Immortals Descend

As for the details of that catastrophe, accounts differed wildly.

Some said that when the immortal flew into a rage, blood flowed and corpses clogged the river.

With a single sweep of his hand, the world's martial arts experts had been reduced by seventy percent!

Others said that several Grandmasters had ambushed him, catching the immortal master completely off guard and even wounding him. In the end, however, the immortal master had produced a treasure resembling yellow paper and used it to wipe out the many martial arts experts.

Some also said that without the imperial clan's guards, the immortal master might have fallen.

Even Chen Xiaosheng and Su Jishi, who had recounted the events along the way, gave wildly different accounts, so Li Ji'an couldn't determine the truth.

The final result, however, was consistent across all accounts: the world's Martial Artists had been reduced by nearly half.

Their sects, Lineages, friends, and relatives were all implicated... Nine generations were executed, ten generations exterminated. The methods were even more brutal: apart from the ringleaders, who were cast in molten iron and forged into statues to stand eternally at the immortal master's feet in repentance, the rest were subjected to death by a thousand cuts, torn apart by five horses, boiled, branded... every imaginable torment.

From then on, everyone in the world accepted that the only way to enter the Immortal Realm was to become an immortal seedling.

As Li Ji'an paid his respects to the immortal master, he also mourned in silence for the many martial arts predecessors in his heart.

He ought to thank them. If they hadn't blazed the trail, Li Ji'an would probably have spent several more lifetimes searching for a way forward, looking for other possible paths.

And every extra lifetime he spent would bring no small risk.

After registering, Li Ji'an had no desire to leave the palace and wander around the imperial city. He went straight back to his lodgings.

He had placed third in Chong'an Prefecture, but at the palace, his results put him near the bottom.

Moreover, this place gathered the finest talents from across the land. Aside from candidates like him, who had only come during the Immortal Selection Ceremony, there were also plenty of seedlings who had been cultivated from childhood. Martial arts prodigies from every corner of the country had flocked here like carp crossing a river, and with every inch of land in the imperial city worth its weight in gold, he had been assigned a room in a small courtyard shared by four people. The courtyard was even smaller than the private one he had occupied in Chong'an Prefecture.

His quarters were tucked away in a corner of the palace's residential district. The other three residents weren't candidates for this year's immortal seedlings. Fortunately, the courtyard's four rooms were separate, and they only shared the courtyard, so they wouldn't disturb one another too much.

With a place to stay secured, he immediately returned to his cultivation, shutting out all distractions.

He had to admit, the palace was extraordinarily generous with its resources. Spirit Beast flesh, which in Chong'an Prefecture could only be obtained through connections, was supplied almost without limit.

Even rare immortal pills and Divine Medicines, seldom seen in Chong'an Prefecture, were given out as rewards to the most deserving.

Among them, he even saw the Marrow Cleansing Pill he had dreamed of obtaining in his next life.

That gave Li Ji'an even more motivation.

Two months later, all the immortal seedlings gathered, and he saw the Ning sisters again.

He also learned some shocking news: two of this world's immortal seedlings had died. One was a prodigy from the Wang Family, a Grandmaster family; the other was the talented son of the governor of Qiongzhou Prefecture.

The Wang Family had been intercepted by two unknown Grandmasters. While the Wang Family's ancestor was held at bay, their immortal seedling was ambushed and killed.

As for the governor of Qiongzhou Prefecture's party, including the Immortal Seeking Palace guides and the candidate immortal seedlings traveling with them, not a single person survived!

The emperor was furious. He issued three Imperial Decrees in quick succession to inform the whole realm, condemning the criminals on behalf of the immortals and vowing to capture their leader and subject him to the harshest punishment. He also ordered the Supreme Court to join forces with the Ministry of Punishment, the Censorate, and the Shadow Guard to mobilize the army. They were to find the criminals even if they had to dig three feet into the ground.

The news sent a chill through Li Ji'an. If their opponents hadn't misjudged the situation, Duke Dingguo's party might also have met with disaster.

He resolved that in his next life, he would try his best to start out in the imperial city—or even directly at the palace.

Aside from worrying that after finally becoming an immortal seedling in his next life, he might be ambushed and killed along the way, there was another reason: another piece of news from this time around. Prince Yun's party had encountered no ambushes at all!

With this kind of open scheme in play, regardless of Prince Yun's true intentions, the most powerful of the feudal lords and the current emperor were bound to become enemies and stand opposed. In the end, it would be one or the other who survived.

