Chapter 7

The Path of No Return lay within the Taiyi domain, guarded by Taiyi’s Cave Heaven Daoist.

The plot had never mentioned the “Path of No Return” instance, so Li Ruoshui could not rely on her “foreknowledge” to obtain information.

Over the next few days, Li Ruoshui ignored the outer sect chores and stayed in her room to harmonize her qi. During this time, several fellow disciples came to find her, including the junior sister Ye who had replaced her in irrigating the medicine fields with the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art. Junior Sister Ye had just entered the sect and was still young. She felt extremely embarrassed and awkward, dividing half of the spirit jade pills she had earned in the past few days with Li Ruoshui.

How could Li Ruoshui accept her junior sister’s spirit jade pills? She tried hard to persuade her and finally returned them. She also exchanged pointers on the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art with her junior sister. Li Ruoshui had been in the outer sect for so many years, yet she still owned nothing of value and had nothing to entrust to her fellow disciples.

After bidding farewell to her familiar fellow disciples one by one, Li Ruoshui went to the steward to register. The steward glanced at her but said nothing more. Taiyi did not restrict outer sect cultivators from leaving, but if they violated Taiyi’s precepts outside, someone would come from thousands of miles away to capture them.

When leaving the sect gates, Li Ruoshui took out the Tianyan Mirror again: “Fellow Daoist Buyan, I’m setting off.”

What if the “network” on the Path of No Return was poor? She would be cut off for a long time. It was necessary to inform this generous and kind-hearted fellow Daoist.

“Fellow Daoist Shangshan, take care.” Chen Buyan replied quickly. After a pause of a few breaths, she added, “In recent decades, the spiritual qi of the Nine Provinces has become several times more abundant than before, and the speed at which Daoists improve their cultivation has also increased significantly. The Return to Ruins Gap is a place of heavenly transformation, full of opportunities.”

Hearing her words, Li Ruoshui remembered something. The background of this world was that a once-in-ten-thousand-years calamity was approaching, but the cultivators themselves did not know it. The abundance of spiritual qi in the world was actually Tianyan’s instinctive resistance against the encroachment of Return to Ruins, like a “last radiance of the setting sun.” Yet the Daoists of the Nine Provinces regarded the abundance of spiritual qi as a good thing. If she shouted out that a great calamity was coming, not many would believe her, as her cultivation was not yet at a level to convince the cultivators of the Nine Provinces.

After pondering for a moment, Li Ruoshui said, “The Return to Ruins Gap has become active. Could it not be the result of Tianyan’s primal qi surging? What if it’s a mutation in Return to Ruins? To counter the unsilenced Return to Ruins, Tianyan has produced changes?”

A long time passed, but Li Ruoshui received no reply from Chen Buyan. She lowered her eyelashes and slowly put away the Tianyan Mirror.

She should hurry on her way first.

In the Supreme Unity Southern Florescence Dojo of Taiyi.

Lian Rusu had never considered another possibility for the changes in Tianyan. Her gaze sharpened slightly, her expression stern and cold. As the spiritual qi gradually thickened, the Return to Ruins Gaps increased, the resources available to Daoists grew, and the qi everywhere flourished vigorously, full of vitality. There were also bad things, of course. For example, the Return to Ruins Gap called the “Nation-Securing Chart” in the Empire had once mutated, resulting in the deaths of several Cave Heaven Daoists and even the fall of the Emperor. Because it involved internal strife in the Empire, the Empire kept it strictly hushed.

After pondering for a moment, Lian Rusu took out the Tianyan Mirror and sent out strands of qi toward several name seals. In less than half a quarter-hour, two different strands of qi emerged, transforming in midair into the figures of two radiant Daoists. They were Taiyi Sect’s Cave Heaven Daoists. The one in purple robes holding a sword was named Chu Jiangkuo, currently guarding the Path of No Return. The other, in a green robe and holding a whisk, was Auxiliary Teacher Xiang Yingshou, who assisted the Sect Master in handling the sect’s affairs great and small.

“Greetings, Sect Master.” The two projections bowed toward Lian Rusu.

Lian Rusu blinked and said warmly, “No need for formalities, Senior Sisters.” Knowing they had heavy mundane duties, she skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. “Senior Sister Chu, how is the Path of No Return?”

Chu Jiangkuo replied, “No issues for now.”

Xiang Yingshou raised an eyebrow. “Why does the Sect Master ask this?”

