The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 171

Chapter 7 Conflict

Li Xun had no idea how profound the ascension drama had impacted him. He lay on his side, chin propped up on one hand, watching the waves ebb and flow before him like a Buddha statue nearing nirvana.

This wonderful spot, recommended by Shui Dielan, stretched nearly two miles from south to north, the beach was covered in rare snow-white sand, reflecting the sky’s light. The water was pure and flawless. However, this didn’t necessarily reflect Li Xun’s state of mind. He was still troubled. He had helped Qingying complete the art of transcending the tribulations of the heavens, allowing this celestial bird to return to her original homeland. While other people’s affairs had resolved his confusion, he remained undeterred.

He wasn’t a saint who repaid kindness with grievance, and he wasn’t in the mood to do so now. His initial motivation for helping Qingying was simply his mood. Later, when he hesitated, he was persuaded by the theories of the Qing Emperor’s remnants about true and false immortality.

He naturally desired to become a cultivator of true immortality. His obsession with hatred, his lack of interest in the immortal path, and his contentment with current fame and status didn’t mean he had no further aspirations in his cultivation.

Having seen countless exceptional figures like Zhong Yin, the Seven Demons, and the Three Wanderers, he constantly pondered the gap between himself and those who came before him. The Green Emperor’s words undoubtedly opened a window for him. Even if they were merely a personal opinion, they were enough to garner his attention.

“Never tire of fine food, never tire of delicate minced meat?” He didn’t think the Green Emperor was a mystifying tactician. Why would he choose to play tricks on such a crucial issue? Puzzled, he reached out and held two pale blue feathers before his eyes.

This was the only memento of the Green Oriole left in the world. Unlike the fiery heat of the Phoenix Feather Meeting, these two green feathers were a deep, rich color, shimmering with a faint blue luster. In the sunlight, the precious light flowed, as if carved from jade. They were slightly cool to the touch, and no matter how long they were held, their density remained unchanged.

But closer inspection revealed the astonishing energy contained within them. Just like the Green Oriole herself.

At that moment, footsteps approached from behind. Shui Dielan approached him, knelt down, and gazed out at the boundless sea before her, taking a deep breath of the uniquely fishy sea air.

“There are also casualties at sea. The Wuliangtian Sect must be in a lot of trouble.” Her exceptionally sharp sense always caught unexpected information. Li Xun hummed, thinking that the deepening and escalation of the situation here was normal, but it would only cause hardship to the surrounding sects. The Wuliangtian Sect, located on the Seventy-Two Immortal Islands of the East China Sea, was a typical example.

But what did this have to do with him? With another sigh, Li Xun rubbed his fingers together. He flung two feathers into the air and then let them fall freely. This back and forth passed time. Shui Dielan looked at them twice before reaching out to grab them. She coughed slightly and said, “After all, these are very important relics. Are there people like you?” Li Xun smiled and then asked, “Has Elder Qing really made a decision?” His words had a source. Yesterday, the Qing Emperor’s magical power of self-created world was broken. Although he had begun to restore it immediately, due to the vast area, it was not restored to its previous state until half an hour ago.

During this process, Li Xun and Shui Dielan chased and killed the ignorant cultivators in the surrounding area, with almost no rest.

The Qing Emperor felt. This place has become a hotbed of trouble, so we should consider relocating elsewhere. Li Xun’s words were based on this.

Shui Dielan responded affirmatively: “Of course, if you say so, we can move. With my own magical powers, I can go anywhere. Why stay in this vortex?” “Then…” Shui Dielan replied with a smile. “Aren’t those guys just looking for the Qujing Tongyou? Okay, let’s hand over the real Qujing Tongyou and let them fight it out in that dead city. The Northern Alliance, the Western Alliance, the Nine Sects of the Righteous Path, all go in. Then I’ll blow up that passage here and see how many people can make it out alive.” Li Xun couldn’t help but laugh at her nonsense, and his mood brightened. However, after laughing, he felt a little unsure. Looking at Shui Dielan’s pretty face, he asked suspiciously: “Mi, are you serious?” Shui Dielan glanced at him: “While I don’t care about the killing calamity, I have no intention of making an enemy of the entire Tongxuan Realm. One such fool is enough. Li Xun pretended not to understand the sarcasm in her words. He snatched Qingyu back from Shui Dielan again, this time carefully placing it in his arms.

