Chapter 554: The Path of Ghost

"To live or to die, how is this to be interpreted?"

Li Heng continued to smile as he asked aloud.

"Fellow Daoist, there is no need to put on an act. I know that from the very beginning, you had vaguely guessed the truth, and after being disrupted by those two idiots Shentu and Yulei just now, you must certainly have guessed the truth."

"Since that is the case, why must you feign ignorance?"

Xuelianzi's eyelids drooped slightly as he spoke slowly.

"But if one is to be used as a sacrifice, isn't there only a path to death?" Li Heng was still smiling, light and breezy, as he asked out of curiosity.

Seeing this, Xuelianzi felt a bit agitated. Why could this Li Daoren still smile even at a point like this, his heart so calm? It was simply not taking him or the Three Immortals Sect seriously!

However, hindered by the possibility of hidden trump cards, he did not dare to be too aggressive in his words, lest he capsize in the gutter. Even though he was already within the territory of the Longevity Sect and protected by the power of the Longevity Sect, there still existed a tiny possibility of an accident. Unless one could occupy every possibility, who could arrogantly claim they could control everything one hundred percent?

Out of this consideration, he pondered for a moment, let out a cold snort, and spoke, "Who decreed that being a sacrifice must mean death? Whether you die or not depends on whether you are clever! If you resist, you must naturally die."

"But if you do not resist and obediently act as a sacrifice, if you still possess potential, perhaps you might have a glimmer of survival and transform into a Ghost. At that time, it would instead be a great opportunity. From this point, I have not completely deceived you, have I?"

"You have all mentioned the word 'Ghost'. So what exactly is a 'Ghost'? I beg Fellow Daoist Xuelianzi to explain it clearly; even if one is to die, one can at least be a clear-headed ghost, right?"

Xuelianzi became increasingly annoyed.

Does this Li Daoren really look like someone in a desperate situation? Why does it feel like this person is here for an outing or a stroll, not taking the Three Immortals Sect seriously at all? And now he is actually continuing to press him with questions? Does he really think he, Xuelianzi, is easy to bully? Not weeping and wailing but remaining so calm and arrogant—he truly deserves to die; he must definitely...

"Actually, 'Ghost' is a path."

The agitated feeling in his heart suddenly calmed down, and he explained, not immediately making a move against Li Heng or voicing mockery. As for why he did this? He did not know either.

Why should he be so polite to a dying man?

And one who was destined to be a sacrifice for his own achievement?

He could not quite figure it out.

But his intuition told him he must do so.

"Fellow Daoist, you come from the Great Void outside; you must surely know the current situation of the Great Void. The Void Is All Dark, and worlds, civilizations, and living beings are all shivering in the shadows of Calamity and monsters."

"Even we Sacred ones are no exception."

"Before I attained the Sacred path, I once heard old news saying that in those untraceable ages, there was a force capable of dominating the Great Void and radiating across all heavens, yet this force was still shattered by Calamity and monsters. At that time, I did not believe it. How vast is the Great Void? How could it be unable to deal with mere Calamity and monsters?"

"But it was not until I attained the Sacred path and saw with my own eyes another fellow Sacred Daoist buried in the mouths of monsters, while I escaped death by the skin of my teeth only to be nearly assimilated by Calamity, that I understood."

"Only Calamity and monsters cannot be opposed!"

Xuelianzi's face was as cold as water as he spoke with finality.

Li Heng nodded. He understood this mindset; it was nothing more than another Xuantian, whose mentality had been broken by Calamity and monsters.

"What Sacred path? Facts have already proven that even if a Sacred reaches the peak, they are likely powerless to oppose truly powerful monsters and Calamity, and can only flee. So what meaning does the Sacred have? It would be better to open a new path, such as this 'Ghost'."

"If you can't beat them, join them; this is the norm of the Myriad Worlds."

"And the Ghost Path is to analyze Calamity and monsters, use one's own essence to gradually approach Calamity and monsters, obtain that unreasonable power, and finally completely surpass the Sacred!"

"So that's how it is? That is truly quite interesting."

Li Heng chuckled aloud.