Lian Rusu pursed her lips and said seriously, “I met a fellow Daoist cultivating the Vow Dao on the Tianyan Mirror. Though I am not versed in divination, I know such a person carries great karma. She said that the gradual enrichment of Tianyan’s spiritual qi is not a golden age for the Nine Provinces’ cultivation world, but a change born out of necessity to counter Return to Ruins.”

“Even if it’s mere speculation involving changes in Return to Ruins, it’s worth considering.”

Xiang Yingshou pondered for a moment and said, “I heard that the mutation in the Demonic Prison Heavenly Palace is also related to a Return to Ruins Gap. As for the Demonic Dao there, I wonder if they will follow in the Empire’s footsteps.”

Chu Jiangkuo said, “It’s another sect’s affair, so we have no reason to interfere. But on the Path of No Return side, I will be more cautious.”

Lian Rusu nodded and said softly, “Thank you for your efforts, Senior Sister.”

–

Three days later.

Li Ruoshui arrived at the Path of No Return.

Afraid of being recognized, she changed out of Taiyi’s uniform Daoist robes and reluctantly used the spirit jade pills compensated by Xie Chaosheng to buy a new outfit: a red slanted-collar narrow-sleeved combat suit, silver dragon-pattern arm guards, and a delicate translucent jade pendant.

Though the name “Path of No Return” sounded ominous, the scenery before her eyes was not the ghostly wails and mournful winds she had imagined. Instead, mountains rose and fell in undulating waves like coiling dragons and serpents, stretching for thousands of miles. Clouds and mist swirled around the peaks, their tips snow-capped, majestic and extraordinary, with a myriad of phenomena.

Li Ruoshui held a map in her hand, but in such a vast place, where was she to find Feng Qing?

“Fellow Daoist Feng Qing, I’ve arrived at the Path of No Return. Are you there?”

From Feng Qing’s name seal in the Tianyan Mirror came a weak voice: “I’m in Azure Wood Canyon.”

Li Ruoshui’s eyelid twitched, and she immediately wanted to cancel the agreement. Azure Wood Canyon was five hundred miles from her location. Though she could fly on qi now that she had reached the Heart Fixing Realm, she had not yet learned any movement techniques. Should she just forget it? But Azure Wood Canyon—seemed to be the only superior Wood Element Cinnabar location in the Heart Fixing Realm training area of the Path of No Return?

Feng Qing: “Fellow Daoist Shangshan, please bring a Medicine King Mountain healer to save me!”

Li Ruoshui was shocked. “What happened? Did you encounter a Ruin Spirit?”

Feng Qing: “Not that. I ran into an enemy. We haven’t started fighting yet.”

“Find a Medicine King Mountain healer, Fellow Daoist Shangshan. Remember, don’t speak politely to them, or you’ll get fleeced.”

Li Ruoshui: “…” Weren’t sword cultivators supposed to be stubborn and reckless? This one actually called for a “healer” before fighting. Knowing Feng Qing was not dead yet, Li Ruoshui felt slightly relieved. She replied: “Stay put there.”

But where was she to find a healer? In these desolate mountains, there was no sign of anyone, and it had to be from “Medicine King Mountain.”

“Urgency in saving lives” had nothing to do with Li Ruoshui. She rose on her qi and looked toward Azure Wood Canyon in the east. Mountains connected to mountains, forests dense and lush. Spiritual energy swirled, hiding who knew what treasures. As Li Ruoshui advanced, she searched for any rare herbs or rare treasures in the mountains. When she reached an extremely precipitous peak, a clear eagle cry rang out.

The Giant Eagle was as fast as lightning. Li Ruoshui hurriedly dodged, landing on a flat area in the mountains. Looking closely, it was a pitch-black Giant Eagle with golden light bursting from its eyes. Its wings spread like clouds covering the sky. After missing the first strike, it dove toward Li Ruoshui.

Li Ruoshui had thought it was just a wild beast, but as it approached, she sensed its aura. It was not a beast at all, but a demon cultivator. Why was it attacking her? Influenced by a Ruin Spirit? Alarm bells rang in Li Ruoshui’s mind as she dodged the gale from its flapping wings.

Li Ruoshui had not learned movement techniques, so her actions were not as fast as the Giant Eagle’s. Her combat experience was lacking, and she only knew the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art. When the Spring Breeze Rain clashed with the wind-generating wings, it merely dampened the Giant Eagle’s feathers. Li Ruoshui’s eyelid twitched again as a wind blade sliced a bloody mark across her cheek.

