The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 51

Chapter 7: Shadow of Reversal

Without warning, a jet-black shadow shot up from somewhere on the ground, piercing the center of the three men.

Mingli glanced at them and gasped, “Calyx Smoke Shuttle! Spread out!”

The three men, like explosives, exploded in three different directions. The jet-black shadow turned out to be a shuttle-like object, moving at an extremely fast speed. The three men had barely spread out a short distance when it closed in. At the center point between them, it suddenly gathered, its forward and backward forces combined, and it suddenly exploded, releasing a thick cloud of black mist.

This mist seemed to possess a spirit, not drifting with the wind, but rapidly expanding like a demonic flower suddenly in full bloom, splitting into three petals and pursuing the three men. Its speed, seemingly slow but actually swift, was three times faster than flying a sword!

The Zhu Gou Sect was one of the most powerful weapon-refining sects in the Tongxuan Realm. Many of this realm’s most powerful magical weapons, especially those of the uncanny variety, originated from the Zhu Gou Sect.

While on Lianxia Mountain, Li Xun had heard of some of the Zhugou Sect’s more renowned “products,” including the “Calyx Smoke Demon Shuttle.”

It was a “consumable” item, usable only once, but its power was truly formidable.

The “Soul-Binding Smoke Vine” within the shuttle could split into hundreds of strands, each capable of pursuing its foes. The “Blue Star Sand” within the “Soul-Binding Smoke Vine” was extremely toxic. Once entangled by the “Soul-Binding Smoke Vine,” the “Blue Star Sand” would succumb to the body, corroding flesh and severing meridians. This was an extremely vicious act.

Facing such a toxic magical weapon, Li Xun dared not afford to be careless. Lacking any effective magical weapons, he could only rely on his radiant Qi to resist.

Thanks to his recent advancements in cultivation, the Nether-Bright Yin Fire had become increasingly refined. Just as the black mist behind him threatened to reach him, he spun, and the Nether-Bright Yin Fire burst forth through every pore and orifice in his body, emanating with a whistling sound.

The light around him suddenly dimmed. In that instant, the three-foot radius around him distorted all normal space, creating a fissure that led nowhere. The expanding smoke behind him was sucked into it like a whale sucking water, and it disappeared without a trace.

After dealing with this wave of attacks, Li Xun just wanted to catch his breath when a warning flashed through his mind, echoing with the sharp whistle of “Cat.”

The situation was almost identical to the ambush from the Three Emperors Sword Sect over the past two days, but Li Xun handled it with greater composure.

With a ringing sound, You Yi extended a finger from his alien space, striking the blade hurtling towards him from behind.

Li Xun’s body jolted, the shockwave from behind sending him flying. He then turned back, laughing, “Bai Le Dao?”

Instead, he saw a blurry, gray figure. As expected of one of the sects most skilled in assassination, the man Li Xun suspected of being “Bai Le Dao” didn’t even speak to him and vanished from his sight in the blink of an eye.

Li Xun frowned. Along with the figure, his aura vanished. These cultivators, specialized in stealth, possessed a knack for concealment, their daunting cautiousness and gloom making them difficult to counter.

As if to confirm his thoughts, two muffled groans echoed from the distant sky, coming from Ming Li and You Wu Sheng.

Li Xun’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his head. The next moment, a chill swept across his neck, as expected.

“I’d expected this!” He chuckled softly, his neck suddenly buckling as if the bones had been ripped out of it. At first glance, it looked as if the man’s head had been severed at the neck! This wasn’t a unique technique from the Netherworld Records, but rather a technique learned from the Blood Demon Transformation Heart Technique of the Blood Sanren.

One of the hallmarks of this magical technique is the intertwining of true energy and physical energy, allowing for the ability to assume any form and transform at will.

Li Xun hadn’t yet mastered this technique throughout his entire body, but he could still achieve it within a specific limb. Unleashed at this

moment, it proved incredibly effective. Dodging the vicious blow, Li Xun, without a second thought, struck back with a palm strike. This was the “Ghost Spirit Fire” technique. Reaching a high level of cultivation, it could truly summon the Nine Netherworld spirits, generating a soul-devouring Yin Fire that could not even touch anything.

Li Xun’s cultivation wasn’t yet sufficient to achieve such devastating results, but this palm strike heated up the surrounding air. The heat, the distorted light, and the whispering whistling of the expanding flames combined to stir the opponent’s anxiety.

