Stellar Transformations

by I Eat Tomatoes

  Dame Yan Ji, Old Taoist Gan Xu, the 3 experts from the dragon clan and the other experts are also breathing urgently. Was it really easy to obtain? They made every effort to intrigue against each other but in the end they were messed about by this Immortal Emperor Ni Yang.

  Who knows if someone got that thing called elemental holy essence or not?

  “The more precious something is, the harder it is to obtain. You most probably already know how difficult it was to get the Qingyu Immortal Mansion. This treasure is over 10 times more precious than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion so naturally the difficulty of obtaining it is over 10 times greater than that of obtaining the Qingyu Immortal Mansion too.”

  Over 10 times?

  “If the difficulty is really so great, very many people will surely die this time.” Qin Yu is shocked in his heart. He was able to luckily obtain that elemental holy essence only thanks to Li’er’s help. But now he is all by himself on this strange long lane without anybody’s help.

  Not only Qin Yu, almost everybody else is cursing too.

  “10 times, now that I’ve lost more than half of my power, if the difficulty increases by 10 times, perhaps I’ll lose my life here.” Dame Yan Ji also has a bad feeling.

  Risk is in direct proportion to return.

  “You want to get a treasure of that level without going through dangers and life-or-death situations? Are you dreaming, juniors?” Immortal Emperor Ni Yang says coldly. Everybody can feel the disdain contained in his voice.

  If they want to obtain that treasure, they will have to risk their lives.

  “Since you already entered the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion, you won’t be able to leave safely without going through any dangers. Having come to this place, you’ve got no other choices. Now there are 2 ways for you. One is on your left hand side, leading to the Peach Blossom Land.”

  The Peach Blossom Land?

  Qin Yu, Dame Yan Ji, Yan Mo, Li’er, Huo Can, Old Taoist Gan Xu, Yan Lang, Reverend Shui Rou and the other experts are all listening carefully because every sentence Immortal Emperor Ni Yang says now can bear upon their little lives.

  The left side of the narrow road leads to the Peach Blossom Land!

  “Inside the Peach Blossom Land, there is not only an exceptionally high density of natural holy energy but also an exceptionally high density of elemental holy energy. If you go into the Peach Blossom Land, you’ll be trapped in there all the time until you achieve ascension! You can practice in the Peach Blossom Land without worries because it won’t have any disasters except for heavenly tribulations. Besides, the densities of natural holy energy and elemental holy energy in there are even higher than those in the mortal world and in the common places of the immortal world.”

  “You can say that it’s a paradise for practitioners. It’s just that your freedom will be limited. You’ll have no choice but to stay within the boundary of the Peach Blossom Land.” Immortal Emperor Ni Yang advises. “I’d advise you to stay in there because at least you’ll be able to protect your little lives.”

  Everybody remains silent.

  “The 2nd way is to go right along the narrow road. That way leads to the Road of Death, which is full of deadly dangers.”

  The Road of Death!

  When Qin Yu hears this name, his heart cannot help shaking slightly. Judging by its name alone, he knows that this road must be extremely dangerous. Even though he already obtained Gan Ming’s yuanying, absorbing it requires a lot of time whereas now his time is tight.

  In terms of power, he is the weakest here. Even the ones such as Yan Mo and Yi Da are stronger than he is, not to mention those loose immortals and loose devils.

  As the weakest, if he chooses the Road of Death, the probability of him dying will be extremely high for sure.

  “Humph, Road of Death.” Dame Yan Yi gives a cold laugh in her heart. “I’m the most powerful in here. If even I can’t make it through the Road of Death alive, nobody else can. Staying in the Peach Blossom Land like a turtle? When there’s a chance to obtain such a treasure, of course I’ll grab it.”

  However, Immortal Emperor Ni Yang continues talking.

  “This long and winding lane only allows going left and going right. You can’t afford to step into the mist no matter what. Whoever sets foot in the mist will definitely die. Even if you’re a 12th tribulation loose immortal, don’t even think about surviving it!” He says very firmly.

  Looking at the boundless mist on both sides of the long and winding lane, Qin Yu is secretly frightened.

  Nobody doubts Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s words.

  A level-8 mystic immortal is countless time more powerful than golden immortals. A 12th tribulation loose immortal is tough but they are simply not worth mentioning in front of a level-8 mystic immortal. When Immortal Emperor Ni Yang already said so, that means whoever enters the mist will absolutely die.

  “There’s no danger on this long and winding lane. You can now go to take a look at the Peach Blossom Land, and the Road of Death as well. Not far from you on the left side of the lane, there is a stone stele which reads ‘Peach Blossom Land’. Right behind it is the Peach Blossom Land. Likewise, if you go right along the long and winding lane, you’ll soon see a stone stele which says ‘Road of Death’. Don’t go past it. You can stay beside the stone stele to observe the dangers of the Road of Death. Don’t rush your decision.” Immortal Emperor Ni Yang even gives everybody a chance to look at the 2 places.

