A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248

by Translator: Johnchen

  Han Li had learned all of this from rumors and ancient records of all kinds.

  It was said that at the other end of the Moulan Prairie existed an incredibly huge Great Empire. The entire Heavenly South Region wasn’t even as large as a tenth of it.

  Han Li found those rumors hard to believe and had difficulty imagining a country that was over ten times larger than the entire Heavenly South Region.

  Of course, all this had nothing to do with Han Li’s current plans. They were just random thoughts that had rushed through his mind.

  After he set aside his wandering thoughts, he eventually came to the conclusion that the Six Sect’s evacuation wouldn’t end within the nearby countries. They would definitely make a detour to the Nine Nations Union. After all, the cultivators of the nine countries had battles with the Moulan spell warriors every other year and a war every ten years. They would definitely welcome the Six Sects and provide them with great assistance.

  Naturally, the spirit veins and other such locations of value allocated to them would depend on their abilities.

  If Han Li were to return to Yellow Maple Valley, he would just continue to be cannon fodder. This meant he definitely couldn’t head south.

  Although he had already come to a clear answer on what he should do, he received a great headache once he thought about it again. First, he would see whether or not he could restore the transportation formation. If he managed to successfully repair it, he would then reconsider whether or not he would use it.

  ‘At best, I could return if I’m dissatisfied. At worst... Well, this option did hold a certain degree of danger after all!’ Han Li thought with a bitter smile.

  Chapter 359: A Surprising Encounter

  Having come to a decision, Han Li silently flew off the mountain.

  Later on, when the White Pond Mountain’s meeting convened, those Qi Condensation cultivators that had spoken with Han Li would be left baffled by his absence.

  Han Li first went to the Heavenly Star Sect’s market city to purchase the list of items that he would need to restore the ancient transportation formation. Then, he hurried off to the State of Yue.

  This time, Han Li didn’t take the direct route to enter the State of Yue. Instead, he circled around to a remote part of the border between the State of Yuanwu and Yue and stealthily entered through there. Now that the State of Yue belonged to the Devil Dao, he took steps to avoid entering dangerous territories to prevent having enemies pursuing him the entire way.

  But Han Li didn’t know that because of this precaution, he had unexpectedly avoided a crisis.

  Currently, the majority of the State of Yue’s borders were heavily patrolled. If Han Li had recklessly returned using his original path, he would have been unable to escape their attention, most likely leading to an unavoidable pursuit and battle!

  Having safely entered the State of Yue, Han Li hastily journeyed on routes through the most desolate areas he could find, allowing him to arrive at the spirit stone mine near the transportation formation unnoticed.

  Han Li stealthily observed the spirit stone mine from far away, as it had now fallen into the hands of the Devil Dao. He saw Devil Dao disciples wearing green and white clothing with either a dark green ghost skull or a pink peach blossom tucked within the corners of their sleeves. It seemed they were cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect and the Harmonious Bond Sect.

  Now knowing that the spirit stone mine was being guarded, Han Li stealthily slipped away and entered a nearby secret underground entrance.

  He was able to easily find the concealed cave he had previously collapsed. After using his magic tools to tear the stone away, Han Li was able to take another look at the damaged ancient transportation formation. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the ancient transportation formation safe and sound.

  During the following day, Han Li first used his newly acquired illusion formation flags to thoroughly conceal the secret location. Afterwards, he laid down the formation flags and formation plates of the Five Elements Reversal Formation, laying out a thorough defense for the cave containing the ancient transportation formation.

  This way, he would have enough time to easily escape, even if he was discovered by the Devil Dao cultivators.

  Freed from worry, Han Li started the transportation formation’s restoration.

  The jade talisman clearly stated that restoring the ancient transportation formation required the utmost precision. Even the slightest slant of an unremarkable talisman line could result in an error in the transportation formation.

  After spending an entire seven days, Han Li had only managed to complete less than half of the restoration. But that night, Han Li encountered a huge problem: he had already ran out of the supplies he had bought earlier.

  Han Li was flabbergasted! He had originally bought a bit more than what was mentioned on the item list, but he hadn’t accounted for the wasted materials from the mistakes he would make while repairing the formation.

  He was neither a tool refinement nor a formation spell master. As he was lacking in skill, he had wasted over half of his materials from errors and didn’t have enough left to finish.

  Han Li sighed. It seemed he’d have to go on another trip.

  However, he remembered that a small market town of some cultivator clan lay several days east of the spirit stone mine. Although it wasn’t large, items such as source iron and crystal jade could be found there. Since the core of the transportation formation wasn’t ruined, he would only require a few common materials to repair it.

  His only worry was that given the current chaos of the cultivation world, this clan’s market city might no longer exist! If this were the case, he’d have to travel to a more dangerous area.

  Under the cover of night, Han Li flew out of the cave and headed directly toward the market city.

  He had already decided that if the market city no longer existed, it would be best to return to the State of Yuanwu. He couldn’t afford to just ignore the fact that the ancient formation was only half repaired.

