The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 69

Chapter 1 Escape

Southeast Forest.

Dusk fell, and the boundless forest was already fading.

A gray-robed Taoist, panting heavily, ran furiously through the dense branches and foliage.

The grotesque tangle of branches and leaves, like the outstretched arms of a demonic spirit, barred his path with a strange grin, only to shatter and break under the immense force, leaving a glaring trail.

His speed wasn’t slow, but the trail was too conspicuous. Even a child, barely sensible, could follow him, let alone the renowned monks behind him.

After another three or five miles, the gray-robed Taoist heard a shrill cry from behind, piercing the air.

He let out a strange cry and rolled, his body, once recklessly charging, softening to an incredible degree. He slipped through the nearly seamless branches like a ghost. A massive force struck from behind, shattering the two massive trees blocking his path. But his body, taking advantage of the impact, sped even faster.

“He’s truly as cunning as a devil!”

The pursuer chuckled, soaring into the air. With a hawk-like glance, he determined the path of the Taoist in gray. Without him saying anything, his companions on both wings surrounded him. A moment later,

the roar of the collision of qi and energy could be heard again, but just like here, it rose and fell suddenly, and in an instant, it stopped again.

The man in the sky frowned and rushed in that direction.

Just as he reached the sky above the sound of the explosion, a cultivator flew up, cursing, his clothes on his shoulder shattered, and a bloody finger mark on his skin.

“Fourth brother, this kid’s ‘Blood God Tribulation Finger’ has reached some level of perfection! He was careless for a moment…”

The man in the sky shook his head, not letting his companions continue. He fixed his gaze on the scar, his brow furrowing slightly before relaxing. “His finger force is tense at first, then loosens. Clearly, his wounds haven’t healed yet, and he can’t get far! Keep chasing! The Pluto Sect’s reputation cannot be shattered in the hands of our eighteen Pluto Generals. I, Song Yuanchi, cannot afford to lose this man!”

His companions shouted in agreement, and the two of them plunged back into the misty trees, disappearing in a flash.

“Song Yuanchi? The Fourth Pluto General?”

The gray-robed Taoist crouched against a tree root, his figure huddled in a ball. His gray robes blended seamlessly with the mist, and the two Pluto Generals above were surprised by his audacity, allowing him to deceive.

However, his deception was temporary, not permanent. Without dealing with these hanging boot ghosts, he would not be able to survive in this vast forest.

“Damn it! I was too flamboyant during my cultivation, drawing attention. Otherwise, if I had mastered the Thirteen Blood Pit and perfected the Blood Refining Technique, I’d have at least 100% of the skill of Blood Powder Man. How could I be like this, hiding from everyone like a rat?”

He lamented for a moment, then thought, “But if I could enter that place, who in the Tongxuan Realm could find me? By then, after a hundred years of cultivation, I’d have achieved great success and, in a flash of retreat, who in the world could stop me?”

It was this thought that kept him going in this dangerous jungle. However, as the days passed, more and more cultivators would covet the treasures he possessed. If this continued, how much longer could he hold out?

The sun set, and as the long-awaited dusk enveloped the forest, the gray-robed Taoist let out a long sigh. His figure, like a rat slithering or a snake slithering, he moved in a certain direction, gliding through the shadows of the trees.

Fearing the pursuers on all sides, he moved very slowly, and it wasn’t until half an hour later that the familiar scent of water reached his nose and mouth.

The view ahead suddenly opened up. Beyond the dense forest lay a vast lake stretching dozens of miles across. The mist gradually dissipated, revealing moonlight bathing the surface. Like a giant grass carp, the gray-robed Taoist slid from the shore into the water, shivering and disappearing.

He swam to a small sandbar in the center of the lake, then emerged from the water, his head hidden in its shadow. His eyes flickered as he gazed at the shadowy shore on the other side, a vast expanse distinct from the trees and rocks.

“Demon Thunder Ancient Temple, can I really get what I want there?”

Faced with such an unattainable goal, he briefly lost consciousness, but was quickly awakened by a sudden warning. He sensed something, but he had no time to react. He could only remain frozen, listening to the sound of the two men landing on the sandbar.

The nearest person was no more than ten steps away!

