Temple Mysteries

A village stood beside Shuikou Temple. By now, it had long since been reduced to utter chaos. The appearance of the new Underworld land had affected this place immensely, tearing the village apart and scattering it into pieces.

Several houses on the eastern side of the village had appeared atop a tall, broken cliff in the distance. Several more lay beneath the cliff, while others were perched across the enormous rift.

Xu Ying looked up and saw that the cliff was unnaturally smooth. Across the rift stood another cliff, and the two seemed to have once been one, cleaved apart by someone.

Beneath the rift lay an abyss of unfathomable depth, cold winds wailing through it!

The Yin Energy here was incredibly dense. Many mountains from the Underworld had appeared—bleak and frigid, exuding cold air. Some were even formed from heaps of piled bones!

Atop one mountain rested a gigantic skull. It looked human, but was impossibly enormous, with a sword hilt thrust into it.

Xu Ying withdrew his gaze. It was daytime now, but once night fell, this place would likely become a territory of demons and ghosts, with who knew how many monsters running rampant!

Shuikou Temple, meanwhile, sat directly on the central line of the enormous rift.

The center line of the ruined temple's gate perfectly overlapped the center line of the rift!

When Xu Ying saw this scene, a vast and surging Sword Qi suddenly appeared before his eyes. He saw a sword cleaving the firmament, splitting the earth, and cutting a great mountain in two!

Upon arriving here, the sword intent within the rift suddenly grew dozens of times stronger. The closer one came to Shuikou Temple, the stronger the sword intent became!

Xu Ying could even faintly sense a streak of sword light like a rainbow flying in from beyond the heavens, as if it were about to pierce through his Realm of Serenity!

Far more people had come here than he had expected. Besides gods and ghosts, there were also many Nu Masters. Some wore the attire of Official Nuo, while others looked like practitioners from various wandering schools.

"How did so many people get here?"

Puzzled, Xu Ying asked a Nu Master who appeared to belong to a wandering school. The Nu Master told him that this was newly emerged land, filled with treasures and rare herbs, drawing people in droves.

Another Nu Master told him, "The Zhou Family and the Yin Court are both hunting a wanted criminal named Xu Ying. I heard he's skilled at deciphering the cultivation methods of the Demon Race, though somehow the news spread. Several Aristocratic Clans take it very seriously and have sent people to capture Xu Ying, hoping to get lucky. Little brother, what should we call you?"

"My name is Ding Quan."

Seeing the unimaginably enormous serpent beside him, the Nu Master was frightened. Though he harbored suspicions, he did not dare ask further.

The entrance of the ruined temple hung at the center of the rift. Although it rested over the middle of the rift, the ruined temple itself had not split apart. Someone had used Nuo Art to catalyze Green Vine into a long bridge leading straight to the temple gates.

Xu Ying reached the bridge and saw someone examining the enormous rift. Beside him were brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. He had even taken out a measuring ruler to measure the rift, though Xu Ying had no idea what he was doing.

Xu Ying walked over. The man was a young Young Master who looked only one or two years older than Xu Ying. He had fair skin and was about the same height.

Xu Ying, however, had a broad frame, large hands, and big feet, giving him a rugged air. Though this youth was quite tall, his bones were finer, and his brows, eyes, ears, nose, and lips all appeared much more delicate.

He wore white robes trimmed with dark cyan, embroidered with pale cyan Chilong patterns. His clothes were elegant, without any unnecessary ornaments.

An old man stood beside him in the traditional attire of a servant: cyan clothes, cloth shoes, and graying hair. When he saw Xu Ying and Yuan Qi approach, wariness appeared in his eyes.

Xu Ying paid him no mind, his gaze falling on Shuikou Temple. Standing outside the temple, he could still see the old palaces and halls within, as well as several great trees. They were no different from what he had seen when he came here two years ago.

Yet when he stood before the temple gate and looked inside, what he saw was an entirely different scene!

