The Forbidden Path to Immortality-Chapter 249

“Oh, right, Hundred Ghosts, you must know about the Mist-Hidden Pavilion, don’t you? Luo Moshi and the others were quite certain that this hidden realm had fallen into your hands.”

Li Xun smiled, said nothing. That was answer enough. Yan Shuiyue let out a soft 'oh,' her eyes widening as she tried to fathom how he had managed to claim Mist-Hidden Pavilion for himself. Luckily, she was tactful enough to rein in her curiosity and steer the conversation back on track.

“Even though Romash’s plans are murky, Master reckons he’s got his eye on the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path. In other words, his real target is the old city of the elders. The mysterious Umbral City of the Dark Sea.”

“Umbral City?”

Li Xun raised an eyebrow. He’d heard the name before; it was famous enough. But apart from both being part of the Heavenly Grottos and Forbidden Lands, what link could there possibly be between Mist-Hidden Pavilion and Umbral City?

“Huh? You mean you don’t know the story behind the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path?” Yan Shuiyue looked genuinely surprised. “If you don’t even know that, how did you manage to enter the Mist-Hidden Pavilion?”

Li Xun’s face darkened. Yan Shuiyue noticed immediately and slapped on a quick smile. “It’s not in most of the official books,” she said, a little too quickly. “I only stumbled across it while reading some miscellaneous texts…

“You know the previous master of Mist-Hidden Pavilion, right? He was the grandmaster of the Unspoken Sect two generations ago. Qu Zhuoyu... his cultivation was so profound, and he was well-versed in Forbidden Techniques. People say he loved to travel. They say he was the last person in this world to travel through all six of the Great Forbidden Lands.

“Places like the Star River, Cold Isle, the No Return Land, and the Heavens of Regret... dangerous as they are, can still be crossed if you’ve got enough strength.

“Mist-Hidden Pavilion was his home, so that doesn’t really count. But the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path, now that’s something else. They say it’s even more well-hidden than the Mist-Hidden Pavilion. And with one of the Seven Great Demons, Elder of the Azure Emperor, living there... For him to have gone there and come back alive… now that was truly remarkable.”

Li Xun hummed to himself. Yan Shuiyue’s words had flagged something important. He thought for a moment, then clapped his hands. “Hold on, wasn’t the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path supposed to be the only way to reach Umbral City?”

“Yes!” Yan Shuiyue nodded hard. “If Qu Zhuoyu made it through the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path, there’s no way he forgot Umbral City. They say he didn’t just make it there; he even drew a detailed map for anyone brave enough to follow.

“Even better, with this map, we might be able to bypass Elder of the Azure Emperor entirely and reach the place directly!”

“So that’s it!” Li Xun’s eyes lit up. Then they went dim. “But… I never saw that map at Mist-Hidden Pavilion. Not a scrap, not a hint. Maybe the legend’s wrong… huh?”

Something felt off. Li Xun’s eyes sharpened, scanning Yan Shuiyue’s face. The corner of his mouth twitched.

“Yan, are you sure there’s nothing… romantic between us?”

“What did you just say?!” Yan Shuiyue’s cheeks flushed bright red. His teasing words had clearly set her off.

“No? Then why are you going all out explaining everything, like I wouldn’t understand?” Li Xun’s lips curved into a half-smile as he leaned in, almost nose-to-nose with her. “Being this open with me… I must say, I’m flattered! Aren’t you just using me as your messenger?”

Yan Shuiyue’s face wavered. The little girl’s inexperience showed, plain as day. Li Xun noticed, satisfied, but didn’t push it. He just grinned and gave her soft cheek a gentle pat.

“Smart move,” he said. “If you knew you couldn’t outrun your pursuers, might as well spread the news far and wide. Give Luo Moshi a real headache. And with how fast word travels in the Tongxuan Realm, who knows? You say it today, and your sect might hear about it by tomorrow, right?”

Yan Shuiyue bit her lip and stayed silent. Li Xun didn’t get mad. He really wasn’t.

To be honest, anything that made trouble for Luo Moshi was fine by him.

Right now, Li Xun was just marveling at how clever and unpredictable this girl was. And, of course, thinking about the real heart of the matter.

The mysterious Umbral City of the Dark Sea.

According to old tales, long, long ago, Umbral City had been the holy land of the Tongxuan Realm. The greatest sect of its age. But something happened. A sudden catastrophe. The sect’s people vanished without a trace. Some said they were wiped out completely. Over the centuries, even the city’s exact location faded from memory, leaving behind only scattered legends whispered from mouth to mouth.

Compared to most, Li Xun actually knew a bit more about the city.

In the records of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, it was written that their founding ancestor, Nine-Hells Patriarch, once received his inheritance within Umbral City. With his unmatched talent, he went on to complete the Netherworld Record -- a classic of the cultivation world.

Which only showed one thing: even ruined, Umbral City was still basically a treasure trove for cultivators. No wonder Luo Moshi had his eye on it.

But… why make such a huge move over it?

“That just shows how little you really understand what’s going on!” Yan Shuiyue’s lips curled in a mocking smile, and she didn’t hold back. “Right there’s the difference between you and Luo Moshi. You’re only seeing the artifacts and secret techniques. What he sees is the flow of this world’s thousand-year fate.”

