The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 193

Episode 18, Mirror Clone, Chapter 3, Gift

Mingji was in a bad mood.

He sat cross-legged on a platform near the cliff, a longsword across his knees, silent.

Lately, his luck seemed to be running low.

Having learned about the so-called “Hundred Ghost Bamboo” from the sect’s flying sword transmission, he knew there was no point in remaining in the Southeast Forest Sea. He hurried, intent on returning to the East China Sea to fight alongside his fellow disciples. However, he encountered Qin Wanru along the way, and a disagreement led to a fierce exchange of swords, delaying him for a long time.

During this confrontation, he sensed a violent turbulence within the heavens and earth. He also saw Li Xun and the others rushing in, knowing that something major was about to happen in the East China Sea. However, some internal feeling prevented him from reacting to the sudden shift in the void, allowing the energy within it to pull him along, dragging him into this unfamiliar land.

This place seemed to be deep within a mountain, shrouded in mist, drifting here and there. Looking up, he saw the occasional peak, a dark, inky black. Looking down, he saw a lush, verdant screen, boundless and limitless. The surrounding area was full of vitality, and it was actually an excellent place for cultivation.

But none of this mattered to him now.

He had thought that Li Xun, who had taken him in, would show up immediately and give him an explanation, but more than half an hour had passed, it was already dark, and there was not even a living creature here! Thinking of the man’s crime of deceiving the sect for decades, he was not sure if Li Xun really appeared in front of him at this moment, would he chop off the man’s head with a sword!

Suddenly, the long sword on his knee rang in its sheath.

Mingji raised his head and stared straight at the void in front of him. After the heavy fog, a person finally walked on the air and met his face through the haze.

Li Xun stopped a few feet in front of Mingji. He wanted to call him “Uncle Master,” but seeing Mingji’s attitude, he knew he must have received a message from the sect’s flying sword, knowing his identity. So, he didn’t want to be embarrassed, but smiled and said, “On a whim, I forced you to visit my Mist Hidden Cave Heaven. I hope you will forgive me if it’s rude.”

Back in the Mingxin Sword Sect, due to his sudden inspiration, Li Xun was one of the few third-generation disciples who caught Mingji’s eye.

But fate had played a trick on them. When they met again, an unbridgeable chasm had already separated them. Despite their deep feelings, they could only distance themselves with deliberate distance and hypocrisy.

Mingji wasn’t one to play it safe, and he didn’t bother beating around the bush with Li Xun. He simply frowned and asked, “What happened in the East China Sea?”

“Something rather troublesome,”

Li Xun said, his smile laced with bitterness. He then added, “My Wuyin Cave Heaven is one of the most scenic spots in the Tongxuan Realm. With its mountains, forests, springs, and spiritual veins, it’s a perfect place for cultivation. It’s a rare opportunity for you, fellow Daoist, to visit. Why don’t you stay a while?”

Mingji frowned, and with a clang, the longsword at his knees was already three-quarters unsheathed, its energy locking onto Li Xun’s form.

Li Xun didn’t resist, his smile becoming more relaxed. “Fellow Daoist, are you unhappy? Then you’re in a hurry to head for the East China Sea. Well, I’d like to see you off.”

With that, Li Xun drifted back.

His movement heightened the sharpness of Mingji’s sword energy.

Mingji had no intention of killing Li Xun; he simply wanted to control his movements for safety. However, as soon as his sword energy began to flow, he sensed something was amiss. His sure-fire strike seemed to slice into the water, deflected by the current and slipping past him.

Taking advantage of this opening, Li Xun, just as he had come, disappeared into the thick fog. In an instant, only a low laugh remained.

“Going to the East Sea, right?”

Mingji was initially puzzled, but quickly realized what was happening. He leaped to his feet, about to refuse, when the void around him split open again, drawing him in.

Before he left, Li Xun’s voice echoed: “Go to the seashore, heading north. You’ll eventually encounter a battlefield. Give my regards to the immortal masters!”

