A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 107 Water Moon Cave Sky
Five hundred years ago, the Tong clan was highly regarded by the imperial court because of their unique magical abilities. However, the traitor Yin Zhong secretly learned forbidden arts in an attempt to achieve immortality. After the matter was exposed, Yin Zhong betrayed the Tong clan and informed the court that the Tong clan had rebellious intentions.

The imperial court then ordered Yin Zhong to lead troops to encircle and suppress the Tong family. They intercepted the Tong family on their escape route, but fortunately, General Long Teng risked his life to fight them and severely injured Yin Zhong with the Tong family's treasured spirit mirror, leaving an indelible mark.

……

On the vast plains, Yin Zhong, clad in iron armor, led a team of elite soldiers to block the Tong clan's path.

"Long Teng, what does the Tong family's rebellion have to do with you? If you retreat, I can let bygones be bygones."

Yin Zhong stared solemnly at Long Teng opposite him. Long Teng was wearing bright armor and holding the Divine Dragon Sword. Although he was covered in wounds, his eyes were bright and his handsome face showed a look of fearlessness in the face of death.

“Yin Zhong, there’s no point in saying more. If you want to deal with the Tong family, then you’ll have to step over my dead body,” Long Teng said loudly, gripping his sword hilt tightly.

"Alright, today, I'll kill you first, then wipe out the Tong clan. Charge!" Yin Zhong gave the order, and the soldiers behind him charged forward with their weapons.

"General Long, you should leave quickly. The Tong clan has reached its end here. You don't need to lose another life," the Tong clan chief pleaded.

“Clan leader, there’s no way to retreat now,” Long Teng replied, drawing his sword to meet the attack.

Yin Zhong coldly observed Long Teng's actions. He saw Long Teng charge into the army formation, and with a sweep of his sword, several heads flew into the air. Before they even fell, several more heads followed. In just a few breaths, more than a dozen people had died at his hands.

The soldiers were shocked by his imposing presence and involuntarily retreated. Yin Zhong, behind him, snorted coldly, leaped across the army formation with his sword, and without uttering a word, his sharp blade slashed down.

Where the blade passed, space distorted and became uncertain. An unpredictable blade aura pressed down on Long Teng. Upon seeing this, Long Teng stood firm on both feet, held his sword with both hands to block, and the two blades clashed. A gust of wind and air waves swept around, and the soldiers were swept away several feet away. The Tong clan was also forced to retreat repeatedly by the force of the energy. If it weren't for the Tong clan leader secretly using magic, some clansmen would have been seriously injured.

Seeing Long Teng take the next move, Yin Zhong drew his sword, turned around, and kicked the Divine Dragon Sword. Long Teng couldn't react in time and was kicked back several feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

“With your current skill level, you are no match for me at all. I have won this time,” Yin Zhong laughed heartily.

Previously, the two had served as generals in the court and had competed many times, always ending in a draw, with no clear winner. If it weren't for Long Teng's assistance to the Tong family in their rebellion, he really wouldn't have found a suitable opportunity to eliminate him and resolve two major threats in one fell swoop, which would truly be a joyous occasion in life.

"General Long, you should leave quickly," the Tong clan chief pleaded. With Long Teng's cultivation level, if he really wanted to leave, Yin Zhong wouldn't be able to stop him, and with his assistance, there was a high chance he could succeed.

"The Long and Tong clans have always been on good terms. The clan leader should understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' Even if Long Teng has to risk his life, he will drag Yin Zhong down to hell."

He slowly rose, pointing his sword at Yin Zhong, who scoffed, "Overestimating yourself."

The two then clashed again. Long Teng was injured, and Yin Zhong's momentum was overwhelming. Long Teng's old wounds had not healed and new wounds had been inflicted, and his armor was tattered.

With a "sizzle," Yin Zhong slashed at Long Teng's arm, leaving a deep, shocking wound from which blood flowed uncontrollably.

With a kick that sent Long Teng flying, Yin Zhong coldly stared at the Tong clan, then slowly walked over, each step like the tolling of a death knell.

"General Long," the Tong clan chief helped Long Teng to his feet, who gave a bitter laugh and said, "It seems I, Long, will not be able to fulfill my promise."

The Tong clan chief shook his head as he watched Yin Zhong approach. "It seems we'll never reach that place after all. It's all fate."

Just then, the spirit mirror held by the Tong clan chief suddenly shone brightly, and the dazzling light forced Yin Zhong to stop in his tracks.

"This is"

Yin Zhong thought to himself that something was wrong, as he hadn't expected the power of the spirit mirror to have been restored.

