The Gate Of Good Fortune

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Rolling blood-coloured water tumbled under the pale white-stone arch bridge, just like a river of blood but lacking an embankment. No, that's not right. It felt more like a rolling river of blood had formed directly beneath the pale white-stone arch bridge.

Five prominent characters suddenly appeared at the bridge's head, seemingly ready to soar into the sky. 'The First Bridge, Bridge of Coping."

"No return from life, no retreat from death: once you enter Coping[1], you never return….."

"No hope for a home, no reincarnation, only a river of blood to wash away your sin……"

A strange call filled with a mysterious power penetrated everyone's soul. It guided the five people towards the Bridge of Coping. Because Ning Cheng had already used Law Break, it amplified the effect even more. Apart from the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond's female cultivator and the black-bearded man from Desolate Spirit Palace, the remaining two women and one man, Ji Pingzhong, had long since rushed onto the Bridge of Coping. In fact, those three even had a look of unparalleled determination on their faces.

As rolling yin winds grew stronger and stronger, and under the effects of Law Break, the Dao Raising expert from 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond could no longer hold on and walked onto the Bridge of Coping. Perhaps it was because he saw the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond's Dao Raising cultivator walk onto the First Bridge of Coping. But the black-bearded man from the Desolate Spirit Palace similarly walked onto the bridge.

Unlike the previous three people, once these two walked onto the Bridge of Coping, although their steps were a bit staggered, they did not stop. In just a few moments, they would eventually walk across the Bridge of Coping safely.

Ning Cheng's face turned pale, and he involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood. Even though he had taken a Burst Spirit Pill, burned his essence spirit and longevity, and even used Law Break in advance. He still couldn't fully utilise the First Bridge of Coping to finish off a Dao Raising and a Dao Transformation powerhouse. Simply put, his cultivation base couldn't support the consumption.

Ning Cheng owned the Seven Bridges Realm Book, which combined all seven bridges' spirit techniques[2]. As such, he knew for sure that the First Bridge of Coping of the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique didn't just stop with the opponent jumping down into the blood river. Instead, after executing the actual Bridge of Coping, one would have complete control over the cultivator trapped on the Bridge of Coping. At that point, they couldn't just force them into jumping into the blood river but even turn that trapped cultivator into one's slave.

As long as a cultivator stepped onto the First Bridge of Coping, they would be trapped in his First Bridge of Coping forever. Even their life and death would be under his control. But for now, Ning Cheng's control over the First Bridge of Coping was still too shallow. Once his opponent stepped off the First Bridge of Coping, the opponent would automatically break out of the effects of the first bridge's spirit technique.

Ning Cheng forcibly endured the pain of his collapsing body and once again gathered every scrap of available energy. Then, taking another step forward, he whispered, "Second Bridge, Bridge of Looking Homewards…."

The black-bearded man and the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond's Dao Raising female cultivator had just stepped out of the First Bridge of Coping. But before they could fully wake up, the scene around the two of them once again changed.

The rolling river of blood and the endless yin winds disappeared without a trace, and an earthly yellow arch bridge appeared in front of them. Seemingly endless amounts of dao charm seeped out of it that suppressed them to the point that they couldn't even think. The next instant, a confused expression appeared on both their faces. Time suddenly reversed in their mind, and the two once again returned to the scene when they had just started to shape their Daos.

Lovers, remembrances, grudges….

Beauty, hardships, glimpses of spiritual purity……

The moment the two people's feet touched the yellow arch bridge, an uncontrollable urge of wanting to look back suddenly emerged…..

Suddenly, a wail resounded from somewhere deep below the bridge.

"Stepping on the bridge, don't look back; no one is waiting for you at the end."

"Don't look at each other, don't wander either, for stepping on the bridge will only break your heart."

"Leaving only a broken heart, just a broken heart, only a broken heart…."

Five large but slightly blurred characters appeared on the stone stele in front of the bridge, 'The Second Bridge, Bridge of Looking Homewards'.

The Second Bridge of Looking Homewards wasn't even half as solid as the First Bridge of Coping. Rather, it felt as if it would disperse at any moment.

Ning Cheng's body shook violently, but he still managed to shout, "Still not taking away Yan Ji….."

