Chapter 1973: Perhaps the Weather Has Turned Cold

"Senior, this is the Nine Profound Mirror."

Deep within the Nine Profound Tower, Yuwen Shang stood before a smooth stone wall that gleamed like a mirror and bowed respectfully.

Fairy Yu curiously stepped forward and touched the stone wall. "Senior Fang, is this the place where we will cultivate?"

Fang Chen nodded with a smile. "Yes."

Yuwen Shang said cautiously, "Senior, the Nine Profound Mirror has not been opened for many years. My master, as well as several generations of ancestors before him, tried all kinds of methods, yet none could open the Nine Profound Mirror."

He was terrified that Monarch Fang might think he was acting perfunctorily, lying, or using a fake object to fool him. He had already understood who this person before him was. Many years ago, an enormous screen had once appeared in the sky, and the person shown on that screen was precisely this man!

"It's probably because you didn't have enough immortal essence to activate it."

Fang Chen stepped forward and pressed his hand against the smooth stone wall. A strand of immortal essence slowly stirred within him and continuously poured into the wall.

At first, the Nine Profound Mirror didn't react at all. However, after Fang Chen exhausted his spiritual energy several hundred times, the Nine Profound Mirror finally showed a slight reaction.

A faint layer of white fluorescence covered the smooth stone wall.

Shock appeared in Yuwen Shang's eyes. It wasn't merely because the Nine Profound Realm had finally reacted. The sheer quantity of immortal essence Fang Chen had just poured into it was so terrifying that Yuwen Shang could only look up to it in awe. Compared to that vast ocean of immortal essence, the immortal essence within Yuwen Shang's body was like a single ladle of water compared to an entire lake.

Fang Chen's thoughts stirred. It truly is an Inner Domain.

The aura emanating from this smooth stone wall felt extremely familiar. It had the same distinctive "flavor" as many Inner Domains he had encountered back in the Nether Ruins.

"The Three Thousand Dao Realm, the Nine Profound Mirror, the Nether Ruins. The precursors of all these places were Inner Domains."

A look of emotion glinted in Fang Chen's eyes. The Nine Realms had also produced many Half-Saints in the past, even Saints. It was just that these existences had long vanished without a trace. Perhaps they had died, but there was also another possibility.

He remembered hearing that once an existence had condensed an Inner Domain, as long as that Inner Domain wasn't destroyed, no matter how terrible a calamity they suffered, there was always a possibility of resurrection.

I wonder if these existences can still be revived. Perhaps their situation is similar to Saint Long's?

Fang Chen thought about what happened to Saint Long. And previously, he truly hadn't died completely. Instead, he transformed into the Dragon God of the Ancient Dragon Palace in the Shenwang Realm.

However, it was clearly no longer possible for him to regain control of his former Inner Domain, Longsheng City. He could only, like the Spirit Dao Sect Master and the others, borrow some power from the Inner Domain through certain methods.

Perhaps the masters of these Inner Domains are currently cultivating in secret somewhere, either trying to re-condense their Inner Domain or attempting to regain control over the Inner Domain they once lost.

His scattered thoughts converged as the Nine Profound Mirror burst forth with brilliant divine light.

Unable to contain himself, Yuwen Shang knelt before the Nine Profound Mirror, tears glinting in his eyes. The Nine Profound Mirror, which generations of ancestors had dreamed of activating, was finally activated today.

Fang Chen asked with a smile, "This realm was probably used by your Nine Profound Tower to temper the mental state of your disciples, right?"

Yuwen Shang nodded hurriedly. "Precisely so!"

"It has been starving for too many years, which is why you couldn't activate it. I have filled it to the brim. From now on, whenever you wish to use it, just inject a bit of immortal essence into it, and it will open." Fang Chen smiled. "I won't use something belonging to you without giving you anything in return. With this, we're even. Agreed?"

