Those in the Spirit Condensation Realm lived for five hundred years; once they reached the Origin Return Realm, their lifespan stretched to three thousand.
After the Origin Return Realm, one still had to see through the illusory nature of life and death before truly escaping the limits of lifespan.
Once they had seen through the illusory nature of life and death, they no longer had to worry about their lifespan. As long as they did not meet with disaster, they were truly free and unfettered.
Among the Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators of Biyun Heavenly Palace, True Person Mingyun was exceptionally powerful and had a long lifespan. That gave him free rein to do as he pleased in many matters.
Even the Sect Master of Biyun Heavenly Palace turned a blind eye to True Person Mingyun's actions.
The others in Biyun Heavenly Palace were even less inclined to meddle and incur the wrath of a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator with such a promising Dao Path.
At that moment, True Person Mingyun sat in the hall, holding a handful of Spirit Pills. Several Luan Birds danced around him, snatching the pills from his hand and swallowing them.
After swallowing the Spirit Pills, the Luan Birds' feathers grew even more beautiful and vibrant.
Just then, a Colorful Feather Luan Bird flew over, letting out a clear, melodious cry.
"Caiyi, it's you. Didn't I send you to gather Seven-Colored Cloud Qi? Why have you returned?"
True Person Mingyun waved away the other Luan Birds and gave the remaining Spirit Pills in his hand to Caiyi to swallow.
Caiyi remained in her Luan Bird form. After swallowing the Spirit Pills and refining them, she felt her magical power grow a little purer.
A thought crossed her mind. Her voice was clear, tinged with a hint of weakness, as she said, "Reporting to you, True Person, Caiyi was bullied while out. The disciple under my care was killed, and the culprit fled into the territory of the Myriad Laws Sect. I didn't dare go looking for him."
"Caiyi is truly wretched, and has brought shame upon you, True Person."
"Fortunately, I discovered that the Myriad Laws Sect had withdrawn to the Sea Domain but left hidden contingencies behind. I returned especially to inform you, True Person!"
True Person Mingyun wore an amused expression. "Oh? The Myriad Laws Sect left more than one contingency behind. You deserve credit for uncovering a clue!"
"The Myriad Laws Sect's abandonment of Cangmang and complete withdrawal into the Sea Domain had been decided long ago."
"Go ahead and remove the contingencies they left behind. It won't cause any trouble."
"If you do a good job, I'll allow you to take human form and walk around the hall!"
Fairy Caiyi was beside herself with excitement. "Thank you, True Person. But Caiyi's cultivation is shallow. I'm afraid I might fail to remove the contingencies left by the Myriad Laws Sect. It wouldn't matter if I died, but if I delayed matters for you and Biyun Heavenly Palace, even a thousand deaths wouldn't absolve me!"
True Person Mingyun smiled. "So you came hurrying back because you wanted a reward."
"Take this Cloud Pattern Pill. It'll let you cultivate another Supernatural Ability."
"Next time you come, the cloud patterns on your colorful tail will make it even prettier!"
True Person Mingyun tossed over the Cloud Pattern Pill, and Caiyi quickly caught it in her beak.
When she looked up again, True Person Mingyun had already vanished.
Fairy Caiyi had come here precisely to get some benefits from True Person Mingyun.
Now that she had achieved her goal, she did not linger. She flew out of Mingxia Hall, her colorful tail trailing a seven-hued rosy cloud, a truly lovely sight.
Only after passing through the Heavenly Gate did Fairy Caiyi dare to take human form. Without looking back, she plunged into the layer of blue clouds and departed.
After descending from the divine mountain through the blue clouds, Fairy Caiyi suddenly felt a stirring in her heart. She closed her eyes and sensed for a moment, then said coldly, "You wretched thief! The murderer who killed my disciple has finally left Cangmang Mountain and revealed his whereabouts!"
Chen Ming had dispelled the Mountain God Yellow Scroll, leaving his aura unmasked. When he emerged from Cangmang Mountain, he had been detected by the talisman Fairy Caiyi had left behind.
Fairy Caiyi should have been able to sense Chen Ming as soon as he left Cangmang Mountain.
But by then, Fairy Caiyi had already reached Biyun Heavenly Palace, where the connection had been cut off. Only after descending from the divine mountain did the talisman's signal finally reach her, alerting her to the news.