Through the temple gate, two majestic mountains filled his vision. They rose high into the sky, surrounded by clouds and mist, floating overhead like a painted paradise.

Behind the green mountains, the sun hung high. It was bright and pure, without the slightest heat or glare, circling the two immortal mountains!

Xu Ying was utterly stunned. Those two immortal mountains and that sun had actually risen from within the temple!

He could even see an invisible curtain of light surrounding the floating mountains, like the barrier of a world separating them from the outside!

When boulders fell from the two immortal mountains, any that landed inside the barrier would float in the air, while those that landed outside would crash down!

In other words, the inside and outside of the temple were two different worlds!

"How was this done?" Xu Ying asked in astonishment.

Yuan Qi muttered, "Has this world reverted to its ancestral state?"

Suddenly, the world within the ruined temple shook violently. The earth outside swayed from side to side as a third majestic immortal mountain slowly rose within the temple!

Xu Ying raised his head and studied the rising immortal mountain, muttering, "This world is probably truly insane."

Suddenly, he realized something and cried out, "I understand! The temple gate is an entrance cleaved open by that peerless master of the sword with Sword Qi! This entrance connects to another world! The sun and immortal mountains we're seeing are all things from that other world!"

"Don't make so much noise!" the old servant in cyan clothes warned in a low voice.

Xu Ying paid no attention, his thoughts running wild.

In the distant past, a peerless expert had used his sword to cleave open a mountain, split the earth, and break through into another world. Later, someone had built Shuikou Temple at the entrance leading to that other world!

But for some unknown reason, the world behind the temple gate had been concealed. Someone had built another great temple near the original one. Then the Underworld Invasion shattered the seal, allowing that great temple to reappear in the mortal world!

Yuan Qi was somewhat skeptical and asked, "Master Zhong, can anyone really accomplish all that?"

Though Great Bell had lived through ancient ages and witnessed the legends of the Ancient Qi Refiners, even it did not dare be certain. "In theory, it can be done. But since I was born, I've never heard of anyone who could overcome the tribulation and ascend as an immortal."

Its voice grew somewhat dejected. "The path of ascension has already been blocked by someone. No one can ascend again... Could someone truly have broken through the barrier between the two worlds with the sword and ascended from level ground?"

Yuan Qi asked, "If he ascended, then what kind of world did he go to?"

The bell's voice rang leisurely. "The immortal realm."

"The immortal realm?"

Man and serpent alike gazed into the distance, lost in yearning.

Xu Ying studied the great rift, the broken cliffs, and the temple gate, coming to understand the course of that sword strike.

As his connection with the Sword Box deepened, that sword strike like a rainbow from beyond the heavens gradually seeped inward, entering his Realm of Serenity. The Sword Qi within the box also leaped and danced in delight.

Xu Ying stood silently before the temple gate, unmoving for a long while. Yuan Qi was just about to step forward and ask him something when, upon drawing near, he suddenly saw invisible Sword Qi faintly leaping around Xu Ying.

The moment he moved a little closer, several of the scales on his body silently snapped apart!

Yuan Qi was startled and did not dare approach.

Suddenly, Great Bell trembled once and gave a light ring. An invisible strand of Sword Qi had landed on it, causing it to sound.

Great Bell found this strange. Only then did it notice that an additional sword light, like a rainbow from beyond the heavens, had appeared within Xu Ying's Realm of Serenity without anyone realizing it!

"He comprehended the Great Dao Manifestation without instruction?" Great Bell was badly startled.

The Maiden in the Coffin had mentioned to Xu Ying the relationship between visualization and the Great Dao Manifestation, but she had not explained it in detail. She had not said what the Great Dao Manifestation was, nor how one should visualize after discovering it.

Yet Xu Ying had unexpectedly comprehended it without instruction before this great rift, visualizing the Great Dao Manifestation hidden within it!

Inner observation and visualization were essential steps in cultivation. Xu Ying could be said to have already crossed the threshold!

