Cultivating Immortality from the Book of Life and Death

Chapter 514 Cheating. (First Update!)

An even stronger [Iron Tree Prison]?
Zheng Que frowned. It must have been his battle that had attracted the attention of other ghosts in the nearby Iron Tree Prison.

With Mu Xian Gu by his side, he naturally has no fear of the ghosts in the Iron Tree Prison.

However, this is Blood Pass after all, and the ghost tide has just ended. Who knows if Mu Xiangu's move will attract even more [Iron Tree Prison]?
Thinking of this, he didn't wait for himself to fully recover and immediately pointed in a direction, saying, "Go that way!"

Immediately afterwards, Zheng Que led the four female ghosts and quickly left.

Shortly after he left, figures of varying heights and builds suddenly emerged from the surrounding blood mist like flowing water.

These shadows clung to the ground, slithering like snakes.

When they gathered at the center of the ruins, they suddenly stood up in unison, transforming into a dense mass of figures. These figures were bizarre and varied, including cultivators, mortals, and ghosts.

These figures stood straight, their eyes cold and menacing, their heads turning mechanically as they looked in all directions, seemingly searching for something.

Each figure had a thin thread attached to its head. The thread was so thin that it was almost imperceptible, yet it was incredibly strong. No matter how the cold wind blew, it did not break. They looked like shadows without any substance.

The shadow continued to drift upwards and disappear into the clouds.

A gigantic skeletal hand is shrouded in the clouds, appearing and disappearing with the rise and fall of the clouds.

At the same time, a powerful surge of yin energy descended from the sky, enveloping the entire area.

Soon, seemingly having failed to find its target, the skeletal hand above the clouds quietly disappeared.

The numerous figures connected by shadow lines on the ground also transformed back into shadows, sinking into the ground and disappearing without a trace.

※※※

On the mountaintop covered with moss and ferns, Ning Jiushan and the other examiners all wore solemn expressions, silently gazing at the surging blood mist below the cliff.

Since the outbreak of the ghost tide, blood mist has been overflowing on a large scale, constantly spreading the boundary of Blood Pass.

Many of the ghosts even broke through the blood mist and entered the surrounding mountains.

The examiners had retreated again and again. The mountain peak where they were now was originally quite a distance from Blood Pass, but now the blood mist was within reach.

Although the ghost tide has ended, there is no sign that the blood mist has returned.

At this moment, the middle-aged examiner holding the compass, after observing the compass for a moment, finally spoke, breaking the silence: "The distance is too far now; the [Fate-Seeing Instrument] can no longer see the situation of the examinee inside."

Upon hearing this, the examiner who had previously been leisurely brewing tea frowned and said in a deep voice, "I just received news that the incident at Xue Tong Pass has spread, and a large number of independent cultivators are rushing here in groups."

"Some rogue cultivators have even used their methods to enter Blood Pass from other places!"

An examiner dressed as a middle-aged female cultivator sneered and said, "The rogue cultivators who came here must have been attracted by the strange phenomenon at Blood Pass."

"These mediocre people, though they have entered the Dao by chance, are ignorant and know nothing. Whenever they see unusual phenomena, they think it is the birth of a great treasure."

"They thought they were here to seize an opportunity, but in reality, they've come to their deaths!"

The tea-brewing examiner shook his head slightly and calmly replied, "Rogue cultivators are like ants; they may die, but what does it have to do with us?"

"I'm afraid some Core Formation stage cultivators might take advantage of this opportunity to disguise themselves as rogue cultivators and infiltrate the ranks, thus affecting the rankings in this immortal examination."

"Now that the border of Xue Tong Pass has expanded, we cannot block all the entrances!"

As they spoke, the tea-brewing examiner looked at the chief examiner, Ning Jiushan, and the other examiners also looked on with expressions of seeking instructions. Ning Jiushan stood with her hands behind her back on the cliff, her official robes fluttering in the mountain wind. She gazed at the blood-red mist and said calmly, "It's alright."

"The imperial examination for immortality is also part of the process of determining one's fate."

"If some people can really take this opportunity to cheat without us noticing, that's their skill."

"Moreover, this anomaly will not last long."

Upon hearing the chief examiner speak, the other examiners immediately bowed their heads and replied, "Yes!"

※※※

Blood Tongguan Pass, shrouded in mist, crimson everywhere, so dark that one could not distinguish east from west.

Jing Zhengjie walked alone, stumbling and unsteady. His face was extremely pale, and he would suddenly turn around from time to time, as if checking or being wary of something. He exuded the air of a frightened bird.

After walking for a while, he saw a symbol drawn with a stone on the ground ahead, and his steps froze.

These are the marks he just made!
He's still going around in circles!

It seems I can't get out of this place!

Realizing this, he seemed to deflate all his energy, collapsing to the ground and gasping for breath. A deep sense of fear welled up from the depths of his eyes.

He, along with Feng Guangchang, Mao Yanxin, Yuan Zhonghao, and many other examinees from Qingrao Prefecture, encountered the "ghost wall" phenomenon when they entered Xue Tong Pass on the first day.

No matter which direction they went, they always ended up back where they started, and each time they returned, one of them would disappear...

Several days have passed now, and he's all alone now!
If he continues on this path, he may also mysteriously disappear in this place.

The whole process was both calm and eerie. To this day, he still doesn't know what kind of ghost attacked him and his group!

"The exploratory spells had no effect, and the directional talismans were useless. This might not be a ghost wall at all, but a 'strange phenomenon'!"

“From the very beginning, we were trapped in that ‘weirdness’.”

"The 'strangeness' surrounding Xue Tong Pass is not limited to those marked on the map."

"Hooray!"

"Why doesn't the imperial court mark all the 'strange things' in the surrounding areas on the map?!"

Jing Zhengjie was getting increasingly frustrated; this immortal exam was just too difficult!
Even if he could escape this "strangeness" now, being so many days behind the other candidates, it would be difficult for him to achieve anything significant.

More importantly, if all the ghosts in Blood Pass are similar to this "strange" creature, then let alone passing the immortal test, his very survival will be in question.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly realized something, immediately opened the storage bag at his waist, and took out a specially made talisman.

This is a [Transmission Talisman], but because of its low quality, it cannot be used at a distance.

Just as he activated the talisman with some doubt, a very familiar, aged voice immediately sounded from the [Transmission Talisman]: "Disciple, where are you at Blood Pass?"

Upon hearing this, Jing Zhengjie was overjoyed. It was his master, Ancestor Shiqi!

The fact that he could receive a message from his master means that his master has now arrived at Xue Tong Pass!

(End of this chapter)