Chongyi Zhenren immediately focused his mind and began releasing the Spirit Net. The Outlander Tomb was filled with the corpses of Overseas Foreigners, the oldest of which had been stored here for over a thousand years. Over the past millennium, extremely faint traces of spiritual energy still lingered on the bodies. He meticulously eliminated them one by one when suddenly, he sensed a subtle yet strikingly familiar spiritual energy.
This was the same energy he had experienced many times at Hu She Feng in the No Moon Court—the aura of that Celestial who had once astonished all the Central Land Immortals. Chongyi Zhenren abruptly opened his eyes and looked toward the source of the energy. To his shock, it was emanating from that completely unrecognizable desiccated corpse!
His mind reeled with such astonishment that the Spirit Net faltered.
Cuixuan Xianren, eyes still closed, remarked calmly, "Continue. That is Azure City's corpse. There's no need for alarm."
Chongyi Zhenren took a deep breath. Being sharp and perceptive, he had already begun to piece together some clues. Steadying himself with effort, he resumed releasing the Spirit Net. Apart from the faint remnants of spiritual energy from the Overseas Foreigners, the entire Outlander Tomb contained only three distinct spiritual signatures: those of the two elder Celestials and the recently deceased Qing Cheng Xian Ren. Beyond that, the tomb was unnervingly clean—completely devoid of anything else.
After repeating the process three or four times, he finally withdrew the Spirit Net and clasped his hands respectfully. "This junior has not detected any anomalies."
Cuixuan Xianren chuckled. "Truly, not even a trace?"
Chongyi Zhenren replied solemnly, "I stake my life on it—there is indeed no trace whatsoever."
Cuixuan Xianren's drowsy eyelids drooped once more as he murmured, "If that's the case, then Azure City was fated to perish. What a pity. He remained as unyielding and exceptional as ever, refusing to utter a single word even in death. Truly unchanged... Azure City, oh Azure City..."
Here, he lapsed into contemplation. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "That girl—she's your disciple? I noticed she possesses remarkable qualities unlike ordinary people. As her Master, have you observed anything else unusual about her?"
Chongyi Zhenren pondered for a long while. Qing Cheng Xian Ren's death had been bizarre and brutal, and this Cuixuan Xianren was infamous for his ruthless methods. If he harbored suspicions about Li Fei, the girl would likely face prolonged unrest. She had always been diligent and obedient, and as her Master, it was his duty to protect his disciple at all costs.
He promptly replied, "My disciple shows no particularly unusual traits. However, she is exceptionally hardworking and diligent, which brings me great joy. That is why I brought her along this time to hunt demons and refine Mystical Treasures, hoping her cultivation can advance further."
Cuixuan Xianren gave a faint nod. "Very well. You may leave now."
Chongyi Zhenren bowed and exited the Lesser World. Seeing his expression remain composed and Cuixuan Xianren no longer exuding the oppressive aura from before, Li Fei felt slightly reassured. Soon after, the other elders followed to the center of the Trial Grounds to reinforce the Seal on the Outlander Tomb. The master and disciples stood at the edge of the cliff for a long while until Guangwei Zhenren suddenly remarked, "Chongyi, your complexion is off. Did something happen inside?"
Chongyi Zhenren shook his head. "I cannot speak of it."
Guangwei Zhenren chuckled. "Let me guess—it concerns Qing Cheng Xian Ren?"Chongyi Zhenren silently gazed at him. Guangwei had always been quick-witted and exceptionally skilled at reading expressions—he was likely fishing for information. Unexpectedly, Guangwei Zhenren suddenly sighed and said, "Several years ago, I overheard it by chance. Those elder Celestials mentioned they had discovered traces of Qing Cheng Xian Ren and were planning to capture him alive. I had already guessed some of the truth—all that talk about searching for spiritual herbs was nonsense. Those years of his... he was overseas, wasn’t he?"
