The Forbidden Path to Immortality
Chapter 86

The Bloodkiss could well be called a freak of nature, a demonic creature shaped by the heavens and earth.

Born with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, it thirsted the blood of living creatures. Worse still, it liked to devour objects imbued with spiritual energy of the world. Like cultivators’ magical items. A headache to deal with, to say the least.

Naturally, such bizarre habits made it widely hated by cultivators. But the creature was both innately gifted and dangerously clever. Rarely did it suffer loss. And if it ever did, it remembered. Its grudges ran deep, and it always paid them back, with interest.

Li Xun had encountered it just a few days prior. Not recognizing what it was at first, he had kept it in mind and later asked Consort Qin for the full story. A master of leveraging his resources, he’d simply folded the creature into his broader plan.

And now… it was time to use it.

He stayed still, waiting for the appointed moment.

Just as the fierce storm between the two Wanderers reached its peak once again, a gray gleam flashed from the Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl. A moment later, the restrictive formation that had forced Li Xun to detour days ago, along with the stone wall it clung to, dissolved silently into dust. The rushing water swept the debris away.

It looked like a simple move, but in truth, it carried the weight of countless hours of scheming and preparation. Not only did it shatter the formation cleanly, it did so in the most discreet way possible. With the two Wanderer locked in a life-and-death fight, surely this small disturbance would go unnoticed.

The dying backlash of the formation was nothing to Li Xun, and he brushed it aside with ease. At once, he saw the Bloodkiss spring into action, launching upward with a flick, blasting out of the lake in an instant and disappearing from view.

Li Xun was stunned for a moment. But then he sensed it hovering just above the lake, circling for some unknown reason. He quickly flew up to follow. And sure enough, the Bloodkiss reacted to his movement. With a blur and a “whoosh,” the little beast darted dozens of zhang away, halting midair and glancing back.

Only now did Li Xun get a good look at the creature.

Its body was long, at least two feet, and no thicker than three fingers side by side. It resembled a fat snake, with a rounded, catlike head that was surprisingly cute despite the lack of whiskers.

Its hind limbs had clearly regressed, looking more like a pair of short, stubby barbs that swung back and forth with the tail’s movement. The slender front claws curled together, while its eyes gleamed with a sharp, flickering light. It was clearly baffled by the bead in front of it. There was a hint of wariness, but it came off as almost comical.

Cute, sure… but where’s the fire? Where’s that ‘vengeance at the slightest provocation' it’s famed for? Li Xun felt mildly disappointed. Perhaps the little creature had been traumatized by Blood Wanderer’s restrictions. Or maybe it was playing the long game, waiting to strike at the right moment.

Either way, this wasn’t exactly the kind of attitude that would help his plan.

But just then, the Bloodkiss’s round little face twisted into the most animated of expressions; it looked exactly like a stereotypical, petty schemer. Eyes narrowing into slits, it peeked over at “Li Xun” with a mixture of cunning calculation and childlike curiosity.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, something inside Li Xun softened. In that instant, he didn’t see a threat, only a harmless, mischievous kitten. His previous calculations began to drift away.

And then the Bloodkiss suddenly spun around and dove back into Qin Lake.

What now?

Before the question fully formed in his mind, he got his answer. And it made him very happy. The little creature plunged into one of the submerged rock crevices and surged upstream against the current. It was headed straight toward the Shapeshifting Yin Pit!

Li Xun didn’t dare fall behind. He steered the treasure pearl and sped back like a streak of smoke.

At this point, the battle between the two Wanderers had reached a fever pitch. The area around the Shapeshifting Yin Pit was the only place untouched. Clearly, both of them still retained enough sense to avoid damaging something that critical.

Which was why Li Xun found the Bloodkiss again, its body mostly submerged in the pool. Only its round cat head poked above the surface, staring out at the distant battle.

By now, Li Xun could no longer treat it like some ordinary beast. This little monster was far too sly. If he thought he could simply point it like a weapon and unleash it… he was dreaming.

Off in the distance, the battle raged. Both Wanderers were now visibly injured, though Li Xun couldn’t tell how badly.

But in his heart, he understood.

These two had roamed the world unchallenged for thousands of years. Did anyone really believe they’d throw everything away without backup plans? A fight like this would never produce a clear winner. Even if one came out ahead, it wouldn’t matter. What did matter was here, at the Shapeshifting Yin Pit.

If it were him, if he were in their place…. what would he do?

Li Xun observed their fight carefully, using it to confirm and refine his own plan, adjusting every minute detail.

He was still waiting. Waiting for a moment that everyone would see as the opportunity of a lifetime.

And then, just as his precious half-hour passed the halfway mark, the two Wanderers clashed head-on and were blown backward, flung apart in opposite directions.

At the epicenter of their collision, a streak of crimson light erupted. In a flash, it swelled into a great sphere; then elongated into a scarlet rift that split the sky itself. A dividing line between heaven and earth, stretching so far that even with his current vision, Li Xun couldn’t see its end.

