The Forbidden Path to Immortality

"Oh, nothing much. Just came to have some fun," she replied, her excitement clearly fading now that the food was gone. She looked a little deflated, even listless.

Letting out a yawn, she propped her chin on her hand. Her charming face took on a faint look of boredom. "Got tired of being cooped up at home. Thought I'd wander around the mortal realm for a bit... but it's still just as dull as ever!"

If that's really all it is, that'd be a relief… Li Xun thought to himself.

Outwardly, though, he kept a serious and devoted expression. "In that case, let me be your guide, Senior Sister. I'm sure I can find something fun for you to do."

That got her attention. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands as she stood. "If you really can, I'll give you another little treasure from my collection!"

Li Xun thanked her quickly, secretly letting out a breath of relief. Whether he profited or not didn't matter right now. What mattered was getting on her good side. That, at least, would help him satisfy the two Wanderers for the time being.

....

The next morning, a stroke of unexpected fortune hit him like being dunked in honey. The sheer luck of it made Li Xun a little nervous. How could something this good just fall into his lap?

His hands trembled as he held the bead. A smooth, dark-gray stone, polished to a subtle shine.

Heavens, was he dreaming?

On the surface, it looked like a dull gray stone. Nothing special at all. But when he focused his "Heaven's Eye" on it, the outer shell turned transparent, revealing a swirling mass of dust and mist energy sealed within.

Li Xun pushed his spiritual sense inside. But just as he brushed against the outer layer of the mist, a chilling wave surged back at him. It wasn't just cold, it carried tiny ice-like shards that stung with every touch. The moment it hit, he felt like his lungs were being scoured by a thousand grains of sand. He couldn't help but cough violently, hacking like someone who'd just inhaled a mouthful of freezing ash.

It nearly choked him, but he still couldn't stop laughing, laughing hard.

Coughing and laughing at the same time, his body curled up as he struggled to breathe. Only after a long while did he finally calm down. But the moment he looked at the stone again, that wild excitement surged back.

It was real. It was really that bead!

The little "trinket" Lin Wuyou had casually gifted him turned out to be a fairly well-known magical artifact in the Tongxuan Realm—the Dustwind Pearl.

To most cultivators, it was a middling third-rate minor item, very suitable for someone of his level. Nothing too powerful. But what Lin Wuyou clearly didn't know was that, within the Shadow-Devouring Soul, this bead had another name and it's the Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl. One of the Thirteen Strange Treasures of the Tongxuan Realm.

In other people's hands, the Dustwind Pearl was barely worth a second glance, used only by low-tier Yin cultivators. But to the cultivators of the Shadow-Devouring Sect, this stone bead is a great extraordinary treasure, on par with the Sect Master's Command Token!

And now, this treasure had been tossed to him like a dog treat by a clueless young lady.

Was this really fate at work?

Clutching the bead tightly, Li Xun slapped himself twice across the face just to calm down. He took a few deep breaths, then sat cross-legged, pressing the bead against his chest.

First, he carefully checked the area. The servants and maids he'd warned earlier were all keeping their distance. The only real potential trouble would be the two Wanderers... but he didn't have time to worry about that now.

He used the Soul Shift Rebirth technique, transforming his true breath into NetherYin Qi, and let the bead slowly rotate in his palm, searching for a hidden secret node. Once he found it, his pinky finger pressed against it, and a long stream of arcane incantations flowed through his mind.

At first, it was somewhat difficult, but as he grasped the essence within, the qi in Li Xun's body rolled like pearls. Centered on the Yellow Court in his chest, it pulled on hundreds of qi pathways, spreading and transforming. Then, under the control of his spiritual sense, it drilled straight into the stone bead.

There was a soft hum. Li Xun's body shuddered.

In that instant, he'd fully connected with every sensing point within the stone bead, triggering a resonance.

A faint vibration followed. Li Xun's hand quivered, and the bead slipped from his palm, floating into the air. Its dull outer shell began to fade, gradually revealing what lay beneath.

To his surprise, there was another bead inside. No larger than a thumb. It was wrapped in thick, swirling mist. As soon as Li Xun infused it with his NetherYin Qi, it began to glow.

At first glance, it seemed like a faint gray-white glow. But looking closer, it was like thousands of overlapping layers of firelight—impossible to see through, yet the more he stared, the more it pulled him into a dizzying daze.

Its glow followed a strange rhythm, pulsing in harmony with the true breath in his own body. And in that very moment, Li Xun's cultivation in NetherYin Qi advanced by another step.

He exhaled long and slow, withdrawing his divine sense and true breath. The bead's light faded, and it returned to its ordinary, unassuming form. It had only been a few breaths of time, but the mental exhaustion it brought on rivaled the worst of his recent battles. His whole body was drenched in sweat, and he felt completely spent.

But it was worth it.

He gave a quiet chuckle and tucked the bead away safely against his body. He hadn't felt this good in ages.

