novelapdf Chapter 182 The Boss Sword Immortal
Chapter 182 The Boss Sword Immortal
Chapter 183 The Boss Sword Immortal
Beyond the Path of Ice and Fire.
Crimson flames and black ice intertwined and steamed on both sides of the canyon, and a heart-stopping crackling sound came from where the ice and fire met.
Lu Jianghe's sword light disappeared into the Xuanjing Path. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, several streaks of light suddenly appeared between the cliffs on both sides.
Wan Tianming hovered in mid-air with his hands behind his back, his plain white Taoist robe fluttering in the wind. This master of the Myriad Laws Sect repeatedly scanned the icy crystal tunnel with his divine sense.
The man with the rough beard stroked his chin with his large, calloused hands, his eyes sharp.
Qingyi Jushi had his hands behind his back. Although he looked middle-aged, he was slightly hunched over, showing the cautious demeanor of an old man.
They relied on their eyesight to catch the faint ripples of spiritual energy remaining in the air, as well as the subtle traces of sword intent that had not yet completely dissipated, sharp as a knife.
In the eyes of a Nascent Soul cultivator, these residual traces of aura are like footprints in the snow, clearly discernible, enough to prove that someone has indeed stepped into the Path of Profound Crystals.
Behind Wan Tianming, the light and shadow shifted slightly, and the figures of Mu Tengzi and Tian Wuzi quietly appeared.
Previously, a sliver of hope remained in his heart, wishing that Lu Jianghe might not venture deep into the inner palace.
Wan Tianming, Mu Tengzi, and Tian Wuzi exchanged glances, each seeing a deep sense of helplessness and solemnity in the other's eyes.
The result was clearly unsatisfactory.
Seeing Wan Tianming's gloomy expression, Tian Wuzi comforted him, saying, "Without those rare and exotic beasts, trying to forcibly seize the Void Heaven Cauldron is nothing but a pipe dream. The Qianlan Ice Flame is terrifying; even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator can't do anything about it. If it were really that easy, how could the Void Heaven Cauldron, the number one secret treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea, have remained dormant for ten thousand years without anyone being able to take it?"
Wan Tianming was still somewhat unwilling. "You said the three of us would enter the inner hall and see if the other side would take the cauldron, like a hunter?"
Mu Tengzi immediately shook his head. "The inner palace doesn't prohibit killing. The Star Palace has already broken too many rules. It's unprecedented for a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator to be able to enter. If we really fight in the inner palace—what can we do then?"
Tengoko didn't speak, but after hearing what Mutōko said, he couldn't help but nod slightly, indicating his complete agreement.
Wan Tianming's facial muscles twitched slightly. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to argue, but in the end, he only let out a long sigh.
Qingyi looked left and right, a thoughtful expression on his face.
In reality, he had no connection with Lu Jianghe, and he didn't feel that the other party was the kind of vicious person.
To be honest, it's already pretty good that we were able to collect some Longevity Fruits this time. It would be even better if we could get an ancient treasure as well.
As for the Void Heaven Cauldron, forget about it.
But he didn't want to go alone; he wanted to bring someone with him.
The bearded man in front of me is a good choice.
Qing Yi hesitated before speaking, a smile spreading across his face. "Brother Man, it seems these hypocrites from the righteous path dare not enter. I was thinking, since we're already here, why not go and take a look? What if—what if they really can take the cauldron? Wouldn't it be an opportunity for us to witness it firsthand?"
Upon hearing this, the bearded man snorted coldly, his rough voice filled with undisguised sarcasm.
"Give me a break! You dare say you didn't tamper with that Yin-Yang Old Ghost? I left behind a wisp of my divine sense, and just recently, that divine sense detected that the Yin-Yang aura had completely disappeared. What does that mean? You should know, right?"
Upon hearing Manhuzi's words, Qingyi Jushi's hand trembled, and he plucked out a strand of his beard.
He did consider leaving some backup plan for Ji Yin, since it would be easy to detect if a cultivator of the same realm tampered with something. After weighing the pros and cons, he ultimately decided not to take any action.
Since the bearded man spoke with such certainty, he must have truly left a mark.
No wonder—no wonder we've waited so long and that bastard Ji Yin hasn't shown up.
Given his consistent nature, unless his life was in danger, he would definitely try his luck to get into the inner palace.
His continued absence suggests that, as the bearded man said, he has indeed died and vanished.
A chill instantly shot from the soles of Qing Yi's feet to the top of his head.
He acts without hesitation, completely disregarding the rules of the Star Palace. He's truly a ruthless person!
Forget it, I'm outta here.
However, upon further reflection, he realized that the other party's actions in the Demon Beast Sea Abyss were indeed in line with the righteous path of humanity, and their behavior made Qing Yi somewhat hesitant.
The bearded man looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong with you today? This is very unlike your usual self. Have you found a successor?"
