Seeking the Immortal's Shadow

Legend has it that immortals left treasures for the Imperial Family to use in the Immortal Realm, capable of transmitting messages across vast distances.

As the Immortal Ceremony Day, held every ten years, approached, the immortals would send messages to the emperor.

At this moment, the golden bell rang, signifying that the immortals had already sent their message to the emperor.

"Finally, I'm going to see an immortal!" Li Ji'an couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

Having transmigrated to this world and lived three lives, he still didn't know what kind of "immortal" this world's "immortals" were.

Were they like the immortals from "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality," or like the Jade Emperor in the Heavenly Court?

But none of that mattered. As long as they weren't the "immortals" from "The Strange Immortals of the Dao," he could accept any of them.

"The golden bell has rung, and the Immortal Master will descend in about ten days. Have you mastered the Floating Duckweed Steps?" Interrupted from their argument by the nine rings of the golden bell, Ning Sujin abandoned her previous topic, her tone carrying a faint hint of worry.

Li Ji'an also felt a pang of doubt.

Because the moment he saw her today, he had asked Ning Sujin about Ning Yutan's fortune, and the answer had not changed.

He had initially thought the great misfortune would occur on their journey, but the dangers on the road had been resolved. Yet, even now, it was still a great misfortune, which made Li Ji'an overthink things.

Was there still danger in the few days before the Immortal Master's arrival?

Or...

It couldn't be that there would still be danger after ascending to the Immortal Realm with the Immortal Master, could it?

"I've already mastered it!" Feeling Ning Sujin's trace of worry, Ning Yutan suppressed the look of pride that had involuntarily appeared on her face and replied truthfully.

Ning Sujin shot her a sideways glance. "Believe it or not, I still sense a great omen of misfortune from you! Be careful in everything you do, even if you ascend with the Immortal Master..."

"... " Ning Yutan's eyes widened abruptly, and she stared at Ning Sujin in disbelief.

Ascending with the Immortal Master would still bring misfortune?

This statement was utterly blasphemous. If overheard by outsiders, she would undoubtedly be accused of disobeying the Immortal Master.

For a moment, she found it difficult to discern whether Ning Sujin's constant talk of a "great omen of misfortune" was mere delusion or something else.

When Ning Sujin had casually mentioned a great misfortune upon her election as an Immortal Seed, Ning Yutan had thought she was cursing her. Later, when she was sternly warned of great misfortune during their journey, she had actually believed it and even confirmed that she had escaped a deadly peril. She had thought Ning Sujin had received a secret tip from the Su Family and had even felt grateful towards her.

But now, the other woman was still saying she was a great misfortune, even claiming that ascending with the Immortal Master would bring misfortune.

This forced her to re-examine Ning Sujin's words.

"Could it be that the hysteria that old woman suffered from in her early years is real?" Involuntarily, a strange look flickered in her eyes as she gazed at Ning Sujin.

Seeing that familiar look of distrust, Ning Sujin's face instantly darkened. "Good advice is wasted on a doomed soul! Just pretend I didn't say anything."

"Yutan, you know Sister Jin's character and integrity, don't you? Do you think she would waste her breath talking to you if she wasn't sure? It's better to believe it exists than not to believe it doesn't. Be careful in all things," Seeing the two sisters about to argue again, Li Ji'an stepped in to mediate.

Ning Yutan looked at Li Ji'an, then glanced at Ning Sujin's sullen expression, and nodded obediently. "Yes, Brother Li is right. I'll be careful. Thank you."

"You should thank your sister!" Li Ji'an chuckled and shook his head.

"Who needs her thanks!" Ning Sujin snorted coldly first and turned away directly.

Li Ji'an let out a wry smile. After thinking for a moment, he ultimately didn't say anything more. After all, the Immortal Master would take Ning Yutan away in ten days. How this pair of enemies would part ways would soon be revealed.

"Immortal Seed Ning, the Palace Master has issued a decree. Proceed to the Immortal Hall immediately!" Just then, a hoarse voice came from outside the courtyard.

The so-called Palace Master was the current Emperor.

Once one entered the Immortal Seeking Palace, they would be referred to as Palace Master, not Emperor.

Ning Yutan dared not delay and hurried out of the door.

Seeing Ning Yutan leave, Ning Sujin immediately followed without hesitation, seemingly even deliberately avoiding being alone with Li Ji'an.

Li Ji'an raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling both amused and exasperated. "Sister Jin..."

"Still the same, no ill omen!" Ning Sujin interrupted him directly, giving her verdict.

