The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 49

Chapter 5 Chaos

The problem is complicated!

As long as they are cultivators in the Tongxuan Realm, everyone knows that this “Little Zhu Gou” is the signature of the Zhu Gou Sect of Mingyu Mountain. The Zhu Gou Sect is one of the ten mountains and is one of the most powerful evil sects in the world. It has always been famous for its weapon refining, mechanisms, and assassinations. It has always been sinister and aloof, and very difficult to deal with.

In terms of sect strength, the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect is not inferior, but who knows how many people from the Zhu Gou Sect have come this time?

In fact, they don’t need to come all together. As long as one or two of their “double swords, four blades, and three little hooks” come, Li Xun and the other two will have no choice but to run for their lives.

Mingli’s green face twitched, and he said coldly: “The Three Emperors Sword Sect is not that stupid! Even if the Zhu Gou Sect knew about this place, it would not be so easy for them to come here in a high-profile manner…

“But there is one thing that is most important. Are these people from the Zhu Gou Sect coming here for the treasure, or for us?”

“It shouldn’t be for us! “Li Xun frowned and thought for a while,” The restrictions they set up don’t seem to have any target, most of them are used to warn people…”

“Damn it, when I see that kid Gu Ting later, I will skin him alive! “Mingli said these harsh words, and looking at his expression, it seemed that he was not just talking.

Li Xun knew that Gu Ting was the disciple who came back to report the news. However, he didn’t care who Mingli was going to kill. He had already contacted “Mao’er” and asked it to take a circle on the mountain and be extra careful.

Mingli released the ghost spirit before he finished his harsh words. This time he was more cautious.

After releasing the ghost spirit, he sat cross-legged on the ground, and the hand seals changed. Dozens of talismans were superimposed, and a ball of green light and fire was generated in front of his chest, which made people’s beards green. It was obvious that he had activated the Jade Fire Flowing Ying ** and was going to search the mountain with secret methods.

It didn’t take too long before “Cat’er” and the ghost spirit responded almost at the same time. The target was found!

This time, the ghost spirit played a greater role. Mingli and the ghost spirit were connected, and what it experienced was as if he saw it with his own eyes. Soon after finding the target, he jumped up and cursed: “Bastard! “

His still decent face was distorted by anger, and coupled with the faint ghostly aura, it looked hideously ugly.

And what he said seemed to be even worse: “This is troublesome, the ‘Bai Le Dao Huang Ji’ is here, and there are two disciples accompanying him. We can’t beat them!”

Bai Le Dao and Ming Huang Ji, both belonging to the “Double Sword and Four Blades”, are the signature killers of Zhu Gou Zong. Among the many headless cases in Tongxuan Realm, I don’t know how many they committed!

Their strength is far above the three of them, and compared with elders like Madam Yan, they are not much inferior. As long as these two people are here, this trip to Longhuan Mountain is equivalent

