[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-path-of-immortality":3,"chapter-the-path-of-immortality-the-path-of-immortality-chapter-89":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},2271239,4436,"Chapter 89: The Longyou Xie Clan","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-89",89,"\u003Cp>Chen Hang looked around and only then realized he had somehow found himself inside a magnificent palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pearls and jade ornaments hung everywhere; peacock-screen paintings adorned the walls. Beneath the hall, music and song flowed sweetly, while two rows of beautiful maidens danced in rhythm, their figures supple and alluring, radiant as celestial goddesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the main seat sat Huaiwu, Lord of Huaiwu Cave, smiling faintly; to his left and right sat Cui Wuyue, Alchemist of the Five Lights Sect, and Xie Tan, Alchemist of the Flower God Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond these three, several other seats were arranged in order, occupied by alchemists from minor sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who had spoken just now was Xie Tan of the Flower God Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared to be around twenty years old, with a jade-like face, crimson lips, clear eyes, and delicate brows; his snow-white skin made him look every inch the elegant, refined gentleman of the mortal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand he lazily waved a tortoiseshell fan painted with gold and watercolors, its surface depicting twelve beauties—some noble and wise, some pure and lovely, some serene, some seductive, some graceful… each with a distinct aura, yet all of them peerless in beauty, their expressions and figures rendered with such meticulous brushwork they seemed ready to step down from the fan at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His radiance dimmed the dancing maidens to mere fireflies beside the moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This fan is the masterpiece of Tao Han, Alchemist of the Huzhao Sect. Did you just sense something strange about the beauties on the fan? Quite a sharp spiritual sense—you’re a rare talent among Qi Condensation cultivators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan suddenly narrowed his eyes slightly, gave the fan a gentle shake, and smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you infuse true Qi into the fan and recite the incantation, you can summon these twelve beauties out of the surface—they become indistinguishable from real women, and for three hours, you may do with them as you please, without consequence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if one dies accidentally, she merely dissolves into a spiritual essence that returns to the fan; with a little more Qi, you can summon her again… and these beauties can even fight for you. What do you think? Isn’t that amusing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed at Chen Hang dismissively:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you pass the trial and are fortunate enough to join the Flower God Mansion under my tutelage, this trifle shall serve as my gift upon your entry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Join under his tutelage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t just about entering the sect—it meant personal discipleship?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other alchemists, upon hearing this, all reacted with shock; their calm masks shattered, expressions flickering with varied emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the main seat, Lord Huaiwu’s gaze darkened imperceptibly for a moment, then quickly shifted back to a beaming smile, as if proud of the honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What madness is Xie Tan spouting? Taking someone into the sect is already astonishing—now he wants to personally take him as a disciple?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face remained gentle, but inwardly he was filled with doubt and alarm, muttering to himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is Chen Hang truly this extraordinary? Even Xie Tan, born of the Twelve Clans, is moved to favor him? But my wife’s page of the Earth’s Golden Scripture requires a genius-level talent to be transformed into a demonic retainer… if Chen Hang becomes Xie Tan’s disciple, should I still transform him—or not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I turn him into a demonic retainer and the Flower God Mansion’s Primordial Spirit True Person discovers the truth, I’ll die instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if I don’t…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be such a waste…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My wife is nearly ready to complete the Heavenly Demon Art; once she succeeds, we can escape through the layer of Gangqi  above, leaving behind the Nine Provinces and Four Seas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then we’ll be fish in the ocean, birds in the blue sky—free of nets and cages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world is vast—we can soar anywhere, no longer hiding like vermin in sewers, fearing we’ll be crushed underfoot at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lord Huaiwu hesitated,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Blood Lotus Sect alchemist frowned, suppressing his anger, and spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xie, is this—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know this boy killed many of your Blood Lotus Sect members, but the law of survival of the fittest is part of Heaven’s design. Broaden your heart—don’t be so petty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan cut him off dismissively: “When the Blood Lotus Sect becomes a branch of the Flower God Mansion, we’ll all be fellow disciples. Don’t make things awkward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Lotus alchemist choked on his words, his expression shifting several times, yet finally he bowed reluctantly and returned to his seat—even forcing a smile toward Chen Hang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well? What do you say, boy? The Flower God Mansion is a great sect of the Southern Region; I, Xie, am born of the Longyou Xie Clan. Though I’m a collateral branch and not favored, I’m still one of the Twelve Clans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan didn’t mind revealing his lesser status; he merely gave the fan a light flick and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see your nature is perfect for a Dao seed, and your temperament matches mine. Whether you wish to become my disciple rests entirely on your own will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yangsheng’s eyes lit up; he shot Chen Hang a meaningful glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the six-fingered hermit, Lu Yu, wore a face full of envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top three in Huaiwu Cave this time were these three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang and Yuan Yangsheng split the essence from Qin Xian’s porcelain vase, securing two Qi Condensation slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Lotus Sect had sent six Foundation Establishment cultivators into Huaiwu Cave; five had died. Only Mo Can, quick-witted enough to flee early, barely survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the essence Mo Can collected also belonged to Qin Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, after all this, the hermit Lu Yu had slipped into the top three by sheer luck, his Foundation Establishment cultivation barely enough to qualify.