The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 137

Chapter 3: Liberation

The sound of ripping silk echoed, and Qin Wanru finally turned sideways at the crucial moment, though blood still spurted from her shoulder.

She tried to use the force to retreat, but a powerful force gripped her bones and veins, twisting and breaking them, pinning her to the spot. A chill penetrated her body, corroding her meridians with a force that caught her completely off guard.

With a resounding “hum,” the purple ball of light quickly replenished its inner strength with powerful true energy, separating Shang Shi from her.

Shang Shi also retreated at the first sign of danger, his form dissolving into nothingness again, avoiding Qin Wanru’s subsequent attack.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Wanru whispered, “Cold Jade Hook? I can’t remember Madam Shang without using this move.

” “Back then, Madam, you were a top assassin of the Zhu Gou Sect. How come, thousands of years later, you’ve become a slave to the Gu Family?”

Shang Shi remained unresponsive, observing the enemy’s weakness from the shadows, hoping to strike again.

But just as Qin Wanru finished speaking, a voice from behind Shang Shi chuckled, “I remember too. When I first joined the Zhu Gou Sect, I was assigned the position of ‘Han Yu Gou.’ So, Madam Shang is considered my senior.” The only person who

could speak in this way was Shui Dielan.

She moved unpredictably, and though she didn’t strike, she caused Shang Shi’s body to freeze in a poised position, unable to move.

This sudden change delighted Qin Wanru, yet she still had to be polite. “Why aren’t you up there, covering up for me?”

Shui Dielan’s pale blue lips curled in a faint smile. “I’m busy now… Qing Luan almost shattered his head just now because of your mother. How could I not come?”

Her smile was palpable, but her eyes were like icy needles, piercing his face painfully.

Qin Wanru immediately understood the situation and instinctively held her mother tighter in her arms before smiling and saying, “Just now, it was thanks to my junior brother that I was able to save my mother. Wanru should repay such a great kindness… Now the situation is critical, Shuixianzi, we should think of a way to let my junior brother escape unscathed.”

Shui Dielan just looked up at the sky and said indifferently, “Escape? If he dares to have even the slightest idea in his mind now, I guarantee that Qingluan will destroy him without leaving any trace. You don’t have to worry about it.”

In fact, judging from Qin Wanru’s identity as “Shui Dielan” , Even more so than her, the Yin-Yang Sect leader, possessing a formidable scheming mind, knew Shui Die-Lan’s unfathomable potential, yet she didn’t put on airs. She simply smiled gently, “But at least we need a plan to

escape…” Shui Die-Lan glanced at her, perhaps because she had given her enough pretense. Her eyes softened, and she said, “Wait until his momentum subsides and he naturally retreats. It’s not too late to intervene then. Of course, that only requires those people to stop causing trouble!”

Her gaze fixed on Qin Wanru, but her fingers, like serpentine snakes, clasped. Just as Shang Shi was about to lunge, he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck. True Qi seeped into the female cultivator, a remarkable level of cultivation, and she barely managed a muffled groan before her entire body went limp, powerless to fight back.

With a single move, she subdued Shang Shi. Shui Die-Lan, unconcerned with others’ opinions, spoke softly, fascinated by his experiences.

“What Sect Leader Qin said just now was correct. From what I understand, that Gu Zhixuan is practically dead. Why are you still lingering? Could it be that you, too, have been harmed by Gu Yin’s ‘Spiritual Annihilation Silk’?” “

Shang Shi struggled hard twice but to no avail. She didn’t say a word and her expression was extremely cold.

Shui Dielan’s eyes rolled and she smiled again, “If it is the “Soul-Destroying Silk”, it is not impossible to solve it. Sect Master Qin’s mother is the best example. Madam Shang…”

Upon hearing this, Shang Shi suddenly smiled. This was very inconsistent with her usual expression and showed a bit of irony: “Unlocking the “Soul-Destroying Silk” may not necessarily mean liberation.”

Shui Dielan seemed to be in the middle of a conversation and asked, “What do you mean?”

Shang Shi raised his head and stared at Qin Wanru’s face and said lightly, “Not to mention that I am alone and have no relatives. Even if my fifth sister has a sister like that, it is still unknown whether my daughter will be happy or unfortunate.”

After saying this, Qin Wanru’s expression did not move, as if she didn’t hear anything. Shui Dielan’s lips curled slightly and she asked, “What do you mean?”

