The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 151

Chapter 3 Changes

The sound seemed ready to die at any moment, yet when it finally reached the ears, it stirred a considerable ripple.

Madam Yan, standing beside Li Xun, felt her breath erratically upon hearing the sound, her shifting state of mind evident.

Li Xun couldn’t explain the feeling within him, only casting his gaze towards the altar.

In the abysmal darkness, the vague shadow seemed to sharpen, taking on a vaguely human form, vaguely resembling Netherfire. But the more it solidified, the more it seemed he would fall into the abyss beyond at any moment.

Yet, Netherfire’s voice was authentic:

“The seal has only just been broken, and the Nine Netherworld’s earth energy is constantly rubbing against this world’s vital energy. A new seal hasn’t yet been established. With Yuanjun’s cultivation, escape shouldn’t be difficult. However, my method wasn’t intended for Yuanjun.”

A sense of ease and ease lingered in his voice. “We went to the worst-case scenario first, thinking we were only preparing for those smaller players in the Northern and Western Alliances to let them know that while our Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect isn’t what it once was, it’s not to be trifled with… I didn’t expect Yuanjun to antagonize the Gu family uncle and nephew, disrupting the situation. A missed shot. What a pity, what a pity!”

He spoke casually, but Yaofeng’s expression was less relaxed.

Yaofeng pondered for a moment before smiling, “I remember Mi Xuancang saying and doing the same thing back then.”

Mi Xuancang?

Li Xun felt the name sounded familiar. As he pondered, he suddenly realized something and looked down at Madam Yan, only to see her struggling to look up, staring blankly at him.

Li Xun pondered for a moment and whispered, “Who is Mi Xuancang?”

Madam Yan paused for a moment before saying, “He… is the last lord of Xuanhai Youming City.”

A flash of inspiration flashed through Li Xun’s mind, and the information he had heard earlier was rapidly reorganizing. Just as he was about to gain some insight, the laughter of Netherfire spread.

“Only a senior like Yuanjun could understand me. Speaking of which, if it weren’t for Yuanjun’s use of the Celestial Pure Fire to penetrate the sealed realm and maintain the void’s integrity, it’s hard to say how many of us would have survived. Especially since my remnant soul still lingers here, I owe it to Yuanjun.”

The demon phoenix also smiled. “The old Qing Emperor couldn’t stop Mi Xuancang back then, and I can’t stop you today. I used to be a complete skeptic of reincarnation, but now it seems I’ve been wrong. To be reborn after facing death, regardless of right or wrong, to see this magical power again after several lifetimes, no matter the outcome today, it’s worth coming here.”

In a trance, both sides lost the ability to distinguish between friend and foe.

After the demon phoenix finished speaking, they both bowed their heads slightly in sincere admiration. His voice mingled with Netherfire’s laughter, sending ripples of shockwaves through this special space.

Suddenly, Netherfire’s laughter ceased, and his silhouette on the altar became clearer.

At the same time, Li Xun felt a chill pierce through him, then settle on Madam Yan.

“Yan Yuanmi stepped forward. Even though Minghuo looked like neither a human nor a ghost, after he had taken control of the situation, his orders were still quite commanding.

Li Xun was so close that his heart tightened and he moved back slightly. Madam Yan’s reaction was even greater than his, and she couldn’t stop shaking no matter what.

Li Xun understood her current state of mind very well, so he reached out his hand and quietly helped her. With this little strength, Madam Yan finally had the strength to stand up. She slowly got up and walked forward with difficulty.

Yaofeng and Qingying were now qualified guests and had no intention of intervening.

The surging tide of Yin energy pushed Madam Yan’s body all the time, making her walk unsteadily, as if she might fall at any time, but she didn’t hesitate at all.

At this time, Madam Yan was more like a walking corpse. It was only instinct that moved her.

Time flowed extremely slowly, but everyone present was surprisingly patient. It wasn’t until Madam Yan reached the edge of the island in the middle of the lake, beneath the bubbling water, that she finally hesitated.