As soon as this emotion emerged, it immediately spread throughout the six senses and seven orifices, triggering all sorts of illusions and inciting Yin Fire, burning within. This was another masterful application of the “Soul-Separating Yin Tribulation.

” “Ghost Fire” is a high-level application of the Yin Fire of the Netherworld, while “Soul-Separating Yin Tribulation” is a sophisticated method for exorcising the soul, refining the spirit, and connecting the mind and body.

He could simultaneously harness two completely different techniques with a single palm strike, and with such ease that even the Hellfire Yama or Lady Yama would applaud.

This palm strike was truly exquisite, even Bailuo Dao couldn’t underestimate it.

A clang echoed from behind Li Xun, the clang of metal shattering the soul-stirring sound, while the sharp blade energy swept away the surrounding aura.

It was a clash of the void. Li Xun felt a tightness in his chest, followed by a chill down his back, struck by the aftermath of the blade energy. Knowing he could not withstand the coming attack, he didn’t even turn back, increased the power of his flying sword, and fled in a flash.

Only then did he have time to glance over at Mingli, and the moment he did, Li Xun’s eyes widened!

The scene before him was this: Mingli and You Wusheng, about half a mile apart and at about the same height, were like two rocks, plummeting straight down, crashing into the bushes almost simultaneously, their lives uncertain.

“Damn it, is this the end?” A layer of cold sweat instantly seeped down Li Xun’s back. This was simply impossible!

Mingli and You Wusheng were not weaklings. They were direct descendants of a powerful clan, the pillars of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect for hundreds of years to come! Even when they were knocked down by a single blow at Chicheng Mountain, it was because they were caught off guard and their opponent was too strong.

And now? They were prepared, on full alert, yet they were still knocked down with a single blow, like a joke! This…

Before he could finish the thought in his mind, he suddenly felt a sensation in his heart. In that instant, his scalp exploded and the hairs on his back stood up. Without thinking, You Er in the other space grabbed a hand and hit him on the back!

There was no sound, only a rather slender palm gently pressed against his back. When the force was about to be released, a light exclamation was heard, and the hand was retracted. A north wind blew from the sky, and the clothes on Li Xun’s back that were touched by the palm suddenly turned into ashes and flew away.

“Interesting!” A light and neutral voice that could not be distinguished between male and female floated past his ears.

If that was all, it would be fine, but what really made Li Xun sad was that he knew that the person who spoke was right next to him, but he could not detect a single thing at all! The feeling of being powerless was so weird that it was chilling.

This should be impossible! If You Er hadn’t taken the risk and attacked at the critical moment, and if this man hadn’t missed his target and didn’t attack again, Li Xun would have been in the same boat as Mingli and the others.

What kind of situation was this?

“No!” Li Xun suddenly realized.

He had learned about the Zhu Gou Sect’s visitor specifically from Mingli.

Of the two troublesome individuals, Bai Liaodao possessed a remarkable ability to evade detection, specializing in swooping into blind spots and delivering devastating blows. The Minghuang Ji possessed a unique skill. When wielded, his colorful, seven-blazing halberd shone like the sun in the sky, its brilliance glaring and unbearable.

Yet, he employed a variety of sinister tactics from the shadows behind his “upright and fair” demeanor. This individual, however, was clearly not of the same ilk. His ability to teleport and vanish from sight was unlike Zhu Gouzong’s, but rather resembled that of a renowned assassin of his caliber… At this thought, a figure suddenly popped into Li Xun’s mind.

The sky, momentarily chaotic, suddenly quieted. Bai Liaodao, who had threatened to take his life, had vanished into thin air.

Li Xun could see no one.

Yet, purely by instinct, he knew there was still someone who could easily take his life, lurking somewhere in his blind spot.

He was stunned for a long moment, his neck quickly becoming sore from the intense tension. He dared not move, pondering his thoughts for a moment. Seeing the other party showed no intention of speaking first, he tentatively asked, “Water Fairy?” “

Can you see me?”

It was still that somewhat neutral voice, but perhaps because he had made up his mind, Li Xun could hear a certain softness that was uniquely feminine. Hearing the other party’s affirmative answer, he suddenly felt the urge to faint.