"With only a little guidance, he managed to achieve inner observation and visualization. It probably won't be long before he transforms and astonishes the world with a single brilliant feat."

Great Bell thought, "His aptitude and comprehension seem to surpass even my master's, it seems, it seems..."

"Little Seven, have you comprehended the Great Dao Manifestation?" Great Bell asked Yuan Qi through divine sense transmission.

Yuan Qi looked confused. "The great what?"

"The Great Dao Manifestation—the sword path hidden in this great rift... Forget it. You should rest."

Great Bell rocked its body and thought, "This boy and A Ying have both seen Yuan Tian Gang's sword and visited this great rift, yet neither sensed a thing. It seems some people's brains are brains, while some people's brains are merely called brains."

The sword intent around Xu Ying grew increasingly powerful, spreading outward. Suddenly, a crisp sword cry rang through the air. His overflowing Sword Qi had encountered other Sword Qi, and the two collided in midair, producing the ringing sound.

The delicate youth finished his painting and sank into his comprehension of the hidden scene. His Sword Qi continued to grow. When the two kinds of Sword Qi collided, one was wild and overbearing, while the other stretched on continuously, carrying a resilient force and concealing murderous intent.

Their auras resonated, their Sword Qi interweaving and colliding with increasing intensity. Merely through the sensation of their auras, the offensive and defensive principles of the sword path were revealed.

Yet neither of them realized it. Both remained immersed in their own comprehension.

When the old servant in cyan saw the auras of Xu Ying and the youth collide, he worried that Xu Ying would interrupt the youth's comprehension. A vicious glint appeared in his eyes, and he was about to strike Xu Ying dead.

But then he saw the youth's hidden scene continually solidifying under Xu Ying's pressure, allowing him to comprehend more changes within it. Only then did the old servant forcibly suppress his killing intent.

"This youth's comprehension is quite impressive. He can actually contend with the Young Master." The old servant looked astonished.

He could see that Xu Ying was also advancing rapidly. His various Sword Qi attacks were measured and controlled, while his understanding of the sword path hidden within the great rift grew deeper and deeper.

"The Young Master hasn't encountered an opponent who could match him for a long time."

The old servant in cyan was bewildered. Could this youth be a young expert cultivated by some great Aristocratic Clan? His clothes aren't flashy. He's probably pretending to be a country boy, but his bearing is extraordinary. How could a country boy possess such bearing?

Xu Ying wore common cloth garments, yet his bearing was refined, with an imposing air. The rebelliousness hidden between his brows burst forth like a blade's edge!

After killing Jiang Family God, he had gone on to slay gods and execute officials, shattering the superstition toward gods and authority in his heart. His words and movements naturally carried an extraordinary bearing.

Even standing there without a single movement or word, one could see that he was no ordinary person.

"What's more, he possesses such a magnificent mount. Clearly, his origins are far from ordinary."

The old servant in cyan glanced at Yuan Qi and thought, "However, his aura is entangled with the Young Master's. If they cannot separate, there will likely be casualties. When that happens, no matter what his origins are, I'll deal with him!"

The auras of Xu Ying and the youth became increasingly intertwined, finally reaching the point where life and death would be decided. A vicious glint appeared in the old servant's eyes, and he was just about to deliver a ruthless killing blow when a bell suddenly rang. The auras of the two unexpectedly scattered apart.

"There's an expert hidden beside him!" The old servant was startled, cold sweat beading his forehead.

Hearing the bell, Xu Ying knew that Great Bell had dispersed the auras with which the two had been fighting. He saw the youth gather up his painting and walk toward the temple, and hurriedly called, "Brother, my name is Xu Ying. What's yours?"

The refined youth turned back and answered courteously, "My name is Yuan Weiyang." With that, he entered Shuikou Temple with the old servant in cyan.

"Yuan Weiyang."

Xu Ying repeated the name, then said to Yuan Qi, "I originally thought I could completely comprehend the sword path within the Great Dao Manifestation and contend with him through our auras, but I saw an aspect I had never understood before. This person is truly remarkable."

