The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 186

Chapter 3: Thunder Prison

Numb, numb!

Li Xun found he could no longer recall the shock he’d felt when he’d heard the Hundred Beasts Sect’s cauldron had annihilated the sect. Simply because, compared to Gu Yin and the behemoth of the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance centered around her, everything else seemed like nothing.

The Tongxuan Realm’s eternal stability had been shattered piece by piece, until it was completely distorted.

But this woman would never be satisfied, Li Xun knew, as did all the cultivators on the East China Sea.

As long as Gu Yin lived, she would unleash all her might to shatter this order, which had endured for countless generations. As for what would happen after that, well… no one knew.

As Li Xun sighed, Tian Zhi, beside him, spoke without a word and once again launched herself toward the battlefield.

Li Xun hadn’t wanted to join in the fun, but the frenzied atmosphere there kept him from regaining his composure. Qing Yin’s presence was even harder to detect.

Finally, Li Xun could only smile wryly, temporarily abandoning his quest to pursue Qing Yin to the heavens and earth. Following Tian Zhi’s path, he returned to the East China Sea battlefield.

Of course, a thought also crossed his mind: In this moment of profound change, could you, Qing Yin, truly remain aloof?

Hundreds of miles passed in the blink of an eye, even faster than the journey, yet his mind raced.

It was certain that the War Demon Sect had not reached the point of annihilation. At least the Sect Master and half of the sect’s elite cultivators were still present. Even if their stronghold were burned to the ground, they still possessed considerable strength.

With this power, they could still lead a life of superiority in the normal Tongxuan Realm. However, now, on the East China Sea, even if they desperately tried, they would likely be at the mercy of others.

At this moment, Li Xun also noticed that the stream of independent cultivators, previously routed by the Nineteen Sects’ cultivators, was hesitating and showing signs of turning back. He could clearly see the expressions of those cultivators who had entered his field of vision shift from confusion and panic to ecstasy. The rapid, yet unified, change in their expressions was chilling.

Like madmen, they joined the spreading aftermath, raising their arms and cheering without paying attention to anyone else. With the shouting, this wave of people twisted into a huge countercurrent, surging towards the desperate situation they had previously desperately escaped.

The absurdity of this scene was so awe-inspiring that even Li Xun, with his current courage, was awed.

They were all mad.

Tianzhi, still controlling her speed, flew alongside her quickly. He tilted his head to glance and was about to speak when another sharp whistle echoed in his ears. This one, too, was directed toward the battlefield, though closer, making it clearer: “Break through the Seventy-Two Bends of Youshan Mountain. The Wuxin Sect is extinct!” This sound wave

, channeled through the thousand-mile sound transmission technique, was so intense that the final tone trembled strangely, as if it had broken its tone and ultimately lost its intonation.

Across the battlefield, the cries of “Ding will destroy the Zhanmo Sect” hadn’t yet died down when this strange cry was like pouring a bucket of oil on a raging fire. In an instant, the vast, azure waves of the East China Sea collapsed!

All the fighting had been rendered meaningless. Between sea and sky, only a hundred thousand people remained, shouting at the top of their lungs: “Ding will destroy the Wuxin Sect! Ding will destroy the Wuxin Sect!”

Li Xun’s face finally turned red with rage.

A map of the Tongxuan Realm unfolded in his mind, and across it, a blood-red hue spread rapidly.

He seemed to see a vast, cosmic hand descend from the far north, exit the No Return Realm, crush the Zhaoyang Lake, then turn southeast and flatten the Youshan Mountains…

By this point, the Loose Cultivator Alliance’s army had already penetrated the central and southern heartland of the Tongxuan Realm.

To the west lay the myriad peaks and ravines of Jiupan Mountain, where the Poison Hidden Sect resided, unrivaled in their ability to refine poisons and lay traps. To the south lay Xiankong Mountain, home to the Charm Demon Sect, the foremost demon sect in Tongxuan. The terrain was teeming with poisonous insects and demonic beasts, and the terrain was treacherous. Only to the east…

Li Xun stole a glance in Tianzhi’s direction. Perhaps from the overwhelming force of the sonic shockwaves, he felt Tianzhi’s tall figure tremble slightly.

“Fight the Demon Sect! Fight the Demon Sect!”

“The Heartless Sect! The Heartless Sect!”

The roar of applause on the East China Sea showed no sign of abating. Waves of cheers rose higher and higher.

