The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 104

Chapter 7 Return

At some point, the “Great Initiation Light Mantra” had ceased. It was unclear whether the half-formed layman had grown tired or had resolved to charge in to investigate.

Li Xun didn’t care. He was trying to gauge Master Tianzhi’s current state of mind, wondering how this woman, so reckless and fearless, would play a crucial role in the conflict between the righteous sects and the loose cultivator alliance.

As he pondered this, his hand felt light, and the already damaged copy of “Blood God Son” had been snatched away by Shui Dielan.

Li Xun was stunned for a moment, then he laughed dumbly and said, “What’s the point of these fragments? If you are really interested in this, I will give it to you!”

“Really?” Shui Dielan questioned Li Xun’s attitude: “When I gave it to Tianzhi just now, it was also inexplicable. When did you become so generous?”

After all, she was also a master-level demon. She just said one sentence and suddenly understood. She immediately flipped through the book in her hand. Finally, she looked at Li Xun and said with a sarcastic and praising tone: “It’s really dark!”

“Tianzhi didn’t raise any objections, right?”

Being interrupted by Shui Dielan, Li Xun thought of other things.

He pulled out the “Flying Soul Edict” that had just arrived and examined it, casually remarking, “His cultivation isn’t much worse than yours. I imagine she’s had some feelings, but she’s choosing the lesser of two evils. In a matter like this, she’s the one who takes first place, and I’m afraid no one else dares… Huh?”

He was startled by the contents of the edict: “On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, rush to Ghost Gate Lake to surrender the order… Hellfire Yama?”

Seeing it was the Flying Soul Edict, Li Xun had initially assumed it was Madam Yan. After all, she was the only one in the sect who held him in such high regard. But now, that usually calm and unfathomable consumptive was pulling the same tactic?

For an ordinary sect disciple, this was a blessing from heaven, perhaps a sign of the Sect Master’s appreciation and cultivation.

But Li Xun knew full well that there was no such thing as a free lunch, especially not for a powerful figure like Netherfire Yanluo, who, despite being gravely ill and near death, still firmly controlled the sect’s power. He certainly wouldn’t offer his favor without reason. “

The sickly demon has made a move?” was Li Xun’s first thought.

He casually crushed the imperial edict as he pondered.

At that moment, Shui Dielan whistled, and Li Xun followed her gaze toward the southern sky, just in time to see a dark sword light staggering down.

This was just a fragment. Then, within a short half-minute, over a dozen sword lights and escaping beams descended or fled from the south alone, creating a bustling scene.

Judging by the purity of the sword and escaping beams, as well as the faint, chaotic fluctuations of vital energy, this was clearly not a battle on Tianzhi’s level, but rather a chaotic clash between dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of cultivators of varying levels of cultivation.

Pay attention again, it’s not just the south that’s experiencing these creatures, there are creatures everywhere, and some sword lights are even flying towards where they’re standing.

“A righteous sect is attacking Yama Heaven?”

This absurd thought flashed through Li Xun’s

mind for a moment before being completely dismissed. “Then it’s a chaotic battle within the alliance. Kunpeng and the three-headed dragon monster have already retreated, but they’re still wounded. Given their influence over some of the demons within, it’s impossible for Gu Yin and the others to suppress the conflicts within the alliance without bloodshed. This means that right now, this is…

“A true internal conflict! To put it simply, it’s a purge!”

Using lightning-fast methods, while the old demon Kunpeng and the three-headed dragon monster escaped, and while the opposing forces were at their wit’s end, all unstable elements were eliminated in one fell swoop. Even if it caused a split, the “big boss” had to be preserved. This was the most rational approach, but also the most helpless.

Li Xun felt a surge of joy as he thought about this.

For decades, he had been trying to trip up Gu Yin and the others, but he’d never found the opportunity. Unexpectedly, a fortuitous opportunity presented itself. With the help of Old Demon Kunpeng and Master Tianzhi, he had simply allowed Yin Sanren to show his face, and he easily achieved this outcome. It was

a case of using a little force to achieve a great result! From this day forward, the grand spectacle of the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance, where three or five top masters would often appear together, would no longer be seen!

He laughed heartily, his mind now crystal clear: no matter how formidable a force, it’s always easier to break it from within than to assault it from the outside. This is what’s known as divide and conquer.

He hadn’t considered this before, but he hadn’t acted because he couldn’t find the key to the division, nor did he have the qualifications or ability to crack open that tiny gap.

But now, things were different.

Old Demon Kunpeng’s serious injury and retreat didn’t mean the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance was once again a monolith.

Leaders like Daoist Jia and Ice Demon Lady were now forced to take orders from an “outsider,” Gu Yin. How could they not harbor resentment?

If Gu Zhixuan were still alive, he’d take advantage of her misfortune and take Yao Feng as his concubine… Of course, he might even go after Qing Luan. Two arrogant demons, don’t they harbor any resentment?

Even Gu Yin and Yao Feng disagreed over him, didn’t they?

Thinking of these openings for action, Li Xun trembled with excitement, only recovering with difficulty under Shui Dielan’s mad gaze.

Meanwhile, several miles away, several cultivators were already engaged in a fierce battle in the sky.