The lake, normally a simple step across, had become an insurmountable chasm due to the surge of Yin energy. In her current state, she would likely be swept away even if she drew breath.

Before the altar, You Li suddenly sneered. His figure vanished, and everyone saw nothing but a flash of light. Madam Yan had stumbled against the steps. In an instant, their positions reversed, a move somewhat similar to what Lord Meng Zhang had used not long ago, though the difficulty was tenfold in this place and at this moment.

Madam Yan struggled to her feet, kneeling on the ground, her forehead touching the ground lightly, without a word. This is what it means to be heartbroken.

Hellfire Yama chuckled softly: “Five Extremes Unseal the Nine Nether Devouring Realm. Yan Yuan, who saw this ravaged and spit-covered world, is this what my sister would want?” “

Mrs. Yan fell silent, only pressing her forehead against the ground with a faint sound.

The voice of Hellfire Yama was still weak and ethereal: “Yes, this is not what sister wants, and of course it is not what I want. However, the disaster has come. I destroyed the sect’s holy land with my own hands… Now I only have this little shadow left, and it will probably be gone with a gust of wind. It is my instruction to my ancestors that my soul and body will be annihilated. Where is sister Yan Yuan?”

Mrs. Yan raised her forehead slightly and kowtowed again: “Yan Yuan, die.”

“Die?” The shadow on the altar trembled and then laughed coldly: “It would be a relief to die. I don’t allow such an instruction, and my ancestors will not agree to it.”

This light sentence made the atmosphere in the field stagnate again until he spoke again: “First, remove the stone! “

Mrs. Yan looked up in astonishment. Following the words of Netherfire Yama, a ball of bright light suddenly lit up more than ten miles away on the other side of the lake island. Although it was weak, it made people feel clear-headed against the gloomy background. A little later, similar lights lit up one after another around Guimen Lake, gradually connecting into one, making the gray-black sky brighter.

At this moment, whether it was the elders who were still in shock or Li Xun who was watching the fire from the other side of the river, they all felt relieved at the flash of light.

Among the surviving elders, there was one named Yan Zeng who belonged to Mrs. Yan’s faction. He was more straightforward and jumped up and danced like crazy: “For our ancestors, our sect is not dead!”

“The earth’s energy can withstand the disaster of the sky… The earth’s energy can withstand the disaster of the sky! !” Mrs. Yan took in the whole scene. She muttered to herself and suddenly felt a chill on her face. When she reached out to wipe it, she realized that she was already in tears. “The good sect’s bloodline is still there!” “

It’s a shame that you still have a conscience. “The voice of Hellfire Yama was deep and dark, and he sneered: “With the protection of the earth energy pillars, perhaps seven or eight out of three thousand disciples can survive. But compared to the time when Mi Xuancang sealed the city. So what?

” “Back then, Xuanhai Youming City was in decline, and among the fifty thousand disciples, there was not a single True One Sect leader, which became the laughing stock of this world. Under the bullying of other sects, Mi Xuancang angrily sealed the city and used the magical powers of the Five Extremes Unsealing and the Nine Nether Devouring Realm.

“The Nine Nether Realm eroded this world, cutting off all access to the inside and outside. Even a True One would have to risk his life to escape. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of years later, is there anyone from the once prosperous Xuanhai lineage who can return to this world and avenge the previous humiliation?”

“A few people really came out later:…” Yaofeng suddenly interrupted, his tone calm but unpredictable: “What a pity. Those people only had mediocre cultivation and could only guard the old place of the sect without making any progress. By the time they died, the fifty thousand disciples within Xuanhai Youming City would have been reduced to ashes. A venerable sect known only as the Old Capital was absurd and ridiculous!

Yaofeng had been cultivating in this world since ancient times, and his experiences were unmatched by others. Such a statement was undoubtedly believable.