  “This long and winding lane only exists for 2 hours. After that, it will disappear. So … within 2 hours, you’ll have to choose whether to live peacefully in the Peach Blossom Land or to step into the danger-riddled Road of Death to contend for the treasure.”

  “Moreover, each of you has a different long and winding lane. Before the lanes disappear, you can only see yourself and not the others.”

  ……

  After hearing these words, everybody immediately starts to run extremely fast.

  The long and winding lane will exist for 2 hours, which is the time for them to make their decisions.

  Because there is a chance to go and look at both places, Qin Yu certainly runs towards the Peach Blossom Land first. Fusing his golden stellar energy with his body, he runs left at his top speed like a beam of light.

  After an amount of time needed to drink a cup of tea, he sees a stone stele which says ‘Peach Blossom Land’.

  Behind this stone stele is a vast prairie. There is a lake which is exceptionally clear like a mirror in the prairie. By the side of the lake, there are various pavilions, terraces, towers and corridors … There are also all kinds of animals on the prairie.

  “Where’s Li’er? Everybody’s got a different long and winding lane, but the Peach Blossom Land should be unique. Where is she?” He runs to this place hoping to see Li’er. However, his hope seems to have come to nothing.

  “Ha-ha, don’t hope too much. You can’t see each other within these 2 hours. Only after that will you be able to see each other. Either the Peach Blossom Land or the Road of Death, quickly make your decisions.”

  Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s voice rises in the air again. It seems he was able to guess everybody’s reaction long ago.

  Qin Yu turns around and rushes straight towards the Road of Death.

  Extremely fast!

  There are only 2 hours so he cannot waste a single minute. This time, only after a period needed to drink 2 cups of tea does Qin Yu see a stone stele which reads ‘Road of Death’ beside the long and winding lane. Now he already knows why the Road of Death has this name.

  “Good Heavens, this, this is certain death!” Qin Yu is shocked when he sees this Road of Death.

  Behind the stone stele, there is a vast river. The ‘water’ of this river is a liquid similar to lava. Various purple flames are shooting up from inside the river, dyeing the sky red. And various thunderbolts are striking down from the sky.

  Thunderbolts, heavenly flames, one leaping into the sky from down below and one strik
ing down from high above, there are thousands upon thousands of them!

  Above the river, there is a small road which is half a meter wide and looks like a long bridge. This small road is none other than the Road of Death.

  Various heavenly flames are rushing towards the small road and countless thunderbolts are bombarding it.

  “Juniors, don’t think you can rely on high speeds to get through. When you set foot in the Road of Death, you’ll find it hard to step as if your bodies are being pressed down by a great mountain. Don’t think that you’re powerful. The more powerful you are, the more pressure you are under. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the Jindan stage or the 12th tribulation stage, your movements will be as slow as a black tortoise on these bridges. These flames are heavenly flames and those thunderbolts are extraordinarily powerful too. Of course, I won’t let all of you die. Perhaps only 9 out of 10 people who enter the Road of Death will die … ha-ha. Whether to go into the Peach Blossom Land or to walk the Road of Death, choose carefully.”

  Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s complacent voice resounds above the entire river of heavenly flames.

  That river is boiling unceasingly and heavenly flames keep spurting from it. Their temperatures are so high that they can even melt people.

  However, when Dame Yan Ji, the 3 experts from the dragon clan, Qin Yu and the others hear what Immortal Emperor Ni Yang says and see the situation in the Road of Death before them, their hearts freeze.

  NOTE:

  In Chinese, ‘Peach Blossom Land’ is a figure of speech for a paradise or a promised land.

  Chapter 15: Road of Death

  Thunderbolts are striking down from all over the sky above the Road of Death. Heavenly flames and lava are flowing. Countless heavenly flames are leaping into the air. In addition to the thunderbolts and blazing heavenly flames, there is also the glowing thick red mist caused by the extreme heat above that river.

  That Road of Death, which is merely about half a meter wide, is the only thing connecting the 2 shores of this river of heavenly flames and lava.

  “The heavenly flame, even standard immortals don’t dare to touch it rashly.” Qin Yu is scared in his heart.

  Flames have different colors depending on their strength. Qin Yu’s Stellar Flame is only deep blue approaching purple. The heavenly flame is purple so it is very powerful, to the extent that not even standard immortals dare to resist it with their physical bodies lightly.

  Each of the thunderbolts is blue and more powerful than the most terrifying bolt of Qin Yu’s 6-in-9 Heavenly Tribulation, the 6th bolt. He believes that he will lose his life if his body is hit by just one of those thunderbolts.

  “Immortal Emperor Ni Yang is unexpectedly putting on such a big show. Could it be he really takes pleasure in massacring?” Qin Yu’s heart is full of anger. “If the heavenly flame is spouted on me, given my power, my body will surely be reduced to ashes. And those thunderbolts, at that time the last bolt of my 6-in-9 Heavenly Tribulation was so hard to overcome, but judging from their color, those thunderbolts should be even more terrifying than that last bolt …”

  He simply does not know what to say.

