Immortal.”

Fang Chen looked at the old flood dragon, a sly smile on his face. ”Since he walks the path of a Blood Flesh Demon Immortal, the final killing blow will have to come from you....”

The old flood dragon nodded lightly. ”Just leaving a trace of aura? Easy enough.”

Everyone understood Fang Chen’s intent. Huang Wuji would be the main force, but the decisive move lay with the old flood-dragon.

”Li Wuwang, you can’t help with this one, so best not join the fun,” Fang Chen said with a faint smile.

Li Wuwang didn’t protest, only nodded silently. If he were already at the fourth transformation, he could have personally crushed Xie Zian. Becoming a Ghost God had dulled his obsession with cultivation, but today that flame was reignited.

If he didn’t advance soon, he would only fall further behind.

***

The Three Thousand Dao.

There were still more than two months before Xie Zian’s memorial, so there was no rush.

Fang Chen called out again, ”Condense the Dao.”

At his light command, his avatars manifested before him.

”Find a place to cultivate,” Fang Chen instructed.

The nine of them scattered. Some went to Dao Palaces, others simply found a spot nearby to sit and cultivate.

Little Sword was already impatient, flitting around Fang Chen.

”These years, I’ve collected plenty of treasures for you. They should keep you fed for a while. Remember to pace yourself so you don’t take in more than you can digest,” said Fang Chen with a smile.

He waved his hand, and a collection of treasures appeared before Little Sword. Most were Spirit Imprint treasures, but there were also three Immortal Imprint treasures. If Little Sword could digest them, reaching the Seventh, perhaps even the Eighth Rank, would be easy.