Chapter 2898 Sect Founder

Unfettered Spirit Cave.

The retreat of Pavilion Master Yan Ji was actually a secret realm comparable to a small world in Origin Sky Pavilion. Its entrance was located midway up a sacred mountain.

When Lin Xun arrived, a deep, commanding voice emanated from within: "The restrictions have been lifted. Enter."

Lin Xun immediately stepped inside. Instantly, what he saw shifted, revealing a tranquil and peaceful world, with verdant bamboo forests lining the hillsides. Vibrant greenery was everywhere.

Beside a gurgling stream, a slender figure sat cross-legged in a lush bamboo forest. As Lin Xun appeared, the figure said softly, "Over here."

A moment later, Lin Xun teleported through the void. A swaying bamboo forest shone, and a slender figure, fishing rod in hand, was fishing by the stream's edge.

Lin Xun floated down, bowing. "Lin Xun greets Senior."

As he spoke, he glanced around, only to find that Yan Ji was alone.

"Are you looking for Kong Jue? He just left yesterday."

Yan Ji was thin, dressed in a gray robe, his expression calm and gentle. He resembled a fisherman who was indifferent to fame and fortune, living in seclusion.

Lin Xun was surprised. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know." Yan Ji shook his fishing rod, and a large, plump, green-scaled fish was brought up. It splashed vigorously before landing in the basket in front of him. He put down his fishing rod, picked up the basket, and headed deeper into the bamboo forest. "Come with me. You are now a deputy pavilion master of the Origin Sky Pavilion, and there are things you should know."

Lin Xun immediately followed.

Deep in the bamboo forest stood a simple and elegant house made of bamboo, with a courtyard in front of it. Yan Ji built a bonfire, cleaned the large green-scaled fish, and then skewered it on bamboo sticks, placing it over the bonfire and grilling it.

"Please sit down. Before we eat, I'll tell you about the origins of the Four Great Ancestral Courts and some stories about your master, the Lord of Fangchun Mountain," said Yan Ji casually as he took out some bottles and jars of seasoning and began to spread them on the grilling fish.

Lin Xun was astonished by this revelation. He immediately sat cross-legged to one side and said, "I'm all ears, Pavilion Master."

"The founders of the Four Great Ancestral Courts don’t belong to this epoch. They are actually experts who have walked through the changing of epochs, so each has their own origin and background."

Yan Ji then continued, "The founder of the Origin Sect came from the Kunlun Dominion and called himself Yuan Chu. He has traveled through many epochs and witnessed the changes of the world."

"The Kunlun Dominion, one of the four great dao dominions?" Lin Xun was beyond shocked at this point.

"Indeed." Yan Ji added, "Although the Kunlun Dominion has long become a place of desolate ruins, every time an epoch ends, the powerful experts of the universe who are attempting to survive such a catastrophe will seek a glimmer of hope within the Kunlun Dominion."

"What kind of opportunity?"

"A glimmer of hope to reach the All-Wonder Dominion. Because only by entering the All-Wonder Dominion can one truly be fearless in the face of an epochal destruction. Otherwise, every time an epoch ends, even those in the Eternal Stage will endure unimaginable tribulations."

Yan Ji's answer surprised Lin Xun, so he blurted out, "Senior, are you talking about the Great Silence Unlife Calamity?"

Back in the Fortune Dominion, Lin Xun had heard Chen Linkong talk about the Great Silence Unlife Calamity. Rumors said that this tribulation had originated from the mastermind behind the destruction of epochs. Long ago, the Eternal Night Divine Emperor was also struck by this tribulation and was trapped within the Flowing Light Forbidden Realm.

Yan Ji couldn't help but be surprised. He glanced at Lin Xun and said, "Indeed, for all living beings in the universe, no one can escape the impact of the Five Dao Decays. Whereas for those in the Eternal Realm, the Great Silence Unlife Calamity is the most deadly of all. Even if they can avert it this time, when the next epoch-ending tribulation arrives, they will be struck again by the Great Silence Unlife Calamity, and its power will be even greater than the previous one."

Lin Xun asked, "So, only by reaching the All-Wonder Dominion can one truly no longer fear such a tribulation?"

"That should be so." Yan Ji said, "The founder of the Origin Sect has experienced eighteen epochs and survived eighteen iterations of the Great Silence Unlife Calamity. Based on that alone, you can imagine how powerful he is. But this time...he had a premonition that when the epochal tribulation would erupt again, he would find it difficult to withstand it. Therefore, many years ago, he traveled abroad under the guise of wandering, but in reality, he was searching for clues to the All-Wonder Dominion."

"I see." Lin Xun suddenly realized something. He remembered that when he and Chen Linkong had parted ways at the Fortune Dominion, the latter had also decided to seek the All-Wonder Dominion. It seemed that the greatest experts who walked through different epochs viewed the All-Wonder Dominion as a place that could avert the Great Silence Unlife Calamity!

Then, Lin Xun thought of the Fortune Divine City. That city was protected by the Precious River Map, which could also offset the devastation of the Great Silence Unlife Calamity.

However, this was ultimately only temporary. Even the founder of the Origin Sect had survived such a tribulation eighteen times before. His search for the All-Wonder Dominion was likely intended to find a permanent solution to the danger of the Great Silence Unlife Calamity!

