The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 195

Episode 18, Mirror Clone, Chapter 5, Self

With a single swing of his sword, Qingming unleashed the Blue Smoke Bamboo Shadow Sword Technique, passed down by Zhong Yin, with unwavering perfection. The rich, sophisticated Xuanmen sword energy within it was beyond the reach of even Li Xun.

By this point, the surrounding cultivators understood that Qingming’s advance ahead of Luo Qichang wasn’t impulsive, a belief that his own cultivation was superior to his opponent’s. Instead, he took into account the Sword Emperor’s habit of overwhelming his opponents with his imposing presence. Now, facing the might of Gu Yin, a direct confrontation would inevitably lead to failure. It would be better to meet the enemy with the Xuanmen’s pure and tranquil sword energy, using a gentle aura to counter the sharp edge, perhaps offering a bit of hope.

Just a bit…

The scattered bamboo shadows faded with the sword energy, and a hazy green permeated the sky thousands of feet high. Unlike Li Douliang’s skill in maneuvering a boat across the raging sea, Qingming unleashed the mystical power of the Xuanmen sword energy, his entire body merging with the very void. The calamities were eroded and dissolved by the most subtle changes in his sword energy.

Approaching the battle this way, Qingming offered no threat to Gu Yin in terms of casualties, yet in terms of resilience, he was even more resilient than Li Douliang.

The Grandmasters’ approach was now clear: they weren’t going to defeat Gu Yin, but rather to continually increase the pressure on him, forcing the conduit through which the cosmic tribulation flowed, to collapse.

A stalemate? In his busy schedule, Li Xun glanced at Qingming’s face again, only to see that his face had turned from pale to purple-red.

After only a short period of confrontation, Qingming was already unable to control the flow of his energy and blood?

Li Xun’s face was as gloomy as water, and he forced himself to stop thinking about useless things. This was the path Qingming and the others had chosen to overcome the tribulation; life and death were of no concern to others. Besides, hadn’t he also embarked on a path to face the tribulation?

The only hope now was the sword technique passed down by Zhong Yin. If he were truly as skilled as him…

Li Xun’s train of thought abruptly stopped.

His mind was blank. The fierce battle in the sky, the struggles of the cultivators, faded from his mind. All thoughts, whether of Qingming, Gu Yin, or the structure of the forbidden patterns before him, vanished. Soon

, a brilliant light shone from Li Xun’s empty mind—a true “eureka moment.”

The surrounding clouds of light were dispelled by an invisible force. As if possessed, Li Xun’s eyes flashed with fervor. Completely ignoring the gaze of the monk Bancheng beside him, he extended a finger and slowly drew the first stroke in the air before him.

Hundreds of lines spread out in a flash. The traces of his fingertip were lush and verdant, reminiscent of the ethereal bamboo forest amidst the shimmering sword of Qingming. The interplay of light and darkness, the air permeating the air, instinctively felt a direct connection between the two.

However, this was not enough!

Li Xun clenched his fingers, and the bamboo painting before him shattered. Amidst the shimmering light, he reached out again, painting as before, yet the lines unfolded in layers of brilliance, creating a completely different scene.

The painting contained a bamboo forest and a human figure. Even within the boundless sea of light, as the scene took shape, the half-inch-long void that supported it seemed to dim. But upon closer inspection, a clear glow seemed to flow through it, and the figure and bamboo beneath the moonlight were a uniquely captivating sight.

Li Xun stared blankly at the painting, feeling as if his heart would burst forth from his chest.

He had revisited this painting countless times in his mind. Not long ago, on Zuowang Peak, he had verified the cause and effect of its creation. But now, for the first time, he reconstructed it from the perspective of reproducing the brushstrokes. Just as the flash of inspiration in his mind suggested, here, here…

He suddenly burst into laughter, oblivious to the surroundings. Under the rare, blank gaze of Bancheng Jushi, he slumped downward, disappearing into the thick clouds below.

Wait, I’ll be back soon!

The next moment, he connected with Yin Sanren’s thoughts and issued an order: “Bring her here!”

In his turmoil, Li Xun even forgot about the telepathic communication between him and Yin Sanren, and roared in ecstasy. However, compared to this vague and crude verbal command, he knew that Yin Sanren understood his raging anger better.

Passing through the thick clouds and fog, Li Xun was above the southeast forest in a flash. Without any hesitation, he directly broke through the void and crashed into the small pavilion in the center of the lake.

By then, Yin Sanren was already standing outside the pavilion, carrying the unconscious Lin Wuyou, a look of slight confusion on his face. Li Xun no longer cared about what others thought and simply ordered Yin Sanren to place Lin Wuyou on the stone table in the pavilion.

The stone table was small, and Wuyou’s lithe body was mostly suspended in the air. Li Xun gestured for Yin Sanren to support the back of her head, keeping her body parallel to the ground. He stood aside, taking a deep breath, calming his mind.

