Chapter 1544: Rulai Monastery of the Buddha Realm

After hearing Fang Chen's words, the crowd of wandering souls fell silent for roughly a dozen breaths. Finally, one person stepped forward unwillingly, his expression filled with resentment, and said in a low voice, "I am from the Five Element Grand Sect. Whatever you wish to know, sir, I am willing to tell you everything, in full."

"What was your cultivation in life?" Fang Chen asked.

"F-First-transformation immortal..."

"Jump back in yourself."

"... Yes."

With despair written all over his face, the man walked to the edge of the bridge and plunged headfirst into the Forgotten River.

Before long, he was dragged under by snakes, insects, rats, and ants, leaving behind only a few bubbles that had yet to dissipate.

Seeing this, countless wandering souls felt a chill creep into their hearts. The Forgotten River's despair was truly unbearable. They couldn't even imagine what it must feel like for someone who had escaped from the Forgotten River's cold clutches to be forced back into it.

One after another, people stepped out of the line, trying to beg Fang Chen for mercy. All were refused, and in the end, they returned to the Forgotten River.

Of course, there were also a few who were rather resolute, who would rather die than go back. Fang Chen stripped them of their karma, annihilating them.

Zhou Huaiyu watched with his heart pounding. If he hadn't stepped forward earlier, if he too had concealed his identity until now, would that have been his fate as well?

During this time, there were also those who believed they could slip through unnoticed, yet were easily exposed. Every single one of them came from the Five Element Grand Sect. Not a single one was innocent.

Zhou Huaiyu didn't understand how Fang Chen determined it, but he knew one thing clearly. This time, the wandering souls of the Five Element Grand Sect truly would not be able to come ashore.

Once all the wandering souls had entered the Underworld City, Fang Chen summoned the Taiyin Dragon King and True Monarch of Pan Mountain to this place, assigning them responsibility for management.

The Taiyin Dragon King had long since grown weary of staying in Jiangguang City. Earlier, when he heard that Empress Ci had been sent by Fang Chen to manage another city, he had already been itching with envy. Now that the opportunity had finally come, he immediately began reorganizing matters together with the True Monarch of Pan Mountain.

***

Fang Chen found a relatively quiet courtyard.

He said, "Let's begin. Tell me, which sects were part of the Nine Realms Immortal Alliance back then?"

Zhou Huaiyu lowered his head and pondered for a long while before answering in a low voice, "The ones I remember are only the Five Element Grand Sect of the Five Elements Realm, the Heavenly Saint Sect of the Ancient Wilderness Domain, and the Rulai Monastery of the Buddha Realm."

Fang Chen looked toward Bixuan. "The Rulai Monastery of the Buddha Realm?"

Bixuan nodded. "Back then, I did hear that those monks were also stirring up trouble during the age of chaos. Presumably, they've completely perished by now, just like the Five Element Grand Sect?"

There was a hint of schadenfreude in his tone.

Fang Chen neither confirmed nor denied it.

If the Rulai Monastery Zhou Huaiyu referred to was the Rulai Monastery of the Fangcun Realm, then not only had it not perished, it had even risen to the very top among the Upper Three Realms.

As for the Heavenly Saint Sect, Fang Chen was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that this sect had also joined the Nine Realms Immortal Alliance back then, consorting with demons.

Thinking back, the scheme involving Shao Guangyin of the Rulai Monastery targeting Xie Aman had been designed to lure her to the Heavenly Saint Sect.

Wang Chongsong also had connections to the Heavenly Saint Sect.

It was very likely that within the Heavenly Saint Sect, there were figures like Wang Chongsong, people who knew the truth. Only, those figures might stand on Shao Guangyin's side.

So that's why Wang Chongsong warned me, saying that there are still quite a few people in this world who don't care who the Nine Mortal Realms belong to, but only care about... their own interests. He probably already understands the Heavenly Saint Sect extremely well.

Fang Chen looked at Zhou Huaiyu and asked, "Other than these three sects, you don't remember any others?"

