[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-path-of-immortality":3,"chapter-the-path-of-immortality-the-path-of-immortality-chapter-499":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},2271649,4436,"Chapter 499","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-499",499,"\u003Cp>Seventeen years passed in the blink of an eye, and the bamboo stream village had changed its appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several households built new homes, a few moved to the city, and the neighbor’s small fish pond had been filled in and planted with mulberry and jujube trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the giant banyan tree at the village entrance remained, its roots entwined, branches twisted, its shade still thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the breeze stirred gently, the branches above rustled like the bamboo grove nearby, blending into a dense, natural symphony—like rain, like tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang walked toward the village entrance, and along the way, passersby greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the water’s edge, where reeds covered the ground, he bent to untie the boat rope, and in the clear ripples, he saw his own face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rough, dark face, weathered by years of wind and sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventeen years of cold and heat had left many white hairs at his temples, and several old scars marred his forehead, winding like tiny centipedes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the standard look of a riverside fisherman—plain, ordinary, unremarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his eyes were deep and still, like the quiet waters of a deep lake, without ripple or wind…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang gazed at his reflection for a moment, until a feathered cormorant suddenly took flight, sending ripples outward; the reflection blurred instantly, shattered by the water’s motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Hang pushed his boat into the water and prepared to row,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a hurried voice rang out from shore, and through the parting reeds, a figure dashed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He Ji.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man rushing to the water’s edge, waving, was unmistakably a tall youth of fifteen or sixteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a blue cotton shirt and trousers, had a straight nose and square mouth, large ears, a straw hat shading his head, and held a bowl of rice porridge, still steaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, he had rushed out mid-meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Chen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji set down the wooden bowl, greeted Chen Hang, then rolled up his pant legs:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going downriver alone today? Wait a moment—I’ll put the bowl away, gather my gear, and accompany you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need,” Chen Hang shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Chen, you’re being formal with me. You and my father have been partners for years. Now that Father is away visiting relatives, it’s only right that I take his place and lend a hand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji didn’t stop his actions; instead, he rolled his pant legs higher, eager to join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve watched you grow up—I know your tricks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang washed his hands in the river water and smiled faintly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Out with it—whose bribe is this? The Wang girl? Or the third daughter of the Qian family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji was the eldest son of He Chang. Soon after Chen Hang joined the Bamboo Stream Guild, He Chang married a woman from a neighboring village. Their marriage was harmonious, and they had three sons and two daughters—prosperous and thriving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, He Ji had grown from a crying infant into a sturdy young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was not only skilled in fishing, having mastered all his father’s arts and even surpassed them,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but his temperament mirrored his father’s exactly—as if carved from the same mold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, He Chang had persistently tried to arrange matches for Chen Hang, rebuffed again and again, yet never discouraged, as if he delighted in the task. Now, He Ji had taken up the mantle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this son was even more clever—he collected gifts from the brides’ families beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji didn’t ask for much: a fresh fish, some chestnuts or lotus roots—not valuable, but he wouldn’t do it for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When He Chang learned of this, he flew into a rage, dragged He Ji by the neck, and forced him to return every gift door-to-door, causing a stir in the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, hearing Chen Hang see through his scheme, He Ji’s hand froze mid-pant-roll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up, smiling awkwardly, cheeks flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Chen, after that day, I swore I’d changed—I’d never do it again. We’re all riverside folk—who lacks fish or lotus roots?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only used this method to test the girls’ sincerity. If they truly wished to marry Uncle Chen, what were a few fish and lotus roots? And I returned them all to you. And if—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As He Ji grew more animated, his chatter rivaled even his father’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang waved a hand slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finish your porridge before you speak further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can I? I swear—I took nothing this time! After being beaten, I vowed never again. This girl—I found her with great effort. You’d suit her well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this be allowed? I swear this time I didn’t take any bribe—since I got beaten, I’ve dared not again. This woman is one I’ve searched long and hard to find; I think Brother Chen, you’d be quite suited to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father warned me repeatedly before leaving—he told me to find you a good match while he’s gone. If I fail, when he returns, I’ll be whipped again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your father failed for over a decade—do you think you can succeed in ten or fifteen days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang joked, then shifted tone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your father went to Qu City—shouldn’t he be back in over a month?