“Li Xun!”

Mingji’s furious cry was instantly swallowed by the void’s rift, leaving no trace within the cave heaven.

Li Xun briefly activated the Wuyin Pavilion’s function and transported Mingji to the shores of the East China Sea, thousands of miles away. Because of the “winding path” that separated him from the battlefield, it would likely take several hours for Mingji to reach the battlefield.

If the situation there worsened, Li Xun’s deliberate delay might even preserve some vitality for the Mingxin Sword Sect.

After completing this task, Li Xun’s mood improved slightly. He returned to the small pavilion in the center of the lake, where Yingning was still waiting obediently.

The more he looked at this well-behaved disciple, the more he loved her. Gently stroking the girl’s silky braids, he smiled, “I’ll take you to see the future headmaster. When you see her, use your eyes and ears. As for this…”

He reached out and brushed Yingning’s pale red lips. The girl’s face flushed, but her eyes sparkled. Then, without a word, she nodded firmly.

These gestures seemed innocent, playful, and even had a hint of youthful charm, which made Li Xun’s heart flutter.

He extended his hand, and the girl happily placed her delicate hand in his. He led them toward the manor where Qin Wanru lay.

Holding Yingning’s boneless hand, Li Xun couldn’t help but recall Yin Sanren’s words… Perhaps in a few years, when the girl had grown up, he would truly want to savor the sweet fruit cultivated by Yin Sanren himself.

Silence reigned as the master and disciple reached Qin Wanru’s temporary shelter under the misty moonlight. It was a pavilion overlooking the lake. Though it was night, the moonlight shone brightly on the sky and water, allowing her silhouette to be discerned. As

Li Xun entered, he saw Yin Sanren seated at the waterside railing. Though his customary whisk was broken, he remained composed and elegant. Seeing Li Xun approach, he assumed the demeanor of an elder. As for Qin Wanru, she stood respectfully to the side, her white dress as white as snow, her reflection shone in the clear light, her graceful beauty making one forget to eat.

They have a truly wonderful relationship… The thought flashed through Li Xun’s mind.

Generally speaking, no sect leader would wish for anyone to overshadow their sect’s authority, but the master and disciple before him were an exception.

Although Yin Sanren had been formally expelled from the Yin-Yang Sect, Qin Wanru still considered her her greatest supporter, a fact she had maintained from seventy years ago until now, and it was likely to continue forever.

Li Xun didn’t mind speculating, even with the utmost malice, about the reasons for this relationship between master and disciple: perhaps it was their enduring “closeness,” or perhaps it was simply a matter of shared interests—drugging one’s own niece and sister to create an elixir was not something an ordinary master and disciple could do.

In Yin Sanren’s presence, Qin Wanru was much quieter, merely smiling upon seeing Li Xun enter. It wasn’t until her eyes caught sight of Yingning that her eyes lit up.

“So this is Yingning, right? What a beautiful girl with exceptional talent! Even more beautiful than Master said she was!”

Li Xun chuckled inwardly. Women are naturally gifted at acting, and Qin Wanru is a true master at it.

Looking at her like this, who would have known that some time ago, this woman was actually trying to refine the little girl in front of her into a pill to consume.

His mind was spinning so fast that Li Xun’s two adjacent thoughts collided with each other. A vague idea flashed by, then passed by, and when he tried to recall it, there was no trace left.

Li Xun was stunned. Over there, Yingning was unaware that the beautiful and kind female cultivator before her was also one of the murderers of her parents. She was a well-behaved child, and even more so, she was extremely reserved with her words. She simply bowed and whispered “Uncle Master,” then fell silent, appearing quite shy.

Qin Wanru, however, grew fonder of her. Ignoring Li Xun beside her, she swiftly approached, embracing Yingning in her arms, naturally ignoring her slight resistance. She looked as if she could not wait to plant a kiss on her delicate face.

Li Xun, regaining his composure, set aside his thoughts, but didn’t mind being left out. He glanced at Yin Sanren and, seeing her nod slightly, felt relieved.

