The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 27

Chapter 8 Palace Secrets

The Forbidden Palace at night was less solemn than during the day, but it was filled with more mysteries, like a ferocious beast lying on the ground, its mouth wide open, waiting for the ignorant to walk in.

Li Xun and Yin Sanren were walking in the darkness at this time. He didn’t quite understand what it meant to come to this deep palace at such a late hour. Especially since they had simply dropped from the sky and entered the palace without any permission. This didn’t seem quite right! Since

Yin Sanren didn’t say anything, he didn’t dare to ask, but just followed behind with his head down.

Only when Yin Sanren stopped did Li Xun ask, “Uncle Master?”

Yin Sanren waved his whisk to make him stop, and then motioned with his eyes to look into the distance.

Li Xun used all his eyesight, using the little starlight to look over there, but he only saw the shadows of swaying trees and the scattered snow powder blown by the night wind, nothing else.

He touched his head and looked back.

Yin Sanren smiled faintly, pointing to the place and saying, “That’s where the palace’s inner treasury is located. Most of the world’s treasures are gathered here, worth billions. Are you tempted?”

Li Xun shook his head. After all, human treasures are nothing more than jade, calligraphy, and paintings. They might be worth a fortune in the mortal realm, but in the Tongxuan realm, they are mere trinkets, unworthy of high-class display.

Since he had a clear mindset, he had a clear understanding of such matters and naturally would not be tempted.

However, as he shook his head, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He felt something was amiss, but since he had already made the move, he couldn’t change it; he could only accept it. His mind raced, pondering the source of this unease.

Yin Sanren didn’t care what Li Xun was thinking. A shadowy haze now swirled in her smile and eyes, just like the heavy snowfall last night: behind the beautiful and clean surface lay a murderous coldness and chill.

Just the slightest glance from that gaze sent Li Xun shuddering, nearly collapsing.

Amidst the terror, he heard Yin Sanren’s faint voice: “Yes, you don’t care. But there are still people who do.”

Li Xun froze for a moment, then looked over, still seeing nothing. Yin Sanren smiled faintly and said, “Follow me!”

Her footsteps slipped away like flowing water, her movements like a stroll through the night. But as she began to move, Li Xun distinctly heard a groan of strained energy emanating from the air around her.

In a trance, Li Xun imagined a snowstorm passing through.

Two figures suddenly appeared from nowhere, their eyes gazing in surprise and despair before instantly losing their focus.

As if struck by an invisible hammer, the two bodies tumbled unnaturally to the bluestone ground in the distance. Yet, when they hit the ground, there was no sound at all, a strange and horrifying sight.

Yin Sanren showed no signs of attacking, yet she had indeed taken the lives of the two men. Li Xun gasped in shock, finally catching a glimpse of Yin Sanren’s unfathomable power. She

showed no reaction to the two corpses on the ground, as if they were just two ordinary fallen branches and leaves. She maintained a leisurely and calm pace, gradually approaching the inner treasury. Li Xun took several deep breaths and hurried to catch up.

Even with his humble understanding, he sensed something was amiss. Ever since the two dead men were thrown out, the air around them had suddenly become blocked and smelled completely different.

The so-called “taste” is that subtle and indescribable emotional reaction. The air at this moment was like a pot of slowly boiling water, with a large amount of lime added to it, and a few drops of turbid venom.

Then, with a sound, this pot of poisonous boiling water exploded.

Li Xun’s brain seemed to be hit by a brick. His mind was confused and he fell backwards. In his head, which was already buzzing with random thoughts, Yin Sanren’s indescribable chuckle came into his mind.

Li Xun’s mind gradually became scattered, and he almost fainted, but at this moment, a clear and pleasant sound was heard – just like in a quiet and deep cave, on a pool of water that had been accumulated for thousands of years, a small drop of water hit it with a “ding dong” sound, splashing a circle of slowly expanding ripples.

His mind suddenly cleared up and he opened his eyes.

At this time, another figure howled and fell out.

