The End of the Immortal Path

Jiang Man didn’t need to hear the rest to know they had been reported.

’Good.’

’Now I just have to wait for the Spiritual Source.’

「Seven days later.」

The Spirit Gourd finished accumulating, and the Flawless Chao Yuan Dingshen Pill was completely consumed.

Afterward, Jiang Man began taking Elixirs to break through.

「Fifteen days later.」

「Late October.」

After consuming fifteen Chao Yuan Dingshen Pills, Jiang Man successfully opened his second Spirit Gourd.

He had successfully advanced to the Middle Stage of Spirit.

More than half a month had passed since the report, but he still hadn’t received the Spiritual Source from the Law Enforcement Hall.

"That’s strange."

Jiang Man stopped his cultivation, feeling a little curious.

He decided to ask around.

He quickly got an answer: there had been no recent reports related to the Evil God.

And no one had been arrested.

Jiang Man was stunned. ’Were they just bluffing?’

’But the black-robed person from the ruined temple wouldn’t lie to me.’

Jiang Man made a point to enter his sleep state and inquire.

"The one who was reported was an undercover agent in the Evergreen Sect," Chen Shi answered truthfully.

Jiang Man froze when he heard the answer.

’What a total loss.’

’I never considered that there would be undercover agents in other Sects.’

Chen Shi looked at Jiang Man’s disappointed face and sighed internally.

’The Lord Envoy probably wanted them to report someone from the Wuyun Sect, so he could take the credit and earn the Spiritual Source himself.’

"Should the Messenger meet with them, then?" Chen Shi asked.

Jiang Man shook his head. "Make them wait longer."

’It’s not that I can’t meet them, but I just don’t have the time right now. Besides, I need to cultivate the Evil God’s Technique before we meet. It would be trouble if they saw through my disguise.’

’It would be particularly troublesome since I have no way to fight back.’

’In any partnership, the stronger party always has the upper hand.’

’As an Unparalleled Celestial Pride, I can’t afford to be at a disadvantage when we meet.’

"By the way, will they continue reporting people?" Jiang Man asked.

"They probably will," Chen Shi said, though he wasn’t entirely sure.

Jiang Man nodded. "Tell them not to focus their reports on a single Sect. There needs to be balance."

—

"Balance?" In her room, the woman in the black Immortal Skirt laughed in exasperation. "What is this Messenger trying to say? Does he not care about these people at all?"

"Or is he implying I’ve been too soft, that he’s provoking me?"

A voice came from the Spiritual Tablet, "He probably doesn’t care if these people live or die. To kill a snake, you must strike its vital point. You’re hitting the wrong place."

"I have a list of their internal members, yet I still failed to hit a nerve?" The woman in the black Immortal Skirt frowned slightly. "Then what *does* he care about?"

’An Evil God’s Envoy should care most about the Evil God.’

’And the Evil God cares about his subordinates.’

"How strange," the woman said, shaking her head. "But it’s also possible he’s just putting up a brave front. Since he wants balance, I’ll give him balance."

"We’ll see if he feels the sting or not."

————

「November.」

Jiang Man had just learned from Old Huang that the Evil God’s Technique should be fine when he received a message from the Law Enforcement Hall.

Someone had indeed anonymously reported two Student Cultivators for colluding with the Evil God.

They had already been arrested.

Because no useful information could be obtained from them and they were deeply afflicted by their Heart Demons, their value was considered very low.

The bounty was set at fifteen thousand each.

Thirty thousand in total.

The reward was delivered to Jiang Man that very day.

’The New Evil God is a real saint. To think my first payment of Spiritual Source as a Messenger would come so easily.’

That day, Jiang Man took the initiative to find the black-robed man. The application for the Visualization Skill had been approved.

’Since they’ve given me Spiritual Source, I can’t just do nothing in return.’

However, Chen Shi informed him that the two people who needed it most had already been arrested.

Jiang Man paused. "The two from the Wuyun Sect who were captured?"

"Yes," Chen Shi nodded.

"Don’t worry. I’ll find time to deliver it to them," Jiang Man said. "For now, you give the Visualization Skill to the others. This version has been imbued with the aura of an Immortal Spirit. No one can cultivate it unless they enter the Ling Hua Immortal Spirit."

’This little trick was something Old Huang taught me. It uses the aura of the candlelight.’

’And since I also know the Evil God’s Technique, using it is even more convenient.’

’It’s not that the Visualization Skill can’t be spread far and wide, but it has to start with the Wuyun Sect.’

Afterward, Jiang Man went to the Law Enforcement Hall again and gave the Visualization Skill to the two captives.

’They might not know who the Messenger is, but they definitely know that I am also a subordinate of the Evil God.’

’After all, my name was announced among the members.’

The two were stunned, but they recognized the name: the Eternal Sun.

"It’s useless. We’ve tried learning it," they said.

"You had the wrong version. Just keep practicing with this one," Jiang Man said.

The two were skeptical.

Three days later, the pain in their Heart Spirits began to ease.

