The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 140

Chapter 6: Courtesy

The collision occurred instantly, and a piercing scream erupted in the air. It was a sound unnaturally human, its tone strange and distorted, as if scraping against one’s heart.

Simultaneously, the sound of flesh colliding, though much deeper, was unbearable.

Bai Gui, struck by this collision, tumbled several times in the air before finally coming to rest, staring intently at the blue-gray figure that flew backwards. It seemed unharmed .

The blue-gray figure’s true form was revealed: a monkey-like monster with a long tail, sparse green fur, and wrinkled black cheeks… which was still normal. However, embedded in its face was not a normal monkey’s mouth, but a sharp, mosquito-like beak, nearly half a foot long and dark green in color, a chilling sight.

“Plague ghost!”

Su Yao exclaimed before Bai Gui reached out to touch his left arm, his expression grim.

The monkey-shaped plague ghost cried out again, flying downwards. Just as it was about to plunge back into the forest, a hand shot out from mid-air, grasping it by the scruff of the neck and cradling it in its embrace. The smiling, sickly face was none other than Plague Ghost Gou.

Bai Gui looked down coldly, and before he could speak, the void behind him rippled, and a dark red blade flashed through without a sound.

Bai Gui’s body vanished into thin air, barely avoiding it. But just as he moved, the blade flashed again, and the residual force grazed his slightly stiff left arm. Though the flesh remained unscathed, the entire sleeve instantly disintegrated into ash and flew away. “

Erosion of Gods, a Ten-foot Red”! This was the deadly weapon of the Erosion of Gods Blade.

All cultivators, heaven and earth, possessed exceptional eyesight. As Bai Gui’s sleeve shredded, he immediately noticed the skin color of his left upper arm was noticeably different from the rest of his body. It was even stiffer as he moved, clearly the result of a subtle attack from Plague Ghost Gou.

Then, a third blade swung towards him. This time, Bai Gui couldn’t avoid it anymore, so he simply raised his hand to block the blade. In the flash, his arm snapped cleanly in two and flew through the air.

The three female disciples cried out in unison, their voices echoing as a strange, dark-gray fluid rained down, a terrifying sight.

The Eclipse God Sword, despite its successful strike, showed no signs of slacking. The blade flashed again in the air, its intensity suffocating.

This time, the blade slashed past a thick, dark-red shadow.

On the ground, the Plague Ghost Gou’s expression suddenly shifted. With a strange cry, he suddenly threw the Plague Ghost Monkey from his arms with force, as if throwing a red-hot iron.

As the creature flung itself forward, a vibrant crimson glow shone through its bluish-gray fur. Then, with a series of hissing sounds, it permeated its entire body. In the blink of an eye, the “green monkey” had transformed into a “red monkey,” its color deepening.

The transformation was clearly excruciating. The Plague Ghost’s body seemed to be kneaded by an invisible hand, twisting and deforming like dough into various shapes.

The sound of creaking muscles and bones rubbing against each other was incessant. A cry threatened to rise, but it was abruptly cut off before it began, replaced by an even more brutal sound of crushing and rubbing.

Seeing this, the dark blue aura on the plague ghost’s face intensified, its face twisted and contorted as it suddenly choked on blood.

As this blood spurted out, the plague ghost, already wrung beyond its monkey-like form, let out an eardrum-splitting scream. At the same time, a bulging, blood-filled light shimmered outward, resembling a giant, round red lantern.

Then, the lantern exploded!

“Hah!”

As Master Dayan shouted, the fire in the circle of people suddenly grew brighter. The sudden increase in heat transformed into a wave of warm wind that swept over the surrounding cultivators and spread outward.

Just then, the burst of bloody light struck, striking the three younger cultivators.

The three women simultaneously grasped their swords, but before they could unsheathe their swords, the scorching air within the circle had already surged forward, like an invisible curtain. The blood, no matter how powerful, could only stain one side of the “curtain,” preventing any penetration.