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the envious or complicated gazes of these others,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even Chen Hang, with his cultivated composure, felt a tremor in his heart, a momentary lapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has it… already happened?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn’t he schemed and struggled all this time just to join a great sect with a blessed land and spiritual vein, to obtain true Dao methods and seek immortality?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d expected to risk life and death in the Earth’s Abyss to gather enough Daoist resources for the “Plucking Blossoms Banquet”—yet now, in mere words, his path was already decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this still mentions the ‘trial’—does that mean I must fight in the ‘Plucking Blossoms Banquet’? I’ll still have to go into the Earth’s Abyss…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang lowered his gaze, quickly regaining his calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know what further storms lay ahead before he could truly join the Flower God Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at least,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he now had a real foothold…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Flower God Mansion couldn’t rival the Eight Great Sects or Six Holy Clans, it still had a Primordial Spirit True Person residing within—making it a colossal force in the vast Southern Region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the alchemist who wished to take him as a disciple was from the Twelve Clans—an ancient, illustrious lineage of supreme nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From every angle, this was a golden path to the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang’s mind raced; once he reached this conclusion, he no longer hesitated—he immediately knelt and bowed, calling out: “Disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet, not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish his bow, Xie Tan on his seat lightly raised a hand—an invisible force halted him, lifting him back up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang looked up to see Xie Tan watching him with a faint, enigmatic smile; he gently closed the fan with a soft “snap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see promise in your future and wish to form a master-disciple bond, but cultivation is about Law, Companion, Land, and Wealth—especially the matter of a sect and companion. This is too vital to decide lightly. It cannot be settled in mere words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must pass my trial, and the Flower God Mansion must verify your bloodline, origins, and karmic entanglements. Only when all is confirmed can you truly enter my gate and walk with me toward the Primordial Spirit’s return to Emptiness. For now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I, Xie Tan, am not yet worthy to receive your master-disciple bow. Too soon, too soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the envious gazes of Lu Yu and others shifted—now filled with surprise and uncertainty, as if they couldn’t fathom Xie Tan’s intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Lord Huaiwu was startled; his wine cup froze halfway to his lips, unable to understand Xie Tan’s purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this pretty boy just playing with people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yangsheng lowered his head, muttering inwardly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now he sounded so sincere, as if we were about to drink tea and call each other master and disciple—sweet as honey—and now he’s suddenly playing hard to get? What a hypocrite! I hate these pretentious pretty boys more than anything—if I could beat him, I’d kick his ass clean off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While all in the hall speculated, Chen Hang remained calm, composed, and bowed respectfully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly is this trial you speak of, Alchemist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally, according to tradition—everything proceeds as usual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan said: “Once you emerge from the Earth’s Abyss, gather enough resources to enter the ‘Plucking Blossoms Banquet,’ and secure a ranking, only then will our master-disciple bond be sealed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re wondering how I know about the Earth’s Abyss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at Chen Hang coolly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve known Ai Jian, your Xuanzhen Sect’s Sect Master, for years. He suffered miserably in the Ai Clan of Shangyu; though I fared better in the Longyou Xie Clan, as a collateral branch, I was never truly valued. After he was expelled by the Yucheng Sect and came to the Southern Region, we two clan members often drank together—we were both unfortunate brothers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these years as friends, I’ve come to know Ai Jian’s narrow, bitter nature. If I simply brought you straight to the Flower God Mansion, he’d say nothing to my face—but inwardly, he’d surely resent me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a friend and fellow clan member, I’d rather not put him in such a bind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan, unusually, offered an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for participating in the “Plucking Blossoms Banquet” and gathering the required resources—that was the trial he spoke of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you die in the Earth’s Abyss, fail to gather enough resources, or fail to rank in the “Plucking Blossoms Banquet,” then your fate is sealed—I won’t spare you a second glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dao path is always brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demon sects embody the law of the strong devouring the weak, the fit surviving, to its fullest extent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The victor is king; the loser is a criminal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rules are strict—unyielding, unmoved by sentiment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Flower God Mansion is truly a demon sect—taking disciples is taking disciples, yet you invent all these twisted rules and complications.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Cui Wuyue of the Five Lights Sect let out a cold laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shot Chen Hang a disdainful glance, then turned—suddenly, a blinding white light erupted in the hall, filling the space, radiating lethal intent that shook the void!