Free Web NovelChapter 196.2: Entering the Secret Realm; Lu Changsheng Shakes the Sacred Land of Tai Cang! (II)
Finding the Principle Divine Stone was easier said than done. The secret realm they had entered was vast. But thankfully, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian were not completely helpless. They had entered secret realms before and knew the usual way to search for Principle Divine Stones.
"A secret realm this old has likely given rise to other living beings, possibly even cultivators," Xia Chengfeng said. "Their cultivation ceiling may be limited given the conditions here, but they'll know this place far better than we do. We can find the natives and ask them for clues about the Principle Divine Stones.
"They may not call them Principle Divine Stones, but treasures of that level are unique and unmistakable. As long as such stones exist in this world, there is a good chance the natives know something about them."
This was their usual approach when searching for treasures in secret realms. The method itself was not bad, but it was slow and relied on luck quite a bit. If things went poorly, someone else might find the Principle Divine Stones long before they gathered any useful information. Still, it was a start.
Lu Changsheng suddenly turned to Xia Chengfeng. "You said we are essentially a world-ending force here. Does that mean our abilities could be ten times, or even dozens of times more powerful?"
Xia Chengfeng nodded. "Yes. Because the space in the secret realm is fragile, the destructive power of our abilities becomes far greater here."
A sharp glint flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. "In that case, I may have a faster way to find the Principle Divine Stones."
"What do you mean, Brother Lu?"
"I have a Sense Domain, and I want to see how far it can extend in this secret realm," Lu Changsheng explained. "If its range has also increased ten times, or even a hundred times over, then finding the Principle Divine Stones may not be difficult at all."
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian exchanged a glance. A look of quiet, delighted surprise passed between them. If Lu Changsheng really had a Sense Domain, bringing him along on this trip had been a far better decision than either of them had realized.
Lu Changsheng unleashed his Sense Domain.
Boom!
Releasing the Sense Domain in the secret realm felt effortless. There was no strain or pressure at all. The Sense Domain simply kept expanding—ten li, a hundred, five hundred, and finally, it stopped at a thousand li.
Lu Changsheng could sense everything within this thousand-li radius with perfect clarity. Every sound, every movement, and even the faintest disturbance was laid bare before him.
At the same time, he understood that he was not the only one searching the secret realm this way. If his Sense Domain could expand to such a terrifying range here, then the Dao Lords scattered throughout the secret realm could do the same with their divine consciousness. No doubt they were already sweeping the area for clues and treasures.
Countless pieces of information flooded into Lu Changsheng's mind.
Hmmm... There really is intelligent life here. And they look... remarkably human. There are even martial artists within them, though their cultivation methods are different from anything I know. They call themselves the Tai Xuan people, and they call this place they live in the Tai Xuan continent.
Suddenly, something snagged his attention.
Huh, there's a place called the Sacred Land of Tai Cang... In this land, there's something called a Tai Cang Divine Stone. Beneath it, one can contemplate the mysteries of heaven and earth...
If this Tai Cang Divine Stone can allow the Tai Xuan people to contemplate the mysteries of heaven and earth, then could that be the Principle Divine Stone?
Lu Changsheng's heart stirred. It seemed likely, but he would not know for certain until he saw it himself.
He opened his eyes. "Brother Xia, Brother Zhao, I may have found a lead on the Principle Divine Stone. But we need to go there and confirm it."
"Then we move now," Xia Chengfeng said. "We can't let the Dao Lords get there first." ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Zhao Yujian nodded. "Dao Lords have divine consciousness, so every time they enter a secret realm, they usually walk away with plenty of treasures. They may not need the Principle Divine Stone themselves, but that does not stop them from fighting for them. They could trade the stones to Dao Foundation martial artists for other treasures."
"Yes, wherever they go they clean the place out..." Xia Chengfeng said with a grim expression. In the past, we could only wander through secret realms and hope luck was on our side."
"But this time," he went on, his eyes lighting up, "we have Brother Lu's Sense Domain! That's as good as a Dao Lord's divine consciousness. No more wandering the secret realm in the dark!"
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian could barely contain their excitement.
"Right, let's go then." Lu Changsheng said, not wanting to waste anymore time.
He unleashed the Wind Principle, wrapped Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian in its power, and headed straight for the Sacred Land of Tai Cang.
***
It was the day of the annual disciple recruitment of the Sacred Land of Tai Cang, and the foot of the sacred land was packed.
