Immortal of the Nine Realms

Li Shanzi naturally did not pay any attention to a minor figure like Fang Chen, but the scalding jade token on his person made him instinctively glance in Fang Chen’s direction.

In the next instant, Li Shanzi’s figure appeared soundlessly aboard Fang Chen’s Immortal Boat.

“You have an immortal herb on you?” he asked. “Which level is it for?”

Fang Chen’s eyes flickered slightly, and he directly took out the Bone Birth Azure Lotus.

“I don’t know what level this herb is for,” he said calmly.

The many Immortal Boats surrounding the Black Dragon halted together in the void. When the cultivators aboard saw the palm-sized lotus in Fang Chen’s hand, many of them drew sharp breaths.

“That’s a fourth transformation immortal herb.”

Li Shanzi’s gaze brightened slightly. He didn’t say which immortal path the herb belonged to, but he named its grade without hesitation.

“It can be exchanged at the Hall of Merits for 1000 immortal crystals. Seven parts go to the Palace, three parts to you. That’s 300 immortal crystals.”

“The 157th Ancient Forbidden Zone is in chaos right now. Carrying such a thing is far too conspicuous. As an emergency measure, hand it to me for now. After the battle ends, you can return to the Hall of Merits to claim your crystals.”

Lin Yuan blurted out, “What if we can’t claim them afterward? And who exactly are you...?”

“Impudence! This is a core cultivator of the Enlightenment God Palace! Would he lie to you?!”

Another figure appeared on their Immortal Boat. It was their boss, Lin Dong.

A core cultivator of the Enlightenment God Palace?

Lin Yuan and the others stiffened in shock and fell silent at once.

Li Shanzi said no more, took the Bone Birth Azure Lotus, and returned to the Black Dragon, leading the fleet onward toward the battlefield.

“Master,” Fang Chen said, bowing respectfully to Lin Dong.

“You did well,” Lin Dong said with an odd expression. “To think you found a fourth-transformation herb on your very first expedition. Truly, both talent and fortune converged. When we return, you can collect 300 immortal crystals.”

He glanced at Lin Yuan and the others.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “The Enlightenment God Palace is strict about its rules. Within those rules, no one will take your spoils. If you can’t trust his words, surely you can trust mine?”

“Of course...” Lin Yuan replied awkwardly, nodding.

“Master,” Fang Chen asked quickly, “what happened in the 157th Forbidden Zone? Why are so many people fighting?”

Although Li Shanzi had taken the Bone Birth Azure Lotus, Fang Chen considered it a blessing in disguise. The brief encounter gave him a reason to approach the man later.

“I’m not sure of the details,” Lin Dong said. “But it seems several Anomalies appeared in the Forbidden Zone. One or two of them are famous across the Upper Three Realms. They have extraordinary abilities.”

He added a warning, “Your cultivations are low. Stay close to us.”

With that, Lin Dong returned to his Immortal Boat.

Fang Chen’s heart stirred. Anomalies appeared?

If his previous speculations were correct, all the Anomalies in the Nine Mortal Realms shared a single goal. Everything they did was likely directed against the demons.

Could it be that something related to the demons has emerged in the 157th Forbidden Zone?

Fang Chen’s Essence Long Immortal Boat joined the great fleet heading toward the battlefield. He let Little Immortal Honglian control the boat while he observed the situation.

On the other side, within the Mysterious King Expedition Team, Wang Xuan withdrew his gaze from Fang Chen’s group and smiled faintly at Xu Qian.

“That little junior brother of ours is remarkably fortunate,” he said. “His first expedition, and he already found a fourth-transformation immortal herb. That must have broken the record for Expedition Star No.432.”

Xu Qian’s expression was equally strange. Thinking of how much merit and how many immortal crystals a fourth transformation herb could yield, she couldn’t help but gulp.

“Three hundred immortal crystals... Senior Brother, our Mysterious King Expedition Team has explored for years and never earned that much from a single find,” she murmured.

“That’s the thrill of exploration,” Wang Xuan said with a smile. “Our luck simply hasn’t come yet. Perhaps this time we’ll reap great rewards.

“If we perform well enough, we might even be invited to join Li Shanzi’s expedition team. That would be far more tempting than three hundred crystals.”

His eyes gleamed as he looked toward the Black Dragon Ark at the center of the fleet. To follow a core disciple was to witness firsthand their skills, and perhaps one day become one. ℯℯ𝑙.

Li Shanzi’s fleet numbered over a thousand Immortal Boats. When his Black Dragon reached the battlefield, what had looked like utter chaos to Yu Wuxia and the others suddenly became ordered and precise.

In less than an hour, several factions’ fleets had already begun to retreat.

Li Shanzi gathered the battered expedition teams that had just escaped the melee and pressed deeper into the heart of the 157th Ancient Forbidden Zone.

“So this is the power of a core disciple,” Yu Wuxia muttered. “He didn’t even make a move himself, yet he brought such a vast conflict under control.”

The ones who had fought were the elites Li Shanzi had summoned from various Expedition Stars. Even Lin Dong was inconspicuous among them. There were fourth-transformation immortals present, and even traces of fifth-transformation immortals.

One of the fifth transformation Immortals had annihilated over one hundred Immortal Boats with a single strike. It was brutal.

“Indeed,” Little Immortal Honglian said calmly. “To become a core disciple is to wield that level of power. They are able to command fifth transformation immortals at will.”

“No wonder my master once said that if I ever became a core disciple, he’d marry all three of his daughters to me,” Lin Yuan said with eyes full of envy. “But if I ever reach that height, I’d have no interest in his daughters. By then, I could choose any beauty in the world to be my Dao companion.”

Meng Qingling and Little Immortal Honglian both sneered coldly.

“Captain, what do we do next?” Yu Wuxia asked.

“Stay with the main fleet and observe,” Fang Chen said. “Don’t draw attention to ourselves. In a battle like this, even a first-transformation Immortal is needed to make a real difference. We’ll just wave the banners and stay alive.”

Everyone nodded in relief. They had worried that Fang Chen might overestimate their strength and try to stand out, which would have been suicidal.

“Senior Lin and the others are heading to that core disciple’s Immortal Boat for a council,” Lin Yuan said suddenly.

His sharp eyes had caught Lin Dong and several others flying toward the Black Dragon.

Only those at the third transformation and above were invited.

There are no sixth transformation immortals present, Fang Chen thought. So even a core disciple can’t command beings of that level.

The vast fleet began to slow as an Immortal Boat glided up alongside their own. It carried a single Tribulation Realm cultivator and a dozen Dao Union Realm subordinates. It was the entirety of its team.

The Tribulation Realm cultivator looked to be in his twenties. Smiling warmly, he cupped his hands toward Fang Chen.

“Fang Chen of Expedition Star No.432?”

“And you are?” Fang Chen replied, returning the salute.

“Yu Tiange of Expedition Star 431,” the man said with a polite smile.

“Captain,” Lin Yuan whispered through a voice transmission, “the jade token on his waist... It’s silver in color!”