With a creaking sound, the door slowly closed, concealing the green-robed back figure.
Bang! The two leaves of the door shut completely. Several martial artists looked at each other in shock, never expecting that Master Su would turn back to his room without even asking about their intentions, completely ignoring their presence.
This kind of cold rejection left them feeling discouraged, disheartened, and helpless. But since they had already risked entering the inn, they couldn’t give up before being driven away!
No matter how slim the opportunity, it was no excuse for abandoning effort!
The woman whose facial features were relatively firm and stern suddenly knelt down. Her voice was neither loud nor low: “Master Su, Miss Jiang, martial cultivation has been in decline for a long time, and martial artists have suffered increasing humiliations. We have endured physical hardships day and night, cultivating true qi year after year, enduring hardships and bitterness, yet all our efforts cannot match the casual gains of cultivators and Mechanism Masters.”
“This era has been like an endless night, and we martial artists have seen not a glimmer of dawn.”
“It was only today that we learned the ancient path of martial cultivation, a divine way of the heavens, no less than any sect. Our hearts surged with excitement, difficult to contain, hence our impolite intrusion, kneeling here in reverence.”
She only spoke of the tragic current state of martial cultivation, naturally evoking a sense of rescue, bringing light to this endless night, yet she did not mention even once a plea for Master Su and Miss Jiang to step forward and lead the martial cultivation path or to spread the divine way of cultivation.
Such a request would feel like moral coercion, provoking resistance.
Similarly, she only said they had knelt here, without stating that if Master Su refused to teach the cultivation techniques of the ancient cultivators, they would remain kneeling forever.
“Coercion” was a grave taboo when seeking someone’s favor. If she had said the latter, given Master Su’s attitude just now, she suspected he would have turned and left, indifferent to whether they knelt or not.
As the leader of the five, she naturally had her own strengths in speech.
The remaining four knelt down in tacit understanding, simultaneously bowing their heads:
“The era has been like an endless night, today we finally see the dawn.”
Inside the room, all was quiet, no one answered. The martial artists knelt before the steps without the slightest movement.
…
Inside the Wansiang Sect.
The white-haired, ruddy-faced Taoist returned to the main hall and kowtowed before the ancestral statue.
“Disciple Yunhe requests the Primordial Unity Supreme Clarity Divine Talisman.”
“Disciple Yunhe requests the Primordial Unity Supreme Clarity Divine Talisman.”
…
His expression was solemn, repeating it three times in succession. And somehow, a jade box had appeared at the feet of the Wansiang Immortal Patriarch.
Taoist Yunhe stood up, picked up the jade box, and carefully opened it.
Suddenly, ten-thousand-foot rays of light pierced the heavens, auspicious vapor spread in thousands of streams, colorful clouds surged, and countless Taoists in the Wansiang Sect turned their gazes toward the main peak, expressions astonished, unable to comprehend what had happened.
One after another, Celestial Masters rode auspicious clouds flying toward the Wansiang Hall on the main peak.
As soon as they landed before the hall, they saw the sect leader, Master Yunhe, just finishing putting away a chaotic-colored talisman wreathed in misty vapor, with ancient Taoist characters floating within, causing dizziness when gazed upon, as if each character contained the profound principles of heaven and earth or the pivot of the Dao.
As a sect specializing in talismans, they believed in the secrets of the Dao hidden in the naturally formed patterns and characters through visualization and spiritual focus, and this talisman seemed to confirm their beliefs.
“Patriarch…”
“Patriarch Master, why have you taken out the Primordial Unity Supreme Clarity Divine Talisman?”
A chorus of questions came from the Celestial Masters.
Master Yunhe put away the talisman, his expression shifting from solemn to calm: “A matter of great importance requires this old Taoist to borrow the power of this talisman.”
Without waiting for the Celestial Masters to ask further, he stepped out of the hall. At that moment, a crane cry pierced through the nine heavens, and a white crane flew down from the clouds, stopping before the master.
“You all guard the sect. This old Taoist is going to visit my nephew-disciple Gu.” After giving instructions, Master Yunhe flew onto the back of the white crane and sat cross-legged.
