Chapter 33

On the peak of Cui Ling Peak, when Gu Fei saw the Daoist child who had come to summon him, he was greatly surprised. He did not know why the Sect Master wanted to see him, a disciple who was unknown within the sect.

Before obtaining the Yin-Yang Jade Pendant, Gu Fei was merely the least accomplished among the young disciples, a waste of a disciple who had been in the sect for eight or nine years but was still lingering at the third level of the Awakening Realm, the most inconspicuous disciple.

Now, the Sect Master, Xuan Tian Daoist, actually wanted to see him, such a lowly disciple. What could this be about? This unexpected turn of events left Gu Fei both surprised and doubtful.

"Could it be... it can't be..." Gu Fei thought of the Yin-Yang Jade Pendant that had merged with his chest, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy. However, in front of the Daoist child, he remained calm and composed.

Outside the cave, the two walked down the mountain. Gu Fei finally couldn't help but ask the Daoist child, "Senior Brother, do you know why the Sect Master wants to see me?"

The Daoist child, walking ahead, stopped and said, "How would I know why the Sect Master wants to see you!? You'll know once you get to the Tai Xuan Hall." Then, the Daoist child continued walking.

The Daoist child's tone was somewhat impatient, and he seemed to not take Gu Fei seriously. Among the nine lineages of Tai Xuan, the Cui Ling Peak lineage had long been in decline, and now only Gu Fei remained. How would the disciples of the other lineages care about him?

Gu Fei, feeling a bit embarrassed, smiled and didn't mind. The situation was stronger than the person. The other lineages were strong and numerous, while his lineage had completely declined. No one would value the only successor of Cui Ling Peak.

Only the strong are valued, and only the talented are given special attention. Gu Fei was neither strong nor a genius in the sect, so no one would even glance at him.

This was the harsh reality of the cultivation world, a world where the strong prey on the weak and the powerful are respected. The weak are like ants, to be trampled underfoot and bullied at will.

The journey was silent, and the hundred-mile path was quickly covered. After about half an hour, the two arrived at the Tai Xuan Hall. The Daoist child went inside to report.

"Come in!" A gentle and calm voice echoed in the hall, and to Gu Fei, it felt like a warm breeze.

Standing outside the hall, Gu Fei quickly tidied his clothes and cautiously entered. In the Tai Xuan Hall, no one dared to be arrogant, frivolous, or reckless.

Gu Fei didn't dare to look up. Being summoned by the Sect Master, he was inevitably nervous. Since joining the Cui Ling Peak lineage, he had rarely entered the Tai Xuan Hall.

He stood below Xuan Tian Daoist's throne and bowed, saying, "I pay my respects to the Sect Master!" Gu Fei bowed to Xuan Tian Daoist.

"Hmm! Rise!" When Gu Fei entered, Xuan Tian Daoist's seemingly turbid eyes scanned him from head to toe. For a moment, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Xuan Tian Daoist's Daoist arts were profound, and he had reached the realm of returning to simplicity. Sitting on the throne, he did not emit any magical power or extraordinary aura, appearing like an ordinary old Daoist.

"I never thought the Cui Ling Peak lineage would fall to such a state," Xuan Tian Daoist suddenly sighed, filled with emotion. "In the past, the Cui Ling Peak lineage was not much worse than the other eight lineages. However, this is the path chosen by your lineage, and no one can be blamed."

Seeing the last successor of the Cui Ling Peak lineage before him, Xuan Tian Daoist felt a bit uneasy. The nine lineages of Tai Xuan were all part of the same sect, passed down by the founding ancestor. With the Cui Ling Peak lineage in such a state, Xuan Tian Daoist couldn't help but feel a sense of mutual destruction.

Gu Fei didn't dare to speak, listening respectfully. Though he appeared calm, he was actually uneasy, feeling a heavy weight on his chest, unsure of what would happen next.

"Tomorrow is the day of the Nine Lineages Examination. I have a cultivation technique here that might be of some help to you!" Xuan Tian Daoist changed the subject and said, then took out a jade slip from his sleeve and handed it to Gu Fei.

Gu Fei was taken aback. He didn't expect Xuan Tian Daoist to call him to impart a cultivation technique, but... I don't cultivate Daoist arts! Instantly, countless questions arose in Gu Fei's mind.

Seeing Xuan Tian Daoist hand him the jade slip, he didn't have time to think and respectfully took it with both hands.

"That's all. You may leave," Xuan Tian Daoist said, waving his sleeve.

"Yes!" Gu Fei quickly bowed to Xuan Tian Daoist and carefully left the Tai Xuan Hall. Though he was full of questions, he didn't dare to ask.

Watching Gu Fei's figure disappear through the hall doors, Xuan Tian Daoist muttered, "I have kept this for your Cui Ling Peak lineage for hundreds of years. Whether you can understand it or not depends on your destiny."

Xuan Tian Daoist stood up from his seat, walked down from the throne, and turned to the back hall.

Returning to Cui Ling Peak, Gu Fei immediately entered his cave, closed the door, and sat on a cushion in the center. He took out the jade slip and held it in his hands.

"What cultivation technique did the Sect Master give me? Could it be related to the ancient cultivation technique I practice?" Gu Fei was very curious and eagerly returned to his cave. He focused his mind and sent a thread of divine sense into the jade slip.

"Boom!" The moment his divine sense entered the jade slip, a loud noise echoed in Gu Fei's head. He felt a spinning sensation, his soul shaking, and his face turned pale.

At that moment, the jade slip in his hand emitted a faint golden light, and ancient golden characters emerged from it. These characters were extremely ancient, similar to the flowing characters on the stone in the bottom of the Bi Shui Cold Pool cave.

Gu Fei immediately understood that these characters were probably ancient texts from the prehistoric era, a type of writing that had disappeared from history.

The golden characters rose from the jade slip and began to revolve around Gu Fei. The ancient golden characters, shining brightly, seemed to be cast in gold, exuding an indescribable aura.

Suddenly, countless ancient runes emerged from the jade slip, and these ancient characters began to reassemble around Gu Fei. Gu Fei didn't know what these ancient characters meant, but he felt something was wrong.

Sure enough, the moment he had this thought, the ancient golden characters around him suddenly gathered and formed a brilliant golden light, which shot towards Gu Fei's forehead as if it had a will of its own.

"Ah!" Gu Fei was terrified. The forehead was a vital part of the body. If this solidified golden light hit him, it would be disastrous!

Gu Fei was so scared that the jade slip fell from his hands. He tried to dodge, but the golden light was too fast. He felt a cold sensation on his forehead, and then everything went dark. He fell to the ground, completely silent.