Qing Yi's gaze involuntarily drifted into the distance, as if he could still see a fleeting sword shadow and bursts of blood mist.
"Brother Man, you jest. How easy is it to find a successor? I was just reminded of something I witnessed that deeply moved me."
"Anyway, I'm not going to the inner palace! What a load of rubbish, the Void Heaven Cauldron! Let's go, let's take advantage of the remaining time and see if we've missed any Longevity Fruits!"
After saying that, the bearded man ignored Qing Yi, and with a flash of golden light around him, he flew directly towards the outer palace grassland, clearly having completely given up the idea of entering the inner palace.
Seeing this, Qingyi hesitated for a moment, then transformed into a "thread" and chased after the blinding golden light of the barbarian.
The old monster, who had lived for six or seven hundred years, ultimately dared not gamble with human nature.
After walking out of the Xuanjing Path, Lu Jianghe casually patted off the chill that had settled on his body, dispelling it completely.
Before him was a somewhat simple stone hall, with a huge blue stone door several meters high on each of the four walls.
Sensing someone's arrival, the wall slowly rose with a muffled rumble, revealing four deep blue stone passageways that stretched darkly into the unknown.
Lu Jianghe instantly understood that three of the four passages led to the Baoguang Pavilion, where pills, cultivation techniques, and ancient treasures were stored.
The last path leads directly to the next level, the Wonderful Illusion.
Only by passing the so-called test of illusion can one reach the core area of the final inner sanctum.
His purpose for this trip was clear: the Azure Ice Flame and the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Pool within the inner palace. He had no interest in these external things.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Jianghe didn't stop walking; his figure flashed and disappeared into a certain passage.
The passageway was about a hundred feet long, and then it opened up into a bright and spacious area at the end.
The scene before my eyes suddenly changed, and a long bridge made entirely of warm white jade appeared to float in mid-air above the vast sea of clouds.
The surrounding area was filled with swirling white clouds, creating an ethereal atmosphere, like a flowing painting.
At the end of the long bridge, a delicate four-cornered pavilion floats.
These pavilions are carved entirely from azure jade, shimmering with a warm luster under the soft sunlight, exuding an elegant and extraordinary charm.
One of them is the most eye-catching, with a plaque hanging on the upper floor that clearly reads the three ancient characters "Baoguang Pavilion".
This is really troublesome.
Lu Jianghe glanced at the seemingly flowing but actually stagnant white cloud illusion around him, then with a slight thought, a condensed sword light suddenly appeared.
Disregarding the path and the restrictions, he merged his body with the sword, transforming into a dazzling streak of light, and crashed into it!
"laugh--!"
There was no earth-shattering noise, only a slight tearing sound.
Space seemed to be forcibly torn apart, and the scene suddenly reversed and changed.
Once the light and shadow stabilized, the sharp sword light that Lu Jianghe had transformed into crashed down onto an open-air corridor.
Its form became visible, its toes touching the ground.
He looked up and saw that the corridor stretched out in a winding manner, with wisps of white mist on both sides and below, and it seemed to have no end in sight.
As Lu Jianghe arrived, the white mist in the long corridor suddenly surged and changed.
Celestial music filled the air, ethereal and dreamlike. Amidst the fleeting glimpses of light and shadow, countless illusions of pavilions and towers appeared and vanished as quickly as a fleeting moment.
The moment he set foot on this place, he felt an invisible, powerful restriction instantly placed upon him, like heavy shackles, completely sealing off his ability to fly.
Of course, given Lu Jianghe's cultivation level, it wouldn't be impossible for him to forcefully break free of this restriction if he were willing to expend some mental energy.
However, he knew that the more he struggled and resisted such powerful restrictions, the stronger the restraints would become, and the greater the loss to his mind and strength would be, making it a losing proposition.
After a moment's consideration, Lu Jianghe simply gave up the idea of forcibly breaking through.
Although the corridor is winding and shrouded in white mist, with no end in sight, once you pass through this illusion, you should be able to escape.
As Lu Jianghe ventured deeper into the area, the surrounding celestial music became increasingly clear and melodious, as if it could directly pluck at one's heartstrings.
The swirling clouds seemed to come alive, transforming into graceful, ethereal white cranes.
They spread their pure white wings, fluttering and circling lightly, their posture unrestrained yet elegant.
However, this peaceful scene did not last long.
As he approached, the white cranes that had been dancing gracefully suddenly shifted in the light and shadow. Their figures twisted and changed rapidly in the leaping light, transforming in the blink of an eye into a group of beautiful young girls.
They were all young and beautiful, dressed in gossamer-thin gossamer gowns.
Their slender waists and snow-white skin were exposed, and their eyes, full of affection, surrounded Lu Jianghe, their gazes burning as if he were the lover they longed for day and night.
