Chapter 180: A Thousand Years Without Decaying

Boom!

Boom!

At one side of the cold pond, qi waves churned violently.

Several figures sprinted toward the mountain wall bathed in red light, clashing with each other along the way—swords and blades clanged, sparks flew everywhere.

"Why not earlier? Why not later? Why now?"

Outside the cold pond, on a small hill, Lord Master Gongyang Yu's face was icy, his eyes flickering.

The instant the Thousand Spirit Ritual succeeded, the situation inside and outside Fucheng shattered—not just the Three Yuan Warren, the Xieshen Sect, and a few others.

The martial experts lying low within Fucheng could no longer contain themselves; they surged toward Divine Weapon Mountain.

This was not something the Divine Guard Army outside the city could stop, for even the elders of Divine Weapon Valley had their spirits shaken.

Elders like Jing Jing Shuhu and Lei Lei Jingchuan, who were guarding, immediately rushed toward the red light despite their injuries.

That was the very thing their ancestors had sought for a thousand years—in their hearts, it mattered far more than these half-dead thieves.

"The Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, the Whale-Splitting Sea Hammer."

Behind him, Elder Kuyue's expression shifted.

The allure of Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing was so great that even she could not remain unmoved—yet since it was a hammer, not a sword, she would have been even more desperate than Jing Jing Shuhu.

"Divine weapons have souls and are hard to claim, let alone Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing? Our ancestors couldn't obtain it in over a thousand years—Jing's younger brother is too impulsive."

Lord Master Gongyang Yu forced himself to calm down; he had already sensed the tremors in the situation.

Once word of tonight's events spreads, not just nearby prefectures and counties, but even the leading sects like Longhu Temple, Qinglong Pavilion, and Yiqi Manor may not be able to stay out of it.

He even suspected that some experts were already lurking nearby, watching.

That was why he ordered his disciples to abandon the annihilation of the Three Yuan Warren and the Xieshen Sect—trying to stop everyone now was utterly impossible.

"Lord of the Valley, what shall we do?"

Elder Kuyue glanced down the hill—the remaining Divine Guard Army was regrouping; Shi Hong and Long Sheng were rushing over quickly, seemingly also hoping to try their luck.

After a long gaze at the crowd fighting over the red light, Lord Master Gongyang Yu hesitated slightly, then said:

"Hesitation invites chaos. Elder Kuyue, carry out the plan: disperse the disciples, instruct them to scatter and regroup at Qianjun Mountain…"

"And what of you, Elder Brother?"

Elder Kuyue frowned.

"Old man must stay behind to see what this thing—sought by our ancestors for over a thousand years—actually looks like."

As he spoke, Lord Master Gongyang Yu drifted away; his lightness skill was extraordinary—he stepped on water without leaving a trace, vanishing dozens of zhang in an instant, overtaking many experts.

He charged straight toward the mountain wall where the red light emanated.

An identity-shifting expert instinctively blocked him—Lord Master Gongyang Yu struck with a single finger from afar, killing him ten zhang away, instantly drawing the attention of all the experts.

"Even Old Fox Master Gongyang Yu has gone—truly, Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing stirs the heart."

On the cold pond, a lone skiff drifted slowly; Wan Chuan stood on the plank, his gaze deep and distant:

"Hmm. Even those who've mastered identity-shifting, who've never even seen a top-grade legendary weapon, dare to go? Truly, ignorance is fearless…"

Legends of Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing have long existed; seekers abound—but most don't even know what Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing truly is.

If they knew, these people wouldn't even have the courage to approach…

"Are you waiting for me, Old Man Wan?"

Amid the fading rain, a voice came—a figure in white robes, Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan, walked forward calmly, ripples spreading across the water beneath his feet.

"Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan—you've truly come!"

Wan Chuan's gaze sharpened; though he had suspected, seeing this man still stirred unease.

The Xieshen Sect's influence spread across the land—each prefecture had a headquarters, each province a branch; Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan was the head of the Huizhoufentang of the Xieshen Sect.

Rumor had it he had perfected the Four Gods of Blood, Flesh, Tendons, and Bones—his body cultivation surpassed all in Huizhou, his Wu Gong extremely high.

Now seeing him walk across the water in the rain, his qi tightly contained, yet not a single drop of water clung to him, Wan Chuan's heart tightened.

This was the Gao Shen Jing Fa Jie of absolute mastery over one's physical form.

"I heard Old Man Wan had arrived; as a junior, I could not fail to pay my respects."

Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan bowed with a smile, appearing not as the head of the world's greatest evil sect, but as a refined scholar.

His manners were impeccable; in the martial world, the status of a Divine Artisan ranked just below a Grand Alchemist—Wan Chuan, who had forged multiple divine weapons, was a man even the Xieshen Sect dared not provoke.

"No need for empty words."

Wan Chuan frowned: "The divine weapon has no master—I'm here only to look. Why should I inform you?"

"Old Man Wan, you misunderstand. I have no intention of persuading you to leave—only worry that a fight might harm you."

Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan stepped before the skiff, scanning the mountain wall, already shattered by brute force:

"These old men are used to ruling over small backwaters—they may not understand your worth. Why not come with me?"