Shui Dielan was puzzled by his inconsistent behavior and asked curiously, “What are you doing?” “This is excellent material.” Li Xun’s mouth twitched. He sneered, “Refine it and use it as a medium to carry the bloody killing aura. I can set up two Blood Spirit Feather Formations: one yin, one yang, one light, one dark. Who in the world can avoid them?” “Qixia will kill you.” Shui Dielan shook her head vigorously. “Qixia will definitely not be hidden from her about her ascension. She’s probably desperately trying to get here right now.” “Desperately? Yes. Fighting here.” Although he had shown great strength in Qingyang’s tribulation and ascension, Li Xun didn’t expect Yaofeng to thank him for it. At this time, the evil wind was mostly the “xi weapon” in Gu Yin’s hand, and a small part was the madman who was immersed in the nightmare of the death of his best friend and the confusion of his beloved daughter. The murderous and hateful fire that intended to destroy everything would only accumulate more and more with the passage of time until it accumulated to the point of burning out his last sanity. It had been a while since Gu Yin’s conversation, but Li Xun had become more aware of Gu Yin’s mentality and intentions.

The terrible woman had personally forged the evil wind into an unmatched double-edged sword and used it to destroy the old customs and practices of the Tongxuan world.

This was no longer an ordinary hurt to others and herself. It could be said that if Gu Yin could make the sword more indestructible through the sacrifice, she would probably throw herself into it without hesitation and sacrifice her blood and soul. What is more painful than fighting with a madman? Of course, it is encountering two madmen. Now think about the way to get here. The so-called assassination mentioned above was a truly dangerous idea. Even if Gu Yin could be killed, how could he face a completely insane Heavenly Demon Phoenix? Gu Yin and the Jade Wanderer puppet shared a fate, and the Jade Wanderer puppet was linked to Lin Wuyou. Lin Wuyou was Yao Feng’s last remaining vestige of sanity, and Yao Feng’s complete collapse was perhaps what Gu Yin most desired… This seemingly endless series of events could drive people crazy.

Or perhaps he could divert the blame and let the Yao Feng wreak havoc in the Tongxuan Realm for a few years, while they were weakened, persuade the Qing Emperor’s remnants and Shui Dielan to gather the two Nether Mysterious puppets, and then he could round up the numbers and attack and kill everyone. This clumsy yet satisfying idea made Li Xun chuckle nervously. Shui Dielan waved her hand in front of him, calling his spirit back. “Hey, it’s dawn, and Yao Feng hasn’t arrived yet.” Li Xun felt a little embarrassed, but his mood had completely returned to normal. Seeing his expression, Shui Dielan blinked and suddenly asked, “You always talk about revenge, revenge. How do you want revenge?” He opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped. Then he grinned, “Mi definitely won’t like it.” Shui Dielan seemed particularly sensitive about such matters, glaring at him and muttering “Chu Indigo.” Just as she was about to say something else, her expression faltered.

Almost simultaneously, Li Xun noticed a powerful pulse of life approaching from afar. He was slightly startled. “So strong. Demonic wind? No…” Before he could finish his thought, the mighty sound waves had already penetrated the sparse woodland behind the beach.

“An old friend is visiting, Old Qingdi. Are you home?” The voice was full of energy, like thunder, and its aura was immense, something both Li Xun and Shui Dielan had heard before.

Shui Dielan blurted out, “It’s Old Zu Peng. What’s he doing here?” The visitor was none other than the old demon with gills. Although he hadn’t revealed his thousand-mile-wide Dharma body, his earth-devouring aura remained undiminished.

