Chapter 195

Chapter 195: Layers of Mystery

Huan Yan and Fang Ming sat down to discuss, finally uncovering the core issue. The crux lay with the person who claimed to be sent by the Fourth Heavenly Emperor and took Fang Kun away.

When Huan Yan mentioned the name, Fang Ming looked utterly confused.

"There’s no Immortal named Zhong Yi under my command!"

"I doubted his authenticity too," Huan Yan said grimly. "But he carried a Fourth Heavenly Layer token and claimed to be your celestial lord in charge of punishments, demanding Fang Kun under your orders."

"Punishments?" Fang Ming frowned and barked at the hall’s occupants, "Fu Qi! Get your ass out here if you’re still breathing!"

"Coming! I’m alive!" A battered Immortal shoved through the crowd – the same one recently beaten by others.

Fang Ming jabbed a finger at him. "This is my actual punishment officer, Fu Qi. Is he the one who took Fang Kun from Second Heavenly Layer?"

Huan Yan stepped closer, squinting at the swollen face before shaking his head. "No. The person who came was different."

"Impersonation then," Fang Ming’s face darkened. "Did you keep anything from that day to track them?"

"Nothing." Huan Yan sighed. As Second Heavenly Emperor, he’d prioritized avoiding conflict over demanding proof when they took Fang Kun.

"Then where do we start?" You You frowned. Without leads, they couldn’t determine the imposter’s status or motives. At this point, even Huan Yan couldn’t prove the man’s existence.

"Wait!" Huan Yan suddenly remembered. "My palace gates have recording stones. I kept the footage from that day!"

You You brightened as Huan Yan produced the stone. Light flashed, projecting the scene outside Second Heavenly Palace.

Four haughty Immortals in Fourth Layer robes marched into view. Their leader exuded strong celestial energy, his cultivation clearly advanced.

Before Huan Yan could speak, Fu Qi blurted, "That’s Yi Zhong! Third Heavenly Emperor’s old lackey!"

Other Immortals nodded in recognition.

"Right! He shadowed Fang Kun during his Fourth Layer pity-parties!"

"Remember when Emperor Fang Ming kicked them out? He tripped at the palace gates!"

"Thought he’d died ages ago!"

"Strange – he was just an Earth Immortal centuries back. Now he’s Immortal cultivator-level?"

"So Third Heavenly Layer took Fang Kun?" Huan Yan’s eyes widened. "Explains why his fall was reported from there. Was this all their scheme?"

"Enough talk!" Fang Ming growled. "We’re checking Threefold Heaven directly." His initial brotherly concern had curdled into anger at being manipulated.

You You agreed. But when they reached Threefold Heaven, their lead vanished.

"Dead?!" Huan Yan stared. "Right after stirring conflict between two layers? Convenient timing!"

"Y-yes," a trembling Immortal confirmed. "Three months ago, Yi Zhong fell to beasts in Luoyu Forest. His soul lamp’s dark – see for yourselves at Soul Recalling Palace."

The group stormed into the misty hall filled with glowing soul lamps. The attendant pointed to an extinguished lamp in the corner labeled "Yi Zhong."

Feng Rong examined it, tracing residual energy. "Death essence lingers. His soul essence entered Nether Realm – truly fallen."

Murmurs rippled through the group. You You squinted at the lamp’s center. "What’s this mark?"

The broken cloud-like symbol made her uneasy.

"Common soul imprint," Feng Rong shrugged. "Lamps retain patterns from their owner’s magic power."

Huan Yan cross-checked recording stone images – all Yi Zhong’s associates from Threefold Heaven, either dead or missing. With no Emperor, Threefold Heaven’s chaos yielded no answers. They learned Yi Zhong had been Fang Kun’s aide before his emperorship, then faded into obscurity as a reclusive cultivator.

Fang Kun never resurfaced in Threefold Heaven after leaving Second Layer. The mystery deepened like planned sabotage – every clue preemptively severed.

You You puzzled over motives. Saving Fang Kun? Impossible – his soul lamp proved death. Stirring inter-layer conflict? But the schemer anticipated exposure, cutting trails too early. Even without her involvement, Huan Yan and Fang Ming would’ve eventually noticed discrepancies.

No one profited. No faction gained. So why orchestrate this elaborate, pointless chaos?