Chapter 218: True Monarch’s Secret Realm
It was precisely because of this that Zhu Shaoyuan even gave rise to a guess he himself found sowhat laughable.
Even if he were to truly strike now, he might not necessarily be able to subdue Chen Zi’ang.
On the contrary, he might instead drive away a peerless prodigy with limitless prospects—one who could very well uphold the sect’s reputation, or even lead the sect to rise again.
For Chen Zi’ang’s bearing was far too calm—so calm that ripples stirred in Zhu Shaoyuan’s heart, making him suspect that his disciple might be hiding killing moves or unique escape techniques that only a Nascent Soul True Monarch could possess.
‘Forget it.’ Zhu Shaoyuan said inwardly.
To Mirror Moon Sect, a prodigious cultivator who was bound to one day achieve Nascent Soul True Monarch and who felt a sense of belonging to the sect was worth far more than so uncertain True Monarch inheritance.
Put plainly, the risks and benefits of acting did not match.
Even if he had caught glimpses of secrets hidden within his disciple, Zhu Shaoyuan was unwilling to take the gamble.
“Buzz!” At a flick of Zhu Shaoyuan’s thought, three streaks of golden radiance suddenly fell into Chen Beiwu’s hands.
As the golden light dispersed, Chen Beiwu spread his palm and saw a golden needle brimming with spiritual essence, along with two jade slips.
“This needle is a one-ti-use artifact personally refined by your teacher, the 【Great Wilderness Calamity Needle】. Within it is sealed the Great Wilderness Calamity Earth Fla.
With divine sense urging, it can unleash a strike equivalent to an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. It will remain effective for one hundred years and is suitable for self-defense. Consider it my gift to congratulate you on advancing to Foundation Establishnt.”
“One jade slip records a Golden Core secret art, the 【Dao-Suppressing Furnace Pill thod】, containing my insights into the Dao of artifact refinent.
The other jade slip is my Transmission Talisman. Should you have any doubts in cultivation, you may ask
at any ti.” Zhu Shaoyuan said gently.
Ordinary cultivators had to give life and limb for the sect before receiving rewards. But geniuses were entitled to special treatnt.
To win Chen Zi’ang’s loyalty and deepen his disciple’s sense of belonging, Zhu Shaoyuan did not mind extending resources.
“Many thanks, Master, for bestowing these treasures.” Chen Beiwu bowed respectfully, gratitude plain on his face.
“No need for excessive courtesy. Cultivate well and form your core at the earliest possible day.” Zhu Shaoyuan nodded slightly, his divine sense incarnation transforming into golden radiance and vanishing.
Seeing this, Yun Yishu chuckled softly. “Master truly is biased. When I advanced to Foundation Establishnt back then, Master did not grant
anything at all.”
“Senior Sister Yun, what kind of artifact did you forge at that ti?” Chen Beiwu shifted the topic.
“A Third-Tier Formation Treasure—Flags of the Burial-Sea Grand Formation of the Suspended Nether Locking Pill.” Yun Yishu’s voice was mild. “Junior Brother, if you wish to delve deeply into formation arts, you too may choose to refine a formation treasure.”
“Speaking of formations—Junior Brother Chen, do you still recall that Third-Tier Corpse-Refining Demonic Formation?”
Chen Beiwu nodded. “Of course I recall.”
“I consulted Master about it. Master showed no interest in that Third-Tier Golden Armored Corpse. Hall Master Yu, however, was quite intrigued and decided to personally act in subduing it.”
Chen Beiwu’s eyes lit up. “Senior Sister, then when shall we depart?”
“I had originally settled a ti of departure with Hall Master Yu.” Yun Yishu frowned slightly. “But two days ago Hall Master Yu suddenly sent word of urgent matters, saying the ti must be changed.”
“Clang!”
“Clang!”
Just then, two resounding tolls of the sect’s grand bell echoed outside the cave residence, shaking heaven and earth, clearing the cultivators’ minds.
“Two tolls of the Golden Bell—could it be that sothing major has happened?” Chen Beiwu’s expression shifted.
He was well-versed in the sect’s laws, and knew the five signals of the Golden Bell.
One toll of the Golden Bell marked the sect’s day of accepting disciples.
Two tolls were a summons for all Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the sect.
Three tolls ant outside enemies were invading, the sect entered battle readiness, and Golden Core True Persons were recalled.