Hellfire Yama, unconcerned with her unauthorized intervention, addressed Madam Yan, “Do you understand what Yuanjun has said?”

Madam Yan remained silent. Minghuo paused unhurriedly before continuing, “Mi Xuancang’s original intention was to have the sect’s disciples fight tooth and nail, relying on the pure vital energy within the sealed realm to cultivate a few Grandmasters over a thousand years to restore the Xuanhai lineage’s glory. Unfortunately, after him, none of the tens of thousands of disciples achieved anything, resulting in the sect’s disbanding and the old guarding of the graves.

“Among the elders and disciples of prominent families behind me, only my sister and Baigui have any promise. Baigui’s situation is special, leaving only Fang, who can barely control the sect and rally its people. Does Yan Yuanna know?”

Madam Yan was stunned and speechless upon hearing this, kneeling on the ground like a petrified statue. The elders looked at each other in bewilderment. But after careful consideration, they felt there was no better option.

After a long silence, Madam Yan again pressed her forehead to the ground. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Yan Yuan, facing death, has no face to hold the position of Sect Master again.”

“Is this still a position?” “The Hellfire Yama laughed softly: “Three thousand disciples are locked in this world and may never be born again in this lifetime. Whoever takes over the position of the sect leader will be like being carried on the edge of a ten-thousand-foot abyss. If he makes a slight mistake, he will be smashed to pieces…Yan Yuan, this is the retribution sent by our ancestors. If you don’t take it, who will?” Yan

Yuan was speechless for a moment, but Li Xun and the others, prompted by Netherfire Yama’s words, reacted and felt a chill in their hearts as they looked at the vast expanse of light around them.

Even if only 20% or 30% of the sect’s disciples had gone, there were still around 2,000 of them. They were all accustomed to freedom, but now they were confined to a radius of a thousand miles, not to mention the extremely harsh environment here.

How was this any different from being prisoners?

To appease these two thousand prisoners without extraordinary skill, scheming, and authority would be a pipe dream. Even Madam Yan seemed a little lacking… The elders on the other side felt a sense of bewilderment, their excitement from a narrow escape instantly dissipating.

Li Xun pondered for a moment and cast his gaze towards Youli. This theoretical sect rival was staring at Yaofeng with a cold expression.

As if sensing Li Xun’s sunlight, he turned his head, and their eyes met before looking away.

Li Xun turned his attention to the surrounding layer of ash, carefully using his divine sense to explore and sense its mechanism.

“Nine Netherworld Earth Qi permeates the area, with the highest concentration within a ten-mile radius of the center. The surrounding area is surrounded by nearly a hundred layers of blockades, each interwoven with turbulent currents. Because it’s directly connected to the Nine Netherworld Realm, the seal should experience tidal fluctuations with the passage of time and season…”

Li Xun quickly grasped the main structure of the “Nine Netherworld Devouring Realm.” This place absolutely couldn’t stop the Demon Phoenix, not even a Grandmaster of his caliber could stop him. However, those below the True One level who wished to escape the Prisoner’s control over their True Qi required extreme precision, maintaining both the speed of their escape and the strength of their defenses without igniting the backlash of the Yin Qi tide.

Judging by their cultivation level, Madam Yan and the other elders were likely to face a life-or-death struggle.

“What a sieve!” Li Xun sighed inwardly. “Anyone emerging from this could make a name for themselves in this realm. If this virtuous cycle could be established over a period of

a thousand years, perhaps the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect could regain its former glory.” But if the sect’s disciples’ restlessness can’t be contained, even the internal friction alone could doom the sect… Netherfire has truly left Madam Yan with a daunting dilemma.”

Madam Yan naturally understood what he could think of, and even went a step further. But she couldn’t refuse such an incredibly difficult task. Nor could she face the shame of rejecting it.

Perhaps, as Netherfire Yama had said, this was retribution from the ancestors, and if she still had a shred of conscience,

she must bear it. The so-called interests no longer mattered.

