Chapter 260: A Rift from Ten Millennia Past, Suppression of Rules, and a Chance Encounter

Chapter 260: A Rift from Ten Millennia Past, Suppression of Rules, and a Chance Encounter

June 24, 2024

"It's truly a majestic spectacle, a wonder of the world," Magu exclaimed as he took in the surroundings while walking on the bridge.

They had already been walking on the bridge for quite some time. The rushing river beneath their feet churned with turbulent waves, and the mist that shrouded its edges was painted with a reddish-orange hue by the rising sun in the distance, creating a breathtaking sight.

"It is said that this great river stretches endlessly, flowing all the way to the southern seas. I wonder if that's true," Wei Zian remarked.

"That part is indeed true," the old doctor nodded.

Lu Qing, on the other hand, was carefully sensing the spiritual energy in the surrounding space.

He could feel that as they continued forward, the spiritual energy in the air gradually became more concentrated.

This only heightened his anticipation for what awaited them as they truly entered the pass and stepped into Zhongzhou.

The river at Qinglong Pass was awe-inspiringly vast.

It took them a long time to finally reach the end of the bridge.

Lu Qing estimated that the length of this bridge exceeded a thousand zhang.

In other words, the width of the raging river at Qinglong Pass was over three kilometers.

No wonder Qinglong Pass was known as the foremost pass in the world. With this natural barrier, aside from those Innate Realm experts who could tread on water, even Martial Arts Masters would find it extremely challenging to cross this river.

After all, the river was not only vast but also rapid, and who knew what dangers lurked beneath its waters.

While Martial Arts Masters might possess enduring qi and robust vitality, allowing them to hold their breath for extended periods underwater, it did not necessarily mean they could move about freely.

As they descended from the bridge, Lu Qing and his companions beheld yet another stunning sight.

Before them stood a towering cliff that soared into the clouds, spanning across the land like a heavenly barrier, its peak lost in the mists.

In comparison, the people standing on the ground seemed as insignificant as ants.

On this cliff, there was a straight fissure that ran from top to bottom, as if a tremendous force had cleaved it in two.

And Lu Qing and his group were about to pass through this fissure.

"Could this fissure on the cliff have been created by someone?" Wei Zian exclaimed in awe at the sight before him.

"Nonsense! This cliff is so tall that we can't even see its peak. How could it have been split by someone? If that were the case, that person would have to be a celestial..." Magu started to refute, but as he spoke, he found himself staring at Lu Qing, his eyes widening in realization.

He recalled Lu Qing mentioning the existence of celestials in ancient times.

"Don't look at me like that, Magu. This fissure has existed for who knows how many tens of thousands of years. It's been so long that I couldn't possibly know the details. Perhaps when we return, we can ask someone in Qinglong City, and they might be able to provide more information," Lu Qing said with a smile.

Magu nodded.

Indeed, while Lu Qing and his brother were erudite, it was unreasonable to expect them to know everything about the world.

"Let's go. Once we pass through this valley, we will officially enter Zhongzhou," Lu Qing said.

Lu Qing and his companions had been admiring the scenery on the bridge, so they were slower than the others. By the time they descended from the bridge, they were the last ones.

Even Hu Laosan's third daughter and her group, who had been behind them, had overtaken them along the way.

As a result, there was no one else around, and most people had already entered the valley.

The group began to make their way toward the fissure.

Only then did Lu Qing slowly withdraw his gaze, suppressing the trace of shock that had appeared in his eyes.

In his vision, several messages slowly faded away:

[Qinglong Canyon: During the ancient cultivation era, a rift valley created by a mighty cultivator with supreme mystical powers.]



[The age of this canyon is ancient, exceeding 100,000 years.]



[Passing through this canyon will lead to the realm of Zhongzhou.]



...

Lu Qing had not been entirely truthful earlier.

He had already used his ability to investigate the origin of this astonishing fissure.

However, he couldn't share the information he had discovered with the others.

After all, the fissure had existed for an incredibly long time.

This ancient remnant from ten millennia ago spanned across two cultivation eras.

Perhaps no one in the present world still knew the true origin of this awe-inspiring fissure.

Unfortunately, perhaps due to the sheer age of the fissure, Lu Qing couldn't sense any peculiar energy or detect any traces of a legacy within it.

As they entered the fissure, Lu Qing and his companions couldn't help but marvel once more.

