Chapter 5: The Heavens and Earth Unchanged, the River Flows and the Stones Remain (《》)

The Tianwailou, with its Nine Peaks and One Garden, is governed by the seventh generation's ten major disciples; they are in charge of Yunlai Peak, Yunwu Peak, Yunmiao Peak, Yunkai Peak, Juyun Peak, Suoyun Peak, Mengyun Peak, Henyun Peak, Tayan Peak, and Zizhu Garden.

Juyun Peak is where the sect leader Wuyun Liang resides, the main peak among the nine. The garden, Zizhu Garden, is where Chuyang is located. Among the nine peaks and one garden, although Zizhu Garden has the most beautiful scenery, its resources are the least among the nine.

The master of Zizhu Garden, Meng Chaoran, is the youngest of the ten major disciples, with a detached and peaceful nature, never competing with his nine elder brothers. In his life, he has only taken on three disciples: Shiqianshan, Chuyang, and Tantán.

Apart from Shiqianshan, who was taken in due to personal ties, Chuyang and Tantán were both orphans picked up by Meng Chaoran.

In each generation of disciples, ten major disciples are selected from the inner disciples to lead the nine peaks and one garden. The eldest of the ten major disciples is the future leader of Tianwailou, residing on Juyun Peak.

Whether in terms of spiritual medicine resources or the density of spiritual energy, Juyun Peak is the foremost among the nine peaks.

For the position of the ten major disciples, the disciples of the nine peaks and one garden have been competing for hundreds of years; each person strives hard to secure one of the ten spots. Under such motivation and pressure, the cultivation of Tianwailou's disciples has advanced rapidly.

This world is called the Nine Heavens Continent. Tianwailou is located in the Lower Three Heavens, also known as the Lower Heaven Continent. In the eyes of ordinary people, there are several mysterious places on the Lower Heaven Continent, shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, where neither humans, animals, nor even birds can approach.

Only some highly skilled martial artists know that these places are the entrances to the Middle Three Heavens, transcending the Lower Three Heavens.

In the Middle Three Heavens, there are similarly mysterious places, which are the entrances to the Upper Three Heavens!

To enter, one must possess powers that transcend the world they are in!

The Nine Heavens Continent, as the name suggests, is vast beyond measure, stretching from east to west and north to south, with no known boundaries. Endless and boundless!

On this vast continent, countless legends and myths have been passed down through generations. Throughout history, countless emperors, generals, and heroes have emerged.

Today, one may enjoy wine and song, but tomorrow they might be a prisoner in chains. Today's emperor might be tomorrow's defeated general, a ghost under the blade. Today's bandit might become tomorrow's emperor, wearing a yellow robe and facing south as the ruler.

On this magical continent, anything can happen!

Like any other continent or planet, beyond the imperial court, there are also fringes, wandering knights, and people of the jianghu. Where there is a jianghu, there are good and evil, and distinctions between right and wrong.

Good and evil do not coexist, and their struggles are endless. Over time, they have each formed their own systems, cultivation methods, and codes of conduct, sometimes causing upheavals and sometimes coexisting peacefully for centuries.

The world is indeed wondrous.

Regardless of whether they are good, evil, or demonic, in the eyes of ordinary people, they all share a common name: martial artists!

Martial artists defy authority, a principle that holds true in any world. The word "wu" (martial) encompasses myriad meanings, but the most memorable are violence and force!

A disagreement can lead to bloodshed within seven steps, which is martial. Standing tall with a sword, achieving great deeds, is martial. Roaming the jianghu, robbing and killing, is also martial...

Martial arts are diverse and full of conflict.

Besides humans, this world also has some mysterious races, such as the Three Stars Holy Race. It is said that they were once glorious, possessing unique talents and abilities, and once vied for dominance with humans. However, they have long since declined.

There may be other races, but they are even more elusive than legends...

At least, in Chuyang's previous life, the ones he saw could be counted on one hand, and they were all low-level Holy Race members. As for the high-level ones, he never saw any. It is unknown whether they have been completely exterminated or are hiding somewhere...

Human martial artists, regardless of whether they are good or evil, have various types of cultivation, such as fingers, palms, legs, feet, fists, knives, swords, etc., all starting from the ranks of apprentice, warrior, practitioner, master, patriarch, venerable, king, emperor (sovereign), lord, and holy, with the highest being the supreme venerable!

There are eleven ranks, each divided into one to nine levels.

Martial arts, in general, are called "wu." The ranks are martial apprentice, martial warrior, martial practitioner, martial master, martial patriarch, martial venerable, martial king, martial emperor, martial lord, and martial holy.

For swordsmanship, the ranks are sword apprentice, sword warrior, ... sword holy!

Only in swordsmanship, at the emperor level, it is called "sovereign." This is a rule set by the first Nine Tribulations Sword Master, and no one knows why.

At the holy level, one is already at the peak of the world! Throughout history, very few have reached the supreme venerable level! One could say that the supreme venerable is a myth! According to legends, a supreme venerable can summon wind and rain, soar through the skies, move mountains, fill seas, and shatter the void!

But legends are just legends. No one has ever seen one! Even the holy level is rarely seen, like a dragon showing its head but not its tail.

For many years, the world has been ruled by emperors! They reign supreme!

The Tianwailou where Chuyang is now located is in the Lower Three Heavens. In the Nine Heavens Continent, it is the only place where secular imperial power rules this space. In the Lower Three Heavens, imperial power is supreme.

