“That is the enlightenment you will achieve in the future,” Lu Xuan said softly, his gaze distant. Chen Changsheng was speechless for a long moment. This statement seemed to confirm, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his Master truly hailed from the legendary River of Time! Waves of profound realization washed over Chen Changsheng.
A moment later, he departed, returning to his cave dwelling to diligently cultivate the Grand Dao Scripture. Meanwhile, a palpable tension had descended upon the various peaks of the Grand Dao Sect.
Tianyuan Old Ancestor was severely injured! Furthermore, whispers suggested that Foreign Magnates and Monster Race Magnates were secretly mobilizing, intending to target the White Robe Great Emperor of Azure Mystery Peak. For the first time, many elders and disciples felt genuine terror.
“I have a feeling,” one elder muttered, “that several Overlord-level Powers in the Southern Wilds are preparing to unite against our Grand Dao Sect.”
“It’s true,” another agreed grimly. “We’ve made too many enemies lately! In previous eras, the Grand Dao Sect kept to itself and didn't participate in the competition for the Supreme Path, so we maintained peace with other great powers. But this time, we are clearly vying for the Supreme Fruit Position. Coupled with the fact that we possess the Dao Rhyme of the Bronze Ancient Palace, we have become the Target of All!”
Anxiety spread like wildfire. “Does anyone know the current status of Tianyuan Old Ancestor?”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor, Tianxing Old Ancestor, and the Sect Master stood in a hidden location beside a secluded river, their expressions grim. Tianxing Old Ancestor’s face was icy. “Tianyuan's Life Tablet is cracked, and his Soul Lamp is flickering violently. His condition is critical!”
The Sect Master asked anxiously, “Can we establish contact with Tianyuan Old Ancestor?”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor shook his head. “No word at all.”
Tianxing Old Ancestor frowned deeply. “I worry that someone has launched a sneak attack on him. He is severely wounded and still carries that wisp of the Dao Rhyme of the Bronze Ancient Palace.”
The Sect Master’s face paled. “What are we to do? So many Overlord-level Powers are eyeing our sect like hungry tigers.”
A heavy silence fell over the group. Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others knew that the Grand Dao Sect was being targeted by numerous powerful factions, especially the Foreign Magnates and the Monster Race Magnates. The enmity between the human race and these other races ran deep, fueled by millennia of slaughter during the competition for the Supreme Path across countless epochs. When the White Robe Great Emperor of Azure Mystery Peak had previously transmitted his voice across the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds, the Foreign and Monster Races had expressed their discontent. Their exclusion from studying the Dao Rhyme of the Bronze Ancient Palace had only fueled their arrogance and criticism. Now, with Tianyuan Old Ancestor injured, these hostile forces were undoubtedly preparing to strike.
The Sect Master suggested, “Should we perhaps awaken the Old Ancestors of our sect's Xuan Lineage?”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor pondered this for a moment. “It is not yet time. They have slept for countless ages, their lifespans are severely limited, and they can only intervene a few times. The Heaven and Earth Change hasn't truly begun; they cannot awaken yet. Furthermore, even if they did, they might not be able to contact Tianyuan Old Ancestor.”
Then, a sudden thought struck the Sect Master. “What about requesting the assistance of the White Robe Great Emperor from Azure Mystery Peak? His power is heaven-defying, and his methods are unfathomable. Perhaps he has a way to locate Tianyuan Old Ancestor!”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor and Tianxing Old Ancestor exchanged a look. “That might work,” Cangxuan conceded. “However, the White Robe Great Emperor seems to be in the Blackflame Mountain Range, secretly protecting Fuyao.”
Without delay, the Old Ancestors and the Sect Master left the hidden location. Divine Arcs surged beneath their feet as they shot toward Azure Mystery Peak.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Cangxuan Old Ancestor, the Sect Master, and the others landed heavily on Azure Mystery Peak. At that moment, Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng were lying side-by-side in front of the thatched hut, perfectly synchronized in their repose, watching the clouds drift across the sky. Seeing the pair lying flat, the Sect Master felt a surge of pure, unadulterated rage.
He could tolerate Lu Xuan's laziness—barely—but Chen Changsheng was copying the act perfectly! The Sect Master couldn't stand it. His figure vanished abruptly and reappeared behind Chen Changsheng, where he grabbed the disciple's ear and lifted him straight into the air. “Chen! Chang! Sheng!”
