The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 52

Chapter 8: Swallow Returns

Li Xun lay in bed, two Heavenly Consciousness Wheels in his hands, turning them over and over, his mind a mess, his mind completely clueless.

Today in the Xumei Hall, Netherfire Yama had temporarily played the role of the God of Wealth. His generosity was one thing, but it was unjustified!

The lavish praise heaped on Li Xun was fine, but was the sect’s status so easily granted? Among thousands of disciples, there were only a couple dozen!

What kind of struggle had these people endured to reach this position? Even if he could gain an advantage over Luo Qichang and escape unscathed from Shui Dielan, what did that prove?

And the Heavenly Consciousness Wheel—even though their use was still unknown, the group had fought tooth and nail to retrieve it, and Netherfire Yama hadn’t even touched it before he’d already returned it.

Think about it, thirty years of hard training! Even if cultivation in the Tongxuan Realm is often measured in centuries or millennia, this is still quite impressive!

Remember, Li Xun himself had only been cultivating for ten years!

What was Minghuo Yanluo thinking about? This question made his head hurt, and at this moment, there was a knock on the door.

To Li Xun’s surprise, it was Madam Yan standing outside the door.

She was wearing an elegant and plain dress with a shawl of the same color. She stood at the door with a slight smile. The dim hall was also covered with a layer of faint light because of her arrival.

Li Xun was stunned for a moment before he knew how to greet her. He welcomed her into the house and lit the lights. After a flurry of activity, he turned around and saw Madam Yan holding a wheel and looking at it carefully.

“What a treasure!” Madam Yan’s words were similar to Minghuo Yanluo’s. There seemed to be some kind of strange attraction between these words that were spoken more than half an hour apart, which made people unable to help but explore the connection between them.

Li Xun scratched his head, revealing his least threatening side. He smiled wryly, “While this treasure is nice, I don’t know how to use it yet! The Sect Master said it’s used to assist with puppetry… Meaning the puppets will use it to fight?”

Madam Yan was amused. She placed the wheel on the table, brushed her loose hair with a feminine touch, and then pointed, “The most valuable part of this pair of Heavenly Consciousness Wheels is the ‘Wisdom Pearl’ at the center.

” “The Wisdom Pearl is used to open the minds of the foolish and dull… What do you think the puppets are going to do with it?”

Li Xun’s eyes widened, his gaze shifting to the inconspicuous copper wheel on the table. His mind went blank.

In a daze, Madam Yan’s voice continued to enter his ears: “Your Soul-Exorcising, Soul-Refining, and Heart-Connecting Skills have reached a certain level of maturity, allowing you to create puppets. However, during initial practice, the puppets are completely unconscious, acting purely on instinct, which is quite annoying. With this wheel, you’ll save a lot of effort.”

“Of course, no matter what, the puppet won’t be as smart as you. It’s said to save you thirty years of hard work. After thirty years, its intelligence level will be about that of a five-year-old child…”

“Five-year-old child?” Li Xun secretly took a breath, calmed his nerves, and asked curiously: “This doesn’t seem to be a big deal… Will it work?”

Seeing Li Xun’s greedy look, Madam Yan laughed and rolled her eyes at him. This slightly i*imate gesture was really precious.

Li Xun was stunned by the charm she inadvertently revealed, and heard her say: “In the world, it is difficult to create something out of nothing, and it is easy to create something out of nothing. Do you think it is easier to teach a fool to be sensible or to teach a five-year-old child to be sensible?”

Li Xun immediately understood.

He immediately thought of another key point, and put together an excuse in his mind, and asked cautiously: “Madam, I heard that this puppet needs to be based on a living person. If a person is refined into a puppet, and then his spiritual intelligence is revived, will the memory come back with it?”

“That’s easy for you to think about!” Madam Yan shook her head slightly and said: “The’raw materials’ of this puppet need to be constantly filled and modified. As the cultivation level improves, the quality of the’raw materials’ must also keep up.

