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

by Translator: Johnchen

  Wan Tianming smiled and led the two into the light barrier.

  A dense wisp of purple smoke flickered through the air, and the barrier of white light released out a resounding hum. With a wave of his hand, Wan Tianming split open a three meter tall opening, allowing them to walk through in a line.

  Soon, Wan Tianming and the others disappeared into the blue light as they climbed. The tear in the light barrier repaired itself and the steps became quiet once more.

  After an unknown amount of time, Man Huzi and Zenith Yin appeared before the light barrier, but by that point Wan Tianming’s party was already long gone.

  Han Li and the others soon appeared behind them.

  Qing Yi looked at the large stone platform in front of him and said with shining eyes, “We’ve finally arrived at this damned place. The gold haired puppets on the fourth floor were extraordinarily vicious. Had all of us not employed our special skills, we would’ve been tangled down for quite some time.”

  Zenith Yin said with a gloomy expression, “Humph! The puppets weren’t much. The restrictions we encountered on the third floor were quite difficult to break, consuming much of our time. Else, we would’ve arrived here earlier.”

  “What is the point of saying such nonsense after already arriving? First, let’s see whether or not Wan Tianming’s group have already went to seize the treasure.” Man Huzi frowned and spoke with impatience.

  Zenith Yin appeared somewhat displeased by his words, but he didn’t respond.

  Wearing his ordinary expression, Layman Qing Yi chuckled and said, “Relax, Brother Man. According to Brother Wu and my secret probing arts, Wan Tianming’s party had already ascended several hours ago, but they have yet to leave. It would be best for us to wait here as these stairs are the only entrance and exit from the Frozen Dragon’s Terrace.

  “The only way? Is that true? The Righteous Dao cultivators could be slipping away at this moment as we foolishly wait for them.” Man Huzi glanced at the old man and seemed to distrust him.

  The old man twirled his beard as he said,“Hehe! There is no question about this. This light barrier was already famous even in times of antiquity, known as the Celestial Tailstar Restriction. Apart from the opening at the steps, there are no other exits that can be easily created.”

  Man Huzi nodded his head, “Fine, we’ll do just that.” He then sat cross legged near the steps and began meditating.

  As for Zenith Yin and Qing Yi, they moved closer to each other and started having a whispered discussion.

  After seeing all of this, Han Li wryly smiled in his mind, but betrayed none of this on his face.

  These Devil Dao cultivators weren’t incorrect in their actions, but Wan Tianming appeared to be a rather shrewd person himself. Perhaps he had wanted them to wait outside all along.

  With that thought, Han Li looked around. He found that the Bone Sage was the only person that was close to the stone platform. He gazed into the white light barrier as if he were thinking of something.

  Han Li’s expression stirred. This was a good opportunity to have another discussion, but he soon had second thoughts. This old devil forged a relationship between him and Man Huzi. Han Li’s value to him should’ve decreased tremendously. It was most likely that he had the same thoughts as Zenith Yin, to use his Bloodjade Spiders to acquire the Heavenvoid Cauldron and then dispose of him afterwards.

  Why else would he forego this excellent opportunity to kill Zenith Yin? It must be to first acquire the treasure!

  If he were to take the initiative to contact him, he would merely be allowing the Bone Sage to see through his doubts. The situation could only become worse as a result!

  It seems he would have to rely on himself to plan for his escape.

  With that in mind, Han Li’s gaze unconsciously turned cold as he looked at the Bone Sage. The Bone Sage seemed to have perceived something and turned his head, happening to see Han Li.

  Han Li inwardly cursed and immediately restored his normal expression. He then walked off as if nothing had occured.

  As the Bone Sage stared at Han Li from behind, a trace of doubt flickered across his face.

  At that moment, Han Li was leisurely circling around the huge stone platform along with the light barrier that surrounded it.

  As Zenith Yin and the others doubted it was possible for an early Core Formation cultivator to escape from the fifth floor, Han Li was relieved to find that he was allowed to move as he wished.

  Not longer after, Han Li was by himself behind the back of the platform. There was a limestone wall that opposed the light barrier covering the stairs.