Her voice was much softer and there was no hostility in it, just like an ordinary chat.

Shang Shi responded without hesitation, “I don’t think the pain of family v*olence is any less agonizing than being imprisoned in the Yama Heaven.”

“Family v*olence?” Shui Dielan glanced to the side, but could not glean any information from Qin Wanru’s expression.

Shang Shi no longer needed guidance; her emotions had taken over, breaking through her usual barrier of indifference, allowing her to pour out the words that had been pent up for so long.

But it was precisely because of her emotions that her words were disorganized and rambling.

“What about the child? Fifth Sister and Jade Master’s child, the one Yin Zhonghua stole from the Yama Heaven before the forty-ninth tribulation? It’s ridiculous that Fifth Sister always assumed the child was being cared for by her sister and daughter… Qin Wanru, do you dare to tell us what happened to the child?”

Qin Wanru remained silent, her expression gradually growing colder. Shui Dielan’s gaze, thrust forward, felt like it struck a layer of ice, unable to penetrate.

Shang Shi’s face flushed strangely, his skin perspired unnaturally, and his voice began to tremble, a hint of overexcitement.

“When you captured my fifth sister, she was probably secretly happy. The family reunion was imminent, and she would die without regrets… But what did you give her? Qin Wanru, can you tell me?”

“It was Chanyu, right?” Qin Wanru replied without a trace of context, her eyes cold and sinister, a look that was completely at odds with her soft and graceful figure.

“Guyin’s claws are so long! I’ve already executed that bitch Chanyu. I wonder what else you can do? Use them!”

“If you hadn’t been so ruthless, why would Chanyu have been persuaded by the Sect Master? You, my good sister and daughter, did such a good thing! Just because Ji’er is Master Yu’s flesh and blood? Ha…”

Shang Shi laughed twice, then shook his head unconsciously. Sweat beads fell from his forehead. His pale face was almost exhausted. He wanted to speak again, but he had no strength left.

Seeing this, Shui Dielan rubbed her fingers against the back of Shang Shi’s neck, her voice becoming softer. “Yu Sanren and Yu Shi’s child? What’s going on?”

Shang Shi’s voice trembled and grew weaker. He murmured, “That child…

Xuanying Jade Master needs Xuanying, but the Sect Master doesn’t want to use good fortune…”

The sound suddenly cut off. Shui Dielan was startled, feeling Shang Shi’s skin cooling down. Then a dark shadow swung past her. She tilted her head slightly, dodging the blow. She applied more pressure, letting out a muffled groan. The little strength she had just regained collapsed, then she collapsed to the ground.

Shui Dielan, still holding her neck, smiled, “You’re really careful. We’re getting to the point.” What “good fortune” is this? What does this have to do with Gu Yin?

As he spoke, Qin Wanru uttered a low cry and abruptly stepped back. She glared at him, her expression utterly furious. “Water Fairy, what are you doing?” Hearing

the name Shui Die Lan address her, he knew she was guilty. She didn’t respond, but smiled at Shang Shi, “Since you’re halfway through, why not continue? What’s the problem?”

“Don’t talk to me!”

Shang Shi suddenly shrieked, as if he had heard the whispers of a ghost, terrified.

Seeing her overly excited, Shui Die Lan sighed helplessly, rubbing a light green powder with her left fingertips. The night breeze blew, and the delicate fragrance was so refreshing it was almost intoxicating.

Qin Wanru, knowledgeable and experienced, recognized it immediately: “Rosemary?”

Shui Dielan glanced at her indifferently, saying, “Madam Shang is still the enemy, so it’s only natural that she should conceal something. And Sect Master Qin, your junior brother, the fairy, is calling you so affectionately. It would be quite unkind of you to keep it a

secret.” Qin Wanru took a deep breath, calming herself, before saying, “Fairy Shui, don’t you know everything? This is a family scandal of our sect, and we don’t want it to be publicized. Fairy, since you know, please keep it a secret for me and our Master.”

Seeing her clear deception, Shui Dielan smiled instead of getting angry. She was about to speak again when her expression suddenly changed. She looked up at the sky, her face growing solemn.

Finally, she loosened her grip, and Shang Shi fell limply to the ground, his body still twitching slightly, unable to stand.

