Hidden moth

Chapter 348 Dreams of the Past and Present, Carrying on the Legacy

Only He Kao can open the entrance to Piaocai Cave, making entry and exit very inconvenient. Therefore, He Kao has also established a shift system, opening the entrance once a week on weekends.

Today is not a shift change day. Erji, Chang Anju, and Lan Jiuwan are in the cave, while Ye Liangchen is staying outside. There are also strongholds of the Hidden Moth Sect outside, including Jiuliang Manufacturing Company, which needs to be watched over.

He Kao entered the cave on a whim today, before the agreed time, so the disciples were somewhat surprised, while Lan Jiuwan's surprise was mixed with delight.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, why did you suddenly come today... You came, but you didn't bring any good food or drink, just a big pot." The speaker was Chang Anju, Dean Chang, who was easygoing and spoke very casually.

He Kao laughed and said, "This is not a big pot, but a pill cauldron. Don't ask about its origin, and don't reveal it to anyone."

After the first phase of construction here is completed, the next step is to build a pill-refining workshop. There are many spiritual herbs here, unharvested for thousands of years; we can try to refine some elixirs, initially for the sect's internal needs.”

Lan Jiuwan had already reached out and taken the cauldron: "It's quite big and heavy... But Senior Brother Sect Leader, none of us know how to refine pills."

He Kao: "I do know a little bit about alchemy, and I can teach you if you want to learn. But alchemy is only an aid to cultivation. You must not become too obsessed with it. Your own cultivation is the foundation. The higher your cultivation level, the more methods you can master."

We'll first build a pill-making room, select a few pill formulas suitable for our current needs, and use materials that are all produced within the cave. We can use them to practice first.

You and Erji can start trying now, and Dean Chang and Ye Liangchen can also help out..."

He Kao brought the alchemy cauldron into the Floating Colors Grotto for convenience. However, this approach had a flaw: the cauldron's origins could be used to trace its origins and reveal the cauldron's identity. Therefore, He Kao ordered that no one should inquire about it or leak the information.

As for the current members of the Hidden Moth Sect, He Kao believes they can still be trusted. Since he decided to bring them into the sect, this trust and sharing is the price to pay.

Then Lan Jiuwan called out, "Sect Leader, you've come at the perfect time. We can raise the main beam of the hall tomorrow at noon and hold a celebration ceremony. We originally planned to do it on the weekend... Please invite Ye Liangchen in as well."

The architectural style of the sect's ancestral hall is based on the layout of the sect's ancestral hall. The entire courtyard covers an area of ​​about 15 acres and is divided into three sections, roughly arranged in a nine-square grid.

The first phase of the project consists of three parts.

First, a courtyard was built in the northeast corner, mainly for disciples to practice and live in, which was equivalent to a living area.

Secondly, a two-story wall-mounted pavilion should be built behind the stone niche to completely enclose it. That is the central location of the grotto-heaven, and also the place where disciples take turns guarding the grotto-heaven, equivalent to a duty room.

Due to its unique nature, Hidden Moth Cave Heaven does not currently require anyone to guard it. However, cultivating at the core of the cave heaven's array will help one better comprehend the sect's techniques.

Currently, only Erji and Hekao can do this; they are both high-level sorcerers of the Hidden Moth Sect. As for Lan Jiuwan, although his cultivation has broken through to the fourth level, he previously practiced the Subtlety Technique, and his Hidden Moth Technique cultivation has not yet caught up.

The third project is to build the main hall at the very center of the courtyard complex, which will not only enshrine the ancestral tablets of past masters, but also serve as a place for sect meetings and major celebrations.

In just over a month, the first two projects of the first phase of the project have been completed, while the third project has reached a critical milestone: the erection of the main beams.

Their efficiency is astonishing, especially considering the absence of large-scale engineering machinery. Leaving aside the three high-level sorcerers He Kao, Er Ji, and Lan Jiuwan, the two third-level sorcerers Chang Anju and Ye Liangchen also possess the ability to manipulate objects.

Installing the main beam of the main hall has a very important symbolic meaning in the tradition of Dongguk (Eastern Kingdom), and usually involves a live celebration ceremony, which is popularly known as "raising the beam".

Since it's a celebration, Ye Liangchen should naturally be invited in as well.

The next morning, He Kao asked Xiao Pang for half a day off, saying he had something to do in the afternoon and couldn't come to work. Xiao Pang readily granted the leave, only reminding him to come back and work overtime after he finished, so as not to delay the work schedule.

The ceremony began precisely at noon.

A heavy beam, wrapped in a red silk ribbon, was lifted up by He Kao and Lan Jiuwan, each holding one end. The two climbed the long ladder to the roof and placed the main beam precisely in the predetermined position where the mortise and tenon joints would fit.

