The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Soaring into the Clouds

The sound of chanting reached Li Xun’s ears, vague and indistinct. He groaned, threw back the blanket covering his head and face, and opened his eyes, staring blankly at the beams above.

“So, this wasn’t a dream!” Li Xun muttered to himself, bewildered.

This was the tenth day since Li Xun returned. Every night, he dreamed of events on Zuowang Peak. It wasn’t until he woke up in the morning that he realized, with some difficulty, that he was in Qiyuan Hall on Lianxia Mountain, a formally inducted disciple.

Becoming a third-generation direct disciple was only a matter of time.

Aside from Shan Zhi, those who had gone up the mountain with him were still “opening up the mountain,” and his progress was even faster.

Li Xun adjusted his appearance, donning the cloud robe he had worn for seven years, and with a few books in hand, he walked out.

Qiyuan Hall, located atop Chuyun Peak, boasted a tranquil landscape and the gentle chirping of birds, a perfect place for spiritual cultivation.

There are nearly a hundred disciples in the hall, all of whom have already gone through the “opening mountain” training and are here to seek further advancement. They have three or four classes daily, taught by the sect’s immortal master, covering various subjects such as classics, magic, and the mystical realm. However, these courses don’t take up much of the disciples’ time, and they are essentially self-taught.

After the “opening mountain” training, the disciples have become quite self-disciplined. Li Xun had already risen quite early, but as he strolled over, he saw many of his fellow disciples chanting scriptures and cultivating their Qi amidst the shade of flowers and trees, clearly having been there for some time.

Li Xun found a quiet spot to sit down and cultivate his Qi for a while. Once his practice was complete, he leaned against a tree, pulled out a book, and quietly read.

These books were from Qing Yin’s list, so he naturally didn’t dare neglect them. Aside from some general scriptures, he read through most of them. He couldn’t say he

gained , but it did have a calming effect on his mind.

These days, he’s been focusing most on understanding the “Qi Transformation Chapter” taught by Qing Yin. He’d already mastered some of the intricate techniques within it, though they weren’t systematic back then.

Now, integrating them into one Qi, he’s gained something new. The Qi Chapter clearly defines the stages of cultivation: “Eastern Sea Sinking into the Blue Water” and “Bright Moon Rising from the Sea.”

In the “Eastern Sea Sinking into the Blue Water” realm, the process of refining the essence of Qi is a process of cultivating the body from the inside out.

Seven years ago, Li Xun had already achieved the minor success level of “relying on Qi to align with the mind, flowing endlessly.” After another seven years of diligent practice, employing techniques like cloud patterns, he unintentionally mastered this level.

Since Qing Yin’s introduction, his internal Qi perception has undergone a daily transformation. Now, being able to move with ease is just a minor skill; even transforming matter and transforming form, refining the essence, is largely accomplished.

Soon, he’ll reach the “Bright Moon Rising from the Sea” realm.

This state is the “top of the flesh fetus.” The “top of the flesh fetus” is the first step in the process of transforming from a mortal body into a Dao body and Dharma body.

However, such progress is limited. If one can circulate the internal breath and guide the Qi with profound techniques, the Qi will converge into a pearl. When the Qi is at its peak, it will be born, and this is the Golden Elixir, the state of “a bright moon rising from the sea.”

If the Golden Elixir is achieved, it will penetrate the “Mysterious Gate.” At that time, using the Golden Elixir as a medium and the Qi as a guide, the limbs and bones will be bathed in the essence of heaven and earth every day. The internal breath will become “True Breath.” With long-term practice, the Dao body will be achieved, and immortality will be naturally achieved.

Li Xun’s current skills are not enough to practice it physically, but his habit of studying “cloud patterns” for seven years has enabled him to think beyond the previous level, starting with the simplest points, analyzing the chain of thought, and gradually enriching it. Finally, he can perfect the practice in his mind. When the time comes to actually practice, he will be familiar with the process and it will come naturally.

In recent days, he had rehearsed the next few hurdles several times. Whenever he encountered obstacles, he didn’t consult a book for verification. Instead, he first verified his understanding with methods like “cloud patterns” and “bright patterns,” even comparing them with the formulas in the “Record of the Netherworld.” Only after reaching his own answers did he verify them with the book, comparing their strengths and weaknesses.

This inevitably slowed his progress, but each step was incredibly solid, never feeling forced or angular due to his rapid advancement.

This steadiness was often lacking even among accomplished immortal masters, and it was precisely where Li Xun stood out.

By the time he had figured out a minor obstacle, it was already noon. He put away his scroll and walked back at a leisurely pace. Many of his fellow disciples, upon seeing him along the way, couldn’t help but glance at him, presumably because of the trouble his seven-year climb had caused.

Li Xun, however, didn’t mind. He was always polite in public and never offended anyone. Whether he was gentle or diplomatic, this approach was the most suitable for living in the world, and it was exactly how Li Xun handled things.

The mountain was filled with accomplished cultivators, practicing the art of fasting. A daily meal of water and fresh fruit was sufficient. Li Xun casually picked up a piece of fruit and weighed it in his hand, not rushing to eat. He was simply thinking about his plans for the afternoon.

In the afternoon, he had a class by Taoist Mingsong, one of the “Seven Swords of Lianxia.” It was supposed to be about the application of magic. It would be interesting, but Shan Zhi might also be there. After seven years, who knew how he had changed.

Shan Zhi still had some use for Li Xun, so he naturally made every effort to befriend him. When interacting with such a person, one must cater to their interests.

