Chapter 87

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I had thought that by passing through the stone array, I could find a way to continue on. Who would have thought that just as I was about to walk between two stones, the bright sky suddenly disappeared, replaced by a hazy starry sky, leaving me at a loss for what to do.

Wujiao stood there, stunned.

How could those dozens of stones, so close at hand, just vanish? And where did this vast, boundless starry sky come from?

An illusion!

This was an illusion created by the ancient altar, designed to confuse and trap people, preventing them from moving forward.

He hesitated for a moment, then protected himself with spiritual energy, took a step forward, and walked ahead with a mix of trepidation and unease.

In an instant, the vanished sky suddenly reappeared.

Before he could rejoice, he saw an old man sitting on the ground not far away, stroking his beard and smiling. "The ancient altar is built with fifty-four star stones, arranged in a mystical formation. Entering it rashly is like entering a maze, and it's not uncommon to be trapped for a month or more!"

The old man was none other than Yuanling.

Wujiao turned around and realized he had walked out of the stone array in a daze.

Yuanling seemed to have anticipated this, his smile tinged with a sense of satisfaction.

Just a chaotic stone array, yet it was so peculiar!

Wujiao scratched his head and turned to Yuanling. "Senior Brother, with your vast knowledge, could you give me some guidance?"

Yuanling was a generous person, especially when it came to answering questions from junior disciples. His smile grew even more self-satisfied as he stroked his beard and nodded. "This altar is where ancient tribes used to worship their ancestors and deities. It was once lost in the Ancient Sword Mountain and was later brought to the Azure Dragon Valley by our predecessors."

Wujiao looked around, seeing no one else but the large stones, and the surroundings were quiet. Knowing it wasn't wise to rush, he sat down cross-legged about two zhang away.

"Fifty-four star stones guard the central altar. It's said that passing through isn't difficult, but encountering a celestial opportunity is extremely rare!"

Wujiao, impressed by Yuanling's detailed explanation, continued to listen attentively.

"The fifty-four star stones form a six-by-six array, with nine star variations, numbering in the thousands, encompassing the sun, moon, and stars. If you want to pass through..."

Wujiao, moved, interrupted, "I've only heard of the Big Dipper, how can there be nine stars?"

Yuanling, in the midst of his enthusiasm, was suddenly interrupted and glared. "These stars are not those stars. They are the numbers of the Eight Trigrams and the Nine Palaces, specifically the Tianpeng Star, Tianrui Star, Tianchong Star, Tianfu Star, Tianqin Star, Tianxin Star, Tianzhu Star, Tianren Star, and Tianying Star! Since you are ignorant, how can you speak recklessly!"

Though they were a few zhang apart, it felt as if they were both splattered with spittle.

Wujiao quickly raised his hand in apology, but was puzzled inside. The demon sword within him seemed to have a name called Yaoguang. He had thought it might be related to the nine stars Yuanling mentioned, but now it only made him feel ignorant.

Yuanling, seeing Wujiao's humble and eager-to-learn attitude, softened his expression and asked himself, "What are star stones? They are fallen star stones! How to pass through the altar stone array? When you encounter strange phenomena, just kneel and pray sincerely, and you will naturally reach the altar. What's so difficult about that!"

He wore an old robe, with gray hair and a wrinkled face, and even the nails of his hand that stroked his beard were dirty with years of grime. He looked old and worn out, like a scholar in the secular world, yet his eyes sparkled, and his demeanor was profound and mysterious!

Wujiao smiled but shook his head inwardly.

He had thought the old man would teach him some techniques to pass through the altar, but after his eloquent speech, it turned out he had said nothing useful. Whenever something went wrong, just kneel and pray? What a joke, I'm not that foolish!

Well, I'll just try a few more times!

Wujiao brushed his sleeves and stood up, but then thought for a moment and turned back to ask, "Who left the Azure Dragon Valley, Senior Brother, can you tell me?"

Yuanling, stroking his beard with two thin fingers, pondered for a moment and said, "The Azure Dragon Valley was left by a senior of the Ancient Sword Mountain. He was the supreme sword cultivator, once famous throughout the Nine Nations of the Divine Continent, cough, cough..." He glanced at Wujiao and stopped, saying no more, and then closed his eyes as if in meditation.

Wujiao paced a few steps, turned back, and sat down, bowing and smiling. "Meeting Senior Brother has been very enlightening. Since the opportunity is here, I dare to ask for more guidance. I hope you will not withhold your wisdom!"

He had a demon sword inside him, so he was curious about the senior of the Ancient Sword Mountain. It was just curiosity, but broadening his knowledge and learning how to pass through the ancient altar might be his true intention.

Yuanling suddenly opened his eyes and laughed. "Ha ha! It's rare to see a junior brother who respects his elders! I'll tell you, tell you..." He was animated and enthusiastic. "If it were anyone else, they might not know this secret of the Ancient Sword Mountain. I, Yuanling, have lived for two hundred years. Though my cultivation is not high, my understanding of the Dao and my experiences are far from ordinary!"

