Chapter 289: Chapter 198: An Immortal Caresses My Crown, I Take the Vow of Eternal Life, My Tomb Abode, Overnight Wealth!
"Liang Tingbo truly had a heaven-defying opportunity. It’s astounding that someone merely in the Acupoint Passage Realm could collect fragments of maps and successfully locate the tomb’s whereabouts."
Power determines vision.
In the past, Jiang Shu was merely a Refining Internal Realm Martial Artist, as insignificant as an ant before Acupoint Passage Realm powerhouses. A mere corpse of Liang Tingbo’s could easily set a trap and ensnare him. But now, even a powerful figure like the black-robed elder, an Acupoint Passage Realm expert who had opened all 365 acupoints, was blasted to death by his sole might.
After mastering the basics of the Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand, his strength advanced further. Someone like Liang Tingbo, who had only opened around two hundred acupoints in the Acupoint Passage Realm, had in turn become like an ant before him.
Obtaining this map and this opportunity, in Jiang Shu’s view, was a victory far surpassing that of Luo Yu, who possessed two Treasures. Unfortunately, without strength, everything was illusory; even with opportunity in hand, one couldn’t grasp it.
After confirming no one was tracking him, Jiang Shu leaped down from the cliff. The tomb’s location was extremely tricky, situated in a blind spot at the base of the cliff. Weeds grew wild, and scattered rocks excellently concealed the already small cavern entrance.
Retracting his wings, Jiang Shu stepped inside, his night vision making the darkness seem like daylight. His Primordial Power extended forward to probe. The further he walked, the wider the passage became, with stone chambers occasionally appearing on both sides. Jiang Shu swept the area with a glance, quickly gliding past. This was still the periphery of the tomb; the treasures in the stone chambers had long been plundered by Liang Tingbo. His destination was not here.
Soon, a massive stone tablet appeared before Jiang Shu. The stone tablet, like a gigantic door, lay across his path. Treasure Patterns sprawled across it, exuding a heart-palpitating and terrifying power that pressed down slightly as Jiang Shu entered, as if a mighty martial artist stood before him. Jiang Shu’s steps faltered, the Primordial Power within him momentarily congealing.
This must be the restriction Liang Tingbo spoke of.
Exhaling softly, Jiang Shu circulated his Primordial Power and launched a direct Great Tablet-Shattering Hand strike. Like a stone dropped into the vast sea, an attack powerful enough to instantly kill an average Acupoint Passage Realm Martial Artist left not a single mark on the stone tablet; the Treasure Patterns remained silent, as if nothing had happened.
As if he had foreseen this, Jiang Shu launched another Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand strike, provoking a slight response from the tablet. It wasn’t because the Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand was more powerful. Rather, when Jiang Shu’s spiritual power made contact with the Treasure Patterns, the previously dormant Treasure Patterns suddenly flashed with a momentary glow.
It seems this restriction isn’t unbreakable. The key to breaking it must be the infusion of spiritual power.
No matter how much Liang Tingbo schemed, he could only use Primordial Power, so he naturally couldn’t perceive its profound nature.
Without hesitation, Jiang Shu sat cross-legged, his hand touching the stone tablet as the spiritual power in his mind gradually converged. At the starting point of the Treasure Patterns, a glimmer of light blossomed. As the Treasure Patterns shifted, the entire stone tablet trembled slightly, and a stream of obscure language and text flowed into Jiang Shu’s mind. This language and text were different from that of the Da Jing Dynasty. Yet strangely, Jiang Shu understood it immediately.
"Successor, I am Master Ming Lei, an Inner Sect Disciple of the True Martial Sect from the Cang Mang Domain."
"My legacy comes in three parts..."
"First: Inside the Storage Bag, there are sufficient Pure Essence Pills for thee to cultivate to the Primordial Pill Realm. Therein lies an Identity Jade; holding this Identity Jade, proceed to the True Martial Sect. If thy realm reaches the Furnace Fire Realm, regardless of age, thou art qualified to be an Outer Disciple."
