Chapter 379: Mount Min’s Legacy, The Lord of the Heavenly Sea
“Wait a moment!”
Lin Tianlu quickly raised his hand to interrupt, a strange expression on his face:
“Were those just… family matters?”
Yang Chanzhen blinked her purple eyes, lowered her hand, and nodded: “I couldn’t keep it bottled up inside any longer. Now that I’ve told you everything, Master Lin, I feel much more at ease.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly: “I thought you asked me to come to Mount Min, Miss Yang, because of… our past connection.”
“Hmm?”
Yang Chanzhen paused slightly.
Then, her eyes curved into a faint smile: “If it were just that, I could have told you in Changling County, Master Lin, there was no need to wait until now. And besides, I…”
But her words trailed off hesitantly.
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow.
This hesitant demeanor, she was clearly hiding something.
After a moment of thought, he asked directly: “Is there something else you want to tell me, Miss Yang, but find it difficult to say?”
“…I just don’t know how to explain it.”
Yang Chanzhen sighed softly, turning her head slightly, as if helpless: “You don’t really need to know, Master Lin.”
Lin Tianlu couldn’t help but chuckle: “You being so hesitant, Miss, only makes me more curious.”
“I, I just…”
Seeing her conflicted and hesitant expression, Lin Tianlu felt a bit surprised.
This was the first time he had seen her like this since they met.
His thoughts stirring, he quickly smiled gently and said reassuringly: “If it’s something private, Miss Yang, there’s no need to force yourself to tell me.”
“Master Lin.”
But Yang Chanzhen seemed to have overcome her hesitation, closing her eyes and sighing softly:
“…Tianlu, besides your current maturity and composure, you’re still as kind and considerate as before, it makes me… nostalgic.”
“What did you—”
Lin Tianlu’s smile froze, his pupils constricting.
Her tone… like that of a long-lost friend!
“Could it be… that you and your mother…?”
“Connected by blood, our souls intertwined, sharing the same thoughts and feelings.”
Yang Chanzhen turned her back to him, her voice still cold: “I am the continuation of my mother’s life in this world.”
Lin Tianlu was stunned, looking at her graceful figure… and the faint blush on the back of her neck beneath her black hair.
“I’ve told you everything, every detail.”
Yang Chanzhen continued, still with her back to him, her voice slightly quicker: “So, there’s no need for you to dwell on the past, just cherish the present, Master Lin.”
“…”
Lin Tianlu was speechless.
No wonder her gaze towards him had been so strange and subtle after their second meeting.
It was because she had remembered everything from fifty years ago—
After a long silence, Lin Tianlu sighed deeply, touching his forehead: “What I’ve heard and experienced today is truly shocking.”
“…Are you troubled, Master Lin?”
“I’ve calmed down now.”
Lin Tianlu scratched his head and quickly smiled frankly: “If you had told me the truth earlier, Miss Yang, I could have recognized you sooner, keeping me in the dark for months was a bit awkward.”
“You’re already married, Master Lin, it wasn’t appropriate for me to say anything.” Yang Chanzhen’s voice was calm, with a hint of a smile: “Especially since there was still Miss Hua.”
“Cough! This matter…”
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”
Yang Chanzhen said softly: “Master Lin, please follow me, let me show you the secret place of Mount Min.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and walked out of the bamboo hut, her steps light.
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly and quickly followed.
…
After passing through a few simple wooden houses, Lin Tianlu saw a stone cave.
As Yang Chanzhen formed hand seals, the ripples in front of the cave entrance dissipated, and the heavy stone door slowly opened.
“This is…”
“This secret place has existed since our ancestors settled on Mount Min.”
Yang Chanzhen explained, her voice ethereal: “Inside are countless rare books and ancient scrolls, some dating back to ancient times, preserved to this day. If you’re interested, Master Lin, you can have a look later. But you can’t take any of the books with you.”
“I understand that rule.” Lin Tianlu entered the cave with her, and faint candlelight flickered to life on both sides, illuminating the passage.
But after walking for a while, a look of surprise appeared on his face.
An incredibly vast and magnificent library came into view!
Ancient bookshelves stretched as far as the eye could see, the sheer number of books creating a sense of awe and wonder.
This was truly… an ocean of knowledge.
Lin Tianlu murmured in amazement: “This place is truly incredible!”
“There’s a special technique preserving these books, they haven’t decayed even after thousands of years. But if they’re taken out of the cave, they will instantly turn to dust.” Yang Chanzhen said softly: “We should go to the bottom floor of the cave now.”
