[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-path-of-immortality":3,"chapter-the-path-of-immortality-the-path-of-immortality-chapter-502":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},2271652,4436,"Chapter 502: A Lamp Within the Heart Breaks Through the Mist","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-502",502,"\u003Cp>At this moment, all the female attendants had withdrawn; seeing no idle onlookers nearby, Xue Jing paused briefly, then spoke frankly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Both matters actually occurred recently; I only just received word. I intended to send a flying letter to Miaobao’s place for the True Person to read, but you’ve just returned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe spoken words are better than written ones!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang pondered briefly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this about Yin Wujie’s whereabouts, or has Chen Yushu spread some new rumors again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among his disciples, Xue Jing was not only the most powerful in spiritual prowess—even slightly stronger than Yang Kezhen of the Great Knowledge Hall—but also the most widely connected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether among the Xuan Sects and Demon Clans, the heretical yao sects, the Brahma beings, or the celestial external schools, Xue Jing could always find some way to gather information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two individuals Chen Hang had just mentioned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wujie and Chen Yushu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former had always been significant; since their meeting at the Ganliu Herbal Garden in Xisuzhou, both Chen Hang and Yin Wujie had formed an indelible impression of each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, they regarded each other as fierce rivals in the coming contest for the Elixir Sovereign title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew where Yin Wujie had gone to cultivate in seclusion; his elixir quality and post-cultivation battle record remained a subject of constant speculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew whether Yin Wujie had yet perfected his Inner Landscape, completing his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor did anyone know which supreme technique of the Pestilence and Fever Sect he had mastered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this man, born as a scion of a noble house yet granted the rare honor of becoming a granddisciple of Wei Yu Daojun—the destined next Dao Heir of the Pestilence and Fever Sect—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang, though confident he would ultimately claim the title, would never underestimate him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the latter, Chen Yushu, there was no need to elaborate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he lived, he would bring forth countless calamities; Chen Hang naturally needed to know his movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Chen Hang’s words, Xue Jing merely shook his head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yin Wujie has either entered the Pestilence and Fever Sect’s inner sanctum or journeyed far beyond the heavens. True Person, I have exhausted all my connections within the Pestilence and Fever Sect and still obtained not a single scrap of information on Yin Wujie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for Chen Yushu, aside from confirming his intent to meddle in Taichang Heaven, he has remained within his cave-heaven, holding lectures and drawing many cultivators from the Six Sects to listen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing paused, then carefully added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The two matters I must report to the True Person are first concerning Ji Faikai…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the second concerns your old acquaintance from the Changying Sub-temple—the Jiang Daoqian True Person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Daoqian, Sister Jiang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang frowned slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he spoke to Xue Jing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me first about True Person Ji—what great feat has he accomplished lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing nodded and replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Recently, the Dao Heir of Xuanfeng Cave personally intervened; alone, he shattered three layers of defensive arrays, severely wounded Wang Ruyi of Yushu in the Yuqi Heaven within a hundred moves, and severed over half of our sect’s Dao veins, leaving Yushu nearly indefensible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After receiving the sect’s talisman order, Ji Faikai immediately clashed with the Xuanfeng Dao Heir in Yushu, forcing him into temporary retreat, then gathered the remaining Yuanchen forces and reclaimed the entire region within ten days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Xue Jing hesitated, a deep wariness flashing in his eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now Wang Ruyi of Yushu has pledged allegiance to Ji Faikai and serves him loyally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the Xuanfeng Dao Heir refuses to let it rest; he does not believe he lost to Ji Faikai, only that he withdrew temporarily due to the Yuanchen forces lurking nearby.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now Ji Faikai seeks to advance into other realms of Yuqi Heaven, aiming to expand territory, while the Xuanfeng Dao Heir has mobilized his troops and is determined to challenge Ji Faikai directly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many in the sect are quietly watching the situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Waiting to see how this Xuan-Demon conflict in Yuqi Heaven will ultimately conclude!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chen Hang suddenly recalled something and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Xuanfeng Dao Heir—isn’t that the one who used the ‘Inverting the Norm’ technique to forcibly seize the Buddha’s Heavenly Ear Power?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When speaking of the Xuanfeng Dao Heir, Xue Jing could not help but sigh:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ‘Inverting the Norm’ technique is one of Xuanfeng Cave’s supreme arts, capable of seizing the Yin-Yang transformations of heaven and earth, suppressing others’ spiritual powers and techniques, then absorbing them as one’s own!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Xuanfeng Dao Heir’s name is Mu Changzhi; during his journey through the cosmos after achieving Primordial Spirit, he targeted a powerful Buddhist disciple who had attained the ‘Heavenly Ear Power.