"Second: Within my corpse’s Primordial Pill lie ten Divine Skills. Among them is the Innate Divine Ability: Five Thunders Great Handprint—the epitome of destructive power. Thou mayest refine it once thy realm reaches the Furnace Fire Realm."
"Third: This stone tablet is transformed from a Spirit Rank Treasure, named the Extreme Netherworld Thunder Tablet."
"Thou, bearing my threefold legacy, must undertake three major tasks."
"First: Within ten years, return my remains to the True Martial Sect, to be buried at Thunder Prison Peak."
"Second: Slay Inner Sect Disciple Zhou Yan of the True Martial Sect."
"Third: Find my descendants, and ensure their prosperity for more than three generations."
"The Blood Oath established, the stone tablet shall move."
Though not numerous, the words contained a vast amount of information, and the Blood Oath came alongside. This oath was sanctioned by Heaven and Earth. Violators risked, at best, their Great Dao becoming unattainable; at worst, being struck by heavenly lightning and reduced to ash. This inheritance was not to be taken lightly.
Regarding the realms above the Six Martial Arts Realms, Jiang Shu had only glanced through records. In the Furnace Fire Realm, the heavens and earth are the kiln, with oneself as the flame within. In this realm, what is cultivated is not Martial Arts, but Divine Skills. However, this mention of the Primordial Pill was new to him; it must refer to a realm beyond even the Furnace Fire Realm.
The inheritance was not mandatory; one could quit at any time. On one hand, he could return to the Da Jing Dynasty, steadily progress and break through to the Detachment Realm, attend the Hundred Dynasties Conference, and smoothly enter the True Martial Sect. On the other hand, he could accept the inheritance, with resources sufficient to cultivate to the Primordial Pill Realm. However, by entering the True Martial Sect, he would already have an enemy among the Inner Sect Disciples.
If I’m not mistaken, this Zhou Yan is definitely at the Primordial Pill Realm.
He had already reached the Primordial Pill Realm before Master Ming Lei penned this last testament. How much further might he have progressed over all these years?
In Martial Arts, being one step ahead means being ahead every step of the way.
Not to mention the realms above the Six Martial Arts Realms.
Most martial artists would probably retreat at this point.
The Blood Oath was no ordinary vow. Jiang Shu knew that once it was established, this mystical bond had to be fulfilled. At the very least, ordinary martial artists had absolutely no way to break it.
The Furnace Fire Realm, a lifespan of five hundred years... Just thinking about it makes one realize how powerful it is.
And according to Master Ming Lei, even reaching the Furnace Fire Realm might not be enough to qualify as an Outer Disciple of the True Martial Sect. What I’ve seen truly is just a tiny patch of sky from the bottom of a well.
Perhaps those who enter through the Hundred Dynasties Conference don’t even qualify to become Outer Disciples. After all, the ones selected are merely Detachment Realm Martial Artists.
If that’s the case, why not leap out and see the wider world!
He possessed the Two Realms Shuttle, and the panel was at his disposal. Jiang Shu did not hesitate. As his Blood Oath was established, the stone tablet responded and moved.
So what if the enemy is powerful?
Given enough time, I will still kill him with a single punch!
Slowly, an immensely spacious stone chamber appeared before him. The stone chamber hadn’t been aired for many years, yet there was no scent of decay inside. Instead, there was a faint, fresh fragrance. A middle-aged corpse, appearing to be in its thirties, sat cross-legged in the center, its hair slightly graying. Even in death, the body still emitted the aura of a powerful individual, subtly oppressing the entire chamber. This was also the fundamental reason no Mutant Beasts or vermin like insects and scorpions lurked around this tomb.
Beside the body was an intentionally opened Storage Bag. Jiang Shu took two steps forward and bowed to the corpse with the respect due to a master.
The Blood Oath bound him, but it also proved this place wasn’t a trap.
Storage Bags are indeed graded by equivalent levels. The one I have is the lowest-level, with only about a cubic meter of space. But this Storage Bag of Master Ming Lei’s actually has around a hundred cubic meters; its storage capacity is comparable to an entire residence!
