Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 571 The Secrets of the Lu Clan, the Ancient Hypothesis

The Lu Clan's Grand Elder glanced at "Lu Yan" and his companions, and, satisfied, his tone became even more gentle:

"Of course, although the situation is difficult now, the foundation of my Lu clan is beyond the comprehension of the lowly servants of the Yunluo and Liang clans. As for the Jiushan Sect, it is no match for my clan."

"As long as we can get through this period, it will be no difficult for our Lu clan to rise again."

Seeing his confident words, Lu Yan became even more curious. He wondered where the old man got his confidence. Could it be that the Lu clan really had a way to turn the tide?
The Lu Clan's Grand Elder seemed to be giving them a surprise. Without saying much, he simply took out a jade tablet covered with dense runes that Lu Yan couldn't understand at all.

The Lu Clan's Grand Elder held the jade tablet, turned to face the white snow on the mountaintop, and muttered incantations under his breath.

Lu Yan was both curious and wary, and kept looking around.

Soon, as the Grand Elder of the Lu Clan began his chanting, the scenery before everyone changed.

The snow that never melts on the mountaintop seems to have turned into two curtains, slowly being drawn open to the left and right.

The scene revealed there took Lu Yan by surprise; the mountaintop was actually hollow!

You should know that this is the main peak of Haori Mountain, one of the most famous immortal mountains in the Xuanwei Realm in the past.

The Golden Summit of Haori is truly a wonder of the world.

Who would have thought that beneath this golden roof lies a massive underground cave?

Calling it a cave wouldn't be accurate. When Lu Yan looked carefully ahead, he discovered that the scenery inside was truly bizarre, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Although at first glance there is a huge deep pit at the top of the mountain, it looks like a volcanic crater with a radius of hundreds of miles.

Looking into the gap, one finds that it is not an empty mountain wall, but rather a huge rock blocking the mountain pass.

"Follow me to Yuanzun Peak."

Lu Yan and the other newly arrived members of the Lu clan looked at each other with curiosity. There was only a cave leading downwards, not a mountain leading upwards.
But the others seemed to be used to it and flew into the mountain pass one after another. They didn't have time to think too much about it and could only follow.

As soon as they entered the mountain pass, they knew where Yuanzun Peak was—it was right in this cave!

Within the main peak of Haori Mountain, there is actually another mountain hidden, Yuanzun Peak, which is a mountain within a mountain!
No wonder that for so many years, there have only been rumors about this peak within the sect, but no one knows where Yuanzun Peak is.

What surprised Lu Yan even more was that Yuanzun Peak was actually growing backwards; the part where they came in was noticeably thicker, like the foot of the mountain.

The further down you look, the thinner the mountain becomes.

At the foot of the mountain, there were still plants growing, but they were upside down, with the roots on top and the leaves on the bottom.

Steps have been carved out of the mountainside, running from top to bottom, which looks strange.

The entire Yuanzun Peak looks like a long sword stuck in the ground, with no tip in sight.

The Lu Clan's Grand Elder turned around and saw his sleeves suddenly move without any wind. "Lu Yan" felt that he was not in control of his own body and rushed towards Yuanzun Peak.

He was secretly alarmed, but he didn't show it. He had considered this before he came. He was on a mission with a high chance of survival, and no matter what he saw, he couldn't reveal his identity.

Lu Yan felt as if the elder had made him dizzy and disoriented, with the scenery around him spinning in circles. When he could see the scenery clearly again, he found himself standing on the steps of Yuanzun Peak—meaning he was hanging upside down, head down and feet up, just like the plants and trees.

What struck him as odd was the apparent suction force beneath his feet, making him feel as if he were on flat ground.

"Go up the mountain."

The words of the Lu Clan's Grand Elder made Lu Yan feel strange. Was this what they called going up the mountain?

A group of people descended the steps and headed towards the top of the mountain. It seemed that they wanted to explain things to the newcomers. The eldest elder of the Lu family would occasionally talk about the situation of Yuanzun Mountain.

