I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 854 Dragged into the Underworld
The death of Zhao Shengbing within the sect's headquarters terrified the cultivators of the Holy Heaven Sect, filling them with immense fear.

This is the weapon forging furnace, the true foundation of the Holy Heaven Sect. With this immortal weapon, the Holy Heaven Sect has overcome countless calamities. But now, this furnace cannot even protect a Great Cultivator of the Chaotic Undying Realm!
Panic spread like a plague within the Holy Heaven Sect.

Many cultivators were pale-faced, and their hands holding weapons trembled slightly.

Faced with a illusory immortal, they couldn't even muster the thought of resisting.

Gu Yuanqing's clone raised his hand to retrieve the Beiquan Town World Seal, glanced at the illusory image of the furnace intertwined with flames, and then turned his gaze to Jing Yue, saying indifferently, "Does the Holy Heaven Sect have any objections to being sealed for ten thousand years?"

Jing Yue, the sect master of the Holy Heaven Sect, watched as Zhao Shengbing's body turned into fine sand. His fists clenched so tightly that his fingertips turned white. After a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, "From this day forward... the Holy Heaven Sect will be sealed off! For ten thousand years, without... without permission, no one may step out of the sect's territory! Anyone who disobeys... will be expelled from the sect and will bear the consequences of their own actions!"

Gu Yuanqing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the disciples of the Holy Heaven Sect.

When the cultivators of the Holy Heaven Sect met his gaze, they all involuntarily looked away.

"Take care of yourself!" Gu Yuanqing turned and left.

……

Inside the North Spring Cave, Gu Yuanqing's true form frowned slightly as he looked at the dwindling incense offerings.

"It seems that the incense energy consumed is greater than expected!"

The power of incense offerings is of great use to Gu Yuanqing. Although the Qian Yuan Realm currently receives a lot of incense offerings every day due to its status in the Linglong Realm, the consumption of incense offerings for deduce cultivation techniques and supernatural powers at the level of a Void Immortal is still enormous.

While a Hun Tian Immortal could be easily killed outside, within his sect's territory, even Gu Yuanqing would have to go all out.

Guided by Gu Yuanqing's Void Heavenly Eye and Divine Soul Aura, and empowered by the power of the Cave Heaven, this move combined the Heavenly Fishing Technique with the Annihilation Heavenly Blade strike, taking advantage of Zhao Shengbing's severe injuries and incomplete recovery to kill him in one fell swoop.

However, although the cost was high, it was worth it. Now that we had come to the outside of the Holy Heaven Sect and were determined to settle our karmic debts, we could not allow any accidents to happen.

With the karmic consequences in the Spirit Realm resolved, only the matter of the Linglong Realm remains. Before those old fogies of the Primordial Divine Sect become aware of it, everyone can cultivate in peace.

……

Gu Yuanqing continued on to his next destination.

With his cultivation level and expertise in spatial manipulation, unless he deliberately reveals his aura, other cultivators would find it very difficult to detect.

The matter of the Holy Heaven Sect once again stirred up a huge wave in the Spirit Realm.

The death of the Lord of Jiuli Mountain was sudden, and apart from the disciples of Jiuli Mountain, almost no one else at the scene noticed it.

But the matter of the Holy Heaven Sect is completely different.

After the fall of the Lord of Jiuli Mountain, many people guessed that Gu Yuanqing was behind it. Naturally, everyone's attention fell on the Holy Heaven Sect, which is adjacent to Jiuli Mountain. In the past few days, many cultivators have secretly come here.

The appearance of a Void Immortal in the Spirit Realm has not occurred for tens of thousands of years, and such a great battle is also unprecedented. No cultivator wants to miss it.

Many heretical sects also secretly came to observe Gu Yuanqing's strength, because after the Holy Heaven Sect, it might be their turn.

"Is it... over?" A younger-looking cultivator's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice somewhat dry.

The old man beside him slowly put down his celestial compass, his face filled with fear.

"That great seal... its descending power, even from this distance, made my true essence stagnate and my soul freeze. And that furnace... the weapon-refining furnace of the Holy Heaven Sect! It was actually forced to fully manifest and reactivate..."

