The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 162

Chapter 6 Exposed

Compared to the chaotic thoughts of the Mingxin Sword Sect cultivators, Li Xun’s thoughts were surprisingly simple.

His blood-shadow demonic body, controlled by his “spiritual consciousness,” filtered out useless distractions. His attention was firmly fixed on Qing Yin and the Slashing Sky Divine Sword. All his thoughts revolved around these two.

Though the sword energy had receded, the intense sensation hadn’t diminished in the slightest, and was even showing signs of intensification. Even at a distance of a thousand miles, Li Xun still felt it was “dazzling.”

Yet, the more this happened, the more reassured he became.

The saying that divine objects conceal themselves is not just a legend.

In the Tongxuan Realm, most magical weapons and swords worthy of the title of “treasures” possess a restrained, gentle, and spiritual glow while also accumulating greater explosive power. This is the nature of the Great Dao.

Qing Yin, wielding the Slashing Sky Sword, drew the soaring sword energy, but he couldn’t retract it. Clearly, he lacked full control over the divine sword.

Thus, even if the Slashing Sky Sword posed a significant threat to him, Li Xun could exploit this flaw and defeat it with a single strike.

Thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Xun flew across nearly a thousand miles, dashing down from Zuowang Peak and truly entering the Lianxia Mountains.

By this time, the sky was already dwindling. In the early morning light, Li Xun saw the sword lights flashing around Zhiguan Peak, all in a state of panic and haste.

From there, heading south, the intense reaction had already faded, though the speed was slow, so many cultivators were still pursuing.

Suddenly, the sword energy reacted with a violent fluctuation. Although it subsided instantly, it still caused a sharp pain in Li Xun’s forehead, who had been watching closely

. Li Xun didn’t hesitate and gave chase.

After flying only a hundred miles or so, another wave of vibrations occurred, though it was weaker than the previous one. At this time, the Chuitian Bell began to ring again.

The reverberating sound waves shook his heart.

Li Xun initially thought it was directed at him, but he soon realized his mistake.

A long, deep voice echoed from the void, its piercing bell ringing echoing in all directions. In his haste, Li Xun couldn’t make out the words.

“The demon, Ruthless Hand, disciples below the Ling generation must defend their respective peaks. Do not pursue!”

Ruthless Hand? Demon?

As soon as this thought occurred to Li Xun, he saw a crimson mass below, a bloody mass scattered around. It looked as if at least two cultivators had been shattered by heavy blows.

The scene passed by quickly, and even though Li Xun’s hands were covered in blood, his heart pounded. Qing Yin had actually killed!

A few dozen miles further, another body fell onto the mountainside. Its limbs were still intact, but its bones and meridians had been crushed.

Just three or five miles away, another body lay dead in the river valley. This time, it was a second-generation disciple from a side branch. Li Xun had seen him at the foot of the mountain, calling him “Uncle Master” and had some impression of him.

Li Xun finally stopped and landed beside the body, speechless as he looked at the familiar face. After a pause, he squatted down and gently pressed his hand against the side of the neck. He saw that the deceased’s mind had been destroyed, and his Huangting Golden Elixir had been dispersed. The technique was even cleaner and more efficient than the previous two.

This sudden change in killing method made Li Xun’s face heavy.

It seemed that Qing Yin was gradually becoming more familiar with and mastering the power of the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword, and his progress was far greater than expected.

Furthermore, Li Xun could sense that Qing Yin’s speed was steadily increasing, like a person freed from a heavy burden.

This proved, in another way, that Qing Yin was gradually adapting to the pressure of the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword, and success was possible.

“So, is this a test of a fellow disciple?”

Li Xun was filled with admiration. Since the incident at Linge, in his decades of cultivation in this world, he had only truly killed one fellow disciple, Shan Zhi. But he couldn’t compare to Qing Yin’s swift and decisive execution.

Just as he was sighing, the sword energy ahead of him fluctuated slightly again, though this time it was continuous, quite different from the previous explosive impact.

Li Xun knew immediately that a master from one of the sects had finally intercepted Qing Yin. He wasted no time and used this opportunity to significantly close the distance between them.

