The Forbidden Path to Immortality-Chapter 97

When Li Xun woke from the unfathomable nothingness, the first thing he saw was Ying Cai’er and Ye Ru; both staring at him with a mix of shock and admiration.

Just as Ye Ru opened her mouth to speak, Ying Caier cut her off. Instead of asking how he was, the first thing she said was, "How did you do it?"

Li Xun just stared back blankly. "Do what?"

Ying Cai’er burst out laughing. Then, she fiercely grabbed him by the collar and said through gritted teeth: "Don’t you play dumb with me! That mechanism....how did you set it up? There’s no such coincidence under heaven!"

Li Xun kept playing dumb. "Senior Sister Ying, what are you even talking about? How long was I unconscious?"

She let go of him, and in the blink of an eye, her expression flipped from furious to sweet. "Fine, Hundred Ghosts; whatever the case, I’ve got to hand it to you. You win."

With a cold huff, she said no more. Ignoring Ye Ru’s struggle, she grabbed her and walked off.

Li Xun’s mouth twitched slightly, but he quickly calmed himself. He touched his chest. His broken bones were back in place and wrapped in a layer of healing gel. The recovery seemed to be going well. Putting the injury aside, he started going over the earlier plan in his mind, checking for any overlooked details.

Ying Cai’er had guessed correctly. From the moment he had faced Gui Wuzang, every development had been under his control. Provoking Gui Wuzang into attacking, pretending to be weaker, then the "counterattack while gravely injured," and finally the "accident"—every step had been planned in advance and carried out step by step.

On the surface, his plan seemed like he was avoiding drawing attention, trying to keep a low profile.

But if that had truly been his aim, he would never have agreed to Ying Cai’er’s request in the first place, nor would he have acted when Gui Wuzang showed up.

His approach was essentially suppressing in the open while promoting in secret.

Just think about it....if he couldn’t even fool Ying Cai’er, how could he possibly get anything past someone as sharp and seasoned as Madam Yan?"

The truth was, Li Xun had never planned to keep his head down within the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect.

The reason was simple: in a demonic sect like this, there was no room for weaklings to survive!

He only had to look at Ye Ru to see that clearly.

So, he had chosen to reveal his strength, just not in the usual way. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

In terms of true cultivation, even after undergoing 81 days of refinement by the Yin fire, and the constant nourishment from the Nethermyst Shadow Body, he was still slightly behind Gui Wuzang. If they had fought head-on, while Li Xun was confident he could win, it definitely wouldn’t have been as easy as it was now.

And this was exactly what made him valuable. As long as Madam Yan wasn’t a fool, she would see that.

As expected, about half an hour after he woke up, Madam Yan walked into his room.

Li Xun sat up slightly in bed and nodded respectfully. She smiled and, without hesitation, sat right on the edge of his bed.

"What you did was bold. But... well done."

She didn’t give him a chance to play dumb. And unlike with Ying Cai’er, he couldn’t act shamelessly. So, he said nothing and simply listened carefully.

She was clearly pleased with his attitude. "You handled things cleanly, which saved us a lot of trouble. Still, be careful. Lord Bishui is unpredictable. He never liked Gui Wuzang much, but still, you need to be cautious. He may try to trip you up inside the sect."

Li Xun gave a bitter smile and nodded.

She went on, as if genuinely concerned. "Two elders from the main sect are coming tomorrow to investigate what happened. They’ll probably question you. Just tell the truth."

She emphasized the words "tell the truth, and Li Xun understood. This was her way of telling him that she intended to protect him.

That was only natural.He had acted on Ying Cai’er’s "instructions", and she was Madam Yan’s prized disciple. If they traced it all back, it wouldn’t reflect well on her either.

Li Xun had already considered all of this before making his move. So, none of it surprised him. And he knew pretending otherwise would be pointless, since Madam Yan would see right through it, so he didn’t even bother.

She studied his face for a moment, then suddenly broke into a smile. "But you don’t really seem like the type to stand up for one of us women... Cai’er handled things poorly. I’ll have her come apologize to you later."

Li Xun gave her a strange look. "I wouldn’t dare. Senior Sister Ying doesn’t exactly strike me as someone who bows down to her juniors. Please don’t trouble yourself."

Madam Yan seemed to read something in his expression and smiled gently. "I’ve spoiled Cai’er too much. Getting her to bow her head won’t be easy. But then again, I don’t think you need me to stand up for you... because Cai’er simply can’t hold her own against you."

Li Xun smiled without saying anything, but the meaning behind the smile was clear.

If this were the Mingxin Sword Sect, acting like this would be asking for death. But here in the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, and especially with Madam Yan, it actually earned him respect.

"Looking at your face, I can tell you’ve put some effort into your appearance." Madam Yan’s sharp eyes flicked across his face. "There are a few disciples in the sect who are like you, but very few are as wise. At least so far, you’re doing well."

Li Xun knew exactly what she meant—it was basically telling him not to end up like Gui Wuzang.

Did he really have anything in common with that fool? Of course, if Madam Yan truly thought so, he’d be more than happy.

They chatted a little longer before she took her leave.

Li Xun could see it clearly now. She no longer saw him as just another disciple. She had started treating him as an equal.

On one hand, this was a good sign. It showed that Madam Yan truly respected him.

But on the other hand, it meant he needed to be more careful. Madam Yan’s respect was one thing; how he viewed himself was another entirely.

Becoming smug and losing self-awareness could be the path to death.

He stayed in bed for less than ten hours. Thanks to the spiritual medicine, most of his external injuries were already seventy to eighty percent healed. Around that same time, the sect’s investigator team arrived at Tenghua Valley to look into Gui Wuzang’s death. According to Ying Cai’er, the sect was taking this situation very seriously.

