Chapter 79: Chapter 62: Heavenly Secrets Cannot Be Divined, the [Venerable Supreme]’s True Face

The sloppy old man’s expression turned serious. He answered in a deep voice:

“The Taifu Sect has made no move for now, but our two Dharma Lineages have made inquiries in many places and finally caught wind of something.

“The Foundation Establishment True Master who has come this time is one of the Ten Great True Inheritance disciples of the Taifu Sect, named Lou Zhenxiao.”

Song Chou was visibly shaken by this, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes.

“Is that the formidable figure who boasted he would cultivate five lives, succeed in Gathering the Five Elements, and seize the top spot at the Dan Yuan Dharma Assembly?”

The sloppy old man nodded with a wry smile.

“The very same! We should properly address him as True Master Jieyun.

“This man is a true killing star. Back when he was cultivating in the Mingcang Marsh, he held the position of director of the Lower Courtyard’s Punishment Hall.

“Last year, while touring the South Sea Biluo Cliff, he became enraged for some unknown reason. He personally annihilated five Inner Sect Dharma Lineages, and not even a single Branch Sect was spared.”

Song Chou suppressed the urge to flee immediately and asked hesitantly:

“What is he doing here in Beimang Ridge? Sealing three thousand li with a single talisman… Could it be he plans to clean house, uprooting Dharma Lineages to make an example of them?”

Seeing Song Chou in such a panic, the sloppy old man was secretly delighted. ’Finally, this fellow gets a taste of being scared out of his wits.’

“If the True Master wanted to mete out punishment for the Daoist Lineage, why would he wait until now? Lou Zhenxiao has already cultivated three of the Five Elements to Perfection: Xin Metal, Kui Water, and Ding Fire.

“If he were to make a move, besides the Elder Ancestors of our two families who might be able to hold him off for a bit, everyone else might as well wash their necks and wait to die.”

Song Chou composed himself and shot the sloppy old man a displeased glance. Only now did he realize the man had intentionally tried to frighten him just to see him lose his composure and make a fool of himself.

“Elder Fang, stop beating around the bush! Lou Zhenxiao has sealed Beimang Ridge and summoned us all to Longhua Mountain. What is he after?”

Seeing that Song Chou was genuinely angry, the sloppy old man stopped joking around. After all, the two of them were in the same boat.

“He’s said to be looking for a ’Little Ancestor.’ This is the news my Sect Leader managed to gather after many inquiries.”

“Little Ancestor…”

“And don’t you dare ask me who or what this ’Little Ancestor’ is, or what kind of great personage they are. I have no idea either.”

The sloppy old man cut Song Chou off before he could even ask, as if he had already guessed the question.

“The Sect Leader only said that this ’Little Ancestor’ who ran away from the Taifu Sect cannot be divined by fate, nor can they be reached by Divine Techniques.”

Song Chou’s face changed again. A Foundation Establishment Upper Cultivator who had succeeded in Gathering the Five Elements could divine cause and effect and probe the secrets of heaven.

Only those of a higher level—a True Monarch who has attained the Dao—possess a dharma body that is one with nature. They have overcome all tribulations, leaped beyond the three realms, and are no longer bound by the Five Elements.

Only they can be immune to the divining of karma and the manipulations of fate!

Elder Fang’s few words, while seeming to say nothing, had actually revealed that the “Little Ancestor” the Taifu Sect was looking for was very likely a *true* ancestor, someone powerful enough to crush Beimang Ridge to dust!

“A being of that caliber… and he wants us Qi Cultivation Cultivators to find them? Why doesn’t Lou Zhenxiao just tell me to take a stroll through the White Jade City on the Dongsheng Continent!”

Song Chou was so incensed that he lost his usual composure, but he retained enough sense to instinctively lower his voice by the end of his sentence.

“The higher-ups just told us to make a show of it. The way I see it, the Taifu Sect knows what it’s doing. Sealing Beimang Ridge is just to keep that Little Ancestor from running too far.”

The sloppy old man offered his analysis.

“Besides, Lou Zhenxiao wasn’t sent here on a mission. He received the Upper Sect’s decree halfway here.

“Originally, he was supposed to preside over this year’s North and South Dipper Sword.”

Song Chou lowered his head in thought.

“The North and South Dipper Sword, held once every twelve years, is on again? It’s strange, if you ask me. The Sword Dao was wiped out for 120,000 years. The Buddhist Dao is watching like a hawk, guarding against the rise of another True Monarch of the Sword Dao. We get involved, but there’s no benefit in it for us.

“If the great figures above really wanted to support the Sword Dao and restrain the Buddhist Dao, why did they crush the Zhongyi Sect with a single finger back then?”

The sloppy old man adopted a placid expression and said languidly:

“How can a Lower Cultivator presume to guess the thoughts of an Upper Cultivator? Elder Song, think about it. Can those prodigies whose minds you’ve ensnared with your Illuminating the Dark techniques truly grasp your intentions?”

