Immortal of the Nine Realms

The Enlightenment Realm cultivators clearly held no respect for Hua Yunfeng and the others. In fact, their gazes were laced with subtle mockery.

Hua Yunfeng gave a heavy smile. ”Tell Daoist Hong that the Qingyu Immortal Sect is here to take back our mountain.”

The Enlightenment Realm cultivators were slightly taken aback. The leader swept his eyes over the group, his expression turning odd.

”Haven’t you tried before? Why are you coming again?”

Hua Yunfeng coldly replied, ”What does a mere Enlightenment Realm cultivator like you understand? Just relay the message and don’t overstep.”

That cultivator’s face darkened, but he nodded. ”I will go and report this. Please do not approach any further and wait for Elder Hong’s decision.”

With that, the cultivators swiftly left, flying toward the mountain to deliver the message.

”The Hongli Immortal Sect’s disciples are getting more and more disrespectful.” Hua Yunfeng chuckled lightly and glanced at Fang Chen. ”I ask that you do your best in reclaiming our sect’s dignity. The ancestor has high hopes for you. The fact that you have made it to the Upper Three Realms shows that you are one of the elite in your realm. Your methods must be extraordinary.”

Instantly, the eyes of the middle-stage and lower-stage cultivators turned toward Fang Chen, their expressions shifting. There was less disdain, more anticipation.

Fang Chen was indeed likely to be extraordinary. Anyone who could make it to the Upper Three Realms from the Lower Six Realms was no ordinary person. Maybe he could help the Qingyu Immortal Sect regain its honor.

This mountain, stretching from the foot to halfway up the peak, was dotted with countless buildings, cave dwellings, and numerous markets of all sizes. If they were successful in seizing the mountain, just collecting rent would bring significant profits!

The Qingyu Immortal Sect already had many spiritual mountains of its own, but the sect was just too crowded, and resources were running thin. Gaining one more mountain would allow them to settle at least five hundred more cultivators.

Almost everyone aboard the Immortal Boat today was hoping for new opportunities. If this mountain returned to the Qingyu Immortal Sect, they would surely receive priority in taking residence.

Sensing the shift in their gazes, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but sigh. Hua Yunfeng’s flattery was clearly setting Fang Chen up. The more he praised him now, the more embarrassing it would be for Fang Chen when he failed.

The Qingyu Immortal Sect’s vessel was a standard-issue Immortal Boat, marked with a special rune seal. The seal was a huge blue feather. Once the ship stayed for more than an hour, more and more cultivators started to notice its presence.

”Isn’t that the ship from Qingyu Immortal Sect?”

”They’re here again? I remember that twenty years ago, this mountain already belonged to the Hongli Immortal Sect. They even changed its name to Black Phoenix Mountain.”

”Perhaps Qingyu Immortal Sect has a Dao Union Realm elder who has made progress in their cultivation and intends to take back Black Phoenix Mountain from the Hongli Immortal Sect?”

In the markets scattered around the base of the mountain, rogue cultivators pointed at the Immortal Boat above, speculating endlessly.

”Since this place is called Black Phoenix Mountain, you should know why it was named so. Senior Hong, in particular, has one of the rarest true bodies in the cultivation world—the Black Phoenix True Body. The techniques of the Hongli Immortal Sect are several times more powerful in her hands.”

”Let’s put it this way, even if a nine-tribulations, perfection Dao Union Realm came personally, they wouldn’t be a match for Senior Hong. Only a Tribulation Realm cultivator could do it.”

”That’s true. I’ve been here for nearly a hundred years. I saw with my own eyes how Qingyu Immortal Sect was driven out of here. Tsk tsk, several grand-completion stage Dao Union Realm cultivators took turns to battle, but they couldn’t last more than a few moves in front of Senior Hong. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought she was fighting against a bunch of Fusion Realm cultivators.”

The voices around weren’t loud, but they were just enough for everyone aboard the Immortal Boat to hear clearly. Their expressions soured. They had really lost all dignity the last time, and no one had dared bring it up for many years. If not for their ancestor wanting to appoint Fang Chen as an elder of the sect, this matter would’ve remained buried.

”She’s really quite arrogant,” scoffed Hua Yunfeng coldly. ”She’s making us wait here for so long. I think we should stop waiting and just enter the mountain.”

Zhang Chen quickly waved his hand. ”No, no, if we act disrespectfully, it’ll be our fault. Seizing a mountain has its rules. When she came to seize the mountain back then, she was very respectful.”

Fang Chen glanced at Zhang Chen. ”If she doesn’t respond, are we supposed to wait forever?”

”At most three months. If there’s no response in three months, we will just enter the mountain,” replied Zhang Chen with a smile.

”This period allows for the cultivators stationed on the mountain to have time to respond, as they may be in seclusion. With this three-month window, their sect can send another Dao Union Realm cultivator to guard the mountain.”

”Seems quite proper.” Fang Chen nodded with a smile. ”Since there’s nothing else to do, I’ll go rest for a while.”

He briskly walked to a corner of the Immortal Boat, sat down with his eyes closed, and entered a meditative state.

Hua Yunfeng chuckled. ”Grasping at straws at the last minute?”

The others thought that Fang Chen was nervous about the upcoming battle, which was why he was acting this way.

What they didn’t know, however, was that Fang Chen’s divine soul had already quietly left his body, heading straight toward Black Phoenix Mountain.

***

At the peak of Black Phoenix Mountain, the scene was a stark contrast to the lower and middle parts of the mountain. Here, the spiritual energy was several times denser, and it surged more rapidly.

The cultivators on the peak wore the robes of the Hongli Immortal Sect, clearly distinguishing them from the rogue cultivators in the lower areas.

Fang Chen’s divine soul swept past a group of Hongli Immortal Sect cultivators, overhearing their conversation.

”Qingyu Immortal Sect is back to seize the mountain again. This is too funny.”

”Who’s here this time? Is it Hua Yunfeng? I heard that guy is decently talented. When he advanced to Dao Union, he was even younger than Elder Hong.”

”Yeah, it should be Hua Yunfeng. But no matter how talented he is, it doesn’t matter. Elder Hong has the Black Phoenix True Body. Below Loose Immortality, the Black Phoenix True Body has an overwhelming advantage. Unless Hua Yunfeng can duplicate himself, he has no chance of winning.”

Hearing their discussion, Fang Chen was intrigued. From the looks of it, they are really confident in Little Immortal Honglian’s strength. I wonder if she’s one of the people I’m looking for. I hope she doesn’t disappoint me.

Fang Chen’s divine soul flickered and appeared inside a grand hall.

There were seven or eight figures inside. Aside from a voluptuous, mature woman, the rest were all Dao Union Realm cultivators. The woman, on the other hand, was a first-transformation Loose Immortal.

Fang Chen’s brows lifted. There’s a Loose Immortal stationed here? No... it looks like she’s just passing by. Perhaps she’s here to give Little Immortal Honglian some instructions.

Fang Chen’s gaze swept the group, and he quickly identified a woman among the Dao Union Realm cultivators. She was dressed in a tight-fitting crimson robe, her hair styled in an elaborate updo. Strange markings extended from her chin down her neck.

This should be Little Immortal Honglian.

At that moment, the voluptuous woman spoke nonchalantly. ”In recent years, the Spirit God Sect has been unusually active around here. You all need to be more vigilant and see what they are truly planning.”