The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 201

Part 2 Episode 19 The Dust Settles Chapter 4 Heaven and Earth

There was at least some distance between Gu Yin and Qing Yin, but as the Sky-Cutting Sword’s edge first shone, the blazing Sun’s True Fire around them trembled noticeably, its chill penetrating all barriers and stopping them.

Simultaneously, the three thunder and fires and the thousands of demons descending from Qing Yin’s head paused in mid-air before being annihilated by the surging sword energy. Elsewhere

, the thunder and fire emanating from Gu Yin rivaled Qing Yin’s in scale, sending chaotic sparks flying in all directions like a layer of fiery red smoke, obscuring everyone’s view.

Witnessing this scene, in a corner disdained by the Thunderfire Demon, Ramash suddenly spoke up, “Could this woman be Qing Yin?”

Ramash was certainly aware of Qing Yin, who was intimately connected to Zhong Yin, but he had never met her. Li Douliang, who had encountered her several times, could only reply uncertainly, “Perhaps…”

“Is it really her?” Ramash, meeting her in person for the first time, was quite surprised. “This Qing Yin’s cultivation is so pure, it doesn’t quite match the rumors!”

“What’s happening now is beyond comprehension… Brother Tiger?”

Li Douliang, sensing a change of heart, turned to look at Bancheng Jushi, catching his gaze. Even Li Douliang, with his determination, was startled. His dark brown pupils narrowed and stiffened, like a wild beast’s. A cold light occasionally shone, like a gust of wind penetrating the heart, freezing the blood and bringing a sharp edge.

“Brother Tiger?” Surprised, Li Douliang asked again.

Bancheng Lay Buddhist closed his eyes briefly at the sound, then opened them again, returning to his normal state. He shifted his gaze and spoke softly, his subject different from Ramash’s. “Brother Qingming is right. Gu Yin’s right arm is already broken, yet his inner fire is overflowing, as if, apart from his skin, everything inside is ablaze. And this Qing Yin… not to mention his vibrant and harmonious Qi, the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword in his hand seems to be in tune with the Jie Sha, its energy piercing heaven and earth, perhaps leaping across the abyss and transforming into a dragon.” “

Transform into a dragon?”

As soon as the word uttered, the blazing sun rose behind the smoke, its blinding light sweeping across the net. The heat surged, threatening to boil the very air. The faces of the onlookers seemed to be covered with a fiery mask, their very skin clinging to it.

Such a powerful and fierce sunfire could burn through any protective Qi. Truly unstoppable. At that moment, another sword chant echoed between heaven and earth.

Confrontation!

At this moment, all the onlookers breathed a sigh of relief.

Just a few days ago, news of Qing Yin’s defection from the Mingxin Sword Sect spread like wildfire. And today, upon her appearance, she slew the nearly immortal Li Xun with her sword, and showed indifference to Qing Ming’s death. Clearly, she was no longer on their side.

Fortunately, she and Gu Yin weren’t on good terms either…

Someone didn’t know where Qing Yin got her tricks, but the sword energy she radiated was a match for the Sun’s True Fire. Everyone squinted, only to see that under the strong light, Qing Yin had been reduced to a shadow, yet she remained motionless.

Thousands of sword energies shot forth, each one tearing a rift in the Sun’s True Fire. Within the luminous Sun’s True Fire, they transformed into gray shadows, spinning and swirling, emanating a chill that even the Sun’s True Fire couldn’t contain.

Gu Yin attacked, Qing Yin defended. The situation appeared to be that way, but the discerning masters present soon discerned that even amidst the fierce exchange, the two female cultivators were actually engaged in a conversation. Though their voices were completely drowned out by the roar of sword energy and flames, they could still discern a clue from the fleeting glimpse of their figures.

“What are they talking about?”

This was a question they would likely never fully resolve. Their only consolation was that as the exchange progressed, the confrontation between the two women, far from easing, intensified.

“The wisest course of action would be to take this opportunity to withdraw,” Elder Chu Chen suddenly said, offering his opinion. Li

Douliang paused, his gaze sweeping across the others’ faces. Bancheng Jushi and Ramash were expressionless, but Li Douliang knew that each of them possessed a steadfast resolve, unshaken by external influences.

Further away, was Master Tianzhi.