Song Chou immediately fell silent, having made up his mind to just go through the motions.

’Whoever wants to look for that Little Ancestor can go right ahead.’

’In any case, if the Taifu Sect decides to punish us for this, all three Inner Sects, two Branch Sects, and five Dharma Lineages will suffer the consequences together!’

…

…

「The next day, at noon.」

Yang Xun, who had just left not long ago, came back to Jiang Yi’s room, a dazed look on his face.

“That old dog Lu Ting… he’s really dead?! Just like that?!”

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback. ’How could a Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer Cultivator just drop dead, unless his time was up or he died in Magical Combat?’

“Where did you hear this, Grandpa?”

“They’ve already hung white lanterns at his residence. I asked a Steward; they said his cultivation went awry last night. He was coughing up blood nonstop and only just managed to hang on until morning before he finally passed.”

Yang Xun looked wistful for a moment, then clapped his hands and burst out laughing.

“Good riddance! For decades, that old dog always had to put me down, belittle me, and treat me like a servant for his own amusement… And now he’s gone and died before me!

“Ah Yi, go prepare some food and wine! This calls for a celebration!”

Jiang Yi had thought that his grandpa and Master Lu were, at the very least, old acquaintances with a love-hate relationship. He was about to offer a few words of comfort, but before he could speak, a look of glee spread across Yang Xun’s face.

Jiang Yi took the opportunity to ask:

“So, will you still be cultivating diligently from now on, Grandpa?”

“Of course! I clearly remember that old dog Lu Ting has humiliated me a total of seventy-five times over the years!

“Therefore, I must live for another seventy-five years.

“Every year on the anniversary of his death, I’m going to go piss on his grave!”

Yang Xun answered, his tone resolute.

’Grandpa really is petty,’ Jiang Yi grumbled inwardly.

He then recalled that yesterday at the Doufa Pavilion, Lu Xuan had seemingly accepted that Opportunity from the Zhao You Sect on his behalf.

’Loss of a loved one? Catch an Elder’s eye, receive an opportunity for a test. The content of the test is “Loss of a Loved One”!

’Lu Ting died just like that? Lu Xuan’s own father is gone just like that? And now they’re really holding a funeral.’

Jiang Yi went downstairs to get the food and wine, a chill running down his spine as he walked.

’To take the life of a Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer cultivator so silently?’

’And no one even thinks anything is wrong, as if Lu Ting died of old age.’

’He was the Grand Steward of Sanhe District and a member of the Dongping Lu Clan… yet his life was treated no differently than that of a Lower Cultivator who froze to death on the roadside.’

Jiang Yi quickly composed himself, lest the horror show in his eyes.

’It seems that “Venerable Supreme” is the one I should be looking forward to.’

’The methods of these Elders from the Zhao You and True Gu Sects truly have the characteristic ruthlessness and decisiveness of Demon Cultivators.’

’Only one day left.’

Jiang Yi had already presented the “Sacrificial Offering” for four consecutive days to please that “Venerable Supreme.”

Every time he went to collect the Wooden Plate, he found it licked clean.

’The other party must be quite satisfied with the offerings I’ve prepared myself.’

’We’ll see what form the “Venerable Supreme” takes tonight at midnight.’

…

…

Just after the watchman’s clapper sounded the midnight hour, Jiang Yi left Dai Pavilion with the prepared dried meat.

Perhaps because an Elder from the True Gu Sect had begun Breathing Spiritual Energy again, cotton-like snowflakes were falling silently.

The cloth banners of the shops on Shuangfeng Street were frozen stiff, and when the cold wind blew past, they made a crisp sound like shattering jade.

By the time Jiang Yi reached the West Suburban Shed, the watchman’s clapper had sounded again.

The place for presenting the offerings was actually a small, dilapidated temple.

Normally, Cultivators don’t worship ghosts and gods, but the Demon Dao Dharma Lineage had always been inclusive. Some among them, like the Witch Priests, had secretly built temples. These were later destroyed and their incense fires extinguished, leaving them abandoned.

Just like usual, Jiang Yi stepped inside. He was about to respectfully place the long strips of dried meat from the Wooden Plate onto the incense table when he saw a towering man sitting there, straight-backed.

The man had messy eyebrows, and his hair and beard were like wild grass. His features were coarse, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, and his gaze was so sharp it felt like it could slice one’s face.

When he spoke, his voice was like the tolling of a great bell, making Jiang Yi’s eardrums throb.

“A Demon Dao Dharma Lineage? One who cultivates Ding Fire? Lou Zhenxiao sent you to take my life, didn’t he?”

Jiang Yi froze. He carefully studied the towering man who looked like he could eat several bulls, then weighed the dried meat in his arms.

’This isn’t even enough for a mouthful for him, is it?’

’Initial assessment: this person is probably not the “Venerable Supreme.”’

So, Jiang Yi asked with a serious expression:

“Who is Lou Zhenxiao?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep