Free Web NovelChapter 395: Chapter 378: Descending the Mountain
Mo Chen sighed. "She’s grown up. It’s time for her to go back."
"Senior..."
"Heh. She’s a good kid. She’s spent so many years keeping a dying old man like me company. It’s time for her to walk her own path. People will be here to pick her up in a few days."
Wang Meng nodded and didn’t press the issue. In the time they had spent together, Wang Meng could sense that Mo Chen was extraordinarily powerful, but everyone had their secrets. ’If there’s something I need to know, Mo Chen will tell me.’
The two of them had a good rapport. Mo Chen no longer held any hope for advancement; the Celestial Dao was vast and immortality was a fleeting dream. In fact, the years since he had given up had been his happiest and most peaceful. But before he passed on, Mo Chen still wanted to accomplish something.
Of course, he knew the Sect had sent Little Cheng to appeal to his emotions. Sometimes in life, it’s better not to see things too clearly.
「Three days later.」
Powerful roars suddenly echoed from Wolong Mountain. A group of cultivators riding enormous Spirit Beasts appeared on the horizon, waiting respectfully outside the thatched cottage.
"Great Elder, we’re here to escort the princess."
Mo Chen patted Little Cheng’s head. "Go on, back to your real home."
The usually lively Little Cheng immediately burst into tears.
"Heh. Silly girl, we only part so we can meet again. When you get back, you must train hard in your cultivation. Don’t you dare bring shame upon this old man, you hear?"
"I want to stay with Grandpa and Big Brother! I don’t want to go back!"
"Haha! When you first arrived, you cried every day about wanting to go home. And now you’re refusing to leave! Don’t worry, we’ll come visit you one day!"
Mo Chen stroked Little Cheng’s head. He may have transcended life and death, but he could not yet transcend the bonds of family.
"Pinky swear, no take-backs!" Little Cheng sobbed.
"Boy, get over here and pinky swear with my Little Cheng!" Mo Chen pushed Wang Meng forward. Clearly, when it came down to it, he couldn’t bring himself to lie to his own family.
Wang Meng smiled. "Alright, let’s pinky swear. I will definitely come to see you. But you have to train hard in your cultivation. When I visit, I’ll be checking up on your progress, okay?"
Little Cheng very seriously linked pinkies with Wang Meng and sealed it with a thumb press. Only then did she allow the group to lift her onto the back of a Spirit Beast.
"Great Elder, you... The Sect Leader still hopes you will return."
The lead rider said respectfully.
"Little Cheng has already undergone a marrow cleansing, so her cultivation path from now on should be much easier. She will inherit my legacy. Tell the Sect Leader... I’m old and just want to pass away in peace. As for the Dragon Cave, tell him not to go. I will be the one to deal with this fated matter."
Mo Chen said lightly. The entire retinue of riders knelt in a formal kowtow before finally departing.
The Spirit Beasts galloped away, treading on the clouds. Their arrival had been as swift as their departure, but the spectacle they created was truly immense.
These Spirit Beasts were rare Cloud Beasts. The fact that these people could tame so many of them to use as mounts showed that Mo Chen’s Sect was anything but ordinary.
After everyone left, Mo Chen looked away. "Alright, it’s finally quiet. Boy, don’t you think my Little Cheng is adorable?"
Wang Meng nodded. "Yes, she’ll definitely grow up to be a great beauty."
"How about I have her marry you when she’s grown up?"
Even with his thick skin, Wang Meng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Senior, please stop teasing me."
"What teasing? I’m being serious. I’ve been watching you these past few days, and you’re actually not a bad kid. Except... your potential is a little lacking, your looks are average, and your background is far from satisfactory."
Mo Chen stroked his beard and chuckled.
’Master Wang was utterly flabbergasted. Was that supposed to be a compliment?’
"Alright, jokes aside. There are some things I need to tell you. My Sect is called the Taiyin Sect. You’ve probably heard of it, right?"
