Unlimited priesthood

Chapter 161 Mystery
And so it went, in Hidden Sword Mountain.

Streaks of light darted about, rising and falling, searching high and low within and outside the mountains.

"Does this ancient secret realm really have other entrances?"

"Let's find out who knows."

"The entrance to that Nascent Soul Cave is controlled by various powerful forces, so those of us who can't get in can only try our luck."

"That's true, but it's not without hope. I heard that a spirit fish emerged from another cave not long ago. It had a dragon's head and a fish's body, and it was a true species. It must have obtained the secret realm's opportunity."

"Unfortunately, this fish is cunning and possesses supernatural powers. Even a Core Formation cultivator couldn't capture it. If it could open another passage, we might be able to enter as well."

Numerous streaks of light crisscrossed in all directions, seeking a way out.

But many more people chose to gather in one place, openly or secretly forming factions to confront each other.

It was the entrance to that ancient secret realm.

As early as a hundred years ago, there were rumors of ancient cultivators' caves in Hidden Sword Mountain, which even triggered a chaotic war among the five major Core Formation sects, ultimately leading to the destruction of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain and a life-or-death struggle between the righteous and demonic sects.

At that time, the five sects explored the area and obtained some sixth-order spiritual items, as well as the remains of a Nascent Soul cultivator. As a result, Hidden Sword Mountain and the ancient cultivator's cave were abandoned and no one paid any attention to them anymore.

But who knew that this so-called ancient cultivation cave was just a facade? The Nascent Soul cultivator was actually a treasure hunter, searching for the relics of an ancient great cultivator in Hidden Sword Mountain. In the end, he died before finding anything. Although he knew that the treasure mountain was here, he could not enter the mysterious gate.

Only today, through a stroke of luck, has this ancient secret realm come into existence, right here at the residence of that Nascent Soul cultivator. It is truly a twist of fate.

"This is the predetermined cause and effect!"

"The ancient great cultivator left this secret realm to select his successor. Only those who are blessed with both virtue and talent can enter and inherit his mantle and take his treasures."

"Although that Nascent Soul cultivator knew of the ancient cultivation cave here and came to explore it, he was not blessed with good fortune and had mediocre virtue. He was destined to be unconnected to this place, so he sat outside this secret realm until his death without ever seeing its entrance."

"The reappearance of this ancient secret realm must be due to a destined person entering it and triggering the arrangements of that ancient great cultivator, which is why this ancient secret realm has seen the light of day again."

"A destined person? What kind of destined person?"

"It must be those three heroes and two outstanding individuals!"

"The Three Heroes and Two Outstanding Individuals are destined to break the demonic forces. Now that the Three Heroes have appeared, the three righteous sects—Taihua Mountain in the East Sea, Xuantian Sect in the North Sea, and Golden Turtle Island in the South Sea—have each obtained one of them. The West Sea is the stronghold of the demonic path. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Two Outstanding Individuals should be in this inland area."

"The emergence of this ancient secret realm should have been triggered by Erxiu. I wonder if it was one person or both Erxiu."

"Hmph, these demons are eyeing us covetously, and what they're after is far more than just the treasures of this secret realm. Fellow Daoists, you must keep a close watch on them and not let these evil cultivators get away with it!"

What was once the residence of a Nascent Soul cultivator is now the entrance to this secret realm.

Numerous formations and restrictions isolate the area.

Outside, everyone was watching with predatory eyes.

There are good and evil, immortals and demons, and the overall structure has changed since then.

The orthodox schools of Taoism, unorthodox sects, and even demons and evil cultivators all gather here, yet remain clearly distinct.

"Three heroes and two outstanding talents? Humph, I don't care about three heroes and two outstanding talents."

"Whether the Demonic Calamity is real or not is still unknown!"

"Even if it's true, so what? My bones will have turned to dust in a few hundred years."

"I don't care about the flood after I die; seizing this secret realm's opportunity is the only right thing to do."

"While the demonic calamity is raging and those old monsters are entangled overseas and unable to extricate themselves, we must make a fortune so that we may have a chance to rise in the future."

All sides watched the secret realm with cold eyes, each eyeing it covetously, but their thoughts were quite different.

Just then, a green dragon landed, forming another mountain peak, and observed the situation from outside the secret realm.

"This azure dragon..."

"Could they be from Qingcheng Mountain in the South China Sea?"

"Brother Linghu!"

As soon as the azure dragon landed, a burst of spiritual light appeared, revealing several righteous cultivators from the South China Sea.

"Brother Chen, Brother Zhang!"

When Linghu Xing saw the group, he stood up and returned their greetings.

"Brother Linghu has arrived as well."

"When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? At this critical juncture of demonic calamity, Qingcheng, as the orthodox sect of Xuanmen, naturally has an inescapable responsibility."

After exchanging pleasantries with the group, Linghu Xing looked around and frowned at the various forces eyeing him menacingly: "The East Sea, the North Sea, the South Sea, and the West Sea, they've all come."

"Yes!"

The group sighed and said in deep voices, "Not to mention the Western Sea Demon, there are also many unorthodox sects who seem to be colluding with him to seize the opportunities in this secret realm and even plot against us..."

