The End of the Immortal Path

Chapter 217 - 152: Then I Will Become the Light (Part 2)

It was clear the Evil Demons and Outsiders had come prepared.

Yan Yiqiu was currently being held up by two Golden Core cultivators.

She channeled energy into the Spirit Sword in her hand, her body surging with Sword Intent.

Her attacks were swift and methodical.

Her immense power crashed relentlessly onto the surrounding sea, sending up massive sprays of water.

They had been fighting here for twenty days without a clear victor.

The main reason was that they would fight for a while, then retreat to rest.

Both sides understood this was a stalling tactic. So, as long as neither side made a decisive move, they would rest, fight, and then rest again.

Unless an opportunity to kill their opponent arose, this stalemate would continue indefinitely.

Yan Yiqiu felt a sense of relief. Through the course of her instruction, she realized she had also learned a great deal, almost subconsciously.

At first, she thought she was just teaching the Inner Sect, but now she realized this prodigy was likely far more than just an Inner Sect disciple.

Especially since the other party had been sitting up high the entire time, showing no sign of intervening.

This made her increasingly suspect that this person was more than just a Golden Core cultivator.

’Otherwise, why would he be so unconcerned about the Evil God’s methods?’

’Not only that, he even sent Student Cultivators in there for training.’

’He’ll probably act when the critical moment comes.’

’And test the top student of the small courtyard while he’s at it.’

The more she thought about it, the more at ease she felt.

But An Zhirou did not see it that way.

"You missed a golden opportunity. If you had broken through that cloud within three days, they might not have had to endure so much suffering."

"It’s been twenty days now. They’ve probably been tortured beyond recognition and have lost all will to advance," An Zhirou said with pity. "Dozens of perfectly good cultivators, about to be ruined here. This is a significant loss for the Wuyun Sect as well."

Just then, Yan Yiqiu slowly descended, landing on a nearby tree branch.

Normally, she wouldn’t bother arguing with the other woman, but for days, she had been slandering her students.

A flicker of anger stirred in her heart.

Still, she remained calm. "Fairy An, as a genius with a wealth of experience, have you, in all your years of Cultivation, ever seen an Unparalleled Celestial Pride?"

An Zhirou’s brow furrowed slightly. "An Unparalleled Celestial Pride?"

She leaned back, her still-recovering body protesting, and looked at Yan Yiqiu. "I know what Mr. Yan is trying to say, but the term ’Unparalleled Celestial Pride’ is a bit vague, with no specific definition."

"I have seen many geniuses, chosen ones, and I have even read numerous texts and books related to the Evil God. So far, no one has ever been able to, after staying up all night cultivating, successfully leap out of the dark abyss and enter the Golden Core realm."

"Even if such a person existed, they would have had to abandon the Third Skill and use the First Skill to form their Golden Core."

"Young people tend to be arrogant, thinking they are different from everyone else, and so they do irreparable things."

"I believe one should be more cautious, rather than indulging these error-prone youths for the sake of some personal achievement."

Yan Yiqiu stared at her.

An Zhirou’s meaning was obvious.

’She, the Instructor, had deliberately made them stay up all night cultivating for the sake of her own reputation.’

’And ended up harming them.’

After a pause, An Zhirou spoke again. "However, ordinary Golden Core cultivators wouldn’t know about such situations. One must participate in very deep missions to have a chance to encounter this and understand the trouble that comes from pulling all-nighters."

"Besides, Foundation Establishment cultivators would never come to a place like this in the first place."

"So a situation where Foundation Establishment cultivators have to endure double the damage to their Heart Spirit simply doesn’t happen."

"Thus, their futures are being cut short."

Yan Yiqiu was silent for a moment.

She didn’t refute the other woman.

There was no point.

All she could do was wait for the result.

After all, this all-night Immortal Cultivation session was led by someone. It was different from an ordinary situation.

「On the Central Island.」

Chen Shi’s brows were tightly knit.

He had thought his methods would be enough in three to five days, that the oppressive atmosphere would render those from the Seventh Courtyard speechless with suffering.

But these people had stubbornly held on for twenty days, nearly sucking dry the power left behind by the Evil God.

He had never seen anything like it.

’Are these Student Cultivators possessed?’

Left with no choice, he could only accelerate their progress and guide them toward the abyss. The effect would be weaker, but it would be enough to plunge their Heart Spirits into shadow, making escape impossible.

In the future, they could only strive to resurrect the Immortal Spirit.

By then, everyone would have a bright future.

—

「In the Evil God Domain.」

Zhuo Bufan stood before the abyss, silent.

He felt he would fall into it at any moment.

His clan sister beside him had said the same, that Core Formation would be difficult for him in the future.