His spirits lifted, and with it, so did his courage. He felt ready to face the two Wanderer again.

By the time he stepped into the palace again, night had already fallen. Warm light spilled from the lamps of Lanxie Courtyard, and the soft fire from the brazier cast a warm glow through the curtains. But Li Xun's heart was like a blade of ice.

Inside, he paid his respects to the two Wanderers first. Only once the formalities were complete did he begin reporting everything he'd learned about Lin Wuyou and her companions. He even pulled out the treasures she'd gifted him and offered them up for inspection.

His openness left no cracks to exploit, and it bolstered his confidence.

So these two weren't as impenetrable as he'd thought!

Knowing what they cared about most, he started explaining everything he'd observed about Qing Luan. From her gestures to her temperament, along with his personal impressions. Nothing was left out.

At last, he gave his conclusion.

"In my opinion, these people really are just passing through. They don't pose any threat to either of you, honored masters."

"You're not wrong," the Yin Wanderer replied with a faint smile, then turned to look at the Blood Wanderer. "Wei Bufan, what do you think?"

Blood Wanderer let out a low, sinister chuckle; his laughter brimming with ruthless, bloodthirsty energy. He only said four chilling words: "A heaven-sent opportunity!"

Li Xun's body gave a visible shiver. He could tell now that both of them had murder in their hearts.

He didn't understand why they were targeting Qing Luan, but one thing was clear: the moment those two started fighting, he needed to get as far away as possible. Fast.

Because if not… three True One-level grandmasters going at it? The entire Songjing City wouldn't even be enough for them to tear apart.

As he was quietly plotting his escape, a sudden chill ran down his spine. What the hell? What was that?

In that instant, it felt like he'd been locked onto by some wild beast. It was the exact same feeling he'd gotten when those two were talking about the "Primordial Embryo Dao Body!"!

His neck stiffened. Out of the corner of his eye, he tried to sneak a glance at the two Wanderers, but couldn't tell which of them was watching him. Either way, whoever it was, it couldn't be anything good.

Cold sweat began to bead on his back. He was just about to find an excuse to slip away when the two of them beat him to it.

First, Blood Wanderer vanished with a soft, eerie laugh. A moment later, Yin Wanderer stepped out through the door.

Li Xun was a little stunned. Wait, was it starting already?

He quickly turned around and asked, "Master Aunt, what are you...?"

Yin Wanderer looked back with a calm, even gentle smile, not a trace of malice. "For the next few days, be a good host to our guests. But keep your mouth shut. Understand?"

What else could Li Xun say? He just nodded furiously.

Yin Wanderer lifted the curtain and walked out. The cold wind outside barely had a chance to slip in before it was swallowed up by the warmth inside the room.

Li Xun stood there dazed for a long while, still thinking about how to get away. Then he heard footsteps behind him.

Turning around, he saw Consort Qin walking over with three teacups in her hands. His heart gave a sudden jolt.

This was the first time he'd been alone with her since learning who she really was. That feeling of dominance, of holding her life in his hands, it was long gone. What replaced it was a deep, bone-chilling fear. And the worst part? He still had to pretend to be strong, playing the clown in front of her, putting on a ridiculous show.

Consort Qin approached, head slightly lowered. Beneath her gentle demeanor, there was a natural grace and poise that couldn't be faked. She walked up to Li Xun and offered him a cup of tea. He reached out to take it, barely managing not to let his hand shake.

Then, she took a step back, putting a safe distance between them, just like she always had.

Li Xun stared at her, unable to stop the questions rising in his mind again.

Even though he now knew exactly who she was, someone who could easily kill him a hundred times over, when they stood face to face, her mannerisms, her behavior, nothing seemed out of place. She was still the same: elegant, cautious, intelligent, and fragile.

Li Xun watched her, hiding all his calm and cautious probing beneath a façade of passionate longing. Then, as he looked around, he suddenly realized someone was missing."Where's Gu Piner?" he asked casually.

"The National Preceptor took pity on her frail health and told her to rest outside," Consort Qin answered softly. "She really was exhausted, truly…"

Even with Li Xun's current state of mind, he couldn't help but blush a little. What Consort Qin had just said was basically a thinly veiled jab, suggesting that he and Yin Sanren had been way too outrageous these past few days. If Li Xun didn't already know her true nature, he might've actually believed she was feeling some kind of sympathy, trying to stick up for a fellow "sufferer" in her own quiet way.

What a move.

Li Xun gave her silent praise, then downed his tea in one gulp. The scalding liquid steamed through his chest and belly like mist. And with Consort Qin standing there, so demure, so delicate, his courage started to swell.

A sudden flash of insight shot through his mind, and the solid, reassuring presence of the Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl on him gave him the drive to turn his thoughts into reality.

It all happened in a blink.

