After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 50

Among the demon cultivators, nearly ten human-formed demons gathered together. In the center was a gray-robed elder wearing a Hunyuan scarf, named Hou Huan. He had a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, his eyes flashing with a bright gleam. He was originally an ape spirit who had attained the Dao on a floating island in Dustless Sea. He cultivated for a hundred years on the island but couldn’t find a path. So, following the advice of a badger spirit, he joined Dustless Sea and became a guest of the Dragon Palace. Dustless Sea was vast and boundless. After the ape spirit received protection, he truly managed to gather various medicinal herbs, refine them into pills, and take them, finally successfully reaching the Nascent Soul realm. This time, there were many Nascent Soul demon cultivators coming to the secret realm, and he was not originally in charge. But for some reason, his companions had all disappeared. The ape spirit was extremely anxious, but he didn’t show it on his face.
“Why haven’t Young Master and the others appeared yet?” asked a Golden Core stage demon cultivator, who had already discerned many things. This was within the secret realm, and no matter which part of the rift they fell into, they would eventually end up here. But they had arrived, and the Young Master’s group was nowhere to be seen. Recalling the previous fight with the disciples of Buzhou, this Nascent Soul demon cultivator had a premonition of misfortune. His heart was filled with unease, his lips moved, but ultimately he didn’t say the words “likely to meet with misfortune.”
“Perhaps Young Master has encountered something good.” Hou Huan glared at the speaking demon cultivator, his eyeballs rolling, his mind filled with the ‘great opportunity’ mentioned by the Dragon Lord before their departure, making him envious. He looked up at the sharp sword light, his brows furrowed again, but the impulse was quickly suppressed. He had offended Buzhou and naturally wished for the Buzhou sword cultivator to encounter trouble. However, if the Buzhou sword cultivator couldn’t overcome it with her own cultivation, then their demon race would fall into the same predicament. After all, many demon cultivators did not possess true artifacts to use. Unless they could snatch them from those human cultivators. As for himself, if he could borrow the power of others, he didn’t want to reveal his true abilities. Thinking this, Hou Huan covertly glanced at the immortal sect cultivators again.
It was difficult to make a move against the disciples of Buzhou, and the Cloud City side was protected by Luo Lingfeng. If it really came down to it, the only ones they could possibly move against would be the disciples of Luoshui Divine Palace. Young Master Xiang had previously plotted against Luoshui Divine Palace, but although he gained nothing in the end, he at least got some information. The hatred between Luo Lingfeng and Luoshui Divine Palace had reached a point where it was irreconcilable.
The sharp sword light pierced through the dim darkness amidst continuous humming sounds. The sword light was unrestrained and brilliant, leaving behind traces as bright as sunlight. Xie Zhichao and the disciples of Buzhou watched nervously, their eyes fixed. The senior sister who transformed into a sword was named Xun Huan. Although not a direct disciple of the Cavern Heaven lineage, she had cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm and become an elder of Buzhou. Her sword intent was extremely sharp and unstoppable, never knowing retreat.
“Fellow Daoist Xie, there’s no need to be nervous,” Wei Yunshu turned and gazed at Xie Zhichao, saying softly, “Although space is constantly changing, sword intent is continuous, connecting head and tail, capable of cleaving through the void. As for that vigorous qi and surging waves, they have also been pushed aside by the sword energy. Senior Sister Xun can reach that place.” Wei Yunshu was not mistaken. In less than half an incense stick’s time, that sharp sword light had already reached the mysterious palace. From below, seeing Xun Huan arrive safely, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
“Even without true artifacts, we can still get through here,” said a rogue cultivator with a beaming smile, as if she had already reached the peak and grasped everything in her hands.
However, as soon as her voice fell, another sharp voice rose, “Are you stupid? That Buzhou cultivator is at the Nascent Soul realm, and what is your cultivation? Haven’t you seen those who fell to their deaths earlier?” This person’s words were not wrong. As soon as her voice fell, the cultivator whose face had been filled with smiles became dejected again. But if they didn’t move, others were willing to try.
