Immortal of the Nine Realms

”Impossible...” muttered Xu Qingsong as he exhaled sharply. A cold chill swept through him.

Ouyang Xuanzhen shot him a death glare, and he instantly lowered his head and kept quiet.

Yan Haoran and the rest glanced briefly at Xu Qingsong. They paid no attention to him, as he was only a junior.

Ouyang Xuanzhen heaved a sigh of relief and suppressed his uneasiness.

How did that fellow from the Three Thousand Dao Sect control ten First-Rate Sect Leaders?!

Who is this Fang Chen?

How could one man summon such power?

”Daoist Yan, is this news true?” Nangong Yuanzhen asked, his voice heavy with doubt.

”Since the information came from Li Changsheng himself, it must be real. This explains why your brother Nangong Yuancheng died alongside Zhao Mingxuan,” replied Yan Haoran with a smile. He paused and then added, ”That man... He is very likely a remnant of the Killing Spiritual Division, which is why I need all of you to join forces with me this time to ensure success.”

Qu Ge muttered apprehensively, ”What if we run into ten or more grandmasters of the same rank...?”

Yan Haoran’s smile deepened as he reassured them, ”There’s no need to worry. We just have to capture him before his protectors arrive.”

Realisation dawned on the group. The group of sword cultivators from the Prison Wind Lands had already arrived.

”Daoist Yan, since the Path of Yin technique has become well-known here, I’m sure they will learn it and spread it throughout the Prison Wind Lands too,” said Nie Yunqian solemnly.

Silence fell over the group.

The Yin Holy Sect had always monopolized the Path of Yin technique. Now that there’s a chance to learn this technique, the cultivators of the Prison Wind Lands would definitely seize it.

Yan Haoran chuckled lightly and scoffed, ”The technique was never owned by Yin Holy Sect alone. As far as I know, in addition to the Chaotic Star, many sects know the Path of Yin technique. If you must vent your anger, do so on the one who caused this.”

”Daoist Nie, you need not worry. The Yin Holy Sect has walked the Path of Yin for generations. Even if the technique spreads, none can match the sect’s depth in that realm, ” said Nangong Yuanzhen calmly.

Then, he asked, ”Yan Haoran, where shall we wait for this fellow?”

”The Immortal Demon Sea,” replied Yan Haoran.

***

On the Immortal Demon Sea, a lone boat cut through the waves silently and swiftly.

Fang Chen stood atop the deck, gazing into the distance. Suddenly, he felt one of his split souls advance to the middle stage of the Soul Splitting Realm. The others were nearing the same level.

The split soul cultivating the Four-Stage Profound Yang Body was about to complete its first transformation.

Another split soul was cultivating the Heavenly Supreme Pill Technique, and it had nearly refined its first special spiritual energy, the Frost Water Immortal Flame.

”Your Highness... aren’t you afraid?” Fairy Yu’s voice sounded in his mind. ”What if their trap exceeds your expectations? The Spirit God Sect has far more power on the Chaotic Star than it does here. If they send many First-Rate Sect Leaders, I worry that—”

”I only fear they send too few men,” Fang Chen replied with a confident smile.

Logically, Li Changsheng had likely known what had happened in Hidden Dragon City. If Yan Haoran truly sought to use him as bait, then they would not come unprepared.

He would rather the Spirit God Sect’s cultivators appear than the sword cultivators led by Li Wuwang. The former were elusive and difficult to track unless they revealed themselves. The latter, while terrifying in power, were easier to deal with once exposed.

Fairy Yu stood up and pointed into the distance. ”Your Highness, there is an immortal boat ahead.”

An immortal boat approached, and several cultivators in Daoist robes stood at its bow with grim faces.

”Well, well, if it isn’t Swordmaster Fang! What a coincidence!” exclaimed Xu Qingsong of the Great Expansion Dao Sect. He rushed to the front of the deck and looked down smugly at Fang Chen’s small boat.

Fang Chen let out a frustrated sigh and asked, ”Daoist Xu, where did you come from? Where are you heading next?”

The cultivators on the immortal boat examined Fang Chen with odd expressions.

This man was once a disciple of Desolate Academy. Now, he was a swordmaster of the Void Immortal Sword Sect and an ancestor of the Three Thousand Dao Sect. He had countless feuds with the Great Expansion Dao Sect.

Finally, they had found him at the Immortal Demon Sea alone, without the protection of any elders.

Was this not the perfect chance to strike?

Their eyes turned to Xu Qingsong expectantly.

Xu Qingsong smiled devilishly and answered, ”We’re just idly exploring the Immortal Demon Sea in the hopes of finding new Celestial Beings Ruins.”

Despite his smile, his hands were shaking in his sleeves.

He had heard the rumors that Fang Chen once led over ten First-Rate Sect Leaders to kill a first-transformation sovereign sword cultivator, so he knew it was now impossible for him to get revenge for a personal grudge.

Xu Qingsong was acting as the bait for Yu Haoran’s plan. He prayed that Fang Chen wasn’t guarded by a first-transformation Loose Immortal. Otherwise, he might die first...

”Are you afraid? Daoist Xu, what are you afraid of? I’m not a tiger. I won’t bite,” said Fang Chen softly, with a smile that chilled the bones.

The cultivators of the Great Expansion Dao Sect burst into angry shouts. ”Ridiculous! How could Senior Brother Xu fear the likes of you!”

Xu Qingsong tried to force a laugh, but his eyes froze. A look of disbelief crossed his face.

Five dark jade needles carved with cryptic runes suddenly pierced Fang Chen’s shoulders, chest, and thighs.

Blood sprayed out, splattering across the deck of the small boat.

Everyone gaped at this scene. What was that...? Why did Fang Chen’s woman attack him?

”This is a Soul Locking Needle. It locks down your divine soul as well as all your split souls, ” whispered Fairy Yu in Fang Chen’s ear.

Someone sighed behind him. ”Fang Chen... did you truly believe the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo could be undone?”

It was Wang Chongsong. No one had seen him appear, yet he now stood upon the deck of the small boat.

With conflicted feelings, he said, ”If not for your stubborn obsession, you might not have met such a fate.”

Fang Chen could not move his limbs, but he could still speak. ”Wang Chongsong... what in the world is an Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo?”

”If I’m not wrong, you mastered the Path of Yin technique before you stepped into the path of immortality. You know and see too much,” said Wang Chongsong softly.

Fairy Yu coldly interrupted them. ”Wang Chongsong, you asked me to help you stage this play. Now that the play is done, when will you give me what you owe?”

Wang Chongsong raised a hand, and a streak of radiant light flew into Fairy Yu’s sleeve.

No one could see what it was, but they all knew it was not an ordinary item.

Fang Chen asked breathlessly, ”So she was never your disciple...?”

Wang Chongsong chuckled. ”Did I ever say she was? When we were in Great Python City? Back then, she learned someone was looking for her, and you were in the Prison Wind Lands. It only took her a short while to know it was you.”