  The wall was inscribed with a few strange beasts from ancient times along with a few talisman markings. It wasn’t particularly notable.

  Han Li had seen many of these walls inside the Inner Hall and knew that they possessed no profound restrictions. But even Nascent Soul cultivators had no method of breaking the wall.

  As such, even if Han Li knew that the wall led to outside the Inner Halls, he was completely powerless.

  Han Li inwardly cursed the ancient cultivators for making their Inner Halls damned impenetrable and fiercely slapped the stone wall out of overwhelming frustration. The slap released a muffled thud.

  He walked off for about four steps before he made a sudden stop. He then slowly turned around with an expression of complete disbelief.

  Were it a common cultivator who had heard this noise, they may have left without a care as the sound wasn’t anything that was particularly notable.

  However, Han Li was someone that had emerged from a sect in JiangHu. He had previously researched quite a bit about hidden room mechanisms.

  From that recent sound, he was able to tell that the limestone wall was hollow.

  Han Li couldn’t believe himself. He truly doubted his inference.

  There existed a hidden layer in a place where ancient cultivators had enveloped everything with profound restrictions.

  Of course, Han Li wasn’t about to walk away from this after discovering it.

  After muttering to himself for a moment, he swiftly returned to the wall. He extended two fingers and began tapping around the limestone wall he had struck earlier.

  On his third tap on the limestone wall, Han Li’s heart stirred. His gaze fell upon the red eyes of a carving of a winged demon beast.

  Although the engraving didn’t store any essence, it appeared vivid and lifelike. The beast’s berserk bloodlust was displayed in brilliant detail.

  Han Li merely glanced at the drawing for a moment before resuming the light taps on the stone wall.

  He eventually became completely certain that the stone was indeed hollow and that something was contained within.

  Chapter 478: Gold Threaded Silkworms Acquiring the Treasure

  Han Li didn’t immediately take action. Instead, he carefully released his spiritual sense and searched his surroundings. Certain that Zenith Yin and the others weren’t spying on him, he no longer hesitated and extended his finger. A blade of azure swordlight extended from its tip.

  Han Li calmly used the swordlight to carve a fist sized hole in the stone wall before willing it away.

  He then used his other hand to quickly touch the circle, causing a gap to appear in the stone wall.

  Han Li knew that his time was limited and instantly extended his arm into the hole. The area within wasn’t large. After randomly reaching out, he managed to grab onto something. His expression stirred.

  The item was slender, curved, and soft. After he took it out from the wall, he saw that it was an aged yellow scroll.

  Just about as Han Li was about to open it with amazement, his expression suddenly changed and he quickly placed the scroll in his robes. His body blurred as he placed his back against the hole in the wall, pretending to rest against it.

  Just as Han Li finished his movements, he heard Zenith Yin’s gloomy voice, “Han Li, return to us quickly. We are about to enter.”

  Having heard that, Han Li asto
nishment flickered from his eyes. Weren’t they to rest for the time being? Why the sudden change of mind? Could it be the three old devils became aware of something amiss?

  After Han Li felt Zenith Yin’s spiritual sense disappeared from his surroundings, he immediately turned around the repaired the stone hole. He then walked back to the front of the stone platform.

  When he arrived at the front, the old devils were standing in front of the steps, looking upwards with a grave expression. Standing behind them, Wu Chou and the Bone Sage were mimicking them.

  Han Li astonishedly followed their gaze up the stairs.

  He could only see blue light up above, twinkling with blinding intensity. Several threads of gold light flashed out from a flicker of blue light. In a short moment, those threads became several inches thicker. But because of the separation of the white light barrier, Han Li was unable to feel anything strange.

  Zenith Yin nodded when he saw Han Li arrived. He turned his head to Man Huzi and said, “Brother Man, my junior disciple has arrived. Let us go up. I hadn’t expected that Wan Tianming’s Gold Threaded Silkworm could actually rock the Heavenvoid Cauldron. Although I don’t know how this happened, it would be best for us to go see.”

