Chapter 236: The Next Stop East of the Netherworld

Outside Du Xian Men, a white cloud carrying several figures sped eastward.

The cloud flew swiftly and steadily, choosing a path through beautiful scenery and avoiding dangerous terrain. The one controlling the cloud was clearly an experienced... Jin Xian.

The sect leader of Du Xian Men, Ji Wu You, was personally guiding the cloud toward Di Fu, while continuously explaining matters related to Di Fu to the four people behind him.

For instance, he described how to quickly reach You Ming Jie, the relationship between You Ming Jie and Di Fu, and the taboos of Di Fu.

"Di Fu oversees the six paths of reincarnation, serving as the destination for all souls and spirits, and it is no ordinary place.

However, Di Fu is also one of the forces in the Hong Huang world, so it naturally gives face to other powers.

Most of the time, as long as someone requests assistance, they might hesitate a bit, accept some benefits, and do a favor by using the authority granted by the Heavenly Dao to make minor adjustments to the affairs of reincarnation...

So, you don't need to worry.

Our Du Xian Men is a genuine lineage of Ren Jiao, so we certainly have that level of respect."

Ji Wu You stood at the front with his hands clasped behind his back, speaking eloquently.

Wang Qing Shang Ren, who had spent so many years cultivating within the sect, had no idea that the sect leader could be so chatty.

There wasn't much else Wang Qing Shang Ren could say at the moment; he simply maintained an attentive posture.

Meanwhile, Jiang Lin Er was preoccupied with her worries, standing beside Wang Qing Shang Ren, her brows furrowed with concern, still secretly anxious.

Ji Wu You slowly recounted the origins of Di Fu and extended the discussion to the evolution of You Ming Jie.

Li Chang Shou: ...

Sect Leader, why not start from the creation of the world? Di Fu is clearly just an ancient matter.

Ji Wu You continued leisurely, "To speak of the origins of You Ming Jie, we must mention that blood sea, and that takes us back to the time of the world's creation..."

Li Chang Shou: ...

Oh, well then.

As the junior among them, Li Chang Shou naturally stood at the back of the cloud.

Listening to the sect leader grow more enthusiastic, Li Chang Shou couldn't help but turn his head to glance at the figure standing just three chi away, side by side with him...

You Qin Xuan Ya.

He understood the principles, but why was "Poisonous" coming with them to You Ming Jie?

Did she have some family connection to one of Di Fu's Yan Luo or judges, or could her outstanding appearance make things a bit easier?

What was going on with the sect leader?

Why all these confusing actions?

When You Qin Xuan Ya had arrived earlier, she still carried the aura of her recent seclusion in meditation, clearly having been summoned by the sect leader on short notice!

Sensing Li Chang Shou's gaze, You Qin Xuan Ya, who had her eyes closed in concentration, trembled her lashes slightly and opened her eyes.

Her fair neck turned gently, and her bright eyes shifted toward him, carrying a mix of bewilderment, curiosity, tenderness, and clarity as she met his gaze.

Then, like a startled fawn, her eyes darted away to the side, leaving behind shyness, nervousness, self-reproach, and a hint of joy...

Uh, some of her symptoms had clearly intensified since her seclusion!

Li Chang Shou chuckled bitterly to himself.

Was the sect leader trying to play matchmaker between him and You Qin Xuan Ya?

As one of the three key figures from that night when his Jin Xian tribulation nearly arrived, You Qin Xuan Ya knew Li Chang Shou's "background" and had seen the entire process of his paper effigy's mishap.

Thus, Li Chang Shou couldn't completely ignore her.

And truthfully...

Using his "Turtle Secret" to simulate his spiritual sense, Li Chang Shou took a look at the young woman beside him.

You Qin Xuan Ya had an outstanding demeanor, a face that could captivate fish and bring down geese, a graceful and slender figure—flawless in appearance. Especially after becoming an immortal, she was surrounded by an immortal aura with a natural soft glow effect.

While her straightforward personality could be troublesome, it could also be seen as a strength...

But matters between men and women aren't just about looks; he didn't have to feel affection just because she was beautiful!

Although it wasn't quite fair to compare her to others based on appearance and character, to be honest, his own junior sister was no less impressive than this one from the neighboring peak.

Trying to bring two people together—how easy was that?

The deeper Li Chang Shou delved into the "path of romance" and the more he learned, the more he realized how incredibly complex it was...

From ancient times, red flowers match green willows, but it's all about lovesick men and resentful women.

A moment's passion is worth a thousand gold, and a thousand gold spent will return again.

Li Chang Shou sighed lightly as he looked at his sect leader's back ahead.

