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

by Translator: Johnchen

  They were different from the two ape-like beasts he had seen before. Not only were their bodies smaller by half, but their bodies were fire-red and their furred hands carried sparkling black wolf fangs, not copper prongs.

  These eight huge beasts were all glaring at Han Li with bared fangs.

  Han Li smirked.

  Originally, he believed the beasts to have extremely dim spiritual senses. But when the pack of beasts brushed past him, they discovered him hiding behind a tree and immediately surrounded him.

  Han Li looked at the black-lit third eye on the beasts’ forehead and frowned. He faintly sensed something.

  When he saw those green-haired beasts, their third eye was closed.

  At that moment, the eight red beasts let out a roar and leaped at him. They fiercely waved their fangs.

  Their fangs immediately lit up in a layer of green light released fierce winds in Han Li’s direction.

  Han Li raised his brow but showed no intention of blocking them. He simply waved his sleeve.

  Eight small golden swords appeared and they blurred, quickly coiling around each of the beasts.

  Pfff. Their heads rolled off like cabbages.

  When the eight swords trembled and returned to Han Li, the corpses were already pooling their green blood on the ground.

  Han Li waved his other sleeve at the corpses and released fireballs upon each of the corpses.

  In a few crackles, the bodies immediately turned to ash.

  With that done, Han Li expressionlessly blurred and he left a string of afterimages as he headed deeper into the forest.

  But not long after he left, two green streaks appeared on a huge tree near what had happened. They were two foot-long green eyes. The green eyes emotionlessly looked around and stared in the direction that Han Li disappeared.

  In an area myriad of kilometers away, under the concealment of other unremarkable trees, another pair of green eyes opened.

  The pair of green eyes silently stared at the air three hundred meters away. A man and a woman were standing shoulder to shoulder. The man wore green robes while the woman wore black robes. They were Long Dong and Xiao Hong.

  The two were communicating something through voice transmission. On the ground near them, there were a dozen green and red-furred beasts.

  “Brother Long, those creatures seem weak, but they can see through our concealment techniques. My Illusion Haze Flag is supposed to conceal me even from similar grade cultivators.” Xiao Hong said through voice transmission.

  With a trace of bewilderment on his face, Long Dong replied, “It should have something to do with their third eye. Beasts that are born with multiple eyes tend to carry particular abilities. In that case, we should be careful.”

  “That is most likely it. Let’s go. We need to catch up with that girl. Otherwise, it’ll fall into her hands.” She said with a sullen face.

  Long Dong strangely smiled and eerily said, “Hehe! I didn’t expect you and that girl to take on this assignment with a secret plan. It is a pity the item has little value to our Long Clan. However, Fairy should forget about our previous agreement. The item goes to you, but she goes to me.”

  Xiao Hong snorted and said, “Although I am also interested in her Heavenly Phoenix Blood, the item is significant in the eyes of the clan. I know what is more important.”

  “Hehe, that’s good. Let’s go!” Long Dong chuckled.

  After the two blurred, they disappeared.

  Off in another direction, a strange white image was quickly shooting past the forest floor. It was travelling at unbelievable speeds.

  ...

  The Black Leaves Forest was a secretive place with many layers of restrictions. Under a silver tree that paled in size to the rest of the rest, several dark figures were sitting cross-legged. One of them suddenly opened their eyes, revealing dark green eyes that shined with golden light. It let out short strange cries.

  The other figures opened their eyes as well. Among them was a figure that was far taller than the others. It let out a dignified tone as if it were asking something.

  The figure that first screeched immediately crouched down and began to respectfully. answer.

  With that done, the towering figure uttered a string of commands.

  The others immediately rose and surrounded the small tree.

  The towering figure let out a roar and pointed at the small tree next to him. A green light suddenly shot out and entered the tree.

  Suddenly, the silver tree trembled and several silver eyes opened from it. At the same time, it released several bowl-sized silver beams of light, striking each of the figures.