Logically, this demonic human-demon should have been recuperating in his East China Sea lair after being severely injured by Gu Yin’s scheme at Qianzhe Pass. That day, Li Xun had passed by there and had a brief conflict over Fatty Ji’s matter.

For this reason, Li Xun hadn’t included this guy when assessing the surrounding situation, and now he couldn’t help but regret it.

Shi’s injuries were healing much faster than expected.

Shui Dielan was also a little surprised, but she didn’t seem nervous. They were both in the East China Sea, one in the north and the other in the west, but after tens of thousands of years, they were actually old friends, and the occasional friction was within the controllable range.

Before the two of them knew it, the Qing Emperor’s elder had already responded: “It’s rare for Brother Peng to come in person. Please come in.” “Oh? I’ve been here dozens of times, but this is the first time I’ve seen you open the main gate to welcome me. You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” The old monster, Squid Peng, laughed in the air, flying towards them without slowing down at all.

His flight path passed Li Xun’s beach by about twenty miles. At this distance, no one could hide anything from the others. Li Xun sensed the old demon’s aura, somewhat suspiciously, as it probed their direction. After colliding with the aura emitted by the water butterfly orchid, he suddenly realized something and withdrew it, pretending nothing had happened.

Li Xun frowned as he observed its approach. “Isn’t it said that winding paths lead to secluded places, hidden from the world?” “We’re old neighbors, so it’s not easy to completely hide it. Old Qiu Peng isn’t a particularly impressive person, but he’s incredibly shrewd. While he can guess the general location, he never really pries into the details, and he’s also very tight-lipped. Of course, I’ve seen him show up directly like this a few times. Shouldn’t I go check it out?” The water butterfly orchid’s suggestion tempted Li Xun. However, a negotiation between two demons might involve some private information. Of course, the water butterfly orchid didn’t mind. It would be rude for him to move closer.

“Mi, go ahead. Tell me if you have any special news.” Li Xun showed a cautious attitude. Shui Dielan was about to persuade him again when a strong impact suddenly exploded in the jungle to the west and pressed over at a very fast speed.

In a short period of time, the source of the chaos continued to expand. It was initially estimated that there were at least two groups of more than a hundred people fighting, including many masters. Li Xun and Shui Dielan both looked unhappy.

“So, Mi, go back and listen to what the old demon Qiu Peng said. I’ll go there to take a look. “Li Xun wasn’t looking for excuses. As far as the safety of the winding path was concerned, the frequent conflicts in the surrounding area were definitely not a good thing. With all the attention shifted to this area, it was only a matter of time before the huge underground spatial rift was discovered.

Judging from the current situation, the initial chaos was already very close to the entrance of the winding path. The scale and strength of both parties were not comparable to the scattered soldiers from yesterday. It was obvious that the sequelae of Qing You’s ascension had been fully exposed.

Shui Dielan also knew the importance of the matter and nodded slightly before flying away quickly. Li Xun slightly staggered with her and sneaked towards the source of the chaos.

As soon as they flew over the jungle, the explosion recurred. This wave of shock was far more violent than any previous impact. The collision between the two sides was obviously of a considerable level.

Li Xun stopped and captured all kinds of information transmitted by the air and eliminated all kinds of interference. According to his preliminary estimate, the two people fighting in the front, one belonged to the Tianyao Sword Sect and the other to the Sanhuang Sword Sect. The two major righteous and evil sword sects usually disliked each other. Now they had the opportunity to fight and it was out of control.

“Have the Nine Righteous Sects and the Western Alliance completely fallen out? Or is the current conflict merely an accident?” Li Xun had no gloating inclination. The situation before him was probably the worst he had imagined. The behemoth of the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance hadn’t even entered the fray, yet the forces of good and evil representing the Tongxuan sects were already clashing. This would only give Gu Yin the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

Don’t these idiots understand that Gu Yin’s madness is about to shake things up? With this in mind, Li Xun approached the battlefield.