“Fate?” Li Xun frowned, unimpressed. He didn’t even have to fake his indifference. “You mean that whole talk about the north and south balance, or whateve...”

He stopped. And suddenly pulled Yan Shuiyue into his arms and slipped sideways into the shade of a nearby tree.

Even though it was nearly the end of winter, the southwestern forest was still thick with leaves and branches, offering cool shade everywhere. Hidden here, there was no way any cultivator flying overhead could spot them.

Li Xun squinted, watching the sky carefully out of the corner of his vision.

Several cultivators streaked across the heavens, their sword lights and auras all distinct. But not one of them belonged to the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect. What’s more, they were flying in a massive group, bold and noisy, as if they owned the place.

“Those Western Alliance brats,” Li Xun muttered. “They’ve gotten far too arrogant.”

Even though he had never felt much loyalty toward his sects, the sight before him still made his blood boil.

No wonder the Underworld Flame Yama had sounded so pessimistic. Ever since the Western Alliance formed, the pressure on the Tongxuan Realm, especially on the sects in the southwest, had doubled.

That kind of powerhouse could easily wipe out any nearby sect if it wanted to.

The cultivators in the sky shot past at high speed, barely even glancing down. Still, Li Xun felt a chill run through his scalp. Someone up there had swept the area with their spiritual sense. Thankfully, both he and Yan Shuiyue were skilled enough at concealing themselves to escape notice.

When the group finally passed, Li Xun leaned close to Yan Shuiyue’s ear. “Just how many people are after you?” he whispered.

“How should I know?” Yan Shuiyue said, still frozen by the sheer madness of it all. She hesitated, then went on. “Ever since Master learned Luo Moshi’s real aim, she didn’t want to cooperate. But Luo Moshi wouldn’t let us go. Master had no choice... so she claimed there were too many variables to calculate, and made Luo Moshi give some scraps of information about Umbral City and the Mist-Hidden Forbidden Path, just for reference.

“Turns out Luo Moshi had been gathering intel for quite some time. He even knew roughly where Umbral City might be. So my master asked to go observe it in person. That’s how we ended up detouring through the Underworld Monarch Sect, planning to head out to sea from there. Luo Moshi, meanwhile, stayed behind in the southeastern forest. No idea what he’s up to.

“At the time, the Endless Nether Lord of the Underworld Monarch went back ahead of us to make preparations. The only ones left with us were a group from the Bliss Sect and two masters from the Heavenly Demon Sword Sect. Because of that, I got the chance under my master’s cover to escape and head back to our sect to report what happened.”

Li Xun rubbed his chin, giving a few thoughtful hums.

By now, he’d more or less pieced together what had happened. Still, when it came to the mysterious workings of fate and destiny, he found himself feeling a little out of his depth.

Maybe only those old bastards who’d reached a certain level could really grasp the trick behind all this.

Some mysteries, however, were easier to grasp when they directly concerned your own fate... Li Xun glanced around, making sure no one was near. Satisfied, he let his voice stay casual. “So, when you said I’m caught in a ‘Three-Kill Formation’... was that supposed to be a curse or something?”

Yan Shuiyue pouted. Then suddenly realized Li Xun still had her pinned against him. Her face flushed. She wriggled free, smacking him on the chest a couple of times, scorn in her voice. “Scared now, are you? Hmph. At Water Mirror Sect , divining the heaven is our way of cultivation. We don’t lie about this stuff; that would ruin our cultivation. And with your aura showing so plainly… do you really think I could be wrong?”

Li Xun chuckled. “So what you’re saying is… I’m already a dead man walking?”

“I never said that. Even with a ‘Three-Kill Formation,’ who knows? Maybe you’ll manage to break through it, live a thousand years, and ascend to immortality or something.”

Yan Shuiyue was back to her usual sly self, not locking herself into anything. “The so-called ‘Three-Kill Formation’ sounds mysterious, but really, it just means three calamities rolled into one: the killing by others, the killing of oneself, and the killing from heaven.

“It’s rare, sure, but not unheard of. Throughout history, quite a few people have had it. Usually the ones who end up as those infamous, world-shaking villains. I only made it sound so bad because, well, you’re nowhere near that level of power. For someone like you, it’s a lot more dangerous.”

Li Xun raised an eyebrow. “So what you’re saying is, I just need to work hard and become a great villain. Then I might actually survive?”

Yan Shuiyue rolled her eyes. Still, this was exactly what set the Water Mirror Sect apart from ordinary sects. She gave a little smirk. “Well, I suppose that’s one way to put it. It all depends on whether your will is strong enough, your methods ruthless enough, and your insight able to keep up with your strength.

“Those bloodthirsty lunatics who just love chaos never last long. Only people like Luo Moshi... true masters who carve out their own path, can escape this kind of deadly formation..”

She paused, then added, “Of course, there is a safer route. If you still haven’t gone too far, there’s always the chance to turn back. Reform yourself, do some good deeds, and maybe earn a little cosmic forgiveness.”

Li Xun blinked, then grinned. “Like, say… letting Miss Yan Shuiyue return safely to her mountain?”