  When the beams of light struck them, their bodies grew vague and they disappeared.

  ...

  Han Li naturally was unaware of what was happening in other parts of the forest. He was stealthily traveling.

  His path forward became extraordinarily smooth. Apart from occasionally encountering long-furred beasts, he didn’t see anything else, wood tribe beings included.

  While this was cause for joy, Han Li couldn't help but feel somewhat suspicious.

  But after a brief thought, he believed this to be nothing out of the ordinary, given the grand size of the forest.

  And as the assignment was the key to his much needed Earth Cleansing Pills, he couldn't abandon the mission now that he was this deep into the forest.

  So even with a trace of unease in his mind, Han Li continued forward with a somewhat cautious attitude.

  ...

  Two days later, Han Li stopped on top of a thin tree branch. His body seemed to weigh nothing more than a calm wind. He looked at a three hundred meter tall hill not far away.

  There were sparsely any trees or vegetation on the hill. All the trees were ancient as well.

  Han Li stared at the hill for a long while before flipping his hand, summoning pitch-black triangular spell disc.

  The heart of the spell plate flickered with white light.

  He lowered his head to look at the plate for a moment and then looked at the hill in the distance. He then struck the plate with an azure spell seal.

  Black light suddenly lit up from it and a white light speck flew out and circled the plate. It released a thin white thread, pointing at an ancient tree on the hill.

  Han Li’s eyes stirred.

  The ancient tree indicated was half shriveled. It was over a hundred meters tall and its surface was scorched black as if it were struck by lightning. The bottom half of the tree was yellow and its roots were green.

  Han Li looked at it for a moment and narrowed his eyes. He slowly released his spiritual sense and examined his surroundings.

  A short while later, he opened his eyes and wore a trace of relief.

  He was alone.

  Han Li didn’t immediately set off. He narrowed his eyes in thought, deciding to wave his sleeve first. He summoned several balls that shimmered silver and opened his mouth to spit out fist-sized silver firebirds.

  The birds circled his body and turned a foot long. They flew into his palm and consumed each of the silver beads. Then in the flash, they burrowed into the ground.

  With that done, Han Li swept his hand over his storage bracelet, producing a set of azure spell flags. He wordlessly tossed them in front of him.

  Eight green streaks shot out and disappeared all around the hill.

  Han Lie continued, forming a hand gesture and softly uttering an incantation.

  A layer of green light surrounded the hill, but soon, Han Li commanded it with a spell seal, and it turned invisible with a few flashes.

  When Han Li saw this, he sighed and he leaped off. Blurring several times before arriving at the edge of the hill.

  In a green flash, he disappeared.

  Chapter 1376: The Wood Tribe

  From a distance, the hill looked ordinary as if there were no changes to it at all, but it was actually just an illusion.

  Han Li was standing on the hill, right in front of the half-cha
rred ancient tree.

  When Han Li looked at it, he recalled what Long Dong and Xiao Hong had mentioned.

  According to what they said, if it was possible, they could meet a spy planted by the humans and demons and receive information that was difficult to record. But if it was too dangerous, and they personally couldn't make the trip, the spy could be disregarded.

  Now that he swept his spiritual sense past the area, it appeared that no one had come.

  In this case, the assignment was actually quite simple. So long as he removes the item, the mission will be considered complete for him.

  With that decided, Han Li extended his finger and swiped it at the ancient tree.

  A crackle sounded and an azure sword streak shot forward, cleaving the tree into two.

  It contained a white jade slip there.

  Han Li’s face lit up with joy and he reached out for it, summoning it into his hand.

  At that moment, a muffled sound traveled through the air. A golden light suddenly pierced through the illusion, directly shooting towards the jade slip.

  Han Li’s face slightly changed. Without another thought, azure light flashed from his hand. A hand of azure light appeared in the air and swiped at the golden light.

