Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725

by Heaven's White Crane

  “These are spoils of war, so they can’t be treated the same.” Ou Yangming left no room for discussion.

  “Okay, you owe me one then.” He Liangce spread out his hands helplessly.

  Ni Yinghong furrowed her beautiful eyebrows and was about to reject the offer when she noticed the resolute look in Ou Yangming’s eyes. She sighed and kept the inner core.

  Since she was Elder Universe’s last disciple, there was no need for anyone to teach her how to use the core. “Brother He, please identify the direction again.” Ou Yangming smiled. “Oh? Brother Ou, did you forget the direction?” He Liangce asked strangely.

  “Hehe, when the fight happened, I was only focused on escaping. How could I have had the time to check the direction?” Ou Yangming continued after a short pause, “It’s also because you were beside me, or I would’ve paid more attention to it.”

  He Liangce nodded and closed his eyes to use a certain trick.

  After a brief moment, he opened his eyes and stated, “Over there.”

  Ou Yangming glanced at where he was pointed and nodded before he strode toward that direction.

  However, he sighed and thought, ‘This fella definitely has a secret technique to find paths.’

  Although Ou Yangming seemed like he escaped in a hurry earlier, he remembered the path well. He only pretended to have forgotten to test He Liangce.

  Sure enough, He Liangce did not disappoint him.

  The three of them continued with their journey, but it was not as smooth as before.

  Due to the wolf blood that was stained on Ou Yangming’s equipment set, there was a rich bloody smell even though the blood was already dry. From time to time, some ferocious beasts approached them after picking up the smell of blood. The beasts could not harm them in any way, but it was huge trouble for them.

  Fortunately, Ou Yangming and his companions stumbled upon a small river after half an hour. After making sure that it was not poisonous, Ou Yangming cleaned his pieces of equipment to get rid of the bloodstains.

  On the other hand, He Liangce hunted two hares. The three of them roasted the animals to fill their stomachs, then they put out the fire and rested for a while before they went back on track again.

  As expected, their journey became smooth again once the bloodstains were cleaned.

  That said, Ou Yangming stopped advancing again after two days.

  In front of him was an exceptionally dense forest where countless little black spots constantly circled above while making “buzz” sounds.

  Chapter 196 - Bee Colony Goes Wild

  Chapter 196 Bee Colony Goes Wild

  “A bee colony!”

  When Ou Yangming and his travel companions gathered again, they looked rather worried.

  In the forest, large-sized beasts were not the ones that were feared. The ferocious beasts were strong and valiant, but if a group of people cooperated well, they could easily slaughter the beasts.

  On the contrary, anyone would have to be cautious against poisonous insects like the bees.

  At times, a seemingly insignificant bite was all it took to take one’s life away.

  The number of bees ahead of Ou Yangming and the others were so appalling that they shuddered with fear.

  Ou Yangming would not be too concerned if they encountered ferocious beasts that were similar to giant wolves. After all, he had his biggest trump card with him. With the Devouring attribute, Ou Yangming could regain Qi and blood at any time, so much so that he was confident about killing beasts for three days and three nights.

  However, if his opponents were bees from a bee colony that covered the sky… Ou Yangming immediately got rid of his thoughts of wanting to be a hero.

  “Go around them.”

  “Okay, we’ll go around them.”

  None of them objected to the idea because they chose the safest option.

  Nevertheless, just as they started to retreat, an earth-shattering sound was heard coming from behind them, then two humongous bodies swayed and ran speedily in their direction.

  “Roar, roar, roar…”

  Mad roars echoed in the air. The beings dashed straight past them and charged at the bee colony ahead.

  Ou Yangming and the others looked at each other. They clearly saw two enormous black bears dashing with unstoppable momentum toward the densely packed trees.

  Afterward, countless poisonous bees began dancing crazily, and the void was filled with a fearsome aura.

  “Oh no, leave now!” He Liangce’s face took on a ghastly expression as he shouted.

