Chapter 208 - Immortal Dao Corruption

“Senior Brother[1], just a moment!”

The young girl composed herself and flew over to Venerable Cangyang’s side. Using sword qi as needles, she sealed his acupoints, then took out a small, exquisite mirror containing a sword gate[2].

The gate had an uncanny shape: a mountain cleaved in two, creating a central passage as though a giant had split the peak with a single, unstoppable strike.

Sword qi materialized at the gate's center within the mirror. Three streaks of sword qi shot out and pierced Venerable Cangyang, striking the Jade-Pillow at the back of his head, the Central Ridge along his spine, and his Tailbone, sealing his three Passes!

Xu Ying was visibly shaken. These Three Passes were the body's internal channels linking heaven and earth. Above the Jade Pillow was the ascension site within the human body; above the spine was the Twelve-Story Pagoda, where the Primordial Spirit was forged, and above the Tailbone rested the cauldron where water and fire refined the Golden Core!

The bone marrow fluid served as the body's inner Heavenly River, while the thirty-three vertebrae formed its Thirty-Three Heavenly Mountains.

The Three Passes guarded three critical junctures. Opening these Three Passes and climbing the Thirty-Three Heavenly Mountains was the path to ascension, the process of a mortal becoming an immortal!

The young girl used the sword gate’s sword qi to seal Venerable Cangyang’s Three Passes, turning an immortal back into a mortal and sealing his cultivation. Even if he possessed abilities that could reach the heavens, he couldn’t unleash any of his cultivation now.

Such a sealing technique was truly profound.

After sealing Venerable Cangyang, the young girl thanked Xu Ying. “Senior Brother, please withdraw your artifact.”

Xu Ying put away the Mountain River Bright Moon Pearls.

The young girl kept her mirror and raised her hand to brush the slightly disheveled hair at her temple. A golden bell hung at her fair wrist, chiming as she asked, “I am the current sect leader of the Mount Shu Sword Sect, Shi Yuqing. May I ask for your name, Senior Brother?”

Admiration flashed across Xu Ying’s face, and he said solemnly, “I am Xu Ying. You command an entire sect at such a young age, Miss Shi. That is truly impressive.”

Shi Yuqing smiled. “I am hardly young. I’m over three thousand years old! I am much older than you!”

Xu Ying exclaimed in surprise, “You look barely fourteen or fifteen, with a face so lovely that I took an instant liking to you. How could you be over three thousand years old?”

Shi Yuqing couldn't help stifling a soft laugh. “How old are you?”

Xu Ying replied, “Over twenty thousand years old.”

Shi Yuqing stared at him with wide eyes, then suddenly burst out laughing. “I really am over three thousand years old. I’m not lying. But let’s drop the subject. My story is so strange that no one ever believes me anyway.”

Xu Ying deeply empathized with her. “I saw some dead wandering spirits outside the Homeward Pavilion. Was that your doing, Miss Yuqing?”

Shi Yuqing possessed an exquisite appearance and a simple, elegant temperament like an orchid. “I saw them eating people outside, so I eliminated them. If you’re heading to the Bridge of Oblivion, why don’t you come with me? The Homeward Pavilion is fraught with dangers, and the layout is extremely complex.

“Even if I point you in the right direction, you’ll get lost again very soon. I see that you possess pretty decent skills. Join our Mount Shu Sword Sect! I’ll grant you the position of Venerable!”

Xu Ying looked around and saw the green fog still trailing behind him, maintaining an ominous, steady distance. The fog stirred a deep unease within him.

Under such conditions, losing his way could easily lead to fatal danger.

Xu Ying sidestepped her offer and asked, “When do you plan to go to the Bridge of Oblivion, Miss Yuqing?”

Shi Yuqing formed the sword-finger gesture, drew a strange rune rapidly in the air, and injected it into Venerable Cangyang’s glabella. “Wait a moment, Senior Brother. Allow me to check what exactly happened to Uncle-Master Cangyang.”