Another place.

“Zhao Shengbing’s aura… seems to have disappeared.” A middle-aged cultivator in a black robe spoke in a hoarse voice. He possessed a special sensing technique, and his face was as pale as paper.

Everyone gasped in shock. Under the protection of the sect's grand formation and the Holy Heaven Sect's weapon-refining furnace, they were being killed by a person?

"A illusory immortal... Is this the power of an illusory immortal?"

The middle-aged man in black robes said bitterly, "It is said that the Lord of Jiuli Mountain voluntarily severed his karma, which is understandable. But this Holy Heaven Sect... can't even protect people with its weapon-refining furnace. How useful are the mountain-protecting formations and sect-guarding treasures that we sects usually rely on in front of true Void Immortals?"

This question silenced everyone.

A chilling feeling, like the plight of a rabbit mourning the death of a fox, rose from the soles of my feet and crept up my spine.

"Let's go. From now on, the righteous sects will rule the world." The old man took one last look at the illusory furnace. "Looking any further is pointless. The Holy Heaven Sect's closure is a foregone conclusion. Next..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

The Blissful Sect, the Netherworld Sect, and the Taiyin Palace—these sects that once attacked Gu Yuanqing will likely not escape punishment!
They vanished quietly in a streak of light, their hearts a thousand times heavier than when they arrived.

Firsthand observations are far more impactful than any rumor.

The heavens of the spirit world have truly changed!
Even if you stay within your sect, you might not be safe when facing a Void Immortal!
……

The main altar of the Blissful Sect is located in the Wonderful Sound Pavilion.

A woman dressed in a thin veil, with a charming face, frowned. The jade slip containing the secret message in her hand shattered, turning into jade powder that fell softly from between her fingers.

"Even under the protection of the Holy Heaven Sect's weapon-refining furnace, it still perished?" she murmured softly, her delicate body trembling almost imperceptibly.

The Blissful Sect is indeed stronger than the Holy Heaven Sect. As one of the two evil lords, her cultivation is also higher than Zhao Shengbing's, but the difference is still limited.

Even the Lord of Jiuli Mountain chose to end his grudges through his own annihilation, let alone the Blissful Sect.

No one wants to die. Having cultivated to the point of immortality, how could one willingly perish?

The light in her eyes gradually turned sharp.

So what if you're a mere immortal? If you want me dead, then you shall die!
……

Most of the righteous sects were overjoyed.

Over the years, although the evil sects have shrunk in power and lost many top experts, almost half of their strength has remained on the battlefield outside the domain due to the constraints imposed by the Heavenly Demon.

Therefore, it is difficult to truly put pressure on the heretical sects, and the situation remains largely deadlocked.

While not everyone in a heretical sect is a completely wicked villain, there is certainly a reason why they are labeled as heretical.

The fundamental reason is that many unorthodox techniques and supernatural powers often take a risky approach, pursuing quick results and ultimate power.

Their actions were completely different from, and even contrary to, the righteous principles of harmony between man and nature, following the natural way, and the gradual path of cultivation.

For example, some cultivation methods require a large amount of living beings' essence, souls, or negative emotions.

Some secret techniques sacrifice potential, lifespan, or even part of one's sanity in exchange for explosive power in a short period of time;

Some methods aim to manipulate, play with, or even corrupt the minds and bodies of others, viewing all things as resources for cultivation.

In the pursuit of power, it is easy to blur the bottom line in the practitioner's heart and subtly change their mindset.

Even if one's initial intentions were not evil, years of immersion in this practice can inevitably lead to indifference to life and death and extreme actions. Historically, there have been instances where certain powerful figures of evil paths, upon reaching a critical juncture in their cultivation, acted without restraint, triggering catastrophic disasters.

Even now, some heretical sects still treat mortals like dirt, like livestock, and their lives are decided in the blink of an eye!
Previously, due to the overall situation, righteous cultivators dared not wage war against evil forces and could only turn a blind eye. But now it is different.