“If you want to change the original texture, there are only two ways: poisoning and repairing. Which of these does not require dozens or hundreds of’raw materials’ to be mixed together? With so many’raw materials’ being combined and blended, interacting and mutating with each other, how can the memories of the previous life be preserved? “

Li Xun twitched his lips, and finally he was not anxious enough to say something stupid like “What if the ‘raw material’ doesn’t change”.

However, God opened his eyes, and Madam Yan also became interested in talking, and added casually: “Of course, there are indeed several predecessors in the history of the sect, who were so far-sighted that they even had masters of the ‘True One’ level who directly refined it and reached the sky in one step. That’s another matter! However, if you want to do it, I’m afraid you will have to wait for more than a thousand years! “

She looked at Li Xun, and her eyes naturally meant “boy, don’t let your imagination run wild.”

Li Xun was so excited at this moment that he wanted to sing a song, but he had to put on an appearance of “looking up to the mountains” to commemorate the “martyrs” of the sect.

The topic about the Wheel of Heavenly Consciousness ended here, and Li Xun already felt that this gain was even better than when he was in the Xumi Hall.

And only at this time did he remember to ask Madam Yan’s purpose. This beautiful woman with a quiet appearance but a deep mind, would not come to the disciple’s room at night to teach the magic formula!

As a disciple, since the teacher did not mention it on his own initiative, he could only take the initiative to take it over.

Li Xun thought about it, and carefully brought up the topic: “Madam, I always feel that today’s matter has come too easily, and I feel a little uneasy in my heart. I would like to ask Madam to give me some advice.”

“The sect leader gave you a big surname, of course he has his reasons, you just take it well, why worry about it! “Mrs. Yan said, and seeing Li Xun’s face full of disbelief, she couldn’t help laughing and said, “You are too suspicious, you’d better be careful! You have a big family name, and we elders have all agreed, but you have to pay attention to what the disciples below think!”

The latter sentence is the key point!

Li Xun grinned, his mind turned quickly, analyzing the deep meaning of Mrs. Yan’s words.

Mrs. Yan didn’t want him to guess blindly, so she sighed again and said, “In the past two years, the sect has been lifeless, and the disciples are content with their positions and have less ambition. Maybe the sect master couldn’t stand it, so he promoted you out of turn… After all, the days of the master are numbered! “

Li Xun shuddered, as if he had caught something. Looking at what Madam Yan did, if she said that she had no ambition to get to the top, no one would believe it. However, she didn’t seem to want to go against Netherfire Yama, could it be…

He blinked and asked tentatively: “Disciple will be careful, but we can’t be on guard against everyone. Madam, who do you think disciples should be on guard against?”

Madam Yan smiled approvingly, obviously very satisfied with Li Xun’s reaction. She slowly said: “Let’s not mention the grudge between you and Lord Bishui for killing his disciple. Even if he respects his status and doesn’t make things difficult for you, it will be difficult for his disciples to get along with you. This is one group; and there is Elder Youyu, he has always had some grudges with me, so you have to pay more attention to him!”

After a pause, she said: “Although some conflicts are inevitable, but as far as I am concerned, you have just entered the sect, so you should not waste your energy on such things. For some things, it is better to take a step back for the time being, and it will be convenient to act when you have the capital in the future! The first half of her

words sounded like that of a refined and polite woman, but the meaning of the second sentence could be savored.

Li Xun’s heart was even brighter.

These Bishuijun and Youyu must be formidable rivals for Madam Yan’s future position as Sect Leader, and Minghuo Yanluo must be well aware of this.

Li Xun didn’t know why these people didn’t want to rebel against Minghuo Yanluo, but instead enjoyed fighting him to their heart’s content. However, it seemed that Minghuo Yanluo’s end was already a foregone conclusion.

