I only want immortality.

Ning He?!

Wasn't he already dead at Duan Li's hands, becoming the first Dao Foundation True Cultivator to perish in the war between Song and Wuling so far?

Li Pinghe was rarely so shocked, and his mind raced with thoughts.

Whether it was the strange phenomenon at the spiritual cave not long ago, Lu Mingchen's successful establishment of his Dao foundation, or the news from Han Xianghe that Ning He had died, all of these were clearly undeniable facts.

But if Ning He is dead, then what is this 'Ning He' that has emerged from Lu Mingchen's corpse?

Can the dead really come back to life?

Or perhaps, it's the legendary method of possession?

Countless thoughts surged in his mind, while the red-robed cultivator opposite him walked gracefully with a smile, her eyes sparkling, seemingly even more charming than they had been years ago:

"What, after all these years, you don't recognize me anymore?"

"I am Ning He."

The voice was pleasant to hear, yet neither male nor female.

Li Pinghe paused briefly, then cupped his hands in greeting:

"Pinghe greets Master Ning."

Upon seeing Li Pinghe's reaction, Ning He couldn't help but pause in his tracks.

A pair of expressive eyes stared at Li Pinghe, a hint of resentment appearing on her face that seemed incongruous with her status. She sighed softly, her voice as melodious and clear as the song of a kingfisher.

"Have we truly become so estranged?"

Such a pitiful and tender appearance is truly heart-wrenching. Even in the entire Song Dynasty, it is hard to find a woman who can compare with her. Li Pinghe is no exception.

However, the thought of the other party's identity made Li Pinghe's hair stand on end.

He was a man of experience, having seen the world and weathered its ups and downs. He was confident that even a Golden Core cultivator wouldn't falter before him. Yet, at this moment, before this man, he was at a loss for words. After racking his brains, he hesitantly began to speak:

"Isn't Master Ning already...?"

"So he's already dead?"

Ning He glanced at him sideways, her lips as red as cinnabar, alluring and tempting. There was no anger in her words; instead, a slight upturn at the corners of her lips made her even more alluring.

"Originally, my foundation had collapsed by seventy or eighty percent, so I should have died. But fortunately, heaven did not abandon me, and I was fortunate enough to meet Brother Li and Lu Mingchen."

Ning He uttered Lu Mingchen's name, but his gaze never wavered, remaining fixed entirely on Li Pinghe, seemingly casually tracing his white beard, jawline, Adam's apple, and shoulders...

Even though it was just a fragment of his soul, Li Pinghe couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine when that gaze swept over him. He subconsciously took a step back, then, realizing his loss of composure, forced a smile and said:

"Is that so? What a coincidence."

Ning He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and rolled her eyes at him: "Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Having said that, without waiting for Li Pinghe to explain, Ning He seemed impatient and said directly:

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."

"It is true that he died at Duan Li's hands in Wuling before, and it is also true that he was resurrected by Lu Mingchen and Yang Xingkong. To put it bluntly, it is nothing more than the method of achieving enlightenment through self-disintegration."

"To attain enlightenment through physical liberation?"

Li Pinghe was slightly taken aback, not understanding why.

"Didn't you ask me before how to achieve the foundation of the Dao?"

Ning He didn't answer, but instead brought up the past again, a hint of reminiscence appearing in her beautiful eyes:

"I wanted to tell you back then, but I was under a restriction. I couldn't even think about it, let alone speak it... Ha, that's how it is in the Earth Immortal Path. Everyone is eyeing that position, and they go to great lengths to keep others from knowing and to silence their tongues."

Ning He seemed to have thought of something, her gaze shifting slightly to Li Pinghe, her eyes softening and narrowing into crescent moons:

"However, since Brother Li was able to come here, this so-called secret could not be hidden from you. You must already know the drawbacks of the Earth Immortal Path."

"Sharing honor and disgrace?"

Seeing that Ning He was getting down to business, Li Pinghe felt a little relieved and immediately gave his reply.

