Chapter 62 United We Stand

Seeing Wang Xuan's serious demeanor, Qingmu felt a surge of hope. Could it be that Little Wang truly had some miraculous method?

"How do you think we should proceed most safely?" he asked cautiously.

Wang Xuan pondered for a moment, then replied, "Naturally, it involves manifesting legends—immortals illuminating the azure sky above, bodhisattvas spinning prayer wheels below, heavenly beings riding on clouds, demon girls commanding flying dragons, and fairies gathering mulberries along winding paths, meeting under the moonlight of the Yao Platform…"

He spoke with a sense of longing and nostalgia, then sighed deeply, reflecting that all those immortals and bodhisattvas had long passed, and any remnants were just bones.

Qingmu listened, slightly bewildered. Was this about manifesting celestial beings, or were they calling forth demons and monsters? He felt a bit uneasy.

Especially considering that this young man had the ability to attract spirits; he became even more anxious, feeling quite on edge. 

Qingmu seriously doubted whether Little Wang intended to send a bunch of demons into Old Chen's body. After all, Old Chen was on the brink of death—could he even endure it? His mind raced with such thoughts!

…

Wang Xuan contemplated how to distance himself from the situation. Although Old Chen lay there lifeless, he was still the focal point, under the scrutiny of countless eyes.

If he didn't take precautions and recklessly intervened to save the dying Old Chen, it would undoubtedly lead to major repercussions, becoming explosive news.

At that point, he would be in danger!

There would definitely be people digging deeper, and his secret regarding the inner realm could be exposed.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, a chilling sensation crept over him, as if a cold blade were poised at his throat. The weight in his heart grew heavier, and the more he contemplated, the stronger his unease became.

This was no trivial matter; saving Old Chen would directly affect his own life and death—a very serious issue. How could he resolve it without drawing attention?

Even though Wang Xuan was generally carefree, that night, his brow was deeply furrowed, his expression grave. He needed to consider every detail carefully, ensuring his secrets remained concealed.

Eventually, he refined his plan.

"Old Qing, this time the key depends on you!"

Qingmu was confused. How did this involve him?

Wang Xuan spoke solemnly, "When gathering ancient artifacts, we'll claim that your master received a secret tome containing spells, ancient witchcraft, and ritual offerings… Since you are Old Chen's disciple, it's only natural that you preside over this matter!"

Seeing Wang Xuan's seriousness, Qingmu became tense, listening intently and preparing to cooperate fully.

Then he watched as Wang Xuan focused on his phone, seemingly searching for something, occasionally frowning in thought.

"Old Qing, I'm going to teach you some things. You need to learn them quickly and master them," Wang Xuan said with utmost seriousness.

"Alright!" Qingmu felt uncertain but resolved to cooperate fully regardless of the situation.

As an expert in ancient techniques, he learned quickly, but soon he began to feel that something was off; he increasingly suspected that he was… performing a shamanic ritual!

While Wang Xuan was drinking water, Qingmu took the chance to quickly search online and soon found the original tutorial.

He nearly spat out blood in frustration. He had been studying so earnestly, and Wang Xuan had looked so serious teaching him—how could he have the gall? It was indeed a shamanic ritual; utterly ridiculous!

"What do you mean by this, Little Wang?" Qingmu's expression turned sour.

Wang Xuan remained serious, but Qingmu no longer felt the weight of the situation; he thought Little Wang was somewhat unreliable.

"If we're going to invoke ancient spells and witchcraft to save a life, you should at least learn the motions. If you can blend them together and create your own poses, that would be even better," Wang Xuan insisted.

"You should've said that earlier!" Qingmu glared at him, then, without waiting for further instruction, began to imitate the gestures, showcasing an air of enigmatic grace.

Having learned from Old Chen, he had studied many ancient techniques. This was a witch dance recorded in an ancient text, said to communicate with divine beings and could be used in combat.

Wang Xuan exclaimed, "Old Qing, you're truly talented! I can already envision your brilliant future!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Qingmu was starting to lose patience.

"I'm not joking. Tonight, you're destined to astonish the world with your dance!" Wang Xuan patted him on the shoulder, insisting he practice until he was proficient.

Qingmu's expression stiffened. He was quick-witted and suddenly envisioned a scenario: if he were to revive his master, would wealthy families and organizations constantly ask him to perform this dance in the future?!

"It's all for Old Chen!" Wang Xuan's expression turned serious.

Qingmu wanted to protest that while Wang Xuan was taking this seriously, he was hiding in the back. What about his own effort? Yet, what could he say? No matter how bitter or exhausting it was, he had to accept it.

Wang Xuan added, "If it's just the two of us, it won't suffice. We need to involve others skilled in ancient techniques, allowing them to queue up and enter the room to see Old Chen, sharing their life energy, combined with your witch dance. That should be enough to save him!"

Qingmu said nothing, quietly listening to Wang Xuan's wild ideas, fully aware that everyone was helping to cover for him to avoid exposure.

"They'll enter in an orderly manner, one at a time, each staying in the room for anywhere from one to thirty minutes, depending on their strength," Wang Xuan reasoned. If he could get in to save Old Chen, a few minutes to several dozen minutes should be enough.

After all, a year in the inner realm could equate to only a minute outside!

