A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 551 Evil Spirits and the Illusory Realm of Gods and Demons

Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang remained guarding outside the cave. By the sixth day, both of them looked rather emaciated.

That afternoon, a slightly hoarse voice suddenly rang in their ears. "Come in."

Duan Rong was suddenly stunned. He wondered if he had misheard and couldn't help but look at Lü Zhongtang not far away.

Seeing Lu Zhongtang's dazed expression, he knew he had heard it too, which meant he wasn't just suffering from severe sleep deprivation and hallucinations. So he said, "Come on, they're calling us in!"

Lu Zhongtang finally came to his senses and struggled to get up. He hadn't slept for six days and was feeling weak. When he got up so suddenly, he almost stumbled and fell, but Duan Rong caught him.

"Be careful!"

Lu Zhongtang responded and then walked into the cave with Duan Rong. The spatial barrier that had originally covered the cave entrance had disappeared, and the two entered the cave without any obstruction.

They went deeper into the cave and saw Lü Yinlin sitting there looking exhausted.

At this moment, Lü Yinlin, just like the other two, also had slightly red eyes. He had also been working for six days straight without closing his eyes for a single moment.

The mushroom's bluish-green glow illuminated the three of them, whose eyes were all red and ghostly.

The two had barely seen Lü Yinlin and hadn't even bowed when Lü Yinlin stood up and said in a hoarse voice, "Come with me!" As he spoke, he got up and walked towards a corner deep inside the cave.

Duan Rong and the others immediately followed.

Lu Yinlin pressed a mechanism on the stone wall, and a stone door on the wall sank down with a rumble, revealing a passageway filled with a bluish-green light.

Inside the passageway, the stone walls on both sides were covered with those strange mushrooms.

Lu Yinlin strode in, and the two men immediately followed.

The deeper you go into the passageway, the more intense the chill becomes.

Soon, they followed Lü Yinlin into a cramped stone chamber at the deepest part of the passageway.

Upon entering the stone chamber, the intense cold felt like it was piercing to the bone.

Lü Zhongtang could still endure it, but Duan Rong already needed to use his internal energy to resist it.

In the center of the stone chamber stood a rather large black jade coffin, around which wisps of chilling aura were visible to the naked eye…

With a flick of his sleeve, Lü Yinlin caused the lid of the black jade coffin to fall lightly like a leaf.

A large amount of cold air surged out of the coffin, and even condensed into a layer of white frost on the top of the stone chamber.

Duan Rong's brow twitched. Lü Yinlin wouldn't have brought them to see a black jade coffin for no reason.

"In there..."

Duan Rong seemed to have thought of something, his heart tightened slightly, and he slowly walked towards the black jade coffin.

Lü Zhongtang followed behind Duan Rong with a look of fear in his eyes.

The two stood beside the mouth of the black jade coffin and looked inside. Under the glow of the blue light, they saw a person lying inside.

Lu Qingzhu's face and hands were covered with a layer of fine frost, making her look like a living dead under the eerie light.

Lu Zhongtang's Adam's apple bobbed, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees.

"Ancestor! Please save Qingzhu!"

Lu Zhongtang was originally full of hope, but seeing Lu Qingzhu's current state, clearly not knowing whether she was alive or dead, his defenses immediately crumbled.

Duan Rong was also somewhat reluctant, and tears streamed down his face.

Lu Yinlin glared at Lu Zhongtang and said angrily, "As long as I'm here, she won't die!"

After Lü Yinlin finished speaking, he waved his sleeve, and the lid of the black jade coffin was closed.

Then, Lü Yinlin walked out. When he reached the door of the stone chamber, he turned around and saw Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang still standing there. He said, "Come out! I have something to tell you."

Duan Rong helped Lü Zhongtang up, and the two glanced at the black jade coffin beside them before walking outside.

Both of them felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on their hearts. Although Lü Yinlin said that Qingzhu wouldn't die, seeing Lü Qingzhu's condition just now was truly heartbreaking.

They emerged from the passageway, which was filled with a bluish-green light.

Lu Yinlin had already sat down at a stone table. He picked up a bamboo tube and took two sips of water.

The two men approached, knelt down, and cried out, "Ancestor!"

Lu Zhongtang's throat bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but after glancing at Lu Yinlin's gloomy face, he finally couldn't say anything.

Lu Yinlin didn't even ask them to get up, and said directly, "You've all seen Qingzhu's condition."

Lu Zhongtang said, "Qingzhu, she..."

Lu Yinlin interrupted him, saying, "The black jade coffin can seal her injuries and prevent them from spreading. However, her internal organs are damaged. Although I used my power to help her repair some of them, the damage to her fundamental nature cannot be repaired in a short time. Given her condition, if this continues, it may not be good..."

Upon hearing this, Lü Zhongtang felt as if something was stuck in his throat, making it impossible for him to speak...

Duan Rong said, "Does the Ancestor have a way to save her? What do you need us to do? Just tell us!"