Yuwen Shang froze for a moment. His face immediately flushed bright red. "Senior must be joking! How could we be even! This junior has received immense favor from you. Setting aside the matter of the Nine Profound Mirror, just the fact that the Huanhai Tower will never dare to trouble our Nine Profound Tower again is a kindness that would take a hundred lifetimes to repay!"

"Don't say that." Fang Chen waved his hand with a smile. "Let's just call it even."

He then turned to Fairy Yu. "Little Yu, are you scared?"

"With Senior Fang here, I'm not scared."

"Then let's go in together."

Together, the two merged into the brilliant divine light and vanished into the smooth stone wall.

Yuwen Shang remained standing respectfully. It wasn't until a long time had passed that he withdrew from the area. The moment he stepped outside, he saw Kong Lin standing nearby with his hands tucked into his sleeves.

The area had already been cleared by Kong Lin's subordinates.

It could be said that at this moment, the Nine Profound Tower was no longer entirely the Nine Profound Tower's own territory. Even some of the sect's restricted areas had been taken over by this group of Immortal Realm cultivators.

Yuwen Shang felt no anger whatsoever. On the contrary, he was extremely delighted.

Yuwen Shang walked up to Kong Lin and spoke respectfully. "Senior Kong, that esteemed one has entered the Nine Profound Mirror."

Kong Lin sighed with emotion. "Your Nine Profound Tower is truly blessed this time. Even I envy you. From now on, when your names appears in the Book of Life and Death, there will certainly be people assigned specifically to look after them."

Yuwen Shang froze slightly. He became even more delighted. Yet he suddenly felt the surroundings become rather chilly. He couldn't figure out why.

Perhaps the weather has turned cold.

Near him stood ten thousand Yin soldiers, their expressions dark as they stood scattered across various parts of the Nine Profound Tower.

Among them, there was no lack of first-step, second-step, or even third-step Limit Breakers.

***

A kindly-looking middle-aged uncle held a freshly steamed bamboo steamer and smiled at Fang Chen. "Would the two young masters like some steamed buns?"

Two young masters?

Fang Chen looked beside him and found a young Xia Ji. He was staring greedily at the bamboo steamer, subconsciously gulping.

Xia Ji grabbed Fang Chen's sleeve. His eyes were full of yearning. "Fang Da, I want to eat buns!"

Fang Chen said helplessly, "If you want to eat buns, can't you buy them yourself?"

Fang Chen quickly noticed how immature his voice sounded. Judging by their appearances, both he and Xia Ji were only around ten years old at the moment.

Xia Ji rolled his eyes. "Don't act like you don't know! My mother never gives me any money. Even when she does, it's just a few copper coins. After I go to Chunxi Tower to drink a cup of tea and look at a few young ladies, it's all gone! Where would I get money to buy buns! I know your father gives you plenty of money every month. Hurry up and take some out to buy buns! I'm starving right now."

Fang Chen smiled and took out a small piece of silver. Just as he was about to hand it to the owner, he sensed something. He turned his head to look.

He saw a tiny, filthy little kid with short hair and a short stature staring fixedly at him.

Seeing Fang Chen look over, the kid became embarrassed. She averted her gaze and lowered her head.

Xia Ji impatiently urged, "Fang Da, what are you staring at that little beggar for? Hurry up and buy us the buns! They taste the best when they're still fresh and hot!"

Fang Chen withdrew his gaze and handed the silver to the owner. "Give me twenty buns, packed to go."

"Alright!"

The owner nodded with a beaming smile and quickly packed up the buns for the two of them.

"Young masters, please drop by often to patronize my business when you're free!"

Fang Chen nodded with a smile, then picked up the oil-paper package containing the steaming hot buns and turned to leave.

Xia Ji hurriedly gave chase. "Fang Da, I want to eat right now! Quickly give me one!"

Fang Chen helplessly opened the oil-paper package, took out a bun, and handed it to Xia Ji. "You haven't even washed your hands."

He paused for a moment before taking out another bun. He walked over to the little kid and held it out. "Here, eat up."