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After a bloody battle, Mu Changzhi not only killed the Buddhist disciple but also took his ‘Heavenly Ear Power’ for himself, causing shock and awe among all Primordial Spirits in the cosmos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Afterward, Mu Changzhi even entertained thoughts of challenging Junyao True Person, but at that time, True Person Junyao’s lifespan was nearly spent and he would not act unless absolutely necessary—so the two never truly clashed at the Primordial Spirit level.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xuanfeng Dao Heir—Mu Changzhi—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure with astonishing battle records, ranked among the upper echelons of the Eight Sects’ Dao Heirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had now come into direct conflict with Ji Faikai in Yuqi Heaven, determined to settle their rivalry once and for all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter was inevitably bound to draw attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Yuqi Heaven’s Yushu—Wang Ruyi…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xue Jing finished speaking, Chen Hang searched his memory and quickly recalled the name, giving a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Ruyi—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang first heard this name during his time in Liuhuo Honghua Cave Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Ruyi was a descendant of Wang Zhiqiong, the eldest disciple of Huoxia Old Ancestor; his family fell into poverty, and he once herded sheep for the Brahma beings. Later, a Yuanchen Elder happened to visit Xisuzhou as a guest and took Wang Ruyi away from his suffering, granting him the hope of cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time of Liuhuo Honghua Cave Heaven, Wang Ruyi had already begun to rise to prominence within Yuanchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For his achievements in eliminating several Xuanfeng Dao veins and unifying Yushu, Yuanchen not only bestowed many rewards but also gifted him Liuhuo Honghua Cave Heaven outright, fulfilling the old ties of his family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Chen Hang had regarded even entering the cave heaven for cultivation as a great fortune—how could he have imagined such grand gestures?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, he was moved and remembered Wang Ruyi well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would have thought that upon hearing this name again, the Xuanfeng Dao veins, resentful over losing their territory, had somehow persuaded Mu Changzhi to personally emerge from seclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And by fate, Wang Ruyi had entered Ji Faikai’s household, standing directly opposite Chen Hang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reflecting carefully,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subtle intricacies of worldly affairs truly resembled drifting clouds—impossible to fathom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Ruyi—if I recall correctly, his reputation within the sect is quite high. Before I became a True Disciple, many speculated that Wang Ruyi might become Yuanchen’s sixth True Disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang smiled now:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a figure, more renowned than Shen Jingshi of Changying Sub-temple—Ji Faikai’s acquisition of him would, to many, be like adding a tiger’s wings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing knew Chen Hang’s “Shen Jingshi” referred to Shen Yuan of the Sub-temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Xue Jing’s view, she was truly deeply hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had entered the Yuanchen Twenty-Five True Methods—the Void Great Luo Method—even while at the Golden Core stage, yet concealed it completely, never revealing it to anyone for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Shen Yuan had clearly shattered the Primordial Spirit barrier and achieved her Dharma Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she refused to take any position among the Nine Halls, remaining instead in the Yuanchen Sub-temple, still serving as a Scripture Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long ago, both Zhang Taichu and Zhang Shou had tried to recruit her, offering great rewards—but she politely declined both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left Xue Jing, who had entertained similar intentions, uncertain and greatly lowered his expectations for her long-delayed reply…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Xue, is that why you mentioned all this—because you fear the coming Dao Heir contest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Chen Hang suddenly asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing fell silent for a moment, then spoke frankly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True Person, forgive me—I do harbor such concerns. Ji Faikai was never ordinary, and now with Wang Ruyi’s aid—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he defeats the Xuanfeng Dao Heir Mu Changzhi in Yuqi Heaven, his prestige within the sect may reach an unshakable height!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If at that time, Master Shanjian were to lend him support, under the tide of acclaim as Ji Faikai returns—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“—Perhaps even Master cannot resist the overwhelming tide of public opinion, and Ji Faikai’s assumption of Xiyi Mountain may become an irreversible fact?” Chen Hang interjected casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing fell silent, his voice heavy:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Public opinion is hard to defy; popular will is hard to resist. Reputation is like a flood tide or a gale—no earthly pillar can contain it; it cannot be ignored…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do not slight you, True Person, nor harbor divided loyalties. Since the day I signed the pact, my life has been entirely yours to command—even a hundred deaths would be without regret!