“Although you are not tempted, it does not mean that everyone in Tongxuan Realm is not tempted. “Yin Sanren’s voice at this time was exceptionally gentle and peaceful, penetrating directly into Li Xun’s heart: “Especially those lazy guys who always think of getting something for nothing, and treat this palace as their warehouse, which is extremely disgusting!”

After these words were spoken, the last figure fell to the ground like mud, and there was no intact bone on his body.

Li Xun lay on the ground, not daring to breathe. This battle in the blink of an eye was naturally far inferior to the “Hundred Tribulations and Thousands of Hells of Fire” on Tiandu Peak, but the effect was not much inferior.

From beginning to end, he did not see any signs of Yin Sanren taking action. The four cultivators from the Tongxuan Realm fell dead on the spot, and their ways of death were different. It was really weird!

“It’s not peaceful in the palace!” Yin Sanren turned his gaze back to Li Xun, looked down at him, and smiled: “Was that slap right? “

Li Xun shook his still dizzy head and slowly got up. He didn’t even have the strength to smile bitterly after hearing Yin Sanren’s words. His eyes turned to the four “thieves” who were killed cleanly, and he shuddered again.

These four people were vulnerable in Yin Sanren’s hands, and there was not even any room for him to fight back. But in Li Xun’s view, he had to deal with every one of them with his life. The most terrible thing was that the cultivators from the Tongxuan Realm would come to the human world to be thieves. Who would believe this if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes?

But he didn’t dare to say it out loud, and he was unwilling to admit it, so he could only respond vaguely and changed the subject: “Uncle, who are these people?”

“Just some wandering souls without any sect or school.” Yin Sanren didn’t seem to have the intention to embarrass him, and he cooperated to change the subject: “Killing these people won’t cause any trouble, and I will give them to you to practice in the future! “

Li Xun agreed with a wry smile, but he still didn’t understand why these people, who should be independent cultivators, would come to the imperial city in the mortal world? Don’t they feel ashamed?

In this regard, Yin Sanren explained: “Although there are no particularly valuable items in the mortal world, there are also many fine items in the royal private collection.

“These people have neither friends nor relatives, nor do they have the great magical powers to transform into millions. Some things that require great manpower can only be collected by the hundreds of millions of people under the jurisdiction of the court… As for those with sects, the situation is naturally different.”

Li Xun blinked. What are these things that can only be collected by “hundreds of millions of people”?

However, Yin Sanren didn’t say it, and he didn’t dare to ask, so he just followed Yin Sanren up the stairs to the inner treasury.

Li Xun looked up at the stairs, but saw more than a dozen guards lying on them in a twisted state, and none of them were unconscious. Yin Sanren didn’t mean to wake them up. With a wave of his whisk, the big lock on the door of the inner treasury automatically fell off, and the door opened immediately.

Inside, there was a rather large hall, with a few neatly arranged tables and chairs. As Li Xun looked around, several thin silver whisks flashed before his eyes. The silver threads flickered in the darkness, and then he heard the creaking of mechanical devices. A tunnel appeared in the shadows to the side of the hall.

This was the correct location to enter the inner treasury.

To Li Xun, these information about mechanical devices was merely a novelty, not particularly interesting. However, when the door to the tunnel opened, the heavy breathing within became audible.

It dawned on Li Xun that the real guards were all here. While they were still a bunch of useless people, they were still better than the sitting ducks outside.

A young eunuch’s head popped out of the tunnel. Visibly startled, he saw the two men in the hall and quickly jumped out to pay his respects, saying, “Greetings to the Imperial Master and Master Li!”

Yin Sanren didn’t even spare him a glance, but simply walked down. Li Xun pointed outside, signaling the young eunuch to clear the area. The young eunuch, quite astute, nodded in agreement.

Once Li Xun entered the tunnel, he realized it didn’t lead to just one point. Over a dozen dark corridors branched off from it, extending in all directions, their destinations unknown.

This must have been another form of protection. If these corridors split further midway, the thief would have been incredibly lucky or possessed inside information, and he would have been lost.

