Immortal of the Nine Realms

“Absurd...”

Just as silence fell over the crowd, You Fang suddenly sneered and stared fearlessly at Fang Chen. “The Path of Ghost Gods? Do you even know what era we live in? Speaking of ancient ways today is no different from selling pipe dreams.”

He swept his gaze across everyone. “All of you have spoken with Yin Walkers, haven’t you? You’ve heard a thing or two about the state of the Mortal Realm, right?”

No one responded.

You Fang continued on his own. “Cultivators in the Mortal Realm fight tooth and nail for the chance at immortality. And the result? There are no more True Immortals in this world! No one even knows whether the Immortal Realm still exists.

“The Path of Ghost Gods in the Underworld was also severed back then. Not a single soul since has been able to walk it. Though we don’t know what exactly happened, it’s not hard to guess, a war among heavenly laws, and we were the collateral damage. We are the fish in the pond.”

Seeing that no one answered, he let out a dry laugh. “Monarch Fang wants us to walk the Ghost God Path. Sounds easy enough. But does he think he can challenge the will of Heaven itself?”

“You Fang, don’t speak nonsense! What you said is all speculation. Speaking such things here only invites ridicule,” Shentu Cang barked coldly.

“Shentu Cang! I once thought you were the only one in the Underworld who understood reason. Now look at you!” You Fang pointed at Fang Chen, shouting angrily, “He’s just basking in Monarch Yan’s favor and now runs wild in the Underworld, constantly stirring things up. This reform and that reform. And now he wants us to go to the Floating Pagoda Realm and cultivate the Ghost God Path? Does he think we’re idiots?!”

The yin energy in his body surged wildly. Clearly, he was furious.

Shentu Cang sighed and looked toward Fang Chen. “My lord, allow me to escort him out.”

“No need,” replied Fang Chen, waving him off.

He looked at You Fang with indifferent eyes.

The hearts of the others sank. They thought the lord was silently thinking of how to deal with You Fang and dared not speak for fear of being implicated.

“Fish in the pond...” Fang Chen mulled the phrase in his mind.

Of all You Fang had said, those four words stirred a sudden suspicion in him.

The Mirror of the Universe had once mentioned that the three Divine Beasts had once fought against Heaven and lost.

Could it be that the closing of the Immortal Realm, the death of Monarch Yan, the disappearance of True Immortals, and the extinction of the Ghost God Path were all collateral damage?

“Why are you looking at me like that? Planning to strip me of my Reincarnation Division post? Fine. Take it.” You Fang sneered. “Even if I’m not an official anymore, I won’t compromise with you today. If you want to exile us to the Floating Pagoda Realm, just say so. Why act like you’re hiding something? In today’s Underworld, who even dares defy you?”

Jing Xue and the others frowned slightly, but soon understood something.

If what You Fang said was true... why were they still here? Why were Du Yunxu and Qiu Jing still here? Why hadn’t they already been removed?

If anyone was being exiled, it was only You Fang. The rest of them had long since chosen to cooperate, and had not caused Fang Chen much trouble at all.

Fang Chem smiled. “You Fang, you’re not a fish in the pond. But the way you’re acting, you sure resemble something else.”

“Oh?” You Fang sneered. “And what might that be?”

Fang Chen didn’t answer. He simply lifted his hand and pointed to the Forgotten River. A bridge materialized from nothing.

It was the bridge to the Floating Pagoda Realm.

Everyone exchanged looks in silence, until Shentu Cang took the lead and stepped onto the bridge.

Then Du Yunxu followed, and one by one the others clenched their teeth and ascended.

Qi Tianran, Qiu Jing, Jing Xue, and then the Monarch of the Soul Capturing Division.

You Fang remained in place, head held high, eyes full of scorn as he stared at Fang Chen, with no intention of setting foot on the bridge.

Seeing this, Fang Chen merely waved a hand and terrifying yin energy swept forth.

You Fang’s expression changed drastically, and he roared, trying to resist the force.

The next moment, his yin energy was crushed, and he was grabbed by an invisible force and dragged before Fang Chen.

With a single kick, Fang Chen sent him flying.

On the bridge, everyone felt something.

They looked up and saw a figure shoot across the sky above them, hurtling toward the far end of the bridge.

Qi Tianran let out a heavy breath.

The Soul Capturing Division said coldly, “Was that really necessary?”

No one spoke further.

When they reached the Floating Pagoda Realm, the bridge vanished behind them.

You Fang’s face was dark, his yin energy fluctuating uncontrollably. Freed from the laws of the Lesser Underworld, not just his but everyone’s yin energy began to boil.

Each of them had cultivated for ages. They were not much weaker in seniority than Empress Ci herself. Among all the Underworld Monarchs, only Shi Long, Tai Yin Dragon King, Empress Ci, and True Monarch of Pan Mountain could rival their experience.

“I won’t become a Great Yin Demon!” You Fang’s face twisted in rage. He glared at Fang Chen. “If I turn into one, I’ll kill you first!”

Jing Xue and the others were also uncomfortable. Deep down, they resisted this method of promotion.

Becoming a great Yin Demon meant losing their official titles. They would no longer be able to open bridges between worlds and might be stuck in the Floating Pagoda Realm forever, like the other demons, killing each other for mere slivers of lifeforce.

Suddenly, shadowy figures appeared all around.

“You want to kill the lord? Did you ask us first?”

Stone Dragon, Lunar Dragon King, True Monarch of Pan Mountain, and, having only recently returned from the Prison Wind, Empress Ci.

Her expression was cold as she stared at You Fang. The terrifying pressure of a Great Yin Demon weighed down like a mountain, making it hard for him to breathe.

“It’s you people!” You Fang recognized Empress Ci and Stone Dragon. They were the ones Fang Chen had brought when he stormed the Judgment Division.

He and Jing Xue had long suspected they were Great Yin Demons. Now, it was confirmed.

Seemingly making up his mind, You Fang stopped resisting the force. His aura began to rise rapidly.

He looked at Fang Chen and said coldly, “If you want me to walk the path of a Yin Demon, so be it. I hope you won’t regret it. As an Underworld Monarch, consorting with demons of the Floating Pagoda Realm... You’ve betrayed Monarch Yan’s trust!”

“Lord Fang... according to the ancestral laws of the Underworld... it is improper to associate too closely with Yin Demons,” Qi Tianran said with a bitter smile.

Empress Ci suddenly let out a chilling laugh. “Open your dog eyes and take a closer look. Are we great Yin Demons... or Ghost Gods?”

On her blood-red wedding dress, golden talismans began to shimmer.

Imperial Decree.

“What is that...?”

You Fang and the others froze, expressions changing to disbelief as something clicked in their minds.

“It was written in ancient texts... Ghost Gods, once bestowed an Imperial Decree, become true Ghost Gods of the Underworld, commanding Yin Walkers and Yin Demons alike. Their status is no lower than that of a True Immortal.”

The Monarch of the Soul Capturing Division murmured. Then he suddenly burst into wild laughter as his aura exploded, soaring far beyond any present. In an instant, he had surpassed his former self, nearing the level of Tai Yin Dragon King and the others.

He had entered the realm of Ghost Gods.

He knelt before Fang Chen and declared, “I, Kong Jin, request Monarch Yan’s Imperial Decree!”