  To be safe, Han Li planned to only travel during the night. During the day he would find areas to rest and recover, keeping the danger to a minimum.

  In this way, Han Li continued to fly east under the cover of night. Whenever rays of sunlight began to appear off the horizon, he would search for a place to rest.

  But while he was gazing down from above, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly turned his head in another direction. Han Li faintly felt as if someone was quickly flying toward him and that they weren’t alone.

  Han Li reacted instantly by stomping on his Divine Wind Boat and flew downward. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared into the darkness of night.

  Just as he concealed himself and restrained his Spiritual Qi, a blinding light silently flashed by him like a bolt of lightning.

  Then a bloody cloud about ten meters wide relentlessly chased after it, releasing unending ghostly wails and howls as it flew past. A bit behind the cloud was a pink ray of light that released soft, clear cries which seemed to also be in relentless pursuit.

  Han Li, who was hidden in the mountain forest below, didn’t pay attention to the white light, focusing on the bloody cloud instead. He felt that the bloody cloud seemed extremely familiar! Wasn’t that the demonic art which had protected the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect?

  Having remembered the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master’s ferociousness and the hardships he had been put through, Han Li’s expression became gloomy.

  While Han Li was still in thought, those in the sky had hastily descended, and the white light in front suddenly stopped. The brilliant light then quickly faded away, revealing a white-clothed woman standing on a flying sword.

  This woman had a slender body and was wearing a cloak. As soon as she appeared, she coldly spoke to her pursuers, “Juniors, it appears you are unwilling to let me go. Could it be that you have a death wish?” The woman’s voice was cold and beautiful. When Han Li hear
d it, he nearly jumped in surprise.

  Greatly shocked, Han Li thought to himself, ‘Is... Is this Fairy Nangong’s voice? Is it really her?’

  Although he had barely spoken with this woman, after he had slept with her, she had become the most important woman in Han Li’s life. The memory of her had always remained clear in his heart. Also, while the voice sounded very much like Nangong Wan, it's hoarseness left him slightly doubtful.

  While Han Li was lost in astonishment, the bloody mist and that pink light had both stopped about forty meters away in response to her threats. The bloody and pink lights then faded away, revealing the people inside.

  The bloody cloud revealed the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master Wang Chan as expected, and the pink light revealed a man and woman that left Han Li dumbstruck.

  Dong Xuan’er wore a cold expression and appeared rather dignified. Her originally seductive appearance had completely disappeared at some point in the past. But what surprised Han Li more was that she had already cultivated to mid Foundation Establishment from early Foundation Establishment.

  When Han Li saw Dong Xuan’er standing by the demonic man’s side, he couldn’t help but tightly crease his brow.

  At the moment, the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master and the gorgeous man were coldly staring at the masked woman and revealed a trace of hesitation.

  Although Fairy Nangong had already fought with a Ghost Spirit Sect Core Formation expert and should be lacking in power, she had killed countless Devil Dao Core Formation cultivators while fighting for the Masked Moon Sect before. It wouldn’t be worth it if she were to go all out and end them all in mutual destruction.

  With that in mind, the two couldn’t help but look at each other, neither willing to act first.

  That strange, gorgeous man gazed at the masked woman with a slight smile, “If this were the past, both Senior Brother Wang and I would naturally flee at the mere sight of Fairy Nangong. But now… even if I wanted to let you go in consideration of the previous relationship between the Masked Moon Sect and the Harmonious Bond Sect, my Senior Brother Wang from the Ghost Spirit Sect would still be unwilling to let the matter go!”

  The gorgeous man spoke as if they were all on extremely familiar terms with one another and as if this were a matter they had already discussed, but he unapologetically pushed the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master in front of him to act as a shield.

  When Wang Chan heard this, he grew furious.

  But he wasn’t someone who showed emotion. He only coldly glanced at her before speaking calmly, “I heard that the Harmonious Bond Sect has a secret technique, the Art of Darkmoon Yin Absorption. A male cultivator can use it to forcefully absorb a portion of a woman’s Origin Yin through pair cultivation techniques. Although it doesn’t absorb much, with Senior’s Core Formation cultivation, it will be enough for this Young Master Tian to breakthrough his current bottleneck and reach late Foundation Establishment.”

  The gorgeous man’s expression paled slightly. He hadn’t expected that his reason for bitterly pursuing this woman without end had been seen through by Wang Chan. He couldn’t help but feel angered from the humiliation.

  At that moment, the masked woman shot them a resentful glare. She gritted her perfect teeth and spat out, “You’re all as bad as each other. Die!” She raised her hand and an earth-shattering white mist of swordlight shot toward them.

  When Wang Chen and the gorgeous man saw this, they both turned pale from fright. The next instant, they had turned into a bloody cloud and a ray of light, respectively, in an attempt to hastily evade the attack.

  Chapter 360: Halfway to Calamity

  Dong Xuan’er, who was standing by the side of the gorgeous man, was also enveloped by the man’s rainbow barrier. In an instant, the three had hastily flown back.