At the same time, the faint celestial music in the air suddenly changed.
It is no longer ethereal and dreamlike, but has transformed into an extremely soft and charming melody.
The music penetrates the heart, precisely stirring the most primal and hidden desires deep within the listener's soul, its subtle, lingering notes captivating and leaving one unable to control themselves.
The young women gracefully approached Lu Jianghe, their arms outstretched and their steps light and delicate, carrying a captivating fragrance.
Lu Jianghe ignored him and walked right past him without even glancing at him.
A look of resentment immediately welled up in their eyes.
In the blink of an eye, the girl's figure transformed into a stunningly beautiful young woman. Her light gauze robes slowly fell away, revealing her voluptuous and graceful figure. Soft, delicate breaths escaped her lips, and her seductive voice became even more alluring.
Lu Jianghe remained unmoved and ignored him completely.
Although these women were beautiful, they were not as stunning as Zi Ling, Yuan Yao, Zhuang Huayi, and others.
Whether she transforms into a dignified and aloof woman, a seductive and wanton woman, a pure and innocent girl, or a passionate and fiery woman—her various appearances change in turn, but they can never shake one's heart.
It seems to be useless.
The next instant, the surrounding world suddenly darkened, and those alluring figures vanished without a trace.
An aged figure slowly appeared and stood in the middle of his path.
Chen Qingdu?!
Lu Jianghe stared at the figure before him, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes.
The illusion is so mysterious that it can reflect the deepest part of the human heart?
Although it was merely an illusion, and he knew it was not real, when the figure of the old man with his arms crossed and looking at him sideways clearly appeared, Lu Jianghe's mind trembled noticeably for the first time since he arrived in this world.
A person's name, a tree's shadow.
Even knowing that what he saw before him was just a phantom, Lu Jianghe couldn't help but feel a strange, indescribable stirring in his heart when he faced the figure of this great sword immortal.
It wasn't fear, but rather a subtle feeling—the subconscious worry that you might not have done something well enough when being scrutinized by elders, fearing that you might be blamed.
This slight emotional fluctuation was enough to shatter his absolute composure in the face of all kinds of temptations.
This is Chen Qingdu, the ancient substitute among the Ten Heroes, who has been guarding the Great Wall of Sword Qi and resisting the barbaric world for nearly ten thousand years.
Lu Jianghe's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
The "Chen Qingdu" in the illusion merely raised his hand, his gaze lingering on him for a moment before finally nodding slightly.
There seemed to be a subtle hint of approval in his eyes.
Upon seeing this, Lu Jianghe couldn't help but chuckle.
A mere illusion of a forbidden barrier could stir a sense of lingering melancholy and relief in someone as resilient as him.
After all, he had never received such a look of approval from a true master swordsman. Yet, unexpectedly, he could feel a certain comfort deep within his heart from this illusory object.
After finishing all this, Chen Qingdu casually remarked, "Not bad, passable—"
Hearing that familiar tone, Lu Jianghe gave a wry smile.
This is something that even the great swordsman would say.
After saying those words, Chen Qingdu's figure slowly began to dissipate.
Lu Jianghe composed himself, his expression solemn. He cupped his hands and bowed deeply to the fading phantom.
"Respectfully bidding farewell to the esteemed Sword Immortal."
At the same time, an unwavering thought silently resonated deep within his heart.
Once I reach the fifteenth realm, I will surely reverse the flow of time.
When a true fifteenth-realm sword cultivator is stationed at the Sword Qi Great Wall, will you still be able to break through the city, Zhou Mi?
Lu Jianghe immediately stood up.
In this wondrous illusion, Chen Qingdu's vision was far too real.
Is it because the image of Chen Qingdu in my mind is too deep and obvious, or is the illusion itself mysterious and unpredictable?
For a true master at the peak of the fourteenth realm, the illusion should, in principle, first test their conscience, cause a shock to their Dao heart, and intimidate their mind.
But this phantom seemed rather unclear.
For a moment, Lu Jianghe was also a little confused.
Even though I clearly know that everything before me is an illusion, "when the false is taken for the true, even the true becomes false," and this illusion seems to be able to transform the unreal into the real.
Some cultivators were delighted to see that these Nascent Soul stage monsters had not entered the Ice and Fire Path.
As long as these old fellows don't enter the inner hall, their chances of obtaining the treasures inside will greatly increase, and there will be no one vying for them.
After obtaining the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng, Han Li hung the soul artifact that imprisoned the remnant soul of Xuan Gu beside him. Amidst the swirling black mist, the faint phantom of Xuan Gu's primordial spirit could be seen.
After all, relying solely on instructions to find the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng is ultimately not enough.
Han Li simply released him and placed a restriction on him. Arriving at the entrance of the Ice and Fire Path, Han Li looked at the two completely different passages on the left and right with a solemn expression.
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