Chongyi Zhenren instead gave a faint, bitter smile. "You’ve always been outspoken. Talking about the Outlander Tomb is one thing, but discussing these matters in front of disciples—what will they think?"
"Those two aren’t fools. Can’t they judge for themselves?" Guangwei Zhenren’s voice was steady and calm. "Listen well, both of you. Our purpose in coming to White Edge Cliff this time is to seal the Outlander Tomb from the Overseas Thousands of Continents and Myriad Islands. This tomb originally did not belong to our No Moon Court but was possessed by an Immortal Sect that has since been annihilated."
"The so-called Overseas Thousands of Continents and Myriad Islands refers to the countless continents and islands beyond the sea, collectively known as the Thousands of Islands. You already know about the Sea Fall. When it occurs, all manner of strange phenomena will arise between heaven and earth—Heavenly Thunder Fire Seas will cross from overseas to our Central Land. The Overseas Foreigners even possess the ability to subdue the demons and Ferocious Beasts of the Central Land. None of these inconceivable things should come as a surprise. This annihilated sect was once an immensely powerful Immortal Sect that stood above all others in the Central Land. During the Sea Fall a thousand years ago, they collected many corpses of Otherkin. Rather than trophies, they were more like manifestations of the Central Land’s desire to understand the overseas world. Heh, even now, it remains the same—the Central Land Immortals both fear and yearn for the unknown powers beyond the sea."
"Then, five hundred years later, another Sea Fall descended—the one from five hundred years ago. That time, the Central Land Immortals suffered truly devastating casualties. It was because two ferocious Yaksa came from overseas, heading straight for this sect’s Outlander Tomb. In a single night, those two Yaksa slaughtered the entire sect. They came and went like the wind, swift and ruthless—many Celestials died beneath their claws before they could even see clearly. So now you understand why we treat the Outlander Tomb with such extreme caution."
Guangwei Zhenren looked solemnly at the two disciples and said gravely, "With the impending Sea Fall, the Outlander Tomb absolutely cannot remain in No Moon Court. We must seal it at White Edge Cliff—we cannot repeat the fate of that sect. However, the Yaksa are incomparably fierce, and this coming Sea Fall will be another bitter battle. Countless elders from our Immortal Sects will perish in the fighting. These matters were originally meant to be revealed only after you broke through the sixth Bottleneck and became Celestials. But I’ve never agreed with that approach. The sooner one learns of true dangers, the sooner one can prepare. Cultivation and mindset during discipleship are crucial to becoming a Celestial. The previous generation’s secrecy resulted in our generation’s weakness and incompetence. I refuse to let the next generation suffer the same."
Chongyi Zhenren chuckled. "You certainly speak with conviction. These words should be directed at those elder Celestials instead."Guangwei Zhenren sighed deeply. "The generation of Celestials like Cuixuan Xianren suffered such heavy casualties that their methods naturally became ruthless and cautious. Even Qing Cheng Xian Ren could become their target—this isn't something that can be resolved with just a few words. Did you know? Back then, only our No Moon Court's Qing Cheng Xian Ren could stand against the Yaksa in prolonged battle, even managing to sever one of its horns. Later, when the Yaksa retreated beyond the seas, Qing Cheng Xian Ren was left with grievous wounds that never fully healed. He departed from No Moon Court afterward, and the last known trace of him was heading toward the Eastern Sea. After that, there was no further news. Over so many years, I thought the elder Celestials had long stopped paying attention to him. I never imagined they'd been secretly investigating all this time. Given their actions, one can only surmise that Qing Cheng Xian Ren must have gone overseas. But how did he, with his unhealed wounds, manage to journey beyond the seas? And what lies beyond those waters? I truly cannot fathom it. I fear this mystery may remain unsolved for the rest of my life. And now, having fallen into Cuixuan Xianren's hands—given Qing Cheng Xian Ren's unyielding nature—I doubt his life can be spared."
Chongyi Zhenren said calmly, "He has already passed into immortality."
