The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 241 Between the Dead and the Living
"Nine-Leaf Bodhi Branch..."

Li Qing sat alone in front of the hall, looking down at the elixir of immortality placed in the white jade bottle, lost in thought for a long time.

This nine-leaf Bodhi branch is not so easy to obtain. Since the Jade Void Daoist of the Qingxu Dao Sect dares to offer such a precious treasure as payment, he must be afraid that Li Qing will risk his life.

Great medicine, old medicine, precious medicine, miraculous medicine, elixir of immortality...

The medicinal ingredients are divided into six grades: fourth grade spiritual medicine, fifth grade longevity medicine, and all of them are rare and hard to come by. Longevity medicine can prolong life. If one uses it to build a foundation, it is enough to lay the foundation for the path of the Yin God, and it is almost guaranteed to promote one to the rank of Yin God True Person.

Only someone like Yu Xu, who reigns supreme among the four great Daoists and has repeatedly topped the Southern Immortal Sect Flower Ranking, could regard him as a disposable bargaining chip.

Is Cai Die'er here?

Li Qing raised her finger and gently tapped the incense table, which suddenly awakened the female Daoist from the side sect who was accompanying and guarding the Great Dharma Boat of the One Yuan Venerable Dao.

"Here!" Upon hearing Li Qing's call, the charming woman who was watering the spider plant in front of the window with a watering can immediately turned around and looked towards the main hall, bowing her head in greeting.

"Please deliver a message to the Dao Master of Jade Spirit Peak on behalf of our sect. I have an urgent matter to attend to and will not be participating in the Immortal Sect Competition for the time being. Please convey this message to Fellow Daoist Mo Ling."

"For the next ten days, you will temporarily assume the authority of the Dao Master on this peak, with Liu Daotu as your deputy, to look after this Heavenly Ship for our sect. Is that possible?"

Although they could not see him from afar, Li Qing's Daoist voice echoed in the ears of the many Daoist disciples who accompanied him.

Since their master had given the order, how could the many Taoist disciples have any objections? They bowed towards the main hall and nodded in acknowledgment.

"As ordered!"

After arranging everything at the summit, Li Qing opened the jade box that Yu Xu Dao Ren had brought, took out two Foundation Establishment Pills from the box containing three pills, and bestowed them upon Cai Die'er and Liu Dao Tu respectively.

They must do their best to protect and support us, and naturally they will be rewarded!

After giving the two a few more instructions, Li Qing waved his sleeve to collect the rouge bottle, green branch, and jade box containing the inner elixir from the incense table in front of him. He then lifted the life-extending lamp with his sleeve, which instantly transformed into a cloud of mist and headed away from the immortal peak of the Daoist temple...

A hundred miles away from the Taoist temple where Li Qing was stationed, Taoist Yu Xu and several Taoist disciples were already waiting in ambush.

At the immortal peak where the disciples of the Qingxu Dao Sect resided, a thirty-three-tiered purple jade altar had been erected at some unknown time. Eighteen Purple Mansion Daoists each held a command flag, using the Yin-Yang Great Restriction to open a gap connecting to the Netherworld.

Admittedly, Li Qing, by virtue of the power and secret covenant of the Qishan Domain, can communicate between Yin and Yang and travel back and forth between the two lives, but many immortal sects also have their own methods.

It only took half an hour to see Li Qing.
He then finished dealing with all matters, and alone, carrying a lamp, came to the altar. The Jade Void Daoist lightly placed his whisk beneath the altar, nodded to the newcomer, and said:
"This altar has been anchored at the starting point of our sect's Dharma boat when it lost contact in the Netherworld. Fellow Daoist Li may begin here."

"Fellow Daoist, if you encounter something beyond your control while carrying this jade ruyi, this humble Daoist can use this altar to perform a ritual to assist you!"

The Jade Void Daoist stood beneath the altar, gazing at a deep crevice in the void, his brows furrowed.

If possible, he would personally take action and venture into the depths of the boundless abyss, which might have a higher success rate than troubling Li Erlang.