“The bottom floor… are there also books there?”
“The first and second floors are for books, the third and fourth floors are for weapons and treasures.”
Yang Chanzhen walked down the ancient stone stairs: “And the bottom floor… is a ‘boundless space’.”
“Boundless space?”
Lin Tianlu felt a bit surprised.
Although Mount Min was tall and vast, it still had its limits. How could there be a “boundless space” within it?
But as they went deeper into the mountain, passing through layers of barriers, a faint moonlight suddenly appeared before them.
“This is—”
Lin Tianlu narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the suddenly changing scenery.
It wasn’t a closed cave within the mountain, but a vast and seemingly endless lake, with a single pavilion in the distance, bathed in a soft, silvery moonlight.
But somehow…
Lin Tianlu felt that this scene was somewhat familiar.
“This is the true secret realm of Mount Min.”
Yang Chanzhen’s hair swayed gently, and she murmured softly: “For thousands, even tens of thousands of years, our ancestors have guarded this place, to preserve this secret realm, so it won’t be forgotten by history.”
“A secret realm passed down through the ages…?” Lin Tianlu’s expression turned serious, and he murmured: “Miss Yang, the secrets of Mount Min you mentioned earlier, are they related to this place?”
“Do you know why I’m the only one left on Mount Min, Master Lin?”
Yang Chanzhen looked back at him, her purple eyes flickering with a deep and mysterious light: “And why is there only one Azure Lady of Mount Min every hundred years?”
Lin Tianlu’s eyes flickered, and he said in a deep voice: “Because of… the Mount Min inheritance?”
“Indeed.”
Yang Chanzhen gently touched her chest, her fingertips tracing the strange patterns on her fair skin, accentuating the curves of her bosom, a sinister yet sacred beauty.
“Because Mount Min is not a sect or a faction, nor is it a force of demons and ghosts. It doesn’t seek to expand or gain power, but only to preserve the ‘Azure Lady of Mount Min.’ Therefore, since ancient times, there has only been one Azure Lady.”
“Whenever a more suitable and outstanding successor is found, the previous Azure Lady can finally rest, whether in life or death. And the new Azure Lady will take on the responsibility, either wandering the world in search of a suitable ‘vessel,’ or cultivating in seclusion in the mountains, inheriting the ‘memories’ passed down through generations.”
“This…”
Lin Tianlu was shocked and bewildered.
This was truly unexpected.
So it was a single lineage inheritance?
“Have you heard the legends of ancient times, Master Lin?”
“I’ve heard a few things from a Chihuang, but ultimately, not much…”
“In ancient times, when immortal sects still existed, and countless realms flourished, powerful beings roamed the world.” Yang Chanzhen’s delicate hand moved slightly, and strands of lake water rose into the air, intertwining and forming a blurry and indistinct image.
Within the image, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting on a high platform, its long, blue and white hair flowing like waves.
Just a glance was enough to be captivated by this figure’s extraordinary beauty and grace.
“And in those ancient times, there was an extraordinary woman who ruled the Heavenly Sea and swept across the four desolate lands and eight realms. She was known as the ‘Demonic Star,’ a peak figure of ancient times.”
No—
Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened in surprise: “Was her dwelling place called… Yaochi?”
Yang Chanzhen’s eyes flickered: “You’ve heard of it, Master Lin?”
“I heard it from a companion.” Lin Tianlu looked at the image in the mist again, surprised: “Could it be that this Lord of the Heavenly Sea has some connection with Mount Min?”
Yang Chanzhen lowered her eyes slightly and said softly: “In ancient times, conflicts and wars were constant, even earth-shattering battles that wiped out entire clans. Even the powerful Lord of the Heavenly Sea couldn’t escape this fate. In the end, she was severely injured in a great battle and drifted to the mortal world.”
“To… Mount Min?”
“Yes.”
She nodded slightly: “The Lord of the Heavenly Sea used her supreme power, defying the laws of the world, to create the ‘Azure Lady of Mount Min.’ And her existence is to continue her legacy, her soul, her consciousness, even her body. Even after tens of thousands of years, she can reappear in this world through the Azure Lady of Mount Min.”
Lin Tianlu was shocked.
So, the successive generations of Azure Ladies of Mount Min…
…were all vessels for the Lord of the Heavenly Sea’s rebirth?!