As the sword Dao rune entered him, Venerable Cangyang trembled, and his ethereal void manifested.

When Shi Yuqing entered his ethereal void, her heart stirred slightly. Looking back, she saw that Xu Ying had followed her in. “Uncle-Master Cangyang is someone of great resolve and wisdom. Only a truly terrifying force could corrupt his mind and body like this!”

Xu Ying examined carefully. Sticky, green slime covered the entire space. Even the Dao avatars were the same.

The two flew upward together, searching for Venerable Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit.

Venerable Cangyang’s ethereal void was perfectly intact. His Heavenly River and Heavenly Mountains ran in parallel, connecting each cultivation realm.

At the bottom of the Heavenly River was Tailbone Pass, which connected to the mountains and rivers of the ethereal void. Above them, Five Sacred Immortal Mountains hung in the sky, along with various Dao avatars.

Following the Heavenly River upward, layer by layer through the Heavenly Mountains, one would reach the site where water and fire cross-refined. True Fire of Samadhi formed a sea of fire, while the Divine Water of Samadhi formed a vast ocean, with the two making up the Taiji diagram.

A Qi Cultivator’s Golden Core passed through the Taiji diagram, entering the sea of fire and rising from the ocean.

Above it lay the second mystic gateway: the Central Ridge Pass. Beyond it was the Twelve-Story Pagoda, the birthplace of the Primordial Spirit.

Higher still lay the Jasper Pool and the Divine Bridge. One could see the sun and moon orbiting.

Arriving at the third mystic gateway, the Jade-Pillow Pass, and looking beyond, one could faintly make out an Other Shore glowing with immortal light, vague and hazy, as if that place was the Immortal Realm.

The journey to the Immortal Realm was the Ascension Stage.

However, Venerable Cangyang’s ethereal void was already corrupted. Green slime covered his Five Sacred Immortal Mountains, and the waters of the Heavenly River had turned foul.

The True Fire of Samadhi’s sea of fire and the Divine Water of Samadhi’s vast ocean had also become less pure.

“Even the True Fire and Divine Water of Samadhi have been corrupted!” Xu Ying was shocked and doubtful. The Homeward Pavilion’s corrupting power was truly terrifying. After all, the True Fire of Samadhi could burn everything, and the Divine Water of Samadhi could dissolve everything.

The divine water and fire could be used to refine the Golden Core and were the perfect tools for murder and cremating the corpses to get rid of any traces. They were almost impossible to corrupt!

Yet Venerable Cangyang had been corrupted, proving that an extremely bizarre power truly existed within the Homeward Pavilion, and nothing could remain unaffected!

Those who hid here hoping for immortality and indestructibility will probably not escape this disaster!

Xu Ying suddenly thought of Yuan Tiangang, a vague unease stirring inside. Yuan Tiangang is also hiding in the Homeward Pavilion. Has corruption claimed him too?

After searching around, the two found Venerable Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit in the Twelve-Story Pagoda.

Green slime and fibrous tendrils of flesh already entangled the Twelve-Story Pagoda. His Primordial Spirit dwelt within, mutated and distorted.

Thick strands of green flesh sprouted from the pagoda like tentacles, impaling his Primordial Spirit and suspending it helpless between heaven and earth.

Stranger still, sword hilts replaced his eyes.

Two swords had stabbed into his eyes, leaving only their hilts visible.

His ears were also stabbed with swords, with only the hilts exposed.

The sides of his nose were closed shut, with no nostrils.

The same was true of his mouth. His upper and lower lips had completely fused.

A precious sword hung suspended above his head, with its tip pointing downward. Corrosion stained its edge, and green flesh wrapped around the steel pointing at the spirit’s crown.

Shi Yuqing tried to approach, but blinding radiance suddenly erupted from the sword. The glow swept away all the green flesh on the blade, and streaks of sword light shot toward Shi Yuqing!

A bright moon appeared behind her. Sword light surged and shot out from it.

