Chapter 95: Ancient Murals
“What does this mean?” Huang Feiyan was bewildered. “Why would Gu Hanshuang come and say such things to Mingyan?”
Ning Feixuan’s face was expressionless. This man was indeed a magnet for trouble. Her decision to keep her distance from him was correct.
Mingyan scratched his head. “I don’t even know her. I don’t understand.”
Gu Hanshuang’s sudden appearance and her strange declaration had altered Mingyan’s perception of her. He had thought she was a cold and unapproachable swordswoman, but now, it seemed she was a bit… off.
Huang Feiyan thought for a moment, then blinked. “If she really becomes your Dao companion, it wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Gu Hanshuang is the number one genius of the Southern Continent.”
“It’s just a vague prophecy,” Yue Qingying shook her head. “It doesn’t prove anything.”
There was no such thing as destiny in this world. What was destiny? It was the realm of the Great Dao’s interference. But the Great Dao’s interference was only a tendency, something that could be changed by human actions. Besides, even if the two were destined to be together, now that it had been revealed, the resistance in their hearts would likely prevent it from happening.
And besides, Mingyan and Gu Hanshuang… They seemed like such an odd pairing.
“That’s true.” Huang Feiyan nodded. Even if the prophecy was real, it didn’t mean they would end up together.
Or rather, they might have been destined to be together, but now that it was out in the open, the possibility was almost zero. How could a woman like Gu Hanshuang develop feelings for a man and be willing to become his Dao companion…
“Instead of dwelling on this, let’s focus on finding opportunities,” Mingyan shook his head. Gu Hanshuang’s words hadn’t affected him. He already had someone he admired.
Ning Feixuan nodded slightly. “Focusing on that is more important right now.”
This small incident didn’t deter them. They continued onward, soon leaving the desert and entering another forest.
The trees here were incredibly tall, some reaching thirty or forty zhang high, their branches lush and green. The forest was dim, and they could occasionally hear the roars of ferocious beasts.
Upon entering the forest, Mingyan felt a change in the surrounding laws.
He had felt a similar change when they had traveled from the grassland to the forest, and then to the desert. Each region within the Supreme Dao Hall seemed to have different laws, likely divided into several zones.
Suddenly, a white jade-like building appeared before them. They exchanged glances and headed towards it.
The white jade hall had no doors and could be entered directly. It was dim inside. Upon entering, they saw a statue standing in the center.
It was a graceful woman, holding a willow branch, her expression calm, her beauty possessing an indescribable charm. At first glance, it seemed clear, but then it blurred, making it difficult to discern her features. He could remember her face, and he would recognize her if he saw her again, but he couldn’t judge her beauty. This was the first time Mingyan had encountered such a strange phenomenon.
A powerful pressure filled the hall. Ning Feixuan and the others found it difficult to move, but Mingyan was unaffected.
“Emperor’s might…! This is a statue of Great Empress Qingzi!” Ning Feixuan had seen the reigning Great Empress before and was deeply impressed by her aura and beauty. She was shocked to find her statue here.
“This… if we secretly learn the Empress’s Dao techniques, will she be displeased?” Huang Feiyan was surprised. What a coincidence, to stumble upon the statue of the reigning Great Empress. According to the experiences of past cultivators, such halls often contained the Dao and laws inscribed by a Great Emperor.
“The Empress hasn’t left a legacy yet. Besides, with the dark era approaching, she won’t care about such things.” Ning Feixuan shook her head. “Great Empress Qingzi once imparted her Dao at Yaochi and said that if anyone found some of her Dao techniques by chance, they could learn them without worry. She wouldn’t mind.”
“What is the Empress’s Dao?” Mingyan asked.
“Endless life,” Ning Feixuan replied. “It has many similarities with our Yaochi’s ‘Western Emperor Scripture’. The Empress obtained the ‘Western Emperor Scripture’ from somewhere else in her youth and helped Yaochi a great deal because of it. That’s why we have a connection with her. Her own Dao has absorbed some of the strengths of the ‘Western Emperor Scripture’.”
“Great Empress Qingzi hasn’t been an Emperor for long. The Dao recorded here is likely not her own created scripture, but some Dao and laws she obtained through other means,” Huang Feiyan said. “If it’s the ‘Western Emperor Scripture’… we should probably avoid it.”
“There’s no need.” Ning Feixuan shook her head. “Besides, generally, you can’t obtain a complete Emperor-level scripture in the Supreme Dao Hall. Even if you do, as long as you don’t spread it, it’s fine.”
“And it might not be a scripture. It could be some secret technique,” Ning Feixuan added after a moment of thought. “I heard from my master that the Empress has several special secret techniques, one of which is comparable to the extreme speed of the Kun Peng clan.”
The Kun Peng clan’s speed was renowned throughout the world. Even an Emperor-level scripture like the Wind Spirit Scripture, which focused on speed, was no match for it. Although the Wind Spirit Scripture was a unique Emperor-level scripture, its speed was still considered top-tier. But Mingyan, even at the same level, couldn’t match Bei Ming Ni. If they could find Great Empress Qingzi’s secret technique, it would be a great boon for all of them.
“Let’s split up,” Huang Feiyan said. Her red dress stood out in the dim hall. “If you find anything, let the others know.”
Ning Feixuan nodded and went her own way. Mingyan and Yue Qingying also separated and began searching the hall.
The hall wasn’t large, but its walls were covered in murals. Mingyan examined them and found the images strangely familiar.
They seemed to depict a story: in ancient times, people had short lifespans. Someone began to study the path of longevity and discovered that one could cultivate using spiritual energy to extend their life. But cultivation had side effects and often shortened one’s life instead of extending it. The path of cultivation was therefore reviled, until a supreme being appeared, unified the cultivation methods of the human race, refined them, and created a complete cultivation system.
The story was short and had no text, but Mingyan understood it somehow.
He looked at the murals, puzzled.
In the murals, the supreme being sat cross-legged, with countless people bowing before them in reverence… He, or she? The supreme being’s gender was unclear, but they felt strangely familiar…
Yes, it was the supreme being who felt familiar, not the murals.
And he had seen a similar story in some of the legendary books in Sun Moon Village… But those stories were about the creation of the world, the birth of life, and the emergence of humanity, and their subsequent search for longevity. They didn’t mention cultivation.
Mingyan looked at the supreme being in the mural and, against his will, reached out and touched it.
Have… I seen him/her somewhere before?
He shook his head, finding the thought absurd. If this legend was true, it must have happened countless years ago, perhaps millions of years ago. Even a Great Emperor would have turned to dust by now. How could he have possibly met someone who existed so long ago?
“Did you find anything?” Huang Feiyan came over, seeing him staring at the mural, and asked curiously.
“Hmm? Nothing.” Mingyan snapped out of his trance and shook his head. “Feiyan, have you seen these murals before?”
“No… They’re quite interesting. Do you understand them?” Huang Feiyan shook her head. The murals were profound, their patterns seemingly natural, not man-made. And understanding murals required a deep knowledge of history.
Mingyan recounted the story he had understood. Huang Feiyan was surprised. “You can really understand them?”