Wan Chuan's gaze turned cold; with a flick of his sleeve, the skiff shot forward: "I still have some means of self-defense. No need for your assistance, Master Master Baili."

"Couldn't sway him—of course not. After all, he's a famed Divine Artisan for decades. What a pity…"

Master Master Baili Lei Jingchuan stood on the water's surface, watching figures break through the mountain wall, calm and unhurried, merely waiting.

After a long while, the cold pond returned to stillness.

"Lord!"

After the rain ceased, Yuan Brother Qiao arrived in a boat; a group of Xieshen Sect experts followed, many pale-faced, all wounded.

"Lord, Chief Su died under Master Gongyang Yu's blade—please avenge him!"

Yuan Brother Qiao's face was filled with grief and rage.

At the moment the Thousand Spirit Ritual succeeded, Master Gongyang Yu erupted and slaughtered Su Su Wanxiong and all other Xieshen Sect experts above identity-shifting level.

Only Wan Ye of the Three Yuan Warren escaped, gravely wounded, fleeing into the mountains.

"There is a living portrait of him in the hall; later, find a 'seed' and grow him out—that's hardly worth such a fuss, is it?"

Master Master Baili stepped onto the bow, his expression calm: "Even if he hasn't died, having committed such a grave error, he deserves to die once."

The Thousand-Eyes Weapon-Seeking Ritual was meant to succeed on the first attempt; if not for that person losing the Dead Man's Stele, why would he do such dirty work?

Fighting and killing is truly beneath a scholar's dignity.

"A living portrait..."

Yuan Brother Qiao and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

They certainly knew of living portraits, but was the one that came to life truly the original person?

"Where is Wan Ya?"

Master Master Baili asked.

"He fled with severe injuries, no, his whereabouts are unknown."

Yuan Brother Qiao replied.

"That old rascal is extremely bold; with such a major event as the Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing emerging, he certainly won't give up unless he dies."

Master Master Baili scanned the edge of the cliff face; he saw no sign of Wan Ya, but many martial artists without Shape-Shifting could not leap up, so they could only climb slowly:

"Hmm, not enough people have arrived yet."

"Ah?"

Yuan Brother Qiao was stunned, then Yu Yu Xuanji reacted:

"The heavy rain just stopped; perhaps some still haven't heard the news. Your subordinate has already sent people to spread the word; by dawn, many experts should arrive..."

"Do not block them, nor rashly draw weapons. Whoever wants to enter, let them enter. To obtain the Sea-Splitting Black Whale Hammer, we will need their help..."

Master Master Baili gave the order, lightly tapped his foot, leaped dozens of zhang, and landed on the cliff face that had been brutally blasted apart as if weightless.

Yuan Brother Qiao also gave a few orders, left one person behind, and led the other experts toward the cliff face.

By the time he arrived, the shadows of Master Master Baili and the other experts were already gone.

Inside the cliff face, red light shone like a pillar, illuminating the dark tunnel completely; many were still approaching cautiously.

After taking only a few steps, Yuan Brother Qiao's heart skipped a beat; he saw Shi Hong, his armor stained with blood, also moving along the red light.

"Shi Hong..."

"Yuan Brother Qiao!"

In the tunnel, Shi Hong's gaze grew slightly cold as he saw Yuan Brother Qiao darting into another tunnel.

The Divine Weapon Valley had long since hollowed out the entire mountain; the tunnels were intricate and complex. Although the red light was straight, they still had to take detours.

"The Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing..."

Shi Hong murmured to himself; regarding this supreme treasure of the Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing that the Ancestor had pursued for over a thousand years, he naturally felt tempted as well.

He knew clearly that with so many experts present, he might not have the opportunity to obtain this Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing; compared to that illusory Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, he was more concerned with another matter.

"I have already memorized the map of the tunnels in the Divine Weapon Mountain..."

Shaking the mud and sand from his body, Shi Hong hurried forward, moving along the tunnel toward the location of the Weapon Casting Valley.

Inside the tunnel, figures occasionally flashed, and sounds of clashing blades and screams were heard from time to time.

Total chaos.

"Dig!"

"Dig!"

Li Yuan swung his arms, sweating like rain; his two third-grade swords, capable of cutting gold and jade with ease, were now actually showing signs of dulling.

This backfilled tunnel entrance was also difficult to break through.

After a long while, Li Yuan heard a squeaking sound; small rats were jumping up and down. Li Yuan looked with a torch and saw that blocking the necessary path was a blackened bluestone.

"That's wrong; this was cast from refined iron!"

As soon as Li Yuan approached, he sensed something amiss; this blocking bluestone contained refined iron, even hundred-refined steel.

The rat swarm spread sideways, digging for several meters, yet still could not bypass it.

"This must be a 'door'?"

Li Yuan observed carefully and discovered that the rat hole appeared to be a ventilation shaft.

He lay on the ground to look, and in the hole, he saw flickering light.

"Hiss~"

Li Yuan gathered his strength and drew both swords, quickly chopping off large chunks of iron, but with a 'clang', the Autumn Water Sword also became dull.