Li Xun knew that seven years could dramatically change a person’s character, especially on Lianxia Mountain, where all he heard and saw were immortals. The power of subtle influence was truly not to be underestimated.

He considered gathering intelligence first before meeting the man, but then he felt that this was not a good idea.

But it’s not too obvious, it’s better to observe carefully before making plans!” At this time, Li Xun had already made a decision in his mind.

So he decided to go to class in the afternoon, but before that, he might as well study various prohibition techniques to avoid wasting time.

With a plan in mind, he turned around and left. But before he took two steps, a sword light flashed in the sky, and a man appeared. The man asked: “Junior Brother Xun? Is that Junior Brother Xun over there?”

The voice sounded familiar. Li Xun looked up and was startled: “Senior Brother Shan Zhi? “

It seemed as if God wanted to play a joke on him, and just as he thought of this person, he sent him right in front of him.

However, this accident only made him stunned for a moment, and then he changed his mind, and the look of surprise and joy on his face at seeing an old friend was vividly revealed. There was

a long laugh in the sky, and Shan Zhi lightly jumped down and put

his hand on Li Xun’s shoulder. Shan Zhi has indeed changed a lot in the past seven years. He is now about half a head taller than Li Xun, with a square face, phoenix eyes and thin lips, which shows a bit of handsomeness. He has changed a lot compared to his childhood appearance, but the outline is still there, so Li Xun recognized him at a glance.

Shan Zhi’s appearance has changed a lot, and his state of mind has also changed a lot. At least now, he does not look as greedy and vain as he did in his childhood. He was also quite enthusiastic and frank when greeting Li Xun. It seems that the seven years of refining his mind have also yielded some results.

He looked at Li Xun several times, and then smiled and said, “Good boy, you have become much stronger! Just like a leopard! How can you tell that he is a little prince? But his skin is still

as white, and his handsome face hasn’t changed at all! “

What he said was true. Li Xun had been in the mountains for seven years. Although his skin could never get tanned, he had a well-developed body. His muscles were slightly visible, but not too exaggerated. Instead, they were full of strong tension, just like a leopard.

He had grown some beard on his face, but he still had a childish look. He

looked handsome with a touch of youthfulness. Compared to seven years ago, he had not changed much, as if he was born with a baby face. Li Xun also smiled, as shy as always: “Senior brother has become more talented. This is because the beasts in the mountains are fierce. In order to survive, I have to train! I am lucky to be alive.”

Shan Zhi smiled again when he heard this: “I just came out of retreat yesterday, and I heard from Master that someone had climbed up the Zuowang Peak by force. I didn’t know it was you. I just heard your name today. It happened that the Sect Master had something to tell you, so I asked for this job to come down and find you. Now follow me.” ” The Sect

Master is looking for me?”

Li Xun’s face was filled with just the right amount of surprise and joy, which made Shan Zhi laugh: “Of course, except for the third generation ancestor, you are the first disciple to climb up the Zuowang Peak on foot. According to the sect rules, you are a direct disciple like me. Who else should I look for?”

“It’s only half…” Li Xun answered very honestly: “It’s all thanks to the cloud robe, elixir, and self-defense dagger you gave me, senior brother. If it weren’t for them, I would have died in the first year after I went up the mountain!”

These words were sincere as could be. Shan Zhi felt very proud to hear them, but his cultivation was improving day by day, so he didn’t show it, but smiled more cordially, put his arm around Li Xun’s arm and said with a smile: “It’s a merit to help you achieve the whole goal, so you don’t have to be polite. By the way, my cultivation is still shallow, and I can’t bring anyone with me when I fly the sword. We can only go up step by step…”

The two talked and laughed, walking side by side. Shan Zhi talked about the difficulties in cultivation and the interesting things in the sect, while Li Xun talked about the strange things he saw and heard on the peak. The two of them got along well, and it was like a touching reunion of old friends.

Although they couldn’t wield swords, both men were exceptionally fast. Li Xun’s pace was slightly slower, and his steps weren’t as smooth as Shan Zhi’s, but overall, they didn’t waste any time, reaching Zhiguan Peak in less than half an hour.

This was Li Xun’s first time at the sect’s core precincts on Zhiguan Peak, and he found the architecture, compared to other peaks, unremarkable. Simply the numerous houses nestled among trees and flowers, with occasional streams meandering through, gave it a distinctly unpretentious, natural feel, reminiscent of a paradise.

Shan Zhi casually described the peak’s layout.

Zhiguan Peak had only one Taoist temple at its highest point, seeking refinement over grandeur. On weekdays, those with access to the temple meditated within, while those without access cultivated themselves elsewhere

. Only when the sect convened would they gather at the temple. At

that time, the temple housed all members of the sect, from the sect leader down, whoever remained on the mountain.

Of course, this wasn’t a major effort just for Li Xun’s sake; Shan Zhi explained that there were other matters at stake. It seemed that Li Xun’s initiation was merely incidental.

Upon reaching the summit, Li Xun didn’t find it particularly remarkable. But after a few steps, he suddenly saw clouds drifting across the sky, and something struck him.

Taking a closer look at the layout, he realized that some of the buildings, trees, and streams seemed familiar.

After some reflection, he realized that these were fragments of the “Cloud Pattern” restriction, seemingly blended with other types of restrictions, making them far more complex and profound. While seemingly plausible, their power was clearly beyond Li Xun’s imagination.

Any remaining disappointment was instantly dispelled, and his heart began to pound. After seven years at Zuowang Peak, if he had any passion, it was analyzing and deciphering these restrictions.