  Man Huzi replied by wordlessly approaching the stairs. Zenith Yin and the others closely followed after him.

  Boom! Man Huzi endowed his fist in devilish arts and fiercely bashed the light barrier, blowing open a ten-meter-large hole.

  Man Huzi took the lead. Zenith Yin and Layman Qing Yi surrounded Han Li and forced him to walk between them. The Bone Sage and Wu Chou followed them from behind.

  ‘So cold!’ Although Han Li had made a few preparations outside the light barrier, Han Li couldn’t help but shiver from the surrounding cold. He quickly covered his body in a barrier of light, greatly reducing the chill.

  Man Huzi didn’t wait for the rest of them. He walked straight towards the center of the flourishing blue light with large steps.

  After Qing Yi and Zenith Yin glanced at each other, they couldn’t help but wryly smile as they caught up to him. But before Zenith Yin chased after Man Huzi, he turned to look at Han Li, indicating that he had best hurry.

  Han Li released a torrent of curses at Zenith Yin in his mind. He knew his place and didn’t have any thoughts to flee. He merely wanted to drag along at the back and take a look at the scroll. It could perhaps provide assistance towards his current predicament.

  However, Zenith Yin’s extortion seemed to remind Wu Chou of something. He began to stare at Han Li with absolute focus. The Bone Sage then shot a look at doubt at Han Li.

  Han Li had no choice but to quicken his steps. But after he walked several steps, his speed slowed down through no intention of his own.

  Although his light barrier was protecting from from the freezing blue light, Han Li felt a chill pass through his body with each step he took. After only a short moment, his face turned pale white. He quickly closed his mouth, fearing the frost would spread throughout his core.

  At that moment, Han Li heard Zenith Yin’s voice in his ear, “The White Rhino Emblem doesn’t only protect from the heat. It also works against the cold! What are you waiting for!”

  Han Li came to a sudden realization and hastily brought the item out, hanging it from his waist. Once the White Rhino Emblem brightly shined with light, he instantly felt warmth surround him. No longer impeded by the cold, Han Li leisurely walked forward and glanced how the others dealt with the cold.

  Man Huzi and the other Nascent Soul cultivators only used a light barrier on their bodies and continued without obstruction. As for the Bone Sage, he wore a chain of sparkling red beads and displayed no trace of cold.

  As for Wu Chou, he had put on a grotesque serpent scale armband that emitted a pink light barrier around his body.

  Han Li then turned his gaze to the center of the platform up above. There was a small altar protruding his vision. There were eight orbs of gold light pulsing above the altar. At the center of the lights, there was a large hold that shined with blinding blue light.

  Han Li’s mind was roused at the sight. He quickly examine the scene.

  Each of the golden orbs of light contained a meter-long silkworm with each worm pulling on the thick golden thread they released into the hole. Their bodies swayed as they tugged back as forcefully as they could. Each sway caused the blue light from the hole to wildly flicker.

  Three silhouettes were standing to the side of the altar. They were Wan Tianming’s party of Righteous Dao cultivators.

  They clearly knew that Man Huzi and the others had arrived, but they completely ignored them. They were only focused on the golden light in front of them, each with a tense expression.

  A cold glint flickered through Man Huzi’s eyes when he saw the scene. He wordlessly raised his hand and shot two streaks of golden light towards the Righteous Dao cultivators.

  “Glacial Dragon!”

  “Phantom Tortoise!”

  Wan Tianming and Tian Wuzi simultaneously shouted as they coldly gazed in the direction of the attack. With a sudden burst of fluctuating sounds, two streaks of azure and blue light intercepted the golden lights.

  “Return!” Man Huzi was startled by their quick reaction and had two streaks of golden light return with a wave of his hand. They landed in his hand as two golden knives.

  The azure and blue lights didn’t pursue and instead revolved in place. Their true appearances were revealed to be a ten-meter-long white flood dragon and a bizarre transparent turtle.

  After Man Huzi clearly saw what those two things were, he appeared surprised.

  “The Mad Matron’s Glacial Dragon and Tian Yuanzi’s Phantom Tortoise!” Layman Qing Yi blurted this out with a face of astonishment.

