Immortal of the Nine Realms

Beneath a towering ancient tree, the gray-robed youth poured a cup of tea for Fang Chen, then silently retreated behind the Grand Elder of Nine Immortal Mountain.

The Grand Elder gestured for Fang Chen to drink, a nostalgic look appearing in his eyes. He shared, ”This calamity may have been brought upon us by my own arrogance when I was young.

”I remember that year. I was not yet 1,000 years old, and I had already broken through to become a first-transformation Loose Immortal. I left Creation Star and ventured through the Ancient Desolate Realm.

”Whether it was good luck or bad, I happened upon the emergence of an immortal herb during my travels.

”No matter which path one walks in pursuit of immortality, when an immortal herb appears, it’s an enormous opportunity for us cultivators. None can stand idly by. I was no exception. At the time, only first-transformation Loose Immortals were present, more than forty people, all competing for it.

”The battle was fierce and chaotic, but I held an edge. In the end, I obtained the immortal herb.”

”Some cultivators warned me that the area belonged to the Myriad Immortal Palace, and that the medicine was their property. But I didn’t heed the warning. The meat was already in my mouth; how could I spit it out? So I left with the immortal herb. For a time afterward, I was relentlessly pursued by cultivators of the Myriad Immortal Palace.

”They pushed me to the brink, and in the end, I destroyed the immortal herb, severing all ties with my fate.”

”Their techniques were mysterious. They could trace my location through the immortal herb, but once it was destroyed, they lost my trail.

”I wandered for several hundred years, then returned to Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land and broke through to the second transformation. I took up the mantle of Nine Immortal Mountain’s Holy Master.

”That event became a part of my experience, a chapter in my life. I thought it was long behind me.

”But sixty years ago, I discovered by chance that cultivators from the Myriad Immortal Palace had arrived in this region. Though it had been ages since the incident, their presence here likely means they found some clues.

”The Myriad Immortal Palace far surpasses Nine Immortal Mountain. They have a fifth-transformation Great Luo Immortal presiding over them. For years now, I’ve been uneasy, afraid that one day they will really come knocking. If that day comes, it would be a catastrophe, and the Nine Immortal Mountain might be wiped out entirely.”

Fang Chen said casually, ”Perhaps, Senior, you’re just overthinking it. It could be that cultivators from the Myriad Immortal Palace were merely passing through. Sixty years have gone by, and they’ve yet to show themselves. It’s quite possible they never found your trail.”

The Grand Elder of Nine Immortal Mountain shook his head. ”I once asked a Daoist friend skilled in divination to perform a reading. Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land is indeed destined to face a calamity.”

”Senior, you could gather your people and leave Creation Star,” Fang Chen suggested. ”Head to the True Martial Domain. The Nine Realms of the Mortal Realm are vast. No matter how powerful the Myriad Immortal Palace is, its reach has limits.”

The Grand Elder was silent for a few breaths, then said, ”I can leave. The sect’s cultivators can leave. But the Immortal Folk of Nine Immortal Mountain... can they leave? We were born in Nine Immortal Mountain. Our ancestors attained Dao here. I cannot watch Nine Immortal Mountain perish in my hands.”

He smiled faintly. ”If I could take Nine Immortal Mountain with me, I wouldn’t be seeking your help, Young Friend.”

”Your grudge with the Myriad Immortal Palace... I think I understand now,” Fang Chen said. ”I’ve never heard of them before, but if I get the chance to meet one of their people someday, perhaps I can ask around. If there’s a way to build even a small connection, this grudge might still be resolved.”

The Grand Elder’s eyes lit up slightly. He lifted his cup and offered Fang Chen a toast using tea in place of wine. ”Many thanks, Young Friend Fang.”

”I’ll only say I’ll do what I can.”

After some idle talk, Fang Chen took his leave.

The gray-robed youth walked over to the Grand Elder’s side, watching Fang Chen’s departing figure, a complex look in his eyes. ”Grand Elder... can he really help Nine Immortal Mountain?”