He reached out and grabbed Consort Qin's shoulder. The sudden roughness made her flinch. Then, with a look of irritation, he swept the tray from her hands and sent it clattering to the floor. Her startled cry hadn't even finished echoing before he scooped her up in his arms and strode straight toward the bed.

Everything seemed just as it had always been. Consort Qin was still that pitiful figure who couldn't endure humiliation, yet had long since resigned herself to fate. Her delicate face was painted with pain, yet somehow laced with a hint of yearning, that mix of contradictions only adding to a kind of allure no man could easily resist.

But in this moment, what Li Xun felt was a chill running bone-deep.

It wasn't because he had seen through her act, no, quite the opposite. The real reason that icy dread crept into his heart was because he couldn't see through her at all.

Even though he thought he had already made up his mind about her, now, no matter how closely he watched her every expression, every detail of her face, he couldn't find a single crack, a single tell.

And it was then that he truly understood just how dangerous the beauty beneath him really was.

But that thought flashed through his mind only briefly. In the next moment, he let himself—half earnestly, half deliberately—sink into the warmth of Consort Qin's body. She, too, responded just as she always did. In less than half an hour, she could no longer endure the intensity and began to slip into a dazed, half-asleep state.

It was then, with a low chuckle, that Li Xun took something out. And without warning, he pressed it lightly against her most intimate place.

The sudden chill made Qin Fei shiver. Her eyes snapped open.

Her eyes flickered with a mix of confusion and fear. Even though he knew it was all an act, Li Xun couldn't help but feel a surge of wicked delight. He let out a low chuckle. "Don't be scared," he said. "Let's see if it can really fit."

A look of fear and desperate pleading spread across Consort Qin's face. Rarely did she ever speak during intercourse, but this time, her voice trembled as she murmured, "Master…"

With a sudden surge of force, he pressed the Dustwind Pearl inside.

Before she could finish, Li Xun's laughter abruptly stopped. With a sudden force, he pressed the Dustwind Pearl inside. Consort Qin let out a sharp cry, her body curling up as she writhed and struggled on the bed. Her lotus-pale cheeks were already streaked with tears.

Seeing her like this, Li Xun actually felt a strange surge of pleasure rising deep inside him, his desire spiking even higher. Laughing heartily, he pulled the trembling beauty into his arms and grinned. "Well then, shall we go another round?"

He didn't stop until Consort Qin had blacked out over ten times, her breath so faint it was barely there. Only then did Li Xun finally stop, digging out the precious pearl. He leaned close to her ear. "Is that more to your liking?"

Consort Qin couldn't even open her eyes by now. At the sound of his voice, she could only turn her head ever so slightly, and let her silent tears fall.

That look she gave could've melted the coldest heart, but not Li Xun's. He wasn't buying it. He rolled the precious pearl between his fingers, clearly pleased with himself, then held it up in front of Consort Qin's eyes with a smug. "What do you think of this little treasure?"

Consort Qin turned to glance at him, her expression clouded with sorrow. But the moment her hazy gaze landed on the pearl, a sharp glint flickered in Li Xun's eyes.

Almost simultaneously, a strange light sparked in Consort Qin's eyes. First surprise, then a flash of piercing cold intent. But it only lasted a heartbeat before the pearl erupted with layers of gray-white mist, overwhelming her completely.

Her gaze went blank. Though her body gave a faint twitch, Li Xun could feel the way her skin subtly resisted his touch, there was power there, a surge of raw force ready to erupt. It hadn't fully formed, but even that fleeting sense was enough to send a cold sweat down his back.

But in the end, he'd gambled right.

Caught completely off guard, Consort Qin had no time to resist the immense power of Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl. Under the influence of Li Xun's Soul-Driving, Spirit-Refining, Mind-Binding great technique, her will was now his to command.

Li Xun forced down a mouthful of blood. With his cultivation level, activating this treasure was still somewhat strenuous. He pressed it to Consort Qin's forehead, his fingers flying through hand seals. As the swirling light inside the pearl shifted in complex patterns, it tugged at Consort Qin's mind, bending her will to his own.

This was one of Heaven's Nether Yin Pear's most terrifying abilities: Mind Bewildering.

As the last incantation faded, the gray-white mist of the pearl withdrew, and its surface returned to that of a simple Dustwind Pearl.

Li Xun exhaled deeply and removed the pearl. Then, in a calm but commanding voice, he called out: "Wanru."

Light slowly returned to Consort Qin's eyes. Li Xun held his breath, a dagger clutched tightly in one hand, its tip resting right at her crown chakra. If she so much as twitched the wrong way, he was ready to strike without hesitation.

"You called me?" she asked softly, tilting her head, her eyes full of curiosity. No sign at all that her mind had just been taken over.

Li Xun stared hard into her eyes. Only when he saw the faint gray ring circling her pupils did he finally let out a breath of relief. The control had taken hold.

The gamble had paid off. He nearly shouted in triumph, but bit it back with effort. His strength of will was the only thing that stopped him from losing composure right then and there.