Snow covered the yellow grass by the Hulan Sea. The surface of the lake had gradually frozen. The man on the grassland was seizing the last opportunity to catch fish.
The middle-aged man wearing a felt hat looked at the lake silently. He looked powerful with the hard lines of his face and the beginnings of a beard. A subordinate stood behind him respectfully.
This team of traveling businessmen from the Central Plains had stopped here for days. Those from the tribe did not know what they were waiting for. They were too early to be waiting for the leather goods that would only be ready at the end of summer. But they did not bother the businessman due to the taels of silver and goods that they had gifted them with.
His subordinate looked at the ice and snow gathered on the surface of the lake and asked in a low hesitant voice, "Will the Tomes of Arcane really appear here?"
The middle-aged man was silent before he said, "The Great Divine God had released news about the Tomes of Arcane being in the Wilderness since he returned from the south. He must have received confirmation from the abbey dean. I heard that Li Qingshan had also worked with Huang Yang and ascertained that the Tomes of Arcane would appear by the Hulun Sea. There shouldn't be any mistakes."
The subordinate frowned. He thought for a moment before saying, "Sir, I should not question you. But I feel that it is a little risky for us to place all our hopes on the prophecy of the Great Divine God."
After a momentary pause, he said softly, "We can't keep the news from Tuyang City. If the imperial court finds out that you have left the General's Mansion without permission... Furthermore, we have received news that Lin Ling is indeed dead."
The middle-aged man looked at the loyal adviser who had followed him for the past twenty years. He thought of the subjects that had been equally loyal but had died. He then touched the hair on his temples lightly and said, "We shall settle that later. The situation at hand right now is complicated. We can only make a further move in this situation should we get our hands on the Tomes of Arcane. Everything else is just a small matter."
He looked at the mountain ranges in the north, on the other side of the lake. He said expressionlessly, "I believe in what the Great Divine God had said. Other than myself, there are not many in the world who would know that the exit of the Front Gate is at the Hulun Sea."
The adviser asked with furrowed brows, "Why didn't you enter the Front Gate to search for the Tomes of Arcane? Even if there are many powerful parties who are scrutinizing us now, there are not many who have the power to enter the Front Gate. Grasping the opportunity would still be better than waiting passively."
The middle-aged man looked at a spot in the far-off north silently. He did not answer the question.
Mr. Ke had not taken the Tomes of Arcane away. They should still be on the sacred land.
He was unwilling to return to the Front Gate. Instead, he waited silently by the lake for the opportunity to steal the tomes. Other than tactical considerations, it was also due to the fear in his heart. He was not very old then, but he clearly remembered the bloody images and the cold expression on his teacher who had several incarnations.
The advisor looked at the middle-aged man who had a pondering expression on his face. He wondered silently about what the man would do after he steals the Tomes of Arcane. Would he present it to His Majesty, or would he return it to the Divine Hall, or would he keep it for himself?
Could the Tomes of Arcane really change everything? In the past twenty years, the adviser had followed his master to several lands, in search of a living. They seemed to have weaved a dense web, but the web had eventually wrapped around them, making it difficult to breathe. He could not help but sigh deeply in his heart when he thought of this.
The middle-aged man stared at a far-off spot on the other side of the lake. He once again thought of his teacher who had departed from this world.
Over the years, he had struggled and fought to survive between the empire and the West-Hill Divine Palace to protect himself who was from the Enlightenment Doctrine and his sister who was hidden in the palace of Chang'an.
His teacher had traveled around the world amongst the various forces but was like a fish swimming in the lake. He was at ease and exuded satisfaction and happiness. How had he managed that?
Rough fingers stroke the stone platform. Animal skin fluttered in the wind. Tang stood in the abyss and looked at the huge vertical and horizontal stone beams as he recalled how his teacher had described the sacred land. He compared it to the world that laid before his eyes. It was made more desolate due to its magnificence. He was silent for a long time.
He walked to the edge of the cliff slowly, looking at the dark abyss. He thought of how the Haotian Taoism could lead the Central Plains for a millennium and knew that there was a reason for that. He should not take them lightly. This was especially so for the Taoists in that Zhishou Abbey. They must be really powerful. They had placed much importance on this matter, so the Tomes of Arcane must definitely be in the Front Gate. Why have they not been found yet?