”Anomalies are full of strange and wondrous means,” the Grand Elder said calmly. ”My friend also said Nine Immortal Mountain has a sliver of hope that is tied to that young man. As for how it will all turn out, I can’t say. All I can do is take it one step at a time and see what happens when the day comes.”

He paused. ”At the end of the day, it’s just three top-grade spirit stones and a favor. It’s not a small price, but it’s not excessive either. If it can win Nine Immortal Mountain even the tiniest chance of survival, it’s worth it.”

Neither of them noticed that, not long after Fang Chen departed, Yin souls drifted quietly into Nine Immortal Mountain.

The three top-grade spirit stones the Grand Elder had given Fang Chen included one that contained ancient Icy Wind spiritual energy, one of the 99 types of spiritual energy required in the Great Heavenly Sovereign Chapter.

As for the other two stones, they are useless for the Great Heavenly Sovereign Chapter and can be kept for future trade with others.

If it weren’t for his master enlightening the Grand Elder of Nine Immortal Mountain, Fang Chen would not have accepted those spirit stones.

He did not want to get involved in others’ personal grudges or debts of gratitude, but since his master had met the Grand Elder of Nine Immortal Mountain and even had him send a giant crane to escort him to the True Martial Domain, there had to be some backup plan behind this, at least proving his master valued Nine Immortal Mountain quite highly.

In the following years, the situation on Creation Star gradually stabilized. The cultivators of the Spirit God Sect here almost lost their living space and had to keep a low profile, splitting up and entering a period of hibernation.

This was the biggest victory Fang Chen had won since his battle with the Spirit God Sect.

Not only on Creation Star, but on Tuxiong Star, Hongmo Star, and other places, the Spirit God Sect’s survival space sharply decreased.

It could be said that at least on Creation Star as the core, and the surrounding dozen or so territories like Earth Bear Star and Red Desert Star, the Spirit God Sect cultivators were fiercely suppressed and killed by the Killing Spiritual Division because of Song Zhili.

During this time, Fang Chen also became familiar with the heads of the Killing Spiritual Divisions in various places, who were considered his subordinates as the head of the Killing Spiritual Division on Creation Star.

The Myriad Dao Tower was not wiped out, but they retreated from being a powerful sect with a third-transformation Loose Immortal to a mere random sect.

Now, only a few Loose Immortals like Yan Haoran remained stationed, unable to be ranked alongside the Yin Holy Sect and Great Sun Sect as the three major sects.

For ordinary cultivators, the changes in Prison Wind in the past decade far exceeded those of a millennium or a century before.

Two of the four great clans were gone, and the strongest of the three major sects, the Myriad Dao Tower, was also severely damaged.

Fortunately, places like Minghu, Sihui, and Longyuan also lost many Loose Immortals, preventing Prison Wind from becoming the weakest among the four regions.

One day, a group of people emerged from the Starry Teleportation Formation in the starry sky and headed straight to Myriad Dao Tower.

Yan Haoran, who had long received the news, quietly arrived at the mountain gate to wait and welcome them.

Xu Changshi arrived at the mountain gate of Myriad Dao Tower with a group of subordinates. Upon seeing Yan Haoran waiting for a long time, the two only exchanged a glance, instantly recognizing each other’s identity. ”Our sect’s situation on Creation Star is precarious,” Xu Changshi said softly.

Yan Haoran nodded, ”That’s true.”

”And that person?”

”Waiting inside.”

”Let’s go see him.”

Inside the Myriad Dao Tower, Xu Changshi saw Fang Chen and cupped his hands. ”Young Master, I have come without failing your mission.”

”It has been a tiring journey. Thank you for your efforts.” Fang Chen smiled and nodded, ”How are things on the Lesser Immortal Realm side these past few years?”

”I have met Ji Tiandu a few more times and have almost figured out his background. The Ji Clan isn’t strong in the Lesser Immortal Realm, but...” Xu Changshi lowered his voice, ”his elder brother Ji Tianjun seems to be the reincarnation of a great power. He recovered some memories a few years ago and is now being strongly supported by the Ji Clan. He wants to capture anomalies to pursue the path of the Immaculate Immortal. The Ji Clan does not know about this; it is his elder brother’s own decision.”