They must have simply stopped by and hadn’t noticed him. This was thanks to his unique constitution, which was most compatible with water among the Five Elements, and his refined Water Escape technique. He possessed a natural layer of protection in this vast, mist-filled lake, but it couldn’t last long.

Voices drifted from the sandbar. The gray-robed Taoist had a vague impression of the speaker. It was Yuan Shuo, ranked fifteenth among the Eighteen Underworld Generals, known for his shrill voice. Judging from his tone, the other person must also be a Underworld General.

Yuan Shuo said, “A mere wandering ghost has mobilized seven Underworld Generals, not to mention Yuan Nan. If he comes, where will the face of us Eighteen Underworld Generals be?”

Another Underworld General’s voice was more resolute. “He is a Great Venerable, after all, and it’s true that we’ve been ineffective so far. Who could have imagined that Xiao Chongzi would be so formidable?”

Hearing such a patronizing assessment from such a high-minded Underworld General, the gray-robed Taoist, or Xiao Chongzi as he was called, felt a certain sense of pride. The mere mention of Yuan Nan’s name sent a chill down his spine. “Yuan Nan? ‘Ghost-Possessed Spirit Venerable’?”

This infamous title in the Tongxuan Realm sent a chill down his spine.

The most renowned masters of the Pluto Sect were known for three “assemblies.” The first was the Eighteen Underworld Generals, who were currently playing hide-and-seek with him; the second was the Seven Underworld Star Envoys, renowned for their combined attack techniques; and finally, the Five Great Spirit Venerables, each possessing exceptional individual combat prowess!

Yuan Nan, ranked among the Five Spirit Venerables, was second only to the sect leader, the Endless Underworld Lord, and one of the most powerful True Person Realm cultivators in the Tongxuan Realm.

What merit had he earned to warrant Yuan Nan’s personal intervention? If Yuan Nan arrived in person, how would he handle it?

Just as he was at a loss for words, Yuan Shuo asked again, “Is that news true? If we don’t catch that guy, only to find out we’ve been tricked, what about all the energy we’ve wasted here?”

Another Hades general responded, “Is this news alone worth wasting our energy, especially since it’s been confirmed by the Sect Master? We don’t need to worry about that. But after this news, the Succubus Sect… Eh? You have…” The

next moment, Yuan Shuo’s surge of true energy exploded silently, sweeping across the lake. A terrifying whistling sound rose and fell.

Ten feet away, Xiao Chongzi froze, his mind blank. Only then did Yuan Shuo finish his sentence: “…did you hear any sound?”

Yuan Shuo attacked first, spoke later, his tactics truly sinister. But once the whistling sound faded, Xiao Chongzi was surprised to find himself still unharmed. Then, he heard two people on the sandbar utter a simultaneous “Pah,” cursing the annoying winged venomous snakes that were unique to this area.

He secretly let out a long sigh. His emotions were surging, and even though he was soaked in water, he still felt a cold sweat and almost fainted.

With this interruption, the two people on the sandbar naturally stopped talking. After another two dozen words of idle chatter, the other underworld general said he was going to the other side to set up control and left first.

Xiao Chongzi watched the figure fly away from the corner of his eye, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But then, his heart inevitably darkened at the mention of “Succubus Sect.”

“As expected, the news came from the Succubus Sect, but how did it get involved with the Pluto Sect? And, maybe even the Loose Cultivator Alliance… What should I do?”

He couldn’t help but feel a wave of regret. Back then, out of greed, he had taken the “Cloud Mist Stone,” offending two major factions in one fell swoop. For five years, he hadn’t received even a single benefit from them, instead living in fear and hiding.

What was the Succubus Sect? Ever since the Ghost-Eating Sect split from the Ghostly Shadow-Devouring Sect, the Succubus Sect had been the undisputed foremost evil sect, and its leader, Luo Laoyao, had held the title of the greatest Grandmaster of the evil ways for a thousand years! And he had offended such a sect.

What was the Loose Cultivator Alliance? Since its founding sixty years ago, this seemingly loose alliance had become the most prominent faction in the Tongxuan Realm.

