Immortal of the Nine Realms

Xie Aman was slightly startled, her expression turning solemn. ”We’re inside the body of the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation?”

She muttered, ”She was able to transform herself into such a vast realm after her death, sheltering so many wandering souls? She has even allowed these souls to exist without consuming their Yin Lifespan. We’re on completely different levels....”

She looked at the scruffy Daoist and asked, ”Elder, was this Ghost Mother of Self Transformation a ninth-transformation immortal?”

”That’s right, she was.” The shabby Daoist gave a crooked grin. ”So tell me, little girl, how could a mere eighth transformation Immortal like you possibly leave this place? Even someone as peerless and dazzling as I has been trapped here for countless years. What chance do you think you have?”

Xie Aman’s gaze grew even heavier. ”Ninth-transformation...”

There were only so many Immortal Paths in the world, and every ninth transformation being was a being who could suppress the Nine Realms. And now, they were trapped inside the ghostly world formed by a dead ninth-transformation immortal.

Even she couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Could they really escape?

Xie Aman looked at the Daoist and smiled sweetly. ”Elder, you said earlier you’d found some clues. It seems you’ve already discovered a way to escape. Why not share it? We could work together. If we succeed, I’ll invite you to the Enlightenment God Palace for a fine drink.”

”Drink? A man of the Dao doesn’t cloud his mind with wine. I only drink tea now.” The Daoist smiled faintly. ”The clue I spoke of... is the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation herself.”

Xie Aman’s eyes flickered. ”Didn’t she already become this Ghost Realm?”

The Daoist explained, ”Her body became the Ghost Realm, but that doesn’t mean she truly died. It isn’t so easy for a ninth-transformation immortal to perish. That said, her current state is scarcely different from death. She no longer remembers who she is. She’s just another wandering soul in this world. I need you to find her and help her recall her past. Only then do we have a chance to leave. The confinement comes from her. Only she can undo it.”

Xie Aman’s expression grew strange. ”You mean the Ghost Mother left behind a surviving soul fragment, that she never truly died?”

The scruffy Daoist nodded. ”Indeed. Her current state is very much like that of a wandering soul, yet this realm still revolves around her. I spent countless years confirming her identity. If we can make her remember, we can be freed.”

”Or we might be trapped forever,” Xie Aman said coolly. ”Why would such a being help us? Our very reason for coming here was to seize what benefit we could. If this were your territory, Elder, how would you treat intruders like us?”

”Why, I’d lock you up for all eternity and let you meditate on your sins,” the Daoist replied without hesitation.

”Exactly,” Xie Aman said with a smile. ”So why are you so sure that awakening her memory would let us go? And why don’t you approach her yourself? Surely a man of your ability would be better suited to the task.”

Fang Chen watched the Daoist closely. Knowing Xie Aman, she would probably fight the old man the moment he failed to give her a satisfactory answer. She didn’t tolerate people speaking in riddles.

”Don’t worry, the Ghost Mother has always been full of compassion,” reassured the Daoist. ”She cultivated the Ghost Buddha Immortal Path of first saving oneself, then saving others. Even after achieving Buddhahood, her heart was full of mercy. Why else would she willingly turn herself into a ghostly realm to protect the last trace of wandering souls here?”

He smiled faintly. ”Every ninth-transformation immortal could only die in one of two ways—either their lifespan runs out, or they willingly seek death. If they truly wished to leave, they would never end up in such a state.”

”As for why I don’t approach her myself...”

The scruffy Daoist burst out laughing.

After laughing his fill, he explained, ”Every time I go near her, my mind turns to mush. I forget this, forget that, eventually I forget her entirely! This has happened again and again for countless years. So now I’ve learned better. I should let outsiders like you get close to her instead. That way, my memories stay intact.”

Xie Aman frowned. ”Why does that happen?”

Fang Chen already had a faint suspicion, though he couldn’t be sure. Matters at this level were far beyond certainty.

”It’s because I’m a Yang God,” the Daoist said with a chuckle. ”My memory’s poor to begin with, and something about this place seems to erase pieces of it. Even if she’s no longer as powerful as she once was, she’s still a ninth-transformation immortal. When I get too close, her power interferes with my mind. It’s as if I have to start over every single time. I’ve repeated the same thing countless times already.”

”Yang Gods do tend to have poor memories,” Xie Aman mused, nodding slightly.

Then she pulled Fang Chen and Little Immortal Honglian aside to confer. ”What do you think? Is he telling the truth?”

”His words are full of half-truths,” they answered together.

Little Immortal Honglian glanced at Fang Chen, then said to Xie Aman, ”To judge his words, we must first know his purpose in coming here. If the Ghost Mother truly perished here alongside another, isn’t it possible that he was that other person?”

”Exactly what I was thinking,” Xie Aman said softly. ”He might be setting us up, using us to deal with her so that he can escape. All that talk of being a Yang God or an Anomaly could just be excuses to lower our guard. After all, the least threatening beings in existence... are the Yang Gods.”

She turned back to the scruffy Daoist. ”Elder, one last question. What brought you here in the first place? With your abilities, you must have been someone of great renown, someone who could stand as an equal to a ninth-transformation immortal. Surely you didn’t come all the way into the Ghost Mother’s realm just to admire the scenery?”

The Daoist gave a helpless little smile and shook his head. ”Specifics escape me. I told you, my memory’s not what it used to be. But vaguely, I think I came here looking for someone.”

He nodded to himself. ”Yes, that was it, I came searching for someone. Didn’t find them, though. Got myself trapped instead. Quite the disgrace for us Daoists, huh?”

He sipped his tea leisurely. ”Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Without my guidance, your odds of leaving this place are practically zero.”

He drank, relaxed and confident, certain the three wouldn’t dare turn on him.

Xie Aman looked at the other two. ”So, even if it’s only a one-percent chance, we’ll have to try?”

Little Immortal Honglian stayed silent, deep in thought.

Fang Chen pondered for a while, then nodded. ”Even a sliver of a chance is worth it. If things go wrong, we’ll adapt to the situation. Senior Sister, you’re an eighth transformation immortal, and he’s just a Yang God. In a real fight, he may not be your match.”

A faint smile tugged at Xie Aman’s lips. ”Ninth Brother... you have great faith in me, and you’re right to.”