44: Road of No Return

"Road of No Return, people who do not return, on the Road of No Return are people who do not return."

"Humans walk separate paths, ghosts walk separate paths, humans and ghosts walk separate paths together toward the Yellow Springs."

The passage situated between the Eastern Domain and the Spirit Realm was the Ten-Thousand Mile Road of No Return. Here, yellow sand filled the sky, presenting a desolate and barren scene.

A blind elder, dragging a flatbed cart and singing a folk song, slowly walked from the Spirit Realm toward the Eastern Domain.

Rolling yellow sand covered the ground, where broken armor and weathered white bones were visible everywhere, all testifying to the bloody battles that had taken place here.

The blind elder walked with difficulty, yet his steps were extremely steady and precise as he followed the predetermined path.

The sound of the axle turning spread across this desolate land.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, he stopped and let out a soft sound of doubt.

"Such heavy Killing Intent."

Just as his heart stirred, a frivolous voice came from directly ahead.

"Since humans and ghosts walk separate paths, are you a human, or a ghost?"

Shen Lang lightly fanned himself with his Folding Fan, sitting on a rock with one leg dangling, his eyes closed and his face expressionless.

Hearing this, the old man sighed softly: "This leader, I am an old and blind man. I have nothing valuable on me. I hope Your Excellency can spare me."

Shen Lian slowly opened his eyes: "You still haven't answered me, are you human or ghost?"

Hearing this, the blind old man furrowed his weathered face.

"What if I am human, and what if I am a ghost? What difference does it make to any living creature walking this road?"

"The difference is, this Road of No Return is walked by both humans and ghosts. So, doesn't that make it a Road to Yellow Springs?"

The blind old man put down the flatbed cart, his tone gradually turning cold: "It seems Your Excellency is waiting here specifically for this old man today, correct?"

Shen Lian closed his Folding Fan and slowly stood up.

A gust of strong wind blew past, swirling up boundless dust and sand.

From within the wind and sand came the most fatal voice.

"On the Road of No Return, only the lives of the vanquished are left behind. Do you want me to make a move, or will you end yourself?"

"Hmph."

The blind old man let out a cold laugh, as if mocking the other party's ignorance.

"This old man has traveled back and forth on this Road of No Return for eighteen cycles of sixty years. Do you know the origin of the name 'Road of No Return'?"

"Oh?"

"Because the one standing before you is neither human nor ghost, but the Yama Judge who controls life and death."

As the words fell, a powerful force erupted and vented from the blind elder's body.

Immediately, yellow sand rolled, obscuring the sky and blocking out the sun.

In an instant, a three-meter-long cyan spear appeared in the blind elder's hand from the swirling gale.

Shen Lian was completely unmoved by this: "Controls life and death? Hahaha, do the weight of those four words match your ability?"

"We shall know after a test."

The blind elder swung his long spear, and immediately, heavenly thunder roared in the Void Realm.

The powerful pressure of the Tribulation Crossing Realm Sixth Rank swept across a thousand miles, forming terrifying waves in the sea of sand.

"I grant your arrogance, display the final splendor of your life!"

Shen Lian stomped his foot, and quicksand instantly gathered, forming a rotating space-time vortex beneath him.

"One move opportunity!"

"Arrogance."

The blind elder swung his long spear, and immediately, thunderous sand pierced the cosmos for a hundred miles, charging straight toward Shen Lian's vital point.

"Good move!"

Shen Lian's eyes changed, and he immediately activated the Void Concealment Absorption Style.

At the same time, the blind elder's offensive suddenly struck from the thunderous sand storm.

However, at that moment, Shen Lian revealed a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth.

The next moment, the sandstorm that had been obscuring the sky vanished instantly without a trace, entirely absorbed into Shen Lian's body.

Transforming Chaos, shifting Yin and Yang, reversing the Five Elements.

Almost instantly, Void Concealment rapidly dissolved the Primal Energy remaining in Shen Lian's body, gathering it at a single point in his dantian sea.

"Void Concealment: Raging Sea Return!"

Boom~

With a shocking explosion, the heavens and earth twisted, and the sea of sand surged with ten-thousand-foot-high waves for a hundred miles.