"Come in, the three of you." Meng Chaoran, dressed in purple robes and with a serene demeanor, stood at the entrance of Zizhu Garden. Seeing the wound on Chuyang's head, he only slightly frowned before returning to his usual carefree expression.

"Master, the two junior brothers were practicing and accidentally injured Chuyang. He lost a lot of blood. I hope you can give him some spiritual medicine to alleviate his pain," Shiqianshan said urgently, his eyes and face full of concern.

His words were filled with care for his junior brother, seemingly without any ulterior motives or emphasis on sensitive words. However, this statement was like a sharp reminder to Tantán in front of Meng Chaoran!

"No problem," Meng Chaoran said indifferently, either not noticing or not caring. "It's good for young people to suffer a bit. As long as it doesn't harm their bones or endanger their lives, there's no need to be so tense."

Looking at the gentle and refined face in front of him, Chuyang felt a warm and affectionate feeling from the bottom of his heart. A surge of emotion almost made him want to rush forward and hug him!

Master... both teacher and father, indeed. As an orphan, Chuyang was raised by Meng Chaoran. In his heart, Master is the person he respects and values the most. No matter what achievements he may achieve in the future, even when he becomes a martial venerable, Master will always be the warmth in his heart.

His master, who appears harmless and uncompetitive, actually has a keen eye for everything in the world, with a meticulous mind that no one can imagine.

Meng Chaoran, who never shows his true strength, possesses power that no one can fathom.

Chuyang still remembers, four years later, during a great disaster at Tianwailou, Meng Chaoran, dressed in white, wielded a sword and moved gracefully through the raging flames! Countless enemies fell to his sword, and he could have easily escaped, but he stayed until the sect was reduced to ashes.

At that moment, Chuyang realized that his master, Meng Chaoran, this low-profile man in Tianwailou, was actually one of the strongest cultivators in the sect! His cultivation had reached the martial patriarch level, even close to martial venerable!

In the final moments, Meng Chaoran found the severely injured Chuyang, struck him unconscious, and Chuyang felt himself being buried under countless corpses.

That was undoubtedly the only way to protect him. But Chuyang never saw Meng Chaoran again in his life, nor heard any news about him...

In his previous life, finding his master's whereabouts was his lifelong mission! Finding his master, protecting him, and repaying him was his wish. But he never found him... This became his eternal regret.

Seeing this familiar and affectionate face again, he felt a mix of emotions.

"In three months, the great competition among the peaks will take place," Meng Chaoran's words interrupted Chuyang's thoughts. "The three of you must practice diligently. See who can enter the inner disciples and become an inner disciple. This is a grand event for our Tianwailou, so do not slack off."

"Yes," the three of them answered simultaneously.

"Our Tianwailou is different from other sects. The masters of the nine peaks and one garden are always selected from the inner disciples. I hope one of you can become one of the ten major disciples and inherit Zizhu Garden."

Meng Chaoran smiled freely and said, "But if you can't, don't force it. I will take you away from Zizhu Garden and find a place to live in seclusion."

Chuyang smiled bitterly in his heart. His master was still so carefree, indifferent to everything; such a significant matter, which would make anyone strive, he didn't take seriously at all.

"I will not disappoint Master's expectations!" Shiqianshan's eyes lit up, and he said earnestly.

"Alright, I have something to do and need to go out for a while," Meng Chaoran said calmly. "I might return after the competition. You can practice diligently on your own."

The three of them were stunned. With the competition approaching, which master of the other peaks wouldn't be urging their disciples to practice? Their master actually chose to leave at this critical moment? Completely abandoning them?

"Master, please be careful. Since you have decided to leave at this critical moment, it must be a matter of great importance that cannot be delayed," Chuyang thought for a moment and said slowly. "The heavens and earth remain unchanged, the river flows, and the stones remain. There is plenty of time. As you just taught us, we cannot force things. We only hope for your safe and smooth return, nothing more."

Chuyang vaguely remembered that Meng Chaoran would not return until half a year later, and he would return severely injured, taking over a year to recover.

With his martial patriarch strength, he was already a high-level cultivator in the Lower Three Heavens, and few could injure him. The only possibility was that he was attacked by many enemies or went to... the Middle Three Heavens!

The heavens and earth remain unchanged, the river flows, and the stones remain!

Meng Chaoran's body suddenly swayed, as if a thunderbolt had struck him from the sky, leaving him momentarily stunned. After a long time, he turned around, looked at Chuyang, and his eyes shone with a strange light.

Among the three disciples, Shiqianshan was obsessed with power and coveted the position of the eldest inner disciple, while Tantán was young and naive. Only Chuyang realized that this trip was not only important but also dangerous. Moreover, his words had deep meaning.

But the most crucial part was the phrase "the heavens and earth remain unchanged, the river flows, and the stones remain," which seemed to touch the bottleneck he had been cultivating for years...

Chuyang smiled inwardly. Master, don't blame me for stopping you; I am doing this for your own good. In your previous trip, you were almost fatally injured and barely escaped. This shows that your strength is not enough to handle that matter. It's better to cultivate for a while longer...

"The heavens and earth remain unchanged, the river flows, and the stones remain" is the key phrase to break through the bottleneck at the martial patriarch level. Once one reaches the peak of the martial patriarch level, they face a bottleneck that requires enlightenment to break through.

And "the heavens and earth remain unchanged, the river flows, and the stones remain" is a state of mind! Only those who have reached this subtle level of martial patriarch can truly appreciate the profundity of this phrase!

How could Meng Chaoran be an exception?