Immortal of the Nine Realms

Above the Void Immortal Sword Sect, the white clouds stretching for tens of thousands of miles were bathed in a faint golden sheen, veiled by dazzling radiance.

One figure after another hurried to the area, but to avoid suspicion, none of them approached the Void Immortal Sword Sect itself, instead keeping a safe distance.

”It really is a breakthrough to the Immortal Realm. I never imagined that I would see someone else undergo it before I personally experienced it,” an Immortal King murmured to himself.

Many others seemed to feel the same way. Their expressions were complicated, and their gazes converged on the direction of the Void Immortal Sword Sect’s rear mountain. The brilliant golden radiance was rising from there, like a blazing sun about to ascend.

Everyone knew that if this breakthrough proceeded smoothly, it wouldn’t be long before the Central Continent gained another First Rate Sect Leader!

At that moment, Ouyang Xuanzhen rushed over. Seeing that Wang Zhenlong had not yet succeeded in his breakthrough, he immediately let out a sigh of relief. ”I didn’t arrive too late, did I? Looks like I didn’t.”

He didn’t want to miss such a spectacular scene. Of course, he didn’t wish for Wang Zhenlong to succeed. But now the Great Expansion Dao Sect had become the Great Expansion Dao Palace and had been absorbed into the Three Thousand Dao Sect. And that figure within the Three Thousand Dao Sects had an extremely close relationship with Wang Zhenlong. They were, broadly speaking, on the same side. If Wang Zhenlong succeeded, Ouyang Xuanzhen would naturally have his fair share of benefits.

Some familiar Immortal Kings stepped forward to greet Ouyang Xuanzhen.

”Ouyang Daoist, it’s been many years. Have you been in seclusion lately?”

Ouyang Xuanzhen smiled and returned the salute. ”I’ve been in seclusion all along. And you all?”

One Immortal King replied with a sigh. ”The same, cultivating in seclusion. If not for the aura of this breakthrough being so dazzling, we probably wouldn’t have emerged either.”

At this point, those who had arrived were basically all Immortal Kings from the Central Continent.

Not long after, Immortal King Gu Xi arrived, followed by Dragon Sovereign. Then came Heavenly King Zhen of the Eastern Continent, the Nine Generation King of the Western Continent, and the Immortal Peak King of the Southern Continent.

Whether Immortal Kings listed on the Emperor Rankings or those unranked Immortal Kings who usually cultivated quietly in seclusion, all appeared one by one.

Watching this, Ouyang Xuanzhen couldn’t help but sigh. In just a few hundred years, there were some new faces, and some familiar ones were gone.

Take the Divine Dao Sect, for example, not a single one of them appeared. No one knew where they had relocated to.

Every Immortal King had their own small circle of acquaintances, so even the way they positioned themselves here was rather deliberate.

From within the shadows, Fang Chen quietly observed everyone. These Immortal Kings from the Central Continent didn’t seem to harbor much ill intent.

Just then, the void suddenly trembled, and a terrifying wave of immortal essence spread out.

The Immortal Kings present all revealed looks of shock, and then a young man stepped out of the void.

”Wang Zhenlong of the Void Immortal Sword Sect, planning to advance to a first-transformation immortal, I see. Good thing I didn’t arrive too late. Still, he should only be an ordinary Loose Immortal if he succeeds.”

The newcomer was Gong Tianxin, the patriarch of the Immortal Worshipping Sect, and a cultivator of the Immortal Worshipping Palace. His true identity was that of an Underworld official.

He recorded everything he saw. That was part of his official duties.

Noticing that the nearby Immortal Kings were looking at him with alarm and shock, Gong Tianxin smiled faintly and said, ”Don’t mind me. I’m just here to watch the excitement.”

The crowd immediately relaxed, masking the fear on their faces with awkward smiles.

This man’s aura was clearly that of a First Rate Sect Leader.

Who is he?

The Central Continent only had a few First Rate Sect Leaders. If he wasn’t one of them, had he come from Celestial Heaven or Northern Dipper?

Many showed looks of apprehension at this thought. If he were a First Rate Sect Leader from Celestial Heaven or Northern Dipper, there was a real possibility he might interfere and sabotage Wang Zhenlong’s breakthrough.