The Giant Eagle was roughly at the Heart Fixing First Layer cultivation level, which she could have expected with her own realm. The wind blade scattered the gathered Spring Breeze Rain, its power dispersing like falling stars, unable to harm the Giant Eagle. She needed a different strategy. Li Ruoshui thought calmly, staring fixedly at the Giant Eagle. She mobilized all the magic power from her twelve apertures, transforming the continuous Spring Breeze Rain into a sudden gale and downpour, scattering like heavenly maidens dispersing flowers onto the Giant Eagle.

The power of the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art dispersed into points, still insufficient to breach the Giant Eagle’s defenses, but the rain poured like a waterfall, thoroughly soaking it.

Once its feathers were wet, the Giant Eagle’s movements clearly slowed. Li Ruoshui charged forward. As the Giant Eagle dove low, she kicked off fiercely and leaped into the air. The Universe One Qi Palm lacked quenching with Five Elements Cinnabar, so its power was naturally weaker. But it was still a divine palm technique. As Li Ruoshui smashed down with one palm, the Giant Eagle let out a shrill wail. It spun and flipped in midair, trying to shake Li Ruoshui off. But how could Li Ruoshui let go? She cast Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art toward its head while “serving” it Universe One Qi Palms. Only when she had beaten its head into a bloody mess did she release her grip, stomping on its back for leverage to leap down.

With a massive bang, the Giant Eagle’s corpse smashed into the ground, kicking up dust.

Uncertain if the Giant Eagle was controlled by a Ruin Spirit, Li Ruoshui plucked a Universe Pouch from its body, then set it ablaze, burning it to ashes.

Standing on the cliff edge, Li Ruoshui frowned slightly.

The Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art lacked power, and the Universe One Qi Palm was not yet refined. Her foundation had reached the peak of Heart Fixing First Layer great completion via the Causal Vow Dao, but combat was not just about foundation—it depended on one’s other divine abilities.

Invincibility at the same realm? That was pure nonsense!

“Fellow Daoist, save me—” As Li Ruoshui fretted over her own weakness, an extremely faint voice came from behind a nearby pile of rocks.

Li Ruoshui’s gaze sharpened. She cautiously approached the rock pile a few steps, her right hand behind her back in a spell gesture, fully prepared for battle.

Behind the rock pile.

A green-robed cultivator who looked about twenty lay gasping on the ground. Her sleeve was torn by claws, her face pale as paper. But the qi around her showed no signs of decline.

A medicine pouch hung from her body, wafting a medicinal scent in the mountain wind. A few feet away, a delicate small pill furnace lay silently.

If human, she was likely a healer. From which sect? Would her medical skills meet Feng Qing’s requirements?

Li Ruoshui silently appraised her.

The green-robed Daoist’s gaze shifted upward, from the two small braids hanging over her chest to the warm, smiling face. “Fellow Daoist, are you going to let me die?”

Li Ruoshui blinked. Those injuries were nothing to a Heart Fixing Realm Daoist, but this fellow Daoist looked on the verge of fainting—probably from fright. Li Ruoshui relaxed and asked slowly, “How do you prove you’re not a Ruin Spirit?”

The Daoist groaned, laboriously pulling out her Tianyan Mirror.

Li Ruoshui nodded. “Ah, human after all. From Medicine King Mountain?”

The Daoist bit her lower lip, hesitated, then nodded. “Yes.” Who said Inevitable Doom Mountain isn’t Medicine King Mountain?

A smile tugged at Li Ruoshui’s lips. After confirming the Daoist’s identity, she not only did not help but turned to leave.

The Daoist: “?”

“Fellow Daoist, you’re not saving me?” The green-robed Daoist shouted hoarsely. Wasn’t it the rule outside to act bravely for justice? Didn’t the Dharma Realm say fellow Daoists were all warm-hearted?

Li Ruoshui remembered Feng Qing’s instructions. With so many debts, Feng Qing clearly had blood-and-tear experience from being scammed. Moreover, she had checked the Tianyan Mirror—Medicine King Mountain Daoists in the Nine Provinces were “rich dogs,” their wealth squeezed from other cultivators. The medicine cured the illness but emptied the pouch.

When traveling, one must guard against three things.

First, sword cultivators owing debts.

Second, healers extorting.

Third, Joyful Sect gifting flowers.

Li Ruoshui spoke slowly.

“If you’re a Ruin Spirit, I’ll slay you for justice.”

“If you’re not, I won’t kill you.”

“See? My approach is perfectly reasonable, right?”

The Daoist’s eyes widened in shock and anger, and she fainted on the spot.