Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 1761: Just Keep Moving Forward

Everyone instinctively looked toward Fang Chen. It was only after he gave a nod of approval over Wang Ye's suggestion that they finally relaxed. At least he had no intention of privately detaining this outsider. Her existence affected all factions and required discussion at the highest levels.

Abbess Qing He suddenly spoke, "Lord Fang, I can feel that presence again."

Motian Dizang?

Fang Chen frowned and said, "Little Abbess, this woman concerns the survival of the Nine Realms. I need to confer an Imperial Decree on her divine soul to ensure her words and actions were not falsified."

The gray-robed woman's face filled with astonishment. "What? Imperial Decree? You..."

Abbess Qing He understood Fang Chen's intent immediately. Before the gray-robed woman could react, her life force was instantly severed. To a ninth-transformation immortal, an Ancient Immortal was no different from an ant—a light squeeze, and they were gone.

Everyone was slightly startled, staring at Fang Chen in disbelief.

"Lord Fang... this is..."

They never expected him to have the abbess kill the woman outright in an instant. Just like that, the outsider had been slain. At that moment, the gray-robed woman's soul stood there in a daze. It took several breaths before she finally realized her situation.

She stared at Fang Chen and Abbess Qing He with deep resentment. "Damn it! You actually killed me so decisively!"

She had believed her words would at least secure her life like a wealthy merchant telling bandits that she had a treasure map—spare her and she'd reveal the location. But the bandits had killed her without hesitation!

Her expression suddenly changed. "Wait... what he said earlier. Imperial Decree..."

At the same time, she saw Fang Chen already writing something in the void. Soon after, a seal covered in ancient runes was completed and struck her soul. She could only watch helplessly as the characters drilled into her divine soul, completely unable to resist. In her mind, legends of the Underworld flooded her mind.

After several breaths, the conferment was complete. She transformed from a wandering spirit into a True God, and her figure reappeared before everyone once more.

Abbess Qing He then stepped into the Yin Gourd, disappearing from sight.

Xianyue Guan and the others finally snapped out of their shock, clicking their tongues in amazement. "Good grief..."

The outsider had now clearly become a Ghost Immortal. They needed many procedures to walk the Ghost Immortal path, as it was complicated and time-consuming. But Monarch Fang had merely written a single decree, and it allowed a soul to manifest in the mortal realm. It truly was a method befitting of Monarch Yan.

The gray-robed woman stared fixedly at Fang Chen, her face slightly pale. "You're the Underworld's Monarch Yan...."

She should have realized it earlier. These people had been calling him Lord Fang, yet she never once thought in that direction.

Fang Chen smiled. "You seem surprised. In the territory of the Seeking Dao Faction, surely there must exist Monarch Yans as well?"

"Of course there are. But our Monarch Yans are far stronger than you. Even I have never even seen the true appearance of one."

"I didn't expect that the moment I returned to the Nine Demonic Beast Realms, I would encounter the reigning Monarch Yan. I am truly... unlucky."

By the end of her sentence, she sounded utterly dispirited. She had gained nothing and instead lost her life. This journey was a total loss.

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Even the Seeking Dao Faction has Monarch Yans..."

They had truly broadened their horizons today.

Fang Chen was not surprised. Ever since he learned that even the demon race had an Underworld system, he had already guessed that the Underworld was not unique to the Nine Realms. Reincarnation was a principle of heaven and earth. Since it was a universal law, all realms of the Qingming Void had to follow it.

Fang Chen asked, "What is your name?"

The gray-robed woman was about to give a false name, but she suddenly felt as if her entire body was being burned by flames as an unbearable pain surged through her.

"My name is Gu Yueling."

The moment she spoke, the pain immediately vanished, and she let out a long breath.

Fang Chen asked again, "Where are you from?"

"..."

She refused to answer, and the pain returned instantly.

Xianyue Guan and the others had already understood what was happening. When they looked at Fang Chen again, their eyes carried fear and respect. If such methods were used on them, they would be just as helpless as this woman.

The Monarch Yan's decree... Indeed, the techniques of the Underworld lineage are extraordinary. No wonder Monarch Yan once ruled the Underworld...

Gu Yueling's soul began to fade further, yet she still clenched her teeth and refused to reveal her origin. She wanted to see whether she would truly die because of it.

"You refuse to say your origin because you're afraid we'll deduce the coordinates of the Seeking Dao Faction. Since you believe we are far inferior to your faction, why do you refuse to reveal the coordinates... What are you afraid of?"

Fang Chen pointed at the Immortal Boat beneath her. "Your ship must contain a star chart, and it surely includes the coordinates of your faction. Whether you speak or not, what difference does it make?"

Gu Yueling gritted her teeth. "My star chart isn't something you can easily see."

Her soul continued to fade. Everyone could already see the pain she was enduring and couldn't help but feel a trace of concern—not for her but for the possibility that she could die here and all leads would vanish. There was still much useful information that could be extracted from her.

Fang Chen said calmly, "Forget it. I won't ask you about that anymore. Just repeat what you told us earlier, and if you've hidden anything, reveal it truthfully."

The pain Gu Yueling felt vanished. She swayed slightly, and it took several breaths before she slowly regained her composure.

"Your decree... prevents me from lying to you..."

She looked at Fang Chen, her expression changing several times before she began repeating everything she had said earlier.

To everyone's surprise, what she had previously said contained no lies.

"So the existence of the Heavenly Dao truly represents the decline of transcendence?"

"To use an entire star realm's fate... to nourish the Heavenly Dao..."

Everyone's expressions were a storm of shifting emotions.

Fang Chen said, "Everyone, there's no need to overthink these matters. Whether one is human or immortal, just keep moving forward. As for what the Heavenly Dao represents, what does it have to do with us? Perhaps she herself doesn't even know the truth. These are only her own interpretations. The truth may not be as she says."

At his words, many people suddenly snapped back to clarity, cold sweat breaking out across their backs. Just moments ago, they had fallen into a mental spiral, their souls getting subtly eroded as their state of mind had nearly collapsed.

"Lord Fang is right. This woman may not know the truth. What she says is merely what she believes. The truth may not be as she describes."

Wang Ye nodded slightly, then swept his gaze across the crowd. "Remember our current mission. Gu Yueling's matter will be judged by the higher authorities."

Then he turned to Fang Chen. "Old Nine, let's continue our journey. The priority is to escort these people to the Feiyu Constellation. If the conflict in the Taicang Realm can be resolved... perhaps all factions will finally have the opportunity to sit down and properly negotiate."