The words were unfinished, but the meaning was already clear.

The overseas cultivation world is divided into three factions: one is the righteous path, mainly composed of the major sects of Xuanmen and Buddhism; another is the evil path, with the Western Sea Demonic Sect as its leader; and the third is the unorthodox path, which exists in the cracks of the four seas.

In this time of chaos and calamity, the righteous and the evil are locked in a struggle. The most tragic path is neither the righteous nor the evil, but the unorthodox and heretical paths.

Because these unorthodox and unorthodox paths are not distinguished by good or evil, but are related to their lineage and tradition.

The righteous path is the lineage of immortals and Buddhas. It not only has patriarchs from the upper realm, but its own cultivation methods can also help one transcend tribulations and ascend to immortality or Buddhahood. Therefore, it is the righteous path.

The same applies to the heretical sects and demonic sects. They are descendants of demon gods, have ancestors from the upper realm, have a long history, and profound foundations; otherwise, they would not be able to compete with the righteous path.

Only the unorthodox sects are in an awkward position. They have neither ancient roots nor immortal or demonic ancestors, and their strength is weaker than the two orthodox sects in every way. The Xuanmen (mystical sects) look down on them, and the demonic sects despise them.

Now, with the chaos of demonic calamity and the struggle between good and evil, they have become innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The demonic sects are targeting them, and the righteous sects are also wary of them. They were already struggling to survive, and now they face even greater difficulties.

But even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone a cultivator who defies fate. Under such coercion from both the righteous and evil paths, the immortal sects and the demonic sects, the various unorthodox sects also became ruthless, turning to demonic arts and joining the demonic sects to compete with the two orthodox sects for various opportunities.

The original balance of power between the righteous and the evil was disrupted, with demons and heretics colluding with unorthodox sects, causing the righteous to temporarily fall into a disadvantageous position.

The present moment is proof of this: the demon from the Western Sea is eyeing us covetously, and a group of unorthodox cultivators are also poised to strike, waiting for the secret realm to open so they can engage in a fierce battle to the death.

"Unorthodox methods, ignorant of destiny!"

"At this critical juncture, they actually colluded with demons!"

"They deserve to die! They deserve to die!"

The men spoke harshly, their expressions turning icy, as if they had suffered quite a bit.

Linghu Xing, however, paid no attention to these things. He only looked at the entrance to the secret realm, which was protected by array formations, and asked the others in a deep voice, "Can you find any trace of Erxiu?"

"This……"

The group looked at each other, then shook their heads.

"I did not see it."

"But there must be a reason behind the appearance of this secret realm."

"I've heard that some people have already managed to get in by chance, and Erxiu might be among them."

"Although that secret realm formation is extraordinary, it cannot withstand the erosion of time. Its restrictive spiritual light has dimmed considerably, and it looks like it will break down in a few days."

“Once the formation is broken, those demons, evil cultivators, and unorthodox practitioners will rush in, especially those Western Sea demons, who will definitely target Erxiu.”

"Brother Linghu, you've come at the perfect time. The Three Seas Orthodox Sects have now reached a consensus: after the formation is broken, we will fight back against the demons. With your help and the help of the Qingcheng cultivators, our righteous path will surely be even stronger."

After a few words, the group explained the current situation.

Upon hearing this, Linghu Xing said no more, accepted the invitation from the others, and waited for the formation to dissipate.

At the same time, inside the secret realm.

"Wow, so many medicinal herbs!" "Brother Yuxiu, come quickly!"

In a medicinal garden, a young girl in green clothes looked at the garden full of spiritual herbs, her face full of surprise.

She had delicate eyebrows and was exceptionally beautiful, with a gentle and graceful demeanor. Even at a young age, she possessed a beauty that could topple kingdoms.

Upon hearing her words, a man arrived, dressed in white, with a refined and elegant appearance, truly a handsome young man in this turbid world.

"Brother Yuxiu, look!"

The girl in green pointed and said, "Jade Lingzhi and Moon Star Seed are both fifth and sixth-grade spiritual herbs. Some of them are even approaching the seventh grade, which is enough to refine a Divine Transformation Pill!"

"Good, good, put them all away."

Zhong Yuxiu looked at the spiritual herbs in the garden and a smile appeared on her face. She thought to herself, "Master will definitely like these spiritual herbs."

"Ok!"

The girl in green nodded, then summoned a jade cauldron, which collected all the herbs and garden plants, packing them up and taking them away without leaving a single thing behind.

"This Shennong Cauldron is truly useful; it lives up to its reputation as an ancient treasure."

Looking at the jade cauldron in her hand, the young girl smiled gently, and Zhong Yuxiu beside her nodded repeatedly.

After taking over the herb garden, the two continued forward and soon came to see a palace.

The palace is suspended in mid-air, clearly extraordinary.

The two tested the waters first, and seeing that there was not much danger, they leaped up and went straight in.

"The Mysterious Palace!?"