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji nodded eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I left a small box buried beneath the osmanthus tree in the courtyard. Tell him to dig it up. And my jade pendant for you—still wearing it?” Chen Hang asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji, though puzzled, pulled a small fish-shaped jade carving from his collar and replied quickly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Chen, right here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were born with weak qi and blood, all six meridians thin. This was made by my own hand—my first crafting, not a fine treasure, but it helps nourish qi and stabilize the spirit. Don’t take it off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang’s gaze lingered on the fish-shaped jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re born with insufficient blood and qi; all six pulses are thin and weak. This item was made by my own hands—though it’s my first time crafting, it’s no great treasure, yet it does have some use in nourishing qi and strengthening the spirit. Better not take it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since childhood, he’d felt as strong as a bear, stronger than the village oxen—he could drag a plow single-handedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this apply to him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could process it, the small boat had already glided away, ripples spreading, carrying it into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you won’t marry, Uncle Chen, you don’t have to leave so suddenly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he’d lost sight of Chen Hang in just a moment, He Ji shouted, voice rising:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Chen, which stretch of the Feiyun River are you going to? I’ll follow you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Through Yue River, then You River, straight into the Western Crossing Sea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang’s voice drifted back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you joking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ji grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, his uncle was a strange fisherman who never sailed on great rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In seventeen years of fishing, he’d never set foot on You River, Li River, Zhang River, Ruan River, or Yue River—none of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this tiny fishing boat—how could it withstand real river waves?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be swallowed whole, sunk to the riverbed at the first swell, let alone cross mountains and waters to reach the Western Crossing Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But He Ji’s laughter faded halfway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up—Chen Hang’s figure had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A river breeze blew; the reeds behind him rustled again. Then, when the wind stilled, silence fell—strangely complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if only the endless murmur of water remained…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A breeze from the river blew by, and behind them the reed clumps rustled again with a “shasha” sound; but when the wind ceased, all was strangely silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a day after entering the Feiyun River, Chen Hang finally entered a stretch of water he’d rarely, if ever, traversed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, a sudden gale rose, followed by thick fog and dark clouds that swallowed the entire river, sealing it off from the outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, a red glow began to rise from the riverbed, radiating strange light, while a deep rumbling echoed beneath—the sound of something speeding toward the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang saw a sudden gale swirl before him, then thick fog spread across the sky, dark clouds blanketing the earth, as if the entire stretch of river had been suddenly sealed off, cutting off inside from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few breaths, a red glow began to rise from the riverbed, radiating strange light, while beneath the water a rumbling sound emerged, as if something were speeding toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For years, your guidance has greatly benefited me. This farewell is only proper!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hum rose from the river, then the water split apart—Xun Jian, in his true form as a chi-dragon, surged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried he’d been impolite, he immediately shifted to human form, standing on the river’s surface, bowing deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang was unsurprised. Chi-dragons were among the dragon kind, gifted with power over clouds and rain, naturally attuned to water. And Xun Jian was a Primordial Spirit cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one dwelling within the Liang Kingdom, it was only natural he could sense the kingdom’s water veins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask—are you truly leaving Miaobao Land?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian’s words had been speculative, but seeing Chen Hang smile without denial, he realized the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian was genuinely puzzled, curiosity stirring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just received a talisman from my sect—the Dan Yuan Assembly has been scheduled for two and a half years from now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tell you this because it will soon be known across all heavens—every cultivator in the world will hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve just received a talisman-letter from the sect—the date for the Dan Yuan Assembly has been set: two and a half years from now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My cultivation has reached a critical threshold—only one final step remains. If so, I must prepare to depart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Yuan Assembly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the name, Xun Jian felt his breath catch, his scalp prickled, his spirit momentarily dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hosted and presided over by the founding masters of the Eight Sects and Six Clans—those who ruled the heavens—this assembly offered the very prosperity of an entire mortal realm as the prize, compelling the elite scions of each sect to compete with all their divine arts until one victor emerged!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The victor would become the Dan Yuan Champion of the age—his name echoing across the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, known to every cultivator in the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely hearing of such a grand spectacle was enough to stir Xun Jian’s soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not imagine how fierce the battle would be among cultivators like Chen Hang, locked in dragon-versus-tiger combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a magnificent spectacle, merely hearing of it was enough to make Xun Jian’s heart stir and spirit soar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly could not imagine what kind of fierce scene it would be when someone like Chen Hang, a rising star of a great sect, clashed with others in dragon-versus-tiger combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how, then, is the flourishing destiny of a great Celestial Realm seized? And what mysterious transformations follow once that destiny is taken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaobao Land is not an insignificant stretch of earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet compared to Xu Du Great Celestial Realm, it becomes roadside weeds, utterly unworthy of mention!