The Secret of the Grotto-Heaven's Entry into the World

The burly old man, having made up his mind, immediately turned to leave, raising his left hand and flicking his fingernail.

Clang!!

His fingernail flicked, producing a sound like the ringing of a sword, a deep, low-pitched sound that didn't travel far.

But the disciples nearby understood and released their hairpin flying swords, which flew out of the room.

Numerous flying swords struck the tree roots that formed the main gate of the palace. The tree roots twitched, grew strangely, and arched outwards.

Thick roots cleared away the silt and sewage in the swamp, creating an upward-sloping channel.

Only when the roots spread from underground to the surface of the swamp, their ends, where they are all clustered together, do they open up like a carnivorous flower, revealing the entrance to this passage.

Clusters of dark clouds flew out from the passageway.

Sixteen disciples, divided into two rows, each holding a jade hairpin at an angle, stood atop the black clouds, clearing the way forward.

The burly old man's black jade carriage was supported on a huge cloud, with black veils hanging down from all four sides of the square roof.

Sixteen more disciples stood guard behind them, riding on clouds.

These thirty-two disciples, their magical energy interacting, formed an invisible force field that propelled the black jade chariot into flight.

As they flew faster and faster, strong gusts of wind crashed into them.

But as soon as it encounters this invisible force field, it is filtered into a gentle breeze.

The black gauze surrounding the carriage swayed only slightly, without causing any discomfort or jarring.

A deer in the swamp was drinking water when it suddenly lunged forward, baring its fangs and killing a crocodile that had been quietly approaching.

The deer cry out, their joyous celebrations resounding.

Just as the deer was about to drink the blood, the blood flowing from the crocodile's wound turned from bright red to dark.

The crocodile's carcass quickly began to look less fresh.

This is the essence of blood, some of which is silently taken away.

The deer looked up, its face filled with fear, and knelt down.

In the sky, it seemed as if thirty-two small flowers were surrounding a black lotus throne, gliding smoothly into the distance.

These Demonic Sect cult leaders were focused on their journey and did not deliberately target any living beings on the ground.

But wherever they go, any injured creature, whether human or beast, will have some of its blood and essence taken away.

This is a characteristic of most of the techniques used by the Demonic Sect Cult.

Those with more serious injuries would die on the spot from being sucked in like that.

Although the Western Great Swamp is rife with miasma, it is actually a place with abundant geothermal heat, a humid environment, and extremely rich resources.

Throughout history, many human tribes have adapted to the local environment, mingling and multiplying within it.

That's why it has gradually come to be called the Death Marsh over the years.

At least half the blame lies with these members of the Demonic Sect cult.

However, after flying for half an hour, the environment ahead became clear.

The miasma there is much lighter than in other places, and the sunlight can shine directly on it.

There is also a rare dry land, where trees are lush and green, and birds sing and flowers bloom.

Cultivators dressed in various colorful outfits chased each other through the land and jungle, practicing formations and honing their combat skills.

Swords fly through the air, flags wave on the water, and formations swirl in circles, making one wonder if they have arrived at a fairyland on earth.

But upon closer inspection, the magical artifacts they used all had a hint of blood seeping into their refined iron, giving one a deep sense of foreboding.

It seems that what they practice is also Demonic Sect cult technique.

Compared to other branches of the Demonic Sect sect, their cultivation is more refined, and the essence and resentment of the living and the dead they collect are all refined and compressed.

Therefore, there was none of the usual black smoke and ghostly wails that accompany the actions of ordinary members of the Demonic Sect sect.

At the heart of this landmass are nine magnificent gardens, arranged like a nine-palace diagram.

Each garden has pavilions, terraces, rockeries, small lakes, flying bridges, and corridors, but each is home to wild horses, falcons, poisonous bees, and other animals, as well as Pill Cauldron burners, each with its own specific function.

At the heart of the garden stands a magnificent cast-iron palace, towering and imposing in an ancient style.

There are nine gardens, and therefore nine grand halls.

This is the sacred ground of the Demonic Sect Cult, the Wilderness Sacred Temple.

Since the rise of the Hall of Longevity, it has occupied this territory, recruited Rogue Cultivator, taught demonic arts, and trained disciples, with grand ambitions.

Over the years, the Hall of Longevity has become the undisputed behemoth among the Demonic Sect.

In front of the main hall in the center stood two figures. One was a burly, bear-like man who seemed to be dozing off, his hands resting on a Great Saber that looked like a door panel.

Another figure had a long, thin, horse-like face, with gleaming green eyes, and was leaning on an unsheathed longsword.

