Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2: Crossover
Chapter 3: Bandits
Chapter 4: Forest
Chapter 5: Emotions
Chapter 6: To Protect
Chapter 7: Peach Blossom Origins
Chapter 8: Wisdom
Chapter 9: Legacy
Chapter 10: Theft
Chapter 11: To Protect
Chapter 12: Capital
Chapter 13: Banquet
Chapter 14: Spiritual Roots
Chapter 15: Examinations
Chapter 16: Quality
Chapter 17: Wretched
Chapter 18: Silver Dragon Temple
Chapter 19: I Surrender
Chapter 20: Three Questions
Chapter 21: Elementary Scholar
Chapter 22: Patrol Officer
Chapter 23: Sacrifice
Chapter 24: Farewell
Chapter 25: Idol
Chapter 26: Banknotes
Chapter 27: Plan
Chapter 28: Kill Them
Chapter 29: Legacy
Chapter 30: Maiden
Chapter 31: Tang Zhen
Chapter 32: Invitation
Chapter 33: Decay
Chapter 34: Chen Yuan
Chapter 35: Han Lin
Chapter 36: Heaven’S Assistance
Chapter 37: Event On The Boat
Chapter 38: A Disgrace To The Educated
Chapter 39: Revoking A Title
Chapter 40: Sailor
Chapter 41: Into The Water
Chapter 42: Solving The Case
Chapter 43: Mistress Cloud
Chapter 44: Crystal Gaze
Chapter 45: Autopsy
Chapter 46: Into The Examination Halls
Chapter 47: Examination
Chapter 48: Night Ship
Chapter 49: Murder
Chapter 50: Judge
Chapter 51: Suspicion
Chapter 52: First Place
Chapter 53: Check Again
Chapter 54: Realization
Chapter 55: Ancestral Temple
Chapter 56: Spiritual Roots
Chapter 57: Night Attack
Chapter 58: Puppet
Chapter 59: Killing An Official
Chapter 60: Today Shall Be The Day You Die
Chapter 61: Counterattack
Chapter 62: Will You Do It
Chapter 63: The Case Of The Coffin Bearers
Chapter 64: Decision
Chapter 65: Broken Tail
Chapter 66: Respects To Teacher
Chapter 67: Payment
Chapter 68: Entering The Sect
Chapter 69: Retrieve
Chapter 70: Rise Above
Chapter 71: Confer A Title
Chapter 72: Samurai Warrior
Chapter 73: Let’S Drink Up
Chapter 74: The Great Learning
Chapter 75: Pirates
Chapter 76: First Book
Chapter 77: Revenge
Chapter 78: Seven Cups And Seven Steps
Chapter 79: Attack
Chapter 80: A Little Higher
Chapter 81: Rejection
Chapter 82: Exterminating The Pirates
Chapter 83: Imperial Edict
Chapter 84: Send The Memorandum
Chapter 85: Unfilial And Unfair
Chapter 86: Turning Misfortune To Fortune
Chapter 87: Relay Station
Chapter 88: Murder
Chapter 89: Desire
Chapter 90: Six Riders
Chapter 91: Dao Amulet
Chapter 92: Fire On Mountain Deity Temple
Chapter 93: Ji Ai Guo
Chapter 94: A Chance Encounter
Chapter 95: To The Capital
Chapter 96: An Idea
Chapter 97: Hidden Gold
Chapter 98: Gold Is Too Heavy
Chapter 99: Dance Of The Dragon And Fish
Chapter 100: Turn Back In Sadness
Chapter 101: Exchange
Chapter 102: Lovesick
Chapter 103: In A Trance
Chapter 104: The Emperor’S Melody
