The Ancient Secret

Blood Moon City, Free Heart Inn.

Liang laughed to himself as he watched the five figures disappear into the bustling streets outside the window. "Maybe my plan is a bit ruthless, but compared to what the ten major sects have done, it will amount to nothing."

Bored, he left the inn and walked through the streets, sighing to himself. "The Spirit Qi in this city is declining day after day."

As he wandered, he overheard a group of people discussing a topic that piqued his interest. "Have you heard of the person the Heavenly Conqueror sect is searching for?" a young man asked excitedly. Liang turned to him with a friendly smile ,"Who might that be?"

The young man looked at him in silence feeling shocked as the topic was a hot potato everyone knew at least something about, "His name is Ling Tian. The Heavenly Conqueror Sect made a warrant about him and spread it throughout the tenmajor sects."

Surprised by the news, Liang found himself becoming increasingly curious.

He couldn't help but wonder whether the Heavenly Conqueror Sect was searching for Ling Tian for a specific reason or simply by chance.

"Do you happen to know why the Heavenly Conqueror Sect is searching for Ling Tian?"

The young man shrugged. "No one knows for sure. Some say he stole something valuable from them, while others speculate that he offended the sect's leader in some way. There are also rumours that he is being targeted for his special cultivation technique."

Liang listened with interest as the young man continued to share some insights about Ling Tian's background and his reputation.

Ling Tian was said to be a rising star in the cultivation world, known for his talent in swordsmanship and thunder control.

Since his plan was already set and he had nothing to do, he decided to figure out more. He arrived at a strange-looking building with an eerie aura that raised the dread in anyone who approached it.

Upon entering the building, he was greeted with an overwhelming sense of mystery and secrecy.

The walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of ancient books, scrolls, and parchment, bound in leather and decorated with gold leaf, and the atmosphere was dimly lit by flickering candles, The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and dusty tomes.

The floors were made of rough stones, which gave the impression of being hundreds of years old. The shadows seemed to be alive, shifting and moving with a life of their own.

He looked around, seeming impatient, "Come out now, old woman. I don't have the time to play hide and seek with you."

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a killing intent filling the building, causing him to freeze in place. The shadows around him seemed to grow thicker and more menacing as if they were about to swallow him whole.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the room, cold and emotionless. "You dare to show such disrespect in my place ?" it said. "Who are you to demand my presence?"

The man cleared his throat and said" Old woman it's me Liang Yifei."

There was a long pause as if the voice was surprised by his reply.

Finally, it spoke again. "Liang Yifei ?"

As the shadows began to converge, the figure of a woman slowly emerged. Her appearance was nothing short of breathtaking.

She had long, flowing jet-black hair that cascaded down her back in soft waves, and her almond-shaped eyes were a striking shade of deep brown. Her skin was smooth and flawless, with a hint of a blush on her cheeks that only served to enhance her beauty.

Liang was shocked when he saw her appearance and said with uncertainty, "Mi Ling?"

The woman laughed and said, "Old thing, why do you look so shocked? Do you think that you are the only one who can maintain his youthful appearance?"

He frowned slightly and stared at her for a while, not answering her question. Instead, he asked, "Have you heard of the commotion outside?"

Not giving her the chance to answer, he said, "The Heavenly Conqueror sect has never behaved in such a manner in the past twenty thousand years. They always do their shady business in secret!"

She looked at him strangely. "I know what you are thinking. That's right, that boy found out about their secret."

He thought for a while and said, "Well, the Spirit Qi purity is declining everywhere. It was only a matter of time before someone found out," he shrugged" It's too late anyway."

Mi Ling nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's already too late. But once that secret is exposed, the ten great sects would be the whole world's enemy. I think we are going to witness an unprecedented war soon."

Liang chuckled. "It won't happen."

He turned around, walking towards the door, but his footsteps suddenly stopped.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough to the Spirit Severing Realm," he said as he left the building.

Mi Ling was surprised, not expecting that her breakthrough would be exposed, as Liang Yifei was still in the Nascent Soul Realm.

Soon her figure began to disappear, leaving that place empty and desolate as it was before.

  ***

Free Heart Inn, the Liang Yifei's favourite place.

As he sat there in thought, he laughed. "War? That won't happen. Their demise is closer than they think."

From the Free Heart Inn window, he could see the statue of the Heavenly Conqueror.

Anyone who approaches it would be overwhelmed with reverence and respect.

How could they not be? It's the Heavenly Conqueror statue! You will find one in every city on the Dragon Earth Vein.

As he looked at the statue with a mocking expression as if he were talking to the person himself, "You fooled the world, old man! The Dragon Earth Vein was discovered way before you were even born."

That's right, an earth vein that big, how could no one know about it? It's just that before the Heavenly Conqueror rose to power, the major powers at that time forbade anyone from building a city here. As this vein is connected to every other earth vein in the world, it could affect the spiritual Qi of the whole world, when the Heavenly Conqueror became the most powerful cultivator, he set up a large formation; large enough to cover up the vein.

His aim was clear; he wanted to use the vein as the gathering point to absorb the Spirit Qi from all over the world to break through to the Void Transformation Realm.

Many factions at that time opposed him, but his power was terrifying. Some estimated that his battle prowess was not that much different from a Void Transformation Realm cultivator. Without mercy, he exterminated every faction that opposed him.

An ancient cultivator estimated that after his ascension, half of the world's Spirit Qi vanished, making the Spirit Severing Realm the limit for every cultivator at that time.

But it didn't end there. After he left, the most powerful factions at that time moved their bases to the lands above the Dragon Earth Vein's main body.

And now, without anyone noticing, the cultivation limit changed again. Liang could feel that the Nascent Soul Realm is the limit now.

As for Mi Ling's breakthrough, he wasn't surprised. Although he didn't know what kind of special physique she had, but her talent was far greater than anyone else he had ever seen.

In fact what really surprised him was that it took her all that time to breakthrough. Keep in mind that she brokethrough to the Nascent Soul Realm at the age of fifty!

But strangely, she stayed in that Realm for six hundred years.

Suddenly, he felt something calling him.

With an evil smile playing at the corners of his lips, he took out a strange small mirror from his spirit ring.