Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen naturally could not reveal the existence of the Mirror of the Universe. By now, his view of the Mirror of the Universe was very different from what it had been in the early days. The deeper his understanding of the origin of power became, the more he felt that the Mirror of the Universe’s nature bordered on the divine.

After much persuasion, Wang Chongsong finally agreed to return to the living world together with him and to lend him 3,000 immortal crystals.

”These 3,000 immortal crystals are my entire savings from many years,” Wang Chongsong said, clearly reluctant. ”I was originally keeping them to break through to the eighth transformation, but I’ll lend them to you for now. Hurry to the Great Thunder Sound and invite the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation over. We need to complete our Hundred Lives Assimilation plan.”

”This plan already has a name?” Fang Chen muttered softly. ”Why didn’t I know? Hundred Lives Assimilation... pretty apt.”

”I just came up with it,” Wang Chongsong replied, snorting. ”It takes a hundred lifetimes to ensure true assimilation. If we count eighty years per life, that’s a full eight thousand years. Do you think we still have that much time? If only that bastard could give me another 10,000 or 20,000 years.”

Wang Chongsong turned and left with a cold harrumph.

Fang Chen had wanted to ask more about the Saint Son, but seeing Wang Chongsong’s attitude, he knew the man had no desire to elaborate, so he dropped the matter.

After confirming that Wang Chongsong had truly departed, Fang Chen took out the Mirror of the Universe and said, ”Little Mirror, how many immortal crystals do I need to speed to get information on the immortal herb of the Taiyi Immortal Path’s eighth transformation?”

”At present, no one in the Nine Mortal Realms knows this path,” the Mirror of the Universe replied solemnly. ”The karmic implications are immense, so even I can’t be fully certain of the cost. So, brother, prepare 3,000 immortal crystals first.”

”You just happened to see that I borrowed exactly 3,000 immortal crystals, didn’t you?” Fang Chen asked suspiciously.

Still, he did not hesitate. Immortal crystals were most valuable to him as food for Mirror of the Universe anyway. He wasn’t like ordinary immortals who needed immortal crystals to sustain their lifespan.

3,000 immortal crystals vanished into the Mirror of the Universe.

This time, the mirror seemed especially satisfied. Brilliant golden light burst from its pages, which Fang Chen immediately suppressed with a restriction technique.

”Brother, turn to page 783. What you need is there,” the Mirror of the Universe said, its voice deep and steady.

If Little Sword had been with Fang Chen, it surely would have mocked him at this point.

Fang Chen flipped to page 783. There, he found a magnificent palace that filled the page. Mirror of the Universe had already written its name on the page. It was called the Ancient Dragon God Palace.

Within the labyrinthine palace, the mirror marked a detailed route leading to a cave abode.

Before the cave lay a pond, and within the pond bloomed a golden lotus.

An image of a lotus root appeared on the page—the Taiyi Lotus.

”Taiyi Lotus? This is the immortal herb for the eighth transformation of the Taiyi Immortal Path?”

”Correct. But its location is extremely special. Obtaining it will not be easy.”

”Ancient Dragon God Palace... Wang Chongsong once mentioned this place. It’s a top-tier power in the Shenwang Realm, a force whose foundation may even surpass the Enlightenment God Palace...”

Stealing the Taiyi Lotus from the cave of such an unknown existence, and in such a place, would clearly be extraordinarily difficult. Still, the hardest part, finding a clue, had already been handled by the Mirror of the Universe. At least now he had a direction, rather than fumbling blindly in the dark.

Leaving seclusion, Fang Chen swept the area with his divine sense and discovered that Fang Zhixue and her two younger siblings were no longer at Renzu Mountain. Even Duan Lingkong and Sheng Wu were gone. He summoned Meng Qingling to ask about it and learned that they had gone traveling in the Dongsheng Empire, with Old Sheng secretly guarding them nearby. Only then did he feel at ease.

”I’ll be going into seclusion again for a while,” Fang Chen said. ”If Daoist Honglian comes by, explain things to her.”

Meng Qingling immediately agreed.

***

The Enlightenment Underworld Realm.

Wang Chongsong had just sat down and was rubbing his temples when the door was suddenly swung open again.

He looked up and frowned. ”Didn’t just leave. Why are you here again?”

Fang Chen closed the door behind him, then revealed. ”I found the immortal herb.”

Wang Chongsong froze. He then smiled wryly and shook his head. He said, ”I admit I was a bit discouraged just now, but I’ve already recovered. You don’t need to comfort me like this. We’re not children—”

”Ancient Dragon God Palace. Taiyi Lotus,” Fang Chen shared with a smile. ”This is the immortal herb you need for your eighth transformation.”

”Ancient Dragon God Palace? Taiyi Lotus?” muttered Wang Chongsong, frowning. Doubt crept into his heart. ”You’re serious?”

”Of course I am. This is no trivial matter. Why would I lie to you?” Fang Chen replied. ”Just tell me, can you get it or not?”

”So you already knew this path,” Wang Chongsong muttered. ”Was asking for 3,000 immortal crystals earlier only an excuse?”

He didn’t dwell on it. He didn’t truly believe Fang Chen would deceive him about something like this. What he questioned was whether the information itself was reliable.

”Where did you get this information?” Wang Chongsong asked.

”You know my background,” Fang Chen said with a smile.

”Oh!” Wang Chongsong suddenly understood and laughed. ”I didn’t expect those Yang Gods to remember such things. Not bad, not bad.”

”So?” Fang Chen asked eagerly. ”When can you get that immortal herb?”

”You think the Ancient Dragon God Palace is somewhere you can just stroll into?” Wang Chongsong rolled his eyes. ”You were able to go from the Lower Six Realms to the Upper Three Realms because they never took the Lower Six Realms seriously. But traveling within the Upper Three Realms themselves, an invitation alone won’t cut it.”

”I probably can’t go,” he continued, ”As a seventh transformation Ancient Immortal, they won’t allow me to enter the Shenwang Realm.”

”So... there’s only one path left?” Fang Chen murmured.

They exchanged a glance, clearly thinking of the same thing.

Wang Chongsong nodded. ”If you can infiltrate the Underworld controlled by the Ancient Dragon God Palace through the Floating Pagoda Realm, you’ll have a chance to reach the Ancient Dragon God Palace itself.”

He added, ”Your identity is special. This is something ordinary people couldn’t possibly accomplish.

Even if they managed to sneak in, once they reached the living world, they wouldn’t be able to take even a blade of grass. But you’re different. You have the ability to steal that Taiyi Lotus.

”But there’s no need to rush this. I haven’t reached the peak of my realm yet. First, go to Great Thunder Sound and find the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation. Deal with the urgent matters at hand.”

As he spoke, he took out a green gourd and tossed it to Fang Chen.

”What’s this?” Fang Chen asked, examining the gourd.

The aura it carried was unusual.

”My World Gourd ended up in your hands, didn’t it?” Wang Chongsong sneered. ”That one’s male. This one’s female. They’re a matched pair. Today, I am reuniting them.”

He explained, ”World Gourd isn’t its real name. When the two are together, they’re called the Yin Yang Immortal Gourds. The Yang Gourd stores living beings. The Yin Gourd stores souls. This time, you’re not only bringing back the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation, but you’re also bringing back all the human race seeds from the Langgui Constellation, Great Thunder Sound, and the Nanqing Constellation.”

”Easy enough,” Fang Chen replied, fondly holding the Yin Gourd.

With it, operating in the Underworld would become far more convenient.