The white crane spread its wings, soaring straight into the clouds, while Master Yunhe’s expression remained as calm as still water.
…
From afternoon to night, from Xie Xian’s return and chatting with Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, to the deep stillness of night when everyone had retired, the several martial artists still knelt motionless before the steps. Even Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei treated them as if they were not there, ignoring them completely.
The bright moon shone overhead, its hazy glow illuminating the still figures before the steps. The sincerity they displayed was meant for others to see, not to be used as blackmail.
Inside the room, Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei discussed martial cultivation, their words turning into mock martial exchanges.
Just as they were getting excited, Meng Qi suddenly sensed danger—not intense, but a heavy feeling that settled on his heart, making him feel extremely oppressed.
At the same time, the longsword lying across Jiang Zhiwei’s lap emitted a soft metallic twang, automatically vibrating outward by an inch!
Their vigilance immediately rose to the highest level, instinctively glancing toward the door.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong—the rhythmic knocking resounded.
Someone had arrived at the door, and only now had Meng Qi and Zhiwei sensed it!
“Who is it?” Meng Qi’s right hand gripped the hilt of Tian Zhi Shang, while his left rested on Liu Huo.
“It is old Taoist Yunhe, currently serving as the sect leader of the Wansiang Sect. I have come to visit you two young friends uninvited in the dead of night. Please forgive my intrusion.” A calm, refined voice came from outside the door.
The several martial artists kneeling before the steps were startled, simultaneously lifting their heads, only to find two Taoists had appeared before them at some point. One was Master Guo Feihu, the Celestial Master they had seen during the day, and the other was the white-haired old Taoist with a youthful complexion, wearing a cloud-patterned Taoist robe and a jade hairpin.
The Wansiang Sect’s sect leader?
Master Yunhe!
Their expressions were astonished, unable to contain themselves. This was a divine immortal who had lived for three to four hundred years!
Regardless of his extraordinary techniques or mechanical arts, just the fact that he had lived to the age of four hundred naturally inspired awe. How many generations of sect leaders and Celestial Masters had he seen pass away!
Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei exchanged glances. The response to their probing question was about to arrive, though whether it would be good or bad remained to be seen.
Always ready to use the Samsara Talisman… Meng Qi gave Jiang Zhiwei a subtle signal, then took a deep breath, fully activating the Eight and Nine Arts, though outwardly showing no sign.
He slowly walked to the door, opened it, and saw Master Yunhe, one of the actual rulers of this place!
His face was ruddy, his white hair lustrous, his cheekbones slightly high. In one hand he held a fly-whisk, the other resting on his arm. His aura was ethereal, like drifting clouds and mist. Yet the moment Meng Qi saw him, he felt an indescribable and unimaginable pressure, as if the man before him could crush him with a casual gesture.
Meng Qi had experienced this sensation before—precisely the same as when he faced the National Preceptor of Bhimavati in the Carefree Valley, before Master Lu shattered his secret techniques, triggering a backlash!
A Dharma Body expert?
Or even more terrifying than a Dharma Body expert?
Suppressing all emotions, Meng Qi bowed: “It is truly a shame that I was unable to greet the Master properly upon your arrival at night.”
Master Yunhe smiled slightly: “It was my intrusion.”
Following the path Meng Qi had cleared, he slowly entered the room and sat down without hesitation, with Celestial Master Guo Feihu standing respectfully beside him.
At this moment, the kneeling martial artists saw the door close on its own without wind, with a creaking sound. The sounds from inside abruptly vanished, not a single sound escaping, as if everything had frozen.
After bowing, Jiang Zhiwei sat opposite Master Yunhe alongside Meng Qi, her eyes showing no fear or retreat.
“I wonder what urgent matter brings the Master to visit at this late hour?” Meng Qi carefully chose his words.
As long as Zhiwei could escape, even if his Transformation Arts failed, there would still be someone to rescue him!
Master Yunhe chuckled: “Master Su, Miss Jiang, you two first appeared at Huowu Mountain. Considering the incident with the evil cultivators over two years ago, this old Taoist couldn’t help but have some suspicions…”
He paused slightly before continuing: “Could it be that you two came from outside through the Wansiang Gate?”