With a dozen miles to go, he could clearly see the flashes of swords clashing in the air, and cultivators from various sects were pouring into the fray from all directions. Most of the people in each sect were probably bewildered, fighting each other out of the inertia of the incompatibility of good and evil. Seeing this situation, Li Xun felt half-reassured. He understood that this was an unplanned brawl, one that would have no impact on the overall situation of the Tongxuan Realm or the safety of the winding paths.

Especially after seeing the flying swords flying back and forth in the sky. The imposing presence of the two highest-level figures further confirmed Li Xun’s point.

On the Three Emperors Sword Sect side was the hot-tempered, unsophisticated Dongyang Monk; Li Xun hadn’t had a good impression of him since first meeting him. On the other side, the Heavenly Demon Sword Sect cultivator, though Li Xun didn’t recognize him, looked hot-tempered.

Both sides were clashing furiously, the raging sword energy swirling around them within a mile radius, making it impossible for anyone to stand still.

“Luo Qilu and the old Seventh Cultivator will probably devour these two fools alive.” Li Xun, however, was unfazed. Dongyang Monk’s level was mediocre within the sect, his strength and prestige far from enough to provoke a major disturbance.

As long as this brawl didn’t result in significant casualties, the Western Alliance and the Nine Righteous Sects would likely remain ambiguous, maintaining an ambiguous stance until the Loose Cultivator Alliance made its final stance clear.

Just as he was thinking about this, a figure powerful enough to calm the situation soared overhead. Li Xun averted his eyes and consciously adjusted his aura to avoid being detected.

The attacker’s move was incredibly decisive. With a quick assessment of the situation, he instantly slammed into the most powerful circle of sword energy in mid-air.

The crisscrossing sword energy was bluntly shattered by the attacker’s momentum. Before the Dongyang Hermit could react, he was struck in the stomach by a kick. His short, plump body flew backward like a ball of flesh, collapsing two massive trees before he lay prone on the ground, unable to rise again.

Two cultivators from the Three Emperors Sword Sect nearby, startled, simultaneously shook off their opponents and rushed forward,

only to be met with a powerful blow from the attacker upon contact. They were knocked unconscious, but their lives were not in danger

. Some of the more discerning individuals in the group fighting Che Zaichen finally recognized the attacker’s identity.

The title of the Demon War Sect’s foremost expert still held considerable intimidation. Seeing the Dongyang Hermit vomiting blood for a moment, the Nine Righteous Sects’ momentum was shattered. The cultivators of the Western Alliance beamed with joy, ready to annihilate their mortal enemy once more.

However, contrary to most people’s expectations, after Che Zaisheng knocked down the three people, he shouted loudly: “Stop, everyone!” The four syllables of Xi were like thunder, and the cultivators on both sides were confused for a moment. Che Zaisheng did not give them a chance to react. He turned to the cultivator of the Tianyao Sword Sect who had just fought against the Dongyang Mountain Man and kicked him: “Waste, Senior Brother Qixiu, how could you raise a waste like you?” His movements were quite inconsistent with his elegant appearance in white robes. The idiot who was caught by Rui was confused but did not dare to dodge and could not dodge.

Although Che Zaisheng was a member of the outer sect, he had a deep friendship with Venerable Qixiu. In the Western Union, he was also a leading figure second only to Ramash, Qixiu and other Zhenyi Sect commanders. It was normal for him to be beaten.

“Open your eyes and see how many people are watching you laugh.” Che Zaichen pointed north. Although there was nothing there, the cultivators present understood his meaning. Perhaps the Loose Cultivator Alliance had quietly infiltrated nearby and were watching the fight from the sidelines. The cultivators still engaged in combat paused for a moment. This situation was contagious. Within a few breaths, both sides had broken free of the entanglement and retreated.

Che Zaichen’s cold glance saw the last few cultivators who had gotten into a fight had been persuaded to leave by their companions. While the situation remained tense, this wavering mentality should not escalate.

With a cold smile and a wave of his hand, the cultivators of the Western Alliance retreated from the battlefield. The nine righteous sects, bewildered by the sight of the dragons, could only remain where they were. A few clever ones simply went to check on the injuries sustained by Dongyang Shanren and the others. As for the Western Alliance’s repairs, they simply pretended not to see them.