Li Douliang shook his head, still looking past them. Finally, there was Shui Dielan. Putting aside the question of their stance, the truth was, ever since Li Xun was slain by Qingyin’s sword, this renowned demon had seemed to have lost his soul, standing motionless in the void, lifeless and unreliable.

This was the only remaining force within a thousand miles, besides Gu Yin and Qingyin.

Normally, these people combined would be enough to overturn the tidal wave, but now they could only risk their own survival.

Li Douliang had to admit that, although Chu Chen had initially considered retreating, his approach was the most pragmatic.

Perhaps Gu Yin wouldn’t survive the night, but at this moment, she was invincible. The deaths of Luo Qichang and Qingming proved this. If they continued to resist, no one could guarantee what would happen next.

As Li Douliang pondered this, another clear sword chant echoed through the sky, and Gu Yin, previously completely obscured by the bright light, suddenly emerged. Everyone’s gaze shifted to see Gu Yin raise her right hand, behind the cascade of sunfire. Though it was called her right hand, it had completely lost its normal form, leaving the cultivators with only a surging, burning flame.

The fierce battle abruptly subsided. None of Li Douliang and the others could clearly discern the outcome, though a fragmented sentence still reached their ears. It was Qing Yin’s voice: “…I’m about to leave. Sect Master Gu, please do as you please.”

As the final words faded, Qing Yin and Gu Yin once again separated slightly, facing each other, seemingly poised for another stalemate. This time, while Qing Yin maintained her composure, Gu Yin’s expression was less than enthused.

“Look at the expressions on those two faces. Could it be that Gu Yin has fallen behind?”

Li Douliang was filled with awe, but the thought only briefly crossed his mind before he heard Ramash whisper from the side, “His divine will is perfect, his aura is remarkably strong, and he’s drawing on the gongsha. This aura is truly extraordinary.”

Despite the shock of Li Douliang and the others, Gu Yin had no sense of being at a disadvantage. She first glanced at her right arm, which had completely transformed into flames, before her gaze settled on the sheathed Sky-Slashing Sword. She stared at it for a few moments, then glanced at Qing Yin, and finally at the sky.

After a series of shifts in her gaze, Gu Yin finally settled on Qing Yin’s face. “Wrongs are to be avenged, vengeance is to be avenged. You and Zhong Yin used me like a pawn, and now that everything’s going well, you’re leaving… If you want to do as you please, I’ll leave you behind!”

These words were unprecedentedly crude and direct, yet they also spoke directly to her heart’s desire, radiating a fiery, unbridled aura.

Qing Yin said nothing, but her hand moved slightly. The Sky-Slashing Divine Sword, previously untouched during the fierce battle, unsheathed several more times. The cold blade reflected the thunder and fire, radiating a dazzling light. The half-unsheathed blade rang in its sheath, and the roar of dragons and tigers echoed. Along with the whistling sound, a chill permeated the air, penetrating the heart and lungs.

Half of Gu Yin’s body was engulfed in flames, only her starry eyes shone with a chilling coldness. Before the two sides truly clashed, the energy flowing between them was as dense as fireworks, driving a torrent of vital energy, exploding in the void.

At this moment, Qing Yin smiled again.

Within her smile, the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword clanged unsheathed. The sword’s light wasn’t pointed at Gu Yin, but rather pierced the sky. A resounding sound like a bell striking jade, a thousand-mile blood cloud surged, and the thunder and fire demon that was charging down was also stopped. It was as if a massive hand lifted the heavens, exerting its mighty power to lift them upward.

Immediately afterwards, the invisible barrier of power shattered with a resounding roar. Thousands of thunder and fire surged, pouring down with a rumbling roar. However, neither the blood-red lightning and fire nor the bleak green demonic mist could obscure the brilliant sword light in the void.

As the sword light spread, a deep chill spread to every corner of the void, as if a world had been split open by the sword light alone. The sword energy permeated everything, instantly repelling all that did not conform to its nature.

Li Douliang and Ramash looked at each other in dismay. Among the onlookers, they were probably the only two who felt the most deeply. As they were both about to take the final step towards ascending to the sky, they naturally understood the significance of this wave of sword energy, the sign of a self-created world!

Farther away, lay Buddhist Bancheng clasped his hands together and chanted, “Well done!” He then said, “A sword of will, severing the inner demons, destroying ego, severing all ignorance and affliction, will naturally lead to great perfection.”