“Water Dielan! Is it really her? The great traitor of nearly a hundred years, the one who betrayed the Luoyu Sect and defected to their mortal enemy, ‘Nishui Gou’, Water Dielan?”

Li Xun groaned inwardly. When he accepted this errand, he had never imagined that one-third of the Zhugou Sect’s nine assassins would show up!

Even if these three weren’t as powerful as the Three Emperors Sword Sect, he didn’t have any foolish women to use as shields!

He twitched his lips, and finally couldn’t help but smile bitterly. “It’s really Water Fairy!” “Bai Gui is incompetent and is just making random guesses, but how lucky is it to have witnessed the fairy’s Shadow Reversal Escape Technique!”

The woman behind laughed softly: “Bai Gui? That name is unpleasant, but you speak in a flowery way… You are very interesting!”

It sounded like there was no condescending tone in her tone. When she commented on it, she was as kind and amiable as a sister next door. This was something Li Xun had never seen in any other strong person before, but Li Xun would never dare to think that she was so easy to talk to.

None of the nine assassins of Zhu Gou Sect was easy to deal with, especially this Shui Dielan, who was arguably the most powerful female cultivator before and after the 49th Heavenly Tribulation.

She was the leader of two sects, and her skills were comparable to those of the sect leaders of various factions. She was also as cunning as a fox and cruel. Compared with Luo Qichang, who had to worry about his daughter’s life, she was too much of a headache.

But in this situation, Li Xun’s mood relaxed again. He shrugged and said: “Thank you for the compliment, fairy! However, in my opinion, your sect is more interesting! “

What do you mean?”

“It’s just a small ancient capital, why would your sect send out such a lineup?” He reached into his arms, took out the pair of copper wheels, and tossed them twice. “It’s just like using a butcher knife to kill a chicken!”

“But, wouldn’t it be worse if the butcher knife can’t kill the chicken?”

Before the last word of this sentence was lingering, Li Xun’s hand lightened, and the copper wheels disappeared. The next moment, only Shui Dielan said: “Heavenly Consciousness Wheel! This kind of magic weapon is very rare!”

“Really?” Li Xun turned around and asked naturally. And the next moment, a finger was tapped on his forehead. There was no trace of true energy on it, but it felt itchy when it was rubbed by the woman’s pointed nails.

He still didn’t see Shui Dielan’s face. He only saw the jade-like arms when the wide light blue gauze sleeves were removed; the female cultivator’s face was hidden behind the gauze sleeves, looming.

Li Xun cleverly raised his hands, feigning innocence. A soft laugh reached his ears. “You’re truly an interesting fellow! No wonder Old Luo would be embarrassed by you… I’m very optimistic about you!”

Luo Qichang’s words, delivered with solemnity and unwavering seriousness, came across as unwavering, but Shui Die Lan’s, delivered with the air of a friend, a joke to be taken with impunity.

From that single sentence, Li Xun understood that Shui Die Lan had been hiding nearby during his negotiations with the Three Emperors Sword Sect. Beyond anything else, her ability to remain invisible in the presence of the “Eastern Emperor” was truly impressive.

With a click, the fingers on Li Xun’s forehead lifted, and the same hand, like magic, unfolded two copper wheels, blocking his view. “Give back these Heavenly Consciousness Wheels!”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you understand? Or don’t you want them?” “

Yes!” “Li Xun didn’t know what the other party was planning, but at this time, pretending to be stupid might be more effective.

He stretched out his hand impatiently and took the copper wheel in his hand, his eyes followed the trend and looked forward, but there was no figure?

When he was wondering, several sword lights shot up into the sky from the forest below, and in a blink of an eye they went seven or eight miles away. Li Xun could see clearly that among them were the Bai Le Dao and Ming Huang Ji.

Gone? What are you doing? Li Xun was about to look around when he heard a voice behind him, which scared him.

“This Tianshi Wheel is useless to us, so it’s okay to give it to you. However, if we return empty-handed, our butcher knife will fail, and we are afraid of being laughed at when we return to the mountain. What do you say we should do? “

Shui Dielan still stayed here, saying these meaningless nonsense. This strange attitude made Li Xun feel overwhelmed.

Fortunately, he was not overwhelmed by all this.

What to do? Do whatever you want! Li Xun knew the issue of the dominance at the moment very well. He laughed dryly twice and said nothing cleverly.