Standing before the palace, looking at the plaque above, the girl in green showed joy and turned to Zhong Yuxiu, saying, "Brother Yuxiu, this is the Xuanxu Palace, the cave palace of the ancient great cultivator Xuanxu Zhenjun."

"True Lord Xuanxu?"

Zhong Yuxiu looked puzzled: "Who is that?"

"He was a great cultivator from ancient times!"

The girl in green exuded erudition: "According to the records, he was a master of the Xuantian Sect, one of the Seven True Ones of Xuantian at that time. His cultivation had reached the Mahayana realm, hence the title Xuanxu True Lord. Later, when the Ancestor of Xuantian ascended to the upper realm, he and the other six True Lords followed him. Unexpectedly, there was still a secret realm left in the mortal world, waiting for a destined person."

"The Great Vehicle True Lord?"

Zhong Yuxiu's eyes sharpened, and a look of surprise appeared in them.

"Although it is only a temporary palace and not a real Mahayana Buddhist temple, it should contain many treasures."

The girl in green pulled Zhong Yuxiu up: "Hurry up and go in, we can't let anyone beat us to it."

After saying this, he took Zhong Yuxiu into the palace.

The palace was small and had no formations. The two of them walked straight in and soon arrived at the main hall.

Inside the main hall stands a jade statue of a young Taoist priest. Although it is made of jade, it is still extraordinary and displays the demeanor of a master.

"This must be True Lord Xuanxu."

The girl in green looked at the jade statue, then turned her gaze to the surroundings. Seeing nothing unusual, she looked at Zhong Yuxiu and said, "Brother Yuxiu, if you go up and bow three times, you should be able to obtain the Mysterious Relic Treasure, and then we can leave."

"bye?"

Zhong Yuxiu frowned: "What are you praying for?"

"Of course I'll become your disciple!"

The girl in green said matter-of-factly, "The True Lord Xuanxu left this cave dwelling; he couldn't possibly have just given away his treasures for nothing. Only by bowing to his jade statue and establishing a master-disciple relationship can one obtain his legacy."

"No need for that."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yuxiu refused and said to the girl in green, "I already have a master, how can I take another as my teacher? Qing'er, you should take this opportunity."

"what!?"

The girl in green was taken aback, then quickly regained her senses and waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "I can't accept this!"

Zhong Yuxiu asked, puzzled, "Why can't I answer it?"

"This one……"

The girl in green paused for a moment, then changed the subject: "Qing'er is of little fortune and virtue, how can she become the successor of the Great Vehicle True Lord? This opportunity can only be accepted by you, Brother Yuxiu. It would be useless for Qing'er to worship."

"What's the point of this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yuxiu became even more puzzled.

"The principle of cause and effect!"

Seeing that Zhong Yuxiu did not believe her, the girl in green had no choice but to kneel down and kowtow in front of the jade statue.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After bowing three times without any response, the girl in green had an expression that said, "See? Only Brother Yuxiu can get a response."

"This……"

Zhong Yuxiu frowned, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

"Brother Yuxiu, please pay your respects. This is a Great Ascension True Lord. He may have already achieved the True Immortal Dao Fruit in the Upper Realm. To be his successor is a blessing that many people would beg for."

The girl in green continued to persuade him, "Besides, it's common for cultivators to have multiple masters in the cultivation world. It's not a great sin. As long as they are from the same orthodox lineage, that's fine. Many great cultivators overseas have had multiple masters. Brother Yuxiu, you don't need to worry about it."

"no!"

Zhong Yuxiu still shook her head: "Even if this matter is ordinary, to worship another person without informing my master is still to betray my master and ancestors, which is extremely unfilial. My master has treated me with kindness as heavy as a mountain, and I will always remember his teachings. How can I forget his kindness and become an unfaithful and unfilial person?"

"you……!"

The girl in green was speechless with anger, and finally could only soften her tone: "These are critical times, critical moments. Brother Yuxiu, please bear with us. If you don't take this mysterious treasure, we will be in danger once those people escape and arrive."

"I can endure any hardship!"

Zhong Yuxiu shook her head: "I can't let my master suffer like this!"

The girl in blue: "..."

Zhong Yuxiu ignored her: "But those people are indeed dangerous. Qing'er, let's leave this place first. Once they come to take the treasure and open this secret realm, we'll find a way to escape!"

"Hahaha!"

Before he could finish speaking, a burst of wild laughter erupted from outside into the palace: "No need for all that trouble, let's settle this right here!"

As the words were spoken, a streak of dark light shot in, revealing a chilling demonic power.

He was a young man with white hair and a cold demeanor, dressed in black robes.

"Tang Jue!"

The girl in green narrowed her eyes, and Zhong Yuxiu also became wary.

"Hahaha!"

The young man named Tang Jue sneered, looking at the two men who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, and then turned his gaze to the jade statue behind them: "To not take the treasure is to ruin one's own destiny. The Three Heroes and Two Outstanding Men are destined to perish!"

Having said that, he looked at the two of them and activated his demonic power.

"Demon, stop your arrogance!"

However, before the demonic power could be unleashed, a fierce shout rang out, and several figures of light flew in, instantly taking control of the situation.

(End of this chapter)