Immortal of the Nine Realms

Lin Yuan muttered, ”He left like that? I thought he would take us around for a bit.”

Yu Wuxia glanced around, feeling at a loss. ”Which direction should we go?”

”Whatever, just take a look first. Once we start working here, we’ll naturally get familiar with the place,” said Meng Qingling.

”I think this Enlightenment Underworld is really huge, maybe bigger than anywhere we’ve been before.”

After some discussion, they looked at Fang Chen, clearly expecting him to decide.

”Let’s just wander. We’re only on the edge of the Enlightenment Underworld; the real core seems separated by a strong force.”

Fang Chen looked toward the city center. In that direction, he sensed an extremely heavy aura. That must be one of the core strongholds of the Enlightenment God Palace, and behind that aura might lie the truth he wanted to uncover.

***

Several hours later.

Lin Yuan stared at the bland noodles in his hand and couldn’t help but say, ”The food here has no flavor at all. How do they eat it with such delight?”

Nearby, wandering souls eating noodles in the noodle shop looked genuinely satisfied.

Meng Qingling rolled her eyes. ”Who told you to be curious and want to eat what the dead eat? We’re walking the Path of Yin—we’re not dead like them.”

Yu Wuxia said with a faint smile, ”There’s still a difference between the dead and the living. As long as you’re not dead, most things in the Underworld aren’t suitable for you. If you really want to know how tasty these noodles are, I’ll treat you to a bowl when you’re actually dead.”

”Bah! Don’t talk about dying! I am flourishing right now! I can live for thousands more years, you hear me!”

Lin Yuan put down his bowl of noodles and, following the noodle shop owner’s instructions, condensed a wisp of pure energy from half a day’s Yin Lifespan and handed it directly to the owner.

Lin Yuan shook his head. ”One bowl of noodles costs half a day’s Yin Lifespan. You really can’t buy things here recklessly.”

Fang Chen wore a faint smile. ”You really can’t buy things casually in the Underworld. Cultivators from the Lower Six Realms walk the Path of Yin to earn Yin Lifespan from others, not to spend their own.”

”Shaoze, you’re finally back! Hurry up, I found a gathering place of Yin demons. Let’s go rob it.”

”Any major Yin Demons there?”

”Nope, don’t ask so much. Hurry up! If others get there first, we’ll lose a huge amount of Yin Lifespan. Yin Lifespan means merit!”

Voices carried from outside the noodle shop. Everyone’s expressions shifted simultaneously as they looked outside, indeed seeing a familiar figure surrounded by several people walking away in the distance.

Lin Yuan glanced at the others. ”That’s Nanming Shaoze, right? The one who got soundly beaten by the captain, the golden jade token?”

Yu Wuxia and Meng Qingling nodded slowly. It was indeed Nanming Shaoze. Though he was currently in his divine soul form, his appearance was identical to his physical body. There was no mistake there.

Lin Yuan’s eyes lit up. ”What’s this about Yin Demons? Can they be exchanged for Yin Lifespan? For merit?”

Yin Lifespan was the lifespan of the soul, the foundation of everything in the Underworld. Hearing of a way to earn Yin lifespan, especially one that was linked to merit, how could that not spark interest?

They have a method here to turn Yin Demons into pure Yin Lifespan? And exchange it for merit... This means the Enlightenment Underworld is intentionally collecting Yin Lifespan. But is it for cultivation... or something else?

Thinking this, Fang Chen suddenly stood up and gave Lin Yuan and the others a look.

The three understood immediately and followed closely.

”Daoist Shaoze?”

Nanming Shaoze suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him, stopped, and turned with his companions. When he saw who it was, his expression instantly changed. Instinctively, he turned his head and kept walking.

Fang Chen and the three squeezed through the crowd to block Nanming Shaoze’s way.

”Daoist Shaoze, wait a moment.”

Nanming Shaoze forced a smile. ”Oh, it’s you. What a coincidence. What are you doing here?”

”Brother Shaoze, who’s this?”

The other Yin Walkers were curious who Fang Chen and the rest were.

Nanming Shaoze’s mouth twitched slightly, but he still made the introductions. ”Let me introduce him. This is Daoist Fang Chen. I once fought him in the Formless Purgatory.

He paused for a moment. ”His skill... far surpasses mine.”

His companions were shocked.

This person is really stronger than Nanming Shaoze?

A prodigy like him—born into a powerful clan, monstrously talented—was rare even across millennia.

Fang Chen casually brushed off the praise. ”Daoist Shaoze, you flatter me. It was just luck.”

He then asked, ”Where do you all plan to go now? It’s our first time walking the Path of Yin, and we don’t know this place well. If it’s convenient, could we join you?”

Convenient?

The others suddenly realized and nodded immediately. ”Of course it’s convenient. We’re planning to sweep a group of Yin Demons. If you’re not busy, come with us. We can pay ten years of Yin Lifespan per person.”

Lin Yuan was slightly taken aback by their offer. ”Ten years of Yin Lifespan... that’s enough for over eight thousand bowls of noodles...”

But Nanming Shaoze frowned. ”You’re insulting Daoist Fang. I told you, his skills far exceed mine, and he’s now ascended to the Ascension Realm. If he acts, his appearance fee should be at least a hundred years of Yin Lifespan.”

”A hundred years isn’t impossible, but is he really that powerful? Brother Shaoze, are you...” one of them asked doubtfully.

Fang Chen had already seen through their tactic. They were trying to egg him on to get him to join the raid. It showed they lacked confidence in the venture, and Nanming Shaoze seemed eager to see him make a fool of himself. That suited Fang Chen fine.

”Shaoze, let’s not haggle over Yin Lifespan for now. We’re new here, bring us along so we can see the place,” said Fang Chen with a smile.

Nanming Shaoze was slightly stunned. He hadn’t expected Fang Chen to be so agreeable and immediately nodded. ”Alright, we’re fated, let’s go together.”

On the way, without Fang Chen prompting, Lin Yuan fired off all the questions they needed answered. These weren’t secrets. Nanming Shaoze, apparently cowed by Fang Chen, even answered Lin Yuan politely and patiently, explaining everything in turn.

Within the Enlightenment Underworld, it was indeed possible to obtain Yin Lifespan by hunting Yin Demons, though they themselves did not possess the method to do so. What they could do was send captured Yin Demons to the Demon Refining Tower. From there, they received the corresponding Yin Lifespan, and that could be directly converted into merit.

The exchange rate was not fixed. When Yin Lifespan inflows were low, the conversion rate was high. When inflows were abundant, the rate was low.

”Besides converting into merit, Yin Lifespan is an excellent resource for breaking through realms. It nourishes the soul. The more you accumulate, the higher your chances of continuing the cultivation path even after death.”