Chen Changsheng, looking utterly innocent, pleaded, “Sect Master, please be gentle.”
The Sect Master scolded him fiercely. “You learn all the wrong things! Your Senior Sister and Second Senior Brother have heaven-defying talent, yet they cultivate tirelessly and fight constantly. But you? You have mediocre talent, you're older than them, and instead of working hard, you copy Lu Xuan and lie down?!”
Even Cangxuan Old Ancestor and Tianxing Old Ancestor shook their heads slightly. Compared to Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen, this Chen Changsheng was clearly far inferior.
Chen Changsheng, looking utterly wronged, immediately shifted the blame to Lu Xuan. “Sect Master, my Master instructed me to lie down.”
The Sect Master released Chen Changsheng and turned to Lu Xuan. “Lu Xuan, what is the meaning of this?”
Lu Xuan replied calmly, “This is the will of that magnate. Chen Changsheng’s cultivation path is unique. He is too foolish, so he must walk the Mortal Dao. That magnate said my aura harmonizes with the Heavenly Dao, so Chen Changsheng must observe me.”
Chen Changsheng nodded vigorously. The blame successfully shifted to the nonexistent 'magnate,' he thought, impressed. My Master is truly something else, just lying through his teeth without batting an eye. I definitely need to learn that skill. The Sect Master frowned slightly, naturally skeptical.
Lu Xuan said coolly, “Changsheng, demonstrate the insights you have gained from the Grand Dao Scripture.”
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng solemnly activated his spiritual energy, theatrically “squeezing” out a faint wisp of the Grand Dao Scripture's Dao Rhyme. A profound, mystical energy curled around Chen Changsheng like rising smoke. Cangxuan Old Ancestor and Tianxing Old Ancestor clicked their tongues in wonder, their eyes lighting up. “Chen Changsheng, for someone of your talent, to comprehend this much is quite remarkable. That Fellow Daoist was right; this cultivation method truly suits you.”
The Sect Master’s face twitched, finding the whole situation impossible to accept.
Lu Xuan slowly rose from his recliner. “Old Ancestors, Sect Master, what brings you here?”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor replied, “Lu Xuan, is that Fellow Daoist currently in the Blackflame Mountain Range? Can you still contact him?”
Lu Xuan gave a casual nod. “Naturally.”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor smiled faintly. “Then please inform that Fellow Daoist that we have a favor to ask! Tianyuan is severely injured and is in a distant state; we cannot contact him due to the immense distance. We wish to inquire if that Fellow Daoist possesses any secret art that could locate Tianyuan and bring him back?”
Lu Xuan frowned slightly, mentally reviewing the dozens of profound secret arts he had passively synchronized—all the 'trump cards' Chen Changsheng had been hoarding. In just a few breaths, Lu Xuan had identified several methods to locate Tianyuan Old Ancestor.
The first was the Deduction Technique. If the Heavenly Secret hadn't been shielded, he could use an ancient tortoise shell to roughly deduce which major state in the Southern Wilds Tianyuan Old Ancestor was in. The second was a secret art called the Heavenly Trace Secret Art. “Heaven and Earth are boundless, tracing ten thousand miles; the universe is vast, Yin and Yang are formless...” This technique required a memento from Tianyuan Old Ancestor to trace his aura and causality.
There were several other secret arts, too. With this in mind, Lu Xuan smiled faintly. “Old Ancestors, do you have a memento from Tianyuan Old Ancestor? We can use its aura to locate him.”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor was stunned. “It's that simple?”
Lu Xuan replied nonchalantly, “Don't worry. Tianyuan Old Ancestor will return to Azure Mystery Peak safely. Leave this matter to me.”
Hearing this, Tianxing Old Ancestor immediately said, “Wait a moment, I will retrieve Tianyuan's memento.”
Boom! A Divine Arc appeared beneath Tianxing Old Ancestor's feet, and he shot into the air, rocketing back toward the hidden location. The void trembled! Space warped!
Moments later, Tianxing Old Ancestor returned, his shoulder burdened by a massive, incredibly heavy Ancient Sarcophagus. He had arrived carrying a coffin!
Lu Xuan was utterly shocked. What the actual hell? he thought internally.
Tianxing Old Ancestor slammed the Ancient Sarcophagus onto the ground with a heavy thud and explained, “This was Tianyuan's crucial artifact for secluded cultivation. It can resist the erosion of the Power of Time. This sarcophagus is far from simple.”