Chapter 1670: Detained
Chen Enxue left decisively. She did not press for further explanations, nor did she take back the Sin Mace from Fang Chen's hand. Her attitude had already made everything clear.
Third Senior Sister seems much more at ease than before. In the past, it was as if she wore a mask of carefree irreverence. Was it because Immortal Dizang was slain by the Sin Mace, and the great weight in her heart has finally been lifted?
But she has effectively severed her living Immortal Path. Unless she reincarnates through Enlightenment Star, she can only continue down the Ghost Immortal path.
Fang Chen looked at the Sin Mace in his hand and sighed softly. From the very beginning, she had already decided to risk everything. She had left herself almost no way out. She had likely even prepared for mutual destruction with Immortal Dizang, except she had not anticipated that his methods were so mysterious that he possessed a substitute body.
***
One month later.
Marshal Xiao had failed to extract any useful intelligence from the Yin Demons of the city. This indirectly confirmed that Ghost Dragon had been telling the truth about how the Motian Division operated. All core secrets were held solely by the supreme experts.
To obtain detailed intelligence on the Motian Division, Fang Chen would have to capture an expert at Immortal Dizang's level alive and bestow a decree upon him. But even with the Ghost Infant and the Sin Mace, this would be exceedingly difficult. Fang Chen would need to become an eight-transformation Sword Immortal if he wished to capture an expert at the same level alive. Otherwise, it was practically impossible.
Marshal Xiao approached and said, "Young Master, Lord Stone Dragon mentioned that behind these Yin Demons stands the ancient rebel leader of the Underworld, Motian Dizang. I imagine his methods would be beyond imagination, if he's still alive. If he learns that you're behind the fall of Dizang City, Tuxiong Star and Creation Star may be implicated.
Hearing this, Ghost Dragon felt a chill run through him. The implication was clear. They had to wipe out the entire city.
Fang Chen smiled faintly. "Marshal Xiao, you needn't remind me."
Marshal Xiao returned the smile and stepped back behind him.
In the next moment, with the Ancient Tree at its center, countless vines extended outward in all directions.
In less than an hour, Dizang City had become an empty city. Countless ghostly figures hung from the Ancient Tree like ripe fruit, dense and innumerable.
"Let's go."
Fang Chen smiled lightly and rose into the air, flying out of Dizang City.
Marshal Xiao and the others hesitated briefly and glanced at the Ancient Tree. Seeing that it had not yet begun devouring the Yin Demons, they frowned slightly.
They followed Fang Chen. Marshal Xiao looked as if he wanted to speak but held back.
By the banks of the Forgotten River, the Ancient Tree suddenly manifested from the void. The Yin Demons it had bound were thrown into the river one after another.
It was at that moment that everyone understood why the Ancient Tree had not devoured the demons. For wandering souls and Yin Demons alike, the Forgotten River was equivalent to a prison. Even the strongest of cultivators would not dare enter it lightly.
Fang Chen suddenly glanced at Ghost Dragon, who looked shaken. He said, "You seem particularly afraid of the Wangchuan River."
Ghost Dragon nodded. "I have once spent many years in the Forgotten River. I grew terrified of it."
As he stared at the dark waters, fear lingered in his eyes.
Suddenly, he thought he saw a terrifying black shadow swim beneath the surface. He frowned and stared intently. He couldn't find anything.
"Was I mistaken?" muttered Ghost Dragon.
The Forgotten River was dark and silent. Even a sixth-transformation Ghost Immortal like him could not see far into its depths.
Deep within the Forgotten River, the Candle Dragon escorted the batch of Yin Demons and wandering souls. It glanced back once at Fang Chen before slowly swimming into the darkness.
"Ghost Dragon, do you think it's possible for me to infiltrate the Motian Division?" asked Fang Chen with a light smile.
"Infiltrate the Motian Division?" Ghost Dragon pondered carefully and then shook his head. "The chances are low. Unless a supreme expert personally vouches for you."
