Dao of the....

(TN: I finished the 2nd volume so i will speedup the releases until the second volume has been published enjoy xD)

Riding the wind, Liu Ping skillfully controlled his descent, weaving through the smoke, gravel, fire, and falling debris from shattered buildings, all the while trying to keep his figure hidden behind the wreckage.

—Run!

Only fools would try to fight this monster!

But there was an important issue here.

When the worlds overlap, the "Spreading Death" effect is activated. Once you leave Dark Mist Town, you enter the World of Death. If you get lost, there is no coming back.

That's right!

Liu Ping suddenly remembered something. He reached into his storage bag, pulled out a card, and held it in his hand.

The card showed a figure in a spacesuit standing on a lonely planet, holding a direction marker that pointed directly to the location of Dark Mist Town.

—"Emergency Signpost Card"!

This card had been given to him by the bartender, as a token of thanks for his role in turning the tide in the world of death during their last encounter.

With this card, Liu Ping could temporarily avoid the Skyfall and monsters around here.

Liu Ping pressed forward, his determination steeled by the desperate circumstances. He muttered to himself, 'Wait for the three hours to end, and then I'll return'

He landed softly on the ground, holding his bamboo hat steady with one hand, and with the other, he placed it on the formation plate. His mind focused, he activated the breath restraining technique, using every bit of his power to suppress his presence.

He pushed himself towards the black wilderness outside Dark Mist Town, the urgency of the moment fueling his every step.

Suddenly, a deep, resonating hum vibrated through the air, shaking the entire field from behind him.

"Dance to your heart's content, flame! I command you to burn everything!"

The hum was followed by the blinding light of destruction, ripping through the darkness and sending shockwaves through the land.

Flames surged, engulfing Dark Mist Town in an inferno, shooting up into the sky with an intensity that showed no sign of dissipating.

Amidst the flames, a massive, devil-like figure loomed, emitting thick smoke from its body, obscuring its true form. Its gaze was locked onto a particular spot, and two blazing streaks of fire shot from its eyes, targeting Archmage Karadur.

With a horrified scream, Karadur was struck, transforming into a writhing pillar of fire. In just a few breaths, he was reduced to nothing but ashes.

The monstrous voice echoed from above, filled with mocking disdain:

"O small and powerless beings, the pain of the Eternal Flame belongs to me!"

Liu Ping didn't need to look back to know that Dark MistTown was lost.

And it wasn't just Dark Mist Town that had fallen.

everyone is gone with it!

Liu Ping, his body tensed with urgency, plunged through the wilderness. He landed swiftly and began to sprint, drawing the Snow Shadow Blade with practiced precision. As he ran, he swung the blade repeatedly behind him, each slash a quick and fluid movement.

"Water of the Five Elements, talisman technique—Frost Shield!"

A brilliant, shimmering shield of ice materialized before him, its surface smooth and glistening. The frost carapace formed a protective barrier, blocking the erratic fire and burning remnants from Dark Mist Town that surged toward him.

The monstrous figure, looming in the distance, turned its gaze toward him. Its eyes glowed with flames, and in that moment, Liu Ping knew—' it's over'

But a chilling wave of realization hit him.

'No!'

A primal instinct surged, and with a burst of energy, he shouted, "No matter what you are, remember, this is your first time attending the performance!"

In an instant, burning lines of text appeared in the air before him, flickering like embers in the night:

[You activated Mystery: The One Who Debuts.]

[You designate the Ancient God in front of you as 'The One Who Debuts', assigning it to experience wrong performance evolutions.]

[Launch!]

The monster's eyes locked onto Liu Ping, the flames growing fiercer as if it was about to strike. But just before it could move, something unexpected happened.

It blinked.

The twin flames in its eyes collided against its eyelids, and a puff of light smoke rose from them. The creature stood still, its once-mighty posture faltering.

"Hu..."

The monster remained frozen in place, stunned by the unexpected mishap. It never anticipated such an event and was left motionless for a moment.

At that moment, a massive half-giant palace fell from the sky, crashing into the monster's back. The force of the impact made it shudder slightly.

"Who did that?" the monster growled, its voice heavy with confusion.

It looked up and saw a little girl descending from the sky. She had been the one to strike the palace down and hit the monster. Without a second thought, she flew away, but not before glancing at Liu Ping.

"You go ahead," she transmitted. "I'll escape right after."

In an instant, she vanished from sight.

The monster, which appeared to move through the Void, swiftly regained its composure and crawled toward the sky, soon disappearing.

Meanwhile, Liu Ping, realizing the danger, quickly turned and fled with all his might, leaving Dark Mist Town behind. He had no chance against that monster, but the girl's intervention gave him a brief window to escape.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked ahead. Whatever the girl's reason, he wouldn't forget the favor.

After running for a quarter of an hour, the sounds of destruction began to fade, and the flames and the remnants of Dark Mist Town grew distant and blurry. Liu Ping slowed down, eventually coming to a stop.

He looked back, his gaze piercing the sky, where the falling debris continued to intensify, resembling meteors lighting up the Evernight sky.

"Dark Mist Town... it's probably nothing but a burned wasteland by now" Liu Ping muttered.

He shifted his focus, scanning his surroundings. All he could see was a dense jungle. He was now far enough from the ruins of Dark Mist Town.

No need to run anymore. As long as he waited, once the three hours passed, he could return to Dark Mist Town safely and leave the World of Death.

