The Forbidden Path to Immortality
Chapter 87

Amid the grotesque crunching sounds, the Crimson Ghost Chain was finally devoured by Bloodkiss. Though it couldn’t stomach too much at once, it dragged the rest toward the Transformation Pool with its front claws to savor slowly.

The strange, gnawing noise stunned the two Wanderers and Qing Luan. But for Li Xun, it was like a slap back to reality, snapping him out of his euphoric daze.

Heaven truly had mercy. No matter how bold he was, never had he dared to imagine an outcome so flawlessly in his favor. So perfect, there wasn’t a single flaw to pick at.

Mutual destruction! All three of them injured and spent!

The Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl spun wildly dozens of times before finally calming his surging excitement. Nothing could bring him closer to victory than this moment. And Li Xun would not let this chance slip through his fingers.

Without hesitation, he assessed the battlefield in a flash, then burst from the water like an arrow. While the other two were still frozen in shock, he shot straight toward Yin Wanderer, several miles away.

Even in mid-air, he had already begun forming hand seals. His opening move: the deadly Void Severing Kill.

Powered by the seemingly infinite Nine Netherworld Earth Qi, this supreme-tier technique that, to Li Xun, had always been like a towering peak beyond reach, drew in nearly all the air within a li in an instant. Then, just as suddenly, it flooded the space with a rush of Earth Qi, thousands of times denser than normal air. With just a single wisp of Nine Netherworld Earth Qi as the spark, he gave it the slightest nudge.

Almost at the very moment Yin Wanderer first felt the first flutter of unease in her heart, hundreds of thousands of Qi mechanisms within the one-li radius were severed in an instant. No matter how sharp her senses were, within that one-thousandth of a breath of time, all she could perceive was utter nothingness.

That fleeting moment of emptiness was all the opening needed. What followed was a massive explosion that engulfed every corner, leaving the Yin Wanderer, caught off guard, no choice but to face it head-on.

Maybe the blast was a bit too wide, its force less focused. But what if, right after, a sword Qi technique called Nine Nether Soul Hunt was unleashed? How could she possibly withstand that?

She had barely managed to withstand the initial blast, by aggravating her internal injuries no less, when the razor-like sword qi slammed into her already-wounded shoulder.

The sword qi was brutally insidious. The moment it entered her body, it began scouring her bones and scraping her marrow, draining her essence, blood, and life force. At the same time, it tore through her muscles and ravaged her meridians. It was slippery and unpredictable, striking without warning. In the rush of the moment, she couldn’t mount a defense and was severely wounded again, deep in her lungs and heart.

With a feral howl, her scream echoed across dozens of miles, shaking the very air.

Well-versed as she was, how could she not recognize such sinister techniques? They were the unmistakable signatures of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect. Reflecting on everything that had happened today, connecting the dots, she was now certain that there was someone hiding in the shadows, just as cunning and powerful as she was, pulling the strings all along... waiting to reap the spoils.

That wasn’t even the worst of it.

What truly infuriated her was that it had been Blood Wanderer’s Bloodfeather Spirit Sword that left her so critically wounded in the first place, ruining all her carefully laid escape plans.

Even with a thousand techniques at her disposal, none could be used now. It was no different than having nothing at all. A grim realization settled over her: this might very well be the most brutal, most harrowing life-and-death trial she had ever faced.

Could she survive this?

Yin Wanderer was a peak-level cultivator. Her mind was sharp as steel. In the face of rage, she only grew calmer.

She swiftly reached a firm decision. First, she activated a hidden acupoint within her body. Then, gritting her teeth through the pain, she gave a faint lurch, as if attempting to break free and escape. Just as the surrounding Yin Qi came to intercept her, she pivoted mid-air and surged straight toward the Shapeshifting Yin Pit.

The figure lurking in the shadows hadn’t clearly anticipated that move. And she broke through cleanly.

“If you want to live, don’t do anything stupid!” Her voice was already hoarse, but that shout served as the clearest punctuation to the dire situation they now faced.

On the ground, Blood Wanderer let out a cold, dry laugh, finally giving up the reckless idea of striking Yin Wanderer while he was down.

Now safely landed, she joined up with the other two. Just moments ago, they were locked in a life-or-death struggle. Now, battered and bleeding, they stood side by side, clinging to survival. The irony couldn’t have been sharper.

Hoping the hidden player would suddenly show mercy? Or treat them differently? Ridiculous. In the Tongxuan realm, there’s only one logical choice to this kind of situation. Refine them all!

How laughable that just a short while ago, these two Wanderers had been plotting to refine Qing Luan into pills. And now? They were the ones at risk of being refined. Fate really does play tricks.

Fortunately, the three of them, though in dire straits, were no ordinary people. Despite lingering resentment, none of them were foolish enough to stir up trouble at a moment of life and death. They tacitly treated the past as if it had never happened, and with just a few quick words, reached a consensus on how to face the situation.

“Hold, retreat, scatter. The rest is up to Heaven!”

.....

Li Xun watched coldly as Yin Wanderer joined up with the other two. At this point, the final piece of his “grand plan” had clicked perfectly into place.