From Li Xun’s vantage point, he couldn’t see the cultivators of the Nineteen Sects behind the dense crowd, but even a fool could sense the palpable ebb and flow of their momentum. Moments ago, the cultivators of the Nineteen Sects had been wolves, herding the forces surrounding the Loose Cultivators Alliance like sheep, even leaving the inner defenses vulnerable. Now, even if their wolfish nature remained unchanged, the hundred thousand sheep they saw had become an equal number of hyenas. How could such a disparity be bridged in a short time?

Li Xun remained calm, calculating that no matter what kind of momentum, it would always rise, then decline, and finally dwindle. If the cultivators of the Nineteen Sects could control their temper, wait for the Loose Cultivators Alliance’s momentum to wane, then suddenly burst forth, their clearly superior penetrating power might be enough to turn the tide.

I’m afraid… Just

as the ominous thought formed in his mind, he heard another sound.

The sound waves traveled in an almost identical manner to the previous two, except that by the time they reached audible range, they were completely drowned out by the overwhelming roar of voices.

However, within a few breaths, the voices from the sea revealed their message in the most direct way possible.

The Demon War Sect, the Heartless Sect… the City That Never Sleeps!

Above the East China Sea, like a volcano erupting again, roaring streams of fire swept into the sky, suffocating the air.

Li Xun was completely numb. He instinctively thought, “With the Loose Cultivator Alliance heading east, the Fahua Sect would be the next unfortunate to fall.”

Halfway through his thought, Li Xun sensed something was wrong. Without thinking, he reached out, but his fingertips only grazed Tianzhi’s robe.

Tianzhi charged forward, and Li Xun intercepted. Both sides moved with such swiftness that there was no room for reflection, relying solely on their acute sense of the energy flow and adapting to the situation.

Li Xun’s grab missed, and his form suddenly transformed. His outstretched arm expanded several feet, like a thrown hook, forcing forward and clasping Tianzhi’s clothing beneath her ribs.

The two’s protective auras clashed with a humming sound, their shared power colliding without any trickery. Li Xun was ultimately no match for Tianzhi’s mastery, and with a muffled grunt, his finger was deflected.

Tianzhi didn’t even glance back, but instead her speed increased dramatically, covering a hundred miles in an instant, charging forward like a whirlwind. The cultivators standing in her path were swept aside by the shockwave, their fate hanging in the balance.

Even so, Li Xun remained undeterred. An invisible thread connected him and Tianzhi, each advancing, the other closing the gap.

Their explosive pursuit stretched for a hundred miles, their soaring momentum distorting the surrounding frenzied roars.

Ultimately, Li Xun’s Blood Shadow Demon Body proved more agile. Before Tianzhi could penetrate the inner defenses, he unleashed his mighty hands, unconcerned with the awkward position, and grasped the woman’s shoulders, twisting her back.

Their bodies collided, and another muffled explosion erupted as the second impact arrived. Li Xun grumbled bitterly, “What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I provoke her?”

Though he felt remorseful, abandoning a task halfway was even more humiliating. Li Xun clamped his force against the now irrational Tianzhi, growling, “Are you going to do everything Gu Yin wants in your life?”

Despite his harsh words, Li Xun felt a different mood.

Tianzhi was a paranoid person, devoting nearly her entire life to the Never-Sleeping City, even willing to sacrifice herself to the devil to revive the sect. Yet, it seemed as if the heavens were specifically against her. First, she was humiliated by Gu Yin and the concubine, then, with no one to control the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance, the entire sect was forced to move inland, abandoning their ancient ancestral roots. Now, everything was over!

Of course, Li Xun couldn’t say that. His haste made him unable to think of any words of comfort. With Tianzhi’s grip on his arm gradually weakening, he resorted to making up stories: “Isn’t the foundation of Never-Sleeping City still there? The Huixuan Forbidden Technique is unparalleled in the world. Gu Yin is no fool; he wouldn’t risk conquering that deadly place.

” “And your sect disciples are all elite troops in the East China Sea. As for those who relocated inland from the north, it’s just a temporary base. They don’t have any foundation to defend. They’re all focused on escaping. How could they be killed?”

Even Li Xun felt that such words couldn’t fool even a child. But strangely enough, Tianzhi’s struggles quickly weakened, and she finally stopped moving.

Could this woman be so easy to fight?

Li Xun was a little confused, but he soon realized something was wrong. Tianzhi’s attention wasn’t on his words at all. It wasn’t that she was convinced by him, but that she had completely forgotten to struggle. She simply looked up at the sky, not even noticing that her hood had slipped halfway down.

Li Xun followed her lead, raising his eyes. The sky was still shrouded in dark clouds, but the rain had ceased completely. Only a streak of pale purple lightning flashed through the clouds, like a playful dragon.

Strangely, there was no thunder.

Li Xun felt the surroundings were too quiet.

