Immortal of the Nine Realms

On this day, a fierce wind seemed to sweep through the capital of Grand Xia. Passersby were blinded by the flying dust. In their blurred vision, they thought they saw countless soldiers in tattered armor rushing past them. When they rubbed their eyes and looked again, the streets turned empty again. It was as if they had seen ghosts in broad daylight.

”Mom, that gust of wind was so strange—it felt like someone hugged me.”

”Don’t talk nonsense.”

Above the bustling capital, Fang Chen stood silently, gazing at the prosperous city below. Behind him stood tens of thousands of military spirits, all silent, their postures upright, solemn, and dignified.

”Even wandering souls can become the wind.”

”Perhaps every breeze that brushes against you is an embrace from a loved one.”

Fang Chen had just seen many military spirits bidding farewell to their blood relatives. Though invisible and intangible, they transformed into gusts of wind through their powerful will.

Xing Xian said softly, ”Lord, it’s time to leave.”

Fang Chen smiled. ”No rush—some people have not arrived yet.”

Xing Xian was slightly taken aback. ”Some people?”

Before long, an elderly man with snow-white hair arrived, walking through the air. He gazed at Fang Chen and the tens of thousands of military spirits. After a long silence, he cupped his hands and bowed.

Seeing Jiang Yushu appear, many military spirits couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

”I, Jiang Yushu, greet you, Divine General Fang.”

”It’s Minister Jiang from the Ministry of Justice!”

”I heard he has lived for 130 years. That’s a life longer than many martial artists.”

”Divine General Fang, why... have you died as well?” Jiang Yushu frowned slightly. ”You are a cultivator. Your lifespan shouldn’t be this short.”

”Jiang Yushu, do I look like a wandering soul to you?” said Fang Chen.

Jiang Yushu was momentarily stunned. He stepped forward and carefully examined Fang Chen. After a moment, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. ”You have a strong vitality, Divine General Fang. You’re clearly alive. How is it that you can see me and these loyal souls?”

”Jiang Yushu, Divine General Fang has taken a position in the Underworld. Now, he’s leading us to conquer the Six Realms!”

”You might need to start preparing yourself—you’ll probably be resuming your duties as Minister of Justice in the underworld soon,” joked a few of the military spirits.

Hearing this, Jiang Yushu was dumbfounded for several moments before snapping out of it.

Fang Chen asked, ”Jiang Yushu, are there any of the old officials still around?”

”Some are, but others are not. I don’t know whether they’ve become wandering ghosts or simply lost their way.”

Fang Chen smiled faintly. ”Perhaps they’ve already reached the Underworld. Call for those who remain.”

”Please wait a moment,” said Jiang Yushu.

He cupped his hands and turned to leave.

Moments later, dozens of figures arrived, stepping through the air. Fang Chen recognized many of them.

Minister of Rites Tao Mingsheng and Minister of War Ye Dongming were also present. When they saw Fang Chen, they appeared momentarily stunned. However, they quickly regained their composure and bowed deeply.

”Greetings, Duke Fang!”

Fang Chen asked, ”Everyone, would you care to visit the Three World Mountain?”

”We would be honored to follow!” responded everyone in unison.

They didn’t fully understand what was happening. However, when they saw the hundreds of thousands of military spirits leaving the Eternal Cemetery to follow Fang Chen, the old ministers—who had been cunning foxes during their lives—naturally realized that such a journey had to hold great benefits. They were just as shrewd even in death. If anything, they became even more sly.

Over the next few days, Fang Chen led the multitude of spirits across the lands of Grand Xia, gathering wave after wave of military souls. He visited places where he had once fought battles—Guhe, Longdu....

In these regions, countless Grand Xia spirits lingered, waiting. Only after he had visited all the significant locations did Fang Chen finally arrive at Three World Mountain.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of war drums echoed endlessly. One after another, military souls, armed with shattered blades and broken halberds, charged ferociously into battle.

Everywhere they looked, there was a battlefield.

Grand Xia’s soldiers were locked in fierce combat with the Qingsong Empire’s Wolf Army. One soldier’s blade pierced an enemy’s heart, while the enemy’s halberd smashed his skull.