A while ago, after spending a night conversing with Qingxu on his way down the mountain, he felt his understanding had deepened. This complex restriction was the most mysterious and interesting. If he could break the restriction here, not to mention the benefits he could gain, the satisfaction alone would make him forget to eat for three months!

Li Xun was eager to try it, but Shan Zhi pulled him back, his face tinged with anger: “Junior brother, what are you thinking about? I called you twice!”

Can’t stop! “

Only then did Li Xun realize that he had stopped involuntarily. He could only smile awkwardly and made up an excuse to get away with it. When he was about to take another step, he saw Shan Zhi in front of him also had a frozen face, his head and face tilted at an angle, staring blankly to the side.

Li Xun felt something and looked over there, only to see three or four extremely beautiful women climbing up the mountain, their skirts fluttering, clouds surrounding their bodies, not like ordinary people.

Although they were not as calm and composed as Qing Yin’s every move, they also had the demeanor of a master. No wonder Shan Zhi was stunned.

Li Xun was afraid that he would make a fool of himself, so he coughed, and just like Shan Zhi had just done, he tugged at the corner of his clothes and called out, “Brother Shan? “

Shan Zhi was suddenly startled. He turned around and saw Li Xun’s half-smile. He coughed instinctively, trying to pretend to be serious, but in the end he smiled awkwardly and sighed: “Junior Brother Xun, please forgive me for making fun of you… Senior Sister Bi has become more and more charming in recent years. Senior Brother Wenhai is really lucky.”

Li Xun was stunned when he heard this. Shan Zhi also felt that what he said was quite rude at this time. He quickly changed the focus of the subject and said: “… and Junior Sister Yin, Junior Sister Song and the others are also more dignified than before… Could it be that the exercises of our sect have the effect of improving people’s appearance?”

But the topic change was too abrupt. Li Xun’s heart moved. He took a peek and saw that Shan Zhi’s face was getting more embarrassed. He did not dare to neglect it and cast his eyes over.

He stared at the female cultivators fiercely first, and before they could sense who was looking at them, he retracted his gaze and smiled at Shan Zhi: “Senior Brother Shan, you are not kind! I never thought I would have such good fortune in the mountains! I suddenly feel that I have missed a lot of good things in the seven years at Zuowang Peak…”

Li Xun pretended to be regretful.

Human hearts are so strange. If you pretend to be ignorant or act solemn in that situation, it will inevitably cause dissatisfaction and vigilance from the other party. But once you fall into the same situation as the other party, the psychological distance between the two will be greatly shortened, and they may even appreciate each other.

Shan Zhi was like this. His heart suddenly relaxed. When he was about to speak, the female cultivators on the other side had already seen the two of them and greeted them with a smile

. Shan Zhi returned the greeting seriously and meticulously. Li Xun did not want to be a clown and imitate him. He looked like a Taoist scholar with young hair. After those female cultivators went away, the two of them smiled at each other and felt closer than before.

Shan Zhi was still thinking about making up for his speechlessness just now: “In fact, although these sisters are of the same generation as us, some of them are more than ten years, dozens of years, or even hundreds of years older. Junior brother, you must not just look at the surface. Their cultivation is much stronger than mine! “

Li Xun laughed in his heart, but pretended to be embarrassed on the surface, nodding and accepting the instruction.

After this episode, the two had a lot more topics to talk about, and Shan Zhi also started to talk about some topics between men.

While talking and laughing, the Taoist temple where the meeting was held was already in sight. Li Xun looked up and saw that the plaque had the words “Weiming Temple” written on it, which seemed to have another meaning.

When they arrived here, there were a lot more people coming and going, and Shan Zhi didn’t dare to talk about the topics just now. He just took Li Xun to chat with the brothers and sisters who passed by. Li Xun could occasionally hear words like “climbing Zuowang Peak” and “amazing” from their mouths, and naturally he smiled and didn’t mention it.

The Taoist temple was not large as Shan Zhi said, but it had secluded paths and its own garden style.

Shan Zhi took Li Xun around a few times and came to the outside of a room. He let him breathe and prepare first, and then he said in a loud voice: “Disciple Shan Zhi, I am ordered to bring my junior brother Li Xun here. “

Inside the room, it seemed as if Qingxu replied, “Li Xun, come in, and everyone else please leave!”

Shan Zhi gave him a look and left as instructed. Li Xun took a deep breath, took two steps forward, and said, “Disciple Li Xun greets you!”

Then, he gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The room was well-lit, but sparsely furnished, with only a few dozen cushions, currently occupied by twenty or thirty people.

In his haste, Li Xun couldn’t count them all, so he looked towards the center, where a figure sat in the center. He must have been the sect leader, Taoist Qingming.

Li Xun didn’t dare to look any further, but he felt the Taoist’s eyes were clear and penetrating, as if they could see into the depths of his own heart. His expression was also calm and composed, making it impossible to discern his inner thoughts.

Unfathomable, truly unfathomable!

Li Xun suddenly felt a surge of nervousness, the emotion suddenly overwhelming him. There was no way out. He harbored too many secrets; any one of them revealed would be a disaster.

A single breath from any one of these people could doom him. Now, he was like an ant, facing head-on the roar of an oncoming herd of elephants.

He took a few steps toward the center of the room, each one a low, heavy step. When he reached the right spot, he brushed his robes, knelt, and bowed, saying, “Disciple Li Xun, greets the Sect Master, the elders, and the Immortal Masters!”