Whether it was useful or not, Lu Yan kept it in mind.

"This place is the core of my Haori Mountain Grand Array, and also the location of my Holy Ancestor's Divine Bow."

Lu Yan's spirits lifted, and he looked around. Seeing that the other disciples were also quite curious, he followed the crowd, craning his neck to look ahead.

Ahead was a viewing pavilion, which was upside down, of course. The pavilion was bright red. At first, he thought it was made of wood painted red, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the entire pavilion was actually carved from a kind of red rock.

Inside the pavilion was an offering table, on which lay a longbow and nine arrows—the bow was burning like flames, and the arrowheads radiated dazzling golden light.

"This is... the Holy Ancestor's Sun-Shooting Divine Bow?"

One of the clever disciples from the Lu clan guessed.

The Sun-Shooting Divine Bow is a commonly used magical weapon of the Lu Clan, and most Lu Clan members regard this bow as their natal magical weapon.

Of course, since Hao Ri Sang Quan died, this bow has almost been lost in Hao Ri Mountain.

However, the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow is still quite familiar to the people of Haori Mountain.

"Indeed, this is a treasure left behind by our ancestor. It possesses unparalleled power and can even control the Golden Sun Burning Heaven Formation."

Looking at the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow, Lu Yan couldn't help but feel a little worried.

He didn't understand grand formations, but the Nine Mountains Sect had long been familiar with the power of certain magical treasures.

In the Xuanwei Realm, although cultivation level is the most fundamental, magical treasures can greatly alter a cultivator's strength.

Take our sect leader Zheng Fa for example. Although his cultivation level has never been high, he is still able to intimidate Xuanwei with his many treasures.

The magical artifact left behind by the founder of Haori Mountain is enough to make the Nine Mountains Sect wary.

A cultivator from the Lu clan overheard this and asked, "Those two clans have now revealed their wolfish ambitions, why don't we take advantage of the great formation..."

"Because we have more important things to do."

The newcomers from the Lu Clan were increasingly confused, but the Lu Clan's Grand Elder seemed unwilling to explain further, and instead led them onward.

This journey took several hours.

The steps in front of me seemed to have no end.

Based on their speed, "Lu Yan" secretly calculated that they had probably gone underground, perhaps even very deep.

Suddenly, a gurgling sound came from above, as if something was boiling.

A drop of viscous liquid dripped onto his ear. When Lu Yan turned his head, he realized that his shoulder was covered with red stains.

He looked up in alarm and finally saw the summit of Yuanzun Peak.

A statue stands atop the mountain, depicting a man with an unfamiliar face and a cold expression. The entire statue appears to be cast from black rock.

Above the statue's head was a swirling, red cloud, like a veil covering Yuanzun Peak.

"This is……"

His heart skipped a beat, but he dared not say anything. Not only him, but everyone else also realized something was wrong and held their breath.

As they got closer, they could see the lower half of the statue. The figure appeared to be standing on a white stone platform, on which were densely covered with runes.

The area around the stone platform was also a vast expanse of white—a vast expanse of white bones.

A round skull, long leg bones, an exposed chest cavity, and empty eyes.

They piled up a dozen or so small mounds, surrounding the statue in the middle.

altar!

He never expected that the summit of Yuanzun Peak would be a strange and eerie altar!

“This is our holy ancestor.”

"Isn't there a portrait of the Holy Ancestor? He doesn't look like this!"

"The Holy Ancestor also has another identity, known as the Primal One."

The Primordial Demon Ancestor?

Lu Yan felt as if a storm was brewing in his heart, and he almost lost control of his expression. When he looked at the statue again, he realized that it was not a statue at all, but a corpse.

The body's chest rose and fell slowly, as if it were breathing rhythmically.

Rhythm...

Looking up at the sky, Lu Yan suddenly understood: the frequency of the swirling clouds subtly corresponded to the rise and fall of the statue's chest.

