Immortal of the Nine Realms

With the struggle for the Great Thunder Sound concluded, the Hall of Merits was packed with people. Crowds of external cultivators were eager to exchange their merit points for various cultivation necessities.

Fortunately, the number of external cultivators residing on Enlightenment Star wasn’t excessive. Ninety-nine percent of the external cultivators who had fought in the battle for the Great Thunder Sound were not locals and had already returned to their respective homes. Had that massive wave of cultivators flooded Enlightenment Star, a single Hall of Merits would have been woefully insufficient.

Back at his post, Elder Qin led a group of subordinates and worked tirelessly to process exchanges for the spiritual materials each cultivator required. Occasionally, he would notice a cultivator choosing unreliable materials, and he would bark out a scolding.

In the past, many external cultivators might not have humored him. After all, they served other core disciples and had no reason to fear Old Qin. But times had changed. Anyone who had fought in the Great Thunder Sound struggle knew that Old Qin belonged to the Nine Realms Expedition Team.

Fang Chen, the captain of the team, had officially become Old Ninth among the core circle. This title held profound significance. Even ordinary Core Disciples wouldn’t be out of line to address him as Ninth Senior Brother. Furthermore, he mastered two Formation Immortal Arts, making him significantly more formidable than Li Shanzi, who had just become Old Eighth.

”You are already a second-transformation immortal. Why are you exchanging merits for materials only needed by the first transformation? What? To test a new pill formula? There is no need for that. Accumulate more merits instead and exchange them for a third-transformation immortal herb.”

”Yes, yes, of course. I shall follow your advice.”

”You want to exchange for formations and talismans? It’s not cost-effective. I know an external cultivator who excels in this path. You’d be better off seeking his guidance. Just tell him Old Qin sent you.”

”Many thanks, Elder Qin!”

”Old Qin... he’s exactly the same as before,” remarked Lin Dong, standing beside Fang Chen and shaking his head.

In his view, why bother? Interfering brought no personal benefit and only made it easy to offend people.

Fang Chen said with a smile, ”That is simply his temperament. He cannot stand to see the younger generation taking unnecessary detours.”

Old Sheng sighed. ”Sometimes, a person is better off being a bit selfish.”

A bit selfish?

Fang Chen nodded. He quite agreed with Old Sheng. A selfish person did everything for their own happiness and was free from many worries. Conversely, those who were sentimental and empathetic were easily troubled by events around them. In the end, they gained no benefits and only exhausted themselves.

However, people like Old Qin had always existed, like yin and yang. As long as the dark side existed, so did the bright side. If the world ever lost one of those sides entirely, it would truly be the end of society.

Fang Chen turned to Fang Xiaotian and the others. He smiled and said, ”Go find Elder Qin. He knows exactly what you should exchange for. Just listen to his advice.”

Fang Xiaotian nodded immediately and, accompanied by Fang Xiaohua, Sheng Wu, and Duan Lingkong, walked toward Old Qin.

Old Qin’s eyes lit up when he saw them. ”Oh!”

He immediately turned to the group of cultivators in front of him and said, ”All of you, clear out for a moment. I have others to attend to first.”

”Elder Qin, how can you let people cut the line?” someone grumbled.

That person was promptly pulled aside by their companion, who immediately warned, ”Shh! Those are Core Disciple Fang’s people.”

”No wonder. Let’s just wait. If it weren’t for Core Disciple Fang, we would have returned in defeat long ago. We wouldn’t even have these rewards to exchange.”

”Old Qin is sensible,” remarked Lin Dong with a satisfied smile.

A cultivator with a bottom line, a brain, and the flexibility to adapt would never fare poorly, regardless of where they went.

The four youths were not highly cultivated. None had even reached the Immortal Realm yet. Based on their specific talents, Old Qin arranged suitable spiritual materials and resources for them. In total, the four of them cost Fang Chen only ten merit points.

After leaving the Hall of Merits, Fang Chen’s group returned to Little Immortal Honglian’s Dao Domain to collect Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang before heading toward Renzu Mountain in the Dongsheng Empire.

Little Immortal Honglian had intended to come along to see the new place, but just as they were about to depart, Immortal Baizhan arrived, stating that Xie Aman wished to see her. She had no choice but to leave with him.

Fang Chen settled Fang Tianzun in a cultivation chamber on the Immortal Boat to continue refining high-grade spiritual stones. Then, he gave Fang Xuanyang the Hundred-Blood Dragon Gall along with the other necessary materials for the Profound Yang Secret Herb, allowing him to prepare it himself. Once they arrived at Renzu Mountain, Xuanyang could begin his advancement, and his cultivation would undoubtedly leap forward.

Given the speed of the Black Dragon Boat, it took nearly half a month to reach the Dongsheng Empire on the Enlightenment Star. This was a grand and sprawling mortal region. Judging by the aura of the land, the mortals here did not excel in immortal cultivation. Instead, they were masters of martial arts.

”The Enlightenment God Palace intentionally ensures these mortals do not easily encounter the immortal path. Many here might not even know that immortals truly exist in the world,” Fang Chen mused, looking down.

With a single glance, the actions of countless living beings were reflected in his eyes.

This place was no different from the Grand Xia of the past. There was the imperial court and martial circles, ordinary people striving for peaceful lives, and desperate outlaws living by the blade

The only difference is that the people of Grand Xia could not reincarnate. Before the temples were established, they couldn’t even find the Yellow Springs Road after death. Now, they can only draw on their Yin Lifespan in the Underworld; once that’s gone, they truly perish. But the people here can enter the Enlightenment Underworld to be reincarnated after death.

Even if they can’t remember their past lives, at least they can truthfully shout, ’I’ll be a hero again in eighteen years!’

”Big Brother, when can we see Father and Mother?” asked Fang Xiaohua, coming to his side with a face full of anticipation.

Fang Xiaotian, who had been chatting quietly with Sheng Wu, also looked up.

”Father and Mother aren’t here yet. You’ll have to wait a little longer to see them. Don’t be anxious, we’ve made it through hundreds of years, so what’s a little more waiting?” Fang Chen gave a faint smile. ”If the timing is right, I’ll also take you to see your elder sister.”

Though the two siblings felt a hint of disappointment, their hearts were mostly filled with anticipation—not just for their parents but for this elder sister they had never met.

Nanming Shaoze and his group walked over.

”Core Disciple Fang, Renzu Mountain should be just ahead,” said Nanming Shaoze.

They were currently the ones piloting the Black Dragon Boat to ensure no mistakes were made. They had been standing fixed before the star chart, not daring to leave their posts for a moment.

Fang Chen looked up. In the center of the Dongsheng Empire, amidst an endless sea of forest, stood a mountain range that was equally lush and verdant.

Fang Chen said with a smile, ”Shaoze, you’ve been in the Enlightenment God Palace longer than I have. Do you know why this place is called Renzu Mountain?”

Nanming Shaoze was slightly taken aback. He began to ponder the question seriously, not daring to answer lightly for fear of being wrong. After a long silence, he deliberated, ”I don’t know the specifics, but I’ve heard it’s called Renzu Mountain because a brilliant Palace Master once broke through to the ninth transformation of the Path of Human Immortal right here.”

He paused, then added, ”It’s only a rumor, though. I once asked my brother, and even he couldn’t confirm if it was true or false. It’s also possible that the mortals here simply gave it that name, and over time, it just stuck.”

Fang Chen nodded but offered no opinion of his own.

The Black Dragon Boat had now arrived directly above Renzu Mountain. Below them, it appeared that quite a number of mortals were currently gathered, performing a grand ceremony to offer sacrifices to Heaven.