The pervasive sand and dust rain concealed the figures of the two men.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the blind elder, his face pale, knelt before Shen Lian.

"Who exactly are you? And why do you want to kill me?"

"Because you, Solitary Spear Dark Eye, became Mu Yaoguang's running dog,

For a running dog, this Road of No Return is your most perfect destination, hahahaha."

Amidst the continuous laughter, the blind elder's body slowly began to crack, and finally, his entire being completely merged with the wind and sand.

"great dao human sovereign cauldron!"

The next second, Shen Lian opened his palm, and a massive suction force permeated all directions.

"Ah—No—"

With a tragic shriek, the elder's deceased soul was instantly engulfed by invisible Great Dao Karma Fire.

"You can actually capture even my Divine Soul, ah..."

Under the painful torment, this Tribulation Crossing Rank Sixth Rank expert instantly transformed into a Spirit Pill.

After a blink of an eye, the storm subsided.

The Road of No Return remained filled with desolate silence.

But from then on, that hunched figure would never appear on this road again.

Shen Lian slowly walked to the abandoned flatbed cart, raised his hand to probe it, and immediately a blue Barrier appeared above the cart.

"Using spatial transfer techniques to deceive others, a ridiculous trick. How could it deceive me, even if it fools others?"

Shen Lian clapped his Folding Fan, and instantly ten Storage Rings containing high-grade Spirit Medicine landed steadily in his palm.

"With the medicinal ingredients secured, the decline of the Tianxia Chamber of Commerce is set in stone. Next, I should head to Star Luo City to meet up with Gu Luoqing."

As this thought arose, a mass of black clouds immediately enveloped the area.

"Whoa—"

The netherworld chariot reappeared, carrying Shen Lian quickly away from this desolate land... At the same time, inside Star Luo City, the official Chamber of Commerce Grand Competition commenced, and the entire venue was packed with people.

The Tianxia Chamber of Commerce plaque, representing the "Number One Merchant under Heaven," had already been placed in the chief seat position.

Although rumors regarding the Tianxia Chamber of Commerce had been rampant in recent days, they still could not shake its current status.

Gu Luoqing sat at the competition venue, looking at that plaque, her eyes filled with gloom.

If she hadn't been ambushed by Su Yuheng back then, that honor would have belonged to the Longevity Chamber of Commerce!

"President Su has arrived!"

Following the host's loud announcement, everyone's gaze simultaneously focused on the chief seat position.

Su Yuheng leisurely appeared at the venue, guarded by four Tribulation Crossing Realm experts, and comfortably sat in the chief seat.

The moment she appeared, she instantly captured thousands of focal points.

This was not only because Su Yuheng was beautiful but also an affirmation of her strength and methods.

Gu Luoqing coldly looked away.

When Su Yuheng saw Gu Luoqing, she slightly curled her lips, making no attempt to conceal the disdain flashing in her eyes.

After three sticks of incense burned out, a steward wearing a square scarf immediately stepped onto the stage and said: "Fellow Daoists, the Chamber of Commerce Grand Competition, held once every ten years, is convened again today,

The conditions set for the major chambers of commerce in this competition are the quality of the youth-retaining pill and the life extension pill."

The people present heard this and were not surprised at all.

These two types of Medicinal Pills are currently the hottest selling items on the market.

After all, Medicinal Pills that can extend life and maintain eternal youth are the most desired items for both Cultivators and ordinary people.

But Medicinal Pills are divided into Ranks. This time, the competition is about whether the major chambers of commerce can produce high-quality Medicinal Pills, which severely tests the foundation of the various ranked chambers of commerce.

"I will reiterate the rules: the Medicinal Pills presented by each chamber of commerce will first be judged on their quality, and then on their quantity."

"If the quality Rank is the same, then the quantity will be compared. Ultimately, whoever has the highest quality Medicinal Pills and sufficient quantity will be the final winner."

"The winning chamber of commerce will receive priority access to the highest allocation quota for known Secret Realms, mineral resources, Medicinal Fields, and even Spiritual Qi over the next ten years."