"It's nothing."
Wang Ruoxie smiled lightly at Xiao Ningyue, shaking his head as he spoke.
It's not that he wanted to hide it from Xiao Ningyue, but before finding Profound Lady, he didn't want her to be too worried about him.
Next, Wang Ruoxie traded some crucial information and some essential items needed on the Immortal Path.
"Senior, are you planning to head to the Gate of Life and Death?"
Wang Ruoxie lifted his foot and approached Bu Tao, with whom he had just finished trading, and asked.
"Naturally."
Bu Tao nodded, replying, "I only have two hundred years left. If I can't pass the Second Layer of the Gate of Life and Death, I definitely won't survive the next Celestial Tribulation."
"In that case, let's head there together."
Wang Ruoxie chuckled and said.
"Alright."
Bu Tao nodded upon hearing his words.
Immediately, the three of them left the gathering place and continued onward.
They spent a full three years and passed through over a dozen gathering places before finally reaching the location of the Gate of Life and Death.
"This is the end of the Immortal Path, the site of the Gate of Life and Death."
Bu Tao said to Wang Ruoxie and Xiao Ningyue, "It's said that passing through this Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death might take one to another world, where there may even exist a true Immortal Saint."
"Has anyone seen an existence of the Immortal Saint level?"
Wang Ruoxie's eyes flickered as he asked.
"I don't know, although countless people over the years have passed through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death, no one has ever returned, as if they all vanished."
Bu Tao shook his head, saying, "Perhaps only by passing through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death can we find out what the truth is."
"It seems that to find the Profound Lady, I must first pass through this Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death."
Wang Ruoxie thought to himself. The information he had previously traded indicated that the Profound Lady, with her cultivation at the Three Tribulations Quasi-Immortal level, had passed through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death.
This meant that the Profound Lady was no longer on this Immortal Path and had gone to another possible world.
And this Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death could be described as a life-and-death test. Once stepped into, there are only two outcomes: either succeed or die, with no chance of retreat.
However, given that the Profound Lady could pass through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death with her cultivation, Wang Ruoxie believed he was no less capable than her.
"Each layer of the Gate of Life and Death poses a crisis that could kill a Quasi-Immortal, but if one can pass, the rewards are substantial, with strength at least enhancing by one level."
Bu Tao spoke again, "If I can pass the Second Layer of the Gate of Life and Death, I have at least a seventy percent chance of surviving the next Celestial Tribulation."
"Of course, the most dangerous element remains the others who attempt the Gate of Life and Death, so once inside, hesitate not when encountering anyone—strike and kill immediately."
Both Wang Ruoxie and Xiao Ningyue nodded at his words. Along the way, they had killed many, and should it be necessary, they certainly wouldn't show mercy.
"If that's the case, let's first attempt this First Layer of the Gate of Life and Death."
Bu Tao nodded in agreement.
Without hesitation, the three lifted their feet and stepped onto the jade-like stairs ahead.
Soon enough, Wang Ruoxie found himself as if in another space.
Moreover, Bu Tao and Xiao Ningyue had disappeared from his surroundings, evidently having been teleported randomly to various places.
"Challenger, you must kill a thousand peers within ten years, or you will be obliterated."
At this moment, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in Wang Ruoxie's mind.
"Who are you?"
Wang Ruoxie's eyes narrowed as he asked with his Divine Sense.
"I am the spirit of this First Layer of the Gate of Life and Death."
The voice replied.
"Pretending to be mysterious."
Just then, a cold snort emanated from the Spirit of Chaos, which was always attached to the Godslaying Sword.
The next moment, a frightening glow erupted from the Godslaying Sword, shooting directly into the void.
"It's you... it's actually you, you've returned... no, this is impossible... ah!"
Suddenly, terrified voices rang out from the void, followed by screams of agony.
Immediately following, Wang Ruoxie saw blood fall from the void, and he vaguely glimpsed a terrifying giant eye with a huge opening, spraying blood continuously.
"This is..."
Wang Ruoxie's pupils contracted slightly.
"This is the so-called Heavenly Dao."
The Spirit of Chaos' indifferent voice slowly came.
"This is the Heavenly Dao?"
Wang Ruoxie was stunned upon hearing it. What kind of existence was this Spirit of Chaos that could slay a Heavenly Dao with a mere casual strike?
"Just a pseudo-Heavenly Dao, and it was merely one of his avatars anyway."
The Spirit of Chaos continued, "However, now that I've slain one of his avatars, the others will naturally know I'm here, so the remaining Eighth Layers of the Gate of Life and Death will likely see him doing whatever he can to stop us."
"Since you can slay one of his avatars, you should be able to kill the others too."
Wang Ruoxie wondered aloud.
"That was just his weakest avatar; otherwise, how could I so easily kill it?"
The Spirit of Chaos replied, "But with each avatar I kill, I grow stronger. If you help me slay all his avatars, I could even replace him, become the new Heavenly Dao, and control the Immortal Realm on the other side of the Immortal Path."
"Are you saying the rumors are true, that after passing through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death, one can reach another realm, your so-called Immortal Realm, where true Immortal Saints exist?"
Hearing the Spirit of Chaos, Wang Ruoxie's eyes narrowed as he spoke.
"Indeed, the end of the Immortal Path is essentially the entrance to the Immortal Realm, and the Gate of Life and Death is a checkpoint set by the pseudo-Heavenly Dao. Only by passing through the Ninth Layer can one enter the Immortal Realm."
The Spirit of Chaos said, "However, there's not much true Immortal Saints in the current Immortal Realm, just some miserable wretches clinging to life."
"How can I help you kill all his avatars?"
Wang Ruoxie pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Simple, draw out his avatar, the body of the Eye of the Heavenly Dao, then I can easily slay it."
The Spirit of Chaos continued, "Once I kill all his avatars, the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death will also collapse into endless chaos. Then, I'll help you forge a new Immortal Path in the chaos to enter the true Immortal Realm."
"Let's do that then."
Wang Ruoxie nodded.
Despite having many doubts about the Spirit of Chaos' words, he had no other choice now.
To enter the Immortal Realm, he must pass through the Ninth Layer of the Gate of Life and Death, and to do so, he must assist the Spirit of Chaos in slaying all the avatars of the pseudo-Heavenly Dao.
