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

by Translator: Johnchen

  They were none other than Han Li's trio.

  "The earth abyss winds in this passageway are far too fierce; I was almost unable to withstand them. Why didn't the information we received mention this at all?" Bai Bi's face was quite pale as he cast his gaze toward the spot from which the trio had just emerged.

  "The fact that this phenomenon wasn't detailed in the information we received indicates that it's only appeared in recent years. Otherwise, the senior of our race would've definitely mentioned this to us." Lei Lan also appeared to have expended a lot of energy in flying through the earth abyss winds, and she couldn't help but glance at Han Li.

  At this moment, Han Li had his arms crossed and was surveying his surroundings. He was completely unruffled, and it was as if he'd just taken a stroll in the park rather than forcing his way through lethal earth abyss winds.

  Could it be that there's such a massive gulf between early-Spirit Generals and late-Spirit Generals? Lei Lan thought to herself in a resigned manner. It was all thanks to Han Li's assistance that she was able to survive that ordeal at all. Otherwise, she may well have perished to those fearsome winds.

  "We've already been delayed too much on the first level, so there's no point in wasting time searching for Infernal Flame Fruits on the second level. Let's head straight to the third level," Han Li said in an implacable voice as he withdrew his gaze.

  The air here was rather humid, it appeared that they were situated in the air above a swamp-like area.

  The two Tian Peng Race holy disciples were now well aware that Han Li was far more powerful than them, so they naturally didn't harbor any more discontent toward him. However, Lei Lan still couldn't help but express her concern after a brief hesitation.

  "I naturally have no objections there, but there are only three entrances from the second level to the third level, so no matter which one we take, there's a good chance that we'll encounter people from other branches. If we encounter the holy disciples from branches that bear ill will toward our Tian Peng Race..." Lei Lan didn't finish her sentence, but the implications in her words were quite apparent.

  "It's not just a good chance; those branches would've definitely deployed people to those three entrances. We're most likely not their sole targets, either; the people from the weakest few branches will most likely all be targeted by them," Bai Bi sighed.

  "Hehe, if we encounter them, then we'll just have to fight. We'll have to overcome this obstacle sooner or later. However, even if a powerful branch like the Chi Rong Race wanted to plot against our Tian Peng Race, there's no way that they'll station all of their holy disciples at the three entrances. The earth abyss trial takes place once every 300 years, so it's just as important to them as it is to us. As such, they could only have stationed a half or even less of their members at the three entrances. In that case, it may not be easy to defeat them, but forcing our way through their barricade certainly won't be impossible," Han Li analyzed with a cold chuckle.

  "If that really is the case, then we've got some chances after all." Bai Bi and Lei Lan were reinvigorated by Han Li's encouraging words.

  "No one can guarantee exactly what the situation will be like. We can only work things out as we go," Han Li replied in a calm voice.

  "Which entrance are we going to choose? Two of them are relatively safer to get to while the other one is rather dangerous," Lei Lan asked with furrowed brows.

  "Seeing as we could encounter obstacles from the other branches regardless of which entrance we choose, then it's naturally best to choose the one closest to our current location," Han Li decided without any hesitation.

  "In that case, we'll have to go to the Myriad Vine Path," Bai Bi said after a brief pause.

  Han Li seemed to have some recollection of this name, and his eyes flashed as he enquired for confirmation, "The Myriad Vine Path? Is that the entrance from the second to the third level connected by many ancient vines?"

  "That's the one. Aside from some demonic insects that may appear along that path, there are virtually no hazards to be encountered. If we have a smooth journey, we should be able to get there in half a month," Bai Bi confirmed.

  "That sounds good. Let's go to that entrance, then," Han Li said.

  Lei Lan and Bai Bi had no objections to this, and both of them nodded in agreement.

  Han Li flipped his hand over to produce a blue formation plate, which he shook in front of his eyes, thereby allowing him to confirm the direction they were heading in before leading the two holy disciples onward.