Among the disciples of Buzhou, Xie Zhichao whispered a few words with some people, and finally three people walked out. They all responded with a “Yes” and then transformed into sword light together, rushing upwards. As everyone acted together, the sword light was as brilliant as a jade belt of the starry sky, illuminating the heavens, truly beautiful and dazzling.
Luo Lingfeng’s gaze suddenly turned cold as she saw Wei Yunshu moving together with the disciples of Buzhou. She didn’t pay any attention to the aristocratic disciples of Cloud City, but walked forward carelessly. With every step she took, a splashing tide of water surged from beneath, rushing upwards, like a long bridge made of flowing water. Her steps seemed slow, but in the blink of an eye, she had traveled several zhang, leaving behind only a tide of water extending from one end to the other.
The disciples of Cloud City looked at each other. Finally, a bold aristocratic disciple spoke a few words of thanks to the surging river, then lifted the hem of his robe and cautiously stepped onto the tide of water. The hazy moisture rushed towards him, a coolness penetrating his heart. He shook his head, used several magic techniques, and his entire being transformed into a ball of light. He walked step by step along the river and surprisingly managed to reach the dazzling flying palace. Seeing his success, the disciples of Cloud City were overjoyed and eagerly stepped onto the tide of water. The rogue cultivators’ minds were also stirred.
“These people have gone crazy in recent years, but they are still like this regarding matters related to Cloud Sovereign. We are all cultivators of immortal sects, so we should not harm each other. Why shouldn’t she help us?”
“But why will she help us?”
“Either we stand here and watch, or we rely on our own abilities to move ahead. Everyone, what choice will you make?”
“I fear there might be a trap inside.”
The rogue cultivators debated amongst themselves, finding it truly difficult to make a decision. Among them were Daoists who were confident in their cultivation. They formed hand seals and, like the cultivators before them, flew upwards. However, within a few breaths, a tragic howl rang out, and the cultivator fell from the sky, leaving everyone deeply horrified.
After a period of hesitation, a few brave individuals stepped onto the tide of water, and like the disciples of Cloud City, they successfully reached the palace. Seeing their success, the rogue cultivators erupted in cheers.
The cultivators of Luoshui Divine Palace were also present. Seeing the rogue cultivators’ success, they felt a surge of envy and also wished to borrow the path to ascend. But before they could move, Wen Yutang stopped them. Recalling what happened in Sunset Burial Mounds back then, her expression turned solemn, and a chill radiated from her heart. What was a bridge of water for others was likely a graveyard of death for the disciples of Luoshui Divine Palace—especially for them. Luo Lingfeng harbored such malice towards Luoshui Divine Palace; how could they be spared? After returning from Sunset Burial Mounds, she had also mentioned this to her father, but her father merely smiled and gave no instructions.
“We also have true artifacts, why should we borrow the power of others?” Wen Yutang said with a faint smile, turning to Jiang Pu and Tang Changsheng beside her, and added, “We are all disciples of Luoshui Divine Palace, why don’t we go together?” The three families had divided the assets and treasures of Luoshui Divine Palace, leaving only an empty territory for Luo Lingfeng. She had been vying with Luo Hengjun for the position of Palace Master, aiming to command the three families. But now, there was no longer any need for that. The three families had already gone their separate ways and did not defer to each other. They only maintained the facade of “Luoshui Divine Palace” in front of outsiders.
Wen Yutang was willing to offer true artifacts to transport everyone to the palace, and neither Jiang Pu nor Tang Changsheng would refuse. They subtly glanced somewhere. Jiang Pu whispered, “The disciples of Buzhou haven’t all ascended to the palace yet. Shouldn’t we leave someone here to guard?”
