Deep in the Ruins: The Stone Stele and Pei Canghai, Wu Ming's Human Immortal Martial Dao Ancestor

Before long, other official Special Operations Forces emerged from the cave. They came through the ruins' stone gate with Blood Qi Puppets bound in tow and wounds on their bodies. They looked battered, but they were in much better shape than the earlier squad.

"Report! We captured two Blood Qi Puppets inside the ruins, but then we encountered stronger ones and had to retreat. We also made a major discovery! We gathered several mysterious Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses with incredible effects..."

The squad captain reported their findings to Major Chen, the official in charge. He had his team members take out the Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses they had gathered and place them in a collection bag to be brought back for research.

The Dragon Fang special operations team that had gone in earlier to search for Human Immortal Martial Dao, however, had yet to come out.

Meanwhile, inside the Wu Ming Ruins, Gu Chen casually sent the Centurion-level Blood Qi Puppet flying with a slap. At his grandmaster level, a mere Centurion-level puppet was no match for him. Earlier, with Ye Zhen, Liu Qing'er, Fang Xiu, Li Xingming, and Wang Xiaoai around, it had been inconvenient to reveal his strength.

By now, somewhere around a hundred and eighty people had entered the Wu Ming Ruins to explore. He had designed the ruins' passages to connect to an underground river, with mechanisms powered by the current. Even so, most of the passages should have been explored by now. All that remained were the Human Immortal Martial Dao cultivation methods in the deepest part of the ruins.

At the thought, Gu Chen's eyes flashed. He contacted the system with his mind and activated the core mechanism of the Wu Ming Ruins. The surrounding passages shuddered and shifted like a turning puzzle cube. The once-tangled corridors rapidly joined together, revealing a dark passage leading deeper inside.

Rumble...

As the passages shifted with a thunderous roar, the interior of the Wu Ming Ruins changed completely. Once Gu Chen had finished, he set off down the newly opened passage at an unhurried pace.

The hundred-odd Manifesting Strength explorers inside the ruins froze. They soon noticed the deep passage that had appeared at the far end, leading straight into the depths, and stared at it in surprise.

They had spent hours exploring. The Blood Qi Puppets of varying strength and the Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses that could be considered spirit medicines had opened their eyes and brought them considerable gains. But the most important thing hidden in the Wu Ming Ruins was Human Immortal Martial Dao. They had yet to find a trace of it, much to their regret.

Could the ultimate secret lie at the end of this road into the depths of the Wu Ming Ruins? Could it be Human Immortal Martial Dao, a path to Supernatural Power?!

The explorers' hearts raced. Unable to suppress their longing, they headed down the road into the ruins' depths. Soon, the number of people on it grew visibly.

Elsewhere, Ye Zhen, Liu Qing'er, Fang Xiu, Li Xingming, and Wang Xiaoai looked at the passage that had appeared before them. They exchanged uncertain glances. After eating the Purple-Red Grass Fruits, their injuries had mostly healed, and they had gained quite a bit.

"What do you all think? Should we go in and explore?" Liu Qing'er asked.

At her question, Fang Xiu, Li Xingming, and Wang Xiaoai fell into thought. The passage led straight into the depths of the ruins, and its appearance had caused such a commotion that it was clearly no ordinary path.

Ye Zhen, standing beside them, waved a hand. Lifting his chin, he declared proudly, "What's there to think about? Human Immortal Martial Dao is right within reach! How could we miss such a golden opportunity? With a chosen one like me here, getting it will be a piece of cake!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at Ye Zhen. After eating a Purple-Red Grass Fruit, the hopelessly delusional man was brimming with energy again.

"Someone seems to have forgotten how a Blood Qi Puppet slapped him so hard he flew backward coughing blood..." Fang Xiu said.

Ye Zhen snorted at her jab. Still unconvinced, he said, "Fortunes change! I was only careless for a moment. Once I reach Hidden Strength, killing that thing will be as easy as slaughtering a dog!"

Fang Xiu's eyes flickered. "We might as well explore it. We came into the Wu Ming Ruins to find Human Immortal Martial Dao, after all..."

Li Xingming, Wang Xiaoai, and Liu Qing'er nodded. Their decision made, the five of them immediately entered the passage leading into the depths of the ruins.

The official Dragon Fang special operations team did not hesitate either. They set out at once; their mission was to find Human Immortal Martial Dao.

Before long, the road into the depths of the Wu Ming Ruins filled with more and more outside explorers. With so many people together, they had little reason to fear whatever danger they might encounter.

About ten minutes later, the explorers stopped without meaning to. A vast chamber lay ahead. Two Pillaring Grandmasters, Li Hansha and Wang Tianba, stood at the front alongside four Transforming Strength Great Boxers, including Fang Hansong and Tang Ye. Before them stood an enormous Stone Stele. The first thing that caught the eye was a name carved in three characters: Pei Canghai.

The name carried overwhelming force. Surging blood qi lingered around the characters, giving off a terrifying pressure. Even after centuries, they could still feel the peerless spirit of the martial arts master who had carved them. Their minds went blank for an instant, then inspiration struck. Questions about boxing forms and combat techniques that had long baffled them suddenly became clear. Everyone who saw the Stone Stele improved a little.

Liu Qing'er, Fang Xiu, Li Xingming, Wang Xiaoai, and Ye Zhen were deeply shaken too. When they came back to their senses, they realized they had gained quite a bit and could not help voicing their amazement.

"What an incredible Stone Stele!" Liu Qing'er exclaimed.

Longing filled Fang Xiu's face. "Pei Canghai... What a magnificent name. I can't imagine how high this senior's cultivation had reached."

The other explorers also began to marvel.

"Senior Pei Canghai, who left this Stone Stele, was truly powerful. Even after hundreds of years, the characters he carved still have such a wondrous effect..."

"Could he be the one who left Human Immortal Martial Dao in the Wu Ming Ruins?!"

"Very likely. Does anyone have a light? Quick, let's look at the rest of the inscription..."

Under the dim yellow glow of the Eternal Lamps, the crowd carefully examined the mysterious Stone Stele.

—The Yuan Dynasty was cruel and tyrannical. Basiba, the demon master, colluded with the Great Yuan Imperial Family and took in a Demonic Bloodline. They seized virgin boys and girls to refine Blood-Refining Pills. I practiced martial arts from childhood, but I lamented the limits of human strength. The Great Yuan Imperial Family's Demonic Bloodline was mighty beyond human reach. Thus, I studied the teachings of a hundred schools, tested my martial arts across the land, and devoted my every thought to the problem. At last, I created Human Immortal Martial Dao. It takes the human body as its foundation, cultivates the Five Organs, then advances through Marrow Cleansing and Blood Changing before training the Thirty-Six Thousand Acupoints to forge the body of a human immortal. I spread these methods throughout the land and rose against the Yuan. In the end, I slew Basiba, dismembered him, and sealed away his remains. Sealed here are Basiba's arm and part of his torso...

The explorers grew excited as they read. Was this Stone Stele an account of the life of Pei Canghai, the Human Immortal Martial Dao Ancestor? If so, could the cultivation methods of Human Immortal Martial Dao be here as well?