Could it be that this vortex is consuming these offerings to revive the primordial demon ancestor?
Lu Yan felt a chill in his heart. In the past, he had always been somewhat curious about Haori Mountain—after all, it was a great immortal sect in Xuanwei since ancient times.

But seeing this scene now, he felt an overwhelming longing for the Nine Mountains Realm. It's likely that most of the cultivators on Haori Mountain are unaware of the true situation there, believing themselves to be from a celestial sect, especially the Lu clan.

He looked at the new Lu Clan disciples beside him and saw a hint of rejection in their expressions. He understood that, regardless of their character, most Lu Clan disciples actually considered themselves righteous people. But this scene had almost completely shattered their illusions.

Just like before, I climbed the mountain, only to find myself sinking deeper and deeper, even into an abyss.

"These people are..."

One of the disciples pointed at the bones on the ground, seemingly unwilling to accept it.

"The Gu God needs blood offerings, and we also need sacrifices... We're just keeping it a secret from both clans." But the Lu Clan's Grand Elder's answer disheartened everyone.

So the Lu Clan is so enthusiastic about feeding Gu poison because they're using the Gu God's name to take kickbacks?
If it's not easy for them to do it themselves, they'll use the name of the God of Gu to arrest people?
"We are originally from a great sect of immortals, why should we..."

A disciple of the Lu clan murmured.

With a flick of his sleeve, the Grand Elder of the Lu Clan sent his disciple flying up and landing at the foot of the altar.

"save……"

Before the disciple could finish speaking, countless wrinkles appeared on his face, and his skin turned from rosy to grayish-white. In an instant, he went from a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth to an old man.

In just three breaths, everyone watched as he collapsed to the ground, his flesh turning to ashes and flying into the black clouds.

Beside the altar, another skeleton was added.

The Lu Clan's Grand Elder was no longer as amiable as before; his expression turned cold: "Remember, whether it's the Immortal Sect or the Demonic Sect, everything about my Lu Clan comes from the Holy Ancestor!"

"……Yes!"

Everyone was trembling with fear and remained silent for a long time before the elder finally spoke again: "We have summoned you here to hold a ceremony."

"A festival? To awaken the Holy Ancestor?"

"No, this remains of the Holy Ancestor are already dead."

Lu Yan looked at the statue. Was he dead?
"Back then, the rebel Tianhe severely injured the Primordial Ancestor. Later, the Ancestor refined this incarnation into a magic weapon and left it on Yuanzun Peak."

magic weapon?

"The Primordial Ancestor was a Golden Immortal and the strongest being in the world. In terms of power, this treasure is unparalleled in the current Xuanwei realm!"

Lu Yan felt a pang of unease. No wonder the Lu clan was so confident.

"Moreover, the remains of the Holy Ancestor are the key to opening and closing the Nine Luminaries Heaven. Without this, no one may enter or leave."

No wonder this group of people dared to discuss cooperation with the God of Gu.

"Then...why not use this body to exterminate both clans and capture Zheng Fa?"

"This thing is not so easy to use." The Lu Clan's Grand Elder gave a bitter smile. "Our Holy Ancestor obtained this altar by chance, which allowed us to have some control over the remains."

Lu Yan looked at the altar at the foot of the statue. The altar was covered with runes. It seemed that this thing was also a treasure.
“We secretly captured many cultivators before releasing the Gu God, but who would have thought…” The Lu Clan’s Grand Elder shook his head, “Now, we are about to enter the Nine Luminaries Heaven, which will consume even more resources. Not only do we have to capture cultivators, but we also have to hold a clan-wide ceremony.”

Lu Yan finally understood. It wasn't that the Lu Clan was unwilling to retaliate against the Yunluo and Liang Clans, but rather that they were currently overwhelmed with other matters, as the altar had consumed most of their energy.

The Lu Clan's Grand Elder said, "As long as we obtain the Holy Ancestor's relics, our Lu Clan will not only be able to produce another Holy Ancestor, but we will also have the possibility of controlling these relics at will! At that time, whether it's the Nine Mountains Sect, the Cloud Clan, or the Luo Clan, we can destroy them with ease."