When Yin Sanren indicated that Wuyou had been put away, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the collar of Lin Wuyou’s clothes and ripped them apart violently. With the sound of ripping silk, Li Xun tore off the girl’s upper body clothes, including her lining, leaving her n*ked in the moonlight.

Seeing this move, Yingning outside was startled and stopped outside the pavilion, not daring to come in.

Li Xun pressed the girl’s top with his other hand, injecting his true energy, which immediately stimulated the blood and qi, causing the forbidden blood veins under Lin Wuyou’s skin to reveal one by one. The girl’s slender and graceful figure seemed to have been cursed by a vicious curse, and a layer of dark red skin was wrapped around her.

Yin Sanren whispered, “What’s wrong?”

“Three parties, six rounds, multiplying and insulting each other. I never knew that the forbidden patterns of the Mingxin Sword Sect could produce such magical powers!”

Li Xun whispered, “The Gangsha Armillary Sphere is one place, the Ancient Sound is another, and my junior sister is another. In the three entities, yin and yang meet each other, and they control and communicate with each other. This is the layout of the East China Sea, and this is his method!”

Yin Sanren was by no means an amateur like Shui Dielan. Although Li Xun’s words were obscure, she understood something after listening: “To put it this way, it is to use this yin to deduct that yang. The Gangsha Armillary Sphere absorbs the Gangfeng evil spirit in the open, and digests the power of the heavenly tribulation in the dark. The ancient sound induces the heavenly tribulation in the open, and drives the tribulation evil in the dark… But what about Lin Wuyou? It seems that she and the ancient sound are in conflict of nature.”

“This is the key.”

Li Xun’s fingers slowly traced the bloodstains on the girl’s body. “If I could see through it at a glance, I would have used the momentum to break the spell and taken Gu Yin’s life. It was only a matter of time.”

His words were filled with unquestionable confidence, the primary reason for this being the painting of Bamboo and Man on a Moonlit Night, which he had perfectly reproduced.

It was Zhong Yin’s work.

Not Gu Yin, but Zhong Yin!

With this thought, Li Xun felt a tremor run through his body, an intense excitement coursing through him.

It was this scroll!

As a youth, he hadn’t discerned its wonders. But now, with the vision of a master of forbidden techniques, observing the brushstrokes through that ray of spiritual light, he realized that, like the ink bamboo painting that contained the Qingyan Zhuying sword technique, this one also concealed a complex and profound forbidden technique structure—the very thing that Gu Yin relied on to dominate the East China Sea!

“This is Zhong Yin’s plan!” Li Xun’s voice trembled slightly.

“Zhong Yin?” Even Yin Sanren, despite his cultivation level, was momentarily stunned at the mention of this person’s name.

Li Xun, in truth, had his own doubts. He wondered why Zhong Yin had completed the painting before his eyes, leaving him with such a clue.

But now, none of that mattered. What mattered was that, with that distant memory, the ancient sound’s layout lay clear before his eyes. He was confident that he could solve the few remaining unsolved problems in the shortest possible time.

First, and most importantly, was the secret of the forbidden technique Gu Yin had placed upon Lin Wuyou.

The forbidden pattern was connected to Lin Wuyou’s bloodline, a fusion of the two, inextricably linked to the girl’s vitality. Even with Li Xun’s cultivation, completely deciphering it wasn’t possible through pure deduction or imagination; he had to adapt to the girl’s vitality and gradually refine his technique. This was the reason he desperately returned to Wuyinxuan.

“The soul manifests, the energy is hidden within. This is the technique of false appearance and true depth. Thus, the structural key should be sought within.”

Li Xun focused his full attention on the girl’s skin, muttering to himself, his hands moving without hesitation, quickly analyzing the core meridian system.

Yin Sanren, standing by, remained silent, silently helping him remove the girl’s skirt. Li Xun’s fingertips touched the qi sea, sensing the girl’s vitality and initiating a corresponding transformation. His five fingers rotated like a wheel, tapping the numerous acupoints on the woman’s body.

Finally, he sneered again, “The ancient music technique only goes so far. She can only mechanically copy Zhong Yin’s methods, using human Qi and blood to set up forbidden techniques, but she fails to integrate them with the principles of the circulation of the heavenly body. She can’t distinguish between the extreme and the void, and has no foundation at all!”

Yin Sanren finally spoke, “She doesn’t necessarily need to be so mysterious.”

This was the truth. Li Xun paused slightly, glared at him, and then reached out to press on the ancestral acupoint between Lin Wuyou’s eyebrows. A little true Qi penetrated, but it felt like there was a layer of separation, untangible, and there was even a very weak suction force, which was very strange. He couldn’t help but frown.

Yin Sanren was helping out, she had some knowledge of the inner mysteries, seeing this she asked curiously: “Is there a problem here?”