Chapter 105: Audience
Chapter 106: Heavenly Disposition
Chapter 107: Completion
Chapter 108: Leaving A Memory
Chapter 109: Receiving The Edict
Chapter 110: Sword Fight
Chapter 111: Query In The Night
Chapter 112: Reason
Chapter 113: Divination
Chapter 114: Metal Anchor
Chapter 115: Justice Is Served
Chapter 116: Fairy On The Magpie Bridge
Chapter 117: News
Chapter 118: The Tiger And The Lion Converges
Chapter 119: Avoid The Rain
Chapter 120: Southern Kingdom
Chapter 121: Young Chieftain
Chapter 122: Fisherman
Chapter 123: The Tomb
Chapter 124: Evil Survivors
Chapter 125: Attacking The City
Chapter 126: Controlling Snakes
Chapter 127: Interrogation
Chapter 128: Black Wolf
Chapter 129: Young Master Xie
Chapter 130: Burning The Stronghold
Chapter 131: Assassin
Chapter 132: Urgent Return
Chapter 133: Feelings
Chapter 134: Dragon Tiger Temple
Chapter 135: Shen Wan Lin
Chapter 136: Marriage Upheaval
Chapter 137: Obstruction
Chapter 138: Upholding The Laws Of The Household
Chapter 139: It Doesn’T Matter
Chapter 140: If Only We Met Once In This Life
Chapter 141: Alliance
Chapter 142: Mission Incomplete
Chapter 143: Suspecting Your Neighbor Of Stealing
Chapter 144: Absurdity
Chapter 145: Competition
Chapter 146: Refusal
Chapter 147: Collaboration
Chapter 148: Harmonizing Flute Lullabies
Chapter 149: Forever Gone Are The Old Times
Chapter 150: Retrieving The Pill
Chapter 151: Be Good And Accept Death
Chapter 152: Exposure
Chapter 153: Emergency
Chapter 154: Poison Gas
Chapter 155: Secret Basement
Chapter 156: Breaking Through The Gates Of Heaven
Chapter 157: Kill Them All
Chapter 158: Core Disciple
Chapter 159: Offended
Chapter 160: A Glimmer Of Hope
Chapter 161: Surprise
Chapter 162: Bestowing A Title
Chapter 163: Explosion
Chapter 164: Official
Chapter 165: Network
Chapter 166: Arrest
Chapter 167: Retribution
Chapter 168: Insignia
Chapter 169: The Chase
Chapter 170: Return To The City
Chapter 171: Prestige
Chapter 172: Enchantments
Chapter 173: Kill A Man, Leave A Poem
Chapter 174: Major Incident
Chapter 175: Meeting
Chapter 176: Sin
Chapter 177: A Full Account
Chapter 178: Cracks
Chapter 179: I Won’T Meet
Chapter 180: Peace And Prosperity
Chapter 181: Untitled
Chapter 182: A Truthful Misrepresentation
Chapter 183: Do Some Good
Chapter 184: Obtaining An Imperial Tile
Chapter 185: Leaving The Prince’S Mansion
Chapter 186: Virtuous
Chapter 187: Punished Only Because You’Re Capable
Chapter 188: Spy
Chapter 189: Fate Lantern
Chapter 190: Jade Pendant
Chapter 191: Floating Sphere
Chapter 192: Jian An
Chapter 193: Words From The Heart
Chapter 194: Counter Attack
Chapter 195: Cursed
Chapter 196: All Of You, Die!