"...Is that so?" Guangwei Zhenren exhaled heavily. "Such brilliance and talent, ultimately reduced to a handful of yellow earth. Had he not stubbornly insisted on battling the Yaksa back then... Ah, too rigid, too rigid! Xiu Yuan, your way of handling things bears much resemblance to Qing Cheng Xian Ren's style. That is precisely what worries me."
Lei Xiuyuan replied softly, "This disciple will heed Master's teachings."
Guangwei Zhenren shook his head. In truth, a person's nature cannot be altered with mere words. Lei Xiuyuan possessed an intensely competitive spirit—when faced with an unavoidable strong opponent, others might think to beg for mercy, but he would seek ways to challenge them, growing stronger against adversity. This was his innate temperament, and innate traits cannot be forcibly changed. There was simply no helping it.
As they spoke, the elders who had entered to seal the Outlander Tomb returned, including even the two elder Celestials, Cuixuan and Shouzhong, all looking somewhat weary. Clearly, sealing the Outlander Tomb had been no easy task.
Shouzhong Xianren said, "With the sealing complete, we shall return to No Moon Court first. The monstrous creatures at the heart of the Central Land are exceedingly formidable. The two of you, leading your disciples, must not act recklessly or overreach. With chaos already stirring in the outside world, returning to the sect early to discuss important matters is of utmost priority."
After seeing off the various elders and the two senior Celestials, Chongyi Zhenren immediately let out a long breath of relief. Exchanging a smile with Guangwei Zhenren, they both remarked, "Finally, they're gone. With those two seniors around, we couldn't even speak properly."
Who would have thought even the elders had senior Celestials they feared more? Li Fei nearly laughed aloud, but before she could, she suddenly saw Lei Xiuyuan step forward and bow deeply. "This disciple presumes to make a request. Li Fei and I are of one heart and wish to become cultivation partners. We seek the approval of Master and Elder Chongyi."
This abrupt and utterly unexpected announcement startled her so much that she forgot even to feel embarrassed, only staring at him with wide eyes.
Chongyi Zhenren raised an eyebrow and smiled, glancing at Guangwei Zhenren, who also chuckled. Guangwei recalled Cuixuan Xianren's instructions for him to investigate Jiang Li Fei's matters in Green Mound. He had initially hesitated, but these two children had grown up before their eyes and had been fond of each other all this time. From the depths of his heart, he was delighted to see this come to fruition. Stroking his long beard, he laughed. "The two of you are childhood sweethearts—one firm, one gentle; one active, one serene. You could truly be called a match made by heaven. I naturally have no objections. Chongyi, what about you?"
Chongyi Zhenren, however, turned to Li Fei and said gently, "This is your own matter. You should speak up for yourself openly."Li Fei felt a whirlwind of emotions—shyness, sentiment, elation, and even a touch of fear. She stared blankly at Lei Xiuyuan, who turned to look at her with a smile in his eyes, as if challenging her: Do you dare?
After a long pause, she finally stepped forward gracefully and bowed solemnly. "Disciple Jiang Li Fei and Xiu Yuan are of one heart and mind. We wish to become cultivation partners. We beg Master and Guangwei Zhanglao to grant us your blessing."
Chongyi Zhenren laughed heartily. "Excellent! I am more than happy to see this come to pass! Guangwei, when we return, we must celebrate with a grand toast!"
Guangwei Zhenren nodded with a smile, helping them both up before pulling Lei Xiuyuan aside to whisper the methods of Dual Cultivation into his ear.
Meanwhile, Chongyi Zhenren drew Li Fei to the side. After a moment’s thought, he chuckled. "If Zhaomin finds out I taught you the ways of Dual Cultivation, she’ll surely scold me for being improper. That knowledge should have come from her. After sealing the Outlander Tomb, we’ll be hunting demons day and night—hardly the time for such pursuits. And once she starts lecturing, it’s a headache to endure. Best to wait until we return and let Zhaomin instruct you properly."
OpenNovel