Chapter 111

"Giant Dragon Chariot?" Xu Qing was thoughtful, recalling that after he returned from the sea previously, he had visited the Sea Records Pavilion while on duty to report this matter.

Afterward, he had left the sect for the Red Plains. Now that he had returned not long ago, the other party coming to inquire about this matter was both reasonable and unreasonable.

What was reasonable was the timing; what was unreasonable was that they actually wanted to summon him to inquire in person.

If all of this was true, then Xu Qing could already judge that the matter of the Giant Dragon Chariot was likely of great significance, which was why it had attracted Elder Zhao's attention.

Pondering this, Xu Qing knew that he could not refuse this matter, nor should he.

Thus, he nodded silently, put away his magic boat, and stepped onto the shore. When he looked up at Deacon Li, the deacon had a half-smile on his face and said a sentence.

"I suggest you don't keep the Elder waiting too long. Besides, I also came up from the bottom of the mountain; I don't believe that with your cultivation base, you haven't prepared any flight talismans."

"So, do you want me to carry you, or will you go yourself?" Deacon Li looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing nodded, took out a flight talisman, stuck it on his leg, and stepped into mid-air.

Deacon Li smiled, his body flickering as he turned into a long rainbow, heading straight for the Seventh Peak.

Xu Qing followed behind all the way.

During this flight, the two grew closer and closer to the Seventh Peak, and as they approached, Xu Qing felt a sense of emotion; this was his second time coming to this place.

The first time was his initial entry into the sect.

He still remembered a sentence once spoken by that round-faced cultivator who had reminded him.

This might be the only time you all get to go up the mountain.

Looking at it now, that sentence was correct. After all, not everyone could have the hope of Foundation Establishment, and even he had to consider obtaining Foundation Establishment resources.

Amidst his thoughts, Xu Qing's vigilance remained strong; he could not fully trust the other party's words, but he had no other choice right now.

Just like that, the Seventh Peak gradually became clearer before Xu Qing's eyes. The entire mountain was mostly covered in greenery, and one could see a mountain path winding from the base to the summit.

This mountain path branched off into many side paths in various areas, connecting to palace-like buildings. At the same time, there were plazas and various cave dwellings in many places on the mountain.

The two soon flew into the mountain, passing over various grand halls and the location where Xu Qing had originally obtained his Daoist robe and magic boat. Finally, in an area near the summit, a magnificent grand hall came into Xu Qing's view.

This hall was more imposing than what he had seen on the road earlier. It was built with cyan-white spiritual tiles, and while it was adorned with carved railings and jade masonry, strange beast statues protruded from every corner, as if they were about to fly into the sky.

In front of the hall, there were two giant humanoid stone statues standing there like giants, emitting waves of pressure.

The hall's doors were not closed, but for some reason, one could not see anything inside; it was all a blur.

Deacon Li landed, and Xu Qing followed suit.

An intense sense of crisis permeated his body at this moment, coming from the invisible array fluctuations in the surroundings, which seemed capable of crushing him instantly. Even more intuitively terrifying was the grand hall in front of him.

Inside this hall, it felt as if a shocking fierce beast was coiled, the breath it exhaled turning into a storm that shook the soul. As it echoed in all directions, Deacon Li also looked extremely respectful, lowering his head as he spoke.

"Elder, Xu Qing has been brought here."

"Come in." A hoarse, aged voice came from within the hall.

When it fell into Xu Qing's ears, it seemed to turn into a thunderous roar, causing Xu Qing's breathing to quicken. It felt as if a tremendous pressure had descended, suppressing his heart and mind.

He managed to stand steady, bowed his head, and then with difficulty, lifted his feet to walk forward step by step.

Every step he took made sweat bead on his forehead. The shocking pressure from within the hall made his heart and mind roar the closer he got. The trembling that came from his flesh and blood made Xu Qing's gait difficult.

However, it seemed the existence inside the hall did not have overly obvious malice; this pressure felt like an instinctive release. Therefore, although Xu Qing struggled, he still relied on his own body tempering and cultivation base to support himself as he walked in step by step.

The moment he stepped over the threshold of the hall, he finally knew why everything looked like a blur from the outside; it was because... everything inside the hall was distorted.

The chairs, the stone pillars, and even the surrounding walls were constantly shaking and twisting in Xu Qing's eyes at this moment. The source of all this was the figure of an old man sitting on the grand chair at the very front.

He could not see the face, only the purple Daoist robe and white hair.

And this person was the source of the distortion; an invisible power seemed to radiate from his body, making the area he shrouded impossible to be truly seen clearly.

"Greetings, Elder." Xu Qing endured the dizziness in his mind caused by the distortion of this place, lowered his head, and bowed with cupped hands.

"Describe in detail the Jin Wu Dragon Chariot you saw." The vicissitudinous voice came calmly, sinking into Xu Qing's heart and mind, turning into a repeating echo that reverberated continuously.

Xu Qing took a deep breath. There was nothing to hide about this matter; it was just a chance encounter, which was why he had chosen to report it earlier. So, after the Elder spoke, he recounted the entire process one by one.

During this time, Elder Zhao above did not say another word, just listening quietly.

Until Xu Qing finished speaking, the hall was in a deathly silence.

Xu Qing was under immense pressure, bearing it silently.