Because the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword had been taken away, the mountain-protecting forbidden technique had slowed his reaction by more than a beat. Li Xun’s flight vanished, leaving him no time to deploy any forbidden techniques before he was already far away.

On the other hand, several third-generation disciples on the road, obeying Zhiguan Peak’s orders, halted. Seeing the blood-red light of Li Xun’s incarnation, they attempted to intercept it, only to be dashed to pieces

in an instant. Qing Yin’s speed suddenly increased, seemingly impatient. But the sect master was truly formidable. Facing the sharp edge of the Sky-Slashing Sword, he still managed to block it and engage Qing Yin in a fierce struggle. It was precisely because of this that Li Xun had seen the flash of the Sky-Slashing Sword before sunrise.

This was at the southern tip of the Lianxia Mountains, in a large basin ringed by the mountains. At a glance, the view was filled with deep green meadows, a sea of emerald green.

Yet, dozens of miles away, the shimmering sword energy mingled and rubbed against each other in the air, the scattering droplets like sparkling snowflakes, coating the grassland in patches of frost.

The grassland offered a wide field of vision, allowing both friend and foe to be clearly seen.

The blood-shadow demon’s glint was so dazzling that Li Xun didn’t bother to conceal himself. Upon seeing the sword flash, he charged forward without slowing down.

The distance closed within ten miles in the blink of an eye.

Just as Li Xun was about to see who was blocking Qing Yin’s path, a deep shout pierced his ears: “Uncle Master, turn back just in time!”

The shout hit Li Xun’s chest like a hammer, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

Qing Yin’s identity was exposed?

This was the only thought running through Li Xun’s mind.

Although he had always harbored this fear, the impact of the event was still overwhelming.

Amidst the drumming of his heart, Qing Yin didn’t react, his sword’s aura remained impervious to even a wave. Instead, the cultivator who had spoken with the shout retreated, his sword aura slashing through the air, unable to injure him.

Qing Yin’s almost cold composure was like a bucket of ice water poured over him, clearing Li Xun’s mind. He took a deep breath, gazing at Qingyin’s sword-wielding silhouette, shook his head, and suddenly burst into laughter: “What a madwoman!”

His heart, throbbing with fear at Qingyin’s identity, calmed amidst the laughter and scolding.

Li Xun wasn’t speaking without reason. Qingyin’s long black hair was now loose, unfastened by any hairpins. It fell to her waist, obscuring her delicate features. Only when she danced with her body did

her features reveal a glimmer of beauty. Her appearance was eerie and ghostly, yet Li Xun could forcefully call her a “madwoman.”

His sudden laughter was more effective than the earlier shouts of his fellow cultivators. The Zankong Sword in Qingyin’s hand hummed and vibrated, and the sword energy that was about to burst forth a second time vanished in a puff of smoke. Her effortless demeanor gave Li Xun a chill.

It seemed Qingyin’s sword practice had been quite effective. At least now, Li Xun couldn’t see any signs of her relying too heavily on the Zankong Sword.

If he neglected Qingyin Mushen’s strength due to the infinitely increased power of the divine sword, he might suffer a great loss

. Qingyin’s hidden eyes seemed to glance over, and then he saw her holding the divine sword upside down, and her aura quickly calmed down.

The cultivator opposite him was quite self-aware, knowing that it was not his advice that had worked, and turned his head to look in his direction.

Coincidentally, Li Xun was also curious about this person’s identity, and their eyes met, and their hearts trembled slightly.

The cultivator’s extremely long, light eyebrows curved slightly, and his lips pursed, leaving two deep marks on his face.

“Blood Demon?”

Li Xun suddenly realized, “No wonder it’s him!”

Seeing this person, Li Xun resolved a small question in his mind. No wonder he could stop Qing Yin, wielding the Sky-Slicing Sword. It turned out that the person before him was none other than his friend Lingji’s master, the sect’s foremost expert, Immortal Master Mingji.

Although not a direct descendant of the sect and known for his low-key demeanor, Immortal Master Mingji firmly established himself among the second generation of disciples for his understanding and swordsmanship.

He rarely ventured out, concentrating on intensive training in the mountains.

