[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-path-of-immortality":3,"chapter-the-path-of-immortality-the-path-of-immortality-chapter-117":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Path of Immortality",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2271267,4436,"Chapter 117: The Mighty Ghosts Cheer, Zhou Jueyin","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-117",117,"\u003Cp>“Pingge, everything’s ready—top-grade moonstone and Red River sand, none of this quality to be found in the surrounding markets!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I went specifically to the Water-Fire Tower, sought out several elder alchemists, and managed to secure them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around Yan Ping stood a dozen men, their bodies radiating swirling qi signatures like blazing flames illuminating the sky—a striking, dazzling sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his left, a youth wearing a Yangyang crown and a blue-green ritual robe smiled, proudly patted the Qiankun bag at his waist, and said with no small pride:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really doubt what I, Yan Du, can accomplish?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Yan family members present chuckled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Yan Ping remained expressionless, his gaze cold and sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du, who had a playful nature, had intended to say a few more witty remarks to further boast himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But under that gaze, he retreated, his voice gradually lowering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he pulled his head in and dared not speak another word…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hand them over. Let me take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping extended his hand and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du dared not defy him; he obediently unfastened the Qiankun bag from his waist and respectfully handed it to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good… you’ve done your part well. This merits a merit point.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Yan Ping pulled out a single moonstone, a bone-chilling yin energy, like a small serpent, writhed to pierce through his palm’s skin and slither along the meridians toward his heart pulse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping turned his palm slightly and effortlessly crushed that coldness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the pile of Red River sand, sniffed once, and upon catching the thick, bloody stench, his face broke into a satisfied expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pingge, is this enough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du smiled apologetically: “I scoured every last private stash of those elder alchemists at the Water-Fire Tower—not a speck left. I thought this should be sufficient, so I didn’t ask for more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s still not enough, I—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you see the Luo Xian Lead Boat has arrived? We’re heading to the Abyss soon—how could you afford to play more tricks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping waved him off, his expression softening as he chuckled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Abyss teems with countless yin spirits. These two items are for summoning spirits and offering to ghosts—if you brought even more, we might end up suffering the consequences ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du chuckled awkwardly and stayed silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is more than enough—even to kill Chen Hang a hundred times over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping tossed the Qiankun bag back to Yan Du, who was watching eagerly, then looked around at the other Yan family members and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night, Cousin Feichen’s intentions—did you all understand them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pingge, rest assured! This is a family matter—we’d never forget!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Yan family member with a three-foot-long beard—his skin, save for his eyes, dark gold from some mysterious cultivation technique—smiled and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Hang is merely a kept man. Though he’s somehow stumbled into great fortune, his vision remains shallow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rejected Cousin’s Purple Mansion Dao Scripture—he’s clearly chosen to oppose us. In this state, how could we let him continue living freely? He must die in the Abyss!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Xuanzhen Sect, Ai Jian had deliberately made things difficult—hard to act openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the Abyss, a place without sun or sky, ruled by yin ghosts, it was the perfect place to bury bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill him with one sword, then casually toss him somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In mere moments, even his bones would be devoured by those strange creatures—cleaned to the last scrap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping suddenly felt an inexplicable heat surge through his chest, quickening his blood, flushing his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pingge, you’d best not handle it yourself. The moonstone and Red River sand you ordered us to prepare—they’re meant for Chen Hang, aren’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An older Yan family member noticed Yan Ping’s hand trembling uncontrollably and frowned, whispering a quiet warning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s been noticed by Xie Tan of the Flower Goddess Mansion—he’s from the Changyou Xie Clan. Such scions of great houses often possess secret arts. If we’re doing something major, better to be cautious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sheng Shu—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping fell silent for a moment, then turned his head aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes red, he paused, then spoke softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know. But I’m just… deeply unsettled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man in long robes, whom he called “Sheng Shu,” silently shook his head and said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After further discussion, another “Luo Xian Lead Boat” slowly rose from a peak, standing majestically above the boundless rosy clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment it appeared, many cultivators’ faces lit up; they launched their flight techniques and flew toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xuanzhen Sect had received over a hundred summoning talismans for the Abyss—so many that one Lead Boat couldn’t hold them all; a second was absolutely necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t rush, don’t rush—I’ve got something amusing to show you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Yan family members prepared to soar toward the Lead Boat, Yan Ping suddenly laughed and raised his hand to stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch this complete fool—how he’s rushing headlong into death in the Abyss. Hah, how pitiful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid Yan Ping’s mocking laughter, the others were confused—then, moments later, several flight trails descended toward the Lead Boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon closer look, one of those figures was unmistakably Xu Zhi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Him? He’s famous indeed, but I heard his character is utterly chaotic…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du blinked, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did Xu Zhi get the nerve to go to the Abyss? What madness possessed him? He’ll probably just get scared to death by a demon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I negotiated with Zhang, the Officer in charge of the Duty Hall—I tricked Xu Zhi into doing menial tasks on the Lead Boat, promising him a Daoist alchemy text in return. Zhang had once been helped by Xu Zhi when he rose to power, and even after Xu Zhi fell, he never kicked him while he was down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping’s gaze flickered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That Zhang officer is cultivating a blood qi technique. I used two Embryo Nourishment Pills to buy his favor—had him lure Xu Zhi onto the Lead Boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, we’ll finish him off together in the Abyss!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One Yan family member, confused, asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pingge, Xu Zhi never had any connection with our late sister, did he? You—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Zhi dared to defy me, to befriend Chen Hang—that alone seals his death warrant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping’s fingers brushed lightly over the hilt of his Bailu Dao Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face expressionless, he said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just Xu Zhi—after we return from the Abyss, every last member of Chen Hang’s clan in Lanliang City will die. Even a single chicken, a single dog—I won’t spare one. All of them will die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold, bone-deep malice in his words chilled the hearts of those standing beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if they’d stepped on a live snake, writhing beneath their feet—its slick, icy touch crawling up their spines, making their scalps prickle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu Liang Tianzun! After Yan Zhen’s death, Yan Ping has truly lost his mind—he’s no longer like a living man!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few steps away, Yan Du lowered his head, a sudden shiver running through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, catching the corner of his eye, he saw Yan Ping gently stroking the Bailu Dao Sword—the very weapon that had belonged to Yan Zhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Ping’s fingertips moved with delicate tenderness, caressing each inch as if touching the skin of a beautiful woman—no pressure, no haste, utterly careful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Du’s scalp prickled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly lowered his gaze, eyes fixed on his nose, nose on his heart—dared not look again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luo Xian Lead Boat was thirty zhang long, its surface the color of black iron, radiating an impression of unyielding solidity. Inside, it had three decks, easily accommodating half a hundred people with room to spare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang noticed four banners, each over ten feet tall, bearing the “Xuan Zao Hu Shen” emblem, fluttering without wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t know their exact function, merely looking at them gave him a sense of fierce, malevolent power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if a predatory beast had locked its gaze upon him—his spirit trembled, and faintly, he heard a roar in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang paused briefly, then chose a cabin on the second deck at random and pushed the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the cabin was spotlessly clean, walls dust-free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him stood a jade bed and several cushions; to his left, a purple sandalwood table neatly arranged with brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and several cups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the cabin was small—no more than fifty paces in any direction—it was perfectly equipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the boat shuddered slightly, the “Luo Xian Lead Boat” rose further, soaring toward the Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang locked the door behind him, sat on the jade bed, and glanced around—his spiritual sense stirred slightly…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spiritual energy within the Abyss was foul and corrupt; even cultivators who lingered too long would have yin essence invade their brains and organs, eventually dying helplessly, their bodies perishing and souls dissolving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Ai Jian had distributed White Yang Pills to all disciples—to balance the clear and turbid energies within their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t just the polluted spiritual energy—over centuries, countless yin spirits and demonic ghosts had been born there…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The tiger is a yang creature, lord of beasts, capable of crushing sharpness and devouring ghosts… Those four Xuan Zao Hu Shen banners must be talismanic artifacts to ward off evil—but I wonder their rank, and the true nature of this Luo Xian Lead Boat…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head slightly, then stopped speculating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he calmed his mind, practiced breath regulation for several cycles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once his qi flowed smoothly and harmoniously, he shook his sleeve and withdrew the Hu Da Zao Yuan Pearl, gripping it in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Hu Da Zao Yuan Pearl had been gifted by Ai Jian the day before, along with two Wu Chunlie Thunder Talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Wu Chunlie Thunder Talismans functioned much like the “Beidou Sword Scroll” he’d obtained from Huaiwu Cave Master—both were for slaying enemies and protecting life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the lightning