Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fairy Yu looked at Fang Chen, and he looked back at her.

After a moment, a smile appeared on Fang Chen’s face. ”Stay by Empress Ci’s side and learn more from her. At least it won’t be so boring.”

With that, Fang Chen got up and left.

Fairy Yu was momentarily stunned, then quickly followed a few steps behind. ”What were you just thinking about?”

”Nothing.”

”Nonsense, I know you best. Just now I accidentally mentioned something you wanted to know!?”

”No, don’t overthink it. If you don’t want to talk about those things, I won’t force you.”

With that, Fang Chen truly left.

Fairy Yu watched his back, carefully recalling her every word and action. But even after thinking for a while, she still couldn’t find anything she said that she shouldn’t have.

She immediately felt annoyed.

***

”She doesn’t even know that the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo hasn’t fully developed yet. It’s certain that Wang Chongsong has his own objective.

”From the very beginning, news of the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo spread from the Void Immortal Sword Sect. And even to Little Yu, Wang Chongsong never sealed off this information. Is he deliberately spreading news so that the Anomalies become aware of it? Does Wang Chongsong really hold the key they value most? Could the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo be that key?”

Several thoughts kept emerging in Fang Chen’s mind. He wanted to meet Wang Chongsong and have a proper talk to understand what his real intentions were. If he were also a demon, then why did everything he did run counter to the ways of demons?

”He is using the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo as an experiment. Could it be that he wants to see if there is a way to block the demon’s memories?”

As this thought emerged in Fang Chen’s mind, it could no longer be suppressed. Judging from all the signs, this conjecture might not be unfounded.

”First, evaluate the worst-case scenario. If Wang Chongsong stands on the side of the Nine Mortal Realms, that would be a good thing. If not, he must be one of their core members, holding many secrets. So it’s either I eliminate him or confer him a title.”

***

In the following days, Fang Chen met with Yu Tingzhai, Xu Changshi, the Dangyin Mountain Lord, Chen Lingding, and others in Jiangguang City. From Yu Tingzhai, he learned about the recent movements of the Myriad Immortal Palace in recent years.

From Xu Changshi, he learned about the recent movements of the Spirit God Sect in the past few years. A few days later, Empress Ci finally settled the accounts. It had been exactly sixty-six years since Fang Chen left for the Upper Three Realms.

During this period, Jiangguang City’s ability to amass wealth grew stronger year by year, steadily increasing. In the end, over these sixty-seven years, they accumulated more than 1.4 million Yin Lifespan Coins. These coins were presented before Fang Chen, and in an instant, were actively devoured completely by the Monarch Yan’s Seal.

Since obtaining Monarch Yan’s Seal, Yin Lifespan Coins had become an auxiliary item for Fang Chen. He couldn’t use them himself. The moment he touched them, they would be swallowed up entirely by the seal.

Fang Chen looked at Stone Dragon, who had already reached the third transformation, and asked, ”Do you know about the Demon Refining Tower?”

”Demon Refining Tower? Never heard of it.”

Fang Chen looked at Xing Xian. ”And you?”

Xing Xian shook his head as well. ”Never heard of such a thing.”

Both Stone Dragon and Xing Xian were veterans. If even they had never heard of the Demon Refining Tower, then it was likely something unique to the Enlightenment Underworld—something new, like the Immortal Boat Formation Heart.

Fang Chen recounted everything he had seen and heard in Enlightenment Underworld.

The two listened in clear shock

Xing Xian angrily said, ”This is blasphemous. Who do they think they are, trying to create an Underworld?”

Stone Dragon was calmer in comparison, catching the key point. He solemnly said, ”Lord, you said their Demon Refining Tower can refine Yin Demons and turn them into pure Yin Lifespan?”

Fang Chen said, ”That’s what they claim, but I haven’t seen it with my own eyes yet, so I can’t be sure if it’s true or not.”

Stone Dragon thoughtfully said, ”A long, long time ago, Yin Demons were called Chaotic Ghosts. Because they ignored laws and wantonly deprived others of their Yin Lifespan, they suffered a backlash and lost their sanity.”

Fang Chen lightly nodded. That was the backlash caused by the karmic consequences contained within those Yin Lifespans.

”These Chaotic Ghosts back then were the responsibility of the Nether Guards Division, who captured and suppressed them, and in the end sent them in batches to a certain official called the ’Furnace Keeper.’ This Furnace Keeper served in the Reincarnation Division and possessed a treasure called the Divine Furnace. It is said that this item could refine Chaotic Ghosts, restore their former clarity, and send them back to reincarnation.”

Stone Dragon said in a low voice, ”The Demon Refining Tower you mentioned may be related to this Divine Furnace, a relic left by that Furnace Keeper.”

Xing Xian was stunned by this, but since he used to be just a Nether Guard, he naturally didn’t know about some high-level Underworld matters.

”So it might indeed be related,” Fang Chen mused.

If ever presented with a chance, he’d have to check out the Demon Refining Tower once he returned.

Stone Dragon said, ”If this item can be found, it would be a powerful weapon for you. Those Chaotic Ghosts could then be put to use instead of being useless.”

Fang Chen smiled. ”It won’t be easy to retrieve it. Even if it’s confirmed to be the relic of the Furnace Keeper, given the strength of the Enlightenment God Palace, I think there’s almost no chance of taking it from them.”

Stone Dragon immediately looked a bit disappointed.

After chatting with the two for a while, Fang Chen took his leave and headed to the Lesser Underworld.

***

Lesser Underworld, Capital.

Like in previous years, not much changed. If anything, it was that there were more divisions. Some of the divisions that had been closed in the past were reopened. The streets had noticeably more officials in various uniforms. At the same time, the number of those traveling through the Underworld clearly increased as well. Back when Fang Chen was in charge, the Spirit God Sect’s influence had been driven out of the Lesser Underworld.

The Yin Walker Division was established. After a rather chaotic period, the number of travelers through the Underworld sharply decreased. There seemed to be a rumor in the living world that the Lesser Underworld’s treatment of those who walked the Path of Yin had become extremely harsh, causing many cultivators to hesitate for a long time before daring to travel through the Underworld again.

Later, under the orderly governance of the Yin Walker Division, traveling through the Underworld became more regulated, bringing obvious benefits. Previously, Yin Walkers governed themselves without Underworld officials’ intervention, which led to many conflicts and frictions among them. Now, all Yin Walkers operated under the division’s management, reducing friction and creating an unprecedented sense of security and order.

As a result, with the intentional push from various parties, the number of Yin Walkers in the Lesser Underworld naturally increased. At least, the method to walk the Path of Yin had been fully implemented on Tuxiong Star.

On Chaotic Star, under the deliberate guidance of the Yin Holy Sect, many cultivators had joined the ranks of Yin Walkers. Although they would take quite a bit of Yin Lifespan from the Underworld, this also greatly improved the circulation of Yin Lifespan within the Underworld.

At the same time, the division’s household registration data was growing daily. When this information was shared with the Hidden Guard Division, the resulting benefits were invisible to the naked eye. This virtuous cycle continuously strengthened the foundation of the Lesser Underworld.

As Fang Chen passed by a noodle shop, his steps paused slightly. The noodle cook looked strangely familiar.

”Sir, would you like a bowl?” asked the handsome cook.

He looked up and glanced at Fang Chen.

That glance instantly wiped the smile from his face.