Immortal of the Nine Realms

”The cultivator hosting this tea gathering is named Li Si,” Yu Tiange quietly explained beside Fang Chen. ”He’s a member of Fourth Senior Brother’s exploration team, and also a fourth-transformation immortal.”

For external disciples like them, it was common to refer privately to figures like Xie Aman and others as Senior Brother or Senior Sister. However, doing so publicly would be seen as overstepping their place.

Fang Chen nodded. ”No wonder there are so many people here today.”

Without that background, even people like Jiang Chen or Ji Tianjun wouldn’t have bothered attending.

Still, he was curious whether this was Ji Tianjun’s true body or one of his Bone Destinies.

”Fellow Daoist Jiang, I heard you joined the exploration team under the newly promoted Core Disciple Hong,” Li Si said with a smile. ”Has that team not yet begun its expeditions?”

Everyone’s eyes brightened with interest at the mention of Little Immortal Honglian. They were all curious whether the rumors were true, if she had really become a core disciple after just one exploration.

Jiang Chen’s dazzling smile dimmed slightly. He chuckled casually and said, ”Due to some personal matters, I’m no longer part of her team. I’m independent now.”

”Independent? That’s excellent news!” Li Si’s eyes lit up. ”Fourth Senior Brother mentioned you recently. He said that it would be most wonderful if you could join his exploration team.”

The two of them walked further inside together, surrounded by a crowd of cultivators eager to flatter them. After chatting for a while more, Jiang Chen’s gaze suddenly swept across the hall, and when it landed on someone, his steps halted ever so slightly.

”Fellow Daoist Jiang, what’s wrong?” Li Si laughed. ”Let’s sit further in. We can have a proper talk, perhaps soon enough we’ll be colleagues.”

Jiang Chen nodded lightly. ”That’s actually why I came today, to discuss just that. Hearing your words puts my mind at ease. However...”

He glanced toward Fang Chen, the corner of his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile. ”Why does your tea gathering include all sorts of... riffraff?”

Riffraff?

The crowd froze for a moment. Everyone here had some degree of status. Simply being qualified to attend meant strong backing or impressive talent. Besides, all of them were cultivators of the Enlightenment God Palace. Being on Enlightenment Star itself was already proof of distinction. So where, exactly, was this riffraff Jiang Chen spoke of?

Someone followed Jiang Chen’s line of sight. ”Fellow Daoists Yu and Fang, is he talking about you?”

Among the crowd, Huang Sanjin saw what was happening, and his face paled slightly, a flicker of alarm in his eyes.

”Fellow Daoist Jiang,” Li Si said with a thoughtful smile, his gaze drifting briefly across Yu Tiange and his companions, ”what do you mean by that?”

”Everyone here today,” Jiang Chen said mildly, ”has spent centuries in the Enlightenment God Palace. In that time, we’ve come to understand the Palace deeply, and our insights into cultivation have matured. Each of us stands a real chance of becoming a core disciple someday...”

The crowd nodded almost instinctively. Everyone present harbored that same ambition. Only by becoming a core disciple could one truly rise above others, standing at the pinnacle of the Nine Mortal Realms. Grand events were the privilege of the cores alone. External cultivators couldn’t even listen in. Without that promotion, an external cultivator would remain in a supporting role forever. It’s only after becoming a core disciple that you became one of the main cast.

”But as far as I know,” Jiang Chen continued, gesturing toward Fang Chen, ”this cultivator’s assessment score was only Bronze, and he hasn’t even been in the Palace for a full century.

Should someone like that really be here? Doesn’t it seem... a bit improper?”

He pointed directly at Fang Chen.

Yu Tiange and his companions, who’d been nervously wondering whether Jiang Chen was referring to them, froze, then realized it was Fang Chen he meant. They looked at one another in surprise.

”Fellow Daoist Fang,” Yu Tiange transmitted quietly, ”when did you offend Senior Jiang?”

Within the crowd, Huang Sanjin shrank his neck, silently thankful he hadn’t been standing with Fang Chen’s group earlier, otherwise he might have been implicated as well.

Anyone with a shred of awareness could see it now: there was real enmity between Jiang Chen and Fang Chen, and not a small one. It was deep enough for Jiang Chen to humiliate him publicly with icy mockery.

”Senior Brother Li,” someone whispered to Li Si, ”that Fang Chen seems to be connected to the newly promoted Core Disciple Hong.”

Once Li Si understood Fang Chen’s background, his expression relaxed into a polite but dismissive smile. He said, ”My oversight. I wasn’t sure who invited him. Does anyone wish to claim responsibility?”

Silence. No one spoke up.

Even Huang Sanjin kept his mouth shut. After all, he had only invited Yu Tiange, not Fang Chen. This had nothing to do with him.

Yu Tiange was conflicted for a brief moment before sighing helplessly. He cupped his hands and revealed, ”It was I who invited him...”

”You?” Li Si looked him over. ”Ah, a silver token holder. Some talent indeed.”

Li Si smiled faintly, a golden jade token at his waist gleaming, a reminder of the high mark he’d earned during his assessment. Reaching the fourth transformation was perfectly in line with his credentials.

He waved his hand dismissively. ”This tea gathering was intended for like-minded peers. Since you and your companions don’t quite walk the same path as we do... please, take your leave.”

Yu Tiange and his companions looked embarrassed as dozens of eyes turned toward them. The weight of silent judgment pressed down on them like a mountain.

They had come to the gathering to widen their connections and meet influential figures. Yet, not only had they not made acquaintances, but they had even ended up offending several people. At the very least, Li Si would never associate with them again. In fact, given his status, the other external cultivators would likely join in shunning them as well.

Realizing this, several of them regretted coming at all. Some even cast subtle, resentful glances at Fang Chen.

Of all people to offend, it had to be a fourth-transformation immortal, and one with powerful backing at that.

”Fellow Daoist Yu,” Fang Chen said with a light smile, ”it seems we’re not very welcome here. Why don’t we find a quieter spot and enjoy our own tea instead? A crowd like this only gathers to form cliques. No real discussion ever comes of it.”

”That... might be for the best,” Yu Tiange agreed, forcing a small smile.

The two turned to leave, and Yu Tiange’s companions, fellow members of the Fiendish Tiger Expedition Team, had no choice but to grit their teeth and follow. They were tied to him like grasshoppers on the same rope.

”Wait,” Li Si suddenly said, raising a hand.

A barrier formed from immortal essence descended before them, blocking their path.

Li Si’s eyes narrowed dangerously. ”So... you think my tea gathering is just some petty clique?”

He stared straight at Fang Chen, the smile on his face growing sharper, colder. Meanwhile, the one who had started the trouble, Jiang Chen, now stood silently at the side, watching the scene unfold with faint amusement.

”Fellow Daoist Fang,” Yu Tiange whispered anxiously through divine sense, ”Don’t make this worse. Just say a few nice words, and we’ll leave peacefully.”

Though he had once carried his own pride, Yu Tiange’s time in the Enlightenment God Palace had steadily eroded it. This place was indeed extraordinary, so extraordinary that he had learned humility, determined to abandon his former arrogance and focus on cultivation so as not to fall behind.

”Was I wrong?” Fang Chen smiled calmly. ”Perhaps I was mistaken. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

His composure only made Li Si’s face darken further, though the smile remained, now stretched thin with irritation.

He was just about to speak when several figures hurried over. The man in the lead wore an apologetic smile and cupped his hands.

”Senior Brother Li Si, my apologies for arriving late.”

It was Nanming Shaoze.