Chapter 268: Eight Extraordinary Techniques?

"Eight Extraordinary Techniques?!" A young ninja couldn't help but exclaim, then immediately realized his lapse in composure and hurriedly lowered his head.

The old man did not blame him for his lapse, but instead revealed a meaningful smile: "Correct, it is that legendary Eight Extraordinary Techniques capable of changing the world. Do you all know if any anomalies have occurred in the Huaxia Outsider world recently?"

Seeing everyone shake their heads, the old man continued: "In just a few short months, a little-known small Daoist temple has seen two celestial phenomena in a row. Auspicious clouds circling, the Heavenly Ladder appearing—such scenes are extremely rare even in the ancient era."

"The Elder means..." a burly ninja looked thoughtful.

"Correct," a cold glint flashed in the old man's eyes, "According to our analysis, this place called Baiyun Guan very likely hides the secret of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques. Especially that young Daoist named Lin Xuan; his background is far too suspicious. It is said that he transformed a Daoist temple on the verge of bankruptcy overnight; such methods have completely exceeded the scope of common sense."

"Then how should we act?" another ninja asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.

The old man's gaze swept over everyone's face, as if to firmly memorize their expressions: "Proceed in three routes. The first route will continue to monitor Baiyun Guan; every move of that Lin Xuan must be mastered. However, be careful, this person's strength is unfathomable, do not alert the enemy."

"The second route is responsible for collecting all clues related to the Eight Extraordinary Techniques. The legendary Eight Extraordinary Techniques include: Qi Control, Heaven Connection, Fragrance Fighting, Dragon Seeking, Flying Phoenix, Deep Abyss, Soul Locking, and Leading Traction. Each one is heaven-defying; if we can obtain any one of them, it would be enough for our Dongying Alien world to dominate."

Speaking to this point, the old man's voice suddenly turned cold: "As for the third route, you must infiltrate the major sects of Huaxia to find potential breakthroughs. Remember, this matter is of great importance and absolutely no mistakes are allowed. If you are discovered..." he made a throat-slitting gesture.

Just as the Dongying ninjas were plotting, Lin Xuan was meditating in the Quiet Room of Baiyun Guan. Suddenly, his brow furrowed and he abruptly opened his eyes. In his consciousness, a clear coordinate suddenly emerged, as if something were summoning him.

The feeling was extremely peculiar; it was neither like the resonance of some Dharma Artifact nor like a common revelation of heavenly secrets. Instead, it was as if there were a predestined fate in the dark, like an invisible thread pulling him toward a certain place.

"Interesting." Lin Xuan whispered to himself, a strange look flashing in his eyes. Ever since obtaining the Divine Fire Power, he had felt as if he had touched upon some higher level of heavenly secrets. This sensing might be an important turning point.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Xuan rose to bid farewell to Luo Daming. When he explained that he was leaving temporarily, Luo Daming's face clearly showed reluctance and worry: "Lin Daozhang, there seem to be some unusual movements from the Dongying side recently; you are leaving at a time like this..."

"It is fine." Lin Xuan smiled slightly, "Some things that are meant to come will come eventually. Rather than waiting passively, it is better to take the initiative."

Luo Daming heard the deep meaning in his words and could not help but look solemn. He knew this young Daoist had always been far-sighted, and since he chose to leave at this time, there must be a reason.

"Xiao Qing, Xiao Bai, let's go." Lin Xuan took the two girls and followed the guidance in his mind, heading north. On the way, Xiao Bai couldn't help but ask: "Benefactor, where are we going?"

Lin Xuan's gaze was profound: "To be honest, I am not entirely sure. But since there is such a sensing, there must be a reason for it. Heavenly secrets are mysterious; sometimes following Nature can lead to unexpected gains."

After several days of trekking, the three finally arrived at a remote dense forest. The place was overgrown with weeds and tangled with vines, and one could tell at a glance that no one had been here for a long time. A cold and damp aura permeated the air, and even birds rarely lingered here.

"The Feng Shui here..." Xiao Qing frowned as she looked around, "is very wrong. The earth's energy is cold and the baleful energy is stagnant; it is clearly a prime Feng Shui spot suitable for burial, yet it has been left to waste here."

Lin Xuan nodded: "Indeed. It seems the secret here is even deeper than we imagined."

Deep in the dense forest, the three discovered the entrance to an ancient tomb passage. Moss covered the stone steps, and the carvings on the lintel were blurred, but one could vaguely make out scenes of war. Two stone beasts stood at the entrance; although they were ancient, their majestic aura remained undiminished.

"Careful." Lin Xuan suddenly signaled for the two to stop, "There is a Restriction here."

He took out a Talisman and flicked it lightly. The Talisman turned into a golden light, tracing a strange trajectory in the air before colliding with an invisible barrier, emitting a muffled sound.

"As expected." A sharp light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes, "The method of this Restriction is very special; it is neither the orthodox path of the Daoist school nor the means of the Buddha Sect. It looks more like... an evolution of ancient battle formations."

Xiao Qing suddenly thought of something: "Benefactor, could it have been left by those Outsiders who cultivated the Dao through war back then?"

"Very likely." Lin Xuan nodded, then took out three Talismans, "Take these; these are Breaking Restriction Talismans, which can help us pass through the Restriction safely. However, remember, once inside, do not act rashly. Such ancient ruins often hide murderous intent."

The three cautiously ventured deep along the tomb passage. As they continued forward, the surrounding air became increasingly cold. The walls of the tomb passage were covered in murals; although they were mottled and unclear, one could vaguely see that they depicted scenes of war. Amidst the flashing swords and shadows, one could seemingly still feel the tragic atmosphere of that time.

Suddenly, Xiao Bai stopped in her tracks: "Benefactor, look at this painting!"

Lin Xuan leaned in to look and saw that the mural depicted a scene of a general leading troops in a charge. Most eye-catching was that the general seemed to be holding a cluster of peculiar light in his hand, and wherever that light went, the enemy troops fell one after another.

"This is..." Lin Xuan's expression became grave, "Outsider methods! It seems that what is buried here is indeed no ordinary figure."

Finally, the three arrived at a spacious tomb chamber. In the center sat a coffin; the coffin was pitch black, and intricate patterns were carved upon it. Under the flickering light, those patterns seemed to be wriggling, giving one a creepy feeling.

"Let me see." Xiao Qing stepped forward and was just about to lift the coffin lid when a gust of cold wind suddenly blew. Accompanied by a teeth-gritting "creak," a dozen dried corpses emerged from nowhere, baring fangs and brandishing claws as they lunged at the three.

Although these dried corpses had been dead for many years, they still carried a distinct martial artist aura in their movements. Their actions were strange and agile; clearly, they were all experts who possessed unique skills during their lifetimes.