Chapter 543: Forbidden Cave Heaven

Chapter 543: Chapter 543: Forbidden Cave Heaven

...

When Ma Shun awoke, he found himself lying in the forest instead of on a wooden bed with a thin cotton blanket.

He abruptly sat up, his alertness instantly reaching its peak—damn it, this is crazy!

For a moment, he thought he had turned back into a mountain bandit, sleeping in the wilderness, waiting for the lookout to wake everyone for a new plundering.

But this thought was dismissed almost immediately, as Ma Shun shook his head; there was no weapon by his side, nor were there companions nearby. More importantly, his body hadn’t regressed to its state six months ago. The wind at night was clear in his ears, and his eyes could see the grass and leaves below him with the help of some moonlight—real changes from his cultivation, impossible when he was a bandit living in hunger and satiety.

Yes... Cultivation!

Ma Shun quickly settled his mind, operating the Heart Method in the way Loose Cultivator seniors had taught him, trying to sense the flow of Spiritual Qi around him...

In his mind, a few tiny points of light seemed to appear.

This meant there were others around the forest!

Are they allies or enemies?

He swallowed his saliva, deciding to sneak toward the nearest point of light to see what kind of being it was.

But before Ma Shun could act, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted him.

"Ah Shun, are you here too?"

Who else could it be but his sister calling him? Hearing this voice, Ma Shun relaxed quite a bit. He turned back and saw Ma Qiuniang emerging from the bushes. "Sis, have we been kidnapped?"

"Kidnapped? Why would you think that?" His sister said with a hint of amusement, "Who would have the guts to act on Lord Taboo’s territory?"

Ma Shun asked in surprise, "Aren’t you afraid?"

"I was a bit tense when I first awoke, but after finding out you’re here with Mom and Dad, it’s not so scary." Ma Qiuniang truthfully replied.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" He looked behind his sister but saw no other figures.

"They’re ahead of us, probably a hundred meters away. You were closer to me, so I came to find you first."

Ma Shun was greatly surprised, "You can sense who others are through the aura?"

According to Mr. Li, that’s only possible by cultivating the Purifying Heart Technique to the 2nd Layer! This progress is just a bit slower than Li Ziyan’s, right?

"Yes, and haven’t you noticed? There’s a much stronger Spiritual Qi swirling further away, as if leading us closer." Ma Qiuniang said cheerfully, "Besides, I’ve also sensed the aura of Uncle Wang and Uncle Guan. If everyone’s here, suddenly changing locations isn’t that frightening. I think only Lord Taboo could achieve this."

A strong Spiritual Qi further away? Ma Shun felt a bit jealous of his sister, yet he was supposed to be the clever one. "But why would Lord Xuan do this?"

"Maybe it’s a test." She pondered, "Everyone has been cultivating for some time, and staying in the village doesn’t show our level. Perhaps putting us in a strange environment checks our reactions."

"So you think... will there be combat training next?" Ma Shun tensed up.

For some reason, the image of himself being knocked down by his sister popped into his mind immediately.

"I don’t know, let’s follow the guidance of the Spiritual Qi." Qiuniang suggested.

However, when the two stepped out of the dense forest, waiting for them was neither demon fiends nor combat training among fellow villagers, but a breathtaking rare sight.

Under the moon’s reflection, a mountain peak floated midair, surrounded by tens of thousands of lanterns rotating slowly, with orange firelight more dazzling than the stars.

Ma Shun was speechless.

He felt goosebumps all over, as if his throat was blocked by stones.

Ma Qiuniang wasn’t doing any better.

He felt his sister’s hand trembling non-stop as it held his.

What is this... the legendary Immortal Realm couldn’t be any better!

"Villagers, come over this way!" someone shouted loudly.

Ma Shun rubbed his eyes incredulously, "Isn’t that Mr. Li!?"

Since the villagers were guided in their cultivation by Li Mo and his apprentice, everyone was accustomed to calling Li Mo ’Mr.’, and Li Ziyan ’Young Mr.’, but Ma Shun knew they were just ordinary Loose Cultivators, not likely to create such an astonishing scene.

"Isn’t that Old Ma? You’re here too?"

"Hey, I was sleeping on my bed at home, woke in the middle of the night needing to pee, and suddenly found myself lying in the forest."

"Mr. Li, what is actually going on here?"

More and more people gathered around, shouting eagerly.

Li Mo smiled, "I’ll be honest with you, this is the legendary Pocket World, normally only top Sects like Lotus Cloud Sect have such territories."

"Grotto... Heaven?"

"Is it up in the sky?"

"Are you confused? It’s called a grotto; it must be underground!"

Though initially shocked, there were no outsiders here, so everyone was elated upon realizing—after all, spreading word of such an experience would be rarer than cultivation tales. Loose Cultivators are as many as cattle, but how many have witnessed a Grotto Heaven?

Li Mo deliberately veiled his words, "Don’t worry where it is, it’s not far from Baihe Village. And the creator of this Grotto Heaven is none other than the Forbidden one, Lord of Flesh and Blood, Lord Xuan!"

The scene burst into an uproar. Although everyone had already guessed the answer, hearing Mr. Li confirm it still gave them a strong sense of impact.

Blessing abilities and insight into hearts are incredible powers, but they’re not as direct as witnessing a small mountain float openly in front of everyone; the visual impact is truly unrivaled.

Seeing the villagers excitedly discussing, Li Mo felt a bit amused. Lord Xuan acted indifferent on the surface, but was quite mindful of this "First Appearance of the Grotto Heaven". Even though this place was just grassland before, now around Mirror Lake, there was a dense circle of forest; having the villagers appear from the forest was all for this breathtaking moment.

Of course, he wouldn’t dare say these thoughts aloud.

As for Lord Xuan hearing his thoughts... that wouldn’t be his fault, because the other surely understands he is now the foremost follower of the Forbidden one.

"Mr. Li, why did Lord Taboo bring us here tonight?" Ma Qiuniang stepped forward, asking the question everyone wanted to know but dared not utter.

Li Mo cleared his throat and spoke solemnly, "Lord Xuan’s reason for creating this Grotto Heaven is simple: recently, the number of visiting outsiders has increased, and Baihe Village’s housing is limited, making accommodation quite inconvenient. With everyone crowded in the village, it’s not ideal. Therefore, he decided to establish a Sect here, giving everyone a fitting place with respect to their identity."

As soon as he said this, the crowd exploded.

Li Mo didn’t mention it explicitly, but everyone knew he was comparing it to Lotus Cloud Sect.

What does matching identity mean? The Mountain Disciples of Lotus Cloud Sect are Imperial Advisor Immortal Masters!

"A Sect... can we actually become disciples of an Immortal Sect too?"

"I wouldn’t dare call myself a disciple; being a servant who sweeps the courtyard is enough for me."

"I swear by my ancestors, whatever Lord Xuan appoints me to, I’m willing!"

"So... can we cut trees and farm here?" Ma Qiuniang was the first to ask, "If we’re moving in, we need to build houses ourselves, right?"

Li Mo looked at her with interest; there aren’t many who grasp matters in the village, but this Ma Qiuniang certainly does, "Of course you can, and whether you are farming, hunting, chopping wood, or collecting herbs, all the harvests are yours, without needing to pay any tax."

No taxes; that point alone already excited everyone.

"As for the second question, it’s both yes and no," he explained with a smile, "The followers’ homes have already been built, right up on this floating mountain. You can take the lift up later to visit... However, since it’s a Sect, it inevitably requires people to build it, but the way of building here is a bit special. After you decide to move in, Li Ziyan and I will explain details to you."