Chapter 11: Forced Into Partners, Heh!

Zhao Lixuan tossed and turned that night, unable to sleep.

It wasn’t his imagination… Ever since their reunion, Jiang Chen’s attitude had been utterly bizarre.

He shot people these sullen, piercing glares all day, and his words dripped with sarcasm. Who knew what he was really after?

But if it was just lingering resentment from the past, keeping his distance would solve it. Why act like this?

It couldn’t be…

No, absolutely impossible.

Jiang Chen harbored no old feelings for him anymore—where would rekindled flames even come from? Twenty years had passed. He’d humiliated himself with unrequited love once; he couldn’t afford to invite more ridicule.

Stop overthinking. Just sleep.

…

The next day, Fu Xi Palace’s bells tolled three times, summoning the Demon Hunting Force Coordination Conference.

The previous strategic deployment meeting had set the overarching strategy; this one focused on tactical details, precisely allocating personnel based on Demon Clan traits to achieve maximum results in the Moon Hunt at minimal cost.

Unfortunately, the weather turned sour on the day of the conference—a drizzling spiritual rain began to fall.

Rain and snow in the Unstained Immortal Realm weren’t ordinary; they carried faint traces of chaotic spiritual energy. While harmless to immortal bodies, they disrupted immortal essence flow, making large-scale spells twice as laborious.

Immortals could erect rain-repelling barriers, of course, but maintaining them drained divine sense. Most times, they preferred to save energy and just use an umbrella.

But today’s meeting was too important.

Fu Xi Palace’s immortal leader, Xia Yunjie, flicked his wide sleeves, and a crystalline rain-repelling barrier unfurled with a whoosh, like an overturned glass bowl covering the entire plaza.

Raindrops hit the flowing rune barrier, rippling in circles and refracting rainbow lights that adorned the solemn venue like a dreamscape.

Immortals and demons had clashed since time immemorial.

The Demon Clan divided into human-demons—mostly humans or human immortals turned demonic—and beast-demons, fallen spirits, essences, or monsters who cultivated into demons.

Beast-demons often countered human immortals, while human-demons countered beast immortals. Human immortals held the edge against human-demons, and beast immortals against beast-demons.

The underlying principles were profoundly complex. If strengths differed vastly, affinities mattered little; but at equal cultivation, the countered side struggled desperately, while the countering side doubled their efficiency.

In real combat, though, predicting whether a demon was human- or beast-type was nearly impossible.

The optimal solution: Pair one human immortal with one beast immortal to form the basic demon-hunting unit. Against human-demons, the human immortal led the assault with beast immortal support; against beast-demons, the beast immortal charged with human immortal backup.

This synergy complemented weaknesses, handling any scenario with ease.

Of course.

It wasn’t as simple as pairing any human immortal with any beast immortal for peak performance.

Compatibility of attributes was key. Immortal spiritual roots varied wildly—earth, wind, water, fire, lightning, light, darkness, hybrids, and all sorts of exotic variants.

For instance, Bitao Fairy, Chu Fusheng’s secretary, had the rare chaotic spiritual root.

Chaotic roots were universally versatile, and over the past few days, the lively Bitao Fairy had eagerly recommended herself to Immortal Lord Li Xuan. Her bubbly personality led to cheerful chats with Zhao Lixuan, and they got along splendidly.

But when they tested a barrier together—it was a different story.

Zhao Lixuan’s pure immortal essence clashed with Bitao’s chaotic spiritual energy like oil on water: no outright repulsion, but no fusion either. The barrier flickered unstably, never holding firm.

Bitao Fairy could only tearfully seek another partner.

The entire conference proceeded on this principle.

Soon, barriers shimmered across the plaza as immortals sparred, tested synergies, and sought perfect matches.

Even the habitually solitary Jiang Chen, under Lu Ziyuan and others’ death stares, grudgingly grabbed a few trembling, reluctant Fu Xi Palace human immortals and half-heartedly started a barrier drill.

The results were predictably disastrous.

Other immortals’ mismatches were at worst “decent coordination, but not perfected.”

Jiang Chen’s were total failures: No matter the partner, it became his solo battlefield. Teammates didn’t assist—they just dragged him down.

Chu Fusheng: “…”

Seeing Immortal Leader Lu Ziyuan’s temple vein throbbing with barely contained fury, ready to purge her own ranks, Chu Fusheng seized the moment to yank this oblivious lone wolf aside.

“Jiang Immortal Venerable, at least go easy on them, yeah?”

Jiang Chen’s eyes iced over. “On what grounds?”

“Just this: You’re the Sword-Wielding Immortal Lord, the mightiest beast immortal from the Mortal Realm—our Moon Hunt’s stabilizing pillar! To claim total victory, you need the perfect partner to steady morale!”

“I… am… enough… alone.”

“Huh?”

“One man… one sword… sweeps… all demons.”

Chu Fusheng: “Heh.”

…

He gave up reasoning with this brick wall and turned, zeroing in on Immortal Lord Li Xuan mid-spar in the field.

Rising to deputy head of Liao Yuan Court’s civil affairs as a Huangpi Immortal took skill—and Chu Fusheng had plenty.

In moments, all eyes locked on two figures in a barrier—

Inside, spells merged like sun and moon in harmony, movements synced like telepathy. Pure immortal essence and brilliant golden radiance complemented each other flawlessly, flowing seamlessly to nods of approval from onlookers.

Zhao Lixuan hadn’t expected such perfect harmony with Chu Immortal Lord!