A conflict dissipated like that—invisibly. Che Zaichen said nothing more and turned to leave. But before leaving, he cast his gaze toward the other side of the forest—not at Li Xun, but at a slightly angled angle behind him.

Li Xun didn’t turn back, but he knew the situation there better than Che Zaichen. There, hidden within the dense canopy, were people, only a few miles apart. A sea breeze blew from behind, bringing a faint, fishy scent that was all too familiar

. Gong arrived at Mingxi just as Che Zaichen kicked Master Dongyang away. Perhaps seeing a master like Che Zaichen had provoked a fight. The clanging of the sword behind her, which Che Zaichen could hear, was something Li Xun wouldn’t miss.

Li Xun suspected she had read Che Zaichen’s mind and didn’t want to embarrass either side by stepping in, so she remained hidden and didn’t plan to step in.

However, Li Xun hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. The Qingyin incident must have had a significant impact on the Mingxin Sword Sect. Mingdao had arrived alone, likely because she had left the mountain before the chaos within the sect had subsided. His plans were unknown.

With his exceptional stealth skills, Li Xun slowly leaned sideways, his eyes narrowed to a slit, and cautiously surveyed the area. Behind the mottled shadows of the trees, only a small portion of Mingji’s face was visible, but her slightly pursed lips revealed a serious, almost cold expression, and she was clearly in a bad mood.

“Should I meet him?” Li Xun was very hesitant about this. The day before yesterday, he learned from Qin Wanru that because “Lingzhu” had not appeared for a while, the news of his death had begun to spread in this world.

Rationally speaking, this was actually a great opportunity for him to escape and use this incident to get rid of the shackles of Lingzhu. It would be good for him and Mingxin Sword Sect.

After all, there is only one Qingyin.

Watching Che Zaichen lead his men away, Mingji still stayed on the treetops but had no intention of visiting his fellow practitioners. Li Xun didn’t know what Minggong’s intention was and couldn’t move. He could only observe cautiously.

It was strange that after watching for a long time, he felt that Minggong was a little different from his impression. This was purely a feeling, but he couldn’t tell the difference at the moment.

Fearing Mingji’s sword heart, Li Xun couldn’t stare at her for a long time without getting the point. When he was confused, sword light flashed again in the jungle to the west. The person seemed to be just passing by and only saw the situation here when he was close. He stopped with a slight exclamation.

What’s going on? It’s not just him, Li Xun was also baffled. Just moments earlier, he’d assumed Mingji had descended the mountain alone, but now a companion suddenly appeared. The person, with a cold brow and a profound demeanor, was none other than Mingji, the second-generation disciple of the Mingxin

Sword Sect and the foremost cultivator. Mingji was usually a low-key person, and most of the Nine Sects present didn’t recognize him. They could only discern him from his sword’s gleam, clothing, and other features. Someone immediately explained the situation. Seeing Dongyang Mountain Man and his companions severely injured and unconscious, Mingji couldn’t stand by and take their pulse.

At that moment, Li Xun saw Mingji’s red lips slightly part, and Mingji was visibly startled. It seemed Mingji had contacted him using the sect’s sound transmission technique. (This book is reprinted from the literature website.) Li Xun couldn’t hear the message, only faintly sensing the subtle flow of sound waves in the air. The two quickly ended their conversation. Mingji nodded, and Li Xun saw that he had reached a consensus with Mingdao L. The Nine Sects cultivators assumed he had made a judgment on the injuries of Dongyang Mountain Man and his companions.

“Che Zaichen didn’t kill Brother Dongyang and the other two Daoists. Their injuries are stable.” Mingji didn’t care much about social etiquette, and his lack of tact in speaking probably made few people want to listen. Li Xun was watching with amusement, and then his attention returned to Minggong, his mind racing to think about the reasons for their behavior.

According to common sense, they should be participating in the collective action of the Nine Sects of Righteousness as representatives of the Mingxin Sword Sect. However, if it was just a matter of the Southeast Forest Sea, Minggong’s expression wouldn’t be so serious and sharp.

