The Road Down the Mountain, Danger Appears

In a hazy daze, a familiar voice drifted over.

"Shuya, when you grow up, you must remember this."

A kind old man stood under the starry sky, hands clasped behind his back, saying leisurely, "This world is unpredictable and full of hidden dangers. Even so-called martial arts families can hardly guarantee their own safety. The Hua family's current status and circumstances are merely due to good fortune and the momentum of the times.

If we encounter a true great disaster, our family's fate... alas!"

The old man sighed repeatedly.

A young girl with pigtails meekly asked, "Even Grandpa can't protect everyone? Grandpa is a Great Grandmaster..."

"Grandmaster?"

The old man shook his head and chuckled, "Compared to heaven and earth, how insignificant is that?"

"In this world, perhaps only the enlightened experts, the Immortals who are said to live far from the mortal world, can truly live freely and without worry."

Looking at her majestic grandfather, who was usually so imposing on the battlefield, now showing such a wistful longing, the little girl couldn't help but murmur the word 'Immortal,' with a mix of curiosity and yearning--

"Huh?!"

Hua Shuya's eyes snapped open abruptly. She sat up as if electrocuted, instinctively grabbing the ceremonial sword beside her. Pressing it against her slightly sweaty forehead, her expression flickered.

"Why are even childhood memories surfacing... Wait! Did I just pass out?"

Faint memories from before she lost consciousness still lingered in her mind.

She seemed to have played a game of chess.

No, it wasn't even a proper game of chess. It was more like... she had simply watched the opponent place their game pieces from her hand, that was all.

The moment she entered the game, the feeling of insignificance and powerlessness, as if immersed in an endless galaxy, still shook her to her core. It was as if she had witnessed a divine miracle with her own eyes.

"Just by placing a single game piece, it possessed such terrifying power.

This must be the legendary method of Immortals, this must be the enlightened expert that Grandpa yearned for... It's truly worlds apart from ordinary martial artists!"

"Young Lady, are you still feeling unwell?"

A slightly worried voice suddenly sounded, quickly bringing Hua Shuya's dazed consciousness back. She looked up and saw Lin Tianlu sitting opposite her with a solemn expression.

Hua Shuya quickly checked her body and found no pain or discomfort. She stood up from the straw mat, without any dizziness or blurred vision.

"Senior, how... how long was I unconscious?"

"Less than half an hour." Lin Tianlu estimated the time and chuckled, "Don't worry, Young Lady, I didn't do anything improper while you were unconscious."

"I've made a fool of myself in front of you, Senior. My Blood Essence was just a bit sluggish earlier, please don't mind."

Hua Shuya breathed a sigh of relief.

But in the next moment, her entire body stiffened.

Because she then felt a trace of abnormality.

The fatigue from climbing the mountain for several hours had vanished without a trace. Her body felt light and comfortable, as if deep-seated old injuries had been completely eradicated. She felt invigorated, more energetic and spirited than ever before!

What's more, with a slight circulation of her internal energy, she even discovered that her cultivation, which had been stagnant for years, had greatly improved. Her internal energy had become purer, her Blood Essence surged within her, and her limbs and bones tingled with warmth.

This was... the Pure Yang Realm of a martial artist!

In just one period of unconsciousness, her strength had become comparable to her father's, instantly surpassing years, even decades, of arduous cultivation.

Hua Shuya suddenly became a little excited. After a moment of thought, she suddenly understood.

Perhaps it was the mysterious and extraordinary game of chess that had not only broadened her horizons but also brought about a transformative change!

With this thought, she quickly clasped her hands in a respectful bow:

"Thank you, Senior, for your gift. I will never forget this great kindness and virtue in my lifetime!"

Lin Tianlu: "???"

He was a bit confused.

The young lady had just spat blood and fainted, which had genuinely startled him. He had only managed to gather some weeds and make a straw mat for her to rest on.

Not long after, the young woman woke up on her own.

He hadn't done anything during that time, so where did this gift come from?

Could it be... this straw mat?

Lin Tianlu couldn't help but force a slightly awkward smile and waved his hand, "Young Lady, you needn't worry, it was just a small effort. Seeing you spit blood earlier, perhaps your physique is a bit lacking. You should see a doctor more often in the future."

Poor physique?

Hua Shuya pursed her lips tightly upon hearing this.

If she wasn't capable of lifting a cauldron, she was still considered a person of extraordinary strength in the eyes of others.