“There are a few things in the inner storehouse. Come and see them often,” Yin Sanren said calmly, leading him into a corridor.

“Look? Risk your life!” Hearing Yin Sanren’s nonchalant words, Li Xun didn’t dare to be careless at all. Instead, he felt a chill at the back of his head, groaning inwardly while nodding repeatedly.

Yin Sanren seemed to possess a gaze that could penetrate a person’s heart, completely understanding Li Xun’s thoughts.

After Li Xun agreed, she added, “Of course, your cultivation is so poor that you won’t be able to defeat a master. I will give you a few magic weapons and teach you a unique skill, so you can have some defense!” Li Xun breathed a sigh of relief

and said sincerely, “Master, you are wise!”

As they spoke, they passed through four corridors and finally arrived at the inner treasury—a sacred place for the imperial family. It was indeed quite impressive. The heavy stone gate was driven by a winch by more than a dozen strong men, and its weight must have exceeded ten thousand pounds. Li Xun considered his own methods and realized that entering quietly would be quite difficult.

The inner vaults extended dozens of feet underground, a monumental undertaking. Within, various rare treasures were stored, each one priceless. The imperial treasury was also stored there. Though of little use, the glittering golden sheen was a truly magnificent spectacle.

Li Xun toured the interior, perusing the grounds until he reached the alchemy room on the lowest level.

“These are all the pills, powders, and rare elixirs accumulated by successive emperors… Don’t bother looking at them; they’re just garbage!” Yin Sanren corrected Li Xun. “Look over there!”

Yin Sanren pointed to a stone table behind the alchemy furnace, upon which sat two objects: a clear crystal bottle, a treasure in itself. Half a bottle of a peach-colored liquid, reflecting a faint pearlescent sheen and then a faint emerald green, its hues shifting beautifully.

Next to it lay a rusted iron plate, about a finger thick, broken and incomplete, looking nothing more than a piece of scrap metal.

The two contrasting objects placed side by side created an indescribable awkwardness.

Li Xun immediately understood that these were the objects Yin Sanren had asked him to guard. He instinctively sensed they were not ordinary, but he didn’t know what was so special about them. He could only look at Yin Sanren, but this time, she offered no explanation.

She simply reminded him again, “Your master and I will be out of the capital for the next few days. We won’t be able to take care of these two items for the time being. You will bear some responsibility!”

Li Xun’s eyes widened. “Master, where are you going?”

Only after these words were spoken did a thought suddenly occur to him: “They’re leaving? Then why not take this opportunity to escape? After all, the threat of the ‘Blood Nightmare’ on me can be eliminated now…”

However, at that moment, Yin Sanren glanced over, his smile more meaningful: “Do you really want to know?”

Li Xun’s heart skipped a beat, and the thought was shattered. He was no fool. Seeing that this was not the way to go, he shook his head hurriedly.

Seeing his tact, Yin Sanren felt slightly satisfied and stopped harassing him. “Don’t worry, just take good care of me. With my magic weapons, you can handle ordinary things.”

Li Xun wondered, “What if it’s something extraordinary?” Of course, he dared not say this out loud. He simply nodded and followed Yin Sanren out.

Leaving the inner storehouse, Yin Sanren took a different path from when he came in. Li Xun didn’t dare ask, but simply followed closely.

After a few steps, Yin Sanren, without turning back, tossed a small bag toward him. “Here are some small magical tools. While they’re not very powerful, they’re easy to learn and use. If you use your brain, they should be enough to handle this situation!”

Li Xun hurriedly thanked him and was about to see what was inside when he heard Yin Sanren speak again. “I’ll teach you a few magic formulas. I’ll only explain the key points once. If you don’t understand everything, don’t ask again!” “

Li Xun was startled and hurriedly put the bag away. He concentrated his mind and listened carefully.

Yin Sanren strolled while casually reciting the essence of the magic formula. First, the general formula, about three to five thousand words, followed by the explanation, no less than ten thousand words. Thanks to Li Xun’s ability to remember everything he heard, he was able to remember it one by one without omission.

