Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen sighed inwardly. Almost 345,000 years of Yin Lifespan....

As expected, what he lacked was time. With this income, he no longer had to worry about lacking enough to confer True Gods in the underworld.

Fang Chen looked at Yu Tingzhai and asked, ”Daoist Yu, how is your relationship with Gong Tianxin?”

”It’s still quite good,” replied Yu Tingzhai.

”Bring him to Jiangguang City before he meets Song Zhili.”

Yu Tingzhai thought for a moment and nodded.

It might have been difficult in the past, but over the past few decades, Gong Tianxin had gained many benefits on the Chaotic Star because of him. His guard had lowered significantly. Bringing him to Jiangguang City wouldn’t be hard.

”If there’s nothing else, you all may leave now,” said Fang Chen.

With that, everyone dispersed, except for Li Wuwang, who remained behind.

Li Wuwang’s eyes burned with intensity. ”Lord Fang, there isn’t much time left on our hundred-year agreement.”

”A hundred years isn’t necessary. I’ve long gotten the immortal herb for your advancement. But as you are now... it no longer suits you. The only path you can take now is the path of Ghost Gods,” said Fang Chen.

It’s ready?

Li Wuwang was stunned for a moment. A trace of hesitation flashed across his face. Seeing Fang Chen staring at him, he remained silent for a while before speaking calmly. ”You know, one in the Heavenly Sword Division still lives.”

”That deputy division chief... You hid him well. Even the Myriad Immortal Palace couldn’t uncover his existence.” Fang Chen smiled. ”Even the Hidden Guard couldn’t find him. Where did you hide him?”

”The Void Immortal Sword Sect,” said Li Wuwang.

”Void Immortal Sword Sect?”

Fang Chen was slightly taken aback, his expression turning a bit strange. ”When did you hide him there?”

”He’s been there for a long time.” Li Wuwang snorted. ”I can go with you to meet him. If I’m not there, he won’t trust you.”

Fang Chen nodded. ”Alright.”

***

A few days later.

Gong Tianxin followed closely behind Yu Tingzhai, glancing around from time to time with some curiosity.

”Senior Yu, this area is rather remote within the Floating Pagoda Realm, isn’t it? Seems to be centered around Mount Dangyin? The mountain lord here should be the manifestation of an Immortal Mountain soul, possessing the strength of a third-transformation yin demon. He is not to be underestimated. Do you know him?”

Yu Tingzhai nodded slightly. ”I do.”

Gong Tianxin didn’t find this surprising. After all, Yu Tingzhai was a fourth-transformation Great Luo Immortal, and even in the Underworld, he held the strength of a fourth-transformation Great Yin Demon. Mountain Lord Dangyin would likely seek to befriend such a figure upon meeting.

Gong Tianxin muttered, ”Is the important figure from the Hidden Guard that Senior Yu mentioned here? If so, I’ll trouble you to put in a good word for me. Our Immortal Worshipping Palace may be in the same business as them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work together. Sometimes, collaboration can fetch a higher price for intelligence. That’s much more pleasant than this ongoing price war. If this keeps up, neither side will be able to afford to eat.”

He rambled on, but his eyes were sharp, constantly scanning their surroundings, far more cautious than he appeared. Were it not for Yu Tingzhai’s recommendation, he would never have ventured so deep.

In recent years, both Immortal Worshipping Palace and various other factions had been eager to figure out the workings of the Hidden Guards. Information related to them could always be sold at a good price. That was his real reason for coming here. Risking himself was just part of the trade for greater benefits.

Before long, Yu Tingzhai suddenly came to a stop.

Gong Tianxin looked ahead and was immediately surprised. ”Daoist Ji?”

He recognized two familiar faces. Fang Chen and Yang Yuanwu. He had seen them before in Luotian City.

Gong Tianxin suddenly gasped. He saw another familiar face. One that absolutely should not be here. Nangong Yuanxian of the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land!

Without hesitation, Gong Tianxin turned into a swirl of Yin energy and tried to flee the city at once. But just as he moved, a force yanked him back.

Yu Tingzhai’s hand landed on his shoulder as he said calmly, ”Daoist Gong, didn’t you come to meet someone from the Hidden Guard? Why are you leaving without saying goodbye?”

Gong Tianxin said with an awkward smile, ”Let’s forget it... I just remembered something urgent I need to take care of.”

Inwardly, he was cursing furiously. He wasn’t an idiot! Seeing the scene before him, how could he not realize that he had walked right into a trap?

Yu Tingzhai might not have lied, and these people really were from the Hidden Guard. But the presence of Nangong Yuanzhen here said it all. He had asked the Hidden Guard for help in dealing with him, the traitor of the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land.

”Gong Tianxin, back when you were a guest elder in the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land, we treated you well. Who would’ve thought you’d be a thankless ingrate, biting the hand that fed you,” said Nangong Yuanzhen with a cold, mocking smile.

Gong Tianxin forced a smile onto his face and cupped his hands. ”Yuanzhen, it’s not betrayal. It’s my duty–my position. I had no choice. Besides, it was not because of me that the Immortal Palace found you. It was their own people who first discovered Nine Immortal Mountain.”

”Heh.”

Nangong Yuanzhen sneered and said no more. He knew Gong Tianxin wouldn’t die today. In fact, he would soon become a colleague.

Fang Chen casually inscribed an imperial decree and immediately struck it into Gong Tianxin.

Gong Tianxin’s soul trembled. Just as he was about to resist, Yu Tingzhai’s voice echoed in his ears, ”Daoist Gong, those who understand the times are wise.”

Gong Tianxin didn’t dare resist anymore. Since he was already in someone else’s hands, he might as well go along with whatever came next. Preserving his life was the priority.

After receiving the conferment, Gong Tianxin was taken into the residence by Yu Tingzhai. From beginning to end, he felt dazed. Though he didn’t know exactly what they had done to him, he could be sure of one thing. Something major was unfolding.

Inside the residence, after Yu Tingzhai explained everything, Gong Tianxin understood what had happened to him. He first sucked in a sharp breath, then a flash of joy surged in his eyes, though he quickly suppressed it.

Fang Chen and Li Wuwang entered the room.

”Did you explain it clearly?” Fang Chen asked Yu Tingzhai.

Yu Tingzhai smiled and nodded. ”Daoist Gong has surely made his decision by now.”

After all, who in this world can resist the temptation of immortality?

Cultivation was the pursuit of eternal life. In an era with the immortal path nearly severed, where even a third-transformation cultivator would struggle to obtain a single immortal herb, wasn’t becoming a True God of the Underworld just another path to the same goal?

Gong Tianxin bowed respectfully. ”Y-Young Lord, I understand now. No wonder the Immortal Worshipping Palace could never rival the Hidden Guard Division.”

The man before him wasn’t just a Hidden Guard. He was the very figure everyone had been hunting for, the Lesser Underworld’s Yan Monarch.

Thinking back to when he’d encountered Fang Chen in Luotian City and even sold him a piece of intelligence, Gong Tianxin couldn’t help but draw in several more sharp breaths.

From that moment on, everything the Immortal Palace did had already been exposed to Fang Chen.

And as for himself, the man had likely decided long ago. He was destined to become a god of the underworld.

Fang Chen smiled. ”Daoist Gong, does the Immortal Worshipping Palace on the Tuxiong Star have anything to do with you?”

Gong Tianxin replied respectfully, ”It is a sect I founded on Tuxiong Star. It’s also a branch of the Immortal Worshipping Palace.”