After hearing this, everyone understood why the Grand Elder and the others had almost completely ignored Haori Mountain.

To put it bluntly, the Xuanwei Realm still values ​​strength above all else. As long as the Lu Clan demonstrates its formidable power, all the current difficulties can be easily resolved.

"This ritual, and also the method of controlling this altar, is a secret passed down within the clan," the Lu clan elder said, pointing to the altar. "I will teach it to you, but it must never be passed on to outsiders."

……

"What kind of gibberish is the Lu tribe using for their festival?"

Within the Nine Mountains Realm, looking at the intelligence sent back by the spies, especially the procedures of the festival, everyone felt completely baffled.

It's really weird.

The ritual's format and procedures were completely different from Xuanwei's, and even the sacrificial texts were in a language that no one could understand—a very unpleasant and incomprehensible mess.

The Heavenly Emperor and Senior Sister Zhang exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with mixed joy and worry.

The good news is that they finally figured out what the Lu Clan's trump card was.

The worry is that this trump card is too big, and the Nine Mountains Sect can't afford it!
The Sun-Shooting Bow was alright, it was just a formation, but the original remains were a bit of a headache.

Does anyone know how powerful this thing is?
It now seems that it won't be easy for the Lu Clan to use the original remains, and the cost may even be extremely high, but that doesn't mean they won't fight desperately.

"Now, we can't push the Lu Clan too far..."

Senior Sister Zhang shook her head.

"That's true, but we can't let them get the treasures from the Nine Luminaries Heaven." Uncle Pang said this with a pained expression on his face.

The three Demon Ancestors are not easy to deal with, and the Lu Clan is also a tough opponent.

"I will seek an opportunity to enter the Nine Luminaries Heaven."

Now that things have come to this, there's no time to hesitate.

The Heavenly Emperor pondered for a moment, then asked Jiao Wuji, "Is the swarm of insects ready?"

“It’s not difficult to train them, the problem is whether we have enough.”

"It wouldn't hurt to give it a try."

The Heavenly Emperor nodded slightly, then glanced at Xiao Yuying out of the corner of his eye. Xiao Yuying was holding the Zizhi Tongjian, her brows furrowed, seemingly deep in thought.

"Fairy Xiao, what have you discovered?"

"I've discovered..." Xiao Yuying put down the Zizhi Tongjian, her eyes brightening. "Didn't you see it?"

"what?"

"That altar."

"What happened to the altar?"

The more she explained, the more confused everyone became.

"The runes on that altar are very similar to those on that bronze cauldron from before."

Everyone was taken aback, then they all took out their Tongjian (a historical text) and looked at the patterns sent back by the disciples.

After a long pause, Senior Sister Zhang nodded somewhat uncertainly and said, "It does look a bit like it, but it also seems different..."

"They're different. The content is different, but the style of the runes is very similar!"

“That’s possible. Didn’t the Lu Clan’s Grand Elder say that this altar is a rare treasure obtained by Lu Yao, and it might be very ancient?”

Xiao Yuying looked at the Heavenly Emperor and asked, "These runes match the patterns on my tortoise shells very well. Zheng Fa, you took my tortoise shells, did you see anything?"

……

"This Professor Liu is the deputy director of the Oracle Institute."

On Hongshan Mountain, Team Leader Yang, accompanied by a middle-aged man, introduced Zheng Fa.

"Professor Liu, thank you for your help."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all!" Professor Liu quickly replied.

Because the matter was of great importance, Zheng Fa didn't say much else, but simply asked, "Are the patterns I sent you oracle bone script?"

"picture!"

"Similar?" Zheng Fa was taken aback, inevitably feeling somewhat disappointed. Did that mean it wasn't?

He also wanted to use modern technology to unravel the secrets of the altar and see if he could find a way to restrain the Lu people.

Seeing his expression, Professor Liu quickly said, "This matter actually concerns a possible writing revolution between the Shang and Zhou dynasties."

"A revolution in writing?"

(End of this chapter)