Immortal of the Nine Realms

What Chu Yue had done happened once again. Ji Sheng and the others were both furious and shocked. They couldn’t imagine how many traitors were hidden among them. At the same time, they were deeply puzzled. Just what kind of person was the target these people were trying to kill? What kind of existence would warrant such a massive effort, sending so many hidden core disciples?

Before they could think further, everyone was poured out of the Yang Gourd once again. The traitor looked somewhat smug as he glanced at Fang Chen, until he noticed that another youth had appeared behind him. His expression immediately turned alarmed.

Ji Sheng pointed at him and said, ”Senior Brother Wang, this person is a traitor.”

Fang Chen nodded and struck the core disciple dead with a single palm.

If nothing else, this trip to Mingwang Star had been quite rewarding; he had obtained fragments of the Formation Heart and several Ancient Immortal Registers.

”The previous two were substitutes. The youth before you now is the one I truly need to escort.” Fang Chen smiled at the group. ”As for traitors, it’s unavoidable. Don’t take it to heart. As long as they’re rooted out, it’s fine.”

The core disciples present were shocked once again.

So both of them were substitutes!

Soon after, they were once again taken into the Yang Gourd, along with the youth. This time, no one approached him. Even Ji Sheng kept his distance. Everyone observed one another, waiting to see if any remaining traitors would make a move.

Ji Sheng cleared his throat and tempted, ”Well... if there’s still a traitor among you, now would be a good time to act. Perhaps this one is your target.”

”Core Disciple Ji, you could also be the traitor,” someone scoffed. ”Why don’t you make a move?”

Ji Sheng frowned. ”I’m a core disciple of the Enlightenment God Palace. How could I possibly be a traitor?”

”Then... there shouldn’t be any more traitors, right? I doubt they could arrange more than two,” someone said.

”Not necessarily. There could still be a third one, but they might not dare to act. Who knows if this is even their target? If it’s not, making a move would just cost them their life without completing the mission,” another teased.

”Seriously, though, who exactly is the person the Fallen Alliance wants to kill? What kind of background do they have to warrant such arrangements? I think I understand now, our capture here might have been orchestrated just to set up these assassination attempts.”

”That... actually makes sense...”

The group exchanged glances, a chill rising in their hearts. After that, no one spoke. They simply waited in silence.

Inside the Yang Gourd, it was easy to lose track of time, just like traveling through the Qingming. They estimated that over ten days had passed. If nothing unexpected happened, they might truly be leaving Mingwang Star this time.

Then, one day, another person suddenly attacked the youth. After killing him, the attacker immediately turned to Ji Sheng and said coldly, ”This one shouldn’t be a decoy, right?”

Ji Sheng sighed. ”Who knows?”

Everyone looked at the attacker, then shook their heads. There really was a third traitor.

Before long, they were poured out of the Yang Gourd again. Looking around, they realized they were still in the Kudu Monastery; they hadn’t left Mingwang Star at all.

Seeing this, the attacker felt a sense of dread. Then he saw Fang Chen appear once more, with yet another youth.

The man glared at Fang Chen in fury. ”You’ve got to be kidding me!”

”Normally, things don’t happen more than three times. I believe there are at most three traitors. So I won’t be testing you further.”

Fang Chen smiled, then struck the third traitor dead with a single palm. This time, he was only a third-transformation immortal.

He then once again placed everyone into the Yang Gourd. The atmosphere inside was very strange. No one spoke.

After a while, someone touched their lips and sighed, ”I feel like my lips are starting to curl upward.”

Everyone agreed. They had been treated like fish being baited over and over.

Someone suggested, ”So let’s not waste any more time. If there’s a fourth traitor, just attack already. Maybe this is your target. Maybe it isn’t. Either way, there are only two outcomes; there won’t be a third.”

The proposal was widely agreed upon.

”Yeah, just make your move. Don’t waste our time.”

A long silence followed. No one spoke. Soon after, they felt the world spin again and were poured out of the Yang Gourd once more. But this time, something was different. The youth hadn’t been killed, and no traitor had acted. Instead, they saw Fang Chen bring in yet another youth, replacing the previous one.

The group sighed.

***

One month later, two more traitors were uncovered. The group couldn’t help but marvel. They hadn’t expected there to be so many traitors. Nor had they expected Fang Chen to use the same method so many times. Even the last two, who had been extremely cautious, had fallen for it.

***

”Everyone, this is the location of Lone Light Star. It’s not actually that far from Mingwang Star. If you pilot an Immortal Boat, you can reach it after some time. Once there, you’ll be able to rendezvous with the cultivators of the Wandao Immortal Sect.”

Fang Chen transferred the coordinates from the star map onto an Immortal Boat. After giving them a few instructions, he watched as they piloted the Immortal Boat away from Mingwang Star.

The final traitor who had been exposed stared at the scene in disbelief. ”You never intended to take us with you at all?!”

Fang Chen smiled. ”Why would I? That would be too dangerous.”

”You’ll get your comeuppance one day!”

”You’re not the Heavenly Dao, your words don’t count. Will you go on your own, or shall I send you off?”

”I’ll do it myself.”

After the man took his own life, Fang Chen collected his wandering soul into the Yin Gourd, then allowed the real Zhang Shaoming to enter the Yang Gourd.

”Everyone, you may leave,” Fang Chen said with a smile to the four Venerables.

The four nodded.

”If you need anything, just give the word, my lord.”

After saying that, they vanished into the vast white mist along with a million ghost soldiers.

Fang Chen activated his Primordial Immortal Eyes, his gaze piercing through layers of space and landing upon Sheng Ning’s secluded cultivation site. The man had already accepted the Ancient Immortal Register and consumed the immortal herb he had prepared long ago. He was now undergoing his final transformation. Once successful, he would become an Ancient Immortal, greatly extending his lifespan.

For Old Sheng, this step is crucial. If he succeeds, he’ll be reborn and live another life. If he fails, his lifespan will be exhausted in a few years, and he’ll have to walk the path of a Ghost Immortal.

Fang Chen glanced at his chest pocket. Fellow Daoist Mi Yu was still asleep, seemingly unaware of everything happening outside.

”Time to depart,” muttered Fang Chen, smiling.

He flew toward the Starry Teleportation Formation.

Now, he was the one guarding Mingwang Star. Whether the formation opened or not, it was his decision. Before long, he arrived at the formation. Just as he was about to step in, the clouds above suddenly churned, forming a vast landscape painting.

Fang Chen’s gaze sharpened. The scene depicted in that painting was unmistakably Three World Mountain.