Immortal of the Nine Realms

North of the Central Continent Empire, the mountain ranges stretched endlessly like a dividing line that split the land in two.

On one side, lush green meadows thrived with vitality; on the other, snow blanketed the world in a scene of eternal winter.

This place was known among cultivators as the Northern Heavenly Gate. Amidst the swirling snow stood one towering demon after another. Some had bodies like mountains. Veins bulged beneath their skins like rivers in a valley. The blood coursing through their veins could be seen raging.

Some bore the heads of beasts and the bodies of men, appearing otherwise normal. Some looked indistinguishable from human cultivators, save for the overwhelming demonic aura that surged from them.

Behind these demon cultivators, a massive horde of a million demons let out earth-shaking roars from time to time, seemingly ready to storm the Northern Heavenly Gate.

On the side of the grassy plains stood an uncountable number of human cultivators, locked in a long-range standoff with the demon side, with neither side making a move.

This deadlock had already lasted quite some time.

Between the two forces stood several special figures. They were from the Underworld, Yin Walkers invisible to both the Heavenly Demon cultivators and the human cultivators led by the Corrosive Dragon King.

”The First Rate Sect Leader of Heavenly Demon is hiding quite deeply. He still hasn’t shown himself,” said Qiu Jing, standing with his hands behind his back.

Qiu Jing’s calm gaze held a trace of restrained pride.

To him, the cultivators before him were mere small fries. Even the Corrosive Dragon King, one of the four great kings of the Central Continent Empire, was of no real concern.

”If he shows up, we’ll just seize his soul,” Kong Jin said with a smile.

Qiu Jing replied, ”And if he doesn’t? Are we just going to wait here forever? Has there been any word from Du Yunxu or Jing Xue?

”Now that temples are being established across the Mortal Realm, and the roles of inspection are handled by the Day and Night Walker Divisions, why is it taking so long to locate the First Rate Sect Leader of Heavenly Demon?

”Once he’s captured, the battle here will naturally end, and we won’t have to stand around here endlessly.”

”You seem a little discontent with the merger of the Day and Night Walker Divisions into the Underworld Official Division,” Kong Jin remarked with a faint smile. ”Don’t say things like that again. If they do receive news, they will report it. The merger was the lord’s decision. What you’re saying sounds like dissatisfaction with the Heir himself. If he finds out, be careful, he might punish you.”

”Don’t slander me. How could I possibly be discontent with the lord?”

Qiu Jing quickly distanced himself from the implication. Though he was indeed displeased about losing some authority in the reorganization, it was merely idle grumbling, not genuine dissatisfaction.

”That’s more like it. We are now recognized officials of the Underworld, equivalent to True Immortals of the Immortal Realm. Our status and position far surpass any wandering cultivator in the Mortal Realm today.

”In ancient times, perhaps we wouldn’t have stood out, but nowadays, how many truly orthodox beings like us are left?”

”All we need to do is keep watch here and prevent chaos from breaking out. Even if we achieve nothing, we’ll at least avoid any faults,” Kong Jin said with a smile.

”You may not care about merit, but I do,” Qiu Jing muttered. ”I heard the founders of Flying Star and Holy Puppet have already been captured. We’ve already fallen behind. If we wait any longer, we’ll be seen as incompetent to the lord.”

”What are you thinking?” Kong Jin asked.

”I was thinking maybe we should—”

”Don’t even think about it.” Kong Jin shot Qiu Jing a cold glare, his eyes flashing with a sharp chill. ”The lord made it very clear. We are not to take the initiative and destroy Heavenly Demon for the Central Continent Empire. If we do, the Spirit God Sect’s cultivators will slip into the shadows while we’re forced into the open.”

”Monarch Qiu is still too impatient. Back when you were in the Reincarnation Division, didn’t you learn to temper your nature like Monarchs Qi and Kong?” came a light, teasing voice.

Qiu Jing inhaled sharply and quickly bowed with a cupped fist. ”Greetings, my lord.”

Kong Jin also bowed. He cast Qiu Jing a look filled with schadenfreude, clearly guessing that the earlier conversation had reached the lord’s ears.

Qiu Jing was a bit panicked, expecting to be reprimanded. Instead, Fang Chen merely patted him on the shoulder.

”If you want merit, there will be opportunities. Just not now. If you make a move prematurely, there’s no telling whether some sword cultivators from the Heavenly Sword Division are watching in secret. I heard Li Wuwang is already here, though his whereabouts are unknown.”

Qiu Jing was surprised. ”Li Wuwang is here?”

They knew a third-transformation sword cultivator like Li Wuwang could not be underestimated.

At that moment, the voice of a demon Immortal King boomed like thunder, shaking everyone’s ears. ”Corrosive Dragon King, you’ve guarded this gate for many years. We’ve crossed swords a few times. I’ve come to admire your skill. It’s a meeting of heroes. Why not step aside today and let us through?”

The Corrosive Dragon King stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the massive demon king with a faint smile.

”Mountain Breaking King, you bring a million demons to my Northern Heavenly Gate, and now you ask me, the one guarding it, to let you through? Are you asking me to betray the Central Continent Empire?”

Nearby human cultivators chuckled softly.

It seemed they were laughing at how naive the Mountain Breaking King was.

”Mountain Breaking King, have you forgotten that Corrosive Dragon King has guarded this gate for years? He’s an old minister of the Central Continent Empire. Asking him to betray the realm and join you demons? What a joke.”

”The Central Continent Empire has the Desolate Sect, the Immortal Worshipping Sect, and once even the Divine Dao Sect. Any one of them could suppress Heavenly Demon. What makes you think you can invade the Central Continent Empire? What do you have to fight with?”

”Let Corrosive Dragon King make way for your demon kind? What a farce! Do you know who he is? A noble of the Central Continent Empire, favored by the Emperor, the one entrusted with guarding the Northern Heavenly Gate. Such a prestigious role... Even if your emperor came here, he would have to bow and pay respects. And now you ask him to step aside? Are you mad or just stupid?”

Mountain Breaking King was mocked and insulted by the human cultivators, causing the surrounding demons to erupt in rage and roar furiously. But without his command, none dared advance.

Mountain Breaking King, however, remained unbothered, simply smiling as he looked at Corrosive Dragon King.

The few human cultivators were still jeering when a flying sword pierced through the brows of one of them, silencing the laughter at once.

”So noisy,” Corrosive Dragon King murmured, retrieving the sword and giving it a slight shake to flick off the blood.

Some nearby human cultivators looked startled, while others remained composed, as if they had anticipated it.

Among the human cultivators present today, aside from Corrosive Dragon King, there were two other Immortal Kings. Both were originally wandering cultivators who had become guest ministers of his palace and only ascended to their current status in the last century.

They exchanged glances in silence, a hint of unease in their eyes.

”Master!” cried the disciples and followers of the slain cultivator.

Some rushed to his corpse to check his injuries, while others glared angrily at Corrosive Dragon King, forming a defensive formation.

Fang Chen looked up at the sky.

”The sword cultivators the Corrosive Devouring King has been waiting for are here.”

In the void above, over a hundred sword cultivators stood silently. Leading them was not Li Wuwang, but a second-transformation sword cultivator.

Li Wuwang remained cautious, still not revealing himself.