He clapped his hands, the sound calming him down. “It’s boring staying here. I need to go back to the sect for something. What are your plans, Shuixian?”

“Return to the sect? Which sect?”

Li Xun took the gentle prick as a tickle. He smiled faintly and said, “Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect, what? You want to go for a stroll too? I’m afraid only you could be so carefree while being hunted by the Zhu Gou and Luo Yu Sects. Oh, right, there’s one more thing.”

The mention of Zhu Gou and Luo Yu Sects immediately reminded Li Xun of Thunderbeak Eagle, who had provided this information, and the Succubus Sect behind him.

They’d been so busy targeting Wuyinxuan these past few days that Li Xun had forgotten about it. Now that he remembered, he quickly told Shui Dielan, and her reaction was more intense than he could have imagined!

“They’re courting death!”

Shui Die Lan, who hadn’t bared her teeth for quite some time, now looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. While she didn’t actually bare her fangs, the chill in her eyes made even Li Xun, an uninvolved figure, feel a slight unease.

“Is there any need to be so angry? It’s just that we were careless…”

“You’re the one who’s at fault, don’t drag me into this!” Shui Die Lan responded grumpily, but then she clapped her hands, imitating Li Xun’s example, and exclaimed, “Alright, I’ve decided.”

“What decision?”

“I want to be with you for the time being. If you go to the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect, I’ll go too.” She adjusted her gauze sleeves, a strange smile on her face.

“Wu Yin Xuan can’t afford to fail. I’m counting on it to survive the calamity. Humph, who knows, someone might fall prey to that old fox Ramash. How can I feel at ease if I don’t follow them?”

Li Xun glanced over, thinking, if it weren’t for the Concentric Gu, would you have simply killed them to silence them?

But seeing Shui Dielan’s overly excited expression, he ultimately held back his words. A small knot formed in his heart: “I, the legitimate owner, am not anxious, so why are you?”

But the thought was fleeting, and he was soon to be troubled by Shui Dielan’s sudden and impulsive suggestion.

Going back with Shui Dielan?

True, Shui Dielan was incredibly powerful and cared about his life, making her a very useful bodyguard, quite useful while Yin Sanren recuperated and Youyi’s time in form was limited.

But don’t forget, this man in front of you is the most wanted criminal in the Tongxuan Realm…

“I suggest you disguise yourself!”

Finally, Shui Dielan gave Li Xun some leeway, and after a simple illusion, she transformed her appearance, and the two set off together.

Originally, Li Xun had planned to take a detour through the Northeast Galaxy, using the excuse of helping Mingji to make his journey less abrupt.

But a single decree from Netherfire Yama disrupted those plans.

It was already late October, with only a month left until the first day of December.

Time was barely enough to fly all the way from the North Pole to Guimen Lake in the southwest, and even more so if you factored in the possibility of accidents.

Shui Dielan, naturally, wouldn’t miss this opportunity to mock him, mocking Li Xun’s aura control along the way.

However, occasionally, when she was in a good mood, she would offer Li Xun some tips on improving his aura control.

While humans and demons have different physiques, Shui Dielan was knowledgeable. After twenty days or so, Li Xun’s progress, while not astronomical, was certainly some.

As the two of them headed south, the tension created by the loose cultivators’ alliance gradually dissipated.

However, news of the alliance between the five sects—the Succubus Sect, the Heavenly Demon Sword Sect, the Bliss Sect, the Poison Hidden Sect, and the Pluto Sect—had quietly spread.

Because these five sects are all located in the western part of the Tongxuan Realm, stretching almost in a straight line from north to south, some curious independent cultivators have dubbed them the “Western Alliance,” and the Polar Independent Cultivators’ Alliance the “Northern Alliance,” creating a playful contrast.

While the influence of the Independent Cultivators’ Alliance has indeed been gradually diminishing in the south, the influence of the “Western Alliance” has greatly increased.

Especially with the turmoil caused by the “Western Alliance” in the Southeast Forest Sea, rumors of a Five Sects Alliance have spread like wildfire. Even Li Xun and his companions, as they hurried on their way, heard some of them, but they were mostly about secret treasures from ancient mansions and internal conflicts, of little value.

“However, with these five sects allied together, your Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect must be in a lot of trouble!”

“Well, perhaps.”

Shui Dielan’s words, whether intentional or not, actually gave Li Xun some ideas. “Indeed, from northwest to southwest, apart from the Great Thousand Lights City and the Western Zen Sect, which rarely operate in the central and eastern regions, only the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect has not joined this alliance.

“The first two sects are tightly bound to the borders, with either a sea of sand or mountains behind them, offering vast expanses of winding land. Only the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect is bordered by the Poison Hidden Sect to the north, the Pluto Sect to the south, and even further west, there’s the Bliss Sect…

“The east is a little better. The Fahua Sect is mostly composed of monks who only care about asceticism, but they still have a fringe relationship with the Three Emperors Sword Sect!”

As Li Xun carefully considered the situation surrounding his sect, he lamented the stark difference between the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect today and its heyday thousands of years ago.

It’s not enough for the sect to decline in strength, but even its living space has been drastically compressed.

“Internal conflict is detrimental!”

Knowing the sect’s current situation, Li Xun had little to say. With a sigh, he continued to focus on mastering the art of controlling Qi and soaring into the sky.