Four tolls marked when the Five Great Sects were at war, the battle fierce, and a Golden Core True Person of the sect had perished.
Five tolls were the ti of utmost crisis, when the sect’s survival hung by a thread, and the ancestor was awakened from seclusion.
“Let us go, Junior Brother Chen.” Senior Sister Yun rose, gazing toward the main peak outside the cave residence, her face grave.
The sect’s laws were as immovable as mountains. Every Foundation Establishnt cultivator who heard the bell must head for the main peak to hear the Golden Core elders’ decree.
Even the most exalted of True Disciples, destined to form Golden Cores, were no exception.
Only those at the end of their lifespan, sealing themselves within their cave’s grand formation in death-closed seclusion to seek breakthroughs, could disregard the second toll of the Golden Bell.
Yun Yishu had a premonition—that Hall Master Yu’s sudden change of plans might very well be linked to today’s double toll of the Golden Bell.
……
Mirror Moon Main Peak, Elders’ Hall.
A female cultivator in plain robes, long hair flowing, with sword-sharp brows and a tiny vermilion mole at the corner of her eye, gazed silently at the dense streams of light streaking across the heavens outside the hall.
This was none other than the sect’s Third Elder, Hall Master of the Formation Hall, Yu Shuiyao—only one step away from becoming a Fourth-Tier Formation Master.
“Five thousand Inner Sect disciples… I wonder how many Foundation Establishnt cultivators will fall in this exploration of the True Monarch’s Secret Realm.” Yu Shuiyao sighed.
The True Monarch’s Secret Realm was fraught with peril. Even Golden Core cultivators entering faced the possibility of sudden death, much less the weaker Foundation Establishnt disciples.
“To die for the sect is these Foundation Establishnt disciples’ duty.”
A Golden Core elder with long hair and plain robes, looking as pure as a young maiden in her pri, covered her mouth and laughed softly.
Yu Shuiyao cast a glance at Yu Zhaoli’s deliberately delicate manner, but said nothing.
This ti, the secret realm discovered by Greenwood Sect was suspected to contain the legacy of True Monarch Tianyan, hence both she and Elder Yu were alerted.
True Monarch Tianyan had been a renowned Fourth-Tier Upper-Grade Formation Master six thousand eight hundred years ago, his cultivation reaching the late stage of Nascent Soul.
A True Monarch cultivator of such stature, fad across the entire Southern Wastes, was one even the great sects of the region were reluctant to provoke.
For Tianyan was a rogue cultivator, unbound and unattached. Once he went mad, only a Divine Transformation Venerable could put him down unscathed.
Yet even so, such profound cultivation could not withstand the erosion of ti. Before sitting in ditation for the last ti, he deliberately left behind an inheritance.
“Elder Yu, do you believe that this True Monarch’s Secret Realm truly contains a Core-Forming Pill and Tianyan’s formation legacy?” Yu Shuiyao felt sothing amiss.
“Who can say?” Yu Zhaoli said seriously.
For Tianyan’s ways were both righteous and demonic—impossible to predict. His legacy might well be a peerless opportunity, but it could equally be a trap set to ensnare future generations.
Fortunately, before his death, Tianyan had arranged a Fourth-Tier Upper-Grade Profound Formation, restricting entry to Foundation Establishnt cultivators only.
Otherwise, the Golden Core elders like them would have been forced into battle alongside the Golden Core True Persons of the other Four Great Sects—fighting over the inheritance and resources of the True Monarch’s Secret Realm. Instead, they could now sit aloof, like fishern waiting, while the sect’s Foundation Establishnt disciples determined the outco, maintaining order on the surface.
……
Mirror Moon Main Peak, Cultivation Plaza.
Chen Beiwu and Senior Sister Yun descended from their flying vessel artifact.
Gazing at the glow of fate shining above the heads of the Foundation Establishnt cultivators gathered around, Chen Beiwu could not help but feel moved:
‘Truly worthy of being one of the Five Great Sects of the Earth Proliferation Territory. Just the Foundation Establishnt cultivators present number no less than two thousand. No wonder the sect’s Golden Core True Persons never cease from generation to generation!’
“Silence!”
At that mont, the voice of a Golden Core elder rang out, and the previously noisy Cultivation Plaza instantly fell silent.
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