Chapter 268

Chapter 268: No Way Back

The true Qinan was both Li Hui’s substitute and a puppet of the Grand Xuan Lord.

Su Qing’er, looking disdainful, refused to leave, so the lord had no choice but to control the puppet to move forward, unaware that he brushed past the one who could truly bear his calamity.

“Hmph, finally gone,” Su Qing’er relaxed and poked at Li Hui’s bald head, saying, “If it weren’t for you, I would have dug out his eyeballs long ago. I’m going back to sleep; don’t bother me.”

Amid Rouran’s surprised gaze, Su Qing’er vanished without a trace.

“Hey? Where did she go? She vanished so mysteriously! Junior Sister, do you know this woman?” Li Hui’s acting was far more refined than Su Qing’er’s, having been tested by life and death. He startled the little nun, scrutinizing the surroundings with a serious expression before shaking his head, saying, “I don’t know. This girl should be called Su Qing’er from the Aofeng Sect; I heard she’s quite playful.”

“Forget about those details. Since Junior Sister is fine, let’s travel together on Xuantian Road.”

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead, Senior Brother!” Rouran felt delighted at the thought of “traveling together,” but she was bound to be disappointed; this Qinan was not the same as the other, and the path ahead was not Xuantian Road, but rather the Bridge of No Return!

As they stepped onto Xuantian Road, the scenery around them changed drastically. Towering mountains and ancient trees surrounded them; the sun and moon appeared like ink, with black and white on either side, and the terrain suddenly sloped downward. Distant silhouettes seemed to be submerged in ink, no matter how hard they tried, it remained indistinct.

Li Hui glanced around and followed a narrow path forward. Someone shouted from behind, “Little monk in front, can you move any faster? Clear this path quickly; we want to have fun at Soft Green Pavilion tonight!”

“Hahaha!” Disciples from all sects burst into laughter.

“Ah! I’m sorry! The young monk has a shallow understanding and is a bit scared since I just arrived here. Please, seniors, go ahead first,” Li Hui said, stepping aside as he saw figures rushing past. Upon reaching a distance of twelve steps, those forms turned into inkblots and the feeling of distance suddenly multiplied.

“Junior Sister, stay close to me! Don’t go beyond twelve steps, understood?”

“Rouran remembers!” The little nun noticed her brother’s serious expression. Being perceptive, she understood that Senior Brother had changed significantly and surely sensed something amiss; keeping her nearby was for her own good.

Li Hui activated the Heavenly and Earthly Arrays, feeling a chill sweep over him. Simultaneously, the Fortune Ascending Talisman was suppressed, and its responses grew sluggish.

About a stick of incense later, there was no one behind them.

The first person to reach the end of Xuantian Road would receive generous rewards, but Li Hui didn’t believe the Grand Xuan Imperial Court would keep its promises; the key was to stir the waters. This place truly carried the fortunes of the Grand Xuan, but those fortunes felt increasingly ethereal, existing in an unknowable form.

He initially wanted to use the Fortune Ascending Talisman to observe the national fortunes, but after attempts that yielded nothing, he had to change his approach and explore step by step. A gentle breeze brushed past, leaving behind spirit talismans upon the ground as his hands slipped into his sleeves, continuously forming seals. He measured the area, pursuing every slight fluctuation in energy!

As he walked forward, he spotted a pool of blood by the roadside, in which lay half of a corpse slowly sinking into the ink-like ground.

The blood was an extraordinary red hue. Li Hui’s eyes flickered as he raised his hand to launch two Blood Ignition Talismans. The two talismans collided in mid-air and exploded, sending blood sprays onto the corpse, igniting blood flames with a whoosh.

Within a radius of several dozen paces turned crimson, revealing many twisted black mists bound to the spot, intertwining blood vessels creating a terrifying scene.

At times, the black mists morphed into a sea of bones, then into a terrifying battlefield, and at other times, into a graveyard, where Demons and Specters thrived.