Luo Qichang silently praised Mr. Dayan. Though his move wasn’t particularly powerful, it deftly avoided conflict with the Blood Demon’s energy, maintaining their neutral position. His control of the heat was truly masterful.

The three women simultaneously sighed. Even if they could block the bloody light as it rushed towards them, the feeling would have been utterly disgusting.

Luo Yuji, barely recovering from her shock, cried out in frustration, “What the hell is this trick!”

“That’s the Blood Nightmare clone. It was struck when the Plague Ghost’s long beak pierced the Hundred Ghosts’ arm.”

Luo Qichang didn’t reprimand his daughter for her indecisiveness, but instead sneered, “How ridiculous! Diao Zifeng thought he had a plan, only to have the Hundred Ghosts exploit it and destroy his Plague Ghost in one fell swoop—how could the Blood Demon’s blood be so easily handled?”

Luo Yuji finally understood, and also learned that the Plague Ghost’s name was Diao Zifeng.

Just as she was thinking, she turned her head, realizing something was happening, just in time to see the man retreating into the depths of the jungle with a sullen expression.

Meanwhile, the Soul-Slaying Axe, which had been approaching mid-air, inexplicably stopped, glared at the two men fighting nearby, and then turned and fled.

“What…what’s going on?”

As she wondered, the battle in the sky had completely ceased. The Divine Eclipse Sword retreated instantly, escaping into the distance without a single ghost attempting to stop it.

“The drama of fighting all the way from the southeast forest to the southwest is finally over,” Luo Qichang chuckled. “Let’s not talk about the anticlimactic start but the whimpering finish, at least it was a blast…”

Before he could finish, a sudden flash of light appeared in the southern sky, and over a dozen cultivators, riding swords, descended with an impressive presence.

All present were experts, and a glance told them they were all members of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect. They must have learned of the news and rushed in. This was probably why the Zhu Gou Sect’s assassins retreated earlier.

Su Yao slapped his knee and laughed, “Old Minghuo is finally making his stance clear. This is truly fascinating.”

Perhaps he’d laughed too loudly, as the Hundred Ghosts in mid-air suddenly lowered their heads, seemingly only just realizing the massive fire and the surrounding cultivators.

A leisurely smile spread across his handsome face, and he descended with unwavering confidence, oblivious to his approaching “fellow disciples.”

A moment of silence fell around the fire; everyone remained wary of the newly ascended demon. Their attention was so captivated that they overlooked the suppressed trembling of one of their companions.

Li Xun, already mid-air, had clearly identified the cultivators below. Seeing the two sect masters at once did indeed raise some doubts within him, but his growing courage and valor, which had grown over the past few days, quickly washed away those concerns. In

the distance, the cultivators of the Sky Horizon Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect were drawing closer.

Li Xun took only two or three steps onto the ground before his clothes, rippled by the fierce battle, were restored to their original state in a wave of ripples. The strange scene only served to highlight his aura as a “newly minted demon.”

A few steps from the fire, Li Xun stopped abruptly and scanned every face, leaving no one behind.

In the process, he met eyes brimming with complex and incomprehensible emotions.

His heart fluttered, but his expression remained calm. Finally, his gaze settled on the two sect leaders sitting side by side, and he let out a heartfelt laugh.

“It is truly an honor to have you two sect leaders here in this desolate and harsh southwest. Please forgive me if I failed to take care of anything during the chaotic battle between the Hundred Ghosts and their formidable foe.”

He spoke with the air of a master, a matter-of-fact and imposing manner. If not for the fact that everyone present knew his true identity, he might have fooled them. It

would have been fine for anyone else, but Luo Yuji, now an enemy, was envied. Upon hearing this, she snorted coldly, “It seems as if this place has truly become your property…”

Before he could finish his words, a woman’s clear voice descended from mid-air: “Miss Luo, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Junior Brother Baigui is a prized disciple of our sect leader, Madam Yan. And all of this southwestern jungle belongs to our sect. There’s nothing wrong with what he said.”