The cheers of the wandering cultivators seemed to be muffled, indistinct. The only thing he could clearly perceive was the silent flow of vital energy in the sky. Above the clouds, it surged, tore, and collided, yet not a single drop escaped, muting all the thunder.

Everything took place in this tranquil environment. The surging vital energy above the clouds seemed encased in a completely sealed membrane, so strong yet so fragile that it was impossible to predict when it would shatter, unleashing the terrifying power within.

“Strained energy permeates the heavens, thunder and fire race through the clouds.”

Li Xun’s heart tightened as he savored Tianzhi’s words.

He had witnessed the might of the Ninefold Heavenly Thunder during Qingluan’s ascension, and not long ago, he had endured a barrage of thunder and fire. However, compared to the power now accumulating in the sky, that was nothing—as he had just said, it was a difference in level, a difference in realm. He could only sense its movement and estimate the energy that could not be underestimated. As for its true power, he had never seen it, nor could he imagine it.

Perhaps only a True One Master like Tianzhi could truly understand all that it represented, and of course, be more closely aligned with the mysterious flow of the Heavenly Heart behind this immense energy.

Suddenly, Li Xun began to understand another possibility for the True One Masters to withhold their power since the beginning of the war.

“The Heavenly Tribulation is approaching. Could it be that some master here wants to ascend to heaven?”

This foolish reason flashed through Li Xun’s mind, then was completely erased.

He didn’t even need a reason; he was certain that this grand spectacle must have been orchestrated by that woman, Gu Yin, although he didn’t know the true meaning behind it.

“That woman is truly terrifying!”

Li Xun sighed countless times, shaking his head. Just then, a cold voice rang out: “Let go!”

Li Xun realized that his arm was still locked tightly around Tianzhi’s shoulders. To outsiders, their current posture looked quite ambiguous.

Unfortunately, neither of them thought anything of it. Sensing Tianzhi’s change of heart, Li Xun simply let go. The two of them separated, naturally maintaining a relatively safe distance.

Tianzhi finally withdrew her gaze from the sky and looked Li Xun in the eye. “You put it well, but have you ever thought about how to make her unhappy?”

Overly general questions are the most difficult to answer, especially with the thunderclouds looming overhead. It’s likely that none of the more than ten True One Grandmasters present would dare to make a definitive statement.

However, Tianzhi didn’t really want an answer from Li Xun. She appeared completely calm, and she knew to pull her hood back on, obscuring her cold, alluring features.

When her voice reached her again, it seemed a little deeper: “I know that the City That Never Sleeps hasn’t fallen, but given the current situation, how close is that point?”

Before she finished speaking, the sea beneath her feet suddenly shook.

This was a real shaking, not just an illusion caused by the previous shockwave. Li Xun clearly felt that the seabed beneath the East China Sea, connected to the six lands, was like a blanket, lifted and shaken by a tremendous force. In an instant, the once relatively flat seabed was wrinkled and cracked, with at least a hundred huge cracks appearing, and their width and number were increasing.

Above the sea, huge waves surged, the splashing water almost reaching the clouds. The cultivators on the sea appeared and disappeared in the vast waves, and the roaring tide even drowned out the cheers of the hundred thousand wandering cultivators.

“Earthquake?”

Li Xun shuddered for no apparent reason, his brain pierced by a fiery red-hot needle. Under the intense stimulation, his long-dormant senses instantly unleashed, locking onto their target a fraction of a second.

Northwest, three thousand miles away?

At first, Li Xun couldn’t understand how he could pinpoint the distant earthquake’s source so easily, but once he pinpointed its location, his expression darkened beyond measure.

A winding path, a void rift, the Nine Netherworld! The

convergence of these three interconnected locations couldn’t possibly bring good news. He still remembered the massive eruption of Nine Netherworld Earth Qi during the fierce battle between the Demon Phoenix and You Yi some time ago. The force, like a volcanic eruption, and the majestic column of energy that stretched from heaven to earth were truly unforgettable.

However, if it were merely a burst of Earth Qi, disrupting the flow of Heaven and Earth’s vital energy, as it had been that day, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

This realm operated according to its own rules. Even if Nine Netherworld Earth Qi spread excessively in certain areas, it could always be slowly transformed and dissipated over time.

But in the current situation, the yang energy of thunder and fire spanned the sky, stirring up the vital energy of thousands of heaven and earth in a radius as if boiling like a furnace, threatening to explode at any moment. But at this moment, the incompatible Nine Netherworld Qi erupted in large quantities…

The two fundamental energies of completely different natures collided

head-on. Could water extinguish fire? It would only add fuel to the fire!