After a pause, he gave a bitter smile. "Now that Immortal Dizang is dead, even if I hadn't followed you, I would likely have been cast out of the Motian Division. Only by pledging myself to another supreme expert can I re-enter."
As he spoke, something seemed to occur to him. "Wait. I just remembered something."
"What is it?"
"Many years ago, I visited the Taicang Realm. At the time, the Motian Division seemed to have cooperated with the Immortal Worshipping Palace. I heard that the Motian Division recruited quite a few cultivators who originally belonged to the Immortal Worshipping Palace."
"Immortal Worshipping Palace?"
The smile on Fang Chen's grew. So that was why the Motian Division's operations had been so secretive all these years. Even he had only learned of its existence now.
He had refused to believe they could be this low-profile. How did they gather intelligence? Where did they get their spiritual materials to nurture their subordinates? It just wasn't sustainable. What they were most likely doing was wearing a mask no one could see through, allowing them to operate in the Nine Mortal Realms without worry.
***
Enlightenment God Palace. Chen Enxue's Dao Domain.
Led by Xie Aman, around thirty to fifty core disciples had gathered. In addition, Elder Chen and Elder Jiang from the Elder Council were present. They stood around the physical bodies of Fang Chen and Chen Enxue, their expressions grave.
They had never imagined that after a single descent into the Underworld, Chen Enxue's life lamp would extinguish just like that. As one of the top three core disciples of Enlightenment God Palace, what kind of perilous danger could she have encountered in the Underworld that it would not allow her even a chance to return to the Enlightenment Underworld Realm for help?
Xie Aman frowned. "Old Ninth is still alive. If he and Old Three went together to the Underworld on official business, how could she be dead while he's still alive?"
The others exchanged looks, unable to answer.
"Elder Chen, was anything strange happening when Lao San's life lamp was extinguished?" Xie Aman asked.
Elder Chen shook his head.
"What about the Enlightenment Underworld Realm? Any trace of Third Sister?" Xie Aman asked again.
Nanming Ruyue gave a bitter smile. "Fourth Senior Brother has taken Sixth and Seventh Senior Brothers to search all of the Enlightenment Underworld Realm. There's no sign of Third Senior Sister. They've now enlisted several Ghost Immortals and mobilized 100,000 external disciples to conduct a wider search."
"Eldest Senior Sister, could it be related to what happened in the Lesser Immortal Realm?" Li Shanzi suddenly asked.
Ji Sheng and the others exchanged glances. They had experienced that incident and knew how dangerous it had been. If Shao Guangyin had retaliated... then it was possible.
"The Lesser Immortal Realm? What happened there?"
Some of the core disciples looked confused. Those who hadn't gone to the Lesser Immortal Realm naturally knew nothing about it. The matter was still confidential. Aside from those who had gone, only the Elder Council knew the full story.
Xie Aman understood Li Shanzi's suspicion, but she knew more. Her list of suspects extended far beyond Shao Guangyin.
The True Immortal Ancient Mirror... the God Decree Ranking... the demon race... Are you the ones meddling in this?
She thought to herself, her expression calm as she continued, "Ninth Brother is still alive. Once we find him, we'll know everything.
"Can we confirm that he and Third Sister left the Enlightenment Underworld Realm together?"
Nanming Ruyue nodded. "That can be confirmed. Many people saw them. Third Senior Sister even spoke with the guards at the city gate, so the impression was very clear."
A heavy sigh rippled through the group as they looked at Chen Enxue with complicated expressions.
Tears shimmered faintly in Ji Sheng's eyes.
Though no one said it outright, Chen Enxue's life lamp had shattered. She had even died during a descent into the Underworld, meaning her soul had been annihilated, with no possibility of returning.
Just as everyone was lost in their thoughts, someone noticed Fang Chen's eyelid twitch.
"Ninth Brother's eyelid moved!" Nanming Ruyue exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement.
