Chapter 237: Obtaining the Legacy, Unveiling the Truth

Chapter 237: Obtaining the Legacy, Unveiling the Truth

"So many treasures!"

Chu Ning and the others were equally astonished by the sight that greeted them in the grand hall.

It resembled the treasure pavilion of their sect, filled with rows upon rows of shelves.

Each shelf was meticulously arranged, bearing an array of artifacts, treasures, jade slips, pills, and alchemy materials.

Every item was clearly labeled, making it easy to identify their contents.

"Look over there, there's writing on the wall!"

Shang Xiaohuan interrupted, pointing to the right wall of the hall.

The group followed her gaze, momentarily forgetting about the treasures in front of them.

These words, inscribed using a magical restriction, remained undamaged despite the passage of thousands of years.

As they finished reading, their expressions turned complex.

"It seems that our predecessors had the upper hand in the battle. They were on the verge of victory.

But in the final moments, the entire valley was mysteriously dragged into a spatial rift.

After defeating their opponents, the elders from various sects collected everything from the fallen cultivators, hoping to bring these treasures back to the sect one day."

"Our predecessors had our best interests at heart."

"Indeed. Among the items on the shelves, there are artifacts from not only our Jiuhua Zong but also Daluo Zong and other sects.

However, the most valuable treasures must be those belonging to our Jiuhua Zong."

"Absolutely. Our predecessors realized the importance of these legacies and organized them accordingly.

They even set up our sect's restriction to ensure that only members of our sect could discover and retrieve these treasures."

"Our predecessors' efforts have not been in vain. We can finally bring these legacies back!"

The group exchanged proud and excited glances.

Chu Ning, however, studied the inscriptions with a thoughtful expression.

"Suddenly being dragged into a spatial rift... Didn't something similar happen to Leihu Zong?

Could it be that the Demon from Beyond was also involved in the internal strife of Shuangyun Meng back then? But neither the records in Jiuhua Zong nor the accounts of our predecessors mentioned anything about it."

Chu Ning shook his head slightly, perplexed.

"Perhaps I'm overthinking this."

Pushing his doubts aside, Chu Ning turned his attention to the treasures as the others had already started examining them.

Exclamations of surprise soon filled the hall from every corner.

"The Cloud Sea Seven Stars Formation! I've found the manual for the Cloud Sea Seven Stars Formation!"

"The Nine Illusions Purple Electric Knife—a top-tier magic technique!"

"The Purple Sky Soul Condensing Pill—a cognitive enhancement pill said to be effective even for Golden Core cultivators!"

"This is the Nine Heavens Seal, the signature treasure of one of our predecessors!"

As the group exclaimed in delight, Chu Ning made his way to the section dedicated to cultivation techniques.

His eyes scanned the shelves, and he soon spotted several of the lost Heavenly-ranked techniques he had seen in the treasure pavilion.

Without hesitation, Chu Ning's gaze shifted downward to the Earth-ranked techniques.

Five Elements Chaos Technique

His eyes widened as he read the title inscribed on the jade slip.

He quickly grabbed it and inspected it with his spiritual sense, finding the cultivation technique intact within.

"The Five Elements Chaos Technique is undoubtedly a Heavenly-ranked technique! – Shen Bai"

Upon reading these words, Chu Ning's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

It was indeed left by the elder Shen Bai, and just as Liu Zhaolin had said, he considered it a Heavenly-ranked technique.

"At least this trip wasn't in vain!"

Chu Ning's heart leaped with joy, but he quickly calmed himself and withdrew his spiritual sense from the jade slip.

He glanced at his ecstatic fellow disciples, who were still engrossed in examining the treasures.

"Fellow disciples, we can always examine these treasures back at the sect.

For now, let's focus on taking everything with us and leaving this place as soon as possible."

Hearing Chu Ning's words, the others reluctantly put down the items in their hands.

Though disappointed, they knew he was right.

He Yanmao spoke up, "Among us, Li Qun has the highest cultivation level. To ensure our safety on the return journey, I suggest that Li Qun carry all the items.

Once we bring them back, I'm sure the Sect Master and the others will reward us generously.

Even if we don't consider the artifacts and treasures, just being able to study one or two of these secret techniques would be more than enough."

"He Yanmao is right!" Yi Wenliang agreed.

"It's only natural for Li Qun to be in charge of these treasures; it's the most appropriate decision."

With the two most powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators in agreement, the others had no objections.

"Alright!"

Chu Ning no longer declined and took out an empty storage bag, swiftly sweeping all the items into it.

