The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 56

Chapter 4 Contact

Whether the Tongxuan Realm has boundaries or not is a question no one can definitively determine.

Take the north, for example. Common references to the “North Pole” and “Far North” actually refer to the shores of the North Sea, stretching for hundreds of thousands of miles.

As for the vastness of the North Sea and what lies beyond it, even cultivators capable of soaring through the sky and traveling thousands of miles in an instant have never found the answer. They simply refer to this vague region as the Polar Region.

However, the climate of the Polar Region is indeed somewhat extreme. The weather is icy and harsh, life is infertile, and the sky is a cycle of perpetual day and night, eerie and mysterious.

The shores of the North Sea are a land of eternal daylight, having experienced countless countless days since the dawn of time.

When the Mingxin Sword Sect’s group entered the Polar Region, the contrast between day and night was at its sharpest. Just as the cultivators on the Cloud Tower’s Moon-Grabbing Chariot felt the sky darken and night approach, the sky gradually brightened. Soon, the world was awash in light.

This extraordinary spectacle stunned some young disciples who had never been here before.

The Cloud Tower Moon-Grasping Chariot, expertly orchestrated by Li Xun, had unleashed its full potential. Driven by the convergence of vital energy from all directions, its speed had soared to unimaginable proportions.

Of course, this wasn’t to say the Cloud Chariot was faster than a cultivator’s Qi control. In fact, it could only travel 300,000 miles a day, only slightly faster than a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage using their full power.

However, its immense size created such a formidable drag that, after the massive Cloud Chariot passed, it was left behind by a raging storm at high altitude.

Entering the polar region, the storm intensified, carrying two massive ice storm belts formed by swirling ice particles. It was more powerful than any magical weapon, and even the Cloud Chariot itself stretched out a shimmering green light screen, blocking the hurricane’s force from the outside.

For days, everyone aboard the Cloud Chariot had been raving about Li Xun’s masterpiece. While this method of flight violated the sect’s core tenets of “emptiness, tranquility, and center, enlightening the mind and seeing the nature” and was a bit overbearing, it was indeed effective, shaving four days off a twenty-day journey.

With this creation, Li Xun solidified his new position within the sect.

But Li Xun had no time to congratulate himself—the swiftly accelerating behemoth would inevitably brake as it neared its destination. Otherwise, the powerful shockwaves from its arrival in the Nightless City would likely flatten all buildings within a radius of hundreds of miles!

Li Xun stood beside the central chariot, directing the immortal masters and fellow disciples to coordinate their qi energy. One hundred and forty-four cloud-platform spiritual steps slowly shifted into position. Guided by the qi energy, millions of streams of vital energy emitted a series of low, booming explosions, releasing the energy accumulated during the long journey.

Once this adjustment is successfully completed, Li Xun’s ingenious array technique masterpiece will be complete.

From then on, it will hold a place among the established array techniques of the Mingxin Sword Sect, and its creator, Li Xun, will be a vital figure in the sect’s canon.

Qingming had already chosen a name for this array technique: “One Incense Stick”!

With the inspiration of the “Returning Mysterious Hand,” Li Xun wasn’t particularly concerned with “going down in history.” He was clear-headed: leaving a name in the Mingxin Sword Sect by creating an array technique was nothing to be proud of.

If he truly became complacent, Qingming’s admonitions and the hardships he had endured over the previous decade would have been in vain.

This appearance of his, in the eyes of the immortal masters, inevitably earned him the admiration of “unperturbed by praise or criticism,” further deepening their impression of him.

The Cloud Chariot’s speed had nearly reached normal, and the overflowing vital energy couldn’t dissipate completely for a while. Around it, a dense tide of vital energy gathered, rubbing against each other, creating a rumbling thunderous sound. Occasional flashes of lightning served as a warning to the cultivators a thousand miles away—a visitor was approaching!

Li Xun confirmed the energy transfer was complete, turned around, and bowed to Qingming to deliver his orders.

