The Path of Immortality: Starts With Creating Water Bear Gu-Chapter 451: The Third Trial

After completing the Gu refinement process, Long Xuan finally stepped out from the spatial dimension.

Coming out at the right moment was better than coming out early — the portal to the Third Trial had just appeared, and more than half of the people in the great hall had already left.

Beside him, Zhu Jiuge had already opened her eyes and was standing in place, waiting for him.

“Let’s go!”

When only the two of them were left in the great hall, Long Xuan finally stopped dawdling and stepped into the teleportation gate leading to the Third Trial.

His vision shifted — Long Xuan found himself in a gloomy world.

The entire realm was dim and filled with thick yin energy, as if the sky was perpetually covered in shadowy clouds, blocking out all light.

Ahead lay a black forest, eerie and menacing. From time to time, cold winds swept through it, amplifying the atmosphere of dread.

This terrain gave Long Xuan a stifling feeling — clearly, this place was far from safe.

Zhu Jiuge stepped through the portal right after him. After taking in the surroundings, she frowned slightly and said:

“That ominous black forest ahead is a landscape never before seen. Clearly, like the first two trials, the Third Trial has also undergone unknown changes.”

“No surprise — this forest is extremely dangerous. But where there is danger, there is also great opportunity.”

“If we can traverse this black forest, we should soon see the Resurrection Flower.”

At the mention of the Resurrection Flower, a rare spark appeared in Zhu Jiuge’s eyes.

Long Xuan glanced at her with suspicion. He already knew the story of the Artifact Fanatic and understood the purpose of the Resurrection Flower. It wasn’t hard to guess that the Artifact Fanatic’s goal must also lie here — in this very Third Trial.

Zhu Jiuge was strong, but… could she really snatch the flower from the Artifact Fanatic?

“Do you know what dangers exist in the Third Trial of the River God’s Secret Realm?” Long Xuan didn’t rush forward. He wanted intel first.

Zhu Jiuge patiently explained:

“Just look at this sinister landscape — naturally, the danger here is ghosts.”

“Everyone who dies in the River God’s Secret Realm eventually becomes a ghost, endlessly cycling through reincarnation here, never to find peace.”

“These ghosts, having suffered eternal loneliness, are consumed with resentment. They long to slaughter anyone who enters this place, forcing their souls to stay and keep them company.”

“Let’s move quickly — there are others ahead of us clearing the path. If we’re too slow, we might lose track of them.”

Saying this, Zhu Jiuge smiled faintly and stepped into the black forest ahead.

Long Xuan followed closely behind.

He believed this girl had heaven-defying luck, and sticking close to her would guarantee safety — at the very least, his life wouldn’t be in danger.

Not long after entering the forest, they heard intense fighting ahead.

And not just in one place. At the very front, Jiu Kang and a group of Central Lands natives were engaged in a chaotic battle with a pack of vicious ghosts.

Cha Shan cursed loudly:

“Shui Wuqing, if you die, don’t drag us down with you! I know you still have some sanity left. We’ve been friends for so many years — are you really going to throw that all away?”

Upon hearing this, Long Xuan’s ears twitched — Shui Wuqing? Had he turned into one of these ghosts after dying?

Zhu Jiuge instinctively looked toward the battlefield.

“Hahaha… I died, and now I’m trapped in this sunless world for countless lonely years. Yet you get to roam free outside, enjoying life? It’s not fair!”

“If I must suffer, then none of you will escape. I’ll drag you all down with me — you’ll accompany me forever! Hahaha…”

With that, Shui Wuqing twisted the neck of a Gu King, whose corpse fell heavily to the ground as its soul was absorbed into the black earth — its destination unknown.

“You damn beast! I treated you well! And now you want to take your friends down with you? Are you even human anymore!?” He Jiong roared, eyes bloodshot.

“Shui Wuqing, we’ve never harmed you — killing us brings you nothing. Let us go. We promise to take care of your family if we make it out,” Jiu Kang pleaded, barely restraining his anger.

Though they were all Gu Kings, their cultivation realms had been suppressed in the River God’s Secret Realm. Shui Wuqing, now transformed into a ghost, was unaffected, and had become a rare and powerful Ghost King.

His power far surpassed that of any Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivator, leaving them no choice but to beg for mercy.

But Shui Wuqing’s ghostly mind had long been twisted — hating the heavens, hating the earth, unable to tolerate anyone else’s happiness. He would never let them go.

“Let you go? And who let me go? I won’t stop at killing you — I’ll kill everyone here! None of you will leave this place alive! Hahaha…”

As his crazed laughter rang out, another Gu King met a tragic end at his hands.

Long Xuan couldn’t help twitching at the corners of his mouth.

This Shui Wuqing is seriously twisted. Dead or alive, he’s a disaster. Wanting to drag everyone into the grave with him — what a menace.

Zhu Jiuge looked at the battlefield and sighed:

“The ancients who designed this secret realm truly understood human nature. In the Third Trial, they placed no restrictions on the ghostified Gu cultivators.”

“These ghosts are free to slaughter new entrants… or ignore them entirely. But most choose massacre, even knowing it brings them no benefit.”

“Their minds are deeply twisted. Miserable themselves, they want everyone else to suffer too.”

She frowned. The psychology of these ghosts still baffled her.

“They’re severely anti-social — killing anyone they see, like madmen. There’s no need to engage them. We’ll go around.”

With that, Long Xuan turned to skirt around the conflict.

But then—

“Going somewhere? Hmph! You carry my Dual-Yuan Heavy Water — hand it over!”

Shui Wuqing had sensed the aura of the Dual-Yuan Heavy Water and immediately zeroed in on Long Xuan and Zhu Jiuge, abandoning Jiu Kang and the others to fly straight at them, his face twisted with malevolence.

Watching the ghostly figure rush at him, Long Xuan frowned slightly.

Persistent even in death. Trapped here for eternity — what use does he still have for the Dual-Yuan Heavy Water?

Still, Long Xuan remained calm.

This path was chosen by Zhu Jiuge, and with her heaven-defying luck, any route she took would be safe, or at least not fatal.

If Shui Wuqing appeared on this route, that only meant he posed no real threat to them.

“Hmph! A mere ghost dares act wildly before me? You've lost your physical body — you can't use any spirit arts or physical techniques, nor control any Gu.”

“You’ve only just become a ghost — there hasn’t been enough time to even learn ghostly powers.”

“Coming at me like this? I’ll make sure you’re not even fit to remain a ghost — I’ll scatter your soul completely!”

As he spoke, a Gu flew out from his Insect Bag, crackling with white lightning.

Upon seeing the glowing insect, Jiu Kang and the others gasped in shock.

“That’s the legendary Reincarnation Lightning! Impossible — how can any Gu control the power of Heavenly Tribulation?!”

“Shui Wuqing is doomed. Lightning Tribulation restrains ghostly beings. Even as a Ghost King, he can’t possibly withstand this power!”