“Of course… after all, her sea of consciousness is sealed now.”

Li Xun was talking about the method used by Shuidielan before, he soon returned to the point: “According to the painting, this is where the core is located, but in this situation, there is no trace of the outer layer of skin and flesh, it must be that Gu Yin used his subtle spiritual power to seal it in.

“Hey, Gu Yin’s method is really insidious. The sea of consciousness is fragile to begin with, and it was affected by external forces in the early stage. If it is not properly controlled, not to mention that my junior sister will become an idiot, how can the demon phoenix let me go?”

Yin Sanren also frowned, and waited for a moment, she seemed to say something, but when she opened her mouth, Li Xun raised his hand to stop her: “At this point, isn’t it ridiculous to still look back.”

As he spoke, his will could not be shaken.

Yin Sanren was straightforward. Seeing this, he offered no further words, simply reminding her, “If you really want to take action, you’ll need to consider the Soul Transfer Technique that Shui Xianzi has set up.”

Li Xun nodded, then looked up to see Yingning outside the pavilion. Without Li Xun’s intervention, Yin Sanren took over, saying, “Don’t neglect your lessons tonight. Go.”

Yingning, indeed, was more afraid of Yin Sanren than anything else. Upon hearing this, she politely bowed to the two of them and took her leave.

Li Xun watched the girl’s slender figure disappear into the jungle on the other side. Then, he said to Yin Sanren, “Practicing the subtle art requires quiet and undisturbed conditions, but this isn’t the right place. Why don’t we go to Shui Dielan and resolve the Soul Transfer Technique issue while we’re there?”

Yin Sanren nodded in agreement, then lifted the girl’s n*ked body and followed Li Xun.

After this period of time, Shui Dielan’s complexion did not seem to improve at all. She was lazily leaning on the couch. Seeing Li Xun and the other man carrying the n*ked woman in, he did not get up, but asked listlessly, “What trouble have you caused again?”

For some reason, seeing Shui Dielan like this, Li Xun regained his composure. He did not rush to ask Shui Dielan for help, but sat down by the couch and took her pulse. It was not until Shui Dielan pushed him impatiently that he smiled and told her the whole story.

After hearing the whole story, Shui Dielan couldn’t help but give him a look: “You are just pretending. I know you don’t have any sincerity!”

Li Xun just smiled. Shui Die Lanxuan felt a headache again. “Looking at the current situation, Gu Yin has already absorbed all the power of the heavenly tribulation. So, it’s not a big deal for me to undo the Soul Transfer Technique. But how confident are you in breaking the remaining restrictions?”

“When did I say I’d undo them?”

Li Xun replied casually. “Of course. If I really had to, I’d be 60% to 70% sure. But I wouldn’t act rashly until I fully understand the interplay between these three parties and the six cycles.”

“60%? Only that?”

Shui Die Lan was extremely dissatisfied. “Qi Xia’s situation is largely her own fault, but if you damage even her last remaining flesh and blood, it would be too tragic…”

Li Xun laughed. “You’re a kindhearted person, but the truth is, there’s nothing I can do.”

Shui Die Lan pushed him again, then stood up from the bed in a bad mood, motioning Yin Sanren to place Lin Wuyou on the couch.

The forbidden veins on the girl’s body had lost much of their brilliance due to the lack of stimulation, but traces of them still remained. What a look Shuei-Lan had on her face! Her eyes were piercingly cold. “Gu Yin has truly gone too far. Does he really think we, demons and aliens, are easy prey?”

This shared hatred for a common enemy was truly inexplicable… Li Xun didn’t know what expression to express. Fortunately, Shuei-Lan merely vented, discontinuing the struggle. Reaching out and gently pressing the girl’s forehead, her icy blue lips parted slightly as she uttered a series of obscure incantations.

Only then did Li Xun realize that the Mind Transfer Technique was a form of incantation, a rare feat Shuei-Lan had been able to perform in such a split second. Li Xun’s

mind blockade wasn’t difficult; Shuei-Lan quickly signaled Li Xun to approach.

Li Xun leaned over to investigate, feeling the previous vague feeling of uncertainty dissipate. The girl’s mind blossomed, naturally connecting with her vital energy. Stimulated by this, her eyelids fluttered, signaling the end of her awakening.

Li Xun would not allow any further trouble to occur. With a flick of his finger, he knocked the girl unconscious again. However, without the barrier of the Mind Transferring Technique, the delicate and intricate forbidden structure within was no longer concealed, and began to connect with the entire forbidden structure.

“This is it,”

Li Xun compared the structure with the image in his memory, becoming increasingly certain that this was the profound forbidden technique hidden within.

The painting of bamboo and figures on a moonlit night, from a purely calligraphy perspective, was not of the highest order in terms of composition and layout. However, a closer look at the brushwork revealed that it depicted the three layers of forbidden changes at a level unimaginable to the average person.