“However—”
Yang Chanzhen said softly: “But after tens of thousands of years, the Lord of the Heavenly Sea has never taken over our bodies or controlled our minds. She has been sleeping since ancient times, slumbering in the deepest part of Mount Min… in this secret realm. And our duty, as the Azure Ladies of Mount Min, has gradually changed from being vessels to guardians, protecting the Lord of the Heavenly Sea, protecting Mount Min.”
“Even if the Lord of the Heavenly Sea never awakens, this legacy will continue to be passed down through generations.”
Lin Tianlu hesitated: “But why are you all so willing to…”
“Perhaps, this is fate.” A hint of a smile appeared in Yang Chanzhen’s voice: “Every generation of Azure Ladies has been introverted and prefers quietude. Having been given a second chance at life, even dying for Mount Min wouldn’t be a big deal. Moreover, we all live long and peaceful lives, what is there to be dissatisfied with?”
“…”
Lin Tianlu was speechless.
If every Azure Lady of Mount Min was like Miss Yang, it was indeed possible for this legacy to continue for tens of thousands of years.
“But during this time, there are occasional ‘anomalies’ every thousand years or so.”
“What kind of anomalies?”
“A high degree of soul resonance.”
Yang Chanzhen gently touched the mark on her chest: “The rhythm of our souls becomes very similar to that of the Lord of the Heavenly Sea. Sometimes, in our dreams, we even become the Lord of the Heavenly Sea herself, returning to ancient times. Unknowingly, we become more and more alike—”
Her eyes flickered, her voice turning strange: “And in my generation, not only is the rhythm of my soul almost identical to hers, but even my sea of consciousness has awakened, and my body feels strangely connected to her bloodline. It’s as if I am the Lord of the Heavenly Sea, and she is me.”
Lin Tianlu frowned and mused: “So you and this Lord of the Heavenly Sea… have some kind of connection?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t want to delve into it.”
Yang Chanzhen looked up at him again.
Lin Tianlu felt a strange unease as he met her gaze, and he asked, puzzled: “Since you don’t want to investigate, Miss Yang, why did you ask me to come to Mount Min and tell me all these ancient secrets?”
Although the secrets of Mount Min were surprising, this unreasonable trust was even more puzzling.
Who would casually reveal secrets passed down through generations to an outsider?
But facing his question, Yang Chanzhen’s expression turned indifferent, and she raised her hand and pointed at him: “Because… I need you.”
“Miss Yang, what are you—”
Lin Tianlu was stunned, then his heart suddenly stirred, and he became wary.
—Something wasn’t right!
Yang Chanzhen’s tone had changed slightly a few moments ago.
She had been speaking with a smile, but now her voice was… cold and indifferent!
“You’re not Yang Chanzhen, are you… the Lord of the Heavenly Sea?!”
“I… am naturally ‘me’.”
Yang Chanzhen’s eyes flickered, but she quickly closed them, exhaling softly.
The calm aura around her suddenly became turbulent and chaotic, strange patterns spreading across her body, her hair flying wildly like that of a vengeful spirit.
Then, she turned her wrist and spread her five fingers.
As if pulled by some invisible force, a thin, jade-like blade slowly rose from the surface of the lake.
It looked like a meticulously crafted piece of jade, about a zhang long and two fingers wide, shimmering with a translucent luster. As she gently gripped the hilt, silver threads wrapped around her arm, forming tassels that swayed gently in the lake breeze.
‘Yang Chanzhen’ opened her eyes again, her previously ethereal and calm purple eyes now deep and bottomless, an overwhelming sense of nobility that demanded obedience and worship, as if she looked down on all living beings.
With this change in aura, the entire secret realm seemed to tremble, as if its master had been reborn!
She slowly turned the blade towards him, her lips parting slightly:
“Fight.”
“Wait!”
Lin Tianlu quickly raised his hand to stop her: “Miss, why resort to violence so suddenly? Even if there’s a misunderstanding, we can talk—”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ eyes were cold and vacant, her voice aloof and indifferent: “If you lose, everything is meaningless. If you win, then we can talk.”
Was that even allowed?
Lin Tianlu’s lips twitched slightly, speechless.
Settling things with fists, what kind of battle maniac was this?
—Clang!
The soft hum of the blade seemed to echo within his soul.
Lin Tianlu’s pupils constricted, and he stumbled backward, his head snapping back as if struck by an invisible force.
Clang!
The blade’s tip touched his chest, making Lin Tianlu bow his head in surprise before he was suddenly sent flying backward.