Chapter 197: Breaking Through Paradise
Chapter 198: Rushing In
Chapter 199: Assistance
Chapter 200: It Doesn'T Matter
Chapter 201: You’Ve Grown Up
Chapter 202: Battle Conclusion
Chapter 203: Overwhelmed
Chapter 204: Position
Chapter 205: Alliance
Chapter 206: County Magistrate
Chapter 207: Hesitation
Chapter 208: Refusal To Meet
Chapter 209: Eyes And Mouth Wide Open
Chapter 210: Asking For Help For A Title
Chapter 211: Ignorance
Chapter 212: The Plan
Chapter 213: Zhao Kuo
Chapter 214: Executed
Chapter 215: Increase In Morale
Chapter 216: Sentry Island
Chapter 217: Breaking The Enemy
Chapter 218: The Day Of The Counterattack
Chapter 219: To Retrieve
Chapter 220: Attacking The Stronghold
Chapter 221: Stability
Chapter 222: Ashore
Chapter 223: Attack
Chapter 224: Defeat
Chapter 225: Urgent Report
Chapter 226: Persuasion
Chapter 227: Invitation
Chapter 228: Cleanly
Chapter 229: Becoming A Dao Master
Chapter 230: To The Capital City
Chapter 231: Recruiting
Chapter 232: Affair
Chapter 233: A Bag Of Pills
Chapter 234: Virtue Of The Crown Prince
Chapter 235: Divergence
Chapter 236: Ambush
Chapter 237: Snow People
Chapter 238: Luring The Snake Out Of A Cave
Chapter 239: Love Never Lasts
Chapter 240: Shameless
Chapter 241: Assassins On Sky Road
Chapter 242: Resolution
Chapter 243: Observation
Chapter 244: Demotion
Chapter 245: Shocking News
Chapter 246: Farewell
Chapter 247: An Audience
Chapter 248: Advisor
Chapter 249: Business
Chapter 250: Suspicion
Chapter 251: Golden Cats
Chapter 252: Killing Officials
Chapter 253: River Deity’S Daoist Field
Chapter 254: Long Arms Of Justice
Chapter 255: Ironclad Case
Chapter 256: Removing The Official Hat
Chapter 257: Rebuilding
Chapter 258: Execution
Chapter 259: Stale Fish
Chapter 260: Records
Chapter 261: Reinstatement
Chapter 262: Wei Family Village
Chapter 263: Map Of The Dragon Veins
Chapter 264: Deep Wisdom
Chapter 265: Wedding
Categories Genre: Action, Adventure, All, Historical, Martial Arts, Ongoing, Romance, Supernatural, Xianxia Status: Ongoing Alternative names: Dao Tian Xian Tu, Path to Immortality: Marauding the Heavens, 盗天仙途, ______
Total Chapters in book: 265
Estimated words: 772462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3862(@200wpm)___ 3090(@250wpm)___ 2575(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 772462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3862(@200wpm)___ 3090(@250wpm)___ 2575(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 265 Page No. 264 Page No. 263 Page No. 262 Page No. 261 Page No. 260 Page No. 259 Page No. 258 Page No. 257 Page No. 256 Page No. 255 Chapter 50: Judge
Chapter 50: Judge
Translator: Translation Nation/chuchutrain Editor: - -
Cross Town, Li Mansion
The lights from the lanterns were dazzling. There were more than ten people holding weapons as they searched the entire yard for the perpetrator.
Hu Ban, a disciple from Holy Jail Sect rushed down as soon as he heard the news. Before long, he was standing at the spot where the stable boy had been knocked unconscious. Checking against the inventory list, he realized that the stable was indeed one horse short. The back door to the yard had also been left open. He walked towards the back door and found that there were horse trails leading away from it.
“This murderer had killed Li Wen Jing before stealing a horse and escaping on that horse!” Hu Ban concluded in anger. He retrieved a horsewhip and stepped over to the still-unconscious stable boy. With a swift action, he brought the whip down onto the man. The stable boy immediately woke up and shouted in apparent pain, before jumping up to his feet. Dried blood covered his left temple. He then shouted in confusion, "Men, come. A horse has been stolen!”
“Idiot!” Hu Ban was even more enraged as he took the whip repeatedly to the exposed flesh of the stable boy. In a clockwork fashion, he swung the whip high up before bringing it down upon the stable boy with a crack, splitting his skin open. The stable boy roared in pain. Hu Ban then said coldly, "Why aren’t you informing the monastery of what’s happened?”
“Yes sir!” It was early in the morning, the dew in the grass has yet to be dried up, and the sun had only just risen, but there was already someone running towards the monastery urgently.
Li Mansion was very close to the monastery, and he reached in no time. There was a huge locust tree outside the entrance of the monastery, and the pavement leading to the entrance was paved with limestones. Along the pavement were patches of grass grown on both sides.