Shui Dielan really appreciated his understanding and said with a smile: “Very good, you really think it through. Then I will take it away. It’s okay to exchange it like this!” “

Exchange?” Li Xun’s mind didn’t figure it out for a while, but he suddenly heard a sharp scream in his ears. He was shocked and turned around suddenly. He saw a flash of red light and flew towards the horizon. After the red light, a piece of void suddenly blurred, revealing a figure.

The figure stretched out his hand lightly and the red light stopped abruptly, followed by a more miserable scream.

Li Xun cried out in shock, “Cat!”

He didn’t know if the “Cat” had heard him, but perhaps instinctively sensing the horror it was about to face, its cries grew ever more shrill.

Li Xun stared blankly, his shock and anger forgotten for a moment. The figure waved “Cat” in his direction, then vanished like a fleeting bubble. “

You, Water Orchid!” In that instant, a surge of blood flooded Li Xun’s brain. He roared at the top of his lungs, then threw the copper wheel with all his might in the direction Water Orchid had last been seen. The copper wheel whirred for miles before collapsing.

As it fell, Li Xun unleashed every obscenity he had ever learned, hurling it until his voice was hoarse and his body was exhausted. He finally stopped.

He bent over, his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

This feeling was unbearable. Not only because his new “friend,” Cat, had been abducted, but more importantly, the feeling of being at someone’s mercy was truly disgusting—he had thought he’d never have such an opportunity again!

Closing his eyes, he forced himself to suppress the annoyance within him. Finally, he twitched his lips. “Excellent! Water Orchid, good luck… Good luck, just don’t fall into my hands!”

Ghost Shadow Devouring Sect’s headquarters, Ghost Gate Lake.

Deep within a primeval forest, on a plain surrounded by mountains, lies Ghost Gate Lake. Deep within the forest’s depths, shrouded by trees, surrounded by a thick miasma, poisonous insects, and strange beasts, Ghost Gate Lake lay quietly for countless millennia.

If seeing the sun in Tenghua Valley was a rare sight, then here, near Ghost Gate Lake, even the thought of it was a luxury.

Towering trees, tangled vines, a perpetual miasma, and layers of fog woven from the sect’s secrets completely isolated this place from the outside world, preventing even a single ray of light from entering. Even illumination came from torches that burned eternally.

Li Xun’s knowledge of this place, aside from the basic knowledge he’d acquired in the Mingxin Sword Sect, stemmed from a description of the “Yin Hua Pond” in Mr. Ghost’s notes in the Netherworld Records. According to Mr. Ghost, within a hundred years, Li Xun must soak in it or die from the Yin Fire’s backlash.

However, due to the immense length of this hundred-year period, Li Xun often forgot about it, only remembering it once he arrived. Even then, the thought was fleeting, quickly forgotten.

When Li Xun reached the shore of Ghost Gate Lake, the first thing he saw was a “fireball” suspended in mid-air, burning within the naturally formed dome of trees.

Mingli explained that this fire was an immortal Yin fire fueled by drawing energy from the Nine Netherworlds. As long as the Nine Netherworlds’ energy remained depleted, the fire would not extinguish.

In the pale light of the flames, Mingli’s face, a mixture of green and blue, looked even more ferocious. However, it was clear that within the sect’s grounds, he was much more cautious than outside. The already taciturn Youwu Sheng became even more silent.

In the light streaming down from the sky, Li Xun’s gaze passed across the lake, toward the center where Mingli pointed. Most of all, he saw a dark, murky fog. Beneath the mist, he could see the outlines of some buildings, which looked quite majestic, but the full extent of their presence was impossible to discern.

“Forget you, Junior Brother Baigui. Even we, who have lived here for over two hundred years, haven’t seen the entire view!”

Mingli invited Li Xun to walk along the lake, saying as they went, “Back then, it took me over a year to memorize the few paths I frequently walk. I imagine that by the time you’ve walked every path here, you’ll be either Sect Master or an Elder!”

The joke wasn’t very funny, but Li Xun chuckled to join in the fun. This startled a flock of waterfowl perched nearby. These birds resembled wild ducks, but their pupils were blood-red. They flapped their wings and took off in large flocks.

“These are cold water crows. They’re usually quite docile. Some of the brothers who practice soul control, puppetry, and soul-snatching techniques use them for practice. But if someone intrudes without proper knowledge, the scene…”

“Senior Brother Mingli, how are you?”