Unfortunately, the pillars of the Daoist sects above the Purple Mansion Perfection level are absolutely forbidden from leaving the mortal world according to the Pure Void Precepts, unless they are True Persons whose lifespan is about to end, after they have removed their magical treasures and relinquished their immortal talismans, only then can they gain even a sliver of freedom...

As the sovereign, you are entrusted with the mandate of Heaven, and naturally bear the responsibility of the Way, protect the Daoist sect, shelter all living beings, guard the sacred land, and elucidate the will of Heaven.

"The sect already has a Dharma boat that has entered the Netherworld, and the Daoist leader has also invited Li Erlang from Tiannan Temple to help. I think Junior Brother Taixu will definitely be able to return safely as well."

Just as Yu Xu pushed a jade ruyi in front of Li Qing, a black-bearded Taoist immediately cupped his hands in consolation and said that the Taoist sect's talisman rules and regulations had many constraints on them. It was because of this that the Qingxu Taoist sect had gradually grown from a small temple to its current prosperity.
As the fourth person in hundreds of years to attain enlightenment, rather than a True Person who breaks through to the next level by inheriting the celestial register of his predecessors, Yu Xu absolutely cannot take any risks.

Once Yuxu attains enlightenment, the Qingxu Dao Sect will have four Yin God True Persons in every generation. Every disciple of the sect has the obligation to supervise and support this supreme Dao leader, and must not allow him to cause trouble due to human desires.

"maybe!"

The silver-haired Taoist lightly stroked his whisk, not even glancing at the black-bearded Taoist behind him, but instead focusing his gaze on Li Qing, speaking to himself.

He believed in this renowned ghostly gentleman of the South, and also in his own supernatural intuition.

"Take this octagonal Ruyi talisman with you. If Taixu and the others approach within six hundred miles of this talisman, it will likely react. At that time... I hope you will do your best!"

After hesitating for a moment, Daoist Yuxu pushed a purple-gold talisman in front of Li Qing and made his request for the second time.

As the fourth patriarch of the Qingxu Dao Sect who is about to attain enlightenment, even ordinary Yin Shen Zhenren would be inferior to him. Once he attains enlightenment, the status he holds with the innate divine talisman will rival that of a superior Yin Shen, second only to Ancestor Yin and the Great Zhenren of Tianfu Huandan.

The Three-Clothed Daoist of the Five Directions Immortal Sect, the universally acknowledged senior disciple, has never acted in such a manner.

Even a Taoist is a human being, and naturally has attachments that cannot be severed. Li Qing could certainly empathize with the silver-haired Taoist in front of her.

"Rest assured, if you are entrusted with something, do it faithfully."

"I, Li, will do my utmost!"

After exchanging a bow with the Jade Void Daoist, Li Qing put away the Ruyi Golden Talisman, held the lamp, and walked across the Yin-Yang Command Flags. His gaze swept over the faces of the many Qingxu Daoists, and without pausing, he stepped into the Netherworld.

This action truly terrified the many flag-bearing Taoist priests.

"Hey?"

"Fellow Daoist, you must not enter with your physical body..."

The flag-bearer at the back hurriedly spoke up, trying to stop this young man who, instead of riding the Heavenly Boat and using the protective artifact, dared to attempt to cross the Yin and Yang realms with his physical body.

But the young man holding the lantern paid no heed; the hazy light stretched open the dark cracks, forcefully invading the desolate sky...

“His name is Li Qing, Ghost Prince Li Qing!” “The dark and gloomy aura of the underworld is like the abyss of hell for us living beings, enough to scatter our souls and sever our life force. But in front of him, it is nothing more than a cold wind.”

The black-bearded Taoist stroked his long beard and looked at the slowly closing, dark crevice, speaking with obvious confidence.

The bloody battle report of Li Erlang killing the gods of Lishan is still circulating in various prefectures of the Southern Kingdom. Such a feat is enough to make even the Yin God True Realm pale in comparison. As a member of the Ghost God Sect, walking through the Netherworld is naturally a piece of cake.