Turmoil was already stirring across the realm. The only ones who might escape being caught up in it were the immortals, whom both sides wanted to curry favor with, and the Immortal Seeking Palace built for them.

Do class struggles always end up becoming internal struggles? Li Ji'an shook his head slightly. He had little interest in the affairs of this mortal world.

Of the eight remaining immortal seedlings, who were about to meet the immortal master and only waiting to follow him to the Immortal Realm, Ning Yutan held an exalted status within the palace.

Even Eunuch Mo, the Immortal Seeking Palace's Chief Steward and the renowned number three on the Grandmaster Ranking, treated Ning Yutan with great respect.

With her peerless beauty, outgoing nature, and exceptional social skills, she was also much sought after by the other five male immortal seedlings.

It was even said that the seventeen-year-old Young Prodigy, the most gifted of this year's candidates, had declared that he would take Ning Yutan as his Dao companion after they reached the Immortal Realm.

"Brother Li, they're such a nuisance. Right now, I just want to spend some quiet time alone with you. I don't want anyone bothering us." Ning Yutan complained, then glanced at Ning Sujin inside the room and spoke in a slightly coquettish tone.

"Absolutely not!" Li Ji'an refused at once.

The three of them were all from Chong'an Prefecture, so there was nothing wrong with gathering together.

But if just the two of them were alone in the same room, it might invite trouble they didn't need.

Especially with that Young Prodigy. He had achieved success at a young age and was at the height of his arrogance; his temperament was immature, too. If someone with ulterior motives egged him on, he might use his reputation, status, and privileges as someone about to ascend to target Li Ji'an. That wouldn't be worth the risk.

With two of the ten immortal seedlings chosen by the immortals now dead, two more would naturally have to be selected from the remaining candidate seedlings.

Across the land, no one would dare attack the candidate immortal seedlings already living at the palace—except the eight immortal seedlings.

So at this very moment, nearly every candidate immortal seedling was secretly straining to outdo the others. They were all rivals, and it was certain that some hoped to be the only candidate left besides one other. He couldn't afford to let his guard down.

"Why?" Ning Yutan saw that Ning Sujin hadn't objected yet, while Li Ji'an had rejected her so decisively. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she looked deeply aggrieved.

"You idiot, are you trying to get Ji'an killed?" Before Li Ji'an could speak, Ning Sujin scolded her first.

Ning Yutan's eyes darted about, and she suddenly understood. She scrunched up her nose and said reproachfully, "Brother Li, I'm sorry. I just couldn't bear to give up the time we could spend alone together. I didn't think it through."

It really was easy dealing with clever people. Li Ji'an didn't even have to make an excuse.

"Brother Li, don't worry. I'll wait for you after I go to the Immortal Realm. I believe we'll be reunited in ten years." Then Ning Yutan paid no mind to Ning Sujin—or perhaps she was putting on a show for Ning Sujin—and continued to speak with heartfelt emotion.

Ning Sujin remained silent the whole time, saying nothing and not interrupting them.

It wasn't until Ning Yutan said that she had already asked her father and the Duke Dingguo's residence would give Li Ji'an generous support that Ning Sujin finally couldn't hold back. "Idiot, the Duke's residence is already teetering on the brink. Who knows what the future holds? How could they have the energy to support us?"

"That's nonsense! I'm about to go to the Immortal Realm, and His Majesty values my father so highly. The Duke's residence is bound to prosper!" Ning Yutan disagreed with Ning Sujin.

"Hmph! You short-sighted idiot. His Majesty appointed your father as Imperial Envoy to investigate Prince Yun's residence. Do you think it's only because he doesn't trust Prince Yun's household?"

"Don't forget: of the four immortal seedlings from outside the capital this year, only Prince Yun's household and yours came through unscathed." Ning Sujin sneered.

"Th-this... You mean His Majesty suspects our family too? No, we were attacked as well. We're not like Prince Yun's household." In this respect, Ning Yutan was still rather naive.

Ning Sujin looked at Ning Yutan as if she were an imbecile. "Some things aren't about how they happened. You only need to look at the outcome!"

"You..."

"Boom! Boom! Boom..." Ning Yutan was about to argue again when a majestic bell suddenly rang outside, its peals deafening!

"Nine Bell Chimes?"

"Immortals Descend!"