Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 1660: Deserving of Death

Li Jingnian's sudden appearance startled everyone present. However, after the initial shock, Huang Dengdao and the first transformation Immortal guest were overcome with ecstasy. They didn't perceive Li Jingnian as a threat. Instead, Huang Dengdao deliberately extended the Yang Lifespan stone in his hand.He said mockingly, "It smells good, doesn't it? Go ahead and eat it."

It was obvious to them that the scent of the Yang Lifespan had lured a Yang God. They understood Yang Gods very well. As long as you targeted their specific weaknesses, even the most powerful Yang God could be suppressed and killed.

Fang Chen's expression darkened. He hadn't expected Li Jingnian to detect the Yang Lifespan so quickly, nor had he accounted for the Yang Gods' unique ability to instantly traverse any of the Nine Realms at will. Li Jingnian had moved from the inn to Huang Dengdao's estate in a heartbeat, leaving Fang Chen little time to react.

As Li Jingnian leaned closer to the Yang Lifespan stone, the two villains grinned with self-satisfaction.

Fang Chen stomped his foot.

"Hehe—"

A pair of eerie, high-pitched giggles echoed in the ears of Huang Dengdao and his guest. Before they could even process the sound, their physical bodies withered into mummified husks. A Ghost Infant was now joyfully hopping atop their corpses, seemingly expressing its delight at seeing Fang Chen again.

The Ghost Infant held the Yang Lifespan stone in its tiny hand. At Fang Chen's signal, it squeezed and crushed the stone into fine powder. Li Jingnian blinked in confusion. He looked left and right before aimlessly wandering out of the room.

Fang Chen let out a breath of relief and shifted his gaze back to the two wandering souls standing over their own bodies in bewilderment. The reception hall, once quiet, was now crowded with Day Walker Lieutenants standing in every corner. Huang Dengdao had never seen his home so lively.

Huang Dengdao looked at his own corpse, shocked. He turned his face toward Fang Chen and questioned in horror, "Who are you...?"

"We can talk in the Underworld. Take them," said Fang Chen coldly.

The Day Walker Lieutenants pounced like hungry tigers. Huang Dengdao, once a formidable fourth-transformation immortal, was now a mere wandering soul with no power to resist. He and his guest were promptly bound in soul-shackles.

"Little Zi Zai, go back to your mother for now. After I am done with my matters, I'll have Sister Little Sword play with you," instructed Fang Chen warmly.

The Ghost Infant looked disappointed. I shot Fang Chen an annoyed glare before being sent back.

Fang Chen stepped into the thick, white fog of the Underworld with the two prisoners being dragged behind him.

***

In a dark, gloomy interrogation room, Fang Chen sat at the head of the table and took a sip of tea offered by Du Yunxu.

"Tell me," Fang Chen began. "Why are the two of you targeting the Yang Gods?"

"We just... wanted to capture a Yang God for pill refinement," stammered Huang Dengdao, his mind racing. "We didn't know he was a friend of yours. It was a misunderstanding."

The other immortal nodded fervently. "Exactly! Just a misunderstanding!"

"Everyone else, out," commanded Fang Chen.

Du Yunxu bowed and led his Day Walker lineage out, leaving only the three of them.

"Now that we're alone, let's be blunt," said Fang Chen with a faint smile. "Has the demon race decided to target the Yang Gods first?"

Shock colored their faces. They hadn't expected to be identified so easily.

Faced with no choice, Huang Dengdao tried to play dumb. "What demon race...?"

Fang Chen raised his hand and performed two Imperial Decrees. Instantly, the two souls felt a drastic change within them.

"You have been decreed as Underworld True Gods. You are no longer ordinary wandering souls. You can't lie to me anymore," explained Fang Chen calmly.

The two didn't believe him at first. But as soon as a thought of resistance formed in their minds, they began to endure agonising torture. Their spirit souls felt as if they were being burned and evaporated from the inside out. They collapsed, howling and writhing on the floor.

Huang Dengdao couldn't fathom how he had been targeted by someone with such terrifying methods when he had stayed so low-profile in Broken Ruins. Finally, unable to bear the pain, he screamed, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

"Me too!" shrieked the other.

The evaporation of their divine souls stopped, and the burning sensation faded.

"You first." Fang Chen looked at the first-transformation Immortal. "Where did the Yang Lifespan stone come from, and what was inside it?"

Trembling, the immortal confessed, "The... the Saint Son ordered it to be distributed. It contains a substance that causes Yang Gods to die instantly. Their divine souls would be utterly annihilated upon consumption."

"Do you have direct contact with the Saint Son?" questioned Fang Chen.

"No... he sends messengers. Their identities are kept secret. I'm not qualified to know them."

Fang Chen looked at the other man. "And you, Huang Dengdao?"

Huang Dengdao gave a bitter smile. This man even knew his name. He answered, "I don't know either."

"So secretive." Fang Chen chuckled. "The more he hides, the more it proves he's afraid of being found. It seems the Saint Son isn't all that impressive."

"Don't you dare insult the Saint Son!" roared both in unison.

Immediately, they fell to the ground in renewed agony. Seconds later, they were kneeling submissively, not daring to utter another word of protest.

"Is the hunt for Yang Gods a large-scale operation? Where else is the Yang Lifespan being distributed?" asked Fang Chen.

"I don't know! I only follow orders! I don't know if other regions have received the same command!" pleaded the first-transformation Immortal.

Fang Chen studied them for a long time. He heaved a sigh of relief. The demon race wasn't all made of iron. These two were much easier to break than the likes of Xu Kun.

"Give me a list. I want the names, origins, and details of every cultivator you know who has awakened their demon race memories," ordered Fang Chen.

The first-transformation immortal immediately began rattling off over a dozen names, including their backgrounds, cultivation levels, and genders. Huang Dengdao hesitated, but seeing his companion speak so freely, he sighed and added a few names of his own.

Fang Chen frowned as he recorded these names down. "Is that all?"

Huang Dengdao looked at his companion with hatred. "He already said all the ones I knew."

"Lord, we've told you everything. How do you plan to settle us?" begged the first transformation Immortal.

"You betrayed your own kind without a second thought," said Fang Chen indifferently. "You are deserving of death."

As soon as these words left his lips, the two souls were incinerated into green smoke, dissipating forever.