Murmuring to himself, Jiang Shu took out a jade bottle from the Storage Bag. Upon opening it, a strange fragrance of elixirs diffused. Just smelling it, he could feel the Primordial Power within his body stir.
The medicinal effect is too potent. Taking it at my current realm would be overkill. This elixir definitely surpasses the supreme grade! Perhaps this is the Pure Essence Pill! Elixirs meant for Furnace Fire Realm powerhouses.
A single Pure Essence Pill like this, worth far more than 10,000 Essence Yuan Great Pills... and there’s a whole bottle here... two bottles... 3,000 bottles!
Jiang Shu was numb from counting.
There was only one thought in his mind... I’ve struck it rich!
Treasures from the Da Jing Dynasty were valued at merely tens of thousands of Essence Yuan Great Pills. That’s equivalent to just a few bottles of these Pure Essence Pills. Yet, before him lay a total of 3,000 bottles. Converted to Treasures, that was a full 1,000 of them! And this vast hoard of resources, enough to buy out an entire dynasty’s supply of elixirs, was merely mentioned in passing by Master Ming Lei. Whether it was the Identity Jade in the Storage Bag, the Divine Skills within his body’s Primordial Pill, or the Spirit Rank Treasure, the Extreme Netherworld Thunder Tablet... all these were far more precious and important than the elixirs. Even someone as resolute as Jiang Shu lost his composure for a moment upon this realization.
Before entering the tomb, he was just an Acupoint Passage Realm Martial Artist, hoping to obtain some Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts so he could join the Hundred Dynasties Conference and win a place. But now, a much wider world had unfolded before him. Hundreds of dynasties launched their Dragon Tiger Lists to scout for talent, all for the sake of gaining one or two more places in the Hundred Dynasties Conference. For him, however, a single Identity Jade granted immediate entry into the Sect. Once he reached the Furnace Fire Realm, he would be directly promoted to an Outer Disciple!
It’s so surreal...
He couldn’t help but murmur softly. Suppressing the restless emotions in his heart, Jiang Shu placed the elixirs back into the jade bottle.
Right now, I’m still only in the Acupoint Passage Realm.
If I enter the True Martial Sect now with the Identity Jade, not only would it fail to maximize the benefits, but it would also invite disaster—like a child carrying gold through a bustling marketplace.
Master Ming Lei explicitly named the Inner Sect Disciple, Zhou Yan.
This implies Zhou Yan is definitely keeping an eye on anything related to Master Ming Lei.
If I truly want to enter the True Martial Sect, I must hide my identity and go as a genius contestant from the Hundred Dynasties Conference.
I’ll lay low in the True Martial Sect and gradually grow stronger.
From the Furnace Fire Realm to the Primordial Pill Realm...
And possibly even to higher realms.
Only then will I have the chance to kill him in one fell swoop.
Otherwise, with the Outer Disciple status granted by the Identity Jade, how could I possibly contend with an Inner Sect Disciple?
No rush. I haven’t even reached the Furnace Fire Realm yet.
He stored Master Ming Lei’s body into his Storage Bag. Jiang Shu’s thoughts became as clear as crystal. Sitting cross-legged, he began cultivating in the presence of a grand inheritance that even Detachment Realm Martial Artists might not remain calm before.
The inheritance merely made my path ahead clearer.
Only my own strength is real!
Cultivating Divine Skills requires reaching the Furnace Fire Realm.
The power of a Spirit Rank Treasure can also only be fully unleashed at the Furnace Fire Realm.
The Acupoint Passage Realm... is still too weak!
It’s time for a breakthrough!
In his mind, the transparent panel slowly emerged. After receiving Master Ming Lei’s inheritance, Jiang Shu’s Spirit Realm had advanced another level, and his proficiency in the Crystal Meditation Method rapidly increased. Lacking a supreme Cultivation Technique, he decided to use the Crystal Meditation Method to enter Fetal Breathing.