Immortal of the Nine Realms

Little Immortal Honglian glanced at the newcomer and nodded lightly. ”You’ve met Yu Wuxia, Daoist Qin?”

Qin Zhen nodded slightly, wearing a soft smile. ”Fifty years ago, I happened to bump into Yu Wuxia in a tea house, and we shared a cup of tea.”

Hearing that they were talking about one of the assessment’s favorites, many people gathered around.

”I didn’t expect you to know Yu Wuxia.”

”I wonder, how is Yu Wuxia’s temperament? Is he easygoing?”

Immortal Qingyu and the others only swept a glance over but paid no further attention.

Although they were technically all competitors, since they were from the same region, some communication wouldn’t hurt.

”Daoist Yu is quite approachable and well-mannered,” answered Qin Zhen. After a pause, he looked at Little Immortal Honglian and said, ”Daoist Hong, if we run into him during the assessment, how about I introduce you?”

Little Immortal Honglian shook her head. ”There’s no need. He and I won’t interact.”

Qin Zhen was momentarily stunned, but then he nodded casually. ”We were just discussing this. This assessment is extremely important to us, and there are many strong competitors. Before the situation becomes clear, since we all hail from the same place and have at least met before, we ought to team up and help each other.”

”Daoist Qin is right. Would you be willing to team up with us, Daoist Hong?”

”If we work together, one of us will surely become a disciple of the Enlightenment God Sect.”

Before coming here, many of them had already discussed an alliance. The only ones who hadn’t been contacted were the Honglian Immortal Sect and the Qingyu Immortal Sect.

These cultivators didn’t seem to know about the recent battles at Black Phoenix Mountain and were unclear about Fang Chen’s background. They only knew that a Dao Union Realm cultivator from the Lower Six Realms had arrived in the Qingyu Immortal Sect. So now, their focus was entirely on Little Immortal Honglian, hoping to rope her in.

Qin Zhen looked at Little Immortal Honglian earnestly, waiting for her response.

He had expected that she would at least consider the offer, but to his surprise, she shook her head.

”There’s no need,” said Little Immortal Honglian. ”I’ve already allied with Daoist Fang. We will help each other during the assessment. The two of us are enough. Any more would only drag us down.”

Her words openly expressed her disdain for Qin Zhen and the others’ abilities. This immediately caused a wave of discomfort among the Dao Union Realm cultivators present. The way they looked at Little Immortal Honglian was now tinged with anger.

But more than that, there was confusion.

Why would Little Immortal Honglian team up with this guy from the Qingyu Immortal Sect?

Qin Zhen noticed that Fang Chen had kept his eyes closed, and a thought flickered through his mind. He suppressed the trace of anger deep within and cupped his hands toward Fang Chen. ”I’ve heard of Daoist Fang before but hadn’t had the chance to greet you properly earlier. Please don’t take offense.”

Fang Chen cupped his hands in return. ”It’s no problem.”

Qin Zhen smiled. ”Since Daoist Hong is willing to ally with you during the assessment, that means she must recognize your strength. But as for us... in her eyes, we clearly have no value at all. It’s truly... a bit heartbreaking for us.”

Little Immortal Honglian’s brows furrowed slightly as she coldly glanced at Qin Zhen. ”It’s not that your strength has no value, but the gap between us is too vast. Even if we were to team up, we wouldn’t be able to coordinate well.”

”...”

A cold and aloof female cultivator from the Ninefold Tower, a sect comparable in background to Honglian Immortal Sect and Qingyu Immortal Sect, spoke icily. ”Daoist Hong, you’re being too confident. No matter how strong you are, could you really stand against hundreds of people by yourself?”

”I, along with Daoist Fang, might be able to stand against hundreds,” answered Little Immortal Honglian seriously, not noticing that the female cultivator was being sarcastic.

Fang Chen noticed this detail, and his thoughts stirred.

This one seems much easier to deal with than Fairy Yu....

Though Fairy Yu had received an imperial decree, Fang Chen couldn’t threaten her life to force her to speak. He could only have Empress Ci keep a close watch on her and wait for an opportunity later.

Little Immortal Honglian, however, was different. If there were a chance to make her walk the Path of Yin, he might be able to extract a lot of valuable information from her.

”Is that so...” Qin Zhen forced a smile. ”I wonder what impressive feats Daoist Fang has achieved, and why we haven’t heard of him before?”

”You flatter me, Daoist Hong. I just happen to have a few unique escape techniques. In terms of actual methods, I’m far inferior to all of you,” replied Fang Chen modestly.

Little Immortal Honglian was slightly startled but then fell silent, understanding Fang Chen’s intent.

Fang Chen’s humility gave the present Dao Union Realm cultivators an easy way out.

Qin Zhen casually asked, ”Daoist Fang, why do you keep your eyes closed? Are you practicing some special eye technique?”

Everyone focused on Fang Chen’s eyes.

Fang Chen opened his eyes and gazed at Qin Zhen with his grayish-white pupils.

”It’s not a special eye technique, just a pair of useless eyes.”

The crowd was surprised.

Despite his ruined eyesight, he was still walking the path of cultivation. And the fact that he’d climbed from the Lower Six Realms all the way to the Upper Three Realms made it clear that his origins were anything but simple.

The others had already formed their own guesses as to why Little Immortal Honglian chose to ally with him. Perhaps it was because she valued his background. He might even carry some powerful treasure.

”In any case, please think it over, Daoist Hong. We still have some time before we reach the destination for this trial,” said Qin Zhen, giving Little Immortal Honglian another glance before turning and leaving.

The other Dao Union Realm cultivators didn’t want to stay either, so they dispersed as well.

Little Immortal Honglian sent a voice transmission, ”You don’t need to hide your cultivation from them, Daoist Fang.”

After a pause, she continued, ”Apart from Yu Wuxia, there’s also the Demonic Insect Immortal Sect worth paying attention to. They practice a unique form of insect technique. Their methods are quite special. There are over three hundred Dao Union Realm cultivators from their sect participating, one of whom is named Lin Yuan. A few years ago, he refined the strongest blood insect in the entire Demonic Insect Immortal Sect.”

Through his conversation with her, Fang Chen learned that in the Upper Three Realms, there existed another path unknown in the Lower Six Realms—the Gu Immortal.

***

Roughly two months later, the Immortal Boat began slowing down.

Everyone aboard noticed a massive light barrier covering at least ten thousand miles, resembling an overturned pot that shielded the land beneath. Countless Immortal Boats were stationed nearby.

Directly above the light barrier, a platform had been formed using the power of metal, with many Loose Immortals standing on it.

Immortal Qingyu’s expression grew serious. ”This is the assessment ground chosen by the Enlightenment God Palace...Demonic Fiend Mountain Range?”

It seemed the Demonic Fiend Mountain Range contained something even he had to fear.

The dozens of Loose Immortals present exchanged knowing glances. None of them approached the platform formed from metal energy.

They didn’t have the qualifications. Currently, those standing on the platform were either examiners sent by the Enlightenment God Palace or significant figures from Langgui Constellation. It was likely that even Ancient Immortals were present.