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

by Translator: Johnchen

  "There are countless abilities in this world, so it's not too much of a surprise that he was able to withstand your Heavenly Blood Lightning. However, being able to repel your Blood River Infernal Spike with just his physical body alone as a late-Spirit General really does suggest that he's quite an extraordinary being. It means that his physical body is extremely powerful, and he would be the ideal blood sacrifice. Very good, we should have prepared three premium blood sacrifices, yet I've only found one, and I was just fretting over this matter." A hint of elation had crept into the woman's voice.

  "What do we do next, Mistress?"

  "I'll go in person and capture that man alive, then use him to conduct the final sacrificial ceremony." The woman's voice suddenly turned quite sinister.

  "But Mistress, isn't Master Di Xue after this man?" the blood wyrm reminded.

  "Due Xue clearly wants to kill these Flying Spirit beings for their Yin souls and use them for some kind of exchange. I only want this man's physical body, so there's no conflict of interest here. Why should I be concerned?" the woman said in a cold voice, and her guess was spot-on.

  "Your wisdom is unmatched, Mistress!" The blood wyrm was enlightened by her words.

  "We shouldn't delay any further. Di Xue, teleport to the second level with me, and let's hunt this man down together," the woman instructed.

  "Yes, Mistress!" The blood wyrm immediately rose to his feet.

  The black shadow on the giant golden flower flashed, the woman appeared beside the blood wyrm in a wraith-like manner.

  She made a hand seal and began to chant something, upon which inky-black light poured forth from her body, sweeping up the two of them in the blink of an eye. Following a quick flash, the two of them disappeared amid the black light.

  On the other end, Han Li and the others were flying with all their might, covering a distance that would've taken several days otherwise in just a single day. However, they were still racing along.

  Thankfully, all of the dangerous demon beasts along the way had already been exterminated by them, and they were quite familiar with this route, having traveled it once already, so there was no need for them to stop for anything.

  Even so, Bai Bi, Qin Xiao, and Lei Lan had expended a lot of spiritual power during such high-intensity flight, and they were struggling to maintain this pace. However, they didn't dare to complain in the slightest as the sight of the grim expression on Han Li's face, so they could only grit their teeth and continue onward.

  A day later, a swamp appeared up ahead, and the second level exit was revealed to them.

  Han Li heaved a faint sigh of relief upon seeing this before immediately leading the group into the exit without any hesitation.

  Half a day later, Han Li and the others reappeared in the valley on the first level of the earth abyss.

  At this moment, Han Li suddenly made a decision that had the others completely dumbstruck.

  As soon as they exited the valley, Han Li suddenly said in a cold voice, "We'll split up from now on. Separate yourselves from me, and we'll fly back the surface as quickly as we can along different routes."

  "What? Why, Brother Han?" Bai Bi and the others were all stunned to hear this.

  "With the situation as it currently is, I won't keep you three in the dark any longer. We may have caught the interest of a Demon Monarch level existence in this earth abyss. Even with my abilities, there's no way I can oppose such a fearsome being. I don't know when they'll be able to catch up to us, but if we split up, there's a very good chance that they'll come after me, which means there will be a greater chance for you three to escape to the surface. On top of that, without having to take the three of you with me, I'll be able to flee without any inhibitions. There should be very few things on this first level that can pose a threat to you, so you should be safe here," Han Li explained.

  "How could a Demon Monarch level being have developed an interest in us? Are you sure you haven't misjudged the situation, Brother Han?" Qin Xiao immediately turned deathly pale.

  "I don't know the reason behind this, but that's all I have to say. Your lives belong to you, and you can choose whether you believe me or not. However, I suggest that it's best for us to split up. Perhaps our pursuers will catch up to us soon," Han Li said in a brisk tone.

  Lei Lan and the others glanced at one another upon hearing this.

  It was just as Han Li had said; their lives belonged to them. Regardless of whether Han Li had misjudged or not, they could only regard this to be true. Furthermore, Han Li's judgment had been faultless throughout their journey, so there was a good chance that he was correct on this occasion as well.

  As such, Lei Lan and the others could only follow his advice and fly toward another direction after Han Li flew off and left them behind.

  As long as they could return to the surface, they would most likely be safe.

  A streak of azure light sped through a set of barren plains in a frenzy, moving as fast as lightning. It traveled from one end of the sky to the other after just a few flashes, and it was racing along in a completely soundless manner.

  Many demon beasts and demonic insects down below had noticed the streak of azure light in the sky, but they were nowhere near fast enough to catch up to it, so they could only look on as it disappeared into the distance.

  Han Li was flying as quickly as he could while holding a pair of top-grade spirit stones to replenish his energy.

  Back when he was traveling to the Spirit Realm through the spatial node, he had used up all of his Myriad Year Spirit Milk. As such, he had no choice but to use top-grade spirit stones instead. They were indeed extremely valuable, but in this dire situation, he certainly couldn't be stingy with them.

  Han Li's decision to split up with the other three was a forced one. He had told Lei Lan and the others most of the truth, but he had hidden one thing from them; he had a feeling that those demons from earlier seemed to be targeting him, and didn't pay much heed to Lei Lan and the others.