A cultivator emerged from the mist and interrupted Mingli.

Mingli looked in the direction of the voice and was slightly startled. “Junior Brother Guiji? Is there something wrong with the Sect Master?”

The cultivator looked only thirteen or fourteen, even younger than Li Xun, with a childish expression. However, his eyes were a little too lively. In a split second,

he examined Li Xun thoroughly before saying, “Indeed, the Sect Master and the twelve elders are here, awaiting your reports!” Mingli sniffed a breath of cold air between his teeth. He looked at Li Xun with a wry smile and said, “Junior Brother Baigui, our lives are in your hands this time!”

Li Xun understood his meaning perfectly. Two humiliating fainting spells during this operation had already rendered Mingli and You Wusheng powerless to speak. They could only pin their hopes on him.

However, Li Xun knew even better that even if he tried to exonerate them, he wouldn’t necessarily receive gratitude in return.

A sincere smile graced his face. “Don’t worry, brothers. I understand!”

The sect leader summoned the three men to the Xumei Hall. The name was strange, but the hall itself was even stranger.

It was excavated dozens of feet underground beneath the lake’s central island. Its walls were constructed of rock as solid as iron. The hall measured over ten feet long and wide, and stood seventy to eighty feet high, surpassing even the most majestic palaces of mortal emperors.

There were no tables or chairs within. Instead, there were thirteen stone platforms carved into the fourty-five-foot-high rock face: three in front and five on each side.

As Li Xun entered the hall, he was greeted by the surging glow of flames burning on these thirteen platforms. The flames were the most common off-white color in the sect. Mingli had told him that the leader’s own image would not appear there, but rather the flames, whose flaring and extinguishing marked their arrival and departure.

“Mystique!” Li Xun muttered inwardly, but he still joined Mingli and You Wusheng in respectfully performing the disciple’s salute towards the center ball of fire in front of them.

This gesture, reminiscent of some strange cult ritual, was quite bizarre.

The ball of fire swayed in the windless air, and from it came the sickly voice of Minghuo Yanluo, which made his voice even hoarse. “You did a good job this time. Being able to snatch food from Luo Qichang, Shui Dielan, and the others is an honor for the sect!”

Li Xun and the other two responded in unison, thanking him for his praise. They were also somewhat surprised. Did the Thirteen summon them here just to spout such nonsense?

Hellfire Yama paused, then suddenly focused his attention. He called out, “Hundred Ghosts!”

Li Xun’s brows twitched, and he replied, “Disciple is here!”

“You did very well!” Hellfire Yama’s hoarse voice tinged with praise, a stark contrast to his businesslike tone. “You haven’t been a member of our sect long, but if you count from the time you returned the ‘True Explanation of the Netherworld,’ it’s been over a hundred years.”

He suddenly veered into the subject that Li Xun was most wary of, inadvertently startling him. Only when he heard his tone soften, indicating nothing unusual, did he feel relieved. But Li Xun had no idea what the ‘True Explanation of the Netherworld’ was, so he could only respond vaguely.

Fortunately, no one present thought anything of that, allowing Li Xun to get away with it. However, Hellfire Yama seemed lost in thought, his tone becoming distant.

“A hundred years ago, your actions were nothing more than ‘knowing when to advance and when to retreat’. The elder Minghu who contacted you and examined your physique at the time was not optimistic about you and thought you would not have much of a future!

Years have passed in a flash, and the elder Minghu has passed away. I’m afraid he could never have dreamed that you would become what you are today!”

Minghuo Yanluo was reminiscing about the past, but he didn’t know that Li Xun below was almost frightened to death by his words.

Fortunately, Li Xun’s experience was getting deeper, and his cultivation skills were also getting deeper. After the shock, his facial expression did not change, and even the opening and closing of the pores on his body and his heart rate did not change much.

At this time, Minghuo Yanluo had returned to the topic. He said: “During this trip to Longhuan Mountain, you were able to adapt to the situation and did not tarnish the reputation of our sect in front of the powerful people. This is very good! Even among the direct descendants of the sect, there are few who can compare with you!”

Overwhelmed by this barrage of praise, Li Xun was unsure how to respond. The looks from Mingli and You Wusheng beside him were strange, a sight that chilled Li Xun’s heart.