The situation made it impossible for him to show any impatience, so he set aside Lin Wuyou’s concerns and, with a smile, watched Qin Wanru display the friendly demeanor of a master master.

In his opinion, Qin Wan’s attitude stemmed from Yin Sanren’s appreciation for Yingning, though the influence of his younger junior brother couldn’t be ignored.

Regardless, Qin Wanru seemed quite cheerful. She inquired a few more times about Yingning’s studies. The young girl remained straightforward and uncommunicative, but her progress was enough to astonish her.

Delighted, she unbuttoned her collar and, from between her voluptuous, snow-white breasts, pulled out a delicate jade pendant, attempting to place it around the young girl’s neck.

Yingning struggled briefly, then glanced at Li Xun with a pleading look.

Li Xun’s keen eyes could discern that it was a jade plaque of finest quality, its simple strokes imbued with a sense of beauty and grace. Furthermore, it was imbued with a magical spell, presumably for protection. How

could something Qin Wanru could keep so close to her body be anything but ordinary? He nodded at the young girl, and Yingning obediently allowed Qin Wanru to place the plaque.

The i*imate item still lingered with the delicate fragrance of the female cultivator’s sleek skin. The young woman’s thoughts wandered, her gaze unfocused, a bit distracted.

Qin Wanru, contented, let go of the already straining Yingning. Turning, she saw Li Xun’s gaze fixed on the slender, snow-white skin beneath her collar.

The female cultivator was remarkably composed, covering her collar with a graceful grace that was even more captivating, sending a subtle warmth through Li Xun’s stomach.

He coughed softly, gathering his composure, and asked, “Senior Sister, why are you so back and forth? Is there something going on within the sect?”

Qin Wanru rolled her eyes at him, then sighed softly, “Even if it’s a solid block, when faced with a mountain, it will crumble into dust.”

With that one word, Li Xun knew the female cultivator had learned of the current situation from Yin Sanren, but he hadn’t expected her to be so pessimistic.

However, at this point, he no longer believed he needed to resort to the tactics of a bully to control the Yin-Yang Sect.

In truth, he had begun to doubt the practical benefits of such an approach.

His previous thoughts, now seemingly tinged with naive fantasy, were ultimately unrealistic. Li Xun sighed.

Li Xun couldn’t rush, but Qin Wanru, on the other hand, was quite anxious: “I came here to observe the changes in the East China Sea, but I didn’t expect the situation to become so dire! I must redo some of my previous arrangements…”

She glanced at Yin Sanren and immediately said, “There’s no time to lose. I must return immediately. Please, Junior Brother, escort me out of the mansion!”

Li Xun was stunned. But then he realized that Qin Wanru must have already reported this to Yin Sanren. He glanced at Yin Sanren again, and this puppet, completely devoid of any selfish motives, nodded in agreement.

Naturally, Li Xun wouldn’t stand in his way and agreed without hesitation.

Qin Wanru immediately said goodbye to Yin Sanren, turned around and hugged Yingning again, and said with a smile: “When everything is settled, let’s go to the sect to take a look. We must recognize our home.”

Yingning agreed, and her performance was still just right. After

the instructions were given, Li Xun signaled Qin Wanru to get ready. With a wave of his hand, he broke through the void and sent the female cultivator to the southern edge of the Southeast Forest Sea, saving her at least a day’s journey.

After defeating the two outsiders, the rest was the most important thing.

Li Xun stepped into the quiet room where Lin Wuyou was placed.

The interior was very simple, with only a couch and a futon. The four walls were bare, built entirely of bluestone, and were very solid.

At this time, the smooth walls on all four sides were covered with a layer of flowing halo. The source of the halo was the sleeping Lin Wuyou.

Walking forward, Li Xun looked down at the girl on the couch.

As Yin Sanren had described, the light wasn’t from the girl’s body itself, but rather from the layers of strange, flickering patterns emanating from beneath her snow-white skin.