Wang Meng was stunned. "You don’t mean... the Taiyin Sect that’s ranked third in the Star Alliance?"
"Heh. You should pay attention to the Star Alliance, but don’t take it too seriously, either. You’ll understand some things in the future. The so-called rules are just for show, meant for the weaker Sects. The Ten Great Sects have a great deal of autonomy,"
Mo Chen said.
Wang Meng nodded. He had already learned as much at the Cultivation Academy.
"Heh. Little Cheng is the direct bloodline successor of her generation in the Taiyin Sect. Unfortunately, twenty years ago, I failed in my attempt to reach the Third Layer of Great Perfection, so my life could not be extended. Otherwise, I would have guided her for a while longer."
Mo Chen said, watching Wang Meng. He was inwardly impressed; Wang Meng showed no major reaction to hearing the great name of the Taiyin Sect. The boy was truly unmoved by glory or shame.
"Senior, Little Cheng is a good kid. With the Taiyin Sect protecting her, I’m sure she’ll be happy!"
"Haha! I knew I wasn’t mistaken about you, boy. That’s right... happiness. It took me until I was on the verge of death to understand it. These past few years have been the most peaceful of my life, and also the happiest. But this kind of life isn’t for the young. One must experience everything in life—limitless glory, quiet tranquility, brilliant heights, and crushing lows—before finally achieving Great Success. I have no more regrets."
Mo Chen chuckled, and his calm acceptance of his fate filled Wang Meng with admiration.
"Boy, what is it you want?"
"My goal right now is simple: to make the Extreme Dao Alliance regret what they’ve done!"
"Heh. Not bad. Simple and direct. But you should know, even someone like me is nothing in the face of the Extreme Dao Alliance."
"Senior, perhaps I’m just a fool, but that’s what drives me!"
"Haha! Good! Straight to the point. The Extreme Dao Alliance may be massive, but that means you still have a chance. Sometimes, the larger something is, the more openings it has. For you, the Dragon Cave should be one such opportunity."
"Senior, what do you mean?"
"Did you know that the Dragon Cave is also called the Dragon Tomb? It’s a graveyard for Giant Dragons. Inside, Dragon Power has mixed with an aura of death to form a deadly, oppressive force. Anyone below the Minor Perfection realm who enters will surely die within five minutes. Yet, even those at the Great Perfection realm can only make it to the tomb’s entrance," Mo Chen explained.
"Why is that?"
"Giant Dragons, like Divine Beasts, are among the most powerful beings in this world. Even in death, their territory cannot be trespassed upon. Anyone at the Great Perfection realm who gets close will alert the tomb’s guardians. That’s why whenever the Dragon Cave opens, the experts from the various Sects are responsible for killing the Giant Dragon guarding the gate to open the cave itself. The ones who actually venture inside are disciples at the First and Second Heavens of Minor Perfection. The stronger one’s Elemental Power, the greater the suppressive force they endure. That’s why you’ll have a chance,"
Mo Chen said proudly.
Wang Meng frowned. "If I were at my peak, with the power of my Five Elements Body... even without being able to borrow Celestial Power, I’m confident my strength would be comparable to the Elemental Power of someone at Minor Perfection. But..."
"Don’t worry, I’ll solve that problem for you. The Five Elements Body is considered a type of Exotic Sacred Body. To defy the heavens, one must snatch victory from the jaws of peril. I’m just an old bag of bones anyway. This time, I’ll get you a spot no matter what. What comes of it... well, that will be up to you."
Mo Chen looked at Wang Meng. "Do you dare to go?"
"Heh. Senior, listen to yourself. I’ve already died a few times. How could I possibly pass up an opportunity like this?"
"Good. If you make it out alive, remember to fulfill your promise to Little Cheng and go see her. As for anything else... never mind. All that matters is that the little girl is happy."