  Ou Yangming and Ni Yinghong knew that they were in a terrible situation, thus they instantly ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could.

  Nonetheless, they were a step too late because the flying bees had already noticed them, and the poisonous bees in their direction were zooming toward them without any hesitation.

  ‘You blind little creatures! The two unthinking black bears were the ones who charged at your colony-why are you blinded too!’ Ou Yangming cursed Despite that, a complaint was a complaint. There was no room for explanations because the poisonous bees were attacking them without control.

  A poisonous bee was within reach in an instant. It bent its waist, fluttered its wings, and slightly shook its stinger with the intent to launch an attack.

  It was then that a flash of saber-light slashed the bee into two.

  Ou Yangming was fleeing with Ni Yinghong at the moment, but he still had control of his surroundings. Once a poisonous bee attempted to hurt them, he struck first to gain an advantage. That said, the instant he killed the poisonous bee, the colony of bees far away changed their direction abruptly. As a result, thousands and ten thousands of them flew toward Ou Yangming and Ni Yinghong.

  The dead poisonous bee was like a trigger that drew the attention of the other poisonous bees at once, causing them to swarm over like a cloud.

  Ou Yangming’s face changed, but he did not regret it.

  If he had not slashed the poisonous bee just now, Ni Yinghong would have gotten injured.

  However, Ou Yangming felt troubled when he noticed the closely-packed bee colony pursuing them. He gritted his teeth and instructed as he let go of Ni Yinghong’s hand, “Brother He, let’s split up. Take Elder Sister Ying with you—I’m trusting you to protect her.”

  It was evident the poisonous bees were after Ou Yangming, hence Ni Yinghong could be out of danger if they separated, whereas it might be a disaster if they stuck together.

  “No!” This time, Ni Yinghong did not compromise. She turned pale.

  Naturally, she knew the things Ou Yangming could perceive. If the bee colony only chased after him, he would likely end up in a horrendous state.

  Ou Yangming widened his eyes, but just as he was going to respond to her, He Liangce shouted sternly, “Both of you, shut up!” Ni Yinghong and Ou Yangming were taken aback because they knew He Liangce as a gentle and graceful young master. Even after the two bloody fights in the dense forest, he never lost his bearing.

  This time, He Liangce sounded ruthless.

  He Liangce brushed his collar to remove his robe, then as he turned his wrist, the robe flew upward.

  Ou Yangming fixed his eyes on the robe, and he made a shocking discovery because the robe grew much bigger when it rose to the sky.

  Following that, the robe landed slowly and enveloped the three of them.

  The robe was incredibly strange because it did not stick close to their bodies; it transformed into a stone-like cover that shielded them. Ou Yangming and Ni Yinghong were astonished as they exchanged glances.

  No wonder He Liangce did not equip himself with any equipment after they entered the dense forest, and he was not stained with blood even after a bloody fight.

  It turned out that his robe was a treasure.

  Ou Yangming scanned the robe, which seemed to have changed into a stone after it wrapped them up, and they were inside the stone at the moment.

  They did not feel oppressed und
er the robe, and they could vaguely see the situation outside through the robe’s thin material.

  A seemingly endless colony of bees was soon at close quarters with them, and each of the poisonous bees had powerful combat power, where their essence was contained in their stingers. Although their life would be shortened once they lost their stinger, they were willing to give up their lives. When the bee colony began to descend, Ou Yangming and Ni Yinghong felt their hearts pounding.

  Could the robe hide their tracks and resist the numerous bees?

  As the bee colony slowly became closer, the three of them subconsciously held their breaths.

  At last, the bees descended to a suitable height, but they did not initiate attacks on the stone-like robe which Ou Yangming and his companions were under. Instead, the poisonous bees spiraled nearby like headless flies.

  Ou Yangming was slightly relieved, and he glanced at He Liangce.

