A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 205 Secret Revealed
In the Yin Yue Dynasty, Qi Ye listened to the evil dragon's report with a grim expression. This time, the expedition to Zheyun Mountain not only failed to achieve its goal, but also resulted in heavy losses. More than half of the hundreds of elite troops were lost, which was hard for him to accept.

“Your Majesty, it is Jing Wuyuan’s incompetence that I failed to buy enough time. I am willing to accept the punishment.” Seeing that the four sages of the Demon Palace all had gloomy faces, Jing Wuyuan stepped forward.

"Teacher, there's no need for this. It's not your fault; it's my incompetence."

"Evil Dragon, take good care of all the wounded disciples, and make proper arrangements for the families of the fallen soldiers."

Upon hearing this, the evil dragon immediately agreed. Seeing that the Holy King looked exhausted, the evil dragon exchanged a glance with the other three sages, bowed, and then, at Qi Ye's signal, slowly withdrew from the hall.

"Teacher, do you know the origin of the magical artifact that killed the Black Mountain Demon?" Qi Ye asked Jing Wuyuan after the Four Sages left.

The scene of the magic weapon killing the Black Mountain Demon with a single blow was still vivid in Qi Ye's mind. He repeatedly calculated in his mind that if this attack was aimed at him, the best outcome would be serious injury.

Upon hearing this, Jing Wuyuan solemnly said, "I don't know what material that magic artifact is made of, but it has a majestic and righteous aura. This aura is condensed and does not dissipate. The Black Mountain Demon's protective true energy is like a thin sheet of paper in front of it, which shows how powerful this thing is."

"Is there any way to deal with this?"

Qi Ye felt a chill run down his spine at the thought that such a magical artifact was in the hands of the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect. If the enemy had such a powerful weapon, how could he possibly accomplish his great cause?
"This treasure is beyond human power to resist, and if I am not mistaken, the person who wields this treasure must be that Daoist Gu Xu. Only he can kill Black Mountain with this item in one blow."

Jing Wuyuan spoke in a heavy tone. That Daoist Gu Xu had always been the number one enemy of the Yin Yue Dynasty, and he was already difficult to deal with. Now, with the addition of this magical artifact of unknown origin, Jing Wuyuan felt powerless.

The Yin Yue Dynasty and the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect have been at war for a thousand years, and there has never been a time when the strength of the two sides was so different. If it weren't for the special terrain of Sunrise Mountain City, the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect might have attacked directly.

Hearing his teacher's words, Qi Ye felt a tightness in his heart. He had heard his mother mention that Daoist Gu Xu before. In the current cultivation world, this person was already at the peak, and even his father was no match for him. With such a person around, Qi Ye felt an inexplicable heavy pressure.

"Your Majesty need not worry too much. The Yin Yue Dynasty has existed for a thousand years and naturally has some foundation. The Empress Dowager and your subordinates did not hand it over to Your Majesty before because the time was not right. Now it seems that the time is right."

After Jing Wuyuan finished speaking, he reached out and took out a silver-white ball of light. The light was not dazzling, but rather had a gentle and cool feel. Qi Ye stared at it and was momentarily distracted. Although he quickly recovered, Qi Ye's eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Teacher, what is this?"

Qi Ye hurriedly got up from his throne and quickly walked a few steps to Jing Wuyuan's side.

"Holy Lord, this is the Moon Soul Pearl, a supreme treasure of the Yin Moon Dynasty. It has the wonderful effect of condensing the soul and enhancing cultivation. It is said to have been refined by the first Holy Lord of the Holy Dynasty."

Jing Wuyuan handed the "Moon Soul Pearl" to Qiye, who accepted it with both hands.

“Your Majesty, there are two restrictions on this Moon Soul Pearl. I have already lifted one of them. If Your Majesty wishes to fully utilize the pearl’s power, you will need to ask the Empress Dowager to lift the second restriction.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye probed the Moon Soul Pearl with his divine sense. Sure enough, deep within the pearl, a green chain sealed off its core. The moment his divine sense touched it, it was bounced back. Qi Ye calmly put the pearl away.

"Thank you, teacher. I will go to my mother's place. Also, there will be nothing happening in the Holy Dynasty for a while. I hope that you can refine some extremely powerful Yin Lightning for future use."

Upon hearing this, Jing Wuyuan immediately agreed and then left the main hall.

"Mother."

Qi Ye murmured something, then his eyes flickered slightly as he got up and left the temple, heading towards the Empress Dowager's palace.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

When Mei Ji saw Qi Ye approaching, she immediately bowed respectfully. Qi Ye gestured for her to rise and asked in a calm voice, "How is the Empress Dowager's health?"

"Your Majesty, all is well."

"I will go in to see my mother. You stay outside and remember not to let anyone else in."

"Yes." Meiji dared not disobey and immediately opened the door, stepping aside.