Above the thunderclouds, the more frequent the collisions of the vital energy of heaven and earth, the more Li Xun seemed to hear the groans of the surrounding atmosphere as it was overwhelmed. The subtle “crackling” sound was the precursor to a complete collapse.

He gazed into the distance, but because of the dark clouds and waves, he could not see the changes in the distant celestial phenomena.

Only layer after layer of intense oppression enveloped his heart, slowly tightening.

“Fortunately, it’s not the forty-nine catastrophes…”

Li Xun tried to find joy in the midst of suffering, but Tian Zhi beside him immediately replied, “What difference does it make!”

Hearing this, Li Xun’s heart sank. He turned, about to question her, when he heard the female cultivator’s breathing become much lighter. Though he couldn’t see her expression, he could clearly sense her straining to control the flow of energy throughout her body, her limbs tense.

“How…”

He’d barely begun to speak when his head suddenly throbbed, the rest of the words choking back in his throat.

At that moment, like Tianzhi, he instinctively restrained the surging blood-burning energy within him. Even so, the indescribable sense of danger still lingered, like a monstrous beast, lurking in his shadow, poised to pounce.

Zizi, zizi—

the crackling sound of tiny electric sparks echoed, intermittent at first, then converging into a continuous stream. Overwhelmed by the overwhelming sense of danger, Li Xun didn’t even dare turn his head, simply scanning his surroundings with his eyes.

He noticed that a translucent curtain seemed to have been drawn down not far from him. Against the gloomy background, a thin, threadlike blue light flickered across the curtain, occasionally igniting a faint spark before quickly extinguishing itself in the fierce wind.

Enshrouded in this curtain, Li Xun was utterly unhappy.

He could clearly sense the innate attraction of his burning blood energy, and indeed his very body, to the electric fire.

The situation was almost a replay of his recent lightning strike. However, this time, Li Xun dared not recklessly test it himself, for he absolutely did not want to be the first fool to start a fire! After a moment’s reflection, Li Xun closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and began meticulously regulating his Qi channels. Once he was sure everything was working correctly, the Bone Meridian Opening Heart Technique instantly activated. In the blink of an eye, the nature of his Qi had transformed.

The authentic Xuanmen Qi flowed with a truly surging energy.

Li Xun breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the yin rising and yang descending within him, a gentle flow. Though the pressure remained, he was finally no longer connected to the external lightning and fire as before.

However, when his gaze returned to Tianzhi, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly—being struck by lightning and being struck by lightning by mistake were ultimately the same.

He was still too close to Tianzhi.

At this moment, under the pressure of the external lightning and fire, the female cultivator was clearly struggling to control the surging qi within her body. If her qi lost control, the radiant blood god’s demonic power would inevitably clash head-on with the overflowing lightning and fire. Then, a celestial fusion would occur, and a nine-day thunder and fire would descend, pulverizing everything within a radius of several miles. Could the lightning and fire even turn around and bypass Li Xun?

With this thought in mind, Li Xun took a deep breath and drifted over silently, placing a hand on Tianzhi’s vest. Tianzhi showed no reaction to his movements.

Upon contact, Li Xun felt as if his palm were licked by a tongue of fire. It burned intensely, a burning sensation. This was clearly the remnant of the female cultivator’s fire poison, a sign that his condition had reached a critical juncture.

Li Xun whispered, “Follow my Qi flow and transport the three levels. The subtleties of this are entirely up to you to understand.”

With this, Li Xun activated his True Qi, but did not inject it into Tianzhi’s body. In fact, he could not do so. He simply guided the Qi flow outside her body.

At first, Tianzhi didn’t understand what Li Xun was trying to do, and her True Qi resisted. Fortunately, both parties were able to restrain themselves, and Li Xun’s understanding of the Burning Blood Qi helped to dissipate this resistance.

Slowly, as Li Xun repeatedly stimulated the corresponding acupoints, meridians, muscles, and bones, Tianzhi finally understood what he meant.

Li Xun was teaching her a profound method to alter the flow of Qi and meridians within the body, and even the nature of True Qi, ultimately transforming the structure and essence of the body.

Tianzhi was no stranger to this; she had sensed traces of this technique in both Li Xun and Gu Yin.

She was furious because of Gu Yin, jealous because of Li Xun. But now, with this technique within her grasp, all her repulsive thoughts were so vulnerable that they instantly vanished.

The female cultivator’s breathing ceased completely, while Li Xun’s breathing grew heavier.

Teaching the Bone Meridian Heart-Opening Technique wasn’t a simple street trade, where both parties agreed and the payment was made. Back then, Zhong Yin had used the most brutal yet effective method to make Li Xun memorize this supreme technique within his body, leaving him with only the form, not the reason. He only knew that this technique was tailor-made for him, but he couldn’t truly grasp its essence.