Jade Wanderer, Demonic Wind, Blue Luan, King Kunpeng… a string of titles hailing from top-tier masters and great demons were enough to make anyone look up to him.

Even though internal friction was severe, think of the Hundred Beasts Sect. They were the first sect to be expelled in five thousand years, proving the formidable power of the Loose Cultivators Alliance. And he had also offended this very faction!

Thinking back, his so-called “ideal” was indeed quite beautiful, but with these two towering mountains standing in the way, the process of achieving it was incredibly long, so long that it left him despairing!

He was panicked, his mind wandering away from the sandbar. After a moment of trance, just as he remembered there was a formidable enemy not far away, he suddenly realized there was no sound on the sandbar. He didn’t know whether Yuan Shuo had left or was still there.

This uncertainty was the most torturous. Xiao Chongzi waited a moment longer, feeling his entire body stiff and aching. Even his lingering injuries showed signs of recurring. The more he felt, the more he dared not move a muscle. He could only remain submerged in the water, awaiting the fate of the heavens.

Just then, a figure flashed in the distance. The underworld general who had just departed had somehow returned, landing on the sandbar in an instant. He asked curiously, “Yuan Shuo, why aren’t you…”

His words abruptly stopped, followed by a low, muffled groan. As

Xiao Chongzi drew closer, he sensed a subtle fluctuation of vital energy, appearing and disappearing. Heavy, chaotic footsteps suddenly arose on the sandbar, followed by a low, hoarse cry that drifted a short distance across the vast lake before fading.

The next moment, Xiao Chongzi’s vision darkened as a figure suddenly fell, practically brushing against his face as it sank into the water. This sudden change instantly broke Xiao Chongzi’s tense nerves. He cried out and pointed with his finger, revealing the Blood God Tribulation Finger, which had already been mastered. The

uncanny power, like piercing a piece of thin paper, passed through the man in front and out from behind. Wherever it passed, blood boiled, and the change spread like a plague throughout his body. In

just that instant, seven or eight out of ten of the man’s blood evaporated. Coupled with the large amount of vital energy drained away, no matter who he was, he would be dead.

However, as the man died, Xiao Chongzi saw clearly that the man’s clothes were clearly… a Hades general?

He couldn’t believe that he had killed a Hades general so easily, but before he could figure it out, the earth and rocks above his head suddenly pierced through, and a sharp chill pressed against his scalp.

At the same time, a clear voice reached his ears—

“Nice trickle, who’s that?”

The voice was calm and composed, quite commanding. But more importantly, overhead was a weapon capable of instant death, radiating a chill capable of freezing his brain.

In this situation, he couldn’t help but respond. He swallowed hard and replied hoarsely, “Xiao Chongzi!”

A moment of silence passed overhead before the voice, still lingering, came again: “Xiao Chongzi? I’ve heard of you. Legend has it that you cultivate an unholy art by hunting down solitary cultivators in the southeastern forests, using them as cauldrons… Is that true?”

Xiao Chongzi’s heart stirred. The man’s tone didn’t suggest any designs on him, nor did it carry the usual tone of a righteous zealot. Considering the previous, sinister assassination attempt, he feared this person was a fellow cultivator. Perhaps there was still a chance.

At this thought, he readily admitted, “Yes, that’s exactly what happened!”

“Is that so? You have a notorious reputation, but your cultivation is mediocre. Those who come here to ‘slay demons and defend the Way’ are just juniors seeking fame and merit. How could the Pluto Sect send out a Spiritual Lord and seven Underworld Generals to start a war here… Hey, isn’t it ridiculous for the Pluto Sect to enforce justice?”

Xiao Chongzi’s heart sank at the words. He realized that the other party was a very meticulous person, not someone who could be easily fooled. He paused before responding, “That… I don’t know!”

“Ha, very good!” The man’s words betrayed no emotion, and the more he spoke, the colder Xiao Chongzi felt. He felt as if the sharp weapon above his head could plunge down at any moment, piercing through all his hopes and aspirations.

Feeling a pain on his scalp, he dared not deal with it with empty words anymore and shouted, “Wait a minute… I say! They are coming for the secret book in my hand!”

“Secret book? Is that the evil skill you practice? The Pluto Sect’s Seven Ghosts Sea-Snatching Skill is also a first-class spell. What use does he have for your thing?”

