A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 170 Gu Xu's Assistance
What's even more astonishing is that this treasure seems to be alive, with blood and energy flowing within it, making it very active, just like human blood vessels.

"I have truly broadened my horizons today. The Blood Ruyi is indeed a rare treasure."

When others said this, Yin Hao would have thought it was just flattery, but when Long Bo said it, he was very pleased. The Long family had a deep foundation and must have many good things hidden inside. As the young master, Long Bo's eyesight was naturally not bad.

"Young Master Long, I'm lending you this item for three months. Please return it on time."

Because of the guarantee from the Long family, Yin Hao dared to lend it out for three months, even though he originally only planned to lend it out for one month.

"Thank you, Master Yin. I will definitely come back in person to return the money. If anything goes wrong, I will give you an explanation."

Long Bo was overjoyed to hear that the item would be borrowed for three months. Now that he had it, the round trip to Shuiyue Cave would only take two months, giving him plenty of time.

As for the unexpected events, Long Bo has inquired a lot recently and knows that some people are eyeing this item covetously. However, Long Bo believes that with his own strength, plus the reputation of Yujian Villa and Longze Villa, those villains will have to think twice about whether they can withstand the wrath of these two major forces.

Yin Hao nodded upon hearing this, reached out and closed the lid, then handed the Blood Ruyi to Long Bo, who carefully took it and placed it in his package.

"Master Yin, I have other matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer, so I will take my leave now."

Seeing his anxious expression, Yin Hao personally saw him off at the door and watched him walk away before returning to the living room.

"Steward Li, put those three items into the treasure room." Yin Hao put the jade box containing the Fire Dragon Mushroom into his pocket and instructed Steward Li beside him.

Steward Li responded and got down, carefully put away the three jade boxes, and left the living room.

Yin Hao, carrying the Fire Dragon Herb, arrived at the underground city through a secret passage. At this time, the stone door of the hall was already open. As soon as he approached, he heard Yin Zhong's voice and immediately walked in quickly.

"Ancestor."

Yin Hao noticed a burning gaze fixed on him. He looked up and saw that it was the blood python.

Yin Hao's heart stirred. He placed the jade box containing the Fire Dragon Mushroom on the ground, reached out and opened it. He saw that the blood python was obviously excited, its tongue flicking out incessantly, trying to ingratiate itself with Yin Zhong.

Yin Zhong reached out and beckoned, and the jade box floated automatically in front of him. He pointed a finger at the Fire Dragon Fungus, and the object shone brightly with red light and suddenly grew larger, from four inches long to several feet tall. Yin Hao stared intently and seemed to see a dragon shadow swirling around the Fire Dragon Fungus.

"You go down first."

Yin Zhong waved his hand, and Yin Hao, not daring to ask any further questions, bowed and left.

"You've got quite a bit of luck. This Fire Dragon Mushroom is essential for your transformation into a dragon, and you obtained it so easily. It's yours now."

With a wave of his hand, Yin Zhong caused the impatient blood python to open its mouth and inhale, continuously drawing away the blood energy from the Fire Dragon Fungus. After a short while, the crimson light on the Fire Dragon Fungus dimmed considerably, and the blood python, as if it had eaten too much, fell into a deep sleep, though its scales became even brighter.

After obtaining the Blood Ruyi, Long Bo immediately rushed to the Water Moon Cave. With the Spirit Gathering Pearl on his person, Chief Tong Zhen should be able to hold on for several more months. As long as he brought the Blood Ruyi back, the Tong clan could use their supernatural abilities to extend their lives by a few more years.

Just as Longbo was on his way, a grand succession ceremony was taking place in Shuiyue Cave.

In the prayer square, Tong Zhen, dressed in a pure white robe as the clan leader, held a spirit mirror, with a hermit and five elders standing beside him.

"Elder Jin, it's almost time, let's begin." Elder Mu calculated silently with his fingers, then said to Elder Jin.