But only this Senior before her could see through the secrets of her body at a glance...

The reason she had followed her grandfather to practice martial arts since childhood was precisely because her mother had a weak constitution and suffered from congenital consumption. She, who was born later, had inherited this condition and suffered from chronic illnesses in her youth.

Even after years of cultivating internal energy for protection, that innate stubborn ailment would occasionally bring her pain and discomfort.

"Senior's admonishment, this junior will certainly obey."

Hua Shuya responded solemnly.

Seeing that her words and actions were so rigid and formal, Lin Tianlu, though maintaining a kind smile on his face, sighed inwardly.

Interacting with ancient people... is really troublesome.

Especially since this beautiful young lady always calls him 'Senior', making it impossible for him to get closer. He didn't know how to ask her to take him down the mountain with her.

...Although the word 'Senior' does sound quite pleasant.

"Senior, I wonder about the immortal sect on Taiyi Mountain..."

"Sect?" Lin Tianlu quickly came back to his senses, chuckled, and spread his hands. "I almost forgot, Young Lady, you fainted before I could finish speaking. Look carefully around you. There are no so-called immortal sects here anymore. Otherwise, I wouldn't be stranded on the mountain, playing chess alone to pass the time."

"The sect... is gone?"

Hua Shuya's heart was shocked. Only now did she have the spare thought to notice the abnormality of her surroundings. She had only glanced around hastily before, mistaking them for ordinary rubble. But now, looking closely, she realized these were clearly the ruins of collapsed buildings!

"The legendary immortal sect has fallen to such a state..."

She walked to a shattered stone tablet with a face full of astonishment. Her fingertips brushed over it, and dust scattered. It had clearly not been maintained for decades. Only faint traces of some kind of text could be seen on the stone tablet, but they were already too blurred to recognize.

"Things have changed."

Lin Tianlu slowly followed, his expression calm. "Even those who cultivate immortality and the Way cannot live forever. A hundred years, a thousand years, ten thousand years, eventually, tribulation will come. If sects could truly last forever, never perishing, why would immortal sects in this era only exist in folklore?"

Hua Shuya pondered for a moment, then turned and cupped her hands. "Senior's words, this junior will remember."

"Huh?"

Lin Tianlu was taken aback and could only force a laugh. "Young Lady, since the immortal sect is gone, are you planning to head down the mountain directly?"

"Having failed to find immortal destiny, this junior naturally won't harbor any further illusions." Hua Shuya smiled faintly. "Moreover, meeting a distinguished expert like Senior on this journey is a fortunate event in my life. May I ask what your plans are, Senior? If you don't mind, perhaps you could descend the mountain with this junior, and I can properly entertain you. Consider it repayment for Senior's guidance and gifts."

Lin Tianlu's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Of course, there's no problem. It would be best if Young Lady could give me a ride. Let's head down the mountain now." He had been worrying about how to ask, and unexpectedly, this young lady was so considerate and helped him out directly.

Seeing Lin Tianlu so friendly and amiable, Hua Shuya also sighed inwardly. She had genuinely worried that this distinguished senior might be detached from worldly affairs, unwilling to get involved, and reluctant to descend the mountain with her. Now that they could travel together for a while longer, perhaps she could receive more guidance... even a little would be immensely beneficial to her.

"Senior, please follow me."

"Okay... wait a moment, let me pack some things."

Lin Tianlu quickly gathered the chessboard, game pieces, broken jade pendant, and other items from the stone table, putting them into his robes one by one. As for the rusted broken sword he had dug up from the ground earlier, after some thought, he still put it in his embrace... If anything unexpected happened, it could at least offer some defense, which was better than being defenseless. Fortunately, there weren't many items, and they could barely fit. The heaviest was this chessboard.

Hua Shuya waited quietly at the mountain entrance. When Lin Tianlu returned, she immediately took out two iron buckles from her pocket. "Senior, if you don't mind, you can tie these buckles onto yourself and connect them to the iron chain. This will prevent slipping on the steep mountain paths... Of course, with Senior's abilities, this little mountain path is naturally not a problem--"

"Thank you, thank you."

Lin Tianlu accepted the buckles readily, smiled, and cupped his hands in thanks. "It's truly thanks to your appearance, Young Lady, otherwise, I don't know how many more days I would have been trapped on this mountain."