  Not long after the three of them had departed, an inky-black figure emerged soundlessly from within the thick mud of the swamp. It turned an intense gaze toward the direction that Han Li and the others had sped away in, and a hint of red light flashed through its eyes.

  The black figure then suddenly exploded like a bubble and disappeared on the spot.

  All of a sudden, Han Li felt a chill run down his spine as he flew through the air. He immediately paused in his flight and glanced behind him.

  "What is it, Brother Han?" At this point, Bai Bi had complete trust in Han Li's abilities and judgment, and he also stopped in a wary manner.

  Blue light flashed through Han Li's eyes as he scanned his gaze across the ground behind them. Only after a while did he reply, "Nothing. Perhaps it was my imagination."

  The bone-chilling sensation that he had been struck with had already vanished, and it was as if it had never appeared in the first place.

  For people like Han Li with excessively sensitive spiritual sense, it was quite often that he would sense peril where none actually existed. However, for something like this to happen in such a dangerous place was rather unsettling to him, and he simply couldn't bring himself to forget it.

  Having said that, no demonic being would be able to escape the detection of his spirit eyes unless that cultivation base was far superior to his, so perhaps that spine-tingling sensation really had just been a figment of his imagination.

  After a brief pause, Han Li could only arrive at that conclusion. He waved a hand toward Bai Bi and Lei Lan before continuing onward, but his expression had darkened significantly.

  Unbeknownst to Han Li, there was a mysterious being whose entire body was enshrouded in a set of vibrant red robes lying down on a black wooden chair within the belly of a mountain in a deeper level of the earth abyss. There was a stone table beside the chair, upon which was placed a large copper mirror. There was a rather blurry image being depicted in the mirror, and the image was none other than that of Han Li's trio flying over the swamp.

  "Interesting! To think that he's even able to sense my mud puppet; looks like his spiritual sense far outstrips his cultivation base. Unfortunately, I'm not really interested in refining Yin spirits," the red-robed being chuckled before sweeping a sleeve toward the mirror as if he were going to dispel the image, but its arm suddenly faltered as a contemplative look appeared in his eyes.

  "I almost forgot; that ghost hag seems to be collecting beings with powerful souls, so this man would be a good gift for her. I should be able to exchange him for a blood fish from her!" the red-robed being murmured to himself.

  He suddenly sat up as a hint of excitement flashed through his eyes, seemingly very pleased with his own lateral thinking abilities.

  He rustled a sleeve, and a translucent bead shot forth before stopping in front of him.

  He then made a hand seal, and a streak of red light disappeared into the bead in a flash, following which brilliant crimson light began to radiate from the bead.

  Chapter 1448: Deeper Levels of the Earth Abyss

  After about five minutes, the crimson light radiating from the bead suddenly receded, and the voice of an elderly woman sounded from within. "What is it, Di Xue? Don't you know I'm doing something very important right now?"

  The owner of the voice seemed to be quite displeased that she'd been contacted at a time like this.

  "Hehe, it's been several decades since we last talked. Are you so busy that you don
't even have time to chat with an old friend?" the red-robed being chuckled.

  "Quit the chit-chat and tell me what you want. Otherwise, don't blame me for cutting off the transmission." The elderly woman's patience was clearly quickly on the wane.

  "Hehe, last time, what we decided on was for Mu Qing to conduct the sacrificial ceremony, Liu Zu to gather Yin Soul energy, while I'm responsible for refining a large number of puppets. As for you, you were assigned the duty of nurturing the 8,000 Yin Armor Profound Ghosts, which are the most important elements of our plan. How are you going with that?" the red-robed being asked, paying no heed to the impatience in the woman's voice.

  "Hmph, why are you asking a question that you already know the answer to? I don't even know how many spies you've planted among my subordinates; are you telling me that you're unaware of what my progress is like?" the elderly woman replied in a cold voice.