As the voices shone through the air, figures

began to appear. More than a dozen Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect disciples had already landed behind Li Xun. The first of the female cultivators had a delicate and gentle face, a graceful figure, and a slightly grayish complexion, resembling a middle-aged woman. Luo Yuji immediately recognized her as Yan Ru, the renowned “Cloud Witch” of the Tongxuan Realm.

After all, she was Madam Yan’s prized disciple, a worthy successor to his legacy. Facing the two righteous sect masters, Yan Ru remained calm and composed. He stepped forward and stood beside Baigui, bowing before saying, “We apologize for not being able to greet you, our two sect masters, upon your arrival on our territory.”

Previously, Baigui had been able to ignore Luo Qichang and the others, relying on their status. However, now that Yan Ru was addressing them on behalf of the sect, the two could not help but express their gratitude.

Mr. Dayan then nodded, “Donghuang and I are merely passing through, resting here for a moment. There’s no need to trouble your sect to welcome us.”

The difference between good and evil meant that there wasn’t much room for formalities. Yan Ru, having fulfilled the formalities, dismissed the matter.

She said, “Please make yourselves,” then turned and smiled, “Junior Brother Baigui’s victorious battle against Qingluan on Beiqi Mountain has brought honor to our sect. The Sect Master and Master were very pleased to hear this. It’s said that during this ancestral ceremony, Junior Brother Baigui will become our sect’s youngest elder. I congratulate you in advance.”

Li Xun was still unmoved by these words, but Mr. Dayan and the others nearby were quite surprised, looking at each other, unsure of what to express.

Yan Ru ignored the question and continued, “Master heard that you’d returned and ordered us to welcome you. The ancestral ceremony is imminent. Junior Brother, you don’t need to go through Tenghua Valley, so you can go directly to Guimen Lake.”

“As Madam commands,” Li Xun smiled faintly, his gaze shifting to the onlookers. He nodded affably and turned to leave.

“Don’t leave, ghosts! I have something to ask you.”

With that, everyone’s eyes shifted to Luo Qichang. He didn’t even look up, poking the fire with a branch, looking arrogant.

Li Xun stopped in his tracks and turned away, seemingly unfazed by the other’s harsh tone and attitude, still smiling, “What advice does the Eastern Emperor have?”

Luo Qichang then dropped the branch and raised his gaze to meet Li Xun’s. They looked away, seemingly without any intention of clashing.

But his words remained flat and cold: “During the Water Mirror Conference, my worthless daughter was injured. The technique that injured her is the Burning Blood Essence…”

The air around them visibly choked, and both sides tensed. Was this about to start a fight?

A few quick-witted individuals glanced at Luo Yuji, only to see her pale complexion, as if her vital energy had been depleted, like she’d just recovered from a serious illness. It didn’t seem like Luo Qichang was deliberately picking a fight.

Li Xun’s brow furrowed as he thought back to the day he’d witnessed Tianzhi killing Xu Kang. Luo Yuji was one of the victims. Tianzhi must have shown mercy, otherwise the girl wouldn’t have survived.

After a moment’s reflection, he replied nonchalantly, “I’ve heard about your daughter’s attack, but it had nothing to do with me…”

“I didn’t say it was you, so why are you so anxious?”

Perhaps with her father’s support, Luo Yuji’s aura had revived, a certain aggressiveness to her. However, her words had many people baffled.

Luo Qichang didn’t care what others thought, simply saying coldly, “I didn’t say it was you, but as a modern-day Blood Demon, you should be well-versed in the legacy of the Blood Godson. I simply want to know if you know or have any leads on the person who injured Yuji that day?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know,” Li Xun replied with a straightforward smile.

Luo Qichang’s eyes grew colder, a sign of anger, but to everyone’s surprise, after a few breaths of stalemate with the Hundred Ghosts, he lowered his eyelids and said calmly, “That’s it.”

Was that all? Luo Qichang raised his hand high and then gently lowered it, leaving everyone in a state of confusion.

