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Chapter 888: Seeking the Past, Only to Find Resolve
Chapter 888: Seeking the Past, Only to Find Resolve
As Chen Chuan approached, the vines parted on their own under his gaze, revealing the complete writing within.
The characters were small, but the handwriting was elegant and carefree, giving off a sense of freedom. This was likely left by the Demon Ghoul before its mutation.
He glanced at it, and the writing was a personal account.
The author introduced himself as You Zhinan, a protector of the Jinli Sect.
The Jinli Sect...
He pondered for a moment. This should be a branch under the Dark Sect, and he had this impression because there were followers of this sect in several Dark Sects in the center of Jinbei Convergence Zone.
In the past, this sect had some influence, or else it wouldn't have been recorded in the municipal archives. However, in the new era, due to certain reasons, the sect had declined. The remaining disciples had abandoned their martial arts heritage and relied solely on divination for a living, losing all combat capabilities.
According to You Zhinan's account, he had come here during the reign of Emperor Chengyi.
Emperor Chengyi...
He reflected for a moment, calculating that this should be a ruler from over four hundred years ago, before the end of the last dynasty.
He remembered the emperor because he was one of the few who favored the Zen Sect over the Dark Sect after the Dark Sect's defeat eight hundred years ago. During his reign, the Zen Sect prospered, and scholars believed that this might have contributed to the subsequent revolution and the rise of a new dynasty.
After this thought, he continued reading.
The reason for this person's presence here was the discovery of the Nine Orifice Stone Lotus. The Jinli Sect had an alchemy formula that, with the help of the lotus, its seeds, and other rare medicinal ingredients, could elevate a protector like him to an even higher realm.
However, in the subsequent description, he mentioned that the formula was incomplete, and he acknowledged that the chances of achieving his goal with an unproven formula were slim. Yet, he had no choice but to place his hopes on it, as the Jinli Sect had nearly disbanded in his time due to suppression by the old imperial house.
By then, he was the only remaining protector in the sect, and even the position of the leader was vacant. All that remained were loosely affiliated branches, a far cry from their former glory.
To revive the sect, they needed to produce another True Man, a figure akin to the Celestial Master. Although the Dark Sect was suppressed by the imperial house, the major sects remained largely unaffected, facing only superficial coldness, which indicated preferential treatment.
On this stone, for reasons unknown, he had written down both the incomplete formula and his own completed version.
Chen Chuan memorized it, but he did so with caution, as he couldn't verify its authenticity, and there was a possibility of hidden intentions.
Moreover, even if these were genuine, in the new era, with rapid technological advancements, many old methods were not just ineffective but had better alternatives. Even the Dark Sect, after the establishment of the Great Harmony Republic, had contributed a batch of formulas, some of which might be superior to the one before him.
On the stone, the person also expressed regret, stating that his original purpose in coming to the Converged Land was to find a precious relic left behind by the Dark Sect in its early years. However, upon encountering the stone lotus, he felt that this discovery was more important, so he abandoned his initial plan and stayed to wait for the lotus seeds to mature.
He also rambled about his past, mentioning that he had been so engrossed in cultivation that he had neglected to repay the kindness of many friends who had helped him. In retrospect, he felt indebted to them, so he left their names, origins, and past deeds on the stone.
He wrote that even if he couldn't repay their kindness, he could ensure their names would endure for eternity, never fading away.
Chen Chuan read about these people, whose accounts were carved on a nearby naturally formed large stone, totaling fewer than twenty individuals.
The stones in the Convergence Zone, due to the unique day and night transitions, were not ordinary, and the deep engravings, combined with the Demon Ghoul's pre-mutation spiritual infusion, ensured that unless forcibly destroyed, they could persist for several thousand years. The author's claim was not an empty boast.
The content left by this person didn't end there, possibly because of prolonged solitude, he could only use these words to ease his heart's burdens.
On another stone, he had recorded some secret teachings of the Jinli Sect, a set of cultivation techniques from the basics to the fourth limit, which he referred to as the Martial Master level. Alongside these techniques, he listed precautions and the required medicinal ingredients for each stage.
His words revealed a hint of pride, claiming that by organizing and innovating upon past teachings, he believed this cultivation method could revive the Jinli Sect for three hundred years.
Chen Chuan pondered, considering that while there were valuable aspects, the method was suitable only for a select few with exceptional talent. Modern techniques were more accessible and adaptable to the average person.
Many new era techniques were far superior to this solitary effort, as they were developed by numerous fighters during the Grand Alliance Era.