Thousands of twisting lines shone outward in the form of light, seemingly forming a translucent web around the girl, flickering and dimming, dazzling to the core. However, precisely because the light source was diffuse, the shifting light, though bright and clear, appeared hazy on the walls, dispersing mid-flight.

Li Xun pondered this, then reached out his hand, traversing the ethereal web of light above him, and gently placed it on the girl’s forehead.

A warm sensation spread from her forehead through his palm, as if a testament to the vibrant vitality within her. However, as this warmth spread to his chest, Li Xun’s heart trembled, a strange and inexplicable sensation building

within him. He took a deep breath and focused on the illusory web of light.

Undoubtedly, it was some kind of forbidden pattern.

Li Xun was most interested in all matters related to the forbidden patterns. He immediately focused his attention, meticulously analyzing their dynamics.

The more he discerned the underlying patterns, the more he felt a profound mystery. While this layer of forbidden patterns formed a complete system, it was clearly incomplete!

More precisely, it was part of a larger system, possessing relatively independent functions.

However, these functions could only be fully realized through the influence of factors beyond its own structure.

If Li Xun hadn’t encountered this incident, deducing a complete system from this isolated structure alone would likely take him years or so. However, considering his previous experience, what was the purpose of this structure, and within what system was it placed…was it even possible?

Li Xun felt that he had finally grasped a key component of Gu Yin’s grand plan. Without hesitation, he immediately mentally placed this structure within the framework of the Three Thousand Gangsha Armillary Sphere, and the results quickly returned.

There were too many seemingly plausible points within it, making it difficult to connect them!

Li Xun wasn’t disappointed. If he could easily uncover the secret, that would be truly incredible. He continued experimenting, slightly altering the details of the Gangsha Armillary Sphere according to his own understanding, trying to make it more consistent with the actual situation he had encountered before…

Unfortunately, this experiment failed again.

He maintained sufficient patience, retracing every incident he had witnessed in greater detail, especially the brief period between discovering Lin Wuyou and triggering the heavenly tribulation. The despairing pressure of vital energy was undoubtedly the most direct subject of study.

However, the reality of the situation loomed before him. At that moment, the situation was beyond his ability to perceive. His quick reflexes, of which he had always been so proud, completely froze under the immense pressure. He relied entirely on his instinct to think ahead to complete the series of actions, from saving people to escaping.

Therefore, his memory of that brief period remains blank, and reconstructing the details is almost impossible.

The only thing he could do is probably the “Spirit Transfer Technique.” It was this method that Shui Dielan had used to seal Lin Wuyou’s spiritual energy and divert the power of the heavenly tribulation. Li Xun only vaguely understood this profound technique.

He might have to trouble Shui Dielan again…

At this point, a thought suddenly occurred to him – why not just break the seal and see what happens?

Without a doubt, this was a crazy idea. While Gu Yin had already used the Jade Magic to draw away the calamity, given the arrangement of the forbidden patterns before him, the moment he broke the seal, there was still at least a fifty-fifty chance that he would summon nine-day thunder and fire, shattering Wuyinxuan to smithereens. All mysteries and secrets would then be reduced to ash.

Seeing this path was blocked, he grinned, helplessly changing his train of thought.

Meanwhile, the glow from Lin Wuyou’s body gradually faded. Li Xun’s fingers traced the delicate contours of Lin Wuyou’s face, passing over her delicate jawline and resting on the side of her neck. With deft movements, he unbuttoned her dress in a flash.

The pink shirt was lifted, revealing her snow-white skin beneath. Had the demon phoenix been present, the situation would have undoubtedly led to a bloody battle. However, Li Xun had no ill intentions; he simply sought to better understand the origins of the forbidden patterns on the girl’s body.

Feeling the soft touch of his fingertips, Li Xun’s expression remained stern.

Only after actually seeing the distribution of the forbidden patterns on her skin did Li Xun realize that Gu Yin’s ruthlessness and determination had exceeded his expectations.