  In this situation, splitting up with them would make the rest of their journey to the surface a lot safer.

  He had protected the two Tian Peng Race holy disciples throughout this trial, helped them secure Infernal Flame Fruits, and also led them safely back to the first level. He had done everything in his power, so the rest was up to those holy disciples themselves. He had to worry about his own safety now.

  Up to this point, he hadn't noticed anything amiss nearby, and he wasn't too far away from the entrance that led up the surface, but Han Li didn't dare to get complacent, even in the slightest.

  Not only did he not slow down, he instead expelled a mouthful of blood essence and unleashed a secret technique to accelerate even further.

  If he could expend some energy to avoid a Body Integration Stage Demon Monarch, then that would most definitely be a wise decision.

  However, after flying for over half a day, Han Li's expression suddenly changed drastically as he abruptly turned around to look behind him.

  A streak of black light had appeared in the distant sky, and it was speeding straight toward him.

  Furthermore, it seemed to be closing in rapidly.

  A dark expression appeared on Han Li's face, and he immediately flapped his Thunderstorm Wings, appearing over 1,000 feet away in the blink of an eye.

  He didn't have any means through which he could conceal himself, so he could only unleash the full power of this Thunderstorm Wings.

  A faint cry of surprise sounded from within the black light, and Han Li felt as if it had been uttered right beside him.

  His heart sank as he flapped his wings vigorously, launching himself through the air at an astonishing pace, as if he were trying to puncture space itself.

  Chapter 1462: Plot

  "That's him up ahead, right? He really does have some skill. However, if he can escape from me, then that would be a massive joke."A female voice sounded.

  The ones within the streak of black light were none other than the black shadow
woman and Xue Du.

  They had managed to somehow track Han Li with unerring accuracy all the way to the first level. The woman chuckled coldly as she made a hand seal, and the black light around them immediately swirled before manifesting a black formation of light.

  Light surged through the formation, and the woman and Xue Du's bodies blurred slightly before vanishing.

  An incredible scene then ensued.

  Just as Han Li was racing through the air, spatial fluctuations suddenly erupted up ahead, following which a massive black spell formation surfaced out of thin air.

  Han Li's heart jolted with shock, and he wanted to stop, but it was already too late.

  Unleashing the full power of his Thunderstorm Wings naturally allowed him to fly at an extraordinary speed, but what he gained in speed was compromised by a lack of control.

  As such, he plunged headfirst into the black formation, having been unable to arrest his own momentum.

  Han Li felt his world go dark, following which streaks of black light and gusts of Yin winds swept forth from all directions, as if he'd entered through the gates of an infernal hell.

  Han Li immediately unleashed countless arcs of golden lightning without any hesitation amid a string of loud thunderclaps.

  All of the black light and Yin winds immediately exploded into nothingness as soon as they came into contact with this golden lightning, as if they'd met the bane of their existence.

  "Divine Devilbane Lightning! You possess lightning of this caliber?" The woman's surprised voice sounded from all around Han Li, following which the black light in the surrounding area began to swirl, and it was only picking up speed in its rotation.

  Han Li's heart jolted with shock as all of the golden arcs of lightning around his body formed a golden lightning garment that settled over his body.

  However, right at this moment, a woman's giggling voice sounded.

  "There's no need to be alarmed, Fellow Daoist. I bear no ill will toward you; I only wanted to invite you as a guest to my humble abode."

  Han Li naturally wasn't going to be fooled by this as he flapped his wings to try and escape. However, the woman seemed to have predicted his actions in advance, and she suddenly thrust a palm toward him from afar.

  A burst of enormous power crashed into Han Li, and such was its power that even with his current body, he was still unable to force his way through it.

  Han Li's heart immediately sank. During this split-second delay, black light flashed within the massive formation, and all three of them disappeared at once. Han Li was struck by a rush of dizziness, and he immediately activated his Great Development Technique to regain his clarity of mind. Only then did he discover that he'd been teleported to a tall platform that resembled a sacrificial altar. At this moment, he was standing atop a teleportation formation.

  The woman and the blood wyrm were standing not too far away from him, and it was as if they hadn't even moved a single step since the beginning.

  Judging from the dense aura of darkness in the surrounding air, this was most likely a level of the earth abyss that was deeper than the second level.

  What was even more concerning to him was that there were seven or eight demons of different forms standing near the platform. All of the were half-humanoid half-demonic creatures, and they were at the Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation stages.

  Looking at the buildings around the tall platform, he had clearly been teleported into the nest of some kind of demon beast.

  In this perilous situation, Han Li didn't dare to engage in any reckless actions, and merely appraised the woman in silence.

  This was most likely the "Mistress" that the blood wyrm had been referring to. Otherwise, how could she possibly possess such extraordinary abilities to be able to abduct him to this place with such ease?

  "Come and have a chat with me in the hall first, Fellow Daoist," the black shadow woman invited with a smile before flying toward the cluster of buildings in the distance.