From a distance, the fissure in the cliff seemed narrow, but now that they were actually inside, they realized it was quite spacious.

The distance between the two sides of the cliff was at least twenty zhang, and it was more like a wide valley than a mere fissure.

The valley was also exceptionally long, and as they ventured deeper, Lu Qing's heart stirred with increasing awe.

As they finally exited the valley, Lu Qing was utterly astounded.

He estimated the length of this valley to exceed a thousand zhang as well.

He struggled to fathom just how formidable the mighty cultivator from a hundred millennia ago must have been to create such a breathtaking fissure.

Perhaps only a true immortal could possess such earth-shattering might.

"We're finally out."

Magu heaved a sigh of relief as they left the valley.

While they were inside, he had always felt an inexplicable sense of solemnity, so overwhelming that he dared not breathe too deeply.

Now, he finally understood why those ahead had hurried through without lingering.

No one could bear the oppressive atmosphere of the valley for too long.

Even Lu Qing, with his formidable mental fortitude, had felt a sense of pressure within the valley.

Whether it was due to the lingering will of the mighty cultivator who had cleaved the fissure or simply the inherent oppressiveness of the mountains themselves, it was hard to say.

Even with his extraordinary ability, Lu Qing couldn't discern the cause.

"So this is Zhongzhou?"

Having calmed their spirits, Lu Qing and his companions now looked ahead.

Before them lay a vast expanse of land, with a deep abyss thousands of feet below, clouds drifting by, and birds soaring through the sky.

The sight was truly awe-inspiring and liberating.

"The spiritual energy here..."

Lu Qing sensed the surroundings and widened his eyes slightly.

He found that the spiritual energy in the surrounding space was even denser than it had been in the valley, more than double what it had been in Qinglong City.

However, as he perceived the denser spiritual energy, he also noticed another issue.

The range of his spiritual sense had been greatly suppressed.

Previously, he could sense movements up to several li away, but now his perception was limited to half a li at most.

"Is this interference due to the denser spiritual energy, or is it a unique suppression from the land of Zhongzhou itself?"

Lu Qing's heart stirred with surprise as he pondered this development.

Just that morning, his spiritual sense had reached its limit once more, increasing its range considerably.

Yet, upon entering Zhongzhou, not only had it failed to strengthen further, but it had also been suppressed.

This wasn't good news for him.

"As expected of the center of the world, blessed with the bounty of nature and a concentration of spiritual essence."

The old doctor also sensed the change in the surrounding spiritual energy and couldn't help but voice his admiration.

Just by standing there for a short while, he felt that his spiritual energy had already improved slightly.

"Master, do you feel it too? Our spiritual sense seems to have been suppressed," Lu Qing asked.

"Indeed. I can now only sense movements within a hundred or so meters," the old doctor confirmed.

"I wonder if this suppression affects everyone or just outsiders like us," Lu Qing said, a hint of worry in his voice.

"It's probably not targeting us specifically," the old doctor mused. "I sense that the laws of this land in Zhongzhou evolve faster than in the outer states, and it is these laws that are suppressing us, not some external force."

"That's a relief," Lu Qing said, his expression easing slightly.

His spiritual power was strong, but he had not yet reached the Innate Realm, and his perception of the laws of the world was not as clear as his master's.

"Master, what should we do now? Should we head directly to the Sacred Mountain?" Lu Qing asked.

"Let's go to the Sacred Mountain first," the old doctor replied. "Since we've arrived, I've been feeling a subtle pull from something far away, and its direction seems to be toward the Sacred Mountain."

"You feel it too, Master?" Lu Qing was slightly taken aback.

Just then, he had also sensed a distant pull on his spirit, seemingly coming from the direction of the Sacred Mountain.

A realization dawned on him—could it be that the great opportunity he had been sensing all this time was located there?

"Master, let's get on the carriage. Zhongzhou is vast, and according to the map given by Xuanjizi, the Sacred Mountain is still quite far from here," Lu Qing suggested.

"Alright," the old doctor nodded.

They had taken in the sights of Zhongzhou, and it was time to resume their journey.

The massive platform where Lu Qing and his companions now stood was located halfway up the mountain, but to their left, a wide road led downhill.

Once they boarded the carriage, Magu cracked the whip, and the carriage began to move.

However, Lu Qing refrained from activating the array on the carriage.