Everything in the path of that blood-red force was obliterated. A towering mountain in its way was cleaved cleanly in two, crumbling apart with a roar.

Near the center of the battlefield, the Blood Nightmare, which had been lurking all this time, suddenly surged with reckless courage. Its once-blurred silhouette snapped into clarity. Seizing the moment, it ignored the threat of the purple glowing orb overhead and hurtled straight toward Yin Wanderer, its bloody form expanding rapidly.

Just a heartbeat later, the floating orb of purple light above exploded with hundreds of piercing beams, unleashing a sudden, storm-like barrage.

Before the Blood Nightmare could reach Yin Wanderer, the beams struck it head-on, blasting its form to tatters. Dark red mist sprayed outward in all directions. It was a pitiful sight to witness.

Yin Wanderer didn’t spare it a glance.

Her body moved like lightning, turning defense into offense in a flash. But she didn’t charge at Blood Wanderer. Instead, she shot straight for the Shapeshifting Yin Pit.

Blood Wanderer was only a moment behind. Sensing her move, he instantly changed course and rocketed in the same direction.

They were now five li from the pool; three li apart from each other.

Blood Wanderer had the early edge. But it wasn’t enough to guarantee him the advantage.

Then, without warning, the shattered remains of the Blood Nightmare overhead burst apart; its fragments catching the wind and swelling outward. And within that violent bloom… a single unnatural gleam of light flashed.

A gleam that absolutely should not have been there.

A flash of light streaked past the corner of Yin Wanderer’s eye. Before she could even react, a triangle was formed between the flash itself, Yin Wanderer, and the distant summit of Tiandu Peak, dozens of li away.

It was an angle so arcane, so precise, it may have lasted no more than a ten-thousandth of a second. But the shift in qi mechanisms it triggered was vast beyond comprehension.

Like a single pebble tossed into still water, sending rings of ripples across the surface; one wave stirring the next, until the entire lake is in motion. That old saying, "a single tug moves the whole body," had never felt more apt.

But the degree of this interlinked qi dynamics resonance went beyond anything normal. The moment the shift occurred on one end, a response had already bloomed on the far side. Like lightning chasing thunder. Within a span of dozens of li, especially in Songjing City, where countless had died or been injured, the interwoven strands of qi abruptly surged to a violent peak.

In that moment, all of heaven and earth darkened.

The atmosphere screamed in terror.

And from the summit of Tiandu Peak, a sword light burst forth, thousands of times more swifter than thunder or lightning, tearing through the night sky like heavenly judgment.

One Sword from the West!

“The Bloodfeather Spirit Sword!” That thought barely had time to flash through Yin Wanderer’s mind. Her body shifted just a hair’s breadth. And even that wasn’t enough.

The sword qi ripped through her body.

Starting at her right shoulder, it cleaved downward past the nape of her neck. Shoulder Her shoulder blade and spine snapped with a crack. The erupting sword qi even tore through the front of her throat. Just a fraction more, and her head would’ve flown clean off.

A massive spray of blood burst forth, mingling with the severed ends of her three-thousand strands of jet-black hair. They fluttered gently in the air, caught in the final whisper of momentum.

Only then, under the resistance of flesh, bone, and sinew, did the sword strike falter, if only slightly.

In that split second of pause, Yin Wanderer whipped her arm around like a thunderbolt and grabbed hold of the flying sword. Ignoring the deep gashes its unmatched edge carved into her hand, she clenched tightly; and with one fierce squeeze—crack!—the sword shattered into fragments.

So this isn’t Blood Fiend Soul-Crushing Annihilation Formation after all, she thought coldly. It’s the Bloodfeather Spirit Formation. A formation hidden within a formation… Now that’s a clever move.

Still… She cast a glance around, blood dripping freely. Fighting on someone else’s home turf really is unsafe. This ‘Bloodfeather Spirit Sword’ should have been prepared for Zhong Yin. Wei Bufan sure keeps his secrets close.

Even as these thoughts raced through her mind, her arm moved skillfully back, her thumb pressed against the major artery in her neck, right along the wound. It was as if some invisible glue clung to her fingertips. Everywhere it passed, the bleeding stopped instantly.

The injury to her spine, however, wasn’t so easy to deal with. Even with her abilities, all she could manage was to stabilize it for now. For the next few days, any reckless movement would be out of the question.

While she applied pressure to her shoulder, her gaze had already shifted toward Blood Wanderer. She truly hadn’t expected this. Blood Wanderer, the one who always chased the thrill of battle, had actually pulled a move like that. Just like how she’d kept her own mastery of close-quarter combat hidden… only, this time, Blood Wanderer had outdone even her.

A cold, bitter smile tugged at her lips, but then a rush of heat welled up in her throat. She coughed violently, a spray of blood bursting from her mouth. In that instant, she knew. She no longer had the strength to fight Blood Wanderer for victory.

