Chapter 1755: Hall's Inheritance

Li Yan listened to the cultivators’ chatter. He saw the Ming sisters, Yan Qingchen, and the others looking around and talking via voice transmission. However, these people had set up sound-insulating barriers, and many of them had powerful Divine Senses themselves. Unless Li Yan specifically tried to eavesdrop, he couldn’t hear them.

In many places in Huangqi Valley, sharing information was forbidden. For instance, the details of the sixth floor and above of the “Pill Emperor Tower” were a secret, with punishments for those who leaked them. However, no matter how secret a place was, some information always leaked. As long as people weren’t discussing it openly in large crowds, the sect tended to be lenient. Regarding the Inheritance Ancient Hall, the specifics of the “inheritance” remained unknown to those who had never entered, but some non-critical details were whispered about.

The woman in white seemed not to notice the secret conversations, likely because the disciples were being careful not to say anything forbidden. In this eerie atmosphere, the disciples began to move around the boat, finally bringing a sliver of life to the world. Those whose hearts had grown cold felt a bit better. Had the entire boat remained seated and silent alongside the motionless woman, some might have snapped.

Li Yan felt like he had been standing at the back of the boat for an hour, but the world outside remained a monotonous “sea of purple.” The boat cut through the lavender, leaving an endless trail of purple behind and facing an endless trail of purple ahead. Although he stood there, he had closed his eyes.

After many more days, just as the others were settling back into meditation, the cold voice finally reached everyone’s ears.

“We have arrived.”

Li Yan opened his eyes instantly and sent his Divine Sense out. But he saw the same scene he had seen countless times—the endless lavender and the dark, gray sky. The boat was still speeding forward.

‘Arrived? Where is the hall?’

Just as the thought crossed his mind, someone in the boat murmured the same question. It was the first time anyone had spoken aloud in a long while. Like a drop of water in a pan of hot oil, it sparked a flurry of noise.

“We’re still in that eerie space!”

“I don’t see any hall either…”

Three breaths after the woman’s voice fell, a titanic gale suddenly erupted. It stirred the heavens and the earth from all directions. The dark clouds in the sky began to churn like boiling water. Below, the endless lavender was torn to shreds, its petals and leaves flying into the air until the sky was a blizzard of purple.

In the next moment, all visibility vanished. The purple debris plastered itself against the boat’s barrier until it was a solid wall of purple. Divine Sense could no longer pierce the boat. The vessel began to spin violently, like a helpless leaf in a purple hurricane. It felt as if the wind were carrying them to the highest heavens.

As Li Yan and the others braced themselves, circulating their power to anchor themselves to the deck, a muffled “thump” echoed against the barrier. Li Yan felt the deck vanish beneath him. Before anyone could cry out, the purple vanished.

They were all standing on solid ground.

It had happened so fast that even Li Yan hadn’t reacted. He found himself in a world filled with soft yellow light. A massive palace rose above them to an unknowable height. The yellow light rained down from above, as if a great skylight were letting in the sun. Even with their sight, they couldn’t see the top of the palace; the light became blindingly bright at a certain height.

Inside the hall were ten massive pillars, each so thick it would take ten men to encircle it. They were arranged in a specific pattern throughout the hall. The pillars were a deep vermillion, carved not with beasts, but with clouds of every shape and size. The carvings were so lifelike that it felt as if one could step onto them and ascend to the celestial realm.

In the center of the hall stood a magnificent statue. Though it was seated, it felt as though it towered over the entire world. Li Yan and the others quickly recognized it as one of the Three Pure Ones—the Supreme Clarity Moral Sovereign.

The hall was grand and solemn, exuding an air of ancient authority and immense weight. Li Yan was standing by the main gate, with the other cultivators ahead of him, all looking around with various expressions. The statue of the Moral Sovereign was still far away, but they felt like ants at its feet. Even the tallest man wasn’t as high as the sole of the statue’s cloud-stepping boots.

This overwhelming presence made everyone feel like they should bow in worship, feeling that even a loud breath would be a profound disrespect. Aside from the pillars, there were side rooms on both sides of the hall. Li Yan counted at least a hundred, stretching back as if they went on forever.

‘The Dao of Alchemy began with the alchemists of old, following the Supreme Clarity Moral Sovereign. Although many alchemy sects don’t look like Daoist priests today, they still worship him. The origin of Huangqi Valley is tied to its founder, who, besides his own incredible skills, obtained an inheritance from this very hall. This hall likely belonged to an ancient Daoist sect…’

Li Yan thought to himself. As a disciple, he had studied the valley’s history and its greatest figures.

As they explored, the cold voice spoke again. The woman in white was now floating in the air, looking down at them.

“You have three months. What you obtain here depends on your own fate. Although this is the Inheritance Ancient Hall, there is no guarantee you will receive anything. It depends on your luck and talent. Some may leap over the dragon’s gate; others may leave with nothing but disappointment. Death is even a possibility here.”

Her voice remained devoid of emotion, and her eyes held no warmth. She seemed entirely indifferent to the world. The disciples listened in silence. Aside from those who had been here before, everyone else hung on her every word. This was the explanation of the hall’s secrets; missing a word could mean losing their chance. As for the mention of death, no one flinched. It was common knowledge that disciples had died here before.

“There are two places to obtain an inheritance,” she continued. “The first is the statue of the Supreme Clarity Moral Sovereign. You can sit anywhere within four hundred and ninety-nine fathoms of the statue and attempt to comprehend the yellow light. Those rays are not just for illumination; they contain the Daoist insights of the Sovereign. If you communicate with the statue with your heart, you may find enlightenment.”

“The foundation of Huangqi Valley’s techniques was established by the founder using insights from this place. Many of you joined the valley mid-way through your journey. If you have already switched to one of our sect’s techniques, seeking the source here will bring obvious benefits. If you still use your original technique, it is not useless. As I said, our founder’s techniques were built upon these insights, which allowed us to become a top-tier sect.”

The woman in white might have been cold, but she wasn’t dismissive. She provided a detailed explanation and even offered advice to the disciples.