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is becoming a disciple some childish game? Even if I favor this boy, I won’t offend my old friend, nor break the centuries-old ‘Plucking Blossoms Banquet’ rules—I can only resort to this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan merely pressed his hand lightly—the blinding light vanished instantly. Cui Wuyue let out a muffled groan, clearly having suffered a minor defeat in this exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the Divine Lord Shenwu Shuhua tested his disciple, the Jade Pivot True Person, three times to assess his roots, fortune, and nature—how much more so should I, Xie Tan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled at Cui Wuyue:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though I’m a collateral branch, I’m still of the Longyou Xie Clan. Your abilities are far too weak to challenge me. This is a small punishment and a stern warning—don’t come looking for death again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Cui Wuyue’s eyes suddenly pained him—he bled black blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hastily retreated his spiritual energy, stared at Xie Tan in horror, then shamefully covered his face with his sleeve and flew out of the hall without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A country bumpkin—utterly ignorant of heaven’s height and earth’s depth, clueless about his own mortality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Cui Wuyue stormed off, Lord Huaiwu and the other Daoxuan alchemists all lowered their heads, silent as cicadas in winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan coldly scanned the group, then turned to Chen Hang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My terms are clear—I cannot immediately take you into my sect. What is your decision?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am already overjoyed by the Lianshi’s care—how could I dare add further words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang bowed deeply in salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you not afraid of dying in the Earth Abyss or at the Xie Fang Banquet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Victory or defeat, if I die, it is simply my fate to meet this tribulation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good! Good! That is exactly how it should be!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tan first froze, then clapped his hands and burst into loud laughter:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you truly enter my sect, in a few months I shall reach Golden Core. Given your disposition, I shall surely petition the Ancestor to bestow upon you the Twenty-Four Flower Goddess True Scripture, so you may cultivate this foundational scripture that has been passed down for tens of thousands of years in the Flower Goddess Mansion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang bowed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Xie Tan accepted the bow without protest, then personally handed Chen Hang the folding fan painted with twelve beauties, let out a long laugh, and flew away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of Huaiwu Cave regarded this scene with complex, indescribable emotions, fell silent for a moment, then forcibly regained his composure, laughed as if nothing had happened, took Chen Hang’s arm, and resumed the banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, music rose again, melodious and lingering, and did not cease until two hours had passed—this time, both guests and host were thoroughly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did Chen Hang and the others receive what the Lord of Huaiwu Cave had originally promised, but they also gained much guidance on cultivation—his gifts were by no means insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And before taking their leave,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang suddenly halted his steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against all reason, he asked the Lord of Huaiwu Cave a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, my lord, what exactly does the Lianshi mean by the Flower Goddess Mansion’s entry requirements—verification of bloodline and lineage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bloodline? That’s simple…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of Huaiwu Cave’s face bore the flush of wine; he was not surprised by the question, and replied kindly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Verifying a disciple’s bloodline and lineage is standard sect protocol—all major sects possess their own unique, powerful methods. Once the technique is applied, not only you, but even your ancestors’ generations of lineage, are laid bare with perfect clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such measures are taken to prevent disciples from bringing great karmic burdens upon the sect, to guard against future calamities, and to screen out those burdened with trouble. But you, young cultivator, come from a spotless background—no concern at all! Rest assured! Rest assured!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang blinked slightly, then bowed and thanked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of Huaiwu Cave did not detain them further, only reminded Chen Hang and the other two to remember to attend the Dao lecture the day after tomorrow at the Shen hour, then returned to the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was fading toward dusk, a thousand rays of evening light glowing crimson and deep, casting the half-heavens in a soft, gauzy radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Foundation Establishment cultivator Lu Yu merely gave Chen Hang and the others a slight bow, then hurriedly took to the air and fled, unwilling to linger near Chen Hang even a moment longer—clearly still shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The folding fan the Flower Goddess Mansion Lianshi gave you is truly a marvelous treasure—a genuine, true treasure! Look! Let me see it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yang glanced briefly at Lu Yu, unimpressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sidled up to Chen Hang, begging persistently, pleading only for a glimpse of the beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being pestered for so long, Chen Hang grew too weary to argue further; he pulled the gilded folding fan from his sleeve and opened it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good! This leg is so long—and here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yang swallowed hard, then gestured to his own chest and cried out in horrified disbelief:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s bigger than my head! Can such a woman truly exist? I don’t believe it—it must be fake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brother Chen, cast a spell to summon her down—I’ll spend tonight thoroughly criticizing her, to see what kind of demon or monster dares to confuse your Dao heart! To confuse Brother Chen’s Dao heart is to declare war on me, Yuan Mou—I am sworn enemy to this woman!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She cannot shake my resolve—but you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang said coolly: “Wipe your drool. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Yuan Yang’s eyes blazed with eagerness and he was gulping saliva furiously,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hang suddenly closed his fingers, snapping the fan shut with a soft “whoosh,” and lowered his eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing? We’ve only seen two beauties—there are still ten left!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yang, startled back to reality as the fan vanished, complained: “We’ve risked life and death together—we’re brothers now! How can you be so stingy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Chen Hang gave no reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yuan Yang finally looked up, dazed, he saw a slender woman wearing a veiled hat standing on the floating bridge nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside her crouched a round, chubby girl in green robes, one hand clutching a pancake, her cheeks bulging from eating.\u003C\u002Fp>",2866,"2026-06-19T22:29:59.276Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","784cafab9d938ed76bf8cfb461bc72b347a9a67a592135a5a03b42e76e6575e2","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-90","the-path-of-immortality-chapter-88",545,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-path-of-immortality-cover.jpg"]