"It's not that I don't remember, it's that I never knew," Zhou Huaiyu replied. "If the Third Elder hadn't just died, and could have recovered his sanity, he would definitely know more than I do."

Fang Chen nodded, condensing paper and brush out of Yin energy.

"That's fine. Write down your Immortal Path for me."

Zhou Huaiyu showed a troubled expression and explained in a low voice. "I've just been thinking back for a long time and still couldn't recall it. It's probably because I used the Great Enigma Technique in life..."

"Oh, right." Bixuan nodded as well and said to Fang Chen, "When we went to the battlefield, we basically all used the Great Enigma Technique. It was to prevent the possibility that, if we died and fell into someone else's hands, we'd be forced to reveal our Immortal Paths. Only after reincarnation would we gradually remember them again."

Fang Chen fixed his gaze on Zhou Huaiyu for a moment, then nodded lightly. "So be it."

He did have a way to make him temporarily recall his Immortal Path, but that man likely only knew the Wood Immortal path from the first to sixth transformation anyway. It wasn't worth making a special trip just for that.

If it were ever needed later, it could all be handled together then.

"Um... Fellow Daoist, when do you think we can arrange reincarnation?" Bixuan asked awkwardly, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhou Huaiyu also looked at Fang Chen, a trace of hope in his eyes.

"Reincarnation? The Underworld is already in this state, and you're still thinking about reincarnation?" Fang Chen said with a smile, shaking his head.

He summoned the True Monarch of Pan Mountain and told him to keep an eye on Zhou Huaiyu and Bixuan.

The latter was, after all, the founding ancestor of the Ten Directions Immortal Sect, with a special status. The former had once been a sixth-transformation Immortal of the Five Element Grand Sect and knew certain things about the chaos of that era. He might be useful later.

After Fang Chen left, Zhou Huaiyu and Bixuan looked at each other.

Their minds replayed Fang Chen's words from earlier.

"Could it be... that the Underworld can no longer let us reincarnate?" Bixuan said in disbelief.

Zhou Huaiyu frowned, thinking hard. "I vaguely remember hearing some rumors about this place back then... but I can't recall them clearly..."

Though the two knew they could not reincarnate, they had never once thought about this question. If reincarnation were impossible, why did the Nine Mortal Realms still exist?

Their understanding, too, was locked away, sealed shut.

***

"Young Master, not staying a bit longer?" The Taiyin Dragon King accompanied Fang Chen to the head of the bridge and said with a smiling face. "The wandering souls here aren't very strong. Governing this place is much easier than Jiangguang City."

"I won't stay. There are still some things I need to do," Fang Chen replied with a smile.

"This place has only just regained the ability to allow traversing into the Underworld. After some time, quite a few Yin Walkers will likely appear. You must keep a tight watch.

"If you encounter Yin Walkers you aren't a match for, just observe what they intend to do for now and play along. Since they've come here, they likely won't dare to act rashly."

At Great Thunder Sound, the Ghost Mother of Self Transformation was stationed. At the Langgui Constellation, a sixth-transformation Ancient Tree was stationed. But here, only the Taiyin Dragon King and True Monarch of Pan Mountain were stationed. Fang Chen worried something unexpected might occur and reminded them. Fortunately, it would probably take some time before cultivators discovered that this place could be accessed through the Soul Crossing Ritual.

If, during this period, Wang Chongsong finished arranging matters within the Reincarnation Division of the Enlightenment God Palace, he could come to take the people away. What came after would have nothing to do with Fang Chen. What he cared about more were the seeds of the human race.

The Taiyin Dragon King's expression turned solemn. He nodded. "Please rest assured, Young Master."

It seems... this isn't an easy task after all.

"Until next time."

Fang Chen smiled and nodded, taking a single step into the Forgotten River, where he was guided away.

The Taiyin Dragon King couldn't help but click his tongue.

In an Underworld City surrounded entirely by the Forgotten River, without the proper authority, one simply could not leave.

Within the Underworld, someone like Fang Chen held overwhelming advantages.