Cultivating Immortality from the Book of Life and Death

Chapter 424, Day One. (First Update!)

Step, step, step...

Amidst the blood mist, the footsteps were monotonous, each step carrying far and wide.

click!
With a crisp sound, Shang Zhaozu felt his foot sink. Looking down, he realized he had accidentally stepped on and crushed a skull half-buried in the mud. Half of his foot was caught in the remaining skull, and suddenly it felt heavy.

His muscles were tense. He moved his hand holding the talisman, carefully observed it, and found nothing unusual. Then he withdrew his foot and continued to walk cautiously alone.

When he first entered Xue Tong Pass, he followed Zheng Que. However, seeing that Zheng Que kept going deeper into Xue Tong Pass, he stopped following.

Those two, both at the ninth level of Qi Refining, are courting death by venturing too deep into Blood Pass.
"We've had really bad luck this time. Apart from Zheng Que, none of the other cultivators from Qingrao Prefecture are willing to team up..."

"It was also because Feng Guangchang and the others delayed me for too long, preventing me from building good relationships with those cultivators beforehand."

"Hopefully we won't run into Feng Guangchang and his group of four, otherwise this immortal exam will be over!"

"It would be best if we didn't encounter cultivators from other states either..."

“The ‘strange’ thing that Zheng Que mentioned possessing ‘law’ was mentioned earlier.”

"But I'm all alone, do you want to come in?"

With his mind racing, Shang Zhaozu released two ghost servants to scout ahead.

These two ghost servants, one was his original ghost servant, whose cultivation level was the ninth level of the [Tongue-Pulling Hell], and the other was the top-grade ghost servant he bought at the Crane Cry Tower auction. Its aura was only at the eighth level of the [Tongue-Pulling Hell], but its strength was far beyond that of ordinary ghost servants.

As he walked, with nothing happening around him, Shang Zhaozu gradually grew bolder. He realized that he was not alone; a cultivator dressed in drab gray was with him.

Shang Zhaozu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had misremembered; they were actually traveling together, and the unfamiliar cultivator beside him was his friend…

After walking a few more steps, Shang Zhaozu noticed that there was another person beside him. This cultivator was slightly hunched over, seemingly a bit stooped, and his face was also unclear. He simply followed silently to the side.

Shang Zhaozu remained calm. The three of them were traveling together and were now heading towards the "strange" entity that possessed the "law".

At this moment, his two ghost servants led the way, followed by two unfamiliar "friends" on his left and right.

Step, step, step...

The footsteps grew more and more frequent, and after a while, a large group of cultivators had gathered around Shang Zhaozu.

He was completely oblivious to anything amiss and continued to consult the map, heading in the direction of the "strange" place.

Gradually, all the cultivators around Shang Zhaozu turned their heads strangely and stared straight at him.

Even his ghost servant, at the ninth level of the [Tongue-Pulling Hell] realm, turned its head uncontrollably and looked back at its former master...

※※※

A blood mist, like a curtain, obscured the view.

Feng Guangchang, Mao Yanxin, Yuan Zhonghao, and Jing Zhengjie walked together, followed by a group of cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

These Qi Refining stage cultivators followed closely behind, like stars surrounding the moon, surrounding Feng Guangchang and the other four Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

At this moment, the entire team is heading in one direction with a clear goal.

"Stay close!"

"Although this is only the outer perimeter of Xue Tong Pass, it is still extremely dangerous. If someone gets separated from the group, the consequences will be dire!"

Yuan Zhonghao looked around and gave a stern reminder.

Upon hearing this, the cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining behind him hurriedly quickened their pace, afraid of being left behind. At this moment, Mao Yanxin, while walking forward, used his magic to survey his surroundings and asked, "How far are we from the Fiend Iron Mine?"

Sha Iron is a mutated ore formed when ordinary iron ore veins are infected by evil energy. It has an excellent affinity for spells related to "ghost control" and "corpse raising". It can be used to forge weapons and armor for cultivators, as well as to make medicine and pills. When ground into powder, it can also increase the power of related talismans. It has many uses.

Upon hearing this, Jing Zhengjie, who was examining the jade slip, immediately replied, "The direction is correct. If all goes well, we should arrive in about fifteen minutes."

Unlike Zheng Que, they went straight to the nearest resource point after entering Xue Tong Pass.

Going too far into Xue Tong Pass would be too risky for them!

Moreover, the points gained from occupying resource points deep within Xue Tong Pass are the same as those gained from occupying resource points on the edge of Xue Tong Pass.

Upon hearing this, Feng Guangchang nodded slightly and immediately said, "Be careful, everyone. We might encounter other prefectures next."

As they spoke, the group quickened their pace.

Amidst the hurried footsteps, a quarter of an hour quickly passed, yet ahead remained a hysterically boiling sea of ​​blood mist, without a trace of any resource point.

Mao Yanxin, who was walking at the front, was a little puzzled. He turned to look at Jing Zhengjie and asked, "How much longer until we get there?"

Jing Zhengjie immediately checked the map again and replied with great certainty, "There's still... a quarter of an hour!"

Is there a quarter of an hour left?

Mao Yanxin frowned, said nothing, and continued forward.

The others quickly followed.

Soon, another quarter of an hour passed, and they still hadn't seen any trace of resource points. The ground beneath their feet was uneven, mixed with various bones, insects, and sparse weeds, no different from the path they had walked before.

This time, without Mao Yanxin needing to speak, Jing Zhengjie immediately said, "There's still a quarter of an hour left!"

Upon hearing this, the other cultivators immediately realized something was wrong. They had already walked for two quarters of an hour, so how could there still be a quarter of an hour left?

Yuan Zhonghao glanced at the others and immediately said, "Make marks along the way and continue forward!"

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and the force of his energy quickly traced the character "袁" on the ground before striding over.

Seeing this, the others also used their own methods to make various marks on the mud, bones, weeds, and rocks nearby.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone stopped and stared at the scratches all over the ground, marks they had just made. Their faces immediately turned extremely ugly.

At this moment, Feng Guangchang said with a livid face, "We've been going in circles!"

"Moreover, we're missing several men!"

Yuan Zhonghao immediately replied, "Six are missing in total."

"One was missing the first time we spun around."

"When we returned to the same spot for the second time, there were two fewer people left."

"This is the third time, and this time, three are missing!"

"We've been targeted by ghosts!"

"Moreover, the ghosts that have their eyes on us have already begun to make their move."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the others all darkened. To be able to make a move right under the noses of four Foundation Establishment cultivators without being detected, the ghost that had its eyes on them must have a cultivation level of at least [Scissors Prison]!
This is only the outer perimeter of Xue Tong Pass, and it's their first day inside!
In fact, these aren't even ghosts near resource points!
This time, the celestial examination requires me to stay in such a place for half a year!

(End of this chapter)