Yin Sanren really did what he said, and he only said it once and didn’t say anything more. After he finished speaking, he asked Li Xun how much he remembered. Li Xun wiped the cold sweat from his head and let out a sigh of relief: “I’m ashamed, but I finally wrote it down! “

Then, she recited the nearly 20,000 words of general formulas and explanations from beginning to end, and there was not a single mistake in them. Of course, the sentences are always a little stiff, which is inevitable.

Yin Sanren’s steps stopped suddenly – Li Xun was distracted by his memory and almost bumped into him. Although he stopped in time, his nose had already touched Yin Sanren’s shoulder. He was frightened and broke into a cold sweat. He took a step back and apologized in horror.

Yin Sanren turned his head to look at him, with a smile on his face, very subtle, but very moving.

“Very good! I finally didn’t teach a fool!” After a pause, she said, “These are just some outlines. When we go back, there are many other methods of application. I have compiled them into a book and will pass them on to you. You must practice them with all your heart. “

After saying that, she started walking again. Li Xun hurriedly thanked her, but in his heart he was pondering her words, not knowing whether to be happy or surprised.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of something and hurriedly called out: “Master, what kind of magic formula is this?”

Yin Sanren did not stop, but just smiled: “Transform the universe, control the six qi, have the way of yin and yang, the door to all wonders… It’s called ‘Six Controls of Yin and Yang Changes’!”

The first half of the words was a paragraph in the general formula, and it was put forward at this time, which was quite helpful in summarizing the main points. Although Li Xun just swallowed it whole, he also realized something after listening to this paragraph. Unconsciously, he fell into deduction and speculation. As for the seemingly incomprehensible meaning of the second half of Yin Sanren’s sentence, he didn’t care much.

After that, there was a long silence until the end of the corridor, when Li Xun finally woke up. Looking at the faint light above the opened roof at the end of the tunnel, he wondered, “This doesn’t look like the place we just entered!”

Soon, what he saw confirmed his suspicion.

The empty hall where the tunnel opened was no longer there, but a room brightly lit, with beautiful clothes everywhere, clean tables and chairs, and exquisite carvings on them.

The few furnishings he saw were all rare and exquisite, and their placement was quite ingenious. It was obvious that not only was there someone living here, but their status was also extraordinary, probably a concubine or something like that.

The two of them were in a small hall, and not far away stood a screen that separated this place from the outside. On the screen was a painting of flowers, the painting technique was also excellent. At this moment, the shadows of Li Xun and the other person were imprinted on the screen, sticking together.

Upon seeing this, Li Xun was startled. “Not good!”

Just as the thought was over, someone turned around, evidently having noticed the figure on the screen and come to investigate.

It was a palace maid, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a beautiful face yet still childish. Turning to see the two, her face froze in shock, her eyes widening, and she let out a low, startled cry: “Assassin!”

“Fool!” Li Xun cursed inwardly. It would have been fine if he hadn’t recognized him, but someone like Yin Sanren, a favorite of the Emperor, how could these maids and eunuchs not recognize him?

If that had angered the guards, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But if Yin Sanren had angered her, not only the young maid, but even her master would be in trouble!

He looked at Yin Sanren, but was surprised to find that he didn’t seem angry at all. He even smiled at the young maid. “Where is the assassin?”

Could it be that Yin Sanren had a thing for young girls?

Li Xun’s mind raced with this thought, but he also felt that given Yin Sanren’s behavior, it wasn’t impossible, so he remained cautious. Of course, he still had to say the polite words. He stepped forward and shouted, “Silence! The Imperial Preceptor is here!”

The young maid wasn’t completely clueless after all. Her eyes widened as she stared at Yin Sanren, her hand covering her mouth. Her body had slumped, and she sat down against the screen.

Yin Sanren smiled faintly, no longer looking at her. He stepped around the screen, surveying the surroundings with a look of genuine interest. “This must be the Lanshe Courtyard…

Could it be Concubine Qin’s residence?”