A wisp of voice transmission from You Qin Xuan Ya entered his ear, saying:

"Senior Brother Chang Shou, have you been well lately?"

"Mm, I'm fine," Li Chang Shou replied with a smile, transmitting back. "How about your cultivation?"

"I've stabilized my realm and made a slight breakthrough."

You Qin Xuan Ya turned serious as she mentioned proper matters, instantly resuming her usual composed demeanor, and transmitted in detail:

"I'm currently comprehending the principle of the indestructible true spirit, following the teachings of Tai Qing's wu wei. In about another hundred years, I should be able to break through to the next level and reach the mid True Immortal realm."

Li Chang Shou nodded with a smile, nearly blurting out, "You're amazing."

You Qin Xuan Ya gently pursed her lips and transmitted, "Has Senior Brother made any breakthroughs in your cultivation lately?"

Li Chang Shou chuckled and shook his head slightly.

If you counted it, there had been breakthroughs, but he had... cut them off himself.

Once the topic of cultivation ended, the conversation between them stalled.

Li Chang Shou chose to close his eyes and rest, while You Qin Xuan Ya occasionally glanced at him; she stood there quietly, serving as the visual highlight of their group of five...

The situation in the Four Seas had grown increasingly dire.

The immortal cloud sped over the East Sea, and after flying just tens of thousands of li, Li Chang Shou's immortal sense detected several battle zones.

Though these underwater conflicts were not large-scale, they were extremely bloody...

The Dragon Clan clashed with the Sea Clan, and within the Sea Clan, different factions fought each other. The most unfortunate were the innocent, mindless sea creatures.

During this period, the fishing villages along the coasts of the East and South Seas enjoyed unusually bountiful harvests.

In the past, casting a net might yield a dozen fish at most;

Now, it often came back so heavy they could barely pull it in, and sometimes they'd haul up some strange, massive creatures...

As a result, the incense offerings at the Sea God temples burned even brighter.

The Du Xian Men team heading to Di Fu crossed more than half of the East Sea, and finally, Wang Qing Shang Ren spoke up:

"Sect Leader, I've heard lately that the Dragon Clan seems to be facing disasters and endless troubles, with unrest in various parts of the Four Seas."

Ji Wu You nodded slowly and said, "These matters have no connection to our Du Xian Men, so there's no need to worry."

No connection?

Li Chang Shou sighed inwardly; in reality, the links were greater than even Jiu Jiu's misdeeds...

If they kept staring at this endless ocean without looking up, it was as if they were frozen in a painting.

At that moment, the Du Xian Men group was heading to the east of the East Sea, beneath the Tian Zhu, where the fastest route to You Ming Jie and Di Fu lay.

The three realms of Hong Huang could be compared to a—multi-layered meat pie.

The five continents formed the main body, with the nine levels of Tian Que standing above them, and You Ming Jie attached below.

Where did Di Fu come from?

The story begins with Pangu's three axes, pure energy forming the heavens and turbid energy the earth.

From the turbidity sprang the nine filthy springs, the blood sea churned, and You Ming Jie emerged.

Within it lived the ancestor known as Ming He, with Yuan Tu in his left hand and A Bi in his right.

He tried to mimic Nu Wa in creating life, but his divine powers fell short.

The great virtue Hou Tu established the wheel of reincarnation, and Ming He, who opposed her, was struck by heavenly lightning.

Thus, Di Fu and the underworld began, with the blood sea half-dried and the asuras weeping.

... Roughly speaking, that's how it went.

Ji Wu You controlled the cloud, swiftly carrying Li Chang Shou and the others across the East Sea until they reached the majestic, boundless Tian Zhu, heading straight for its base.

You Ming Jie was buried deep within the Hong Huang earth, and after Hou Tu evolved the six paths of reincarnation, she fully suppressed You Ming Jie. Most entrances to it had been sealed.

The fastest and most well-known path to Di Fu was through the deep-sea rifts near the four great Tian Zhu in the southeast, northwest.

There were also paths used by Di Fu's ghost messengers to enter and exit the five continents and the three thousand worlds, but cultivators couldn't trespass those; they were protected by Heavenly Dao forces.

The five of them flew to the base of the grand Tian Zhu and saw a massive vortex appear on the sea surface below;

Ji Wu You coughed twice, enveloping the group in a layer of immortal light, and they plunged rapidly into the vortex.

They passed through deep-sea crevices, crossed lava lakes, skirted various perilous areas, and sank for who knows how many ten-thousands of ren.

It was worth noting that along the way, they encountered a few human cultivators returning from Di Fu, probably there to offer gifts and handle affairs...

The journey posed no real danger; even a True Immortal could navigate these "checkpoints" on their own and reach a winding path shrouded in gray mist...