to a defeat! And Ming Li’s next words are even more depressing: “They seem to have some sense… I can’t tell! ” At this moment, the faces of Li Xun and You Wusheng changed completely. This is not a question of accuracy or inaccuracy. In this situation, any sign of danger is enough to be fatal. There is no time to hesitate. The three of them looked at each other and ran away. After running a few steps, Li Xun suddenly thought of something. While notifying “Cat”, he made a few movements with his hands. In the limited time, he has changed some of the surrounding Qi. In this way, the conditions and results of the Qi contact are completely different. The three of them held their breath and the pores of their bodies, circled in the valley, and came to a place a few miles away from the place where the restriction was just made. He crouched down on a high place, looking down from above. In just half an incense stick of time, the “cat” not far away sent a warning signal. Li Xun tilted his head slightly and looked towards the ridge of the mountain about seventeen or eighteen miles away, but he only saw the leaves swaying over there, and no human figure was visible. He poked You Wusheng beside him. This person had pure martial arts skills and also practiced the “Ghost Fire Candle Eyes” technique, which allowed him to see all living things within a radius of several miles, making him the perfect candidate for reconnaissance. However, in the blink of an eye, You Wusheng “poked back”, indicating that a target had indeed appeared over there. The three of them became more cautious, even speaking in secret, and dared not move their bodies. “They are also very cautious!” ” I’m afraid it’s not against us, but against the Three Emperors Sword Sect. It’s a pity to use this to your advantage!” “But I’m afraid we can’t hide it from them!” “It’s impossible to hide it, but everyone is afraid of provoking the Three Emperors Sword Sect to intervene, so no one dares to make a big move. This is more advantageous for us! “As Li Xun spoke, he surveyed the surroundings, comparing them with the intelligence he had obtained, and came to a conclusion. He smiled faintly and said, “The surroundings of the mansion are all filled with forbidden formations, and the formations don’t seem to be under the control of each other. So, they do theirs, and we do ours. Whether we can obtain the treasures depends entirely on how successfully we crack them. What does it have to do with the Zhu Gou Sect?” Ming Li was delighted to hear this, and then he chuckled, “That’s right, we’ll just see who progresses faster. At most, we’ll play hide-and-seek with them… Otherwise, if they’re all shouting at the entrance of the tiger cave, there’s no need to distinguish who’s more important!” The three of them chuckled at the same time, lowered their heads, and began to regulate their breathing. After a while, the energy at the forbidden area below suddenly changed, and a crisp sound like ice beads colliding was heard, followed by a muffled groan. “Well done! Junior Brother Baigui, this is a great move! These people have probably never tasted the feeling of ‘Soul Broken Little Zhu Gou’!” The three of them smiled again, and they really didn’t care anymore about what happened next. Seven feet, Three Methods of Pulse Control, twenty-second variation! ” Five feet, Meridian Opening Hand, forty-seventh variation!” “Alright, stop…” Li Xun let out a long breath, slowly straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and then took a few steps forward, reaching a point parallel to You Wusheng. Brushing aside the grass and the loose soil beneath, he found the expected forbidden pattern inscription. Ming Li and You Wusheng, still afraid to move, both breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the forbidden pattern inscription proved that Li Xun’s calculations were correct. After a day and a half of stalled progress, they could finally move forward. Although exhausted, they were in good spirits. Li Xun observed for a long moment before gesturing for the two men who were calming their qi to stop. As if granted amnesty, they simultaneously withdrew their hands. The fifteen key qi channels they had controlled immediately lost their position, vibrating and shifting at a level beyond human perception. Li Xun’s lips curled up. In the void in front of him, there seemed to be a row of invisible strings. He danced his five fingers like playing a pipa. Without much effort, the true energy in his body was released. The increasingly pure Yin Fire seemed to turn into a drizzle, falling drop by drop, resetting the shifted Qi. Alarm lifted! Li Xun stood up straight, stretched again, and couldn’t help but smile. As he moved, the bones and joints of his body made dense and light sounds. A trace of true energy came out from every acupoint and merged into the lively and flowing “bottomless dark ring” around the Huangting.

This signifies a new level of Nether Qi cultivation. Unlike the Qi training of the Mingxin Sword Sect, when Nether Qi reaches a certain level, while it also controls the flow of Qi within the body with the Huangting as its center, it does not condense into a Huangting Golden Elixir. Instead, it forms a vibrant, ever-changing, and intricate “ring” around the acupoints.

This ring is a vast, chaotic, almost invisible entity. At deeper levels, the Yin Fire is restrained, regenerating and transforming, truly melting the void, creating a new world within. Intertwined with the Nine Netherworlds within the ethereal realms, absorbing Qi through the air, boundless and endless.

Over the past seven days, Li Xun’s cultivation has progressed at a rapid pace. This is undoubtedly due to the “Mysterious Shadow Body,” the two Mysterious puppets feeding him vital energy day and night, tempering his body. It’s hard not to see his Netherworld Immortal Path progressing. However, the impact of these past few days of hard work and intense meditation cannot be underestimated.

