Immortal of the Nine Realms

Jiang Chen looked completely stunned. He had no idea why his ancestor had suddenly appeared, or why he was being scolded so harshly.

Without another word, Elder Jiang raised his hand and struck him several times across the face through the air.

Jiang Chen’s voice trembled with grievance. ”Ancestor, I—”

”What are you all standing there for?!” Elder Jiang barked, turning toward Elder Chen and Xie Aman. ”Check immediately whether he succeeded in the contract! Failure doesn’t look like this at all!”

If those two hadn’t frozen in shock, and if his descendant hadn’t spouted such insolence, Elder Jiang wouldn’t have revealed himself. But more importantly, if his guess was right, then the compatibility between Fang Chen and the Formation Heart far exceeded what he’d imagined.

At his command, Elder Chen instantly flashed forward to Fang Chen, pressing his palm lightly to Fang Chen’s brow. Xie Aman also reacted at once, appearing beside them, her expression grave.

Everyone around stared blankly.

Failure doesn’t look like this? So... he succeeded?

Their minds returned to the few slaps Jiang Chen had just received, and their faces blanched.

Li Si subtly edged away from Jiang Chen, eyes wide with alarm.

Ji Tianjun, standing near Ji Sheng, looked equally astonished.

Those who’d been downcast, like Lin Yuan and the others, suddenly brightened with excitement.

As for Nanming Ruyue, Li Shanzi, and the Third Senior Sister, they each wore complex expressions.

***

Fang Chen resisted the urge to move as Elder Chen’s palm touched his forehead.

With a gentle tap, a green Formation Heart emerged from within his body, but it was no longer solid. It had become translucent, like a luminous projection.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

That appearance could mean only one thing—the contract had succeeded!

Jiang Chen’s knees nearly buckled. His face went pale with disbelief.

Yu Tiange and Nanming Shaoze exchanged glances, both utterly shaken.

It was utterly unbelievable. Fang Chen had really succeeded in becoming a core disciple.

”It only took... a little over an hour?” Elder Jiang murmured under his breath. ”There’s never been such a precedent in the Enlightenment God Palace...”

Elder Chen’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Xie Aman, however, looked increasingly solemn.

He had done it in one hour! Compared to her seven days, that was nothing! How could the difference be so vast?

”Junior Brother Fang,” Senior Sister suddenly asked, ”when did you lose your sight?”

Everyone turned toward Fang Chen in surprise.

Now that she mentioned it, could it be that his blindness was some kind of special constitution rather than an affliction?

It wasn’t impossible.

Some special physiques showed outward signs. Children born with two heads, or missing limbs, or even with both male and female attributes. Such strange traits sometimes translated into unique cultivation gifts if properly guided.

Still, being born blind was too common. No one had ever considered it a mark of special lineage.

Fang Chen recalled the day it had all begun and answered calmly, ”I have been blind since birth.”

He opened his eyes, revealing two pale gray irises carrying a faint, unsettling aura.

”It seems... that you possess a special constitution that none of us have seen before,” said Xie Aman thoughtfully. ”Tell me, is your divine soul different from ordinary people’s?”

”It is,” Fang Chen admitted. ”A bit stronger, perhaps.”

The crowd murmured in realization.

Still, even with an unusual physique, to form a Formation Heart contract in just over an hour was beyond imagination, especially to the other core disciples present.

”This kind of constitution might not help much in ordinary cultivation,” Senior Sister said, a faint smile curling her lips, ”but in Formation Immortal Arts, it’s an enormous advantage.”

Inwardly, she was pleased. Her junior brother, Fang Chen, was a man connected to Wang Chongsong, meaning he was unlikely to be swayed by other factions. Within the Enlightenment God Palace, he could become one of her most reliable allies.

Elder Jiang’s sharp gaze swept the assembly. ”Everything that happened here today stays buried in your stomachs. Understood?”

Core disciples and non-core disciples alike nodded quickly.

They all knew, though, even if they kept silent, such news couldn’t stay hidden for long. A few years at best, and the story would spread. A few more, and the other two realms of the Upper Three Realms would know as well.

”I’ll have men refit your Black Dragon Immortal Boat,” Elder Chen said to Fang Chen. ”It’ll take about half a year. Until then, stay inside the Enlightenment God Palace. Go nowhere else. I recall you ventured into the Underworld on your own before and nearly got yourself killed, didn’t you? If you must travel there again, confine yourself to the Enlightenment Underworld Realm, not beyond it.”

He paused, then added with a shake of the head, ”Actually, it’s best not to travel at all for now. Wait until your Black Dragon Immortal Boat is complete. By then, the palace will also entrust you with another Immortal Path to cultivate.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Yes, Elder.”

He knew what Elder Chen was referring to. It could only be the Ghost Immortal Path. Yet... now that he bore the title of Monarch Yan, he wondered if he might reveal more than he intended when the time came.

***

Many of the core disciples stepped forward to congratulate him, exchanging names and a few polite words before dispersing.

Nanming Ruyue seemed to want to speak further with Fang Chen, but Xie Aman waved her off impatiently.

Seeing that, the Third Senior Sister wisely kept her distance too.

Li Si made several false starts to approach, but with Xie Aman still there, he didn’t dare, finally leaving with their Fourth Senior Brother.

As for Jiang Chen, he was long gone, unwilling to linger a moment longer.

”Will you be coming to my Dao Domain, or returning to Junior Sister’s?” Xie Aman asked with a smile.

Fang Chen thought for a moment, then answered, ”I’ll return to Fellow Daoist Honglian’s Dao Domain.”

”Good. The Enlightenment Star is safe enough,” she replied with a nod before turning to leave.

”When your Black Dragon Immortal Boat is ready, I’ll send someone to fetch you. Don’t wander off,” Elder Chen reminded him before departing.

”Fellow Daoist Fang, congratulations!” Little Immortal Honglian with a cheerful smile. ”Shall we head back now?”

Lin Yuan and the others could barely contain their excitement. With a captain and a teammate who were now both core disciples, how could their own prospects on Enlightenment Star remain low?

”I plan to stop by the Hall of Merits first,” Fang Chen said.

”To exchange for herbs or treasures?” Little Immortal Honglian asked curiously.

”I’m thinking of trading for some peak-grade spirit stones.”

The moment he said it, their expressions all shifted. Little Immortal Honglian fell silent for a long time before speaking softly, ”Merit is precious. Perhaps... don’t waste it on that. Keep it in moderation.”

Lin Yuan and the others nodded in agreement. ”Yes, yes...”

”Don’t worry,” Fang Chen said with a small smile. ”I won’t spend too much.”

Then he turned and flew off toward the Hall of Merits.

The others watched his departing back with serious, thoughtful expressions, as though watching a gambler walking down a path of no return.

In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, playing with peak-grade spirit stones was nothing but reckless indulgence.