He looked palace full of bones near his feet. He suddenly opened his mouth and said, "According to what teacher had said, Mr. Ke had broken into the sacred land with a single sword then. He did not kill everyone in the Front Gate. Before that, two disciples were evacuated southwards. Before teacher had left, he had confirmed that many of the disciples had been evacuated. Apart from those who had died in the war, many in these pile of bones had committed suicide. The front Gate had been sealed after."
Tang Xiaotang stared at the sight with bright eyes. She looked at the palace below the beams. They had already passed by it earlier and had not discovered anything. She asked curiously, "Where did they go?"
A gust of wind passed over the stone beam, scraping the shattered stones and their clothes. Tang could feel the aura of heaven and earth in the Front Gate through the wind. After a moment of silence, he said, "I can't feel them. They must have already left."
The two siblings walked into the depths of the Front Gate. Tang's thick eyebrows rose slowly. He was uncertain about many things that had happened back then. There were also many things he had not understood when searching for the Tomes of Arcane. For example, he was certain that those people had already left the Front Gate, but why was he still feeling so uneasy?
Decades ago, Ke Haoran had set the Confinement personally, separating this room from the world. As long as you did not enter it, you would realize that it existed. If you really enter this world, you would never be able to leave it as this world was a prison he had gifted Lotus personally.
"Cough ... hum ... you have actually learned the Haoran Sword!"
Master Lotus looked at Ning Que from the center of the pile of bones. He mouth was split wide open with a child-like laugh. His lips twisted downwards and he began to cry like a child. The sounds of laughter and crying came together and sounded hoarse and ugly.
Ning Que held on to his podao and looked at him. He said, "Indeed."
The old monk's gaze was as cold as ghost fire. He glared at Ning Que and asked, "This is impossible!"
Ning Que replied, "It has happened."
The old monk's next statement came rapidly. He roared like the thunder, "Doesn't this mean you have joined the Devil!"
Ning Que's face was blank as he replied calmly, "Indeed."
The old monk asked solemnly, "Are you not afraid?"
Ning Que replied, "I am not afraid of anything else in the face of death."
The old monk said sarcastically, "But you have joined the Devil."
Ning Que frowned, "So?"
The old monk said sharply, "Those who have joined the Devil have to die."
Ning Que answered, "But you are still alive."
The old monk shook his head slowly. He said with slight ridicule, " These are two completely different choices. The Daming Sect is but just hiding from the Haotian Divine Light in the dark like a mossy rock. Even though we say that we do not respect Haotian, we are particularly afraid of the existence of Haotian. That is why Haotian allows us to exist, even though we are a contrast to light. However, you have lost all respect and even fear for Haotian the moment you picked up the sword left behind by that person. That is truly joining the Devil. Haotian will not allow the existence of someone like you."
Ning Que descended into silence. And then, he replied, "Living is better than death."
The old monk was stunned, and then, he began to laugh maniacally. Cloudy tears streamed from the withered corners of his eyes slowly. He pointed at Ning Que's face with a skinny shaking finger and barely repressed his desire to laugh. He said viciously, "Crazy Ke had died from joining the Devil and you are following in his footsteps. I wonder if the Academy had been cursed. All of you will be destroyed by Haotian. This must be your fates."
He stared into Ning Que's eyes and panted, "You have to be strong enough to be able to walk on this path resolutely. The faster you become strong, the faster you will die. Do not dream that you would be able to escape this fate."
The old monk asked faintly, "When have the heavens spared anyone?"
Ning Que was silent, he held on the hilt with both hands as if he was prepared to impale fate with it.
And then, his answer rang in the dark silent room.
"If man were to beat the heavens, why would they need to be spared?"
The statement was both bland and proud. Master Lotus' face twitched. He looked at Ning Que silently and then said suddenly, "The one foot of land before a cultivator is his own world."
Ning Que had heard of this saying before but did not understand why the old monk had said that at this moment.
The old monk looked at him and said slowly, "You have been enlightened in the Haoran Sword. The sword style hidden in the mottled sword marks by Crazy Ke have entered your body. Then, this Confinement that has hidden the skies and earth must naturally cease to exist."
Ning Que looked at him and said, "I know. I can even sense the Qi of Heaven and Earth entering this room. It is just that I need time to get used to this brand new aura in my body."