The Huixuan Sect is truly the world’s foremost forbidden sect, and this defecting disciple’s mastery of forbidden formations is truly remarkable.

For seven days and nights, excluding the time spent playing hide-and-seek with the Zhugou Sect and the Three Emperors Sword Sect, Li Xun devoted his entire attention to breaking the restrictions and breaking the spells.

This exhausting effort not only significantly expanded his knowledge of the forbidden formations, but also, thanks to his unique training method of “guiding Qi through the forbidden patterns, breaking through barriers through deduction,” these advances were fully reflected in his own cultivation.

It was like battling a formidable foe for seven days and nights. While exhausting, the insights gained were immeasurable.

With his refined inner cultivation as his foundation, his unique forbidden pattern deduction technique as his means, and the powerful energy of his “Mysterious Shadow Body” as his backing, it was no surprise that Li Xun advanced so rapidly.

Mingli then approached and handed Li Xun a bottle of elixir.

Li Xun didn’t hesitate and took it and drank it all in one gulp. The cool feeling of the elixir entering his throat refreshed him. He glanced at the distant ridge and asked with a smile, “How’s the progress over there?”

Mingli gave him a thumbs-up, a sinister grin on his face. “Not even close! At least ten miles behind us.”

You Wusheng used his “Phantom Fire Candle Eyes” to accurately measure the progress and nodded. “They’ve been parked there for two days… But, Junior Brother Baigui, can’t we still determine the location of the ‘Old Mansion’?”

Li Xun shrugged. “I can only confirm that the ‘Old Mansion’ is beneath the main peak of this mountain. Pinpointing its location will take time. At our current rate of progress, it will take at least twenty hours.”

“Twenty hours?” Mingli’s face flashed green, and he glanced up at the sky. “That leaves us with very little time to react. Those Three Emperors Sword Sect bastards can’t wait!”

The Three Emperors Sword Sect had discovered the unusual situation on Longhuan Mountain six days ago. Li Xun and the other two had been under their surveillance the entire time, so their battle with the Zhu Gou Sect couldn’t be concealed. Following the clues, the Zhu Gou Sect’s whereabouts were fully exposed.

However, the Three Emperors Sword Sect’s attitude was highly ambiguous. They merely patrolled the vicinity of Dragon Ring Mountain, maintaining a constant presence and ignoring the conflict on the mountain. Their intention to profit from the situation was obvious.

“There’s nothing we can do!” Li Xun lowered his head and began to calculate the evolution of the restrictions again. He said calmly, “Perhaps they’ve already come to do the same thing as us… This restriction arrangement was fine before, but now that we’ve started it, it can’t be hidden from those with ulterior motives!”

Mingli and Youwusheng exchanged bewildered glances. Indeed, why hadn’t they thought of this?

In terms of talent, how could the Three Emperors Sword Sect be inferior to the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect or the Vermillion Gou Sect? This further complicated the situation!

Just as they were panicking, Li Xun’s body trembled. He instantly stopped all movement, frozen in place like a fossil.

Mingli and the others immediately noticed something was wrong with him and, horrified, rushed forward.

“What…”

Mingli began to speak, but was interrupted by Li Xun’s rapid gesture.

Li Xun’s forehead was covered in sweat, and his eyes were darting around involuntarily, clearly a state of intense anxiety. This made Mingli and the others even more nervous than he was.

Something serious must have happened!

The tense atmosphere lasted for more than ten breaths before the two finally heard Li Xun’s slow exhalation.

The breath was dense and continuous, lasting nearly an incense stick of time. Only then did Li Xun raise his head, look at the two of them, and declare, “I know where the ‘Old Mansion’ is!”

Mingli and the others were stunned.

The speed of events had surpassed anyone’s expectations.

The Three Emperors Sword Sect had indeed learned of the “Old Mansion” and had secretly dispatched personnel to crack it from the other side. Perhaps due to their advantage in territory, their speed was a hair’s breadth faster than Li Xun’s. Despite arriving a day later, their progress was only just behind Li Xun’s.