struck a body directly, even a Purple Mansion cultivator would die instantly, unable to resist—perfect as a final weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Hu Da Zao Yuan Pearl in Chen Hang’s hand, it was an external elixir to replenish primordial qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the vessel were twelve pearls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each pearl was the size of a quail’s egg, plump and full, its interior devoid of any other color—just a concentrated glow of pure light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely holding one between his fingers sent a light, refreshing energy into his nose and mouth, instantly making him feel clear-headed and invigorated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exhausting all his talisman coins and essence, Chen Hang’s cultivation had reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation; if he absorbed this hu of Great Creation Pearls, his cultivation would surely advance another step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two gifts from Ai Jian, though granted out of respect for Xie Tan of the Flower God Mansion, had indeed lent him a crucial hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he reached this thought, he no longer hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He withdrew one Great Creation Pearl, gently rubbed it between his fingertips a few times, then crushed it with force, slowly extracting the emerald light within and guiding it into his nasal orifices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was how such an act was performed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then was it the proper method of ingesting the Great Creation Pearl…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outer shell of this elixir had no nourishing function whatsoever—it existed solely to seal in the pure light within; not only was it devoid of spiritual energy, but it also contained deadly poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If swallowed into the stomach and intestines, even a Daoist with innate protective arts would suffer ruptured organs and torn bowels; even if he eventually forced it out, residual poison would take root inside him, inevitably leaving him gravely ill afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sitting silently for a while, the elixir’s power slowly spread through his chest and abdomen; Chen Hang’s spirit surged sharply. He guided the dissolved elixir energy through his meridians a hundred times over, fully integrating it into his sinews, bones, and blood to strengthen his fetal breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a little more than half a day, the medicinal properties of this Great Creation Pearl were fully absorbed. Chen Hang slowly exhaled a long breath, rested not at all, and immediately picked up another, closing his eyes to refine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until three full days later, Chen Hang’s cultivation had finally entered the eighth layer of Qi Condensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the full hu of Great Creation Pearls had dwindled to only two remaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This number still isn’t enough for me to reach the peak of Qi Condensation ninth layer…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Yan Ping and the others should attack me in the Abyss. Taking their wealth and gathering a bit more from elsewhere should suffice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes flickered slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crushed another Great Creation Pearl and sank once more into meditation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, before he could fully absorb the elixir’s power, only half an hour had passed when Luo Xian’s lead boat halted above a deep, dark cavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern was bottomless, as if it opened directly into the netherworld’s Yellow Springs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the cavern’s mouth was not especially wide—no more than a hundred zhang in any direction—the yin energy surging from within had coalesced into thick, gray clouds that completely blocked the scorching midday sunlight, leaving not a single ray to escape!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even within Luo Xian’s lead boat, a chilling cold surged like a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It froze the many Daoists inside, causing their eyebrows to rise and their sleeves to flutter wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arrived?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang opened his eyes from the jade bed, slowly halting his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a clear, resonant bell rang out within Luo Xian’s lead boat; after three chimes, the boat suddenly lurched, erupting in clusters of gray-black true fire that filled the surrounding void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it shot forward violently!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a swimming fish, it plunged into the cavern!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the sound of thin paper being punctured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a violent whirl of heaven and earth erupted—as if the entire mortal world had become a colossal vortex!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead boat shook violently; all the Daoists inside were dazed and nauseated. Some with unstable minds cried out in terror, drenched in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an unknown length of time, when the shaking finally ceased, before the group could even steady themselves—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar came a chorus of ghostly wailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yin energy pierced through bone with icy chill; the stench of putrid wind drilled into the soul—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, only faint cries and blood-soaked yin winds could be heard, but in the blink of an eye, the sounds grew louder, multiplied endlessly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if they had crashed into the heart of a ghost realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above, below, left, right—the ten directions of heaven and earth were filled with green-faced, fanged, skinless demons!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demons danced in chaos!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hell without escape!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood blossoms scent the Fenduoli; mighty ghosts rejoice as Zhong Jueyin!\u003C\u002Fp>",2477,"2026-06-19T22:29:59.276Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","dd91b5a7f92362bc0c23971f93d1a4b9c2d0feebdb88a3ff77ef2bff077c237a","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-118","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-116",545,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-path-of-immortality-cover.jpg"]