Elder Jin nodded upon hearing this, and after consulting with Tong Zhen, he went to the side of the altar, reached out and pressed the crystal on it. A beam of spiritual light shot straight into the sky, and the barrier opened instantly.

Upon seeing this, the other four elders immediately stepped forward and exerted their power simultaneously, pouring five streams of true energy into the crystal. The spiritual light gained even more power, and the originally clear sky suddenly darkened, the night sky became obscured, the stars shone brightly, and a brilliant Milky Way stretched across the sky, mysterious, beautiful, dreamlike, and enchanting.

Holding the spirit mirror, Tong Zhen looked up at the stars in the sky with piercing eyes. Then, his aura surged, and he channeled his true energy into the spirit mirror. With this help, the light patterns on the mirror surface rippled like water. Soon, the stars in the sky were reflected. Half a breath later, as true energy continued to flow in, the brightest star in the sky suddenly appeared in the mirror.

Upon seeing this, Tong Zhen's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He raised the spirit mirror high, facing the sky. A dazzling spiritual light shot up from the mirror and successfully communicated with the destiny star belonging to the Tong clan.

"Tong Zhan, get ready. The clan leader and elders have finished communicating. Soon, the Destiny Star will recognize you as the clan leader. You must keep your mind calm and not have any distracting thoughts, or the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Seeing this, Yinxiu hurriedly instructed Tong Zhan in his position. After all, if this failed, they would have to wait twenty years. That was not the worst part. The key issue was Tong Zhen's physical condition. Without Tong Zhen as the destined clan leader, Tong Zhan's position as clan leader would be nominal.

Upon hearing this, Tong Zhan's expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "I know."

Seeing this, the hermit nodded, looking at the six people in front of him with slight worry.

After successfully communicating with the Destiny Star, the starlight power, guided by the Spirit Mirror, quickly descended to the outside of the Water Moon Cave. Despite the barrier blocking it, the starlight penetrated the barrier without any hindrance. When Tong Zhen saw that the starlight had arrived, he immediately directed the starlight power towards Tong Zhan.

The hermit saw the starlight approaching and quickly dodged, leaving only Tong Zhan at his position. Upon seeing this, Tong Zhan immediately focused his mind, silently channeling his inner energy, and the vast starlight continuously poured into his body.

As time passed, Tong Zhen was under immense pressure. He had to maintain the flow of star power while transferring the inherited marks on his body, which consumed a great deal of his true energy. In just a short while, his face turned pale and large beads of sweat rolled down his face.

At this moment, no one can help him. If his true energy is reversed, the inheritance ceremony will fail. At best, his meridians will be damaged; at worst, he will be torn to pieces by the star power and his soul will be scattered.

"The clan leader is about to collapse. How could this inheritance mark attract such a large amount of star power?"

Elder Jin's expression was grave. This time, the star power far exceeded that of the past, and this variable directly caused Tong Zhen's body to be overwhelmed. Even with the double blessing of the pills left by Elder Tianxing and the Spirit Gathering Pearl, he was barely able to hold on. If...

Elder Jin dared not think any further. As his thoughts raced, he telepathically communicated with the other four elders.

"Elders, let's put in a little more effort to open up the night sky of stars. This will slightly alleviate the pressure on the clan leader."

Despite the five elders exerting all their strength, it was still a drop in the ocean for Tongzhen. The light of the spirit mirror suddenly weakened by three points, and the star power it attracted changed from a great torrent to a trickle, and it even showed a trend of continuous weakening.

Tong Zhen was the one who could directly sense the changes, and he immediately became anxious. His own death was not a problem, but if the inheritance mark was interrupted, he would be unforgivable.

"No, we can't go on like this!"

With a determined heart, Tong Zhen directly dispersed the innate true energy stored in his dantian, causing his aura to surge several times over. The light of the spiritual mirror intensified, and the star power guidance was instantly restored to its original state.