"Of course, if these people merely enter to look at Old Chen without doing anything, it wouldn't feel right. It would seem like they're just paying their respects to the deceased. To make it more reasonable, we could have them touch Old Chen's hands or feet, saying it's a transfer of life. Those in the realm of ancient techniques will work together to save Old Chen."

Upon hearing this, Qingmu was truly at a loss for words. This young man was indeed using all his ingenuity to distance himself from the situation.

"Can you get me out of this too?" Qingmu couldn't help but ask.

"No way! You're his disciple; you can't back down at this critical moment!" Wang Xuan declared resolutely.

"Anything else to add?" Qingmu asked, his expression unreadable.

"Almost there, let's keep it simple!" Wang Xuan waved his hand.

Qingmu looked at him, wondering if this was really keeping it simple. So many people were being involved to cover for him. Wait, did everyone have to touch Old Chen? He suddenly realized—would Old Chen have to endure this fuss even in his dying state?!

Wang Xuan thought to himself: Old Chen, try not to be so picky. Even if dozens or hundreds of people touch you tonight, just bear with it; it's all to save you. Besides, you're unconscious anyway; you won't even notice!

Then he pondered another issue. While the feathered objects would allow them to enter the inner realm without triggering a heightened state, if Old Chen remained in a stupor, would they be able to bring him in? In that case, he would need to physically connect with Old Chen to transfer the mysterious energy.

Of course, there was another possibility: what if Old Chen was just pretending to be unconscious? It wasn't out of the question; Wang Xuan had considered this before. What if Old Chen was "fishing," waiting for this very moment? In that case, he would truly want to… knock Old Chen out!

But then he feared he might end up getting beaten up by Old Chen!

Wang Xuan reflected on the need to think of every possibility. After all, when Old Chen first entered, he would know nothing, and he'd need to find ways to "educate" him slowly.

"Where's the Suihou Pearl?" he asked Qingmu, who had been on his mind.

"It's too precious; I have it on me," Qingmu replied, pulling out a jade box.

It was surprisingly close. Yet, Wang Xuan couldn't sense the mysterious energy from it and felt disappointed. He waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Alright, put it away. It must be a fake."

However, Qingmu opened the box to reveal a pure white pearl, shining brightly and dazzlingly.

"Maybe it's a good artifact from ancient times, but it's definitely not genuine," Wang Xuan stated.

The legendary Suihou Pearl was said to be inscribed with scriptures by pre-Qin practitioners, possessing mythical qualities, while the object before him could only be classified as an ancient artifact or a regular treasure—nothing mythical about it.

"How do you know it's fake?" Qingmu doubted his assertion.

"I'm an archaeology expert!" Wang Xuan replied tersely.

The formal activities to aid Old Chen were about to commence. After Qingmu briefed a group of ancient technique practitioners about the need for "unity," everyone was enthusiastic and willing to help.

Wang Xuan sighed, rubbing the black bone in his hand and then caressing the white, jade-like broken bone, hoping everything would go smoothly and not turn into a mess.

Upon returning, Qingmu caught sight of Wang Xuan gently stroking the two dubious bones, feeling a wave of dizziness and even some prickling on his scalp.

"Don't you find that creepy? And are you really going to summon some spirits later?" Qingmu whispered.

Wang Xuan retorted, "Old Qing, if you can't say something constructive, just keep quiet. Don't be fooled by how mundane these bones seem now. One might be a celestial's hand bone, and the other a fairy's leg bone."

Qingmu shot him a sidelong glance. "By touching them like that, are you being disrespectful to those celestial beings?"

Wang Xuan found it hard to refute that, quickly waving his hand. "Let's go save Old Chen!"

That night was destined to be sleepless; the united effort to save a life had begun!

In the hall, Old Chen lay peacefully, surrounded by flowers, motionless on the bed. Regardless of their efficacy, various ancient artifacts filled the room, with the Suihou Pearl positioned above Old Chen's head to protect him.

People entered in an orderly fashion. Some wept, others sniffled, making it feel as though they were holding a pre-funeral memorial for Old Chen.

Qingmu was deeply focused, performing the witch dance, sweat pouring down his face.

Finally, it was Wang Xuan's turn to enter. Looking at Old Chen lying there, he felt a mix of emotions, realizing that being his guardian was no easy task. He was finally close to the main event.

Which artifact to use first? Wang Xuan hesitated, considering the temperaments of celestial beings. What if he encountered a particularly fierce one? That would put pressure on him.

In the end, he decided to start with the charred bone that had been struck by lightning. After all, it came from a small Daoist temple and had a golden interior, peaceful and sacred.

However, when he tried to squeeze it open to release the rich mysterious energy, it wouldn't budge—it was extraordinarily hard.

This was unexpected!

Wang Xuan spotted a black longsword beside Old Chen. This item definitely had a mysterious background. He grabbed it and used it; with a sharp sound, it easily cut a hazy mark into the black bone.

No need for a deep cut; that was sufficient!

In an instant, a torrent of rich mysterious substance surged forth, accompanied by the inner realm opening up. Others couldn't see or sense it, but Wang Xuan immediately discovered the void of silence.

At the same time, he saw a brilliant sword light cutting through the heavens, and a breathtaking beauty traversed the skies, radiant and divine like an otherworldly fairy!