As she finished speaking, a faint voice echoed, “The Imperial Preceptor only came once, but he remembered it. I’m honored.” The

voice was soft and mellow, and just hearing it, conjured up an image of a delicate and gentle woman. However, the tone was calm and serene, gentle yet strong, and it didn’t sound like something a delicate woman could utter.

Intrigued, Li Xun looked in the direction of the voice. Like the naive young palace maid, his eyes widened as he watched the peerless beauty emerge from the shadows of the lanterns. Who says there aren’t beauties in the mortal world? Before his eyes lay a celestial beauty, a beauty no less worthy than any from the Tongxuan Realm.

Watching her approach was like witnessing the misty rain of spring and autumn in the south of the Yangtze River, tinged with the fragrance of plants and flowers, a mist-like air that wafted across his face, a refreshing air that lifted his spirits.

He felt that she and the Immortal Master Mingji on the mountain were two extremes of beauty. Mingji’s sharp, clear features were like the wielding blade of a jade sword, beautiful yet dangerous, yet exuding a refreshing coolness that invigorated him.

This other woman, on the other hand, was soft from head to toe.

Her features were incredibly soft and gentle, and in the candlelight, the occasional shimmering ripples of light carried a warmth like spring water. Despite her slender figure and well-proportioned figure, she seemed delicate and charming at first glance, worthy of protection and pity, and he longed to hold her in his arms and embrace her with unbridled tenderness.

“Is there such a beauty in the world?”

Li Xun almost wanted to clap his hands in admiration. But why did he feel that this gentle and docile beauty’s gaze towards Yin Sanren was so hostile?

Of course, even if it wasn’t a friendly look, it wouldn’t have much killing power if it came from this beauty. At least Yin Sanren didn’t care much. Her eyes swept across Concubine Qin’s face. It wasn’t angry, but it was a hundred times sharper than Concubine Qin’s own.

She said calmly, “It’s so late, Your Majesty, why aren’t you resting yet?” Her

question was a bit premeditated. Just looking at Concubine Qin’s attire, you should know the reason!

Perhaps because of the deep cold of the night, Concubine Qin wore a mink fur cloak, pure and gorgeous, and it perfectly complemented her figure.

But underneath the cloak was very thin, just a long pink gauze dress. She had obviously gone to bed, and only got up to check after hearing the noise outside.

Although Li Xun was not fond of beautiful women, he couldn’t help but take a few more glances into the cloak at this time – such opportunities were rare after all!

Perhaps sensing Li Xun’s gaze, Concubine Qin pulled her cloak tighter with some uneasiness. Under the candlelight, it was unclear whether her face was flushed. But her voice was still very calm: “Since the Imperial Master can patrol the palace late at night, I can also sleep a little later. Imperial Master, would you like some tea when you come here at night?”

This time, Li Xun understood more clearly. Concubine Qin was almost speaking in opposition to Yin Sanren! Even if this woman couldn’t know Yin Sanren’s true identity, but just based on her courage to confront the emperor’s favorite man head-on, Li Xun’s evaluation of her was even higher.

Yin Sanren’s treatment of her was so kind that it made Li Xun jealous. Even at this point, he remained unmoved, smiling once more. “It’s late, so I don’t want to bother you any more. Forget it this time. I’ll definitely come for a cup of tea someday when I’m free.”

Such a polite response made Li Xun’s jaw drop. When had Yin Sanren ever been so polite to anyone? Was there something special about this Concubine Qin?

With this question in mind, he and Yin Sanren left the Lanshe Courtyard. Just as they had done in the inner treasury, none of the palace guards showed any surprise at seeing Yin Sanren, as if it was perfectly natural for this female imperial tutor to wander the Forbidden Palace.

Perhaps this was part of Yin Sanren’s magical power! Li Xun wasn’t surprised at all, and instead, he became more interested in the receding Lanshe Courtyard, or rather, the beauty within it.

He couldn’t help but look back, and at this moment, Yin Sanren spoke in front of him: “What, are you interested?”