His words echoed through the room, a lingering sound. He lowered his head, staring at the ground, taking in the pattern of blue bricks. It seemed as if there were restrictions here too…

“Restrictions?”

For some reason, as he thought of this word, his mind suddenly became clear. Perhaps it was the sheer terror that had left him numb, and from this numbness came the most unnatural calm.

Whatever his psychological state, at that moment, Li Xun felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from him. The world, which had long since departed from him, began to revolve around him once again.

He felt a sense of reality, even the pain in his knees from kneeling so hard was clear.

At that moment, Qingxu’s voice rang out, but it wasn’t addressed to him: “Brother, what do you think of this child?”

Li Xun didn’t dare look up, but he felt a sudden chill, as if he were being scanned by multiple gazes. He had endured countless such gazes before, but he had never felt them until now.

Just as he was feeling ashamed, a gentle and elegant voice rang out, presumably Qingming’s: “Born as a prince, yet possessing such a strong will is no mean feat. Li Xun, raise your head!”

Li Xun raised his head calmly, but upon meeting Qingming’s gaze, he lowered his head slightly, remaining silent.

Someone seemed to sigh, “He truly is a forlorn figure. I wonder which fellow Daoist, unable to transcend the tribulation, has snatched this tiny glimmer of hope from the brink of death. It’s both joyful and tragic!”

Everyone in the room lowered their heads, their faces glum.

Qingming spoke again, “This boy has climbed more than 270,000 miles of peaks with great perseverance. He can be said to be the best since the third generation of ancestors. According to the rules of the sect, he will be accepted as an inner disciple. Do you

have any objection?”

The whole room was silent.

Qingming nodded slightly, then said, “Then let’s get it approved. Now, let’s talk about the next thing. Qingyin and Qingxu both say this child has excellent aptitude for practicing the ‘Spiritual Resonance Technique.’ This technique has been passed down for generations, but it’s not flourishing. I’d like him to learn it. Do you have any comments?”

There was a brief silence in the room, and then a female voice replied, “Only Senior Brother and Junior Sister Mingji in the sect practice this technique. Mingji is away from the mountain for a long time, so we’d like Senior Brother to accept a disciple.”

Qingming nodded slightly. “That’s what I think, Ge’er, what do you think?”

This silence lasted even longer, and just when Li Xun was almost unable to hold on, a lazy, weak voice replied, “Master has ordered it, and I have nothing to say.”

“Does that mean you agree?” Li Xun’s heart moved, but why did he hear a hint of resentment in this person’s words?

Furthermore, this answer seemed quite disrespectful, but judging by the reactions of everyone in the room, they all seemed unfazed. Is this person Lin Ge, the “Heavenly Heart Sword,” one of the Seven Swords of Lianxia?

Qingming seemed to smile, then pressed, “So, you agree?”

“Things like guiding me through the key points are something I can still do!” Lin Ge said lazily.

If it were anyone else, these words would have sounded quite arrogant, but coming from this person, they sounded weak and perfunctory.

Li Xun’s heart sank.

Qingming simply smiled, then turned to Li Xun and said, “Did you hear all that? It’s a bit inconvenient to become my disciple right now. Please wait outside. Master will take you back later, and we can perform the ceremony later!”

Li Xun dared not say anything more, but simply stood up, nodded, and retreated.

As he was about to leave the room, Qingming had already moved on to the next matter: “Yu Sanren has been too high-profile lately. In the North Pole Yamo Heaven, there are so many independent cultivators gathering. We must be on guard…”

Li Xun couldn’t hear these words and backed out, shutting the door behind him. As he closed the door, he quickly glanced in the direction of the room, where Lin Ge must have been.

He recognized his future master instantly.

He was the only one in the room, dressed in splendid robes, his face radiating a dejected and carefree expression, a stark contrast to the solemnity of the others. One look at him, and the world seemed to darken.

“Am I going to be with this man for the rest of my life?” Li Xun sighed inwardly.

The door closed, cutting off Qingming’s voice and his sight. However, Lin Ge’s languid and decadent demeanor remained etched deeply in his memory.

At that moment, he recalled Immortal Master Mingyan’s description of the unprecedented “Phoenix Killing” in the Tongxuan Realm a hundred years ago.

Wasn’t this Lin Pavilion the scene of that turmoil?

Qingming had Li Xun wait outside, but he didn’t dare move. Seeing an ancient tree in the courtyard, so large it could be hugged by several people, he walked over and sat beneath it, pondering.

The outcome of this worship ceremony was pretty much as he’d imagined. But a closer look at the process revealed far more than was typically expected. Even the slightest misstep could have triggered a complete collapse.

Qingming, Qingxu, the Seven Swordsmen of Lianxia, and Qingyin of Zuowang Peak were all top-tier cultivators. Their scheming, let alone their tangible spiritual penetrating power, was enough to overwhelm Li Xun.

He was beginning to wonder if his luck was simply too good. He could still conceal so many secrets beneath the penetrating gazes of these men. Had his cultivation and scheming truly reached a level that wouldn’t even frighten the gods?

The thought made him laugh, but his expression froze mid-smile.

But if he himself didn’t know his own abilities, how could others know? Especially when he was only eight years old, still immature and still wet behind the ears?

This doubt had lingered in his mind for a long time, but it had always been vague and unclear, and only now did he suddenly realize it.

There seemed to be something in this…

The sun moved westward, and the courtyard, dotted with flowers and trees, cast scattered shadows, making it darker even faster. Li Xun had been sitting in meditation for over three hours, and the meeting inside had finally concluded.