Just when Li Xun had just cracked a key point, the Three Emperors Sword Sect also made a breakthrough, but no one expected that there was an extremely secret connection between the restrictions set up around the “mansion”.

The two parties cracked two key points one after another, which just happened to coincide with the mechanism. At this moment, deep in the mountain, tens of thousands of qi changed instantly, involving the changes in the restrictions, and in the blink of an eye, new restrictions were generated. However, in this way, the location of the “old mansion” also revealed a clue when it changed.

Li Xun gave a brief explanation, but he did not say what kind of computing power and luck was needed to be able to find that little bit of abnormality in the tens of thousands of qi changes, and to quickly calculate in this chaotic clue until the correct result was deduced!

This was a deduction that was almost overdrawn, so that Li Xun’s limbs were weak and it was difficult for him to even stand.

He did not force himself, and simply sat down on the ground, patted the ground, and asked: “Can you escape underground? “

Mingli and the other two nodded. As the operation entered a critical period, Li Xun’s role among the three became more and more obvious. Coupled with the authorization of Minghuo Yanluo, Li Xun now has the appearance of a leader among the three.

“That’s good. The ‘Old Mansion’ is about seventy feet underground, and the straight-line distance from us is no more than one and a half miles.” As he spoke, he casually drew a few routes on the ground: “Knowing where the ‘Old Mansion’ is, the restrictions will be easy. Shall we go down now?”

“Of course!” Mingli smiled and was very excited, but he quickly asked: “What about the two sides?”

Li Xun smiled slightly, and the color of his face finally improved a little: “If they can find it too, even if I fail this time, I will be convinced! “

The following things went very smoothly. It took only half an hour for the three of them to break through the numerous restrictions and come to the “old mansion”. The process was surprisingly smooth.

It is called the “old mansion” here, but it is actually just a small stone chamber. It is completely carved out from the inside of the mountain and is sealed throughout. There are only a few vents. The air is refreshed by the formation technique of inducing wind force, and people have to use earth escape to come and go.

It is only five steps long and wide, more like a prison.

The room is illuminated by pearls. At first glance, it is empty, with only a meditation cushion placed crookedly.

“Where is the baby?” Mingli couldn’t believe that he had worked hard for a month, but this was the result. He saw signs of a sudden change.

Li Xun smiled, walked over, and with a kick, brushed the mat aside. He looked down, then squatted down and tapped the ground a few times with his fingers. With a clang, a square black hole suddenly appeared in the seamless ground. The treasure lay within!

Two palm-sized copper wheels, a small, snow-white tripod the size of a baby’s head, and a small booklet.

The copper wheels resembled Buddhist instruments, hollowed out in the center. Inside, a pair of soybean-sized beads were embedded, inexplicably, and with a slight shake, they produced a tinkling sound. The small tripod was intricately carved with images of exotic beasts, and made of a rare material.

The booklet, on the other hand, was relatively ordinary, consisting of some idle thoughts and reflections scribbled by the rebel who had returned to Xuanzong.

Given their differing mental methods, the three of them were no different from those reading a heavenly book.

Before arriving, Mingli had done some research on the events of that year. Although the Hui Xuan Sect had kept this matter a closely guarded secret from beginning to end, Ming Li had a glimpse, drawing on rumors and his own insights.

“I don’t know about the wheel, but this cauldron should be the ‘Jade Liquid Returning True Cauldron,’ used to remove impurities from medicinal materials and refine them. It’s a treasure for alchemy.

With this thing, the Hui Xuan Sect’s finished medicines will at least be downgraded… What’s going on?”

A sudden and powerful tremor shook the entire stone chamber. Before Ming Li could even exclaim in surprise, another noise erupted. Countless cracks suddenly appeared in the ceiling of the stone chamber, and earth and rock fell, showering the three men with dirt and rocks.

“It’s the Three Emperors Sword Sect! They’re forcibly breaking the barrier!” Li Xun was well aware of what was happening above; only the Three Emperors Sword Sect could pull off such a drastic move.