Before Qingming could reply, he suddenly exclaimed, and at the same time, the profound immortal masters around him turned their heads, gazing at the white sky.

Just a fraction of a second after the others’ movement, a wild laugh echoed through the air. It lacked the power to haunt and scare souls, but it came suddenly, rising from nowhere, as if emanating from their midst, leaving no trace of its source.

Predictably, the immortal masters’ gazes were averted, unable to detect a single figure.

This was a collective defeat for them.

Qingming, the leader of the “First Sect of the East,” was recognized in the Tongxuan Realm as a “True One” Grandmaster, on par with Yin Sanren and Xue Sanren. Such petty tricks were unimpressive to him.

After the laughter died down, he slowly spoke from his chariot: “Master Kun of the East Sea, the waters of the East Sea are deep and warm, while the North Sea is bitterly cold. Why would you labor so hard to survive the cold in this polar region?”

His voice was quiet, yet distant and clear, carried by the high north wind, drifting for who knows how far.

The laughter resumed, but this time the direction was clear: it came from the north, its distance unknown.

It was heard like a surging wave, pouring forth, each wave stronger than the last. The powerful impact struck the protective walls of the Cloud Chariot, causing a resounding sound that shook the entire chariot, demonstrating the power of the sound waves.

Li Xun was startled and quickly shifted his position several spiritual levels. His Qi suddenly shifted, and tens of millions of vital energies collided with each other. With a loud bang, the Cloud Chariot came to an abrupt halt, and a turbulent whistle erupted in all directions. The whistling sound of the wind was like the wailing of ghosts, which somewhat suppressed the laughter.

This change did not affect the other party. As soon as the laughter subsided, a rough and majestic voice was heard.

“It’s the same story. Didn’t you, Taoist Qingming, also come here from Lianxia Scenic Area to enjoy some ice cream? If you’re interested, let’s have another fight! You’re quite skilled and lucky. Four hundred years ago, there was Zhong Yin, but you might not be so lucky today!”

Qingming ignored the other party’s sarcasm, his tone unchanged. “It’s rare for Immortal Kun to be interested, and that’s all the better! For four hundred years, I haven’t heard of you venturing out of the sea, yet today you’re in the mood for a stroll. I’m sure you’re in the mood for a kill, too. Qingming will be waiting for you!”

The other party stopped talking, only laughing. As the laughter faded, Qingxu approached,

his expression solemn and cold. “This is the old Kunpeng demon of the East China Sea! He’s been hiding in the deep for years. How did he end up here?”

Hearing him mention the Kun demon, Li Xun beside him finally understood who this being, whose cultivation rivaled Qingming’s.

Kunpeng King, one of the Seven Demons of the Universe, who dominated the East China Sea, had actually arrived here!

Legend has it that this Kunpeng King is the reincarnation of an ancient, alien species, the Kunpeng. He possesses immense size and incredible demonic power, calling himself the “Sea Wave Demon King.” He resides in the East China Sea and is considered a neighbor of the Mingxin Sword Sect.

However, over tens of thousands of years, a deep grudge has festered between the two neighbors. Over a dozen Mingxin Sword Sect veterans have perished at his hands, and his cave dwelling has been destroyed countless times by the Mingxin

Sword Sect, forcing him to narrowly escape death several times. At the height of his fame, Zhong Yin spent a century hunting this beast down, chasing him to the very heights and depths of the earth, putting him in dire straits several times, but he ultimately managed to survive. This demonstrates the terrifying power of this demon.

If the feud between the Mingxin Sword Sect, the Miaohua Sect, and the Demon Phoenix still had some awkwardness in between, then the hatred between them and this Kun Monster was such that even if all the water in the three rivers and five lakes was poured out, it could not be washed away!

His appearance in the North Sea at this time was obviously to support the so-called “Loose Cultivator Alliance”. However, this monster was extremely arrogant and was notorious for not taking anyone seriously. Why would he come here to listen to Yu Sanren’s instructions?

