Chapter 389: Immortal Inquiry Mountain
“K-killed…?”
Xiao Ran stared in disbelief at the ferocious head in Young Master Lin’s hand, his expression frozen in shock.
While ghost beasts varied in strength, even the weakest among them rivaled cultivators at the Peak Stage of Foundation Establishment. Moreover, they feared neither life nor death, slaughtering with frenzied ferocity, unleashing twelve times their true power. How could such creatures be so easily slain?
Yet Young Master Lin had taken the ghost beast’s head with effortless grace, as if strolling through a garden. His robes remained immaculate, not a single drop of blood staining their pristine white.
His cultivation level is unfathomable!
The thought surged through Xiao Ran’s mind. He had never heard of this man before, nor knew the depth of his cultivation. His earlier dismissive attitude vanished completely, replaced by a sudden realization: befriending this man might significantly improve the future prospects of the Xiao Family’s descendants.
Given Young Master Lin’s profound cultivation, he must hold a high position within the Wang Family. Securing his favor, even a slight nod of approval, would ensure the Xiao Family’s prosperity.
The other Xiao Family disciples stood in stunned silence, watching Xu Sanyan approach at a leisurely pace, their hearts churning with complex emotions.
Some admired him, others envied him, and still others—women with spring in their eyes—schemed how to approach him.
The human instinct to admire the strong was a deeply ingrained flaw, one that even advanced cultivation could not completely eradicate.
Some men harbored fantasies, wondering how Young Master Lin viewed true love between men.
In truth, the women needn’t have worried so much; Xu Sanyan never turned down any advances.
Of course, men were out of the question!
Xu Sanyan casually tossed aside the severed head. “Let’s go.”
Xiao Ran’s fawning smile widened as he hurried forward, showering him with praise. “Young Master Lin’s cultivation level is unparalleled! To subdue a mere ghost beast with such ease truly fills us with awe.”
Xu Sanyan glanced back expressionlessly, offering no reply.
After all, true masters were always taciturn.
This only deepened the mystery surrounding him, planting a seed of awe in their hearts.
Undeterred by the lack of response, Xiao Ran continued to trail behind Xu Sanyan. Since Young Master Lin’s strength was so profound, staying close to him would undoubtedly ensure greater safety.
As they resumed their journey, the Xiao Family’s anxiety visibly lessened, replaced by a newfound composure. With such a powerful cultivator escorting them, what could they possibly fear?
This was a handsome young master worthy of their trust.
Xu Sanyan himself shared this sentiment.
Meanwhile,
In a corner of the Chaotic Cloud Mountains, a majestic peak soared skyward like a sword blade piercing the clouds. The immortal mountain, once wreathed in white mist, was now shrouded in a gray haze, its ethereal aura diminished.
This mountain, renowned yet shrouded in mystery, was one of the Three Great Sects of the Chaotic Cloud Mountains:
Immortal Inquiry Mountain.
The disciples of Immortal Inquiry Mountain rarely ventured into the world, and little was known about them. It was said that their cultivation method was unique, eschewing spiritual power and the pursuit of realms, focusing instead on seclusion and the cultivation of the heart.
To outsiders, they seemed like some reclusive sect, hiding in their mountain valley, minding their own business, indifferent to the affairs of the world.
Little did they know that a momentous event was unfolding on Immortal Inquiry Mountain—
An event that, if successful, would shake the very foundations of the cultivation world:
Breaking the causal obstacle!
Legend had it that breaking the causal obstacle would grant immediate ascension to immortality, freeing one from the cycle of reincarnation and the entanglements of karma, allowing one to roam the heavens with boundless freedom and attain ultimate liberation.
At the summit of Immortal Inquiry Mountain, a magnificent Great Hall loomed through the gray mist. Three wisps of incense smoke drifted faintly before it, barely visible in the dense fog.
The Great Hall was vast, nearly covering half the mountain peak. Its carved beams and painted rafters exuded an extraordinary aura. Supported by towering pillars, its jade walls shimmered with an immeasurable quantity of precious stone.
At the hall’s center, beneath a statue of a solemn-faced daoist, three old men with Immortal-like bearing sat cross-legged in a triangular formation. One wore a purple robe, another a white robe, and the last a green robe.
Outside the Great Hall, over twenty figures stood silently in the mist—men, women, young, and old—all patiently awaiting the outcome.
These were all the disciples of Immortal Inquiry Mountain. Including the three elders, their numbers barely reached thirty. Yet this small group sustained the mountain gate’s grandeur, a testament to their extraordinary capabilities.
Three long sticks of incense burned steadily outside the Great Hall, their delicate fragrance permeating the entire mountain. The large cauldron below was already filled with ash, indicating the incense had been burning for a considerable time.
Whether due to the incense or some other cause, the mist grew even denser.
A young disciple, unable to bear the silence, curiously waved his fingers in front of his eyes, but could only see a blurry shadow.
I can’t even see my own hand!
The fog had become so dense.
As time passed, the long incense sticks slowly burned to their ends. The three old men remained seated motionless beneath the statue, as if they had already passed away.
Whoosh~
A sudden gust of wind swept across the burning tips of the incense sticks. The flames flared violently for a moment before extinguishing completely.
Simultaneously, the three old men opened their eyes. The one in the purple robe nodded slightly to the other two, as if conveying a final message or bidding a last farewell.
The other two old men felt a faint unease, but they knew that the moment had arrived. Overthinking would serve no purpose; they could only offer silent blessings.
Boom!
A thunderclap shattered the silence. The fog swirling in the sky seemed to be annihilated by the lightning’s flash, leaving a momentary gap. Through this brief opening, a glimpse of the clear sky beyond the fog became visible, only to be swallowed by the fog again moments later.
Boom!
Another thunderclap, this time deafeningly close. Everyone outside the Great Hall now knew that the Barrier-Breaking ritual was about to begin.
The purple-robed old man cast one last glance at the statue before soaring out of the Great Hall without looking back, standing alone above the hall’s roof.
A large gap in the roof of the Great Hall, directly above the divine statue, allowed sunlight to stream through on clear days, bathing the statue in ten thousand golden rays, imbuing it with unparalleled solemnity.
“The causal obstacle…”
The purple-robed old man took a deep breath, steeling himself for the ordeal.
In truth, he had been preparing for this moment for over a decade, intending to break through the barrier and ascend to immortality on the day of the Mist Tide!
Breaking through the causal obstacle required passing three gates: the physical body gate, the divine soul gate, and the heart gate.
These three gates corresponded to the yang thunder tribulation, the yin wind tribulation, and the blazing fire tribulation, respectively.
The yang thunder would strike the physical body, severing familial bonds and blood ties. The yin wind would sweep through the divine soul, carrying away karmic debts and retribution. The blazing fire would burn away all attachments, leaving the heart free from worldly concerns.
Passing these three gates would grant immediate ascension to immortality.
Of course, no one from Immortal Inquiry Mountain had yet achieved immortality. However, records indicated that the First Ancestral Master had attained immortality through this very method, proving its efficacy.
The disciples of Immortal Inquiry Mountain never doubted the cultivation method itself; they simply believed their own shortcomings were to blame.
The last time someone from Immortal Inquiry Mountain attempted Barrier-Breaking was three centuries ago. That person was none other than the three old men’s Master. Tragically, he failed, passing only the first gate before his divine soul was scattered by the yin wind during the second gate, leading to his death.
Now, by harnessing the Mist Tide to weaken the yang thunder’s power, the purple-robed old man was employing a method he had learned from his Master.
(End of the Chapter)