Even though Ning Cheng hadn't actively targeted her, the First Bridge of Coping had still influenced Shui Yueke. Fortunately, Ning Cheng's shout had woken her up, and she quickly came to her senses. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but look at Ning Cheng in shock. What kind of Eternal cultivator was this?

He could actually trap a Dao Raising Holy Emperor and a Dao Transformation Holy Emperor. Once Ning Cheng grew up, who could even be his opponent?

However, she then saw Ning Cheng's violently shaking body, as well as his pale face and the blood spilling down the corners of his mouth. Her heart trembled slightly. She understood that Ning Cheng might not even have a future anymore. At this point, Shui Yueke could no longer afford to think. She quickly rushed into the white building.

"No…." A tearing sound rang out as the black-bearded man from Desolate Spirit Palace opened his mouth and spurted out a stream of blood. A moment later, a miserable hiss emerged.

The Second Bridge of Looking Homewards, which already looked weak and blurry, suddenly collapsed. Ning Cheng similarly spurted out a blood arrow and fell to the ground.

At that moment, Shui Yueke had just rushed out of the white building with Yan Ji in her arms and saw Ning Cheng fall to the ground with his breath in disarray. The black-bearded man and Holy Emperor Nan Rong of 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond still seemed confused. But Shui Yueke knew that this confusion would only last for a few moments. After a few moments, when these two came to their senses, she and Ning Cheng would undoubtedly die without a grave.

Shui Yueke didn't have the time to think about it, so she rushed straight up, extended her other arm around Ning Cheng, and was about to activate the talisman Ning Cheng had given her.

The black-breaded man's eyes suddenly snapped open. He saw that Ji Pingzhong had disappeared and instantly understood what had happened. He immediately roared, "Bastard, how dare you kill Pingzhong… I will burn your soul for eternity….."

A powerful suppressive force rolled in, and Shui Yueke's body tightened. She could no longer move even a muscle.

The corners of Shui Yueke's eyes showed a trace of despair. Only at this moment did she get a profound understanding of the strength of Dao Transformation cultivators. Facing such strength, she understood that she wasn't any better than an ant. She truly couldn't figure out how Ning Cheng had managed to restrain two Holy Emperors.

Wait, was it the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique?

Shui Yueke quickly figured out the spirit technique Ning Cheng had used. But unfortunately, she couldn't move at all.

Nan Rong, 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond's Dao Raising Holy Emperor, also returned to her senses at this time. She didn't care at all about the disappearance of her two companions. Instead, she murmured, "Surprisingly, it's the unparalleled Seven Bridges Spirit Technique…… The Seven Bridges…."

The Seven Bridges cast by Ning Cheng hadn't fully taken shape at all; as such, it couldn't even display a billionth of its original power. Yet, he had almost managed to finish off a Dao Raising and a Dao Transformation Holy Emperor, with just the strength of the Eternal Realm. Could even the words "heaven-defying" describe it?

Immediately afterwards, Nan Rong became excited. This was the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique, the actual Seven Bridges Spirit Technique. If 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond obtained this Seven Bridges Spirit Technique, what would happen to it? What would happen to her then?

The 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond cultivated the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao and also had nine Reincarnation Sacred Dao Ponds. While the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique was a top-grade supreme spirit technique also related to reincarnation. As such, it was a perfect match for the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond.

Thinking of this, Holy Emperor Nan Rong gave a veiled glance at the furious black-bearded man. She absolutely couldn't let this man leave the 9-Revolutions Sacred Dao Pond alive.

With the overwhelming and oppressive killing power completely enveloping Shui Yueke, she couldn't help but spurt out several mouthfuls of blood. She could not resist such intense pressure.

But at that very moment, a shower of blood descended.

The black-bearded man and Holy Emperor Nan Rong subconsciously looked up and saw a woman, stained red with blood, falling from the sky. The blood rain came from her body. However, before landing on the ground, she gave a cold snort and raised her hand to manifest nine lotus shadows. These nine lotus shadows quickly formed a huge palm that enveloped the black-bearded man and Nan Rong in it.

The black-bearded man and the Dao Raising Holy Emperor Nan Rong were so powerful that even Ning Cheng couldn't bind them with all his might. Yet, they couldn't even put up half a resistance against the huge palm formed by the nine lotus shadows. They become just like Shui Yueke, unable to move even a single muscle.