Qin Wanru’s gaze remained fixed on Shang Shi, and a faint voice reached her ear: “This prisoner is mine. Keep an eye on him for a while… Remember, don’t try to hide your ears and steal the bell. My methods are no less powerful than your Master’s ‘Eight Secrets of the Lotus’.” “

Before the last syllable had died, Shui Dielan had already disappeared, and the energy in the air above her suddenly became disordered. Waves of turbulent currents rushed down like waterfalls to the ground, and the Beiqi Mountains began to shake again.

Qin Wanru held her mother motionlessly, her eyes as cold as ice. Shang Shi raised his head with difficulty amid the shaking and looked at her without giving in.

The world was shaking, but the area around them was completely frozen.

A dull sound of flesh hitting flesh could be heard, and Li Xun and Qingluan’s forearms collided, and their skin under the torn sleeves inevitably came into contact again.

Everyone felt uncomfortable, but no one retreated. The true energy of each other collided, and the crackling sound of electricity and fire bursting at the junction of their bodies was endless.

At this moment, the infinite stamina of the ten thousand year old demon finally took effect. Waves of impact, higher than the other, carried Qingluan’s natural evil-repelling light, reduced the blood-burning energy, and violently shook Li Xun’s internal organs.

Though Li Xun had mobilized every muscle in his body, drawing upon the vital energy of heaven and earth and all living things for his own use, he still couldn’t withstand the seventh wave. His protective energy instantly collapsed, his arm buckled inward, and Qingluan’s fist struck him at the junction of his chest and abdomen. With a furious roar

, he ignored the shattering of his chest muscles and bones, swung his other arm like a sword, and slashed at Qingluan’s neck. Though there was no subtle movement, his momentum was fierce and unwavering. Even

with Qingluan’s abilities, he dared not challenge her attack lightly, and had to duck, thus losing the opportunity to continue the pursuit.

Using the force of the blow, Li Xun was flung backwards for several miles. The muscles and tendons in Li Xun’s chest twisted and twisted where the punch had struck him, and the severe wound that had almost penetrated him was now healed. This was a far cry from the initial fierce battle, when Qingluan had shattered the “Blood Shadow Demon Body” with a single blow.

Watching the flying Qingluan, Li Xun remained unfazed, instead rising with immense pride. He laughed heartily and was about to charge with a fist.

But as soon as he drew his breath, his limbs felt empty and unresponsive. Even the external energy and vitality seemed to be blocked by a thick membrane.

His laughter died away. A single thought flashed through his mind: “The oil is running out!”

Qingluan didn’t care if the oil was running out. In an instant, she was right in front of him, and a chilling coldness washed over him.

Li Xun tried to reach out, but he could only move his fingers before he watched helplessly as Qingluan’s fingers slashed down like a knife.

“Idiot!”

Shui Dielan’s low curse echoed in his ears, but to Li Xun, it sounded like heavenly music.

The next moment, he was flung forward by a tremendous force. The whistling sound of wind echoed through his ears. He felt as if he was first flung sideways for a distance, then plunged uncontrollably.

Gravity, long absent from his mind, returned to Li Xun. His will was no longer enough to overcome the force of his fall. He felt a swirling mist before his vision returned to clarity. When he opened his eyes again, a sky filled with swirling stars.

With a resounding thud, he fell heavily onto the hard mountain ground. The violent concussions assaulted his internal organs, yet aside from a slight nausea, he felt no discomfort.

Simultaneously, at least four or five sharp stones from the ground pierced his back, unable to even pierce the skin, only creating a few dents that then flattened back to normal.

He screamed and tried to turn over and leap, but his strong body lacked the strength. A sense of utter weakness instantly spread throughout his body. He ultimately simply tilted his neck upwards and lay back down.

Finally understanding his condition, Li Xun stopped wasting his energy.

Furthermore, he could clearly see that the water butterfly orchid had blocked the blue phoenix. Out of trust, Li Xun ignored her and slowly regulated his breathing.

The feeling of weakness persisted, and Li Xun felt as if he were lying on a cloud, empty and powerless.

Yet, his heart felt more fulfilled than at any other time in his life.

His body seemed unable to contain his enlarged heart, until finally, only his unbridled, surging emotions flowed joyfully.

So, reckless abandon could be so exhilarating!

He had finally found something more precious than his own life. This was the very essence that distinguished supreme demons and masters like Qingluan from the rest!

A beggar might simply seek a full meal to survive, but if that were all he did, he would never become a wealthy prince.