Gu Yuanqing's sudden emergence, as a Void Immortal, to settle scores with those who had obstructed his path in the past, was seen by the righteous sects as nothing less than a sharp sword falling from the sky to cut down the evil path. Naturally, they would not miss such an opportunity!
In the battlefield beyond the realm, the Spirit Lord gave the order, and many sects gathered at Zhige Tianyuan to discuss important matters. Afterwards, they sent messages to the Spirit Realm in their own ways.

A campaign to eradicate evil forces was launched.

Of course, not all heretical sects are like this. For example, Jiuli Mountain and Tianming Palace, although listed as heretical and acting eccentrically, still generally follow the way of nature.

Gu Yuanqing headed towards the Netherworld Sect. The Netherworld Sect's base was hundreds of millions of miles away from the Holy Heaven Sect, but for Gu Yuanqing, it would only take a few days.

When he arrived, disciples of righteous sects had already gathered on the outskirts of the territory ruled by the Netherworld Sect, and battles were frequently taking place.

The evil of the Holy Heaven Sect often uses the essence and blood of others to forge weapons, while the evil of the Netherworld Sect is the ghost realm in the human world. Along the way, one can see places for nurturing souls and valleys for storing corpses everywhere.

Ignoring the fighting below, Gu Yuanqing headed directly towards the Netherworld Sect's mountain gate.

Before he could get really close, as he took a step and arrived above a city, he raised an eyebrow.

Looking down, one could see that the interior and exterior of a huge city spanning hundreds of miles were filled with corpses; the few survivors were pale-faced, lifeless, and shrouded in an aura of death.

At that very moment, thousands of white bone banners rose up, covering the sky, and thick, dark clouds obscured the sun.

"Gu Yuanqing! I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

A chilling voice rang out, and the figure of Li Youhe, the sect leader of the Netherworld Sect, emerged from the dark clouds.

His face was withered, his eyes were sunken, and he wore a black ghost emperor's robe. His body was surrounded by a dense aura of death that seemed to have a physical presence.

"The Nine Li Old Ghost has fallen, and Zhao the Madman has vanished into thin air... I knew you would come sooner or later. Rather than sit and wait for death, it's better to—"

He suddenly spread his arms wide, and the deathly aura around him erupted, connecting with the resentment and deathly aura rising from the city below.

Thousands of white bone banners fluttered in the wind, their surfaces displaying countless contorted faces of pain, emitting mournful screams.

"—With the millions of living souls and the deathly aura of this city and this region as a sacrifice, let us all journey to the underworld!"

Before he finished speaking, a strangely shaped ancient lamp appeared in his hand.

With a skull as its base and a vengeful spirit as its core, this is the Netherworld Sect's secret treasure—the Nine Netherworld Lamp!

Without hesitation, he used a secret technique, and his withered body instantly ignited with a ghastly green soul fire, pouring his lifespan, soul, true essence, and physical blood into the lamp!
Boom!

The city below trembled violently, countless corpses shattered and turned into a cloud of blood mist, and streams of Yin energy containing endless resentment and unwillingness rose into the sky, blotting out the sun.

This is the immense power of Yin spirits that has imprisoned millions of living beings here after they were tortured and slaughtered, and are now unable to be reborn!

The flames of the Nine Netherworld Lamp leaped up, igniting all the vengeful spirits and turning the entire world a ghastly green.

This is how Li Youhe completely ignited and sacrificed these living souls' power, using himself as a catalyst and the secret treasure as a key!
Rumble!
The heavens and earth trembled, eerie green flames swirled, and a gigantic vortex was born, the space at the center of the vortex seemingly torn apart by this immense force.

From the depths of the whirlpool, the sounds of rushing rivers and the wailing of countless ghosts could be heard!
Then, the vortex expanded, using the thousands of bone banners as its boundary, instantly swallowing up the space within a radius of ten thousand miles.

The light was rapidly drawn away, and the aura of the spirit world was violently expelled, replaced by coldness and deathly silence. The Great Dao of the spirit world seemed to have been replaced by the power of another world containing the laws of the netherworld!

Although it all sounds slow, it all happened in an instant.

Gu Yuanqing frowned slightly.

Li Youhe actually sacrificed millions of Yin souls and everything he had, using the sect's secret treasure to forcibly cut off this vast area from the Spirit Realm and drag it into the Underworld!
At this moment, beneath Gu Yuanqing's feet was no longer a city, but a desolate, gray wasteland.

