Worries Within

Old Chen stopped abruptly at this point, instead staring intently at Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan felt uneasy under his gaze and said, "Old Chen, don't talk nonsense. How could Transcendent Immortals be among us? Do you think I'm one of Transcendent Immortals?"

"You're definitely not. I never believe in that feudal superstition of reincarnation." Old Chen looked at his face and said, "But I think the things you've done, and the things I'm getting involved in now, may have far-reaching consequences, whether good or bad."

Wang Xuan's heart skipped a beat; Old Chen's guess was consistent with his earlier deep thoughts.

Old Chen said, "From the Female Daoist practitioner to the Ghost Monk, and then to that... peerless beauty, unparalleled beauty, Clear and Transcendent Celestial Maiden, it seems that she may be Transcendent Immortals, who has never traveled far and is right beside us."

Sure enough, what Old Chen said was about 60-70% similar to what Wang Xuan had thought.

At this moment, Wang Xuan saw someone vaguely drifting past the entrance to the Inner Scenery Realm. This Sword Immortal was not only petty but also vain and loved to be praised!

Old Chen further speculated. "The Inner Scenery Realm was very mysterious even in ancient times. Only the patriarch himself could lead people deep into it. This is not only a matter of difficulty, but also because it is of great importance. Only important figures can access it. What does this mean? There is a great secret in the Inner Scenery Realm!"

"Do you think that by opening the Inner Scenery Realm, I might have let something in or let something out, and that the Transcendent Immortals might return as a result?" Wang Xuan finally voiced his hidden worries.

These are still just superficial observations. If these signs are confirmed one by one, it means that the ancient people must have thought much more deeply! If things continue like this, who knows what will happen in the future!

For example, the refined man in this Inner Scenery Realm actually smiled the moment the space was opened, raised his glass to Wang Xuan and Old Chen, and then flew away.

It's really hard to guess where he went. Although he seems very refined and peaceful, it's impossible to predict what he'll do next!

"So, Old Wang, this Inner Scenery Realm is unfathomable. The more I think about it, the more frightened I feel. Even though we've been here for years and feel peaceful and serene, I'm actually quite uneasy inside. I think we should avoid using the Inner Scenery Realm as much as possible in the future and try to find other secret paths that seem even more mysterious and magical than the Inner Scenery Realm."

Wang Xuan glared at him and said, "Fine, Old Chen, you're 'Ancestor Wang' when you need me, but you're just 'Old Wang' when you don't. Don't beg me next time!"

"Ancestor Wang calm down!" Old Chen, a typical complex personality, shone brightly as Great Grandmaster during the Battle of the Congling Mountains, yet he was so "down-to-earth" in private. He whispered, "Why did I tell you about the other secret paths today? If you can find the Inner Scenery Realm, I think you also have a chance to discover those mysterious realms. These paths will be more secure!"

Wang Xuan glanced at him sideways and said, "Old Chen, no wonder you're so enthusiastic about teaching me about the secret path. It turns out you really want me to show you the way, right?"

"Let's promote each other and help each other succeed." Old Chen actually showed a simple and honest smile, which made Wang Xuan so angry that he wanted to beat the Old Schemer to a pulp.

Then he changed the subject, saying, "You're being so vague, without any clues. How are we supposed to find it?"

Knowing about these mysterious areas, Wang Xuan was naturally intrigued. Even though he knew Old Chen's fishing was always a calculated move, making his intentions clear, he couldn't help but move forward.

"This kind of thing is a secret and unique skill even in the most powerful religions of ancient times. Ordinary people don't know about it at all. Moreover, even today, even if the Daoist Ancestral Court still has records, no one can find those mysterious realms. When I was young, I accidentally saw the handwritten notes of a sage in the field of Old Arts. He mentioned the matter of the Heavenly Medicine. He said that an old Daoist had been searching for the Heavenly Medicine for several years without success. Suddenly, he looked back and saw a Heavenly Medicine in the sunset on the horizon amidst the crowds and the mortal world."

Wang Xuan was dumbfounded. It took him a long time to say, "You want me to go to the heavens to gather herbs? They truly are heavenly herbs!"

"I don't know either, I can only tell you everything I saw!" Old Chen said somewhat embarrassedly.

Wang Xuan didn't want to discuss this topic with him anymore. Old Chen was obviously only half-understanding it; he had only seen a miscellaneous note, some kind of ancient sage's handwritten notes, who knew what it was?

"Old Chen, don't you think that those who leave behind true bones after ascension seem to be quite extraordinary, stronger, and very nervous about the... true bones they leave behind?" This topic was somewhat sensitive, and after Wang Xuan finished speaking, he decisively glanced towards the entrance.

"I think so too. Could it be related to their future path to greater power?" Old Chen murmured.

"If that's the case, then the Female Daoist practitioner from the Greater Khingan Range Mountains has left behind a complete physical body. More than three thousand years have passed, and not a single hair has been missing. Won't she be defying the heavens in the future?"

Wang Xuan mentioned the Female Daoist practitioner, and whenever he thought of her, he wondered what would happen in the future, mainly because she was so special.

The golden Ascension Divine Bamboo for ascension are incredibly precious. Only four Golden Bamboo Slip have been unearthed throughout history, and only two of them are intact, demonstrating just how rare and valuable this material is. Yet, the Female Daoist practitioner boldly carved a bamboo boat, with her physical body lying inside. Even after the massive explosion that occurred during her ascension, with its dense lightning striking deep underground, her body remained unharmed.