A master, however, would be a radiant presence, forever in the spotlight, sought after and admired, yet also burdened with jealousy and conspiracy. There was no choice but to embrace both sides.

Thus, even though the Three Scattered Men were dead, no one would deny their peerless prodigies;

and though the “Hundred Ghosts” survived to this day, no one considered them worthy of their place…

This was the realm defined by the Grandmasters with honor and dignity. Without this quality, how could anyone enter that circle?

It was precisely because of this that, today, for the first time, he dared to fight for his dignity, following his own will, while also being able to confidently bear the consequences.

This was undoubtedly a monumental breakthrough—the two paths converged into a perfect circle, carving out a place for him at Qingluan’s level.

This was a true breakthrough!

From now on, who would dare to disregard the title “Hundred Ghosts”?

He could no longer suppress his laughter, and no matter how much madness it held, he could feel everyone’s gaze fixed on him, the implications of which were incredibly complex.

In the sky, Qingluan finally withdrew her gaze from Li Xun.

For some reason, she sighed, the murderous intent surrounding her strangely dissipating. Instead, she cast a curious gaze over Shui Dielan, finally settling on the pattern on her skirt. “You are…”

Shui Dielan smiled faintly, her hand touching her lips.

At this point, what else could Qingluan not understand? She took a deep breath, her face twitching as if to smile, but ultimately shook her head slightly.

Regardless of her thoughts, Shui Dielan remained in mid-air. If Qingluan wanted to kill Li Xun, she would have to go through her.

“You’re injured, you can’t stop me,”

Qingluan stated, at least in her tone.

Shui Dielan simply stood in front of her, smiling softly, without any tragic air. But Qingluan could clearly sense the unwavering faith of her “comrade.”

After a moment’s silence, Qingluan exhaled, her long sleeves now shredded into threads and falling. Her outward aura quickly faded.

But she remained unforgiving, “What happened outside Songjing City must be related to him. I will definitely find out his relationship with Wei Bufan and Yin Zhonghua. If you think you can protect him, then do so!”

Shui Dielan chuckled, relaxed and at ease. “Don’t make me sound like I’m protecting a chick! A quarter of an hour ago, I’d have accepted it, but look at your sleeve…”

Qingluan snorted coldly, suddenly sensing something else. She turned her head to look at the condensed water vapor a few miles away, which she couldn’t hide.

Without even pretending, a single thought sent the Shuijing Sect’s finally deployed second water mirror shattering to smithereens. After this, she turned and said, “Take care of yourself…”

After a pause, she suddenly laughed. “I thought no fellow would do such a foolish thing again after the Qixia incident. Baigui might be a hundred times more courageous than Lin Ge, but I still have to say…

” “Baihuan, you’re incredibly foolish!”

The words, half curse and half sigh, faded away, and Qingluan soared into the sky, not even paying attention to Yu Shi.

She vanished in an instant. As she left, the distant battle between Yao Feng and Tian Zhi faded away, the turbulence subsiding and the sky becoming relatively quiet.

Shui Dielan tilted her head slightly, pondering for a moment before finally wrinkling her nose at the sky before looking down at Li Xun’s condition.

However, the moment she saw him, her expression instantly turned cold as ice: “Looking for death!”

With a shout, the figure below suddenly rose from the ground like a tsunami a hundred feet high, punctuated by the wailing of ghosts. Suddenly, the target was none other than Li Xun, still limp on the ground

. The surging wind blew, and Li Xun turned with a hint of surprise, only to be blinded by the surging demonic energy.

He rolled twice on the ground involuntarily, trying to steady himself, but the next time he flipped, he was thrown completely into the air.

Even in mid-air, Li Xun felt his body sink, clearly locked in his opponent’s murderous intent.

“Seven Ghosts Sea Destruction! Can I still withstand that ‘break’?” “

Even before he could finish his thought, the tsunami in the void suddenly intensified. A thunderous roar echoed, and thousands of layers of demonic energy merged into one, smashing down like a giant hammer blocking the air.

Li Xun spat out a mouthful of blood as the immense force hurled him backwards into the mountain, shattering a large section of the cliff.

Yuan Ku, despite his successful attack, showed no sign of joy.