They were less than half a day’s journey from the Phantom Shadow Devouring Sect’s territory. Their current location could barely be considered a buffer zone between the Phantom Shadow Devouring Sect and the Poison Hidden Sect.

Just then, Shui Dielan gently poked him in the waist. Li Xun, startled, turned and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Before he could finish his words, he sensed a faint ripple of vital energy rising from the mountains below, a vital energy resembling that of the ethereal Qi.

“Let’s go down and take a look!”

Li Xun and Shui Dielan stole away, descending. While still in mid-air, they spotted seven or eight figures clashing at the top of a mountain.

Shui Dielan considered these individuals’ cultivation levels quite low, and even Li Xun didn’t take them seriously—but what was going on?

Both sides were disciples of the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect, but this was clearly no mere sparring match between brothers. Their flying swords and magical weapons were unleashed, and the attacks were clearly designed to kill the other.

During the moment they were flying down, one of them was struck in the chest, sending him spewing blood and flying backward, struggling on the ground.

The faces of the cultivators scanned the area, and Li Xun’s doubts were quickly answered.

“Ye Ru?”

Seeing that familiar, elegant face, Li Xun knew he could no longer remain on the sidelines.

Ever since he orchestrated the murder of Gui Wuzang and “rescued” the young woman below, Ye Ru had been recognized within the sect as the Hundred Ghosts Taoist’s concubine.

While the situation was delicate, he felt compelled to intervene as he watched his woman fight to the death.

After a brief signal to Shui Dielan, he descended.

The disciples on the mountaintop were furious. Seeing a figure descend from the sky, they suddenly attacked Li Xun simultaneously, without a second thought.

Li Xun’s eyes flashed, and he extended his hand. With a single flick, he wiped away the shimmering Yin Fire on the boy’s left arm. He grabbed his wrist and slapped him.

“You bastard, don’t you see who I am?”

He then kicked another man in the stomach, sending him flying several feet away, clutching his stomach and unable to get up.

The disciple who had been slapped was initially filled with shock and anger, but upon seeing Li Xun’s face, he exclaimed in delight, “Brother Baigui! Come help me…”

Before he could finish his words, he was slapped again, causing him to see stars and swallow everything he wanted.

“Stop!”

Li Xun shouted in a low voice, but this time he used the Soul-Separating Divine Sound. With his absolutely superior cultivation, the surrounding disciples who were still fighting suddenly heard a rumbling sound in their ears, and it also shook their brains. For a moment, they almost couldn’t control the magic weapons and flying swords they had released. They stopped in horror and looked over.

At this moment, some people were surprised, and some were terrified.

The happy ones were undoubtedly the disciples on Madam Yan’s side, while the other side, looking at the companion on the ground holding his stomach and groaning miserably, were all silent.

Li Xun had already seen through their identities.

Among these people, apart from Ye Ru who was Madam Yan’s disciple and had some status, the only one who had some ability was the strong man who had just fought with Ye Ru.

Li Xun had a vague impression of him. He seemed to be a disciple of the sect elder Cang Mingzi, named Zhu Hong, who had some experience in Shadow Devouring. He presumably was the leader of the other faction.

“Well, Cang Mingzi and Bishuijun have indeed sided,”

Li Xun muttered inwardly, his expression unmoved, his eyes only sharp and fierce. “Good! We’ve all grown in skill after not being back for a while.”

He then released the disciple’s hand, who, with a look of pain on his face, dared not utter a word, retreating behind Li Xun.

He wasn’t the only one. After the separation, the three members of Ye Ru’s group all moved behind Li Xun, naturally following his lead.

There was no distinction between seniority here, only strength.

Zhu Hong was merely an ordinary disciple under Cang Mingzi’s tutelage, no match for a disciple of a prominent family like Li Xun. Even though their respective masters were at loggerheads, he still had to obey Li Xun’s instructions. Otherwise, Li Xun could strike him down, and no one would stop him.

He lowered his head, preventing Li Xun from seeing the hostility on his face. He replied sternly, “Brother Baigui, although we have our differences, we still know our place.”

“Do?”

Li Xun glanced at the man who had just been sent flying by Zhu Hong’s palm. He saw his face was ashen. While not dead, his injuries would likely require a year or two of recuperation.

He called this knowing his place? Li Xun scoffed, but seeing how accepting Ye Ru and the others seemed, he immediately understood the depths of the current sect conflict.

He felt resentful, but knew that this situation was beyond his control.

Li Xun smiled coldly and was about to speak when he felt a sudden sensation. He looked up and saw two figures rushing towards him.

Zhu Hong turned quickly, and although he quickly regained his respectful demeanor under Li Xun’s cold gaze, he couldn’t hide the joy on his face.

“Aha, Junior Brother Baigui, this isn’t like you!”

A voice greeted him before he even arrived, a warm greeting nonetheless. Li Xun also smiled: “Senior Brother Mingli, how are you?”

The person flying in was none other than Mingli, the man who had accompanied Li Xun on his expedition to Longhuan Mountain to search for the old residence. He was the third disciple of Minghuo Yama, and held a high position within the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect. Li Xun and him had some acquaintance due to the events of Longhuan Mountain.