Lines of burning characters appeared in the Void:

[You have entered a Hidden Plot.]

[Please note, you have entered a Hidden Plot.]

Liu Ping glanced at the notification and shook his head.

Dark Mist Town was destroyed, and there was no need to continue the charade. He no longer had to perform for the Cultivation World of the Dead.

With that, Liu Ping donned his bamboo hat, quickly changed into his Pervert Clothing, and found a secluded branch to stand under. He closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, focusing on his cultivation as he patiently awaited the passage of time.

Liu Ping had gradually entered a state of cultivation. To his surprise, his spirit power began to surge, expanding within his dantian. His foundation establishment reached an unexpected breakthrough, surpassing the late stage and advancing straight to the perfection stage.

Suddenly, a flash of light cut through the air from a distance, falling in the open area near the grove. A female figure appeared, looking around with a sense of urgency.

"Where are you hiding?" she muttered anxiously, scanning the surroundings.

Liu Ping's eyes snapped open in surprise.

Senior Sister Li! It was her!

Was she looking for him? Besides him, there was nothing unusual nearby.

Liu Ping casually drew out a strand of black hair, feeling a faint fluctuation of spirit power emanating from it. Item Seeking Secret Art. She was using it to find him!

For a moment, he hesitated but then decided to drop his disguise.

In an instant, Senior Sister Li sensed his presence. Her figure flashed and appeared right in front of him.

"So, you were here," she said, a smile lighting up her face.

"Are you looking for me?" Liu Ping asked, studying her. Her clothes were stained with blood, and her body cut and bruised. There was an exhausted look in her eyes.

"It's too dangerous everywhere right now. I'll take you to safety" she replied.

Liu Ping looked up at her, noticing a series of glowing small characters appearing above her head:

[Sword Dao True Seed, Rejuvenation stage Cultivator.]

[Title Effect: Radiant Sword Heart, Pearless Swordsmanship, Pure Heart, and Strong Will—inevitably a Sword Immortal.]

[This Sword Dao True Seed appears once every 500 years.]

Liu Ping's focus sharpened. He saw Senior Sister Li grab his collar and lift him into the air.

The two soared for several miles before suddenly descending toward the jungle below. Liu Ping reacted quickly, twisting his body to grasp her, and they landed safely by stepping on the dense branches several times before finally touching down.

Liu Ping gently lowered Senior Sister Li against a large tree, calling out softly, "Fairy Maiden?"

Her face, pale as white paper, her eyes tightly shut, seemed to be in a daze. It was clear that she had exhausted her final strength in bringing him to safety moments ago.

Liu Ping observed her carefully, his brow furrowing slightly. "I had thought you might have some affection for my appearance, but now, looking back, something doesn't seem right."

Sword Dao True Seed—such a strong will, like colored glaze, clear and transparent inside and out. Even if one felt attraction for another, they would not display such intense desire. Yet when she saw him earlier, it wasn't just a mere glance, there had been a clear and complicated emotion in her eyes.

A true sword cultivator would not be so easily swayed by their emotions—especially not in such a first meeting.

After a few breaths of contemplation, Liu Ping extended his hand and gently touched the wound on Senior Sister Li's body. Dipping his fingers in her blood, he brought it to his mouth.

"Bah. So it's Twin Sentiment Tribulation. Truly vile."

He spat out the blood, his expression slightly changing.

The so-called Twin Sentiment Tribulation was an incredibly potent poison. One who consumed it would gradually lose control of their feelings and desires, but to truly alleviate the poison, they would need to find a companion who could calm those emotions.

Clearly, someone had seen potential in her future and had poisoned her with this pill, hoping to become her dual cultivation partner while she was still a young phoenix, before rising to her full strength.

But Senior Sister Li was a Sword Dao True Seed, and even after being poisoned, her divine sense retained a trace of pure brightness. She knew her situation, though vaguely, and had distanced herself from her sect. She chose instead to seek solace in the mortal world, hoping to release the emotions that weighed on her. She had no desire for those who sought to manipulate her fate.

Suddenly, Liu Ping's heart stirred with realization.

Liu Ping gazed into the distance, his eyes narrowing as he noticed several streams of light moving toward him. The faint presence of Senior Sister Li became apparent.

"Some people are following her..." he muttered, his brow furrowing.

It was clear that the people pursuing her were after Senior Sister Li. She was in a dazed state, and these pursuers would be easy to capture.

Liu Ping hesitated, his mind racing. If these people got to her, and given his association with Senior Sister Li, he would likely be in grave danger as well. What should he do?

In the midst of his thoughts, Liu Ping suddenly noticed Senior Sister Li's sword at her waist lifting into the air.

"Huh? The sword has a spirit?" he said, surprised.

The sword emitted a clear sound and seemed to speak: "She sought solace in the mortal world, but who knew that, after protecting the sect in the Skyfalling incident, she was gravely injured. She finally couldn't resist these pursuers."

With that, the flying sword hovered, its blade raised high, as if preparing to strike down upon Senior Sister Li's neck. But just before it could descend, a brilliant, snow-white blade blocked the strike.

"Do you intend to stop me?" the sword spirit asked.

Liu Ping stood silently, conflicted. After a long moment, he sighed and spoke, "A true sword cultivator is indeed rare these days... It seems I have no choice. I'll save her."