Xiao Chongzi laughed dryly and said, “My secret book is “Blood God Son”!”

There was silence before he heard the man said in surprise, “Blood God Son? Xue Sanren’s “Blood God Son”? How could you have it?”

The man’s performance made Xiao Chongzi feel a little proud, but then he was full of doubts.

But the arrow was on the string, and he had no choice but to continue, though cautiously, he lowered his own generation: “In my early years, I accidentally came across a few fragments of the Blood God Son. After practicing, I couldn’t stop, so I devoted myself to collecting fragments in this world. Over the past few hundred years, I was lucky enough to obtain a few more pages

, and then I began to practice seriously…” His words were somewhat true. Although the Blood God Son is the most advanced and supreme magic formula of the demonic path, it has lacked a stable lineage for thousands of years. It has been copied and reproduced, and many fragments have been circulated.

It was not until the emergence of Blood Sanren, with his supreme skills and talent, that the Blood God Son was promoted and promoted. He even created the “Blood Demon Transformation Heart Technique”, and was ranked among the True One Grandmasters, that the “authentic Blood God” was officially established.

However, those fragments and copies did not disappear. If a cultivator truly spent hundreds of years collecting and compiling them, I wouldn’t say they were 100% accurate, but I could probably get 30% or 50%. However, the authenticity would be mixed, and whether they could achieve success in cultivation was another matter.

After hearing his explanation, the man behind him only said “hmm”, not knowing whether he believed it or not. Xiao Chongzi was nervous, and even though he was immersed in the cold water, beads of sweat covered his forehead.

The man above him seemed to have seen his embarrassment, and said with a smile: “Do you think I am as vulgar as the Hades Sect? Even if the complete copy of “Blood God Son” was here, I would not even take a second look, let alone your patchwork stuff!”

I hope you really think so! Xiao Chongzi complained in his heart, but his nervous mind relaxed a little. Unexpectedly, the man above him suddenly said: “That’s not right!”

Xiao Chongzi’s heart skipped a beat, and he was stunned for a moment before saying: “What’s wrong?”

The man in front of him said coldly, “Hey, did you think I didn’t hear them? The Lord of the Endless Underworld is indeed greedy, but Old Demon Luo is a man of profound thoughts and ideas, and he is also considered a top-notch master in this world.

” “Although I am conceited, I also know that I am not as good as him at the moment. Why would he care about something that even I disdain? What else do you have to say?”

Xiao Chongzi’s heart was like an icy cave, but he knew that compared to the matter of “Blood God Son”, this matter was a hundred times more fatal. He could hope for a lucky break before, but this time, there was no chance of luck. If he spoke out, he would definitely die.

Therefore, even though he was extremely afraid, he could only insist, “This junior really doesn’t know!”

He also knew that these words were meaningless. After a pause, he pleaded, “Senior, please understand. I am just a casual cultivator. I have nothing but this fragment of “Blood God Son”. How can I know what Old Demon Luo is after?”

“If senior is interested, you can take this fragment as a gift from me. I only ask that senior see that I still have the heart to pursue the Tao and spare my life. If I achieve something in the future, I will repay you with my life!”

He choked up a little when he finished speaking. The man above was silent again. Xiao Chongzi felt that there was a way and was about to ask again when he heard the man above him ask, “Where are you practicing?” Xiao Chongzi

blurted out, “Demon Thunder Ancient Temple!”

He regretted it as soon as he said it, but he didn’t care about so much at this time.

His straightforward answer obviously satisfied the man above, who chuckled and said, “Well, it’s worth it to embarrass the Lord of the Endless Underworld! Forget it, go ahead! I’d like to see if there will be another Blood Wanderer in this world a few hundred years later!”

Xiao Chongzi was as if he had been pardoned, and cried out, “Junior comes to see you in person to thank you for not killing me!”

The man laughed and said, “No need! You just need to do me a favor… Hey, you killed this Underworld general, right? It’s indeed the Blood God Son. Judging from the injury, the Blood God Tribulation Finger has also reached two or three points of perfection!” Xiao Chongzi

then saw that the body of the Underworld general, who had just been stabbed to death by his finger, had floated to the surface of the water. As most of the blood had evaporated, the body seemed to have shrunk and looked ugly and dry.