Upon seeing this, Elder Jin and the others' expressions changed drastically. They quickly realized that this was a technique to disperse one's vital energy. Once one's innate true energy is exhausted, without even half a drop remaining, the person who used this technique will perish, both in spirit and soul.

Tong Zhan, who was fully focused on receiving the inheritance, was of course unaware of this. He only felt that the star power was increasing and he was already finding it difficult to bear.

"I must persevere. I cannot let my father and the elders down, and I cannot let my people down."

Tong Zhan endured the excruciating pain that felt like his body was being torn apart, and continued to circulate his inner energy. At that moment, a faint starlight mark appeared between his eyebrows and began to solidify. He also exuded a mysterious aura, with starlight shining upon him, as radiant as the heavens.

Another half hour passed, and the inheritance ceremony was gradually coming to an end. The star power was also slowly weakening, but Tong Zhen could no longer hold on. As his true energy dissipated, the light of the spirit mirror slowly faded, and the destiny star in the sky began to slowly recede.

"Not good! The destiny star has shifted, and the inheritance will be lost!" Elder Jin's expression changed drastically, but no matter how hard the five of them tried, the destiny star continued to shift, and even the night began to dissipate.

Just when everyone thought the inheritance had failed, a vast golden light shone on Tong Zhen outside the Water Moon Cave. The light was pure and abundant, seemingly containing countless vitality. Tong Zhen's originally depleted true energy was immediately restored. Without thinking, Tong Zhen immediately reconnected with his destiny star and successfully injected the last trace of inheritance into Tong Zhan.

As the stars faded and the night dissipated, the barrier once again enveloped the Water Moon Cave. The five elders, all exhausted, struggled to their feet and walked toward Tong Zhen, who lay on the ground.

Tong Zhan was under immense pressure from receiving the inheritance and was currently unconscious. After the hermit checked on him and found that he was alright, he had someone take care of him and immediately ran towards Tong Town.

"Hidden Cultivator, the clan leader..."

The hermit lowered Tong Zhen's hand. With just a brief examination, he knew that Tong Zhen's life force had completely dissipated, and his destiny had come to an end. Shaking his head, the hermit concealed his grief and said in a deep voice, "The clan leader has fulfilled his destiny and returned to immortality."

"Clan leader!"

The five elders cried out in grief at the same time. The clansmen who were gathered outside heard the elders' sorrowful cries and were also moved. They immediately bowed down and respectfully saw Tongzhen off.

"Elder Jin, did you all see that golden light clearly just now? Who exactly is that expert?"

His cultivation level was relatively low, so he couldn't discern what kind of supernatural power it was. However, he was a friend, not an enemy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have helped Tong Zhen complete the final inheritance. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call this person a benefactor of the Tong clan.

“I have seen that golden light in the clan’s records before. It is called ‘Hao Ri Jin Yang’ (Golden Sun of Hao Ri).

"The Golden Sun of Haori, isn't that the famous divine power of Daoist Gu Xu of the Zhenwu Hall? This is it! Several hundred years ago, the elders of Shuiyue Cave Heaven had a close friendship with this hall master. Seeing that we were in danger, they came to help us!"

Hearing Elder Jin's words, Elder Shui was very excited. They had only seen the name of this legendary master in their clan's records, and this was the first time they had seen the Daoist Master take action.

"But why doesn't the Taoist priest show himself so that we can all pay our respects?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Jin said, "Daoist Master is a reclusive master. It is already a great favor that you have deigned to come and lend us a helping hand. Do not push your luck."

After looking at Tong Zhen's body, Elder Jin said to the hermit, "Tong Zhan has already received the mark inheritance, and the clan is temporarily at peace. We must also handle the funeral arrangements for the former clan leader as soon as possible. We don't have much time to waste."

"Elder Jin, is there some unforeseen change in the situation, given the urgency?" The hermit asked cautiously, unaware of the details.

"There are already signs of trouble. It's alright to say it out loud. In a few months to a year, a martial arts catastrophe that will sweep across Tianhua will surely happen. This catastrophe will very likely involve my Tong clan."