Hua Shuya smiled gently, not paying much attention to Lin Tianlu's casual remark. After all, how could an 'Immortal' who had lived alone on this isolated mountain for over half a month be 'trapped' by such a mountain path? She assumed the distinguished expert was being humble or had some other deeper meaning. Immortals could joke, but that didn't mean she, a mere mortal, could speak carelessly.

The two soon began to descend the steep slope together, exchanging polite courtesies. Hua Shuya trod very carefully, one step at a time, afraid of embarrassing herself in front of the Immortal. Although her martial arts were formidable, falling from such a towering height would ultimately result in a fate with no remains. Even with excellent lightness skills, one couldn't stand in mid-air or fly; those were the abilities of legendary Immortals.

However--

Hua Shuya subtly glanced back at Lin Tianlu, who was following behind her. This Immortal, although he always claimed to be just an ordinary scholar with no strength to even truss a chicken, claiming to be stranded on the mountaintop, and even suggesting he might need her help to descend. Yet, now that they had actually started on the descent, she saw his footsteps were incredibly light, as natural and effortless as treading on clouds and mist.

"Such lightness skill is truly unheard of!" Hua Shuya was secretly shocked and even more convinced of her own assessment. This person was definitely extraordinary! Even if he wasn't an ancient Immortal capable of moving mountains and seas, he was undoubtedly a peerless expert of this era.

At the same time, Lin Tianlu, no matter how slow his reactions, now sensed something unusual about himself. His steps... were so light! He had expected to stumble and sway on the mountain path, but now that he was actually walking, Lin Tianlu felt as if he were walking on flat ground, with no sense of losing balance whatsoever. He didn't even feel that the mountain path would be troublesome, even without the iron chain tied around his waist.

Could this scholar have once trained his body diligently?

But upon careful recollection, it seemed to be filled only with fragmented memories of studying day and night.

"Moreover, I lived on the mountaintop for half a month without feeling the slightest hunger. I didn't pay too much attention before, but now it seems, could my body have undergone some kind of mutation after transmigrating and being reborn?"

This... everything changed in a daze, and Lin Tianlu himself was completely clueless.

On the mountain, he neither ate any strange fruits or elixirs, nor did he encounter any Immortal or Grandmaster bestowing powers. He spent his days entertaining himself, and didn't feel any sense of getting stronger at all.

Or was it simply the environment on the mountaintop at play?

"Could the sect ruins hold some profound mysteries?"

Lin Tianlu pondered for a moment before ultimately deciding to descend the mountain first.

Regardless, he needed to go down the mountain to find a village or town to stock up on dry rations and change of clothes. As for what secrets this Taiyi Mountain held that he hadn't discovered before, he could come back to search for them after he was fully prepared.

After all, such a large mountain couldn't possibly disappear into thin air, right?

After walking for about a few minutes on the mountain path, the originally steep path began to gradually flatten, and the temperature rose. Hua Shuya, walking ahead, let out a sigh of relief and unfastened the iron chain around her.

"Senior, we can walk down the mountain normally from here on."

"Good."

Hua Shuya smoothed her hair, her gaze sweeping around the surroundings with a hint of suspicion.

Why had her retainers who were stationed here all disappeared?

Could they have been unable to endure the cold environment here and secretly gone down the mountain to warm themselves?

Although puzzled, Hua Shuya didn't overthink it and was about to lead Lin Tianlu onward.

But at this moment, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from the surrounding bushes, accompanied by the sound of footsteps approaching from afar.

Hua Shuya frowned slightly. Seeing figures emerging from the bushes, she couldn't help but want to question them.

There were eight people stationed here, and now not a single one was present. They had taken her money but were so derelict in their duties; she really ought to give them a good scolding.

"Why are you--"

"Shh!"

A hand suddenly reached out in front of her, stopping the words she was about to speak.

Hua Shuya's expression faltered slightly, and she turned her head in surprise, asking, "Senior?"

"Something's not right."

Lin Tianlu had already come to her side, his face grave.

As soon as the two spoke, the bushes were slowly pushed aside, and a middle-aged man wearing thick cotton clothes stumbled out.

Hua Shuya let out a soft exclamation.

This person was undoubtedly one of the retainers she had brought along. Why did Senior--

"Gah?!"

But her eyes widened abruptly, and she took two steps back in horror.

Because as the middle-aged man raised his head, the shadow receded, revealing a face that was already riddled with holes, a bloody and grotesque sight, truly terrifying!

Lin Tianlu was startled, his eye twitching repeatedly.

"Don't mess with me, this ancient world...

Does it have biological warfare?!"