Ning He nodded in approval:

"Indeed, Brother Li sees things clearly. The Path of Earthly Immortals is a broad road, but it is also a quagmire for us. Once we enter the Path of Earthly Immortals, we will no longer be in control of our own destiny... You know, I have never wanted to be like others."

As they spoke, Ning He glanced at Li Pinghe with her captivating eyes, exuding charm. Li Pinghe felt extremely uncomfortable, and then she continued:

"Moreover, Brother Li saved my life, and I have always wanted to guide Brother Li into the Dao and help him establish a foundation for the Dao... Therefore, from the day I established my foundation for the Dao, I began to think about how to get rid of the Earth Immortal path."

"Break free from the Earthly Immortal Path?"

Upon hearing this, Li Pinghe was greatly surprised. He was no longer the Qi Refining cultivator who had no knowledge of the Dao Foundation. His continuous understanding of the three immortal paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man, as well as his personal experience of the effects of the spiritual cave, made him clearly understand that the Earth Immortal Path was a one-way street. Once you embarked on it, you could only go all the way to the end.

This is because the spirit enters the spiritual cave, comprehends the Great Dao, and thus forges the foundation of the Dao. The three are one, inseparable, just like thick ink dissolving in water, making it almost impossible to separate them again.

But suddenly, he thought of what the other party had said about achieving enlightenment through physical dissolution, and a flash of inspiration struck him:

"To be driven to the brink of death and then to survive?"

Sure enough, Ning He calmly said:

"If I want to escape the path of the Earthly Immortals, there is no other way but death. Therefore, I must die. At the same time as my death, my Dao foundation will collapse, but my soul will also be separated. However, this will not last long. I will need to cultivate a supernatural power in advance to protect my soul from destruction for the time being..."

"I arranged for this soul to be placed in this spiritual acupoint beforehand."

"At that time, we will only need to wait for someone with a flawed soul to attempt to build a foundation for their Dao here. I will then take advantage of their cultivation to complete their soul and help them achieve the position of a Dao foundation."

Upon hearing this, Li Pinghe was startled.

Ning He chuckled and narrowed his eyes:

"Brother Li secretly took Lu Mingchen's soul, which not only saved my life but also brought me enlightenment... With Lu Mingchen taking over this spiritual cave for me, I was able to take Lu Mingchen's place, return to my original state, and from then on, I was no longer bound by the spiritual cave and could enjoy freedom and ease."

"Brother Li, how can I ever repay such a great kindness?"

His eyes flickered slightly, a strange look appearing on them.

However, Li Pinghe was completely oblivious to the excessive ambiguity in the other party's words; only one thought remained in his mind:

"The Path of Celestial Immortals!"

"This method of achieving enlightenment through physical transformation is clearly also the path of celestial immortals!"

Like Yang Xingkong's Celestial Immortal Dao inheritance, Ning He's method of achieving Dao through military dissolution is complex and even more dangerous.

However, if one looks at the notes on the Heavenly Immortal Path of Penglai Pavilion and Longyuan Sword Sect, one can find that almost all those who achieve the Heavenly Immortal Path have to experience great ups and downs, and even life-and-death trials.

Ning He's path to enlightenment through physical disintegration was even more extreme; it went beyond simply being reborn from the brink of death—it was a true death.

If Li Pinghe hadn't disturbed Lu Mingchen's soul, and if Lu Mingchen hadn't come here to forge his Dao foundation... it wouldn't be long before Ning He's soul dissipated, and then everything would be over.

This may be a coincidence, but it also shows how difficult the path to immortality is, to the point that one is almost certain to die.

Thinking of this, Li Pinghe took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly:

"Master Ning has told me so much; he must already have a plan in mind. Why make me guess further?"

Ning He was slightly taken aback. Looking at him, her smile suddenly blossomed like a spring breeze, and she said softly:

"I still prefer Brother Li the way he is... But why does Brother Li still seem so distant?"