So, Madam Yan kowtowed deeply and said resolutely, “Yan Yuan willingly accepts this retribution.” She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, “Ancestors, if any of the sect’s disciples remain imprisoned within this sealed realm, Yan Yuan will not be born. Anyone who breaks this oath will be condemned to eternal damnation, their soul cursed with eternal calamity, unable to know whether they will live or die.” “

As the voice finally faded away, the light thunder in the atmosphere stirred a small shock.

The onlookers were speechless for a moment. With the name of their ancestors first and the curse of the Netherworld Eternal Tribulation behind, such a vicious oath to arouse the resonance between heaven and earth was not just a casual remark.

After seeing this, Li Xun was surprised and didn’t know what he felt in his heart.

He could understand Madam Yan’s thoughts. But he never thought that it would be expressed in such a fierce way. And he saw. Youli on the side was also surprised. Maybe this was not the scene he and Minghuo had expected.

But no matter what, Madam Yan’s practice of cutting off all her retreats could not say anything even if people were dissatisfied with her.

Seeing that the matter was about to be settled, Li Xun’s attention turned to the demon phoenix again, but suddenly Minghuo’s whisper rang in his ears: “Hundred Ghosts, come forward. “

It was almost the same way as the way he greeted Madam Yan just now, but Li Xun’s attitude was much calmer. He thought for a moment and gave Netherfire the gift, and then he walked forward slowly. When he passed through the lake, he proved his ability to come and go freely with ease.

As he got closer to the altar, he had a more intuitive understanding of Netherfire Yama’s current situation.

The shadow in front of the rift leading to the Nine Netherworld was indeed the remaining soul of Netherfire. I don’t know what method he used to borrow the surrounding Nine Netherworld earth energy to temporarily maintain his form. However,

as the rift continued to expand, the soul’s residual image was also subjected to heavier impacts and could be reduced to ashes at any time.

Seeing him like this, Li Xun stepped forward, saluted, and said lightly: “What are your instructions, Sect Master?”

The blurred soul’s residual image had no expression, but the sound of Netherfire shaking the air was clearly a sigh: “Remember that I encouraged you to cut off your arm and make a quick end, but I didn’t know that in the end, I was the one who ended it first. “Hundred Ghosts, the sect has nothing to offer you…”

The energy transformed into a vortex of mist and then cleared away.

By the time people focused their attention on the small island supporting the altar, including the Yin-Transforming Pond on it, it had completely vanished, leaving only a deep, dark rift embedded in the void.

Li Xun, seizing the opportunity, leaped into the air, while Madam Yan was a step slower and was thrown out by the impact. The surging Yin Fire surged, trailing the steaming water. The remaining momentum followed closely behind her, and the swirling flames easily shredded her protective Qi, igniting her ritual garments and instantly transforming her into a fiery figure.

Seeing this mid-air, Li Xun didn’t hesitate to charge down and extinguish her before the Yin Fire surge. Xiang Qian’s palm print on her chest reversed the Yin Fire and absorbed the flames.

At the same time, You Li on the other side of the lake had also made a move to chase him. The Yin Fire tide was pulled up by a clever force and rolled up into the sky.

Li Xun took this opportunity to grab Madam Yan and rushed forward to escape the range of the Yin Fire.

Madam Yan was already seriously injured, and the burns of the Yin Fire made her injuries even worse. Fortunately, the sect’s sacrificial robes were woven from the finest “Mist Pine Iron” and had the ability to absorb Yin Fire. It also had good protection and prevented her from being completely disfigured.

She was still conscious and escaped danger. She grabbed Li Xun’s upper arm and said in a trembling voice: “Master.” “

Li Xun looked back speechlessly, only to see the darkness near the rift grow thicker and the blurry afterimage completely vanish. Madam Yan held her breath, grasping Li Xun’s hand until she unknowingly pinched into his flesh. There

was another muffled explosion in the lake, and a huge vortex had just formed on the surface of the lake, but it was immediately dispersed by the overwhelming force. With two consecutive bangs, Qingying, who had fallen into the lake, and the shadow of the sneak attack, appeared on the lake one after another and faced each other again.