The door opened, and the second-generation disciples filed out. Some even glanced in his direction, smiled, and then left.

Li Xun had already stood up, standing under a tree with his hands hanging down, his head and face unraised, very respectful. That

was until a figure walked in front of him, his tall figure blocking the last ray of sunlight, and the shadow completely enveloped Li Xun.

“Let’s go!” These were the first words the master said to his disciple.

Li Xun didn’t dare to say much, so he responded softly and followed behind Lin Ge, walking in an orderly manner. They followed him out of Weiming Temple and walked several miles west before arriving at a place.

It was a small two-story building. Behind it seemed to be a small path leading to a mountain wall not far away, and there was a cliff on the other side.

The building was surrounded by many trees, forming a dense forest. The shade of the trees exuded a sense of tranquility, and it was also a bit too remote.

Li Xun’s eyes lit up as he entered the room.

He hadn’t been in the mountains long, but he knew that within the sect, most were diligent and dedicated cultivators who placed little value on material possessions. Their homes were furnished in a practical and simple style. For example, the Qiyuan Hall where he lived contained only a few beds, a table, and a crude tea set.

He had never imagined his master was such a wonderful person.

Everywhere he looked, the furniture was crafted from the finest materials, its style simple and antique. While the antiques displayed were few in number, each one was a fine piece of work. This arrangement felt like returning to a royal palace. The world’s opulence had been replaced by the tranquility and elegance of this place.

Li Xun’s eyes were sharp; a glance at the ornaments revealed that these things were often handled by someone, clearly belonging to Lin Ge.

A cultivator who had attained the immortal path, yet he was always playing with these material possessions, it was no wonder that rumors spread throughout the mountain that Lin Ge’s cultivation had declined significantly over the past century.

However, Li Xun was not surprised, but rather delighted. Since this person had a genuine interest, he would be much easier to deal with than the enigmatic figures of Qingxu and Qingming.

Of course, Li Xun also longed for a good master to guide his cultivation, ultimately achieving immortality and ascending to heaven in broad daylight. However, his life was at stake right now. If he could learn the “Spiritual Resonance Technique” sooner, he would have a better chance of survival.

With such a master, if he could cater to his preferences and win his favor, mastering the “Spiritual Resonance Technique” within a year would be a piece of cake.

As he pondered this, Lin Ge, on the other hand, continued on his way out through a side door and onto the trail behind. Li Xun hurried to follow. Reaching the

edge of the cliff, Lin Ge didn’t hesitate, but stepped down, feeling as if his feet were firmly planted on solid ground. After a few dozen feet, he turned and entered a cave he had likely discovered.

Li Xun groaned inwardly. He didn’t have Lin Ge’s ability to control his Qi and fly, but it seemed Lin Ge had no intention of helping him. He gritted his teeth, gathered his energy, and leaped down. He felt he was almost there, so he pumped his internal energy and drew a semi-arc in the air, barely landing on a protruding stone platform.

“Your cultivation is not bad, but your light body technique is terrible…” Lin Ge stood aside, looking him in the eye for the first time.

Li Xun smiled awkwardly, “Disciple, I don’t really understand many of the applied methods.”

“Internal energy is the foundation, and the methods are the application. Once you have the foundation, it’s not too late to learn the techniques later,” Lin Ge said, turning and walking into the cave.

Li Xun, out of habit, took a closer look at the restrictions on the cave. They seemed to be a fusion of “bright patterns,” “mountain patterns,” and “water patterns,” forming a delicate

landscape painting . The variations in light and dark shadows were skillfully utilized, and it seemed that “dark patterns” were also used.

“Looks like I’ll be busy again!” Li Xun suppressed his excitement and hurried after Lin Ge.

This was his first time entering a cave dwelling opened by a cultivator, and it didn’t seem like the scene he’d imagined: white jade and pearls shimmering in the air, with elixirs and secret manuals scattered about.

There was simply a spacious hall, an alchemy room, a quiet meditation room, and a study for storing ancient books.

If there was anything unusual, it was how this cave dwelling, deep within the mountain, got its light. There was no obvious source of light, yet the room was brightly lit, every detail visible, as if it were daylight.

Lin Ge led him into the study. There weren’t many books inside, mostly Taoist texts, but most of them were new to Li Xun.

“Here’s the complete copy of the ‘Spiritual Resonance Secret’, as well as my past experiences. I’ll teach you the secrets later, so you can practice here and refer to them later. What do you want to say?”

Li Xun’s expression was truly brilliant.

He looked at the second shelf of the bookshelf, which was full of books such as “A Preliminary Study on Lingxi Jue”, “Entry Experience”, “Sensory Records”, etc. His heart was filled with mixed feelings, and he responded casually: “I just didn’t expect this technique to be so complicated…”

“Lingxi Jue is difficult to get started with, difficult to consolidate, but easy to achieve great success. It all depends on whether you have the heart to do it. I think if you can spend seven years climbing to the top, you can spend seventy years to get started!”

Li Xun calmed down and bowed in response: “I will live up to Master’s expectations!”

Lin Ge responded lightly: “Then there is no need for the ceremony of becoming a disciple. As long as you are willing, it will be fine. From today on, you will come here to practice. Tomorrow I will teach you the method of getting started, and then you can practice on your own. Report all your questions and things you don’t understand every month, and I will answer them for you.”

After Lin Ge finished speaking, he taught him the technique to enter this place and let him go out.