Seeing this, Qi Ye slowly walked into the hall.

At that moment, Youyue was meditating with her eyes closed in the hall. Upon hearing the noise, she immediately opened her eyes and saw that it was Qiye who had come. A flash of joy appeared on her face, but she quickly regained her composure.

"My son hasn't come for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye's face showed embarrassment. He hadn't come to inquire for some time. Hearing this, he immediately knelt down and said, "Your son is unfilial. Please punish me, Mother."

Youyue raised her hand to make him stand up, and said softly, "My son has lofty ambitions, and some trivial matters should be avoided if possible. Why would your mother care? Come here and let your mother take a good look at you."

Qi Ye got up and walked to You Yue's side, looking at his mother behind the beaded curtain.

“My son’s aura is unusual; he is a member of the Xuanxin Sect!” Although Youyue’s cultivation had been greatly diminished, her senses remained undiminished. Despite Qiye’s attempts to conceal it, Youyue still recognized him at a glance.

Hearing the coldness in his mother's words, Qi Ye felt a warmth in his heart and immediately explained, "A few days ago, I clashed with the people of the Xuanxin Sect at Zheyun Mountain. That Jin Guang Sect Master was indeed not easy to deal with. I suffered some minor injuries, so Mother need not worry."

"Minor injury? Hmph, do you think your mother can't see it? This injury will take several months to recover. But what kind of move is it that even my son can't withstand?"

Youyue was quite confident in Qiye's strength. In addition, the Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique could break all laws in the world, and ordinary supernatural powers were no match for it. Could it be that Qiye underestimated his opponent?
"It's not that my son underestimated his opponent, but the golden talisman that Jin Guang used at the end was extremely powerful. Even with the Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique used at full strength, it only resulted in a draw."

Seemingly sensing his mother's doubts, Qi Ye recounted the details of the battle that day. You Yue then fell silent and said, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be a new divine ability recently created by the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect. And you don't know the person who created this move, my son. It's already quite remarkable that we were able to fight to a draw."

"Is the one Mother Empress is referring to, Daoist Gu Xu?" Qi Ye asked, a thought flashing through his mind.

"Hmm?" Youyue's expression was slightly surprised. She looked at Qiye through the beaded curtain and asked in confusion, "My son knows this name?"

"Yes, the teacher mentioned this name when explaining the shuttle-shaped magic weapon that killed the Black Mountain Demon."

"The Black Mountain Demon is dead?"

Youyue exclaimed in surprise again, her expression complex. Then, as if she had thought of something, she said in a deep voice, "My son, what is the origin of the magic weapon that killed the Black Mountain Demon?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye relayed what Jing Wuyuan had said to his mother, and then added, "If this magical artifact can kill the Black Mountain Demon, then it is a threat to our Holy Dynasty. Mother, Qi Ye needs to increase his strength to deal with the crisis that follows."

"My son, what do you want to do?"

Qi Ye reached out and took out the "Moon Soul Pearl," then used his magic to float it to the front of the beaded curtain.

"Please, Mother, release the seal on this precious pearl."

Looking at the pearl emitting white light, Youyue sighed and reached out to grab it.

“My son, although this pearl can enhance cultivation, it is, after all, something left behind by the first Demon Lord. Even I, your mother, do not know how many secrets it contains. Your father was very wary of this thing back then. Do you really want to do this?”

"Mother, times have changed. The Xuanxin Sect is now at its zenith, and with Gu Xu and that magic-slaying artifact, our Holy Dynasty is already showing signs of decline. If we don't turn things around as soon as possible, I'm afraid it will become a landslide and become uncontrollable."

Qi Ye knew what his mother was worried about. The "Moon Soul Pearl" was left by the Demon Lord Yi Xi, and demon cultivators were most skilled at the art of taking someone else's life. If the other party had left any tricks in the pearl, it might cause unforeseen consequences.

Although his relationship with his mother was delicate, it hadn't reached the point of life and death, so Qi Ye accepted this well-intentioned reminder without hesitation.

"In that case, so be it."

After hearing this, Youyue extended her right index finger, and a point of emerald light appeared at the tip of her finger. After touching the Moon Soul Pearl, it immediately merged into it. In an instant, the Moon Soul Pearl shone brightly, and the white light turned emerald green, enveloping the entire palace.

Qi Ye stared intently and saw the pearl spinning continuously. After spinning thirty-six times, it suddenly stopped, and the emerald light abruptly receded, like a giant whale sucking in water, all of it gathering into the pearl.

"My son, the restriction has been broken. Take it. Be extremely careful when using this item for cultivation."

With a wave of her hand through the beaded curtain, Youyue sent the Moon Soul Pearl plummeting down and landing steadily in Qiye's hand.

"Thank you, Mother. Your health is not good, please don't overwork yourself. I have a 300-year-old purple ginseng here, which has the effect of nourishing vital energy. I will send someone to deliver it to you later."

