Wuji Mountain’s Heavenly Master

Qin Huai studied the experience orb, slightly surprised. “Who would’ve thought the gatekeeper was such a character?”

He hadn’t expected this elder from Wuji Mountain to possess the Kun Peng bloodline and practice the powerful blood heart technique. This left Qin Huai unsure about the elder’s true allegiance.

“Or maybe he’s playing both sides,” Qin Huai speculated.

After using poison powder to dispose of the corpse, Qin Huai retracted the bronze landscape diagram. He landed lightly on the grass, leaving no trace of his footprints on the yellow, withered grass. Scaling the top of the dilapidated Taoist temple’s wall, he slipped inside.

The temple was in ruins with nothing notable but a clear flow of aura. Approaching it, Qin Huai saw Xiang Mingfeng sitting on a futon in the unclosed inner hall of the temple. In front of him was a half-destroyed, seven-meter-tall stone statue.

“One of the founders of Wuji Mountain, and for a time, one of the strongest in the True Path Sect, Wuji Heavenly Master,” Xiang Mingfeng started to explain. “Despite cultivating only one qi technique in his lifetime, he was invincible in his realm. A breath of his qi could allegedly kill a dragon or phoenix.”

Listening quietly, Qin Huai knew that Xiang Mingfeng was aware of the extensive corruption within Wuji Mountain. Keeping such a straightforward man silent for so long must have taken a lot of inner turmoil.

“But what I admire most about you, Heavenly Master, is your upright life. You never tolerated any wrongdoings. If a demon emerged, you’d risk your life to eliminate it.” Xiang Mingfeng continued, “Do you know how the Heavenly Master met his end?”

“How did he die?” Qin Huai asked. “He ventured into the Demon Valley, the origin of demons.”

“And then?” Qin Huai couldn’t help but ask.

“For thirty years following his journey, no demon from the Demon Valley entered the human world,” Xiang Mingfeng said somberly.

Looking at the stone statue, Qin Huai felt a surge of emotions. Yet, despite the Heavenly Master’s greatness, his temple had fallen into such disrepair.

Turning around, Xiang Mingfeng spoke, “I am not strong like the Heavenly Master… but if I can’t even protect Wuji Mountain, I would not be able to face him even in death.”

A dazzling light suddenly erupted from his body, illuminating the night sky. The half-statue in the temple began to vibrate, and in the next moment, genuine qi flowed from it into Xiang Mingfeng’s body.

Boom!

His figure seemed to grow taller, and a shift occurred across Wuji Mountain as multiple peaks started to move. A powerful aura surged toward the mountain.

Whoosh!

“Brother Zhou, find somewhere to hide first,” Xiang Mingfeng advised. “There’s a secret room behind the stone statue.” Qin Huai quickly surveyed the room before disappearing into a small secret room behind the stone platform. Activating the bronze landscape diagram, he concealed himself without revealing any aura.

“I knew something like this would happen when I came to find Xiang Mingfeng,” he admitted, having anticipated this situation.

He manipulated a stream of spring water to emerge from the ground, revealing the surroundings of the dark room. Even in the pitch-black darkness, he could hear the sounds echoing from the temple.

A series of mighty auras suddenly descended on the run-down temple.

“Mingfeng, you’ve broken through?” Kong Binghuang’s laughter filled the air as he examined the vacant stone platform. “You managed to refine the ancestral master’s stone statue into a guardian spirit item… Impressive!”

However, a disapproving voice interjected, “To turn the ancestral master’s portrait into a guardian spirit item… It’s a disgrace! This is a serious crime against our ancestors!” A rugged figure with a full beard and large frame strolled in — Second Elder Shang Yinzhong, a prominent expert at the fifth-level visceral prefecture realm.

“Second Brother, you’re too old-fashioned. How many years has it been since anyone cared for the Taoist temple the grandmaster left behind?” A tall figure walked in. Grand Elder Yu Tiancong, another top-notch expert at the fifth-level visceral prefecture realm, argued, “Now that it’s a guardian spirit item under Mingfeng’s care, it’s worth it, isn’t it?”

Smiling, Grand Elder Yu Tiancong patted Xiang Mingfeng’s shoulder. “Now that Mingfeng has progressed to the next level, tomorrow’s battle with Fanghuo will be quite interesting.”

Ignoring Yu Tiancong’s comments, Second Elder Shang Yinzhong insisted, “How could the portrait of an ancestor be handled so casually?” He proposed to Kong Binghuang, “Mountain Chief, I suggest we punish Xiang Mingfeng severely! Exile him to the Qingzhou border for two years to reflect on his arrogance! He has been out of control for the past two years!”

Xiang Mingfeng remained unfazed, challenging Shang Yinzhong, “Since Second Elder is so concerned about the Heavenly Master’s image, may I ask how many times you’ve visited here in the past few years?”

Shang Yinzhong’s eyes narrowed. “Your disrespect to your elders is an additional crime.”

Throughout this, Kong Binghuang stood aside with closed eyes, seemingly indifferent, keeping everyone guessing his thoughts.

Laughing, Yu Tiancong tried to mediate the situation. “Second Brother, you claim to be rigid, and here you prove it. Mingfeng is our senior brother from Wuji Mountain. To exile him… seems a bit excessive.”

Finally, Kong Binghuang spoke again, “Indeed.”