So, the event that could make Minggong act like this… Qingyin? The moment this thought flashed through his mind for no reason, the temperature of his blood also rose. Yes, only Qingyin could make Mingji feel like he was facing a great enemy. After all, it was a matter of great importance to the Mingxin Sword Sect’s eternal reputation. Thinking deeply, just because he lost Qingyin didn’t mean that the Mingxin Sword Sect had no other options. Such a powerful sect possessed all kinds of resources that were far beyond the reach of a lone man like him. It was very reasonable to speculate that they could track down Qingyin from some source.

At this moment, a gust of wind blew through the forest . Amidst the rustling of leaves and branches in a strong wind, Li Xun seemed to see a green-clothed ghost standing in the shadow of a tree, holding a sword and staring coldly at him. “

Good, you’re just in time!” The more Li Xun thought about it, the more it made sense. He suppressed the indescribable excitement in his heart and slowly retreated. If Qing Yin really came to the Southeast Forest Sea, returning to Wuyinxuan and using the spectroscope to search for him would naturally be the smartest thing to do.

But before that, he needed to ask the Qing Emperor’s elders if there was any effective search method in this area that was not under Wuyinxuan’s control… before retreating. A few feet away, Ming Ji, who was perched on the treetops, also made a move. She quietly moved back a certain distance, then turned southeast and flew away. Ming Ji, after finishing his work, also flew into the air. However, his direction was completely opposite to Ming Xi’s, heading northwest.

Li Xun saw this and understood that the two did not have a clear target. Even if they had news about Qing Yin, it was only a rough direction.

Putting aside the thought of tracking, Li Xun waited for a while until the two were far away, then sighed and prepared to turn back to the winding path. However, before he had walked a few miles, he heard another explosion. The earthquake’s source was north of the previous battlefield, and faint screams could be heard amidst the tremors.

Li Xun’s brow furrowed as he estimated its approximate location. As long as he concentrated and sensed the pulses of all living beings within a hundred miles, he would have known that a group of onlookers, more than ten miles to the north, were present. Che Zaichen pointed out that the “joking” group must be from the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

Who knew who had enough to spare to provoke the colossus of the Loose Cultivator Alliance? In the brief moment his mind wandered, the situation there suddenly took a turn for the worse. The screams suddenly rose several times in volume, and it seemed to spread. A muffled explosion sounded in the jungle, and the sound of trees falling and dust and smoke dissipating was heard continuously. All other human voices were cut off in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace.

Li Xun shuddered violently. This was not fear, but an instinctive reaction to the fierce aura suddenly bursting out at close range. It was

amazing. The man’s initial attack was not very shocking, but like the fine sand and gravel rolling before a landslide, followed by the collapse of a mountain, a loud crash. It started from small to large, and the mountain slowly became fast, and the changes in the middle were like… It was so fast and so powerful. In just a moment, few of the dozens of cultivators there could survive.

Once the landslide was established, it was irreversible. The master slaughtered all the cultivators in the north, but not satisfied, he turned southward and rushed down like a torrent of rocks and mud. He rushed straight towards the troops of the nine righteous sects.

The screams exploded again. Thanks to the previous incident, these cultivators had a buffer in the quiet Xubu, making them somewhat more prepared. Unlike the previous group of loose cultivators who were wiped out in a flash. However, because of this, the mournful sounds in the forest became more and more persistent. Li Xun took a deep breath. He already knew the identity of the newcomer, and strictly speaking, he might be responsible for this tragedy.

After a brief internal struggle, he stepped forward. Several miles were covered in the blink of an eye, and the enemy’s area of activity was expanding.

Li Xun watched as a cultivator fleeing on a sword was blasted into a cloud of blood. The blood splashed in front of him, but was blocked by his protective energy. This also signaled that Li Xun had entered the enemy’s killing field.

It was at this moment that Li Xun unexpectedly spotted someone who seemed out of place.