Zhongzhou was a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and the array on the carriage was rather conspicuous. As newcomers to this land, it would be unwise to attract too much attention.

The carriage picked up speed as it descended the mountain, but before they had gone far, it suddenly jolted to a halt.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt, accompanied by Magu's shouting and the horses' neighing.

The sudden stop caused a chain reaction.

Caught off guard, Xiaoyan and Wei Zian lurched forward.

Fortunately, Lu Qing reacted quickly, catching Xiaoyan and stopping Wei Zian just in time to prevent them from crashing into the carriage wall.

As for Xiaoli and Master, they were both skilled and needed no assistance.

"What's going on, Magu?" Lu Qing asked, steadying the startled Xiaoyan.

However, before Magu could respond, a voice called out from ahead.

"You little wretch, where do you think you're running off to now?"

"Uncle, help me!"

What was happening? Lu Qing soothed Xiaoyan before stepping out of the carriage to assess the situation.

When he saw what was happening outside, he was taken aback.

There, just in front of the carriage, lay a young girl with disheveled hair and tattered clothes.

Her legs were stained with blood, indicating she had been injured.

A few yards ahead of her were three figures, slowly approaching with weapons in hand.

Such a scene would normally be alarming, but Lu Qing was unfazed.

The reason for his surprise was that he recognized all three of them.

The girl was Hu Laosan's daughter, and the three figures approaching her with ill intent were the very friends that Hu Laosan had entrusted with escorting his daughter to the Xuanxin Sect.

Clearly, Hu Laosan had made a grave mistake in his choice of companions.

The trio seemed intent on harming the girl.

"Hand over the item, you little wretch, or else I'll strip you naked, chop you into eight pieces, and throw you into this bottomless abyss to feed the wolves!" the red-clad woman among the three threatened, brandishing a long whip.

"What a waste it would be to just strip her," the burly man in gray clothing leered. "Such a pretty little thing, we should have our fun with her first."

The small, skinny man beside him lecherously added, "Yes, she's too beautiful to waste. We can't let her go to waste!"

They acted as if no one else was around, completely disregarding Lu Qing and his companions.

"I don't care what you two do, but we can't let anything happen to the item," the red-clad woman said with disgust, her voice cold.

"No, please!" The girl, upon seeing the three approaching, cried out in terror and began to crawl toward Lu Qing's carriage, pleading to Magu again. "Uncle, please help me! These three evil people want to kill me!"

"What's going on, Magu?" Lu Qing asked.

"Young Master, I was driving the carriage just now when we suddenly came upon a turn, and I almost hit this young lady. I had to pull the horses to a stop," Magu explained.

"Young Master..." The girl saw Lu Qing and heard Magu's address, and her eyes lit up with hope, pleading with him.

"You want to stick your nose into this, boy?" The gray-clad burly man, holding a ghost-faced battle axe, looked at Lu Qing with interest.

He recognized Lu Qing and Magu; they had crossed paths on the bridge earlier in their journey.

If he recalled correctly, Lu Qing's group had consisted mostly of the old and infirm, including an elder and a child.

Aside from the coachman, who seemed to possess some skill, the rest were weak and posed no threat.

The red-clad woman and the skinny man also eyed Lu Qing's group coldly.

Ignoring them, Lu Qing turned to the girl and asked, "What's your relation to Hu Laosan?"

The girl paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with joy. "He's my father! Do you know my father?"

"We've met once," Lu Qing replied nonchalantly. "But aren't these three supposed to be your father's friends? Why are they trying to harm you?"

"It's because..." The girl began to explain, but before she could finish, a gust of wind rushed toward them, and the gray-clad man appeared before Lu Qing, a cruel smile on his face.

"You ignorant fool, let me enlighten you!" he said, raising his ghost-faced battle axe high and bringing it down on Lu Qing with tremendous force.

The girl closed her eyes, unable to bear the thought of witnessing Lu Qing being split in two.

As expected, a scream pierced the air, and the girl trembled, certain that Lu Qing had been cleaved in two.

However, to her surprise, the scream didn't sound like Lu Qing's.

She quickly opened her eyes and was astonished to see Lu Qing standing there unharmed, while the gray-clad man lay on the ground, screaming in agony.

Not only had he dropped his ghost-faced battle axe, but his limbs were also contorted at odd angles, rendering him immobile.

What just happened? The girl's beautiful face was filled with bewilderment.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end