The Last Immortal

Chapter Fifty-Four

"Do not get hurt again, no matter when or for whom."

Amidst the bustling crowds and lively clamor of Eternal Peace Street, Ayin heard only these words.

The young man's figure was imprinted in Ayin's pitch-black pupils. A bright smile spread across her brow as she nodded emphatically, "Mm! I promise I won't get hurt. I'll take good care of myself."

Just then, ancient bells tolled from atop the city tower, and colorful fireworks bloomed in the sky, dazzling and brilliant.

Ayin watched in wonder, pointing toward the fireworks. "Wow, A Jin, it's so beautiful! Is this the fireworks of the mortal realm?"

Seeing Ayin's smile, Gu Jin suddenly grabbed the girl's hand, lowering his head slightly. "Come, I'll take you to see them."

Ayin was startled, and before she could gather her thoughts, she was already being led by Gu Jin toward the riverbank, where crowds surged.

A Jiu, who had rushed straight to the eastern part of the city upon entering Eternal Peace, had searched for nearly half an hour without finding any trace of Ayin or Gu Jin.

Yan Shuang, trailing behind him, laughed gleefully. "Hey, you foolish fox, Immortal Lord Gu Jin is much smarter than you. He clearly tricked you by saying he'd come to the eastern part of the city, and here you are, still searching for Ayin."

A Jiu shot Yan Shuang a glare. "I'm willing to do it. What's it to you?"

"Every word you say is vulgar, you stinky fox! Is this how your parents taught you to speak?"

A Jiu abruptly halted, a trace of bloodshot anger flashing in his eyes as he turned a cold gaze toward Yan Shuang.

Yan Shuang instinctively knew she had said something wrong, but accustomed to her unrestrained and bold nature, she couldn't bring herself to apologize. By the time she looked up again, A Jiu had already walked far down the street alone.

Anxious, she was about to follow when something by the roadside caught her eye.

After all, A Jiu was the young master of the Fox race and wouldn't truly hold a grudge against a Lady. Deep down, he understood that Yan Shuang was straightforward and outspoken. After walking for a while without hearing Yan Shuang's noisy chatter, he grew worried and turned back. From a distance, he saw Yan Shuang standing motionless in front of a small stall selling pastries.

Truly a mountain eagle with no worldly experience, so tempted by a few pastries she couldn't move.

Reluctantly, A Jiu walked back and poked Yan Shuang's shoulder. "Want some?"

For once, Yan Shuang didn't argue with him and nodded honestly.

A Jiu mocked her, "Oh? What delicacies haven't you, a princess of the Immortal Tribe, tasted? And you're fascinated by mere mortal osmanthus cakes?"

Yan Shuang glanced at the fragrant osmanthus cakes on the stall, her mood somewhat low. "When I was little, my mother often made them for me. It's been many years since I've had any."

A Jiu was puzzled. "Why? Did your mother stop making them for you when you grew up? If you can't have them, so be it. Why act like a little child?"

Yan Shuang shook her head, her voice soft. "When I was a few hundred years old, my mother fought a sea monster to protect our clan on the North Sea and was severely injured. My father couldn't save her, and she passed away not long after."

A Jiu was taken aback, licking his lips in discomfort.

Damn it, I shouldn't have come back to meddle. I said the wrong thing—what do I do now?

The fiery fox silently regretted his words but didn't hesitate to untie a string of prayer beads from his wrist and toss it onto the stall. "Shopkeeper, I'll trade this for a box of osmanthus cakes."

Yan Shuang looked at A Jiu in astonishment. A Jiu snorted, a proud expression on his face. "No need to thank me. It's nothing to regret. This thing was given to me by my aunt when I was born. Carrying it around is just a burden anyway."The stall owner had long noticed these two handsome young men and was about to pick up the prayer beads when Yan Shuang snatched them first.

Yan Shuang sniffed the prayer beads and clicked her tongue twice, "What a spendthrift! Not bad, fox. These prayer beads are transformed from ten-thousand-year sandalwood. Wearing them can block a strike from an Immortal Realm High Lord. Your aunt must really dote on you!"

A Jiu remained unmoved, still wearing a stern expression. "Why take them back? I finally showed some mercy and did a good deed. Since I bought them for you, just keep them."