Qingming fell silent after the clouds fell. No one knew what he was thinking at the moment, and no one dared to ask.

After a long while, he was heard to say, “This monster’s coming here must not have happened recently. Gu Zhixuan has planned everything. He made this move long ago!”

Everyone didn’t know why he changed the topic to Yu Sanren, but Li Xun, who was standing by, felt that Qingming seemed to be hiding something.

He didn’t dwell on it any further

as Qingming’s gentle command echoed in his ear: “Let’s go!” The Cloud Chariot, which had stopped unexpectedly, started up again. This time, it would no longer utilize the “One Incense Stick” formation technique, but instead switched to the “No Forbidden Wind” formation, which was most advantageous for offense and defense. Step by step, it headed towards the City That Never Sleeps.

Li Xun bowed to the chariot and took his place in his assigned position. He was well versed in choosing the roles to play at each time.

However, his encounter with the old demon Kunpeng had taught him that the events he encountered on this trip to the North Pole would likely be quite “exciting.”

The arrival of the Master of the Mingxin Sword Sect naturally caused a flurry of activity in the City That Never Sleeps.

Even the injured Master Tianzhi came out to greet him despite his illness. Unfortunately for Li Xun, before Master Tianzhi could appear, Master Lingfengzi of the Xumiao Sect of Weiyu Mountain arrived with his disciples. The scene was bustling yet somewhat chaotic, and the junior disciples were all relocated.

Thus, Li Xun would no longer be able to witness the grace of the only female leader among the ten righteous sects.

The disciples of the Mingxin and Xumiao sects totaled over forty people, with more men than women. The only five female disciples naturally gathered together and, under the guidance of a female receptionist, headed in one direction with laughter.

This attracted the attention of at least forty to fifty percent of the male disciples, but no one dared to follow.

The remaining thirty or so male cultivators, as well as the four guiding disciples from the Never-Sleeping City, all belonged to famous and

orthodox and had daily contact. They soon found their old friends and exchanged greetings.

Li Xun was young and had only been practicing Taoism for a short time. He probably hadn’t recognized all the brothers in the sect yet, let alone those from other sects. Fortunately, a few enthusiastic brothers introduced him to them, and he finally found out their identities.

The conversations of these disciples of prestigious sects were dull, their revelations revolving around unspoken, post-partum sentiments and anecdotes from their travels. They were far less forthcoming than the few scoundrels he’d made in the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect, whose unbridled conversation was relentless, with wine and women a constant constant topic of conversation.

Sometimes, they engaged in intrigue, even engaging in heated exchanges, leaving blood splattered everywhere.

Li Xun, of course, understood that this was an emotional outburst from the disciples under the near-cruel pressure of the evil sect.

But he doubted these disciples of prestigious and righteous sects felt any sense of relief…

“You’ll collapse sooner or later…”

In his utter boredom, Li Xun jokingly cursed.

He was lost in thought when a voice, rising an octave, suddenly echoed: “Yin Yang Sect?”

Li Xun turned in surprise, only to see a Xu Miao Sect disciple with his mouth hanging open. His ethereal robes gave him a comical expression. Wen Hai, beside him, wore a look of wonder. “Yin Yang Sect? Why are they here?” Li

Xun was also startled. He knew the Yin Yang Sect, of course. It was renowned for its practice of dual cultivation of yin and yang, and the only one of its kind in the Tongxuan Realm.

It was one of the Four Irregular Sects, practicing neither good nor evil. However, it was often compared to the Jile Sect, a major, evil sect that sought to replenish yin and yang. Their reputation was beyond question.

Could such a sect share the righteousness of the sects here, with its eagerness for justice and the courage to take the lead?