Duan Rong knew that Lü Yinlin wouldn't patiently tell them all this for no reason.

Lu Yinlin glanced at Duan Rong and said, "I do have a way to save her. However, it requires two kinds of medicine: Red Arrow Flower and Jade Flame Grass!"

"Red Arrow Flower?! Azure Flame Grass?!"

Duan Rong's eyes widened in surprise. He could identify hundreds of herbs, but he had never heard of these two. Since he hadn't heard of them, could it be…?

Lu Yinlin said, "These two herbs are divine medicines from the ruins of gods and demons."

"Ruins of gods and demons? Divine medicine?" Duan Rong stared blankly at Lü Yinlin. The ruins of gods and demons were the true secrets of this world!

The various books in the Sutra Repository mostly provide vague descriptions of the ruins of gods and demons, only mentioning them briefly. Duan Rong knew very little about this.

Lu Yinlin said, "Information within the mysterious ruins has always been a taboo within the sect. It's normal that you don't know it."

Lu Yinlin could tell from Duan Rong's expression that he was still quite unfamiliar with the mysterious ruins. In fact, not only was he unfamiliar with them, but even Lu Zhongtang knew very little about them.

Only those who have entered the mysterious ruins know what's inside, and information about it cannot be spoken of to outsiders. Just as Lü Yinlin said, this is a taboo within the sect.

Lü Yinlin said, "You should get up first."

The two had been kneeling for quite some time before Lü Yinlin finally told them to get up.

Duan Rong helped Lü Zhongtang to his feet.

Lu Yinlin took another sip of water before continuing to speak in a hoarse voice.

"The eight major sects of the Nine Provinces Continent rely on only eight divine and demonic relics as their foundation."

"Besides the eight divine and demonic ruins, there are actually more than ten other divine and demonic ruins in this world. But only these eight can become the strongholds of sects because the laws within these eight divine and demonic ruins are well preserved, so that a continuous stream of heaven and earth energy is generated, which is why sects can cultivate."

"Therefore, divine herbs grow within these eight divine and demonic ruins, and these herbs possess many wondrous properties. This is another reason why the eight sects have been able to dominate the Nine Provinces."

"The other dozen or so divine and demonic ruins are all damaged and chaotic, making them far more dangerous than these eight divine and demonic ruins. Moreover, they contain very few divine medicines and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is not abundant."

"However..." Lü Yinlin suddenly changed the subject, saying, "Precisely because the laws within these eight divine and demonic ruins of the sect's strongholds are complete, the pressure of those laws is also extremely severe. Cultivators above the Cave-Penetrating Realm simply cannot enter. This is because the Cave-Penetrating Realm cultivators' Cave-Penetrating Realm, condensed from laws, is comprehended in this realm and is completely incompatible with the laws within the divine and demonic ruins. Once a Cave-Penetrating Realm cultivator steps into the divine and demonic ruins, they immediately find it difficult to move, and the slightest carelessness will result in their Cave-Penetrating Realm shattering and their death!"

At this point, Lü Yinlin glanced at Duan Rong meaningfully and said, "Since the founding of our sect, all those who have been able to enter the Divine Demon Ruins have been cultivators at the Qi Cyclone Realm."

"The Cyclone Realm? Isn't that him?" Duan Rong understood by this point. Lü Yinlin meant that he should enter the Divine Demon Ruins to retrieve the divine medicine to save Lü Qingzhu.

Duan Rong asked directly, "Ancestor, is there any danger within that mysterious ruin?"

Lu Yinlin smiled, seeing that Duan Rong reacted quickly and understood his meaning. "Of course there are dangers. The two main dangers within the Divine and Demonic Ruins are evil spirits and the Divine and Demonic Illusion!"

"Evil spirits?!" Duan Rong's expression changed slightly. Aren't evil spirits just ghosts?
Lu Yinlin said, "The laws within the Divine and Demonic Ruins are different from those of this world. Evil spirits can be bred within the Divine and Demonic Ruins. However, these evil spirits cannot leave the Divine and Demonic Ruins. Once they leave the ruins, they will immediately perish under the power of the laws of this world!"

Duan Rong least wanted to face this thing, and his expression immediately turned ugly.

Seeing Duan Rong's bitter expression, Lü Yinlin said, "Entering the Divine and Demonic Ruins also has immense benefits. Within the Divine and Demonic Illusionary Realm, if one gains the approval of the will of the gods and demons, one will obtain a Divine and Demonic Imprint! A Divine and Demonic Imprint is often accompanied by some kind of supernatural power! The ancestors of the eight major sects in this world, all the old monsters who advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm, all obtained Divine and Demonic Imprints back then, and could use some kind of supernatural power!"

"Without supernatural powers, reaching the pinnacle in this realm is extremely difficult! Duan Rong! I deeply understand this!"

Duan Rong's eyes flickered slightly; there were indeed beings with supernatural powers in this world.