He’d tried several partners that morning—most workable, but always lacking that spark. Only now, linking with Chu Fusheng, did it feel seamless, like destiny.

Only then did he grasp Xia Yunjie’s earlier words.

During prep, he’d privately asked how first-time cross pairings could pinpoint the ideal match.

Xia Yunjie had said: Don’t worry.

“When it’s the right one, you’ll know—crystal clear, ‘It’s them.'”

Now, Zhao Lixuan felt it!

“Chu Immortal Lord, I believe we…”

Before he finished, a black sword beam wreathed in Nether Karma Fire tore through the sky, brutally shattering their barrier!

More impatient than expected. Chu Fusheng’s eyes flashed triumph—then horror.

The sword intent didn’t hold back, crumbling his hasty golden shield like dry weeds. Terrifying force toppled his jade coronet, scattered his hair, and charred his Agarwood Folding Fan to ash!

He was stunned.

His divine sense nearly burned through—Jiang Chen’s a colleague, damn it! He knows my limits and didn’t pull a punch?

Over the line! Sword-Holding Immortal Venerable assaulting a frail hybrid civil servant in public? Murder!

As chaos loomed, Chu Fusheng dodged behind Zhao Lixuan in a flash.

The razor-sharp black sword qi, poised to cleave him in two, reached Immortal Lord Li Xuan’s face… and melted away like snow in sun, vanishing silently.

Chu Fusheng: “…”

Blatant favoritism.

Zhao Lixuan paused, then calmly brushed his sleeve and smiled, soothing the crowd: “Everyone, no panic—a misunderstanding. Jiang Immortal Venerable just wanted a spar with me and moved too fast, nearly clipping Chu Immortal Lord by accident.”

He turned to Jiang Chen: “Jiang Immortal Lord, after you.”

…

Vast, gentle immortal power formed an invisible barrier, enclosing them.

Mortal Life Ashes hummed lowly. Jiang Chen’s gaze burned cold, black flames surging around him. Opposite, Zhao Lixuan’s robes billowed without wind, bathed in shimmering pure light.

The two top immortal venerables’ auras clashed silently in the barrier. Onlookers held their breath.

Yet time ticked by—calm as a pond.

They stood facing each other, no thunderous clashes or spell exchanges as imagined.

At last, the barrier faded.

Crowd: “…”

They exchanged baffled glances, then dawned realizations lit their faces.

Of course! True experts’ clashes aren’t for mortals to glimpse. That standoff must’ve been thousands of divine sense exchanges! A realm beyond us.

Worthy of Immortal Lord Li Xuan and Sword-Wielding Immortal Lord!

Zhao Lixuan: “…”

He couldn’t fathom why Jiang Chen held back, but he’d stayed cool, defused the crisis, resolved it perfectly.

Afterward, Xia Yunjie and Lu Ziyuan praised his poise and big-picture thinking.

But what good were words?

No real rewards. When pairings were officially announced via golden immortal edict, Zhao Lixuan’s vision blackened again.

Most found satisfying partners—pairings followed mystic fates, often differing from host immortals. A few matched perfectly: Xia Yunjie with Lu Ziyuan, Chu Fusheng with Yu Rumu.

He and Chu Fusheng were the perfect fit!

Why not assign him?

Heh, his perennial bad luck, of course! The unwanted Jiang Chen got dumped on him.

Worse, Fu Xi Palace and Liao Yuan Court unanimously approved, showering blessings:

“Everyone wants to pair with Immortal Lord Li Xuan, but Jiang Immortal Venerable’s power is unmatched—he deserves the best.”

“Who else in the Immortal Realm can cozy up to that iceberg but Immortal Lord Li Xuan?”

“Saw them flower-viewing together the other day.”

“Fu Xi Palace’s gifts went to all, but Jiang Immortal Venerable, ever aloof, actually wore his—special treatment for Li Xuan.”

“Right—who wouldn’t adore Immortal Lord Li Xuan? Even frosty Jiang Immortal Lord has to play mortal this time.”

…

With coordination complete and partners locked, Fu Xi Palace buzzed for days.

Paired lords sparred on training grounds or harmonized essences in quiet chambers. Even destined synergy needed practice to refine.

Immortal lights flowed, auras surged everywhere.

Zhao Lixuan couldn’t lag behind.

Though reluctant.

Back in the Mortal Realm, he’d stuck to Jiang Chen like glue, all sweet talk and clingy affection.

While Jiang Chen silently practiced swordplay, he’d prop his chin, lost in dreamy adoration—never imagining one day fighting side-by-side, lives entrusted.

…

Worse, their awkward rift promised clumsy teamwork.

But reality flipped the script.

Jiang Chen’s sword strikes were ferocious, crashing like tidal waves on cliffs. His own spells were pure and enduring, like spring rain. Together? Shockingly seamless.

His gentle power deftly channeled Jiang Chen’s volatile sword qi, amplifying might without losing control. Jiang Chen’s edge sharpened his defenses, blending offense and guard, rigid and flexible in harmony.

Even more natural than with Chu Fusheng?

…Better if it sucked!

A mismatch would’ve let him complain to Xia Yunjie for a swap.

Now, flawlessly matched, he’d face that cold face daily for two months?

Moon Hunt meant deep perils—likely overnighting in Flowmist Rift Abyss’s wastes. To conserve power and consolidate defenses, they’d cram in one barrier or cave.

Nights silent but for breaths… In emergencies, palms pressed, essences exchanged.

Chilling just thinking about it.

When would this end?!

Little did he know, worse awaited.