A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 455 Extraterrestrial anomalies
Just as Gu Xu broke through the boundary, deep underground in the Qin King's Palace, in a mysterious hall filled with stars, a mysterious man dressed in a black robe with dark patterns and wearing a mask looked at the ripples in the crystal ball in front of him. The ripples grew from small to large, from subtle to wide. In half a breath, a thin mist covered the water mirror ball.

A glint of light appeared in the mysterious man's deep eyes. The thin mist covering the crystal ball was stirred by an invisible force, surging to both sides. Just as the mist was about to be broken, a sharp sword light suddenly shot out from it and entered the mysterious man's eyes.

The mysterious man grunted, the light in his eyes faded, and the mist on the crystal ball slowly dissipated. With a crack, several fine cracks appeared on the crystal ball. Upon seeing this, the mysterious man reached out and brushed the cracks away, immediately stopping them from spreading.

"variable."

At the same time, in a bamboo grove in Xiaoshengxianzhuang, a Confucian village in Shandong, an old man with a tall hat and wide belt and an unusual appearance was deep in thought while looking at a chessboard. Just as he was about to place a piece, he suddenly had a thought, and the black piece in his hand fell unconsciously, hitting the chessboard with a crisp and pleasant sound.

"Ah."

The old man looked up and gazed eastward through the bamboo window. A glint flashed in his eyes, and then he resumed fiddling with the chessboard.

Mount Taiyi, the site of the Taoist Tianzong sect, is home to a white crane that descends from the clouds, flies over the well-arranged palaces, and heads straight for the back of the mountain. In the misty haze, a sizable bamboo forest comes into view. A gentle breeze rustles the bamboo leaves, and deep within the bamboo forest, a Taoist master with an otherworldly air sits upright on a stone platform, meditating and practicing his inner energy.

Beside him was a burning clay stove with a green bamboo teapot on it and two white porcelain teacups next to it. The boiling water was bubbling away. The old Taoist priest, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, seemed to be moved. He opened his eyes and looked at a certain point in the sky. After a while, a white crane flapped its wings and landed next to the old man, stretching its neck to snuggle up to him.

I reached out and touched the white crane's wings. The crane cried out and then gracefully walked to the side to eat the fish and shrimp in the stream.

"what."

The old man exclaimed in surprise, silently calculated for a moment, and then his eyes flashed with a sharp light. He reached out and flicked his hand, and the boiling teapot was lifted by an invisible force. A stream of boiling water poured into two teacups, and the aroma of tea immediately wafted out.

"That's rather interesting."

A few moments later, outside the bamboo forest, an old man with a righteous appearance, wearing a yin-yang robe and a Taoist crown walked towards them. This man was Chisongzi, the head of the Taoist Tianzong sect.

"Master."

"Ah."

After exchanging greetings, Chisongzi looked at the two cups of tea on the table and suddenly understood. He sat down at the table, picked up the teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and said twice, "Good tea."

"Master, just now, the ancestral tablets of all the past masters in the Ancestral Hall emitted light all at once, lasting for half a quarter of an hour, and then disappeared. Does Master know the reason for this?"

When the strange phenomenon occurred, Chisongzi was discussing matters with several elders when he was interrupted by the sudden phenomenon. Chisongzi immediately ordered everyone to keep quiet and not to reveal the matter until a conclusion was reached.

"Let everything take its natural course; in the end, it will only benefit our Heavenly Sect."

Bei Mingzi said something indifferently, then his figure faded and disappeared from Chi Songzi's sight. The latter was stunned when he heard this, and a look of joy flashed across his face. The weight in his heart was finally lifted.

In Crescent Moon Valley, atop a high cliff, a streak of light flashed by. Below the valley, a middle-aged man with a resolute face was leading a clever boy on his way when he suddenly stopped and looked towards the high cliff.

"Uncle?"

The boy saw the man stop and looked up at the middle-aged man. The latter didn't say anything and continued to lead the boy on his way.

“Gai Nie”.

On the high cliff, the light dissipated, revealing Gu Xu's figure. Looking at the two below, Gu Xu's eyes flickered slightly. He then looked around and found that this place was indeed a canyon. Not far in front of the two, three hundred armored soldiers were lined up to block their way. Judging from the banners, they were the Dragon Tiger Cavalry of the Qin Dynasty. This army was second only to Meng Tian's Golden Fire Cavalry and Wang Li's Hundred Battles Armored Soldiers.

Although there were only three hundred men, they were more than enough to deal with ordinary experts. Gu Xu sighed and watched Gai Nie and his companion walk towards them step by step. These three hundred cavalrymen had no idea how powerful Gai Nie was, the number one swordsman in the world. Shimen Gorge and Canyue Valley were the battles in which Gai Nie made his name.

"Yes, these three hundred cavalrymen cannot just die here meaninglessly."

With a swift movement, Gu Xu disappeared from the high cliff. When he reappeared, he was already on the high cliff closest to the Dragon Tiger Cavalry. Looking down, he saw the Dragon Tiger Cavalry's leader waving his hand, and all the soldiers were holding their weapons, waiting for orders. As soon as the order was given, ten thousand arrows would be fired, ensuring that Gai Nie would have no way to escape.