The old monk lamented, "It seems that we are still wasting time at this point."
Ning Que said calmly, "Time is fair to everyone."
The old monk smiled lightly and said, "My time is up."
Ning Que replied, "My time is also up."
With that, the monk raised his skinny arms slowly. The remnants of his tattered monk robes swung in the wind that had appeared. With this simple movement, the aura of heaven and earth seeped into the room through the cracks in the bluestone walls and turned into gusts of wind that surrounded his body.
The Haoran sword style that Ke Haoran had left behind in the sword marks had mostly been absorbed by Ning Que and been used to transform his body and clear a path in his Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi. The sword marks without sword style were but just shapes. They were naturally unable to support the Confinement. Even though there were remaining traces of the Haoran sword style left on the stone walls, they were unable to prevent the old monk from connecting to heaven and earth.
The Great Blockage Formation outside the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine could sense the sudden fluctuations in the Qi of Heaven and Earth. The mossy sword marks on the stones began to gleam with bright light and the Snow-capped Peak shone in the dark night. The Qi of Heaven and Earth entered the Front Gate rapidly, driving the aura between the rocks and even starlight forth.
The fresh and vibrant aura of heaven and earth finally got through the broken Confinement and reached the palace that had been devoid of it for decades. And then, it flooded into the old monk's skinny body steadily.
The old monk's deep eyes gleamed suddenly and turned into pieces of crystals. His skinny face filled up at a rapid pace that was visible to the naked eye. His two arms which were outstretched in the wind became smooth and supple.
As he had said previously, his time was up.
Ning Que's time was also up.
He had completely understood the Haoran Sword aura that Youngest Uncle had passed on to him. He was able to control his changed body and was absorbing the aura of heaven and earth that rushed into the room greedily, converting it into his own power. He had taken in the Qi of Heaven and Earth into his own body. This was unmistakably a Devil's Doctrine art that was shunned by the world!
A fresh and endless stream of the aura of the heaven and earth entered his body and was burned through by his Psyche Power. Then, it passed through the passage between the Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi, becoming a formidable force. It was transmitted to various parts of his body through the meridians. His arms, muscles, bones, fingertips, and even his hair began to tremble at a high frequency as if they were jumping for joy.
His feet landed on the ground and there was a snapping sound as he crushed a single bone before him.
The second time he landed, his feet had crushed a pile of white bones.
Ning Que swept through the mountain of bones and arrived before the old monk.
He held on to his knife with both hands and plunged it into the old monk's chest.
The blade trembled due to the powerful force coming from the hilt. It split the surrounding air and wisps of white currents could be seen. The talisman on the cold blade was activated and the speed of the knife became even more terrifying.
This was the fastest raid in his life. It was like electricity.
This was the strongest strike he had made in his life. It was like thunder.
There was no time to blink or think. He drove the knife into the old monk's chest with the strike of the electricity and thunder-filled Great Spirit. The sharp edge of the knife had already wedged into flesh before the old monk had time to respond.
Master Lotus was still absorbing the aura of heaven and earth endlessly. His cheeks had filled out and his arms were restored. The vitality of his body was like that of a recently-bloomed lotus flower. However, he had not anticipated that Ning Que's first strike would be as great and difficult to avoid.
He had already regained 10 percent of his state's power at his peak. He was Liansheng 32 who had many incarnations and overlooked the common people. Even if he had only regained a percentage of his strength, he would not have died with that strike.
The skinny ghost-like hand had already filled out. His skin was white and tender, like two pure white lotus flowers.
The white lotus bloomed, and its petals spread. The blade stopped between the petals and did not move further towards the monk's heart.
The aura of heaven and earth that had broken through the Confinement was still surging into the monk's body. He was still growing stronger.
Ning Que harrumphed. He slapped his left hand on the end of the hilt heavily.
His left hand was like a heavy hammer.
The podao delved deeper into the old monk's chest. Blood stained the sharp edge of the knife.
The old monk looked at Ning Que coldly.
A force that was so powerful that it was terrifying pierced his sense of perception.
There was a puff, and blood sprayed from Ning Que's mouth.
The blood landed on the knife hilt.
His left hand landed on the hilt once more.
He bore through the immense pain and his left hand-hammered down on the end of the hilt once more like a heavy hammer.
The blade drove another inch into the old monk's chest.