  A sweet giggle sound from the golden light. It broke through the azure hand like it was an illusion. The jade slip that was flying in Han Li’s direction stopped and a faint white blur appeared to the side. She raised her hand and nimble took the jade slip.

  “Fellow Daoist Ye!” Han Li narrowed his eyes, recognizing the true figure wrapped in white light. It was Ye Ying, the young white-robed woman.

  “Brother Han. It appears you’ve arrived here smoothly and easily.” The young woman flipped the jade slip in her hand and chuckled.

  “What do you mean? Did Fairy Ye encounter trouble on her way here? When I left the Southern Skyline and arrived at the edge of the forest, I waited for you all for a while and I received no messages. What happened to you?” Han Li asked with an odd expression.

  “It’s quite simple. Fellow Daoist Long and I encountered a group of wind wyrms in the skyline. We had no choice but to split off. To escape them, we had no choice but to change direction. There were a few other problems along the way. That is why you didn’t see us.” The young woman sweetly smiled with significant grace.

  Han Li felt his heart tremble. He faintly made out something from her words.

  Just as he was about to ask her something, a green light flashed from the sky and charged towards them. The light faded away to reveal a man and a woman.

  They were Long Dong and Xiao Hong.

  “It’s you!”

  “As expected, you arrived here first!”

  The two spoke with a tone of surprise.

  When Xiao Hong saw Han Li’s unharmed appearance, she revealed a trace of surprise, but when Long Dong saw the white-robed woman, he revealed joy.

  The white-robed woman looked at the two and casually said, “So it was Brother Long and Fellow Daoist Ye. I wasn’t fast, you were just slow.”

  “Did Lady Ye already grab ahold of the item?” Long Dong glanced at the young woman’s hand and wore a mysterious smile.

  Xiao Hong glanced at the jade slip in the white-robed woman’s hand and her expression faintly changed.

  The young woman let out a bright laugh and leisurely said, “That’s right. I have it in my hand. In truth, Fellow Daoist Han came here first, but I was still a step ahead of you two.”

  Xiao Hong paused for a second and suddenly asked, “Brother Han, was there only one jade slip here?”

  Han Li’s heart stirred, but he nodded with a calm expression.

  Xiao Hong fell silent upon hearing Han Li’s answer; Long Dong looked at the white-robed woman silently; and the white-robed woman simply looked down while fiddling with the jade slip in her hand.

  For a time, silence filled the air. The heavy atmosphere was an omen for a coming storm.

  Xiao Hong’s expression relaxed and she wore a pleasant face. She asked, “Junior Sister Ye, could you let me take a look at the jade slip? The spies we sent to the wood tribe included those from my clan. Perhaps they have some information for my clan.”

  The white-robed woman pursed her lips and then sweetly smiled, “I’m afraid I can’t. I’ll be open and say that the spies had people from my Ye Clan as well. Why don’t I take a look at it first and then tell you about it?”

  Xiao Hong’s expression vastly changed and her smile froze. Her gaze became sullen.

  Long Dong calmly said, “Since you already have it, we shouldn’t stay here for much longer. Let’s hurry away and talk about it when we leave the forest.”

  “I agree.” The white-robed woman said.

  Xiao Hong’s lip stirred but she raised no objections.

  Han Li naturally agreed as well. The young woman smiled and her bright eyes flickered around. Just as she was about to put away the jade slip, a silver streak shot out of the ancient tree behind her. It quickly and silently streaked towards the center of her back.

  Although the white-robed woman was faced around, she snorted and her body stirred. Her body grew vague and she disappeared.

  A moment later, she appeared over thirty meters away, but there was a silver streak that shot then shot up from the ground.

  This time, the young woman’s expression faintly changed.

  Her shoulder suddenly blurred and she shot ten meters to the side as if there were a spring underneath her, allowing her to avoid the attack.

  But at that moment, the sound of tearing air blew past her.

