Chapter 111: Chapter 106: Ninth Realm Inheritance, Domain of Reincarnation

Have you not seen—before the mirror, lamenting white hair; in the morn it’s like black silk, by dusk it becomes snow.

…

Inside the stone gate, the ice lake was like a mirror.

Chu Huaixu’s back slammed heavily onto the icy surface, though Han Shuangjiang in his arms was unharmed.

She was pressed atop him, both of them feeling rather dizzy and disoriented.

Right now, the two of them truly looked like two old people.

Having fallen so suddenly from such a height, anyone would be giddy and seeing stars.

The fact that neither of them blacked out on the spot spoke to their steely wills.

Big Ice Cube’s body was somewhat limp, squashing against Chu Huaixu’s chest.

Yet this scene, at this moment, was not the least bit erotic.

Because now, she was no longer a woman with lingering charm.

Her hair was gray-white, her face covered in wrinkles.

Only her bearing was still exceptional—her brows, her features all pleasing to the eye, making one speculate in their heart: This old lady was no doubt a peerless beauty in her youth.

Chu Huaixu’s back ached fiercely; at this moment, his vision dimmed.

What surprised him was that this secret realm was so bizarre, even the advantages of his body refining were stripped away, but his monstrous pain tolerance remained intact…

Refining Sword Formulas—terrifying as ever!

“It feels like I broke a few bones.” He closed his eyes, gauging his body’s condition.

But soon he realized—even the fractured bones and the lump on his back from the impact were healing rapidly!

Not bad—Dao Scripture, you’re no slouch either!

In this mysterious secret realm, the characteristics of both cultivation techniques still persisted.

Right then, Han Shuangjiang struggled to get up, asking, “You… are you alright?”

“Nothing major,” said Chu Huaixu.

The two exchanged glances, gazing at each other’s white-haired appearances.

The inky-black long hair Chu Huaixu had now all turned to silvery strands.

His face was likewise covered in wrinkles, and his eyes more clouded than before.

Compared to earlier, he looked all the leaner and gaunter.

“Do I look… really old now?” Han Shuangjiang asked.

She almost didn’t dare look at herself.

Chu Huaixu just chuckled indifferently, “Aren’t I the same?”

He knew he was a handsome guy by bone structure—full of confidence; even in old age, he’d be a hot commodity among the old-timers doing plaza dancing.

The two of them simply stood atop the ice, scanning their surroundings.

The fourth trial of the Annulus Secret Realm was, naturally, [Winter].

This place was bone-chilling cold, the icy aura piercing straight to the core.

Even Chu Huaixu’s Black Gold Robe seemed not to work; both of them were freezing, unconsciously pressing closer together.

They were standing at the very center of the ice lake.

Around the lake grew trees.

These trees were all bare and lifeless, like withered wood.

The ice was thickly frozen; at least there was no worry about falling through.

“Just don’t know what this trial will test,” Chu Huaixu murmured, brow furrowing slightly.

The Annulus Secret Realm, he was totally clueless about.

It meant that either no one had discovered it yet, or Han Shuangjiang had gotten to it long ago.

Personally, he leaned toward the latter.

Han Shuangjiang glanced about warily, gripping Zhegu Heaven tightly in her hand.

Soon, she caught sight of something and pointed: “Chu Huaixu, look over there.”

At the lakeside was a stone stele, carved with the name of the lake.

—[Enlightenment Lake].

These three characters were forceful and powerful, the brushwork carrying a mysterious edge.

“Enlightenment Lake?” Chu Huaixu frowned, some ideas forming within.

And in the next moment, he had his answer.

For a tremendous aura was descending from the Ninth Heaven above, giving a pressure that weighed fiercely upon them.

A faint, semi-transparent ripple spread from the center of the ice lake outward.

And then, in this secret realm world, snow began to fall from high above!

At first, snowflakes drifted sparsely, but soon, heavier and thicker they came.

The two of them seemed to be in some wondrous space.

This indescribable mystical sensation made Chu Huaixu feel both unfamiliar and yet somewhat familiar.

Han Shuangjiang looked up at the drifting snow. “What’s happening here?”

She suddenly felt a vague stirring—as if she’d grasped some insight, yet couldn’t quite hold on to it.

Chu Huaixu gazed at her, gradually growing aware of something.

His face turned solemn, and in a grave voice he said:

“This is a[Sword Domain]!”

Right at that moment—in the Daoist Sect’s Inner Sect, atop Wenda Peak.

The Daoist Sect’s Seventh Realm-plus titans all glanced toward Medicine Mountain, surprise flashing in their eyes.

“This is… a domain?”

From Medicine Mountain in the Outer Sect, a Domain’s aura was emanating!

Sect Leader Xiang Yan instantly sent a transmission to the elders: “All, come swiftly—follow me to Medicine Mountain’s Maple Forest!”

Everyone moved at lightning speed—except for Shen Man in the Purple Bamboo Forest, all others flew to Maple Forest at once.

Chu Yinyin, with the lowest cultivation, arrived last and late.

After landing, she saw her fellow disciples’ faces filled with excitement and anticipation.

Of all present, only Sixth Realm Chu Yinyin hadn’t formed her own [Sword Domain].

She looked quite puzzled, asking, “What’s up, why have we all come to Maple Forest?”

Chu Yinyin hadn’t even sensed the domain’s aura!

In truth, everyone hoped she’d strive harder and break through soon.

So, naturally, nobody passed up this chance to tease her.