As soon as Mingli stepped onto the ground, he greeted Baigui with a smile and a warm embrace. However ,

the man who had come with Mingli had a less cheerful expression. He was dressed in a lake-green robe, his complexion was fair and handsome, and his hair was jet-black, flowing behind his shoulders. At first glance, he looked like the Jade Water Lord himself, imitating his demeanor to the letter, though he lacked his cultivation.

Li Xun glanced at the man and knew he was a disciple favored by Lord Bishui. He was exceptionally gifted, unlike Gui Wuzang, who had been neglected by his grandmother and uncle. Having been a disciple for over fifty years, he had become a disciple of a prominent clan. While not as powerful as Baigui, he was still quite remarkable.

Zhu Hong, seizing a moment while Mingli and Baigui were talking, hurriedly bowed to him. “Senior Brother Yintuo, this way…”

Yintuo hummed softly. Zhu Hong touched his nose and fell silent. Yintuo also stood aside, watching Mingli and Li Xun chat. His Qi cultivation skills were quite impressive.

Mingli chuckled and said, “Junior Brother Baigui, you’ve been back quite frequently lately. I remember there was a time when you hadn’t been back to the sect for seven or eight years. What’s going on? Do you have some free time?”

He squeezed Li Xun’s arm.

Li Xun’s heart skipped a beat, immediately understanding the implication. Mingli was aware of the decree issued by Netherfire Yama, but some people were unaware. But since when has Netherfire Yama needed to act so cautiously?

He was calculating, but his face showed no sign of it. He simply smiled

and said, “It’s not that I’m free, it’s that I’m busy. I have a fellow Taoist who would like to seek refuge in our sect as a guest official to cultivate. I’ll bring her here to see if the Sect Master agrees.” Mingli and Yintuo were both startled at these words. Only then did they realize there was a figure hovering above them.

Shui Dielan, now dressed as a charming and pretty female cultivator, appeared quite amiable. However, she ignored Mingli and the others, making no move to come down to greet them. Instead, she surveyed them with a playful gaze.

Mingli still had some sense, after all. He quickly regained consciousness and covered up, saying, “That’s surprising, but since you’re so thoughtful, Junior Brother Baigui, I’m sure the Sect Master will consider it too… By the way, I heard something was wrong here, so Junior Brother Yintuo and I rushed over to see what happened.”

Li Xun smiled faintly and said, “What a coincidence! I just arrived. I saw these little bastards were acting so recklessly and was about to ask them why when you arrived.”

He spoke without restraint, but the disciples didn’t dare to say a word.

As he spoke, Mingli’s eyes flashed with a cold light, sweeping across the faces of the disciples. Everyone fell silent, their heads bowed in fear. Only Ye Ru, standing behind Li Xun, stepped out gracefully.

Everyone’s eyes were immediately focused on her.

This female cultivator, once judged by Li Xun as “weak-minded,” showed no sign of fear under the scrutiny. She softly said, “Three senior brothers, this is what happened…”

The story began in a rather absurd way. Several disciples, led by Zhu Hong, had discovered a Hundred Yin Qi acupoint nearby. While cultivating by drawing on the earth’s energy, Ye Ru and the others happened to pass by. Seeing them absorbing Yin Qi excessively, they warned them.

Zhu Hong and the others, believing Ye Ru and his companions to be trying to steal the acupoint, engaged in an argument that escalated into a brawl. Once the heat flared, neither could stop.

Before Li Xun and Ming Li could speak, Yin Tuo glanced at Zhu Hong, questioning him. Seeing Zhu Hong nod in acknowledgment, he spoke, “So, it was Junior Sister Ye Ru who initiated the provocation?”

Though his words were harsh, his tone was calm, complementing his handsome appearance and piercing gaze, lending him an air of dignity.

Ye Ru was about to retort, but her gaze met his, and she felt a sudden dizziness, nearly losing her voice.

Li Xun observed the entire scene, remaining calm. He spoke gently, “Junior Sister Ye, what did you say back then? Was it provocative?”

His voice had a calming effect. Ye Ru glanced at him, her face flushing, before she said, “Absolutely not. I simply feel that Senior Brother Zhu Hong and the others are absorbing Yin Qi too quickly, and soon their Qi channels will be unable to absorb it, significantly impacting the direction of the earth’s veins. So…”

Li Xun waved his hand to silence her, then with a flick of his foot, he pushed down the long grass, revealing the rocks and soil beneath.

A look and a startled

expression crossed his face. He raised his head, motioning for Mingli to come over. Mingli took one look, then gave a wry smile and shook her head.

Everyone was baffled, except Yin Tuo, who could guess a little.

Li Xun said, “If I remember correctly, a few years ago, our sect also discovered a Yin Qi Acupoint near this place, but it was much larger than the Hundred Yin Acupoints. At that time, in order to occupy it, we fought a battle with the Poison Hidden Sect. Why don’t you go there to practice?”

This question was asked to Zhu Hong.

Zhu Hong was startled. Seeing Yin Tuo’s scowl, he felt a little alarmed, but he couldn’t help but answer. He said cautiously, “There are several brothers practicing at a critical juncture over there. We dare not disturb them, so we’ll just have to find another place…”

Mingli and Li Xun sighed in unison. Even Yin Tuo, standing nearby, pursed his lips, clearly sharing their thoughts.

