Chapter 2632 Miluo Grotto Heaven

Upon hearing Lin Xun's words, the woman sighed softly and bitterly, “The Saint Stage? It’s too far out of reach for people like us. Feng Zhe is not a bad kid. I know he's not like those scoundrels who only know how to burn, kill, and plunder. He just has no choice because of livelihood. If he could become a Saint, he could at least find a job on this Dark South Island. But our situation...”

Feng Zhe said, “Don’t worry, Mom, I will definitely become a Saint!”

Lin Xun pondered for a moment, then extended a finger and pressed it on Feng Zhe's forehead.

The youngster’s mind instantly shook with a thunderous roar. When he came to his senses, there was now a mark of legacy in his mind-sea.

Feng Zhe was stupefied, “What is this?”

Lin Xun explained, “An art that can let you break through to the Saint Stage.”

Feng Zhe burst into excitement, stammering, “Senior... You...”

His mother, also overjoyed, urged him, “Why aren't you kneeling down and thanking your benefactor?”

“Right!” Feng Zhe wanted to get down on his knees to kowtow.

However, Lin Xun stopped him and said solemnly, “A true man does not kneel easily. If you truly are grateful, then from now on, adhere to what is right and cultivate with diligence. Do not cause your mother any more sorrow or disappointment.”

Feng Zhe's lips trembled. Taking a deep breath, he nodded vigorously.

Lin Xun had no idea that because of today’s event, this unassuming young man would undergo years of warfare in the future, unify the Rowdy Demon Sea, and completely end the turmoil and bloodshed in this region. At that time, the world called him Dark South Emperor!

Whenever he would speak of the past, Dark South Emperor would always recount his meeting Lin Xun, often telling others, “Though I am not Master Lin’s disciple, we share the bond of master and disciple. Without Master Lin, I wouldn’t be where I am today!”

Those were all matters of the future. For now, Lin Xun was hurrying on his way after bidding farewell to Feng Zhe and his mother.

Although Dark South Island was big, Lin Xun located the weapon shop in mere moments using his spirit sense. It was a simple courtyard with a rather unremarkable house built from massive stones. In front of the house was a flag that said ‘Weapon Shop’ without a specific name.

In the shop, there were a few customers here and there. There was not a single attendant to introduce the items, only a gray-clothed man who sat lazily behind the counter, dozing off.

When Lin Xun walked in, the gray-clothed man merely glanced up before lowering his gaze again and said listlessly, “Pick whatever you need yourself.”

Lin Xun scanned the counter. The treasures on display were varied in types, but none of them was a rune armament.

He frowned.

Have I come to the wrong place? This is the only place on Dark South Island that’s called the ‘Weapon Shop.’

“Shopkeeper, do you have such treasures here?” a male customer wearing a white robe suddenly spoke up and pulled out a one-foot-long green umbrella.

Lin Xun's pupils shrank. It was a rune armament! He instantly knew that the white-robed man was likely here for the same reason as him—to find Mister Lu! Or perhaps, to find the master who had crafted this rune armament!

At the same time, Lin Xun noticed that the other customers in the Weapon Shop were in the same group as the white-robed man. All of them were currently fixating their gazes on the gray-clothed shopkeeper behind the counter.

“No,” the gray-clothed man replied without looking up.

“Really?” The white-robed man was handsome and had a majestic build. When he blinked, his eyes emitted a faint, eerie blue glow that was demonic and intimidating.

The man behind the counter impatiently said, “If I say no, then there’s really none. If you're not here to buy weapons, take your leave.”

“You’re courting death!” A lean, rugged old man stepped forward threateningly, “Answer our question honestly, or we won’t be polite!”

“Don’t you know? Since this weapon shop has opened, no one has dared to throw a tantrum here. If you have the guts, go ahead and be the first to try it. The consequences will be on you!” sneered the gray-clothed man who didn’t look one bit scared.

The white-robed man leading the group frowned, “Do you know who we are?”

“I don't care who you are. If you dare to cause trouble here, you'll regret it!” declared the gray-clothed man haughtily.

“Hahahaha, someone in this godforsaken place just threatened us of Nine Nether Devil Sect?” someone laughed.

Nine Nether Devil Sect!

Lin Xun was surprised to hear this name, which was one of the great seven devil sects of Rowdy Demon Sea. It was renowned for having eighteen old Emperor Ancestor devils and with a great number of powerful, ruthless characters.

Coming here with a rune armament, these members of Nine Nether Devil Sect clearly harbored ill intentions.

However, this scene once again confirmed Lin Xun’s speculation that Mister Lu was likely hiding in this unassuming weapon shop!

“Nine Nether Devil Sect?” The gray-clothed man's expression changed slightly, but it was not one of panic, but instead of astonishment and surprise.