Yet in the next instant, both sides rose as if nothing had happened, continuing the relentless battle. The scene of spilled guts and shattered bones seemed like an illusion, as soldiers climbed up from the blood-soaked ground, eternally unyielding.

The hundreds of thousands of spirits behind Fang Chen panted heavily, their eyes gradually turning blood-red, as though they too were ready to charge into the battlefield.

Jiang Yushu and the other old ministers, who had never witnessed such bloodshed during their lifetimes, now saw with their own eyes the terrifying reality of war formations in death.

The battlefield before them was like a steel torrent, crushing everything in its path. Nothing could survive its relentless advance.

Fang Chen roared in a deep, commanding voice, ”Soldiers, hear my command!”

His voice thundered like a storm, exploding across the skies above Three World Mountain.

The soldiers locked in battle below instinctively stopped and looked upward.

When the Grand Xia soldiers caught sight of Fang Chen’s figure, they became overwhelmingly elated, while fear overtook the faces of the Qingsong Empire’s Wolf Army.

”General Fang is here! He’s going to lead us to slaughter these dogs! Hahaha!”

”This battle is ours! Grand Xia will surely triumph, surely triumph!”

Fang Chen’s calm voice interrupted their shouts. ”Qingsong has already merged into Grand Xia. This battle ended long ago.”

”Ended?”

Both sides of the battlefield froze in confusion, though the Qingsong Empire’s Wolf Army’s eyes betrayed their disbelief, their expressions turning fierce.

Fang Chen’s gaze landed on three generals amidst the battlefield. ”And you three, why didn’t you follow me back to the capital last time?”

Once, Fang Chen had four Dragon Generals. Huang Sihai was one of them and was fortunate enough not to have died at Three World Mountain. These three, however, had perished in that very battle.

One of the Dragon Generals stepped forward respectfully. ”Lord, we thought that even in death, we could drag these people down with us. But after years of fighting, we found we couldn’t kill them, and they couldn’t kill us either.”

”Souls have an allotted lifespan,” Fang Chen said with a sigh. ”When their time in the Underworld ends, they naturally fade. Over the years, some of our comrades must have exhausted their Yin lifespan and disappeared, returning to dust and ash.”

Hearing this, everyone suddenly understood. It was no wonder some of their comrades had vanished inexplicably—so their allotted time had simply run out.

Fang Chen’s thoughts shifted, and a gray, foggy path to the Yellow Springs appeared before the souls of the army.

”This road leads to the Underworld’s Baiyue City. Let’s go.”

Baiyue City in the Underworld?

The soldiers had no intention of defying Fang Chen’s command and began to march in formation toward the Yellow Springs.

The Qingsong Empire’s Wolf Army stood by, watching the scene unfold, their faces gradually showing confusion.

As the last of the souls stepped into the Yellow Springs, the Qingsong Wolf Army became more and more uncertain, unsure of how to respond.

”Divine General Fang, please wait!”

Finally, one of the Qingsong Wolf Army’s generals gathered his courage, stepping forward and clasping his hands in salute.

Fang Chen glanced at him and said indifferently, ”What do you want?”

The general spoke cautiously, ”May I ask, is it true that Qingsong... has truly merged with Grand Xia?”

Fang Chen nodded.

The general and his subordinates were filled with a sense of loss, though they felt reluctant to believe it. Still, they knew deep down that this man would never lie about something of such importance.

”I almost forgot,” uttered Fang Chen, a smile rising on his lips. ”Qingsong is now just a province of Grand Xia. You are, in a sense, soldiers of Grand Xia. Would you like to join us on the road to the Underworld?”

”Yes!”

Without hesitation, the Qingsong Wolf Army made their decision. Since the Grand Xia soldiers were taking the path, they weren’t worried Fang Chen would trick them.

***

In Baiyue City. As a Day Walker Soldier, Marshall Xiao Lang suddenly felt a shift in his mind. He immediately left his residence and soared through the air. Just as he was about to step out of the Forgotten River, he hesitated for a moment.

Over a million wandering souls had gathered by the riverbank, curiously looking around. Among them, he saw group after group of familiar faces.