This was the only martial arts sacred land within a thousand-li radius. Every martial artist who had passed through its gates had gone on to dominate a region, and that legacy drew people from across the land, ordinary folk and martial artists alike, all of them carrying the same hope.
"I've spent three years preparing. I cleansed my marrow and gathered all kinds of treasures. With my talent, I'll make it in!"
"I hear a Martial Lord is presiding over the recruitment ceremony this year. I wonder which one..."
"Who knows... The Sacred Land of Tai Cang has thirty-three Martial Lords, and every one of them is invincible."
"I think the one presiding over the recruitment this time should be Martial Lord Cang Yue."
"Martial Lord Cang Yue? He's the youngest among the martial lords. If he takes a liking to you and accepts you as a disciple, your future will be limitless."
A ripple of excitement moved through the crowd.
Martial Lord Cang Yue was a legend. He had risen through bloodshed and battle, and although he was the youngest Martial Lord in Tai Cang Sacred Land, his strength was astonishing. Even among the thirty-three Martial Lords, he ranked firmly within the top ten.
A Martial Lord stood second only to a Martial Saint, and a Martial Saint was the foundation of a sacred land. In fact, only a land with a Martial Saint residing could be called a sacred land. Martial Saints were said to possess abilities that could shake the heavens and split the earth, wielding powers beyond what most people could even conceive. However, very few had ever seen one in action. Even Martial Lords rarely revealed the full extent of their strength, much less Martial Saints.
"Silence!"
Martial Lord Cang Yue stepped onto the high platform. The moment he spoke, the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people below fell silent.
He was the youngest Martial Lord in all of the Sacred Land of Tai Cang, and he had not even reached thirty. For someone so young to stand at such a lofty position was almost unbelievable.
Martial Lord Cang Yue swept his gaze over the crowd. "The rules are the same as always. Line up and proceed toward the Tai Cang Divine Stone. Only those who can reach within ten zhang of the stone and stay there until an incense stick burns out[1] may enter Tai Cang Sacred Land."
With a wave of his hand, dozens of martial artists behind him immediately activated a strange formation.
Martial Lord Cang Yue then declared, "Summoning the Tai Cang Divine Stone!"
Boom! Rumble!
From the high platform, a massive stone tablet rose slowly into view. It looked ancient and mysterious, and its surface was covered in cracks. And yet, the divine stone showed no sign of breaking apart. Instead, it radiated a strange aura, the kind that felt impossible to understand.
Even Martial Lord Cang Yue, who had cultivated beneath the Tai Cang Divine Stone many times, still felt a trace of awe whenever he stood before it.
Ah, the Tai Cang Divine Stone is as majestic as always.
Those who can comprehend a trace of its true essence can become a Martial Saint, and yet, of all thirty-three Martial Lords, not one of us has ever grasped even a hint of that essence. The only person who had done it was the Grand Elder.
Martial Lord Cang Yue sighed inwardly. The Tai Cang Divine Stone was extremely important to this sacred land. In fact, without this divine stone, the Sacred Land of Tai Cang would not have existed at all.
The Tai Cang Divine Stone was said to have fallen from the heavens, carrying within it a mysterious power that, when contemplated, allowed one to perceive the mysteries of heaven and earth, and also become a Martial Saint. It was also used to select disciples, much like what Martial Lord Cang Yue was doing now.
Any ordinary person or low-level martial artist who could stay near the Tai Cang Divine Stone for a set period of time would be considered to have outstanding aptitude, and would have a slim chance of becoming a Martial Lord. And even if they did not end up becoming a Martial Lord, they could still become disciples of the Sacred Land of Tai Cang.
The appearance of the Tai Cang Divine Stone sent a wave of excitement through the crowd of ordinary folk and low-level martial artists. Before today, they had only heard rumors about it.
Some told of geniuses who had comprehended a trace of the stone's mysteries and seen their cultivation soar, eventually becoming Martial Lords. Others claimed that certain martial artists had entered the stone's range and gained a massive increase in strength overnight. There were even tales of people creating earth-shaking martial arts techniques while contemplating it. freewēbnoveℓ.com
No one knew for sure how true those stories were. But regardless, no one doubted the magical powers of the Tai Cang Divine Stone.
1. I believe it's about 5 minutes, though others may have differing views in r/noveltranslations. ☜