Li Xun shook his head violently, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but think of the graceful figure that was faintly visible under the snow-clean mink fur, and the soft feeling that was revealed behind the thin gauze dress.

His throat moved twice, and his cheeks felt a little sore.

Afraid that Yin Sanren would ask more questions, he decided to take the initiative. After a light cough, he asked back: “This Concubine Qin is quite disrespectful to you, uncle, why do you…”

These words seemed to be concerned and had a flattering meaning, but what was the truth? I’m afraid Li Xun himself didn’t quite understand the motive for asking such a question.

“A peerless beauty always has some qualifications to be proud of…” Yin Sanren’s voice suddenly became low and hoarse, and in the thick night, it revealed some strange taste: “There are three thousand beauties in the Forbidden Palace, but there are not many like her!”

When Li Xun was savoring the deep meaning of these words, Yin Sanren in front of him suddenly stopped, turned around, and smiled at him: “Are you really not interested in her?”

Li Xun was about to shake his head, but suddenly he saw a strange light flash in Yin Sanren’s eyes. His heart tightened, his head froze, and he said inexplicably: “Uncle Master, even in the mountains, it is rare to see such a beauty…”

“Yes…” The light in Yin Sanren’s eyes faded, and his tone became much gentler, and there was even a sigh in his words.

“Mingxin Sword Sect has indeed accepted few female disciples in recent generations! However, they are all considered the best of the time… Qingyin is needless to say. Among the second-generation disciples, Mingji has a skin of ice and jade, and is famous for her sword and wind god; Mingru is as beautiful as clouds and rosy clouds, with a graceful appearance… Judging from your appearance, you are very familiar with them, right?”

What kind of reputation does Yin Sanren have? Though her words were full of praise, her past experiences showed that even a junior like Li Xun understood her true intentions. He had to answer, feeling awkward, considering how kind Qingyin and Mingji had been to him, and could only manage a vague response.

However, he couldn’t help but follow Yin Sanren’s train of thought. Even with the embarrassment, he had to admit that Yin Sanren’s descriptions of the female immortal masters were truly insightful and hit the nail on the head.

For Li Xun, imagining the elders’ appearances from this perspective was a novel experience, and it possessed its own subtle resonance, leaving him feeling rather strange.

Now, thinking back to Concubine Qin’s appearance, he felt a whole new feeling.

At that moment, Yin Sanren calmly delivered a thunderous statement: “If you’re truly interested, you can stay here tonight.”

Li Xun felt as if struck by a thunderbolt. He shuddered and cried out, “How can that be possible?”

“Why not?” Yin Sanren spoke as casually as if she were drinking tea. She smiled faintly, “I stayed there all night, and I didn’t see anything wrong with her.”

Li Xun’s mind trembled as he finally understood why Concubine Qin was acting that way. He stared blankly at Yin Sanren’s elegant face, his mind flashing back to the countless encounters these two stunning beauties had engaged in in the dead of night, under the dim candlelight. An inexplicable fire surged from his chest, instantly flooding his head.

“Snap!”

The pain on his face snapped him out of his momentary trance. He shuddered, looking up, only to see Yin Sanren’s face, still smiling, and the hand that had just been withdrawn, the hand that had threatened him with death a thousand times.

Yin Sanren’s expression was a subtle, almost half-smile. She asked, “What are you thinking about?” “

Yes…” Li Xun stammered, his clothes instantly soaking wet, and his legs began to tremble. In this situation, he didn’t know whether to kneel down—should he be more honest? Or maintain his usual humble and loyal face?

Fortunately, the slap Yin Sanren gave was more of a joke than a joke, and given her style, she didn’t care.

Looking at Li Xun’s pale face, she still kept a smile: “That’s up to you. I don’t care about you. But you have to remember that while your master and I were away, those two things…”

Li Xun, thankful to have escaped danger, nodded repeatedly.

“That’s it. Just know the difference between the important and the unimportant.” Yin Sanren reached out again and patted his cheek, quite intimately, and Li Xun’s Taoist robe was even more soaked—