Furthermore, Li Xun lacked Zhong Yin’s immense cultivation, so he lacked the qualifications to teach it the old-fashioned way.

However, during a previous encounter with Tianzhi at sea, Tianzhi’s revelation of Gu Yin’s proficiency in this technique deeply shocked Li Xun and also broadened his perspective.

While time was short, preventing him from fully considering the situation, Li Xun, drawing on his initial ideas, his own experience, and Tianzhi’s considerable strength, offered a fighting chance.

In just a few breaths, Li Xun didn’t, and couldn’t, personally teach Tianzhi the intricacies of the Bone Meridian Heart-Opening Technique. However, through the stimulation of the female cultivator’s body, he clearly articulated a concept.

It was like drawing his most familiar runes on Tianzhi’s body, his words conveying a deeper meaning, vividly showcasing the essence of a specific technique. Ultimately

, it would depend on Tianzhi’s ability to understand everything from a single observation.

The True One Grandmaster was indeed different from the naive cultivator of yesteryear. Soon, with a jolt of Li Xun’s hand, Tianzhi’s energy deviated from his rhythm, swirling on its own.

He sensed that after the initial delay, Tianzhi had grasped the essence of the “Bone Meridians Connecting the Heart” technique, slowly concealing the Blood God’s demonic power while repairing her slightly altered body.

It was then that Li Xun noticed a subtle detail.

Tianzhi had withdrawn from Li Xun’s guidance, but the connection between their Qi and Qi remained intact, allowing him to clearly sense every subtle change in the female cultivator’s body. Tianzhi’s body was undergoing a dramatic transformation, affecting nearly every Qi channel and acupoint, practically displaying her entire cultivation technique before Li Xun’s eyes.

This was an unreserved display. The Blood God’s technique was one thing, but the ultimate secrets of the Nightless City were, in stark contrast, completely exposed.

If Li Xun truly had the dedication and time, he might be able to cultivate accordingly. With the right opportunity and talent, he could even derive from it a truly fantastic and unparalleled skill—the Innate Five-Colored Divine Light!

Of course, given Li Xun’s current state of mind and cultivation, such a possibility was nearly impossible.

But it was nonetheless a statement of attitude. Just as Li Xun had taught her the art of connecting the bones and meridians to the heart, Tianzhi had reciprocated by gifting her with her most precious possession. Their relationship had never been more harmonious.

Finally, Tianzhi’s overly menacing aura completely faded, while the fluctuations of Nightless City’s “Aurora Elemental Magnetism” rose and gradually stabilized.

Correspondingly, the wisps of lightning surrounding them gradually dissipated. While the pressure above them remained, it was finally no longer a perilous situation.

They both sighed, and Li Xun withdrew his hand, deeply impressed by Tianzhi’s understanding and ability to apply it accordingly. Tianzhi, on the other hand, remained silent, making no attempt to thank him. Her entire attitude had already been perfectly articulated in her frank and forthright actions.

Perhaps because they were too frank, the atmosphere between the two became increasingly silent, but soon, the battlefield not far away began to change again.

Gu Yin would never allow the frenzied atmosphere of his own faction to dissipate. Taking advantage of the powerful eruption of Nine Netherworld Earth Qi and the impending thunderstorm, the one hundred thousand wandering cultivators, already utterly fearless, launched a ferocious counterattack like a pack of hyenas, targeting the cultivators of the Nineteen Sects, whose average cultivation far surpassed theirs.

Under the pressure of the thunderstorm, the higher the cultivators’ abilities, the more restrained they became. In a single wave, the Nineteen Sects suffered casualties. But the worst hit were the group led by the old demon Kunpeng, who had previously penetrated the inner defenses’ weak spot.

The greater the damage they had inflicted on the wandering cultivator alliance, the deeper they had sunk into the defenses. Previously, under the leadership of the old demon Kunpeng, the so-called East Sea Demon Alliance had achieved considerable success, and it was they who had first shaken the inner defenses.

However, after a series of changes, this improvised demonic force was tightly encircled by the fanatical wandering cultivators within a countless human wall, becoming the first to experience the hyena’s prey.

When the thunderstorm struck, those who practiced demonic arts like Li Xun and Tianzhi, as well as those who were native to the world like Kunpeng, were most affected.

With this surge, the fate of these demons was sealed.

With a single wave of impact, the thousands-strong main force of the East Sea Demon Alliance vanished like foam on the waves. Under the oppressive pressure of the thunderclouds, old Kunpeng didn’t even have the courage to howl again. With a few trusted followers, he forced his way through the underwater passage and retreated in disarray.

