CHAPTER 691: 569 IMMORTAL PATH RANKING_2

He aspired to ascend as a Heavenly Immortal, which required severing all current ties, then undergoing reincarnation to start anew as a mortal being.

From this perspective, he was a "negative" on the Immortal Path, having lost his Dao foundation, making him lesser than an ordinary person.

To ascend to the Demon Realm of another domain, although the methods of cultivation had similarities to the Immortal Path, they were fundamentally different; he could ascend like the Elder Blood God, or become a Devil’s Child and Grandchild and be directly captured, or he could enter a Demon Scripture to rule for a thousand years before departing.

But the Demon Realm is a lawless place devoid of rules, a realm where might makes right. The Red Lotus Demon and the Elder Demon of Iron City Mountain would rather forge their own Grotto Heaven worlds and hide away like turtles than ascend. Of course, even they would need to make preparations and could not leave simply because they wished to, having many things they too must relinquish.

Immortal or demon, each path had its distinct responsibilities and different ultimate achievements.

Shi Feiyang found Deng Yin particularly troubling.

His victory this time came through deception, exploiting Deng Yin’s trust to launch a sneak attack and cleanly dealing with this demon and sword.

Now having captured him within the Nine Suspicions Tripod, he could cast a spell to utterly eliminate him, thus preventing any future malevolence and averting a calamitous Blood Demon disaster.

But he had taken no action yet. Using the other’s future misdeeds as justification for punishing and eradicating his current self, while also employing deception, was not conduct fit for even an ordinary man in the human world.

Firstly, it was a stain on his morality: Deng Yin would become his inner demon, possibly even being reborn within his own Demon Realm; his life could never reach Perfection, and no matter what, it would remain in a "slightly flawed" state.

Secondly, even if Deng Yin perished, with two witches left in the world and others related to him, the impending catastrophe could turn out even greater and more tragic. Being amidst such turmoil himself, a favorable resolution would surely be elusive.

Unable to destroy Deng Yin, he was thus presented with a choice between two paths: that of the Immortal and that of the Demon, each requiring careful contemplation.

For the moment, Deng Yin was manageable, but the true complication lay with Chi You—or more precisely, the Sword Spirit of the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, which had escaped.

Among the group of immortals, those of lower Dao level inquired where Chi You might have fled to, while those with profound Dao levels were deeply concerned.

Shi Feiyang couldn’t be certain, and after exchanging views with Li Jingxu and Master You Tan, he said, "Chi You has a knack for resonating with Heavenly Demons across all realms; in theory, anyone harboring Devil Thoughts could summon him. As for those on the Immortal Path capable of nurturing a Demon Realm within, it’s even more convenient for him to lurk within the Demon Realm in one’s heart, invisible to others. Moreover, Chi You knows the twelve great Escape Skills and, unencumbered by a physical body, he could very well have transported to a small world already if he has a multitude of followers there calling upon him."

Shi Feiyang realized that Li Jingxu had no desire to involve himself further; he was resolute about his departure.

As a flagbearer of the Daoist school and in some sense a leader of the Mysterious Sect, he was the person many would turn to for justice in Daoist affairs or worldly matters.

Originally, Yan Yingmu was another Daoist adept; after her departure, only he remained.

Now he, too, was set to depart. The original leader of this generation’s Mysterious Sect was Qi Shuming, a decision rooted in calculations and efforts made during the time of True Master Changmei.

In the original story, many Earth Immortals sought Qi Shuming’s help, and he, with his peers and Magical Treasures, went to Huxining Island in the South Sea to aid the group of immortals in transcending tribulations.

Qi Shuming lost his physical body and his Dao foundation was destroyed, potentially facing another cycle of tribulations; the role of flagbearer for the next generation could only fall upon Shi Feiyang.

Li Jingxu did not state it explicitly, but the implication was clear. It was both a matter of whether Shi Feiyang was willing to become the leader of all immortals and if the consensus would allow it.

The elders of the Emei Sect remained non-committal, and naturally, the younger generation was unwilling. They would need to return and deliberate further.

Those sects and Loose Cultivators who were affiliated with the Emei Sect still looked to it as their leader.

Ling Hun, Mr. Zhong, and others stood by Shi Feiyang’s side.

While nobody openly mentioned the matter, their attitudes were clearly expressed.