Broadly speaking, the bamboo forest that occupied most of the canvas could be seen as a modified form of the Three Thousand Gangsha Armillary Sphere. Several striking strokes were key to the forbidden structure, stirring up the fierce winds and evil spirits and embracing the might of heaven and earth.

On the other hand, the graceful and elegant female figure represents the forbidden technique engraved on Wuyou’s body. With just a few, subtle strokes, Zhong Yin has captured every subtle detail, his mastery commanding Li Xun’s admiration.

Finally, and most exquisitely, the brushwork lies in the way Zhong Yin, without even a single stroke, naturally conveys the alluring charm of moonlight streaming down, its radiant light.

Li Xun couldn’t find any reference to this technique in the painting, but instead drew upon his profound mastery of forbidden techniques, using the “reflection method” to discern the dynamics of the first two layers. However, lacking a complete understanding of the interactions between the first two, he remains unable to truly grasp the underlying secrets.

This layer holds the key to Gu Yin’s ability to control the heavenly tribulation and reach a near-unparalleled state.

Li Xun yearns for this, but he also understands the principle of gradual progress. He won’t anticipate final results until he has fully grasped the structure of the forbidden technique on Lin Wuyou’s body.

“It probably won’t take too long for you two to protect me.”

Li Xun didn’t need to give any further instructions; Shui Dielan and Yin Sanren knew what to do better than he did. Li Xun deliberately switched his technique to the Lingxi Jue, drawing on the authentic Xuan Sect Qi Refining Technique to purify his mind. His spiritual consciousness penetrated the void and projected onto the ancestral acupoint between Lin Wuyou’s eyebrows.

The process went smoothly. The previously minute forbidden structure, now invisible under his meticulous attention, was nowhere to be found. Li Xun quickly confirmed the correspondence between this structure and the scroll.

However, there seemed to be a slight discrepancy in this detail.

Li Xun repeatedly examined the forbidden pattern inscribed on the girl’s brow, finally confirming that there was no problem on his part, but rather that the specific forbidden structure differed from the brushstrokes depicted in the scroll.

After all, the painting was created by Li Xun through his memory and understanding of forbidden techniques, drawing on each other for reference. Discrepancies in details were natural, but the error in such a crucial location caused him considerable concern.

“This is the pivotal point of the whole thing. One misstep will lead to further failures. We must not be reckless…”

Li Xun momentarily set aside the uncertainly accurate scroll and delved directly into the actual situation, analyzing the source of the changes in the forbidden technique’s structure. “This is the Flying Kite Soul-Drawing Technique, right? It penetrates the very core of the sea of consciousness. It’s truly ruthless to the extreme.”

The so-called Flying Kite Soul-Drawing, as the name suggests, involves using a single thread to pull the subject’s consciousness and spirit, much like a kite. From then on, the technique’s flight, whether high or low, is entirely at the hands of the caster. If the thread is broken, the soul will inevitably be shattered.

Li Xun, familiar with the Miaohua Sect’s methods, immediately understood that this insidious technique was likely based on the “Seduction Song” used by Gu Yin to control Lin Wuyou.

If Zhong Yin hadn’t already planned this, it would have demonstrated Gu Yin’s considerable advancement in forbidden techniques. This side issue, however, presented Li Xun with a real dilemma.

The more he understood this structure, the more certain Li Xun became that the restrictions on Lin Wuyou were constructed using a technique of nested rings.

While this structure wasn’t particularly impressive, the connections between the interior and exterior were so tightly linked that without breaking through the innermost “core,” it was impossible to reveal the crucial information contained within.

Since it was a flying kite pulling the soul, the restrictions inscribed on the surface could only be the hand pulling the string; the true “kite” must lie behind the “long line.” The sea of consciousness was boundless, and with so many delicate nerves involved, who knew what lay within?

It was like a master painter: while their skills might be impeccable, it would be impossible for them to depict a vast landscape on a single grain of rice. While

the current situation wasn’t as extreme as the previous example, whether the girl’s fragile sea of consciousness, constrained by the Divine Song, could withstand Li Xun’s divine projection remained a question Li Xun had to consider.

Li Xun maintained a clear mind and reorganized his thoughts, confirming that all previous steps were correct and that his conclusions remained the same. Now, Li Xun had to reconsider whether Lin Wuyou’s safety was more important or the secrets of her forbidden technique were more valuable.

The answer was obvious.

A spell flowed through his mind, and a faint rumbling echoed in his ears. Li Xun knew this was the inevitable sign of external demonic intrusion, but he remained unfazed. Following the secret techniques of the Xuan Sect’s demon-slaying technique, he recited the incantation, and his mind shone with a brilliant light, reducing the few remaining demons to ash.

He had now blocked his six senses, contemplating only with his mind. After the initial darkness, a pure and magnificent place appeared before his eyes.

