The Forbidden Path to Immortality-Chapter 258

Without bothering about the long-awaited reunion drama playing out below the cliff, Li Xun and Shui Die Lan slipped away silently. In the blink of an eye, they were already over a hundred miles away. Only when they found a quiet, secluded spot did they finally come to a stop.

Shui Die Lan was a wreck. They hadn’t gone far before her face went pale. The moment they halted, she sank to the ground, legs crossed, gasping. Breath came in harsh, jagged bursts, and it took her several tries just to get a grip on herself.

“Luo Moshi’s Heaven-Wounding technique… its reputation is well earned!” she gritted her teeth and laughed. Not a happy laugh. You could tell she hated Luo Moshi down to her bones.

“He got the better of me this time... fine, I’ll admit it. But next time it’ll be my turn to set the trap. Hmph. He’d better pray I never find out when he’s facing his next tribulation!”

Li Xun twisted his mouth at that. In the Tongxuan Realm, this was pretty much the lowest, pettiest kind of revenge there was. For Shui Die Lan to swear vengeance like this, she must have suffered a serious loss. Still, he couldn’t figure out how Luo Moshi had known she’d be heading for the Southeastern Forest Sea anytime soon.

While Shui Die Lan was resting and adjusting her breath, Li Xun finally brought it up.

She frowned, hesitated a moment, then answered him directly: “Because the person Luo Moshi ambushed wasn’t ‘Shui Die Lan’... it was ‘The Hundred-Illusion Butterfly.’ That’s all there is to it.”

“They’ve figured out who you are?” The words slipped out before Li Xun could stop himself. He knew something felt off about the question, but nothing better came to mind, so he added, “Did they… say anything?”

“Mm.” Shui Die Lan nodded. “It’s actually very simple. Anyone in the Tongxuan Realm with a bit of age and experience knows this. Piss off the Elder of the Azure Emperor, and you’ve basically pissed off the two of the great demons at once. Because… Elder Qing raised me.”

“Is that so?” Li Xun’s curiosity was instantly piqued. But Shui Die Lan didn’t seem too willing to go into it. She just said flatly, “Before I gained spiritual intelligence, I survived by collecting the spirit-flower-pollen and nectar from Elder Qing's body. That’s what helped me awaken early. Elder Qing really did give me a second chance at life. That’s all there is to it.”

Now this was a “demon’s secret backstory,” all right. Li Xun couldn’t help finding it a little funny, but at least he started to piece together the hows and whys. And in that moment, something clicked. He finally understood one of the things Shui Die Lan had been keeping to herself.

“So that’s why you were so interested in Mist-Hidden Pavilion... you were trying to protect the secret of the Forbidden Path, huh? Wow, look at you. Didn’t expect you to be the grateful-and-loyal type!”

Shui Die Lan looked at him. “Oh, please. Says the man I just saw go from scheming mastermind to raw-meat-eating, half-mad berserker. Truly impressive. Truly.”

The two sneering faces met. And came away bruised. Both lost.

And in a breath, they burst into laughter, their carefree, wild joy standing out even more on the empty, open plain.

For the moment, at least, they were no longer enemies.

Maybe they were still scheming against each other deep down. Maybe they would never reach the kind of deep bond a “married couple” was supposed to have. But right now, they were beginning to see each other as equals. And all the “sparks” between them were being sparked in that very process.

Li Xun sprang to his feet, then reached out to Shui Die Lan, who was laughing so hard she’d fallen onto her back. With a gentle tug, he pulled the beautiful butterfly demon up with him.

Shui Die Lan laughed so hard she lost her breath. After a couple of coughs, though, what came up was blood.

“…This Heaven-Wounding technique really is something,” Li Xun sighed.

The strange tension that had just lifted sank back with that drop of blood. He pressed a hand lightly to her back, ready to channel his true breath to check on her. But she swatted his hand away.

“My body isn’t like yours. Don’t waste your strength.”

Li Xun chuckled, not taking it to heart. But barely a moment later, Shui Die Lan suddenly grabbed his wrist. “Hmm? Looks like your body isn’t the same as before either, is it?”

Her true breath slipped into Li Xun. It circled through his body, and a look of surprise appeared on her face “What’s this?” she asked.

Li Xun calmly pulled his hand back. “That’s the price of cultivating Demonic Path,” he said matter-of-factly. “First thing it does is twist your body into something neither human nor ghost. But hey, maybe that works out; you're a demon, I’m a devil. Makes us a better match, doesn’t it?”

Of course Shui Die Lan could tell he was forcing a smile. But if she were the type to be tender and considerate… well, she wouldn’t be Shui Die Lan.

Whatever Li Xun was thinking, she had already bounced back to her usual self. A crooked grin tugging at her mouth. “People say,” she said, “that when Blood God Child is cultivated to its peak, you become ‘Blood Nightmare, Blood Demon, Blood God Child; Blood Heart, Blood Body, Blood Avatar.’ So tell me... what kind of ‘blood-something’ have you cooked up now?”

“There aren’t that many ‘blood-this, blood-that.’ The lines sound long, but they’re actually paired. Blood Nightmare matches Blood Heart, Blood Demon matches Blood Body, and Blood God Child matches Blood Avatar. The first of each pair is the outer form, the second the inner core. When they merge into one, that’s where the real secret of the technique lies.”

Li Xun found it odd. She’d taken the manuscript for Blood God Child herself, yet somehow still lacked the basic understanding. Still, he didn’t mind explaining; as a matter of fact, it gave him the perfect chance to sort out his own thoughts.

