Immortal of the Nine Realms-Chapter 1503: Mu

Fang Chen followed Immortal Taixu onto his Immortal Boat.

After laying down a restriction, Immortal Taixu immediately began asking what had happened.

When Fang Chen finished recounting everything from beginning to end, Wang Chongsong couldn't help but sigh. "I didn't expect the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation to truly have preserved a fragment of her soul, to keep a remnant of humanity alive there."

"Old Wang, do you think the Ghost Mother actually knows the full truth? Does she understand those... unspeakable matters?" Fang Chen asked, his eyes narrowing slightly,

"I'm not certain," Wang Chongsong murmured. "She may simply have done it to protect human souls. That Ghost Buddha of the Underworld became enlightened precisely because of her temperament. Does good without asking for anything in return', that was how a certain ninth-transformation immortal once described her."

Wang Chongsong's eyes swept the surrounding void warily. "Now, about that Daoist Yun Que you mentioned, he's no ordinary figure. I wonder if that old fellow might still be watching us."

"What do you mean, no ordinary figure?" Fang Chen asked, intrigued.

"Where did your Radiant Divine Eyes come from?" Wang Chongshong countered casually.

"The Radiant Divine Eyes is inherited from the Dao Sect's Solar Beast Mu—wait."

Fang Chen was stunned. "you mean to say that Daoist Yun Que is the Solar Beast?"

Wang Chongsong nodded. "I can't be absolutely certain, but from the clues I've gathered, Yun Que is the Dao Sect's Solar Beast. He walked the Great Sun Pure Yang Immortal Path, a path he himself created. No one else has ever been able to tread it."

Wang Chongsong sighed. "What a pity. He must've recognized that you're Yun He's successor. Why didn't he pass the Immortal Path to you? If you could cultivate that way, your ascension to the ninth transformation would be all but assured."

"I already have my own Immortal Path," Fang Chen said. "Can that even be changed?"

"There is a way," Wang Chongsong replied. "In the Greater Immortal Realm, there's a Pool of Transformation, capable of dissolving one's current path. It's dangerous, but for the sake of the ninth transformation, a little risk is acceptable."

Pool of Transformation?

Fang Chen was slightly startled. It was the first he'd heard of dissolving an immortal path. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Then Daoist Yun Que must also have become an Anomaly, right?"

"Of course," Wang Chongsong said. "All those ancient ones became Anomalies. Those who didn't have long since perished. Whether any, like the Ghost Mother, preserved a trace of soul, we can't know."

He sighed. "Our means are still too shallow. While striving upward, we must also guard against dangers from above, restrained on every side. It's not easy."

"If the Solar Beast became an Anomaly," Fang Chen mused, "then the Lunar Beast might still exist somewhere as well."

"Naturally." Wang Chongsong nodded. "Those creatures always had their ways of survival. Whether they are in the Mortal Realm, the Underworld, or one of the Greater Realms, who can say?"

"Old Wang, have you gotten hold of a Formation Heart?" asked Fang Chen. "If we can break Great Thunder Sound's seal, we can send the Ghost Mother and her souls to the Underworld."

"You think it's that easy?" Wang Chongsong rolled his eyes. "Everyone's watching. Even if I obtained one, my position would require me to hand it to the Enlightenment God Palace for handling."

"Can't you secretly keep just one?" Fang Chen frowned. "You're an Ancient Immortal."

"Only if I could find one! Do you think those core disciples dig them up by luck? It's because each already carries a Formation Heart! Once they're near another one, they can sense it. Me? I don't have a single hair of resonance. How am I supposed to find one?"

He snorted. "'Ancient Immortal' is just a fancy title. You really think we're omnipotent? Remember how Meng Tianshu, that eighth-transformation Ancient Immortal, died? You saw it with your own eyes."

Fang Chen sighed. "Then we'll have to ask Senior Sister, see if she'll sell one."

"She risked much just smuggling out one last time. We can't trouble her again; we'll handle it ourselves," said Wang Chongsong. "I've done some digging. I know where Formation Hearts have appeared, and which places the Rulai Monastery hasn't yet explored. You and I will go. If we find one, we'll keep it for ourselves."

"Do we have time? The next war for control isn't far off, and the Rulai Monastery will likely go all-in." Fang Chen frowned. "Wouldn't it be better to wait until after the battle?"

"No. If we lose, sneaking back here will be nearly impossible." A light flashed in Wang Chongsong's eyes. "You're right that time's short, though. So, why not find some core disciple, kill him, and take his Formation Heart? If that fails, use your own Formation Heart to break the seal. With your talent, the Palace will give you another. I hear they've already collected a few."

"Fine." Fang Chen nodded readily. "Then let's kill Li Shanzi."

"..."

Wang Chongsong chuckled. "He's the brother of my own disciple, and he's helped me plenty."

"So instead you want my Formation Heart? Haven't I helped you enough?" Fang Chen sneered. "Think of something useful. None of the Palace's core disciples are my mortal enemies. If I have to rob someone, I'd rather take a Rulai Monastery core disciple's Formation Heart during the battle."

"Something useful... huh. If only that old fellow were still around," Wang Chongsong muttered. "He once fought for the position of the Heavenly Dao. He might've had an idea."

Without another word, he activated his Black Dragon Ship. It shot into the distance, vanishing from Ji Gang and the others' sight.

"Where's Core Disciple Fang going?" someone asked.

"No matter," Ji Gang said confidently. "He's with my master. As long as they stay on Great Thunder Sound, they won't encounter danger."

Even so, many were uneasy. Last time, Fang Chen had been with Xie Aman and still ended up trapped in strange circumstances.

Though Immortal Taixu was a seventh-transformation Ancient Immortal, his strength was leagues below hers.

***

"Old Wang, where are we going?" Fang Chen asked suspiciously. "You're not kidnapping me for my Formation Heart, are you? The Ghost Mother has survived this long. We're not in such a rush. Give me time. I might find another way."

Wang Chongsong snorted. "You're overthinking. If Daoist Yun Que truly escaped the Ghost Realm, he may have lost his memory, but he should still sense that something's wrong. Maybe we'll find him near the region, and he might know what to do."

Fang Chen nodded in understanding.

About half a month later, the ship began to slow. Ahead, a phantom mountain appeared. It kept flickering in and out of existence. Its slopes were bound in rust-colored iron chains and seal talismans. Only Fang Chen and Wang Chongsong could see it. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

And there, standing before the mountain, gazing up with his hands behind his back, was a shabby Daoist.