While Lin Xun was pondering, Yan Ji continued, "The founder of the Shaman Sect is named Tian Wu, the founder of the Zen Sect’s dharma name is Shi, and the leader of the Spirit Sect’s dao name is Xu Yin. Like the founder of the Origin Sect, Yuan Chu, they are all powerful beings who have traveled through many epochs. Their origins are widely debated, but what is certain is that they too have entered the Kunlun Dominion and traversed the Fortune Dominion.

"In addition, like the founder of the Origin Sect, these three masters have also departed long ago, and their motives are all related to the search for the All-Wonder Dominion.

"The fact that the four founding sect leaders have left together prematurely demonstrates just how unusual this upcoming epoch-ending catastrophe is. It is destined to be different from previous ones. Otherwise, such powerful figures who have traveled through the epochs would never have taken action so early."

After hearing this, Lin Xun took a deep breath and said, "It is said that this epoch-ending catastrophe will occur within the next thousand years."

Yan Ji said, "Indeed, so in recent years, the Eternal Divine Clans of the Ninth Heaven Domain have begun to prepare. Unless it's absolutely necessary, no Eternal from their clan will leave the Ninth Heaven Domain."

After a pause, he continued, "This is because only the Ninth Heaven Domain is truly eternal, having survived through the destruction of countless epochs. However, this epoch-ending catastrophe is different from the past, so even the Eternal Divine Clans are feeling quite wary."

Lin Xun pondered, "Based on that, if the Ten Immortal Giants were in danger of being annihilated now or a few years in the future, would they also find it hard to invite an Eternal figure over to intervene?”

Yan Ji responded, "That interpretation is not entirely wrong. However, the Ten Immortal Giants have served certain Eternal Divine Clans in the Ninth Heaven Domain for many years, so they possess some trump cards and hidden weapons, such as Eternal-level Will Dharma Forms."

Lin Xun's eyes narrowed.

A sizzling sound then rang out, and Yan Ji lifted the finished grilled fish from the campfire, which instantly filled the air with an alluring aroma. He reached out and slashed out with his hand, splitting the entire grilled fish in half and handing one half to Lin Xun.

He took a large bite of his half. His mouth drooled as a look of intoxication crossed his face. "Fish nurtured with divine spring water and fed with hundreds of divine ingredients truly tastes different from other kinds."

Lin Xun couldn't help but take a bite, his eyes brightening as he exclaimed, "Delicious!"

This grilled fish was truly a supreme delicacy.

"If it tastes good, then eat more." Yan Ji smiled, took out his wine gourd, and happily ate the fish and drank.

After finishing half of his portion, he said, "Kong Jue and I have speculated that your master, the Lord of Fangchun Mountain, must have been searching for the All-Wonder Dominion throughout the years as well. We even suspect that your master has already entered the All-Wonder Dominion. Otherwise, there's no way he'd be missing until now."

Lin Xun asked, "Are there any other possibilities?"

He couldn't believe his master had simply abandoned them, his disciples, like this.

Yan Ji smiled meaningfully, "Lin Xun, your master has waited an eternity, finally finding someone like you. What do you think he'd be planning if he stayed?"

Lin Xun frowned. He had never considered this question before.

Yan Ji said softly, "Since you possess the potential to become the Eternal Supreme, you should shoulder its responsibilities. If your master has to handle everything in this world, what use are you, his disciples? How can you, the disciples of Fangchun Mountain, surpass your master in the future?"

After a pause, he continued, "Furthermore, your master hailed from the Return Dominion. As one of the four great dao dominions, its mysteries are no less profound than those of the other three.

"Your martial uncle Kong Jue once said that your master, like the founders of the Four Great Ancestral Courts, must be a terrifying being who has walked through countless epochs. His true form has only appeared briefly in the beginning of the primordial times. Since then, no one in this world has ever seen your master's true form."

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Lin Xun's expression flickered. He recalled that in the past, all he had seen was the manifestation of his master's Will Dharma Form. Even now, his third senior sister and the others had never seen their master's true form.

"Those who don't plan for eternity aren't qualified to plan for the moment; those who don't plan for the overall situation aren't qualified to plan for a region. For countless years, your master, though elusive, has paved the way for you, his disciples. Whether it's your path to the Eternal Supreme or the great daos of the other disciples, your master's dedication is behind it all."

Speaking of this, Yan Ji couldn't help but sigh with admiration, "The great dao is formless and therefore is omnipresent. Isn't your master, the Lord of Fangchun Mountain, also like this?"

Lin Xun sighed, "Yet, over these countless years, many disciples of Fangchun Mountain have perished."

He thought of his ninth senior brother Ge Yupu, his forty-ninth senior brother Xuan Kong, and other successors of Fangchun Mountain who had fallen and disappeared.

Yan Ji said, "Look across the heavens. Which faction hasn't suffered casualties among its successors? This is the way of life; life and death are unpredictable."

Lin Xun shook his head and said, "Senior, you misunderstood me. I don't blame Master. I was simply wondering, if Master is so powerful, why has he never revealed his true form in all these countless years? There must be a reason."

Yan Ji said softly, "Your martial uncle Kong Jue also said so. Perhaps when you meet one day, as master and disciple, we'll know the answer."

Lin Xun nodded. Like the other disciples of Fangchun Mountain, he had been waiting for the day to meet his master!