In terms of cultivation level, it would be more prudent for He Kao and Er Ji to work together to carry such a heavy main beam up the ladder. However, Er Ji saw Lan Jiuwan's eagerness to try, so he took the initiative to let Lan Jiuwan and the sect leader carry the beam together.

After placing the main beam, Lan Jiuwan leaped down, while He Kao walked to the middle of the beam and lit a string of firecrackers.

The long red ribbons hung in the air, making a loud, enthusiastic sound as everyone applauded and cheered. He Kao's figure was already shrouded in the rising smoke; he grabbed the red ribbon in the center of the beam and shook it vigorously.

A shower of glittering objects rained down on the crowd. These were coins that had been prepared in advance, including old silver dollars and copper coins, as well as currently circulating coins and a few small gold ingots.

The people below used various techniques to collect the lucky money falling from the sky. Given their cultivation level, they shouldn't have made any mistakes, but due to the interference of their magical forces, a lot of the lucky money still fell to the ground.

The lucky money made a melodious tinkling sound when it hit the ground, and then it was taken away by the crowd using magic. Everyone laughed happily.

The brief ceremony concluded, and He Kao leaped down from the beam. Lan Jiuwan quickly stepped forward, pulled out a gold ingot, and happily stuffed it into his hand, saying, "This is what I got for you!"

A table of food and drink was set up in the open space, and everyone had another meal together. Amidst laughter and conversation, He Kao's gaze swept over everyone, feeling that although the sect was small, the atmosphere was really good...

The number of disciples in the Hidden Moth Sect has never been large. The few present today can be said to have been "picked up" by He Kao.

They didn't originally practice the Hidden Moth Technique, but looking at the experiences of Lan Jiuwan, Erji, Chang Anju, and others, they each had their own strengths in disguise, infiltration, assassination, and tracking, which made them a natural fit for the requirements of the Hidden Moth Sect.

Ye Liangchen seems to be an exception. His most outstanding qualities are meticulousness, patience, and reliability. However, no matter which sect it is, such a "family-oriented" talent is indispensable.

During the meeting, He Kao specifically mentioned that the Hidden Moth Sect could also consider recruiting the next generation of disciples. They could keep an eye on suitable promising talents, but the evaluation process needed to be extremely cautious.

These words were mainly directed at Erji and Chang Anju, because the other three were clearly not old enough to take on disciples.

Disciples of the Hidden Moth Sect are hard to find, not only because the cultivation requirements of the Hidden Moth Technique are special, but also because the nature of the Hidden Moth Sect itself is unique.

After the luncheon, He Kao called Er Ji aside and shared his insights on cultivating the Hidden Moth Technique, offering considerable guidance based on his own experience.

In terms of age, Erji was definitely of He Kao's father's generation. However, in terms of cultivation and mastery of the Hidden Moth Technique, He Kao was clearly a whole realm higher than him, making this guidance extremely necessary and valuable. He Kao also specifically instructed Erji that cultivating while guarding the central core in the cave would greatly benefit his comprehension of the Hidden Moth Technique, and if he had the opportunity to break through to the fifth rank in the future, it would be best to choose to do so in the Floating Colors Cave.

He Kao once had some doubts about Er Ji, but after his doubts were dispelled, he decided to accept him into the Hidden Moth Sect. Now he does what he should do and wholeheartedly provides all kinds of help.

After Erji joined the sect, he also played an irreplaceable role.

After He Kao and Er Ji finished speaking, Lan Jiuwan tiptoed over, her head bowed and her fingers twisting as if she had something to say.

He Kao asked in a friendly tone, "Junior Sister, is there something you need from me?"

Lan Jiuwan said softly, "Yes, I would also like to ask about cultivation."

The once aloof and venomous Lan Jiuwan has now become so shy. He Kao smiled and said, "Asking about cultivation is a serious matter. Just be open and honest. There's no need to be so coy."

Lan Jiuwan: "I'm afraid that you're too busy, and it might interfere with your business."

He Kao: "This is my duty, and I should make time for it no matter how busy I am... Come with me, let's talk as we walk."

He Kao left the central basin and entered the mountains east of the Ancestral Hall. There were no roads here, so he walked through sparse vegetation. The rugged terrain could not stop him.

Lan Jiuwan followed behind curiously, wondering to herself why they were heading into the wilderness. They were probably taking her to gather herbs, since her senior brother, the sect leader, had specially brought back a cauldron of pills today…

Although she was puzzled, she didn't ask any further questions. Anyway, she was fine with whatever her senior brother, the sect leader, took her to do. As they walked and talked, Lan Jiuwan told him about her recent troubles.