This was the Sea of Consciousness, a mystical place that even the most learned cultivators could not clearly define.

Legend has it that a cultivator who could ascend to heaven in broad daylight could sense and control 360 million Qi Qi, achieving a perfect Zhoutian number, encompassing all the changes in the vital energy of heaven and earth. This was the ultimate limit of this realm.

But attempting to channel this cultivator’s control into the sea of consciousness, exhausting its mysteries, would ultimately be in vain.

The sea of consciousness was boundless—boundless, not just a description, but a reality!

It was simply immeasurable.

Li Xun was acutely aware of this. In fact, conventional words couldn’t even begin to describe the world he now touched. He also understood that the sea of consciousness was boundless and ever-changing, and that attempting to control it completely was sheer folly. Therefore, he tightly locked onto a single point of spiritual awareness, ignoring the shimmering light outside, and firmly locked onto the “long line” released by “Flying Kite Soul-Drawing” to locate the core of his sea of consciousness.

Distances existed within the sea of consciousness; penetrating deeper levels depended entirely on directing spiritual awareness. Lin Wuyou was still unconscious, his consciousness unclear, his spirit immobile, and he offered no resistance. However, as the deeper levels opened up, bizarre scenes erupted.

These included not only Lin Wuyou’s memories, but also the mystical inheritance etched into the bloodline of the Celestial Demon Phoenix lineage. Consider the origins of the demon phoenix. If one carefully examines it, one might even find legendary wonders of the celestial realm within.

To call them treasures is certainly true, but for Li Xun right now, they present a daunting obstacle.

Perhaps due to Lin Wuyou’s naturally limited spiritual awareness, these inherited memories are chaotic and complex, completely unmanageable. If they were to materialize, it would be like a whirlwind of turbulent events. Li Xun carefully avoided touching the whirlwind of memories, lest they disrupt the stability of his consciousness. As for those immortal wonders, he avoided them even more desperately. Who knows if he encountered them, would he become obsessed, forever trapped in this boundless sea of consciousness?

Time passed meaninglessly. Perhaps three days, perhaps a single moment, when the pressure on Li Xun’s consciousness suddenly eased, and he had reached a deeper level.

Despite nearly a century of cultivation, Li Xun’s understanding of the sea of consciousness remained superficial, but his mind was clear, fully aware of the principle that “the deeper the sea of consciousness, the calmer it is.”

From the earliest days of cultivation, the Xuanmen Qigong practiced the art of concealing the acquired consciousness and accessing the innate primordial spirit. The more tranquil the consciousness, the more the primordial spirit emerges.

Applying this principle to the sea of consciousness, the deeper one penetrates, the more one appreciates the essence of emptiness and tranquility. This also increases the risk of disturbing the primordial spirit hidden within the Niwan Palace.

Although Lin Wuyou was in a deep coma, if one inadvertently triggered her primordial spirit’s defensive instincts, and thus triggered changes in the sea of consciousness, Li Xun would not be seriously injured, but his investigation would be fruitless.

Therefore, he carefully controlled his spiritual projection, practically following the long-term energy line of “Flying Kite Soul-Drawing.” Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the forbidden spiritual light passed through his spiritual projection and returned to his mind.

He wondered what key point this forbidden pattern connected to.

Li Xun’s spiritual sense slowly swept over the overly simple forbidden pattern structure. He believed that the simpler the structure, the more direct the reaction path. While theoretically easy to crack, in practice, it might not take long.

If his goal had been to save Lin Wuyou, he would have been stuck. However, from the outset, Lin Wuyou’s safety had been a secondary concern! At least not a priority.

Without hesitation, his spiritual sense once again touched the forbidden pattern structure. The sensitivity there was incredibly sharp. Even with just a light touch, it immediately vibrated. As the vibrations of the forbidden pattern were reflected back through his spiritual sense, Li Xun’s ears seemed to hear a humming sound that continued to intensify.

Li Xun’s attention was primarily focused on the changing patterns, occasionally observing their flickering spiritual light. He paid little attention to the “sound” transmitted back. In fact, he didn’t believe that “sound” held any meaning in his sea of consciousness.

In that brief moment of inattention, the sound had already undergone the dramatic transformation he had imagined.

By the time he could finally focus on the sound near his ears, it had transformed from a low, humming sound into a resounding, long-drawn laugh.

The world of his sea of consciousness instantly darkened.

The laughter coursed freely through the murky void, shattering the tranquility deep within his sea of consciousness. It was a sound that pierced his soul, sending an uncontrollable shudder through Li Xun’s body.

Then, the simple forbidden pattern structure shattered. If one had to describe the resulting scene, it would probably resemble a sandstorm, a whirlwind of countless gloomy colors, the laughter the elongated, shrill sound of a gust of wind.

However, just as his mind had grasped the “appearance” of this object, the “sandstorm” had already disintegrated, disintegrating into countless fragments of dust that flew and splattered.

