Immortal of the Nine Realms

”So many Great Yin Demons...” the old woman murmured softly.

The hundred-odd Ghost Immortals behind her all took a step forward, sweeping their grave gazes over those Great Yin Demons. At the same time, they scanned the surroundings to see if any other underworld factions had arrived ahead of them.

The young woman looked hesitant. ”Mother, these Great Yin Demons know how to seek fortune and avoid disaster. None of them dare approach this tower. We...”

The way she looked at the Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower shifted between apprehension and a trace of fear.

The Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower naturally exerted a powerful, innate suppression over any Underworld creature. Whether they were wandering souls, Yin Demons, or Ghost Immortals, all could feel a shuddering, great terror emanating from it.

”They lack sentience after all. They know that this underworld supreme treasure restrains them, but they do not know what kind of immense, heaven-sent benefits await if one manages to control it.”

The old woman withdrew her gaze from the Great Yin Demons, her eyes locking fixedly onto the Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower. She suddenly smiled and said, ”Ever since I became a Ghost Immortal, I have always been dedicated to sorting through the historical records of the Underworld. My dear daughter, did you know that the Underworld once possessed Ten Supreme Treasures?”

”I have indeed heard a little about it, but I only know of the Monarch Yan’s Seal...” The young woman’s expression turned solemn. ”Is this object also one of the Ten Supreme Treasures?”

”If I am not mistaken, it is precisely one of the Ten Supreme Treasures of the Underworld, the Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower.” The old woman wore a look of fanatical delight as she smiled. ”Do you know that if we can master this tower, our Qingkong Underworld will have a continuous, endless stream of Yin Soldiers at our service?”

”The Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower?”

The young woman fell into contemplation.

Behind her, the crowd of Ghost Immortals from the Qingkong Underworld looked at one another. These Ghost Immortals were by no means simple characters. The Qingkong Underworld was backed by a peak-tier faction of the Shenwang Realm, the Clear Sky Mountain. And those from peak-tier factions who could embark upon the Ghost Immortal pathway were naturally core disciples! Although they could not operate immortal boat formations in the Underworld and thus could not unleash their ultimate strengths, among those of the same rank, they were absolutely the elite among elites!

”Elder Heiyu, what exactly are the effects of the Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower you mentioned? I can see that the tower is frantically absorbing Yin energy. What is it doing?” one of the Ghost Immortals asked deferentially.

The old woman smiled and narrowed her eyes. ”It is punishing the wandering souls imprisoned within it and refining them. Ultimately, they will be transformed into obedient Yin Soldiers. In the ancient eras when the Monarch Yan unified the Underworld, this was his ’Imperial Guards,’ ’personal troops,’ and ’private army.’”

Refining them into obedient Yin Soldiers? It could even refine Great Yin Demons?

The core disciples of Qingkong Mountain were inwardly horrified. The Greater Underworld had split into the Floating Pagoda Realm and the Lesser Underworld, and within the former, the most numerous entities were not the Ghost Immortals of various factions. Instead, they were the Great Yin Demons that littered the mountains and plains, visible everywhere.

They devoured one another in an Underworld devoid of order, becoming muddled, chaotic monsters under the influence of karma. They could not understand human speech, nor would they submit to anyone. The existence of these Great Yin Demons was something that no Underworld faction would easily provoke or interact with. Yet that did not change the fact that their numbers were staggeringly terrifying.

After all, they could devour karma without restraint to increase their strength. If these Great Yin Demons could be refined into obedient Yin Soldiers, then sweeping across everywhere would be no joke!

”With this supreme treasure manifesting, Monarch Fang must have sensed it as well. Has he arrived at the scene?” the young woman suddenly asked.

Elder Heiyu smiled. ”I can guarantee that this object is still masterless. If it had already recognized a master, could Monarch Fang have acted so low-key all these years? I fear he would have long since ignited a war of conquest within the Floating Pagoda Realm to reclaim the authority over ghosts and gods!”

Right at that moment, the tall and short Ghost Immortals suddenly broke through the air and arrived. The smile on Elder Heiyu’s face gradually faded.