Given a choice, he would never attempt to accomplish what even Qing Luan had failed to do. However, the blood feud between the Hades Clan and the Hundred Ghosts left him no room for hesitation, and the Hundred Ghosts’ current state of exhaustion presented a rare opportunity…

However, once he had taken action, his already limited confidence was eroded. The demonic energy, relying solely on feel, struck a body that was not human at all!

The awkwardness of striking something solid but failing to truly penetrate the ground frustrates him so much that he almost vomited blood.

Unfortunately, he had no chance to regret it.

From high in the sky, the Water Butterfly Orchid swooped down. Yuan Jian led three Hades generals in an airborne interception, but it was clear they had no way to stop it.

Time was of the essence. Yuan Ku gritted his teeth and chased after him. Through the rising dust, he could clearly see Bai Gui struggling to rise amidst the rubble.

“You’re still not dead!”

he growled, his hands flailing open. A shrieking aura of energy surged, threatening to tear Li Xun apart and

extract his “blood core,” crushing it to pieces.

Li Xun struggled a few more times amidst the rubble, unable to rise. He simply stopped moving, staring intently at Yuan Ku’s outstretched hand, his face frozen and expressionless.

His fingers reached his chest, auras radiating everywhere, clothes ripping apart, yet his fingertips only twitched against his skin, unable to penetrate.

Yuan Ku’s eyes widened as he roared, his strength increasing. Bai Gui’s body suddenly plummeted, slamming several feet into the ground. His chest muscles finally caved in, his bones and tendons creaking, ready to collapse.

Bai Gui choked on another mouthful of blood, his face utterly disfigured. Seeing this, Yuan Ku, overjoyed, increased his force.

He saw it as a matter of course, a single blow to disembowel and rip out the heart!

But at that moment, Bai Gui bared his teeth, blood seeping from between his teeth like a tiger fresh from a prey, still unsatisfied.

Simultaneously, his right hand, buried beneath the pile of rocks, twitched with a rustling sound, two fingers curling up as if twitching on an invisible thread.

Yuan Ku instinctively sensed danger, and the changes in his surroundings matched his perception. A strong gust of wind blew overhead, its momentum modest, yet Yuan Ku remained cautious, backhanding the incoming force.

With a crisp snap, a few drops of dust fell, revealing only a fist-sized piece of stone.

Yuan Ku’s face was tinged with paleness, and he tightened his grip on Bai Gui’s chest. With a sizzling sound, the skin finally broke, blood piercing.

The moment his fingertips touched the blood, he reflexively yelped and pulled his hand back.

At that moment, his fingers felt like they were being stabbed by acid, the piercing pain exploding into his flesh, almost making him think his fingers had rotted away!

Because of this, Yuan Ku ignored the moment Bai Gui’s raised finger coldly curled downward.

As the finger curved downward, a sudden gust of wind swept through the night sky.

The topmost speck of stone dust, shattered by Yuan Ku in mid-air, drifted slowly and drifted several feet away.

A faint glimmer of light flickered in the void. This light, a billion times fainter than a firefly, rippled like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, spreading out in an instant.

Yuan Ku suddenly turned his head, as if realizing something. However, his eyesight couldn’t detect the reflection of this tiny speck of dust in the night sky.

However, twelve miles to the west, a hidden key on a dangerous peak keenly detected the spreading wave.

A thread of energy, flowing through the void, accurately hooked onto the floating speck, then connected it with Yuan Ku’s body at a perfect angle.

The interaction of Qi instantly surged to countless levels, the tens of millions of lines of force colliding and tangling, tethering their vital energy, undeniable.

Amidst the relatively calm mountains, a volcano seemed to rise from nowhere. At the moment of the eruption of superheated magma, a streak of gray-black lightning cascaded down from the distant peaks, instantly draining away the turbulent flow of vital energy. The remaining resentful spirits were entangled within, wailing long and bitterly.

The lightning’s dull hue suddenly brightened. The change occurred in an instant, and Sheng Yuanku had only time to register the strange impression. A pain pierced his throat, followed by a roaring in his spiritual altar, and the displacement of his three souls and seven spirits, severing all his potential for reaction.

In comparison, the soul-sucking impact of the Seven Ghosts’ Sea-Snatching Break was like a gentle breeze and drizzle, insignificant.

Within the chaos, Yuan Ku’s surging Qi surged forth like a flood, followed by his essence, blood, bone marrow, and spirit… The wound in his throat felt like a demonic kiss, instantly draining him of everything.