“Senior Brother, is this a bounded spirit?”

“If only it were. This is merely a projection of the evil residing within the territory of the Grand Xuan. It’s normal; disciples from all sects enter to cleanse the malevolence that has accumulated over time. But don’t you think there are too many of these evil projections? The fortunes of Grand Xuan are closely tied to these places; the lives of ordinary Concentrating Spirit stage cultivators are in jeopardy! Also, can you still see the way back?”

“The way back?” Rouran looked behind in surprise, discovering gnarled vines and old trees with cawing crows; where was the way back? Only desolation and eeriness remained.

“Let’s go, move faster! Otherwise, we’ll run into trouble.” Li Hui’s form flickered as he dashed forward, while Rouran, taken aback for a moment, found herself enveloped in mist as she sped ahead.

The speed was incredible, easily surpassing a hundred people. Suddenly, she heard screams and booming explosions erupting one after another from behind.

Rouran was astonished to see that her brother always managed to avoid danger a step ahead, so they only heard the sounds of peril without witnessing any real threat.

Li Hui used his Ideal Body to scout for a safe spot. The Blood Light was spreading, and Xuantian Road resembled a big knife, violently severing the fortunes of all sects, stirring winds as it brewed a tremendous force.

In just half an hour, Xuantian Road transformed into a blood path.

Disciples from all sects had already sensed something amiss and began utilizing various means to contact their sects, but they discovered to their dismay that none of it worked; they started banding together to fend off the malevolence.

Yet, the death toll continued to rise.

How easy was it to unite? They quickly distanced themselves from one another, and many golden boys and jade girls fell into the projections of evil; every step forward posed a deadly threat. If they couldn’t break free in time, their fates would be tragic.

These young men and women were of exceptional talent and had held esteemed positions in their sects, filled with pride. Who would have thought today’s calamity would turn them to ashes…

Rouran couldn’t bear to watch any longer, closing her eyes to pray earnestly.

About a stick of incense later, Li Hui suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.

“Woo woo woo…” A gust of sinister wind swept through, creating slight ripples in the air.

“Open the heavenly gate of eternity, how many return and how many come!” Li Hui gazed toward the path behind him, suddenly realizing: “I understand, the Longque Gate is the sacrificial vessel that suppresses the national fortunes; to meddle with the national fortunes, we must approach the Longque Gate, but it’s too late now! Since that’s the case, let’s push forward with all our might and see where the limits of these sect disciples lie.”

Rouran felt her body tense, as she began to accelerate frantically. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself soaring alongside her brother, easily sweeping away the encroaching shadows.

As they raced forward, the commotion around grew louder; disciples from all sects were engaged in battle. It looked like ink splashed into water, with vast black mists swirling, and at times, they saw doorways shatter as giant bony claws reached out to grasp the cultivators.

Crimson spread, and the sinister wind howled!

Demons and Specters, malevolence thrived!

A colossal bony claw reached for Li Hui. It was as if he had eyes behind his head, continuously disappearing and reappearing, gracefully avoiding danger.

In the distance, he spotted a green light moving forward, its figure clearly visible, unlike the hazy surroundings. The Ghost Blood Dress gleamed as Feng Du held a purple teapot, surrounded by at least a hundred young men and women.

Not far behind, Feng Du released a wooden mask, enveloping dozens of people in white light as they moved forward.

This sibling duo navigated through the area quite thrivingly, the Demons and Specters either dispersing as they approached or retreating from a stern rebuke, attacking other ghostly shadows.

“Senior Brother, let’s join the Heavenly Ghost Sect siblings!” Rouran, trembling with fear along the way, felt hopeful seeing the cultivators gather together.

“Not yet; just follow closely!” Li Hui stood with his hands clasped behind his back, an unusual expression on his forehead, his eyes flickering slightly. If he revealed the true situation ahead, it might frighten the little nun.