This strange sight piqued the curiosity of the mid-air Water Butterfly Orchid, who flew down and patted Li Xun on the shoulder.

“Why are you sighing so much?”

With these words, everyone else knew her relationship with Bai Gui was very different.

Li Xun ignored all this and gestured for Shui Dielan to come and see. “See these cracks in the earth? The signs of the convergence of earth energy here shouldn’t be so obvious. Unfortunately, the Hundred Yin Acupoints, which unify the earth’s energy, have been almost completely drained, causing instability in the surrounding earth veins and damaging the surface soil. If the drain continues, the surrounding mountains will probably collapse!”

“What’s the big deal? If it collapses, we can just find another one. Your Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect is so powerful, are you afraid of not finding such a Yin Acupoint?”

At these words, even Yin Tuo’s face paled. Li Xun quickly stopped Shui Dielan with a look and turned to Mingli, saying, “Senior Brother, since you are of such status, you will handle matters here. They won’t dare to disobey!”

He glanced around, and the surrounding disciples nodded hurriedly.

This kind of conflict has been happening frequently recently, and even bans can’t stop it. It seems Mingli won’t impose severe punishment. As expected, Mingli simply gave them a token order to collect some ore nearby, and neither Baigui nor Yin Tuo objected.

“Brother Mingli, when did the sect’s resources become so scarce? The disciples have even resorted to exhausting resources?”

Li Xun and Mingli flew side by side, with Shui Dielan at their side, enduring the snail-like pace.

As for Yin Tuo, he excused himself and left mid-flight, saying he had something else to do.

Li Xun guessed that he was going to report to Bishui Jun, but compared to the current situation, Li Xun really had no interest in paying attention.

Mingli glanced at Shui Dielan, but seeing that Li Xun did not respond, he could only sigh and said vaguely, “The sect has been busy lately, and many of the original resources are very… tight. Therefore, these disciples with average cultivation have to expand to the surrounding areas.”

He said it tactfully, but Li Xun could hear that this was clearly the result of the conflict between Bishui Jun and Madam Yan, each vying for resources.

It seems that with the decline of Netherfire Yama, the struggle for power and resources within the sect between Madam Yan and Jade Water Lord has reached a fever pitch.

While Netherfire Yama is still alive, if he were to die, the sect would likely repeat its past divisions.

Two thousand years ago, it was the struggle between Netherfire Yama and Phantom Divine Lord for the position of sect leader that led to the Ghost Devouring Sect’s separatist formation, severely weakening the sect. Now, two thousand years later, with Netherfire Yama’s death behind him, is history about to repeat itself?

The difference is that the Netherfire Yama, Phantom Divine Lord, and Mr. Ghost, who came later, were all incredibly talented figures, making them renowned figures even in the tens of thousands of years of Netherfire Shadow Devouring Sect’s history.

In comparison, Madam Yan? Jade Water Lord? Just look at how Netherfire Yama, despite his severe injuries for so many years, has he managed to maintain his grip on the position of sect leader. It’s clear that these two ambitious individuals are vastly inferior in both ability and determination.

He couldn’t help but frown. To him, the internal strife within the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect was nothing, but if the situation became this serious, it was something he absolutely did not want to see.

Moreover, it was probably not just internal reasons…

“Does the Pluto Sect joining the Five Sect Alliance have any impact on us?”

Ming Li’s face changed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment, but still spoke out.

“The two medicinal mountains we just occupied two years ago were snatched back by the Pluto Sect. Until now, the sect has not yet come up with a set of rules. It’s very frustrating!”

Li Xun’s eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

Now, he finally understood how bad things had gotten. At this time, he had to hope that Nether Fire Yama could really play a good game. Even if he couldn’t turn the tide, he should at least be able to maintain this half-dead situation.

He asked hopefully, “What does the Sect Master think?”

Mingli’s face was filled with a wry smile. “The Ancestral Curse Spirit has been agitating relentlessly lately. The Sect Master is in seclusion, suppressing it with all his might. How could he have time to speak

?” “The Ancestral Curse Spirit? Isn’t the Ancestral Curse Spirit guarding the Yin-Transforming Pond? How come…”

He stopped abruptly. The Ancestral Curse Spirit?

As a sect disciple, Li Xun naturally knew the origins of this Ancestral Curse Spirit.

The Ancestral Curse Spirit is the poisonous curse spirit created by the Nine Nether Ancestor, the founder of the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect, when he failed to transcend his tribulation. And the reason for this curse spirit’s formation is closely related to the Demonic Throat, one of the Seven Demons of the Universe.

“The Demonic Throat…” The thought of this made Li Xun’s heart tremble. He turned to Mingli and asked, “Do you know the reason? Is it related to the Demonic Throat?”

Startled, Mingli looked towards Shui Dielan, only to see the female cultivator looking at him.

He silently groaned. How could these Hundred Ghosts, usually so cautious, be so unrestrained in front of this female cultivator? How could such a sect secret be spoken so freely?

He couldn’t reprimand her, so he could only vaguely say, “You’ll have to ask the Sect Master, but he won’t be out of seclusion until the first of December. Junior Brother, what are you planning to do during this time?”

