The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 178

Chapter 3 Situation

While Li Xun was being secretive, others were being forthright. Lu Yang’s square face, faintly shimmering with purple light, revealed a look of suspicion. He said in a deep voice, “Junior Brother, have you been well informed lately?”

Seeing his demeanor, Li Xun naturally replied, “No.”

Lu Yang nodded, unsurprised. With a few words, he laid out the recent situation in a clear and coherent manner.

This was the first time Li Xun had seen a situation from the perspective of the Nine Righteous Sects, so he didn’t just go through the motions. Instead, he listened intently.

From this perspective, the situation was far more serious than Li Xun had anticipated

. The previous events were similar, but from the moment Qing Luan’s ascension shocked the world, the conflict between the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance and the Tongxuan Sects had been raging on all fronts. Without personal experience, Li Xun could hardly imagine what that series of intense conflicts and confrontations must have been like. The figures Lu Yang reported only hinted at the tip of the iceberg.

Over the past five days, twenty-five cultivators from the nine righteous sects have been annihilated, eleven have been reincarnated, and fifty-seven have been seriously injured, requiring years or even decades of recuperation.

Among those who have died are four masters of True Immortal cultivation.

This level of casualties is quite rare in the nearly century-long conflict between the Nine Sects and the Loose Cultivator Alliance. In Li Xun’s memory, perhaps only the first battle between the two major factions in Never-Sleeping City can compare.

Nearly two-thirds of these heavy casualties occurred yesterday.

Lu Yang’s expression was stern and solemn, somewhat resembling his mentor’s in dignity, though he lacked the composure of a true master, which inevitably led to a certain heaviness, which in turn dampened the mood of the others.

“Yesterday, a large group of the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance suddenly converged on all sides, centering on a demonic wind, surrounding the shores of the East China Sea. Caught off guard, at least two hundred cultivators from various sects were trapped, including not only our own fellow cultivators but also members of the Western Alliance. Despite our best efforts to rescue them, most were killed or wounded. Master Shi Wu Se of the Fa Hua Sect, Taoist Master Xuan Yan of the Hui Xuan Sect, Immortal Master Zhao Li of the Never-Sleeping City, and Immortal Master Hua of the Mei Sect all perished in battle… Alas!”

Li Xun sighed with him, his thoughts lingering for a moment on Immortal Master Zhao Li of the Never-Sleeping City. He wondered if Tian Zhili had left by then. He wondered how she would react if she heard the news.

Lu Yang knew he couldn’t let this depressing atmosphere continue, so he pulled himself together and said, “Although we’ve suffered heavy losses, if the Loose Cultivator Alliance is using this to scare us or conceal our true intentions, they’re mistaken. The

demon phoenix occupied that area two days ago to attract our attention, and since then, the Loose Cultivator Alliance has never stopped mobilizing its forces in the surrounding area. Even yesterday’s all-out gathering, according to the Immortal Masters, was a deceptive scheme.

“We are following the orders of our elders to go south to scout the Loose Cultivator Alliance’s troop movements outside the East China Sea area, and then return to our respective mountains to pass on the sect’s decree…”

No wonder Li Xun, who was surrounded by disciples from the southern sects, understood everything clearly and also discerned something else.

The so-called “reconnaissance” was probably just an excuse. The Immortal Masters in the East China Sea probably realized the dangers of the area and wanted these disciples, who represented the future of their sect, to return to their mountains for safety.

Further consideration was given to whether this also meant that the Nine Righteous Sects had resolved to completely break with the Loose Cultivator Alliance . Even countermeasures had been considered—those remaining were all elite cultivators of considerable skill. It seemed likely that the tactics employed by these street students coincided with Li Xun’s.

Li Xun exclaimed, “I see.” Listening intently, he heard the distant explosions gradually fade away. As the battle neared its end, he gestured with his gaze and asked, “What’s going on over there?”

Lu Yang replied, “The East China Sea remains unsafe. The elders were worried about our safety, so they asked two senior brothers to lead the team and protect us. We just encountered a small group of members from the Loose Cultivator Alliance. We defeated them, and the remaining three troublesome individuals are in the care of the senior brothers.”

