Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen watched as Hong Qing walked past him. His demeanor was indifferent, lifeless, and just like the other paper figures. There was no distinction.

After serving the true disciples with fruits and wine, he turned and stood in the corner of the banquet hall with the other paper figures, quietly awaiting further instructions.

If he really is Hong Qing... then Senior Brother Qingmu’s situation must be just as bad as his, Fang Chen thought, his expression serious.

It was highly likely that the Grand Elder Qingmu had already been turned into a paper figure through the Spiritual Attachment Technique. Now, Fang Chen couldn’t make direct contact with Hong Qing, or the cultivator who had refined him would detect it immediately. Unless he found a gap in time to take him to the Underworld, but doing so would also alert others.

Senior Brother Qingmu and Hong Qing’s identities are tied to Master Yun He. If I were to ask Sun Susu to bring them over, it would raise suspicions...

Fang Chen thought for a moment and decided to wait for the right time. He had already gathered some clues, which was a good sign. It meant that Qingmu was likely here as well.

As long as he could find Qingmu, he could take both of them and leave. Even if the Thousand Dao Tower was strong, they couldn’t pursue them to the Underworld.

Yan Haoran suddenly laughed and said, ”Nangong Yuanzhen, if you truly want to know who killed your younger brother, why don’t you ask Senior Nie?”

Everyone’s gaze shifted toward the figure from the Yin Holy Sect.

Nie Yunqian gently shook her head. ”The Yin Holy Sect has already investigated, but we have found no leads. Furthermore, the underworld is currently undergoing turmoil, and the Judgment Hall that we were close to... has had its power taken away. For the time being, we must act cautiously.”

The group was surprised.

”The Underworld also struggles for power?”

The young man from the Great Sun Sect, with curiosity on his face, asked, ”Senior Nie, are there many beautiful women in the Underworld?”

Nie Yunqian’s response was indifferent. ”How would I know? If you’re curious, you can always go and take a look for yourself.”

The young man from the Great Sun Sect immediately chuckled awkwardly. ”But we don’t know how to travel to the Underworld, so how could we go?”

Even if they did know how to travel to the Underworld, they wouldn’t easily go there. After all, the Yin Holy Sect was the best at venturing into the Underworld. That was their territory. If they ventured there without permission and were encountered by a Yin Holy Sect cultivator, the initiative would fall into their hands.

In the Mortal Realm, there might still be some semblance of etiquette. Even if there were misunderstandings, people would smile and get along on the surface, not immediately resorting to violence. However, things were different in the Underworld. Who could guarantee what the Yin Holy Sect cultivators were really thinking?

Qu Ge laughed and said, ”Senior Nie, since we’re all gathered together today, why don’t you tell us more about the Underworld?”

The nearby true disciples perked up, all eager to learn more. They were quite curious about the Underworld, but they didn’t know much about it. However, they could tell from the Yin Holy Sect cultivators’ habit of venturing into the Underworld that there had to be many cultivation resources there. If not, why would the cultivators of the Yin Holy Sect typically advance in their cultivation much faster than they did?

Nie Yunqian shook her head and said, ”The matters of the Underworld... are not easy to discuss. I can only say that even for cultivators like us, when traveling to the Underworld, we must follow their rules.”

She then quickly changed the subject, clearly not wanting to go into too much detail about the Underworld.

”Let’s talk about those sword cultivators instead,” she said.

Nie Yunqian’s gaze became serious as she scanned the crowd. ”Our elders are paying close attention to this matter. I wonder how the elders behind you all view this situation?”

The crowd’s expressions shifted.

In particular, the true disciples from the Long family and the Sun family took a deep breath, their faces showing signs of tension as they glanced at Yan Haoran and the others. This group of individuals was the youngest of the Loose Immortals here, and they could be said to represent the future of this place. Their words were almost synonymous with the opinions of the second-transformation Loose Immortals, and even the third-transformation patriarchs.

Fang Chen was also curious about how these factions viewed this matter.

”Have you all noticed?” Yan Haoran said with a faint smile. ”The sword cultivators from Thousand Dao Tower have all left.”

”We’ve handed over all the sword scriptures we had to those sword cultivators.” The young man from the Great Sun Sect nodded faintly. ”The elders said that since the sword cultivators have reached the third turn, they shouldn’t be treated like before. This means their path is viable. From now on, when we meet them, we must show respect.”

”The Qu family has no objections, as long as they don’t continue expanding, we can coexist peacefully,” said Qu Ge, contemplating the matter.

”The same goes for the Du family,” Du Anxian added.

”It seems the rumors are true after all. The sword cultivators indeed want to establish their own sect here. When that happens, do you think we can still coexist peacefully?” Nie Yunqian said coldly.

Although Nangong Yuanzhen didn’t speak, his expression spoke volumes. It seemed the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land didn’t want to involve itself in this matter.

This time, the sword cultivators had disrupted the balance of Qiufeng, and all factions were about to face a major reshuffling.

Cultivators vie for resources. Without enough spirit stones and immortal crystals, how could there be the existence of the four great families, the three major sects, and the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land?

If these were to be taken away, it would not be something that could simply be resolved with peaceful coexistence.

”You all are overthinking this,” Yan Haoran said with a faint smile. ”Take Thousand Dao Tower, for instance. How long has it been here? Since ancient times, over a hundred Loose Immortals have perished in Thousand Dao Tower. We are all still young. What we fight for is the future, not the present.”

He continued, ”Although three tribulation sword cultivators have emerged, their lifespans remain unchanged. Only half of us remain. As far as I know, aside from the two third-transformation sword cultivators, they have only a dozen or so first-transformation sword cultivators and no second-transformation sword cultivators. What does that indicate?”

A look of realization appeared on everyone’s faces.

These sword cultivators still had a weak foundation. The sudden emergence of third-transformation sword cultivators may have involved the use of some special power.

As time passed and these two third-transformation sword cultivators eventually passed away, the situation in Prison Wind would quickly return to what it was before. Even the spirit mines, spiritual veins, and various livelihoods that they took from the Long and Sun families will be divided among the remaining two great families, the three major sects, and the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land.

Fang Chen’s eyes narrowed. So there really is another third-transformation sword cultivator....

Li Wuwang was dealing with the Long Family, but he didn’t know where the third-transformation sword cultivator who was dealing with the Sun family came from.

The disciples of the Long and Sun families present felt a bit dejected upon hearing Yan Haoran and the others’ conversation and sensing their attitude. Fortunately, the latter part of their conversation lifted their spirits.

As the conversation became more relaxed and the banquet neared its end, a special aura approached from a distance. Everyone looked up and saw someone performing sword transformation techniques, flying overhead.

The crowd fell silent.

When were sword cultivators so daring?! The aura from the sword light just now clearly belonged to a Loose Immortal sword cultivator!

However, the only Loose Immortal sword cultivator in Thousand Dao Tower had already left with the other sword cultivators.

Who could this suddenly appearing sword cultivator be?

As everyone’s expressions darkened, someone reported that Li Changsheng had arrived at Thousand Dao Tower.

Upon hearing this news, Fang Chen immediately headed in the direction the sword cultivator had flown.