  A spiteful strike from a Core Formation cultivator was not something the three of them could endure!

  The swordlight filled the sky and closely pursued them for about forty meters before suddenly vanishing without a trace. At the same time, the woman’s slender body swayed as if she were about to fall.

  The Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master and the gorgeous man grew elated upon seeing this and turned their retreat into a charge.

  As Han Li watched on from below, his face stiffened and he subconsciously patted his storage pouch. The thirteen “Redline Shadowchaser Needles” flew out, and he quickly drew them back with his hands.

  Even if he were to put himself in danger, Han Li couldn’t allow Nangong Wan to wilt before his eyes.

  No matter how self-centered and cold-hearted he may be, regardless of whether or not he could contend with the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Young Master and the others, the entirety of his heart and soul urged him to act!

  Just as Han Li was about to act and release the flying needles to save the masked woman, the sky abruptly underwent a massive change.

  The previously wavering woman that was standing on the sword suddenly regained her bearings, and her eyes glinted with cold light.

  Wang Chan and the gorgeous man grew pale. They immediately knew that they had fallen for her ruse, but by the time they wanted to run away, it was already too late.

  The woman raised her hands and countless streaks of swordlight soared through the air and completely enveloped the three in blinding white light.

  When Han Li saw this, he felt relieved and loosened his grip on his flying needles.

  The sky shone with gray light from the masked woman’s swordlight. A bloody cloud and pink light tottered within it like a small boat in a surging storm. However, they still managed to painfully endure. In particular, within the pink light, the gorgeous man and Dong Xuan’er released a strange azure-red light from their hands, offsetting the swordlight’s attack.

  Han Li lightly wrinkled his brow and lowered his head in contemplation before silently disappearing.

  Meanwhile, the masked woman felt great worry.

  She was truly surprised to see that even though she had used a ruse to press the Devil Dao cultivators, her current attack was still unable to deal with the three.

  Not long ago, she had fought a great battle against a Devil Dao Core Formation cultivator. Her opponent had nearly succeeded in ending the battle in mutual destruction, depleting her magic power. Although she managed to escape further entanglements afterwards, her heavy injuries had been a cause for great concern.

  Even worse, her magic treasure which was inseparably bonded to her soul had suffered serious damage during the previous battle, leaving it unusable for the time being.

  Furthermore, because she was being pursued, she was forced to use a secret technique that greatly damaged her vitality to escape, forcefully drawing out a portion of her body’s potential to produce a sliver of spiritual power.

  Although she had managed to throw off the majority of her pursuers, she hadn’t expected that these three, who possessed exceptional Devilish Arts, would continue to pursue her relentlessly.

  Thus, she could only attempt to eliminate them. Otherwise, even if she were a Core Formation cultivator, she would be at their mercy once the effects of her secret technique subsided.

  The reason why she had stopped here was because her spiritual awareness had felt that there was a cultivator here. Although she didn’t know who it was, it was an undeniable fact that this person lacked the devilish aura possessed by those who used the techniques of the Devil Dao.

  Furthermore, this person was a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. Were he not a cultivator from a large clan, then he should be a cultivator from the other five allied sects. With nowhere to go and in a hopeless situation, she flew here with the intention of dragging that cultivator into this mess and possibly turning the situation for the better.

  But she absolutely didn’t expect that this person’s spiritual sense would be so strong. This person had concealed himself from far away without any intention of involving himself.

  As such, the masked woman could only confront the enemy alone
and grit her teeth with aching resentment.

  But once again, a frightening development had unfolded before her. These three Devil Dao cultivators were extremely tenacious, and they possessed immensely powerful defensive magic tools. Even if she were to use the entirety of her remaining spiritual power, she wouldn’t be able to kill them quickly.

  With regard to her high-grade talismans and impressive magic tools, they had been thoroughly exhausted in the battles many days earlier.

  Her heart sank as she felt her last remnants of magic power about to disappear.

  The Devil Dao cultivators that were bitterly enduring the swordlight felt its enormous suffocating pressure gradually weaken until it had completely disappeared. The three were stunned and immediately turned their gazes towards the masked woman. She blankly stood on top of her flying sword with dim, emotionless eyes while her body pitifully trembled.

  Wang Chan and the beautiful man looked at each other with feelings of pleasant surprise. But as they had just suffered from her clever ploy, they hesitated and didn’t dare to act rashly.

  But at this moment, a streak of white light flew out from below like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, the white light had appeared in front of the masked woman. The silhouette within the white light embraced her waist before suddenly descending back down from where it came.

  This scene left Wang Chan and the gorgeous man bursting with anger.

  How could the two let such a rich prize be snatched out of their mouths? They reacted by immediately chasing after the white light with the full capabilities of their movement techniques.

  However, Dong Xuan’er stood at her original location with an expression of shock. This was because that silhouette had appeared extremely familiar and caused her to unconsciously hesitate.

  About forty meters below, the white light shot towards a dense forest. After it entered the forest, the light faded away to reveal an unremarkable male youth.