Chapter 368: Secrets ()

Xiao Shi looked at Lin Zheyu with a complicated expression. After letting out a long breath, he spoke without emotion.

"You are very strong. I lost."

Defeat was not frightening. It was not as if he had never experienced it before. But losing to someone so young, who had joined the Wuji Sect less than two years ago, was difficult for Xiao Shi to accept.

"Kid, you are quite impressive. Are you interested in transferring to our War God Sect?" Luo Wu looked at Lin Zheyu and said with a chuckle.

Huang Youwei and the others who were watching nearly could not help but curse when they heard this. But once they saw who had spoken, they swallowed their words. This was Luo Wu, an elder of the War God Sect, whose strength had reached the peak of the Force Transformation realm and stood only one step away from becoming a grandmaster. If they offended him, even Huang Baizhong would not be able to smooth things over.

"Thank you for your favor, Senior. Since I have already joined the Wuji Sect, I cannot transfer to another sect," Lin Zheyu replied politely.

"Huang Baizhong truly picked up a bargain, to recruit a disciple of your caliber at the martial cultivation exchange." Luo Wu was not angry.

Instead, he laughed.

His earlier offer had merely been a joke. After courteously declining Luo Wu's invitation, Lin Zheyu left with the excited Huang Youwei and the others.

"Brother Lin, please wait." Just as they stepped out of the War God Sect's gates, a familiar voice sounded from behind.

Lin Zheyu stopped. The one speaking was Jii Weicheng, who was hurrying over. He had to give him face.

"Brother Jii, do you have some important matter?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"

Haha

, upon meeting a martial cultivation genius like you, I cannot help but wish to befriend you. Would you grant me the honor of joining me at the Moon Pavilion for a chat, Brother Lin?" Jii Weicheng invited. Like Xiao Shi, he changed his address from Young Master Lin to Brother Lin, acknowledging Lin Zheyu's strength.

"Then I’ll thank you in advance, Brother Jii. I just happen to be feeling hungry." Lin Zheyu smiled and accepted the invitation.

A gentleman was open and upright. Jii Weicheng gave him that impression, refined and easygoing like a true scholar. Behind him stood the Jii Family of the Wuling City Guard, whose influence was no less than that of the Wuji Sect. Befriending such a person was a wise choice. Of course, the main reason was that Lin Zheyu had nothing pressing to do upon returning to the Wuji Sect.

"

Haha

, you’re too polite. Would you all be interested in joining us at the Moon Pavilion?" Jii Weicheng looked at Huang Youwei and the others with a smile.

Huang Youwei and the others agreed without hesitation. This was the former top of the Hidden Dragon List. How could they refuse his invitation? Besides Lin Zheyu's group, many disciples of the War God Sect also joined them at the Moon Pavilion. At the banquet, Lin Zheyu befriended Jii Weicheng, Xiao Shi, and others. From Jii Weicheng, he also learned much about the space-time node that had appeared recently.

"...I heard the one who acted was Lei Decang of the Lei Family. His strength is formidable, even more terrifying than a Martial Innate realm martial artist. If he had not intervened in time, that space-time node might have been fully opened. That would have been disastrous," Jii Weicheng said slowly.

If a space-time node connecting to a Yao Demon nest appeared within Great Wei, it would trigger a demon tide and countless lives would be lost.

"Lei Decang? Is he a powerhouse from another region?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

Among the notable sects and families of the Guanghua Region, he had some impression of most. There seemed to be no Lei Family among them.

"No. The Lei Family is also an esteemed family of the Guanghua Region. It is normal that you do not know them, because they are not a martial cultivation family. They cultivate the Immortal Dao!" Jii Weicheng lowered his voice and dropped the shocking revelation.

Lin Zheyu was astonished. He glanced at Xiao Shi, who showed no surprise, likely having already learned this from Jii Weicheng.

"It seems your sect elders have protected you well and kept many matters from you," Jii Weicheng said with a smile upon seeing Lin Zheyu's reaction.

"Such protection is pointless. If someone is so easily crushed by harsh reality, they can never grow into a true powerhouse," Xiao Shi said calmly, clearly disdainful of how his elders withheld information.

"Brother Xiao speaks reasonably," Jii Weicheng agreed.

"Was it not said that immortal cultivators had already gone extinct?" Lin Zheyu could not help but ask.

From various clues, he had speculated much about immortal cultivators. One theory was that they had perished due to the rise of yaos and demons. But reality seemed otherwise.

