Chapter 141: Inheritance
Profound Abyss Sect. Outside the Xuanyang Main Hall.
A dozen disciples followed behind Shen Yu, and at the very front of the crowd was an elderly man with white hair and beard, who now stood at the top of the cloud steps with his hands behind his back.
He was the sect leader of the Profound Abyss Sect, Lou Zhengze.
The sect leader of the greatest sect in the State of Chu personally seeing someone off—it was quite an extravagant display.
In the cloudy sky, a black crane suddenly cried out and slowly flew toward them.
“Sect Leader Lou, what is all this for?”
Upon the ink-colored immortal crane sat a young Daoist, his face fine as jade and eyes bright as stars, with a slender painting scroll strapped to his back.
He was none other than the visitor from the Central Domain, a member of the Wu clan and descendant of Wu Daoxuan—Wu Xingzhi.
He landed gracefully, and the black crane dissolved into a wisp of ink that gathered at his fingertips.
“Such an extravagant display truly flatters me beyond measure.”
He had cultivated for over a hundred and thirty years, and had only just barely entered the early stage of Golden Core. In the Central Domain, he could only be considered mediocre.
His status within the Wu immortal clan was merely ordinary.
Coming to this frontier, however, he had quite the taste of what it meant to be above ten thousand people.
Wu Xingzhi murmured to himself, silently reminding himself.
Do not let these vain honors disturb his Dao heart.
If his painting refining regressed back at the clan, people would laugh their teeth off.
A warm smile bloomed on Lou Zhengze’s aged and stern face. “Nonsense. With such a distinguished guest traveling so far, this old man’s remote corner of the world can hardly provide adequate hospitality. That Fellow Daoist Wu does not take offense already shows his magnanimity.”
“On a day of parting, how could I not come to see you off?”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Wu Xingzhi took his leave.
“Sect Leader Lou, I shall take my leave here.”
“Fellow Daoist Wu, do not forget to convey my regards to Elder Wu Xunzhi.”
The Elder Wu Xunzhi that Lou Zhengze spoke of was an elder of the Wu immortal clan who had once traveled across the continent in his younger years.
He had some connection with Lou Zhengze, having apparently offered him guidance by chance.
Though it fell far short of a master-disciple relationship, there was still some bond between them.
At that time, this Profound Abyss Sect leader was nothing more than a freshly established Foundation Establishment novice.
Now, the young man had become a Golden Core realm sect leader, while this elder, as Wu Xingzhi had informed them, was already a powerful mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
Wu Xingzhi nodded. “Certainly.”
On the surface he was naturally courteous, but inwardly he could not help but scoff.
Elder Xunzhi was kind-hearted and loved nothing more than guiding juniors.
In his youth he had traveled the world and guided countless talented juniors.
How could he possibly remember this Sect Leader Lou?
“I shall take my leave.”
Wu Xingzhi lingered no longer. Ink surged at his fingertips, once again forming into a black crane that soared into the sky.
He leapt up and sat upon it.
The black crane let out a clear cry and flew off into the distant sky.
Wu Xingzhi’s figure quickly vanished at the end of the azure sky and sea of clouds, but the news he brought was like a stone cast into a lake, sending ripples through the hearts of the Profound Abyss Sect’s higher-ups.
Beside Lou Zhengze, a fellow Golden Core elder frowned slightly and transmitted his voice. “Zhengze, can we trust what this Wu descendant said?”
The sect leader withdrew his gaze, a trace of worry flickering in his eyes.
“The techniques Wu Xingzhi displayed do bear many similarities to those of Elder Wu Xunzhi from back then, and the Wu clan’s direct lineage token he carried should be genuine.”
“…”
His eyes shifted as though he was pondering something. “A Deity Transformation cultivator’s former residence—even if it merely stored ordinary paintings, they certainly would not be mundane.”
“Has anyone in our sect obtained one of those ink jade pieces?”
“So far, two have come forward and reported truthfully… one at Qi Refining, one at Foundation Establishment.”
Upon hearing this, Lou Zhengze frowned slightly.
There was one piece of information from Wu Xingzhi that the Profound Abyss Sect had not disclosed to the outside: once the jade piece chose a master, it could not be seized or transferred to another.
Once the original owner died, it would automatically dissipate, and the number of spots to enter the residence would decrease by one.
Although Wu Xingzhi had stated that one’s cultivation level was useless within the Daoist’s residence, in these old foxes’ eyes, nothing was absolute. Their own people who possessed this qualification to enter were naturally better off being as strong as possible.
Casually dismissing the disciples under them, Lou Zhengze and that Golden Core elder transformed into streaks of light and returned to the Sect Leader Peak to discuss matters.
The rest of the cultivators slowly made their way back along the mountain path.
Ancient pines lined the way in verdant green, but no one was in the mood to appreciate them.
“Of the eighty-six ink jade pieces scattered out there, our Profound Abyss Sect has only found two to this day.”
An elder beside Shen Yu sighed. “The world is unpredictable. Who could have guessed that this immortal cultivation opportunity would be connected to the art of painting?”
“Old Shen, do you think that fellow named Song Yan might have one of these…”
At the mention of Song Yan’s name, the expressions of several elders soured.
In the Battle of Changping, the Profound Abyss Sect had not only lost Shen Huai but had also lost face before everyone’s eyes.
Now, the relationship between the two sects had plummeted to freezing point, and frictions along the borders of their territories were growing more frequent.
“That kid is only at the Qi Refining stage. Even if he has the ink jade, what of it?” one elder said disdainfully.
But the moment he finished speaking, he caught himself.
The Wu descendant had said that the opportunity within had nothing to do with cultivation level.
“…”
Shen Yu shook his head. “Do not underestimate him.”
Though he despised Song Yan, he was well aware of the young man’s extraordinary qualities.
“That this boy survived the Avici Hell is truly bizarre.”
An elder nearby said, “That shouldn’t be possible. Elder Wu also said that the ink jade typically chooses its master based on attainment in the art of painting.”
“As far as I know, this person knows nothing about painting.”
A cold glint flashed in Shen Yu’s eyes. “Even if he does, so what? Heh heh… if he truly dares to bring the ink jade to the Daoist’s residence…”
The others exchanged knowing glances and said no more.
Shen Yu returned to the Elder Hall. The casual conversation among the elders had made him begin to question whether Song Yan truly possessed such an item.
His eyes flickered as he retrieved a map from his Cosmos Bag.
“Wu Xingzhi once said that although the ink jade pieces were scattered during the Battle of Changping, when the residence finally appears, they will guide those who possess the ink jade to it.”
“These ink jade pieces should not be far from where the residence is located.”
His finger traced a line across the map.
“At most… it should be within this area.”
The State of Chu was small, to be sure.
But…
For a cultivator’s former residence, this range was still far too vast.
How to pinpoint the exact location?
“The State of Qi, the State of Chu, the State of Ning, the Central Domain…”
Further south of Chu lay the territory of the Great Heavenly Mountains. So far, no one had been seen heading due south with an ink jade.
In the Southern Frontier… there should not be many who were skilled in the art of painting.
The key issue was the distance was too great.
“The two disciples in the sect who obtained the ink jade have never left the sect. This distance is not too far…”
“…”
He pondered for a moment, then finally traced a small circle with his fingertip, marking two locations.
“Longquan in the State of Chu.”
“Or…”
“Junping in the Central Domain.”