Chapter Thirty-Eight: Passed Down, the Seven Steps of the Netherworld

"This..." Hearing these words, Qingli could not help but hesitate inwardly. After a brief pause, she bowed deeply, hands clasped in respect before the Lord of Shadows. "My lord’s kindness is beyond my ability to repay. Now..." "How could I shamelessly ask for anything more..."

"It matters not," the Lord of Shadows replied, gently shaking his head. A wisp of spiritual energy lifted her to her feet, and with a wave of his hand, a drop of blood, chilling and sinister, appeared in his palm. He spoke softly: "This is the life mark of the lord of this realm, containing the entirety of his dao and legacy. You may use it to comprehend his path." "However, you must also be wary of possession." "Among the myriad arts of the world, some heretical and sinister paths excel at soul transference and seizing bodies."

Hearing this, Qingli felt a subtle stir within her, her breath quickening slightly. She pressed down the emotions in her eyes, knelt respectfully, and declared, "Your grace, my lord, is forever etched in my heart. As for the matter of possession, I will be vigilant!"

"No need for such formality," the Lord of Shadows dismissed with a wave. After a moment’s thought, he placed the drop of blood before her and continued, "In the far south of this place dwells a beast of extreme cold. It is quite extraordinary. Come with me to subdue it."

"Yes, my lord." Qingli did not dare to tarry. She put away the drop of blood and bowed in assent.

With that, the Lord of Shadows wasted no more time. Turning, he stepped into the southern sky, striding through the void. Qingli hurried after him, flying quickly in his wake.

Yet, after some time in flight, Qingli’s expression suddenly grew tense as she stared intently at the Lord of Shadows ahead. His movements were slow—no faster than a mortal’s stride—yet he was traveling several times faster than her own flight! Had he not intentionally slowed his pace to wait for her, she might not have even glimpsed his shadow!

"My lord’s steps are truly extraordinary..." With a moment’s thought, Qingli grasped the crucial point. Her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Lord of Shadows, observing his every movement.

Each time he lifted or set down his foot, it seemed to contain the profound essence of the dao itself, drawing one in irresistibly. Unconsciously, even Qingli herself did not realize she had entered a most unusual state.

In this state, she felt as if her lord’s movements were even slower—so slow, in fact, that she could easily perceive every minute detail. Qingli watched with utmost seriousness, her mind wholly focused, undistracted by anything else.

Walking ahead, the Lord of Shadows noticed Qingli’s altered state. A glimmer of surprise flickered in his eyes, and he shook his head with a gentle smile, slowing his pace even further.

Qingli did not understand, but the Lord of Shadows did.

It was... enlightenment! And not an ordinary one.

Cultivators below the immortal realm would sometimes enter enlightenment when attuning themselves to the world, but such realizations only touched upon techniques and cultivation.

Qingli’s enlightenment, however, concerned... the Dao itself.

As a former sovereign of the Dao, a mighty one half a step beyond transcendence, every gesture of the Lord of Shadows was imbued with infinite profundity. Lesser cultivators could never hope to comprehend anything from such observation—the difference in their levels was simply too great.

But Qingli was not among their number. This was what surprised the Lord of Shadows.

Yet, none of that truly mattered. Since this girl was fortunate enough to gain enlightenment, he would grant her this opportunity.

Time flowed quietly. In what seemed but an incense stick’s burning, Qingli’s gaze never left the Lord of Shadows’ footsteps, her mind repeatedly simulating the movements of lifting and setting down the foot. She even began to imitate the steps unconsciously.

At first, her movements were clumsy, her steps no different from an ordinary person’s. Even with cultivation reinforcing her, several strides in succession could not keep pace with the Lord of Shadows.

But after dozens... hundreds... thousands of repetitions, a gleam of comprehension suddenly shone in Qingli’s eyes! As she slowly lifted her leg, a wisp of profound essence arose beneath her feet. With each step, the world below seemed to shrink as she raised her foot, then expand rapidly as she set it down.

With one stride, she crossed over thirty meters in an instant!

"This is... the Art of Shrinking the Earth!" Qingli emerged from her trance, awe flashing in her eyes as her astonished voice rang out.

"Practice diligently," came a clear and gentle voice just then. Looking up, she saw the Lord of Shadows had returned to her side, smiling. "When you can traverse ten thousand feet in a single step, I will teach you the Seven Steps of the Netherworld."

"My lord..." At his words, Qingli lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

She had been so reckless just now... secretly observing and imitating his art without permission.

"Come, let’s move on." Sensing her thoughts, the Lord of Shadows understood. Smiling, he ruffled her hair and, with a beckon, turned and continued southward, stepping through the sky.

Qingli, no longer hesitating, followed his example, imitating his stride and pressing forward. At first, keeping up was still difficult, but with practice, her steps grew ever more sure. Soon, keeping pace with the Lord of Shadows was effortless—she even began to find it easy.

"I underestimated this girl..." the Lord of Shadows mused with a quiet smile, then quickened his pace.

Qingli found it challenging to keep up again, but persisted, constantly practicing and accelerating. Gradually, as she adapted, her speed matched the Lord of Shadows’ almost exactly. In fact, she felt she could go even faster!

With one stride, she crossed dozens, even hundreds of meters with ease.

"This technique has no name," the Lord of Shadows remarked, noticing Qingli’s progress. A trace of satisfaction flickered deep in his eyes as he glanced back at her. "But it contains my own Dao. The Dao is the source, and yet not the source. If you master this method, you will comprehend the essence of time and space, and wield its arts. Combine it with the Seven Steps of the Netherworld, and you may surpass several realms to strike down the strong."

His voice was quiet and slow, yet it carried an infinite, domineering power. In the days of warring across the stars, with countless formidable foes, it was under such pressure that he comprehended endless arts step by step. The Seven Steps of the Netherworld was among the finest—one of the peak techniques he had ever created.

With it, crossing realms to slay enemies was nothing short of effortless.

Hearing this, Qingli’s delicate form trembled, a bright gleam lighting her eyes. The admiration in her gaze grew even deeper.

"We have arrived."

As reverence filled Qingli’s heart, the two had already traversed dozens of miles. It was just then that the Lord of Shadows slowed to a halt, his voice drifting calmly through the air.