Within his Realm of Serenity, a strand of Sword Qi had been imprinted. It shone brilliantly—the very Great Dao Manifestation he had comprehended.

If he had not resonated with Yuan Weiyang's aura, it would have been impossible for him to comprehend the Sword Qi to the point of imprinting it into his Realm of Serenity in such a short time!

Yuan Qi urged him, "While we were standing at the temple gate, many people have already entered. If we wait any longer, they'll probably chew the very ground bare!"

At that moment, a voice came from within the temple: "There's an immortal! There's an immortal in the temple!"

Xu Ying hurried into the ruined temple. The instant he crossed the threshold, he felt as if he had passed through something, though he could not see it.

Xu Ying raised his head and saw three immortal mountains floating in the sky, along with boulders suspended in the air like pearls on a necklace, arranged in an orderly pattern around the mountains.

Many people were climbing upward along the boulders, trying to reach the immortal mountains in the sky.

Suddenly, the earth shook violently. Xu Ying and Yuan Qi could not keep their feet and nearly flew into the air!

Xu Ying hurriedly activated the Elephant Strength Bull Demon Fist. Like a divine elephant rooting itself in the earth, he stood firm and unmoving. Yuan Qi imitated him, but still struggled to steady himself. Fortunately, he had one more tail than Xu Ying, and wrapped it around a great tree to keep from being flung away.

Not far away, the gods and Nu Masters who had just entered the ruined temple's world all began to act. Green Vine whipped through the air, its roots breaking through the soil and snatching back those about to be thrown away.

While everyone was still uneasy and bewildered, the shaking beneath the earth grew even more violent. The ground rose higher and higher, and yet another immortal mountain suddenly burst from beneath their feet!

Someone shouted, "We're ascending to heaven! How do we get down?"

As he spoke, the immortal mountain beneath the earth finally broke completely through the soil, carrying them upward into the sky!

The first things in its path were the enormous stones floating in the sky. They were rocks that had fallen when the first two immortal mountains floated upward, and now, as this immortal mountain rose, it collided with them, creating a terrifying spectacle!

The people on the immortal mountain could barely keep their footing. How could they possibly avoid the falling boulders? Many gods and Nu Masters were struck by the rocks and smashed directly into bloody pulp!

Others were crushed beneath rolling boulders, their flesh reduced to a bloody mess!

Some lost their footing and slid from the immortal mountain. They let out long, anguished screams in midair, screaming until their voices broke, yet still had not reached the ground!

The immortal mountain rose into the air, climbing higher and higher until it shot into the vast sky. Many boulders also broke loose from the mountain and plunged downward!

The immortal mountain finally stabilized. Xu Ying's muscles had been taut all over, but he slowly relaxed. He turned to look at Yuan Qi and saw him still hugging that great tree, only then letting out a sigh of relief.

Xu Ying looked downward. They had no idea how far they were from the ground now. In the distance, he could even vaguely see several figures falling from the immortal mountain.

They were Nu Masters who had failed to keep their footing. It would probably be some time before they smashed into the ground.

"This temple contains another temple, and an immortal is preaching within it!" a booming voice came from afar.

"There really is an immortal?"

Xu Ying was both shocked and delighted. Following the voice, he saw four immortal mountains surrounding a magnificent and imposing great temple. Many people were leaping through the sky, stepping on one floating boulder after another as they made their way toward the great temple.

"A Ying, let's hurry over too!" Yuan Qi said excitedly.

Xu Ying was just about to reach the edge of the immortal mountain and step onto a boulder when an old man in purple-black silk suddenly appeared before him with his hands behind his back and a gloomy expression.

"My son died such a horrible death." Zhou Yihang looked as if he were crying but not crying, laughing but not laughing.

Xu Ying was startled, but quickly regained his composure. "So it's Old Master Zhou. Since your son died such a horrible death, why don't you go down and accompany him, Old Master? I'll send you there."