  "Haha, it's not like you haven't done the same; your subordinates often appear at the location where I'm refining my puppets as well. However, I want to hear you tell me about it in person this time," the red-robed being chuckled.

  "Alright, it's not like this is a well-kept secret anyway. The nurturing of the 8,000 Yin Armor Profound Ghosts is progressing quite smoothly. As long as Liu Zu can supply sufficient Yin Soul Energy, it's only a matter of time before I successfully nurture them. The only problem lies with the eight Yin Armor Ghost Monarchs required to lead these ghosts. I can only successfully refine them if I can obtain the soul of a being with a powerful spiritual sense. Such premium soul materials are not that easy to find," the elderly woman said in an indifferent voice.

  "Oh? How many of those ghost monarchs have you managed to refine?" the red-robed being asked.

  "Only three at the moment. The success rate is quite low," the elderly woman replied in a slightly awkward voice.

  "Hehe, that's why I've contacted you, Fellow Daoist, I want to provide you with that premium soul material you're looking for." The red-robed being rubbed his hands together with glee.

  "Since when did you develop an interest in Yin souls?" the elderly woman asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

  "I'm not you or Liu Zu; I don't know much about ghostly beings. However, I just discovered a Flying Spirit Race being who was able to detect a wisp of my spiritual sense that I injected into a mud puppet. Even though it was only a wisp of my spiritual sense, that's sufficient indication of just how powerful that man's soul is. It should be ideal for you to refine those ghostly monarchs of yours," the red-robed being said.

  "Is it time for the Flying Spirit Race's earth abyss trial again? For one of them to be able to detect your spiritual sense; could it be that one of those old monsters came down in person?" A hint of caution crept into the old woman's voice.

  "Don't worry, it's just a little Spirit General, so he won't be able to do anything," the red-robed being said in a nonchalant manner.

  "If it's just a Spirit General, then we should be fine. However, he must indeed possess quite a powerful soul to detect your spiritual sense. I'll be taking this gift, then. What do you want in exchange?" The elderly woman was clearly aware that this information wasn't going to be offered to her free of charge.

  "Hehe, I love dealing with smart yet straightforward people like you. It's very simple; one Myriad Year Blood Fish will suffice as payment for the provision of detailed information on the target. If you want me to capture the target and deliver him to you in person, then that'll cost you two blood fish," the red-robed being replied.

  "Hmph, do you think Myriad Year Blood Fish grow on trees? There's no way that one Yin soul can be worth two of them. I don't have any spare time right now. Bring the soul to me, and I'll give you a Myriad Year Blood Fish. Even then, it's a massive bargain for you," the elderly woman harrumphed coldly.

  "Alright, one blood fish it is, then. I'll deliver the soul to you in 10 days," the red-robed being immediately agreed, clearly also of the opinion that this deal was quite a bargain for him.

  "By the way, what do Mu Qing and Liu Zu suggest we do with the holy disciples of the Flying Spirit Race? Should we kill all of them or allow them to scurry around on the first three levels like always? They're not going to impede our plan, are they?" the old woman suddenly asked.

  "We're at quite a critical juncture at the moment, so we can't attract the attention of the Flying Spirit Race. As long as they don't negatively affect us and don't enter any level below the third one, just let them do as they please. I'm sure Mu Qing and Liu Zu think the same," the red-robed being immediately replied.

  "We'll do as you say, then."

  After an indifferent reply, the old woman's voice abruptly cut off, and the crimson light radiating from the bead also disappeared.

  The red-robed being made a grabbing motion, and the bead instantly flew into his grasp before disappearing.

  "Their group consists of a mere late-Spirit General and a couple of early-Spirit Generals, so three early-Great Spirit General Blood Wood Puppets should be more than enough," the red-robed being murmured to himself before rustling a sleeve.

  Three crimson shadows flew out from within his sleeve before landing on the ground before him.

  Thus, three blurry crimson figures of different forms appeared in a half-knelt position.