He still had a little more than fifteen minutes of his “expert time” left. But the closer he got to the moment of action, the more patient he became. The reason was simple: he only had one shot at this.

Given the current situation, Li Xun was almost certain he could walk away completely unharmed. If he wanted to, he could take his body and flee a thousand miles away, find a safe place, and live out the rest of his days in peace.

Unfortunately, his ambition, desire, pride, and that touch of stubborn madness, made it impossible for him to even consider such a path.

At this moment, his mind was like a clear, polished mirror, exposing the hidden depths of his soul with startling clarity. Everything buried deep within was laid bare before him, raw and unfiltered. Yet instead of shame, it filled him with a kind of intoxicated pleasure.

It was the thrill and rush of free fall, shedding every burden, casting off all pressure, as he plunged into the depths of a bottomless hell.

“Today, I either rise anew… or I die.”

The final moment came, calm and orderly.

Murmuring a long, complex incantation in his heart, he used his fragile divine sense to draw upon the strongest Nine Netherworld Earth Qi he could control. Guided by the Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl, he simultaneously activated all 108 Netherfire Beads buried deep underground.

This was the most powerful effect of the sealing technique. A technique he had never dreamed he could pull off with his current cultivation. Yet now, it unfolded as easily as turning a page.

He easily unleashed one of the most powerful effects of the restrictive formation, a high-level technique so advanced that Li Xun, with all his strength, wouldn’t even dare imagine attempting it.

At the same moment, the ground beneath the two Wanderers and Qing Luan suddenly flared with heat. Gray-white Yin Fire (Qi) surged up from below like the blazing flames of hell, instantly engulfing a ten-zhang radius.

Even though they had been prepared, the three severely wounded Grandmasters still found themselves struggling as the Yin Fire licked at them. Unless they suppressed it with their true breath, there was no way to extinguish it.

Fortunately, they managed to leap into the air just in time; but their robes and sleeves were left in tatters, scorched with holes. Yin Wanderer and Qing Luan's pale, icy skin showed faintly through the burned fabric. Yin Wanderer remained indifferent, but Qing Luan was mortified and furious to the point of wanting to vanish from the earth.

The next wave of attacks came without pause.

The ground below suddenly collapsed in large sections, revealing a massive, hollowed-out pit of unknown depth. In the darkness, it looked all the more sinister and terrifying.

What followed felt like a nightmare.

A tremendous suction force erupted from the black pit, swallowing all three of them in its grip.

Even Blood Wanderer, who had seen much in his life, couldn't help but groan the moment he recognized it: "The Weeping Ghost Pit of the Yellow Springs!"

It was one of the most terrifying techniques of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect. Not because of the The Weeping Ghost Pit of the Yellow Springs itself, which actually was just a prelude. But because of what came after: the true horror, the Ghost Path Through the Netherworld technique.

According to legend, this was one of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect’s core formation arts. It required at least three cultivators at the True Person level to activate. Once unleashed at full strength, it could draw the deathly aura of the Nine Netherworld Earth Qi up from the boundless depths below, draining all life essence within a hundred-li radius, turning the area into a desolate death zone.

Even the famed Zhong Yin, known as the number one sword under heaven, would choose to avoid it. What chance did they have, injured as they were?

Blood Wanderer, Yin Wanderer, and Qing Luan all turned pale. This wasn’t what they had anticipated at all. Could it be that the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect didn’t intend to refine them, but was going straight for the kill?

The three exchanged glances, each seeing confusion in the others' eyes. What did the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect have to gain from this?

Just as that thought emerged, the terrifying suction force abruptly vanished, providing the clearest answer of all.

The two Wanderers jolted and turned toward the Shapeshifting Yin Pit, but it was already too late. The murky waters showed no trace of Li Xun. Clearly, while their attention had been locked onto the "The Weeping Ghost Pit of the Yellow Springs," someone had taken the chance to whisk him away. They had fallen for it. Completely.

Qing Luan, still not fully understanding what was happening, began to catch on only when she saw the sudden change in the two Wanderers' expressions.

Li Xun's disappearance meant the only “human shield” the three of them could rely on was now gone. The enemy had no more reason to hold back. And the three of them were in serious trouble.

There was no way they could hold their ground now, and any plan to probe their enemy's limits had gone out the window. The mysterious "group of people” lurking in the dark still remained hidden in the mist, offering not the slightest clue to their identity.

Though the three of them were all strong-willed, the overwhelming disadvantage they faced inevitably began to shake their composure. The shift from being in control to being completely manipulated was the kind of blow that could drive even the steadiest mind to madness.

Just then, a low, chilling laugh drifted through the ruins like a cold wind. It echoed for a long time, then fell silent. After the last trace of sound faded, the ruins returned to an eerie stillness.

Even Bloodkiss, who had been gorging itself nearby, stopped mid-bite and turned to glance across the Shapeshifting Yin Pit.

That strange, mocking laughter was like a red-hot needle stabbing deep into the hearts of the three.

Blood Wanderer let out a low roar, his pride shattered. When had he ever suffered such humiliation in his life? But he also knew that if he lost control now and lashed out blindly, he'd only die an even more disgraceful death. The contradiction tore at him until he nearly wished he could smash his own skull in. As his rage surged, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.