Li Xun didn’t even think of dodging as trillions of dust particles pierced his “body.” It wasn’t a simple puncture, but a relentless cycle of back and forth…

But, was there no pain?

Only then did a sudden realization dawn on him: he had no “body” here.

As this thought shone through his mind, the void shifted again, and trillions of dust particles suddenly shrank closer to him—it was a pure sensation. The tiny particles instantly expanded, forming irregular fragments that filled his field of vision in a dense, brutal manner.

This was similar to the scattered memories he had previously witnessed in his sea of consciousness. Li Xun focused his attention to “see.” A single wave of divine thought was like dropping a massive rock into a bottomless abyss. Even more devastating, a rope was tied to the rock, and on the other end of the rope was himself!

In that instant, Li Xun couldn’t tell whether he was falling into the abyss, or the abyss was falling towards him. The intense feeling of weightlessness dominated everything. The world spun, and colorful lights flashed by, gradually transforming into countless shadowy images, drifting and flitting.

Countless images danced before Li Xun’s eyes, blurry at first, but gradually, he discerned familiar figures among them. With these figures, an indescribable power slowly filled his mind.

As he realized that this power was actually a vast expanse of information, his “sight” suddenly locked onto a single figure.

“Qing Yin!”

The chaotic torrent of images suddenly froze. In that moment, Li Xun was absolutely certain that the figure was Qing Yin! It was

like finding a bright pearl amidst a vast expanse of sand. Instantly, the bead blazed with dazzling brilliance. Instinctively, he “picked” it up, and in that instant, he realized that the pearl was just an ordinary bead in a string.

A blinding light illuminated the entire void. Familiar figures rose up in the surging tide of light: Zhong Yin, Gu Yin, Yao Feng, Qing Luan, Yin San Ren, Xue San Ren… They danced in the void, interweaving across trillions of images. Li Xun could sense their joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Countless subtle sounds, shouts, rage, and laughter, accompanied by surging emotions, flooded his mind.

For a moment, Li Xun felt as if his mind would burst from the torrent!

The sudden pressure was like a vast furnace, billions of images poured into it, instantly consumed and refined by the scorching heat. Invisibly, a divine hand in the void, in a way Li Xun could hardly comprehend, reconciled countless fragments, causing them to resonate and flow, ultimately fusing into an indivisible whole.

Faced with this mystical process, Li Xun was irresistibly drawn in.

To him, time seemed to have flown by for countless years, yet also to have passed in a single instant. He observed this wondrous and magnificent undertaking from beginning to end, initially as a spectator, but later, as if transformed into a god of refinement, yet also as if fused into the gradually merging fragments. Gradually, it became unclear whether he was smelting the fragments, or being smelted.

In this recurring paradox, he seemed to understand everything, yet could only grasp a vague, vast outline, desperate to completely break through the outer haze and see the full picture.

Driven by a strong desire, the smelting was complete.

The orderly arrangement of fragments, like a gradually unfolding scroll, revealed a rich and colorful picture. It was not through the “eyes,” but rather reaching deep into the soul, resonating with the previously merged feelings, forming a single, unified whole. In a trance, Li Xun felt that it was not an infusion from without, but rather a process of opening up his heart and memories, surging from the deepest depths of his soul.

As this thought formed in his mind, a thunderclap resounded in his ears, and the endless images suddenly transformed into a myriad of flying stars, hurtling towards him.

For a moment, Li Xun thought he was utterly battered, but then he realized that these wounds and cracks must have always existed, and the starlight hurling towards him was naturally there to fill the gaps, fitting seamlessly into the original gaps. Only by absorbing them could he achieve a perfect whole!

“Is this… mine?”

As this thought occurred, the world shifted. In a trance, he seemed to be transported to an unfamiliar environment.

The mystical scene vanished, but the shock of his soul needed a moment to subside. In his “eyes,” the rich colors were drained away, and the monotonous gray, like the sea at night, rose and fell amidst the low voices. After a few back and forths, it flooded his mind, and only the final thought flickered faintly in the narrow space.

“Is this mine? Mine?”

Drowsily, he suddenly realized he was surrounded by steaming mist. The sensation of heat and humidity was so real, it felt like he was standing n*ked in a hot spring.

The next moment, he was truly n*ked. The faint yet distinct smell of sulfur permeated his nose and mouth, and he could feel the rush of water against his lower body, along with another familiar, yet now absurd, feeling.

That sensation, with its intense stimulation, dispelled the so-called absurdity. At that moment, his senses were completely consumed by the steaming water, the rippling spring water, and the overwhelming pleasure.

“Mmm!”

he groaned, his fingers unconsciously tightening. The succulent, smooth touch immediately took center stage in his sensory field, and at that moment, he heard the woman’s suppressed moan.