It seemed that against the ancient sound, old Kunpeng had never gained an advantage, only suffered humiliation.

Li Xun’s lament was still lingering as the impact of the East Sea Demon Alliance’s demise spread to the cultivators of the nineteen sects. The cultivators of the various sects who had previously separated finally reacted quickly and quickly reunited under the protection of the True One Grandmasters. However, they were unable to escape the counterattack of the Loose Cultivator Alliance in a single blow.

“I have something to do. I’ll be leaving first,”

Tianzhi suddenly said, then lowered herself into the sea.

Li Xun didn’t stop her, figuring she was either going to digest her newly acquired bone and meridians heart-opening technique or to protect a fellow disciple.

Compared to her previous attitude of not even bothering to say hello, Tianzhi’s move was undoubtedly a gesture of respect, demonstrating a genuine change in their relationship.

“Reciprocity, people’s hearts are different…”

Li Xun couldn’t explain the feeling in his heart, unable to articulate it as he thought about other things.

Sighing, he ascended a distance, trying to take in the battlefield.

As soon as Li Xun ascended, he felt a dark cloud overhead, its momentum overwhelming, frightening him so much that he immediately fell back, finally understanding why Tianzhi had to come and go from the sea.

He looked up at the sky, speechless for a moment, his suspicions growing even stronger. He had no doubt about Gu Yin’s extraordinary abilities, but a grand spectacle like this felt out of sync with the woman’s actual abilities.

As he pondered this, a feeling struck him. Turning his head, he saw a figure slowly flying toward him from midair. It appeared leisurely, but in reality, it was moving at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it was close, and before he spoke, he smiled, “It’s indeed Fellow Daoist Li.”

“Master Moshi?”

Li Xun’s brows twitched at the sound of the man’s distinctive, dry, sand-grinding clatter.

While his presence was surprising, he was even more astonished by the effortless ease with which he soared through the air. “This guy is clearly destined for transcendence and ascension, how can he be so effortless?”

With this in mind, he paid little attention to Ramash’s intentions, merely observing the shifts in his form and aura.

Upon closer observation, Li Xun saw the clue. Ramash was indeed surrounded by the threat of lightning and fire, but he had employed some method to confine these currents to circling his body, preventing them from approaching. Occasionally, some of them came close, but were swallowed by his demonic aura, vanishing without a trace.

“Perhaps this is also a secret method for overcoming tribulations?” Thinking of Shui Dielan’s explanation, Li Xun understood a little more.

Under the current circumstances, only masters like Ramash, who could move freely in and out of the power of thunder tribulations, were qualified to act freely.

A few thoughts flashed through his mind as Ramash moved closer. The strong wind blew from the sea, and his long, blue-gray hair also fluttered in the wind, looking extremely strange.

Even with this peerless master approaching, Li Xun’s heart didn’t even beat. He just nodded slightly and said calmly, “It seems that everyone’s progress is not satisfactory.”

“Indeed, so on behalf of all my fellow Taoists, I would like to invite Fellow Daoist Li to come over and discuss this.”

Ramash’s eyes were deep, but his attitude was shockingly humble. Li Xun didn’t believe that this guy would come to ask him to go back. At most, they met on the way and exchanged a few polite words. Maybe there was some conspiracy.

He remained secretly vigilant,

yet a faint smile crossed his face. “The situation has deviated from common sense. I’m afraid I’m powerless to intervene.” However, Li Xun, in a moment of deliberate deliberation, offered Ramash a hand, effectively taking the initiative and inviting him to join him. Seeing Li Xun’s willingness, Ramash nodded in approval and considerately lowered himself, heading side by side with Li Xun towards the direction of the fiercest fighting.

Li Xun’s easygoing nature had its own reasons. Seeing the overwhelming power of Gu Yin, the alliance of the Nineteen Sects, which he had forged, was struggling. This was a matter of life and death. If he withdrew, leaving the alliance unfinished, it would be petty.

Furthermore, he was deeply curious about the calamity overhead and longed to hear what the Nineteen Sects would say.

Both men were so straightforward, and the politeness was unnecessary. Ramash presented the latest situation. “Now that fellow Daoists from all sects have gathered together, the situation isn’t necessarily dire. However, the enemy, leveraging the devastation sustained by the three sects, is boosting morale and showing no fear of life or death, causing great trouble for everyone.”

He paused, then pointed at the dark clouds overhead and said with a smile, “This particular calamity cloud is particularly strange. Its arrival is unpredictable, and we haven’t been able to pinpoint its origin. We must slowly regulate our Qi and prevent any unforeseen consequences—Gu Yin truly possesses remarkable magical powers!”