"My son is so kind. Your mother is tired. You may leave now."

Youyue's slightly tired voice came from inside. Upon hearing this, Qiye immediately stood up, bowed, and slowly backed away.

After the door closed, a glint flashed in Youyue's eyes. After a moment of contemplation, she poured her magic power into a crystal jade. After a slight shimmer, she flicked her hand, and a light screen appeared in the hall.

"Did you call me in such a hurry because you have something important to say to me?"

The Moon Demon was in seclusion cultivating when he suddenly sensed an urgent message from the Moon Demon, so he transformed into an avatar and came to the scene.

"Do you still remember the fear you felt that day? You said it was because of a magical artifact. Now things are starting to look clearer."

"Oh, what exactly is that?" Moon Demon's expression turned serious, and he asked urgently. "I don't know the specifics, but this thing is incredibly powerful. Gu Xu used this treasure to kill the Black Mountain Demon in one move."

Upon hearing this, the Moon Demon was immediately alarmed. Although the Black Mountain Demon's cultivation was inferior to his own, he was still one of the top experts in the demonic path. In the entire Yin Moon Dynasty, besides himself, only Qi Ye could defeat him.

However, as for killing the opponent, Moon Demon knew that even with the Moon Demon Harp in hand, he could not kill him in one move.

Thinking of this, Yue Mo felt a chill run down his spine. If Gu Xuchi brought this item, he would have absolutely no chance of survival.

"That magical artifact must be destroyed!" Moon Demon's eyes flashed with sternness as he said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Youyue said calmly, "This is a difficult task. We can only improve our strength as soon as possible and hold out until the next 'Heavenly Demon Charges Against the Seven Fiends'. Once we draw in the demonic light, everything will be settled. No matter how powerful Gu Xu is, he will definitely be unable to resist the power of heaven and earth."

"I'm currently calculating the exact time, but I suspect it won't be long. By the way, do you have any clues about the location of the Netherworld Spring?"

Moon Demon thought about it again and realized that it was indeed as Youyue said. As long as they could hold out until the day the Heavenly Demon attacked the Seven Fiends, they would have won. However, this reminded her of the matter of the Netherworld Spring.

"The Netherworld Spring, why would you think of this place?" Youyue frowned. Although the Netherworld Spring also has the word "yin" in its name, the people of the Yinyue Dynasty kept their distance from it. The miasma in the spring could erode the soul and destroy the physical body, making it extremely vicious. She wondered why the Moon Demon was asking it.

"The Netherworld Spring might buy us some time. Once there are signs of an outbreak, the Xuanxin Sect will definitely not sit idly by. As long as we obstruct them from behind, it will be enough to give them a headache."

"That's a good idea, but if it backfires, the consequences could be very serious, with excessive loss of life, which is not what we want to see. Are you confident about this?"

The Moon Demon said indifferently, "Great things are not bound by trifles. As long as we can achieve our goal, we can bear the consequences of paying a price. You should have someone calculate the outcome of this matter as soon as possible, so that we don't fall behind again."

"Leave this to me."

The Moon Demon nodded, said a few more words, and then his figure disappeared. The light screen retracted and turned into a piece of crystal jade, returning to Youyue's hand.

"It seems that Jing Wuyuan will have to handle this matter." Youyue pondered for a moment, then called out to the outside. A moment later, Meiji pushed open the palace door and walked in.

"Empress Dowager, what are your orders?"

"Meiji, go and invite Jing Wuyuan to come here. Tell him I have something important to discuss."

"Yes."

After bowing, Meiji slowly withdrew from the palace gate, instructing several lesser demons to guard the entrance, while she herself walked towards the Mirror Moon Platform where Jing Wuyuan was located.

After traveling for half an hour, Meiji arrived at a high mountain ridge. At the highest point of the ridge stood a white tower-shaped platform, which was divided into three levels. Each level was covered with fluttering banners that shone brightly. It was noon, and the platform was like a bright white sun, dazzling and eye-catching.

Seemingly sensing that someone was watching, a white light reflected off the platform. Mei Ji's heart skipped a beat, and she dared not look any longer. She quickly withdrew her gaze and headed towards the platform.

As she approached the high platform, guards tried to stop her, but at Youyue's command, they all made way, and Meiji traveled unimpeded to the bottom level.

"Imperial Tutor, the Empress Dowager requests your presence, saying she has important matters to discuss. She requests your presence."

Jing Wuyuan stood up and said, "I understand, let's go now."

Meiji immediately stepped aside, and waited for Jing Wuyuan to walk ahead before following behind.

The two remained silent for a while before arriving at Youyue's palace.

"Sir, the Empress Dowager is inside, please." Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's telepathic message, Mei Ji immediately pushed open the palace door, gestured for her to enter, and stood outside herself.