Shui Dielan glanced at him and sneered softly.

Li Xun smiled and glanced at Shui Dielan, a wink that meant, “I’ll tell you later.”

Unexpectedly, Shui Dielan smiled and took the initiative, saying, “Oh, speaking of that, I remember now. Back then, this incident shocked all sects. The dignified Nine Netherworld Patriarch actually had half his lifeblood stolen by a black-skinned rat. It’s hilarious.”

She ignored Mingli’s grimace and recalled, “Hmm, let me think. That must have been in Naihetian. Back then, Mo Luohou was just a black-skinned rat, not very smart. It was thanks to your ancestor’s contributions that he rose to prominence… humph!”

The last humph was probably annoyance at the fact that Mo Luohou was on par with her. However, Mingli took this as disdain for the Nine Nether Patriarch, and indeed for the entire Ghost Shadow Devouring Sect, and his pale face immediately darkened.

Li Xun smiled bitterly and quickly winked at Mingli.

Fortunately, Mingli was a very calculating person. Seeing Li Xun’s behavior, although she was annoyed, she was also able to think deeper.

It suddenly occurred to him that this unremarkable female cultivator had just spoken with such a shocking tone, referring to the Demon Rat, one of the Seven Demons, as a “black-skinned rat,” and acting as if she knew the inside story. Could it be that…

this person was quite influential?

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Li Xun’s rather helpless expression only confirmed his conclusion.

He quickly searched for some powerful female cultivators in the Tongxuan Realm. Although he had no results, his mindset had changed dramatically.

Li Xun was also trying to ease the situation.

“It’s not as simple as you say. The Demon Rat is, after all, a cosmic creature. According to sect texts, it feeds on the dense dead energy accumulated over countless generations within Naihetian, refining it within its body and feeding it back into its flesh and blood for self-cultivation.

“Its demonic core is a mass of incredibly pure Nine Netherworld Earth Qi, subtly connected to the Nine Netherworld through space…”

Shui Dielan interrupted him, folding her arms and smiling. “That’s not bad. The Black Rat is a renowned expert in endurance. Even someone as ‘indestructible’ as Qixia would have to rely on the first three attacks to defeat it. If the time drags on, it’s bound to be quite troublesome.”

She opened her mouth to mention yet another demon, causing Mingli’s eyelids to flutter. For a moment, she forgot to remind Li Xun to be cautious with his words and protect the sect’s secrets.

So, Li Xun continued speaking logically.

“It’s true that the Demon’s mind is muddled, but its instinctive ability to devour essence and essence, along with its bestial cunning, shouldn’t be underestimated. My ancestor was careless back then…

“Hey, even if it swallowed my ancestor’s essence and blood, and took on its current form, didn’t it still suffer repeated defeats at my hands? If it weren’t for its innate cunning and deceit, and my concerns about ascending to the heavens, how could it survive to this day?”

Hearing this, Mingli’s expression brightened slightly. But the next moment, Shui Dielan’s words nearly made him explode with anger.

“Ha, you, my ancestor, played both sides, and in the end, it all came to nothing! Tsk, besides Xuanhai Youming City being unrecorded in history, he was the only one of the thirty-two founding masters to be reduced to ash by a heavenly tribulation. No wonder he harbors such deep resentment!”

While these words were 100% true, uttering them in front of the two Nether Shadow Devouring Sect disciples was still too much.

Li Xun’s smile froze, and Mingli’s eyes gleamed coldly. Shui Dielan, unconcerned, clapped her hands and said, “By the way, legend has it that your ancestor founded the sect after profiting from Xuanhai Youming City. Is that true?”

Her eccentric way of thinking and speaking made it impossible to fathom her true intentions. Li Xun sighed, rubbed his stiff facial muscles, and finally decided that it would be safer to separate from Mingli for a while—for Mingli’s sake.

With this in mind, he first glared at Shui Dielan, and then said in a random tone: “I’m not sure about this… By the way, Senior Brother Mingli, you came all the way to this border area, you didn’t come just to pick me up, did you?”

Being forcibly interrupted by him, Mingli finally suppressed his murderous intent temporarily, and forced a smile: “Junior Brother Baigui is right, I am patrolling the surrounding area on the orders of the master. Hey, the people in the sect are unstable now, and only we, the direct descendants of the sect master, can be of use…

“Well, of course, if all the disciples were like Junior Brother Baigui, I don’t know how much trouble would be avoided!”

Li Xun did not reply immediately, but there was a slight smile on his face.

Mingli suddenly understood. Glancing at Shui Dielan, he coughed softly, “Oh, Junior Brother, now that you mention that, it reminds me. There’s a lot going on at the border, and Yin Tuo might not be able to handle it all by himself. And his attitude is uncertain…”

“Senior Brother, you’re busy, so you don’t have to accompany us. I’ll go to Guimen Lake on my own!”

Li Xun replied logically, ignoring Shui Dielan’s sneer.

Mingli hummed a few times, but didn’t insist. After giving Shui Dielan a sharp look, he said goodbye to Baigui. Judging by his expression, it seemed unlikely he’d return. He might have already gone ahead, delivering a message and making arrangements at Guimen Lake.