As these Buddhist verses echoed, several onlookers, unable to withstand the repulsive force of the sword energy, retreated. Only Gu Yin, stirring up the true fire of the sun, stood firm in the void, unflinching. He, too, carved out a relatively independent space within this world, determined to oppose Qing Yin.

The sword split the world apart…was this a sign of ascension?

Ascension!

Despite the obvious signs, Li Douliang felt the scene before him was unreal, like a dream.

Qing Yin was trying to transcend the tribulation and ascend, while Gu Yin was forcibly dragging her down… How had the situation since the tribulation in the East China Sea suddenly turned into this?

These sentiments had barely begun to form in the hearts of the cultivators when they were frozen by the cold wave of sword energy from outside. The world opened up by Qing Yin’s sword energy was already indestructible. A single wave of its power would reduce hundreds of thunder and fire to ash, destroying countless demons. After a few breaths, the space within a few square kilometers was as still as water. All the thunder and fire demons were trapped, unable to advance even a single step despite repeated bombardments.

This scene vaguely resembled Zhong Yin’s ascension.

Only Gu Yin, the closest to him, could still resist with the sun’s true fire. Gu Yin’s body was the only source of fervent energy within the area.

The watery sword light clashed with the flames three times in a row, each time resulting in a stalemate.

Only then did Qing Yin shift his gaze, sweeping it over Gu Yin, and burst out, “The sun’s true fire is unparalleled, but its power is far beyond the human body’s endurance. Your true fire is now consuming you, igniting your internal organs, meridians, flesh, blood, and vital energy… At this rate, how long can you hold out?”

This was the only lengthy sentence Qing Yin had uttered since his appearance, seemingly signaling a slight shift in attitude. However, Gu Yin’s response was yet another rising sun!

The blazing sun’s true fire condensed into a ball of pure white light, rising from the world opened up by the sword energy. The surrounding void distorted in the heat. The true fire and sword energy collided effortlessly, generating a tremor that spread with astonishing momentum, yet it could no longer stop the onslaught of the Red Yin Lihua Divine Thunder.

The newly formed sword energy world shattered with a roar, and Gu Yin and Qing Yin were once again submerged in the swirling thunder and fire. Even within this pervasive thunder and fire, the resonant sound of the Sky-Cutting Divine Sword could still be clearly heard.

Three consecutive “clang, clang, clang” resonated, each one piercing the heart and lungs. The observing cultivators felt a chill permeate their internal organs, freezing their blood and slaying their very souls with unparalleled force. Meanwhile, the sun’s true fire blazed brightly, its intense flames practically condensing into a liquid state. Every expansion and contraction generated a roaring scorching wind. In the area covered by it, all vital energy was evaporated by the incredible heat, leaving an irreparable void.

Sword energy hissed, flames blazed, but after a few breaths, all sound abruptly died.

The sword’s whirring sound no longer had a medium to carry it, and the flames lost their burning form, leaving only the purest and most powerful energies of both sides. A fierce clash unfolded.

The silent zone rapidly expanded, a dead silence utterly uttered within. Li Douliang and the others were forced to retreat again to avoid being swallowed up. Aside from the two instigators, no one could survive even a moment’s delay. Even if the Chiyin Lihua Divine Thunder had struck in, it would have been instantly strangled, leaving not a trace behind.

However, this terrifying area only lasted for less than ten breaths.

Without any warning, the dead silence, which had already expanded to a radius of five miles, shattered with a loud bang. As the sharp soundwaves flashed, they suddenly surged to the limit of human endurance. Just being struck by the soundwaves, Li Douliang’s protective aura shattered like an eggshell, and the outer layer of his flesh felt as if sliced by an invisible knife, instantly opening dozens of deep wounds and spurting blood.

Nearby, Ramash and the others fared better, their previous injuries not as severe as Li Douliang’s, but they were still somewhat shattered.

At this moment, a blinding beam of light shot up, darting and transforming through the air. Wherever it passed, chaos shimmered, a clear light like water. In just three or five circles, the cultivators’ vision was widened. The previously silent area was now bright and clear, and the aura of a sword slicing through the heavens had returned.

The mastermind behind all this, however, wasn’t Qing Yin, standing with closed eyes in the center of this world, but rather the beam of light radiating from the sharp sword energy.

The Divine Sword of Slashing the Sky!

