The disciples of the Heaven Fiend Sect watched as their Sect Master and Alchemist Fang entered the Sect Master Hall one after the other, exchanging puzzled glances.

After all, the Sect Master was a dignified Immortal Emperor Realm high rank expert. Though not the top powerhouse in the Immortal Realm, he was still a renowned immortal. Why did he lower himself so, and treat Alchemist Fang with such respect?

Some disciples of the Heaven Fiend Sect recalled the few words exchanged between the Sect Master and Alchemist Fang earlier, wondering if they had known each other from before.

However, that Alchemist Fang was undoubtedly newly born in immortal terms, not even in existence a millennium ago. How could he possibly be acquainted with the Sect Master?

The disciples of the Heaven Fiend Sect had many questions in their hearts but did not dare to ask the Sect Master. They only stood in the plaza, either exchanging glances or discussing in whispers.

After Fang Bai and the Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor entered the Sect Master Hall, the doors closed automatically, and the Isolation Formation activated on its own. No external immortal could hear the conversation between Fang Bai and the Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor inside.

Once the Isolation Formation was activated, the Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor inside turned abruptly, walked step by step towards Fang Bai, and asked in a trembling voice, "Palace Master... is it really you?"

"Tiankui, it’s me."

As Fang Bai spoke, his facial muscles, skin, and bone structure shifted rapidly. In just a few moments, a profoundly familiar face appeared before the Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor, emitting an aura that felt intimately familiar to him.

And from Fang Bai’s mouth, the original "Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor" now became "Tiankui."

In the past, under Fang Bai, there were 36 Great Generals and 72 Small Generals, all Immortal Emperor Realm experts, renowned in the Immortal Realm, and the backbone of the Emperor’s Palace.

Among them, the 36 Great Generals consisted of high-rank Immortal Emperor Realm experts and Immortal Emperor Realm Peak experts; the 72 Small Generals consisted of initial-rank and mid-rank Immortal Emperor Realm experts.

The "Tiankui" in front of Fang Bai was part of the 36 Great Generals and possessed a high-rank Immortal Emperor Realm cultivation level.

After the fall of the Emperor’s Palace, the fortunate Tiankui Immortal Emperor, avoiding pursuit by the eight top Immortal Emperors, changed his honorific to "Heaven Fiend Immortal Emperor" and founded the Heaven Fiend Palace.

"Palace Master! Finally, I see you again!"

Tiankui Immortal Emperor, looking at the long-missed face, felt the familiar aura and was overwhelmed with joy, crying loudly, falling to his knees with a "thud" before Fang Bai, bowing continuously.

"I’ve sensed the aura of the Emperor’s Palace Immortal Technique from Sizhu Immortal King and Hundred-Year Immortal King, thus guessing they might be connected to you, and so I followed them to have a look... By the way, why did you ask them to invite me to your Sect as a guest?"

Fang Bai gestured for Tiankui to stand up and talk.

Tiankui Immortal Emperor stood up, wiped the tears from his face, still looking excited, and said, "After the great battle at the Emperor’s Palace a thousand years ago, I didn’t believe the Palace Master had fallen, so I established this Sect and searched everywhere for information about you and the fellow disciples of the palace..."

Tiankui Immortal Emperor briefly recounted the events of the past years, and then continued, "Recently, you’ve made a great name for yourself in Canglan Immortal City. Upon hearing your real name ’Fang Bai’, it reminded me that, a millennium ago, you excelled in alchemy and artifact refining, with astonishing success rates. So I had a hunch and invited you to the Sect... If it turned out to be you, that would be best; if not, at least I could make a friend..."

In the past, all of Fang Bai’s 108 generals were close confidants. Many immortals among them knew their Palace Master’s real name was Fang Bai, boasting a unique talent for alchemy and artifact refining in the Immortal Realm. Tiankui Immortal Emperor, hearing the renowned name "Fang Bai" in Canglan Immortal City, led to the subsequent events.

Fang Bai’s real name was only known by his confidants, disciples, and a few close immortal friends. Otherwise, after returning to the Immortal Realm, he wouldn’t have continued to use his real name.

Looking at Tiankui Immortal Emperor, Fang Bai appeared gratified, nodding, "After the fall of the Emperor’s Palace, you didn’t act rashly nor did you lose hope, instead establishing a Sect and developing it substantially... You did well! However, your cultivation level seems not to have progressed much in the past thousand years. I thought you might have advanced further to the Immortal Emperor Realm Peak."

With a face full of shame, Tiankui Immortal Emperor lowered his head, "Disciple is ignorant! Failing the Palace Master’s expectations!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Fang Bai waved it off, "How could my disciples truly be ignorant? Maybe I set the bar too high. Cultivation at the Immortal Emperor Realm, advancing further is exceptionally difficult! Well, no hurry, now that I am back, you will have more opportunities!"

Having reunited after a millennium of hardships, naturally, there was much to say, but much of the ensuing conversation consisted of Fang Bai asking, and Tiankui Immortal Emperor answering.

Fang Bai wanted to understand the current state of the Immortal Realm more comprehensively through Tiankui Immortal Emperor and know if Tiankui had established contact with any other surviving disciples of the Emperor’s Palace.

"Among the 108 generals of the Emperor’s Palace from the past, a few have contacted me... Palace Master, should I gather them to meet you now?"

Tiankui Immortal Emperor asked eagerly.

Since the fall of the Emperor’s Palace and the War Emperor, Tiankui Immortal Emperor could only hide his true name and honorific, but now, with the Palace Master’s return, his blood was boiling again.

Fang Bai thought for a moment, shook his head, "No need for now. Just give me their contact information or places of residence, and if I have the time, I will seek them out."

Tiankui Immortal Emperor nodded, then looked at Fang Bai, lips moving, with a somewhat strange expression.

Fang Bai seemed to know what he wanted to ask and smiled, "Are you wondering why I am now only at the fourth-rank Immortal King Realm?"

Tiankui Immortal Emperor tentatively asked, "Palace Master concealed your cultivation level?"

Fang Bai laughed "Haha," shaking his head, "No, I didn’t."

"Then..."

Tiankui Immortal Emperor was puzzled.

Fang Bai explained, "A thousand years ago, my physical body was destroyed, leaving only a remnant soul, barely different from death. Later, that remnant soul possessed a mortal body to be reborn, but the cultivation level had to start anew. So... my current true cultivation level is indeed fourth-rank Immortal King Realm!"

Tiankui Immortal Emperor stared at Fang Bai, stunned, not expecting such a bizarre and complicated life story of the Palace Master over the past thousand years.

He had been thrilled upon seeing Fang Bai, thinking that, as long as the Palace Master gave the command, the scattered disciples of the Emperor’s Palace across the Immortal Realm would regroup under the Palace Master, seeking vengeance against the eight top Immortal Emperors and restoring the Emperor’s Palace to its former glory.

But the current Palace Master had been reborn by possessing a mortal body, and his cultivation was just the fourth-rank Immortal King Realm. The idea of retaliating against the eight top Immortal Emperors now seemed like a far-off dream, leaving him somewhat disappointed.