Li Xun curled his lips slightly, nodded, and turned to leave. But Luo Qichang paused, saying, “Your grudge has its own nemesis… I’ll spare your life for old Tianyuan. If the Xingji Sword Sect can’t stop you, I’ll take your life soon.”

No one saw any falsehood in Luo Qichang’s words, nor did anyone believe that killing the Hundred Ghosts would be as easy as he claimed.

But without this domineering aura, how could Luo Qichang earn the name “Eastern Emperor”?

Li Xun didn’t turn around, only letting out a few low, cold laughs in response. Before his laughter faded, he was already soaring into the air.

Behind him, the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect’s troops also soared into the sky, disappearing in an instant.

“Dong Huang and this person actually have such a entanglement.”

Mr. Dayan retracted his distant gaze and glanced at Luo Yuji’s face again, nodding. “Your daughter’s blood and energy have not yet recovered, which is indeed a sign of being injured by the ‘Burning Blood Essence’. But how can Dong Huang be sure that this was not the work of Bai Gui?”

Luo Qichang smiled and said, “My daughter has a long-standing grudge with the Taoist Bai Gui, so she is relatively familiar with him. She is sure that the person who hurt her was definitely not the Taoist Bai Gui. I still have confidence in my daughter’s judgment.”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Dayan pondered for a moment. Su Yao interrupted, “Yes, I heard Sect Master Shi Wuya say that two ‘Blood Demons’ appeared at the Shuijing Conference. Their cultivation levels were different, but the one with the lower cultivation level had a more refined attainment in the ‘Blood Shadow Demon Body’.

“A few days ago, the Shuijing Sect released the video of the battle between Bai Gui and Qing Luan. I also saw this boy’s skill in using the ‘Blood Shadow Demon Body’ to the point of near-perfection and purity. So it seems that the one with the higher cultivation level must have injured your daughter.” “

Luo Qichang nodded slightly in approval.

Mei Jie lowered her voice and asked by the fire: “Miss Luo, how did you tell that the ‘blood demon’ that hurt you was not one of the Hundred Ghosts?”

Because of Luo Qichang’s seniority, if Mei Jie got serious, she would have to call Luo Yujie “master uncle”. To avoid embarrassment, Mei Jie had to use a vague title.

Luo Yuji knew all about this very well and just smiled, “Well, it’s actually very easy to tell them apart.

Although it was just a glance, the feeling is that they are different. “To be specific, Bai Gui is tall and thin, while the person who attacked me is shorter. His eyes are also different. The person’s eye sockets are slightly longer and more beautiful than Bai Gui’s. What’s more important is that Bai Gui is cautious and never has any special smell on his body. Although that person has a strong bloody smell, he used spices and is of very high quality…”

Mei Jie praised softly, “It’s rare that Miss Luo can find so many differences in such a short time.”

Her flattery made Luo Yuji feel very good about her. She suppressed her complacency and said modestly, “It’s nothing. It’s mainly because I have a feud with Bai Gui and the person who attacked me left a very deep impression. But I have a feeling that the person who attacked me is more likely to be a female cultivator!”

“Female cultivator?” Su Yao seemed to understand something through Gu Pin’er, “What niece Yuji said makes sense.”

Luo Qichang on the other side continued to smile and said, “It is inevitable that there will be mistakes in the details reproduced by children purely from memory.

“Even if what she said is true, that person who practiced ‘Blood God Son’ was obviously a latecomer. His original cultivation must have been astounding. There are only three or two female cultivators in this world with such cultivation. I can’t find anyone who matches him.”

Su Yao actually counted on his fingers after hearing this, muttering to himself, then frowned, “Why not? Among these two or three people, Master Tianzhi certainly can’t be, but that Yin Sanren also has a top cultivation level…”

“Oh, by the way, if others don’t know, how could Donghuang not know that Yin Sanren recently reappeared and had a conflict with your sect? It seems that he was involved with that Baigui at that time.”