“It feels so good…” he began, his voice slightly distorted by the mist, but the tone of satisfaction couldn’t be concealed.

The sound waves dispelled the thick mist before his eyes, and he duly lowered his head, only to be met with a breathtakingly beautiful yet stony face.

Yet, the jewel-like eyes within them held all the woman’s emotions, a crimson glow flowing within them like a blazing flame, brimming with indescribable tension. However, this normally formidable power was locked behind the wooden, gray features, unable to break free despite roaring in vain.

He ceased his movements on the woman’s limbs and instead gently caressed her beautiful face, slowly sensing the sculpted, clear lines, using his keen senses to gradually ascertain the identity of the beauty beneath him.

“Qixia Yuanjun… Celestial Demon Phoenix!”

This great demon, standing at the pinnacle of the Tongxuan Realm, could only submit beneath his crotch in the most humiliating manner. He could sense the terrifying energy contained within the demon phoenix’s velvety flesh, yet the demon phoenix herself painstakingly controlled it, not daring to let a single drop escape.

Using vulnerability to dominate strength, using meanness to control kinship—such tactics truly gave one an inexplicable pleasure. For a fleeting moment, at least, he felt immensely satisfied!

And that was only for a moment. His emotions shifted like clouds in the sky, ever-shifting. After a brief moment of euphoria, a chill rose from his tailbone, lingering within his mind.

At that moment, things shifted. His fingers moved once more, employing countless targeted techniques, traversing every corner of the demon phoenix’s flesh. This was the most direct and effective aphrodisiac method. Under his deliberate control, the demon phoenix, embroiled in shame and unwillingness, irresistibly sank into the mire of lust.

Soon, Yao Feng was overwhelmed by the trance and confusion of lust. The alluring beauty that blossomed in that moment of complete collapse was enough to melt even the strongest man into liquid. He was no exception. The next moment, he reached the pinnacle of lust amidst a slight tremor.

However, while all men would experience a moment of trance, he remained calmer than ever. His inner Qi vibrated with a pre-arranged rhythm, driving a thread of spiritual consciousness, breaking through Yao Feng’s now extremely fragile defenses and imprinting upon the yet-to-be-formed little being within her belly.

Yao Feng, in her semi-conscious state, felt nothing.

An inexplicable feeling arose from the depths of her heart, then quickly vanished. His body continued to tremble; the truly difficult moment had just begun.

A difficult incantation flashed through his vast sea of consciousness. In an instant, a thunderclap echoed through his mind, as if a massive axe had struck him, cleaving him in two!

The intense pain was secondary. The truly terrifying thing was the frenzied feeling of being torn apart, a feeling that lingered in his mind with uncanny realism, seemingly endless.

Two… which one was I?

Even in this frenzied state, he used his remaining sanity to try to discern the existence of his “true self.”

Chaotic thoughts tangled together like dense vines in a dense jungle, making it impossible to discern the direction. Yet, deep within this chaotic thought, a single spark of clarity shone. He strained to control himself, drawing closer to the light until he actually touched it.

It was the shadow of a female cultivator.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, the cultivator glanced back, a smile breaking across her beautiful face, both familiar and unfamiliar. But within that smile, a deeply suppressed emotion, like a toxin being forcefully injected, flooded his chest.

“Danger!”

As this realization crystallized in his mind, a tremendous repulsive force erupted, sending “himself” carelessly caressing. Following the path he had previously projected his spiritual consciousness, he sank into the demon phoenix’s still-flat belly. Within that small, undivided world, he found a secluded corner and fell silent.

The female cultivator’s form remained clear, her lips parted as if she were saying something, but he couldn’t hear it. He simply felt the beautiful face blur and recede from him.

“She’s…”

He instinctively reached out, wanting to touch her to confirm, but his grasp was empty.

His drastic misjudgment of distance made him feel a little dizzy, as if the world were trembling again. By the time he could see steady, the female cultivator had already soared into the air, and the sky had inexplicably darkened.

Beneath a blanket of dark clouds, the female cultivator, dressed in white, gracefully resembled an angel. Yet, he could see that the pristine white dress was splattered with peach blossoms, and that slender figure was barely holding up, using its remaining courage and strength to resist the raging murderous aura ahead.

“Take my sword and survive… I’ll give you a chance to speak.”

Hearing this arrogant tone from the distant ground, his chest ached, and blood choked in his throat.

He clutched his chest. The deep wound pierced diagonally from his right chest, tearing through a lung and damaging his heart, then emerged from his left ribcage. The sharp sword energy trapped within was like a maggot clinging to his bones, tumbling his internal organs.

He was still alive, relying solely on his refined cultivation to maintain a single breath.

A bloody haze clouded his vision, but he remained wide-eyed, gazing at a certain point in the sky.

There, an elegant man in a green robe stood beneath the dark clouds. His Sky-Slashing Sword was sheathed, slanting at his waist, yet the bloodthirsty whisper of the blade still echoed between heaven and earth.