This peerless sword swam through the air. Though scaleless and hornless, it slithered like a dragon, appearing vivid and alive. The cultivators focused their attention on the spirit, not the form. They sensed an unparalleled sword intent within the sword’s free flight. Occasionally, the blade’s tip swung, pointing in their direction, causing those caught in the crossfire to struggle and their qi circulation to stagnate.

As the sword’s light crystallized, the figure nearby became increasingly visible. The cultivators turned their gazes, stunned.

Wasn’t that ancient sound?

“Disperse!”

Bancheng Jushi suddenly roared, warning the others while also aiming to attack.

Bancheng Jushi had used sound to kill Cheng Xiao. This technique alone was truly the pinnacle of this realm. The blazing white flames that had just spread around them suddenly erupted into a massive thunderclap, forcing a rift through the sound waves.

Yet, he was still a step too late.

Li Douliang and Ramash both flew several miles at their maximum speed, only to look back with a simultaneous heartache. Elder Chu Chen remained motionless, frozen in mid-air. His expression was strange, his skin seemingly radiating light.

The next moment, Chu Chen’s frozen expression shattered as countless tiny tongues of flame erupted from every part of his body. With a single, seemingly unforced movement, the True Sun Fire erupted wherever he stood. The blazing light obscured any trace of impurities.

The cultivators high in the sky were momentarily speechless. No one had anticipated that Gu Yin, fighting desperately with Qing Yin, would shift her focus back, using her puppet as cover, effectively killing Chu Chen with this brief delay.

Gu Yin stood at the center of the light, as if she had emerged from Chu Chen’s body, engulfed in blazing flames. Through the glow, one could vaguely see her form distorting as the flames surged, accompanied by the ebb and flow of the surrounding True Sun Fire.

Despite the repeated blows, she remained formidable, so formidable that she had easily defeated yet another True One Grandmaster, so effortlessly that she had failed to even demonstrate even a fraction of her true strength.

This made people understand that since the East Sea’s calamity, Gu Yin’s purpose had never changed. The clash with Qing Yin was merely a side issue, or perhaps a brief emotional reaction. Once the emotion passed and reason took over again,

that would be their disaster.

Li Douliang severed his blood vessels and managed his injuries. His condition was already dire. The “Golden Eye Fire Tribulation” hidden behind the foul light and clouds was still at work, its scorching heat filling every part of his body. He was like a pile of firewood doused in oil; a single spark would incinerate it.

Perhaps, Gu Yin didn’t need to intervene…

“Zheng—”

Perhaps unwilling to let Gu Yin take center stage, the Sky-Cutting Divine Sword vibrated again from another direction. The clear sound lingered in the air, seeming to penetrate through the very pores of the people. Hearing this sound, the burning fire within Li Douliang was unexpectedly halted. It was quite remarkable.

In a flash, the Sky-Cutting Divine Sword completed a complete circle within its several-mile radius. Its speed was undoubtedly extremely fast, yet it possessed a leisurely and contented charm. As it circled, a gentle ripple seemed to spread across the pure and spotless world. Silently, even Qing Yin’s faint reflection within was still clearly discernible.

Before the sword energy swirled, the foul-light clouds at the top of the dome had already undergone a new transformation.

The clouds no longer rained down large volcanic eruptions of lightning and fire, but the vortex in the clouds continued to expand, its rotation increasing. Looking up, it seemed as if the entire sky was spinning. From the dark hole in the vortex’s center, thick demonic mist constantly gushed out. Driven by the strong wind, it dispersed into the gaps between the clouds, a blend of dark red and pale green, a dazzling sight. This only served to highlight the clear and pure world below, opened by the divine sword.

“The calamity evil is diverting… no, it’s simply drawing all the calamity evil away!”

The densely intertwined energy between heaven and earth surged and turbulent, without any obscurity. Any cultivator could sense it: this wave of terrifying calamity evil, brought on by the ancient sound, had shifted its target without further ado, concentrating all its pressure on Qing Yin.

Finally, from the hole, a stream of calamity evil flowed. It didn’t take the form of lightning and fire, but was deep and dense, like a demonic hand slapping down, striking directly above the sword-opened world.

Sword energy and the calamity demon collided and ripped through the void, annihilating each other. The immense impact was completely concentrated within that single world, not a single trace leaking out. The cultivators could only see ripples in the still air, like waves.