The palace was bathed in magnificent radiance, piercing the sky. Even from a distance, one could feel the vigorous spiritual energy. Who would be willing to give up such a readily available opportunity to improve themselves? Coming here, most people were there to build connections with important figures, and only a few had incompatible personalities. Tang Changsheng raised his eyebrows, his gaze falling on Luo Yuanshu, who was lowering his head behind him, and laughed heartily, “Luo Yuanshu, you stay and guard.”
Luo Yuanshu lowered his head obediently and responded respectfully, “Yes.”
Luo Yuankun, who was among the disciples of Xiaohan Mountain, was furious. But before he could scold Luo Yuanshu, he sensed several gazes fixed upon him, their intentions clearly revealed. Luo Yuankun became even more enraged. Since arriving here, he had suffered greatly, yet had gained no benefits. He had originally thought of separating from the people of Xiaohan Mountain, but they ended up gathering in one place.
“Cousin, you take several disciples of my Xiaohan Mountain and stay behind too.” Wen Yutang’s tone was gentle and calm, without any trace of disdain, but her words carried an irrefutable firmness. Father could not bear to see his aunt and cousin fall into hardship, but after all, they were not of the same surname. She understood the principle of nurturing a hidden danger. If there were any benefits, they would definitely go to the people of the Wen family of Xiaohan Mountain first, not to Luo Yuankun.
“I—” Luo Yuankun was about to speak when his shoulder was suddenly pressed down. The surging spiritual energy in his body seemed to encounter a stone dam and suddenly stopped. Luo Yuankun turned his head and saw Luo Yuanshu’s gentle and humble face. He wanted to say something, but the great force on his shoulder felt as if it would crush his shoulder blade. He glared at Luo Yuanshu and raised his hand to strike his chest. Luo Yuanshu merely received the blow calmly, not uttering a single word. The brothers exchanged blows. By the time Luo Yuankun finally broke free from the restraint, the people of Luoshui Divine Palace had already left.
“Luo Yuanshu, you bastard!” Luo Yuankun cursed loudly.
Luo Yuanshu gave Luo Yuankun a strange smile. The gentleness on his face seemed to melt like wax in fire, completely dissipating. The falling light and shadow crisscrossed, falling on his somewhat pale face, revealing a gloomy expression. He pointed forward and said, “Then go up by yourself!” He flipped his right hand and met Luo Yuankun’s angry palm strike, whispering softly, “Reuniting with Brother here is probably destiny.” After hastily leaving Luo Lingfeng, he had been pondering Luo Lingfeng’s intentions. He wanted to find a way out. He still wanted to go to The Northern Continent. He didn’t want to be an appendage of Tang Changsheng! But how could he impress his heartless elder sister? Looking at Luo Yuankun’s face, which most resembled his elder sister’s, he suddenly had a wild thought.
“How do we go?” the demon cultivator whispered. If they could go up using the water bridge without expending their own spiritual energy, who would want to waste their spiritual energy? Rogue cultivators could use the water bridge, so why couldn’t they?
“Impossible,” Hou Huan said sternly.
“What’s impossible? If it weren’t for Cloud City interfering back then, that person would have been the wife of one of our Young Masters from Dustless Sea,” a demon cultivator shouted loudly. His cultivation was comparable to Hou Huan’s. In terms of background, he was originally from the Dragon Palace lineage of Dustless Sea. At this moment, his temper flared, and he didn’t want to listen to Hou Huan’s words at all. Instead, he abruptly stepped onto the tide of water. He was of water lineage and was skilled in manipulating water. Proudly, he rushed out several dozen feet. Suddenly, an explosion sounded from the river. The ink-colored abyssal heavy water surged out violently, and amidst the rumbling thunderous sounds, the demon cultivator’s protective potent aura was shattered into pieces. His face changed drastically. He hurriedly summoned his magic artifact, but the tide of water beneath him suddenly vanished. His step seemed to land in the void, with no support at all, and his figure began to fall downwards!
“You mere spirits, you dare to borrow the path?” a mocking voice rang out.
