Chapter 178: Stirring Up the World, a Madman

The Dragon Submerging List issued by the Tianji Tower has always been a subject of great interest to various powers.

After all, the warriors who make it onto the list are highly likely to break through to the Innate Realm.

Innate Realm experts are extraordinarily powerful, and even in top-tier sects, they are pillars that cannot be underestimated by any force.

Countless warriors strive to climb the Dragon Submerging List and achieve fame.

To be on the list means to truly make a name for oneself and become known throughout the world.

Most warriors toil tirelessly in their cultivation for the sake of fame and gain.

To be on the Dragon Submerging List is to stir up the world with one's name, and who could remain unmoved by such allure?

Thus, the day the Dragon Submerging List is issued every six months is always the busiest for the Tianji Tower.

This time was no exception.

Early in the morning, countless warriors gathered at the Tianji Tower branches in various states and counties, all hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of the new list.

Among them were spies sent by the major sects and powers.

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

For there appeared a name that was utterly unfamiliar to them.

"Who is Lu Qing from Cangzhou? Why haven't I heard of him before?"

"How can someone at the initial stage of Internal Organs refinement rank twenty-ninth, even surpassing many Martial Arts Masters?"

"A seventeen-year-old Internal Organs realm warrior! Which core disciple of which sect in Cangzhou is this?"

...

Almost everyone was drawn to the name Lu Qing on the list.

After all, the information displayed on the list was too astonishing.

A seventeen-year-old warrior at the initial stage of Internal Organs refinement, making his first appearance on the Dragon Submerging List at rank twenty-nine, surpassing numerous Martial Arts Masters—any one of these facts would be impressive on its own.

To have them all attributed to a single warrior was truly shocking.

Some even suspected that the Tianji Tower might have made a mistake.

Putting aside everything else, how could an Internal Organs refinement stage warrior rank above so many Martial Arts Masters?

In response to the doubts, the Tianji Tower quickly issued a clarification.

The rankings were correct, and the information displayed was accurate. There was no need for concern.

The credibility of the Tianji Tower was well-established.

If they said there was no mistake, then there wasn't one.

Thus, after the Tianji Tower's response, the world of warriors was truly set ablaze.

There really was such a young genius in the world!

To be seventeen and make it onto the Dragon Submerging List was an incredible feat.

Which sect had cultivated such an extraordinary genius? Many sects and powers became intensely curious.

However, trying to obtain more information from the Tianji Tower was futile.

The Tianji Tower had been issuing the Dragon Submerging List rankings for over a thousand years, and aside from some basic information, they never revealed anything more about those on the list.

If one wanted to know who this "Lu Qing" was, they would have to investigate themselves.

In an instant, countless forces throughout the world sent people to Cangzhou to get to the bottom of the matter.

Of course, not all forces were completely ignorant of Lu Qing.

Ji State, Qingyun Sword Pavilion.

In a small building, several elders sat facing each other.

On the table before them lay a list—the Dragon Submerging List.

"Lu Qing, Cangzhou..."

One of the elders, with a white beard, stared at the name on the list, deep in thought.

He asked, "A few days ago, Ming Jian and the others went out to train. Later, they sent a message saying they had encountered a young genius in Cangzhou, also called Lu Qing?"

"That's right," another elder with short hair nodded. "Moreover, they said that this young genius had a stunning talent for martial arts. It is said that he once defeated a Martial Arts Master while still at the perfect stage of Bone Refinement. They even witnessed him capture the twelfth-level killer of the Seven Kills Tower, 'Heavenly Solitary,' with just his bare fists in just a few breaths."

"This is too bizarre to believe. When I first received the letter, I thought Ming Jian and the others had been deceived and misled by rumors, and I was quite angry."

"But after questioning the disciple who delivered the message, it seems that it's not a rumor but the truth."

"Coincidentally, the Seven Kills Tower issued a Seven Kills Order a few days ago, and the target is also someone named Lu Qing."

"This proves that what Ming Jian and the others said was not false."

"If the Seven Kills Tower has issued a Seven Kills Order, then it must be correct. The Lu Qing mentioned by Ming Jian and the others is most likely the one on the Dragon Submerging List."