"Yes and no. For ordinary people, the path of the Immortal Dao is no longer viable. They can only pursue martial cultivation and advance to the Martial Innate realm. But for those ancient esteemed families, the Immortal Dao has never been severed. The Lei Family is an immortal cultivating family passed down since ancient times. Their Immortal Dao lineage has never been cut off," Jii Weicheng explained.

"Because of faith?" Lin Zheyu pondered and guessed.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"

Oh?

" Jii Weicheng looked at him in surprise and slowly nodded. "That is correct.

"In Great Wei, all its people must worship the pantheon led by the Supreme Celestial Sovereign of the Myriad Dao and the Golden Palace, offering their faith. According to my great-grandfather, those ancient esteemed families used this faith to renew the path of the Immortal Dao," Jii Weicheng said with a trace of emotion.

As expected.

Lin Zheyu had already entertained such a guess before, and Jii Weicheng's words confirmed it. However, Great Wei's method of gathering faith was vastly different from that of the Nine Nether Sect. The Nine Nether Sect resembled a religious cult, whereas Great Wei had woven the worship of deities into everyday life. These were clearly two entirely different methods of collecting faith.

Seeing Lin Zheyu fall silent in thought, Jii Weicheng said with a smile, "

Haha

, Brother Lin, you need not worry. With your talent, sooner or later you will advance to the Martial Innate realm. Becoming an immortal cultivator like those of the Lei Family is only a matter of time."

"Brother Jii, do you mean that after advancing to the Martial Innate realm in martial cultivation, one can resume the Immortal Dao?" Lin Zheyu asked.

From Jii Weicheng's tone, it seemed that once one advanced to the Martial Innate realm, one would essentially become an immortal cultivator.

"That is correct. Have you not noticed how few Martial Innate realm experts there are? Wuling City is vast. Grandmaster realm experts live for three hundred years, let alone those of the Martial Innate realm. Their lifespans are even longer, yet they are almost never seen." Jii Weicheng smiled faintly and did not keep him in suspense.

"After a martial artist advances to the Martial Innate realm and opens the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, they can communicate with the origin qi of heaven and earth. Even those without immortal cultivation aptitude will gain such aptitude once the Bridge of Heaven and Earth is opened, and their talent will at least be above average. However, something went wrong with this world. The emergence of demons brought vast amounts of Baleful Yin force, contaminating the spiritual qi of this world. That is why the once glorious Immortal Dao fell into decline.

"Once a Martial Innate realm martial artist opens the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, although they can communicate with origin qi, there is a side effect. They must constantly resist the omnipresent Baleful Yin force. The Bridge of Heaven and Earth is both a restraint on the human body and a form of protection. Once opened, that protection vanishes. To prevent the erosion of Baleful Yin force, Martial Innate realm martial artists must cultivate within so-called blessed grotto heavens."

Jii Weicheng knew that Lin Zheyu was not well informed on this matter, so he explained in detail. Jii Weicheng's great grandfather was a Martial Innate realm martial artist. He doted greatly on Jii Weicheng, who possessed outstanding talent, and shared with him many secrets that could be spoken of. That was why Jii Weicheng understood these matters so clearly.

"So that is how it is!" After hearing Jii Weicheng's explanation, Lin Zheyu suddenly understood.

No wonder he had not seen a single Martial Innate realm martial artist since joining the Wuji Sect. Many of the strange things he had sensed before now made sense.

"After martial cultivation reaches the Martial Innate realm, is there truly no further path, leaving only a turn to the Immortal Dao?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

He held no prejudice against martial cultivation or the Immortal Dao. As long as he could grow stronger, that was enough. During his idle days at the Wuji Sect, he had read many martial cultivation texts. They contained numerous studies on the path beyond the Martial Innate realm, such as the Three Great Divine Treasuries and the shackles of the physique. The descriptions were almost mythical in their power, stirring longing within him.

"There should be a path. I know of an organization that specifically recruits Martial Innate realm martial artists who refuse to join immortal cultivating families and do not wish to turn to the Immortal Dao. They cultivate only martial arts, intending to develop martial cultivation into a path that does not lose to the Immortal Dao and to revive its former glory. However, so far, no truly powerful figures seem to have emerged. Of course, it may simply be that my strength is too weak and my vision too limited to have encountered martial cultivation experts beyond the Martial Innate realm," Jii Weicheng smiled faintly as he said.

"There’s such an organization? What is it called?" Lin Zheyu asked with interest.

It was worth inquiring about. It might prove useful in the future. Lin Zheyu could not shake the feeling that the current immortal cultivation system was unreliable. How could it make sense that after growing stronger and advancing to the Martial Innate realm, one would instead be unable to roam freely and be forced to hide in blessed grotto heavens most of the time?

"The Martial Alliance!"