Hou Huan looked expressionlessly at the demon cultivator who had been smashed into a pulp. Two-foot-long square flying disks flew out from his sleeve. He flicked his fingers, formed a magic formula, and the flying disk grew larger with the wind, becoming thirty feet in size in the blink of an eye, like a giant covering blanket. This was his refined defensive flying magic treasure. Although it wasn’t a true artifact, it was considered top-tier among spiritual artifacts. He glanced at the accompanying demon cultivators, greeted them, and leaped onto the flying disk. It wasn’t that he wanted to benefit these people, but rather that the disciples of Buzhou were numerous, and he might not be able to deal with them alone.
The vigorous qi whistled in his ears. Hou Huan held the magic formula, and a layer of potent aura once again enveloped his body, like floating precious clothing. It seemed a long time passed, or perhaps just an instant. The palace in his eyes became clear. He felt a moment of relief and was about to leap upwards when suddenly a sharp sword light struck. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly unleashed a thunderous barrier. Upon closer inspection, it was Xun Huan of Buzhou Peak holding a sword, standing there with an aura of killing intent!
Xun Huan arrived before the palace but did not enter through the glowing main gate. Instead, she stood there waiting. She had communicated with Xie Zhichao and stayed here, partly to prevent rogue cultivators with ulterior motives, and partly to intercept demon cultivators! Her eyes shone with a clear, sharp light. Sword energy dripped from her Dharma robes like fireflies adorning them. If they were fighting on flat ground, she, alone, would naturally not be able to deal with a group of demon cultivators. But it was different now. A group of demon cultivators were crammed into a small space, as if standing on the edge of a cliff; one wrong move and they would be shattered into pieces.
Hou Huan was furious and couldn’t help but curse loudly, “Since when did the disciples of Buzhou become so shameless?!”
Xun Huan’s face remained completely unperturbed. She urged her sword light, and the radiant sword light split into hundreds and thousands of strands in mid-air, whistling and attacking the demon cultivators on the flying disk. Experienced ones could still form hand seals to cope, but some with insufficient willpower became agitated when at a disadvantage, and with one mistake, they were struck by the sword light and fell downwards. In an instant, sword light and thunder barriers moved together, painting the sky with multicolored splendor, extremely beautiful.
Two quarters of an hour later, Hou Huan, looking disheveled, finally landed on flat ground. Only three of his accompanying demon cultivators remained. He glared hatefully at Xun Huan, his eyes completely blood-red.
Xun Huan calmly retracted her sword and transformed into sword light, flying towards the palace.
Inside the grand hall, it was now completely silent.
The palace was adorned with gold carvings and jade craftsmanship, with coral trees and precious jade, appearing magnificent and grand.
But the most eye-catching objects in the hall were the six statues, each three zhang tall, with varied appearances. The one in the center, a few feet taller than the others, was a female cultivator with a small mountain sparrow perched on her shoulder. Her eyes were sharp, and the folds of her clothes resembled flowing water. When people tried to get a closer look at her face, their vision became blurry, as if enveloped by jade mist, making it impossible to see clearly. Glancing down slightly, they saw a small black tablet, inscribed with two golden characters in flowing script: Tai Sui.
Wei Yunshu’s eyelids twitched abruptly. She suddenly remembered the little mountain sparrow in her spiritual beast pouch. It was now sound asleep, a small black lump gently rising and falling with the ebb and flow of spiritual energy. Wei Yunshu looked up at the statue of “Tai Sui.” For some reason, the little mountain sparrow on her shoulder suddenly disappeared.
Xie Zhichao tugged at Wei Yunshu’s sleeve and whispered, “Fellow Daoist Bo.”