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But under these circumstances, could you please consult with the Two Ancestors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang smiled at this, shaking his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master is not currently in Xudu Heaven; even if I wished to seek him, I cannot reach him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for Ancestor Weiling—you do not know his nature. If I truly disturbed him with such trivial matters, it would likely backfire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing fell silent, unsure what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is not public opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xue Jing pondered, Chen Hang’s voice suddenly spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not public opinion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing repeated softly, his gaze fixed on Chen Hang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Ji Faikai can become Dao Heir, public opinion is merely incidental—natural, insignificant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he truly deserves to be Dao Heir, it is because of his glorious battle record before leaving Xiao Ming Marsh, and because of his astonishing feat of defeating Mu Changzhi and overpowering five other True Disciples upon returning to Xiao Ming Marsh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang stood with his hands behind his back, speaking calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if Master truly allows Ji Faikai to take Xiyi Mountain, it will not be because of popular acclaim…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only because I lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was utterly defeated by Ji Faikai—that is all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing’s brow twitched; in these words, he felt a crushing pressure rolling toward him like a mountain descending, tightening his spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Chen Hang’s expression remained as usual, revealing nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if Ji Fa Kai truly comes with the momentum of a great victory, and I wish to preserve the sect’s prestige and not let him monopolize the glory, there is only one way.” Chen Hang said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, True Person, what is this method?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing’s expression turned solemn; he rose and bowed deeply in inquiry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang took a few slow steps forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the sky was brilliantly clear, sunlight rippling and swirling like water, cascading down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no one speaking, the great hall remained utterly silent, strangely imbued with an air of solemn grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the floating, glittering golden light, Chen Hang’s features seemed blurred, as if gilded with flowing radiance—distant and profound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only by winning the Dan Yuan competition, accomplishing what Ji Fa Kai failed to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, Xue Jing heard Chen Hang’s voice drift calmly from ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing opened his mouth, then stopped again for no clear reason; the hall sank once more into silent stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing knew the Dan Yuan Assembly was no ordinary opportunity—it was among the greatest blessings within the Xu Du Tian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forty-two top-tier Golden Core True Persons from across the world gathered as one; a single misstep could instantly cast one into obscurity, robbing them of this celestial fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the final stages, it would no longer be merely one-on-one duels, but one against many, facing the combined assaults of multiple peers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one most likely to claim the Dan Yuan title would inevitably be targeted by the rest, forced out before he could claim victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden traps, chaotic circumstances—like turbulent waves, shifting a hundred times in an instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Fa Kai had once lost by the narrowest of margins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Jun Yao faced multiple peer elites in the final melee, he too had barely escaped disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing held immense confidence in Chen Hang; in his eyes, the latter was destined to become a patriarch of the highest order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet whether Chen Hang could win the Dan Yuan Assembly, Xue Jing dared not be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The variables were simply too great—it tested not only magic power and divine arts, but also the elusive thread of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation shifted by the moment; no one could claim they could effortlessly crush all opposition and seize every critical opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the calm, composed tone in Chen Hang’s words rendered every phrase Xue Jing had wished to utter utterly unspoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared for a long while, then suddenly lifted his head to meet Chen Hang’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, it was as if a cloud of doubt in his heart had lifted; he clapped his hands and burst into loud laughter, his spirit soaring, his demeanor radiant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! If the True Person truly wins the Dan Yuan Assembly, even if Ji Fa Kai arrives in Yu Qi Tian with the momentum of a great victory, he still cannot shake the True Person’s authority!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if the True Person then achieves Primordial Spirit—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing paced back and forth several times before calming his thoughts; then he cut off the unfinished words at his throat and bowed apologetically to Chen Hang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the second matter you mentioned concerns Jiang Shimei? When I was in the Lower Courtyard, I received her financial aid—I know something of her circumstances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If my guess is correct, is someone from the Jiang clan now trying to seize her family’s inheritance?” Chen Hang waved his hand and asked suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely. But we recall the True Person has old ties with that Jiang True Person; secretly, you once thwarted the Jiang clan’s scheme.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing, startled, said nothing more but laid out the entire backstory and details for Chen Hang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Chen Hang shook his head and swept his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These aristocratic clans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of coldness passed through his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>",2420,"2026-06-19T22:30:06.574Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ad8e5a25b6b71fc0f7e32f8eb72cd3337941740b643ae6ecdbde7dcc98b75f1f","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-503","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-501",545,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-path-of-immortality-cover.jpg"]