[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-path-of-immortality":3,"chapter-the-path-of-immortality-the-path-of-immortality-chapter-509":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},2271659,4436,"Chapter 509: The Immortal Banquet","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-509",509,"\u003Cp>The sky blazed with radiant light, and the clouds shattered violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was plainly noon, yet suddenly icy winds and chilling air surged wildly, sending shivers down the spine as if drenched in cold water, every hair standing on end!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Hang swept his gaze afar, he saw a vast blue bird and a flying night demon locked in fierce combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both had revealed their true forms, each stretching a hundred zhang tall; every movement shook the heavens and roared through the skies!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Hang gazed at the heavens, Yu Tan hurried over, bowed in greeting, then exchanged formal salutes with Yin Quan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was he who had sent the message to Chen Hang just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, faced with Chen Hang’s inquiry, Yu Tan was genuinely baffled, scratching his head as he replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, I don’t know why these two are fighting—I’ve been inside my chamber crafting talismans lately. Feeling restless, I came out for some air, only to stumble upon this scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I arrived, they were already fighting. As for the backstory…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Quan shrugged beside him, casually spreading his hands:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m no different from Master Yu—I came upon hearing the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these two—one is a top-grade Crimson Illumination True Disciple, the other a Huzhao True Disciple famed for combat prowess. To witness even a glimpse of their techniques before the Grand Assembly isn’t bad at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frankly, Brother Chen, I’m not you. I’m neither a top-grade Golden Core, nor do I have confidence I can best Gu Yi in combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this Golden Core Assembly, as long as I’m not eliminated first, I’ll be content. If fortune smiles and I sneak into the top ten to gain the Golden Core’s transformation, even my master will be overjoyed and reward me handsomely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tan nodded vigorously beside him, clearly agreeing wholeheartedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who enter the Golden Core Assembly are naturally top-tier Golden Core cultivators—the elite of every major sect!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even among the strong, there are stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: though mountains tower majestically, they still pale beside divine peaks that pierce the heavens, their summits brushing the clouds—this is precisely the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Yin Quan is already extraordinary among True Persons of the world,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>among this gathering of Golden Core True Persons, he is far from outstanding, his abilities slightly inferior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tan rarely interacted with Yin Quan, yet today he saw how straightforward and unpretentious Yin Quan was, utterly free of self-importance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tan felt a sudden urge to befriend him, and began chatting back and forth with Yin Quan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These two are fighting because thirty years ago, they met in the Miao Yi Spirit Mansion deep in the Northern Sea and clashed several times over a Ten-Thousand-Dragon Banner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Yu Tan and Yin Quan were getting into their conversation, a voice suddenly rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang turned his head and saw Yin Ruohua smiling lightly amid the misty light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside her, Yin Wuji stared at the sky, unusually silent and thoughtful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must know my friend’s temperament, True Person Chen. Though she only just entered Ying Ji Chuan today, seeing her thirty-year enemy right before her eyes, she naturally couldn’t hold back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua blinked at Chen Hang, her tone laced with teasing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why don't you go persuade Gu Yi yourself, True Person Chen? Tell her to control her temper?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lack the ability—but you’re different. After all, Gu Yi has mentioned you often in daily conversation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not exactly a compliment, I suppose?” Chen Hang said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua smiled brightly, but said nothing for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, perhaps sensing the prolonged stalemate, Gu Yi’s eyes flickered with a cold glint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She secretly formed a hand seal, then flung a hundred or more emerald flames into the sky, detonating the heavens with thunderous roars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire view was filled with blazing light, like an ocean, like a tide, blinding all who looked!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid this chaotic, boiling scene, a slender streak of bright light slipped silently from her sleeve, gliding gently into the flame stream—and vanished in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a handful of cultivators, sharp enough to catch this glimpse, sensed something amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest either covered their eyes with sleeves or hastily summoned magic power to shield their vision, too occupied to pay attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dragon-Binding Nail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wuji’s mind flashed—this name instantly surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that split second, as Gu Yi unleashed more techniques, forcing Wei Lingjiang to stay locked in combat,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the streak of bright light pierced through layers of space, moving with unearthly speed, striking straight at Qing Zhi’s belly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, just as the cold streak neared Qing Zhi’s body, a slender, almost imperceptible sword qi suddenly leapt forth, barely deflecting the cold streak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the cold streak and sword qi clashed dozens of times, their metallic clangs piercing and shrill, echoing through the valley!