Wei Yunshu looked at Xie Zhichao’s expression and found it covered with an inexplicable solemnity. Her peripheral vision swept over the other cultivators, seeing their pale faces, their expressions dark and heavy, as if they had suffered a great blow! Wei Yunshu’s eyelids twitched abruptly, her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest. Her gaze finally shifted from the mysteriously captivating statue to the other five jade statues with varied expressions. There was a female cultivator with a high coiled hair bun, holding a flowing ribbon, resembling a flying immortal; a Daoist with a tall crown riding an elephant, holding a Daoist scripture; a young handsome man with the Dharma Manifestation of a Golden Crow carrying the sun behind him; a headless venerable with his head resting on his hand; and a powerful cultivator whose body was entwined with a five-clawed true dragon. Judging solely by their appearances, it was impossible to discern their identities, but the black stone tablets below bore golden characters indicating their identities!
Yonghe, Chao Ling, Qiong Sang, Rahu, Ji Jun—
These were clearly the Dao names of the five primordial demons of the Corridor of Sins!
The secret realm was left by the Corridor of Sins? They had entered a demon lair!
Wei Yunshu finally understood why everyone’s expressions were so grim.
They had entered this secret realm without encountering any cultivators from the Corridor of Sins. The more this was the case, the more uneasy they felt, fearing that the Corridor of Sins was brewing some great conspiracy to capture them all.
“The secret realm is in Buzhou’s territory. Fellow Daoists, haven’t you discovered that this place has been infiltrated by demons?” Tang Changsheng stood with the disciples of Luoshui Divine Palace. At this moment, he held a folding fan, his face gloomy.
Xie Zhichao’s face was cold, and she did not respond. She had never imagined such a situation. How could the ancient immortal’s ancient residence from over six thousand years ago be the realm of the five Cavern Heaven demons of the Corridor of Sins?!
Luo Lingfeng sneered, not too surprised. After obtaining half a volume of the “Shang Qing Secret Records” from an evil cultivator, she had already seen those divine names. What is a celestial god? What is a demon? Was this predestined by fate? They were merely names given by later generations. However, there were still many mysteries hidden within, such as the Shang Qing Divine Realm. Based on the records in the Shang Qing Secret Records, it was quite different from Fu Li Immortal Realm.
“The walls, the walls are starting to change!” Suddenly, a cultivator cried out in alarm.
Everyone looked towards the sound. The magnificent golden walls were covered with a faint mist, and streaks of light emerged, reflecting a magnificent painting. The statues in front, which had been motionless, suddenly emitted a powerful spiritual energy. The Daoist scripture in the hand of the tall-crowned rider of the elephant suddenly flipped open, followed by a voice that directly entered the cultivators’ minds.
“In the beginning of antiquity, chaos had not yet been parted. Heaven and Earth were formless, eternity was silent. Primordial Qi flowed immensely, stars were unseen. Roaming within, the essence of Heaven and Earth…”
It was depicting the scene of creation! Wei Yunshu’s eyes sharpened slightly. She tried to expel the voice from her sea of consciousness but couldn’t block it at all, as if it were the sound of the Great Dao, present everywhere. After trying numerous methods, Wei Yunshu decided to let the voice echo in her mind, letting it narrate the story of the primordial essence being born from chaos and then transmitting the Dao to sentient beings. The long years were condensed into just a few lines of description. By the time it reached the part where the six primordial gods imprinted their names upon heaven and earth, only half an hour had passed.
“How ridiculous and absurd!” Xie Zhichao said with a cold face, refusing to believe the rumors, considering them merely means used by evil cultivators to spread their wicked thoughts. She sarcastically remarked, “For thousands of years, the cultivators of the Corridor of Sins have harmed us. Their actions are unjust; how can they be considered ‘righteous’?”
“What if the ones from The Northern Continent encroached upon the divine names?” a cultivator speculated. He had never heard of “gods” before this. Seeing everyone’s gazes on him, he steadied himself, cleared his throat, and continued, “When the divine lords fell, we did not know of their titles yet, and the ones from the Corridor of Sins took the opportunity to seize their names, occupy their merits, and forge an immortal body. Doesn’t that make sense?”