The door of the monastery was painted in a deep shade of red, with 2 lanterns hanging from each side. There was a golden signboard which wrote "Golden Rooster Monastery”. The man dashed into the monastery, using the door knocker to alert someone to his presence.
The door knocker acted like a bell of sorts and was made of bronze. If someone used a considerable amount of strength, it will produce a sharp, shrill sound that can reach long distances. A twelve or thirteen year old young Daoist opened the door, with hazy eyes and a head full of messy hair. He yawned and asked, "Who is it, it’s still so early, why have you knocked on the door?”
“Something bad has happened. I come from Li Mansion. My master had been murdered.”
“Shouldn’t you inform the authorities, why have you come here of all places?” This little Daoist’s role was just to wait on people, and did not know about matters like these. However, he had occasionally seen servants from Li Mansion and knew that this household was rather rich since their contributions to this monastery was in substantial amounts of silver. He still found is strange that something had happened to Master Li and yet he’s here instead of reporting it to the officials.
He decided to ignore the uniqueness of this situation and walked in to inform his seniors. This monastery was very tidy. Right in front of the main hall was a statue of a Dao Sovereign, and several distinguished paintings were hung around the walls. There was a huge canopy where many other statues of deities could be found.
The little Daoist trudged through the inner sanctuary and knocked on the door. A man answered, "It’s so early in the morning and you’re disturbing me. What is it?”
The little Daoist then replied, "Leader, the big household of Li had a misfortune befall them. It’s been said that Master Li has been murdered last night. They’ve come for you to assist them. One of their servants is at the door, should I let him in?”
“What? Master Li has been murdered?” The Daoist from within stood up.
The little Daoist paused and thought to himself for some time. There was no other Li Mansion in this town. There was only one Li Mansion, and the master was called Li Wen Jing. He then said, "Leader, there’s no other big Li household in this town.”
“Call your two senior brothers and tell them what’s happened. I have to go to Li Mansion right away!” The leader instructed. Before long, a woman said, "Be careful, brother Xu.”
It’s been said that monasteries are differentiated into two different types, Offspring monasteries and forest monasteries. Offspring monasteries refer to rich monasteries which accept disciples from rich households. Forest monasteries refer to monasteries in which Daoists do not get married and pass their leadership to the next most capable person. This monastery was an offspring monastery, and thus they were allowed to wed. He knew that the voice he just heard belonged to his teacher’s wife. Since he had received instructions from his teacher, he immediately turned around to leave without hesitation.
The monastery leader’s expression was crestfallen as he looked up at the overcast sky. This monastery belonged to Holy Jail Sect. Li Wen Jing was an outer circle disciple and did not live here, but had his own mansion within the town.
Since Zhang Jie Yu had already began cultivating, his chances of becoming a High Scholar are rather slim, although not completely null, hence he decided to try anyway. He had brought several men along with him to the capital. After the examinations, he had some free time. Li Wen Jing had returned to his mansion then. Who would’ve expected him to be slaughtered in such an undignified fashion.
This little Daoist was careful. He did not know much about matters of the Holy Jail Sect and had not been instructed to follow his leader. The monastery leader carried his magical weapon, a longsword and brought three Daoists with him as they accompanied the servant back.
Once they had entered the Li Mansion, they saw several Daoists weeping in the courtyard. There were a few ladies, who looked extremely beautiful with their fair skins wailing as well, although they gave off the impression that they were trying to charm someone with their cries.
Seeing the scene before him, he felt an intense heat in his chest. This was a huge matter. The Li Mansion had some protective enchantments surrounding it. Li Wen Jing too had learnt some Dao Arts. Were he in danger, he would’ve signalled for help, and wouldn’t have been killed easily. It was extremely unexpected that he should die just like that.
He stepped forward to enquire more details of this grisly death. The woman he approached pointed at the bed as he glanced over at it. The Daoist man saw the body of his fellow younger brother, whom he had spoken to and joked with only yesterday. The corpse’s expression was that of panic and anger, his lips were opened, as if he was trying to say something just before he died. It was indeed Li Wen Jing.