The core disciples of Qingkong Mountain all looked toward these two Ghost Immortals, a trace of hostility emerging in their eyes. The auras of these two Ghost Immortals were quite different from theirs. They were either True Yin Gods or Ghost Immortals from Motian Division, definitely not entities who originated from peak factions and had embarked on the Ghost Immortal Dao by relying on fragments of the Book of Life and Death.

”Greetings, everyone,” the Tall Ghost Immortal said with a sheepish bow.

Elder Heiyu said indifferently, ”From the Motian Division?”

The Tall Ghost Immortal hurriedly clarified, ”We are not those rebel forces from Motian Division, but Underworld True Gods conferred by Monarch Yan.”

Monarch Yan? The one surnamed Fang is also here?

The group of entities looked at one another. Though they had never had direct contact with that individual, they knew that he had played a critical role in the Taicang Realm years ago. It was precisely because of him that the Demon Race’s advance across the Taicang Realm had ground to a near-halt, sinking into a period of negotiations.

Elder Heiyu remained silent for a few breaths before smiling. ”May I ask what guidance Monarch Fang has for us?”

The tall Ghost Immortal said sheepishly, ”He entrusted us to come and ask a question. If the Motian Division also arrives, which side will you all stand on?”

”Naturally, we wouldn’t stand on the side of the Motian Division,” someone answered softly.

Elder Heiyu, however, furrowed her brows slightly, then smiled. ”Please return and convey this message. We are as incompatible as fire and water with the Motian Division, so we naturally will not join forces with them. However, the supreme treasure of the Underworld is for anyone to fight for. We will not stand on the side of Monarch Yan either. When the time comes, whoever this object falls to will be decided entirely by strength.”

”Senior, that doesn’t sound quite right. The true ruler of the Underworld should be Monarch Yan. Whether it is you, Senior, or the underworld behind you, you all ought to follow Monarch Yan as your leader. If the Underworld is unified in the future, everyone here would also gain merit for supporting the rightful ruler,” the Short Ghost Immortal hurriedly argued.

Elder Heiyu laughed and waved her hand. ”Merit for supporting the rightful ruler? This old woman doesn’t understand such things. I only know that the current Underworld is fragmented, and every faction harbors the ambition to compete for supremacy. Though Monarch Fang is orthodox, he lacks the strength a true ruler should possess. How can anyone be convinced by that?

”On the contrary, the Motian Division is the one with the qualifications to fight for hegemony. Are we supposed to defect to the Motian Division because of that? The times have changed. The rules of the past belong to the past. We must now speak of the rules of the present. I trust Monarch Fang can understand this point.”

The tall and short Ghost Immortals exchanged glances before nodding. They cupped their hands and took their leave.

Once they left, the young woman said hesitantly, ”Mother, this is equivalent to forming a grudge with Monarch Fang. Despite everything, he did originate from our Human Race...”

”It doesn’t matter. Ever since he was exposed, all quarters have been probing his background. Now it can be confirmed that he indeed lacks available forces, falling far short of us. If we were to stand on his side, that would be the true trouble for us. Before things become clear, we also possess the possibility of competing for dominance over the Underworld.”

Elder Heiyu shook her head. After a brief pause, her expression gradually turned grave. ”The Taicang Realm has fallen into negotiations, so the situation in the Nine Mortal Realms will not change in the short term. Perhaps the coming chaos will instead breed within the Underworld.”

Is the Underworld about to fall into chaos?

Everyone glanced at the Eighteen Heavens Prison Tower. The appearance of this supreme treasure of the Underworld was perhaps validating the foresight of Elder Heiyu’s words.

On the other hand, the tall and short Ghost Immortals had already reported Elder Heiyu’s words to Fang Chen without missing a single syllable.

”Monarch Yan, the reason the various peak factions arranged pseudo-underworlds within the Floating Pagoda Realm is precisely that they all harbor the ambition to compete for supremacy over the Underworld. I fear they will not easily let go of this supreme treasure of the Underworld,” said Venerable Fatian with a heavy expression.