However, the occasional voyages he made were quite remarkable. The most recounted by the sect’s disciples was the story of Immortal Master Mingji’s grueling battle with a master of the Xingji Sword Sect before the 49th Tribulation, which lasted for days and nights, ultimately leading to his victory.

Later, based on his insights from the battle and the shifting of the stars, Mingji created the “Seven Radiances and Seven Stars Sword Art.” The leaders of the Mingjian Mingxin and Xingji sects, along with the Xingji Sword Sect, even the ever-impressive Tianyuan praised it highly, calling it the sect’s finest original sword technique of the past three hundred years, even surpassing Zhong Yin’s “Blue Smoke and Bamboo Shadow.” Mingji

, devoted to cultivation, disdains worldly matters. Had it not been for Lingji’s chance encounter and acceptance, Li Xun might not have become acquainted with him.

However, after their friendship, Li Xun has received considerable instruction from Mingji over the years, becoming one of the very few cultivators in the sect to master the “Seven Leisures and Seven Stars Sword Technique.”

Therefore, Li Xun still holds Mingji in high regard, even in this situation, nodding and smiling, a gesture of kindness that might have been baffling.

Mingji, after all, is a man of profound cultivation, and his swaying shoulders quickly calmed. A hint of confusion was insufficient to disturb his stoic composure.

The three of them formed a sharp triangle in the air,

with Qingyin and Mingji at a closer distance. The distance between them and Li Xun was greater, creating a subtle imbalance in the intertwined energy in the void. Perhaps it could be maintained for now, but a slight increase in force could break the fragile stalemate.

It was then that Qing Yin moved. She held her divine sword upside down, reaching up to pull her loose black hair. Her jade-like veil of feathers gathered at the perfect moment, and the rising sun shone with a thousand golden rays, illuminating her radiant face.

In an instant, her dazzling presence, like the boundless sunlight, broke through the shadows that had previously shrouded it, casting a shadow upon Li Xun’s heart.

Li Xun narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly unable to withstand the dazzling beauty.

Qing Yin casually pulled her hair into a bun to contain it, revealing her identity to the public.

The image of this moment, etched deep in Li Xun’s heart, merged with the beauty before him, and dark memories surged back.

He remained silent for a moment, while the woman’s bright, hidden eyes glanced at him calmly.

“Hey, let’s kill him together?”

At that glance, Li Xun felt a slight tingling sensation on the side of his cheek and the tip of his tongue, his entire body warming.

Then he felt a familiarity in the scene.

Just like back on Zuowang Peak, Qing Yin had never given her a cold response, even when she’d begged for mercy. Surely a fool would satisfy her.

Time had faded those scenes, but her actions at that moment easily bridged the decades-long gap, reminding Li Xun that even under the erosion of deep-seated hatred, some remnants still remained…

On the other side, Mingji, unsure of the reason, frowned even more. He seemed to be considering how to escape the dilemma of being pinned down by the two.

Then Li Xun smiled. “Are you begging me?”

There was a faint tremor in his voice that only he could sense. Then, with a clearer voice, Li Xun completely erased the tremor.

“Why should you beg me? I’ve already slept with you, what else can you offer?”

Unbridled laughter echoed in all directions, and Qing Yin’s eyes froze for a moment.

The sun’s rays shone brightly above the grassland.

The sunlight streaming in from the east spread a rainbow of colors behind the man, resembling a divine halo. At its center, the body, throbbing with laughter, was largely obscured by shadows, twisting and tangling like a demon.

The temperature of the grassland soared almost infinitely as the laughter spread outward.

Ming Ji’s brows knitted together in a knot. The chaotic situation was beyond his comprehension. Although his spiritual altar showed no warning signs, instinctively he thrust his sword slightly forward.

The moment Ming Ji’s gesture was complete, a wave of blood-red fury surged forth .

“Qing Yin, give me your life!”

At this moment, Li Xun’s resolve was unwavering.

Even if Qing Yin threatened him with her “identity,” it would be ineffective. The impact of the blood-shadow demonic body, reflecting his murderous intent, was unstoppable.

Li Xun’s blood-stained flash shone through the grasslands, leaving them barren as far as the eye could see. Dark gray dust flew skyward, then scattered and scattering across the deadly snow. The filthy blood wave resembled a roaring beast, ready to devour the beauty before it whole.

