Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

Once the seal on the secret land was broken, traces were left behind. Following the Crystal Butterfly to the entrance, Jiang Yan and his group infused spiritual energy to tear the entrance open.

Teacher Fang Wangru stood in front to shield the others and reminded them, “We don’t know what lies within this secret land. Be cautious, and under no circumstances should we split up.”
“Understood, Teacher Fang,” everyone replied.

If the Shi family hadn’t been targeted secretly, the various forces of the Tianlin Continent would never have learned about the Shi family’s heritage or the existence of this ancestral land. Whether the Shi ancestral land was a treasure trove or a dangerous trap was still unclear. After all, the Shi family’s vast wealth was primarily amassed through years of business operations in the Shi Commerce Guild.

Though Fang Wangru was usually carefree, he was sharp and meticulous when it mattered. His cautious nature had brought him this far. Looking at the gaping black void ahead, he led the group inside. Jiang Yan followed closely, and Chi Changye grabbed Gu Yao’s arm, pulling him along as they leaped into the darkness together.

The moment their eyes adjusted from darkness to light, the group was stunned by the sight before them—a writhing expanse of dark red vines pulsating like living veins. The overwhelming stench of blood assaulted their senses. Fang Wangru reacted quickly, throwing out a circular magical artifact that enveloped himself and the students, isolating them from the environment. Faintly, they could hear the furious roars coming from the writhing mass below.

The scene below resembled a bloody hell. For Gu Yao, it was his first time witnessing such a sight. He was barely holding himself together and muttered in shock, “What is that thing?”

Jiang Yan, who had been observing the vines, calmly explained, “These are Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines. Once dormant, they can only be awakened using the blood of the one who tamed them—or their descendants. In other words, this secret land was indeed passed down by the Shi ancestors, and the blood of the Shi family’s descendants is the key to awakening the Blood Vines and unlocking the depths of this place.”

Gu Yao looked around and noticed that only the section of vines nearby appeared dark red, as if they had just absorbed fresh blood. Further back, the vines were pitch black but seemed to be awakening, exuding a bloodthirsty hostility.

Chi Changye’s expression was grim, clearly unprepared for the presence of Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines. He explained, “Once awakened, Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines require a massive amount of blood to calm them down. Otherwise, they will attack indiscriminately in a frenzy, continuing until one side is destroyed or both are annihilated.”

“Move quickly!” Fang Wangru barked sharply. A sense of dread arose in everyone’s hearts, and they followed him without hesitation, shooting forward at full speed. Just as they left, countless dark red, snake-like tendrils shot up from below, sharp enough to pierce through anything. At the same time, they caught sight of desiccated corpses beneath the vines. Though their clothing remained intact, the bodies were utterly drained, leaving no trace of flesh or blood.

Gu Yao stole a glance back and saw the corpses hidden between the writhing tendrils. His heart pounded violently. Judging by their appearance, the bodies seemed freshly dead, their blood completely drained in an instant. His throat went dry as he stammered, “Those corpses… they’re from the people who came in just now?”

Chi Changye nodded. “Most likely. Since this land was passed down through the Shi family, the head of the Shi family should have known its dangers. He used those people to awaken the Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines. As the vines needed blood to fully awaken, he sacrificed them and used the distraction to escape. Watch out!”

The blood vines pursued them with astonishing speed. Meanwhile, other vines began to stir, surging toward the group from all directions. Fang Wangru wielded a gourd-shaped magical artifact, unleashing a stream of flames that cleared a path. The others also deployed their own techniques. Gu Yao hurled pre-prepared talismans, and any tendrils that slipped through were shredded into pieces by Chi Changye’s sword energy before they could get close.

After an unknown amount of time battling, the vines’ relentless attacks finally began to weaken. Fang Wangru seized the opportunity to lead the group in breaking free from the encirclement. They flew a considerable distance before coming to a stop, safely beyond the range of the Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines.

Everyone glanced behind them with lingering fear, shocked that the Shi family ancestors had placed such a monstrous creature in their secret grounds. Fang Wangru wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “Quickly recover and move on. It seems that another group arrived after us, diverting the blood vines’ attention. Let’s avoid other factions for now to reduce unnecessary conflict.”

“Yes, Teacher Fang,” the group replied.

The fact that they had tracked their way to this point meant other factions with capable members would also eventually piece together the clues and arrive. Fang Wangru wasn’t surprised by this. After regaining about 20-30% of their energy, he waved his hand and commanded, “Let’s go!”

Beyond the blood vines lay a desolate wasteland. This time, they chose not to rely on the crystal butterfly for guidance. The Shi family head had already set up one ambush; there was no guarantee he wouldn’t lay another trap along the way. Tracking his path might lead them straight into danger.

“The Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines drain all surrounding spiritual energy during their dormant periods, leaving the environment barren. That’s why this place looks like this,” Chi Changye explained after noticing Gu Yao’s puzzled expression. The barren land wasn’t just devoid of life but also of spiritual energy.

“Indeed. I didn’t expect Brother Chi to know so much about such rare phenomena,” Jiang Yan commented with a smile.