But can Li Qing really get that Taixu Daoist and the others out by taking action?
Even the Taoists of the Qingxu Taoist sect were not optimistic about this trip. In the vast world of the Netherworld, finding someone was like looking for a needle in a haystack!
The Dao Sect has already dispatched an entire team of flying boat sorcerers. Even if the Second Young Master of the Li family is known as the Ghost Prince of the Underworld, can he be stronger than the entire flying boat team by himself?

The eighteen flag-bearing Taoist priests ascended the altar and activated the formation merely to keep their own Taoist leader company in his obstinacy!

"Senior Brother Dao Shou, that...that Second Young Master Li seems to have relied on a forbidden ghost treasure to kill the deity of Li Mountain. His own cultivation level is not particularly outstanding."

"Judging from his arrogant nature, he entered the Netherworld alone with only a lamp without taking any precautions. If something happens, how can we explain it to that Great Master in the Southwest?"

Among the flag bearers, a man with white temples stepped forward and offered a somewhat uneasy reminder.

"It should be known that the Grand Master of Tiannan Temple is about to depart, and this Li Erlang is probably one of the contingency plans he left behind!"

If something really happens to this Li Erlang, the Qingxu Dao Sect will have no way to explain it to that Great Master.

Long ago, the Venerable Soul Ancestor of the White Bone Dao offended the Tiannan Temple, and half of White Bone Mountain was overturned. This matter...

This seemingly harsh reminder actually highlights the risks involved, which is something that Zhu Daojin is worried about and must be guarded against.

"Therefore, I gave him a jade ruyi. If things don't go well, I will personally open the gates between Yin and Yang to bring him back."

The Jade Void Taoist swept his whisk, his face as still and calm as a deep pool.

The Yin-Yang altar was closed, and eighteen Purple Mansion Daoists guarded it, opening a passage to the Netherworld. This open practice of magic in the Nine Mountains and Eight Rivers naturally could not escape the eyes of the Three Emperors Dao Sect.

However, this matter was ultimately an internal decision of the Qingxu Dao Sect and did not involve the Three Sovereigns Sect, so the various sects of the Three Sovereigns Sect simply turned a blind eye.

The Immortal Clan Grand Competition is about to begin, with all eighteen sects from the five directions participating. Every contemporary Taoist of the past three decades has stepped onto the stage of this grand immortal event.

At this moment, Li Qing had just emerged from the Yin-Yang passage and was drifting in the boundless Netherworld.

This place is boundless and empty, like a starry sky. All you can see is a deep abyss. Darkness is the dominant color of the underworld, and silence and despair are the underlying tones. Even if all the ghosts are trapped here, they will ultimately face only death.

A chilling, gloomy aura permeated every corner of the darkness. However, when this gloomy aura came into contact with the hazy glow of the Southern Dipper Life-Extending Lamp, it was instead swallowed up by that halo and became the carbon that fueled the burning of the cold white candle flame.

"It is said that the Qingxu Dao Sect's magic boat encountered danger because it discovered a desolate continent and wanted to enter that desolate Netherworld to collect Yin-type spiritual herbs. Given the speed of a mid-grade or even high-grade magic boat, it should not be too far from here, at most within two or three thousand miles?"

"A desolate continent, a wrecked flying ship, a crumbling altar..."

Li Qing held up the octagonal Ruyi talisman in his palm, observing its dim patterns, while his mind quickly processed all the information related to the lost magic boat of the Qingxu Dao Sect.

The area spans several thousand miles, which is neither too large nor too small. In the present moment, the boundless and mysterious sky is unpredictable in all directions, and it is not so easy to search it all.

"A void marker must be left at these coordinates by prohibition!"

Looking around at the deep, boundless darkness, Li Qing pointed a finger into the void, and instantly a vast expanse of white mist rose up. The golden and red paper palanquin for the dead slowly floated out of the mist. Inside the palanquin, red banners and tassels swayed gently. Through the curtains, one could vaguely see a "Jiazi Divine Ritual Picture" hanging inside the palanquin, as well as an incense burner and shrine set up inside the palanquin.