Old people tend to be talkative. Qi Sanren of the Fenghua Valley, Yun Shengzi of the Lingxia Mountain, and this Yuanling were all the same.

Wujiao sat patiently, waiting for him to continue.

"That senior, with his lifetime of cultivation, refined seven divine swords, famous throughout the Nine Nations of the Divine Continent!"

Yuanling, excited, continued, "That senior had ordinary roots and mediocre talent, but with great heart, great wisdom, great perseverance, and great fortune, he eventually became the supreme sword cultivator, a role model for us all! Junior Brother, don't be discouraged, the path to immortality is within reach!"

I'm not discouraged, and the so-called path to immortality has nothing to do with me!

Wujiao asked casually, "What is his name, and where is he now?"

Yuanling's tone softened, with a hint of respect. "His name is Cang Qi, and he is revered as the Cang Emperor by the cultivators of the Divine Continent. Now..." He suddenly sighed and added, "Some say he is dead, some say he is still alive. As for the details, with my status in the immortal sect, I have no way of knowing!"

His words were tinged with regret and embarrassment.

Wujiao, however, was not bothered, treating it as a strange legend. He turned his head and silently observed the stone array not far away.

Those black stones, like lonely figures reaching towards the sky, or a strange forest, witnessing the distant past.

Wujiao was still thinking about how to pass through the altar when he heard the old man's voice again. "It's rare to have such an opportunity, let's discuss it. Remember, in cultivation, words and actions must be consistent, and wisdom comes from understanding and practice, leading to the great Dao..."

Wujiao, following the sound, saw the old man immersed in the realm of enlightenment, unable to extricate himself. He quickly asked, "Senior Brother, your realm is extraordinary, but why is your cultivation average?"

Though his words were teasing, they were also heartfelt. Whether it was Yun Shengzi of the Lingxia Mountain's Yujing Peak or this Yuanling, they were all obsessed with the Dao and had extraordinary realms, but their cultivation was lacking. The reason was truly puzzling.

"This... this..."

Yuanling hesitated, lowering his head in thought. "Junior Brother, what you said is not without reason! Realm and cultivation should complement each other. If there is a deviation, it is still unknown! But to hear the Dao in the morning and die in the evening, that is what we seek..."

Wujiao frankly said, "The path to death is not worth cultivating!"

In his view, not all cultivators were bad. Those who were dedicated to cultivation were often miserable. Such a path to immortality was essentially a form of torture!

Yuanling argued, "Junior Brother, you are mistaken! The path to immortality is about cultivating oneself and helping others..."

Wujiao, growing impatient, stood up from the ground. "If one cannot cultivate oneself, how can one help others?"

Yuanling was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Wujiao honestly said, "Blindly cultivating to escape, binding oneself for life, is not freedom! In short, it's four words: contentment brings happiness!"

Contentment brings happiness, a truth known to all. But the path to immortality is about defying nature, emphasizing relentless cultivation and unwavering dedication!

Yuanling disagreed. "Junior Brother, what you said has nothing to do with the Dao!"

Wujiao could no longer bear it, turned around, and walked away, bowing and saying, "Immortals and mortals are the same, all things have a Dao. If one is too obsessed, it is the path of fools!"

Yuanling, deep in thought, quickly stood up, almost stumbling, but paid no attention, waving his hand and calling out, "Junior Brother, would you like to travel together, so we can discuss more along the way..."

Wujiao walked to the two stones again, looking at the strange stone array, and glanced back, smiling bitterly. "With Senior Brother leading the way, why not?"

Yuanling followed closely, still nodding his head and muttering, "So, the realm might be deviated. The Dao is born from nothingness and dies in form..."

As they entered the stone array, the surroundings changed. The vast starry sky suddenly enveloped them, and the surroundings became boundless.

Wujiao no longer acted rashly, walking side by side with Yuanling.

Yuanling, however, kept his head down, looking at his feet as he walked, muttering to himself, and pointing at a jade slip in his hand.

Wujiao followed and suddenly understood.

No matter how the surroundings changed, the path underfoot remained the same. As long as one was not swayed by the illusions and paid attention to the path, it was not difficult to find a way through the stone array.

Wujiao, understanding this, quickly focused his mind, but still couldn't help looking around, feeling curious.

The starry sky above, real yet illusory. Being here made one feel as if walking on clouds or traveling through a nebulous star domain.

Unconsciously, the stars dimmed, and the surroundings turned dark. It was as if the world had fallen into chaos.

Wujiao, amazed by the changes in the stone array, looked at Yuanling nearby.

The old man still held a jade slip in his hand, walking hurriedly, like a weary traveler on a predetermined journey. His mouth was still muttering, as if in self-reflection or a deep prayer. He seemed to have noticed the changes in the surroundings, paused for a moment, and slowly knelt down, raising his hands and bowing his head in reverence. His actions were devout, his demeanor fearful, lacking the transcendence and calm of a cultivator, more like a humble being worshiping a long-admired totem!

Wujiao stood quietly, his expression slightly stunned...

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