According to Li Xun’s political acumen, this consumptive Sect Leader, with his formidable scheming, tactics, and cultivation, was probably trying to find a qualified successor before his death, and to use the competition among the elders below to consolidate his current position of power.

This also made sense, as to why Li Xun, a new member of the younger generation who had just joined the sect, was favored by him.

Wasn’t this a sign of “leaning” towards Madam Yan? How could Bishuijun and Youyu not take action?

“After all this trouble, it turns out I’ve just been a thirst-quenching peach. Take the bait, take the bait!”

After seeing Madam Yan off, Li Xun chuckled and collapsed onto his bed, thoroughly understanding the situation.

It was clear he was now on Madam Yan’s side; her interests were his. So, whatever Madam Yan asked of him, as long as it didn’t involve him getting himself killed, he’d do it!

What’s the point of keeping a low profile? I’ve lived for eighteen years, and I’ve lived for eighteen years!

Li Xun quickly freed himself from the worries that didn’t belong to him.

He picked up the Wheel of Heavenly Consciousness again, turning it over and over to admire it.

Gradually, his consciousness connected with the wheel, and in a state of half-sleep, half-awake, he slipped into the vast, unfathomable void.

In a space that couldn’t be precisely defined, four flashes of lightning shone: two crimson, two white.

Time in the Tongxuan Realm was like a cascading waterfall, flowing so high it couldn’t be stopped. By comparison, the events unfolded as sluggishly as an old ox.

In the Arctic Night Sky, the unusual movements of Jade Wanderer and Heavenly Demon Phoenix remained merely unusual. The alliance of righteous sects, targeting Yin Wanderer and Blood Wanderer, had been mobilizing for nearly seven hundred days and nights, but after a staggeringly fruitless effort, they finally decided to discuss disbanding.

The Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect’s transparent internal strife and the resulting hatreds continued to accumulate bit by bit, with no sign of a critical explosion.

By this time, Li Xun had unknowingly remained in the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect for two years. And in those two years, he couldn’t even recall a single memorable moment. If there was a single word to describe

those two years, it would be “ordinary.” He spent most of those days in Tenghua Valley, with occasional trips to Ghost Gate Lake always fleeting, maintaining the utmost indifference.

Sometimes, the sect’s disciples would even forget he existed, and among the many prominent disciples, Li Xun gradually became marginalized.

So, when Li Xun arrived at Ghost Gate Lake and submitted his application for travel to Elder Yin Chi, the elder in charge of the disciples’ internal affairs, the nearly five-thousand-year-old, though not particularly bright, elder didn’t recognize him for a moment.

“Hundred Ghosts? Where have I heard that name before?”

The surrounding disciples laughed, but Li Xun shrugged helplessly. He mentioned Madam Yan’s name, and suddenly, the wrinkles on Yin Chi’s bark-like face revealed a sudden realization. “It’s Hundred Ghosts! The male disciple Que’er accepted. Remember! It’s a prominent family name in the sect!”

Li Xun could only smile wryly. Besides this last remaining elder, who else would dare to call Madam Yan by her nickname? His disciple could only pretend not to hear, and while the old lady was still conscious, he pushed the application back.

The gloomy old eyes swept over it and said in surprise: “You kid has only been in the sect for two years, and you want to go out and travel. Isn’t it too early? Going to look for raw materials for puppets is a good idea!”

The old lady nodded, and kept chattering: It’s the most annoying thing to make these puppets. Not to mention whether they can be made, they always cause trouble for the sect! But remember, the disciples of those big sects must not take action easily unless they can do it perfectly. It’s okay to kill a lonely ghost, and then improve later…”

Li Xun nodded in response, and then thought of the rumored terrible methods of the old lady, so he saluted and left.

Even so, the old lady’s endless voice still came over: “These disciples who go out to travel are like hawks that have been released. There is no definite news for ten or eight years. They don’t even understand the rules of this sect! “You’re wearing the Seven Ghost Ring, right? If there’s an emergency, the sect can contact you…”

Li Xun turned his back and rolled his eyes, then wielded his flying sword, breaking through the mist and dense branches and leaves, and soaring straight into the sky.