As soon as the Rebirth Chariot appeared, the altar within responded to Li Qing's hand gesture, sending down a beam of six-dimensional starlight that fixed itself in the void. In the deep, dark void, a dreamlike star seemed to suddenly appear, which was particularly strange in the continuous darkness.

Once this Southern Dipper beacon is deployed, it can remain fixed in the depths of this void for 365 days. Whenever this beacon is here, Li Qing can sense it, greatly enhancing his sense of direction.

"The heat of July is intense, and the west is auspicious today, so let's start our search from the left!"

Li Qing turned his head and looked around, then slowly boarded the Rebirth Carriage. He hung the Life-Extending Lamp under the carriage canopy, pointed to the right, and immediately white paper poured out from the side of the carriage. In the blink of an eye, it gathered into streams of paper spirits, lifting the Rebirth Carriage and heading to the left of the Southern Dipper beacon.

As the rebirth chariot ascends and is refined, it undergoes even more transformations. Its paper spirits and magical restrictions manifest countless paper shadows, capable of discerning reality from illusion and traversing yin and yang with ease. Its various effects are no less than those of a Dharma boat, and it is even more agile.

It should be known that the "Rebirth Carriage" imitated by the Rebirth Carriage is a first-class treasure among all Dharma treasures. Lady White Bone has already made a name for herself by possessing this treasure and has become a guest of honor of the Taiyi Sect. Li Qing's carriage is not much different.

As the paper spirits cleared the way, paper figures and horses, waving banners and donning armor, trotted in from the darkness. Behind the paper spirit army, a golden and red paper palanquin slowly approached, with flickering candles and wisps of purple smoke. Through the red curtains, one could vaguely see the stunning profile of a pale-skinned, almost inhuman face.

If any mortal were to witness this, they would surely cry out that ghostly soldiers are passing through, and faint from fear...

Paper soldiers and horses supported the long white banner. Along the way, they encountered a considerable number of wandering ghosts. However, ordinary ghosts were scattered by the paper spirit soldiers and horses clearing the way before they even got close to the carriage, and their souls were taken onto the paper banner.

Occasionally, a slightly stronger spirit, like this vengeful ghost whose form is uncertain and whose state is like a constantly gathering and dispersing mist of resentment, maliciously blocks the way for the paper spirit. The paper soldiers and horses cannot break through its ghostly mist, which is similar to a demon. After being blocked for several breaths, a disdainful snort is heard.

"Ignorant and sneaky, you deserve to die!"

As the arrogant shout rang out, four blood-red claw marks, each nearly a hundred feet long, suddenly appeared in the boundless darkness. These four blood marks were like the punishment of a god from beyond the realm, tearing the void and darkness apart, along with the boundless darkness and the swirling ghostly mist, into pieces in one fell swoop.

Only then did the paper spirit soldiers rush forward and completely clear away the evil spirits blocking their way!
When Linglong the Mad Lord emerged from seclusion, she had completely devoured the skin of the Mountain God and obtained all its immortal essence. With her current Mad Dao Ghost Body, all the ghosts and monsters within the Purple Mansion could not withstand a single strike from her blood claws.

With the paper spirit paving the way and the arrogant lord establishing his rule, Li Qing closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply. Holding the eight-cornered Ruyi talisman in his arms, he mobilized the overwhelming soul pressure, bringing the boundless darkness within dozens of miles around him into his exploration range.

When entrusted with a task, one must faithfully fulfill it; this is the essence of loyalty.

Just as Li Qing was wandering alone in the secluded world, intending to handle the aftermath entrusted to him by the Jade Void Daoist, the Immortal Sect Grand Competition finally began. Eighteen sects participated, with participants representing the most talented individuals from the past three generations. The battles showcased the glory of the Southern Kingdom's immortal path...

(End of this chapter)