“…”
‘Yang Chanzhen’, her sword in hand, hovered in mid-air, her expression indifferent as she pointed with her finger.
Instantly, several formless swords seemed to tear through space, creating ripples on the lake surface.
Lin Tianlu quickly stood up, reaching out with both hands, firmly catching the flying swords, but the terrifying force still exploded behind him, creating a massive wave, like a raging torrent!
“This power—”
Lin Tianlu’s expression changed as he felt the swords struggling in his grasp, an incredible force pushing back!
This woman’s cultivation was far beyond his expectations!
“The power of the Shattered Realm, you can’t resist it?”
‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ figure appeared beside him like a mirage, her gaze fixed on the distance, her sword in hand, and she said indifferently: “If that’s all you have, Lin Tianlu, you’re nothing special.”
“Heh!”
Lin Tianlu glanced sideways, a cold smile appearing on his face: “If you’re truly the Lord of the Heavenly Sea, the Demonic Star of the Four Desolations from tens of thousands of years ago, Miss, then even being able to exchange a few blows with you is enough to make a junior like me, from tens of thousands of years later, proud.”
Crack!
He suddenly tightened his grip, crushing the flying swords in his hands.
His mind racing, Lin Tianlu’s expression turned serious as he struck out with his palm.
‘Yang Chanzhen’ remained calm and indifferent, her graceful figure unmoving, but her sword flickered beside her, silently shattering and neutralizing the incoming palm strike, the cold light flashing past his face.
“—Heh!”
But Lin Tianlu didn’t retreat, instead, he stepped forward, his expression cold, his palm transforming into a fist, surging spiritual energy erupting like a cannonball, boom, boom, boom!
Several deafening booms echoed as his fist and her sword collided, sparks flying, creating a churning wave of energy.
“Shattered Realm, draw your sword.”
‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ expression remained indifferent as she waved her sleeve, her figure moving swiftly and gracefully across the lake surface like a phantom, her jade sword a blur of motion, unleashing a series of dazzling and profound sword techniques— Cleaving Mountains, Severing Seas, Splitting Heavens… Three styles combined into one, the Shattered Realm Sword!
Annihilation, Non-Existence, Ruin… Fragmented swords rejoined, the Soul-Severing Sword!
The clash of sword and palm echoed continuously, the battle as intense as the collapse of heaven and earth, hundreds, even thousands of afterimages flickering everywhere, exchanging blows on the lake surface!
Azure and deep blue sword lights flashed on both sides, silent yet carrying a world-destroying power, desolate and empty, as if trying to devour all living beings!
But facing this relentless onslaught that transcended ordinary swordsmanship, Lin Tianlu’s expression calmed down, his movements becoming even more fluid and effortless, his hands a blur as he shattered every single sword strike, his powerful fists and palms sending out shockwaves that created cracks in the air.
Clang, clang, clang, clang—!
Sword light shattered, the sky seemed to tremble, his fists carrying an unstoppable force and fighting spirit!
A strange flicker appeared in ‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ purple eyes.
‘His cultivation… is increasing at an incredible rate?’
—No!
He was rapidly adapting to this more intense level of combat, his body and soul awakening from their slumber!
She lightly tapped the lake surface with her foot, her figure moving swiftly, her expression indifferent as she formed hand seals: “Soul-Severing Sword, Heavenly Sea Shadow—”
An azure sword flew from behind her back, and thunder seemed to crack the heavens and earth, stars falling and the moon setting, the rivers and seas churning like a whirlpool. Countless sword shadows converged into a long river, a silent and deadly sword suddenly flashing before his eyes!
Lin Tianlu’s expression remained calm, a faint smile on his face. As the sword wind brushed against him, he instinctively reached out with his left hand.
—Clang!
A single finger stopped this world-shattering sword strike.
The surging waves evaporated, light raining down, sword shadows dancing like dragons and phoenixes, their figures having already clashed hundreds of feet away, the terrifying power of their confrontation barely contained.
The wind from their clash ruffled their hair, and reflected in ‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ eyes was…
…a handsome face, filled with a confident smile.
Slap!
His hand swiftly grabbed her arm, the falling sword stopping abruptly.
‘Yang Chanzhen’s’ breath hitched, her powerful attack ceasing.
Lin Tianlu pressed forward, forcing ‘Yang Chanzhen’ down onto the churning lake surface, creating a massive wave.
Then, he leaned closer and grinned:
“This round… is my win.”
“…”