The road to You Ming.

Li Chang Shou was afraid of suddenly having an epiphany, so he didn't dare look or think too much; he just memorized the route.

You Qin Xuan Ya transmitted, "Has Senior Brother been here many times before?"

"No," Li Chang Shou replied with a smile, "I've only been cultivating for a few hundred years and haven't had the chance to visit many places yet."

"Then..."

You Qin Xuan Ya's beautiful eyes fixed on Li Chang Shou, and without moving her lips, she transmitted naturally:

"If we have the opportunity in the future, would Senior Brother be willing to travel around with me to broaden our horizons and gain insights into cultivation?"

Li Chang Shou: ...

What kind of approach was this?

A sudden confession?

Based on his numerous analyses of You Qin Xuan Ya's personality, Li Chang Shou couldn't help but entertain the absurd thought that this might be a puppet!

Fortunately, You Qin Xuan Ya quickly realized her words might have been inappropriate, and her face flushed red. She spoke aloud, a bit flustered as she explained, her gentle voice echoing within the immortal light.

"Senior Brother Chang Shou...

I didn't mean it that way! I don't have any improper intentions toward you!

I just thought we could travel together to gain experiences and insights for our practice!"

Li Chang Shou smiled bitterly to himself.

No doubt about it; this was the You Qin Xuan Ya he knew.

Three gazes turned toward them from ahead, with the two men exchanging knowing smiles, while Jiang Lin Er, already somewhat irritated, frowned slightly.

A rival for Xiao Ling E?

This one's threat to Ling E seemed much greater than Xiao Jiu's!

Jiang Lin Er sighed inwardly, but she didn't have the energy to worry about it now, as she was preoccupied with Wan Jiang Yu's situation...

Ji Wu You had visited Di Fu a few times before and was quite familiar with the place.

On this winding path, Ji Wu You pressed his left hand downward, and wisps of pure, chilling mist gathered quickly, forming a gray cloud that supported the five of them.

They then continued flying swiftly along the path;

In no time, they emerged from the endless fog, and their view was filled by a massive black mountain.

The mountain resembled a stone tablet, made entirely of solid black rock, inscribed with three blood-red, intricate characters...

Ji Wu You said calmly, "We've arrived at the eastern gate of You Ming."

Li Chang Shou sighed softly to himself;

This scene and atmosphere suddenly reminded him of arriving at a bus stop in his previous life.

Fortunately, the sect leader didn't follow up with "Please tap your card to board," or who knows what might have "beeped."

Just as Li Chang Shou's paper effigy arrived in You Ming Jie;

At Tian Ting, in front of the East Heaven Gate.

Thousands of heavenly soldiers stood guard, each leaning on their spears, their gazes fixed on the cloud road not far away.

There, several elderly men were surrounding a handsome young Daoist, trying to persuade him, but his eyes were firm as he stepped forward steadily.

"Young master, you still have Tian Ya Pavilion to manage. Why become a soldier in Tian Ting?"

"The old madam would be so heartbroken if she knew!"

"What's so great about Tian Ting? If you just cultivate steadily, you'll achieve the path of eternal life and inherit the family business!"

"Enough!"

Bian Zhuang shouted lightly, looking up at the white jade pillars of the heavenly gate carved with countless auspicious clouds, his eyes sparkling with determination as he declared:

"I don't want a predetermined path of cultivation!

A path arranged for me isn't mine; my path lies under my feet, and I must walk it step by step!

Tian Ting—this is where my dreams are!"

The elderly men were momentarily stunned by his words, unsure how to continue.

Bian Zhuang moved forward and quickly reached the gate.

Hearing his words, the group of heavenly soldiers was deeply moved!

What confidence this young Daoist had, what noble pursuits in his immortal life!

The heavenly generals inside the gate exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up.

Could Tian Ting be gaining a talent?

At that moment, one of the elderly men couldn't help but stamp his foot and sigh:

"Young master! What kind of dream is this?"

Bian Zhuang's eyes filled with longing as he declared, "That fairy is my dream!

Only here can I find my dream!"

"Your dreams change every few years! With all the girls in Tian Ya Pavilion, can't any of them become your dream?"

"Young master, just say the word, and you can have as many dreams as you want! All kinds, and never repeating!"

Ah...

The heavenly soldiers and generals all had black lines on their foreheads;

One heavenly general rolled his eyes and secretly transmitted orders to the soldiers at the gate.

Bian Zhuang, without looking back, arrived at the East Heaven Gate, cupped his hands, and shouted:

"I, the cultivator Bian Zhuang, come today to join Tian Ting!"

"Get out!"

The group of heavenly soldiers roared in unison.