“Why do you act like you’re here to kick the mountain gate?” Seeing Mingli retreat, Li Xun frowned and complained, “You’re exchanging words with Mingli, aren’t you embarrassed?”

Shui Dielan waved her hand nonchalantly, “Who has the time to argue with such a junior? Hee…”

The first half of her sentence had a touch of mastery, but the smirk at the end betrayed her deeper thoughts. Li Xun was momentarily stunned, then suddenly realized, “You’re kidding me!”

Shui Dielan clapped her hands and laughed. True, she disdained to argue with a loser like Mingli, but using her strength to embarrass Li Xun was the best.

Li Xun finally understood her intentions, feeling a mixture of laughter and tears, yet he felt helpless to stop her playful behavior. And…

it seemed like it had been ages since anyone had played such a harmless joke on him.

Without Mingli’s “drag,” their progress more than doubled. Despite the vast territory of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect, they reached Ghost Gate Lake the following morning.

Li Xun’s guess was correct. Judging by the strange looks given to Shui Dielan by several of his fellow disciples, he knew Mingli must have sent word in advance.

Fortunately, Li Xun’s influence within the sect had grown over the years, and no one dared to make irresponsible remarks. Shui Dielan, on the other hand, was completely immune to such glances, surveying the various buildings within the sect’s main hall with curiosity.

“It stinks!”

was Shui Dielan’s verdict on Ghost Gate Lake.

“The lack of sunlight is one thing, but breathing in this grayish-white miasma all day and night is truly unbearable. No wonder you haven’t been back all year. Staying in a place like this, even a fox can be raised into a pig…”

“That resonates with me!”

It wasn’t Li Xun who responded. A deep, pleasant laugh emanated from the mist, remarkably graceful and elegant. “Bai Gui, you’ve brought back a wonderful person this time!”

As the words fell, a graceful figure emerged from the mist. She was dressed in an exquisitely embroidered black long-sleeved gown with a hood draped over the collar, now draped over her shoulders, revealing a pale, delicate face. Her smile was gentle and serene, like a spring breeze.

If this woman wasn’t Madam Yan, who else could it be?

Li Xun hadn’t expected to see her here. He paused for a moment before bowing and saying, “Madam!”

Madam Yan nodded slightly, then fixed her gaze on Shui Dielan’s face, still addressing Li Xun, “Would you like to introduce me?”

Li Xun was about to speak, but suddenly froze. He had forgotten to discuss a pseudonym with Shui Dielan. How could he introduce her?

“My surname is Li.” Perhaps noticing his embarrassment, Shui Dielan began with a smile. “My husband’s surname is Li. You can call me Mrs. Li or Madam Li.”

Seeing Madam Yan’s questioning look, Li Xun gave a dry laugh and nodded. The moment Madam Yan turned her head, he rolled his eyes.

Well, putting aside the question of what “my husband’s surname is Li,” Shui Dielan openly called herself “Madam.” Wasn’t that a deliberate taunt against Madam Yan?

Madam Yan was, after all, a scheming person. Her face showed no sign of dissatisfaction, and her smile only grew more cordial.

However, she didn’t actually address Shui Dielan as “Madam Li.” “So it’s Fellow Daoist Li…”

She paused briefly, and Li Xun, perfectly cooperating, immediately repeated the story of “surrendering.”

Madam Yan didn’t seem surprised at all. Li Xun guessed that she must have heard from Ming Li, which was why she ignored Shui Dielan’s attitude.

It seemed that she and Netherfire Yama had reached a tacit understanding, at least in terms of information sharing, and seemed to be on the same page.

Could it be that Netherfire Yama had finally made a choice at this moment?

As he pondered this, Madam Yan engaged in a conversation with Shui Die Lan, mostly probing for details, which Shui Die Lan handled with ease.

After a few words, Madam Yan seemed satisfied, then turned back and said with a smile, “Bai Gui, you’ve come all this way, so you should rest for a while. However, you should visit Elder Yin Chen as soon as possible.”

After a brief pause, she continued, “You should know that it was she who first proposed your name during this competition for the position of Elder among the disciples of the major families. Because of this, you have the upper hand, so you should go and express your gratitude.”

Li Xun hadn’t expected this further development.

In fact, he had been so busy recently that he had completely forgotten about the old lady’s abdication. Only when Madam Yan mentioned it did he remember it.

Naturally, he had no objection, so he agreed and looked back at Shui Die Lan.

Before the two could say anything, Madam Yan said with a smile, “I’ll take care of things for Fellow Daoist Li. While the area around Ghost Gate Lake isn’t suitable for extended stays, there are still a few breathtakingly beautiful spots. Why don’t you stay there? It ‘ll be better than suffocating here.”

Shui Dielan naturally had no reason to refuse. She greeted Li Xun with a smile and walked side by side with Madam Yan.

Li Xun watched the two figures fade into the mist before chuckling, shaking his head, and turning to the residence of Elder Yin Chi.

As the last remaining senior elder of the Ghost Shadow Devouring Sect, having lived for nearly five thousand years, Yin Chi, despite her mediocre cultivation and a touch of senility, held an extremely high status, effectively the elder of everyone, including Netherfire Yama.