"Sister Jin, please wait! I wasn't asking about good or bad fortune," Li Ji'an quickly explained.

Ning Sujin seemed slightly surprised and instinctively stopped. "You fellow are no longer worried about good or bad fortune?"

"Not exactly. It's just that there are two things," Li Ji'an said with a thick-skinned smile.

"Heh, I knew it. What else is there?"

"Where did you see the immortal ten years ago? Were you discovered by the Immortal Master?" Li Ji'an asked directly. According to the information he had painstakingly gathered over the past two months, when an immortal descended, mortals were supposed to stay away, and peeking was forbidden.

Of course, this was a rule set by the Emperor. At least, when someone had accidentally stumbled upon a descending immortal in the past, the immortal had not reacted at all; instead, the Emperor had stepped forward to impose a heavy punishment.

"You want to see the immortal too?"

"If I go to see the immortal, what will my fortune be?"

"You can come with me then," Ning Sujin said with a confident smile.

"Thank you, Sister Jin!"

With Ning Sujin's promise, Li Ji'an felt greatly reassured.

Regardless of anything else, with the hope of becoming an immortal, he could not give up. However, he still harbored worries about the unknown Immortal Realm. He could only try his best to avoid certain risks and meet the "immortal" first to eliminate any "immortals" that seemed obviously fake.

After sending Ning Sujin off, just as he was about to close the door, a small figure hesitantly walked over.

Li Ji'an frowned slightly, looking at Zhao Yunsheng, who was not yet ten years old, with a hint of helplessness.

Zhao Yunsheng, the legitimate grandson of Prince Yun, should have enjoyed glory and wealth in Yunzhou. However, due to the incident of intercepting an Immortal Seed three months ago, he was sent to the Immortal Palace by Prince Yun a few days prior.

Most importantly, his talent was not outstanding, and he was not qualified to enter the Immortal Palace. His admission this time was an exception, clearly as a hostage.

Coincidentally, the room assigned to this brat was adjacent to Li Ji'an's.

For some unknown reason, upon hearing that Li Ji'an was from Chong'an Prefecture, Zhao Yunsheng became even more attached.

"Brother Li, were those two older sisters just now from Duke Dingguo's manor?"

"That's right. You even know Duke Dingguo?" Li Ji'an suddenly realized something and countered with a question to probe.

Zhao Yunsheng blinked his eyes. "I… I heard my grandfather mention him."

"Did your grandfather tell you to interact more with the young ladies from the Duke's manor?"

"Yes… Oh, no, no, no…"

Li Ji'an wanted to say more but ultimately shook his head and said nothing further, having no interest in getting involved in such matters.

"Do you need something?"

"I'm still scared by myself. I want to sleep with you."

Li Ji'an gave a wry smile. "We made a deal yesterday, remember? It's the last night.

Besides, this is the Immortal Seeking Palace, the safest place in the world. Even Immortal Masters descend here, so you can rest assured.

Furthermore, your cousin is an Immortal Seed this term. You can tell him if you have any requests."

"My grandfather won't allow it!"

"Brother Li… my dear brother…"

"Fine, fine. Same old rule. If you wet the bed, you have to take your blanket outside to dry it yourself." Seeing the little guy's timid appearance, Li Ji'an finally softened his heart and agreed.

As the day of the Immortal Masters' descent approached, the entire Immortal Palace became busy.

All eight Immortal Seeds were arranged in the core Immortal Hall, inaccessible to outsiders.

It wasn't until the early morning of the eighth day that Li Ji'an finally received Ning Sujin's summons.

"I've deduced it repeatedly. Hiding in the side room of the Immortal Hall at this time carries no ill omen! This is also the closest place to see the Immortal Masters."

Upon reaching the side room of the Immortal Hall, Li Ji'an received another passive sensing of no ill omen. The two of them perfectly avoided the changing Golden Saber Guard and the Shadow Guard, whose attention was drawn to a bird on the west side, and successfully hid in the cramped compartment.

The compartment was a ventilation shaft for the main hall, with honeycomb-like vents inside and out. It not only allowed a view of the situation above the main hall but also offered a partial glimpse into the main hall itself.

The only thing not fully considered was that the compartment was extremely small. After the two of them squeezed in, there was almost no extra space. Their bodies had to be pressed tightly together, even their faces touching.

And just as they squeezed in, the sounds of patrolling guards could be heard outside again.

This meant that the two of them would have to remain in the compartment like this for at least three days and three nights, until the Immortal Masters led the Immortal Seeds to ascend.