Chapter 194: Linghu Shou

Deep in the valley, Jiuyou followed Zhou Chengshan for several more li. They passed through layers of restrictions along the way. Each barrier was arranged with exquisite precision, as if the entire mountain were sealed inside an airtight brocade pouch. Finally, they stopped before a stone wall.

The stone wall was damp, covered in a thin layer of moss and weeds. It looked exactly like the surrounding rock faces, revealing nothing out of the ordinary.

A faint golden light flickered in Jiuyou's eyes. He quietly projected his Divine Sense, but the moment it touched the stone wall, it was gently repelled. It was not a rigid, head-on barrier; rather, it felt like the surface tension of water, seamlessly keeping it out without a trace.

Given the current strength of his Divine Sense, it should not have been blocked so flawlessly unless there was another formation behind the wall.

His expression remained impassive, but several thoughts flashed through his mind.

'This place is remote, and the surrounding lands are barren of spiritual qi. Only this valley is abnormally rich in worldly spiritual qi. We already passed through several grand arrays on the way in, and there is likely an even tighter layer hidden behind this stone wall. With such heavy defenses, there isn't a single mountain-guarding disciple in sight. Just what is that Eldest Senior Brother I've never met doing in there? Breaking through to Deity Transformation? Or something else?'

He quietly gathered his thoughts. With a slight twitch of his fingertips, he secretly established a connection with the sixty-three Ember Moon Swords inside his body. Then, his expression perfectly normal, he continued following Zhou Chengshan.

Zhou Chengshan took out a jade tablet and pressed it gently against the stone wall. The rock trembled slightly, then slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a flight of stone steps extending downward.

The stone steps were wide, and the walls on both sides were deep and dark, stretching out of sight.

They stepped inside, and the stone wall closed silently behind them, shutting out the last sliver of daylight. Immediately after, clusters of golden flames flared to life on the walls ahead. They ignited one after another, illuminating the entire staircase like some ancient guide.

At the bottom of the steps lay a long corridor spanning the mountain's interior. The walkway was over ten li long and suspended in midair, flanked by bottomless chasms on both sides.

As Jiuyou walked across it, every footstep produced a faint echo that lingered in the cavernous mountain for a long time.

Eight tall stone statues stood silently along both sides of the corridor. Each was carved with exquisite detail, their folded robes and facial expressions incredibly lifelike. The passage of time had left its mark on the stone, but it could not conceal their heavy aura of solemnity.

Seeing his gaze sweep over the statues, Zhou Chengshan explained, "These are the past Supreme Great Elders who made significant contributions to the sect. You should recognize one of them, Junior Brother."

He pointed to a stone statue to the front left.

It depicted a man with sharp, chiseled features, a long flowing beard, and a face full of wrinkles. Even though it was just a stone statue, one could still feel the piercing, razor-sharp aura he had accumulated over the years.

Jiuyou recognized the man: Perfected Jinli. He said nothing, merely staring at it for a few extra moments as if committing something to memory.

Zhou Chengshan continued walking forward, his tone steady but carrying a touch of solemnity. "Ever since our Daoyang Sect fell into decline, the past martial ancestors cultivated this place. Only Supreme Elders who have reached the Nascent Soul Late Stage have the right to know of its existence. And the sole purpose of this place—"

He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and fixed his gaze firmly on Jiuyou.

"—is to lead the Daoyang Sect toward revival and restore its ancient glory."

Jiuyou paused slightly, revealing a perfectly timed hint of shock before promptly hiding it away. He didn't press for details, only giving a slight nod, as if he fully understood the weight behind those words. Under the flickering firelight, his eyes appeared exceptionally calm.

Beyond the corridor, a very faint echo drifted from the depths of the mountain, as if something had rolled over in the darkness before falling silent once more.

At the end of the walkway, after they passed through another heavy stone door, the view suddenly opened up.

A massive hexagonal secret chamber appeared before them. The space was large enough to hold tens of thousands of people, and a thick stone pillar stood at each of its corners to support the entire domed ceiling.

The spiritual qi here was so dense it was almost viscous. The liquid in the pond beneath their feet was formed entirely from the condensation of the purest spiritual qi.

Jiuyou took a deep breath. The moist spiritual qi surged through his nose and into his lungs, instantly refreshing his mind. He discreetly swept his gaze over the ground. It seemed something was buried underneath, acting like an invisible gaping maw that was drawing in all the spiritual qi within a radius of several hundred li.

In the center of the secret chamber, a white-clad figure sat quietly in meditation, looking like someone who had been sitting there for ages. Sensing someone enter, the man slowly opened his eyes.

His weathered gaze swept over Jiuyou first before landing on Zhou Chengshan. "Junior Brother Zhou, this must be the newly arrived Junior Brother Qing You, right?"

"To answer Senior Brother Linghu, he is," Zhou Chengshan replied concisely.

Jiuyou stepped forward and gave a slight cupped-fist salute. "Junior Brother Qing Youzi greets Eldest Senior Brother."

"Hahaha, there is no need to be so distant, Junior Brother Qing. My true name is Linghu Shou. You can just call me Eldest Senior Brother or Senior Brother Linghu." Linghu Shou smiled, his tone amiable.

Following his lead, Jiuyou responded, "Understood, Senior Brother Linghu."

Linghu Shou stroked his greying beard and nodded, looking quite satisfied. "Junior Brother Zhou has already told me about you. Your cultivation is profound, and your sword dao is exceptional. What is rare is that you still look so young. I didn't believe it at first, but seeing you today has truly made me see you in a new light."

"You must be joking, Senior Brother. I only managed to preserve this appearance because I consumed a Youth-Preserving Pill in my early years," Jiuyou answered humbly and naturally, though his eyes had already quietly taken in the layout of the entire secret chamber, paying special attention to the ground beneath his feet.

He had never before seen a formation capable of draining all the spiritual qi within over a thousand li. For Linghu Shou to allow Zhou Chengshan to bring him here, either he truly trusted him to this extent, or he had other plans.

Sure enough, Linghu Shou changed the subject, bringing it up as if in passing. "By the way, Junior Brother, a group of people from Ganzhou have recently arrived in Southern Frost. Do you know about this?"

Jiuyou's gaze shifted slightly, and he shook his head. "I am unaware. Did something happen?"

"It's nothing major." Linghu Shou's tone was flat. "They are just a bunch of people cut from the same cloth as those evil cultivators of the Guiming Sect. They shouldn't have any connection to you, Junior Brother. It seems I was overthinking things."

The conversation continued. Linghu Shou revealed a few more secrets regarding the Daoyang Sect. His tone was candid, as if he truly treated Jiuyou as one of his own.

He gave Jiuyou a jade tablet that allowed free entry and exit from this place, and even took the initiative to mention the Spirit Attraction Grand Array buried beneath them, which could draw in all the spiritual qi within several hundred li. The atmosphere between the three men seemed to have grown much more harmonious.

Jiuyou nodded in agreement. He didn't ask too much, nor did he answer too much.

About half a shichen later, he stood up and took his leave.

The moment he walked out of the stone door, his footsteps did not pause in the slightest, nor did his expression reveal any abnormality. But thinking back to the look Linghu Shou had given him just now, Jiuyou's thousand years of intuition told him that something was off. Had he missed something?

The wind poured down from above the valley, blowing away the lingering spiritual qi on his robes.

His footsteps did not stop, nor did he look back.