Chapter: "The Mystery of Lu Qing"

The elder with the white beard nodded.

"It can't be a coincidence for two people to have the same name, be from Cangzhou, and both be young prodigies.

There's no doubt that the Lu Qing on the Dragon Submerging List and the one mentioned by our disciples are one and the same."

However, this realization only made the white-bearded elder more astonished.

"A seventeen-year-old in the Internal Organs realm, defeating a Martial Arts Master while still at the perfect stage of Bone Refinement... Who would have thought that such an incredibly talented individual exists in this world?

No wonder the Tianji Tower included him on the Dragon Submerging List. Such a divinely gifted genius should indeed be on the list, or few in this world would be worthy.

I wonder which power managed to nurture such a young genius!"

"According to Ming Jian's letter, this Lu Qing's master is quite mysterious. All they know is that his teacher is a secretive Innate Realm expert, but they didn't get a chance to meet this person at Wei Mansion," the short-haired elder said.

"I wonder who this mysterious Innate Realm expert could be," the white-bearded elder mused.

"It's a pity that Ming Jian and the others haven't returned from their trip yet. Otherwise, we could have asked them for more details," another elder added.

The letter could only convey so much, and many of the finer details were left untold, leaving them with a desire to know more.

"Since this Lu Qing already has a master, we shouldn't pry too much and risk offending them," the white-bearded elder said after some thought.

It was clear that with an Innate Realm master as his mentor, Lu Qing's backing was likely significant. Excessive probing could create unnecessary enmity, which would be a loss for their sect.

After a brief discussion, the white-bearded elder decided to set the matter aside for the time being.

"The reason I called you here today is not only because of the Dragon Submerging List, but also to discuss something even more important—the 'Millennial Shift'."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the faces of the elders turned grave.

"Is the Millennial Shift truly about to happen, Sect Master?"

One of the elders, thin and frail-looking, couldn't help but ask.

"Going by the actions of the various sects in recent years, it's highly likely," the white-bearded elder said solemnly. "This matter concerns the future glory of our Sword Pavilion, and we must not take it lightly."

"But what exactly is this Millennial Shift, and how should we respond to it? We still don't know the nature of this event," another elder asked.

"Only the four secret lands, as well as ancient sects like the Tianji Tower and the Seven Kills Tower, are likely to know the truth about the Millennial Shift. Our Sword Pavilion's heritage falls short in comparison," the white-bearded elder said with a hint of regret. "Even if we don't know the reason, we can't just sit here and do nothing. We must take some action."

The other elders fell silent, sharing in his dilemma.

It was frustrating to know that a major change was imminent yet have no idea what it entailed.

One of the elders suddenly spoke up, "Why don't we seek out Little Master Uncle? He's well-traveled and knowledgeable; he must know some inside information."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the elders changed, and they looked slightly uncomfortable.

It seemed that the mention of this person had brought up someone they greatly feared.

However, they also knew that what the elder had suggested wasn't a bad idea.

If it were that person, he might indeed know some secrets.

After all, in his pursuit of answers, he had even dared to excavate the grave of their sect's founding ancestor.

But then, they hesitated, thinking of his temperament.

Given his hatred for the sect, would he even be willing to help?

After a while, the white-bearded elder sighed and said, "Let me go. Little Master Uncle always had a soft spot for me. Perhaps, out of our old affinity, he'll be willing to divulge some information. After all, he also grew up here."

A quarter of an hour later, the white-bearded elder arrived at a cliff at the back of the Sword Pavilion, carrying a bamboo basket.

At the edge of the cliff was a small cave, only half a person tall, dark and deep, leading to an unknown destination.

This place was a forbidden area of the sect, accessible only to the Sect Master and a few Great Elders; no one else was allowed near it.

The white-bearded elder hesitated for a moment at the cave entrance before finally bending down and entering.

After walking about a dozen steps into the cave, the passage widened, allowing him to stand upright.

As he continued along the passage, he suddenly heard the sound of water up ahead. Turning a corner, he found himself in a large cave with light filtering down from above.