This woman was truly ruthless!

On the surface, the girl’s body showed no trace of forbidden patterns. Her body was as white as porcelain and jade, without a single flaw. However, when the true energy penetrated and expanded her blood vessels, blood-marked lines appeared from beneath her fair skin, spreading all over her body, connecting to each other and appearing hideous and terrifying.

This was definitely not painted on with some kind of dye. Li Xun’s fingers slowly slid along one of the veins and could clearly feel that this blood-red mark did not belong to any external object, but was the girl’s own blood essence!

The demon phoenix was still fighting for life and death thousands of miles away, but Gu Yin was so cruel here! She had taken the method of crossing the river and destroying the bridge to the extreme.

Staring at those blood-red lines, Li Xun felt a chill surge in his heart. In a trance, he could even see, against a pitch-black backdrop, Gu Yin, dressed in plain white, stripping the girl like a white sheep. At the same time, with ruthless means, he extracted and divided the vital essence and blood, embedding them within these forbidden patterns…

Li Xun wasn’t an expert in medicine, but even with his basic knowledge, he could tell that Gu Yin’s use of essence and blood to create forbidden patterns not only improved the flow of vital energy but, more importantly, inextricably linked them to Lin Wuyou’s life force. Prosperity and loss were shared!

Want to destroy the forbidden patterns?

Easy, just kill this lovely woman!

Gu Yin’s whispers seemed to echo in Li Xun’s ears, as if emanating from the netherworld, gripping his soul and refusing to let go.

His mind drifted off, and he snapped back to life. He groaned, second thoughts forming in his mind.

Why bother to follow someone’s wishes? No matter how secure Gu Yin’s arrangements were, wouldn’t he still be able to disrupt them by using the “breaking formation with formation” method, using force to defeat skill?

As for Shui Dielan’s Soul Transfer Technique, it was even more miraculous. Any conspiracy or trick would be rendered useless if the source was blocked.

With this thought, his mood lifted, and the scene before him no longer felt so daunting. He began to examine the mystery more calmly.

Gu Yin’s brutal technique only made the traces more obvious. Li Xun could see that in order to infuse Lin Wuyou’s essence and blood into the forbidden pattern and connect it with life, Gu Yin had to use the technique of splitting and severing Lin Wuyou’s blood vessels. Therefore, he didn’t even need to bother to understand the changes in the forbidden pattern’s structure; simply observing the tiny wounds under the girl’s skin allowed him to grasp the structure and pattern of the forbidden pattern.

By integrating these clues, Li Xun could even perfectly reconstruct the timing and emphasis of Gu Yin’s technique when he outlined the forbidden pattern. This would allow for a deeper understanding and understanding of the subtle traces of this complete system…

The tracing process went smoothly. Every change in the girl’s blood vessels and meridians gave Li Xun the most obvious clues. In just a little over a quarter of an hour, he had memorized every technique and variation.

After this, he gently covered the girl with her clothes and sighed again.

For some reason, he couldn’t help but recall the memories of their past encounters and interactions.

In his memory, Lin Wuyou possessed an eccentric personality, both innocent and profound, almost unpredictable. Yet, no matter the time, she always wore a brilliant smile, brimming with energy and vitality, as if nothing in the world could ever cause her any worry.

In fact, with the support of the Demon Phoenix and the Blue Luan, nothing in the Tongxuan Realm could truly trouble her.

However, all of this was shattered by Gu Yin’s scheme…

Li Xun wondered if the girl knew that Aunt Qing, who loved her most, had lost her consciousness, or if she understood that her mother was being manipulated by her enemies because of her.

For a long time, Li Xun had trouble connecting these events with Lin Wuyou. But now, seeing the girl’s furrowed brow, he realized that a smile shouldn’t always accompany someone, not even Lin Wuyou!

Yao Feng must be deeply regretful…

The thought he had once had became even clearer, but Li Xun didn’t want to hide the subtle pleasure that lingered behind this sigh of pity.