The layers of restrictions around Ghost Gate Lake were disturbed by this, and they fluctuated slightly, but Li Xun made a few turns like a swimming fish and rushed out from the weak side of the Qi connection, passing by so easily.

Of course, he didn’t know that the moment he took off, Yin Mian, the nagging old lady, suddenly had a frosty look in her eyes. A sharp blade-like light followed his flight path from beginning to end, and finally returned to its usual turbidity.

She casually called a disciple over and nodded to the dome above the lake, “Call Mingdong, who is responsible for maintaining the restriction. Prodigal son! How do you guard the ancestral restriction? Let people come and go as they please…”

This is a desolate mountain range, about 7,000 miles away from Guimen Lake. It is still within the sphere of influence of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect, but few people usually come here on weekdays.

It was late at night, without any stars or moon, and the mountain looked quite eerie, punctuated by the occasional howls of wild beasts.

In the darkness, a figure jumped out from the bushes, his bright eyes swept around, and he made a gesture. In the inky night, another person jumped out.

The two stood together and began to talk in low voices.

One of the big men who looked very strong frowned and said, “Bao Ding’er, don’t try to be mysterious! It’s bad enough that unexpected things have happened. If you delay any longer, I will skin me alive when I get back, and I will chop you into pieces too!” The one

who answered was a thin man, who was not short in height. He smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth: “Brother Gongsun, why are you in a hurry? If you don’t trust me, Bao Ding’er, you should trust my ‘treasure nose’. Who in the Sikong Thousand Treasure Pavilion knows how to find treasures better than me?”

He led the “Brother Gongsun” for two steps, pointed to the dark ground and said, “How about it, brother, do you see it?”

Brother Gongsun lowered his head, observed carefully, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

Bao Ding’er took in his expression and became more certain in his heart. He said, “Brother Gongsun, you should finally believe it this time. Look at this restriction. The layout is meticulous and rigorous. The restriction patterns seem to be there and not there. The energy connections within it fluctuate and flicker, and the transitions open and close. They are all first-class masterpieces! Aren’t the treasures protected by such restrictions much better than those poor guys?”

“That’s right! I didn’t expect you to have such a keen eye!” Brother Gongsun almost put his face to the ground, circling around the area of several feet, his face quite excited, but the more he looked, the more solemn his expression became. “This doesn’t make sense. How can you not see the way?”

“Can’t see the way?”

The restriction is arranged strangely. From the overall perspective, it has some shadows of the ‘Chaotic Pattern Restriction’ of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect, but the combination inside is definitely different! Look, doesn’t the arrangement of the restriction patterns here look a bit like steaming clouds?

“This is clearly another ‘cloud pattern’ of the Mingxin Sword Sect, but the direction of the energy is disordered, and the yin and yang are mixed and indistinguishable, yet it is so stable. Apart from the ‘reversed yin and yang forbidden method’ of the Yin-Yang Sect, I can’t think of any other origin…”

Bao Ding’er was stunned and even more anxious: Isn’t it extremely powerful? Can the treasures in here be taken? “

Why can’t we?” Brother Gongsun laughed, “You are lucky, kid, to know the method of smelling the treasure. Originally, the function of this restriction was just to hide the location of the treasure, and the attack power was not strong. Who knew that you relied on your nose and not your eyes, and didn’t fall for it!

If we start, we can’t hide it anymore. Even if I can’t crack it step by step, we can at least blow this area up!”

Bao Ding’er was overjoyed. Just as he was about to say something, his body suddenly froze, and the expression on his face froze.

Brother Gongsun, still unaware, rubbed his hands, eagerly saying, “Hurry! This forbidden pattern looks quite new, and it’s just a maze. The person who set it up might be here soon. There’s no time to waste!”