These two were the personal protectors of the Master of the Hall of Longevity.

"Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall, what brings you here?!"

The horse-faced protector blinked, looked up, and asked in an extremely loud voice.

The disciples of the Spirit Mountain Hall felt a powerful and Sha Qi coming towards them, and they stopped flying.

The burly old man in the carriage was none other than the Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall, who smiled upon hearing the sound.

"Haha, I've come here naturally to pay my respects to Brother Shanjun."

The Master of the Hall of Longevity is said to have been originally named Wu Shanjun.

Of course, this is just hearsay, because members of the Demonic Sect Cult have always known various curse techniques, and sometimes they can curse people simply by knowing their names.

The Master of the Hall of Longevity grew up in the Demonic Sect in his early years, and it is unlikely that he would use his real name to guard against his fellow disciples.

The horse-faced guardian turned and went into the main hall to report.

The main hall was not closed, but it seemed to be covered by a layer of dark film, separating the inside from the outside.

As the horse-faced guardian passed through the membrane, it was as if he were passing through a curtain of water, with faint ripples. As soon as he entered, he turned around and came out again, extending an invitation.

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall strode in.

As soon as you pass through the membrane, all external noise is blocked out, but faint music echoes inside the hall.

There was only music, but no musicians were seen; it was unclear where the string and wind instruments were coming from.

In the center of the main hall stands a massive four-legged cauldron, its color resembling rusty red clay, carved with various wild and ferocious beasts, gods, and monsters.

Wu Shanjun sat before the giant cauldron, dressed in black close-fitting clothes with a purple silk robe over them. He had a majestic face, a tall crown, thick eyebrows, graying temples, tiger-like eyes, and a steely beard.

But he was holding a book in his hand, reading it intently, with a black and white striped tiger lying beside him.

The tiger's fur was clean and soft, and its body was robust. It was perched beside Wu Shanjun, supporting Wu Shanjun's elbow with its lower back, while its back served as Wu Shanjun's backrest.

The Demonic Dao giant and the black and white tyrant, when put together like this, exude a certain languor.

"Spirit Mountain, please sit down. I have half a page left; let's finish reading it before we talk."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall sat down on a futon to the side and waited for a moment.

Wu Shanjun calmly asked, "You've taken the news from the Heavenly Wolf Sect to heart?"

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall cut to the chase. "In your opinion, fellow Daoist, is this matter true or false?"

Wu Shanjun changed his sitting posture, leaning back with his head on the tiger's waist, his knees bent, his hands on his knees, and he held the scroll, swaying it back and forth.

This was a habitual action he took when he was deep in thought and calculating.

"In this matter, everyone's actions were consistent with their personalities. Although the losses suffered by the Heavenly Wolf Sect were not significant, they were still considerable."

"As for the news about the Heavenly Fire Divine Stone, I used the Wilderness Sacred Temple to collect the aura of heaven and earth, hoping to calculate it, but the result—"

Wu Shanjun's voice was slow.

"The presence is too faint, far too faint, as if it had just appeared in this world."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall twitched his face. "Could it be that the news is false, and this is just a newly fabricated fake treasure?"

Wu Shanjun said, "No!"

"Though the aura was faint, the implications it conveyed were profound, its intent lofty, and its potential for the future as vast as the boundless universe, immeasurable."

"Such an origin is definitely not something the Heavenly Wolf Sect could fabricate at will."

Wu Shanjun straightened his posture slightly, exuding an aura of majesty, like a tiger dominating the mountains and forests, and his voice also became deep and solemn.

"Therefore, the fact that its aura is extremely faint and that it has just appeared in this world actually proves that the rumors are very likely true."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall rested his fingers on his knee and tapped it lightly, looking puzzled.

Wu Shanjun saw his reaction.

"Spirit Mountain, you still need to read more books."

"Back then, you betrayed Tianyin Temple, broke away from Buddhism and entered the realm of Divinity, combining Tianyin Temple's Heart Sword Technique with the Divine Sect Sect's skills, thus reviving the prestige of the Divine Sect Sect's sword-forging branch."

"Spirit Mountain both high and pure, while your Spirit Mountain Hall is located deep in a swamp, both low and murky. This shows that you are exceptionally gifted, quick to learn and adapt, and not bound by convention."

"But one should read more books. Old secrets hold countless treasures. How can you collect these treasures if you haven't read enough?"

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he felt dissatisfied.

What do you mean I haven't read enough books?

I have read all 80,000 Buddhist scriptures, and I don't know how many secret manuals I have read since joining the Demonic Sect.