After a long while, Elder Zhao's voice, devoid of the slightest emotional fluctuation, came slowly.

"You missed a stroke of good fortune."

Xu Qing was silent.

"But you also saved your life."

Xu Qing hesitated for a moment, enduring the surrounding pressure and dizziness, and bowed with cupped hands.

"May I ask Elder, that Dragon Chariot... what is it?"

The hall was quiet. After a long time, the aged voice came out again.

"Since you have seen it with your own eyes, there is no harm in telling you."

"That is the Sun's imperial carriage!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's heart and mind were jolted violently.

"On the inner wall of that bronze dragon chariot, a secret technique is carved, called Jin Wu Refines Ten Thousand Spirits. This secret technique is one of the rare Imperial-level secret methods throughout the ages."

"Few people encounter the Sun's imperial carriage, and even fewer have the fortune to see this secret method after encountering it. Those who can learn it after seeing it are extremely rare." The aged voice now had a trace of emotional fluctuation, as if sighing with emotion.

"Secret method?" Xu Qing's mind conjured the image of the giant and the dragon chariot he had seen that day.

"That is why I said you missed a stroke of good fortune. Your fate is thin, and you cannot force it."

"For many years, only the Lord of the Seven Blood Child's Upper Peak Seven Sect Alliance had this fortune when he was young. He existed within that dragon chariot for the span of one breath and learned a remnant chapter."

"Since then, the dragon chariot sank to the bottom of the sea, and it has been a hundred years. Its reappearance now is clearly to seek those with affinity. Once the secret method within the dragon chariot is comprehended by someone again, it will sink back to the bottom of the sea to sleep, waiting for the next awakening."

Waves surged in Xu Qing's heart. These matters were a huge shock to him, and he figured they must be secret lore that a mountain-base disciple like him could never know.

"Telling you this is also because this matter cannot be recorded in the Sea Records Pavilion and is difficult to exchange for spirit stones, so it can be considered compensation for you."

"Furthermore, observing that your cultivation base is also nearing a breakthrough, the Seventh Peak Grand Competition will begin soon. Take care of yourself."

As the aged voice echoed, a great force rolled in from all directions. Xu Qing's body was uncontrollably pushed back until he retreated outside the grand hall, and everything inside the hall became a blur once more.

Looking at the hall, Xu Qing bowed with cupped hands.

He was already covered in sweat. In the short time he had been inside the hall, he had endured immense pressure. The Elder Zhao sitting in the seat of honor truly made him feel even more terrifying and powerful than the forbidden zone fierce beasts he had seen before.

Outside the hall, Deacon Li was still waiting there. Seeing Xu Qing come out, he smiled.

"Xu Qing, I will send you down."

As he spoke, his body flew up, stepping into the air and moving forward.

Xu Qing took a deep breath and followed behind. As they flew out, with the mountain wind blowing, the sweat on his body dried, but the feeling of terror regarding Elder Zhao's strength in his heart could not be blown away by the wind.

"Elder Zhao is not an ordinary Elder on the mountain." Deacon Li in front glanced at Xu Qing and spoke slowly.

"Among the thirteen Elders of the Seventh Peak, Elder Zhao is third in sequence."

"Also, I have heard Zhongheng mention you. Regarding that child Zhongheng, in the Elder's own words... although he is very stupid, his nature is not bad." Outside the Seventh Peak, Deacon Li said this with deep meaning and turned to leave.

Xu Qing looked at the other party's back, was silent for a moment, and walked into the city.

He was very clear about the meaning of the other party's last sentence; this was a warning to him not to think about secretly killing Zhao Zhongheng because of some small conflicts.

Xu Qing did not have this thought now.

"Zhao Zhongheng has a good grandfather."

"Also... the Grand Competition is starting soon, huh." Xu Qing walked through the city with a calm expression, slowly calming the emotional fluctuations brought about by Elder Zhao's pressure. Thinking of the array crossbow he had obtained from the Jin Gang Sect ancestor, he changed direction and walked toward the Transport Department.

He prepared to strengthen his magic boat a bit more before the Grand Competition.

It was noon, and there were many pedestrians in the city. Amidst the cold and hurried atmosphere, Xu Qing passed by a fruit stall. Today, there were some unusually large apples on the stall.

Xu Qing bought them all after seeing them, put them in his pocket, and walked into the port area.

Just as he was heading toward the Transport Department, passing by the entrance of an alley, Xu Qing seemed to sense something. He suddenly turned his head to look, a cold intent appearing in his eyes.

As his gaze fell, a young boy's figure was revealed in the shadows of the alley entrance.

This boy was wearing a bulging gray Daoist robe, with a dog-skin jacket underneath, and his small face was dirty. It was exactly that mute boy from the Criminal Capture Department.

He seemed to have been waiting there for a long time. Now, seeing Xu Qing, he immediately dragged a corpse over and placed it in front of Xu Qing. On his stiff face, he managed to squeeze out a fawning expression, then turned and ran away at high speed without looking back.

Xu Qing frowned and looked down at the corpse in front of him.

This was a wanted criminal. The corpse was covered in bite marks, and except for the head being intact, the entire body was a bloody mess, as if it had been bitten to death by a wild beast.

The little newbie wants to ask, how do you post an Easter egg chapter? I don't understand, I don't understand.