  A near indistinct line of transparent line shot out of a sprace nearby her. The target wasn’t the young woman, but the jade slip in her hand.

  Alarmed, the young woman suddenly pulled back her hand, but she was too late.

  Bang! The jade slip immediately ruptured, turning into countless shards. In the young woman’s fury, her face warped and she grabbed ahold of the transparent line and fiercely pulled it towards her.

  Clang. She dragged out a huge transparent beetle out from the void.

  This insect was a meter-long and resembled a huge silkworm, but there were a pair of cicada wings on its back. It fluttered for its life to break free. The end of it that spouted out the thread seemed to be its mouth.

  At that moment, the young woman pulled, keeping the insect there.

  In the instant the jade slip was destroyed, Han Li and the others were blank in surprise.

  At nearly the same time, the remaining ancient trees lit up in green light. Soon after, the ancient tree’s hollow images were dissolved to be replaced with several green silhouettes. It appeared as if they were born from the trees.

  A towering silhouette swept their gaze past Han Li and spoke human words in a harsh tone, “Hehe, I didn’t expect that it was hidden there. If you weren’t guiding us, we wouldn’t have found it. Our clan won’t have to worry about later consequences.”

  Han Li glanced at the figure’s appearance and his eyes narrowed.

  The person resembled a human, but their skin was green and their eyes were purple. Other than that, they appeared human. Two of the slender figures resembled women.

  These silhouettes were wood tribe beings.

  What was most astonishing to Han Li was the orange belt they wore at their waist around their long robes.

  The belt of the towering being was yellow orange with a silver stripe.

  According to what he knew of their grades, Han Li felt his heart plummet.

  “A silver tier! You’re a silver tier tree spirit!” When they recognized the towering figure’s belt, the young woman’s expression turned unsightly.

  “I am the lower silver tier spirit master Mu Rui. Since you’ve arrived here, there is no need to leave. Allow my clan to welcome you!” The towering figure spoke expressionlessly and waved his hand.

  The other orange belted tree beings crouched down and placed their hands against the ground.

  A layer of green light
suddenly shot out from the hill in every direction at inconceivable speeds.

  Han Li and the white-robed woman immediately took off from the ground without another thought.

  A huge rumbling sound shook the air and the illusion restriction Han Li placed down was effortlessly destroyed.

  Once the illusion was dispersed, the hill’s surroundings were made clear.

  Wherever the green light passed, green trees would turn into towering furred beasts. They had a variety of weapons on hand. Their fur had many differing colors as well. There were even monstrous winds that blew into the sky.

  Upon closer inspection, there were several thousands of beasts that densely surrounded the hill.

  Long Dong and Xiao Hong’s face turned bloodlessly pale.

  Han Li wryly smiled. Only the white-robed woman sullenly glared at Mu Rui. It was unknown what she was thinking.

  Mu Rui wore a stiff expression, but he spoke with a derisive tone, “These are the Tree Ape Beasts that our tribe spent a thousand years researching. If you looked through that jade slip, you should’ve had information about them, but now...”

  “Attack!”

  An unfamiliar voice suddenly sounded. Before Han Li and the others realized what was happening, the white-robed young woman suddenly opened her mouth and released a crimson blood light. Suddenly, it turned into several threads and directly shot towards the wood spirits excluding the silver-tier wood spirit.

  Chapter 1377: Appearance of Six Arms

  In the wood spirit’s fright, green light flashed from their bodies as they summoned wood armor, shields, or green mist to block the crimson threads.

  But the crimson threads pierced through their defenses as if they were passing through air and burrowed into their bodies.

  The wood spirits glowed crimson and were then captured in a crimson net, rendered incapable of moving.

  At that same moment, the sword Qi that Han Li used to chop the ancient tree had turned into two faintly golden blurs, chopping towards the silver-tier wood spirit, Mu Rui.

  Mu Rui coldly snorted and pointed at them.

  Two silver lights flashed as they streaked forward to meet the golden blurs.