“Besides the essential ‘Unmoving Evil Heart,’ mastering Blood God Child method also requires passing five major stages: Body-Refining, Externalization, Shapeshifting, Doppelgänger, and Immortality. At this point… I should’ve reached the Shapeshifting stage...”

“Huh? That fast?”

“Yeah, way too fast. But fast is still better than being dead,” he said. But his face was dark, and you could tell she was in a rotten mood.

“The Yin-Transforming Pool almost dissolved every bit of flesh and bone off me. If it hadn’t been for Yin Wanderer... heh, I’d probably be nothing more than a puddle of Yin Jade Liquid by now, not even a scrap of bone left. At the time, the Body-Refining and Externalization techniques were completely useless. The only thing I could rely on was the Shapeshifting chapter to save my life. Right now… I’m basically stuck at the ‘Blood Body’ level.”

“‘Blood Body,’ huh? Pretty fitting. It’s like your whole body’s been rinsed in blood; your organs probably don’t even look like organs anymore. If I cut open that skin of yours, would the stuff inside just… gush out?”

“Hey, not funny!”

Li Xun dodged her sharp fingernails. “Are you sure you’re supposed to be seriously injured? Because you’re really not acting like it!”

She suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood. Li Xun’s eyelids twitched, feeling more than a little embarrassed.

Shui Die Lan didn’t blame him. She just drew in a deep breath, forcing the pain down for the moment. “This isn’t something that’ll heal quickly. I need time… quiet, proper rest. Best if I go to Mist-Hidden Pavilion. Hey, you're coming with me, right?”

“Of course,” Li Xun agreed right away. “After you rushed back thousands of li to save me, I—”

He broke off, his gaze fixed on her face. Shui Die Lan raised an eyebrow, puzzled, not sure what had changed.

A long moment passed before Li Xun finally smiled. He reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t realize things would turn out that badly. But… Madam's aid, coming all that way for me, I’ll remember that. Always.”

Shui Die Lan was smart, quick to catch on to what Li Xun had just realized. But what really held her attention was how he’d addressed her. She lifted her eyes, half-smile teasing, and pressed a hand lightly to his chest. “Well, well… impressive you even think of that. Mmm… your heartbeat’s a bit... ah!”

Li Xun had suddenly pulled her into his arms, and she gasped. Their bodies collided with a muffled thud. He held her tight. So tight she nearly couldn’t breathe.

His hot breath burned against the back of her neck; he was breathing hard. Almost panting. She fell silent. Because she realized something. The moment she stopped looking down on this strange man... a lot of things had already slipped out of her control.

She had a remarkably deep grasp of human emotions, yet when it came to Li Xun, that insight sometimes failed her.

Like now.

When someone as quiet and restrained as Li Xun suddenly erupted into a torrent of molten-hot emotion over the slightest spark, she couldn’t help but feel a little off balance.

All she knew was that whatever tiny spark had set off this storm of passion would retreat even further into hiding afterward. And of one thing she was certain of: that spark did not come from her.

So she fell silent.

Li Xun finally realized he’d lost his composure. Seeing Shui Die Lan’s uncharacteristic silence, he let go of her hand, a bit embarrassed, and tried to explain. “Uh… yeah, like you said, cultivating Blood God Child too fast makes it hard to keep my emotions in check. But… Madam, aren’t you going to fulfill a wife’s duty?”

The joke snapped them back into their usual rhythm. Shui Die Lan shot him a glare, then, taking in his current appearance, couldn’t help wanting to laugh. “You plan to escort me looking like that? Are you Spirit Bamboo or not? Hundred Ghosts or not? Or did you just want to try out a new identity for fun?”

“Just a temporary cover.”

Li Xun casually shrugged off his blood-stained outer robe, revealing a more lightweight outfit underneath. Frowning in thought, he said, “Hundred Ghosts persona is still supposed to be in seclusion. Showing up too early would just cause trouble. Better to use Spirit Bamboo. It’s a bit abrupt to suddenly appear in the Southwest, sure… but overall, it should be manageable.”

He was already channeling his energy, reshaping his face, and calling out Nether One. He took out all of Spirit Bamboo’s gear and was just about to put it on when Shui Die Lan suddenly barked, “Wait!”

“Hm?” Li Xun turned around. And suck in a sharp breath, his arm jerking back on instinct.

With a soft clink, Shui Die Lan saw something small and jade-like fall into the grass.

Li Xun stared at it for a long moment before opening his hand. His palm was scorched black.

Shui Die Lan understood instantly. She picked up the fallen pendant. Sure enough, it was one of Li Xun’s most precious treasures: the Jade Bixie.

He’d carried this remarkable magical artifact since he was boy, but now it had turned on him without hesitation, landing a heavy blow as if he were a total stranger.

Shui Die Lan let out a long sigh. “It’s over.”

Li Xun lifted his eyes, stunned. She gave a small shake of her head. “You can’t change back anymore. The signs of cultivating Blood God Child are way too obvious. Even if you take Spirit Bamboo’s face, you won’t be able to hide that reek of blood on you. And this thing…” She glanced at the pendant. “Don’t wear it again.”

Li Xun didn’t answer. He just stood there, dazed. After a long moment, he finally muttered, “No… something’s not right.”

Li Xun didn’t say a word. He just stood there, frozen. After a long moment, he shook his head. “No… that’s not right.”

“There’s nothing ‘not right’ about it,” Shui Die Lan said quietly. “Maybe this is simply the price you pay for staying alive. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If you try to take every advantage that comes your way, in the end, something even worse will be waiting for you.”