  The young master was holding his folding fan with one hand while he pressed a corner of his robe with the other hand. On that corner, there was a slight and almost unnoticeable movement.

  Ou Yangming quickly focused on it and noticed He Liangce releasing his essential Qi. The young master was supporting the peculiar robe with his essential Qi to block the poisonous’ bees’ vision.

  Judging from the grim look on He Liangce’s face, it was clear that it was difficult for him to maintain the robe in that state.

  Without warning, two earth-splitting roars were heard coming from the forest once more.

  The two black bears ran out of the forest one after another. Even though their bodies were already covered with poisonous bees, they ran as if they were on wings and like they were not injured at all.

  Ou Yangming and his companions were under the robe, but due to the robe’s wonderful feature, they could somewhat see the situation outside.

  When the two black bears escaped, they attracted the attention of the poisonous bees in the whole area.

  Consequently, the swarming bees above their heads went after them, and even the bees that hovered around the robe changed their target.

  Ou Yangming and the others were speechless. They were followed by the poisonous bees because of the heedless bears, but they were able to run away at the end because of the bears too.

  Seeing as no poisonous bees were lingering around them, the three of them signaled each other.

  He Liangce shook his wrist to lift his robe while Ou Yangming pulled Ni Yinghong to escape in the opposite direction of the bee colony. The three of them were really taking flight this time, and they did not intend to fight the bees at all.

  They were far away from the area after running for half an hour, and only slowed down when they no longer heard buzzing sounds.

  All of a sudden, He Liangce, who was running behind, staggered and almost fell to the ground.

  Ou Yangming and Ni Yinghong halted and looked behind them in shock.

  He Liangce smiled bitterly as he held onto the big tree next to him. “I made the two of you laugh.”

  Ou Yangming remarked after he took a quick glance at the young master’s robe, “You must’ve suffered a huge consumption to use that item.”

  “It was a cost that must be paid.” He Liangce waved his hand helplessly and requested, “I need to cultivate for a while, so please cover for me.” “Okay,” Ni Yinghong responded to him and stood behind him with her longsword.

  Ou Yangming nodded as well and stood beside him.

  He Liangce reached into his pocket to retrieve a bottle of pills, and consumed. Subsequently, he closed his eyes for some time before his breathing became steady again.

  An odd thought crossed Ou Yangming’s mind when he looked at He Liangce, who was calmly adjusting his breathing.

  ‘If I slash him right now, my troublesome rival in love won’t be able to escape.’

  He Liangce’s performance throughout the journey had truly amazed Ou Yangming. He was definitely not an ordinary Yang Grade martial artist. He was a real powerhouse who was exceptionally difficult to deal with.

  The He family was on par with the Ni family. Both clans’ foundations were indescribably profound.

  He Liangce’s robe alone was a magical item, and the fact that he could kill a half-spirit beast alone in a short period was even more unbelievable.

  If Ou Yangming turned against him, it would be hard to tell who would emerge victoriously.

  Nonetheless, Ou Yangming was given a chance now. As long as he made a move, his rival in love would be dead forever.

  As for the consequences of He Liangce’s death, Ou Yangming would not really bother about it.

  In spite of that, Ou Yangming cast away the thought right very quickly.

  He already owed He Liangce a favor because of the wolf king’s inner core, and He Liangce had also been weakened because he used his treasure.

  If Ou Yangming made such a sudden and ruthless move by killing He Liangce, could he remain calm and feel unrepentant?

  He glanced at Ni Yinghong, who was frowning but was still beautiful.

  Ou Yangming was suddenly full of pride.

  ‘She’s a wonderful lady, so how can I get her by using such a filthy track?

  ‘How can a man like me fear challenges?’ With that, no matter what He Liangce was counting on, Ou Yangming was confident about resolving the problems one by one. He wanted to marry Ni Yinghong from the Ni family in an upright way.

  The moment Ou Yangming decided, a feeling of righteousness brewed in his chest, and he began to look open-minded.