Seeing Yin Zhong charging towards him with his sword, Long Teng reached for the Spirit Mirror and, with his last ounce of strength, shone it on Yin Zhong. With a deafening explosion, Yin Zhong's sword turned to ashes, and the soldiers were all pierced through the heart by the light, falling to the ground one by one.

As for Yin Zhong, he was given special attention and was blasted several miles away, his fate unknown.

Upon seeing this, Long Teng tilted his head to the side, and the petrified spirit mirror in his hand fell to the ground.

"General Long!" The clan chief checked his breath and found that he was lifeless. He burst into tears, and the rest of the clan members knelt down at the same time.

Just then, a five-colored light fell upon the area, attracting the attention of the Tong clan.

"Everyone be careful!" the Tong clan chief hurriedly said. Could it be people sent by the imperial court to hunt them down?

As the light faded, Gu Xu emerged from within. Looking at the strangely dressed person before him, the Tong clan chief was puzzled; this person did not seem to be one of his opponents.

The Tong clan members were on high alert. Gu Xu looked around, then turned his gaze back to the old man standing opposite him.

Taking a few steps closer, Gu Xu bowed and said, "Old man, may I ask where this place is?"

Seeing Gu Xu's strange manners, the Tong clan chief asked warily, "This is the wilderness, who are you?"

Gu Xu was puzzled when he heard this. Then he saw the petrified spirit mirror that had fallen to the ground, as well as Long Teng and the Divine Dragon Sword in his hand. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he realized that he had come to the world of Water Moon Cave.

"Are you all members of the Tong clan?" Gu Xu asked, seeing that they were all dressed in white and having already been shown the evidence, but he still had to ask as usual.

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, the clan leader immediately tensed up, his gaze sharpening as he demanded, "So what if it is?"

Seeing the clan leader's appearance, Gu Xu understood what he was thinking and said, "I am Gu Xu, and I am just traveling around. It is my fault for disturbing you all. However, I have no ill intentions towards you and I can do you a favor."

The clan leader was puzzled. He saw Gu Xu walk to Long Teng's side, extend two fingers and point them at Long Teng's dantian. The clan leader saw a flash of green light on Gu Xu's fingers.

"This is the power of life!" the clan leader exclaimed in shock. The Tong clan members were extremely sensitive to the power of the five elements. What had just appeared was clearly the power of life. Apart from the first clan leader, no one else could cultivate such heaven-defying spiritual power.

"Indeed, this is the power of life and creation. Clan leader, this should be General Longteng."

The clan chief nodded upon hearing this.

"I have used my life force to preserve his last wisp of soul. This place is not safe to stay any longer. We should leave quickly. Since we have encountered you, I will help you for a while. Continue on your journey. With my protection, you should be able to travel much more smoothly."

"Thank you very much then," the clan chief said. He knew that if this person had malicious intentions, his clansmen would not be able to escape. Since that was the case, he might as well accept his kindness and see what he was up to.

After calling out to his clansmen, the clan chief led everyone to continue in the predetermined direction. Gu Xu had a sudden thought and released his primordial spirit to search back and forth within a radius of several miles. He found Yin Zhong unconscious at the bottom of a valley. Following Gu Xu's instructions, the primordial spirit pointed a finger at Yin Zhong's brow and then disappeared.

The journey was not easy. In these chaotic times, demons and monsters have emerged. If it weren't for Gu Xu's protection, some of our clansmen would probably have become food for the demons.

That night, the group stayed in a river valley, where the clan chief found Gu Xu meditating.

"Daoist Master, we are deeply grateful for your help these past few days, which has prevented our clan from suffering any calamity. Tong Yuan thanks you in advance."

The clan chief performed a strange salute to Gu Xu. Gu Xu didn't understand it, but he knew it must be the highest form of courtesy, so he quickly got up and returned the salute.

"Clan leader, there's no need for such formalities. I only did it as a favor and don't deserve such a generous gift."

"Master, you are kind and righteous. I was narrow-minded. Do you know why we have been attacked by demons and monsters along the way?"

"Appreciate further details"

"Since its inception, the Tong clan has used its innate abilities to help the court stabilize the country. Inevitably, this has led to conflicts with some races. Among them, the deepest grudges between the Tong clan and the demon and monster sects are those sent by them. Moreover, there are also sorcerers in the court who dislike the Tong clan and call themselves the Supreme Dao."

With a sigh, the clan chief continued, "Yin Zhong was originally a member of the Tong clan, but he was expelled from the clan for secretly marrying a woman of supreme cultivation. However, it was this one incident that led to the current predicament."