His expression was solemn. This was, after all, their territory. If they were to fall out, the three of them would clearly suffer.

“Go down!” Li Xun quickly assessed the situation and, pulling his two companions, who were still struggling to figure out how to break out, unleashed his earth escape technique, moving deeper into the mountain.

The violent impact triggered the full force of the restriction, but the Three Emperors Sword Sect had more than enough to shatter it.

The restriction distorted the normal flow of the celestial energy. Tens of thousands of energy channels stored within the mountain began to vibrate violently, disrupting the atmosphere within a certain radius, obscuring the slightest sign of the three men’s earth escape.

“Damn, this went so smoothly!” Mingli cursed, venting his delight.

No one had expected this outcome. The anticipated fierce battle was completely lost! They had easily broken through to the area outside Dragon Ring Mountain, escaping the chaotic celestial energy.

In this relatively peaceful environment, the energy fluctuations generated by the earth escape technique were still too conspicuous. The three gathered their spoils, carefully retracted their escape technique, and emerged.

This was the foothills of Chicheng Mountain, still densely forested. At first glance, it looked quite tranquil. The three of them, relieved, emerged from the ground and glanced back at Longhuan Mountain, dozens of miles away. A burst of sword energy and intense light emanated from the mountain, visible even in daylight.

They all laughed heartily, turned around, and were about to move forward when they suddenly froze.

“You’re so proud! Why aren’t you smiling?”

Ten paces away, the rather arrogant Miss Luo Yuji, chin slightly raised, glanced sideways at Li Xun and the others. Behind her, seven or eight disciples of the Three Emperors Sword Sect lined up in a row, a formidable display.

But the worse was yet to come.

In the sky, Hu Buli, whom they had seen before, brushed off the nonexistent dust with a flick of his robe and nodded a smile. Beside him, a burly, imposing man, slung a massive sword four fingers wide across his back, looked on coldly.

The mere fact that he could hold his position on par with Hu Buli revealed a master incomparable to Hu Buli’s!

Ming Li’s voice, whether a sigh or a groan, further confirmed this: “‘Dragon Madman’ Min Ershan!”

Li Xun’s face twitched slightly. Although none of the Three Emperors Sword Sect’s “One Emperor, Two Lords, and Five Princes” masters had come, the fact that two of the “Eight Madmen,” whose reputation was only just below theirs, had come was a sign of respect for them.

Even more frustrating, however, was that, even now, he still couldn’t understand how the Three Emperors Sword Sect had managed to catch up with them! Was the grandiose breaking of the ban on Dragon Ring Mountain all a sham?

His eyes swept over Luo Yuji’s radiantly smug expression, and a thought struck him. He shifted his gaze to catch sight of someone beside her holding a small jade bowl. This jade bowl looked familiar…

“Sound-transmitting sand!” Li Xun suddenly closed his eyes, then opened them again. He understood without further ado! Perhaps this was retribution.

When he used the Sound-Transmitting Sand against He Mulan and the two scattered people, had he ever considered that someone might use it against him in the future?

With the answer, working backward was easy.

With a flick of his mind, he realized that the dust-like “Sound-Transmitting Sand” had clung perfectly to the hem of Mingli’s clothes!

“The Three Emperors Sword Sect really invested heavily! Using this Sound-Transmitting Sand is incredibly wasteful!” Li Xun said, a tone that seemed both mocking and self-deprecating. Then, he suddenly reached out and brushed against Mingli’s hem, picking up the tiny object and, with a slight squeeze, crushing it to pieces.

Everyone present couldn’t help but look in amazement. While their reasons for surprise varied, they all had one thing in common: these Hundred Ghosts were incredibly quick-witted!

After a moment of surprise, Luo Yuji’s laughter widened. “Without this, how could I know what you’re up to? It’s supposed to be capturing Blood Kiss, but it’s actually grave robbing!”

Judging from her appearance, perhaps she was the one who came up with this plan to ruin the family. Li Xun raised his opinion of her slightly.

A woman willing to invest and use her brains deserves to be cautious! Meanwhile, he mentally assessed the situation.

