Immortal of the Nine Realms

Over the years, the Myriad Immortal Palace had indeed lost many people, and the atmosphere in the hall had grown unsettling.

The year Nine Immortal Mountain was destroyed, the palace gained an additional Guardian True Immortal. At that time, the Palace had one fifth-transformation Immortal, four fourth-transformation Immortals, 13 third-transformation Immortals, and 46 second-transformation Immortals.

As for first-transformation Immortals, there had been as many as 157.

Now, with Xie Zian dead, there were only three fourth transformation Immortals left. Three of the third-transformation Immortals had died. Nine second-transformation Immortals had perished.

As for the first-transformation Immortals, while some had fallen, some had also been newly promoted. So, their total number remained roughly the same.

Setting aside the first transformations, just counting those from the second or fourth transformation, the Myriad Immortal Palace had lost one-fifth of its strength—a full twenty percent. That was far beyond the baseline for the Myriad Immortal Palace.

All sides were on alert, but repeated screenings and cross-checking purchased intelligence from the Immortal Worshipping Palace revealed no abnormalities. Everyone who had died had reasons that were absurd yet perfectly plausible.

Immortal Kumu, Wang Nongcao, glanced at Yu Tingzhai and gave a cold snort. He said, ”Palace Mistress, though the losses have been heavy in recent years, as long as our Guardian True Immortals remain unharmed, the overall situation will not be greatly affected.

”This time, the one truly responsible for Fellow Daoist Xie’s death is, of course, the Great Desolate Immortal. There is no doubt about it. What we must discuss is how to demand justice from him. But there is another matter we cannot avoid bringing up.”

”What matter?” Immortal Xingyu asked.

Immortal Kumu fixed his gaze on Yu Tingzhai. ”If not for Fellow Daoist Yu’s moment of recklessness in killing the Spirit God Sect’s Song Zhili, I believe Fellow Daoist Xie would not have suffered this calamity. He bears inescapable responsibility. The position of our expert stationed on Creation Star should be taken from him, and he should be reassigned to guard Asura Sea to atone for his crime.”

”I second this.” Immortal Yinque Wan Shouque nodded slightly. ”But before that, we must first seek justice for Fellow Daoist Xie. It will not be too late to deal with Fellow Daoist Yu afterward.”

Immortal Kumu glanced at him, frowning, but did not argue the point.

”Fellow Daoists, this matter has little to do with me. Song Zhili’s death was not due to my recklessness; he was a piece already abandoned by the Great Desolate Immortal,” argued Yu Tingzhai calmly.

He pressed, ”Years ago, the Great Desolate Immortal developed enmity with our Palace. As a fifth-transformation Immortal, which among such existences is not proud and unyielding? Could he swallow such humiliation? If I had not killed Song Zhili this time, he would have provoked me repeatedly until I was forced to kill him.”

”You could have come to the city to discuss it with us before killing him. Why didn’t you?” Immortal Kumu said coldly.

”There was no time. I came here at once after killing him to inform everyone,” Yu Tingzhai replied.

Immortal Kumu was about to speak again, but Immortal Xingyu cut him off. ”We will discuss Fellow Daoist Yu’s matter later. Since it has already happened, our sole concern now is the Great Desolate Immortal. Work out a plan. If we strike, we must ensure he never dares oppose us again. If we can kill him, all the better.”

Wan Shouque added, ”I have good relations with an elder of the Immortal Worshipping Palace and have learned that the Great Desolate Immortal will soon travel to the Nanqing Constellation. I think that would be the best place to make our move. The waters there are muddied. Even if someone suspects us, the Spirit God Sect will have no evidence.”

Indeed, while the Myriad Immortal Palace was vengeful and domineering, when it came to a fifth-transformation Immortal, they avoided open confrontation, tacitly agreeing that assassination was the better option.

As long as the deed was not done too crudely and left all sides some face, even if the Spirit God Sect wanted revenge, it would not risk all-out retaliation, leaving room for maneuver on both sides.

Immortal Xingyu nodded lightly, signifying her agreement. ”The Nanqing Constellation.... Yes, striking there has its advantages. I have not visited my master in a long time. This will be a good chance to see him too.”

With that, it was concluded. They went on to refine the assassination plan, pointing out risks and patching loopholes.

After more than ten days, they finalized several schemes.

”This matter is settled for now. Next, another issue—we have lost many talents in recent years. Some territories lack long-term guardians, which could impact our immortal crystal revenue. If you have close friends, you may recommend them to join the palace. They will be well treated,” Immortal Xingyu said.

The group exchanged glances, their expressions faintly odd. Recommending cultivators to fill vacancies was not hard; the difficulty lay in whether those cultivators might make mistakes.

Minor missteps were tolerable. However, if grave mistakes were to occur, the recommender would be implicated.

Take the current case, for example. Had Yu Tingzhai not been personally appointed by Immortal Xingyu and instead by someone else, then his killing of Song Zhili would have been a grave fault not so easily glossed over.

Yu Tingzhai cupped his hands. ”Palace Mistress, I do not know many cultivators. My Yin Holy Sect favors entering the Underworld, so I have more friends among Yin Demons in the Floating Pagoda Realm than in the Mortal Realm. I have one friend, the Lord of Dangyin Mountain.

”In life, he was from an immortal mountain in the Immortal Realm. After death, he fell into the Floating Pagoda Realm, unable to reincarnate for a long time. Eventually, he became a Yin Demon. He is at the third transformation. May I recommend him to join our palace?”

The crowd was slightly surprised, their expressions strange. They had not expected him to befriend a native Great Yin Demon.

They themselves had dealt with such beings, but mutual disdain for each other’s origins and differences in temperament made true friendship rare; their interactions were usually just interest-based cooperation.

Immortal Xingyu said calmly, ”Fellow Daoist Yu, your recommendation means you consider him trustworthy, at least not someone who would harm the palace. Though he is a Yin Demon and cannot go to the Nine Realms, our palace does have territory in the Floating Pagoda Realm, and we need local Yin Demons’ support. I approve of his joining the palace. You may have him come here immediately to report.”

”Palace Mistress, I have already summoned him; he is waiting outside the city,” Yu Tingzhai said with a smile.

Before long, a huge figure strode slowly into the hall and bowed respectfully to Immortal Xingyu. ”Lord of Dangyin Mountain. Greetings, Immortal Xingyu.”

It was indeed a Great Yin Demon. His aura was genuine, unlike a disguised Yin Walker.

The others nodded, and even Immortal Kumu and Immortal Yinque were pleased by his addition to the palace.

Human cultivators and Great Yin Demons of the Underworld had no fundamental rivalry, and the latter could not enter the Mortal Realm. So long as relations remained cordial, they would not become enemies.

Immortal Xingyu smiled and nodded. ”Good. From now on, you will be the Palace’s eleventh third-transformation Immortal. Take your seat.”

The Lord of Dangyin Mountain immediately shrank in size and squeezed in beside Yu Tingzhai.

However, the meeting’s content no longer concerned the Great Desolate Immortal; otherwise, he would not have been qualified to sit in on it today.