Immortal of the Nine Realms-Chapter 1314: Fang Renjian

Sitting on the dragon's back, the old man's soul drifted toward a light far brighter than any of the stars he had ever seen before.

Soon, they drew close.

The cry of a newborn rang out. An old monk cradled him and studied him.

At three or five years of age, he bustled around the streets, brawling with children of noble bloodlines.

A few years later, he practiced martial arts and made friends. He had a best friend named Xia Ji, whom he treated as a brother. Xia Ji treated him the same.

In youthful arrogance, enamored of combat, he joined the army.

He drank deeply, ate heartily, and pushed back enemies beyond the borders, living with unrestrained joy.

Through his blood and sweat, he helped forge line after line of defenses.

The world outside was rife with devastation, but inside it flourished.

After much confusion and reflection, the boy found a purpose in life, and it had taken root deeply in his heart—he wanted to bring peace to the world.

Prestige, renown, and glory all came to rest upon him. Yet he had also tasted much of the world's sorrow. He knew defeat, dejection, and even despair, but he never lingered in them; never once did he give up.

He stepped onto the Immortal Path, slaying both spirits and gods. Step by step, to this very day.

Had he ever forgotten his first resolve? No, he had not. He had always kept it close, never forgotten.

His eyes slowly opened. In that instant, it was as if countless lifetimes of brilliance flowed past like a lantern show and flowed away.

Everything he had experienced converged into a strange force that interwove and condensed.

In a single breath, that power became a youth who manifested at Fang Chen's side. Though he stood within the Forgotten River, he was not bound by its rules and showed no sign of sinking.

It was the condensation of Dao—the Mortal World.

Fang Chen gazed at the youth, recalling all he had endured during this time, and sighed with emotion. Had he not lived through endless mortal lives within the Forgotten River, he might never have achieved the Dao of the Mortal World in his lifetime.

This Mortal World Dao was on a level unlike that of Fang Tian and the others. It could not be strengthened by cultivation, only by enlightenment. His Dao Union with the Forgotten River had pushed this understanding to its limit, so much so that the Dao had no choice but to condense.

Thus, the process had been simple, natural, and effortless. It was completed in less than a heartbeat.

The youth stood quietly in the Forgotten River, yet gave the feeling of being as vast as the cosmos and as deep as the abyss.

The insights of countless lives wove together, transforming into a qualitative change.

The youth's cultivation already surpassed Fang Tianzun and the rest, surpassing even the Upper Three Realms.

At the very moment of Dao Condensation, he had already achieved the level of a First-Rate Sect Leader. Among Fang Chen's eleven avatars, he was the strongest!

He could be called Fang Renjian.

Just then, ripples coursed through the surrounding waters, and in the gloom of the Forgotten River, Fang Chen saw an existence whose body stretched to immeasurable lengths.

Its babyish face had grown toward maturity, staring at him with eager warmth.

During Fang Chen's process of uniting with the Forgotten River, the Candle Dragon too had undergone unimaginable growth, leaping directly from infancy to adulthood.

Its current power was beyond Fang Chen's grasp. Even clad in Monarch Yan's Armor, he would not be its match.

Only now, after his comprehension, did Fang Chen understand the special bond between the Candle Dragon and the Forgotten River. They were like mother and child.

The Candle Dragon was born of the Forgotten River, innately able to swim through its waters unhindered.

In his Unity, the Candle Dragon had served as the bridge.

Without it, Fang Chen was not sure he could have awakened. After so many mortal lifetimes, his existence had become strange. He hadn't been a person anymore. Instead, he had been more like a "thought," or a "Dao."

Had the Candle Dragon not roused him, he might have remained forever lost in the Forgotten River, reliving the lives of countless wandering souls.

Fang Chen smiled faintly at the Candle Dragon. "The Forgotten River can give you strength. Here you'll grow ever stronger. Stay here. When I have the chance, I'll call you to the Mortal Realm for a stroll."

Understanding him, the Candle Dragon said nothing. It swung its tail in excitement before swimming deeper into the distance.

On the bank, Yu Tingzhai and the others suddenly saw the calm Forgotten River erupt into waves, and their eyes grew heavy with concern.

Since when did the Forgotten River have waves? Even when those godly existences entered it after their death, at most there would be a few little bubbles.

The waves lasted for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before slowly subsiding. Before they could react, they saw a figure emerge from the Forgotten River, step by step walking back onto the shore.

They hurried forward to salute.

"Lord."

Relief washed over them, and joy glinted in their eyes.

They couldn't refrain from secretly probing Fang Chen's aura.

Naturally, Fang Chen could tell what kind of question weighed on their minds. He smiled and nodded. "Now, the Forgotten River is my Dao, and my Dao is the Forgotten River. From this day forth, it will be my foundation."

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. Empress Ci suppressed her shock, her delight bubbling out like that of a young maiden.

She gushed, "Lord, for countless ages, no one has ever achieved Unity with the Forgotten River. Even before the Underworld was called the Underworld, I never heard that the previous Monarch Yan achieved his Dao through unity with the Forgotten River!

"The Forgotten River is this realm's foundation. To unite with it is to unite with the realm itself. The Greater Underworld and the Lesser Underworld will soon become one!"

The Dangyin Mountain Lord, True Monarch of Pan Mountain, and Taiyin Dragon King all stepped forward to offer congratulations.

They were truly joyful. The reigning Monarch Yan was clearly on the rise. The stronger he grew, the more secure their own positions as Underworld True Gods would be.

"How many years have passed outside?" Fang Chen asked.

"13 years," Stone Dragon answered.

Fang Chen nodded lightly. "13 years... Not too long."

Thankfully, it had only been 13 years, not 130. To them, 13 years were no different from 13 days, too short to bring substantial change.

Just then, Lin Bao hurried over.

Seeing that Fang Chen had emerged from the Forgotten River, he froze. After a moment, he joyfully came forward to offer congratulations.

"What of Wang Chongsong? Any news?" Fang Chen asked.

"Lord, I came precisely for this. Wang Chongsong has already gone to the Upper Three Realms," Lin Bao revealed.

"Did you fulfill your end of the deal with him?"

Gratitude shone in Lin Bao's eyes, and he nodded. "Yes."

The information on the Immortal Path—the immortal medicines of the first transformation through the eight—had been delivered to Wang Chongsong.

Fang Chen could have withheld the knowledge, yet he still passed it on, helping him fulfill his contract with Wang Chongsong. For that, Lin Bao was deeply grateful.

"In your view, now that Wang Chongsong has gone to the Upper Three Realms, will he join the Taiyi Immortal Sect, or rely upon Ancient Immortal Chishen?" Fang Chen asked.

"I dare to guess he'll go to the Taiyi Immortal Sect. With his wide connections, he wouldn't miss such a chance. Perhaps from the start, he never planned merely to travel there. He intended to ally with the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Only such a power can rival the Enlightenment God Palace in the Upper Three Realms. This time, he may be plotting revenge for all the suffering they once caused him."

Fang Chen nodded, chatted idly with the others for a while, then let his gaze fall upon Fairy Yu.

She might have appeared indifferent, but the corner of her eyes kept straying toward Fang Chen. It was like she was staring at a monster.

"I won't be able to come here for some time going forward. I'll leave this place in your care."

"Rest assured, lord!" they all replied.

"Before I depart, I'll confer more titles of Underworld True Gods. If you have suitable candidates, tell me."