Li Xun retreated with a nod, but just as he reached the door, Lin Ge asked again: “How far have you progressed in the ‘Qi Chapter’?” “I

‘ve only reached the closing stage of ‘Sinking Green Water in the East Sea’. Recently, I’ve been preparing to circulate my vital energy and gather the elixir to break through the barriers.”

“Your progress is quite good. I wanted to help you break through the barriers, but since it’s a natural thing, there’s no need to rush, so as not to damage your foundation. You can go and break through the barriers first, and then come back here to practice, the effect will be better.”

Li Xun responded again, and seeing that Lin Ge had nothing to say, he walked out the door. Before leaving, he glanced inside and saw that the lazy and meaningless expression on Lin Ge’s face had deepened a little.

Li Xun’s heart moved, but then he was filled with uncontrollable ecstasy, and he could no longer think of anything else: “The Lingxi Jue is already in my hands… Two more years, two more years…”

He climbed up the cliff. The setting sun on the peak was like blood, reflecting the floating clouds for thousands of miles and the flashing rays of light. The light shone on his face, and it also turned red.

In winter, the Lianxia Mountain has the scenery of “the rosy clouds reflecting the snow on the thousands of mountains”. Whenever the mountain is closed to the elements due to heavy snow, the rosy clouds in the early morning and evening are reflected on the white snow on the mountaintops, and the colorful light is overflowing, and the auspicious air is rising. At a glance, from the Guanxia Peak, you can see the rosy clouds like the sea, the waves surging, an endless spectacle.

It is said that the Mingxin Sword Sect has a “Pixia Sword Technique” that was derived from this scenery. It is a top-notch application method in the sect. When the sword is raised, a flick of the finger can create tens of thousands of layers of Danxia.

Li Xun has not yet mastered such a high-level sword technique, but this does not hinder his appreciation.

He had just finished his homework last night when Shan Zhi came to his door and dragged him to Guanxia Peak to see the scenery of “the rosy clouds reflecting the snow on the thousands of mountains”.

At first, Li Xun was puzzled by his interest in such a scene, but only now did he realize that, while truly appreciative, he wasn’t observing the natural world, but rather the human world.

It turned out that today was the day Senior Sister Qi Bi was practicing the “Pixia Sword Technique.” According to Shan Zhi, she had been stuck at a hurdle for over three months, and had recently been visiting Guanxia Peak to observe the scenery, hoping to inspire her and break through the plateau.

Shan Zhi had probably just brought Li Xun here to address Senior Sister Qi Bi’s questions.

Then again, Senior Sister Qi Bi’s gentle nature was known to the entire Mingxin Sword Sect. In her eyes, both Shan Zhi and Li Xun were merely naive children, and even though she knew their excuses were far-fetched, she wouldn’t blame them.

So, now, Shan Zhi could legitimately admire the beauty, the jade-like beauty, and the rainbow-like sword, under the pretext of enjoying the scenery.

Meanwhile, Li Xun was in a good mood. He had always yearned for high-level sword techniques like the Pixia Sword Technique, and his profound understanding of the complex “cloud patterns” meant that after just a few glances, he was captivated by the sword technique’s mysteries.

Each category of the Mingxin Sword Sect’s restricted techniques corresponded to a unique technique, a comprehensive system of techniques. While this only revealed a fraction of the Mingxin Sword Sect’s extensive knowledge, it nonetheless revealed a core unifying principle.

Despite his youth, Li Xun was admired even by Qingxu, a master of the sect’s restricted techniques. He lacked only a systematic understanding.

Having officially become a disciple for two months, his systematic knowledge had long since been fully developed. It’s no exaggeration to say that he was the foremost researcher of restricted techniques among the third generation of disciples.

Li Xun, drawing inferences from the past, sensed numerous echoes of the cloud pattern restrictions within the Pixia Sword Technique, particularly in defensive positions, where the patterns flowed seamlessly, making them easily understood. Drawing inferences from one instance to another, the subtle threads of the offensive were slowly coming together.

If Qingxu and the others knew of this, they would surely be astonished. This was the advantage of both talent and inclination.

Li Xun was already incredibly talented, and his familiarity and understanding of various restrictions naturally gave him a particular preference. They say that profound scholarship brings its own unique joy, and Li Xun had almost reached that realm.

No matter how complex the restriction, he saw it as a collection of fascinating objects. Deciphering and recreating them was the most captivating experience, akin to an addiction, a fascination, a joy unto itself.

Time passed swiftly as Qi Bi meditated, and Shan Zhi and Li Xun embraced their different obsessions.

The rosy clouds faded from the mountains, and the arrival of the two young men had not brought Qi Bi any good fortune. The obstacles remained, and a hint of disappointment crossed her face.

But she was gentle and patient, and she suppressed her disappointment, saying goodbye to Shan Zhi and Li Xun with a smile.

Shan Zhi, however, was unable to engage her in further conversation, and could only force a smile as she left. Looking back at Li Xun, he saw him with his head down, drawing something in the snow. The lines and textures were so fine that it made him dizzy.

Perhaps Li Xun hadn’t heard Qi Bi’s farewell, so he called out in a gruff voice, “Junior Brother Xun, let’s go!”

Knowing Shan Zhi was in a bad mood, Li Xun didn’t dare to neglect him. He jumped up, chatted with him briefly to ease his mood, and then followed him.

They had only been gone for a few minutes when a flash of sword light appeared on the peak, and Qi Bi reappeared.

“Don’t drop that bead!”