Li Pinghe frowned slightly before speaking in a low voice:

"Brother He, there's no need for pretense. If you have any advice, just say it."

Hearing this address, Ning He's eyes softened even more, and he gently responded with an "Ah," before stepping forward.

Before Li Pinghe could even see clearly, the other person was already face to face with him.

Compared to Li Pinghe's tall and robust physique, Ning He appeared quite small. Standing before him, she tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing his face, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Brother Li has aged; he is no longer as handsome as he was in his youth..."

Li Pinghe remained unmoved and was about to speak.

Without any warning, he suddenly saw the other party point a finger and strike him right between the eyebrows!

His mind jolted, and his consciousness became hazy. He vaguely heard Ning He's voice, seemingly both near and far, yet also as if it were right next to his ear:

"...If you achieve the Dao Foundation, Brother Li should still be the same as before."

He didn't have time to ponder the meaning of the other person's words, but at that moment, countless insights suddenly flooded his mind.

He entered the spiritual cave to glimpse the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and used the "Tai Su Yan Dao Pian" to integrate his many gains with the spiritual cave and his divine soul, thus forging the foundation of the Dao. He painstakingly nurtured and refined his divine soul, faced the tribulation with equanimity, and perished. His divine soul aided the Dao, and he even used a substitute to replace another, finally achieving the foundation of the Heavenly Immortal Dao...

It turned out to be the entire process of Ning He's painstaking efforts to achieve the Heavenly Immortal Path over the years.

As a large amount of memories and details flooded in, a scroll slowly emerged in Li Pinghe's sea of ​​consciousness.

He wrote the biography of Ning He.

However, compared to other books, this volume of "The Biography of Ning He" is almost as thick as all the others combined.

It wasn't because Ning He was better than others, but because only Ning He recorded the complete process. Perhaps, the notes that Li Pinghe obtained were actually abridged versions.

The book "The Biography of Ning He" was completed and quickly put into the yellow gourd.

The original "Biography of Li Pinghe" is undergoing a complete transformation at this moment.

Even the very first page has undergone a noticeable change:

"Li Pinghe, a native of Guting in the Song Kingdom... At the age of 116, he gathered from all directions and first attempted the Great Dao of Celestial Immortality. Because his five elements were complete, his spiritual acupoints were difficult to access. Therefore, he used the Divine Travel to the Void One Qi Sword to sever three strands of his divine soul, and then used these three spiritual acupoints to house the five elements of the Great Dao, thus establishing the foundation for the Earthly Immortal Dao. He cultivated and protected his soul's divine powers for twenty years, and when everything was ready, he attempted the Dao of Self-Dissolution to seek the path of Celestial Immortality. Unfortunately, he failed, his body died and his Dao dissipated, but his divine soul did not die, and he was reincarnated twice in the underworld..."

"Finally, I can establish a foundation for enlightenment?"

Li Pinghe's heart skipped a beat, but when he saw the words "three spiritual caves", "disintegration of the body", "the path to becoming a celestial immortal", "death and the dissipation of the Dao", he was speechless for a moment.

How could he possibly find three sacred sites to lay the foundation for his Dao?

His subsequent attempt to achieve immortality through the method of "dissolving the body with weapons" failed, indicating that this version of "The Biography of Li Pinghe" has not yet found the right path.

Just as he was sighing inwardly, he suddenly felt a force pull his consciousness up. He turned his head and opened his eyes, only to see a pair of beautiful eyes only a foot away from him, staring intently at him.

Li Pinghe took a step back, his expression unchanged:

"Thank you, Brother He."

Ning He came to his senses, but sighed softly:

"No need to thank me... I never helped you before the age of sixty, and you've wasted so much of your time. Look how much white your hair has turned and how many wrinkles you have on your face..."

"As time goes by, who can be an exception?"

Li Pinghe remained unperturbed, his expression calm.

"But Brother He is willing to pass on the Great Dao to me, and I should thank Brother He for his kindness in passing on the Dao."

He paused, then asked softly:

"Now that you have achieved the Path of Celestial Immortality, what are your plans for the future? Are the Song Kingdom and Wuling truly destined to be mortal enemies?"

Upon hearing this, Ning He lowered her head in surprise, much to Li Pinghe's astonishment.

"Me? Now that I'm no longer bound by the spiritual cave, I naturally don't need to stay in the Qinghe Sect anymore... I've already repaid the Qinghe Sect's kindness just now, and I'm too lazy to bother with what the Qinghe Sect owes me."

"So, what happens between Wuling and the Song Kingdom is none of my business anymore... You want me to stop the Qinghe Sect?"

Although Li Pinghe was surprised by the other party's idea, he still shook his head and said:

"I don't want you to stop the Qinghe Sect. With that Dingyue Hand there, the Qinghe Sect may not have a chance of winning. I would rather Sect Master Wei sit down and have a good talk with the Song Kingdom. The situation in the north is extremely tense, but the weak need to unite."

Ning He laughed:

"Brother Li, you overestimate me... Not only will the Qinghe Sect not listen to me, they will probably hate me even more."

"hate you?"

Li Pinghe was slightly taken aback.

"My attainment of the Celestial Immortal Path through self-disintegration is actually still missing one final step."

Ning He wore a strange smile.

As he spoke, he reached out and squeezed, and the white bone pagoda shattered, revealing the cloud dragon Dao foundation within. With a mournful cry, it split into black and red, which were then thrown into Ning He's fontanelle.

The next moment, two snakes, one black and one red, emerged above Ning He's head, their heads touching their tails, and slowly turned.

At the same time, a deafening roar came from the entire spiritual cave below, as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had caved in!

All the spiritual energy around him vanished rapidly, like a whale sucking in water, into the black and red serpent Dao Foundation Dharma Image on Ning He's head.

Under Li Pinghe's astonished gaze, a very short time later, the spiritual acupoint below emitted a gurgling sound as if it had been emptied out, and from the depths of the acupoint, not a single trace of spiritual energy was emitted.

The spiritual cave has been drained dry!

With the supply from this spiritual cave, the black and red snake Dao Foundation Dharma Image suddenly began to operate at an extremely high speed, spinning rapidly, and eventually forming a black and red Tai Chi diagram!

The Tai Chi diagram spun, and Ning He rose into the air like a deity, looking at Li Pinghe with a seemingly helpless smile:

"Now, do you understand?"

Li Pinghe's face looked grim.

Ning He's final step in the Path of the Celestial Immortal was none other than draining the earth's energy from the spiritual cave in one go, helping him completely break free from the shackles of the Path of the Earthly Immortal, and from then on, roam freely between heaven and earth.

The price to pay is that this spiritual acupoint may never be able to recover to its second-grade state again, even after a thousand years.

Let alone the Qinghe Sect being unable to tolerate it, even in the Song Kingdom, and even among the major sects of the entire cultivation world, there are probably very few who could tolerate it.

"This is the path I will be walking from now on." Ning He's smile was gone, and he looked at Li Pinghe with a hint of reluctance in his eyes.

"It's a pity that we've only been able to meet once in all these years, and now we have to part so soon... If you want to take this path, you must think carefully about the consequences."

Li Pinghe fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. Sensing the other party's sincerity, he finally spoke:

"Brother He, perhaps you could try going to Zhongzhou."

Ning He was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded, beaming with joy. For a moment, the stone cavity seemed to brighten slightly.

"Then I knew that Brother Li had not forgotten me... and so on."

He raised his hand and flicked his finger, the light striking Li Pinghe's brow, instantly flooding Li Pinghe's mind with a torrent of memories.

Ning He then gave him a deep look and whispered:

"Brother Li, once you have laid the foundation for your Dao, we will meet again..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished silently amidst the rising water and fire...

Only Li Pinghe's divided soul remained, standing there in a daze.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, a scroll titled "The Divine Power of Concealing the Soul in Silent Thoughts" was rapidly taking shape.