He glanced at Mingli and the others imperceptibly—these two usually seemed quite shrewd. Could they possibly coordinate with him now? The thought flashed through his mind.

But reality didn’t allow him to dwell on it. He smiled at Luo Yuji and shifted his gaze to the two masters in the sky.

The moment his gaze shifted, Li Xun shot out, heading in the exact opposite direction—Luo Yuji!

It was an unreserved burst. Although speed wasn’t his forte, he still managed to cover a distance of over ten steps in a single blow!

It was hard to imagine that, in this precarious situation, he still dared to strike with such force. Almost everyone was stunned.

In that moment, Li Xun had already forced himself within three feet of Luo Yuji, her snow-white neck within reach. Luo Yuji’s eyes were fixed with shock.

However, “almost” was only “almost”; after all, there was someone who hadn’t been stunned. And worst of all, this person was right next to Luo Yuji!

Just as Li Xun’s fingertips were about to touch Luo Yuji’s skin, a thick, short, and rather clumsy finger suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stopped perfectly still.

Because Li Xun was moving so fast, he couldn’t stop in time, and it seemed as if he had bumped into her.

Li Xun’s fingertips were still a fraction away from Luo Yuji, but that stubby finger had already struck him squarely in the heart. The moment they made contact, a piercing burst of sword energy erupted, piercing his heart straight to his back. Behind him, a bloody mist blasted by the sword energy spread a full seven or eight steps!

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the Hundred Ghosts’ hearts had been shattered into powder!

Li Xun’s eyes widened, and a growl erupted in his throat, his blood threatening to burst forth.

How could the attacker allow him to stain Luo Yuji’s face with blood? With a low grunt, he moved out from behind her, his sleeves waving, brushing Li Xun’s face.

“Hermit of Dongyang!” Mingli felt a bitter taste in his mouth. “Three of the Eight Mad Warriors have already been defeated, and the Hundred Ghosts are foolishly seeking their own deaths again… This time, it’s truly over!”

Mingli brooded, but Hermit of Dongyang felt a different mood. His sleeves brushed against Li Xun’s face, but the object they touched was strange. With his centuries of experience, it wasn’t a head, but a hand!

A hand growing from his head? Even Ren Dongyangshan, despite his vast experience, was stunned. At that moment, thirty-six waves of true energy surged forth from beneath his sleeves. The impact was so rapid! The thirty-six waves almost merged into one, yet each wave evoked distinct changes, each layered with distinct layers.

Dongyangshan was caught off guard, and the impact of this incredibly subtle force tore a long seam through his sleeve.

As he tried to exert more force, a profound, ethereal force pressed against his chest, releasing it slightly. This was the gap between his old strength, exhausted, and his new energy yet to be generated. While the palm force wasn’t strong, it was incredibly insidious.

While it didn’t break his protective true energy, it did, in the briefest of moments, stir the already unstable Qi within him, causing it to tighten and then loosen.

Dongyang Shanren hurriedly channeled his Qi to protect himself, but he was unprepared for this sudden change. It was like dropping a small stone under the wheels of a high-speed train. The moment he lost balance, his breath lost control, it was like a slap in the face, causing him to groan and stutter.

Even in this moment, Li Xun, already deemed “heartbroken,” let out a long laugh and spun around. Under everyone’s incredulous gazes, he effortlessly circled behind Luo Yuji. Amidst her panicked screams, he delivered more than ten light palm strikes, landing lightly on her fair back.

As he struck, countless rays of colorful light shone from Luo Yuji’s body, but the extraordinary power of Li Xun’s palms proved utterly useless. Before she could even finish her cry, she collapsed limply into his arms.

Everyone in the room was stunned.

The short, stout, unassuming Dongyangshan man was perhaps the one present who had the most direct experience. His face twitched as he stared intently at Li Xun’s slightly pale face. After a long pause, he stuttered and asked, “How many hands are there?”

He paused, realizing the question was too baffling, and changed it to, “How did you survive?”