Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

In a dark chamber impenetrable by light, where black bloodstains were scattered all over.

The air was filled with a nauseating stench of rot. It was the smell of countless blood and corpses decaying over the years, suffocating to breathe.

At that moment.

A young man dressed in a plain white robe, untainted by even a speck of dust, stood silently with his back to the door, as if oblivious to the smell.

Time slowly passed.

The heavy door behind him was suddenly pushed open gently.

A grating sound of friction echoed.

The dirty blood on the ground reflected a dark red iron chain, dragging and splashing out specks of dull sparks.

"Junior Brother Nong, have you made up your mind?"

"As long as you reveal Chu Yan's whereabouts, I can let bygones be bygones. You could still continue on the Path of Immortality, and The Li Family might even provide you with all the resources required for your cultivation."

"Senior Brother advises you, do not ruin your future for the sake of a woman."

As the indifferent voice sounded.

The man in white slowly turned around, revealing a cold and ghastly face that loomed in the dim light, eerie and particularly unsettling.

"Heh, Li Zi, spare yourself the effort." As Nong Xingzhou struggled to lift his head, a hint of scorn flashed across his blood-stained face: "I won't tell you, and you'll never find her."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Heavy breathing sounds immediately filled the room.

"Nong Xingzhou!"

The man in white, addressed as 'Li Zi,' was instantly enraged. He took three steps as if they were two, quickly rushed to Nong Xingzhou, and grabbed his collar, lifting him up entirely.

"A lowly creature from the Lower Realm, with neither resources nor talent. I really can't understand why Chu Yan would choose you. What Spell did you cast on her?"

"We are truly in love."

Upon hearing the familiar name, a trace of softness unwittingly arose in Nong Xingzhou's heart, and he answered honestly.

"Cut the crap about love. Chu Yan, as a descendent of a clan, has no right to talk about love. If she chooses to love, then what does that make me? A laughingstock of The Li Family?"

Li Zi's face twisted fiercely as he stared intently at Nong Xingzhou, his eyes blazing with flames.

At that moment, he was beside himself with anger.

Strangely enough.

Li Zi couldn't quite figure out why he was so enraged.

Feelings? But he clearly harbored no affection for Chu Yan.

Was it the betrayal of his Tao Monk yet to be wed, the loss of face it caused, or perhaps… envy?

He didn't know and didn't wish to know.

After venting his anger.

A sinister gleam suddenly crossed Li Zi's face.

"It doesn't matter if you don't talk, in fact, we've already found out. That cheap Chu Yan went to the Dong Ji Immortal Continent to look for your Junior Brothers from the Lower Realm, didn't she?"

"Hehe, having arrived in the Heavenly Realm for just a few decades, her cultivation could at best stop at the Golden Core Realm. What's the use of looking for them?"

"To tell you the truth, The Li Family and Chu Family have long sent Dharma Phase Realm assassins to the Dong Ji Immortal Continent. By now, Chu Yan, as well as your few Junior Brothers, oh right, and there was an illegitimate child, are probably all dead."

The iron chains underfoot clinked!

Nong Xingzhou began to struggle wildly in Li Zi's grasp, his facial expression no longer as calm as before.

"How dare you! Li Zi, you beast, do you know what you are doing? Are you aware of who stands behind us brothers? I will kill you, I swear I'll kill you!"

He roared loudly, looking every bit the irrational wild beast.

"Tsk, standing behind?"

Li Zi's eyes flickered with disdain as he spoke lightly:

"Merely bugs from the Lower Realm who had the fortune to enter the Tao Sect for cultivation, should have stayed quietly in their corners. By coveting Chu Yan, you're trampling the honor of The Li Family and Chu Family into the dirt."

"So for the reputation of the two great families, we just had to ask all of you to die."

After speaking.

Li Zi threw Nong Xingzhou heavily into the bloodied mire and turned to walk out the door.

"Same as usual, choose an auspicious day to refine him; we can't waste it."

The emotionless voice echoed in the dark chamber.

"Yes, Young Master!"

The guard stationed silently outside the gate felt a chill in his heart and immediately replied with the utmost respect.

...

...

Elsewhere.

Three men cloaked in black robes, expertly concealing their presence, were now staring intently at the majestic, hundred-yard-tall mountain gate in the distance, their eyes flickering uncertainly.

"The target's presence last disappeared here, what should we do now? How about we sneak in?" one of the men whispered.

However, no sooner had he spoken than he was met with looks from the other two men as if they were staring at an idiot.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, puzzled.

Upon hearing this.

The other two cloaked men withdrew their gazes and glanced at each other, seemingly wondering how this man had managed to cultivate to the Dharma Phase Realm. Could it be that he had cultivated his brains out?

Taking a deep breath.

One of the men turned back around and patiently explained:

"Given such a terrifying place of the Dao, the master must be a great figure in the Tao Sect. We are merely minor Dharma Phase individuals; in the presence of such beings, what difference is there between us and ants? To sneak in would not only risk our lives, which is a minor issue, but failing to complete our mission would mean letting down the grace our families have bestowed upon us in raising and nurturing us!"

After speaking, as if he was not yet reassured, he instructed again:

"Don't be impulsive, we must only stand guard here. Surely, the target cannot stay within this place of the Dao forever."

As they spoke.

A divine cloud suddenly flew out from the place of the Dao, wrapped in endless turquoise immortal light, then dashed towards the south at an exaggerated speed and vanished in an instant.

Hisss—

The three men simultaneously drew in a sharp breath of cold air.

"Such a terrifying speed of escape! I told you, there must be strong figures from the Tao Sect within this place of the Dao. If we had done as you suggested earlier, how could the three of us still be alive?" the man at the forefront said, looking back at the first man who had spoken with lingering fear.

Yet the other man did not react at all.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?" one of his companions whispered urgently.

Upon hearing the voice.

The previously stunned man finally snapped back to reality and quickly said as if awakening from a dream, "Wait, I thought I saw our target on that cloud of green light..."

"What! Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the other two men were startled and stared at him incredulously.

Confronted with two intensely serious gazes.

The man who had just spoken first closed his eyes to recollect for a moment, then suddenly opened them and nodded forcefully.

"I am certain."

At that moment.

All three sets of eyes simultaneously looked towards the direction where the green cloud had disappeared.

"That kid, he actually knows a great figure from within the Tao Sect? But why would he fly south?" someone wondered aloud, puzzled.

The next moment.

"Nanchu Immortal Continent!" all three exclaimed in unison, a hint of shock flashing across their eyes.

As for the being who had commanded the green cloud, taking their target to the Nanchu Immortal Continent couldn't possibly be for a mere visit, right?

Meaning—there was trouble back in their clan!

The man at the forefront's expression suddenly changed dramatically, and without concern for hiding his presence anymore, he immediately took out a jade slip that pulsed with strong mana fluctuations.

But at that moment.

"Don't you three get tired of crouching there?" a sweet voice gently sounded next to their ears.

The voice carried a hint of curiosity.

The man's movements halted.

He stiffly raised his head, and in his line of sight was a Crystal Immortal Spirit doll that had appeared unnoticed, with a sweet smile on its face.

However, that smile, to the man's eyes, became exceedingly terrifying.

Because behind the figure, there stood dozens of Immortal Spirits radiating waves of terrifying power.