Immortal of the Nine Realms

Xie Aman gave Ye Qingqiu a sidelong glance and said coolly, ”You’re asking what you already know.”

”You!”

Ye Qingqiu’s face flushed with anger at Xie Aman’s indifferent tone. Fortunately, she remembered the real purpose of the meeting. Forcing down her irritation, she said flatly, ”Let’s not waste time. The Blood and Flesh Divine Palace wants to enter the Buddhist Kingdom as well.”

”The Ten Thousand Star Palace too,” said Leng Buqi, a faint smile appearing on his face. ”According to the information we’ve confirmed, the Spirit God Sect and the Killing Spiritual Division are likely siding with the Rulai Monastery this time. Without the three of us backing you, your Enlightenment God Palace might find it rather difficult to defend the 97th Ancient Forbidden Zone.”

”So you all have the same condition? You just want to step into that so-called Buddhist Kingdom?” Xie Aman gave a short laugh. ”That place isn’t what you think it is.”

Ye Qingqiu sneered, ”Even if it is, you wouldn’t tell us anyway. Whatever the case, that’s our price. If you agree, we’ll keep the monks of the Rulai Monastery outside Great Thunder Sound. If not, we’ll join forces with them. Without us, you have no chance of winning this war.”

She paused, then added coldly, ”The last time the Rulai Monastery didn’t even fight seriously, and you almost lost. This time, they won’t be holding back.”

”Ye Qingqiu, is that a threat?” Xie Aman’s tone was mild, but her gaze sharpened. ”Your sister knows perfectly well I don’t take kindly to threats. If she sent you here talking like this, it’s for another purpose entirely. Why don’t you just go join the monks instead?”

At that, Chen Enxue and the other core disciples of the Enlightenment God Palace looked on with faint amusement. Sure enough, Ye Qingqiu and the disciples behind her from the Blood and Flesh Divine Palace flinched and exchanged uneasy looks.

”Now, can we speak properly?” Xie Aman went on evenly. ”If you want to enter the Buddhist Kingdom, say so. Why bother with cheap intimidation? Do you take me for a child? You don’t get to force my cooperation. I decide whether you’re worth cooperating with.”

Ye Qingqiu drew a deep breath and forced a brittle smile. ”Then tell us how you propose we cooperate.”

”You three sects will give everything you have,” said Xie Aman, her voice leaving no room for argument. ”You’ll crush the Killing Spiritual Division and the Spirit God Sect for the Enlightenment God Palace, and you will also have to destroy at least 30 percent of the Rulai Monastery’s immortal boat formations. If you can’t achieve that, even if we win, your entry quota to the Buddhist Kingdom will be cut. If you can, each sect gets 10 slots.”

Ye Qingqiu frowned. ”So harsh, and only 10 slots each? You really do take us for children.”

”How many do you want then?” Xie Aman asked with a faint smile.

”At least 20.”

”20 isn’t unreasonable,” murmured Xian Yueguan.

”That’s negotiable,” Leng Buqi agreed.

”Very well, 20 each,” Xie Aman said. ”But if any of you hold back your strength, and the Enlightenment God Palace ends up defending Great Thunder Sound alone, your quotas will be reduced accordingly.”

She smiled faintly. ”The deal’s done. Come with me up to Great Thunder Sound, we’ll be waiting for those bald donkeys.”

”...”

None of the three had expected her to agree so easily.

All of them felt, somehow, that they had just been punked.

***

Wang Chongsong sighed softly. ”This Yellow Springs Road.... It’s been many years since anyone’s walked it.”

He and Fang Chen walked side by side, taking in the scenery. It was much like the one beneath the Langgui Constellation, desolate, lifeless, untouched for countless ages.

Soon, they reached the Forgotten River.

Wang Chongsong peered down. He was quickly surprised by what he saw. ”There are no wandering souls here!”

”They were likely sent away by the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation,” Fang Chen said. ”The last of the human souls are still within her Ghost Realm.”

Wang Chongsong waved his sleeve, and a small ferry appeared before them. ”Let’s see which city this passage connects to.”

”It can be simpler,” said Fang Chen.

He snapped his fingers, and a bridge of pale stone thundered up from the depths of the river, spanning the chasm to appear before them in an instant.

Wang Chongsong looked at him oddly, half envious. ”You can do that?”

”Being Monarch Yan in the Underworld certainly has its conveniences.” Fang Chen said, chuckling as he strode onto the bridge.

Wang Chongsong followed close behind, muttering to himself. Fang Chen was clearly showing off but pretending not to.

At the bridge’s end lay a ruined city.

When they’d crossed the Langgui Constellation, there had at least been an ancient tree. Here, there was nothing, no spirits, not even a single Yin Demon.

”So this place was destroyed first,” Wang Chongsong murmured. ”That’s what drew the Ghost Mother back to the Mortal Realm to fight?”

He stared into the desolation as though seeing echoes of an ancient battle.

”How many came then?” Fang Chen asked. ”Were they stronger than the Heavenly Dao? Were they strong enough to slay Heaven itself, and leave scars across such a vast region of the Underworld?”

Wang Chongsong met his gaze, thinking back. ”Not many came. But some people were too foolish, too naive, and got used by others. And there were those with hidden ambitions, looking to profit from the chaos. With all that, the Immortal Realm, the Underworld, and the Nine Mortal Realms were dragged into a cataclysmic war almost overnight.

”As far as I know, few of the great figures in the Immortal Realm were dissatisfied with the Underworld’s existence. They probably had a hand in its destruction.”

”External provocation leading to internal collapse, until it swallowed all three realms,” Fang Chen murmured.

It sounded absurd when spoken aloud, almost unbelievable. Yet the more he thought about it, the more it fit. Like a single match dropped into an ocean of oil, its tiny flame setting off a conflagration that devours everything.

”There’s nothing else here,” Wang Chongsong said. ”Go into the Ghost Realm, find the Ghost Mother, and tell her the seal’s been broken. Have her take all the wandering souls back to the underworld.”

Fang Chen smiled faintly. ”Mm. Won’t you come with me? It’s quite an interesting place.”

”I’ll pass.”

He wasn’t crazy enough to enter. Even Xie Aman had been trapped inside. He already guessed why Fang Chen could awaken the Ghost Mother, and if he followed him in, who could guarantee Fang Chen wouldn’t just leave him there?

They were just about to return to the living world when a faint infant’s cry echoed behind them.

Fang Chen turned and looked at Wang Chongsong oddly. ”You’ve got a handprint on your face.”

A small, baby-sized mark was clearly visible on Wang Chongsong’s cheek.

”Run!” Wang Chongsong barked suddenly, bolting for the exit. ”My life span just dropped by a huge chunk! There’s a powerful expert here, stronger than me! Run!”