  Xue Du glanced at Han Li with a rather peculiar look on its face before also following the woman away. He didn't seem to be concerned in the slightest that Han Li would try to escape again.

  Han Li looked around at the cluster of buildings, then up at the sky, and a wry smile appeared on his face.

  The entire sky was filled with dense grey clouds, and there was a burst of indescribable spiritual power radiating from the sky along with flashes of black lightning. A powerful restriction had clearly been set up here, and it was definitely not one that he'd be able to escape from in a short time.

  However, judging from the woman's words and actions, she didn't seem intent on killing him right away. As such, it was best to listen to what she had to say first, then see if there were any opportunities he could take advantage of.

  With that in mind, Han Li was feeling slightly more assured as he followed the woman and Xue Du as a streak of azure light.

  Han Li was led to the largest of the cluster of buildings by the woman and the blood wyrm.

  He glanced at the demon beasts standing guard on either side of the wooden hall, and a peculiar look appeared on his face.

  All of these demon beasts were short ape-like creatures, each sitting atop a black Giant Spirit Flower with their roots planted deep into the soil outside the doors of the wooden hall.

  A contemplative look appeared on Han Li's face, and he felt as if he'd discovered why this woman was targeting him.

  Without any further delay, Han Li strode into the hall under the menacing eyes of the apes outside.

  The entire hall was completely empty aside from the black shadow woman and the blood wyrm.

  There were two rows of wooden chairs lined up on either side of the hall, and the woman had already made her way over to a massive golden flower at the center of the hall. She then sat down with her legs crossed while the blood wyrm stood beside her in an obedient manner.

  The woman gestured for Han Li to take a seat on one of the nearby wooden chairs before clapping her hands as she instructed, "Bring some tea for our guest!"

  Moments later, a green-robed female servant with a set of fine and delicate facial features appeared within the hall, carrying a wooden platter, upon which was placed two white teacups.

  The servant handed one cup to Han Li and the other to the woman, neglecting to prepare one for the blood wyrm.

  However, Xue Du's expression remained unchanged as if he were already accustomed to such treatment. Han Li looked at the tea in the cup, and his lips twitched.

  Within the pristine white teacup was a tiny pool of inky-black liquid that was emanating a rank odor.

  Even just catching a whiff of this "tea" was making his expression change slightly, let alone drinking it.

  He was able to instantly identify that there were several tens of types of lethal poison in this tea, and he had only been able to identify a small portion of its constituents.

  Even with the poisons that he'd identified, those would definitely be sufficient to kill a normal person the spot.

  Han Li was indeed quite confident in his physical body, but he certainly wasn't going to go around drinking poison for no good reason.

  The woman wore a faint smile on her face, and she seemed to have identified Han Li's reluctance. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist; I brewed this tea using 81 different types of lethal poison, yet all of them cancel each other out to create a completely harmless drink. On top of that, frequent consumption of this beverage is beneficial to one's spiritual sense."

  She then took a sip of this tea to set an example, and he hesitated momentarily before also taking a small sip.

  With the woman's abilities, there was no need for her to try and kill him using poisoned tea as other more direct methods would suffice. As such, decided to go along with whatever she had planned. Furthermore, it appeared that she wasn't lying about this.

  The putrid-smelling tea was extremely bitter, but after sliding down his throat, it transformed into a ball of heat that spread thro
ugh his entire body via his meridians. At the same time, a cool sensation rushed into his mind, making him instantly feel more sharp and alert.

  He quickly inspected his body with his spiritual sense, and was greatly relieved to find that he hadn't been poisoned.

  "Thank you for your hospitality, Senior, but may I ask why you've brought me here? This is my first time here in this earth abyss, and surely I haven't done anything to offend you," Han Li said in a grim voice as he placed the teacup onto the table beside him.

  The black shadow woman appraised Han Li carefully for a while, and only after Han Li was starting to get chills running down his spine did she reply in an unhurried voice. "I've invited you here because I have something important to discuss with you, but there's no hurry in that. You can stay here for a few days first, and I'll reveal everything to you after that. By the way, may I ask your name? My name is Mu Qing."

  After a brief hesitation, Han Li decided to tell the truth. "Junior Han Li pays his respects to Senior Mu Qing."

  There was no point in lying about something like this, and if his lie were to be exposed, it would surely leave a bad taste in Mu Qing's mouth.

  "So it's Fellow Daoist Han. Bi'er, take Fellow Daoist Han to rest in the guest pavilion for now. Make sure to satisfy every single one of his needs." Mu Qing's voice suddenly turned quite cold as she delivered an instruction to the female servant in the hall.

  The green-robed woman faltered upon hearing this before immediately falling to her knees to accept the order.

  As such, Han Li could only stand up and follow her out of the hall. Thus, Mu Qing and Xue Du were the only ones left in the building.

  Mu Qing looked on in the direction that Han Li had departed in, and the expression on her face suggested that she was in deep thought. Meanwhile, Xue Du remained completely silent beside her as if he were a mute.

  "Xue Du, don't you want to ask me why I changed my mind?" Mu Qing suddenly asked.