“If it’s owned, don’t take it!”

“Damn it, kid, stop

talking nonsense. I’m…” Gongsun froze mid-sentence, but he was far more forgiving than Bao Ding’er. Without even turning his head, he lunged forward. His body still suspended in mid-air, a humming sound erupted from his body in a ball of bluish-purple sword light. Trees shattered on all sides, and the sword light swirled around him with a powerful roar.

As the sword light ascended, about to soar into the sky, Brother Gongsun was startled to see two small red lanterns suddenly illuminate in the pitch-black night!

He suddenly realized they weren’t lanterns, but human eyes. He let out a cry, and a hand easily pierced through the sword light and pressed against his chest.

He crashed back to the ground faster than before, groaning in pain and nearly passing out. He struggled to get up, but when he tilted his head, he was met with a pair of wide-open eyes.

“Bao Ding’er!”

A chill ran down Brother Gongsun’s back. Wasn’t this Bao Ding’er dying with his eyes open? Thinking of the red eyes shining in the darkness, he shuddered again, and the little strength he had just mustered was instantly lost.

At the same time, he heard rustling footsteps beside him. He turned around and saw a man walking not far from him, walking straight into the center of the restriction. After a while, he came out with a long package.

The man’s steps were neither hurried nor slow, quite leisurely, but every step seemed to step on his heart!

Finally, the man spoke, his voice remarkably youthful: “Taking something without permission is not something a person of status would do!”

Brother Gongsun looked up at the voice and saw a young man who looked no more than twenty years old, elegantly dressed. From his semi-professional observation, he could tell that the man’s outer robe was likely woven from fine threads of “Mist Pine Iron,” a material that is both light and breathable, soft and form-fitting, and offers strong defensive capabilities.

More importantly, “Mist Pine Iron” is only produced near Guimen Lake, seven thousand miles away. Furthermore, the bracelets on the young man’s wrists and the sword at his waist clearly revealed his origins.

Escape was clearly impossible, but it wasn’t necessarily a dead end.

Brother Gongsun had already prepared his excuse, preparing for a final fight for his life! However, just as he was about to plead for mercy, his eyes nearly popped!

The young man opened the package and pulled out a jade pendant, a men’s hairpin, and a sword. The jade pendant hung from his chest, the hairpin in his hair. Then, he gently stroked the sword, and with a clang, he drew it from its sheath. At that moment, Brother Gongsun’s breath paused.

“The Jade Sword!”

Brother Gongsun began to wonder if his sanity was failing him. He had only just realized that even cats and mice could be married!

Otherwise, how could the Seven Ghost Rings and the Jade Sword appear in the same person’s hands?

The next moment, a swarm of green sword shadows exploded before his eyes, like the sparse, slanting, fragrant bamboo forest painted by a master of calligraphy and painting, pure, leisurely, and full of charm. Even though Brother Gongsun was in no mood at the moment, he felt a refreshing air rushing towards him, almost making him forget that this was a dark, cold, desolate mountain, and perhaps also his future gravesite! “

Who is it?” Panicked, he asked a foolish question.

He knew something bad was about to happen the moment he opened his mouth. Unfortunately, he remembered their sect’s ongoing plan, and his face naturally paled even further.

This young man was, of course, Li Xun. Before entering Ghost Gate Lake, he had transferred the treasure buried near Tenghua Valley here. Unexpectedly, when he returned to retrieve it, he encountered this very thing.

His temperament had become increasingly calm over the past two years. He simply smiled at the other person’s foolishness and sheathed his sword. He looked him up and down several times before saying, “You have good judgment! Which sect are you from?”

Brother Gongsun replied honestly, “The One Peck of Rice Sect.”

“The One Peck of Rice Sect?” Li Xun was a little surprised. “Your sect is doing well in the human world, so why are you here?”

Li Xun’s surprise was well-founded.