He glanced at Lü Yinlin, who, according to Lü Yinlin's earlier statement, possessed some kind of supernatural power.

Lu Yinlin did not explain what kind of supernatural power he possessed, but continued, "This is only one aspect. However, the chances of obtaining the mark of a god or demon are still very low."

"But this second benefit is available to almost everyone. As long as you can walk to the central altar of the ruins of gods and demons alive, you will receive the blessing of the gods and demons, which will nourish your soul."

"The nourishment from the whispers of gods and demons is a fundamental enhancement to a cultivator's soul. According to the records since the founding of our sect, all cultivators who have been nourished by the whispers of gods and demons, as long as they survive, have advanced to the Cave-Nether Realm!"

"They've all advanced to the Cave-Nether Realm?" Duan Rong's face showed astonishment. Only now did he understand why these eight divine and demonic ruins were the foundation of the eight sects' dominance over the Nine Provinces.

The mere whispers of gods and demons are enough to produce a considerable number of cultivators at the Cavern Realm within a sect. And how can those forces that haven't seized control of the divine and demonic ruins possibly contend with the Eight Sects? Ultimately, none of the other forces can rival the Eight Sects, and they will slowly perish!

Therefore, for tens of thousands of years, only eight major sects have dominated the Nine Provinces!

Lu Yinlin continued, "After each blessing, the Whispers of Gods and Demons need time to recover! The divine herbs in the ruins also need time to grow after being harvested! Moreover, the sect also needs to make huge sacrifices to open the passage into the ruins of gods and demons using the talisman array! Therefore, the mysterious ruins are opened once every thirty years, which is the sect's ancestral rule!"

"Opened only once every thirty years?!" Duan Rong was surprised and asked, "Has it been thirty years already?"

Lu Yinlin said, "It has been twenty-nine days since the last time the Divine Demon Ruins were opened."

"Is there still a year left?" Duan Rong's face was blank. If it were another year, Lü Yinlin would probably not have told him so much now.

Sure enough, Lü Yinlin suddenly stood up and paced back and forth, saying, "I plan to open the mysterious ruins a year in advance! Given Qingzhu's condition, she probably can't wait a year. Divine herbs harvested from the divine and demonic ruins are usually difficult to preserve due to their different laws. Even when refined into pills, only some of the herbs can be well preserved and used for a longer period. Most divine herbs are used immediately after harvesting. The two divine herbs needed to save Qingzhu, the Crimson Arrow Flower and the Azure Flame Grass, cannot be preserved. The sect has no stock of them; we must enter the divine and demonic ruins to harvest them."

"Duan Rong, this matter depends on you!" Lü Yinlin suddenly turned to look at Duan Rong and said in a solemn tone.

Duan Rong's eyes flashed as he looked at Lü Yinlin and asked, "Ancestor, surely I'm not the only one who entered the Divine Demon Ruins this time?"

Based on what Lü Yinlin had just said, Duan Rong had vaguely discerned that each time the sect opened the Divine Demon Ruins, it would pay a considerable price and reap many benefits. Why would they only allow him to enter?

Lu Yinlin said, "Of course not. Although some disciples perish every time we enter the Divine Demon Ruins, the benefits are enormous. The spots for entry are fiercely contested by all sides!"

Duan Rong thought to himself: Just as I thought. The nourishment from the divine and demonic imprint and the mysterious whispers—the benefits are immense!
Lu Yinlin said, "However, picking the Crimson Arrow Flower and the Azure Flame Grass might be quite dangerous. After all, for sect disciples entering the Divine Demon Ruins, picking divine herbs isn't the most important thing; they usually just pick them randomly, and if there's danger, they'll give up! But this time, to save that girl Qingzhu! Duan Rong, you must find a way to pick these two divine herbs!"

Duan Rong said, "Don't worry, Ancestor! I will definitely obtain the Crimson Arrow Flower and the Azure Flame Grass on this trip!"

His mind was in turmoil. To save Lü Qingzhu, he would definitely find a way to pick the Crimson Arrow Flower and the Azure Flame Grass. But he would also never let go of the nourishment from the divine and demonic mark and the mysterious whispers.

Especially the divine and demonic mark. According to Lü Yinlin, the probability is very low, but the ancestors of the eight major sects all possess the supernatural power of the divine and demonic mark, which shows that the divine and demonic mark is extraordinary.

Lu Yinlin said, "After the list of those entering the Divine Demon Ruins is finalized these next few days, you will undergo intensive training. Specific details will be explained to you then. Just remember the tasks for the Crimson Arrow Flower and the Azure Flame Grass!"

Duan Rong said, "This disciple will certainly remember this!"

Lü Yinlin said, "Alright! You may all leave now. I need to rest for a bit."

"Yes, ancestor!"

After Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang knelt down in a salute, they left the cave.

Lu Yinlin sighed wearily, sat cross-legged on the futon, and instantly entered a meditative state!

(End of this chapter)