A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality

First, I want to thank everyone for their opinions and thoughts on how we should overhaul completed novels. We've reviewed nearly 2000 comments across multiple platforms and forum, and while we haven't responded to everything I can promise I HAVE read it all.  First, I'm going to briefly go into some of the things which were discussed which may or may not work, because I don't want people to think I ignored anything. I'm putting those in 'spoiler' tags so people who don't care can skip it.  Then, we'll talk...

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First, I want to thank everyone for their opinions and thoughts on how we should overhaul completed novels. We've reviewed nearly 2000 comments across multiple platforms and forum, and while we haven't responded to everything I can promise I HAVE read it all.  First, I'm going to briefly go into some of the things which were discussed which may or may not work, because I don't want people to think I ignored anything. I'm putting those in 'spoiler' tags so people who don't care can skip it.  Then, we'll talk...

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Now, for a much shorter announcement than the last two.  For several months now, we've been working on a super secret project, and it's time to accelerate it!  We have a new platform called Wutopia Comics (Wuxia Utopia) coming up soon, and everything is very nearly ready.  We are getting ready to launch soon, but we need to speed up the pace of manhua translation even further!  These are paid work-for-hire translation jobs, starting off at $40-50/3000 Chinese characters (roughly).  Those who do well and have...

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Chapter 426: Treachery

Jin Qing suppressed his fear and forced himself to ask, “Is your esteemed self man or ghost?”

The freakish shadow sinisterly smiled and teased, “Man? Ghost? You tell me!”

Jin Qing’s expression became extremely unsightly.

Han Li remained silent and quickly opened his scroll painting without warning.

Countless fire birds rushed out, flocking straight towards the freakish shadow. At the same moment, the previously summoned huge bird released a sharp cry and abandoned its fight with the eerie snake, shooting straight towards the freakish shadow as a scorching ball of white flame.

The freakish shadow snorted disdainfully and said, “Congealed Yang Birds? If they had their genuine bodies, this Senior might be slightly fearful. But to dare attempt to devour ghosts and exterminate devils with only their remnant souls?”

Having said that, the green shadow raised its hands and condensed black Qi around them in an instant.

Pu, pu. The black Qi transformed into two, horned ink pythons which shot towards the large flock of fire birds. With their bloodthirsty mouths wide open, each python swallowed several fire birds. Immediately after, they each burped a wisp of white smoke and were completely unharmed.

At that moment, the huge Congealed Yang Bird that had turned into a ball of white flame arrived in front of the snakes. However, it completely ignored them and shot straight towards the freakish shadow.

When the shadow saw this, its eyes flashed with red light, enriching their color. Although the shadow didn’t move, it faintly revealed a solemn expression. It was clear that the remnant souls of the Congealed Yang Bird wasn’t nearly as harmless as it had made them out to be.

Peng. The green shadow’s hands trembled, separating the horned pythons from its hands and allowing them to move on their own.

Then, while clenching its hands as hard as it could, otherworldly dark-green flames flourished from its grasp. Soon after, its body blurred and met the white fire sphere with a fierce punch.

As Han Li and Jin Qing watched on with shock, the white ball of flame was scattered by the strike and disappeared in an instant. A white crystal pearl suddenly appeared in the the green shadow’s grasp.

The shadow evilly grinned and swallowed it without hesitation, before turning its ice-cold gaze back to Han Li once more.

At that moment, the scroll painting in Han Li’s grasp set itself aflame, and he hurriedly tossed it away. It turned into ash in the blink of an eye. Once the scroll painting turned to ash, the fire birds that were still tangling with the ink snakes disappeared as well.

Han Li sucked in a deep breath.

Although he knew that the remnant souls of the Congealed Yang Birds weren’t the green shadow’s match, he didn’t anticipate that a treasure that specialized in subduing Yin ghosts would be blown away with a single blow. He had only sent them out to probe the opponent’s strength, and ended up not acquiring the slightest detail.

The only thing he was certain of was that the opponent wasn’t a mere ghost or demon!

Remaining calm, Han Li attentively gazed at the green shadow and inwardly assessed how great his odds of victory were if they were to fight.

“Not bad! I’m now very interested in your body. As for you two, get lost!” The green shadow slowly spoke while looking at Han Li. It seemed his last attack had provoked it.

Naturally, Crooked Soul didn’t move in the slightest, but when Jin Qing heard this, he grew distracted, and his expression incessantly changed.

Although he hadn’t personally engaged it yet, his opponent’s strength was deep and immeasurable. Even if he were to join hands with Han Li, Jin Qing reckoned that their odds of victory weren’t very high.

Now that the freakish shadow told him to leave, Jin Qing’s heart was wavering.

Having personally witnessed so many cultivators meet their tragic end on this very day, Jin Qing, who normally bragged about being guilt-free and clear-hearted, felt for the first time a desire to cherish life and live another day.

The green shadow snorted and swept its gaze past Jin Qing and Crooked Soul. It sinisterly said, “What? I give you two a chance for survival, and you two do not wish to take it? This Senior should’ve just saved himself the trouble and turned you two into corpses from the start!”