He quickly said, “Master, thank you for your kind words. I’ve been wandering for years, but I’ve honed my tongue. This time, I simply had the opportunity to use them… In fact, if it weren’t for my two senior brothers sacrificing their lives to block the attack, giving me the opportunity to react, this treasure would have been lost back on Chicheng Mountain!”

His words of humility were a little awkward in his haste, but they still had their effect. Netherfire Yama, standing in front of him, smiled, “They’ve certainly contributed… You two, go to Yougu Guizang and select a Class A advanced applied method and practice it!”

Mingli and You Wusheng thanked him in unison. Knowing this was a pretext for them to leave, they politely saluted the three parties and walked out backwards.

The hall was vast. Before the two men were even halfway through, Hellfire Yama declared, “Bai Gui, you’ve performed the greatest service this time. You’ve stood up to two prominent figures, Luo and Shui, without losing your integrity. For this reason alone, it’s no exaggeration to crown you one of the sect’s great names! Step forward!”

Li Xun, still feeling a lingering fear and his mind still hazy, approached like a sleepwalker. To others, he seemed ecstatic.

After just a few months of joining the sect, he easily secured this honor, a position that thousands of disciples coveted. Such an opportunity would be easily seized by anyone.

Ming Li and You Wusheng, who hadn’t yet left the hall, exchanged a glance, their feelings uncertain.

They finally understood why all thirteen of the great leaders were present. The ceremony of crowning a disciple with a great name in the sect required the presence of these elders. In a few breaths, they would have a new equal.

The ceremony was simple. When Li Xun reached about three feet from the stone platform, the ground beneath his feet lit up. The crisscrossing runes seemed to come alive, flowing and winding in the light.

Amidst this illumination, a chopping board formed of light appeared before him, upon which lay a delicate bracelet.

“Since your name contains the character ‘ghost,’ there’s no need to change your surname. ‘Ghost Bell’ is proof of your identity!”

As the voice of Hellfire Yama rasped, Li Xun slowly lifted the bracelet.

The moment his finger touched the bracelet, all the light quickly vanished. As the last ray faded, the flames on the thirteen platforms suddenly surged, accompanied by thirteen shrill roars that erupted and instantly merged into one.

The roars rose to a pitch unbearable for ordinary people, then died with a clang.

The ground returned to its normal state. Li Xun took a deep breath and slipped the bracelet onto his left wrist. The icy chill penetrated his skin, spreading through his limbs and bones, quickly transforming into warm warmth.

Li Xun gently stroked the bracelet. From this moment on, he became the twenty-second disciple of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect. From this moment on, he suddenly felt that his identity as “Hundred Ghosts” was becoming more real and rich than ever before.

The ceremony concluded, and Li Xun knelt on one knee to thank the Sect Master and the elders for their special incantation for blessing the Seven Ghost Bell.

From this moment on, the Seven Ghost Bell was connected to his bloodline. As his cultivation deepened, the Seven Ghost Bell would continue to advance, adapting to the techniques he had learned, becoming a powerful magical weapon tailor-made for him.

Hellfire Yama coughed lightly a few times before speaking again, “As for the Heavenly Consciousness Wheel…”

Upon hearing this, Li Xun hurriedly pulled out the copper wheel from his bosom and was about to offer it with both hands when he heard Hellfire Yama say, “I heard that the Blood Kiss you raised was taken away by that Water Butterfly Orchid, so you got this wheel in exchange?”

Li Xun gritted his teeth at the thought of his reckless “cat.” Although the little demon had never truly submitted to him and often coveted his treasures, after spending several months together, it would be nonsense to say that they had no feelings for each other. He couldn’t help but feel a little depressed, and only replied with a “yes.” “

The Blood Kiss is a natural demon, and its rarity is probably even greater than this Heavenly Consciousness Wheel… What a pity! In that case, the sect owes you!”

Li Xun’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said he didn’t dare.

Hellfire Yama ignored him and said, “I heard from Madam Yan that you major in Netherworld Qi and minor in Corpse Driving Puppetry. That’s perfect! I’ll use these wheels to compensate for your Blood Kiss. Using the Heavenly Consciousness Wheel, supplemented by the Puppetry Technique, will save you at least thirty years of hard training, barely enough to cover the cost of the Blood Kiss! What do you think?”

What else could Li Xun say? He was already stunned by the endless stream of benefits. He was now speechless, unable to utter a single word.