Yan Shuang looked at A Jiu, who was acting like a big shot, as if he were an idiot. "When did I say I couldn't afford them?" She pulled a gold leaf from her sleeve and tossed it into the stall owner's arms. "Shopkeeper, keep the change!"

The stall owner hurriedly caught it, bit it with his teeth, and upon confirming it was real, grinned so widely his teeth seemed to disappear. "Ah, ah, yes, thank you, miss!"

After tossing the gold leaf, Yan Shuang picked up a box of osmanthus cakes, placed the prayer beads into the stunned A Jiu's hands, and with an unusually solemn expression, said, "A gift from an elder should not be refused. Keep them well, fox. Don’t be like me—when I was young, I complained my mother’s osmanthus cakes weren’t sweet enough, but by the time I wanted to eat them, no one was there to make them anymore."

A Jiu was taken aback, his disdainful expression fading as he stared silently at the prayer beads in his hand.

Just then, colorful fireworks burst brilliantly over Chang’an City. She glanced toward the direction of the rising fireworks. "Let’s go. They must have gone to the riverside to watch the fireworks. We should go too and eat osmanthus cakes together."

After saying this, Yan Shuang hugged the osmanthus cakes and walked into the crowd.

Watching the Eagle Clan princess’s retreating figure, A Jiu suddenly thought, So not all Immortal Tribe members are detestable scoundrels. No wonder, no matter how much he disliked them, that person was willing to remain friends with the Celestial Emperor for so many years.

Once his Inner Core was fully restored, he should go back and see her. They hadn’t spoken for centuries. During his father’s memorial ceremony, they could share a drink. After all, she was the only family he had left.

Thinking this, a relieved smile touched A Jiu’s lips. He followed Yan Shuang’s steps, heading together toward the direction of the fireworks.

That night, the four usually noisy friends watched fireworks together, ate osmanthus cakes together, and shared wine together.

The nightscape of Chang’an City bloomed behind these two pairs of young people, frozen into an eternal and precious memory.

As dawn broke, Yan Shuang bid them farewell and headed toward Hundred Birds Island, entering the Boundless Cave with Lan Feng to investigate the truth behind their clansmen’s disappearances. Before returning to Great Marsh Mountain, Gu Jin finally decided to visit the last known location where Feng Yin’s soul was hidden—the Palace of Bell and Spirit, the residence of the Ghost Realm’s ruler, Ao Ge.

A Jiu’s Demonic Power had nearly fully recovered, and he refused to return to Great Marsh Mountain to recuperate. Gu Jin had no choice but to bring along this unavoidable burden.

The Ghost Realm exists beneath the human realm, deep within the boundless earth, beyond the jurisdiction of immortals and demons. Once a soul enters the Ghost Realm, only the Ghost King, Ao Ge, can claim mastery over it. Ao Ge was personally chosen by the Ancient True God. The emperors of both the Immortal and Demon Tribes once sought to befriend him, but he remained elusive, never involving himself in their conflicts, never siding with either realm, and maintaining no friendship with either emperor.

But there are always exceptions. Before Dong Hua’s Ascension, he left Gu Jin a letter of introduction. Presumably, the High God Dong Hua, older than the Three Realms themselves, was acquainted with the Ghost King.Not far outside the city of Chang'an, beneath the dragon vein, the underground palace guarded by Lord Bixi at the Soul Suppressing Pagoda is the entrance to the Ghost Realm.

The majestic underground palace lies hidden deep within the dragon vein. A towering emerald pagoda stands at its center, engraved with ancient Sanskrit inscriptions, solemn and grand. A faint green halo illuminates the entire underground palace, forming a rounded glow that suppresses the howling ghosts beneath the earth. Behind the stone door at the end of the Soul Suppressing Pagoda lies the gate to the Ghost Realm.

As the three entered, A Jiu and Ayin were about to walk around the Soul Suppressing Pagoda when Gu Jin stopped them.

"Wait a moment." Gu Jin cupped his hands toward the void of the pagoda and spoke clearly, "Gu Jin, disciple of Dong Hua Shang Shen of Great Marsh Mountain, pays respects to Lord Bixi."