Gu Xu listened quietly. It turned out that the Tong clan had such secrets. Moreover, the Supreme Dao and demons and monsters did not appear at all. It seems that the water in the Water Moon Cave is very deep.

"Years later, Yin Zhong suddenly appeared at the door, kneeling and begging for help to save his daughter, Xiao Feng. At that time, his wife had already died, but the clansmen did not make things too difficult for him and let him into the house. However, Xiao Feng had already been poisoned by snake venom and there was no hope of recovery. I was also powerless to help, and in the end, I could only send him back."

"Later, he learned from the Supreme Dao that the Tong Clan's library contained a forbidden technique that could awaken life force using the Blood Spirit Array. However, this array was extremely vicious, requiring the blood of a large number of Tong Clan members. When he sneaked into the library, he was discovered, and the five elders worked together to knock him off a cliff." "And what about his daughter?"

"Elder Tianxuan volunteered to leave the camp and took Xiaofeng to the family's hidden camp beforehand. That's where we're going this time."

"The Tong clan has protected the Central Plains for generations, but in the end, they have fallen into such a state. It is truly the cruel irony of fate," the clan chief said with a bitter smile.

"Why be so pessimistic, clan leader? The Tong clan has fulfilled its responsibilities and has a clear conscience. Future generations will judge its merits and demerits."

The Tong family suffered this calamity for a number of reasons, perhaps including their great achievements, the court's suspicion of them, and the life-or-death struggle between Taoist and Legalist factions.

"Daoist Master, although the Tong clan's destiny has come to an end, I learned from the Spirit Mirror that a calamity will come in five hundred years, and at that time, there will probably be widespread suffering. Daoist Master's cultivation is extraordinary, and I have a request to make," the clan leader bowed again and earnestly pleaded.

"Please speak frankly, Chief, and I will do my best."

"Although I am nearing the end of my life and my cultivation has been almost completely destroyed due to my prediction of heavenly secrets, and the people in my clan are not worth cultivating and are unlikely to achieve great things, the various techniques collected and created by the Tong clan over the years are still worth seeing. I hope that after you comprehend these things, you can bring benefits to the common people. I will be eternally grateful."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xu pondered for a moment, then bowed respectfully and solemnly replied, "This humble Taoist accepts."

The clan chief felt relieved when he saw that he had agreed and smiled.

"The decline of the Tong clan is imminent. If we can use these things to befriend a remarkable person and pass on the legacy, it won't be a disgrace to our ancestors. I hope our ancestors won't blame us," the clan leader thought to himself.

After a night's rest, the group continued their journey south. After traveling for half a month, they finally arrived at a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters. Here, two mountains faced each other, the wind rustled through the trees, and the air was filled with a vibrant spiritual energy. A waterfall cascaded from the mountaintop to the valley floor, and a pool of clear water shimmered in the sunlight.

"finally reached"

Just then, a figure suddenly flew out of the waterfall, and upon landing, it turned out to be an old man with white hair.

Upon seeing the clan leader, the old man hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Clan leader, you've finally arrived."

"Thank you for waiting so long, Elder Tianxuan. Something came up on the way, so I was a little late. Come, let me introduce you to a friend."

As he spoke, the clan chief gestured to Gu Xu, saying, "Daoist, this is Elder Tianxuan. Elder Tianxuan, and this is Daoist Gu Xu. If it weren't for his protection along the way, there would probably have been many more complications."

Upon hearing the clan leader's words, Elder Tianxuan stepped forward, bowed to Gu Xu, and then looked at him.

"Thank you for your kindness, Daoist Master. The Tong clan will remember it forever." Elder Tianxuan had only glanced at the other party and found that he was flawless, clearly a highly accomplished Daoist master.

Gu Xu returned the greeting and said, "Elder, you flatter me."

"Clan leader, everything is arranged here. Let the clansmen go in," Elder Tianxuan said to the clan leader.

The clan chief nodded in agreement. After their arduous journey, the clansmen were exhausted and it was time for them to rest and recuperate.

"Elder Tianxuan, open the water barrier and let the clansmen go inside."

Elder Tianxuan agreed, and as he faced the waterfall, he pulled his hands out to the sides of the void. The waterfall seemed to be pulled to the sides by a pair of invisible hands, revealing a dark opening.

"Everyone, hurry inside!"

Elder Tianxuan, the clan leader, had already opened the barrier and urged the clansmen to go inside. Upon hearing this, the clansmen immediately and orderly walked into the cave.