“I wonder if this is a ‘killing calamity’ or a ‘body calamity’?” Li Xun was referring to the two common types of calamities.

The so-called killing calamity is a bloody calamity caused by warfare and slaughter. It’s caused by lonely, vengeful spirits ascending to the Douniu, triggering divine punishment. This calamity occurs frequently, and is extremely annoying to fellow demon cultivators like Li Xun and Ramash.

As for the physical tribulations, they are often caused by the jealousy of the heavens when one’s cultivation reaches a certain level. The most typical example is the heavenly tribulations encountered by cultivators when they attain enlightenment and ascend to heaven.

Ramash didn’t give a direct answer.

He smiled as he twitched the deep purple devil pattern, concealing his thoughts tightly: “If it’s a physical calamity, it’s fine. We just need to restrain ourselves. But if it’s a killing calamity, it will be a bit troublesome. Gu Yin just needs to add enough lives… Human lives are probably the least scarce in the East China Sea now.”

Having said that, he suddenly sighed: “It’s always the heavenly calamity that chooses people. When have you ever seen someone summon the heavenly calamity and wave it away? This trip to the East China Sea has broadened my horizons.”

Li Xun also smiled. The two of them strolled on the sea. The resistance they encountered was not as strong as they had imagined. It would take some time for the Loose Cultivator Alliance to reorganize the collapsed outer formation. The notoriety of the great master Ramash was timeless. Everyone in the entire Tongxuan world knew him. Seeing his signature appearance, most of the loose cultivators did not have the courage to come over. Occasionally, a few blind guys were killed in the blink of an eye, making this journey more like a stroll.

Gazing at Ramash’s left cheek, etched with demonic patterns, Li Xun suddenly asked Xiao, “Calamities are divided into killing calamities and physical calamities. What category does the forty-nine calamities fall into?”

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Li Xun felt Ramash glance at him with the slightest movement. But upon closer inspection, the renowned master of the magic path remained calm.

“Since the forty-nine calamities are a 3,600-year-long catastrophe, they are naturally different from ordinary ones. Their nature is vastly varied. If it’s a physical calamity, the entire world is affected by it. If it’s a killing calamity, those who survive it often suffer the pain of countless calamities within their own bodies. Therefore, the forty-nine calamities are the forty-nine calamities. The will of heaven is unpredictable, and it’s beyond our comprehension.”

This didn’t sound like an explanation, but rather a reflection. Ramash’s voice dropped noticeably. Li Xun wanted to ask more, but by then, the two had reached the core of the battlefield.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance and the Nineteen Sects were locked in a stalemate within a radius of over ten miles—a stalemate not of a static nature, but rather a dynamic equilibrium fostered by relentless clashes and clashes.

Constantly, injuries and deaths were reported. While the majority were on the Loose Cultivator Alliance’s side, the vast disparity in numbers, combined with the stern expressions of the various sects, revealed the true momentum.

Li Xun, observing this situation up close, was deeply puzzled. “Our overall strength is inferior to theirs, but our individual strength far surpasses theirs. Why, then, have we abandoned our agile tactics and engaged them in a desperate struggle?”

“After all, not every fellow Daoist can easily dispel the interference of heavenly thunder and fire…”

Ramash explained the situation with a smile. Li Xun immediately recalled Tianzhi’s earlier difficulties, then observed the changes in the inner formation. He nodded silently and remained silent.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance’s entire focus was on the Nineteen Sects, who were now in a semi-encirclement. They offered almost no resistance to the sudden attack from the two masters behind them, easily allowing them to pass.

Ramash didn’t attack again. Instead, Li Xun, familiarizing himself with his temporarily transformed form and the techniques, unleashed several bursts of pure Xuanmen sword energy, knocking down several men as a practice.

Perhaps numb from the constant fighting, the arrival of Li Xun and Ramash didn’t elicit much reaction from the nineteen sects. Only the moment they touched the formation did a tiny gap open, allowing someone to slip in and out, before it was completely closed, demonstrating their increasingly fluent coordination.

Li Xun noticed that none of the sect leaders were present among the engaged cultivators.

In the inner circle of the formation, the situation was much as he’d imagined: the leaders of each sect gathered in a small circle, their faces solemn.

Li Xun focused his attention on Qi Wudaoren and Li Dongjue. Qi Wudaoren lowered his head, his surroundings empty, with occasional crackling sounds of air, as if he were struggling to escape the thunderstorm. But upon closer inspection, he felt a dark and gloomy aura surrounding him, and the subtle crackling sounds more like burning poisonous fire, poised to erupt at any moment.