However, Hall of Longevity is better at collecting ancient secrets, keeping them to themselves and then making sarcastic remarks here.

"I am not well-educated, please don't make fun of me, fellow Daoist."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall cupped his hands and smiled, "Brother Dao, please enlighten me on your views on this rumor and provide evidence!"

Wu Shanjun stroked the soft tail of the tiger beside him and smiled.

To achieve immortality, one must first establish a powerful empire, which requires attracting talented individuals.

A person like Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall, who can bend and stretch, is truly a worthy general of mine.

As long as you keep putting bait in his mind and let him know that it's impossible to steal Hall of Longevity's things.

Sooner or later he will be willing to kneel and be sent to join the Hall of Longevity.

"Spirit Mountain, since you were once a Buddhist disciple, you should know that there is likely more than one universe. Buddhism speaks of countless worlds, like the sands of the Ganges."

"There are different worlds, and naturally, there may have been contact between those different worlds."

"Our world is filled with many ancient secrets and magical artifacts that are shrouded in mystery. If you trace their origins, you will find that these things are indeed profound, but their source is completely unknown."

Wu Shanjun slowly said, "In my opinion, these mysterious things most likely came from beyond this realm."

"However, as the saying goes, there is a distinction between inside and outside. Our world is complete and whole. When things from outside drift in, how can they enter without any hindrance?"

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall was indeed a highly skilled master of the Demonic Dao, and he had an excellent capacity to accept these hypotheses.

As soon as the other person spoke, he began to ponder the matter.

"According to what you said, fellow Daoist, the process of those extraterrestrial objects drifting into this realm was likely a long one. Therefore, some mysterious ancient artifacts have already circulated within the realm, causing much bloodshed and chaos."

"And some things, perhaps, are stuck in the void?"

Wu Shanjun smiled slightly, then shook his head.

He made a grabbing motion in mid-air, creating a huge bubble in the air.

Then, he reached out and stroked the black and white tiger a few times.

Many tiny tiger hairs fell off, which he caught in his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, threw them at the bubble.

The tiger hairs, propelled by inertia, struck the surface of the bubbles. Unable to enter the bubbles immediately, they drifted and moved on the surface of the bubbles, carried by their own momentum.

Some tiger hairs, short and small, were initially subjected to less force and, after drifting a few times, lost momentum, gradually becoming accustomed to the scent of the bubbles and smoothly penetrating their interiors.

Some of the tiger hairs were longer and had been subjected to greater force, so they kept moving around on the surface of the bubble, going round and round.

"It's not stuck in the void, it's gliding through the void."

Wu Shanjun pointed to the tiger hairs that were still in operation and began to explain.

"The caves and treasure troves that drifted from beyond the boundary, by chance, drifted into our world, but their residual momentum has not dissipated, so they will continue to move in the void of our world, constantly changing their location."

"Some people may be incredibly lucky, catching a glimpse of these treasure lands in the void, but those treasure lands are constantly shifting, moving to other places, leaving one with nothing."

"And some people are not only lucky, but also good at math."

"If, after a fleeting glimpse, these individuals happen to encounter treasure troves whose momentum has waned and whose operation is unlikely to continue for long, they can use mathematical calculations to predict the location where the treasure trove will eventually merge into this world."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall had a sudden thought.

The origins of these nine Wilderness Sacred Temple are shrouded in mystery.

It is said that the original founders of the Demonic Sect were destined to be here, which is why they were the first to occupy the place, unearthed the temple's treasures, greatly increased their cultivation, and thus established the various branches of the Demonic Sect.

Looking back now, it's likely that the founders were able to seize this territory first, which was probably all calculated.

They calculated that once they reached the Wilderness Sacred Temple, they would integrate into the local world, thus securing their territory and waiting to reap the treasure.

Ah, the founder of the Qingyun Sect hundreds of years ago, although his cultivation was only average, was far from comparable to the founders of the ancient Demonic Sect.

But I've heard that this person is an expert in physiognomy and also a master of numerology.

"I understand everything now."

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall exclaimed with delight, "It seems that the old ghost Qingyun Sect back then also had a stroke of good luck, having seen a cave dwelling outside the boundary, observed it from afar, and even calculated its location."

"But that cave dwelling was not yet ready to truly enter the world, so his observation time was short, and his understanding of the techniques was incomplete; he could only live a mediocre life."

"So, the Heavenly Fire Divine Stone is inside that cave, and that cave is most likely meant to be used in the mortal world at Mount Qingyun."