Thus, the group destroyed the writing on the wall and opted to leave the grand hall.

With Chu Ning's method of dispelling restrictions, they exited the grand hall's formation and chose not to descend the steps but instead rode their magical artifacts, flying through the air along their original path.

Soon, they had left the ruins of the sect in Wolong Valley behind.

The next challenge was finding their way out.

Fortunately, Jiuhua Zong had anticipated this and prepared accordingly.

Yi Wenliang immediately took out the array plate magical artifact and began to probe.

"We should head southwest; the connection point between this space and the outside world should be in that direction," he declared.

On this journey, in addition to Yi Wenliang, Chu Ning, He Yanmao, and others also carried artifacts that could help them navigate.

For instance, the magical mirror in Chu Ning's hand could not only detect the group's location but also, through a secret technique, find the junction between this space and the outside world.

However, compared to the array plate in the hands of Yi Wenliang, a formation master, the accuracy of their positioning would be slightly inferior.

Since they had determined the direction, the group did not linger.

With Chu Ning's exceptionally powerful spiritual sense guiding them and the absence of interference from Daluo Zong cultivators, they could easily avoid high-level demons.

As a result, their flying speed was quite fast.

To avoid any unforeseen complications, Chu Ning not only led the group away from fifth-rank demons but even steered clear of fourth-rank ones.

With this cautious approach, it took only half a day for the group to reach their designated location.

Along the way, He Yanmao continuously activated the magical mirror in his hand, hoping to detect the remaining five fellow disciples.

Unfortunately, even as they arrived at the spatial node, there was still no sign of the others.

The group naturally wouldn't wait any longer.

Yi Wenliang once again took out the array plate, channeled his spiritual power into it, and a beam of light shot out, striking the spatial barrier in front of them.

The originally empty-looking area now rippled with faint ripples.

At this moment, in the deep valley of Wolong Mountain, Yu Changge was the first to sense the disturbance.

A glint of joy flashed in his eyes, and the next moment, he transmitted his voice to Gong Yuquan and the others:

"They're about to come out. Let's join forces to open the spatial passage."

As he spoke, Yu Changge took the lead and made his move.

Gong Yuquan and the other two quickly followed suit.

The actions of Yu Changge and his companions naturally didn't escape the notice of the Daluo Zong group led by Aolangtian, who were not far away.

Aolangtian exchanged glances with the few cultivators beside him, their eyes flickering slightly.

However, not knowing the specifics of the situation, they naturally wouldn't act rashly.

They merely coldly observed the movements of the Jiuhua Zong group.

With the combined efforts of Yu Changge and Gong Yuquan, a spatial passage of similar size to the previous one was soon opened.

The first person to walk out was Chu Ning, who had disguised himself as Li Qun.

Carrying numerous sect legacies, he was chosen by the group to be the first to emerge.

When Yu Changge saw Chu Ning's figure, his eyes flickered slightly.

He had a premonition about who would enter this space, and he expected that some unexpected events would occur.

Seeing Chu Ning emerge safely, he couldn't help but feel slightly relieved.

As Shang Xiaohuan, Yi Wenliang, He Yanmao, and the others followed suit, the faces of the several Jiuhua Zong elders gradually lit up with smiles.

However, when only fifteen people had come out and there was no further movement, the expressions of Yu Changge and the others turned solemn.

At this moment, Chu Ning transmitted his voice to Yu Changge using his spiritual sense:

"Sect Master, the rest of our fellow disciples have met with misfortune. Something unexpected happened. We should return to the sect immediately."

Upon hearing Chu Ning's words, Yu Changge's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't ask further questions.

He nodded slightly and glanced at Gong Yuquan and the others, who then withdrew their spiritual power, causing the spatial passage to close.

On the other side, Aolangtian and his companions had mixed expressions.

"What's going on? How did Jiuhua Zong manage to get so many people out?" Aolangtian asked, his eyes narrowing.

He was all too familiar with the arrangements of his own sect.

One Golden Core cultivator had used a secret technique to forcibly suppress his cultivation and enter, along with one fake pill-stage late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The remaining eight people worked in pairs, each pair possessing the strength to rival a Golden Core cultivator.

And if they joined forces, even a Golden Core cultivator would perish.

"Could it be that these Jiuhua Zong cultivators were just lucky and didn't encounter any of our sect's disciples? Or did they escape because they were being pursued by our Daluo Zong members?" Aolangtian speculated, his eyes fixed on the fifteen Jiuhua Zong disciples, trying to discern something from their expressions.