She was also the only elder entitled to reside permanently in the heart of the lake’s island. Her residence adjoined the sect’s crucial Xumei Hall, also dozens of feet underground, though far less heavily guarded.

As Li Xun journeyed, every disciple he encountered greeted him respectfully, a testament to his increasingly secure position within the sect.

It took him a quarter of an hour to reach Yin Chen’s residence. Before he could knock, the heavy stone door silently swung open.

However, no one was visible behind the door.

Li Xun’s brow furrowed, and he instinctively activated You Yi, taking a moment to warn while he surveyed the interior.

For a cultivator, Yin Chen’s interior was furnished with respectable decor. The hall was simple and casual, offering a clear view. However, the door leading to the inner room was obscured by a thick, half-worn curtain, obscuring what lay within.

However, Li Xun could hear what sounded like a voice within, a strange one.

A shrill, high-pitched voice, humming softly. Occasionally, a croaking laugh echoed, along with a few faint coughs.

Li Xun’s brow furrowed, then relaxed, but he finally stepped in with aplomb, closing the door behind him.

He slowly walked to the door to the inner room, lifted the curtain, and peeked inside. His eyelids twitched.

Facing him was a rather large water mirror, taking up two-thirds of the wall. Figures flickered within it, miming and singing, as if they were actually performing on a stage.

Was there such a thing in the Tongxuan Realm?

Glancing at the figures reflected in the water mirror, Li Xun immediately confirmed that the scene depicted in the water mirror was indeed in the human world.

At that moment, a female lead on stage reached a climax, and the audience erupted in applause. He hadn’t witnessed such a bustling and lively scene in years.

The two people in the room, not to be outdone, seemed completely unaware of Li Xun’s entrance. They clapped their hands in unison and shouted, “Great!”

However, the shout was followed by a series of choking coughs, so piercing that it made one’s throat itch.

Li Xun sighed, peeking into a moment of less excitement and whispering, “Master, Elder Yin, disciple has arrived.”

One of them didn’t respond, but Elder Yin Chi, known for his “dizziness and hearing loss,” turned around and chuckled, “Great! Hundred Ghosts are here! Come, sit here! The show is just about at its climax. Let’s watch it together.”

Li Xun didn’t refuse and nodded, sitting on the stone bench next to Yin Chi. His gaze didn’t reach the water mirror, but instead darted past Yin Chi to see the figure sprawled sickly on the recliner—Nether Fire Yama Luo.

As if unaware of his gaze, Nether Fire Yama Luo’s deep-set eyes stared into the water mirror, absorbed in the show.

Li Xun pondered for a moment, then focused his attention on the show as well. Seeing this, his lips curled slightly; he knew what the show was all about.

I’d heard it before, though I’d forgotten what it was called. It was about one of those well-worn “emperor’s incognito visits” stories.

A private visit would have been fine, but the harassment of decent women, the way a village girl or commoner is transformed into a phoenix, was so absurd it wasn’t worth a laugh;

it was just hilarious. The real fun part was the brilliant irony.

A commoner, who had never seen an emperor, was imitating the appearance of a play, asking a real “emperor” to act like one.

Regardless of the characters in the play, the viewer should understand that this satire wasn’t just about the characters and the play itself, it was also about the author himself, layer upon layer, truly brilliant.

Seeing this, not only Li Xun but even Hellfire Yamaluo laughed, and despite choking, he laughed with an unbridled and unrestrained chuckle. It was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

This was also the first time he spoke to Li Xun.

“Bai Gui, what do you think of this play, inside and outside the play?”

Li Xun was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, “Summer insects talk about ice, well frogs talk about the sea. There are different levels of knowledge and insight. Let’s just watch the fun together.”

“There are different levels of knowledge and insight? Well, that’s right, it’s just that you’re standing too high.”

Netherfire Yama turned his head to look at him, his pupils sunken in his eye sockets were dotted with gray, and his depth was unfathomable.

“We think that people in the lower realm are like ants, but who knows if there are people in this world who regard us as ants? Even if there are not, how many people in this world dare to claim that they know everything in the world? Even those charlatans in the Shuijing Sect are just using divination to claim to be the will of heaven and to read people’s fortunes.”

Li Xun didn’t know what these words of Minghuo Yanluo meant, but just responded, “The sect leader is right.”

“What do you mean by right or wrong? I’ve been very bored lately and I want to find someone to talk to!” As he spoke, he clapped his hands and laughed, “I forgot, no one here is qualified like you to comment on this play. After all, you are a royal noble, very different from us.”

Li Xun froze.

Looking forward to the sequel to the second installment of “Netherworld Immortal Journey,”

the weight loss expert said: “

I confess, I’ve actually stopped writing since around November, and my draft reserves are far from up to par. So when my reserves ran out, a gap in January, 2008, became inevitable.”

Of course, a gap is fundamentally different from a complete cessation of work. As this pitiful author musters the courage to brave the postgraduate entrance exam, please, dear readers who won’t be able to read the new chapter of “Netherworld” in January, while complaining, please don’t forget the previous plot developments.

In February, I will surely present you, my readers, with the most exhilarating chapters of the netherworld. Now, I can only hesitate, tremble, writhe, and wail in agony, throwing my entire being into the uncertain future. Even though I clearly see the air filled with gray,

I will return from hell in February.