  Brilliant crimson light erupted from the eyes of the red-robed being as three crimson threads that were barely detectable to the naked eye shot forth from his glabella, then disappeared into the three blurry crimson figures in a flash.

  The crimson figures immediately raised their heads, and at the same time, eerie green light appeared within their eyes.

  "Go and kill those three and bring their souls back to me," the red-robed being said in an emotionless voice as he pointed toward the copper mirror.

  Crimson light flashed and the three puppets disappeared into a nearby wall as three streaks of crimson light.

  The red-robed being then lay back down in his chair and closed his eyes again as if everything he'd just done was completely inconsequential.

  ...

  Within a mysterious set of mountain ranges on the first level, there was a sacrificial altar that was over 1,000 feet tall situated at the summit of a massive mountain that was enshrouded under grey Yin Qi. There was a massive greyish white eyeball that was around the size of a human head being offered on a platform on the altar, and the eye was completely bloodshot.

  Countless grey threads were erupting out of the eye's pupil before being absorbed by the nearby grey Qi.

  At the foot of the altar, a mysterious tall and broad figure in a black cloak was standing motionlessly on the spot.

  ...

  On the sixth level of the earth abyss, within a massive palace that was enshrouded under green light, there was a beautiful woman with a head of snowy white hair and a set of pale facial features. She was standing beside a back pond that was over 1,000 feet in size while appraising everything taking place deep within the pond with a cold expression on her face.

  Beside her stood two women who appeared to be in their twenties. Both of them were also very pale, but one was quite petite with a sweet and adorable oval face, striking male onlookers with the urge to hold her in their arms, while the other woman had a lithe and graceful figure, but wore a frosty forbidding expression.

  There were formations of different sizes set up all around the pond, and inky-black runes were surging relentlessly from those formations into the pond.

  At the center of the pond, there were several blurry pitch-black humanoid figures hovering motionlessly above the black water in the pond.

  Those black runes split up into several streams, disappearing into the suits of black armor being worn by these humanoid figures.

  However, these humanoid figures remained completely still, as if they were inanimate objects.

  The white-haired woman's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

  "Use the infernal flames!" the white-haired woman suddenly said in a cold manner, and
despite her appearance, her voice was that of an elderly woman. She was none other than the woman who had been communicating with the red-robed being earlier.

  "Yes!" The two seductive women behind her immediately stepped forward, and following a flash of spiritual light, one of them produced a small black vial while a black banana leaf fan appeared in the grasp of the other.

  Both of them raised their treasures in unison with solemn expressions on their faces.

  A strange cry erupted as a fire wyrm with black flames all over its body flew out from within the vial, then plunged headfirst into the pond.

  Black flames immediately erupted over the entire pond. Meanwhile, the petite woman waved her runed banana leaf fan through the air, seemingly with a lot of difficulty.

  A vast swath of black flames immediately surged forth from her fan before also plunging into the pond.

  The two flames seemed to share the same source, and they intertwined with one another, both flames burned with increased ferocity in a synergistic relationship, enveloping all of the blurry humanoid figures hovering over the pond.

  The white-haired woman's expression remained unchanged upon seeing this, but a hint of anticipation had appeared in her eyes.

  ...

  At this moment, Han Li was flying through the second level, and he was naturally unaware of the fact that he'd caught the interest of these fearsome beings.

  However, after that strange bone-chilling sensation he'd experienced earlier, he had become a lot more cautious.

  Even as he flew rapidly through the air with Lei Lan and Bai Bi in tow, he was activating his spirit eyes at regular intervals to survey his surroundings, even if doing so required additional magic power expenditure.

  As a result, Han Li was able to discover some low-grade and mid-grade demon beasts in advance, thereby allowing him to skirt around them to avoid these potentially troublesome beings.

  As for normal beasts, those were no longer able to survive on the second level, so they naturally didn't encounter any more of them.