When the Bloodfeather Spirit Sword had torn through the sky, all the resentful souls and dark energies within a hundred-li radius had been sucked into it like a whale gulping down an ocean. That immense malice and spectral rage had compressed themselves into the slender blade.

As the sword had torn through flesh, countless shards of sword qi had already invaded her body, dragging malevolent spirits and foul qi along with them. Now, they rampaged inside her, wreaking havoc in every direction. Just this one wound alone would take years, maybe even decades of secluded cultivation to recover from.

If the sword wasn’t this devastating, how could Blood Wanderer dare use it as his trump card against Zhong Yin?

What she needed now wasn’t to stop Blood Wanderer from taking advantage of this moment—but to run. Run for her life. In this condition, once he turned back toward her…

What the hell?

The scene before her caused her eyes to widen.

....

Right when the Bloodfeather Spirit Sword tore open the night, the Blood laughed aloud without any attempt to hide it. There was no need to look back; he knew the strike, prepared especially for Zhong Yin, would absolutely prevent Yin Wanderer from escaping unscathed.

Still laughing, he closed the distance to within mere dozen steps of the Shapeshifting Yin Pit. His eyes swept the area. Once he locked onto his target, he sprang forward, ready to seize it.

That was when his seasoned instincts, honed over countless deadly encounters, screamed danger.

Too late.

His foot had already stepped into a space far too clean, far too orderly. It should never have been there.

Qing Luan’s eyes snapped open.

Her long-suppressed killing intent exploded into a storm of fury so intense it made it hard to keep one’s eyes open, and it erupted with a thunderous blast!

A single, simple hand chop, yet it carried Qing Luan's boundless fury and killing intent. Combined with the innate divine strength of a celestial bird, it came crashing down like a thunderclap, swift as lightning, straight to his chest.

Even with all his cultivation, Blood Wanderer had no time to dodge. His body reacted on instinct alone, swinging an arm in defense.

But it was too little.

A bone-shattering crack rang out. The arm he raised to guard himself snapped, splintering inch by inch. The force slammed into his chest, and with a sickening crunch, half his ribcage gave way. Splintered bone drove deep into his organs.

Worse still, Qing Luan’s searing true breath surged into his body along with the strike. In the blink of an eye, it clashed head-on with his own, a violent collision that, while failing to breach his final line of defense, the overwhelmingly powerful impact immediately struck him so hard that he suffered internal injuries to his five viscera and seven organs, leaving his condition in a complete mess!

He let out a furious roar.

The Crimson Ghost Chain in his hand responded with a hiss like a serpent, lunging forward in a feint-turned-savage-whip strike.

But Qing Luan was already running on fumes. That one devastating strike had drained her, and her wounds flared up anew. She couldn’t muster another wave of strength.

If that cursed weapon, tainted with countless vengeful spirits and foul energies, landed even a glancing blow, even if she somehow managed to escape with her life, she wouldn't want to live anymore.

Even with her usual pride and icy composure, her face had gone pale. She could only muster what little strength she had left, casting her true breath outward to barely deflect the incoming cursed weapon. The moment it was diverted, she coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed, drained of all power, unable to rise again.

The Crimson Ghost Chain stalled midair from Qing Luan’s deflection. Its master had just suffered a severe blow, and the chain, losing its connection to that once-flawless control, moved sluggishly, needing a moment to recalibrate before launching another attack.

But in that single, fleeting pause, a crimson light burst from within the Shapeshifting Yin Pit. It shot out like lightning and slammed into the chain’s midsection with immense force.

The blow was so powerful that even the Crimson Ghost Chain, a weapon honed and nurtured through countless battles, couldn’t withstand it in its weakened state. It was knocked straight out of the air and crashed heavily to the ground.

Everyone present had sharp eyes, and in that instant, they recognized the red blur for what it truly was. On the side, Blood Wanderer, busy trying to suppress his worsening injuries, couldn’t help but let out a rare cry of despair.

How could he not recognize that little monster?

It was none other than the Bloodkiss. Yes, that Bloodkiss whom he had imprisoned beneath Lake Qin for a whole year to refine the Crimson Ghost Chain and boost its might.

Thinking of the Bloodkiss’s vicious appetite and its vengeful nature that never lets an offense go unpunished, Blood Wanderer suddenly felt dizzy. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

With a sharp, piercing sound that grated on the ears, the Bloodkiss let out a shrill cry. In that instant, the Crimson Ghost Ghost Chain lost all connection to its master, its glow fading rapidly just as the Bloodkiss opened its jaws wide and sank its teeth into it.

The moment its fangs clamped down, a terrifying corrosive acid surged from its mouth into the weapon’s core. Then came a twist; those fangs, as sharp as any divine blade, wrenched with terrifying force.

And just like that, the legendary Crimson Ghost Chain, a peerless demonic weapon that had followed Blood Wanderer for thousands of years, unmatched across the Tongxuan Realm, was torn clean in two.

The countless imprisoned vengeful spirits trapped within it erupted in a chorus of desperate, agonized wails.