  “It was no wonder that Wan Tianming’s party was so arrogant. Those two old eccentrics had lent them their spirit beasts. From what I know, those two old freaks treasure those spirit beasts to the point where they would never leave their side. Just how do they have them in their possession?” Zenith Yin spoke with an aghast voice and a resentful expression.

  Man Huzi replied with a solemn expression, “Humph! Just look at the borrowers. Wan Tianming is the Mad Matron’s blood nephew. Tian Wuzi and Tian Yuanzi are disciples of the same master. There is nothing odd about being lent those two spirit beasts.”

  As Layman Qingyi worryingly gazed at the white flood dragon and the huge tortoise, he said, “This is going to become troublesome! Those two beasts are by no means weak. Even if us three were to do our utmost, we would be unable to break away from them for quite some time.”

  Man Huzi wore a sinister grin and said, “Qing Yi, Zenith Yin! Have your Azure Thorn Bird and Heavenwide Corpse distract them. They might not prove to be an opponent to those beasts, but we need those beasts occupied for a moment if we are to act. We don’t even need to defeat Wan Tianming and the others. It will be fine so long as we can kill one of the Gold Threaded Silkworms.”

  Having heard this, the Zenith Yin and Qing Yi looked at each other in dismay and revealed some hesitation.

  “Don’t worry, I will also send my spirit beast to fight. They should prove to be quite troublesome all together!” Man Huzi glanced at the two and wore an expression of slight disdain.

  With that said, Qing Yi’s and Zenith Yin’s expressions relaxed, and they agreed.

  Chapter 479: The Sky Blue Flower

  Before Zenith Yin could release his demon corpses or Qing Yi release his spirit beast, an astonishing change had occurred.

  One of the huge green silkworms in the orbs of light suddenly trembled. The golden light surrounding it quickly dimmed. At nearly the same time, its gold thread was severed with a snap.

  “Not good!” The Righteous Dao cultivators to the side shouted out in alarm. But before they could take action, the other Gold Threaded Silkworms followed suit. Their golden light greatly dimmed, and two of the gold threads snapped.

  Wan Tianming’s heart dropped into an abyss. He stood still
in a daze.

  But it still wasn’t the end! Three silkworms remained and the collapse of half of their companions caused their burden to quickly increase. They cried out as they were dragged towards the hole with immense force. Soon after, the huge clang of something heavy being dropped could be heard. Immediately after, the stone platform trembled for a while after. The blue light coming from the hole immediately dimmed and the air became significantly warmer.

  The faces of the Righteous Dao cultivators became extremely unsightly.

  As for the old devils that were about to act, their eyes were uncharacteristically wide open with their faces wearing expressions of extreme marvel.

  “Hahahaha.....” Man Huzi guffawed with delight. Even his yellow beard was wildly shaking.

  At that moment, Zenith Yin and Qing Yi responded, both basking in schadenfreude, laughing at the Righteous Dao cultivators without restraint.

  At that moment, Wan Tianming’s face became ashen.

  In order to acquire the treasure, he had spent much effort concocting this plan and at great cost. And what did he gain? The ridicule of his Devil Dao rivals. This set Wan Tianming’s heart aflame. He could no longer restrain himself and suddenly turned to the Devil Dao cultivators with a chilling expression.

  Zenith Yin’s and Qing Yi’s laughter halted for a moment.

  Wan Tianming was a mid Nascent Soul cultivator. Even if they were already on opposing sides, the two were unwilling to rashly breed a deep hatred between them. As for Man Huzi, despite no longer laughing, he returned the glare with no trace of politeness.

  “What? Sect Master Wan wishes to battle with me? I do wish to experience the True Heavensifting Art’s Three Confucian Marvels.”

  After coldly glaring at Man Huzi for a moment, Wan Tianming eventually regained his rationality.

  “Go!” With a wave of his sleeve, he led the departure from the stone platform, ignoring the remaining Gold Threaded Silkworms and recalling the White Flood Dragon from its confrontation against the Devil Dao.