Chapter 178: Renowned Across the World, the Madman

The Qian Long Bang of the Tian Ji Lou has always drawn intense attention from all corners of the realm. After all, those who make the list are widely believed to have a strong chance of breaking through to the Xian Tian Jing.

Xian Tian Jing cultivators are immensely powerful—pillar figures even within the top-tier sects, individuals no faction dares to dismiss lightly. Countless martial artists across the land regard climbing onto the Qian Long Bang as the ultimate honor. For it signifies true fame, a name known throughout the world. Most cultivators toil endlessly through their training, driven by nothing but the pursuit of fame and fortune. To ascend the Qian Long Bang is to achieve legendary status—how could anyone remain unmoved by such a prospect?

Thus, every six months, when the Qian Long Bang is unveiled, the Tian Ji Lou becomes a bustling center of excitement. This time was no different.

From dawn, martial artists from every province and county had gathered at their local Tian Ji Lou branches, eager to be the first to glimpse the new rankings. Among them were spies sent by major sects and powerful factions.

Then, when the list was posted, everyone was stunned.

Because a name had appeared—utterly unfamiliar to all.

“Lu Qing from Cangzhou… Who is this man? I’ve never heard of him!”

“How can someone at the Nei Fu Jing initial stage rank 29th—above dozens of Wu Dao Zong Shi?”

“A seventeen-year-old Nei Fu Jing cultivator! Which sect in Cangzhou nurtured such a prodigy?”

Nearly everyone was captivated by the name Lu Qing. There was no way around it—the information on the list was simply too staggering.

A seventeen-year-old at the Nei Fu Jing stage, making his debut on the Qian Long Bang, ranking 29th and surpassing many seasoned Wu Dao Zong Shi—each of these facts, on its own, would be legendary. Now, all of them converged on a single young man, delivering a shockwave of disbelief.

Some even began to suspect the Tian Ji Lou had made a mistake.

How could a Nei Fu Jing cultivator possibly rank above so many Wu Dao Zong Shi?

The Tian Ji Lou responded swiftly.

The ranking was accurate. The details were correct. No error had been made. There was no need to worry. The reputation of the Tian Ji Lou was still intact.

If they said it was true, then it had to be.

With this confirmation, the entire martial world erupted.

There truly existed such a prodigy!

A boy of seventeen, already ranked among the elite!

Which sect had cultivated such a genius?

Countless sects and factions were now deeply intrigued.

As for trying to pry more information from the Tian Ji Lou—forget it.

The Qian Long Bang had existed for over a thousand years. Beyond basic details, the organization never disclosed further information about its ranked individuals. To learn the truth about this Lu Qing, one would have to investigate for themselves.

In an instant, countless factions dispatched scouts toward Cangzhou, eager to uncover the truth.

Yet not all were ignorant of Lu Qing.

In Ji Zhou, the Qingyun Jian Ge.

In a small pavilion, several elders sat across from one another. Before them lay a copy of the Qian Long Bang, its surface glowing faintly in the dim light.

“Lu Qing… from Cangzhou…”

One of the elders, a White Beard Elder, studied the name, his expression thoughtful.

Then he asked, “A few days ago, Ming Jian and the others returned from their cultivation journey. They reported encountering a young genius in Cangzhou—someone named Lu Qing, as well?”

“Yes,” replied another elder, a Short-haired Elder. “And they claimed this youth possessed astonishing martial talent. Rumors even say he defeated a Wu Dao Zong Shi while still at the Jin Gu Jing Wan Man stage. Even more unbelievable—Ming Jian personally witnessed him capture Tian Gu, the twelfth top assassin from the Qi Sha Lou, using nothing but his bare fists in just a few dozen breaths.”

“That sounds utterly implausible,” the White Beard Elder said. “When I first received the letter, I thought Ming Jian had been deceived by rumors. I was furious.”

“But after questioning the messenger closely, I realized… it might not be a lie. It actually happened.”

“And just yesterday, the Qi Sha Lou issued a Qi Sha Ling, targeting someone named Lu Qing.”

“Given that, Ming Jian’s report cannot be false.”

“To issue a Qi Sha Ling is no small matter. If they’ve done so, it must be true. The Lu Qing Ming Jian spoke of—must be the same one on the Qian Long Bang.”

The White Beard Elder nodded slowly.

Coincidence? Unlikely. Same name, same location, both prodigies. Such a coincidence simply didn’t exist.

He now knew beyond doubt: the Lu Qing on the Qian Long Bang was the same young man Ming Jian had encountered.

But the realization only deepened his astonishment.

“A seventeen-year-old Nei Fu Jing, achieving Jin Gu Jing Wan Man status, defeating a Wu Dao Zong Shi—this is a genius of the highest caliber. No wonder the Tian Ji Lou ranked him. If he doesn’t qualify, who does?”

“Who could have raised such a prodigy?”

The Short-haired Elder added, “Ming Jian’s letter mentioned the boy’s master is shrouded in mystery. All they know is that his mentor is a mysterious Xian Tian Jing. But they never got the chance to meet him during their visit to the Wei Family Residence.”

“A Xian Tian Jing master… unknown identity?” The White Beard Elder pondered silently. “Who could that be?”

“It’s a pity Ming Jian hasn’t returned yet. We could’ve learned more firsthand,” he sighed.

Letters could only convey so much. Details were lost in translation.

“We should leave it be,” the White Beard Elder finally said. “Since this Lu Qing already has a master, prying further might only provoke resentment.”

With such a high-level master, the boy’s sect must be powerful. Digging too deep would risk making an enemy—something best avoided.

After a brief discussion, he set the matter aside.

“Actually,” he continued, “I summoned you not just for the Qian Long Bang, but for something far more urgent—Wan Nian Bian Ju.”