Fairy Caiyi calculated Chen Ming's location, mounted her Colorful Feather Luan Bird, and headed for Beichen Mountain.
On Beichen Mountain.
A bright yellow radiance and a faint wisp of mist descended. They were Chen Ming and Blue Lotus Monk.
Blue Lotus Monk suddenly stopped and said, "Fellow Daoist, wait while I change my appearance."
With that, he took out a leather covering and slipped it over himself, transforming into a strange-looking Daoist.
Chen Ming smiled at the sight, understanding that Blue Lotus Monk did not want anyone to learn of his ties to Lotus Temple.
The two arrived on Beichen Mountain. Before long, several Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators of the Heretical Path came over.
The auras of these Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators were similar. They had likely cultivated one or two Supernatural Abilities.
If Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators were ranked by strength, these would count as early-stage cultivators.
A few more arrived one after another, all cultivators of the Contemplation Realm.
The Contemplation Realm cultivators gathered together and did not approach the Spirit Condensation Realm group.
Including Chen Ming and Blue Lotus Monk, there were eight Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators in all.
One of them was a hunched old woman with white hair and deeply wrinkled skin, leaning on a cane.
She stepped forward and said, "The secret realm is dangerous. Would anyone be willing to give me the Secret Token in their possession? I'll trade you a stalk of Spirit Grass for it!"
She was speaking to the several Contemplation Realm cultivators.
The Secret Token served as a pass into the secret realm. When the secret realm closed, holding one while leaving made it less likely that a person would lose their way.
But each Secret Token could be used by only one person.
After the old woman with white hair and deeply wrinkled skin finished speaking, no one answered.
"You old hag, what a fine scheme! Who'd trade their own chance for your worthless Spirit Grass?"
"There are only so many Secret Tokens. You're trying to snatch someone else's opportunity and hand it to your own disciple!"
The speaker was another Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator, a burly man with a Giant Axe on his back and a savage air about him. He sneered at her.
The old woman's face immediately darkened.
"This old woman has little time left. I'm only trying to make some arrangements for my disciples. Are you determined to oppose me?"
The old woman lightly tapped her cane against the ground. Nine giant pythons appeared, straightening their bodies and opening their enormous jaws. Droplets of venom fell from their mouths, sizzling on the ground.
The man with the Giant Axe on his back was called Mountain Splitting Ghost Axe. When he saw the pythons, he seemed to recognize the old woman as Lady Ling Snake, whose name had been famous for a long time.
Although he had lost some face, Mountain Splitting Ghost Axe did not want to cross a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator like Lady Ling Snake, whose lifespan was nearly spent. He fell silent.
"Another bully who picks on the weak!"
Lady Ling Snake spat, then withdrew her Supernatural Ability.
Mountain Splitting Ghost Axe's face flushed red, but he did not dare speak. It seemed he really was all bluster.
The several Contemplation Realm cultivators had no choice but to hand over their Secret Tokens to Lady Ling Snake.
Only then did Lady Ling Snake's expression soften. She took out the Spirit Grass and said, "This old woman acted rather overbearingly, but I had no choice. It's true that the secret realm holds dangers for you.
"These Spirit Grass can make up for some of your losses. I'll also owe each of you a favor!
"If you ever need anything, come find me at my home on Ling Snake Mountain!"
Lady Ling Snake did not merely make an empty promise. She conjured a talisman that could lead them to Ling Snake Mountain.
If they encountered danger, they could crush the talisman. It would conjure a python that would take them to Ling Snake Mountain.
For Contemplation Realm cultivators, it was also a life-saving talisman.
With Lady Ling Snake's combination of firmness and gentleness, she dispelled the several Contemplation Realm cultivators' hostility in an instant.
Instead, they felt grateful to her.
They thought Lady Ling Snake had been considerate. As a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator, she had not used her strength to bully them; she had offered ample compensation and made sure they did not suffer a loss.
Chen Ming was left clicking his tongue in amazement. He had not expected Lady Ling Snake to be so thorough in everything she did. Despite her strength and talent, she remained trapped in the Spirit Condensation Realm, her lifespan nearly exhausted, and had to toil to make plans for her disciples.
After the Contemplation Realm cultivators left, Lady Ling Snake handed the Secret Tokens to the disciples behind her, then turned to the Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators present and said:
"Alas, I've made a laughingstock of myself before you all, fellow Daoists. This old woman truly had no other choice."
Before you continue