  Just as he scanned his surroundings to guard against potential emergencies, Ni Yinghong curled her lips into a satisfied smile.

  On the other hand, He Liangce glowed with health as his aura circulated.

  Chapter 197 - Spiritual Roots Of The Strange Bamboo

  The depths of the dense forest was indeed fearsome and full of danger.

  Nonetheless, after getting past the area occupied by the bee colony, Ou Yangming and his companions did not encounter greater disasters.

  After all, encounters in the forest depended on probabilities.

  From the beginning of their journey, they had stumbled upon a group of Long-armed Devil Apes, a pack of giant wolves, and a colony of poisonous bees. It was evident that they were not in good luck.

  Needless to say, they came across some dangers in the next few days too, but the troubles were not worth mentioning when compared to their bad luck before that.

  On this day, just as Ou Yangming continued to scout ahead, He Liangce approached him out of the blue. “Brother Ou, we’re almost there.”

  Ou Yangming deeply admired He Liangce’s fantastic ability to identify directions, hence he did not doubt the statement, and his eyes lit up instead.

  The rare bamboo was the best material to smith a spear handle, and Ou Yangming was not only planning to smith one for Chen Yifan.

  Therefore, his heart skipped a beat when he knew they would soon arrive at the strange bamboo forest.

  “Brother He, the great ancestors warned us about a half-spirit beast here. If it’s true, please stall it for us while we quickly retrieve some bamboo,” Ou Yangming requested.

  “Okay.” He Liangce smiled, but he suddenly asked, “Brother Ou, are you interested in fighting the enemy together?” Ou Yangming chuckled and responded, “I won’t miss it if I could, but I’m afraid…”

  He Liangce quickly said, “If you have insufficient power, it’ll be a different matter.”

  They nodded at each other and reached a consensus through the short conversation.

  Nevertheless, they did not have high expectations.

  Ni Jingshen was only at the peak of Yang Grade when he faced the half-spirit beast, but many years had passed since, and the elder had already become a Supreme Great Ancestor. Would the half-spirit beast remain at the same spot?

  Ou Yangming and his companions gathered and advanced slowly. He was observant and alert. His vigilance was at its peak because he would be courting de
ath if he did not gather his energy at this moment.

  At last, there was a huge change in the environment in front of them.

  It was still a part of the dense forest, but the trees in the area ahead seemed to be spiritless. Even the lush big trees looked sick, as though they did not grow well.

  Ou Yangming wandered his eyes about and was confused.

  On the other hand, He Liangce remarked, “Those peculiar bamboos are powerful indeed to be able to steal nutrition from nearby plants for their own. Heh, they even have a sense of propriety by not stealing excessively. This small but steady method is almost supernatural.”

  Ou Yangming nodded, and he became even more intrigued by the bamboo.

  Despite that, even after going around the area, they did not notice the odd bamboos at all. If it was not because of bizarre plants around them, they would suspect they were on the wrong path.

  The three of them looked at each other and were at a loss.

  Ni Yinghong suggested after some thought, “Lil’ Ming, try using your mental power to sense it. Master once said that the weird plants don’t belong to our world, so they can’t be easily identified through the naked eye, but they can occasionally be sensed through mental power.”

  In actual fact, she had a certain amount of mental power too, but there was a huge disparity between hers and Ou Yangming’s.

  Ou Yangming nodded and curbed his thoughts before he focused on the point between his eyebrows.

  Next, the whole world seemed to have undergone a wonderful yet unconventional change through Ou Yangming’s eyes.

  It was the mysterious state of a mountain that was not a mountain and water that was not water after the integration of Heaven and man and the thoroughly meticulous state. Under the state, he not only saw the surfaces of substances, but he was also prying into the world’s origin and truth.

  Of course, based on Ou Yangming’s cultivation base at the moment, he was still unable to see through something at first glance.

  Even then, the mysteries in this area were plainly visible to him.