However, this didn't diminish the value of these teachings. If presented in their time, they would have been considered decent. Alas, times had changed.
Chen Chuan's gaze shifted around, and he noticed that the stones ahead were arranged neatly, each with writing on them. Each stone recorded a year, and he counted that the records spanned a staggering 232 years.
However, when calculating backwards from the era it belonged to, there was a gap of about 200 years without any records. As he read further, he realized that the person's situation had taken a turn for the worse.
Day after day, surviving in the Jinbei Convergence Zone, constantly fighting against invasions, this person must have accumulated a lot of impurities in their body, and the process of Anomaly Organism had already begun.
The person's handwriting started to become chaotic, but occasionally, there were moments of clarity.
He could sense his own issues, and on one stone wall, he carved some records, stating that he originally believed the secret teachings of the Jinli Sect were sufficient to ward off these impurities, but it seemed he had miscalculated. He lamented that perhaps only the top-secret teachings of the Dark Sect or the Zen Sect could provide a solution.
As he continued reading, the handwriting became completely incoherent and manic.
Chen Chuan understood the reason behind this. The root of the problem was that this person, You Protector, had begun to doubt his own teachings.
Once such a thought entered one's mind, and willpower began to waver, the situation would deteriorate rapidly.
But there was nothing that could be done about it. It was precisely because his body had already been invaded by impurities that he developed these doubts. Even if he became aware of it and constantly fought against it, it would only slow down the process. The only way to possibly recover was to leave this place.
He had waited here for two hundred years for this Stone Lotus to mature. It wasn't something he could easily let go of; it had become a deep-rooted obsession in his mind. Even as he turned into a Demon Ghoul, he refused to give up.
However, Chen Chuan knew that You Protector had made a mistake.
The alchemy formula mentioned that the Lotus Seed, when it formed Quintuple Blossom, Septuple Blossom, or Nonuple Blossom, had a specific maturity period for each stage. Waiting for one stage to mature before moving on to the next was not the correct approach. Instead, one should take the lotus seeds out, keep them for a night, and then put them back. Repeat this process for all the seeds, and they would mature on their own.
About two hundred years ago, this Stone Lotus had already formed Quintuple Blossom. It was likely that You Protector was unaware of this information and missed the opportunity, eventually turning into a Demon Ghoul. It was a regrettable and unfortunate situation.
Now, Chen Chuan knew the truth, and it was his turn to take advantage of it.
But he had to wait for the precise moment when the first rays of dawn appeared. So, he decided to wait until the next day to begin.
Since he was already there, he might as well stay and finish reading the writings of the other person. The other person's initial purpose was to find the Dark Sect's treasure in this place, but they didn't write what it was. Given their personality, Chen Chuan suspected they might have written it down later.
Unfortunately, the remaining inscriptions on the stone tablets were mostly incoherent mutterings, but they weren't entirely illogical. It seemed like they were trying to convey something.
At first, Chen Chuan didn't think much of it, but as he continued reading and connected the content, he began to notice something peculiar.
The writings seemed to describe an encounter with a Divine Being who appeared before them and engaged in a question-and-answer session about cultivation methods. The person believed they had witnessed the Supreme Method and should "abandon the old and embrace the new, following the path of the law," which would lead to "natural enlightenment."
Initially, Chen Chuan assumed that the person's Anomaly Organism had affected their mind, causing them to imagine these things.
But as he continued reading, a radiant light suddenly flashed on his body, as if the Great Bright Light Style was activated to protect him from some danger. However, the second moment passed without any unusual occurrences.
Chen Chuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
This situation indicated that his psyche had sensed some danger, triggering the spontaneous activation of the Great Bright Light Style.
Therefore, the inscriptions on the stone tablet might not be mere delusions of You Protector. Chen Chuan speculated that the person might have communicated with something during their Anomaly Organism process, possibly learning about something from the other side.
When Chen Chuan read earlier, the Anomaly Organism body had received the information and started to experiment on its own. This autonomous action caused changes, and the second moment, without the intervention of his willpower, typically wouldn't have responded on its own. But it led to the manifestation of the Great Bright Light Style.
He silently reminded himself to remain vigilant, especially regarding information from the other side. However, he felt that seeing these things now wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If something similar appeared again, he would be prepared.
Maintaining his vigilance, Chen Chuan continued reading the stone tablets, focusing on the ones with barely legible inscriptions. Among them, he found some possible clues about the Dark Sect's treasure.
...
(End of Chapter)
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