He quickly cast aside those meaningless feelings, turned around, and sat quietly on the cushion on the ground. With his eyes slightly closed, he reviewed the information about the forbidden pattern again. Then he raised his hand and carved a trajectory in the air.

With his deliberate effort, the lines drawn by his fingers, tinged with a faint red, unexpectedly solidified in the void, imbued with wisps of vital energy, flowing in an unpredictable manner. He had already taken the technique of demonstration and experimentation to its ultimate extreme.

However, Li Xun wasn’t truly intent on unlocking all its mysteries. He knew full well that without the inspiration of a complete system, any further research would be futile.

His approach was simply to cultivate the “divine will” of the forbidden patterns, striving for a sense of “the pattern mirroring the person.”

Each person’s forbidden technique arrangement possessed unique characteristics. Even techniques from the same source would differ from person to person in their implementation.

Gu Yin had never been renowned for his forbidden technique skills, but Li Xun felt someone else must have contributed to this effort. He now aimed to trace the source and uncover the unique characteristics of this structure.

As he did this, Li Xun had a vague premonition, albeit a vague one…

As time passed, the forbidden pattern’s structure grew more and more complete, appearing almost perfectly in the void.

But Li Xun was not satisfied. He was still trying to understand the weight of the strokes and wanted to extract more information from it.

But the more he delved into the details, the more familiar the technique… no, the forbidden patterns themselves—felt. Yet, the more he pondered, the more vague the impression grew.

It was impossible. Over the decades, he had seen thousands of forbidden arrangements, and each of these structures, crude or delicate, simple or complex, was seared into his memory. He might occasionally overlook something, but when he carefully recalled it, it was crystal clear. Never before had he felt so vague and unclear as now.

Strange…

Just as he was agonizing, his body suddenly trembled.

From his low position to the ground, he could clearly sense waves of intense vibrations emanating from some extremely distant region, somehow directly impacting the otherworldly realm of the Mist Hidden Cave Heaven.

Could it be another eruption of earth energy?

Li Xun didn’t dare to delay, temporarily pausing his thoughts and hurried outside. Yingning was waiting there, but Yin Sanren was gone.

“What’s going on?”

Yingning replied clearly, “The aftermath of the fierce battle outside is being channeled down from the sky. Immortal Master Chonghua said that the power of the heavens is so strong that it has already caused the earth’s veins to harmonize, causing immense destructive power.”

Li Xun gasped, dreading the devastating scene unfolding from the sky.

He worried that the restrictions of Wuyin Pavilion wouldn’t withstand a second attack, so he had no choice but to return to the lakeside pavilion to verify the situation with his own eyes.

Yin Sanren and Youyi, his two puppets, were present at the lakeside pavilion, operating the spectroscope to observe the situation outside.

Coincidentally, as Li Xun entered the pavilion, a blurry figure crashed into the very edge of the spectroscope’s surveillance range, knocking down countless trees and plants along the way. Over a dozen spectroscopes that were too close to their target were shattered. Li Xun could only discern the other party’s identity through the intermittent, jumping images.

“That’s…”

Before any results were achieved, the man slammed hard into the soft, rotten soil that had accumulated over the years. But soon, he was launched into the air, the shockwave creating a visible ripple that instantly flattened everything within a radius of dozens of feet.

“Luo Qichang!”

Li Xun finally recognized the newcomer.

This was the first time he had seen the current Sword Emperor in such a state of disgrace. Thinking of his recent arrogance, Li Xun wanted to sneer, but in the end, his lips twitched twice, and nothing more.

He was in no mood to laugh. The source of the vibrations was still quite far from his control range. Without a spectroscope to capture them, the shockwaves had been largely neutralized by the time they had penetrated space. No matter how keen his perception, he could not comprehend the details. Even Luo Qichang, who had been knocked to the ground, had now soared thousands of feet into the vast, raging wind, far beyond the restricted area of the Southeast Forest Sea.

Well, at least this points to the source of the shock wave

.