Wherever the waves reached, the Jade Wanderer puppets, which had been darting around that part of the world, suddenly froze. In the next instant, as the atmospheric light shifted, the puppets’ bodies twisted and then… disintegrated! The

nearly indestructible Youxuan puppets, like clay powder, were instantly pulverized. Catalyzed by the sword energy, nothing remained in an instant, but this minor event hardly attracted attention.

“Clear below, turbid above, yin and yang reversed, yet confronting each other… This is the sword’s method of piercing the void and forcing through the barriers. It turns out Qingyin hasn’t reached the realm we imagined.”

Li Douliang took several deep breaths, suppressing his inner anger. He finally understood the key.

Qing Yin ultimately hadn’t reached the ultimate state of “relaxing one’s mind to touch the cloudtops, drawing one’s energy down to the nine heavens.” For ascension, the unrestrained “Rainy Clouds” certainly wouldn’t do. He could only rely on his own strength to forcibly break through the heavenly and earthly barriers and impact the upper realms.

Such an approach was undoubtedly unorthodox and extremely dangerous, not valued by contemporary cultivators. But Qing Yin still had the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword at his side!

“If the Sky-Slashing Sword’s magical power remains undiminished, breaking through the boundaries and ascending seems a simple task.”

Zhong Yin! Zhong Yin…

Li Douliang and the others’ thoughts could only turn to this. Gu Yin wouldn’t give them much breathing room. Without a single word, the blazing white light shone once more, a surge of heat. Compared to before, it seemed less overbearing than the sun soaring through the sky, but the fierce and sharp aura within it became increasingly prominent.

With a long, drawn-out “chi” sound, a thick azure emanated from Ramash’s face, illuminating his pupils. The demonic patterns on his profile trembled violently, as if threatening to burst forth. He employed various methods of neutralizing and dissipating force, finally dodging Gu Yin’s sharp edge and retreating sideways.

Gu Yin’s face, blurred within the flames, shifted slightly, and the outer layer of true solar fire responded with a rip, whipping and swishing. With a hissing sound, the flames carved a clear mark in the air, lingering for a long time.

Bancheng Jushi, who had just begun to catch up, was blocked by the streak of light. Upon contact, flames from all directions surged in, blocking him. Gu Yin, taking advantage of the opening, abruptly turned and charged forward like a derailed meteor. His

two companions were separated, leaving only Li Douliang exposed to Gu Yin’s sharp edge.

“Finally, my turn?”

A fleeting thought flashed through Li Douliang’s mind, then vanished. He uttered a groan, his body recoiled slightly, yet his aura remained undimmed. Like a wave gathering momentum before crashing against the shore, he roared loudly as he met Gu Yin’s cold, ruthless eyes.

Yet, at that moment, those eyes shone with a multicolored radiance.

A figure, like lightning, flashed between Li Douliang and Gu Yin. The vast power of the innate five-colored divine light seamlessly blended with the might of Li Douliang’s Eight Sea-Suppressing Techniques, meeting the blazing true fire of the sun head-on.

Another earth-shattering collision ensued. Li Douliang spat out blood and flew backward, his blood mist consuming him in mid-air. Only thanks to this somewhat shameful force-dissipating technique had he avoided immediate incineration, but for a moment, he could muster no strength.

A fierce gale whipped past. Bancheng Jushi, Ramash, and, suddenly joining the fray, Venerable Tianzhi—the three Grandmasters—were locked in a fierce battle with Gu Yin. None dared face Gu Yin’s heavy blows head-on, instead relying on dodging and weaving in, attacking with force and attacking with deception. But for a short while, it seemed they were holding their own.

“There’s still hope…”

Li Douliang breathed a sigh of relief, squinting again, struggling to discern the figures flickering in the bright light. The situation remained hazy, but it was no longer one-sided.

How bizarre!

The situation, once hopeless, had suddenly become what it was after Qing Yin’s appearance. Moreover, the air of “accident” was so thin, revealing a cascade of tightly linked operations. What he saw and heard was not only astonishment, but also a chilling chill that washed over him.

“Here, there’s still hope, but there, it’s a done deal. How the world changes.”

Despite knowing the urgency of the situation, Li Douliang couldn’t help but glance in that direction. A single glance, and his gaze was captivated.

The pure world created by the divine sword appeared to be rippled with gentle waves. However, given the precedent of Yu Sanren’s shattering dregs, no one dared to believe that these were truly gentle waves; it was more like the Yellow Springs Killing Prison.