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sword qi slowly dissipated, the cold streak revealed its true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All cultivators hastily looked up—there hung a small nail, barely a finger’s length, pure white as jade, adorned with patterns of jade branches and emerald leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked merely like a precious ornament, yet unmistakably radiated a terrifying, annihilating aura—impossible to conceal, impossible to describe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dragon-Binding Nail?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing Zhi cried out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immediately flared her wings, striking the flying night demon off-balance, then seized the chance to shrink her form and darted to perch on Chen Hang’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Witch! Witch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After steadying herself, Qing Zhi tilted her head upward, screaming:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re terrible! Was it just because you fought me for the Ten-Thousand-Dragon Banner in the Miao Yi Cave all those years ago? Now you resort to such deadly tricks? Come on, come on—lean your head over, let’s settle this properly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragon-Binding Nail—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though to Daoists this was merely a troublesome weapon, to primordial divine beasts like Qing Zhi, it was among the most loathed treasures. Its origins traced back to the dawn of the universe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when the ancient sages descended from the void, having opened heaven and earth and birthed all life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Dao’s principles were still crude, cosmic order incomplete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Primordial divine beasts like true dragons, Taotie, qilin, and blue birds then had no bloodline restrictions—they could breed freely, swell their numbers without limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within mere millions of years, their numbers swelled to a staggering, unimaginable scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many among them were savage by nature, devouring heavens and earth, feasting on flesh, squeezing all other beings of the cosmos into near-extinction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This catastrophe was later called the Law-Flood Calamity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Emperor Taishi arose in response to destiny, seizing governance from the slumbering ancient sages, did this calamity finally end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The High Heaven Emperor, who founded the Dao Court and was hailed as the First Emperor of Creation, first slew several immensely powerful divine beast ancestors, then began advancing the evolution of cosmic order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, except for true dragons, all divine beasts struggled to reproduce, bound by an invisible, cosmic constraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even true dragons, compared to before the Law-Flood Chaos, had lost most of their reproductive power…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Legend says Emperor Taishi once personally drove a divine awl into the corpse of the Dragon Ancestor deep in the Returnless Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon-Binding Nail was later created by immortal deities who studied the wounds on the Dragon Ancestor’s corpse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This artifact strongly suppresses primordial divine beasts—once struck by the Dragon-Binding Nail, a divine beast loses roughly three-tenths of its strength, unable to easily break free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragon-Binding Nails also vary in rank. The one Chen Hang once seized from Gu Yi in the borderlands, when compared to this one, was like a dwarf beside a giant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing Zhi had been locked in fierce combat with the flying night demon, unable to spare attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the last moment, though she sensed something odd, the Dragon-Binding Nail’s inherent ability to mask its presence meant she didn’t realize what it was—she still intended to endure the blow with her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she understood, Qing Zhi felt a pang of dread and annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, as a divine beast equivalent to a Primordial Spirit realm, if pierced by the Dragon-Binding Nail, her bones would soften.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the flying night demon would surely not give her a chance to pull it out—he’d press his advantage relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that case,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>her face would be ground into the dirt, her situation looking grim…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, in response to Qing Zhi’s outburst, Gu Yi remained unusually silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She merely looked at Chen Hang, her eyes betraying a flicker of confusion and surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden surge of anger rose within her chest; her expression grew cold, and she said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now this is entertainment. Just now, when Wei Lingjiang formed her hand seal, she clearly intended to use Crimson Illumination’s Return Light Technique to block the Dragon-Binding Nail—but Chen Hang suddenly intervened with his sword light?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua’s eyes sparkled, when Yin Wuji suddenly whispered to her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This blue bird has the realm and power, but lacks tactical adaptability in combat. Yet if not for that, how could we witness such a fine spectacle today?