Chapter 196: Feathers of the Upper Realm

Yuan Jiang was silent for a long while, unable to find the right words. Deep down, he knew his little junior niece was right—this was no longer about whether they wanted to be involved in the affairs of the Upper Realm. They were already in it. The moment he had gone up to investigate the Swallowing Sky Beast incident, they had stepped into certain people’s line of sight. Whether he liked it or not, Yun Jiao, Bai-shidi, and even their master were now entangled in the matter.

He clenched his fists at his side, hesitated a while, and finally sighed in defeat. Then, he began to tell her everything about the situation in the Upper Realm.

“Little junior niece, do you remember I once mentioned that the Upper Realm has four Heavenly Courts—East, South, West, and North—each ruled by an Emperor?”

“Yes.” Yun Jiao nodded.

He continued, “Currently, the Immortal Realm has no Heavenly Emperor. The previous one had four children, each of pure celestial blood and immense power, none weaker than the other. Each rules a direction as an Emperor. But the relations between them… are not exactly harmonious. When the former Heavenly Emperor fell, he left no heir to the throne. So, naturally, the question of succession arose.”

“So… they’re fighting over the inheritance?” Yun Jiao raised an eyebrow. “Palace drama, huh?”

“Uh…” Yuan Jiang froze but still nodded reluctantly. “Yes. The position of Heavenly Emperor has remained vacant. Over time, conflicts deepened, and tensions grew among the four. Eventually, each established their own court, renaming their domains as the Four Heavenly Courts. The immortals of the realm divided their allegiances accordingly. Outwardly things appear calm, but behind the scenes, strife continues—centered on who holds the legitimate claim to the Heavenly Emperor’s seat.”

“Oh.” Yun Jiao frowned slightly. Even the human world had exams and merit-based promotions now, promoting equality in cultivation resources—and yet the Immortal Realm was still stuck fighting over a throne? Feudal politics, really?

“My junior brothers and I, along with several disciples and nephews, serve under the Eastern Heaven’s Emperor, Xingxi,” Yuan Jiang said with renewed pride. “Emperor Xingxi is utterly unlike the others—gentle in temperament and disinclined to conflict. If not to protect his followers, he would never have involved himself in the struggle. He’s the only one among them who bears no prejudice toward those of us who ascended from the mortal world.”

“Prejudice?” Yun Jiao looked puzzled.

Yuan Jiang smiled faintly and explained, “Little niece, perhaps you don’t know—immortals in the Upper Realm aren’t all ascended cultivators. Most are born of celestial lineage, blessed with innate immortal bones and power flowing from their bloodlines. The Four Emperors themselves descend from the strongest of these lineages—the Ancient Celestial Dragons. Compared to them, newly ascended immortals are like children—weak and unrefined.”

Ah. So it was racial discrimination.

“But aren’t you a High Immortal, Uncle Yuan?” She remembered the Spirit King mentioning that High Immortals stood at the very pinnacle of the celestial hierarchy.

“That took tens of thousands of years to achieve.” Yuan Jiang sighed heavily. “When my brothers and I first ascended, we were nothing—lowly earth-immortals everyone could bully. The Heavenly Emperor at that time was bloodthirsty and despised any who lacked pure celestial lineage. For fledgling immortals like us, even survival was a struggle. If not for Master…” He paused, the memory clearly weighing on him. “If not for him, we’d have perished long ago. None of us would have lived to see this day.”

“…So the Immortal Realm is that brutal?” Yun Jiao thought grimly. Her impression of the “higher world” plummeted yet again.

“Things are better now,” Yuan Jiang said, “but prejudice lingers. Mortals who ascend aren’t openly oppressed, but they’re not treated warmly either. Only the Eastern Heaven’s Emperor treats all his followers equally. Unfortunately, no one from the lower world has ascended in thousands of years. We few who remain are rare enough to be counted on one hand.”

“I see.” Yun Jiao nodded. Her uncles really had it rough up there.

“If the Eastern Emperor were to take the Heavenly Throne,” Yuan Jiang said earnestly, “the Immortal Realm would surely change for the better. To be honest, we brothers all hope to see it happen. He’s too kind-hearted, yes—but that’s exactly why he’s the best candidate.”

“Mm.” Yun Jiao responded noncommittally, then asked, “And what about the Swallowing Sky Beast? What’s the truth there?”

Yuan Jiang’s expression hardened, his brows drawing together in anger. “I investigated the matter in the Immortal Realm. The Swallowing Sky Beast had been extinct since ancient times. But I learned that a thousand years ago, during a celestial gathering, the Southern Heaven’s Emperor granted the Immortal Lord Zhu Yan an ancient treasure. It was said to be a relic once gifted to him by the previous Heavenly Emperor. No one knew what it was—only that it had been found by a wandering immortal in the Abandoned Heaven Domain and presented as tribute.”

“The Abandoned Heaven Domain?”

“It’s a desolate region in the Immortal Realm—rumored to have been a battlefield from the ancient wars,” Yuan Jiang explained. “After the Southern Emperor gifted that treasure to Zhu Yan, it vanished from sight completely.”

“So that treasure was the Swallowing Sky Beast?” Yun Jiao asked.

“That’s my guess!” Yuan Jiang nodded firmly. “Zhu Yan’s true form is a Shuo Jin Rat—a race whose natural talent lies in devouring spirit materials to enhance their cultivation. They can sense spiritual essences instinctively. I suspect he realized what was hidden within that relic. The Southern Emperor, likely aware of it, handed the thing over intentionally and helped set everything in motion. Their true target, I fear, was the Underworld.”

“The Underworld?” Yun Jiao frowned. “But aren’t the Celestial and Nether Realms allies?”

“They are—or were,” Yuan Jiang said darkly. “As you know, two of the seven Yama Kings of the Underworld were disciples of the Mystical Sect, both trained by your Bai-shidi. My senior brother guards the Abyss itself. The alliance between the Celestial and Nether Realms was largely forged by the Eastern Heaven’s Court. Officially, all the Emperors endorsed it, but in truth, to certain people’s eyes, the Underworld’s loyalty lies with the East.”

“So… the others want to destroy that alliance?”

“…Yes.” Yuan Jiang nodded grimly.

Yun Jiao suddenly felt exasperated. Power games again. If they wanted to fight for power, fine—but dragging others down with them? That was downright vile. She finally understood why Yuan Jiang had hesitated to tell her—because the Celestial Realm was an absolute mess.

“On the surface, things look calm,” Yuan Jiang sighed, “but chaos is inevitable. We never wanted to be involved, but circumstances force our hand. And Emperor Xingxi truly is the best hope for peace. We only wish Master could understand our intentions. So, little niece, would you perhaps—”

“No.” Yun Jiao cut him off immediately.

“Eh? What?”

Σ(°△°|||)︴

So… all that heartfelt explanation was for nothing?!

(End of Chapter)