Luo Yuji interjected with a smile, “They were Senior Brother Baihong of the Xumiao Sect and Senior Brother Mingji of your sect.”

Given Immortal Master Baihong’s explanation, there was no reason for anyone to object. However, when the time came to return, everyone sighed. It wasn’t because they couldn’t return home anytime soon, but rather because the feeling of having their lives controlled by others was truly awful.

Without a word, the sixteen cultivators formed a cautious formation and turned northeast.

Li Xun naturally leaned over to Ming Ji and whispered an apology, referring to the incident with the flying sword. Ming Ji didn’t seem to mind, but simply smiled and said, “Tell your uncle Ming Huo about this. He was very upset when the Shuijing Sect sent a message a few days ago. He felt very wronged.”

Ming Huo was the immortal master who had allowed Li Xun to leave alone that day at the Shuijing Sect. He was also the one who had transformed Li Xun from a wealthy man into a profound cultivator. Given this connection, Li Xun couldn’t afford to neglect him and repeatedly acknowledged his

mistake. As they spoke, Ming Ji touched his chest, looking uneasy. Li Xun, startled, asked, “Is your uncle injured?”

“No way,” Ming Ji said, calmly withdrawing her hand and meeting Li Xun’s suspicious gaze. He smiled and said, “I’ve been improving on a technique lately, but it’s nothing when things are colliding.”

“What technique is so complicated?”

Li Xun was skeptical of Mingxian’s answer. The Lingxi Technique required pure and unique skills, so Mingji naturally wouldn’t practice anything else. As for the others, with Mingji’s wisdom, would he choose a sword technique that conflicted with his own?

However, since Mingji didn’t want to talk more, Li Xun didn’t force her. Instead, Mingji began to inquire about other matters. Li Xun could only repeat the reasons he had just given.

Mingji’s questions were extremely detailed, especially when it came to the Hundred Ghosts. She seemed to be treating this interrogation as intelligence gathering.

Li Xun was completely annoyed by her, and thinking of that undying oath, his mood was definitely not good.

Fortunately, perhaps out of boredom, Luo Yuji persuaded Li Xun to join her “peers.” Although dealing with so many mouths was a chore, it was much more comfortable than the previous torment.

Time flowed by, and by sunset, the group of sixteen finally reached their destination—Langhuan Island, where the nine righteous sects had gathered.

The journey had been anything but peaceful. The Loose Cultivator Alliance had exploited their numerical superiority to the fullest. Within just a few hours, they had encountered seven or eight groups of over a hundred cultivators, and countless smaller groups of thirty or fifty.

These cultivators seemed disorganized, sometimes fleeing in panic upon seeing Li Xun and his group from afar. But more often, they were fearless and undaunted, charging forward in groups of several dozen or even dozens, their lethality terrifying to watch.

Everyone had their share of casualties, even the most resilient of warriors becoming somewhat relentless. Li Xun recalled a childhood history book describing the swarming rise of refugees during troubled times, a scene reminiscent of the present moment. A

chaotic world versus the Tongxuan Immortal Realm? A truly ironic situation.

However, if one were to put themselves in Gu Yin’s shoes, they would probably say, “The people’s hearts can be used.”

Langhuan Island, one of the more peripheral of the Seventy-Two Immortal Islands in the East China Sea, is owned by the Wuliangtian Sect.

This time, the Wuliangtian Sect has acted quite unethically. While opening two islands to accommodate cultivators from the Nine Righteous Sects and the Western Alliance, they have also placed these islands at the outermost edge, potentially tens of thousands of miles away from their main island. The sect’s leadership has also been deaf and dumb, their intention to play both sides and remain on the sidelines is clear. Interestingly

, while the main island is thousands of miles away, Langhuan Island, where the Nine Righteous Sects gather, and Shuanggu Island, where the Western Alliance troops are stationed, are only a little over seven hundred miles apart. For the cultivators, this is barely a stretch of water, a short walk away, revealing their current peculiar relationship.

The group’s return naturally caught the leaders by surprise, but Mingji and Baihong’s reasons were compelling, and the higher-ups of the various sects had no choice but to accept them. Li Xun’s arrival,

however, significantly boosted morale on the island. After all, escaping the clutches of the Blood Demon and the Hundred Ghosts was a matter of great joy.