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought Chen Hang was a cold, detached soul—yet it seems he shares some bond with Crimson Illumination’s Wei Lingjiang? Say… shall we make a bet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua’s interest sparked instantly, whispering back: “What to bet on? What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bet on who Chen Hang will aid if they fight again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not fair—I’m close friends with little Gu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua hesitated briefly, then excitedly declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I bet on Gu Yi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As these two whispered, Gu Yi suddenly ceased her attack—and Wei Lingjiang also stopped drawing her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere turned strangely still, silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Quan and Yu Tan beside Chen Hang exchanged startled glances, both taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Fu Jia, who had been seated on a hexagonal cloud raft, suddenly rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spirit seemed stirred by Chen Hang’s sword qi; his eyes gleamed sharply, sword drawn, as he stared directly at Chen Hang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent sword technique! Why don’t we fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice boomed across the heavens, radiating a piercing, unmatched sharpness—as if it could shatter stone to dust, cleaving the mountain peaks below into fragments!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I always said the Zhongyi Sword Sect folk are all fools—utterly dull…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wuji shrugged to Yin Ruohua, paused, then whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, aren’t you just spoiling the fun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Chen Hang could answer, Gu Yi let out a faint, cold laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze lingered on the blue bird perched on Chen Hang’s left shoulder, then settled on Wei Lingjiang’s face, her expression thoughtful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want the Dragon-Binding Nail, I’ll give it to you—didn’t I already give you one back when we were on the border? When we met again at Ganliu Herbal Garden, did I ever ask for it back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, Gu Yi merely smirked slyly, her eyes soft and bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Hang, is this how you treat me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Qingzhi’s anger instantly died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed as if her throat had been clenched shut, speechless, staring from Chen Hang to Gu Yi, her eyes wide and round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After keenly catching the fleeting expression in Wei Lingjiang’s eyes, Gu Yi smiled inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction, then said nothing more, simply turned and vanished in a swift aura of flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Lingjiang lowered her eyelids slightly, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the hall grew even more tense; even Zhou Fuji, who had risen to his feet with a sweep of his sleeves, frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly knew this was no time for a battle; he tapped the cloud raft, then rode the wind away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, I thought these two would keep fighting—did Gu Yi just retreat to gain the upper hand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wujie, who had been watching with keen interest, suddenly sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noticed that after their exchange, Chen Hang and Wei Lingjiang both returned to their usual expressions, bowed to each other, then went their separate ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the blue bird, still dazed and confused, everything was as normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, today was worth the trip out,” Yin Wujie said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, a white-haired old man with a slightly bulging forehead and a beaming smile nearby nodded repeatedly, clearly agreeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, sir, who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wujie, finding the old man unfamiliar, asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll find out soon enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired old man stroked his beard and chuckled: “But you, boy, are too eager to watch others’ dramas—how do you know someone won’t one day watch yours? What if your sister is present then? That’ll be interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wujie frowned; he opened his mouth to reply, but the old man vanished instantly—leaving Yin Wujie with a faint suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you mad? I have no connection with Chen Hang!” Yin Ruohua sneered, expressionless as Yin Wujie turned his skeptical gaze toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fair enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Wujie slowly nodded, then added a warning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the Dan Yuan Assembly, treat Chen Hang the same as you treat Zhou Fuji—run the moment you see either of them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Ruohua refused to respond further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time slipped away swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the adjudicators of the Dan Yuan Assembly and the elder hosts from all sects had gathered at Yingji River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the day before the opening, the Northern Pole Immortal had specially hosted a celestial banquet to entertain the many guests and the Dan Yuan True Persons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Water-Land Palace of Jile Tian, the Floating Dao Field of Zhenwu Tian, Xiangjin Mountain, the Huan clan of Yuanzai Tian, and their subordinate Yan and Xu clans, the Li Du Sect of Yangting Heaven, the Old Ancestor of Yangling, the Duke of Xiangtai...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would the major forces of Xiaquan Ghost Dao send envoys here? Do they sense the tide turning and seek to ally with the mortal realm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Northern Pole Immortal’s Forty-Nine Longevity Palace, Fu Can Laozu perched on Chen Hang’s shoulder, pointing out the many powerful figures attending the ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Fu Can Laozu spotted a figure and fell silent in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone from the Zheng Xu Ji clan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang, watching the man at a distance who bore a resemblance to Prince Ji Yang, was also slightly startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s odd—why would the Dao Court send an envoy to observe? And why send a prince? How come I wasn’t informed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Can Laozu scratched his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This hasn’t happened in ages—strange indeed!”\u003C\u002Fp>",2412,"2026-06-19T22:30:06.574Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4165087878bfcdd63ded8fce790d2b0dcb26e63e62e2d747021b346ca29562bf","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-510","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-508",545,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-path-of-immortality-cover.jpg"]