Chapter 26

Chapter 25. Did You Come from Zhongnan? (5)

'First, let’s check the surroundings.'

We can’t create a thousand-mile trap.

Qingming turned his head from side to side, checking if any mechanisms would activate when the door was opened. If it were Zhang Wenshi, he might have set up a signal to alert him if someone else opened the secret chamber. He was always so cautious.

'There’s nothing visible.'

After confirming there were no mechanisms, Qingming’s gaze fixed on the upper part of the corridor.

There were holes large enough for a child’s fist, spaced about ten feet apart, one after another.

"Tsk."

Originally, there must have been night pearls embedded there. The corridor wouldn’t have been as dark as it is now, but rather brightly lit by the night pearls.

They were likely removed and sold one by one whenever money was short. Each time, the corridor would have become darker.

What thoughts did Zhang Wen have each time he entered, seeing the corridor grow darker? Did he think that the future of Huashan was as dark as the corridor?

"Ugh."

Qingming scratched his head.

"It might have been better not to see this."

It’s heavy. So heavy.

He knew it. He wasn’t stupid.

Just because Zhang Wen and the first-generation disciples didn’t show it, it didn’t mean he couldn’t guess their inner thoughts. They were probably not sleeping well, burdened by the weight of the Huashan name and the pressure of possibly failing in their generation.

They must have been under this pressure for their entire lives.

'It’s unfair.'

He wasn’t the only one who did it. While it’s true that he was called the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal and raised Huashan’s reputation, the major and minor affairs of Huashan were decided by Zhang Wen and the elders, not him.

They all did it together, but now Qingming has to clean up the mess. Where is the fairness in that?

Qingming clicked his tongue and approached the door.

Let’s leave the complaints at this and try to open the door, shall we?

"But… how do I open this?"

Qingming tilted his head.

There’s no handle on the door. The only thing that suggests it’s a door is the long line running down the middle. Without that line, it could easily be mistaken for a wall.

"And what are these lines?"

The long line in the middle is where the door panels meet. But what are these lines drawn haphazardly in all directions? It looks like someone practiced sword techniques on the wall.

"Is this a door?"

Qingming placed his hand on the surface, which could be either a wall or a door, and gently pushed his energy inside. But he had to pull his hand back immediately.

"Damn."

His energy couldn’t penetrate. This wouldn’t happen with ordinary rock. There’s something terrifying behind this rock.

'Perennial Cold Iron.'

And it’s at least a foot thick.

"…Is the money rotting?"

There’s no doubt that the storage was made of this expensive Perennial Cold Iron and then surrounded by rock.

"This is why Zhang Wen couldn’t even try to open it."

What is Perennial Cold Iron?

When refined, it can create the best swords in the world. When made into armor, it can create the best armor that nothing can penetrate. It’s also more valuable than gold by weight. To make a secret chamber out of this material…

"Huh, huh, huh."

In a way, Zhang Wen might seem foolish for leaving this valuable metal untouched.

But Qingming understood why Zhang Wen couldn’t touch this secret chamber. Perennial Cold Iron is the hardest metal in the world. Cutting through it is impossible even for Qingming now.

A foot-thick layer of Perennial Cold Iron would have required the former Plum Blossom Sword Immortal, Qingming, to barely manage to cut through it. To cut through this secret chamber, one would need to call in a top-tier expert.

But would such an expert really leave after seeing this treasure?

'Absolutely not.'

If Huashan, now weakened, has a treasure, it’s a capital offense. Those with power won’t let the weak sell their treasures legitimately. They’ll try to take it by any means necessary.

If Huashan carelessly brought in an outsider, it could lead to its destruction.

'Zhang Wen’s choice wasn’t bad. Calling in a top expert to solve the immediate crisis is like calling in a tiger to avoid a wolf.'

What’s inside is important, but the Perennial Cold Iron itself is a treasure. A foot-thick layer of it is worth a fortune.

"The problem is, I can’t cut it either…"

Qingming’s face twisted.

If he were the old him, he could have cut through this Perennial Cold Iron with his bare hands. He was the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal, after all, having reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship…

"Enough!"

Let’s put aside the meaningless talk about the past.

Qingming focused his inner strength and examined the chaotic patterns carved on the wall. If this is a door and Zhang Wenshi entered and exited it, there must be a way to open it.

Zhang Wenshi’s martial arts level wasn’t higher than his. So if he could figure out the method…

"Huh? This?"

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique?

The patterns carved on the wall, no, the sword paths!

Some of these sword paths resemble the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Once he found the clue, he could identify the other patterns.

"This is the Dead Leaf Palm. This is the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. And this is the Six Harmonies Fist."

From shallow to deep patterns.