  He still remembers that Immortal Emperor Ni Yang said the Peach Blossom Land is exceptionally safe, however, if he comes into that place, he will only be able to leave it by achieving ascension.

  “Can I live my life in the Peach Blossom Land until I overcome the 9-from-9th Heaven Tribulation and ascend to the immortal world?” Even though Qin Yu fears the dangers of the Road of Death, he also thinks of his relatives, his father Qin De, his 2 elder brothers, grim and constantly hard-working Xiao Hei, carefree Hou Fei and … that pretty figure at the bottom of his heart.

  Can he abandon them?

  “Road of Death.” The look in his eyes is cold. Suddenly he gives a smile of self-derision. “Perhaps I’m the weakest of those who will take the Road of Death. The only thing I can rely on is the Meteoric Tear.”

  Right afterwards, he goes past that ‘Road of Death’ stone stele and sits down with legs crossed on this bank of the river, preparing to start taking the Road of Death.

  ……

  “Heavenly flames and blue thunderbolts that can only be seen in 9-from-9th Heaven Tribulations …” At the moment Dame Yan Ji is also feeling bitter in her heart.

  Even if she had not lost any power and was still as strong as she had been in the beginning, she would not dare to resist these heavenly flames and blue thunderbolts lightly. After all, as a 4th tribulation loose devil, she is equal to a level-1 standard devil so she can withstand a couple heavenly flame attacks or several thunderbolts at most.

  But Dame Yan Ji is currently badly injured. While fighting Old Taoist Gan Xu, she was hit by joint sneak attacks which Reverend Shui Rou and Reverend Yue Yan performed through formations and even more than half of her physical body was damaged. In the end, she went all out to execute the Devil’s Bloody Clouds. Despite having suffered so much damage, she was then sneakily attacked by 3 late Dujie-stage azure dragons joining forces.

  “A treasure over 10 times more precious than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion.” Her eyes flash with a hint of fierceness. “No matter what happens, this is the only hope for me to become a top-class figure among loose devils. Wealth and honor must be sought in dangers. I’d rather die than become a lowly loose devil.”

  Dame Yan Ji looks towards the Peach Blossom Land and gives a cold laugh: “Even if I stayed in this Peach Blossom Land, the loose devil heavenly tribulations will become more and more powerful. If I were alone in there, there’s no telling whether I’d pass all the tribulations to achieve ascension. It’s better to charge forwards fighting for the only chance to rise than to waste time in there.”

  Going all out!

  She immediately sits down with legs crossed and begins to take pills to regain her power. Her injuries are really too serious. Any bit of power restored can increase her chance of surviving a little.

  ……

  When Yan Mo sees those towering purple heavenly flames and various blue thunderbolts, his pupils cannot help but contract slightly.

  Life? Death?

  He has experienced nobody knows how many life-or-death situations fighting in the Wilderness so naturally he does not fear death. If he did, how could he have disobeyed the dragon clan’s top echelons and abandoned a life with backing to defect from the dragon clan to the Wilderness to struggle for survival?

  “Chance!”

  His eyes flashing with a cold light, Yan Mo goes straight past the ‘Road of Death’ stone stele without hesitation. He then immediately sits still with legs crossed firmly on the safe bank of the river, quietly waiting for the time to walk the Road of Death to come.

  ……

  Facing all of these things, everybody makes their own decision. The terrors of the Road of Death cause them to be faced with a life-or-death choice. Some choose to enter the Road of Death while the others choose to live peacefully in the Peach Blossom Land.

  Take the 3 late Dujie-stage experts of the dragon clan for example.

  Achieving ascension is the only way to leave the Peach Blossom Land, but Yan Lanshan and his 2 brothers are already at the late Dujie stage, only a step away from reaching the Dacheng stage, so they will only have to stay in the Peach Blossom Land for a short time until they reach the Dacheng stage and ascend.

  ……

  “2 hours has passed. Congratulations on choosing the Road of Death, ha-ha …” Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s voice rises in the air.

  All those who have chosen to come into the Road of Death open their eyes. By now, the long and winding lanes connecting the Road of Death with the Peach Blossom Land have already disappeared. There is only a boundless thick mist behind them. Now they cannot even regret their decisions.

  “Congratulations?” Dame Yan Ji gives a cold laugh.

  “This Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s character can’t be judged using common sense.” Qin Yu gives a frustrated smile. From what has happened since
they stepped into the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion, everybody knows how ‘wicked’ Immortal Emperor Ni Yang is. They have chosen the Road of Death, yet he congratulates them. It is very obvious he is mocking them.

  “Just now I said that only one out of 10 individuals who step into the Road of Death could survive. Actually … this isn’t absolute.” Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s tone is genial at the moment. “That’s merely a general probability. It’s possible that 1 or 2 more of you will survive.”

  “Of course, it’s also possible that none of you will survive.”

  His voice sounds totally unconcerned.

  Everybody’s heart gets a shock.