Seven days later, they saw a sun.

Ten days later, they felt their future was full of promise.

Half a month later, they began to idolize Jiang Man.

In the Overseas Islands, Chen Shi met with the chubby man once again.

The two remained silent for a long while.

Finally, Chen Shi broke the silence. "You’ve practiced it?"

The chubby man nodded. "And you?"

Chen Shi sighed. "I have. The others must have practiced it too, right? What was their reaction?"

The chubby man said seriously, "The Messenger’s position is now unshakable. Many are saying they saw a sun, and within it, they thought they saw the Messenger’s silhouette."

"The path forward is no longer dark, and the locks on their Heart Spirits are gradually loosening."

"Even more so than when the Immortal Spirit was present, it’s..."

They didn’t dare say the rest.

Not only that, but the most unstable members had all been arrested.

Now, among the members of Ling Hua, there was little dissent.

At least, not openly.

—

「Mid-November.」

Jiang Man was completely unaware of these external matters.

Nor did he have any interest in how they unfolded.

During this time, he had been using the Chao Yuan Taiyang Pill for his Cultivation, hoping to break through to the Late Stage of Golden Core as soon as possible.

His second Cultivation Gourd had already accumulated thirty percent of its Spiritual Qi.

He had consumed twenty-one Elixirs.

Some time ago, he had taken stock of his Spiritual Source.

His earnings from the Lingyue Sect and the Law Enforcement Hall totaled over eighty thousand.

His monthly stipend from the Sect was seventy-two thousand.

After paying his rent, he had sixty-six thousand left over.

In total, he had one hundred forty-eight thousand.

He had already exchanged his remaining Elixirs for Taiyang Pills and consumed all twenty-one of them. Then, he spent one hundred thousand Spiritual Source to purchase fifty more Taiyang Pills from his master.

’After I finish these, the Gourd should be nearly full. Then all that’s left is the breakthrough.’

’Another twenty pills should definitely be enough.’

’Once I break through to the Late Stage, I’ll go find Xiaopang and the others to pay back the interest I owe them.’

’I wonder if Chang Qiweng succeeded in his Foundation Establishment.’

’And how Song Qing’s shop is doing.’

—

「Meanwhile.」

Fang Yong walked along a path on Peach Blossom Peak, soon entering the residential courtyard area.

The people around him showed no surprise at his arrival.

No one knew anyone else.

Soon, however, he stopped before a courtyard where the Spiritual Qi was particularly dense.

He knocked lightly on the door.

The door was opened by Wang Yan.

"Senior Sister Wang," Fang Yong greeted her with a respectful bow.

Wang Yan nodded. "You’re here?"

She then led him inside.

In the courtyard, Wei Ran sat atop a complex runic formation, the pages of a book in his hands flipping rapidly.

He only raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing their approach.

"Senior Brother Wei," Fang Yong said, bowing his head respectfully.

His bow was much deeper than before.

Wei Ran smiled. "Junior Brother Fang, no need for such formalities. I’ve summoned you for an important matter."

Fang Yong understood, of course.

Wei Ran rarely summoned him, but when he did, it was always for a major task that required his personal attention.

"Are you in the Fourth Courtyard now?" Wei Ran asked.

Fang Yong nodded. "I am."

"Next year, you’ll be competing for the Secret Skill in the First, Second, and Third Courtyards, correct?" Wei Ran inquired.

"Yes. I am fairly confident," Fang Yong nodded.

"You will team up with Senior Sister Wang. Have her lead you, and fight for a spot in the top fifty." As he spoke, Wei Ran took out a large number of Elixirs and a pile of Spiritual Source. "There isn’t much time. Take these. With your Talent, they should be enough."

Fang Yong was puzzled. "What is the mission?"

Wei Ran looked at Fang Yong and said gravely, "I need you to achieve Core Formation while you are in the Second Courtyard, and then enter the Inner Sect."

Fang Yong’s pupils constricted. "Second Courtyard Core Formation?"

’That’s incredibly difficult.’

Wei Ran nodded slightly. "You have two years, which gives you one margin for error. Originally, I planned to help you personally and ensure you got a spot in the top fifty."

"But something unexpected came up. I was forced to undergo Core Formation ahead of schedule, so I can no longer participate in the grand competition."

"As such, we can only rely on Senior Sister Wang."

"The pressure on you will be much greater."

Fang Yong was shocked. ’Senior Brother Wei has already reached Core Formation?’

’And I hadn’t heard a thing about it.’

’In other words, there are now two Golden Core Ancestors in the Outer Sect?’

He paused for a moment before asking, "Senior Brother, when do you plan to enter the Inner Sect? And why do you need me to achieve Core Formation in the Second Courtyard to enter the Inner Sect?"

He truly didn’t understand. Given his circumstances, achieving Core Formation in the First Courtyard would grant him far more resources.

Attempting Core Formation in the Second Courtyard was extremely difficult, with a real possibility of failure. The resources were also fewer. It simply wasn’t a cost-effective path.

————