Yuan Ku, with no more thoughts to speak of, fluttered to the ground, a withered shell

now a mere shell. A faint clang, like the collision of metal and stone, pierced the rock pile beside Li Xun’s ear. A gentle breeze blew through the fine down, gently brushing his face, a pleasant tingle.

Li Xun chuckled, then painstakingly tilted his head and took the oddly colored feather in his mouth, taking a few sips. The rich scent of blood stimulated his senses, bringing a surge of new strength.

Strength gradually returned to his limbs, and he struggled a few times before finally sitting up.

“A hundred ghosts…”

The deafening roar in the air gradually faded. Yuan Jian was no fool after all, and with no alternative but to retreat, he decisively chose to do so. However, hatred and shame would forever be etched in his heart—if Li Xun could live forever.

Shaking his head and smiling, Li Xun spat out the red feather. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the eagle feather that had fallen from the flying eagle that day. It had served him well as a material for his “Blood Spirit Feather Sword.”

Shui Dielan swooped down, saw him smiling at the feather, and kicked him angrily, “You almost got yourself killed, bastard!”

She didn’t hold back, but the kick still didn’t hurt Li Xun.

Li Xun looked up at her and smiled, “Thank you for just now… Qingluan seems to know your identity?”

“Well, then. If you’re not afraid of me, who else can you be afraid of?”

Shui Dielan said calmly, yet she possessed the demeanor of a supreme demon. In this respect, Li Xun still lacked a bit of skill.

But she quickly put away all these thoughts and looked at the red feather in Li Xun’s hand with curiosity, wondering, “Is this the eagle feather? Why has it changed color?”

“Of course it will change color after absorbing enough blood and essence.”

Li Xun shrugged and smiled, “Wei Bufan is a great master, but he is not very proficient in forbidden techniques. He limited the Blood Spirit Feather Sword to the level of gathering external energy and breaking it with one blow, but he didn’t realize that it was a huge waste.

“The real Blood Spirit Feather Sword, what with gathering wronged souls and external energy, is ultimately to enhance the quality of this “feather” and refine it into a magic weapon with a special method – the Blood Spirit Feather Sword is both called a forbidden technique and a magic weapon. If you can’t understand this, everything is empty talk. “

Shui Dielan looked at the red feather and asked curiously, “So this feather is now a magic weapon?”

“It’s too early. The blood just now was only a sacrifice. We need to kill at least a dozen people like Yuan Ku to make it worthwhile.

” “Moreover, the most important thing is that the raw materials of this magic weapon are so inferior. Limited by its innate properties, even if it is formed, it will hardly pose a threat to Qingluan’s level. It’s even less powerful than Song Jing’s sword.”

As he spoke, he stroked the feather with his index and middle fingers several times. The light red color was like a layer of cheap paint, and it was wiped clean in a few strokes. Shui Dielan sighed and said, “Is this okay?”

“Of course. If the feather material is not up to par, we can exchange it for the essence, blood, and spirit of this real master. We must not waste it.” With that, he flung the feather away without mercy. The wind blew it away and it disappeared.

“Looks like you have better materials… Hey, do you have a change of clothes? I’m embarrassed for you!”

Shui Dielan was referring to Li Xun’s outer robe, which was open, arms exposed, and even the hem was torn.

In fact, it was a miracle that the clothes could still be kept in this condition after such a fierce battle with Qingluan. At least Shui Dielan couldn’t understand how Li Xun had been beaten to shreds so many times, and how this outer robe had survived.

“Like the Blood Spirit Feather Sword, soaked in blood and essence for so long, it’s barely a treasure. Perhaps it’s a clone of me, right?”

Li Xun stood up and shook his tattered clothes, making a strange puffing sound.

He spun on the spot, and Shui Dielan’s vision blurred as she looked again. His tattered clothes had been restored to their original state. Many missing parts, like the sleeves and hem, had been strangely restored.

But upon closer inspection, the gray robe, woven from misty pine and iron wire, now shone with a bloody sheen. The waving sleeves shone like mist, creating a truly beautiful sight.

“The base material of this robe is genuine, and well worth the effort. Alas, even the best magic weapons are useless in the form of a blood-shadow demon. Only these things soaked in blood can still be used.”

Li Xun’s words were tinged with self-mockery. The feeling of being “inhuman” was actually quite awful. Fortunately, he was facing a demon like Shui Dielan, and the joy of being a powerful being was enough to offset most of the negative feelings.