“Or perhaps it’s just a single thought leading to evil?” The cultivators spoke one after another, each adding an ending that satisfied them to the rumors.
The residual waves of Dao resonance echoed in the hall, stirring up spiritual energy. The floating light within the mist continued to depict scenes of wild energy. Suddenly, a voice rang out, “Can’t the ones from the Corridor of Sins also be considered ‘righteous’? It’s just that their influence is confined to The Northern Continent, and their power fluctuates.” It was Luo Lingfeng speaking. A smile played on her lips, her eyes as cold as ice shards. She stood alone before the “Tai Sui Tablet,” her body enveloped in mist-like water energy, constantly shifting and changing. The water energy gradually encroached backward, finally enveloping the massive jade statue. The originally flickering, star-like hazy statue became even less distinct, merging with the water light, appearing like Luo Lingfeng’s manifested Cavern Heaven Dharma Manifestation, profound and mysterious, dark and silent, empty and distant.
Wei Yunshu frowned. Luo Lingfeng at this moment appeared ethereal and unreachable. Her robes gathered the twilight colors, and her sleeves gathered the evening glow, truly appearing like an immortal, with mountains and rivers contained within her, exceptionally graceful. This might be the Luoshui Divine Maiden everyone yearned for, but it was certainly not the Luo Lingfeng of today! Her gaze inadvertently met Wei Yunshu’s. Wei Yunshu’s body tensed, as if a bowstring had been drawn taut, and alarm bells rang in her heart, her vigilance silently heightened.
But before Luo Lingfeng could do anything, Hou Huan, the demon cultivator, burst into laughter. “There are six statues here, aren’t they the Six Paths of Inheritance? If we don’t go and see, how will we know what they are?” His eyes seemed to burn like fire, bright and clear. He channeled his spiritual energy and, disregarding everything else, crashed into the statue entwined with the true dragon! A wave of light rippled forth, as if squeezing through an invisible door, and instantly vanished. The two demon cultivators who had come with him followed suit, crashing into the statue.
Demon cultivators most admired the veneration of dragons. Choosing that statue was natural. But the human cultivators had more excuses. While they wanted to seek opportunities in the secret realm, they were unwilling to be tainted by the Corridor of Sins. Their gazes swept around, finally landing on the Tai Sui Divine Statue, which was slightly taller. With a mixture of fear towards Luo Lingfeng and a desire to try, a disciple from Luoshui Divine Palace formed a hand seal and, like Hou Huan, crashed into the Tai Sui statue. With a bang, the disciple was sent flying, his head cracking and bleeding.
The cultivators of Cloud City saw this and couldn’t help but feel delighted. Some could no longer contain themselves and let out bursts of laughter.
The flying cultivator was from Guangyuan Marsh. Tang Changsheng thought Luo Lingfeng had attacked and immediately became enraged. He raised his voice and questioned, “What does True Monarch Luo mean by this?”
Luo Lingfeng lifted her eyelids and flicked a drop of abyssal heavy water. Her wide sleeves fluttered in the wind, like a ball of dark red fire. In just a breath, the abyssal heavy water rushed to Tang Changsheng’s front. If not for the disciples of Guangyuan Marsh quickly pulling Tang Changsheng away, he would have surely been hit by this blow, and his fate would have been even more miserable than that of his fellow disciple who was bleeding from his head.
A smile played on her lips, her eyes sweeping towards the front like ice picks, saying casually, “Even if I truly intended to block your path to the Dao, what could you do?” Her gaze finally settled on Wei Yunshu. Wei Yunshu’s expression was calm, showing no hint of concern, as if she hadn’t perceived anything and was leaning in to whisper intimately with the disciples of Buzhou.
Luo Lingfeng stopped smiling.
Her robes gathered the twilight colors, and her sleeves gathered the evening glow, truly appearing like an immortal, with mountains and rivers contained within her, exceptionally graceful.