Qing Yin’s expression was calm, unwavering. With a slight wave of her bare hands, she aimed the sharp edge of her Sky-Slashing Sword directly at the center of the blood wave. The immense sword energy, accumulating like a giant crossbow slowly gathering strength, was unleashed with a devastating force.

Li Xun finally faced the sword’s sharp edge.

The blood-stained flash instantly engulfed Qing Yin, but in the next instant, sword light radiated in all directions, like a sun exploding within the blood wave.

Qing Yin was surrounded by sword energy, preventing any foul resentment from approaching. A powerful storm of sword energy, after overcoming the initial pressure, burst forth, completely dispersing the oncoming blood wave, leaving not a trace of smoke behind.

Yet, as the blood wave dissipated, another wave arose.

This wave of blood-red light, condensed like substance, swept through the void, seemingly solidifying space. When the Sky-Slashing Sword shattered the confined space, it unleashed a tremor a hundred times more powerful than normal. Countless tiny cracks opened in the void, ready to devour anyone they chose.

Within the suddenly shrunken space, Qing Yin remained calm. With a slight tremor of her wrist, a clear light spread out, and her figure merged with it, becoming one with it as the radiance spread. Its destination remained unknown.

Seeing the Thousand-Split Blood Barrier’s tactics ineffective, Li Xun inwardly praised, “So she cultivates the ‘Great Void Primordial Transformation Divine Light.’ No wonder she’s so adept at concealing herself. I underestimated her.”

Seeing the sect’s renownedly complex and profound techniques, Li Xun’s gaze naturally changed, but his murderous intent remained undimmed.

A hazy blood shadow flashed in the air, and he himself plunged into the Thousand-Split Blood Barrier, weaving through the fissures in the void, using his supreme spiritual sense to capture Qing Yin’s presence hidden behind the sword light.

The battlefield suddenly shrunk to a ten-foot radius.

Within this confined space, the two men shifted positions. Li Xun, leveraging the Thousand Rifts Blood Barrier and the insidious Blood Shadow Demon Body, attacked, while Qing Yin, using the mystical power of the Absolute Void Primordial Light, defended. He firmly controlled the power of the Sky-Slashing Sword, keeping Li Xun from grasping its true power and ready to switch positions and unleash a fatal blow at any moment.

In a blink of an eye, more than a dozen exchanges passed.

After all, Li Xun’s bloody, demonic form was unpredictable, its soul-devouring, essence-devouring poisonous fire rapidly filling the relatively enclosed space. Despite the protection of the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword, Qing Yin’s presence was ultimately exposed. Without

hesitation, Li Xun thrust out a claw through the air, employing the divine-piercing nail technique. A single impact would unleash Qing Yin’s unparalleled power of Taixu Yuan-Transforming Divine Light, dispelling calamities and transforming energy. While protecting her body, Qing Yin’s spirit couldn’t be protected.

Qing Yin’s form suddenly materialized, followed by a piercing scream.

Li Xun remained wary of the Sky-Slashing Sword’s power. Sensing a change in the sword’s energy, he immediately withdrew his hand. Qing Yin seized the opportunity and followed closely behind, easily shattering the Thousand-Split Blood Barrier and gaining freedom.

“Awesome!”

Li Xun sensed the glimmer of sword energy, and had to admit that Zhong Yin’s sword was indeed a formidable weapon.

However, he wouldn’t back down. The bloody shadow flashed again, piercing the blood barrier with overwhelming speed, circling to Qing Yin’s left and striking her with a palm strike.

The distance between them closed in an instant. Qing Yin tilted her face slightly, a smile suddenly breaking out on her jade-like, pure face.

Before Li Xun could comprehend what was happening, the blood-splattering, eroding soul light pierced Qing Yin’s protective sword energy like a thin sheet of paper, instantly devouring her.

A surge of excitement surged in his heart, and the smile that had been seared into his pupils suddenly became crystal clear.

Then, the stars shifted!

The movement of the blood-shadow demonic body suddenly became difficult. Qing Yin, struck by the eroding soul light, fell backwards. The distance between them was no more than three steps. But then, Li Xun’s vision darkened, and in a trance, he seemed to crash into the boundless starry sky.

