Fang Chen was a bit surprised. "What method do you have?"

Peng Xingwu was also full of astonishment, but he didn't dare to speak. The cultivation of this young abbess before him was truly unfathomable.

Abbess Qing He looked at Peng Xingwu and smiled. "Do you have any items brought out from Jinglan City?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Peng Xingwu's expression shifted, and he quickly said, "Yes."

He took out a dark blade with an extraordinary aura.

"This was bestowed upon me by Venerable Jinglan. It is especially effective at slaying souls."

Abbess Qing He took the dark blade. In the next moment, everyone was enveloped by a mass of yin energy and disappeared from where they stood. When they reappeared, they were already inside a massive city.

Abbess Qing He smiled and said, "Lord Fang, this is Jinglan City."

The ghost infant, clinging to Peng Xingwu's neck, curiously looked around.

Peng Xingwu's face was filled with shock, his eyes carrying disbelief. He didn't know how far their previous location was from Jinglan City, but what he did know was that, in the Mortal Realm, the corresponding region of Lone Light Star was so far from Jinglan City that it would take no less than a hundred years to reach.

"How did you do that?" asked Fang Chen, incredibly surprised.

That was even more convenient than his traversal through the Forgotten River.

Could it be a divine ability she obtained after reaching the ninth transformation?

Abbess Qing He thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know either. I just know I can do it."

Fang Chen suppressed his curiosity regarding Abbess Qing He's ability and turned to Peng Xingwu. "Take us to meet Venerable Jinglan."

At that moment, deep within Jinglan City, in a quiet and elegant courtyard, a woman was drinking tea and chatting with an old man.

The woman's expression was gloomy. "Daoist Kong, the imperial decree on one of the sixth-transformation Ghost Immortals under my command has suddenly disappeared. This has never happened before. I fear that something has gone wrong in the Taicang Realm."

"An imperial decree has suddenly disappeared? That is indeed no small matter. Your division's technique originates from that senior, correct? Could it be that something has happened to that senior?"

The old man's gaze flickered as he pondered.

"The methods of the Lord are far beyond your ability to comprehend, Daoist Kong. It's impossible for anything to have gone wrong. This matter is likely related to the death of Venerable Dizang in recent years." The woman frowned. "Most likely, because Motian Division intervened in the affairs of the Taicang Realm, someone is specifically targeting Venerables like us."

The old man nodded. "We of the Spirit God Sect have also heard about Venerable Dizang's incident. Please accept my condolences, Venerable Jinglan. But in my opinion, even if someone is targeting your division, any damage they could do is superficial at best. The reason Venerable Dizang died was mainly because his identity within Xie Zhi was special and was discovered.

"Venerable Jinglan, I am visiting you to discuss a very rare opportunity. Our sect's patriarch has been asleep for many years, and no one has ever known where he slumbers. But this time, I have found some clues. If you are willing to join forces with me, perhaps we can seize a ninth-transformation position."

The old man's eyes shone brightly as he stared at Venerable Jinglan.

Venerable Jinglan frowned slightly. "You want me to cooperate with you to deal with a nine transformation Immortal, whose methods are unknown?"

"You and I are only eighth-transformation Ancient Immortals. Though we are just one realm away from the ninth transformation, you should be well aware of how vast the gap truly is,"

the old man replied with a soft chuckle.

He continued, "Many years ago, our sect's patriarch went to the Immortal Realm. After that trip, he left behind a few brief instructions and then fell into a deep slumber. All the affairs of the Spirit God Sect have since been handled by us elders. Over the years, I've made multiple trips to the Major Immortal Realm, all to find out what happened to our patriarch there. In the end, I learned that he fought a battle with the Fallen Immortal Emperor of the Major Immortal Realm. It's said he was badly defeated and barely managed to escape alive."

Venerable Jinglan was visibly startled. "Your patriarch fought the Fallen Immortal Emperor? Why provoke someone like that? That's a terrifying existence who have lived from that era until now. He's probably already half a step into Heavenly Dao..."

The old man shook his head. "At the time, I was only a seventh-transformation Ancient Immortal, and my status among the elders wasn't high. Naturally, I didn't know the reason. There are a few elders who do know, but no matter how I probed, those old foxes kept their mouths shut and revealed nothing. The only thing I can be certain of is that our patriarch was gravely injured in that battle."

Venerable Jinglan frowned. "Daoist Kong, could you have been deceived? If a ninth-transformation immortal wants to hide and recover, it is virtually impossible for ordinary people to find them. Could someone within your Spirit God Sect be trying to deal with you?"

"Ordinary people indeed can't find him. But speaking of it, I was simply lucky to discover his hiding place," said the old man with a smile. "Venerable Jinglan, I've been in the Spirit God Sect for many years. Do you think I wouldn't know this?"

He explained, "Have you heard of the Ancient Desolate Region? There's an inconspicuous place there called Tuxiong Star. Our sect suffered repeated setbacks there. Normally, such trivial matters wouldn't catch my attention, but on a whim, I decided to see what was causing these failures. And at a place called Three World Mountain, I sensed the aura of our sect's patriarch. Isn't that quite a coincidence? I confirmed it multiple times. He must be severely injured, with his lifespan nearly exhausted.

"If you and I join forces, seizing his ninth-transformation spot would be effortless. In times like these, without resorting to such means, do you really think you and I have any chance of advancing to the ninth transformation?"

From the shadows, Abbess Qing He looked at Fang Chen with surprise. "Young Master Fang, did he say Three World Mountain? Isn't that the Three World Mountain outside the borders of Grand Xia?"

Fang Chen nodded and corrected her. "It used to be outside Grand Xia's territory. Now, Three World Mountain is already within Grand Xia's borders."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the old man, and waves stirred in his heart.

Three World Mountain, the Spirit God Sect's patriarch, the Immortal Fairy... Was she looking at me that day, or at the Spirit God Sect's patriarch?

Peng Xingwu didn't know where Tuxiong Star was. He didn't even know what kind of place Three World Mountain was, nor even where Grand Xia lay. But he understood what kind of figure the Spirit God Sect's patriarch represented—a genuine ninth-transformation immortal.

If even a ninth transformation immortal had to hide away in slumber in such a place, it meant that place was anything but ordinary. And now, the successor of Monarch Yan, and this woman who was possibly, perhaps, maybe... a ninth transformation immortal, had both come from that very place?

The old man said in a deep voice, "Venerable Jinglan, don't miss this opportunity. Even if we can only achieve half-step ninth transformation, at the very least, when standing before people in the ninth transformation realm, we won't have to be as servile as before. We'll have a measure of dignity of our own."

Venerable Jinglan remained silent for a long while, then finally shook her head. "The risk is too great. You should look for someone else, perhaps someone willing to share this risk with you."

A trace of disappointment appeared on the old man's face. He stood up and cupped his hands. "Then I shall take my leave."

"I'll see you out."

Venerable Jinglan also rose.

At that moment, Abbess Qing He appeared between them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Please, both of you, have a seat first. Lord Fang has something to say."

The expressions of Venerable Jinglan and the old man stiffened. Just as they were about to resist, they realized their auras had already been completely suppressed. They couldn't muster even the slightest bit of strength, and were effortlessly pressed back into their seats.