The words hung in the air.

Instantly, the elders’ expressions darkened.

“Master… is it truly happening? Is Wan Nian Bian Ju about to come?”

One of the Lean Elders asked nervously.

“Based on recent movements across the sects, it’s almost certain,” the White Beard Elder said gravely. “This matter concerns the future glory of our Jian Ge. We cannot afford to be careless.”

“But what exactly is Wan Nian Bian Ju? We still don’t know. How can we prepare?”

“Only the Four Secret Places, and ancient sects like the Tian Ji Lou and Qi Sha Lou—those with a thousand-year legacy—might know the truth. Our Jian Ge is still too young. But even without knowing the cause, we can’t just wait passively. We must act.”

The White Beard Elder sighed in frustration.

The others fell silent. The agony of knowing a great upheaval was coming—yet having no idea what it was—was unbearable.

One elder suddenly spoke, “Perhaps we should consult Xiao Shi Shu. He’s seen everything. He must know something.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the room grew tense.

All eyes flickered with unease. It was as if the name itself carried a weight too heavy to bear.

Yet they knew… it was a possible solution.

If anyone knew the truth, it would be Xiao Shi Shu.

After all, that man had once dared to dig up the tomb of the sect’s founding ancestor in pursuit of his own answers.

But then—would he help?

His hatred toward the sect was legendary.

After a long pause, the White Beard Elder finally sighed.

“I’ll go. Xiao Shi Shu once favored me the most. Perhaps, out of old memories, he’ll speak to me. After all, he grew up here.”

An hour later, the White Beard Elder stood before a cliff at the back of the Jian Ge, a bamboo basket in hand.

At the cliff’s edge was a small, half-man-sized hole, dark and deep—unknown where it led.

This place was strictly forbidden. Only the Sect Master and a few supreme elders could approach.

After a moment of hesitation, the elder bent down and crawled inside.

Inside, after walking ten or so steps, the cavern opened up. The walls stretched high and wide, allowing him to stand upright.

He walked deeper, and suddenly, the sound of water reached his ears. Turning a bend, he stepped into a vast Cave Chamber.

Light filtered down from cracks above, casting a faint glow. In the center stood a small pond, fed by a trickle of flowing water.

The White Beard Elder ignored the scene and walked straight to the wall beside the pond. He bowed deeply.

“Master, I have come to pay my respects.”

Only the sound of water remained.

After a long silence, a dry, rasping voice finally spoke.

“I thought it was you. The Sect Master himself—what brings you to visit this old, broken-down relic?”

A flicker of shame crossed the elder’s face.

“It’s my fault, Master. I’ve been so caught up in managing the sect that I’ve neglected to visit you.”

“Visit? What a nice way to put it,” the voice mocked. “Yet you were the one who locked me away. Now, why pretend to be polite?”

“Master,” the elder said firmly, “I know I wronged you. But I do not regret what I did.”

“Your actions caused a catastrophe. If we hadn’t given the other side an answer, the entire Jian Ge might have been destroyed. As Sect Master, I had to protect the sect. I had no choice.”

“So you used my trust,” the voice said coldly, “and poisoned me in secret. You stripped me of my power and imprisoned me in this darkness.”

“The truth is, you were too strong. We could never defeat you in open combat. This was the only way. I’m sorry, Master. If you still harbor anger, I accept any punishment.”

A long silence.

Then, a weary sigh.

“Enough. What’s done is done. I’m already powerless. What’s the point of reliving the past? Speak. Why have you come?”

“You’re right,” the elder said. “Nothing escapes you.”

“It’s obvious. After I locked you away, the rest of us have felt guilty. We haven’t dared to face you. You don’t come unless you need something. So, what is it?”

“We’re ashamed, Master. We don’t have the courage to face you.”

“Enough talk,” the voice snapped. “What do you want?”

“Master,” the elder began, gathering his thoughts, “in recent years, strange phenomena have appeared across the land. The top sects have been acting strangely—like they’re preparing for something. We’ve searched and searched, but we’ve found no answers.”

“Then, by chance, we learned the Tian Ji Lou once said: ‘A great upheaval will come after ten thousand years. The world will change. Chaos will rise.’”

“But we cannot learn what this upheaval truly is. What change it brings. We’ve searched everywhere, but found nothing.”

“Master, you’ve seen it all. You know everything. Do you know the truth?”

“What? You said… a ten-thousand-year upheaval?”

To his shock, the voice erupted in sudden, wild excitement.

A clattering of iron chains echoed through the chamber as a figure shot upright from the shadows beneath the wall.

The elder hadn’t realized—until now—that the voice had been coming from a man lying in chains.

The cavern was too dark. The man’s rags were so dirty they blended into the stone. Only now was his presence revealed.

“Little Swordwen… is it true? Ten thousand years… the upheaval is coming?”

The figure trembled with emotion. The chains rattled with every shudder.

He was bound by several thick iron chains—each as thick as a forearm—anchored to the wall.

“It’s true,” the White Beard Elder said. “I heard it directly from the Tian Ji Lou. It must be accurate.”

“Hahaha! At last! It’s finally come! After two hundred years… I’ve waited for this moment! Old Devil of Heaven, you couldn’t kill me after all!”

The man laughed wildly—utterly mad with joy.

“Master… you do know something, don’t you!”

The White Beard Elder stared in disbelief. His heart pounded.

“Of course I know. How could I not? If it weren’t for this secret, I wouldn’t be here!”

The voice was still unhinged.

“Master,” the elder pleaded, “if you know the truth… please, tell us.”

“Ah,” the voice chuckled. “You want to know what this Wan Nian Bian Ju truly is?”

“Please, Master.”

“Then… let’s make a deal.”

From beneath his tangled, wild hair, a twisted, unnatural smile emerged.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end