At the same time, he was also observing their cultivation levels, but he didn't notice anything unusual.

In Aolangtian's eyes, everyone's cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment stage.

As for their expressions, they all looked deep in thought.

The elderly man with furrowed brows, who had accompanied Aolangtian to Jiuhua Zong earlier, asked this question. Aolangtian hesitated slightly upon hearing this but ultimately shook his head. He watched as the members of Jiuhua Zong flew away on their boat, his eyebrows knitting together. "After the end of this competition, the Alliance specifically instructed the two Grand Elders not to interfere in this matter. Yu Changge is powerful, and with Gong Yuquan, the four of us may not be able to stop them. Let's wait for Brother Sun and the others to return. The legacies and treasures within that site are far more important."

As he spoke, a greedy gleam entered Aolangtian's eyes. "As long as our Daluo Zong obtains the legacies and secret treasures of several sects within, with a few decades of development, our strength will soar. By then, our standing within the Alliance will surely rise, and it won't be too late to deal with Jiuhua Zong then." "Indeed!" The elderly man with furrowed brows nodded in agreement, but a suspicious look crossed his face. "It's just strange that Brother Sun and the others allowed so many Jiuhua Zong members to escape, yet they haven't come out themselves. We had hoped to take advantage of this opportunity to inflict more losses on Jiuhua Zong's foundation disciples. Now, they've only lost five, and it seems their luck is holding."

"It is a bit of a pity." Aolangtian's tone carried a hint of regret as well. He turned his gaze back to the direction of the spatial site ruins. "It's also possible that Brother Sun and the others revealed their cultivation and were detected, causing these Jiuhua Zong disciples to choose to flee. Regardless, with Brother Sun inside and our fellow disciples working in pairs, each pair possessing the strength to rival a Golden Core cultivator, nothing unexpected will happen. This legacy will eventually fall into our hands; let's wait a little longer."

Aolangtian had no idea that he would wait day after day, yet the barrier remained silent, with no signs of activity. On the other side, led by Yu Changge's group of four Golden Core cultivators, Chu Ning and the rest of the Jiuhua Zong members safely returned to their sect. In the main hall of the sect, on the Nine Spirit Peak, Yu Changge immediately gathered all the sect elders. Once the nine elders had assembled, Yu Changge looked at Chu Ning and the others, asking, "You've all kept quiet on the way back, but now you can finally tell us what happened."

The elders' gazes turned to Chu Ning, and He Yanmao spoke up, "Li Qun, you should explain." The elders were puzzled by this, except for Ge Liuyang. They were surprised when this "Li Qun" was included in the top twenty list, as they had never heard of this late Foundation Establishment cultivator before. However, since it was Yu Changge's arrangement, they trusted his decision and didn't object. Now, seeing He Yanmao and the others' behavior, it seemed that this "Li Qun" had somehow become their leader, and they treated him with great respect. This revelation surprised the elders.

However, as Chu Ning began to speak, they listened intently. Chu Ning briefly recounted the important events. He described how, shortly after entering the Wolong Mountain ruins, he encountered two Daluo Zong cultivators being pursued by a Red Flame Beast and how he killed them before rescuing Shang Xiaohuan. At this point, Chu Ning paused and turned to Shang Xiaohuan, saying, "Shang Xiaohuan, you know what happened next, so why don't you explain?"

From Chu Ning's perspective, it was challenging to narrate some parts of the story, so he decided to let Shang Xiaohuan take over. "Okay," Shang Xiaohuan nodded and began, "Not long after I entered the ruins, I also encountered two Daluo Zong cultivators." "You also encountered two Daluo Zong cultivators?" One of the nine Golden Core elders, a female cultivator named Fu Lihong, interrupted with a question.

When Chu Ning had mentioned encountering two Daluo Zong cultivators earlier, they were only mildly surprised. But now, upon hearing Shang Xiaohuan's similar experience, they began to sense that something was amiss. Shang Xiaohuan continued, nodding as she described how the two Daluo Zong cultivators had teamed up and how Chu Ning had rescued her and then met up with He Yanmao and the others. At this point, the elders' gazes shifted to Chu Ning, and they finally understood why this "Li Qun" commanded such respect from the others.

Shang Xiaohuan was already deeply grateful to Chu Ning for saving her twice, and now, as she recounted the events, she couldn't help but embellish Chu Ning's bravery and prowess.