"Tianming, are you scared?"

Gai Nie looked at the Dragon Tiger Cavalry ahead, who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, and asked Tianming beside him.

"Uncle, I'm not afraid."

Tianming looked at Gai Nie with a determined gaze, and the latter nodded in response, took Tianming's hand, and continued to walk forward steadily.

"Stop!"

As the leading general saw Gai Nie continue to approach, an invisible aura almost suffocated him. His expression changed, his pupils contracted, and he shouted, but Gai Nie ignored him. The general's eyes sharpened, and just as he was about to give the order, a sharp arrow suddenly flew out from the camp and shot straight at Gai Nie. The general's face changed drastically when he saw this. He turned around and saw a soldier's hand holding a bow and arrow trembling.

On the other side, Gai Nie looked at the incoming arrows without changing his expression. He drew his Yuanhong Sword in mid-air, transforming it into a beam of light that instantly cleaved the arrows in two, scattering them on the ground. The general, no longer concerned with disciplining the soldier, remembered His Majesty's order, shouted, drew his longsword, and slashed downwards. A rain of arrows shot out from the camp, engulfing Gai Nie and Tianming.

Gai Nie's expression was also solemn. With Yuan Hong in hand, he was about to make a move when suddenly a gust of wind swept into the arena, instantly absorbing the rain of arrows. The wind and the rain of arrows disappeared at the same time.

The sudden turn of events left the Dragon Tiger Cavalry bewildered. They stared blankly at the two men in front of them, and the leading general was even more horrified. His sword-wielding hand fell to his sides, and his face was filled with terror.

Gai Nie was equally shocked. The strange wind could easily deflect the arrow rain attack, something he himself could not do. Moreover, he had just sensed traces of true energy in the wind. There were very few people in the world who could use such a move. Who could it be? Could it be his master?

No, Master has long since disappeared, and even if he were to intervene, he wouldn't do so secretly. Apart from Master, the others have no reason to intervene.

Tianming gripped Gai Nie's sleeve tightly, and the latter patted his hand. Just as both remained motionless, a strange scene unfolded. A white light shot down from the sky, enveloping Gai Nie and Tianming. The Dragon-Tiger Cavalry dared not make a move. Then, the white light vanished, and Gai Nie and Tianming disappeared, leaving only the wind and sand blowing. The Dragon-Tiger Cavalry were dumbfounded. "Grand Master, what kind of move is that?"

On a secluded mountain peak, Gao Jianli, dressed in white, took a deep breath upon seeing this scene and looked at the leader of the Mohist school beside him.

"I don't know, but the skill in using this escape technique is so proficient that only the Yin-Yang School and the Daoist School can do it. The Yin-Yang School is on Ying Zheng's side and has no chance of intervening. Among the Daoists, only the sect leader or similar figures can possess such skill."

"Chisongzi of the Heavenly Sect, Xiaoyaozi of the Human Sect. The Heavenly Sect has always secluded itself from the world. Could he be Xiaoyaozi of the Human Sect?"

The Grand Master remained silent upon hearing this. He knew the Human Sect's Xiaoyaozi, but he was certain that it was not him who had made the move. As for whether it was Chisongzi, that required further investigation.

"Let's go. This matter is over. Ying Zheng will never let it go. According to the previous plan, the next step should be our Mechanical City. Master Ban, I'll leave the rest to you."

The Grand Master gave an order to the short, stout old man beside him, who immediately responded and said, "Don't worry, Grand Master, I will definitely bring them safely to the Mechanical City."

Several miles away from Crescent Moon Valley, the white light dissipated, and Gai Nie emerged from it, holding Tianming in his arms. After looking around, they realized they had left Crescent Moon Valley. Judging from the surrounding scenery, they were on a plain several miles away from Crescent Moon Valley. Gai Nie was shocked. When he was enveloped by the white light, he felt dizzy and powerless to resist. Even he, who came from a prestigious family, could not discern the origin of such a supernatural power, and he couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

"When it comes to the various schools of escape techniques, the most exquisite one is the Daoist Dream Butterfly Escape. However, this technique requires a medium to activate, but it is activated almost instantly, which is simply unbelievable. I wonder which school of thought it belongs to."

Just as Gai Nie was pondering, Tianming spotted a figure standing in front of him. Tianming quickly tugged at Gai Nie's sleeve, startling him. Gai Nie looked in the direction Tianming was pointing and indeed saw a figure. At first glance, he felt that the person's aura was as deep as the ocean, seemingly capable of swallowing all things. He quickly withdrew his gaze and calmed his breathing. Gai Nie knew that this was the person in question.

Pulling Tianming along, Gai Nie walked towards the man. A few steps away, Gai Nie looked at the Taoist-style man dressed in black and white robes with a jade hairpin in his hair and was startled. Could it be a senior Taoist master here?