Chi Changye replied candidly, “I was once trapped in a similar environment. Later, I came across related records that mentioned these blood vines. We’re fortunate this time—the cultivator who owned them didn’t fully develop their potential. If the vines had reached the power of a Golden Core stage, none of us would’ve escaped alive.”

Fang Wangru gave Chi Changye an approving look and said, “Our luck isn’t too bad. It seems this Shi family ancestral ground was designed to protect something important. Let’s move on and see if we can find out what it is.”

As for whether they should seize whatever treasure might be hidden here, Fang Wangru felt less urgency now that they were inside. With so many factions involved, obtaining the item might only invite trouble.

Perhaps due to the presence of the Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines, the group encountered no significant danger as they flew in a specific direction. Eventually, they arrived at a similarly barren mountain and heard the sounds of battle echoing from within. Fang Wangru signaled for everyone to conceal their presence as they approached the source of the noise.

Peering through cracks in the rocks, they saw several cultivators trapped on a mountain path, besieged by a swarm of spiders. Each spider was the size of a millstone, spitting venom and weaving webs. More spiders seemed to be crawling out from deeper within the mountain. Fang Wangru, surprised, muttered, “Spider puppets.” Then, understanding dawned on him. “In a place where spiritual energy has been drained, living creatures would struggle to survive. Only these puppets can operate freely.”

Jiang Yan observed for a while before remarking, “The Shi family head and Shi Yanyan aren’t here. The cultivators below don’t reveal their origins either.”

Fang Wangru glanced toward the mountain’s interior. “Perhaps the place guarded by the Blood Vines lies further inside. Let’s go and take a look ourselves.” There was no point in retreating now.

“Alright, let’s follow Senior and investigate,” Jiang Yan replied with a smile.

The group stopped concealing their presence and leaped into action. Their sudden appearance startled the cultivators battling the spider puppets below. One of them shouted, “You must be here for the Shi family’s ancestral grounds too! Shi Jingcheng has already gone ahead. These puppets are controlled and released by him. The only way to proceed through the passage is to destroy them. Fellow Daoists, why don’t we work together?”

“Very well! Let’s deal with these spider puppets first,” Fang Wangru said with a hearty laugh. He immediately summoned a weight-shaped magical artifact, smashing it into the spiders with a resounding clang.

Gu Yao joined the fray, using wood-based spells to grow sturdy vines that ensnared the spiders’ legs. Chi Changye, not waiting for the spiders to spit venom and corrode the vines, swiftly struck the puppets’ control cores with a few precise sword slashes, causing the massive spiders to collapse with loud crashes.

Having observed the cultivators’ battle with the puppets from above earlier, Gu Yao and Chi Changye had already analyzed the puppets’ weaknesses. Now, their coordination was seamless.

The two sides cooperated seamlessly. Along with the other capable fighters, including Zhou Li, their combined strength quickly wiped out the spider puppets outside. No more puppets emerged from the passage.

“Are you Daoist Fang from Tianfu Academy?” a black-clad cultivator tentatively asked with a cupped fist salute.

“That’s correct. May I ask how you are addressed? Shi Yanyan was captured within our academy’s territory, so we have a responsibility to investigate her whereabouts,” Fang Wangru replied, his expression righteous and serious.

“My surname is Zhao. Daoist Fang, your sense of duty is commendable,” the Zhao cultivator said, though inwardly skeptical. He believed Tianfu Academy was using the Shi family’s daughter as an excuse to pursue treasures hidden in the ancestral grounds. Still, he added politely, “The students of Tianfu Academy are indeed outstanding, no less capable than disciples of major sects. It seems the world often underestimates your institution.”

“Haha, Daoist Zhao flatters us. Shall we head inside and continue this conversation?” Fang Wangru replied with a hearty laugh.

“Very well. After you, Daoist Fang.”

Both sides maintained a wary watch on each other as they proceeded into the passage. The Zhao cultivators seemed particularly on edge, anticipating an ambush, but Fang Wangru’s group had no such intentions. They were well aware that others were likely trailing behind them. These latecomers might bypass the Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines and catch up. Engaging in unnecessary combat now would only waste their energy, leaving them vulnerable to being overtaken.

Not long after entering the passage, their suspicions proved correct. Two more groups arrived, albeit in a more disheveled state. Upon landing on the mountain path and seeing the shattered remains of the spider puppets, their faces turned grim. They realized several groups had already passed through ahead of them. Acknowledging their disadvantage, the two factions glanced at each other before racing into the passage, temporarily ceasing hostilities to conserve strength for dealing with the leaders ahead.

As their figures disappeared, yet another group arrived. Without a word, they too entered the passage.

Meanwhile, many cultivators had already lost their lives at the entry point, becoming blood offerings for the Heaven-Eclipsing Blood Vines. The vines at the entrance grew increasingly menacing, expanding deeper into the ancestral grounds. Wave after wave surged forward like a tide of blood, ominously spreading through the passageways.

After walking through part of the passage, they came upon a junction with more than a dozen branching paths. At this point, Cultivator Zhao abandoned any pretense of courtesy and quickly pointed to one of the paths, saying, “We’ll take this one.”