Chapter 193: Secret Lore

Xuanwei Realm.

Zheng Fa piloted the Boat of Crossing Calamity through Lei Chi.

Two graceful figures stood side by side at the bow of the boat; they were Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie.

"Zhang Shijie, you are now at the Nascent Soul stage..." Zheng Fa looked at Zhang Shijie with a hint of concern: "Coming to Lei Chi is perhaps a bit dangerous."

This Lei Chi is far too unfriendly to those with cultivation above the Foundation Establishment stage.

The higher one's cultivation, the harder it is to enter Lei Chi.

"It is fine." Zhang Shijie glanced back at him, shaking her head: "I also wish to see the Heavenly Stele."

The three of them were heading in the direction of the Heavenly Stele.

"Moreover, if I were to form a Nascent Soul, I would only be constrained." Zhang Shijie's tone carried a trace of pride: "In that case, I might as well not form one."

"..."

Zheng Fa was speechless.

Seeing that he seemed to want to refute but didn't know what to say, Zhang Shijie suddenly smiled: "Even using only my Foundation Establishment divine sense and spiritual power, I am confident I am not inferior to others."

Zheng Fa nodded.

After all, Zhang Shijie's reputation was forged in battle; her methods were not weak.

He simply did not understand why Zhang Shijie insisted on coming.

"Furthermore, I have heard that the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin seems to be hiding within Lei Chi."

"The Old Man of the Bronze Coffin?"

Zheng Fa paused; he actually remembered this person.

On that day, three Nascent Soul cultivators from the Zizaimo Sect attacked the Five Dragon Heavenly Palace; one was killed by Uncle Pang in a desperate struggle, and another had their soul annihilated by a single sword strike from the Setting Sun Sword Immortal.

Only the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin managed to escape by luck.

"Shijie, have you been inquiring about this person's whereabouts these past days?"

Zhang Shijie nodded lightly, her tone full of natural justification: "Since he dared to cause chaos in my Jiushan Sect, I naturally must return the favor."

"..."

Indeed, Shijie has a violent temper.

"But he is also at the Nascent Soul stage; why hide within Lei Chi?"

"..." "Of course, he fears the Setting Sun Sword Immortal." Zhang Shijie said softly: "Lei Chi is also a place of refuge for him."

Zheng Fa understood—how they viewed Nascent Soul cultivators was probably similar to how the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin viewed the Setting Sun Sword Immortal.

"Moreover, his bronze coffin itself is somewhat strange." Zhang Shijie seemed to have truly investigated the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin's deeds: "It is rumored that the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin attained the Dao as an ancient corpse. Not only is that bronze coffin strange, but it also possesses immense protective capabilities; within Lei Chi, he is actually several grades stronger than ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators."

"Then why isn't he within the secret realm of the Zizaimo Sect?"

Zheng Fa still found it hard to comprehend.

"I do not know either." Zhang Shijie looked at him and said: "Perhaps he has other schemes; accompanying you here makes me feel safer."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa could not help but look at Zhang Shijie.

"What 'not inferior to others,' what 'seeking revenge'!" Yuan Shijie, standing nearby, seemed to have understood as well, muttering: "It's just that you don't feel safe leaving Zheng Shidi, right!"

"Do you want to get off the boat?" Zhang Shijie's tone was somewhat cold.

"I don't feel safe leaving Zheng Shidi either!" Yuan Shijie shrank her neck, speaking in a conciliatory manner: "Zhang Shijie, Zheng Shidi is now your... no, our Jiushan Sect's treasure!"

The closer they got to the Heavenly Stele, the more thunder there was around them.

At first, the thunder was like a dense forest; although thick, it still allowed the Boat of Crossing Calamity to pass through.

After traveling a few li further, the thunder resembled a spiderweb, leaving only shifting gaps; the three had to abandon the Boat of Crossing Calamity to proceed.

Further ahead, the gaps in the spiderweb grew smaller and the changes became more bizarre, making it impossible to find a path.

The three stopped here.

"Previously, I also only reached here and dared not go further." Yuan Shijie, after all, explained from the side: "Going further would mean being struck by lightning; the power of the heavenly thunder here seems to correspond with one's cultivation—the higher the cultivation, the greater the power. Those who do not cultivate the Thunder Method cannot advance at all."

Zheng Fa listened to her words, yet his gaze remained fixed blankly on the front.

He saw the Heavenly Stele.