Li Dongjue, by contrast, felt restless. Of the sect leaders, he was the most hyperactive, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. Meanwhile, Che Zaichen, clad in white and with a cold expression, carried the air of a general. As for the elders of Nevernight City, Li Xun simply couldn’t bear to watch them. The entire sect leader community seemed restless and volatile due to the mood swings of these individuals.

Most of the sect leaders were conferring with close friends, fellow disciples, and subordinates, naturally forming smaller groups, further muddling the once clear distinctions between good and evil.

Some noticed the arrival of Li Xun and the other two, while others were completely absorbed in their own emotions.

Ramash was about to speak when someone else stepped forward and roared, “The truth, the intelligence, everything we’ve received is fake. If all of that Gu Yin’s elite troops were here, how could they have annihilated three sects?”

The roaring figure was Da Ri Fa Zun of Da Qian Guang Ji City. This renowned killer had clearly become absorbed in the ongoing slaughter, becoming emotionally involved in matters that had nothing to do with him, leaving the audience amused and confused.

However, Li Xun noticed that the fake monk had already escaped the effects of the thunder tribulation, demonstrating that he was among the upper echelons of the Grandmasters, at least better prepared for it.

The fake monk’s blunt words ignited the discussion, and some previously restrained opinions were brought to the fore.

At that moment, a concubine echoed in agreement: “The distribution of military power of the Loose Cultivators Alliance is really strange. Whether it is Zhaoyangze or Youshan, both have dangerous terrains, and they have sects that have been operating for thousands of years. Without an overwhelming disadvantage, how could they fall one after another in a short period of time?”

As he spoke, on the other side, the monk Liangran, who had been closing his eyes and regulating his breathing, opened his eyes. On his handsome face, there was a look of compassion that was just right, which made people feel good. He said softly: “The news we know so far is only one-sided from Gu Yin’s side, and we can’t make a conclusion lightly. Fellow Daoist Tianhe, I sent a message to

Wuliangtian Sect with my flying sword before. Have you received a reply?” Elder Tianhe of the Never-Sleeping City seemed to have been injured. Coupled with the tragedy of the sect, he looked even more listless. He pulled himself together and replied softly: “Not yet…”

Tianhe’s weak voice made this… The empty discussion came to a temporary end, and a sudden silence fell among the cultivators until Ramash chuckled. “It seems that your discussion hasn’t made any progress. Brother Chu, how are you feeling?”

Ramash was asking Chu Chen, the leader of the Poison Hidden Sect. The old demon opened his eyes and laughed heartily, “It’s nothing, it’s just that my eyelids are twitching and my chest is tight.”

The old demon usually laughed, but when he opened his mouth to mock, his lethality was truly considerable. With a single sentence, he wiped out all the sect leaders who had spoken earlier. Unfortunately, it was not yet time for some of them to speak. Li Douliang, who had been thinking with his arms folded, spoke up, “Things have come to this point. It’s pointless to speculate about what has already happened. Everyone, the most important thing right now is to discuss how to deal with the current situation.”

“How can we talk about countering the enemy when we don’t know their strength?”

the Endless Underworld Lord sneered grimly. The Pluto Sect and the Soul-Calming Sect had different paths, facing each other across the sea, and their accumulated hatred ran deep. The Endless Underworld Lord would not miss any opportunity to suppress his old rival.

Li Douliang was extremely well-mannered, and he remained unmoved by this. He simply spoke calmly, “How can we not know their strength? When we made this decision, we already took into account the councilors of the Loose Cultivators’ Alliance, the masters of the Hall of Opinion, and the elite troops from all directions.”

“Although there is no way to see more detailed information now, it can be known from the sudden disasters that have befallen the three sects. Gu Yin has already secretly divided his forces. As fellow Taoists have said before, that group must have a considerable number of masters in charge to cause such consequences. It can be seen that the power on Gu Yin’s side will only be greatly diluted, and will not be strengthened… Endless Sect Master should understand the meaning of this.”

Endless Underworld Lord had a grim expression and said nothing. Instead, it was the concubine who had just analyzed the situation of Gu Yin’s division of forces who came to his rescue: “Sect Master Li is a bit biased. Now everyone knows that the most threatening thing is not Gu Yin, but this layer of calamity cloud above. With it above our heads, everyone is restrained and may not be able to use even a third of their full strength. What Endless Sect Master meant was the reality of this layer of calamity cloud. Does Sect Master Li know?”

“Of course I know.”

Li Douliang’s words were really shocking. All the cultivators present were startled by him and all looked at him.

Being stared at by everyone, this righteous leader remained calm and said directly: “I know that this calamity cloud is definitely related to Gu Yin.”

Everyone was stunned.