What seemed within reach was yet so unreachable.

The next moment, all illusions finally shattered under Li Xun’s unbreakable will .

Li Xun was once again on the desolate plains, where the sun was rising. The gray snow had not yet fallen, and Qing Yin, about to collapse, suddenly slid forward. She had retreated only a few feet before sword light swirled around her, ready to soar into the sky.

A fierce gleam flashed in Li Xun’s eyes as he lunged forward, his arm swinging sideways. With a clang, his fist collided with the incoming sword, sending a trail of sparks flying.

He was about to capitalize on the momentum, but the flanking attacker had anticipated this. The cold, intercepting sword energy suddenly transformed into a soft, humming, netting Li Xun’s path. The collision of the two forces held him back for two breaths before the net crackled with a hiss.

By then, Qing Yin had already charged forward again, soaring high into the sky. Immortal Master Mingji stood to the side, sword in hand, his sword energy hissing, ready to intercept again at any moment.

“What a plan…”

Li Xun was in awe of Qing Yin.

She dared to play with fire in such a situation. She actually used herself as bait, putting herself in a dangerous position to lure Mingji into action, presumably calculating that Mingji would not watch his elders being slain before his eyes by the Blood Demon.

However… If her Taixu Yuanhua Divine Light cultivation had been even weaker, or if Mingji had reacted a bit slower, she would have been absorbed by the bloody light, reduced to a pile of dry bones.

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

With Mingji’s help, Qingyin soared into the sky with her sword, employing some unseen technique. The explosive power was so intense that it surpassed the Blood Shadow Demon’s in a short period of time. In a flash, she was out of Li Xun’s sight, quickly submerged in the glow of the rising sun.

A sigh reached his ears as Mingji’s sword energy receded and he retreated a distance. But when Li Xun turned around, he still wore that same calm expression, as if he still hadn’t grasped the truth about all those twists and turns. Who would believe that?

Li Xun’s anger rose at first, but then he gave a wry smile.

Mingji’s behavior was probably more of a case of swallowing one’s pride and accepting the consequences. They shared a common grievance.

Moreover, he was Lingji’s master.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Li Xun glanced coldly at him and began to chase him again. But as he moved, he felt the whistling of sword energy brushing against his neck. The chilling sensation was more potent than any statement.

Li Xun paused

. “Anyone can kill the evil heretics,” Immortal Master Mingji’s face was expressionless, yet his tone was strange.

Li Xun had heard this a thousand times, and he had said it himself a hundred times. Each time, it sounded righteous, but he had never seen Mingji so helpless.

He was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “Destroying the evil is indeed a righteous act… I’ve seen many cultivators of your sect die tragically along the way. The murderer speaks for himself. Won’t you go and kill her?”

Mingji lowered his eyelids, but his tone suddenly became more resolute than ever. “I’m going.”

Amidst Li Xun’s laughter, the blood-shadow demon body exploded into life, breaking through the sword energy barrier set by Minggu and disappearing into the distance.

A little later, Yixian Mingji also followed with his sword, but his speed was simply not on the same level as Li Xun’s. Within three or five breaths, he was far behind and finally completely outclassed.

“Grandpa Blood Demon, spare me! Grandpa Blood Demon, spare me!”

The waves of the eastward-flowing river could not drown out the cacophony of screams and pleas for mercy. Four or five bodies lay on the riverbank, and a burly man kowtowed, begging the demon before him to spare his life.

Li Xun, expressionless, delivered a kick that shattered the man’s internal organs and devoured his blood. From then on, no one was left alive.

It had been four days since Li Xun left the Lianxia Mountains.

During these four days, Li Xun had witnessed Qingyin’s strength and qualifications as a mere cultivator. The pure Taixu Yuanhua divine light enabled the female cultivator’s aura to instantly blend into the dust of heaven and earth, becoming one with the light. Although her speed wasn’t as fast as Li Xun’s, she constantly kept a distance between them, swerving east and west, south and north.

This was especially true after entering the densely populated area of the central Tongxuan Realm.

This was the third time in a row that Li Xun had detected her presence. When approaching, she’d use passing cultivators as cover to mislead Li Xun’s senses, successfully escaping.