Upon seeing this, Jing Wuyuan quickly entered the hall. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Youyue said to Jing Wuyuan, "Sir, I would like to ask you to calculate the exact location of the Yin World Nether Spring."

Outside Jinhua City, two figures appeared on a hill. The two demons were Nie Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue. With Qi Ye's permission, they had left the returning army and traveled around the mountains and rivers before finally arriving in Jinhua City.

"Xiaoxue, Jinhua City is just ahead. I've heard it's a place of unparalleled wealth and prosperity. Let's go take a look."

Having lived in the Yin Yue Dynasty for a long time, Nie Xiaoqian's ambition was suddenly ignited by the sights of the human world after she came out this time. Even the quiet Xiaoxue became much more cheerful and lively.

"Xiaoqian, let's change our clothes first. If we go into the city like this, we'll easily attract attention."

Xiaoxue pointed at Xiaoqian and her own gorgeous clothes. Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Yes, yes, damn it, I should change my clothes!"

Xiaoqian recited the incantation, and a flash of spiritual light appeared on her body. Suddenly, her gorgeous dress became ordinary. Then, as if she had thought of something, her beautiful and bright face also became plain. She was the kind of person who would not be remembered at first glance in a crowd.

Seeing this, Xiaoxue chuckled and followed suit, soon transforming into an ordinary woman. The two exchanged a glance, laughed heartily, and then headed towards Jinhua City.

Just as the two entered Jinhua City, Yan Hongye, who was temporarily staying at the Shen residence, had a sudden thought.

"Evil spirit?"

Yan Hongye took out a bronze mirror, and with a flick of her wrist, the mirror surface shimmered, revealing the entire city of Jinhua. As the divination progressed, the image on the bronze mirror finally focused on Nie Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue.

"Heaven and Earth are boundless, the profound mind and righteous law are revealed, the true spirit manifests itself, by decree!"

With a command, Nie Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue in the bronze mirror immediately revealed their true forms: a fox and a snow rabbit. However, they did not appear to be highly skilled, and they had no trace of bloodlust.

After withdrawing her hand, Yan Hongye felt a little strange, then shook her head and smiled. These two little demons were nothing to worry about. As long as they didn't harm anyone, she would turn a blind eye. Other Xuanxin disciples might have to slay the demons, but Yan Hongye had her own judgment.

After meditating for another half hour, Chu Xu's voice came from outside the door.

"Uncle-Master, your nephew has something to ask of you."

"come in."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xu, who was outside the door, was overjoyed. He immediately pushed open the door and went in, bowing respectfully to Yan Hongye, who was drinking tea.

"Why did you come to see me?"

Yan Hongye put down her teacup and asked in a calm voice.

"Uncle-Master, it's about the mysterious things surrounding that Young Master Ning."

"Mysterious?" Yan Hongye was somewhat puzzled. Ning Caichen was just an ordinary mortal, so what was so mysterious about him? However, she knew that Chu Xu would not lie, so she waited with some interest for him to continue.

"Uncle-Master, the details are as follows..."

As Chu Xu recounted his story, Yan Hongye's eyes narrowed slightly. When she heard about the flame-like patterns at the end, her expression changed drastically, and she stood up to ask, "Is this absolutely true?"

“I dare not hide anything from you, Uncle. Everything was said by Young Master Shen. However, I believe he would not lie, nor would he have any reason to lie.”

"Okay, let's leave it at that. Don't tell anyone."

Hearing Yan Hongye's solemn tone, Chu Xu immediately replied with a serious expression, "Yes, Uncle-Master."

"You have already reached the third level of Foundation Establishment. This Azure Sky Pill is for you. I hope you will cultivate diligently. Go now."

As she spoke, Yan Hongye took out a pale blue pill from her sleeve and handed it to Chu Xu. The latter was immediately excited, respectfully accepted it with both hands, thanked her repeatedly, and then slowly left the room.

"This matter needs to be confirmed personally before informing the sect. Ning Caichen, this is interesting."

After obtaining the "Azure Sky Pill", Chu Xu arrived at the Shen family's living room. Shen Xiu and Shen Zichuan both stood up to greet him upon his arrival.

"Master Shen, Young Master Shen, I have already informed my master about Young Master Ning's matter. This matter must not be known to others. Do you understand?"

Chu Xu suddenly released and then quickly withdrew his aura, and both the Shen father and son repeatedly said they dared not.

"Don't worry, Young Master Shen, Young Master Ning will be fine. By the way, this token is for you. If you need anything in the future, you can take this token to Xuanxin Temple."

After Shen Zichuan accepted the mountain-shaped token, Chu Xu bowed and turned to leave.

"My son, you must keep this token safe. Try your best to help Caichen. It's not appropriate for your father to get involved."

Shen Zichuan nodded upon hearing this.

(End of this chapter)