Chapter 1240: Not My Fault

The shock on Song Zhili's face lasted only a breath. The rest of his emotions were swiftly buried beneath a composed mask.

Li Wuwang noticed this and was clearly disappointed. He cupped his fist with a half-smile and said, "Daoist Song, aren't you even a little glad to see me?"

Song Zhili's eyes narrowed. He probed, "Wasn't the Heavenly Sword Division wiped out by the Myriad Immortal Palace?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept toward Yu Tingzhai. He quickly dismissed the thought—at the time of the massacre, Yu Tingzhai hadn't been chosen as the realm's guardian by the Myriad Immortal Palace. He couldn't possibly have known.

Li Wuwang sighed deeply and offered, "It's a long story. If you're curious, Daoist Song, why not sit for a while and listen to it?"

"No need," replied Song Zhili as he shook his head. "I didn't come today to listen to tales."

Just as he turned slightly to speak with the old flood dragon, a strange sensation pulsed up from beneath the ground, causing Song Zhili's face to sink.

Even more stunned than when he saw Li Wuwang, Song Zhili's face turned pale as he stared down at the ice mountain beneath their feet. He uttered, "There's someone ascending to the fourth transformation in the mountain?"

His voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from envy so sharp it gnawed at his composure.

First, Yu Tingzhai had achieved the fourth transformation. Now, another person ascending to the fourth transformation on Tuxiong Star?

Impossible!

Neither Tuxiong Star nor Chaotic Star possessed the means to birth a fourth-transformation immortal medicine. Lands capable of birthing such treasures were either controlled by the great powers or backed by existences like the Myriad Immortal Palace.

Song Zhili's thoughts were in turmoil. He glanced at Xu Changshi and the others and found them unnervingly calm.

They're actually this steady about it?

He turned to Xu Changshi and whispered, "Daoist Xu... someone's ascending to the fourth transformation here."

Xu Changshi merely shrugged. "So? What's that got to do with us?"

Song Zhili looked toward Yu Tingzhai and repeated, "Brother Yu, someone is ascending!"

Yu Tingzhai raised a brow and merely acknowledged him.

Song Zhili's voice deepened. "Aren't you curious where the immortal medicine came from? How could someone ascend to the fourth transformation in this realm?!"

Yu Tingzhai frowned. "What's there to care about?"

Song Zhili stared at him for a beat, then let out a bitter laugh. "Ah, of course you wouldn't care. You already ascended."

His gaze shifted again toward the old flood dragon and Li Wuwang, eyes blazing with greed. "Tell me, who is the fellow ascending? Where did his immortal medicine come from?"

Li Wuwang raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you here for something else today?"

Song Zhili's smile sharpened like a blade. "I am. After suppressing you all, I imagine you'll reveal the origin of the immortal medicine willingly. As for whoever's in the ice mountain, luck isn't on his side. Today, his ascension will fail."

He turned to Yu Tingzhai and cupped his hands. "Brother Yu, attack."

Yu Tingzhai nodded in agreement.

The next moment, his hand clamped around Song Zhili's throat. A crushing spiritual wave flooded outwards, and Song Zhili's pores enlarged.

Instinctively, he summoned his immortal essence to resist, but Yu Tingzhai's immortal essence was so powerful that it suppressed his resistance instantly.

The gap between the third and fourth transformations was like a chasm between heavens.

In Yu Tingzhai's grasp, Song Zhili couldn't offer the slightest resistance.

"How dare you, Yu Tingzhai?!"

With bloodshot eyes, Song Zhili stared at Yuting and threw a desperate glance at Xu Changshi and the others. He shouted, "Quick! Report this to the Grand Desolate Immortal!"

No one moved. Not Xu Changshi. Not Yan Haoran. Not even the Loose Immortals who came with Xu Changshi. They simply watched him coldly.

A thought crossed Song Zhili's mind, and realization struck him. He looked around with disbelief. "You... have betrayed the Spirit God Sect? You're working with the Killing Spiritual Division?"

Everyone defected? Even the old flood dragon and Li Wuwang? But why?

How did the Killing Spiritual Division manage to persuade them? Even Xu Changshi, whose family had served the Spirit God Sect for generations?

Even Yu Tingzhai, a fourth transformation immortal, was working for them...?

"Not my fault... not my fault..." Song Zhili snarled.

With a roar twisted in hatred, Song Zhili shattered into dust, leaving only a wandering soul between heaven and earth.

Yu Tingzhai didn't walk the path of Ghost Gods, so he couldn't see or touch wandering souls. But he knew that Song Zhili would now be dealt with by the Lesser Underworld; it no longer concerned him.

From a distance, on the cloud platform, Li Changsheng took a slow sip of tea as he looked on in surprise.

He hadn't expected Song Zhili, the mighty head of Thousand Dao Tower and a third transformation immortal, to fall in such a pathetic way. As far as he knew, Song Zhili's strength was at least on par with Li Wuwang. Though before a fourth-transformation immortal, he'd been utterly helpless.

Only now did he truly grasp the difference between the third and the fourth transformations.

"Carry on drinking, I'll leave for a moment," said Fang Chen softly as he put down his teacup.

In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished and reappeared directly before Song Zhili's wandering soul. Before Song Zhili could even look at him properly, Yu Tingzhai and the others were already bowing deeply.

"Greetings, Young Lord."

Song Zhili froze, trembling.

Young Lord?!

He turned toward Fang Chen with eyes shifting rapidly in disbelief.

"Song Zhili tried to pit me against the old flood dragon," reported Yu Tingzhai calmly. "This constitutes disrespect and discontent toward the Myriad Immortal Palace. So I acted first to kill him. I'll report this to the Myriad Immortal Palace shortly."

"Lies!" roared Song Zhili.

However, even as he spoke, a bitter truth crept into his heart. He did threaten Yu Tingzhai, but he never imagined they would actually kill him over it.

Was the name of Grand Desolate Immortal not enough to suppress Yu Tingzhai?

Song Zhili trembled as another realization struck.

If the Myriad Immortal Palace accepted Yu Tingzhai's report, this would mark the second time the Myriad Immortal Palace clashed with the Grand Desolate Immortal.

"They're plotting something devious against the Grand Desolate Immortal by using my death. Damn the Killing Spiritual Division! Despicable acts!"

His gaze locked onto Fang Chen.

This man was the reason the Spirit God Sect's forces had suffered such a bitter defeat at Chaotic Star. The same man who had turned Xu Changshi to his side. The same one who had stolen the Frost Water Immortal Flame and led to Song Zhili's pursuit by the enforcers. And the same man who'd infiltrated everything, even those closest to Song Zhili.

His face turned pale as he dared not imagine Fang Chen to be hidden so well.

From the moment Song Zhili stepped into the private chamber on Invisible Dragon Island at Yuxu Star, he had already become a chess piece in Fang Chen's game.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Suddenly, he muttered frantically, "Wait! If I can reach the Underworld and speak to our allies, I can report this to the Grand Desolate Immortal and clear my name! I must inform them of their betrayal!"

Fang Chen said coldly, "Still thinking of serving the Spirit God Sect, even on your deathbed? You're so noble."

Song Zhili froze.

Is he talking to me?

Slowly, he turned and saw Fang Chen staring straight at him.

"You... can see me?"

His voice cracked.

For the first time, his heart bloomed with true fear.