In the distance, the murky yellow river water flowed endlessly in a blurry, turbid manner.

The sky was dark purple, and countless ghostly creatures exuding powerful auras emerged from the shadows in the distance, their expressions greedy as they stared at the only living being in the area—Gu Yuanqing.

"Jie Jie Jie..."

As the Yin energy gathered, Li Youhe's figure reformed under the infusion of Netherworld aura, but it was no longer human. It was a thousand feet tall, with a dark blue-black body; a strange black talisman flickered between its brows.

Its aura was several times stronger than before, reaching the level of a Void Immortal!
"The power of the Boundless Demon Mother?" Gu Yuanqing remained calm, showing little surprise.

The Holy Heaven Sect has a weapon-forging furnace, and the Netherworld Sect also has its own protective treasures.

He naturally knew something about the Netherworld Sect. The Netherworld Sect had a contract with the Boundless Ghost Mother, so it wasn't strange at all that Li Youhe was using its power.

"Welcome to... the Netherworld!" Li Youhe's voice was sinister and chilling. "So what if you are a Void Immortal? This is the Netherworld! The Great Dao of the Spirit Realm is separated from this place. How much of your Void Immortal power can you still retain?"

"Because of you, I have abandoned my human form and become the master of the Avici Demon Mother, destined never to be reborn. Gu Yuanqing, all of this is thanks to you. And today, you will have to repay all of this tenfold. I will imprison you in the Nine Netherworld Lamp, using your soul as the wick, to be tormented by the flames for all eternity!"

He raised his hand and waved it, and from the illusory Yellow Spring River of Death below, the towering turbid waves transformed into countless ferocious ghost hands that grabbed at Gu Yuanqing!

At the same time, countless powerful ancient ghosts on the wasteland and strange beings lurking in the underworld roared and swarmed over!

Gu Yuanqing slightly raised his head, looking at the approaching Yellow Spring Ghost Hand and the countless ghostly shadows, his eyes calm and unwavering.

"The laws of the underworld? The power of the Ghost Mother?" he murmured to himself, a slight smile curving his lips. "Unfortunately, my path has never relied on the spirit world."

……

Elder Xuan Chengzi of the Zhengyi Sect was leading his disciples to wipe out an outer stronghold of the Youming Sect when he suddenly felt a violent turbulence in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. A chilling death aura that made his soul tremble rose into the sky from the direction of the Youming Sect's mountain gate.

He suddenly looked up and saw a huge, pitch-black vortex formed by eerie green flames on the distant horizon, within which the faint image of the River of Oblivion could be seen.

"The Nine Nether Lamp!" Xuan Chengzi's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock, "Oh no! Li Youhe has gone mad! He actually used that lamp and dragged that region completely into the Netherworld!"

The expressions of the Yin-Yang level cultivators beside him changed slightly upon hearing this.

The Zhengyi Sect and the Youming Sect have a long-standing feud. They both know what level of magic weapon the Nine Nether Lamp is, and they also know what the scene before them means.

The Netherworld Sect would never use this treasure without a reason; it must be because Gu Yuanqing has obviously stepped into that area!
"It's Senior Gu..."

“Although Brother Gu is a Void Immortal, if he enters the Netherworld and is separated from the Great Dao of the Spirit Realm, I’m afraid…” Xuan Chengzi’s expression was extremely solemn.

Even though he guessed that Gu Yuanqing was mostly just an avatar, he had only recently become a Void Immortal. If the avatar were to perish, his cultivation would inevitably be damaged, which might affect the overall situation between good and evil.

It should be understood that the righteous sects are currently tied down by the extraterrestrial battlefield, and their current efforts to eliminate the evil sects are also relying on the power of Gu Yuanqing, a mere illusory immortal. If something happens to Gu Yuanqing, then all the plans will have to be rewritten.

For righteous sects, this is of paramount importance!

Without hesitation, he took out an ancient jade talisman, imprinted all his observations and feelings onto it, and then crushed the talisman.

The jade talisman transformed into a golden stream of light and disappeared into the void...

(End of this chapter)