Only then did Xu Ying realize that the moon was also an artifact, though its form was quite different from ordinary artifacts. The moon contained vast sword qi and sword intent, making it extremely formidable!

Shi Yuqing controlled streaks of sword qi to block the sword's strikes as she charged in. However, that sword was Venerable Cangyang’s artifact. Before sealing himself, he had left extremely powerful restrictions in place. If anyone tried to invade, the sword would attack automatically!

Instead of penetrating the pagoda, Shi Yuqing found herself trapped in grave danger!

Just then, the sword qi around her surged violently. Wielding sword qi of his own, Xu Ying unleashed the Thirteen Techniques of Heaven's Sword. His sword qi moved freely yet domineeringly, coordinating with her flawlessly and blocking every streak of sword qi within the pagoda!

Shi Yuqing was both surprised and delighted. She glanced at the youth beside her. Did our sect’s ancestors send him to aid me?

Working together, the two finally charged into the first floor of the Twelve-Story Pagoda!

Xu Ying summoned a Mountain River Bright Moon Pearl to stabilize the first floor, then charged into the second floor with Shi Yuqing.

Although it was their first time joining forces, they moved in sync as if they had trained together for decades. The moment their sword qi met, their sword intent surged, and their power increased drastically. They carved through the forces with effortless grace, shattering incoming attacks and purging the grotesque flesh in their path!

Strangely enough, the flesh would regrow endlessly after being shattered!

Xu Ying left the Mountain River Pearls behind one by one to stabilize each floor, and finally reached the top.

Shi Yuqing hurried forward. Seeing Venerable Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit, which stood over four zhang tall, her heart trembled. “Uncle-Master Cangyang, who hurt you this badly?”

She channeled her sword qi to sever the strange flesh that had pierced Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit.

However, the flesh didn’t remain severed; it reconnected moments after she severed it and pierced the spirit again!

Xu Ying summoned the other Bright Moon Pearls to suppress Venerable Cangyang’s rusty sword. “Yuqing, I don’t think someone injured him. It seems self-inflicted.”

Puzzled, Shi Yuqing’s gaze fell on his face.

Xu Ying floated upward to examine the two precious swords stabbed into the eyes of Venerable Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit. “He destroyed his eyes to rob himself of vision. He’s worried that if he saw something, his Primordial Spirit would be controlled or corrupted.”

Shi Yuqing floated over to Venerable Cangyang’s ears. “You mean, he destroyed his ears to prevent himself from listening to a sound that could corrupt his Primordial Spirit?”

Xu Ying nodded lightly. “He sealed his mouth and nose so he couldn’t smell or taste, worried that some external thing would corrupt him.”

Shi Yuqing flew above Venerable Cangyang’s head. Looking at the precious sword, she asked, “Then, what does this sword mean?”

Xu Ying landed beside her and examined the suppressed sword closely. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He began to retrieve the Mountain River Bright Moon Pearls one by one.

He retrieved them slowly, testing each one.

As the suppression weakened, the rusted sword began to sink, slowly reaching the crown of Venerable Cangyang’s head!

Shi Yuqing cried out in shock and hurriedly grabbed the rusted sword.

“This sword is his final struggle. To end his own life,” said Xu Ying.

Xu Ying activated the Bright Moon Pearls once more to suppress the rusty sword. “He feared total corruption, so he left this sword to slay his Primordial Spirit before he lost control and unleashed a catastrophe!”

Shi Yuqing’s heart pounded as she listened. She murmured, “What exactly did Uncle-Master Cangyang go through? Why would he do this to himself?”

Xu Ying’s heart stirred slightly. “He’s sealing himself. We only need to cut his mouth open, making it possible for him to speak, and we’ll know what he went through!”

Shi Yuqing calmed down and replied, “Uncle-Master Cangyang sealed himself away precisely to prevent himself from being corrupted. Slicing his mouth open could unleash the corruption and destroy him.”