The One Peck of Rice Sect was one of the “Four Strange Sects” of the Tongxuan Realm. Its practices were somewhat unorthodox, yet it wasn’t considered an evil sect, hence its distinction.

Within the Tongxuan Realm, it was arguably the sect with the closest ties to the human world. Within the human world, it operated as a religion, gathering at least ten million followers. Of course, that didn’t mean it was a charlatan.

In reality, this sect’s cultivation methods are truly unique. Beyond its own cultivation, it also draws upon the psychic energy generated by the devout offerings of its followers, furthering its cultivation.

Because of this, the majority of this sect’s operations are located in the human realm, with only a few of its highest echelons permanently residing in the Tongxuan Realm.

Furthermore, given this status, it often welcomes individuals from all walks of life, particularly independent cultivators. This sect is renowned for its diverse personnel.

Li Xun wasn’t particularly interested in the Yidoumi Sect’s affairs and merely asked casually. Unbeknownst to him, his question sent a shudder through the body of Old Brother Gongsun, his heartbeat racing.

Who was Li Xun? How could he possibly conceal Old Brother Gongsun’s reaction? Almost the instant he was startled, his “Heart Blood Sharingan” activated with full force.

Old Brother Gongsun’s body trembled violently, and then, seized upon by the soul-searching technique, he was completely controlled.

Li Xun learned everything he needed to know from him. He thought carefully, then patted the other man’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Then, I’ll trouble you again!”

A faint gray halo appeared in Brother Gongsun’s pupils, and then his mind returned to a state of complete clarity. He blinked, jumped up, and cursed, “Fuck your mother, Bao Ding’er, you made me come all this way in vain!”

Li Xun smiled and replied, “Brother Gongsun, don’t be angry, I was deceived too!”

By the time he uttered the second word, his voice was identical to the deceased Bao Ding’er, even the tone and expression were perfectly similar.

This place was about a thousand miles away from the barren mountain where the treasure was hidden, completely out of the influence of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect.

This place was nestled in the foothills of a mountain range. Under the pitch-black sky, only a few small hilltops could be seen, mostly covering a plain covered with weeds, with a narrow river running through it.

In the middle of the plain, near the river, seven or eight figures rested. There wasn’t even a night watchman among them; they had simply set up a formation around the perimeter.

Li Xun sat cross-legged in meditation halfway up the mountain. As the “most proficient in forbidden techniques” present, Brother Gongsun had been sent to the front. At least thirty cultivators had gathered around him.

These were quite prominent figures, indeed. They were the younger brothers of Zhonghuazi, the seventh-ranked Sun-controlling Official, who served under the tutelage of Mengzhang, the Divine Lord of the One Powder of Rice Sect’s Four Directions. He and his subordinates.

Li Xun roughly estimated that, according to the commonly accepted standards for Qi Transformation, Spirit Transformation, Infant Transformation, and True Person, True One, and Three-Two True Transformation, the Qi Transformation realm was a waste, while the Spirit Transformation realm comprised the vast majority. No Infant Transformation masters had yet appeared. Of course, True Person and True One were even more unnecessary.

It’s easy to imagine the target of such a group of people going to ambush, no matter how strong they are, they will only be at this level. At Li Xun’s current level, he really didn’t take these people seriously. After adjusting his Qi, he lay down, looked up at the stars, and whiled away the time.

“Bao Ding’er, you’re being lazy again!” A male cultivator came over, grinning and very affectionately. Li Xun replied vaguely.

The male cultivator sat down next to him, tilted his head and suddenly looked a little surprised: “Bao Ding’er, your face seems to have gained some weight…”

“Yes, it does!”

As he spoke, the male cultivator lay down without a word.

Li Xun withdrew his fingers from his vest and sighed: “The third one, this Bao Ding’er is quite popular!”

As he sighed, the people around him suddenly became nervous, and the Qi flow on the entire hillside immediately changed. Layers of murderous aura could not be concealed.