These are techniques that only Huashan disciples could learn.

'No wonder Zhang Wen couldn’t open it.'

The Plum Blossom Sword Technique and the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique are not passed down in the current Huashan. While someone familiar with martial arts could follow the patterns, creating a technique from just the patterns is impossible.

"This depth…"

Qingming sighed.

"It’s based on the Subduing River Qi."

The method to open the door involves using the Subduing River Qi as the foundation, followed by the Six Harmonies Fist, the Dead Leaf Palm, and the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, culminating in the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

By performing the techniques in this exact order, the door would open automatically. How such a mechanism was created is unknown.

The clue is solved.

The remaining problem is just one.

"…How am I supposed to perform this?"

If it were the old Qingming, it wouldn’t be a problem. Even the elders could have opened the door without much difficulty. But the current Qingming is just a novice who hasn’t even mastered the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

He can mimic the form of the sword techniques. But infusing his inner strength and performing them in one go is impossible for him now.

"Huh."

Qingming sighed deeply.

'Nothing is impossible!'

If it’s not possible, make it possible. There’s no problem in the world without a solution. It’s just difficult.

Qingming clenched his teeth and gathered his hands at his dantian.

"…I really don’t want to do this."

If it were a matter of life and death, it might be different. But he doesn’t want to push himself for this. However, he can’t think of any other way.

"Let’s consider it a month of recuperation."

Qingming gritted his teeth and stimulated the innate energy deep within his dantian.

Innate Energy.

The power that everyone is born with.

It’s different from inner strength.

Even if one loses all their inner strength, they won’t die. They’ll just feel weak, but they can still live. Inner strength is a power artificially created by humans.

But innate energy is different.

Losing innate energy means losing the ability to sustain life. In other words, innate energy is the life force that sustains human life.

Those who have reached a high level in martial arts can draw on innate energy like inner strength. But innate energy is the force that sustains life. Drawing on it comes with a price.

Excessive use can lead to death.

Even moderate use can severely damage one’s vitality, making normal life impossible for months.

'I’ll only use a little. Just a little.'

If Qingming dies trying to save Huashan, it would be meaningless. He is perhaps more important than the entire Huashan now.

Tap, tap.

He carefully stimulated the innate energy. Too much is not good. Just enough! Really, just enough!

The stimulated innate energy began to surge. The rising innate energy pushed into the dantian.

'It’s a bit more than I expected.'

Qingming cleared his mind and gripped the sword.

Is it possible?

It has to be!

He mixed his innate energy with his inner strength, creating a powerful force, and circulated his inner strength throughout his body according to the method of the Subduing River Qi. The inner strength, flowing through unfamiliar paths, shook his entire body.

"Ugh!"

A scream escaped his lips.

The pain was excruciating, but Qingming’s eyes lit up.

'Just once! I have to do it in one go.'

A purple sword aura enveloped his fingertips.

He hasn’t mastered the techniques properly. He was merely trying to reproduce the techniques and movements he remembered, using an untrained body.

So there’s no second chance.

Qingming’s hand moved like a flash through the air.

The purple trail carved into the wall.

Screech! Screech!

The sound of scraping echoed in the quiet secret chamber. The technique, which should have been performed in one go, was slow due to the limits of his body and inner strength.

"Ugh… Ugh!"

His dantian felt like it was being torn apart.

But Qingming didn’t stop, swinging his hand. The strain on his muscles was unbearable, and his face was flushed.

'I am the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal!'

If his ability isn’t enough, he’ll make up for it with determination.

Holding on to his consciousness by biting his tongue, Qingming finally completed all the techniques.

Thud.

His hand stopped in mid-air.

'Did it work?'

His legs trembled, and his chest felt like it was about to burst, but he couldn’t afford to focus on his body. If it didn’t open, it would be a real defeat.

Then it happened.

Creak!

A strange metallic sound, followed by a click, and something opened.

After a moment, the massive door moved forward slightly.

"Ah!"

It opened!

He thought the mechanism would open the door automatically, but it seems only the lock was released.

But that’s something. Now, inside…

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, Qingming clutched his stomach and bent over.

Blood, like a geyser, gushed from his mouth. He couldn’t even swallow it back.

"Tsk."

Qingming wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

It seems he drew more innate energy than he intended, severely damaging his body.

At this level, he would need at least two months to recover from the internal injuries.

"Damn… Saving Huashan is so difficult."

Spitting out the remaining blood in his mouth, Qingming clicked his tongue and pushed the door of the secret chamber with all his strength.

Creak!

The door, closed for a long time, opened wide.

"Let’s see what Zhang Wenshi hid in here."

Qingming stepped into the secret chamber with a meaningful smile.