Squinty-eyed Zhao Shuqi immediately said, “Junior Sister, even the Sect Leader transmitted to you? But you’re only Sixth Realm—no need to come guard here at all.”

“Exactly, exactly,” Li Chunsong chimed in with a grin.

“Huh? What do you mean!” The girl’s face instantly flashed with anger. “At it again, are you!”

Anyone below Seventh Realm isn’t a person?

Nangong Yue smiled gently—unlike the others, she didn’t deliberately tease; exuding warmth, the beautiful lady said:

“Junior Sister, you don’t know—there’s a Sword Domain aura present here. And it’s of high ranking… most likely left by a Ninth Realm predecessor.”

“Sword Domain?” Chu Yinyin gasped, instantly casting her Divine Sense to investigate.

Huh, found nothing at all.

She wanted to ask aloud, but felt too embarrassed, so she just listened in with pricked ears.

Then, Xiang Yan’s next words shocked her to the core.

“I suspect this is the Reincarnation Sword Domain recorded in our temple’s ancient texts!” he rasped.

Startled, Chu Yinyin jumped in, “Reincarnation Sword Domain? So isn’t this the inheritance left by our Second Generation Observatory Master!”

At her words, everyone’s expressions changed at once.

Within the Dao Sect’s Inner Sect stands Junzi Temple—the sect’s core, accessible only to direct disciples.

In Junzi Temple, the strongest is the current Observatory Master.

Within the Dao Sect, the Sect Leader governs all matters, holding the highest authority.

But the Observatory Master, nearly detached from worldly affairs; all business in the sect is not their concern, wholly devoted to cultivation, yet highly respected in status.

The storyteller at the foot of the mountain—what he said, everyone listened to; firstly because he’s everyone’s junior martial uncle, holding seniority.

Secondly, in a way, he’s actually the current Observatory Master of Junzi Temple!

However, he personally refused the role, leaving the position vacant for years.

Still, though the Daoist Junior Martial Uncle doesn’t bear the Observatory Master’s title, in reality, he has the authority if not the name.

A millennium ago, when the sect flourished, the Dao Ancestor passed the Sect Leader’s position to the eldest disciple, while retaining the Observatory Master’s name and becoming a hands-off boss.

After the Dao Ancestor’s passing, the second Observatory Master of Junzi Temple was his third disciple.

A female Observatory Master!

Her name was quite unusual.

Surname: Yan. Given name: Shen—’Shen’ as in ’mirage’.

She was a rare Ninth Realm great cultivator—foremost of the Four Great Divine Swords of her era, surpassing even that era’s Sword Sect Sword Venerable!

Though Dao Ancestor had departed, the world’s foremost Sword Dao remained in the Dao Sect!

Her Sword Domain was named Reincarnation.

Right now, Law Enforcement Elder Lu Pan, an Eighth Realm great cultivator, supported the Sect Leader’s assessment.

“Judging by the feeling this Sword Domain gives me, I agree it’s likely the Reincarnation Sword Domain.”

“Never thought the Second Observatory Master had left an inheritance secret realm—and placed it here in the Outer Sect’s Medicine Mountain?”

“Seems she hoped that someone could walk the path she once trod.”

“Perhaps this was her intention in leaving the secret realm in the Outer Sect,” Lu Pan mused.

At this, Chu Yinyin perked up and asked, “Who’s inside—who was lucky enough to get the Observatory Master’s inheritance!”

She was already burning with envy.

As for the process, a sword cultivator must first comprehend sword intent, then develop sword heart, and finally attain sword domain.

Chu Yinyin, at the Sixth Realm Great Perfection, already stood at the threshold of Sword Domain.

As Xiang Yan had previously said, among this generation’s direct disciples, Junior Sister’s talent was actually the highest.

Once she enters the Seventh Realm, forming her own Sword Domain will only be a matter of time.

However, with her sword intent and sword heart already formed, she naturally cannot replicate the Reincarnation Sword Domain.

Even so, the stone of another mountain can polish jade.

Even if she can’t fully replicate the Reincarnation Sword Domain, she could absorb some parts of it.

This Ninth Realm supreme cultivator’s legacy is a huge benefit—even for Xiang Yan and the others!

So Chu Yinyin’s envy was perfectly natural.

As for what Lu Pan said just now, he was simply guessing at the Second Observatory Master’s original intent.

If the inheritance secret realm were placed in the Inner Sect, many great sword cultivator disciples might already be at the sword intent level, or just at the threshold.

Thus, it’d be difficult to accept the full legacy perfectly.

But setting the secret realm in the Outer Sect, where everyone’s cultivation was shallow—it’s nigh impossible to attain enlightenment here!

Nonetheless, to personally experience the supreme power left by a Ninth Realm great cultivator, even a small insight would be a lifelong benefit!

Everyone, upon hearing Chu Yinyin ask who was inside, all smiled and turned toward her.

“We’ll offer our congratulations to Junior Sister first,” everyone said cheerfully.

“Huh? What are you congratulating me for?” She was at a loss. “I didn’t enter the secret realm!”

Even if her fellow disciples wanted to sneak her in—she hadn’t formed her sword domain yet—it’d be impossible.

With the supreme power of a Ninth Realm great cultivator, all of them together probably couldn’t break in!

In the past, the Junior Martial Uncle—before his fallen realm—could trounce everyone present single-handedly.

Then, the next words from the crowd made the Loli Elder instantly break into a smile, understanding why they congratulated her.

“Your future precious apprentice is in that inheritance secret realm right now!”

…

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