"Poof….." A blood mist suddenly emerged, and the black-bearded man turned into a bloody mist and disappeared. From the black-bearded man sobering up to getting angry and then releasing his power in anger, it only took a few breaths.

Likewise, the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond's Dao Raising Holy Emperor Nan Rong had just returned to her senses. Unfortunately, before she could react, the palm formed by the nine lotus shadows blew her apart. She couldn't resist them even at her peak.

The woman who had just arrived immediately collected Shui Yueke, Ning Cheng and Yan Ji. In the same motion, she raised her hand and threw out a bead. The bead exploded, and the four of them disappeared without a trace.

Just when the four disappeared, Shi Tianhe and the other landed in front of the white building.

An elderly woman among the group stared at the recently broken defensive formation and took a deep breath. "I kept wondering why that demonic witch kept running around my 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond and just wouldn't leave. It turns out she came here to take away that male cultivator who came with her. I think his name is Cheng Nianqiong, right?"

Shi Tianhe and the others were all furious beyond measure. That woman's nine-petalled lotus platform was simply too powerful. Even if the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond had a Dao Fusion Holy Emperor, they still couldn't stop her all. At best, they could only give her some injuries. It was just like the elderly woman had said. If it wasn't for taking these few people away, that demonic witch could have easily escaped a long time ago.

It wasn't a good thing for the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pong to offend such a powerhouse.

……

Ruo Xi felt quite angry in her heart. If it wasn't for Ning Cheng, would she have suffered so much? If alone, she could have easily walked away a long time ago, without even the slightest scratch.

She felt upset mainly because Ning Cheng would abruptly disappear every time she sensed Ning Cheng's location. With so many powerful cultivators chasing after her, she naturally couldn't just stop and search for him carefully.

During the fights and escapes, she finally sensed Ning Cheng's location again. However, by that time, she already suffered some severe injuries. Still, she rushed over as fast as she could and finally managed to collect Ning Cheng along with Shui Yueke and another woman just before they fell.

If she knew that Ning Cheng had purposefully chosen the opposite direction from her, she might have become so angry that she would have left right away. She wouldn't even care about the life or death of Ning Cheng at that point.

Shui Yueke didn't make any movements. The moment Ruo Xi had swept her up, she saw the death of the black-bearded man and Dao Raising Holy Emperor Nan Rong.

For her to wipe out a Dao Transformation and a Dao Raising powerhouses with just a wave of her hand, this woman who had taken them away was definitely a powerhouse among powerhouse. In other words, there wasn't any need for her to resist. In any case, there was no worse outcome than staying back at the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond.

Ning Cheng's aura undulated erratically, and his meridians had also cracked. He was so weak right now that he couldn't even take out a pill and put it in his mouth.

Shui Yueke sighed and was about to take a pill and feed it to Ning Cheng when she suddenly felt her body lurch. The next moment, she fell to the ground like a sack of dirt.

"What's wrong with him? Why is he so badly injured?" Ruo Xi frowned for a moment and looked at Shui Yueke before asking.

Shui Yueke's spiritual consciousness didn't even need to sweep out to know that she was no longer in the 9-Revolution Sacred Dao Pond. She quickly got up and bowed before giving Ruo Xi a respectful greeting. "Replying to Senior, to save Yan Ji, he used a Burst Spirit Pill and burned his essence blood and longevity, which is why he is seriously injured."

Ruo Xi looked at Ning Cheng in shock. An Eternal cultivator actually went against a Dao Raising Holy Emperor and a Dao Transformation Holy Emperor. Was it fearlessness brought on by ignorance? Or was the woman he wanted to save too important to him?

But more importantly, could a mere Burst Spirit Pill make up for the power difference between a Dao Confirming and a non-Dao Confirming cultivator?

"Let's go. Let's find a place to heal first. I'm also badly injured." After finishing her sentence, Ruo Xi brought out an airship-type artefact and lifted Ning Cheng and Yan Ji onto it. Shui Yueke could see that this expert seemed to know Ning Cheng and didn't harbour any malice towards him. It immediately eased her caution, and she also climbed onto the airship.

[1] This is the first time Old Five used the words 'Coping/Nai He' in these lines.

[2] Yes, it does mention 'all seven'. It might be a typo as Ning Cheng has only collected five bridges so far, but I'm leaving it as it is.