Kunlun Sword Sect’s Li Changsheng was a vivid precedent. When a sword cultivator broke through, he directly surpassed one senior after another, becoming first on the Emperor Rankings. If not for the breakthrough of that figure from the Desolate Academy, no one in the world could have suppressed Li Changsheng.

Wang Zhenlong was also a sword cultivator. If he succeeded in becoming a sword cultivator, he too would rank among the very top of all First Rate Sect Leaders.

Sensing everyone’s concerns, Gong Tianxin explained again, ”Everyone, rest assured. I’m merely passing by to take a look. I won’t trouble Daoist Wang, nor will I interfere with his breakthrough.”

Many people finally let out a breath of relief.

Once Wang Zhenlong succeeded, the Central Continent’s foundations would solidify further, and that was well within their interests.

Within the Void Immortal Sword Sect, the cultivators felt this aura most keenly. One peak master after another wore emotional expressions. All of them had already reached the Dao Union Stage, and one had even stepped into the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Yet the Ascension Stage still seemed unimaginably distant.

”The Ancestor’s breakthrough this time is making quite a stir. I’ve already seen many Immortal Kings arriving.”

”Do you think someone might interfere? And if they do... will be able to hold them off?”

”The grand formation should be able to hold for a short while. Fortunately, I’ve already sent someone to enter the Underworld and notify Bai Qingming.”

”That’s right. With Bai Qingming helping in the Underworld, perhaps we really can find some helpers to protect the Ancestor.”

The bearded sword cultivator smiled. ”In fact, you don’t need to worry. The Central Continent still has that person from the Desolate Academy. As for how our relationship with him is, I don’t need to elaborate, do I?”

Everyone nodded slightly, naturally understanding his meaning.

Back then, a disciple of the Void Immortal Sword Sect had entered the Desolate Academy, studying there for a while. He had also had an excellent relationship with their patriarch.

Moreover, for countless years, the Void Immortal Sword Sect had always had deep and intricate ties with the Desolate Academy.

Thinking of this, the tension everyone felt finally eased.

***

Days passed one by one. And soon, half a year had slipped by.

During these six months, more and more cultivators gathered outside the Void Immortal Sword Sect.

Beyond the initial Immortal Kings, many Profound Immortals, Dao Union Realm cultivators, and even cultivators from the Middle Three Realms arrived upon hearing the news.

An Immortal King advancing to a First Rate Sect Leader was a huge deal! For the vast majority of cultivators, this was something they could never witness even once in their lifetime.

Once the news spread, countless people naturally squeezed in, desperate to witness this grand spectacle. In just half a year, hundreds of thousands of cultivators had gathered here. Among them were even some Immortal Kings who had rushed over from Celestial Heaven and Northern Dipper.

For these existences, Ouyang Xuanzhen and the others kept a close watch on them.

Fang Chen had been observing from the shadows all along. He discovered that Celestial Heaven had sent two First Rate Sect Leaders, while Northern Dipper had sent one. These three hadn’t revealed their identities, merely observing from afar.

If they showed no intention of sabotaging Wang Zhenlong’s breakthrough, Fang Chen had no intention of acting against them either.

At that moment, a voice sounded beside Fang Chen.

”This aura, it’s almost time for the breakthrough. What do you think, senior? Should we make a move and stop it?”

Just a few steps away stood two figures. One was an old acquaintance, the former Corrosive Dragon King of the Northern Continent. The other was someone Fang Chen had never seen before, but whose aura was unfathomably deep.

Even a third-transformation immortal would not give Fang Chen this feeling, which meant this person was at least a fourth-transformation immortal.

Fang Chen was slightly surprised. Did we just hook a big fish?

He had planned to fish for something, but not in this sense. He had only wanted to see whether the Void Immortal Sword Sect still had enemies here.

According to Fang Chen’s calculations, the Corrosive Dragon King was very likely a Demon capable of breaking the cognitive veil.

As for who that expert standing beside him was, he couldn’t be sure yet. With such cultivation, even on Chaotic Star, he would be among the very top. In normal times, not to mention coming to Tuxiong Star, he wouldn’t even pass by this place.