Chapter: "A Meeting in the Cave"

The white-bearded elder paid no heed to his surroundings and walked straight to the cave wall beside the small pond. He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle."

Apart from the sound of flowing water, the cave remained silent. After a while, a hoarse voice echoed, "I thought it was someone else, but it's actually our Sect Master. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Your Excellency? Have you finally found time to pay respects to this old man in his twilight years, after neglecting me for so long?"

A hint of shame flashed across the white-bearded elder's face as he replied, "Junior Martial Uncle, it is indeed my fault for not visiting you these years. I've been occupied with managing the affairs of the sect and haven't had the opportunity to pay my respects."

"Pay respects? That's a nice way to put it," the voice scoffed. "But wasn't it you, the esteemed Sect Master, who imprisoned me here back then? What's the point of putting on this act now?"

"Junior Martial Uncle, although I wronged you back then, I do not regret my actions," the white-bearded elder said firmly.

"The trouble you caused back then was too great. If we hadn't given them an explanation, our entire Sword Pavilion might have been destroyed because of you. As the Sect Master, I had to put the sect's interests first, and so I had to wrong you, Junior Martial Uncle," he continued.

"So, back then, you took advantage of my trust in you, secretly poisoned me, stripped me of my cultivation, and imprisoned me in this lightless place?" The voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Junior Martial Uncle, your cultivation was profound, and we were no match for you in a direct confrontation. We could only resort to this desperate measure. I wronged you, and if you hold a grudge and wish to scold me, I will accept it," the white-bearded elder said.

The voice fell silent for a moment before sighing, "Never mind all that. What's the point of bringing up the past? In any case, my cultivation is already ruined, and I'm just a useless old man now. Say what you've come for."

"You've seen right through me, as always," the white-bearded elder admitted.

"It's not hard to guess," the voice replied. "Ever since you imprisoned me here, you bunch of young'uns have felt guilty and haven't dared to face me. You wouldn't come here unless it was necessary."

"That's right, Junior Martial Uncle. We felt ashamed to face you," the white-bearded elder said.

"Enough with the chitchat. Get to the point," the voice snapped impatiently.

"It's like this, Junior Martial Uncle," the white-bearded elder began, organizing his thoughts. "In recent years, strange phenomena have occurred frequently across the world, and the top sects have been acting strangely, as if they're plotting something. We've tried our best to investigate, but we still don't understand their intentions.

However, we've heard from the Tianji Tower that a 'Millennial Shift' is approaching, and the world will undergo great changes, leading to conflicts and chaos. But we can't figure out what this 'Millennial Shift' refers to and what kind of changes it will bring."

The white-bearded elder continued, "Junior Martial Uncle, with your extensive knowledge and erudition, surely you must know something about this matter?"

"What did you say? A 'Millennial Shift' is approaching?" The voice suddenly became agitated.

There was a loud clanking of chains, and a figure suddenly rose from the cave wall. It turned out that the person had been lying there the whole time. Due to the dimness of the cave, his dirty clothes blended with the color of the wall, making him difficult to spot.

"Little Jianwen, are you saying this is true? A 'Millennial Shift' is approaching?" The figure's voice trembled with excitement.

His body shook with emotion, causing the chains to rattle again. Thick iron chains bound his body, securing him to the cave wall.

"This information comes from the Tianji Tower, so it should be accurate," the white-bearded elder replied.

"Hahaha! So this day has finally come! I've finally lived to see it! I've waited for over two hundred years, and that damned heaven hasn't worn me down!" The figure burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the cave.

"Junior Martial Uncle, you do know something about this, don't you?" The white-bearded elder's eyes lit up as he realized the truth.

"Of course, I know! How could I not know? If it weren't for this secret, I wouldn't have ended up like this!" The figure's voice still held a hint of madness.

"Junior Martial Uncle, since you know the reason, please enlighten us," the white-bearded elder pleaded.

"You want to know what this 'Millennial Shift' is about, don't you?" the figure asked.

"Please enlighten us, Junior Martial Uncle," the white-bearded elder said.

"Then let's make a deal," the figure said, a strange smile appearing beneath his messy hair.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end