The body had been covered by the quilt on the bed. The Daoist cast his glance down and in a swift motion, pulled the quilt away. He saw the wound on Li Wen Jing’s chest, straight through his heart. He further inspected the corpse and determined that there wasn’t any other wounds.
“This was done by a professional and highly skilled killer. One stab straight through the heart. The exit wound was small, yet it pierced through clean and deep.” The Daoist gave off a gloomy expression before fiercely instructing, "You guys, check if the enchantments around the courtyard have been broken. Tell me of their status.”
“Yes!” The three disciples acknowledged. This Daoist had a cold expression, as if he hid emotions beneath a layer of frost, "Madam, can you explain clearly what had happened last night?”
The ladies face turned red as she detailed everything that had happened. When the Daoist heard this, he had an a clear understanding of what had happened, 'It seems like my younger brother had a naked party and sent all his guards and servants away. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he was murdered.'
The Daoist man had some misgiving and asked further, "Madam, where did my younger brother perish?”
The lady then stood up gracefully and led the Daoist away. She brought him to a spot on the corridor, where splatters of blood were still visible. She then pointed to a pool of blood just further up, where it had already congealed.
He checked the blood before calling the servants over. He questioned all of them in detail. None of them had seen anything suspicious. Only the stable boy had seen a shadow before he passed out. He then called the stable boy over for questioning.
The stable boy was covered in whip marks and hurriedly knelt to the ground in fear, "Monastery leader, the night was dark. I heard a sound coming and saw a faint shadow. The moment I saw his shadow I was hit in the head by a flying object. The horse was stolen by him as well.”
'He managed to knock the stable boy out without killing him. Not only is he a trained professional, he is also not an evil person.' The Daoist thought to himself. At this point, the three disciples he had sent to check on the protective spells returned and reported their findings, "Teacher, the enchantments around the yard had not been damaged. It seems like a person with Dao Arts and fighting techniques sneaked past the protective spells and killed uncle Li.”
The Daoist paced several steps, his heart heavy with suspicion. It was even possible that someone from inside had betrayed him.
'Although brother Li was an outer circle disciple, he was a good advisor. He was placed in charge of this region’s secular affairs. In fact, he was more important than many Inner Circle Disciples.'
'Now that he’s dead, this region’s affairs would inevitably be affected. It looks like I have to descend to the underworld and search for my younger brother’s soul. I shall then ask him personally who murdered him.' The Daoist bit down on his teeth and reaffirmed his decision, 'It’s just that there is a gap between Yin and Yang. There is also a deity in charge of the underworld, and I have to pay a price just by going down.'
He thought to himself as he entered the room before ordering everyone within, "All of you, leave. Now!”
When everyone had left the room, he looked at the corpse of Li Wen Jing lying on the bed, "Brother Li, the both of us joined this sect together. It’s just that I’ve cultivated diligently, and you were proficient in handling secular affairs. You were intelligent and was capable in assisting young master Zhang in his affairs. You wielded huge influence, yet were unfamiliar with the ways of Dao and did not open the gates of heaven to receive powers. That’s how you got killed this way, by a simple sword.”
He felt an intense wave of regret sweep over him, "Without opening the gates of heavens, you could not cultivate up till Spirit Immortal status, and are now just a normal soul.”
Hearing these words, the two disciples behind the Daoist felt some sorrow wash over them. The regretful tone of the Daoist disappeared in a flash, which turned into authoritativeness. He then ordered, "Defend me with protective enchantments, I shall go down into the underworld and find out who was the one who murdered your uncle Li.”
“Yes!” The two young Daoist agreed as they drew their swords and prepared to protect their teacher.
The Daoist retrieved 3 joss sticks and placed them within the incense burner. Just as he placed them, smoke bellowed from the burner, enveloping the Daoist. He took the burner and allowed the smoke to cover Li Wen Jing as well. He then stood down, crossed his legs and closed his eyes.