"Aren’t you going to beg me? Perhaps I can help you," the woman said.

Zhuo Bufan shook his head. "It’s useless. If everything is as you say, clan sister, then begging is pointless. I’ll only end up being scorned by you."

Then, they heard a sound.

A woman carrying a sword emerged from the mist. Her face was weary, but her steps were steady, and her eyes held no trace of loss or despair.

"Third place is just third place. Took you long enough," Zhuo Bufan said mockingly.

"It just means I cultivated for longer," Zhao Yaoyao retorted, unconvinced.

"Then does that mean I cultivated for even longer?" Wei Beichuan appeared.

He had someone with him.

A successful pickup.

But then Cao Cheng and the others appeared. "How come fourth place isn’t here, but fifth place is? Doesn’t that mean I’m in the top five?"

After that, people arrived one by one, greeting each other as they came.

They were all arguing about their rankings.

When the last burly man arrived, he asked in confusion, "I’m number forty-nine? Who came in last?"

"Fourth place isn’t here," Wei Beichuan said, puzzled.

At first, he thought he was stronger, but with fourth place and first place both making a grand finale, he was starting to feel that fourth place was even more formidable.

At this moment, everyone was on the edge of the cliff, but no one had gone down.

Then, an exhausted figure crawled over.

Everyone fell silent.

Lying on the ground, Lin Qingshan looked at the crowd by the cliff, gave an awkward smile, and explained, "I cultivated a little longer. Didn’t want to waste such a great opportunity. I got a bit greedy, and now the pressure of this place is so heavy I can’t even stand up."

Everyone fell silent again. ’Is he saying we wasted our time?’

But in truth, their hearts were filled with the pressure of despair.

However, the woman standing beside Zhuo Bufan frowned.

There was a trace of unwillingness in all of their eyes. They hadn’t surrendered yet.

She couldn’t understand it at all.

After a pause, she asked curiously, "There were fifty people, and forty-nine have arrived. You’re second. So who’s first?"

The moment her words fell, the sound of distinct footsteps approached from the distance.

The steps were steady and leisurely, as if someone were taking a stroll through a back garden.

"He’s here."

At that moment, everyone from the Seventh Courtyard looked in the direction of the footsteps.

.

Jiang Man was walking on a pitch-black road.

He felt the weight of this place pressing down on him, forcing him forward.

Qin Yihan couldn’t help but ask, "Do you really not feel anything?"

"I do," Jiang Man said honestly. "I feel the mist blocking my path. I feel that no matter how I move forward, there’s only endless darkness."

"For instance, right now..."

Jiang Man stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down into the bottomless abyss. "For instance, right now, all I see is a bottomless abyss that I’m about to fall into."

"There will be no more light in this life; the Taiyang will never rise again."

Jiang Man paused. "That’s the kind of feeling."

By now, Jiang Man had walked up to everyone, just one step away from the endless abyss.

It seemed he was about to fall in.

Qin Yihan and the others also thought that Jiang Man had been faking it all along, enduring immense pressure just to save face, and was now finally about to succumb.

However, before anyone could react, Jiang Man took a step forward.

Facing the endless abyss directly.

Qin Yihan and the others were shocked. ’Is he going to jump straight down?’

Ji Yifei subconsciously reached out to grab him.

But just as they all thought Jiang Man would fall into the abyss...

Jiang Man stepped onto the empty air, as if it were solid ground.

He turned back helplessly to the two who had reached for him. "Don’t worry, I won’t fall. You wouldn’t believe me even if I explained it. The so-called mist and darkness are nothing but the weakness of the Heart Spirit."

"That’s impossible. Even geniuses with resolute Heart Spirits can’t escape the darkness here," Qin Yihan said, steadying themself.

Jiang Man smiled. "Then there’s only one possibility: he wasn’t enough of a genius."

As he spoke, Jiang Man turned and took step after step into the void. His voice drifted back, "It’s nothing extraordinary. Just watch with your own eyes."

And as his footsteps fell, a light began to glow from his body. At that moment, he felt the despair that existed in the darkness—the despair of a Heart Spirit that had stayed up all night cultivating; the glory before Core Formation; the fear of starting Core Formation; the despair of failing Core Formation. Jiang Man could feel it all, because the other presence was constantly inflicting it upon him.

Unwillingness, humiliation, powerlessness, despair, darkness.

Sensing all of this, Jiang Man raised his head slightly, as if meeting its gaze. "Since you failed, leave everything to me."

"There is no light in the abyss. Why can’t I be the light?"

"Since the Taiyang will never rise again, I can be your Taiyang."

"The path is broken? Then I will be the first to walk it."

"Failed Core Formation? Then let me show you how to form a core."

"My light will shine on everyone."