Unaware of the man’s thoughts, he could only mumble a response. Then, a shout echoed in his ears: “Get up!”

The sharp weapon above his head retracted, and he was startled. Unsure why the man had gone back on his word, he dared not delay. After responding, he harnessed his Qi and soared upwards.

Before his feet even touched the ground, a sudden gust of wind blew in his face.

“Oh no! That old bastard is turning on me!”

Xiao Chongzi instinctively thought. He was terrified, but he still had to fight to the death. The other party’s momentum was too strong, and he didn’t have time to see. He simply gauged the attack, shouted, and pointed his finger. It was the Blood God Tribulation Finger.

It hit the target!

Under Xiao Chongzi’s incredulous gaze, Yuan Shuo’s frozen expression remained unchanged. He was flung backward, landing heavily on the edge of the sandbar, and then sliding into the water. Even though his blood had been depleted, the overwhelming force still vaporized 40% to 50% of it, and his body quickly shrivelled.

“Fell into a trap!”

Xiao Chongzi retracted his hand, rushed forward, looked down at Yuan Shuo’s body, searched it, and only found the fingerprints left by him.

The power of the Blood God Tribulation Finger was overbearing, and the flesh at the middle finger was shattered like pulp. Even if there was any wound before, it was covered up at once. He gritted his teeth in hatred, raised his head and looked around, but where could he see a single person?

At this moment, a whistling sound came from the other side of the lake, and the vital energy fluctuated violently. Xiao Chongzi cursed angrily, knowing that he had taken the blame for that person, but he had no chance to explain. Before the figure on the other side appeared, he jumped into the lake and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“This man is Xiao Chongzi, quite interesting, a bit like me in my youth!”

In the sky a hundred feet high, a figure stood in the air, his Taoist robe fluttering, with an immortal demeanor, as if he were a Quanzhen Taoist.

He gazed at the growing chaos on the lake and smiled faintly. “That’s not entirely true, but there are a lot of interesting things. But there’s even more trouble! Did the little goblin send me here to see me make a fool of myself?”

As he pondered this, a wave of vital energy surged towards him from afar. He frowned, and with a twirl of his body, his entire body seemed to disappear into the night sky, leaving no trace. A split second later, a stream of bluish-white light flashed across the distant sky, streaking across the night sky and swooping down upon the lake.

“Old Yuannan is here so fast! Even if we face him head-on now, I’m no match for him… Well, I hope these annoying guys don’t come back again for the next month!”

He turned his gaze to the unnatural shadows on the other side of the lake, and then remembered the subtle change in Xiao Chongzi’s attitude when he mentioned this place: “Demon Thunder Ancient Temple. Oh, that’s also the meeting place the little goblin mentioned!”

He curled his lips and was about to move over when a sudden thought struck him, and his gaze shifted, catching sight of a tiny light on the lake, which instantly filled his entire field of vision.

The Taoist was surprised at first, then sneered, “Great Yuan Nan! I underestimated him!”

With that sneer, he didn’t pretend to be anything. With a clang, he unsheathed the longsword draped across his back, sending it flying in a stream of green light as it swirled before him. The Taoist then grasped the hilt and whistled. The sword’s aura surged, like the intertwining shadows of bamboo, layer upon layer.

The torrent of true energy rushed towards him, as if crashing into a deep bamboo forest. Amidst a whistling sound of wind, it gradually faded until it vanished.

A faint exclamation of surprise echoed from the lake, quickly transforming into a cold, sinister sneer. “Green smoke and bamboo shadows intertwine like a hundred layers. Who from the Mingxin Sword Sect is here?”

The Taoist knew the speaker must be Yuan Nan. Although Yuan Nan’s seniority and cultivation were superior to his, as an elite disciple of a righteous sect, he still had to maintain his integrity when facing these evil demons.

He smiled faintly and responded neither servilely nor arrogantly—

“I am Li Xun, ‘Lingzhu’, a disciple of the Mingxin Sword Sect. I am honored to meet the Great Venerable Yuannan!”