Xu Ying nodded slightly. “You have a point. So, should we cut open his mouth?”

The two exchanged a glance.

Shi Yuqing raised her hand and took out an iron sword from the Bright Moon Wheel behind her. “I’ll do it myself. Even if something happens, it’ll have nothing to do with you.”

Swinging her iron sword lightly, she drew a thin line across Venerable Cangyang’s blank mouth.

Shi Yuqing stepped back, staring at Venerable Cangyang nervously.

Venerable Cangyang’s Primordial Spirit slowly opened his mouth. A strange, mysterious, and cryptic sound came from it. At first, they felt nothing, but after hearing a few sentences, she felt warmth in her nostrils. She raised her hand to touch it, and it was covered in blood.

Her eyes suddenly turned blood-red, and two trails of blood tears rolled down!

Her ears also buzzed as blood flowed nonstop!

Startled, Shi Yuqing raised her hand to seal Venerable Cangyang’s mouth, but the primordial qi, divine sense, and even Dao avatars inside her had all gone out of control!

Just then, Venerable Cangyang’s voice stopped abruptly as his mouth closed once more.

As if a heavy weight had been lifted from her, Shi Yuqing sweated profusely and panted for air. She exclaimed in shock, “His Primordial Spirit is already corrupted! Uncle-Master Cangyang wasn’t sealing himself, but sealing the corruption within his spirit to prevent even greater corruption!

Xu Ying’s expression turned grave as he said, “He’s been afflicted with Immortal Dao corruption.”

Shi Yuqing was stunned for a moment. She turned to look at him and asked, “Immortal Dao corruption?”

Only then did she realize that Xu Ying wasn’t bleeding from his seven orifices at all. While the Immortal Dao chant had overwhelmed her defenses and shattered her control over her Dao arts and divine abilities, Xu Ying stood completely unfazed!

Xu Ying explained, “When ordinary people hear the Heavenly Dao, they lose their minds because they cannot understand it. Where the Heavenly Dao corrupts, the masses plunge into madness and kill one another. The Immortal Dao cuts even deeper. Neither common folk nor supreme Qi Cultivators can comprehend or decipher its voice.”

With a grave expression, he flew outside and scanned his surroundings. “There must be Immortal Dao corruption in the depths of the Homeward Pavilion. It affects this entire domain, driving the hidden masters into horrific monstrosities!”

Shi Yuqing flew out after him, floating in front of the bright moon. “Why aren’t you affected by the Immortal Dao corruption?”

“I’ve heard Immortal Dao sound before.”

Xu Ying pondered for a moment, then continued, “Perhaps repeated exposure made me numb to its effects.”

Shi Yuqing smiled. “Join our sword sect, and I’ll grant you the position of elder. How about it?”

Xu Ying shook his head.

Shi Yuqing tried to tempt him. “The position of elder is second only to the sect leader. How impressive would it be if you carry the title of the sword sect’s elder? Why don’t you consider it?”

Xu Ying sneered coldly, “You’re the only one in the Mount Shu Sword Sect. If I become the sect’s elder, I’ll be second-in-command, right under you! You just want someone to order around!”

Shi Yuqing jumped in fright. “How did you know?”

Her eyes darted around, and she smiled. “How about I grant you the title of supreme elder, so you’ll be above me?”

Xu Ying was tempted. “In that case, it’s not entirely out of the question...”

Shi Yuqing cheered inside. Hook, line, and sinker! Once you become supreme elder, you cannot turn a blind eye when our sect faces trouble. I will still work you like a slave!

1. Even if not from the same sect, people from the Jianghu can still address others as senior/junior brother/sister as recognition of them being peers. ☜

2. Possibly referring to the historical pass 剑门关(jianmen pass/sword gate pass) in Sichuan. In other cases, 剑门 typically refers to a sword sect. Also, image for reference: https://pic.cyol.com/img/20250117/img_9601a7b7a53747c898bc7f87294a4eacb3b0.jpeg ☜