"How could this be?" the hermit exclaimed urgently. After all, the Tong clan had been in seclusion for hundreds of years, and apart from some connections with the Long clan, no one else knew about them.

"Could it be related to the Long family?"

Seeing the solemn expressions on Elder Jin's and the others' faces, Yin Xiu's heart sank slightly. It seemed that he had been right.

"The Long family has always been aloof from worldly affairs, but they still can't escape the vortex of this mundane world. I wonder how things are going on the Long family's side?"

Yinxiu still admires Longbo, and now he can only sincerely wish him peace and safety.

Just as everyone was preparing to take Tong Zhen's body back for cremation, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the barrier.

"It's Longbo's voice."

Tianqin Mountain, Seven-Tone Stream
After more than a month, Yin Jun, along with Yin Tianqi, Yin Tianhe, and a group of iron guards, finally arrived at Tianqin Mountain.

"My uncle and the others have already gone to the Water Village, the Divine Spear Pavilion, and the White Old Man Ridge. Judging by the time, they should have arrived by now. Let's not waste any more time."

Looking at the Xiugu Waterfall ahead, Yin Jun took the lead and walked forward. This Seven Sounds Water Stream is the entrance to Tianqin Mountain. Its terrain is special and has always been easy to defend and difficult to attack. However, this is not a problem for Yujian Manor.

"Second Uncle, this stream is a bit strange." Yin Tianqi glanced around and frowned when he saw the cascading waterfall, the steep rocks, and the winding mountain path. He had just heard some strange noises.

"Not bad, you noticed something was wrong so quickly. It seems your skills haven't been wasted these past few days. This Seven Sounds Stream is a sonic attack formation. Do you see that mountain peak with seven holes carved out over there? And that huge rock that's as smooth as a mirror over there."

Following Yin Jun's directions, Yin Tianqi and Yin Tian soon saw two strangely shaped objects. One mountain peak stood straight up into the sky, but had seven round stone holes, allowing them to see the scenery opposite. The other was a huge green rock, neat and smooth, as if it had been cut. Reflected by the sun, a bright light shone directly onto the mountain path they were walking on.

"These two things are the Seven-Hole Sound Wall and the Reflecting Light Stone. If you don't understand their meaning, it's wishful thinking to think you can pass through this mountain path smoothly."

"Second Uncle, what's so special about this thing?"

Yin Tianqi was very interested in these things and turned to ask Yin Jun.

Yin Jun first released his senses. Within a radius of several miles, apart from the group from Yujian Villa, there were no other outsiders. The people from Tianqin Mountain either hadn't noticed him or knew that they were coming and had retreated into the depths of the valley, vainly trying to block him with their traps and formations.

"Tianqin Mountain is famous in the martial arts world for its sonic attacks. These seven-hole sonic walls, the Reflecting Light Stone, and the Melodious Mountain Path are the first line of defense for Tianqin Mountain against external enemies. The sonic walls play music, which is endlessly deadly. The Reflecting Light Stone causes confusion and disorder, and the Melodious Mountain Path doubles the power."

Upon hearing this, Yin Tianqi and his companion immediately gasped. This formation was truly ingenious, using sound to attack, light to distract the mind, and then using winding mountain paths to gather and disperse sound. This repeated cycle was intended to trap the invading enemy inside and kill them.

"Second Uncle, it seems that Tianqin Mountain is fearless. No wonder they dare to go head-to-head with Yujian Manor. This barrier alone is more powerful than a thousand troops."

At this point, Yin Tianqi's heart sank slightly. Tianqin Mountain truly lived up to its reputation as a major sect of the time; it had indeed developed some real skills.

"So what if it's Tianqin Mountain? We made many preparations when we were dealing with it. Let's go, enter the formation, and see what tricks Liu Xuanwei can pull!"

Yin Jun calmly entered the Qumi Mountain Path, and Yin Tianqi and the other followed without hesitation. A team of iron guards followed silently behind. Just as the people from Yujian Manor stepped into the formation, a clear and melodious voice came from afar, growing stronger as it approached, and slowly entered everyone's ears.