After a short while, all the clansmen had gone inside. The clan chief said to Gu Xu, "Daoist, please come in for a chat."

Gu Xu nodded and followed the clan leader into the cave. When Elder Tianxuan saw the two enter, he retracted his hands and leaped into the cave before the waterfall closed up again. Just after his figure disappeared, the waterfall returned to its original state.

Gu Xu followed behind the clan leader. On both sides of the cave were various colored crystals, whose soft light illuminated the area, making it not seem dark. After walking for a while, his eyes were suddenly drawn to something bright.

The tribesmen waited at the cave entrance, and when they saw the chieftain coming, they all made way for him.

Before Gu Xu lay a dense, lush forest, stretching as far as the eye could see, with many animals roaming about within it.

"Chieftain, beyond this grove lies our home. To prevent outsiders from trespassing, we should set up another barrier here."

"We'll talk about this later. Let's settle our people first. Daoist, please," the clan chief gestured, leading Gu Xu ahead into the forest, with the others following closely behind.

"The jungle appears very dense from the outside, but it doesn't feel crowded inside."

Gu Xu looked at the tall trees around him, the smallest of which was as thick as two people could put their hands together, with vines as thick as a wrist clinging to them.

After walking for a while, the group finally emerged from the jungle and came into view a winding stream with a building faintly visible ahead.

Stepping across the stream and walking closer, one sees dozens of stone pillars forming a wall, inside which is a square with a round sky and a square earth, covering several feet in area. In the center stands a tall stone platform, and on the sides are various strange beast stone statues with ferocious faces.

"Elder Tianxuan, this must be the Prayer Plaza. It's quite impressive," the clan leader said, looking at the plaza with great satisfaction. In addition to being used for meetings, the plaza also served as a place for sacrifices and prayers.

The clan chief introduced Gu Xu again, and then, led by Elder Tianxuan, they arrived at a valley where rows of wooden houses were neatly arranged.

After everyone put their things away, they went to choose their own accommodations.

The clan chief gave an order to the clansmen, who immediately cheered and, following the elders' instructions, sorted and placed the books, utensils, and other items in the cave. Then, they led their families to choose houses.

Elder Tianxuan led the clan leader, Gu Xu, and the unconscious Long Teng to a stone cave. Upon entering, they discovered that it was a hidden paradise, with a vast space, complete with all sorts of objects, and decorated in a simple and elegant style.

After carefully setting Long Teng down, the guards withdrew.

After the clan chief invited the two to sit down, he said to Gu Xu, "Daoist, the Tong clan has settled down for the time being, so there may be some shortcomings in our hospitality. Please forgive us."

"It is I who have disturbed you, clan leader, there is no need for such formalities."

"Since you're here, Daoist Master, why not stay a while longer? There are many books there; it should keep you occupied for quite some time."

On the way here, the clan leader told Elder Tianxuan about what had happened. The latter neither agreed nor disagreed, which was considered an admission of the matter.

"Then I'll trouble you," Gu Xu said, taking the opportunity to thoroughly explore this world. The original plot mainly focused on a few locations such as Yujian Manor and Shuiyue Cave, but rarely mentioned the larger scope.

The clan chief recounted other strange tales, forcing Gu Xu to be more cautious.

"Elder Tianxuan, prepare a place for the Daoist to stay," the clan leader instructed, and Elder Tianxuan obeyed and left.

"Taoist Master, let's take a look at General Longteng first."

Gu Xu got up and went to Long Teng's side. The clan leader checked his breath with his hand and was overjoyed. Although his breath was weak, his life had been saved.

After examining his pulse, Gu Xu said, "Fortunately, the spiritual energy of the Spirit Mirror preserved a sliver of life for General Long Teng, which is why my life-giving power was effective. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to save him. Now, his life force is circulating spontaneously within him, and after some rest, he should be able to regain consciousness."

Hearing Gu Xu's words, the clan leader felt relieved. If Long Teng had died, he would have felt guilty for the rest of his life. It seemed that Heaven did not forsake good people, which was why it sent Daoist Gu Xu to help.

"Great Daoist, you have shown me immense kindness in saving the Longtong family. Your merit is immeasurable," the clan leader said, bowing deeply in gratitude. Gu Xu helped him up.

“This place is full of spiritual energy, with beautiful mountains and clear waters. I wonder if the clan leader has decided on a name for it?” Gu Xu hurriedly changed the subject.

"Wealth and fame are but fleeting clouds, vanishing with the wind, like the moon in the water or a flower in a mirror—all are false illusions. To warn future generations, this place is called Water Moon Cave."

(End of this chapter)