Chapter 192

Chapter 192: The So-Called Fourth Heavenly Layer

You You saw a flash of light, then the scenery around her shifted. She stood in a new realm, dense celestial energy swirling thickly. Before she could scan her surroundings, a hand clamped around her neck. A deep, furious male voice boomed in her ears.

“Run! Try running again! Let’s see if you can escape me, even if you flee to heaven or earth!” A stranger’s face glared at her, teeth gritted. “Huan Yan, today you’ll—wait…?!”

The man froze mid-sentence, finally noticing her appearance.

You You: “……”

The man: “……”

Awkward silence hung in the air.

…Was that a line from a cheesy romance novel?

Two seconds passed. The man blinked, bewildered, then blurted, “Who are you?!” Where was Huan Yan? His contract spell had targeted that man—how did it latch onto someone else?

You You reflexively answered, “Sect Master of the Zhen Yan Sect, You You.”

“Zhen Yan Sect…?” Since when did lower realm sects exist here? And sect masters were supposed to be… Wait—celestial maiden!

His eyes bulged. Snatching his hand back like he’d touched fire, he scrambled three feet away, jaw slack.

He stared at her… stepped back… then retreated further… and further…

By the time he neared the door, his face burned crimson. You You swore she saw steam billowing from his head. Before she could react, he spun around and fled like a comet.

He sprinted so fast he tripped over the threshold, face-planted, then sprang up and kept running until he vanished.

You You, left alone: “……”

What just happened?!

Wasn’t that Fang Ming, the Fourth Heavenly Emperor hunting Huan Yan? The tyrant who schemed to dominate the lower heavenly layers? That’s him? He fled before she even moved!

Confused, she assessed her surroundings. The dense celestial energy here surpassed even the Second Heavenly Layer’s. This had to be the Fourth Heavenly Layer.

She pulled out the communication tool Yuan Papa crafted—but it failed. Restrictive spellcasting here? Cautiously, she scanned the ornate Immortal Palace. Though Fang Ming had bolted, guards surely lurked outside.

As she debated exploring, the man returned—with a crowd.

Dozens of Immortals clogged the doorway, stacked like dumplings in a steamer. Those who couldn’t squeeze in dangled from the roof, straining to peer at her.

Gasps and hushed whispers erupted:

“A celestial maiden?! Pinch me—am I hallucinating?!”

“Thousands of years… a living female immortal! The Emperor spoke truth!”

“If only female cultivators didn’t ascend straight to the Seventh Heavenly Layer… We’ve been starved for millennia!”

“Exactly! Lower heavenly layer newbies don’t get it. After 8,000 years here, even a female crane looks lovely!”

“Fool! This isn’t just any female immortal—it’s a celestial maiden! A real one!”

“Waaaah… I was lucky enough to see a celestial maiden thousands of years ago when I received my spiritual roots in the lower realm. After so long, I always thought it was just a dream!”

“So this is how a celestial maiden looks? So pretty, even more beautiful than the most stunning celestial flower in the Immortal Realm!”

“What kind of husband servant would a celestial maiden prefer? Would someone who’s already ascended qualify? Are there still openings among her followers?”

“Scram! What nonsense are you spouting? If she picks anyone, it won’t be an ugly lump like you. I’m the Heavenly Emperor—if there’s choosing, it starts with me!”

“Heavenly Emperor, you’re being unreasonable! This is practically forcing us to rebel! I think I’m perfectly suitable!”

“I think I’m suitable too!”

“Me as well!”

You You: “……”

What’s wrong with these Immortals? Are they really gossiping right in front of me? Have they all gone mad?

You You’s mouth twitched, black energy swirling around her head. She inhaled deeply, wondering how to intervene.

The group of Immortals grew even rowdier, their commotion escalating.

“Aaaaah! Look, look! The celestial maiden smiled at me! She smiled at me! So adorable~~~~”

“Lies! She was clearly smiling at me! So gorgeous… I could definitely measure up! I really could!”

“Is this the celestial maiden’s magic power? So intense! I want to surrender! I’ll do anything she says!”

“Shut it! Stop daydreaming! Don’t you realize we’re using illusion spells? She can’t even see us! How could she smile at any of you?”

“Huh? But… Heavenly Emperor, I didn’t cast any illusion earlier.”

“Me neither! Didn’t you all agree to use them?”

“Wasn’t it your job?”

“Yours!”

“Then who did?!”

“……”

Sudden silence fell over the doorway…

Every Immortal’s face drained of color.

CLANG-BANG-CRASH! A chaotic pile of bodies collapsed, heads stacking up to completely block the entrance!

You You: “……” Did I… forget to activate the barrier?

She watched as the Immortals scrambled to rise, only to trip over each other and crash down again—a perfect imitation of a mortal-world stampede. You You’s exasperation deepened.

When they finally straightened into neat rows, heads bowed like chastened schoolchildren, she approached. Her gaze settled on the man shoved to the front—the same one who’d fled earlier.

“You’re Heavenly Emperor Fang Ming of the Fourth Heavenly Layer?”

“Y-yesyesyesYES!” Fang Ming snapped rigidly upright, arm jerking skyward like a student desperate to answer.

You You: “……”

Why did this suddenly feel like a teacher confronting naughty pupils?