Chapter 287: Hidden Currents Stir — Defense Array Activated, Dao Yin Rings Again!

As Lu Qing was reflecting on his inner cultivation, deep within Sheng Cheng, a grand and imposing structure stood silent under the moonlight. Dozens of figures radiating immense power had gathered in solemn assembly. At the center of the hall, several corpses lay arranged in perfect order, their bodies draped with white shrouds.

“Qiu Zong Zhu,” boomed a towering, broad-shouldered man whose arms reached nearly to his knees, “why have you summoned us all in the dead of night?”

“Please, observe these corpses,” replied Qiu Zong Zhu, his sleeve flicking with a subtle motion. A gust of wind swept through the chamber, lifting the shrouds and revealing the ghastly forms beneath.

The sight sent a collective jolt through the room.

For these corpses were not whole. Heads had been severed, and three of them bore gaping wounds across their chests. The final one had been cleaved cleanly in two—horribly mutilated.

Yet, despite the gruesome spectacle, these were veterans of the martial world, seasoned in the bloodiest of battles. Though startled, their composure returned swiftly.

“Qiu Zong Zhu,” the tall man pressed, “who are these people? What does this have to do with your summons?”

“Do you not sense something… unusual about them?” Qiu Zong Zhu asked, his voice calm but sharp.

“Unusual? They’re just brutally killed. What else could there be?” the others muttered, scanning the bodies once more.

But then, a realization dawned.

These were not ordinary dead. All four were Xian Tian Jing masters—warriors whose cultivation levels were not inferior to any present in the hall.

The sudden appearance of four Xian Tian Jing corpses, all unknown to them, sent a chill through the air.

And then Qiu Zong Zhu pointed to one of the bodies.

“Take a look at the tattoo on this corpse. Does it mean anything to you?”

“A tattoo?” murmured the crowd, leaning in.

Some stared blankly. Others felt a strange, distant familiarity.

One man, after a long moment of intense thought, suddenly froze. His eyes widened in shock.

“Could this… be…?”

“I see you recognize it,” Qiu Zong Zhu said, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.

“Indeed,” the man—Yue Qian Bei—said, his voice trembling. “This tattoo… it matches the records in our Gui Yuan Zong archives exactly. But that’s impossible… That sect was supposed to have been eradicated centuries ago. Utterly wiped out.”

“Clearly,” Qiu Zong Zhu’s expression darkened, “the sect was never fully destroyed. There were survivors. After hundreds of years of hiding and rebuilding, they’ve resurfaced.”

A heavy silence fell.

“Yue Qian Bei,” the tall man demanded, “what are you two talking about? What sect is this tattoo tied to?”

“Wu Jian Lou!” spoke a voice like thunder.

All turned to see an old man with silver hair and youthful features—his face serene, yet his voice thunderous.

“Without a doubt. This tattoo… it is the unique emblem of Wu Jian Lou, from three hundred years ago!”

The revelation struck like lightning.

“What? Wu Jian Lou?” gasped several.

“Senior Elder, are you certain?” another asked.

“I remember now—this symbol matches exactly the one in our sect’s ancient records!”

“But Wu Jian Lou was annihilated centuries ago!” someone cried.

Qiu Zong Zhu raised a hand, silencing the murmurs.

“Do not doubt it. Fang Xiong and I have examined the bodies. Their combat techniques… they match our secret archives to the letter. These men are undeniably remnants of Wu Jian Lou.”

“But according to our records,” someone pressed, “Wu Jian Lou was wiped out in a single campaign by the major sects. Why have they reappeared now? Where were they all this time? And who killed them?”

A storm of questions brewed.

“We, too, are baffled,” Qiu Zong Zhu admitted. “That is precisely why we called you all here. I have a growing suspicion… perhaps our ancestors were deceived. Maybe the purge was never complete.”

---

Meanwhile, atop Sheng Shan, within a delicate and elegant pavilion, several red-robed monks gathered.

“Xuan Ming Senior Brother,” said Xuan Nu, “we’ve just received word from our spies. Wu Jian Lou’s operation has failed.”

“I expected nothing less from those fools,” growled a large, bearded monk, his face twisted with disdain. “They boast endlessly about their assassination skills, yet couldn’t even kill a boy and an old man. If we hadn’t taken them in, we should’ve left them to rot.”

“Xuan Ming Senior Brother,” Xuan Nu continued, “now that Wu Jian Lou’s existence is exposed, the other sects will soon learn they’re not extinct. What should we do?”

Before Xuan Ming could speak, the large monk added, “Hmph. Let them know. What does it matter to us? Let them stir up chaos. The world has grown too complacent. Too long has peace reigned. Our sects—hidden for centuries—have been forgotten. Even a mere Tian Ji Lou disciple dares defy our edicts. Let Wu Jian Lou run wild. Let them remind the world how this peace was bought… at the cost of our blood and sacrifice.”

Xuan Nu said nothing, but her eyes flickered with understanding.

“Om mani padme hum,” Xuan Ming finally spoke, his voice calm and deep. “Xuan Yan’s words may lack compassion, yet they hold truth. This journey has shown us—our long absence has dimmed the light of Dharma. The world no longer respects the Buddha. Without reverence, there is no order. Without order, ambition and chaos flourish. That is not peace—it is disaster for all living beings.”

“Thus, for the sake of all people, it is time we remind the world of the greatness of the Dharma.”

The words struck deep. Xuan Nu and the others bowed their heads, deeply moved.

