Chapter 606: How Do You Use the Six Paths Seal?
When Jiang Li and Yu Yin found Immortal Elder Changcun, the elder was lying in a rocking chair, craning his neck to read a book while gently swaying back and forth.
Jiang Li felt the immortal elder had officially entered his retirement life.
“Immortal Elder, we’re back.”
“Where’s Hongtu?” Immortal Elder Changcun noticed one person was missing from the trio.
“He got lost and is trapped in some ancient tomb, unable to get out.”
“Is that so? Is he in any life danger?” The immortal elder was still somewhat concerned about this disciple-grandson.
“He won’t die.”
“That’s fine then.” The immortal elder’s concern for his disciple-grandson had its limits.
Back when Bai Hongtu was still a junior cultivator, he had already displayed extraordinary talent. The senior elders of the Dao Sect plus Immortal Elder Changcun had discussed together and decided there was no need to strictly discipline Bai Hongtu—letting him grow freely was sufficient.
Therefore, the attitude of the Dao Sect’s senior generation toward Bai Hongtu was simply that as long as he didn’t die, it was acceptable.
“This time we made another major discovery, but we also have some questions and would like to hear your perspective, Immortal Elder.”
Jiang Li activated his divine ability, recreating the thirty-six Black Tide phenomena they had witnessed in the Monitoring Room.
“So that’s how the Venerable Shenzang Statue got damaged, leaving only half remaining.”
“No mistake about it—the thirty-fourth encounter was definitely with the Immortal Realm. That should have been the eastern part of the Immortal Realm, guarded by the True Dragon clan.”
The immortal elder had sharp eyes; just from the external view, he could determine which part of the Immortal Realm it was.
“As for this Black Tide you mentioned, I don’t know much about it. The Immortal Realm doesn’t have extensive records on it either. I encountered it once in the Nine Provinces—eighteen thousand years ago, while I was strolling through the cosmos, I came across a small black dot that suddenly appeared and then suddenly vanished, completely random.”
“Similar records I can recall probably only number about ten instances.”
“For example, one hundred thousand years ago, Immortal Lord Kongming was traveling through the void when he encountered a black spherical object about the size of a fist. Before Immortal Lord Kongming could get a clear look, the black spherical object disappeared. This incident was recorded in the immortal lord’s travelogue.”
“Also, one hundred forty thousand years ago, the Cloth Bag Arhat lent his cloth bag to a friend. When the friend returned it, he said the bag had a hole in it, pierced by a small black dot. The Cloth Bag Arhat didn’t believe him, thinking his friend was lying and must have torn the bag during a battle. The two consequently fell out over this. Most immortals also believed the friend was lying.”
“Then one hundred seventy thousand years ago…”
“Two hundred ten thousand years ago…”
Immortal Elder Changcun recounted these tales as if listing family treasures, casually reciting legends recorded in ancient texts—a kind of special skill in itself.
“These legends and stories are scattered piecemeal throughout immortal manuscripts—no one would notice the connections between them. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have realized these were all the same phenomenon.”
“And even if you could string them together, you still couldn’t discern any pattern. Notice how these records about the Black Tide are extremely fragmented—they don’t even describe the process of its appearance.”
“It’s rather laughable when you think about it. The Immortal Realm’s history stretches back to untraceable antiquity, yet regarding the Black Tide phenomenon, it knows less than a civilization that has only existed for ten thousand years.”
“The Observer World—this is a truly remarkable civilization.”
“The Black Tide is likely what the Immortal Realm must confront.”
“When the Celestial Ascension Ladder still existed, the Immortal Realm used it to form a celestial net—no movement could escape the Heavenly Dao’s perception. Therefore, the Heavenly Dao understood the patterns of the Black Tide better than anyone. Others might not know, but the Heavenly Dao certainly did.”
“That’s about all I know regarding this matter.”
The immortal elder suddenly remembered something and said, “Oh right, can’t you go to the Underworld? Perhaps Houtu Huangqi knows something—after all, she is a Primordial Chaos and Limitless Immortal.”