Wu Shanjun shook his head.

"After I destroyed Mount Qingyun, I searched for it, but found no trace of the outer cave. There were only a few empty caves inside the mountain, with densely packed talismans carved inside, all of which were incantations used to make divine objects conceal themselves."

"It's most likely a foundation built by the Patriarch Qingyun. When the time is right, with a foundation in place, the unusual phenomenon of the outer cave entering the world can be concealed, making it less likely for outsiders to see it on the spot."

That Patriarch Qingyun truly had good intentions.

Only by concealing it well will future disciples have the opportunity to comprehend and grow after obtaining the treasure.

Otherwise, once things like the outer cave dwellings and treasure vaults enter the world, their extraordinary phenomena and dazzling lights will attract attention from all directions, and the Qingyun Sect will have no way to protect this territory.

Unfortunately, while he can calculate, so can others.

Despite their excellent concealment, the Demonic Sect still managed to predict it beforehand.

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall said regretfully, "It will take another forty-seven years before that cave dwelling reaches Mount Qingyun."

"In other words, nobody knows exactly where that cave is now."

"Brother Dao, when you destroyed the Qingyun Sect back then, didn't you find the manuscript detailing the old ghost Qingyun Sect's calculations of the route and timing?"

All we know now is the outcome of the cave dwelling entering the world forty-seven years later, but we don't know the process.

"No."

Wu Shanjun snorted coldly.

"The disciples of the Qingyun Sect don't like to study either; they're all useless."

"Their founder just died, and only two or three of the ten lineages are left. What good things do you expect them to preserve?"

"I'm afraid those manuscripts wouldn't be of any importance to them."

Upon hearing this, the Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall felt a surge of murderous intent.

Unfortunately, there are hardly any survivors left in the Qingyun Sect; they are all scattered elsewhere. Otherwise, he would have killed two or three thousand to vent his anger.

"That----"

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall thought for a moment, "We were able to calculate so many things back then, why don't we activate the Wilderness Sacred Temple again and calculate it once more?"

Three years ago, the Demonic Sect Cult held a meeting.

The true purpose of that calculation was to find the whereabouts of a treasure in the world that was compatible with the Demonic Sect.

As for the Master of the Hall of Longevity, who was in charge, his sudden inspiration led him to deduce that the Qingyun Sect's need to nip this matter in the bud was merely an accident.

If even the secondary objectives could lead to such significant results, then the primary objective would naturally yield even greater rewards.

As the primary organizer, the Master of the Hall of Longevity located the Dragon-Subduing Cauldron, one of the Four Wonders, and successfully acquired it. He also made some other gains, which he did not reveal to outsiders.

As a participant at the time, the Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall also found the whereabouts of the Blood-Devouring Primordial Stone through that calculation, and also found a very sophisticated sword-making manuscript.

The other participating masters of the Demonic Sect sect each gained something.

After being fragmented for so many years, the Demonic Sect finally showed signs of forming an alliance after this incident.

Whenever the Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall recalls this, he has to admit that it was truly a grand event in the history of the Demonic Sect, and he feels a sweet joy in his heart.

"The Nine Palaces Calculation not only requires the participation of many experts, but also the accumulation of spiritual energy."

"After that calculation three years ago, we needed to accumulate experience again. Now we can only rely on the main hall to make calculations, which can't go very far or in too much depth."

Wu Shanjun said, "But since that Qingyun Sect disciple possesses the fire seed, he is most likely the Patriarch Qingyun himself. Besides calculating the extraterrestrial cave dwellings, he also calculated some of the scraps within those cave dwellings."

Things from outside the boundary will inevitably suffer damage during their drifting process, and it is common for scraps to enter the world prematurely.

The Hall Master of Spirit Mountain Hall understood and said, "With the scraps condensed into a spark, we no longer need to rely solely on calculations; we can also rely on intuition."

"If we want to obtain the divine stone, we must keep a close eye on the Heavenly Wolf Sect and invite like-minded individuals everywhere—"

Wu Shanjun smiled, his gaze dark and unfathomable, his eyes seemingly filled with red and black clouds that parted and closed at will, moving swiftly and carrying many deep calculations.

"Is keeping an eye on the Heavenly Wolf Sect enough?"

"Within the Immortal Sect, there are many cunning and shrewd individuals. I have long harbored ambitions to dominate the Divine Sect and have been plotting to find the right time to strike."

"Now is the perfect time to launch an attack—haha, even those who claim to be righteous are not immune to treachery among their own people. Let them taste the bitterness of their own medicine."