However, this sentence sounded full of mockery to Xuelianzi, causing him to frown and speak.

"It seems you do not believe in this Ghost Path?"

"But you must know that this Ghost Path was personally created by those three Supreme beings of the Three Immortals Sect who have already reached the peak of the Holy Path. It contains the true intent of those unreasonable Calamities and monsters; it is far stronger than the bleak Holy Path!"

At this, Li Heng was even more amused.

"How are you so certain that the Holy Path is bleak? And how are you so certain that the three Supreme beings you speak of have truly reached the end of the Holy Path?"

"Li Daoren, you need not use words to provoke me. Those three Supreme beings are far stronger than both you and me, seeing higher and further. They have all abandoned the Sacred and know to walk the 'Ghost' path, and there are currently real-world examples proving the 'Ghost' path is stronger. You tell me, what choice would I make?"

Xuelianzi's expression was calm, unmoved.

Having reached the level of the Sacred, at this stage, everything is decided by one's own heart. Perhaps the situation might not be thoroughly considered, but once a decision is made, one almost never regrets it.

Perhaps the "Ghost" path really does contain some trap.

But in his view, it was still far stronger than the Sacred path.

"The Ghost Path requires a sacrifice for entry, and the quality of the first sacrifice largely determines the efficiency of practicing the Ghost Path, so I must offend you. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too confident."

"You might think you have the ability to turn the tables or have some powerful trump card, but you truly underestimate the Three Immortals Sect and underestimate those three Supreme beings who have practiced the Ghost Path."

He changed the subject and began to criticize Li Heng.

"Yellow-Rank Guest Elder of the Three Immortals Sect, Xuelianzi, requests the Sacrificial Altar of Ghost to hold a Great Sacrifice. The Contract is established; I hope the Three Dukes will show mercy."

Xuelianzi bowed and saluted, shouting toward the sky.

As soon as the words fell, infinite great power manifested.

An indifferent and calm voice came, "Granted."

The next moment, the surrounding Great Dao laws manifested, then twisted and distorted, turning into wriggling maggots that outlined various frantic and deformed Runes, which then formed an altar, beginning to tear through the Emptiness and manifest before Li Heng.

As for Li Heng, he also felt the restraint of an invisible strange force. The so-called Invitation Letter in his hand ignited without fire, forcibly sealing all his cultivation and controlling him to walk slowly onto the altar to become the sacrifice.

His eyes lit up; this was now even more interesting.

At this moment, outside the Three Immortals Sect, in a certain edge region of this World Sea, within an unremarkable small Multiverse, over a dozen Sacred beings gathered together.

Among them were Shentu and Yulei, whom Li Heng had seen before.

"Shentu, Yulei, I told you to infiltrate the Three Immortals Sect; did you have any gains?" a Sacred being whose strength was at the Half-step Divine overlord level, or rather a Half-step Supreme, asked.

"Reporting to the Alliance Leader, none."

Shentu and Yulei shook their heads and said softly.

The other Sacred beings all shook their heads and sighed upon hearing this.

The Three Immortals Sect was indeed powerful and mysterious; even the Alliance formed by these dozen-plus Sacred beings found it difficult to oppose them and could only send in undercover agents.

It was just a pity that the undercover agents seemed to be of no use either.

"Is there really nothing? I once heard that the Three Immortals Sect has a mysterious ritual; once the ritual is held, no matter who it is, they will be completely loyal to the Three Immortals Sect."

This Shengsheng Mengzhu said calmly.

Shentu and Yulei both had expressions as calm as usual, and they spoke up.

"Is the Mengzhu doubting the two of us?"

"Otherwise what? The undercover agents sent before did not have Sacred cultivation, yet they were all able to send back some information. As a result, I sent the two of you, both Sacred, and there isn't even a shred of information."

"At the very least, give me some kind of commotion!"

This Shengsheng Mengzhu was impatient.

Then the next moment, they heard a sound of Terror-filled explosions, and a great commotion appeared. All the Sacred ones were startled at once, looked toward the direction of the explosion, and were all stunned, filled with shock and uncertainty.

That place is... the direction of the Three Immortals Sect?