Chapter 53: Attempting to Sneak Through the Tunnel in the Dark

Within the Sumeru Space, tranquility reigned as always. Verdant spiritual plants flourished, and a clear, chilly pool reflected the stillness—there was neither wind nor the chirr of insects. If not for that moon-white figure’s presence...

The thought made Ji Yao inexplicably melancholy. She realized, with a pang, that she had come to rely on Situ Jing.

It was Situ Jing who first spoke to her upon her arrival in this world, who had accompanied her for years, and even gifted her this Sumeru Space. One day, Ji Yao suddenly became aware that this person might have ulterior motives, perhaps even conspiring with others in some grand scheme.

It was impossible not to feel afraid. She simply didn’t know what role she played in this elaborate game—just a piece on the board, but what kind?

Unless she found out the truth, Ji Yao thought she might never again desire the arduous path of immortality. A mundane mortal’s life wouldn’t be so bad; after all, she had only been a mortal in her previous life—just a few short decades, but nothing to regret.

Though they had agreed from the start that theirs was a transaction, Ji Yao still did not want to be left anxious and unsettled every time she encountered something strange.

She walked straight into the bamboo cottage. It was empty, but in the study, a moon-white disk hovered in midair, its cool, clear light truly resembling a full moon.

The Qiankun Disk had not turned ashen—meaning Situ Jing was not in seclusion. Ji Yao gave it a tentative call.

"Senior Situ, are you there?"

The Qiankun Disk quivered, an indication that the other had heard her.

Ji Yao felt a twinge of irritation, but with Situ Jing not appearing, she could only force herself to sit by the desk and study the array diagrams and jade slips arranged upon it.

She did not know how much time had passed when she found herself absorbed in a hand-drawn diagram on the table. She hadn’t even noticed when Situ Jing emerged from the Qiankun Disk.

Situ Jing glanced at the diagram that had so captivated Ji Yao and spoke idly from the side.

"That picture was drawn by my disciple, Ah Heng. It’s a design for an array treasure he once conceived, but he was always limited by materials and never managed to craft it. I didn’t even realize he’d tucked the drawing here."

Ji Yao came back to herself, staring somewhat blankly at Situ Jing. "Your disciple?"

"Yes, my disciple. Mu Tianheng," Situ Jing replied, casually yet with a hint of significance.

"I have been cultivating anew in the lower realm for tens of thousands of years now. By now, he should have long become an Immortal Lord in the Celestial Realm."

Mu Tianheng? Mu Tian... Tianmu Peak... Lingyun Sect... the founding ancestor!

The founding ancestor of the Lingyun Sect was called Mu Tianheng!

The annals of the Lingyun Sect recorded that the founding ancestor, Mu Tianheng, styled as Lord Tianmu, was a once-in-ten-thousand-years chaotic spiritual root. His childhood was fraught with hardship, but fortune smiled upon him when his master rescued him. Awakening the chaotic body, he thus set foot on the path of cultivation.

He was supremely gifted, unmatched in the world, mastering the four arts of cultivation and even secret, world-defying arcane ways unknown to others. He was both the primary array master and designer of the ancient Grand Demon-Exterminating Array.

At that time, he united the hundred clans, eradicated the Devourer Demons, and in the blessed land of Central Continent, founded the Lingyun Sect. Over the next thousand years, the sect flourished and grew under his hand.

Another thousand years later, Lord Tianmu left countless treasures within Lingyun Sect, and then followed his master’s footsteps, ascending to the Celestial Realm.

The Lingyun Sect thus passed down for hundreds of thousands of years, surviving the great celestial-demon war a hundred thousand years ago, during which the Mi Cang Realm was thrown into turmoil. Despite this, the sect preserved its foundation, aiding other sects, and to this day remains the leader among all cultivation sects.

"...Senior, so your disciple and Lingyun Sect..." Ji Yao heard her own voice come out dry and strained.

Situ Jing raised an eyebrow, pride evident as she said, "My disciple founded it with his own hands. The sect’s great arrays and some of the treasure vaults were all personally designed and forged by him."

"Many of Lingyun Sect’s techniques are those I left behind back then. Even their signature sword and lightning cultivation methods were ones I modified and perfected based on my own practice."

Was she showing off her disciple or herself? Ji Yao felt as though she’d been force-fed a mouthful of dog food just when she’d been about to speak her mind.

All the words she’d wanted to say were swallowed back down.

"So, the reason you wanted me to join Lingyun Sect was because of this?" Was it really that straightforward?

Of course, she didn’t dare say the last part aloud.

Situ Jing smiled, glanced at her, and replied slowly, "You didn’t come here today just to ask me that, did you?"

Ji Yao pressed her lips together and decided to lay everything out at once. "No, I also want to ask about your purpose—and about the Clear Moon Sword."

"Ah, well, I hadn’t planned to let you know so soon, but since you’ve asked, I’ll tell you a little. That way, when I need you to run errands for me later, there won’t be any mistakes." Situ Jing turned to sit in a chair, looking ready to explain in detail.

"My disciple Mu Tianheng possesses the blood of the Wu tribe. The Wu are attuned to the will of Heaven and the decrees of Earth, skilled in divination. I don’t know what he foresaw, only that long ago, he laid out a retreat path for me."

"Everything went smoothly as my disciple predicted during my cultivation anew—until the very moment of ascension, when something unexpected happened."

"Ah Heng once said to me, should the re-cultivation not proceed smoothly, it would mark the beginning of tribulation. And now, I am merely crossing that tribulation."

"To pass safely, I must first repair the flaws left in the Mi Cang Realm from before. And you are the key for me to find those flaws."

Ji Yao’s heart pounded as she listened. Beneath these calm words lurked unknown dangers. All she knew was that a great power had foreseen her appearance, and now she was the key for Situ Jing to break through the predicament.

"Then, may I ask—how many flaws are there to mend?"

"I don’t know."

What kind of answer was that? Did this mean she’d found the key to a door, yet didn’t know where the door was, nor how many doors there were to open?

Ji Yao suddenly felt as though the path ahead was shrouded in darkness, full of unseen pitfalls.

Stumbling through this shadowy corridor, what else could she do? She and Situ Jing were already tied together; she could only rack her brains and strive to survive.

"And the Clear Moon Sword?"

"Oh, that! I only heard Ah Heng mention it. He forged it himself after my ascension, and placed it in the Contribution Hall of Lingyun Sect. It’s said to be a growth-type artifact."

Situ Jing sounded somewhat puzzled. "When I first saw that sword, I wasn’t even sure it was the same one. After hundreds of thousands of years, how had it ended up outside, and in such a degraded state? Its quality had fallen so far."

At this point, Ji Yao understood: what Situ Jing needed to cross her tribulation was something her disciple Mu Tianheng had divined and prepared for in advance.

If he had no ulterior motives, then he had genuinely prepared every possible contingency for Situ Jing. The rest would be to meet each challenge as it came.

Ji Yao no longer knew whether to pity Situ Jing, or herself.

The road ahead was long, its obstacles many. But by walking, one reached the end; by acting, one achieved their goal.