Hearing the name “Yin Sanren”, Luo Qichang’s eyes flashed with undisguised murderous intent, and his smile was also icy: “If Yin Zhonghua really disregarded her dignity and practiced the garbage that even Xue Sanren didn’t use, it would be much easier for me to kill her with my sword.

“It’s a pity that according to the monks who fought with her, Yin Zhonghua should have mastered the “Yin Fu Jing” during her decades of seclusion. It is impossible for her to practice other methods. So it definitely couldn’t be her!”

Mr. Dayan frowned slightly and said, “How could Baigui have such a wide circle of friends? The Shuijing Sect’s proclamation said that he had a close relationship with “Nishui Gou” Shui Dielan. If you add in the background of Yin Sanren and even the Ghost Shadow Devouring Sect…to be able to establish a friendship with Yin Sanren and still save his life is definitely a remarkable person.

Su Yao clicked his tongue repeatedly, then suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Gu Pin’er, “By the way, Pin’er once met Bai Gui in the Southeast Forest. What do you think of him?” Gu

Pin’er was already half asleep when she was caught off guard again. She hesitated for a long time and couldn’t say anything.

In the end, Luo Yuji on the other side came to her rescue: “Junior Sister Gu, you just met Bai Gui once. That guy is very patient. How can you explain it clearly? I’ve been dealing with him for decades and I still feel confused.”

Su Yao laughed and ignored Gu Pin’er. He took a breath and looked at Luo Yuji, who was rarely smiling.

Luo Yuji winked at her, and their friendship, which had been stagnant for decades, seemed to slowly flow again.

Compared to Mr. Dayan’s solemnity, Luo Qichang was noticeably more relaxed. He smiled, “Brother Dayan, what do you think Old Netherfire will do to Baigui when he returns?”

Mr. Dayan pondered, “Winning over Baigui during a sect’s internal strife is naturally best, but Baigui’s leanings are obvious. Deliberately favoring him will only lead to immediate conflict. Lord Bishui won’t sit idly by and wait for death. That would only make the situation worse…”

At this thought, he suddenly broke into laughter, “Why should we bother ourselves with this? Others will take care of this matter. Whether it’s a good thing or not depends on the fate of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect.”

“Brother Dayan, you’re quite right. Well, now that the fun is over, I’ll take my leave.” Luo Qichang acted decisively and stood up. He smiled, “Brother Dayan, although you’ve worked so hard for Brother Ti’s reincarnation, you can’t just sit back and do nothing about the situation in the north or the south.

“Especially in the north. There have been recent rumors that Yaofeng, Qingluan, and Guyin have fallen out. The situation at the Loose Cultivator Alliance is unpredictable.”

“Three people make a tiger, a mere rumor. It’s hard to believe. However, while the north and the south are vast, they are two sides of the same coin. As long as the situation in the south is under control, the north won’t be a concern, and vice versa.”

Master Dayan continued, “After I find the Soul-Shaping Pond, I will accept Sect Master Li’s invitation to head to the Soul-Calming Sea. The Eastern Emperor should follow suit.”

Luo Qichang nodded in agreement. “My wife has already led the sect’s elite troops there, and I’ll follow shortly. Besides you and me, the Fahua Sect and the Xumiao Sect of the Nine Righteous Sects also have the Fahua Sect and the Xumiao Sect. Together, these five sects should be more than enough to stabilize the situation.”

Hearing his confidence, Master Dayan frowned slightly, wanting to offer a warning, but ultimately gave up and stood to bid farewell.

Luo Qichang laughed heartily, took Luo Yuji’s hand, and drifted away amidst her hurried farewells.

As the two of them faded into the distance, Master Dayan shook his head and said, “These are truly turbulent times. We can’t stay here for long. Let’s get going.”

The cultivators responded by stoking their fires. After a brief tidying up, they soared into the air, heading deep into the jungle.

Just as Mei Jie was flying up, she accidentally looked back and asked curiously, “Pin’er, where are you looking?”

“Well, nothing.”

While whispering, Gu Pin’er flew on her sword, broke through the void filled with someone’s breath, and flew away.