Li Xun sighed again, rolled over and sat up, drawing slightly the Ghost Crow sword he’d forged in the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect. The dull, lusterless blade blended in with the surrounding night, perfectly fading into the murderous intent. A

second signal came from below the mountain, and everyone stood, each employing their own escape techniques, holding their breath, and diving downward. At this moment, those still lazing about on the ground would naturally be conspicuous!

Amidst several cries of alarm, Li Xun’s size suddenly increased several times! With a barely audible sound of the sword being unsheathed, the Ghost Crow’s jet-black blade resembled the wings of a raven spreading in the cold night, its ominous hue instantly shrouding the darkness with a foul, deathly aura.

With a single strike, Li Xun didn’t even bother to see how many he’d struck down. The sword’s light swirled, circling his body, accelerating at double the speed, soaring into the sky. Even then, few of the cultivators understood what had happened.

A few quick-witted individuals roared with curses, attempting to pursue. But seeing Li Xun’s sword flashing around him, soaring like an arrow, they shuddered, their hearts instantly daunted.

Li Xun, brimming with elation, used his sprinting speed to control his flying sword, darting freely through the night sky. High swoops sliced through the air, emitting a piercing shriek. In the blink of an eye, he had circled the ten-mile radius countless times. His

true energy raced furiously, and he couldn’t help but raise his head to the heavens and howl. The sound waves, whipped by the high-generated wind, formed a torrent of winds that surged across the sky, rising higher and higher until, finally, it was like the rumble of thunder from the heavens.

The entire region was alarmed by this thunderous sound, and the “targets” on the plains leaped to their feet, fully alert. Naturally, the Yidoumi Cult’s sneak attack plan became a mockery.

“Which wicked bastard did this?”

Biyangzi, the mastermind behind this plot, erupted in fury. He was one of the leaders of the Yidoumi Sect’s thousands of branches in the mortal realm. His position wasn’t high, but he lived a comfortable life.

Just six months ago, while practicing the Yin-Yang-replenishing technique on female followers, he was discovered by a disciple of the Mingxin Sword Sect. They, caught in the act, dismantled his branch, and he narrowly escaped with his life.

Biyangzi was consumed with revenge, but the scheme was so shabby that the sect couldn’t afford to offend a major sect like the Mingxin Sword Sect. Instead, they reprimanded him and let the matter go.

Fuming with rage, he enlisted the help of his brother, who served under the Divine Lord Mengzhang, and asked him to find a few strong men. He also paid a large sum of money to buy information from the Yanxing Sect, securing this opportunity.

Since they were all junior disciples of the Mingxin Sword Sect, and their numbers were small, it was a perfect opportunity to vent his anger. As long as he acted cleanly, he could create a case that would remain unsolved, and the Mingxin Sword Sect would be powerless. Who knew, just as success was imminent, this would happen?

Though he was furious, his courage had already been shattered. His cultivation wasn’t great, but he still had vision. This interfering individual’s cultivation was truly formidable! Judging by the speed of the sword’s flash and the whistling sound, there wasn’t a single person in his group who could rival him! He

uttered the words between his teeth: “If the case isn’t done cleanly, don’t do it. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, the sect will definitely hold him responsible!”

In this respect, Biyangzi was decisive. However, just as he ordered a retreat, a resounding sword jingle reached his ears.

It was the inevitable sound of blade rubbing against scabbard, a perfectly ordinary one.

Yet, the jingle was so clear that even the still-rumbling whistling in the air couldn’t drown it out!

It was like hearing the subtle sound of a steel needle dropping to the ground amidst the roaring tide—a feeling so contradictory it made one shudder.

Biyangzi turned back in shock, only to be met with a shimmering, azure sword light, like the rising moon. Like water, it instantly spread across the plain.

