Yinshan Record

Chapter 378 The Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man: Gifts of Flowers and Angelica
Despite its name, Niexiang Alley looks like a small town.

Most of the Nine Netherworld is surrounded by mountains as cold as iron, such as the path Su Che took from Wangxiangtai to this place, and the mountains surrounding Niexiang.

There are forbidden laws on them, making it impossible for people to climb or cross them, just as the Lord of Mount Tai, who created this place, clearly drew a boundary line.

This road is blocked.

Descending the mountain path, one can roughly discern the layout of Niexiang Alley. It presents a peculiar U-shape, with connecting corridors and walls everywhere, artificially dividing it into different alleyways.

Su Che didn't understand what purpose the Lord of Taishan had in setting up such a place, but now he had already stepped into this evil alley.

Nothing has changed.

The wind was still, and there seemed to be a faint smell of cooking fires in the air.

If it weren't for the extremely grim expressions on the faces of Śikṣānanda and Xue Baizhi, Su Che would have completely disregarded the ghost general's warning.

"Pooh."

Xue Baizhi suddenly bent over and spat out a mouthful of blood. Amidst the dripping crimson blood was a white spot, which was her milky white tooth.

Siksananda's figure was also slightly hunched, his eyes were dry, and he blinked frequently.

"This is……"

Su Che observed the changes in the two of them.

"The five signs of decay in the divine."

Siksananda looked ahead at the alley of evil, and now only wanted to turn back.

With each step forward, a spiritual practitioner moves closer to transcendence. Even without deliberate effort, they naturally possess characteristics such as eternal youth, fasting, and a pure body.

However, these innate special qualities will end with the progress of spiritual cultivation, or even turn into calamities, which is known as the five signs of decay of the gods and humans.

This is also the greatest curse upon spiritual practitioners.

The five signs of decay are further divided into the major five signs of decay and the minor five signs of decay. The major five signs of decay are the heavenly tribulations that a true immortal faces after attaining immortality, while the minor five signs of decay are the natural manifestations of a cultivator who has not yet attained immortality when their lifespan comes to an end.

The changes in Śikṣānanda and Xue Baizhi were undoubtedly signs of the minor signs of decay as their lifespans approached.

"The forbidden spells left here can manifest the five signs of decay in celestial beings."

Siksananda looked ahead, where the corpses of monsters lay scattered everywhere in the alley. However, these corpses were different from those he had just seen at the Looking-Home Terrace. They had no luster, their limbs were deformed, and they looked like hungry ghosts that had crawled out of the realm of hungry ghosts.

The demon corpses on the Wangxiang Terrace were all powerful demons who had achieved great success in their cultivation before their deaths, but the ones seen in Niexiang Alley were nothing more than withered dead beasts.

Clearly, their cultivation had been destroyed by the forbidden magic that stood in the alley before they died, and they perished under the five signs of decay.

"We still need to find the Mirror of Evil."

Su Che shook the iron plate in his hand.

"The senior gave me this thing, saying it could resist the forbidden spells here. You all stay here and don't move. I'm going to find the Mirror of Karma ahead."

"Wait a minute."

Xue Baizhi looked at Su Che and said, "I will go with you."

"But the fairy's current condition..."

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi.

"No need for you to worry, Uncle Liu, I'm fine."

"But after all..."

"I have my own way."

Xue Baizhi's answer was quite firm.

Su Che didn't know what to say.

Siksananda glanced at Xue Baizhi, then at Su Che, and said, "Then I'll just have to wait here for good news."

Xue Baizhi closed her eyes and chanted incantations. Points of pure energy condensed above her head, manifesting as a pure blue lotus flower with twelve petals, each petal bearing mysterious Taoist inscriptions.

"I never imagined that the fairy would actually master the protective divine power of the Tai Su Zhi Qing Fa Lian of Yu Yang Mountain."

Siksananda looked at Xue Baizhi's head with some envy. The Tai Su Zhi Qing Fa Lian was known as the number one protective secret technique of Yu Yang Mountain. Each petal of the lotus had the ability to replace death and prolong life. It could not be mastered without reaching the fourth rank of the Bu Xu realm. Unexpectedly, Xue Baizhi had actually mastered this secret technique at the Huan Dan realm, and could even grow twelve petals.

"It's just that a senior member of the sect is protecting him."

Xue Baizhi looked at the blue lotus on her head; the illusory image formed by the pure qi seemed to be swaying constantly under some external force.

It is not too late.

She glanced at Su Che beside her, never expecting that she would have to rely on this man surnamed Liu again this time.

"Uncle Liu, please."

Su Che gripped the iron plate tightly, the cold touch offering him some comfort, and he nodded.

The two entered the alley one after the other.

The corridors are littered with the corpses of dead beasts, including many that are half-human and half-beast, as well as many that are strange-looking ancient creatures. They lie on the ground as if they have fallen into a peaceful slumber.

"You have the Mirror Sea Flower on you."

Xue Baizhi looked at Su Che's retreating figure and whispered, "Is that right?"

"You knew all along?"

Su Che turned around and looked at Xue Baizhi behind him.

"This place must hold many secrets."

The female cultivator from Yuyang Mountain looked at the beast's body lying on the ground.

"Perhaps people outside shouldn't know what's underground."

"What the fairy means is..."

“Siksananda, and the Vajrayaksa King behind her have been watching the ancient underworld for a long time,” Xue Baizhi said to Su Che. “I don’t know if there are any other Buddhists watching this place besides the father and son. I don’t trust these Buddhists.”

Coincidentally, I don't trust them either.

Su Che nodded.

"So what the fairy means is..."

"Let her stay here," Xue Baizhi said to Su Che. "The ancient underworld shouldn't be disturbed. You heard that faint sound, didn't you?"

Su Che shook his head, feigning ignorance.

“Xuandu Palace is the number one in the Xuanmen sect, and Lingwei Yang is the legendary ancient Qing Emperor. No matter what happened here in the past, it is not something we should interfere with.”

Xue Baizhi's body trembled slightly, and a petal suddenly fell from the blue lotus on her head.

"These forbidden spells are still in effect, and those things are still functioning. What exactly is hidden deep inside?"

What's hidden?
Su Che shook his head; he didn't know the outcome either.

He took a Mirror Sea Flower from his sleeve and placed it in Xue Baizhi's hand.

"Take it safe."

Xue Baizhi looked at the flower in her palm and then at Su Che on the other side.

"you……"

I really like your attitude.

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi and said, "Linglong's thoughtfulness and attitude are both very good. So instead of waiting for us to outwit each other and fight for these Mirror Sea Flowers, I might as well just give them to you directly."

"Oh?"

Xue Baizhi looked at Su Che.

"You may have thought that the perfect ending would be for you to leave me and Siksananda here, return alone, and then kill those rioters outside."

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi and said, "But the Great River Alliance already knows, and the weather phenomenon emanating from this place cannot be concealed by human power. Fairy Xue, your ideas are good, but nothing will change."

“Human strength has its limits,” Su Che said. “Therefore, we should focus more on other things.”

(End of this chapter)