Gui Wuzang’s master, Lord Bishui, was there in person, along with two elders assigned full authority over the investigation.

But the real surprise was the arrival of the sect leader himself. Underworld Flame Yama, who hadn’t taken part in sect affairs for over a hundred years, had unexpectedly shown up. No one had any idea what his intentions were.

"This old man is dangerous. You’d better watch yourself."

Ying Cai’er didn’t exactly respect Underworld Flame Lord, but there was definitely a sense of awe in her attitude.

"Whatever you do, don’t try to play games in front of him. That man sees through everything."

This was already the third time in ten hours that she had stopped by to say something similar. Clearly, she was nervous.

Li Xun eyed her with suspicion. Was Underworld Flame Lord really enough to rattle her like this?

Knowing Ying Caier’s personality, there was no way she’d tolerate being doubted like that. In an instant, her usual pride returned. She gave him a cold, dismissive glance, as if saying he wasn’t even worth arguing with, then turned on her heel and walked out without another word.

Watching her go, Li Xun smiled faintly. He then straightened his clothes slightly, and went out as well.

At this moment, in the valley’s council hall, Underworld Flame Yama and the others were already waiting.

Outside the door stood two disciples who had arrived with the sect leader and the elders. One was named Ming Li, the other You Wusheng.

Just hearing their names made it clear; they came from the purest direct lineage of the sect. Otherwise, they wouldn’t carry one of the Five Ancestral Surnames of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect.

Compared to them, disciples like Gui Wuzang and even Ying Cai’er were at least a tier lower.

In terms of actual strength, Ming Li and You Wusheng were probably on par with the average second-generation disciples of the Mingxin Sword Sect. But compared to the level of the "Lianxia Seven Swords," they are quite a bit weaker. Li Xun believed that, with his current strength, if he faced them, he could probably escape unharmed.

As he stepped out, both of them immediately turned their eyes to him, quickly sizing him up. Then they exchanged a glance. Every move was done subtly, but not subtle enough to escape Li Xun’s notice.

Something stirred in his mind as he studied their expressions; beneath their cautiousness, there was a hint of satisfaction.

This... didn’t really feel like they were investigating a case at all!

"Junior Brother Hundred Ghosts, this way please."

This was Ming Li greeting him, and he was very polite.

His features were actually quite decent, but beneath his unusually pale skin shimmered a faint green glow that flickered in and out of sight. At first glance, it wasn’t too noticeable, but the longer one looked, the more his face seemed dark and eerie—like a green-haired jiangshi (zombie), sending a chill down the spine.

Li Xun knew exactly what that eerie glow was. It was a sign that Ming Li had cultivated the Jade Fire Flowing Crystal Curse technique to a very high level.

Standing on the other side, You Wusheng appeared far more normal by comparison. Like Li Xun, he practiced the NetherYin Qi, but his cultivation had long reached the level of Melting and Forging Void. In terms of sheer power, he was well ahead of Li Xun.

His face was ordinary, and his complexion still looked human enough, but his pupils were deep and unfathomable. Even deeper within, faint flickers of gray-white glimmers appeared and vanished intermittently.

You Wusheng didn’t say much; he just nodded quietly. But it was clear he was fairly friendly toward Li Xun. Seeing their expressions, Li Xun had a clearer idea in his mind.

As he stepped into the council hall, the first thing he felt was a piercing gaze sharp enough to cut him open and rip out his heart. Though the gaze vanished almost instantly, it was enough to send a cold sweat running down his back.

He instinctively glanced over but caught only a glimpse of a half-turned figure. The man had already averted his face, leaving Li Xun with nothing more than the sight of a tall frame clad in elegant light-green silk robes.

Lord Bishui? he wondered silently.

He quickly shifted his attention away. Right now, there was someone in the hall more important than Lord Bishui.

His eyes briefly swept across the hall.

Madam Yan gave him a smile. Nearby were two elders, likely the elders tasked with "investigating" the matter. Both looked stern but were actually pretty mediocre. Just by looking at them, it was obvious they were there to make up the numbers.

His attention finally settled on the main seat in the hall.

There sat a man watching him with a gaze full of curiosity.

Of everyone present, this man stood out the most.

So that’s the infamous Underworld Flame Yama?

Even though Li Xun had heard plenty about him before, seeing the man with his own eyes still gave him a jolt.

Underworld Flame Yama looked nothing like the commanding, larger-than-life figure you’d expect from the head of such a powerful sect. He was gaunt to the point of skeletal, with sunken cheeks and skin tinged a sickly bluish-black. His eyes were buried so deep in their sockets they almost vanished into shadow. He looked more like a walking corpse than the leader of one of the Nine Truths of Tongxuan.

Maybe before falling ill, he had been quite strong. You could tell from his extremely large bone structure. But now, aside from that frame, all that remained was rough, dry skin, hanging loosely over his skeleton, completely devoid of life.

The only thing that revealed how extraordinary he was were his deeply sunken eyes, so dark that you couldn’t tell their true color. Inside them burned a fierce fire and a cold, piercing gaze that seemed to look right through you. It was that look that made his power and sharpness impossible to ignore.

It was said that during the Forty-Ninth Heavenly Tribulation, he was struck accidentally by divine lightning. Though he survived, he had been left with an incurable illness that kept him bedridden ever since.

Normally, in a demonic sect like the Shadow-Devouring Soul, the sect master couldn’t hold their position long without authority to intimidate. No telling how many were secretly scheming to take the seat for themselves.

And yet, more than a century had passed since the Heavenly Tribulation, and the bedridden Underworld Flame Yama still firmly held the sect’s supreme authority. No one had been able to challenge his position.

That fact alone spoke volumes. His true power and cunning clearly ran deeper than anyone could imagine.