Within a second, a beam of light hovered over the Daoist’s head, before completely disappearing.
“Teacher’s soul has left his body.” The two young Daoists gave a look of envy. This was him entering his spirit immortal form.
Underworld
When he first looked up, it was misty and grey. A few seconds later, a bright white light materialized and showered the Daoist man in lucent beams, protecting him, while the rest of his surroundings was still covered in grey smoke.
“The Ying wind is here.” At this point a gust of strong Ying wind blew onto him, and into the light. He looked into the distance and could see the Ying mountains. There were skeletons in the shape of humans walking about. From time to time, the Daoist man would see strange looking monsters appear and completely devour the walking human skeletons. However, these monsters would not dare to approach the Daoist man, but observed him from a distance, as if they were afraid of him, and disappointed that they can't eat him as well.
He was on a big plot of flat land. Occasionally, there would be a beam of light descending onto this land. Once the beam of light touches the ground, there would be changes to the place it landed on.
“When an incense descends, it transforms into a small paradise land for the recipients of the incense. This must be what an ancestral temple and burning incense does for the people of the underworld.”
A thin sliver of smoke and the smell of incense was leading this Daoist. It must’ve been the Spirit Tracing Incense that he had burned when he was still in the mortal world, guiding the Daoist to his destination.
He kept walking on until he reached a city. He could see faint white light gushing towards it. There were several guards patrolling the area. He stopped walking and said, "Ey, when the souls of normal people reach the underworld, nobody will be interested in them. However, when us cultivators appear here, we will attract special attention. It seems like brother Li’s soul had followed the other souls into the city, and he's being taken into custody by Deity Cheng Huang.”
Regular folks have always thought that when they die, they will enter the city of the underworld and remain there but that's not true. They will be restrained where they land in the underworld, and delivered to the Deity Cheng Huang. Deity Cheng Huang will then judge them based on their deeds and determine where they end up. They can be punished to roam the underworld for all eternity, or even worse be sent into hell. They can also be sent back to their homes and receive to receive sacrifices given to them via an ancestral temple.
This place was near the underworld city. He followed the trail left by the wisp of smoke, leading towards the city. It is certain that brother Li had been captured and thrown into the city. The Daoist man turned into a beam of divine light, about to enter the city when a loud voice from within the city boomed out, "What audacity Daoist man. This is the kingdom of Deity Cheng Huang, do not trespass!”
The Daoist man had been blocked from entering the city by a man dressed in a bailiff outfit. He had twenty soldiers behind him.
The Daoist man gave a bow and threw over a golden title. The bailiff of the underworld pick it up and take a look, "Oh, you have permission to enter the city. Please forgive me. Enter!”
The Daoist man turned into a beam of divine light once more and passed through the city gates effortlessly.
“Every sect has their own relation with the underworld. Naturally, we, the Holy Jail Sect have our own arrangements with them as well.” The Daoist man walked past while looking down. Although it seems like he had no respect for anything in his way, it was the opposite. He did not look around out of respect for the dead around him.
In this world, Huang Bo of the County and Cheng Huang of the Prefecture are deities of importance.
He entered a mansion, which was grey in colour. The entrance was very wide and there was a fire burning in front of the entrance. His fire burned fiercely, yet had a very eerie look to it. It made the blood of any normal person turn cold in fear. At this point a person dressed as an official came out and smiled, "It seems like it’s my Daoist friend from Holy Jail Sect. Please enter. I’m very fond of good food and love drinking wine. Since my Daoist friend has come all the way here, please do not hesitate to have some drinks with me.”
The official laughed. His entire being was covered in white light. He led the way into the hall, where there was a table in the middle. A wave of his hand and several wine glasses floated onto the table.
Total Chapters in book: 265
Estimated words: 772462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3862(@200wpm)___ 3090(@250wpm)___ 2575(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 772462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3862(@200wpm)___ 3090(@250wpm)___ 2575(@300wpm)
______