“Then, Senior Brother, what now? We’ve lost all our Wu Jian Lou disciples. That boy still lives. As long as he breathes, the other secret sects will mock us.”

“Fleeting pride,” Xuan Ming replied gently, “after all your years of cultivation, can you not transcend such petty resentment? The boy lives—because fate has not yet taken him. That is destiny. If it is destiny, we may as well wait. Our true mission is not vengeance, but the completion of the abbot’s command—securing the opportunity.”

He paused, eyes closed. “Once we obtain it, the future of Xuan Kong Shan is secured. A thousand years of glory may follow. Do not lose sight of your purpose over a moment’s shame.”

The others nodded, humbled.

“But Senior Brother… the abbot said the opportunity lies within Sheng Shan. Yet we’ve searched for days, and not a trace has appeared. When will it come?”

“Patience,” Xuan Ming said softly. “The opportunity is near. I can feel it.”

With that, he entered deep meditation.

The others, though still uneasy, dared not disturb him.

---

In the days that followed, Sheng Cheng seethed with hidden currents.

The revelation that Wu Jian Lou still lived sent shockwaves through the martial world. Within days, the news spread among the high echelons of the major sects.

Though the public remained unaware, the atmosphere in Sheng Cheng grew tense—charged with anticipation, like the calm before a storm.

Yet none of it touched Lu Qing and his companions.

Since the night when the Wu Jian Lou assassins had been dispatched by Lu Qing and Xiao Li, no further attacks came. Even the Tian Ji Lou Zhu Lou—after taking the corpses—vanished without a trace, as if absorbed into the shadows.

So for the past few days, Lu Qing and the others had relaxed in the small courtyard beside Lin Zhi Rui’s residence.

Each day was a simple rhythm: training, tea, cooking, laughter—living in peaceful contentment, untouched by the unrest swirling beyond their walls.

“Lu Gongzi, look!”

In the courtyard, Lu Qing sat on a stone bench, his hands moving with delicate precision, carving something with a fine chisel. Xiao Yan and Xiao Li sat beside him, waiting quietly.

Hu Ze Zhi bounced over, twirling around. “Look! I’m completely healed!”

Lu Qing didn’t pause in his work. He glanced up, smiling. “Hu Gu Niang, your leg’s fully recovered?”

“Of course!” Xiao Yan’s eyes sparkled. “Hu Sister, your leg’s better?”

“Yup! Completely healed. I owe it all to you, Lu Gongzi. If it weren’t for your medicine, I wouldn’t have gotten better so fast!”

She remembered well—a broken leg meant a hundred days of recovery. To heal this quickly, without a single scar, was nothing short of miraculous.

“It wasn’t just the medicine,” Lu Qing said gently. “You followed the regimen. You exercised daily. That’s what made the difference. No remedy can work without a patient’s will.”

Hu Ze Zhi felt warmth in her chest. She opened her mouth to thank him again—when she finally noticed the carving in his hands.

The words turned into curiosity. “Hmm… what are you making, Lu Gongzi?”

“Nothing much. Just refining this pendant,” he said, his chisel dancing at the final stroke.

With a soft flick, the blade etched a complex, ancient symbol into the pendant.

A soft, silvery light flared from it—then faded. The pendant returned to its original state.

But up close, one could see a faint, shimmering pattern within the translucent jade-like stone—like a hidden inscription pulsing with latent power.

“Done,” Lu Qing said. “Xiao Yan, lean forward.”

Xiao Yan obediently tilted her head.

Lu Qing gently slipped the pendant around her neck, adjusting the string to ensure she couldn’t undo it.

“Remember,” he said, “this pendant must stay on. Never take it off.”

“Xiao Yan knows!” she chirped, patting the pendant with delight.

It felt… different now. More beautiful. More precious.

“Lu Gongzi,” Hu Ze Zhi whispered, wide-eyed. “What was that just now?”

She remembered the night in Yunlai Town—Lu Qing crafting the Jade Bottle with divine precision.

“This pendant,” Lu Qing explained, “was a gift I gave Xiao Yan long ago. I’m just… enhancing it.”

“Right!” Xiao Yan beamed. “This is my first gift from Brother! It’s made from Fish Stone taken from a giant blue fish’s mouth!”

“Ah, no wonder it looks so radiant,” Hu Ze Zhi said, a hint of envy in her voice.

Lu Qing smiled. He didn’t elaborate.

In truth, the carving was far more than decoration.

Buried within the Fish Stone was a Basic Defense Array—a hidden shield, ready to activate at the moment of danger.

Should anything happen to Lu Qing or Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan were ever in peril, the pendant would awaken, protecting her.

He’d long intended to do this.

But before, his Spirit Soul Power was strong—but not precise enough. To carve such a fine, intricate array into a small pendant? Impossible.

Only after his recent attempt to break through to Xian Tian Jing—though he hadn’t fully succeeded—had he finally drawn in true Zhen Qi.

That surge of energy had refined his control, strengthened his body, and awakened his Spirit Soul’s precision.

Now, he could finally seal the Array.

The pendant was no longer just a keepsake.

It was a true guardian.

Hu Ze Zhi, sensing the depth of the secret, wisely stayed silent.

Lu Qing, satisfied, let the moment pass.

But as he stared at the pendant, a new thought stirred.

Could I create more of these?

Just in case…

Just as he pondered the possibility, his body stiffened.

He looked up.

Above, the sky cracked open.

A vast, earth-shaking resonance—Dao Yin—sounded from the heavens.

The world trembled.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end