“That’s true.” Jiang Li opened his palm, revealing the mark given to him by Houtu Huangqi called the Six Paths Seal, which allowed him to go directly to the Underworld without feigning death.
“But how do you use this thing?”
Jiang Li widened his tiger-like eyes, his body radiating sacred golden light as he let out a loud shout and thrust out his palm forcefully.
“Six Paths Seal!”
Yet nothing happened.
Immortal Elder Changcun and Yu Yin blinked, thinking Jiang Li had probably contracted some serious ailment from Bai Hongtu.
…
Underworld.
Houtu Huangqi was unusually working, offering encouragement to several Yama Kings, urging them to work hard and not disappoint their leader’s heavy trust.
Suddenly, the Six Paths Seal between Houtu Huangqi’s eyebrows flashed, followed by an inexplicably immense force transmitted through the Six Paths Seal that sent her flying.
King Qinguang was the first to react: “The Prefect has been assassinated! Something terrible might have happened! King Yama, you should become the next ruler of the Underworld! Remember, I’m the one who put you in position as Underworld ruler—from now on, whenever I request leave, you must approve it!”
King Yama looked at King Qinguang and whispered, “Qinguang, maybe you should look behind you?”
King Qinguang turned around and saw Houtu Huangqi standing there with a kindly smile, and Jiang Li standing obediently beside her.
After disciplining King Qinguang, Houtu Huangqi sighed at Jiang Li.
“The Six Paths Seal is my unique magical technique. Any power you channel into the Six Paths Seal, I can feel.”
“This is my fault—I didn’t tell you how to use the Six Paths Seal.”
“But your strike was really too painful.”
Houtu Huangqi touched the space between her eyebrows, still feeling lingering fear.
When she was struck by the Six Paths Seal, she immediately realized it was Jiang Li attempting to use the Six Paths Seal to come to the Underworld. Afraid Jiang Li might deliver another strike, she quickly brought him over.
“What did you need to see me about?”
Jiang Li recounted what they had witnessed in the Observer Civilization.
Houtu Huangqi’s expression turned serious. She took out the genuine Book of Life and Death, flipping through the death records of the Observer Civilization from six hundred years ago, her brow furrowing tightly.
“Indeed, after being devoured by this so-called Black Tide, those people couldn’t even reincarnate—their deaths aren’t recorded in the Book of Life and Death.”
Houtu Huangqi’s expression turned serious. She took out the genuine Book of Life and Death, flipping through the death records of the Observer Civilization from six hundred years ago, her brow furrowing tightly.
“But speaking of this, after Senior Dao Ancestor died, I repeatedly asked the Heavenly Dao about the reason for destroying worlds, but he was always evasive, unwilling to discuss details. Only once did he sigh and say perhaps the Heavenly Dao was right, that he was merely a hypocrite who couldn’t think of a solution yet didn’t want the Heavenly Dao to destroy worlds.”
“Regarding the Black Tide matter, Senior Dao Ancestor must have known about it, but for some reason, he wasn’t willing to tell me. Could it be he thought I would side with the Heavenly Dao?” Houtu Huangqi was puzzled, unable to figure it out.
Seeing that she couldn’t provide the answers he sought, Jiang Li prepared to leave after giving the imitation Book of Life and Death to Houtu Huangqi.
Houtu Huangqi hurriedly called out to stop Jiang Li.
“Wait.”
“What else?”
“Let me teach you the correct way to use the Six Paths Seal. Please don’t strike me with another palm.”
…
“Did you learn it?”
Jiang Li nodded, tentatively striking out with his palm, sending Houtu Huangqi flying backward.
“Let me try again.”
“Hold on, let me move the Six Paths Seal to a different location first.”
Houtu Huangqi moved the Six Paths Seal from between her eyebrows to her palm, so even if Jiang Li’s force transmitted through, it wouldn’t send her flying.
After several attempts, Jiang Li finally learned how to use the Six Paths Seal properly, and only then did Houtu Huangqi feel relieved enough to send him on his way.