30. It Seems Brother Deer Dug a Pit
…Huh?
Did the book’s voice just say something… significant?
The Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths, wasn’t that what she had?
“Why does it have to be the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths?”
This was the first time she had heard of this old sect’s ultimate technique from anyone other than the Nine-Colored Deer. She had to pry for more information.
“You don’t understand.”
The book, thinking she was interested and might be persuaded to give up, quickly explained, “The old sect, also known as the Great One Engineering Sect, was once the most influential sect. At its peak, the Hundred Paths Mountain couldn’t even compare.”
“Even the name ‘Hundred Paths Mountain’ was derived from the old sect’s ‘Myriad Paths to a Single Source,’ but to avoid being presumptuous, it was changed to ‘Hundred Paths’ instead of ‘Myriad Paths.'”
So, the Hundred Paths Mountain had such a history…
Gong Yiling stroked her chin thoughtfully—Youyuan had never written about this.
“For thousands of years, the old sect gathered all the world’s cultivation sources, creating their ultimate secret technique, the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths.”
Ah… Gong Yiling’s lips twitched.
So the technique Brother Deer gave her had such a impressive background… but why was it so damn difficult to cultivate? Did he give her a fake?
“So, the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths is the foundation of my master’s martial arts. His ‘Hundred Paths to a Single Source’ was based on it, allowing cultivators who haven’t learned the old sect’s techniques to achieve a similar understanding.”
“Compared to the old sect’s techniques, it truly gathers all sources into one, allowing one to use a single broken branch to unleash various martial arts, such as swords, sabers, spears, claws, whips, and so on.”
The book’s voice, getting carried away, started praising the Thousand Transformations manual, forgetting its original purpose.
Brother, are you trying to sell this to me? No wonder so many people were so insistent on learning it… this book painted a very enticing picture.
“Actually, combining this technique with my master’s martial arts is the best choice, but both the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths and my master’s talent are incredibly rare, so—”
Gong Yiling had heard enough and interrupted, “I have it.”
“So I suggest you… what did you just say!?”
“The Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths.”
Gong Yiling, unsure if the book could recognize the technique within her, circulated her energy. “Do you recognize this?”
“Huh!?” The book’s voice, having undoubtedly seen the technique before, exploded. “Holy shit!!! I’m seeing ghosts!!!”
“Didn’t you just say you were a ghost?” Gong Yiling retorted. “Shouldn’t we be crying tears of joy, like two old friends reuniting?”
“You’re really a ghost?” The book’s voice was excited. “No, you really have the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths? But isn’t the old sect already disbanded…?”
“It is,” Gong Yiling shrugged. “But by chance, Senior Nine-Colored Deer gave me this technique.”
“And I didn’t even want it. He forced it on me.”
“What!!!!”
The book flew open and slapped her in the face. “This is a supreme honor! Why do you sound so disdainful!”
“It’s not like I can’t show off without it.”
Gong Yiling finally managed to pull the book off her face. “And you have no idea how troublesome it is to cultivate.”
The book spirit flipped over on the ground and retorted, “So your cultivation speed is a bit slow. But you’re ten times stronger than cultivators at the same level.”
“No wonder, no wonder you’re only at Core Transformation. But even at Core Transformation, your strength is comparable to a Profound Void cultivator. This is the power of the Heavenly Saint Technique of the Myriad Paths.”
Well… that was true.
She was only using her Daoist cultivation, and her demonic cultivation was at the peak of Core Transformation, almost at Return to Origin. Her actual strength was much higher.
“But!”
The book spirit’s excitement suddenly turned serious. “That Nine-Colored Deer is old and senile. Did he tell you something?”
“Huh?” So Brother Deer really gave her the technique because he was getting old and confused?
“It seems he didn’t.” The book spirit sighed. “The fall of the old sect plunged the continent into chaos. The old sect’s sacred mountain, Tianyuan Holy Peak, was struck by lightning from the heavens, creating a massive rift, and then flames consumed the land, turning it into a barren wasteland.”
She had heard the latter part of this story from the Grand Elder.
But she hadn’t expected the border between the Four Kingdoms to be… created by lightning striking the Great One Engineering Sect?
“What did they do to deserve being struck by lightning like that? Divine retribution?”
“Pah!” The book spirit almost spat on her—if it had a mouth.
“Then what?”
“How should I know?” The book spirit sighed again. “That matter is an unsolved mystery. Many want to know why the old sect fell, fearing the same might happen to them.”
“The only thing we can confirm is that they must have touched upon some taboo, triggering a backlash from the heavens. And this taboo is very likely… reaching the peak of the Divine Venerable realm.”
“The peak of the Divine Venerable realm?”
Gong Yiling frowned, puzzled.
In her memory, there was a realm beyond Divine Venerable, as mentioned in the book.
According to the story, the entire continent was a piece of land broken off during the ancient war, sealed off by someone. Anyone who sailed beyond the continent’s borders would encounter a thick fog and eventually return.
No matter what method they used, they couldn’t cross the sea.
And legend had it that only those who broke through the Divine Venerable realm could pass through the fog. So, many Divine Venerable cultivators, not content with their unparalleled strength, sought to break through and go beyond the fog.
“Why would reaching the peak of the Divine Venerable realm cause you to be struck by lightning?”
“Uh… that’s for you to investigate.”
Miss Gong didn’t react at first, then pointed at herself in disbelief. “Why me?”