Once or twice, it worked, but by the third time Li Xun’s attack was unsuccessful, the pent-up murderous aura within him finally erupted, completely wiping out the entire group of wandering cultivators, barely venting his anger. However, during this delay, Qing Yin’s presence had vanished, leaving him unseen.

Li Xun could sense that Qing Yin’s methods of countering his spiritual perceptions had grown increasingly sophisticated over the past few days, using the Absolute Void Primordial Light as a foundation. Although they were still engaged in a chase, the initiative seemed to be slowly slipping from his hands.

Only then did Li Xun truly understand why even Zhong Yin’s earth-shattering powers had been unable to eradicate the Three Wanderers and their host of demons.

It would be easy for a fox-like expert to simply flee.

He turned and gazed at the mighty river flowing eastward, his mood gradually calming. The details of the chase over the past few days began to replay.

Actually, it wasn’t like Li Xun hadn’t caught up with Qing Yin before.

After leaving Lianxia’s second peak, he’d fought Qing Yin again, only to be stopped briefly by the power of Qing Yin’s sudden unleashing of the Sky-Slashing Sword before he escaped.

Honestly, Li Xun was a little puzzled. Judging

from their two encounters, he felt directly confronted with the might of the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword. While still chilling and sharp, it wasn’t as powerful as the initial blow at Zuowang Peak, thousands of miles away, that had still left him feeling like he was falling into an icy cellar.

It was as if the experience had been merely an illusion in his memory. Li Xun’s sense of danger had gradually weakened, disappearing completely this morning. This was one of the reasons he’d lost track of Qing Yin.

“Am I being overly sensitive? Taking things too seriously?” Li Xun pondered this more than once. “Perhaps the Sky-Slashing Sword contains Zhong Yin’s power. But it has a limited capacity; the more you use it, the faster it’s depleted. And now Qing Yin has used it all up?”

This thought made sense, but it couldn’t explain Qing Yin’s mad dash for the chance to return to the mountain and seize the divine sword.

Li Xun, baffled, could only let go of the pent-up air once more. Sunlight streamed across the river, revealing the contours of the rocky mountains on the other side.

At this time, the sun was about to set, and the sky and earth were gray. Li Xun’s mood was no different from the scenery

. “Where should I go?” Judging from his movements, it seems he is heading south…

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt something in his heart. His body flashed and he crossed the river. He walked south for more than ten miles and was about to reach the foot of the stone mountain. His figure suddenly disappeared without a trace.

A few breaths later, several powerful reactions came from the western sky.

Two figures flew in front and behind, carving two clear rainbow lights in the air. They flew past the other side of the river where Li Xun had been standing. The turbulent currents of vital energy entangled and collided with each other. The aftermath shattered the rocks and split the river water. The power was extremely powerful.

Li Xun blinked. Yan’s figure remained motionless. He sensed a figure flitting silently to the side of Fei Tian’s two companions.

Unlike the two blind men in the sky, this one was acutely aware. He paused briefly at the spot where the bodies lay strewn on the riverbank before resuming pursuit of Fei Tian and his companions.

It was this pause that allowed Li Xun to discern the newcomer’s identity.

“The Eclipse God Blade? That’s right. We’re already in the territory of Mingyu Mountain, not far from the Zhu Gou Sect.”

This sect, renowned for its assassinations and weapon forging, had a long and fraught relationship with him. The original Zhu Gou Nine Assassins had become the Seven Assassins because of him, and a while ago, four of the Seven Assassins had secretly attacked him, ultimately leaving him unscathed.

Li Xun’s curiosity piqued. Not only because he had seen his old nemesis, the Eclipse God Blade, but also because his sharp eyes had clearly discerned the faces of the two figures as they had just passed by.

The man in pursuit was Gou Diao Zifeng, the plague ghost whose sign he had recently destroyed. The man in front was also an old friend, none other

than Ji, the alternate leader of the Sikong Qianbao Pavilion, with whom he treated each other like brothers. He wondered if the fat man had taken off the “alternate” hat after their separation. The unexpected sight of his “old friend” Li Xun had brightened his mood somewhat. After some thought, he decided to give chase, even if it meant relaxing.