Suddenly, within this Yellow Springs Killing Prison, a figure appeared.

Standing beside the Sky-Cutting Divine Sword, they reached out, grappling at the dragon-like blade!

The pure world was instantly smeared with a bloody hue.

From the moment Qing Yin drew his sword through the air, Li Xun had been lost in thought.

Initially, under immense pressure, his thoughts were like a gurgling stream in a crevice, delicate and threatening to break at any moment. Within his narrow train of thought, fragments of the Sky-Cutting Divine Sword, the jade token, and Yin Sanren appeared continuously, forming the bulk of his thoughts.

But the moment the sword’s blade pierced his body, his thoughts abruptly ceased, leaving behind a pure blank.

But then, the stream seemed to break through an invisible barrier and gushed out. There was no longer any obstacle in front of it, allowing it to flow freely. As for what problem he was thinking about at this time, he was not sure.

Because within a hundred-kilometer radius of the void, there were at least a hundred thousand… perhaps even more “Li Xuns” doing the same thing.

Countless “Li Xuns” were scattered in every corner of the void, rising and falling with the rushing gale and the constantly flaring vital energy. Some suddenly evaporated over large areas, while others dispersed. Each “Li Xun” was independent, sensing the changes in the outside world, recording every detail of their surroundings in their minds, and from this, they generated a myriad of thoughts.

These “Li Xuns” were also connected, their senses and thoughts intertwined through an invisible network, colliding with each other, creating a dazzling brilliance, but more of a chaotic mess.

At this moment, Li Xun could practically grasp the changes in every inch of the void within a hundred-kilometer radius, yet it was all truly chaotic. The occasional fleeting thought told him that this was a hundred, a thousand times more terrifying than the experience of his “Mirror Clone.” But… what was a Mirror Clone?

Li Xun remained swept along by a turbulent current of countless fragmented thoughts. For an unspecified amount of time, the chaos of his thoughts showed no sign of easing. The instincts, deepest within his heart, emerged more and more clearly under the impact of wave after wave of turbulence.

A sense of crisis, an intense sense of crisis, was like a reef in the turbulent current, rising through the water and colliding with the turbulent current, creating an undeniable vortex. The turbid current swirled around the “reef,” and within the fragmented fragments of his thoughts, a commonality emerged. This “commonality” was the beginning of a new beginning.

“Crisis, what crisis?”

With doubt came direction. The “Li Xuns” scattered throughout the void unconsciously raced, searching for answers to their questions from the myriad information they were absorbing. However, due to the sheer volume of information and the lack of a unified standard, the “Li Xuns” struggled to effectively sift through and summarize it.

As time passed, the “Li Xuns” acquired a new emotion. Unfortunately, the impatience born from prolonged, fruitless contemplation not only didn’t aid their thinking but also obscured their previously sharp perceptions, further deteriorating the situation for the Li Xuns.

What should they do? The Li Xuns felt lost again.

Just then, a new feeling surfaced. At first, it was just one piece of information among the countless others they had gathered, but they soon discovered that it possessed unique characteristics and was inextricably linked to them. Like a beacon in the darkness, it established a clear coordinate for them.

From vague perception to clear understanding, it took only a blink of an eye. The next moment, the Li Xuns spotted a feather.

The feather, coming from nowhere, was emerald green, as if carved from jade. Upon closer inspection, a faint blue light could be detected flowing through it, possessing an unusual texture, yet it drifted and undulated, gently rising and falling amidst the surging currents of vital energy.

Strangely enough, as the Li Xuns focused their attention, the feather seemed to dissolve. Perhaps some force drew the Li Xuns, through the feather’s surface, into contact with a being on another plane.

It was merely contact; from the “other side” of the feather came a simple message: “Look there!”

The Li Xuns’ attention shifted involuntarily.

At that moment, the might of the Sky-Slicing Divine Sword, radiating unrivaled sword intent, clashed with the calamity-laden demons cascading from the sky. Though concentrated within the limited realm of heaven and earth, the annihilating force shook the void, gradually tearing apart the boundary formation, quietly revealing a glimpse of the boundless might of the higher realms.

Though ethereal, it was magnificent and glorious.

However, the Li Xuns remained undiverted. Instead, guided by a vague guidance, they focused their entire attention on Qing Yin, who stood with closed eyes at the center of the sword-splitting world.