“That's correct. We are here solely to see the rune master who forged this treasure. Now that you know who we are, you should be aware of the consequences of refusing us,” said the white-robed man calmly, his voice tinged with arrogance.

However, the gray-clothed man displayed a variety of expressions for a good while before he finally sighed, “Alright, I'll show mercy and let you see the ‘rune master’ you speak of before you die.”

As he said that, he tapped his finger lightly on the counter. A strange restrictive power fluctuation instantly permeated the room.

“You really want to die!” The white-robed man narrowed his eyes and abruptly reached out to grab the shopkeeper.

Surprisingly, the latter grinned and cursed, “Idiot.”

The next second, he turned into a wisp of light and vanished, leaving the white-robed man grabbing at air.

Buzz!

As the restrictive power churned and spread, the white-robed man’s group saw their surroundings shift. They suddenly found themselves in an endless darkness with no visible boundaries.

Even with their power, they could not spot a single opening! Their hearts immediately tightened. Just as they were about to try breaking the array with brute force, there was a swirl of light from which a young man with a blank expression and chillingly indifferent eyes emerged.

He was handsome with bronze-colored skin and white hair that was tied into a pretty ponytail. He wore a clean, well-tailored, and eye-catching crimson outfit.

The second he appeared, he looked at the green umbrella in the white-robed man’s hand with slightly furrowed brows, “Did you kill the person who possessed this treasure?”

His voice was razor sharp, carrying a bone-drilling frost.

“Remove this array, and we will tell you,” said the white-robed man coldly.

“I no longer need an answer. You all deserve to die anyway,” said the red-robed youth indifferently. He raised his hand, spread his long, slender fingers, and clenched them into a fist.

One massive vortex after another then appeared out of thin air in the dark, restricted world. They swallowed the white-robed man and his companions one by one. They tried to resist, but it was all in vain as the vortexes produced a bizarre restrictive force that devoured their treasures and skills without leaving a shred behind.

From start to finish, the red-robed youth remained utterly cold and emotionless. After a brief silence in such a state, he beckoned at the green umbrella left behind by the white-robed man, and the treasure flew into his hands.

Quietly staring at it, he lamented, “To think that a good person like you has also fallen. This Rowdy Demon Sea...is becoming more and more insufferable by the day...”

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he realized something. The restriction array...had missed one person!

......

On a picturesque, ancient mountain, the gray-clothed shopkeeper appeared out of thin air beneath an old pine tree on the mountain side, mumbling to himself, “Nine Nether Devil Sect? Like it’s a big deal. All of you are as good as dead once Junior Brother Xuanfu makes you his target.”

The man then shook his head and turned his gaze to the distance. Next to the clear stream there, a boy and a girl sat facing each other, engrossed in a game of chess.

The gray-clothed man walked over to them, briefly assessed the situation on the chessboard, and smiled, “Qingfeng, Qingyue, it's been half a month already, but you two still haven’t completed this match?”

No response.

Whether it was the boy called Qingfeng or the girl called Qingyue, both were completely absorbed in their game and oblivious to their surroundings.

The gray-clothed man chuckled, unconcerned. However, the next moment, his eyes widened in shock and his smile froze like he was seeing ghosts as he exclaimed, “You...how did you get in here?”

At some point, Lin Xun’s handsome figure had appeared underneath the old pine tree. The man's question put a smile on his face, “I walked in, of course.”

The gray-clothed man yelped, “That's impossible! The restriction covering the entrance to this Miluo Grotto Heaven was personally set up by the founding master. Even immortal experts cannot detect it!”

Lin Xun realized something and unfolded the portrait of Mister Lu, “Is this person your founding master?”

A mere glance at the scroll filled the gray-clothed man’s expression with shock and doubt. He asked, “Are you here to seek revenge?”

“I'm here to find him.” Lin Xun looked around at the serene mountain and lamented in a delighted mood, “What a wonderful place.”

The gray-clothed man grew even more confused and snapped, “Can you get to the point? If you keep this up, I'll call for help to drive you out!”

“I'm here to find Mister Lu, also known as Lu Boya, who is likely the founding master you mentioned. Once I see him, you’ll learn everything,” said Lin Xun as he approached the two children who were still in the middle of their game. After one look at it, he seemed to enter a trance.

Integrating the dao of runes into the chessboard to deduce and fathom the mysteries of runes... This method of studying runes was all too familiar to him, as he had often engaged in such games with Mister Lu.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The purpose? First, to test his mastery of the dao of runes. Second, to use the mistakes and flaws he made during the games to give him pointers... Recalling the events of his childhood and seeing such a similar scene happening right before him, how could he not become sentimental?