Gai Nie straightened his expression, bowed respectfully to Gu Xu, and said gratefully, "Gai Nie thanks you for your help, senior. May I ask how you should be addressed?"

Gu Xu turned around upon hearing this, and Gai Nie was taken aback. The phrase "elegant and otherworldly, with the appearance of a celestial being" was the most fitting description.

“Mr. Gai, I have long admired your name. It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Gu Xu, a humble Taoist priest.”

Gu Xu bowed to Gai Nie, who quickly returned the bow. This Daoist Gu Xu was far too young. If it weren't for the aura emanating from him that startled him, he would have suspected that the person who made the move was someone else. But then he thought about it again, and Daoists are most proficient in the methods of cultivating qi, so it's not surprising that they can maintain their youthful appearance.

"Is the Taoist priest from the Heavenly Sect or the Human Sect?"

“I am neither a disciple of the Heavenly Sect nor the Human Sect, Mr. Gai. I have come here specifically for this young friend of yours.”

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, Gai Nie frowned, pulled Tianming behind him, and said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by that, Daoist Master?"

Seeing Gai Nie's wary gaze, Gu Xu chuckled and said calmly, "I have a connection with this young friend. I couldn't bear to see him tormented by the Sleep-Sealing Curse, so I came to rescue him. What do you think, Mr. Gai?"

"Taoist Master, can you break the Sleep Curse Seal?"

Gai Nie exclaimed in surprise. This Sleep-Sealing Curse was one of the forbidden curses of the Yin-Yang School. Anyone who was cursed by this curse would eventually go mad. Now, the time it took for the curse to take effect on Tianming's body was gradually shortening, and the symptoms were becoming more and more severe. His Ghost Valley True Qi was already somewhat unable to suppress it.

"The Sleep-Sealing Curse is one of the Eight Curses of the Yang Meridian of the Yin-Yang School. Initially, it was just a kind of hypnosis technique. Later, after the Yin-Yang School separated from the Taoism School, they took a different approach and turned the Sleep-Sealing Curse into a vicious forbidden technique. However, as long as the curse is created by man, as long as there are traces to follow, there is a way to break it."

Gai Nie nodded immediately upon hearing this. Master Gu Xu was right. The reason why the Sealing Curse was difficult to break was because the workings of the technique were unknown. Otherwise, he could have broken it with his own skill.

"If you, Daoist, have a way to break the curse mark on Tianming, I, Gai Nie, will be eternally grateful. If you need my help, I will do my duty without hesitation!"

Looking at Tianming's bewildered eyes, Gai Nie sighed inwardly. The only child left behind by Jing Ke absolutely could not be harmed, otherwise…

"Well, I will remember what Mr. Gai said today. This is not the place to talk. Please come with me."

Gu Xu strode forward, and Gai Nie immediately grabbed Tianming's hand and followed. After walking for a while, the three of them came to a dense forest. Gu Xu swept his fingers, and a blade of energy sliced ​​through the giant, revealing a flat stone platform in front of them. Gai Nie was full of praise for this skill. Although he could do it too, he couldn't do it as effortlessly as the Taoist priest.

Gu Xu nodded to Gai Nie, tapped his toes, and sat cross-legged on the stone platform. Upon seeing this, Gai Nie immediately picked up Tianming and leaped up, also sitting on the stone platform.

“Mr. Gai, I will be helping my young friend Tianming remove the curse mark later. I will need your help to protect him outside.”

"Rest assured, Daoist Master, leave it to me."

Gai Nie immediately responded and got down. After giving Tianming a few more instructions, he placed Tianming opposite Gu Xu and sat down to the side with his sword across his knees, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"At dawn, relax your mind."

Gu Xu looked at the tense Tianming and gently recited the Qingxin Sutra. Tianming finally relaxed. Then, Gu Xu reached out and swept away Tianming's clothes, revealing half a jade pendant around his neck. Gu Xu glanced at it and then ignored it. He gathered his strength at his fingertips and touched Tianming's chest from a distance. A surge of vitality instantly flowed through his body. Instantly, a clear light flashed on Tianming's body, and a powerful energy was drawn out from his dantian. That was Gai Nie's Guigu True Qi. Without the suppression of Guigu True Qi and stimulated by Gu Xu's True Qi, the sealing curse mark on Tianming's body began to appear.

The veins on the back of Tianming's neck became prominent, and the eye-like incantation became clearer. As the incantation was activated, Tianming suddenly felt a chill, but fortunately, with the protection of Qingguang, the cold power was suppressed.

"What a vicious curse mark."

Gu Xugong focused his eyes and easily saw that the Sleep-Sealing Curse was connected to the brain. Once the brain or body was stimulated, it would activate. If it could not be suppressed, it would further invade the brain nerves. Once the brain was completely lost, it would become a puppet, forever controlled by the caster.

Just then, Gu Xu saw Tianming trembling and his face growing redder and redder. He immediately pointed his fingers and a series of Qi needles were inserted around the sealing curse seal. As Gu Xu injected his true Qi, the nineteen Qi needles all trembled and then simultaneously entered Tianming's body.

(End of this chapter)