It was a stone stele of indeterminate size, its entire body appearing to be made of white jade, with some faint carvings upon it.

In the very center of the carvings, there was an area filled with names; some names had already faded, but many others remained very clear.

The three characters Yan Wushuang stood at the highest position among the clear names.

This was probably the ranking list Yuan Shijie had mentioned.

Looking around.

Many cultivators were gathered here; they seemed too afraid to go further yet reluctant to give up the opportunity, so they simply stayed here, unwilling to leave.

These people stood in small groups, occasionally pointing at the names on the Heavenly Stele and discussing them heatedly.

It seemed they were arguing over which of these names belonged to someone more powerful.

Zheng Fa turned back to look at Zhang Shijie and the other.

Neither of them cultivated the Thunder Method, or rather, neither possessed the resources to cultivate the Thunder Method.

In Zheng Fa's view, the Jiushan Sect could be considered a mid-to-upper-level power within the Xuanwei Realm—but the Five Thunder Law Body had been lost for nearly ten thousand years.

If they went further, the two Shijies would likely be unable to cope.

Only he had cultivated the "Five Thunder Law Body," and now the "Divine Firmament Thunder-Controlling True Method" had just entered the initial stage, leaving him still capable of advancing.

The two Shijies seemed to understand this as well; Zhang Shijie's eyes held some concern.

Yuan Shijie began muttering again at this moment: "This Heavenly Stele doesn't seem to offer anything good anyway; Shidi, you might as well not go."

"Zheng Brother." At this moment, Yan Wushuang's voice suddenly came: "If I were you, I would go to the Heavenly Stele to undergo some trials."

"Hmm?"

The three did not expect Yan Wushuang to suddenly appear at this moment and interject directly.

Zheng Fa turned his head, looking at Yan Wushuang.

Chu Tianque and that True Disciple of the Supreme Dao, Xue, were following him; it seemed the three had a deep relationship.

"Brother Yan, why do you say this?"

"Brother Zheng, do you know why we must enter the Heaven Stele time and again?" Yan Wushuang asked in return.

"I do not know."

"We who cultivate the Thunder Method are now all plagued by a lack of spiritual materials, yet within the Heaven Stele one can obtain many spiritual materials that have not appeared in the Xuanwei Realm for a long time, which is quite beneficial for our cultivation."

"I see." Zheng Fa nodded lightly; in his heart he was actually somewhat hesitant, and regarding whether to enter the Heaven Stele trial or not, he was equally undecided—

He considered himself not to be of an adventurous nature.

Even that secret technique given by the Sect Master, he did not feel he absolutely had to practice.

Seeing his expression, Yan Wushuang and the other two exchanged glances, confusion on their faces.

They hailed from the Xuanweiwu Sect, with substantial wealth.

Yet upon hearing of rare spiritual materials, their hearts would also stir with excitement.

But Zheng Fa actually appeared unmoved?

"Rare spiritual materials." Shijie Zhang also spoke from the side: "I will collect them for you later; there is no need to be anxious."

"..."

Chu Tianque beside them was stunned.

He looked at the Rishan mark on his own person, then looked at the Jiushan Sect mark on Zheng Fa's person, and his face said one thing:

Do you Jiushan Sect issue such Shijie upon entering the sect?

"There is one more point." Yan Wushuang continued speaking: "From the perspective of our Tianhe Sect, if someone truly passes the Heaven Stele trial, they will take command of the Heaven Stele."

"Take command of the Heaven Stele?"

Everyone present was filled with confusion.

"Therefore, our Tianhe Sect has been able to keep a Sword Dao Heaven Stele all along." Yan Wushuang explained: "If this Heaven Stele has a master, it will naturally leave Taiyang Commandery."

Zheng Fa glanced at Shijie Zhang; Shijie Zhang also wore an expression of helplessness.

Although spiritual materials are important, they are far less important than the Heaven Stele—now the Jiushan Sect is relying on the Heaven Stele to create the Lei Chi to block the Zizaimo Sect.

If the Heaven Stele runs away, our Jiushan Sect must also flee.

"This matter... why did you not say it before?" Chu Tianque asked, looking at Yan Wushuang.

"This... is also a secret story of our Tianhe Sect."

Yan Wushuang said helplessly.

"Then you..."

There was also some bewilderment in Yan Wushuang's eyes; he gazed out beyond the Lei Chi, as if looking at a short figure, and murmured: "I do not know why I want to say it either."