Chapter 134: The True Origin of the Seven Spirits

Luoyue Prefecture.

Seven Spirits Sect.

The temple was ancient and dilapidated, its red walls and yellow tiles thick with layers of dust. At the entrance stood an old man, lean and slight of frame, his spine curved into a stoop. Dressed in black robes, he exuded a cold, grim aura. He kept his head bowed, his eyes heavy with a profound sense of sorrow.

Before long, a Daoist approached in a hurried state.

The Daoist held a whisk in his arms and moved with light, quick steps, but his expression was frantic, his gait chaotic. He appeared to be in middle age, his brows usually set in a calm demeanor, but now that composure had been masked by panic.

"The Grand Elder..." the old man sighed, his voice raspy as he hunched further. "Before he left, he activated the soul lamp left behind by our founder, the True Man of Seven Spirits, using his own Yin spirit to ignite it. Now... the lamp has gone out."

The middle-aged Daoist shuddered, his voice dropping to a low, grave tone. "The soul lamp only extinguishes when the Yin spirit is completely exhausted. If the Grand Elder were still alive, he would naturally sustain the Yin spirit in the ethereal sense. Does this mean the Grand Elder has... passed on?"

"The soul lamp relies on the Yin spirit to remain lit, and without the ethereal connection to sustain it, the Yin spirit can only linger for a few days. The fact that the lamp went out just now proves that the Grand Elder passed away several days ago; the light these past few days was merely the consumption of the remaining Yin spirit," the old man nodded, speaking heavily. "Before he departed, the Grand Elder had already anticipated this, which is why he requested the founder's soul lamp."

The middle-aged Daoist took a deep breath. "Our sect once produced a True Man who left behind many arrangements; it is precisely because of these that the Sun family has never dared to move against us. The Grand Elder was the only one in our sect capable of wielding the treasures left by the True Man. Now that he is gone, even though we possess these treasures, we have no way to use them. I fear we are like commoners who are innocent, yet guilty of harboring jade."

"The Grand Elder had the same concern," the old man said wistfully. "But he had been trapped at the Fourth Heaven for too long, with no hope of further progress in this life. He could not refuse the promises made by the ancestor of the Sun family. Furthermore, it is rumored that the layout at Mount Fuzhong is a grand formation, beneficial for gaining insights into the nature of mountains and rivers. The Grand Elder felt he had to take this gamble to reach the Fifth Heaven, which is why he went."

The middle-aged Daoist sighed, "He took his gamble, but he has left the centuries-old tradition of the Seven Spirits Sect on the brink of destruction."

The old man shook his head slightly. "Before he left, he had already divided many of the sect's assets. You are the Sect Master; in truth, you already hold a portion, though you are unaware of it..."

The Seven Spirits Sect Master froze, suddenly recalling an object the Grand Elder had bestowed upon him.

"For now, we must guard against the ancestor of the Sun family," the old man gritted his teeth. "The Grand Elder’s fall was at the invitation of the Sun family; I fear they played a dishonorable role in it."

The old man continued, "Beyond the Sun family ancestor, there is one more thing I fear."

The Sect Master frowned. "What is it?"

"To be cautious, the Grand Elder hand-copied the Seven Spirits True Scripture. One copy is hidden in your room, one in the scripture pavilion, one in the old residence of your senior disciple before he joined the sect, and the fourth, he carried with him. He did this to ensure that if something went wrong—his death, or a crisis for the sect—the true teachings could be retrieved from elsewhere. But now that the Grand Elder is gone, what of the True Scripture he carried?"

The Seven Spirits Sect Master’s face changed instantly, his expression shifting uncertainly. "As Sect Master, why was I not told of this? Does he hold me in such little regard as his Grand Elder?"

The old man lowered his voice. "His intention was that if disaster struck, the sect would still have a chance to pass on its heritage. As for the scripture falling into the hands of outsiders, without our secret method of interpretation, it could not be deciphered. However... that man, Wu Nan, from last time..."

The Sect Master’s face turned grim. "The method of interpretation fell into Wu Nan’s hands, but fortunately, he does not have our sect’s True Scripture. Still, we must investigate this thoroughly."

A few days ago, every cultivator at the Second Heaven or higher in Luoyue Prefecture had entered Mount Fuzhong. To defend against external enemies, the Seven Spirits Sect had left these two Third Heaven cultivators behind. However, the sect’s grounds were vast, and they could not oversee everything.

Who would have thought that Wu Nan, having condensed his magical intent nearby and stepped from the Second Heaven to the Third, would infiltrate the sect, steal numerous treasures and scriptures, and flee into Mount Fuzhong? Among those items was the method for interpreting the Seven Spirits True Scripture.

"That wretch Wu Nan was a mere thief, and since he began his cultivation, he has..." The Sect Master spoke coldly, "I will see him ground to dust!"

...

Mount Fuzhong.

"You seek death!" Gu Cang roared. He had only just emerged from beneath the earth when this trouble found him.

"Trying to shift the blame to me?"

Gu Cang tore off his hood, revealing a face covered in thick hair, golden eyes, and a tuft of white fur atop his head. His expression was savage as he snarled, "I will crush you along with them!"

Originally of demon immortal bloodline, he was already formidable at the Second Heaven. Even if he were not a match for a Third Heaven cultivator, he possessed the means to protect himself. Now, having obtained the Thunder Stone—which was already a nascent magical artifact—his Rock Giant technique, which previously only dominated the Second Heaven, was now invincible in the Third Heaven.

Under Gu Cang’s command, the Thunder Stone grew to three or four zhang in length and over a zhang in thickness. With a wave of his long arm, he swung the stone, causing it to smash into the surroundings.

Where it struck the earth, a massive crater appeared, filled with flickering lightning that scorched the ground black in an instant.

Trees hit by the stone were shattered, reduced to charred husks.

When it struck a hill, the entire mound collapsed into rubble.

Wu Nan gasped, his face filled with horror, his heart consumed by regret. Having just entered the Third Heaven, he was unfamiliar with the realm, and his own arts were focused on concealment and stealth rather than direct combat. He had been pursued by a Third Heaven beast and dared not flee outside the mountain for fear of the Seven Spirits Sect, so he had run deeper into the woods, hoping to draw the pursuer toward someone else.

He never expected that this faceless figure would be a beast—and a terrifyingly fierce one at that.

The beast that had been chasing him was struck head-on by the lightning-wreathed giant stone and reduced to a pulp of flesh. Only Wu Nan, relying on his agility and stealth, had managed to dodge repeatedly.

Instead of successfully shifting the danger, he had provoked an even more formidable foe.

Wu Nan took a deep breath, searching for an opening to escape. At that moment, golden light erupted from the eyes of the ape-like beast.

Upon seeing the light, Wu Nan felt his mind grow hazy and dim. By the time he channeled his inner energy to recover, he found himself plunged into darkness; his vision was completely blocked.

A streak of electricity flashed.

Only then did he realize with terror that his field of vision was entirely obstructed by the Thunder Stone.

The stone was already upon him.

In an instant, the Third Heaven cultivator was pulverized, leaving not even a trace of his bones behind.