Immortal of the Nine Realms

After obtaining the Sword Bone, Fang Chen tried putting it into the Pifu Sand. However, just like immortal herbs, it could not be stored inside. This meant he couldn’t take it back through the Underworld. He had to advance to a third-transformation Sword Immortal right now.

Little Yu should be around fifteen or sixteen by now. When I return... I wonder if she’ll still be in Peach Blossom Village.

Suddenly, he looked up toward the distant void. A flickering, illusory mountain stood grandly in the stars. Only a handful of existences in the world could even perceive it. There, a round, plump figure tore through the void and landed before the illusory mountain, muttering as he sized it up.

”Heh, finally found it...”

Fang Chen’s eyes narrowed. He can see the mountain?

He suppressed his aura and kept the Black Dragon Boat hidden in the void.

The fat man wore a purple Daoist robe that radiated a mysterious, high-level aura. It was likely a spiritual treasure, perhaps one that hadn’t cracked the top three hundred. After grumbling to himself for a bit, the man took out a jade green object and tossed it toward the mountain.

A Formation Heart...

Fang Chen was now certain the man could see the illusory mountain and even knew it could be unsealed with Heavenly Dao Blood.

Anyone who knows this naturally knows about that matter. This is someone who has shattered the veil of cognition and knows the truth of the world.

Fang Chen continued to observe, but to his surprise, even with his divine soul, he couldn’t discern the man’s cultivation rank.

Could he be a Yang God? No, the aura feels different. Perhaps he has a specialized treasure that negates my divine soul, Fang Chen mused.

The appearance of that fat man was completely unexpected and clearly signaled that he was no simple character.

A smile crossed Fang Chen’s face.

Well, I am not complaining. This saves me a Formation Heart.

Not only was another seal being broken, but he was now certain that besides himself and Wang Chongsong, others were working to dissolve the seals on the Upper Three Realms.

The purple-robed man seemed to possess special techniques. As the Heavenly Dao Blood merged into the mountain and dissolved the sealing talismans, he occasionally struck out with bursts of immortal essence to accelerate the process. In just half a day, the seal was completely undone.

With a thought from Fang Chen, a faint mist appeared around the area. The Yellow Springs Road was now open. Henceforth, the wandering souls of this region could be guided back to the Underworld.

The fat man immediately set up a sealing formation around himself, took out a Soul Guiding Lantern, and traversed to the Underworld. Fang Chen watched as the man’s soul entered the Yellow Springs.

”Little Sword, keep the Sword Bone safe for me. Wait here for a while, I’ll be right back.”

Fang Chen handed the bone to Little Sword, then directly entered the Underworld with his physical body, vanishing into the white mist.

***

On the chaotic Yellow Springs Road, it didn’t take long for Fang Chen to spot the purple-robed fat man. Naturally, the fat man spotted him as well.

The fat man put on a look of total bewilderment, staring at Fang Chen.

”Ah! Where is this place?”

”I don’t know either. It feels like I’ve died...” replied Fang Chen, his expression equally dazed.

The two stared at each other for a heartbeat before suddenly and simultaneously leaping backward to put distance between them.

Fang Chen and the fat man barked in unison, ”The aura of a Path of Yin walker on you is as plain as day. What are you pretending for?”

The fat man sneered. ”Brother, let’s be upfront. No need for the charades. We’re both Path of Yin walkers. Do you really think I’m going to jump you?”

Fang Chen smiled. ”You were the one to bluff first.”

The purple-robed man fell silent for a moment before speaking up, ”My name is Wang Chongsong. What’s yours?”

Fang Chen went quiet for a few beats, then said calmly, ”What a coincidence. My name is also Wang, and I’m called Wang Zhenlong. Five thousand years ago, we might have been from the same clan.”

There was no way that man was actually Wang Chongsong. If he were, he would have recognized Fang Chen instantly, just like Elder Longxiang had beside the core disciple of Rulai Monastery. The memory of a Bone Destiny is shared among avatars.

That fat man was clearly using a fake name, but in doing so, he unintentionally revealed to Fang Chen that he knew of Old Wang. He likely had a deep connection with him. Perhaps he had even learned about the method of unsealing from Old Wang himself.

Old Wang has planted so many seeds across the Nine Mortal Realms... I truly cannot compete with him in that regard.

”Wang Zhenlong? Hmm. Well, Brother Zhenlong, what brings you to the Underworld?” asked the fat man with a grin.

Fang Chen answered, ”No purpose. I just suddenly felt like traveling through the Underworld,”

The fat man gave a half-smile. ”Just felt like traveling through the Underworld? You jump in here the moment the seal is removed, and you expect me to believe it’s some kind of coincidence that brought you here?”

”Oh, it’s only become accessible now?” Fang Chen gave a look of feigned shock. ”But how would you know it just became accessible? I was merely passing by and decided to give it a try. Since you know the timing so well, does this opening have something to do with you?”

The fat man remained composed. ”What would it have to do with me? You’re overthinking it.”

His gaze suddenly shifted to something behind Fang Chen, and he warned, ”Someone’s coming.”

Fang Chen didn’t even need to turn around to sense the surge of numerous wandering souls approaching.

Behind him, a dense swarm of wandering souls stretched as far as the eye could see. Some were expressionless, some were lost in a daze, and others moved like walking corpses. A few could be seen frantically asking those around them what had happened.

”Brother, those are just ordinary wandering souls. Pay them no mind. Shall we head further up and see what’s there?” the purple-robed fat man invited.

Fang Chen nodded. ”Very well.”

Before long, the two arrived at the banks of the Forgotten River. Fang Chen could already sense the Zhu Long shuttling through the waters at a speed beyond human comprehension, heading toward them. However, he sent a mental message commanding it to stay hidden for now.

Until he cleared up this fat man’s background, Fang Chen wouldn’t allow him to know anything related to his true identity. Even if he did find out, he likely wouldn’t tell him anyway.

Fang Chen sized up the fat man. The demonic calamity descends, I come to the Linglong Constellation, and I just happen to bump into a guy who knows Old Wang. Rather strange.

Whether this person was an ally or a foe remained to be seen.

”Could you dial back the way you’re looking at me just a little?” The fat man shot Fang Chen a side glance. He rubbed his hands together. ”I wonder if anyone is coming to guide us. If no one shows up, we’re just going to be standing here.”

Fang Chen suggested, ”You could try swimming across. Maybe the Forgotten River isn’t the same as it used to be. If you manage to reach the other side, you might actually find some good stuff, perhaps a massive pile of Yin Lifespan. Then you could use that lifespan to manifest a boat and come back to pick me up.”

Fang Chen’s face was the epitome of sincerity as he said that.