Was this something she planned on purpose?!

Six months later, the Inner Scenery Realm faded away, and Wang Xuan and Old Chen returned to their respective places and quickly woke up.

Throughout the entire event, the refined man from the Inner Scenery Realm never reappeared; he ran out and never came back.

"The Inner Scenery Realm is unfathomable and may hold a terrifying secret. This white, jade-like bone is extraordinary. Perhaps we should... leave it alone for now," Old Chen said solemnly, surprisingly backing down.

"Alright, let's not use it for now." Wang Xuan nodded. He was also a little uneasy, feeling uneasy about releasing a bunch of ancient people.

It was still early, but Wang Xuan didn't want to stay any longer, so he got up and left. As for Old Chen, he lay on the bed with a resentful look on his face, watching Qing Mu perform the witch dance.

Old Chen couldn't leave; he had to wait for a large group of people to line up and "pay their respects" to his remains, and to touch him all over. He lay there motionless, his face filled with despair, utterly devoid of any will to live.

The night was far from peaceful. Representatives from all sides had arrived, and people estimated that Old Chen would only be able to hold on until tomorrow evening at most. They were all preparing to attend his funeral!

Even in the evening, around nine o'clock, Wang Xuan couldn't even have a moment to quietly contemplate the issue of ascension.

Someone came looking for him with great sincerity, presenting him with a visualization diagram called "Purple Mansion," which looked extraordinary. Some organization was trying to win him over with a generous gift.

He had just returned from the Congling Mountains when someone started watching him, and they even went straight to this manor in the suburbs.

Wang Xuan sighed inwardly. Sure enough, they've come. After the battle on the Pamir Plateau, he came into the sights of some people, and now they're starting to make contact with him.

He politely declined with a smile, knowing it was impossible for him to accept these people's gifts.

"My heart and lungs are ruptured, and I need to rest!" He said this directly when the third group of people came to his door, indicating that he didn't want to deal with them anymore.

The visitor, with a gentle smile, didn't seem to mind at all, and calmly presented the gift, which turned out to be a powerful medicine for nourishing the heart and lungs.

Wang Xuan was speechless. Who was this? Many people witnessed him claiming that his heart and lungs had ruptured on the Pamir Plateau, only to have the truth ruthlessly revealed by the straightforward female medical staff.

Now, he's making up this lame excuse to express his refusal. But it would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it. As soon as he opened his mouth, someone actually offered him Great Medicine to save his heart and lungs. That's amazing!

Next, the visitor presented two more gifts: a very famous Meditation Method called "Bodhi" and a physical technique called "Great Vajra Fist".

This is undoubtedly a grand gesture. To present such a famous classic in the field of Old Arts upon first meeting is something that most people could not afford!

Wang Xuan was suspicious. Who was this family? They were incredibly wealthy.

The visitor was a middle-aged man, but he was clearly not the main person in charge; he was merely there to make the effort to win people over. He handed over a letter with a smile.

These days, unless you're separated by galaxies and have absolutely no way to contact someone, or an interstellar spaceship happens to pass by, you might be tempted to write a letter; otherwise, it's not very common.

Another situation is that it's a matter of respect, a courtesy, and a way of showing importance.

Wang Xuan unfolded the letter, the handwriting quite elegant. The letter praised him highly, expressed optimism about Old Arts, and described a bright future. It was full of flowery language, delicate and rich in content, and sincere without being offensive, at least in terms of how it read. Only at the end did he mention his hope for an opportunity to cooperate.

The letter also added that the gift was just a token of goodwill, and there was no need to return it even if a cooperative relationship could not be established in the short term.

What else could Wang Xuan say? He was generous, sophisticated, and had a broad vision, but... he dared not accept it. Who knew how he would be held accountable later if he accepted it so readily?

Then when he saw the signature, there was a delicate word "Zhong", and his heart suddenly moved. Could it be the Zhong family, the super tycoon who owned the golden bamboo slips?

Da Wu appeared out of nowhere, surprisingly showing up in this reception room. He leaned over and glanced at the writing, saying, "Judging from how ugly the characters are, I can tell it's Little Zhong's handwriting."

That's a bit of a lie; the characters are actually quite beautiful.

However, Da Wu and the Zhong family girl didn't get along, so when he saw her family members appear, he followed them directly, which was obviously intentional.

Da Wu warned, "Little Wang, let me tell you, Little Zhong's things are not easy to take. Don't be fooled by her sweet talk now. If you don't satisfy her in the future, she'll really be a ruthless person who will devour you without spitting out the bones."

Seeing this, Wang Xuan clutched his chest, then quickly moved his hand to his forehead. Instead of saying his heart and lungs were ruptured, he said, "I suffered a mental shock during the Battle of the Congling Mountains. My head is throbbing. I'm going to rest now."

Anyway, since Da Wu just happened to appear, even if the Zhong family girl has any complaints, she has to go and settle accounts with Da Wu. For now, it has nothing to do with him. We can deal with the future later.

In the early morning, the manor on the outskirts of Ancheng was filled with even more guests, all there for Old Chen's "meeting," waiting for the curtain to be raised.

At this moment, Qing Mu quietly approached Wang Xuan and whispered to him, "My master said that there's only one bone left. Leaving it all alone would be... better to open it up."

Wang Xuan knew that despite Old Chen's caution and composure, he would eventually be unable to resist. In fact, he himself was the same way, having pondered all night, eager to see what he could release this time and how much his own strength could improve.

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