Li Xun found himself amused, but then another thought struck him. “Speaking of which, legend has it that You Er was the previous leader of the Yin-Yang Sect! But he later rebelled…”

This rumor, which Li Xun had heard while in the Ghostly Shadow Devouring Sect, purportedly involved a prominent figure within the sect, abducted by Yu San Ren and used as a cauldron, his mind destroyed, and he became a Feather Servant, one of the Five Servants of the Miaohua Sect.

This loss of face led Yin San Ren to practice the Yin Fu Sutra, leading to his infatuation and a change in his character, ultimately leading to his rebellion.

Li Xun had spent so much time with Yin San Ren, yet he hadn’t seen any signs of his infatuation, so he had initially dismissed it as anecdote.

Now, thinking about it, could it really be true? Then, Yin San Ren and Yu San Ren were mortal enemies!

As he pondered this, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end, and a chill ran from his tailbone to the back of his head.

He stiffened, and immediately realized that this was someone with profound cultivation looking at him!

His mind raced, and a look of bewilderment appeared on his face. He turned and looked around, indicating that he did realize something was amiss, but he was not scheming, and all his feelings were visible on his face.

However, after this act, the chill showed no sign of fading, and it still lingered.

Li Xun was awed, knowing that the person in the dark was determined and would not be easily fooled. In desperation, he had no choice but to play the game to the end. A look of doubt and uneasiness appeared on his face, and he lightly bumped the arm of

Wu Lingquan .

Wu Lingquan was Mingsong’s eldest disciple, one of the three spirits of Mingxin, and Shan Zhi’s direct senior brother. He was usually the most considerate of the younger generation, and because of his relationship with Shan Zhi, he always took good care of Li Xun.

More importantly, Wu Lingquan had a straightforward personality and a pure mind, making him the last person to have any ideas. Seeing Li Xun acting strangely, he asked curiously, “Junior Brother, are you feeling unwell?”

Li Xun shook his head and answered honestly, “I don’t know why, but I feel like someone’s watching me from behind!”

His voice was low, but his lips were clearly visible, directed to the person in the shadows.

As expected, the chill on his back immediately dissipated as soon as he said this.

Wu Lingquan smiled at his words. “Looking at you? Junior Brother, haven’t you ever been around so many people? It’s okay, don’t be nervous. Maybe it’s a senior or junior sister from one of the sects. You look pretty!”

Li Xun lowered his head in embarrassment, seemingly unable to resist Wu Lingquan’s joke, but inwardly he felt as if he had been pardoned. Who could be interested in him? Just as

he was thinking, a voice came from the front. Li Xun raised his head, but Wu Lingquan gently pulled him aside, and then seven or eight figures came towards him.

Li Xun took a look and almost lowered his head to avoid the visitor. Fortunately, he had become more calm in the past two years and remembered that he was no longer Bai Gui of the Ghost Shadow Sect, but Li Xun of the Mingxin Sword Sect. Only then did he calm down and, together with his companions, saluted the visitor.

Familiar faces flashed by. Li Xun remembered them clearly. Two years ago, at Chicheng Mountain, he had been so high-spirited that he had taken Luo Yuji hostage and escaped with ease. Weren’t these the same people who had stood against him? The one

who impressed Li Xun most was the short, stout Dongyang Mountain Man. He had pierced his chest with a single finger, but he had only managed to avoid it by remaining calm.

Then there was the rugged Long Kuangke, with the broadsword at his back, who was also unforgettable.

These people scurried past him, nodding briefly in return. No one recognized them. Among the disciples standing close by was the Hundred Ghosts Taoist who had humiliated them two years earlier.

Li Xun was about to let out a long sigh when he felt a gaze pause on his face.

His heart skipped a beat as he met her gaze. He saw a rather graceful female cultivator. Li Xun vaguely remembered her as the one he had ordered to support Luo Yuji back at Chicheng Mountain…

Their eyes met, and Li Xun blushed slightly before lowering his head. The female cultivator smiled faintly and vanished into the distance.

Cold sweat soaked Li Xun’s back, and at that moment, the chill he had once felt returned.

Li Xun’s mood soured!