Having heard the freakish shadow’s words brimming with killing intent, Jin Qing’s face changed between red and white several times before eventually cupping his fist to Han Li and shamefully saying, “Brother Han, I do not wish to die here. I will have to let you down.”

Afterwards, he said no more and rushed toward the stone steps without looking back!

Han Li’s expression was calm and didn’t reveal any emotions of anger or disappointment. He merely gazed at Jin Qing as he departed with a faint, cold glare.

The green shadow’s red eyes revealed a trace of satisfaction.

Just as Jin Qing rushed past the shattered skeleton, an alarming change occurred.

The nearby fragments of the skeleton suddenly launched towards him like a barrage of arrows.

With furious alarm, Jin Qing surrounded himself in a layer of silver light in a flash. But without waiting for him to release his magic treasure or question the freakish shadow, the bone shards shined with white radiance and shot through his silver barrier as if it weren’t even there.

An instant later, Jin Qing’s body was utterly shredded and fell to the floor without uttering a single word.

Han Li expressionlessly looked at the corpse on the floor and lightly shook his head.

With a flip of his hand, a spirit beast pouch appeared in his hand. Simultaneously, his two flying swords in front of him trembled and faintly released a green radiance.

“Interesting! How come you aren’t asking me why I didn’t keep my promise?” the green shadow asked with a sneer.

“If your esteemed self doesn’t wish to talk, then there is no need to take the initiative to ask. I’d just be wasting my breath.” Han Li expressionlessly said.

“Not bad! Youngster, you are quite to my liking. If this were before I met great catastrophe, I might’ve taken you in as my disciple. But now, I will never take another disciple. I will be repaying my treacherous disciples by turning their bones to ash and refining their souls!” The green shadow was slightly surprised at Han Li’s response, but soon its voice once again grew icy.

Without a change of expression, Han Li waved his arm. Crooked Soul then walked to Han Li’s side with his body enveloped in blood light.

He didn’t plan on spouting rubbish, instead preparing to use a thunderous strike to defeat the enemy in a single blow. At the same time, additional blades of his Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords from within his body readied themselves to pounce with fervor.

After seeing Crooked Soul’s blood light, the shadow slightly trembled, and it smiled in great anger. “Divine Blood Light! Good, good! Are you disciples of Zenith Yin or Zenith Brilliance?”

Han Li slightly frowned.

“Zenith Yin? Could you talking about Grandmaster Zenith Yin of Zenith Yin Island?” Han Li indifferently asked. He faintly felt as if he could unravel the mystery behind the Black Fiend School and Zenith Yin Island.

Upon hearing Han Li, the green shadow flew into a rage and loudly shouted, “Grandmaster Zenith Yin? Could it be that traitorous disciple dares to call himself grandmaster?”

Han Li was slightly stunned. This ghost was actually the master of Grandmaster Zenith Yin. How truly bizarre!

Just as Han Li was left flabbergasted by those words, a green light flashed from his body and a muffled noise came from behind him.

Han Li couldn’t help but turn around with alarm. However, there was absolutely nothing behind him.

“Not good!” In nearly an instant, Han Li understood that he had been tricked and hastily turned his head back, instinctively releasing seven flying swords to protect him.

As of current, controlling nine of his Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords was Han Li’s absolute limit.

During the instant he turned his head over, his nine flying swords released a single streak of swordlight. A faint golden arc of Divine Devilbane Lightning struck from the swordlight, rendering the incoming green ball of light nonexistent .

Han Li was drenched in cold sweat, as he had nearly just fallen to the enemy.

“Gold Lightning Bamboo! You refined your flying swords from Gold Lightning Bamboo!” At that moment, the green shadow spoke with incredulousness.

Han Li sneered and thought to mock the shadow, but he suddenly felt a strange fluctuation from up above him.

He leaned to the side out of reflex, but he still felt his chest tremble. An extremely familiar red radiance had pierced through him with chilling cold, creating a wound that bled profusely. Immediately after, a yellow streak of light fiercely struck at him.

Dang. A clear ring sounded out. Several of his flying swords flew out to block the yellow streak, the Immemorial Bowl.

“Crooked Soul!” Han Li shouted to his side in furious alarm. The Blood Spirit Drill and the fierce attack from the Immemorial Bowl were clearly Crooked Soul’s doing.

However, the figure at his side blurred, shooting towards the green shadow as if he hadn’t heard him.

Han Li reached out for the connection in his mind. Although his spiritual sense was still present in Crooked Soul, for some unknown reason he had completely lost control of him.

The green shadow howled with laughter and flew towards Crooked Soul as a streak of green light.

Han Li’s face grew extremely pale. Then with clenched teeth, he suddenly formed an incantation gesture and fiercely uttered, “Receive”. From a distance, a small green ball flew from the crown of Crooked Soul’s head and hastily shot into Han Li’s body before disappearing without a trace.

At that moment, the green shadow had already entered Crooked Soul.

As Han Li pushed down on the wound in his chest, he was fiercely staring at Crooked Soul.

Crooked Soul then slowly opened his eyes to reveal a pair of glowing blood-scarlet eyes.

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