She seemed a little anxious. The bead she mentioned was a pendant given to her by Wen Hai, with a small restriction personally engraved on it. While it wasn’t very powerful, it was a token of his love, and Qi Bi was determined not to throw it away!

Fortunately, her eyesight was excellent, and she found the bead in a crevice without much effort. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes caught the chaotic patterns on the snow. A familiar outline startled her slightly. “That must have been drawn by Junior Brother Xun!”

Thinking of the younger Junior Brother, who had been so obsessed with the painting that he’d ignored her goodbyes, she couldn’t help but smile. This child, known to her companions as “the greatest person under the Three Generations of Ancestors,” was far more interesting than his Senior Brother.

Curious, she took a closer look, and after just one glance, she couldn’t look away.

This… this was clearly some of the subtle techniques involved in the Pixia Sword Technique, expressed in a manner similar to the patterns of forbidden techniques!

Qi Bi, who also studied the sect’s restrictions, understood exactly what she was seeing.

She bit her lip subconsciously, observing carefully. “In terms of defense, the subtleties of the sword technique have been largely expounded… but there are some differences. Perhaps it’s a lack of skill! But…”

A sudden thought struck her, and the sword technique unfolded instantly. Without any pretense, she simply circulated her vital energy within her body, following the usual flow of energy. At that crucial point, her energy suddenly shifted, following the pattern of the snow carvings. This small shift was surprisingly smooth.

No, more than smooth!

With just that small shift, her vital energy flowed with a strange pull. From then on, she no longer followed this principle, following the child’s instructions.

With each shift, the pull of her vital energy grew stronger, until she reached the critical point that had eluded her for months. It felt like boiling water pouring over snow, flowing naturally, and she easily passed through it. The remaining momentum continued, and she passed through three or four more key points before the remaining momentum faded.

Qi Bi was stunned at this time: “Is…” She subconsciously formed her fingers into a sword and swung it in the air. On the top of the mountain, sword energy rushed into the sky, the rosy clouds flickered, and dozens of layers of Danxia sword energy came and went endlessly.

Although it is far from the highest realm of the legendary “Danxia Ten Thousand Layers”, nor can it compare to the profundity of the master’s “Sword Energy Thousand Illusions”, but this is clearly the performance of someone who has mastered the sword technique!

“Is this it? “

She stood there stupidly for a long while, then suddenly half-knelt down, carefully observing the changes behind her. Unfortunately, what happened next disappointed her greatly.

Although the changes behind her were also quite exquisite, they were messy and disorganized, especially in terms of offensive tactics, which were even more complicated and disorganized.

Qi Bi blushed. She was very smart and understood that it was because of her mistake that she had misled the child’s thinking and prevented him from pushing forward, which led to this behavior.

This also proved that it was not that the child’s cultivation was far superior to hers, but that his thinking was smart and his profound deduction ability that enabled him to complete this genius masterpiece.

For him, it was just a momentary flash of inspiration, but for Qi Bi, it saved her countless detours and saved her so much time!

She slowly stood up and looked down the mountain. On the mountain road where the clouds and mist were flowing, there seemed to be a young man’s figure moving slowly.

“Number one below the three generations of ancestors…” Qi Bi brushed the long hair that fell from his forehead and smiled faintly, “Perhaps, it’s not an exaggeration!”

Li Xun was unaware of Qi Bi’s high evaluation of him, and even if he did, he wouldn’t have taken it too seriously. It wasn’t that he had already achieved a high level of cultivation, but that he simply didn’t have the mind to think about anything else right now.

The intense pain had drained the last bit of strength from his body.

Over the past month, while cultivating the Youming Qi, Li Xun had already felt the powerful external Yin Fire and the blood nightmare in his heart orifice form an extremely close connection.

The two cores tugged at each other, rotating like a yin-yang fish, maintaining a delicate balance. From the inside out, they were enveloped in layers of two distinct true auras, seemingly one and the same.

The Blood Nightmare’s movements inevitably affected the Yin Fire’s movements. Due to this balance, the Yin Fire responded to the Blood Nightmare’s radiating power. However, the Blood Nightmare’s purpose was to extract, while the Yin Fire’s was to infuse.

Li Xun had only recently grasped this.

Both possessed the “function” to bring Li Xun to his death, but in reality, they were fundamentally different.

The Blood Nightmare was a parasite, relying on the essence provided by Li Xun for survival and growth. The Blood Nightmare’s daily heart-draining was, in reality, the Blood Nightmare draining Li Xun’s marrow and blood, absorbing nutrients.

However, Li Xun wasn’t simply suffering in silence during this process.

For the Blood Nightmare was a supremely filthy substance, and its refinement process was equally filthy. Attracting filth was also a way to strengthen itself.

Therefore, as it absorbed Li Xun’s essence and blood, it also gradually extracted all kinds of impurities accumulated in his body, objectively having the effect of cleansing his marrow.

The infusion of Yin Fire was Mr. Ghost’s genius idea. Using external Yin Fire as pressure, he forced Li Xun, his heir, to diligently cultivate his Qi and gradually increase his cultivation. With such internal and external pressure, his progress was naturally remarkable.

Therefore, each of its movements was a serious infusion of vital energy, strengthening its true energy.

Thanks to Mr. Ghost’s arrangement, the Yin Fire and the Blood Nightmare met at the heart point.

Originally, the Yin Fire, embodying Mr. Ghost’s lifelong cultivation, was absolutely stronger than the Blood Nightmare. In theory, the Blood Nightmare would be completely consumed immediately. However, this would trigger the mechanism within the Blood Sanren species, causing Li Xun’s heart to explode and die on the spot!