The aftermath of the great battle left everyone exhausted, and many people’s Flying Sword Magical Treasures were destroyed, particularly those of the Emei and Wutai Sects, which suffered heavy losses. After concluding their business, they dispersed.

Shi Feiyang gathered the remaining four members of the Wutai Sect: Jiang Sangu, Situ Xingming, Fang Ying, and Yuan Hao.

The Wutai Sect had encountered a massive upheaval. The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor and Xu Feiniang were gone, and Sikong Zhan had fled the battle. The respected Immortal Sect Sword Sect was on the brink of annihilation.

Shi Feiyang said to Jiang Sangu and the others, "Your ancestor’s Primordial Spirit has merged with the body of the Chi You Demon God. If Chi You returns, your sect will have many entanglements. Wondrous Immortal Xu has undergone this tribulation, nearly resulting in the destruction of both body and soul. I will teach you the Circulation Soul Searching Technique. Set up an altar here on Jiuhua Mountain and perform the soul invocation for forty-nine days to collect the remnants of Xu Daoist’s soul. Use this Spiritual Glue to consolidate her spirit and soul, nurture and refine it, and then send it for reincarnation."

Xu Feiniang’s Mana was profound, and her Primordial Spirit was refined. Though her soul was shattered, it was still possible to collect the remnants and reconsolidate her soul. However, after reincarnation, she would lack many memories, and might even end up in a state of stupor or imbecility, necessitating several lifetimes to recover fully. Of course, if fortunate, she could be reborn in one lifetime, depending on her fate.

As for the other disciples of the Wutai Sect who were killed, some had their physical bodies destroyed, while others were annihilated in both body and soul. Some could be saved, and others could not; it was all up to Jiang Sangu and the four to handle the aftermath.

Before leaving, Shi Feiyang gave Jiang Sangu a Purple and Blue Divine Talisman he had refined himself: "After a hundred days, Demon Humans will see your weakened state and attempt to seize the Wutai Mountain Daoist training ground. You can manage the others with your strength, but there is one particularly formidable group. When you can no longer withstand them, release this Divine Talisman. It will undoubtedly have a miraculous effect."

Jiang Sangu accepted the Spirit Talisman with both hands, then suddenly knelt on both knees: "True Master, your Divine Talisman surely has infinite Divine Effect, but it can only protect us temporarily, not for a lifetime. Please guide us and show us a clear path for the future of the Wutai Sect."

Jiang Sangu and Situ Xingming had lived outside and were almost considered "abandoned disciples" of the Wutai Sect; they had returned to the mountain only for the swordfight.

Now that their master was gone, they knew they lacked the power for revenge, whether against the Emei Sect or Chi You, their will was not strong.

But they could not sit idly by and watch the Wutai Sect fall apart, so they asked Shi Feiyang for guidance on what to do next.

They did not seek revenge for their ancestor or the glorification of their sect. They only wanted to know how to preserve the foundation of the Wutai Sect.

After some thought, Shi Feiyang told them, "Go to the Nine Immortals Cave at Lingyang Peak on Wushan Mountain and find your son, Situ Ping. Pass on everything of the Wutai Sect to him and transfer the Sect Leader position to him. In the short term, with him as the head of the Wutai Sect, and his master Yi Xiu being protective, if danger arises, he will surely not stand by idly. With his intervention, the Wutai Sect can be at ease. In the long run, Situ Ping’s talent and constitution are also good. If he doesn’t encounter that fateful calamity, he can attain the status of Heavenly Immortal in this lifetime. Considering he also succeeds Yi Xiu and Wutai as the leader, becoming a grandmaster of the Mysterious Sect one day will not be an issue."

After hearing this, Jiang Sangu was overjoyed and thanked Shi Feiyang again. She discussed with her husband that after performing the soul invocation ritual here, they would go to Wushan Mountain to find their son.

They had sought out Situ Ping before, but Yi Xiu, who did not like the people from the Wutai Sect, never met with them and would only allow Situ Ping to reunite with his parents for a while before calling him back to continue his cultivation.

This time by directly appointing Situ Ping to be the head of the Wutai Sect—and with the Sect in its current state, and the potential for others to come and seize the mountain and temple—Yi Xiu could no longer prevent Situ Ping from returning. Blocking a son from saving his parents would be against the natural order and human decency. Although Yi Xiu had a temperamental personality, he wasn’t completely devoid of morals.