Zhong Yin!

His entire body trembled with anger and fear. A thousand years of glorious fame, shattered in an instant by that man’s blade. Now, he was a mere cripple, slumped to the cold ground, his fate in the hands of others.

A conversation unfolded in the sky that deeply concerned him, but since the control lay in others’ hands, he had no interest in hearing it.

He looked away, drifting aimlessly through the gaps in the dark clouds. After an unknown amount of time, he felt a sudden chill run through him. The sword energy penetrating his internal organs resonated with the gaze cast down from the sky, causing a small explosion. He groaned, feeling his body pierced by hundreds of holes, only a hair’s breadth from shattering.

“Zhong Yin!”

the female cultivator shouted, but her weakness was unbearable. In response, she sighed, “How dare you laugh at a man? You’re not a man!”

Those seven short words, ignoring his thoughts, pierced his skull and plunged straight in. His body trembled again, blood gushing from all his orifices. The blood-red hue of his vision grew even darker, until the female cultivator reached him.

She stood beside him, looking down. Her face, pale beneath her flowing black hair, was weary, yet her eyes held a suffocating power that pierced his heart.

“Uncle, the Miaohua Sect is destroyed…”

Uncle?

His mind was as hazy as the reflection in the female cultivator’s eyes. The female cultivator’s face before him, however, became clearer, less vibrant, yet possessing a refreshing elegance.

He had previously doubted the face’s authenticity, but now, his mind was perfectly clear, allowing his thoughts to flow freely, radiating through him as sound waves.

“Gu Yin!”

Never before had this name brought him such a complex mix of emotions, brewing and fermenting in his chest, generating a myriad of flavors, yet he could clearly sense the most primal element within.

He knew exactly what it was: guilt, despair, and… jealousy!

“To dare to laugh at a man is not a man…”

He savored Zhong Yin’s judgment, the wound on his chest slowly ripped open by a pair of hands, the face before him blurring once more, and then countless flashes of light and shadow filled the air. Amidst the rumbling sound, the river of time surged forward at a hundred times the speed of before, turbulent and surging. However, the name “Gu Yin” stood like the strongest reef in the river, towering above it, its every collision stirring up waves.

Calm, joyful, painful, despairing…

Beside each “Gu Yin” lay his shadow. He seemed the pivotal figure, controlling everything, the fate of Gu Yin.

But gradually, Gu Yin exerted an opposing force, causing him to stray from his intended trajectory.

He suddenly felt breathless, enveloped by a cascading, sometimes pulsing, imagery. Gu Yin was a bridge. Every time her image flashed, a profoundly unique feeling seeped in, permeating every limb and mingling with his soul.

He opened his eyes wide. Amidst a dazzling world of multicolored colors, a pair of deep, profound eyes stared back at him. No matter how he shifted his gaze or turned, he could not escape their gaze. Through them, indescribable emotions poured into his heart, filling it to overflowing.

He trembled, trembling with the complex emotions swelling within him. He could no longer distinguish whether these emotions were pouring in from without or accumulating within him.

Gu Yin, Gu Yin, Gu Yin… He turned the name over and over, chewing it over and over again. A strange sense of alienation slowly emerged, and he wanted to ask: Is this the Gu Yin I knew?

And he stopped avoiding it and met her gaze. The previously blurry reflection slowly cleared, revealing a figure he had never imagined.

Wasn’t that me in Gu Yin’s eyes? Am

I… like this?

Questions flashed through his mind like lightning. He tried to close his eyes tightly, but it didn’t block out the intrusion of the five-colored light. However, he simply used this moment to focus his attention. The next moment, he thundered: “Gu Zhixuan, get out!”

The last words echoed endlessly in the empty world, as if thousands of people were shouting in unison: “Get out, get out, get out!”

The world shook, and the colorful light twisted and shook, finally shattering.

Li Xun opened his eyes. All around him was boundless emptiness. Here, within Lin Wuyou’s sea of consciousness, he was merely a projection of his own mind. Yet, never before had he felt his true self as he did now.

With a fleeting flash of inspiration, he sent a massive tremor through his sea of consciousness. Amidst the violent tremors, a figure slowly solidified in the chaotic void ahead.

Within this boundless sea of consciousness, vision and sight were absurd. Divine thought was the most direct contact, free of embellishment. The other person’s unique imprint returned, forming a clear and profound image within Li Xun’s mind.

Li Xun confirmed the figure’s identity and suddenly laughed. “I greatly admire Zhong Yin’s cultivation, but right now, I admire his ability to play the role of a cuckold even more!”

At that moment, Li Xun was certain he had grasped the core of the mystery.

This was the first time Li Xun had truly “seen” Yu San Ren.

Even if it was only a remnant of soul.

(69 Chinese First Release)