Meng Qi felt as if struck by lightning, momentarily stunned. The fact that they were not originally islanders of Nanhai could not be hidden from the high-level figures of the immortal sects or the Ink Palace. Eventually, they would notice Huowu Mountain. But Master Yunhe directly mentioning the Wansiang Gate and the infiltration from outside was completely unexpected. Meng Qi had originally thought they would guess various reasons while he played along, and the Wansiang Gate would be his escape plan!
Seeing Meng Qi’s slightly dazed expression and sensing Jiang Zhiwei’s gradually rising sword intent, as well as Guo Feihu’s confusion at the mention of the Wansiang Gate, Master Yunhe sighed: “Others may not know, but this old Taoist is certain. There absolutely cannot be a cultivation lineage here. Even if someone could somehow develop it, it should not have advanced to such a formidable level.”
The terrifying pressure from Master Yunhe still lingered around Meng Qi. He suspected that any slight misstep would immediately provoke a thunderous strike. Thus, he countered with a question: “Why is the Master so certain of this?”
Master Yunhe shook his head and smiled: “Young friends, this old Taoist’s visit is not meant to confront you. It is merely to learn about the outside world. Well then, since you are cautious, this old Taoist shall show sincerity. This place is one of the Daoist holy lands, the Wansiang Grotto Heaven, established by the ancient Patriarch Wansiang. During the time when demons ran rampant on the earth, to avoid calamities, the Patriarch had us sects move in here. Since then, for tens of thousands of years, except for the incident with the Ink Palace, we have had no contact with the outside world.”
“At that time, those who moved in here were all disciples of the Patriarch’s lineage, specializing in talismans. The path of swordsmanship also originated from here. There is no fundamental difference between cultivating ‘true talismans’ and forging ‘flying swords,’ so this old Taoist is certain there is no cultivation lineage here, unless someone of extraordinary talent had independently explored this path. But would such a figure remain unknown?”
So it really was related to the Patriarch Wansiang… So this was the legendary Grotto… Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei exchanged glances, half-enlightened and half-restrained. In just a few sentences, Master Yunhe had completely controlled the atmosphere and pace of the conversation. Compared to him, regardless of the gap in strength, the two of them seemed immature. Truly, old people are sharp, and the aged are wise!
Then was he really only here to learn about the outside world?
With doubts, Meng Qi asked casually: “If the Patriarch arranged for your sect to move in, shouldn’t he have left behind the Wansiang Gate, maintaining contact with the outside world?”
He indirectly admitted the existence of the Wansiang Gate.
Master Yunhe’s expression suddenly turned serious: “The Patriarch indeed left behind a Wansiang Gate, and he himself departed through this gate, never to return.”
“Throughout the generations, there have been cultivators who attempted to open this gate, but after exiting, their soul lamps quickly extinguished. Therefore, no one dares to leave anymore.”
The Patriarch Wansiang never returned? Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei both frowned simultaneously, thinking of the nine Patriarchs’ tombs deep in the snow mountains!
Seeing their frowns, thinking they didn’t understand, Master Yunhe explained: “The Wansiang Gate is a passage for coming and going, possessing a physical form that can hide but not disappear. Wherever one enters, one will emerge from the same location upon exiting. In other words, even if you take the Wansiang Gate and run elsewhere, stepping through it will bring you back to the exact spot where you originally entered. However, our sect’s Wansiang Gate’s destination is unknown, and it is extremely dangerous.”
“Previously, the Ink Palace entered through another Wansiang Gate, escaping the calamity of the Demon Buddha, which made our sect aware of the events of ancient times.”
“At that time, the Demon Buddha was immensely powerful. The various Grandmasters and Divine Masters feared he would track us down, so they forcibly opened the gate and collectively destroyed that Wansiang Gate, severing all contact with the outside world ever since.”
Not only Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, but even Celestial Master Guo Feihu was deeply shaken upon hearing this. So this was a Grotto Heaven, and the Ink Palace hadn’t arrived by crossing the sea!
Such a secret was known only to the highest levels of the sect!
After finishing his explanation, Master Yunhe looked at Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei with slightly solemn eyes:
“Young friends, I wonder, has the chaos caused by the Demon Buddha ceased?”
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