Immortal of the Nine Realms

”Monarch Fang, this might not be appropriate,” said Li Yanjun, hesitating. ”Her existence is extremely important. Either we destroy her soul right now, or we wait until the higher-ups of all factions meet her together. If your family elders meet her first, then let’s assume the worst. They agree to cooperate with her, and the rest of us might be sold out without even knowing it.”

Wang Ye said calmly, ”What are you implying?”

Li Yanjun quickly cupped his hands. ”Daoist Wang Ye, I am only expressing my concerns. I mean no offense.”

Fang Chen studied Li Yanjun for a moment, then said with a faint smile, ”My elders would probably not cooperate with her.”

Gu Yue Ling’s expression shifted slightly. He’s so confident?

The others also showed clear doubt.

Li Yanjun, however, was straightforward. He bowed again. ”Any faction could potentially cooperate with her based on her offer. You should carefully consider this. This concerns the Nine Realms, not any single family.”

Fang Chen said lightly, ”My grandfather is a Yang God, and my master is also a Yang God. How do you think they would cooperate with her? If you understand the origins of the chaos among the Three Realms, you would understand why the current Yang Gods are what you call Anomalies”

Yang Gods?!

Everyone was shaken, staring at Fang Chen in disbelief. Only Xian Yueguan, Wang Ye, and a few others showed thoughtful expressions.

”No wonder you are Monarch Yan, and we are not,” Li Yanjun suddenly said with utmost respect, cupping his hands. ”I have heard from my family elders that during the Three Realms Upheaval, countless powerful beings successively became Yang Gods and jointly used forbidden techniques to withstand that wave of demon invasion. Afterward, it was also these Yang Gods who held up the structure of the world, preventing the demon race from fully awakening and thereby preserving the human race’s spark of survival.

”Otherwise, humanity would have long been exterminated, and there would be no foothold left in the world. Due to the backlash of the forbidden technique, the Yang Gods, while sealing away the memories of the demon race, would also occasionally lose their memories. The world sees them as jokes.”

”So that’s how it is...”

Some of the core disciples did not know much about this. They only knew that throughout the entire Three Realms Upheaval, before, during, and after, the Yang Gods had always been central to everything. Even some of their ancestors’ predecessors had become part of it.

”You really do know quite a lot,” said Fang Chen when he saw that Li Yanjun was not merely being polite and genuinely felt respect toward Yang Gods.

A faint smile appeared on Fang Chen’s face.

Li Yanjun said with emotion, ”Please don’t take offense. In fact, several of my own ancestors have also become Yang Gods. When I was young, I was fortunate enough to meet one of those ancestors and receive his guidance. Only then was I able to secure a place for myself in the Nine Realms.”

”I take it you don’t oppose my earlier decision, then?” said Fang Chen.

Li Yanjun nodded. ”I do not. Anyone in the world might abandon the Nine Realms in search of a way out, but the Yang Gods would never. From the very beginning, they only ever had this one path in front of them.”

Ye Qingqiu frowned. ”Then, when we arrive at the Feiyu Constellation, should we conceal her existence, or...?”

”There is no need to conceal it. Report it truthfully,” said Fang Chen with a faint smile.

The crowd quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Since he was so open about it, their concerns lessened somewhat.

***

Over the following ten years, everyone traveled in silence. With thoughts of the Qingming Supreme Alliance, the Three Limit Breaking Steps, Half Saints, Saints, and slave soldiers weighing heavily on their minds, each of them felt deep unease about the future of the Nine Realms.

The demon race’s ancestors had once endured eighty thousand years of slavery before finally rising again. Every time they thought of this, they could only let out silent sighs.

One day, a border pass of the Qingming frontier gradually came into view. Fang Chen glanced at the star map. Behind this border pass lay the Jingtai Star.

This place was already deep within the Taicang Realm’s core region. It had once been incomparably prosperous, even hosting sects backed by eighth-transformation Ancient Immortals. Now it was even more ”prosperous” than before, because all factions had been purged. Some were destroyed; others fled. With the demonized cultivators governing everything under one authority, internal conflicts had become far less frequent.

”From here, we enter the border pass, then pass through three successive Starry Teleportation Formations. After that, we should reach the Feiyu Constellation,” said Fang Chen.

Their Immortal Boats, like those of other merchant caravans, gathered together and queued to enter the pass.

Fang Chen’s voice echoed in their minds. ”Our movements may already be known to them. Even so, we may have countermeasures on our side. Stay alert, everyone.”

Everyone nodded. They understood what needed to be done.

Wang Ye and Xian Yueguan were less worried than the others. They knew that Jingtai Star was actually within the territory of the Black Sun Empire. And this place was also under the Black Sun Empire’s control. The Black Sun Empire’s War King’s daughter, Yun Xiuxue, was their partner. Since the other party had provided this route, it meant the path’s feasibility was relatively high.

Time passed.

The group ahead had already successfully passed the border checkpoint.

The border guards of the Qingming frontier boarded Fang Chen’s Immortal Boat, looking capable and sharp. Their leader studied Fang Chen for a moment and then coldly asked, ”Star Moon Merchant Guild? Do you have a guild travel permit?”

Fang Chen smiled and nodded, handing over a travel permit. ”Yes.”

The Star-Moon Merchant Guild was quite famous within the Taicang Realm, and the permit was genuine.

After inspecting it, the guard returned the permit to Fang Chen and was about to leave with his men.

Everyone remained alert. Entering the border did not mean they had truly passed. Perhaps that was still a trap set by the awakened demon race. But they had no choice but to proceed. The people they carried with them were too important to the situation. They had to be delivered to their destination.

However, knowing that Fang Chen was protected by a ninth-transformation immortal eased some of their concerns.

Just as the border guards were about to take a few steps away, they seemed to receive some new information. They suddenly stopped, then shot up into the air with darkened expressions.

”I’ve received intelligence that remnants of the Wandao Immortal Sect may be attempting to infiltrate Jingtai Star. All those who have yet to pass the checkpoint are to remain where they are. We will conduct a second full inspection!”

Instantly, countless border guards took to the air, their expressions vigilant as they scanned every immortal boat.

Wang Ye and the others’ expressions changed slightly.

Have our whereabouts been exposed?

In that case, they would have to fight. They clenched their fists, already preparing to act. But at that moment, another group of border guards arrived through the void.

Upon seeing them, the guards present immediately revealed respectful expressions and cupped their hands.

”Greetings, Lady Xue.”

”Mhm.” Yun Xiuxue nodded. ”You search that area, I’ll search this one. Anyone even slightly suspicious, do not let them go. Understood?”

”Yes!” replied the group respectfully, then split off to search another area, leaving Fang Chen’s section to be personally inspected by the War King’s daughter herself.