At the same time, the reflecting stone suddenly lit up, as if the sun had fallen from the sky, its brilliant light illuminating the entire Seven Sounds Stream, turning it into a white expanse. Accompanied by the gurgling sound of the water, the clear and melodious sound grew louder and louder, but then the tone changed. The originally gentle and soothing melody suddenly became eerie and sinister, making people feel as if they had thorns in their bones and their whole body was chilled.

Some of the guards were clearly affected, their bodies swaying involuntarily.

Seeing this, Yin Jun snorted coldly, not wanting to waste any more time. He reached into his robes and took out a Nine-Aperture Pearl. With a burst of true energy, the pearl floated in the air. Suddenly, it rang out with a clear sound, spun around once, and burst into light. The sound that had attacked immediately disappeared without a trace, and the dazzling white light was absorbed into the pearl without any leakage.

"Tianqi, Tianhe, use the fire sulfur stone to destroy the seven-hole sound wall and the reflecting light stone!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Tianqi and his companion exchanged a glance, then leaped up, each taking out several crimson stone balls. With a burst of true energy, they threw them towards the Seven-Hole Sound Wall and the Returning Light Stone. A trail of sparks flew rapidly forward, while Yin Jun pressed his right hand to his sword, preparing to defend against any attack from his opponent.

Just as the Fire Sulfur Stone was about to collide with the Sound Wall and the Returning Light Stone, several plumes of fire and smoke suddenly appeared from afar, heading towards the Fire Sulfur Stone. Upon seeing this, Yin Jun sneered, drew his sword half an inch, and a streak of cold light shot out like lightning. Its gleam was chilling, and it suddenly split into more than ten sword lights in mid-air, colliding with the incoming fire and smoke.

The sword light and the smoke canceled each other out, and the fire-sulfur stone, now unobstructed, struck the Seven-Hole Sound Wall and the Reflection Stone. Several loud explosions followed, accompanied by billowing dust. The Seven-Hole Sound Wall was half-collapsed and sunken, and the Reflection Stone was shattered into pieces. The shattered rocks riddled the surrounding trees and rocks with holes, turning the once beautiful valley into a scene of devastation.

"Walk."

Before the dust settled, Yin Jun called to the group and they continued along the mountain path.

"Second Uncle, what was that thing you just took out? It broke that formation so easily!" Yin Tianqi asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, Yin Jun explained, "That is the Nine-Bend Pearl, which is specially designed to counter sound attacks and light attacks. It uses the nine-bend principle to absorb sound and light into itself, leaving them to be slowly neutralized in the future. This is a treasure passed down from our ancestors."

Yin Tianqi felt reassured, knowing that his father and second uncle had made ample preparations for attacking Tianqin Mountain. He hadn't expected them to be so thorough, even considering how to break a single formation. It seemed that they would also have a solution for the next formation, which would save them a lot of trouble.

Just as the group from Yujian Manor broke through the first barrier, Liu Xuanwei, deep in the valley, had a gloomy expression and smashed the stone table in front of her with a palm strike, but this did not quell the anger in her heart in the slightest.

"Sword Control Manor, what a Sword Control Manor! It seems they already foresaw this day when they built this barrier, otherwise how could they have broken my 'Seven Fiends God-Slaying Formation' so easily? They are truly despicable!"

Liu Xuanwei looked at the disciple reporting below with a frosty expression, and the aura emanating from her body made those around her tremble with fear.

Since returning, the mountain lord's temper has become increasingly volatile. Before, Zhong Ping was there to offer some advice, but now she has gone into seclusion to cultivate. Doesn't she realize what stage we're in now? She doesn't know the gravity of the situation and has wasted all the painstaking cultivation the mountain lord has put into her.

Some elders grumbled inwardly, but dared not show it too obviously, after all, no one wanted to offend the mountain lord.

(End of this chapter)