Under the pressure of the huge force, the surrounding Nine Netherworlds’ earth energy rubbed violently, and the lightning in the void twisted and transformed into several thick electric snakes, shaking their heads and tails. It lashed in all directions.

Li Xun, carrying Madam Yan, dodged the aftermath of the lightning. Looking up, he was startled to see the two sides were evenly matched. He quickly realized that Lai Qingjia had been the victim of the other’s attack first. His left arm was already stained with blood, and he had to protect Lin Wuyou. All these unfavorable factors combined to lead to this outcome.

However, his luck with sneaking up on the man might have ended here.

In the sky, a demonic phoenix shadowed, breaking through the turbulent lightning and forming a pincer attack with Qingyang.

The combined attack of these two demons would have forced Zhong Yin to temporarily avoid the attack, forcing the shadow to retreat. The demonic wind’s fingertips brushed across his back, stripping away half of his flesh.

The golden-red flames expanded and contracted, surging with a fierce and domineering force, sweeping away the man’s flesh and blood, though some fragments of flesh and blood still splattered. The radiance, reflected by

the intense light , made Li Xun’s eyes widen.

“Blood-colored silver-gray…”

He suddenly understood what the man was.

Li Xunyao clearly understood Youli’s expression. The Ghost-Eating Sect Master, whose stance was puzzling, suddenly turned around, his beard stretched wide, and sternly shouted, “It’s a puppet… Yan Yuan!”

“Don’t delay me!” Madam Yan finally understood what had happened, and a sullen color crossed her pretty face amidst her screams.

Faced with this situation, Youli felt somewhat uneasy. The most important thing now was to stop the fighting. Otherwise, if the fierce fighting continued, the unstable Nine Nether Devouring Realm would likely suffer unpredictable consequences.

A sea of fire swept down from the sky, crashing down with over a dozen waves, turning the remaining jungle around Suxin Island into a blaze. Even the tiny pinpricks of light that had lit up in the distance flickered under the onslaught for a few breaths before extinguishing a fraction.

Seeing this scene, Madam Yan’s eyes widened.

The extinguishing of a single “glow” meant the deaths of dozens, even hundreds, of the sect’s disciples. If this continued, not even 70% or 80% would survive, but the complete extinction was not out of the question.

If it wasn’t Madam Yan, could it be that Gui Shan had gone alone?

The thought was vetoed by Li Xun the moment it formed. A puppet’s self-generated consciousness must be of the “Mysterious” level. Madam Yan’s was clearly inferior…

Li Xun had just found the starting point when thunder roared in the air. The mighty Demon Phoenix’s palms and fingers morphed, unleashing a thousand fire bombs that crushed the surrounding area. Qingying locked the air with her Void Palm Blade. No matter how cunning the puppets tried, they couldn’t avoid them. Flesh and blood flew everywhere.

The thunder and fire ignited the Yin Fire, igniting the entire sky. The rain of fire fell, triggering an explosion of Yin Fire on the surface. The flames from above and below converged within the sealed realm, creating a fiery inferno.

On the other side, You Xi and several other elders were clearly straining and screaming.

Before Li Xun could move, You Li had already made his move.

From his sleeve flew a small carved ornament resembling a Heavenly King umbrella. Catching the wind, it sprouted a web of emerald flames, forming a continuous web. By the time it reached the elders’ heads, it had grown dozens of times in size and hovered in mid-air. The humming movement, in conjunction with the surrounding Yin Fire’s inhalation and exhalation, created an invisible barrier that protected them for a short period.

Although a formidable magical weapon, You Li felt like he had thrown a stone. Looking up at the sky, he saw the puppet had collapsed. Its limbs were severed, three of its chest and abdomen had been torn open with a massive gash, and even half its head was missing.