"It's mixed with Blazing Fire Refined Iron, good heavens..."

Li Yuan ignored the pain in his heart, leaned closer to inspect; if even a supreme blade couldn't cut through this iron door, what about a famous artifact?

Chi!

Li Yuan drew Ding Zhi's sword, thrust with gathered force, and it plunged straight to the hilt, but did not penetrate through.

"This door is far too thick."

Li Yuan called out to the 'click-clack' gnawing rats, whose teeth were nearly breaking, and tried digging upward and downward; soon, the outline of the iron door was exposed.

It was over ten meters high and seven or eight meters wide.

"No, below is the Red Fusion Cave..."

Li Yuan felt the familiar scorching heat and immediately dared not dig further.

"Let me think..."

Li Yuan frowned deeply. He sat leaning against the lumpy iron lump, swallowed a few pills to recover his strength, and tossed one to the little mouse as well.

The little mouse immediately squeaked "Squeak squeak!" A mouse the size of a human head darted out from the swarm. It approached reverently, scratched at the pill with its little claws, testing the medicine for him...

"..."

Watching the cocky little thing, Li Yuan nearly choked. Its spiritual awareness really was growing by the day.

"Bought a little mouse on the roadside, and it can actually grow into a treasure-seeking rat?"

Li Yuan sighed inwardly. If not for his kind heart, this treasure-seeking rat would have just slipped past him.

Whose family prepares an antidote pill for a mouse that tests medicine?

Master Li figured good people really do get good karma.

He rested for quite a while, then flipped through the gray stone tablet, taking stock of the weapons and items he had collected.

Suddenly, he saw the practice hammer he had obtained earliest of all.

Originally it had been a short-handled practice hammer. Later he shaved down a long wooden pole, inserted it, and it became a long-handled practice hammer.

"In that case..."

Li Yuan's reaction was lightning-fast. He nimbly took out a third-tier spear, stuck it to one side, then picked up a sword and stabbed a hole in the door the thickness of the spear shaft.

Next, he removed the spearhead and forcefully inserted the shaft into the hole.

"Hiss!"

"A perfect fit!"

Li Yuan's eyes lit up. He discovered that this third-tier spear had clearly dropped to second tier, changing from a spear into a 'hammer'!

It really works. Master Dao is truly clever!

Li Yuan's heart leaped with joy. He immediately chased all the mice out of the tunnel, reached out, and grabbed the spear shaft.

Buzz!

The next moment, Li Yuan only felt his vision go black then bright. A massive amount of mud, sand, and stone collapsed down at once.

Quick-eyed and fast-handed, before the cave collapsed, he grabbed the little mouse and darted behind the iron door.

"Whoosh!"

Li Yuan swiftly took out the 'Iron Hammer Door' to block the path behind him, preventing the tunnel from collapsing again.

Only then did he survey his surroundings.

This section of tunnel was very narrow—one person could barely pass with head bowed—and the heat of the earth-vein poisonous fire was very noticeable here.

"Squeak squeak!"

The little mouse, upon arriving here, landed and wanted to dash forward. Li Yuan followed quickly, and soon they reached the end of the tunnel.

Here, he saw a deep pit roughly several zhang wide, filled with bone-chillingly cold pool water.

By the edge of the deep pit, on a bed, a person sat cross-legged.

"This is..."

Li Yuan squinted slightly. It was a gray-robed elder, complexion rosy and glowing, his half-open eyes seemingly still holding light.

But not a trace of vitality remained.

A top expert!

Li Yuan could tell from the thick layer of dust on the ground that this elder had been dead for over a hundred years, yet his appearance was lifelike.

This was clearly a master whose cultivation had reached an extremely high level.

"Squeak squeak!"

The little mouse was jumping about on the other side. In the corner of that wall, a pile of large and small crimson crystals was stacked,

These were Blazing Fire Iron Essence, worth more than gold.

"Is this Ancestor Ancestor Feng Yun?"

Li Yuan stepped closer and saw text covered in dust on the wall behind him. The very first line read Ancestor Feng Yun.

"This old man Ancestor Feng Yun leaves these words here... This mountain cave lies at the midpoint between the earth fire and the cold pool water, a place where yin and yang converge, where water and fire merge..."

"This old man was incompetent, passing into meditation-death here, unable to glimpse the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Hammer... Those who come after, whether my disciples or not, may follow it down..."

"If... your talent is extremely high, then you may see the Mysterious Whale!"

Ancestor Feng Yun's written message described in detail the special nature of this tunnel, and also mentioned the Crimson Fusion Tunnel he had deliberately crafted.

"The Crimson Fusion Tunnel is not a dead end, yet a mortal body can hardly walk to its end, much less delve into the earth fire..."

Not a dead end, but barely different from one.

Li Yuan felt slightly more balanced. He circled the cave and found that this ancestor had left nothing behind except this letter.

"Makes sense—when he entered this cave, he probably already had the resolve to die, with no intention of leaving."

Li Yuan felt a touch of regret. After bowing respectfully, he walked toward the deep pit that revealed a glimmer of firelight.