Shui Dielan, of course, could sense his state of mind, but she didn’t try to persuade him. She smiled and pulled the purple jade box from her sleeve.

“Can the robe dye the box?”

“Of course… impossible! So thank you so much.”

Li Xun took it with a smile. “I really forgot. Thanks to you for holding it, otherwise it would have been crushed.”

He opened the box to confirm the seal inside was intact, nodded with satisfaction, and was about to put it away when Shui Dielan pressed his hand. “Wait, this is the Golden Pill Divine Mud, right? Why does it smell wrong?”

“Huh?”

Ignoring Li Xun’s confusion, Shui Dielan reached out and gently picked up the golden bead in the center of the box. She skillfully suppressed the seal and raised it above her head to examine it carefully under the bright moon.

Because of the two battles between Tianzhi and Yaofeng, and Li Xun and Qingluan, the sky above the Northern Qi Mountains was truly cloudless at this time. Moonlight poured down like water, illuminating the golden pill, and a thin haze of light suddenly rose.

Li Xun turned around and followed Shui Die Lan’s lead. He saw that the outer layer of the golden pill appeared translucent in the moonlight, yet a green mist swirled within, completely obscuring the contents of the inner layer.

After examining it for a moment, Shui Die Lan shook her head and said, “The technique is so precise, I can’t tell. But based on the smell alone, there must be a living creature locked inside.”

“Living creature?” Li Xun was completely confused. “What living creature? An insect?”

Shui Die Lan said irritably, “How would I know?” Then, frowning, he pondered.

At the crucial moment, a sudden explosion erupted, piercing over ten miles and still clearly audible. Li Xun noticed that once he had determined the direction, Shui Die Lan’s eyes immediately turned cold.

“What’s going on?”

“Maybe your senior sister did something stupid,”

she murmured, but Shui Die Lan had already vanished. Li Xun made a fussy grab, but he couldn’t find anything. With a wry smile, he could only drag his exhausted body slowly towards him.

A journey that usually took him a split second now took him ten times longer. When he leaped down from the pile of rocks onto the relatively flat ground, the sight before him startled him.

Qin Wanru sat on the ground, clutching her mother, her face horribly pale.

Shui Dielan stood before her, her face practically frozen, while Shang Shi collapsed several feet away, a pool of blood slowly spreading beneath him.

“What happened?”

The same question, uttered again, carried a far more serious tone.

Shui Dielan turned to look at Han Che, her pupils warming slightly, but her voice remained as cold as ice. “Ask your senior sister what she did.”

It had been a long time since he’d seen Shui Dielan this angry. Li Xun paused before stepping forward.

He tried to speak to Qin Wanru, but she seemed to have left her body, clinging to her mother, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Then, naturally, Li Xun’s gaze shifted to Yu Shi, and he gasped.

Yu Shi lay quietly in Qin Wanru’s arms, her eyes closed, her expression calm, as if she had fallen asleep.

Yet, Li Xun could clearly see that this sleeping beauty was no longer breathing. Her vital energy was depleted, her soul was dislocated… Every sign confirmed: she was dead!

Dead? This was absurd! How could she die out of nowhere?

Li Xun was stunned for a moment before holding his breath and forcing himself to examine her carefully.

Soon, he noticed a small scarlet metal branch embedded deep in the flesh at the side of Yu Shi’s neck, with only a short section sticking out.

Just as he was about to reach out to touch it, Shui Dielan said coldly from behind, “Don’t waste your time! The Little Red Hook is, after all, the most lethal weapon in this world. Once it enters the body, it can contaminate the essence and blood, block the spiritual orifices, capture the soul, and destroy the Nascent Soul. She won’t even need to reincarnate.”

Li Xun’s hand froze in mid-air for a moment before he came to his senses and muttered, “Where did the Little Red Hook come from?”

“Shang Shi was originally the ‘Han Yu Hook’ of the Nine Red Hooks. She was then subdued by Yu Sanren, and I took her place. God knows when she stole this Little Red Hook.”

After explaining, Shui Dielan recounted the events that had occurred. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she mentioned Shang Shi’s restraint and Qin Wanru’s hesitation.

“Master Qin is truly formidable! A mere controlled piece of trash could have been used against her to kill her own mother… What’s the point?”

Qin Wanru paled at the sound, her trembling intensifying. Her arms clung tightly to Yu Shi, leaving no room for maneuver.