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the Immortal Dao. This is true cultivation…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian murmured to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides informing me of the date of the Dan Yuan Assembly, the sect’s talisman texts also confirmed one thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chen Hang’s voice suddenly sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tai Chang Dragon Court, Yuan Zu Jin Zhao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>turned his gaze toward Xun Jian and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This name—surely you, Lord Xun, are not unfamiliar with it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xun Jian’s mind exploded as if struck by thunder; all his reveries vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind subsided, the sun melted into warmth, the river surface lay still as earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Xun Jian’s face bore a hint of embarrassment; he seemed about to speak, but Chen Hang waved a hand and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Yuan Zu Jin Zhao was specially forged by the Tai Chang Dragon Court during their rebellion against Heaven, a divine artifact used to summon all Dragon Bloodlines across the cosmos. Once the Yuan Zu Jin Zhao is activated, all Dragon Bloodlines instinctively respond.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the fact that the Tai Chang Dragon Court sought to summon all Dragon Bloodlines to join their cause has been exposed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, I wondered why you, Lord Xun, would willingly damage your foundation just to hasten your cultivation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it seems you too intend to journey to Tai Chang Heaven?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian fell silent for a moment, then sighed deeply and said sincerely:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tai Chang is, after all, the ancestral hall of our Dragon Bloodlines. Though I am weak and insignificant, I still wish to lend even a fraction of strength to its cause.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately raised his hand to swear by heaven:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I, old man, harbor no disrespect toward the True Person—may Heaven itself bear witness to this vow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tai Chang’s affairs are far more complex than you imagine—the Dragon Court, Yi Luo Palace, Dharma King Temple, and even…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang fell silent, then withdrew something from his sleeve and tossed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian instinctively caught it, and saw he held only a vial of elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elixir’s fragrance was intense; upon inhalation, it brought a faint stinging, itching sensation—he could not tell what kind of divine pill it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This elixir can slightly purge the Dragon Yuan poison from your body. Take it as payment for your care of the He family of Zhuxi Village. Lord Xun, act wisely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang’s voice drifted from afar; by the time he spoke, he had already continued downstream along the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xun Jian clutched the elixir vial in confusion, wanting to chase after him, yet forcibly halted his steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he merely stood upon the river’s surface, bowing deeply toward the small fishing boat, his head remaining lowered for a long time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Feiyun River, he entered Fu Water, then wound through countless tributaries until finally merging into You Water, drifting along it until he reached the West Crossing Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Chen Hang rose from the fishing boat, gazing at the distant horizon, his eyes flickering slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than a month, he had finally arrived at this sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he looked out, the sky was bright with daylight, radiating brilliance across heaven and earth; for miles, not a single sail or vessel appeared—only clear blue waves stretched endlessly, and white birds occasionally darted through high clouds like lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This vast, boundless scene stirred the heart, filling one with boldness and grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang had sailed for seventeen years, growing accustomed to river scenery; in Xu Du, he had personally witnessed the vastness of the Eastern Sea\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the majesty of the Northern Sea!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet none of those scenes could compare to this one before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having traveled by boat from river and stream to this point, he felt as if he had become a current himself—flowing into the river’s surge, rushing ceaselessly, piercing mountains and crossing lands, until finally merging into this boundless ocean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood motionless, opening his spirit fully, savoring this wondrous transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, he seemed to forget his own location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let the ocean’s tides gently carry him and his small boat, drifting freely east and west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after an indeterminate time, a flock of seabirds had settled upon the boat’s canopy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang’s robe suddenly stirred without wind, swaying lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, the wind grew stronger—not merely scattering the seabirds from the canopy, but whipping up furious waves, towering like mountains, crashing thunderously in all directions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, spray shot skyward, piercing the clouds; the tide roared like ten thousand drums beating, darkening heaven and earth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the storm and chaos, Chen Hang calmly opened his eyes and chanted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vast and boundless ocean, source of all waters—hundred rivers, divergent streams, all return to the Great Abyss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven and earth are infinite; what is born must die, what begins must end—yet myriad forms cannot be judged by a single standard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To return primordial qi to the primordial chaos, to merge heaven and earth into one great mass—this is my Dao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, a spark of spiritual light rose in Chen Hang’s mind, accompanied by an uncontainable surge of joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fontanel trembled; a sphere of qi-light ascended into the sky, instantly illuminating sea and heavens in brilliant radiance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inner vision complete—his cultivation was perfected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely the third level of Golden Core, where spirit takes form!\u003C\u002Fp>",2755,"2026-06-19T22:30:06.574Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","40d1f308f3aecede36fea96ea7d6e1109237189e8e5281f956c827a4d42459d7","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-500","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-498",545,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-path-of-immortality-cover.jpg"]