When she described how Chu Ning had drawn away the Jin Dan cultivator, everyone listening was moved.

Their curiosity grew as they anticipated the outcome of the confrontation with such a powerful sect as Daluo Zong, knowing that sheer numbers wouldn't guarantee victory.

Yu Changge and Ge Liuyang, however, seemed to suspect something, though they couldn't be sure.

Shang Xiaohuan continued, "The three-colored light barrier formed by the combined efforts of the five Daluo Zong cultivators was incredibly powerful. Even with so many of us attacking, several of our companions were injured.

Just as He Yanmao and the others were launching their assault to hold them off, Li Qun reappeared. He had killed the Daluo Zong's Jin Dan cultivator and returned to rescue us!"

"What did you say?" Fu Lihong interrupted, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Li Qun killed the Jin Dan cultivator? Sun Shifan has been in the Jin Dan stage for five or six years, and his abilities are no small matter.

How could he have died at the hands of Li Qun?"

"Master, it's true!" Shang Xiaohuan exclaimed, seeing the skeptical looks on Fu Lihong's and the other Jin Dan elders' faces.

"We didn't know at first, but then Li Qun struck, shattering the three-colored light barrier and killing another cultivator, disrupting their formation..."

Shang Xiaohuan went on to describe how Chu Ning had spoken with Feng Xianwu, and how the latter, overwhelmed by the situation, had given up resistance. She then recounted how they had discovered Sun Shifan's body.

At this point, the Jin Dan elders exchanged complex glances, their eyes resting on Chu Ning with a mix of emotions.

Among the nine Jin Dan elders present, aside from the First Elder, Gong Yuyuan, and the Second Elder, Yuan Zhuo, both of whom were in the late Jin Dan stage, there were three in the middle Jin Dan stage, including Ling Cang, and four in the early Jin Dan stage.

Now, hearing that this "Li Qun" had the ability to kill a Jin Dan cultivator, they were all astounded.

At their level of cultivation, they understood how incredibly difficult it was to shatter a Jin Dan cultivator's defenses.

However, before anyone could ask further questions, Shang Xiaohuan hurried on, eager to reach the part about obtaining the legacies.

When she described how Chu Ning had once again broken through restrictions to lead them into the grand hall, where they found the legacies prepared by their predecessors, even Yu Changge couldn't contain his curiosity.

"Where are those items now?" he asked.

"With me!" Chu Ning replied, producing the storage bag and using his spiritual power to remove its contents, which he then displayed before them.

The entire hall was soon filled with rows upon rows of artifacts, jade slips, pills, and alchemy materials.

Even the late Jin Dan cultivators like Yu Changge, Gong Yuyuan, and Yuan Zhuo couldn't hide their excitement.

The ten Jin Dan cultivators eagerly approached the shelves, picking up jade slips, artifacts, and alchemy materials.

"The Dan Technique legacy of my Pill Refining Pavilion is complete! Finally complete!"

"The Heaven-ranked technique, Nine Primes Divine Fire Manual, and the method to cultivate and refine the Golden Phoenix Feather Bamboo! I can now forge the Golden Feather Sword Formation!"

Ling Cang, Ge Liuyang, and the other Jin Dan cultivators were overcome with emotion, some with tears of joy streaming down their faces.

Even the usually stoic Yu Changge couldn't hide his excitement.

"The Moon Spirit Elixir! Our sect still has a Moon Spirit Elixir!

This pill could extend the life of our Grand Elder by a hundred years!" Yu Changge exclaimed.

Hearing this, everyone in the hall, including the Jin Dan elders, wore expressions of elation.

They all understood the significance of extending the Grand Elder's life by a century for their entire sect.

First Elder Gong Yuyuan's gaze fell upon Chu Ning, and he seemed to have a sudden realization.

"Sect Master, this Li Qun has rendered great service to our sect, and yet we knew nothing of his abilities before this," he said.

Yu Changge smiled and said, "Chu Ning, it's time to reveal your true self to your fellow sect members."

At his words, all eyes turned to Chu Ning.

Chu Ning smiled and casually removed the mask, revealing his true identity.

"Chu Ning!!" Ling Cang and Gong Yuyuan exclaimed in surprise.

The ten or so Jiuhua Zong cultivators also cried out in recognition.

"Big Brother Chu!"

"Chu Ning!"

It was only then that everyone realized the truth.

Shang Xiaohuan stared at Chu Ning, murmuring, "No wonder! I wondered how our sect could have such a powerful cultivator. It was you, Chu Ning!

No wonder!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end