Li Xun, judging by her appearance, suspected she would collapse if further provocation were to occur, quickly signaled Shui Dielan to stop her from continuing, then stepped over to Shang Shi’s side to investigate further.

Shang Shi was dead, too! Li Xun was certain of this the moment he saw her.

In the blink of an eye, five servants had been magically transformed, and two were gone. These once vibrant, bright, and powerful women were now eternally condemned to a dark prison, their beauty withered and faded. Even though they were supposedly enemies, Li Xun couldn’t help but sigh, feeling a dreamlike surrealism.

Shaking his head, he turned Shang Shi’s body over to examine the wound.

At first glance, the fatal wound was in the chest, likely caused by Qin Wanru’s powerful blow to the heart, which had shattered his heart meridians. However, for a True Person Realm expert, this death was far too pathetic.

Besides the chest wound, her current condition was remarkably similar to Yu Shi’s.

After a moment’s thought, Li Xun grasped Shang Shi’s left hand, only to find the fingers clenched tightly in a fist. He used a technique to pry the fingers apart, revealing another vermilion twig, also largely sunken into the flesh, with only a small section sticking out. Surprisingly, there was no trace of blood.

Shui Dielan approached, glanced, and exclaimed softly, “Another one? Is this… the blood-piercing technique?”

“The blood-piercing technique?”

Shui Dielan hummed, also squatting down and lifting Shang Shi’s sleeve.

Blue veins bulged on her snow-white forearm, and several black lines extended upward, crisscrossing in a complex, eerie pattern.

“Shang Shi may have harbored suicidal thoughts, using the little red hook to injure himself and use the ‘blood-piercing technique’ to unlock his potential and break the barrier.” However, despite this sudden, desperate struggle, if the little red hook lacked any special attack mechanism, with only 30% of its power remaining, someone should be able to withstand it. “

Li Xun coughed to stop Shui Dielan’s cold words.

In his opinion, it was true that Qin Wanru was hiding something, but it was too much to say that she did something extremely rebellious for it. After all, Li Xun saw everything she and Yin Sanren did for Yu Shi, and it was hard to say that it was just a “show”.

On the contrary, Shang Shi’s desperate attack was quite insightful.

Li Xun knew more about the inside story than Shui Dielan. The mess in the Gu family that the palace attendant mentioned that day involved so many people, and Shang Shi had a good reason to risk his life to cover it up.

“Looking at the context, it was probably that Yu Sanren needed the “Xuanying” and Gu Yin refused to abort the fetus.

In desperation, Yu Sanren and Yu Shi gave birth to a backup child named “Ji’er”, but she was snatched away by Yin Sanren.

“Then it was revealed that their master and disciple murdered the child. After Yu Shi regained consciousness, he broke with them over this incident… What do you think?”

“It makes sense,” Shui Dielan said, less perceptive than Li Xun. “I’m only interested in her evasive reasons…”

“Ji’er was killed by Master.” The faint voice was like wind blowing through a crack in the ice.

The two looked back to see Qin Wanru embracing her mother, staring blankly into the void. Her words, like mumbling to herself, groaned like a nightmare.

“Mother knew Ji’er was dead, but she didn’t know how. Chanyu was Master’s most trusted person and Mother’s best friend…

“You must never let Mother know! Master was already mad. She simply hated Gu Zhixuan. She wanted to break through as quickly as possible. That was the Xuanying, the fruit of Gu Zhixuan’s decades of labor. It’s truly a valuable medicinal ingredient…”

The chilling words pierced Li Xun’s heart, causing him to pause.

“Half of the Yin Fu Jing is missing, and I can’t practice it anymore. But can’t I obtain the inner or outer elixir? Ji’er was born with a primordial Dao body, so Master refined her. Mother, Ji’er was transformed into a pill by Master and swallowed…”

Qin Wanru’s hands trembled uncontrollably, but she hugged her mother tighter.

Her upper body pressed against the cooling form in her arms, her head and face buried in her mother’s still-soft embrace, only the intermittent sound of mosquitoes escaped.

“If I didn’t go near her… I just wanted to kill her so you wouldn’t know. I’m telling the truth… Mother…”

The lingering sound faded, pausing for a moment before a wail gradually emerged, finally losing control. The blood-curdling wail spread across the desolate wilderness, piercing her heart and lungs.