Fortunately, the Yin Fire’s entry was delayed by seven years.

For seven years, the Blood Nightmare coexisted with Li Xun’s blood essence, undergoing constant refinement. While this made it more difficult to cure, it shared similarities with Li Xun’s essence and

could even be considered another of his organs.

The Yin Fire naturally wouldn’t destroy its host’s internal organs, and due to physical attraction, it coexisted with the Blood Nightmare. This mutual supplementation allowed for a long-term coexistence, which was precisely why Li Xun’s pain had eased recently.

If this had continued, things would have been relatively simple, and while the results might have varied, they would have been predictable.

However, at this point, Li Xun’s Qi Transformation Chapter had reached the “Bright Moon Rising from the Sea” stage, leading to the Lingxi Jue. It wasn’t

until he encountered the Lingxi Jue that Li Xun understood the meaning of “water-grinding labor” as used by Qingyin, Qingxu, and Linge.

The Lingxi Jue is arguably the most labor-intensive foundation-building technique in the entire Tongxuan Realm, and it’s incredibly difficult to master.

Especially when Li Xun came into contact with the “Record of the Netherworld” and practiced the high-level techniques such as Youmingqi in person, the time, energy and means spent on the basic part of Lingxi Jue were probably tens or hundreds of times more than Youmingqi!

Not to mention the level, just talking about the various types of warming skills in cultivating true breath, Youmingqi is divided into only three steps: “Wood”, “Gathering”, and “Transformation”, while Lingxi Jue is divided into dozens of steps, starting from the most basic “perception”, each step is extremely concise.

Each step has hundreds or thousands of application methods, and almost every meridian and every organ has detailed regulations.

If you really follow the steps, it may not be effective in ten or eight years, but the seventy years mentioned by Lin Ge is not much different.

Li Xun didn’t have the patience. , and looked down on the seniors for setting up such a rigid system. However, out of caution, he used his best deduction skills and spent seven days and seven nights to roughly deduce it from simple to complex. He was sweating all over and dared not have any crooked ideas anymore.

This is a huge and rigorous system. Every step of the formula involves more subtle changes later.

Even if you read it by rote, without thinking, seventy or eighty years is not enough.

And someone like Li Xun, who has a flexible mind and hates… It is normal for someone who cannot exhaust every mystery to do it for one or two hundred years!

According to Li Xun’s inference, it starts from the emergence of true breath. After several stages, the true breath in his body and the initial “golden elixir” must be compressed and refined into a “spiritual seed” smaller than a needle hole.

The true breath derived thereafter are all of this nature, and their quality is many times stronger than that of the ghost and bright air.

Of course, in terms of quantity, it is far inferior.

It can be imagined that such a huge compression process of true breath is very difficult . The process, the requirements for quality and control are so strict.

Li Xun has been practicing for seven years, with no distractions, but the true energy he has cultivated seems to be a little insufficient, and mixed with blood nightmares, Yin fire and other uncontrollable foreign objects. How difficult will the refining process be!

At first, Li Xun had a shallow understanding of the difficulties. He quickly completed the first step of the skill “Rising Moon on the Sea”, and used the newly formed golden elixir as the center to control the true energy of the whole body, and use the golden elixir to drive the changes in the magic formula.

This is a simple, single It is a boring process of adjustment.

The tens of millions of energy channels and tens of millions of types of energy in the body are like tens of millions of silk threads. This process is like asking people to use one finger to stir the thousands of threads and turn a complicated marionette into a living thing.

In addition to using various methods to strengthen their control and remove impurities in the true energy, there are endless attempts.

It took Li Xun twenty days to find the trick. At this time, a change occurred – the true energy and the golden elixir have been initially unified into a large system controlled by Li Xun. This system is complete, precise, and relatively fragile. Any accident may cause the entire system to stop and collapse.

The blood nightmare and the Yin fire have become the spoilers.

In the past, their daily painful invasions were completely resisted by Li Xun’s will. But at this time, the powerful suction force of the blood nightmare and the strong vitality injection of the Yin fire were accidents that this newly completed system could not withstand. The moment they rushed out of the heart, Li Xun’s twenty days of hard work were

destroyed!

If it was just a useless effort, Li Xun could still bear it, but the collapse of this system was definitely not something that could be described as “useless”. The moment the system collapsed, the true energy that had been initially integrated was like a bursting dam, instantly sweeping over Li Xun’s entire body.

If Li Xun had not been accustomed to pain, if the Yin Fire had not injected a large amount of vitality in time, perhaps Li Xun would have died at that moment!

This is a true obsession!

Now I must thank Xueyan for helping Li Xun practice for seven years. The resilient body that emerged from it was surprisingly able to withstand the onslaught of true energy, and even recovered almost automatically during Li Xun’s day and night of coma.

Li Xun was terrified, and he briefly considered giving up his practice. He even considered how to decline and leave the mountain, handing over the entire copy of the “Spiritual Resonance Technique” to Xue Sanren, and then listening to him.

However, in this situation, he suddenly realized that he had unconsciously developed a morbid desire for cultivation and the pleasure and even torture of the process.

He paused for only half a day before he couldn’t help but ponder the problems of his cultivation. He persisted for only an hour longer before he couldn’t help but put his thoughts into practice, testing his ideas once again.

In short, he was hooked!

This addiction was deeply ingrained in his bones, constantly radiating intense itch that made him unable to stop.