As Gu Jin's words fell, a simple cushion materialized in the empty space within the pagoda, upon which sat an elderly man in white robes, cross-legged. He gazed at the three at the base of the pagoda, his eyes profound and serene.

This old man was the guardian of the Soul Suppressing Pagoda in the Ghost Realm. Though he bore only the title of High Lord, he possessed the strength of a High God—Lord Bixi.

"Dong Hua's disciple? What brings you to the underground palace?" Bixi raised his eyes slightly, his expression softening a little.

"High Lord, Gu Jin seeks to enter the Ghost Realm to request an audience with the Ghost King. I ask for your convenience."

"The Ghost King has decreed that the Ghost Realm is a restricted area, and neither immortals nor demons may enter without permission. Did your master not tell you this?"

"Gu Jin has come precisely on my master's orders." Seeing that Bixi remained unmoved, Gu Jin scratched his nose and had no choice but to bring up that lawless troublemaker. "Lord Bixi, Bi Bo sends his regards."

Lord Bixi was taken aback and finally gave Gu Jin a proper look. "You know Bi Bo?"

Over three hundred years ago, Bi Bo had listened to him and followed the Ancient True God, pledging allegiance to the yet-unhatched Little Divine Lord, and had never returned since. Thanks to that Little Divine Lord, he had enjoyed three hundred years of peaceful and comfortable days; otherwise, his beard would have long been pulled out by that mischievous troublemaker. Could it be... that this Gu Jin is...? But no, this Immortal Lord is filled with Immortal Qi, while the legendary Little Divine Lord was said to possess Primordial Chaos Power.

Before Bixi could speculate further, Gu Jin's voice rang out again. "My mother, fearing I would have no playmates as a child, brought Bi Bo back to keep me company. I must thank you for your generosity back then, High Lord, for otherwise Bi Bo could not have stayed by my side."

The implication was all too clear. The old Lord Bixi's white beard trembled, and he finally understood the identity of the white-robed Immortal Lord before him. Just as he was about to speak in agreement, Gu Jin's voice sounded again.

"Old High Lord, when I saw Bi Bo recently, he mentioned he hadn't returned for some time and missed you dearly. He said he would return to the underground palace in a few days to serve by your side."

The old High Lord's white beard trembled even more violently. Almost as soon as Gu Jin finished speaking, the stone door behind the Soul Suppressing Pagoda swung open.

"No need! Tell him I'm in good health, eating well and sleeping soundly. He can stay at Purple Moon Mountain for as long as he likes, even accompany that demon dragon in its Ascension! What's the point of coming back to keep an old man like me company guarding ghosts?" Lord Bixi spoke in a rapid-fire manner, then hastily waved toward the back. "Go on, the Ghost Realm is right behind this stone door. Go, go!"

Though his words claimed he didn't want Bi Bo to return to the underground palace, he clearly knew all about Bi Bo's recent situation. Lord Bixi was evidently one of those with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.Gu Jin restrained the smile at the corner of his mouth, bowed to Lord Bixi, and led Ayin and A Jiu toward the stone gate.

Behind him, Ayin and A Jiu simultaneously revealed thoughtful yet puzzled expressions.

It was widely rumored in Great Marsh Mountain that Gu Jin had been brought back from the mortal realm by Dong Hua Shang Shen, so Ayin had always assumed that A Jin’s parents and relatives were ordinary mortals. However, since his mother had ties with Lord Bixi, she was clearly no ordinary member of the Immortal Tribe. But if she was of the Immortal Tribe, why did no one in Great Marsh Mountain know of his origins, and why had he never mentioned his family?

A trace of unease flickered in Ayin’s heart, but she concealed it, letting no one notice.

Beside her, A Jiu pondered even more deeply. As the heir of the Fox race, he had long heard of the uncrowned High God Bixi, who guarded the Soul Suppressing Pagoda in the Ghost Realm. What kind of person could take the Water Condensation Divine Beast from Bixi’s hands and give it to their son as a pet?

Before Ayin and A Jiu could dwell on these thoughts further, the stone gate was already right before them. The three exchanged glances and stepped into the most mysterious and unpredictable of the Three Realms—the Ghost Realm.