She was already a fourth-level craftsman who had mastered the art of subtlety, but after joining the Hidden Moth Sect, everyone had to relearn the Hidden Moth technique and use it as the foundation of their cultivation.

To give an example from studying, this is not simply choosing a minor course, but rather changing your major and starting over, while your original major becomes a minor.

One advantage of doing this is that, theoretically, one does not need to undergo another tribulation before breaking through the original realm after modifying the Hidden Moth Technique.

However, it also has disadvantages. It requires changing many long-established habits to adapt again. More importantly, the fundamental methods to be changed may not be entirely compatible with one's own aptitude.

He Kao is probably an all-rounder, but he hasn't even mastered the art of spiritual resonance yet... because people have limited energy and are naturally good at different things, so it's unlikely that he can do everything.

To onlookers, Lan Jiuwan's progress in the Hidden Moth Technique has been rapid, and he is now a third-tier explorer, just one step away from breaking through to the fourth tier.

According to ancient legends, after she became a fourth-level scholar of the Hidden Moth Sect, she could also be called Hidden Maiden, with the title Lan Hidden Maiden.

But Lan Jiuwan felt she couldn't break through even though she was just one step away. She had advanced cultivation and experience in this area, so it shouldn't be this difficult.
Originally, she didn't need to rush and could have just focused on her cultivation. In the Hidden Moth Sect, apart from Senior Brother Huo Qing, she had the highest cultivation level and could do the most for him.

However, not long ago, the sect leader took in an old monk named Erji. Erji's cultivation level was already that of a fourth-level scholar, also known as "Kong'er" in ancient legends, and he was also very knowledgeable...

Lan Jiuwan certainly wasn't jealous of an old monk, but she did feel a sense of urgency and anxiety.

After listening, He Kao did not advise her not to rush, because such advice would be useless. He first praised Lan Jiuwan, saying that at such a young age, she had such a high level of cultivation, which was already considered genius in the arts.

She not only cultivated the Subtlety Technique to a high level, but also cultivated the Concealed Moth Technique to the third level in a short period of time, something that neither Ye Liangchen nor Chang Anju had achieved.

Chang Anju originally cultivated the Spirit Awakening Technique and had already broken through to the third level. After switching to the Concealing Moth Technique, he only broke through to the second level a few days ago.

As for Ye Liangchen, he was originally a third-tier sorcerer who cultivated the Subtle Technique, but he only just entered the basics after switching to the Concealing Moth Technique... He Kao was somewhat pleasantly surprised by this, as he originally thought that Ye Liangchen would have a hard time entering the basics.

He then analyzed, "Over the past thousand years, while the core of various techniques has remained unchanged, the methods of cultivation have greatly improved, and major schools of techniques have summarized many advancement rituals..."

Lan Jiuwan interjected, "But the Hidden Moth Technique has no advancement ceremony; at least, Senior Brother, you never taught me."

He Kao shook his head and said, "It's not that I didn't teach you, but that I don't know either. The Hidden Moth Sect is special. The Hidden Moth Technique is still the same as it was a thousand years ago. Perhaps our generation can do something, such as summarizing and exploring a set of advanced rituals."

After learning about Erji's spiritual practice, and combining that with my own practice, I always felt that there was some kind of pattern in it..."

What's special about Erji's experience is that when he broke through to the fourth level, he was no longer the original Zhang Yanfei, but had another identity.

However, it is not as simple as disguise or role-playing.

Zhang Yanfei is not playing the role of Erji; he is the real Erji. In fact, he already possessed the identity of Erji during his tenure as the dean of the Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts.

After faking his death to escape, Zhang Yanfei continued to exist under the identity of Erji. In the process of pursuing Yin'e, he met He Kao and joined the Yin'e Sect.

As for He Kao himself, he is a programmer, a secret disciple of a legendary elder of a certain sect, and also the mysterious and unpredictable Hidden Moth, the leader of the Hidden Moth Sect, Huo Qing.

He Kao wasn't just playing the role of Yin Mo; he *was* Yin Mo. Although he often appeared disguised as Feng Zilong, he wasn't actually playing the role of the already killed Feng Zilong; he was merely using the image to describe him.

If necessary, he can also transform into the appearance of Feng Ziniu or Feng Zima.

The experiences of He Kao and Er Ji may contain some kind of pattern that can be summarized, and this pattern is in line with the requirements of the Hidden Moth Technique.

The true beauty of the Invisibility Technique is not that it makes something invisible, but that even if you see it, you are unaware of it...

Lan Jiuwan could try this approach. If she succeeds, and her experience is analyzed in detail, she might be able to summarize the pattern of the Hidden Moth Technique breaking through from the third to the fourth level. After refining it, it could become the advancement ceremony.

What the ancients did not leave behind, let the moderns create.

**
(End of this chapter)