Immortal of the Nine Realms

”Wang Chongsong used the Formation Heart to dissolve the seal... but what exactly is the origin of the Formation Heart?” Fang Chen pondered. ”Not only is it something that all top-tier factions pursue, but it could even unravel a forbidden seal?”

The image of the seal dissolving continued to flash through his mind. The Formation Heart seemed to melt into the mountain like fresh blood.

Fang Chen’s expression shifted. ”Blood?”

At that moment, a slightly damaged bridge slowly emerged in the distance. Judging by the state of the bridge, it had endured a fierce battle, after which it was never repaired.

Huang Wuji’s expression grew solemn.”My lord, there are traces of battle arts here.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Mm.”

He let the Zhu Long wait in the Forgotten River and went onto the bridge with Huang Wuji.

This place was clearly abandoned a long time ago. Otherwise, these damages surely would’ve been repaired already.

Fang Chen thought for a moment and then lightly waved his hand.

Yin energy surged from the void.

These strands of karmic power that had not yet been refined poured into the bridge, mending its damage.

As Monarch Yan, every blade of grass and every tree in the Underworld belonged to him. Naturally, the bridge was his as well.

After being repaired by Yin energy, the bridge recovered its original appearance. The railings were carved with various strange beasts—creatures unseen in the Mortal Realm, likely natives of the Underworld.

Countless wandering souls on the Zhu Long’s back watched the two of them walk farther and farther away until they disappeared from sight.

Someone leaned toward Tang Mingde and asked, ”Senior Tang, what kind of figure do you think he is in the Underworld?”

”As he said, if the Underworld had truly been shattered into pieces, even the Reincarnation Division destroyed, yet he can still freely move through the Underworld and even rescue us from the Forgotten River... then his status is certainly extraordinary.”

Tang Mingde spoke softly, his gaze falling on the Zhu Long beneath them. A look of gravity could be seen in his eyes.

Just the creature alone was already beyond his scope of knowledge. He could not understand it at all.

The era... must have changed.

Following the bridge, Fang Chen and Huang Wuji unknowingly came before a city gate.

The city walls bore the marks of time. It was weathered and damaged. Some parts bore signs of collapse.

At a glance, the city’s scale was at least no smaller than the capital of the Lesser Underworld, and far larger than Jiangguang City of the Floating Pagoda Realm.

Huang Wuji gestured for Fang Chen to wait. He walked toward the city alone. Just as he was about to enter, a jade-green vine shot out from beneath the ground and wrapped around his legs.

Huang Wuji snorted coldly and slashed at the vine with a burst of sword qi.

However, to his surprise, his attack only left a faint white mark on the vine.

As Huang Wuju’s expression twisted with shock, the vine suddenly contracted, dragging him away and vanishing before the city gate.

Everything happened so fast that even Fang Chen had no time to react.

In an instant, Monarch Yan’s battle armor surfaced, and Fang Chen’s aura rose sharply. He walked toward the gate step by step, probing cautiously.

If even Huang Wuji’s skills could only leave a shallow mark on the vine... then what kind of being lay behind these vines?

As expected, when Fang Chen neared the gate, another vine shot out, attempting to wrap around his legs.

But the next moment, as if shocked by electricity, it withdrew instantly when it was about ten feet from him.

”Something on me frightens it? Is it Monarch Yan’s battle armor... or Monarch Yan’s Seal?”

Fang Chen’s eyes flashed. He lifted his gaze. Through the city gate and countless buildings, at the far end of his sight, he finally saw an enormous ancient green tree!

Vaguely, he could even see Huang Wuji struggling upon it, completely cocooned by vines.

Naturally, Fang Chen would not abandon Huang Wuji. Since the vine feared something he had, he might be able to use it to rescue him.

As long as Huang Wuji escaped danger, Fang Chen would not stay for long. He would return later when he had enough strength to investigate the tree’s origin.

In a flash, Fang Chen arrived beneath the ancient tree. Countless vines extended from it like a spider web stretching across the entire city.

As expected, the entire city was under the control of this tree.

Huang Wuji’s head was not yet completely wrapped. Seeing Fang Chen approach, he immediately warned him, ”My lord, it is strange. It is likely a Yin Demon transformed into this form. You should leave for now.”

Meanwhile, sword qi surged endlessly from his body as he tried to cut the vines apart. Unfortunately, those vines were like the hardest substance in the world. Even the sword qi of a fourth-transformation immortal could not damage them.

Worse, every time a faint white mark appeared on the vines, it immediately repaired itself, rendering Huang Wuji’s attacks completely useless.

Huang Wuji did not notice that countless vines were poised around Fang Chen yet dared not strike.

Fang Chen leapt upward, nearing Huang Wuji’s position. The vines binding him scattered like frightened birds.

Fang Chen grabbed Huang Wuji, pulled him away, and then bolted out of the city. Only when they reached a safe distance did he stop.

Huang Wuji was utterly bewildered. ”My lord, how did we escape?”

He was a fourth transformation Immortal, yet the vines had captured him alive. While they did not even dare strike Fang Chen?

During the escape, he also realized that the vines did want to attack, but were terrified of something.

Huang Wuji was hit with realization. ”Could it be because of the lord’s identity as Monarch Yan?”

”Wait here. I’ll go take another look,” said Fang Chen.

He had initially wanted to leave immediately, but seeing that the tree indeed could not harm him, he wished to determine its origins.

He was curious to know if it was a Great Yin Demon, and if so, what its rank was.

But the Great Yin Demons of the Floating Pagoda Realm did not fear Monarch Yan at all. They would still attack, unless they had been conferred a decree.

Conferred a decree?

That thought struck him. Fang Chen suddenly had a hunch. He returned to the ancient tree and examined it closely.

It was not tall, so it could not be seen from outside the city. But it was massive. Its trunk alone would take thousands of people to encircle.

”This thing is without doubt a Yin Demon... but it is very likely a former official Ghost God of the Underworld. It transformed into a Yin Demon because it was trapped here?”

Fang Chen reasoned silently.

Seeing the entire city reduced to what it was, with only this tree remaining, he decided to check whether it had once been a Ghost God conferred by the previous Monarch Yan.

He stepped forward.

The ancient tree trembled in terror. The vines could flee, but its trunk could not.

Fang Chen pressed his palm onto the trunk. Monarch Yan’s Seal erupted with a warm surge of energy.

The next moment, ancient inscriptions appeared on the bark.

The Book of Sealing!

This ancient tree had indeed been a Ghost God who was conferred!

Fang Chen inwardly sighed. ”No wonder it didn’t dare attack me.”

Its lifespan must have far exceeded his imagination. The tree had likely survived that ancient battle.