He wanted to flee, but the thought had barely formed when a faint, imperceptible sword energy pierced his zhenqi defenses. A shock surged through his body, sending his qi and blood surging. Without a single grunt, he collapsed backwards. The

whistling sound in the sky abruptly ceased. Li Xun, stroking his throat, aching from a stitch in the side, gazed in disbelief at the wave of pure sword energy below him.

Could this be wielded by a lowly disciple?

Furthermore, the scent of this sword energy…

Before he could comprehend it, a sudden chill ran through his body. Instinctively, he looked over, meeting a pair of calm, sharp, yet familiar eyes.

In that instant, his body went completely rigid; he could even hear his teeth chattering!

He didn’t even know why he was running! But now, only this single thought remained in his mind.

The whistling sound of sword energy seemed to reach him from behind, making him even more nervous. His mind went blank, and he instinctively controlled the flying sword, soaring away without looking back.

On the ground, Mingji frowned slightly, staring at the sky for a long time without saying a word.

The disciples who had come out to clean up the mess looked puzzled, and a female cultivator came over and asked, “Master Mingji, is there something wrong with that person in the sky?

After all, he did warn us!” Mingji smiled slightly and sheathed his sword. “But when did a disciple of the Ghost Devouring Shadow Sect show such kindness?”

“She is Mingji, Master Mingji!” Li Xun flew an unknown distance before he regained his composure. When he regained his ability to think, this was the first thought that popped into his mind.

He had never imagined that after such a long time, he would find himself in such a “reunion” with an old friend. It was an incomparable shock, one that made him understand something.

Before, he had believed that the Bright Heart Sword Sect was no different from the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect: no loyalty, no sacrifice, only the sheer need for self-interest.

Yet, in that moment, he thought of the gifted sword by the Mingji Pond, the astonishment he’d felt when he first met Qing Yin, the admiration he’d felt when he faced Zhong Yin, his pitiful and lamentable Master, and countless shadows, both thick and thin, intertwining and tangling, dancing before his eyes.

He hadn’t imagined he could remember these things so clearly!

He shook his head and slumped back, hands clasped behind his head, watching the fading stars and the gradually whitening sky, silent and stunned.

Perhaps he should pursue another life, or perhaps simply experience it.

Once this impulse was aroused, it was unstoppable. It was hardly a rational choice, but fortunately, he had the confidence and the ability to switch between these two completely different lifestyles.

Two months later, a blazing sun swept across the mountainous jungle, wiping away every last drop of dew from the green leaves and transforming it into steaming vapor that permeated the entire mountain range. On the plains, it would have been a scorching day, but in the Lianxia Mountains, nestled among the peaks, the summer heat had no power.

Clouds swirled between the peaks, a continuous, uninterrupted stream. Seven or eight flashes of sword light pierced the clouds and mist, rising and falling through the clouds, enjoying themselves.

These were a group of disciples patrolling the mountains. They had all attended classes at Qiyuan Hall for three to five years. For those with considerable cultivation, patrolling the mountains was essentially just practicing sword flying and familiarizing themselves with the sect’s terrain.

But today, they were destined to make a new discovery.

A flock of startled birds from a certain mountain range caught the attention of the young men. The oldest among them, barely in their twenties, was fearless and brave. With a whistle, they deflected the sword beams and rushed forward.

And after just a short while, these young men whose minds were not very mature all looked at each other in bewilderment. The situation before them seemed beyond the ability of these patrolling disciples to resolve! Soon, a sword light shot up into the sky and flew straight towards Zhiguan Peak.

In just half a quarter of an hour, at least a dozen brilliant sword lights flew down from Zhiguan Peak, and in the blink of an eye, they passed through dozens of peaks and came here.

Qingming, Qingxu, Luonanchuan, Mingji, Mingsong, Mingde…all the sect masters on the mountain came here for just one thing─the

disciple Li Xun, who had been missing for two and a half years and might be the only witness to Lin Ge’s death, is back.

Although, he came back lying down!

Please look forward to the sequel to Netherworld Immortal Journey