Mo Chen suddenly remembered that the boy before him was still struggling to even reach the Minor Perfection realm. ’Why say so much?’ he thought. A man nearing death places special importance on destiny. For Wang Meng to appear at this time, and for him to be the one to save him... this was surely a kind of fate.
"We still have some time before the Dragon Cave opens. I’ve seen that your Sea of Fate has been recovering nicely. The restorative ability of the Five Elements Body is truly exceptional. In the time we have left, I’ll use the Taiyin Technique to help you replenish your Elemental Power, and we’ll defy the heavens!"
Mo Chen chuckled. He was also eager to see what kind of spectacle a Five Elements Body would create upon reaching Minor Perfection.
The third-ranked Sect in the Star Alliance... its power was something Wang Meng could scarcely imagine. And Mo Chen himself was a Great Perfection expert who had once battled in the Slaughter Space, a true baleful star whose name had shaken the Great Yuan Realm. At this moment, he was merely an ordinary old man, but he was now preparing for the final struggle of his life.
Every day, Mo Chen nourished Wang Meng’s Sea of Fate with his Taiyin Primordial Power. This had actually been happening ever since Wang Meng arrived, though neither he nor Little Cheng had been aware of it.
Wang Meng’s body was steadily being restored, and his power returned day by day. Before long, he was able to spar with Mo Chen.
And to Mo Chen’s surprise, Wang Meng’s Sword Technique was truly something else.
It wasn’t the power of the Sword Technique that was startling, but the Sword Intent behind it. One could say Wang Meng’s Sword Intent far surpassed his Life Mark Level. Unfortunately, no matter how exquisite the technique, it still required Elemental Power to back it up. Otherwise, it was nothing more than a fancy, useless display.
Zheng Dasheng couldn’t have dodged Wang Meng’s sword, but then again, he didn’t need to.
With Mo Chen’s full support, Wang Meng was now able to circulate the Five Elements Technique. However, the speck of light within his Sea of Fate had vanished. It seemed that obtaining an Artifact Soul was now a distant, unattainable dream.
But Wang Meng had never been one to care about such things. It would be great to have one, but its absence wouldn’t stop him.
It had to be said, this spirit was infectious. Now, more than ever, Mo Chen wanted to fight against the heavens one last time.
Back in the Dragon Transformation Hall within the Five Elements Desert Space, not many people remained. Those who had been sent away, however, had all become a latent force for the Extreme Dao Alliance. This was their method of infiltration: let these "seeds" return to the Star Alliance to blossom and bear fruit, thereby dismantling it from the inside.
What made the Extreme Dao Alliance so ruthless was that for a very long time, most of those sent away received no orders whatsoever.
Mingren had already reached the forty-ninth layer. All resources were being poured into him; it was said the Saintess herself had given the order.
Looking at Dragon Transformation Pool Number One, Zheng Dasheng’s eyes filled with envy and even hatred. Never before had anyone earned the Saintess’s personal attention during their cultivation. But this brat had it before he even reached Minor Perfection. Rumor had it that if he did reach Minor Perfection, the Saintess intended to meet him personally.
Zheng Dasheng had to suppress the urge to charge in and kill the brat. What he hated most was the kid’s damn indifferent expression, as if nothing in the world mattered to him. He was clearly from some third-rate hellhole, yet he acted like he was the scion of a prestigious clan.
Hate was one thing, but at this point, Zheng Dasheng didn’t dare go too far. If Mingren really succeeded in forming the Holy Light Demon Collapse Holy Statue, he would be far above him in the future. Zheng Dasheng had already obtained the Celestial Fire Cauldron and the method for refining the Life Pill, so it wasn’t as if his journey had been for nothing.
Ever since Wang Meng, Mingren, and the others disappeared, Yan Yuyue and her group had been cultivating on their own. The Five Elements Desert Space was not an ideal place for them, but it at least allowed them to cultivate in peace.
Having come to the Great Yuan Realm, they all understood that their fates were no longer their own to control. Any day, someone they knew could suddenly vanish, never to be seen again. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