On the island, the leader of the Mingxin Sword Sect was already Sect Master Qingming, who had recently arrived. By this point, on the small Langhuan Island, besides Master Tianzhi, the remaining four Sect Masters of the Nine Righteous Sects, who had reached the True One Realm, had all arrived. They were Li Douliang of the Zhenhun Sect, Luo Qichang of the Three Emperors Sword Sect, Qingming of the Mingxin Sword Sect, and Monk Liaoran of the West Extreme Zen Sect.

Besides the Sect Masters, Liuyunzi of the Xumiao Sect and Bancheng Jushi of the West Extreme Zen Sect also possessed the True One Realm. Bancheng Jushi, in particular, was a supreme demon, once as famous as Yaofeng—the Flying Tiger with Wings. His magical powers surpassed those of all the True One Masters of the Nine Righteous Sects.

The gathering of the six great True One Grandmasters, accompanied by over fifty True Immortal Realm masters, represented an unprecedentedly formidable force.

Li Xun’s mood brightened after learning about the situation on the island.

He didn’t believe their strength could directly challenge the Loose Cultivator Alliance, but the Nine Righteous Sects’ strategy shifted in his favor.

Using an elite force to attack Huanglong and capture the enemy and their leader… A single force wouldn’t be enough, but two, three, or even more might prevent Gu Yin from being distracted.

Li Xun quickly formulated his ideal scenario, then chuckled, setting aside his wishful thinking and listening intermittently to Luo Yuji and the others’ explanations of the surrounding situation.

Just then, a servant from the Wuliangtian Sect approached, saying Qingming had summoned Li Xun. Li Xun apologized and left with Mingji.

Qingming’s residence was located in the center of the island, a row of detached residences that looked identical except for their location. Li Jun felt a sense of unease as he saw nearly every True Immortal Realm master he encountered along the way.

He assumed the worst. If his identity were revealed before he could break free from the encirclement, he would likely face a combined attack from six True One Grandmasters and nearly a hundred experts from various sects. The mere thought of it was chilling.

Amidst their wandering thoughts, the two had already arrived at Qingming’s residence.

The door was unlocked; Mingji knocked gently and led him inside. Qingming was sitting cross-legged on the couch. Despite the long journey, the sect leader remained as gentle and composed as ever. Upon meeting Li Xun, he remained true to form, simply giving a few serious words to him before letting the matter go.

Qingming also asked a few questions about Baigui, but they were mainly about Li Xun’s arrangements: “Given your abilities, it would be best if you returned to the mountain. Having you oversee the mountain’s forbidden methods would be more effective than having two True One masters present.”

Li Xun quickly offered a few words of humility. However, Qingming’s words were not random. The precedent of Baigui and Qingyin’s rampage at Lianxia Mountain made him realize Li Xun’s crucial role.

Especially since the formation’s centerpiece, the Heaven-Slaying Divine Sword, had been stolen. Without a master who could control the forbidden methods and adapt to changing circumstances, even the most meticulous arrangements would be useless against a True One master.

Unfortunately, he could only offer these words, as he absolutely dared not risk Li Xun crossing the vast sea. If anything went wrong, the Mingxin Sword Sect would simply not be able to bear such a tragic loss.

“The Loose Cultivator Alliance, the Blood Demon, and… well, these are truly turbulent times!”

Li Xun lowered his head. He knew the “end” in Qingming’s words must refer to Qingyin.

One of the reasons Li Xun had met with his fellow disciples this time was to get the latest news on Qingyin, but it seemed both Qingming and Mingji were determined to keep the matter under wraps.

Perhaps he should trick them?

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Qingming sigh, “The Hundred Ghosts are supposed to be inheriting Wei Bufan’s lineage, but they are even more erratic than Wei Bufan, their actions strange and unpredictable, and their stance. As for the other Blood Demon, he seems like a pure bloodthirsty individual, who has caused the current situation to drastically change…”

This was just Qingming’s pure sigh. Neither Li Xun nor Mingji responded. There was a moment of silence in the room, and it was Qingming who spoke again, this time to Mingji, “Just got news from Xinghe. Fellow Daoist Tianyuan passed away shortly after returning to the sect due to serious injuries!”