Though Qing Yin stood there, her body was clearly rising, inch by inch. She exerted no effort, but was absorbed by some unfathomable force in the void. Perhaps immersed in that power for too long, her form seemed to be assimilated, and though clearly present, it seemed more transparent.

Qing Yin?

A relatively clear understanding inexplicably emerged, and in an instant, it circled among the “Li Xuns,” like a beam of light sweeping through the chaotic dark clouds, illuminating each fragment.

This feeling, a sense of déjà vu.

The Sky-Slashing Sword, the Jade Plate, Yin Sanren… Qin Wanru?

Thousands of “Li Xuns” gathered their minds, and in a flash of thought, the clouds and mist parted, revealing a clear thread.

Qing Yin!

As soon as he fell asleep, he was back to square one. This time, a strong wind swept away the mist, and the figure of Qing Yin reflected in the eyes of the “Li Xuns” was no longer ethereal but real and tangible, imprinted on their bodies, etched in their hearts.

Qing Yin, the beginning and end of the conspiracy, was about to ascend. Did this mean…

she was going to escape?

An unprecedented clarity of consciousness emerged from the lake of his heart, and then formed a unified harmony among the millions of “Li Xuns”, until it merged into a river: “How can we let her escape?”

The harmony became a roar, without any internal noise, only pure will condensed together, a roar like the sound of a great bell.

Form disappeared, but spirit existed; form was not yet formed, but spirit gathered. The mysterious transformation of form and spirit evolved completely in this tiny moment. Despite the blocking of the sword energy of the robbery, the thunderous sound generated by the mind still penetrated the tiny waves of terrifying energy, and finally manifested externally: “Qing Yin, you can’t escape!”

The spirit gathered and the form appeared. There was no process of dissolution. In a flash, Li Xun’s figure materialized within the boundless void, embedded firmly within the Sword-Splitting World.

The gushing sword energy was like a raging hurricane, instantly ripping Li Xun’s body apart. Yet, a thick layer of bloody light circulated throughout his body, healing the wounds beneath him and countering the hurricane of sword energy. The

Blood Shadow Demon Body, once again achieved!

Upon the completion of this form, bloody and poisonous flames instantly erupted from the void.

While the Blood Shadow Demon Body might not rival the subtlety and profound power of the Sword-Splitting World in terms of its capabilities, the layers of malevolent energy that permeated this world disrupted the Sword-Splitting World’s clarity and transmuted the surrounding vital energy.

The calamity that streamed down from the sky was even more powerful, like a hammer swinging down, resounding in the air. Waves of sleep emanated from it, ripples and waves following one after another, instantly sweeping across this world.

Qing Yin, in the center of the void, was finally affected. At that moment, she opened her eyes, just in time to see Li Xun reaching for the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword.

“Human power has its limits…”

Qing Yin muttered, a sigh, more like a mockery.

Her soft voice melted into the gentle ripples, permeating the air. With a strange power, it unleashed the immense divine power accumulated within the Sky-Slashing Divine Sword. With a sudden swing, Li Xun’s hands, already within the sword’s edge, crumbled like the Jade Wanderer puppets that had advanced before them.

The Sky-Slashing Divine Sword unleashed its full, dragon-like divine presence. Waves of sword energy instantly heightened to a new level, crashing down like a tidal wave of thunder. Li Xun barely had time to resist before being crushed into a cloud of blood.

This time, the sword’s murderous intent failed to shatter Li Xun’s will, and naturally, his control over the blood-shadow demonic body.

Amidst the laughter, Li Xun’s body solidified again, and this time his whole body seemed to be burning with blood-red flames, leaving dazzling marks in the void. It was extremely inconsistent with the clear world here.

Qingyin frowned slightly. This subtle change in expression made her fall back to the mortal world from the celestial being who was about to ascend. She stretched out her hand, and the sword that cuts through the sky immediately retracted its edge and returned to her hand.

“When we were planning it, I didn’t expect that you would be more stubborn than Gu Zhixuan!”

The cold murderous intent gushed out from the ten thousand year old ice cave like boiling water, and with its incomparable spirituality, it gathered into a line, instantly locking and freezing Li Xun in front of him. At this moment, Qingyin spoke in an extremely serious tone: “You are the last demon obstacle before I become a god!” As

the voice fell, a long whistle suddenly pierced the clouds and split the sky, sweeping over from a hundred miles away.

First published in 69 Chinese