Another month passed in a flash. During this time, Nalan Ruoshui treated Chen Nan again, but there was still no "improvement." Chu Yue also came and gave Chen Nan a thin book containing several internal energy cultivation methods, asking him to choose one and try to practice it again. It was clear that Chu Yue had given up all hope of restoring his power.
However, Chu Yue was extremely disappointed. Chen Nan's attempts to cultivate any mental technique yielded no results; he couldn't even muster a wisp of true energy. The eldest princess was somewhat anxious and finally brought the Houyi Bow from the palace to the Qishi Mansion, asking Chen Nan to try drawing it without internal energy. The result was predictable. Chen Nan pretended to draw it, but finally said dejectedly, "No, I can't draw it."
Chu Yue'e frowned slightly and said, "How could this be? It makes no sense. Ruoshui never lies. She said that your power can theoretically be restored, and... practicing martial arts again shouldn't have any impact."
Chen Nan said at the right moment, "I feel that my body is a bit strange, but the feeling of holding Hou Yi's bow just now was very special. I felt as if the true energy in my body was showing signs of revival."
Chu Yue's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Really?"
"Really, I really felt that way."
Chu Yue considered for a moment and said, "Alright then, I'll leave the Houyi Bow with you. Try to sense it with your heart; perhaps it will help you regain your power. However, I need to send some people to guard it. After all, the divine bow is a national treasure of our Chu Kingdom. It would be bad if thieves found out and came here to steal it."
Chen Nan feigned deep gratitude and said, "Your Highness, in order for me to regain my strength, you have lent me the national treasure. Such kindness deserves my life if I regain my strength."
Chu Yue smiled faintly and drifted away.
From that day on, more guards appeared outside Chen Nan's courtyard, protecting it day and night.
"Is it to prevent thieves from stealing it, or are they afraid I'll escape with the Houyi Bow?" He didn't think too much about this question, after all, Chu Yue had left a pretty good impression on him.
Chen Nan has been somewhat confused these past few days. He admits that he has always had a slight liking for Nalan Ruoshui, but he doesn't believe it's love. However, lately, if he doesn't see the beautiful and famous doctor one day, he feels empty inside.
At first, he didn't quite believe his feelings, until Nalan Ruoshui disappeared from his sight for a few days, and he began to vaguely feel that Nalan Ruoshui's shadow had appeared in his heart. However, after careful consideration, he finally concluded that it was nothing more than a feeling of liking.
Some things can never be forgotten, and unforgettable true feelings can never be erased. Even now, Chen Nan cannot forget his soulmate from ten thousand years ago. The image of Yu Xin dying in his place often appears in his mind. Whenever he thinks of the past, his heart aches. He doesn't know how long it will take before he can start a new relationship.
Although Chen Nan didn't know what the beautiful doctor was thinking, he sensed that Nalan Ruoshui seemed to be avoiding something. She was no longer as open and honest with him as before. His heart skipped a beat. She shouldn't mislead others or herself!
Chen Nan was startled and said, "Ah, what did you say?"
"Hehe..." The old man laughed, the wrinkles on his face trembling.
"Young man, you are truly remarkable! At such a young age, your cultivation is already so astonishing, and you even understand classical Chinese. You are a true prodigy!"
"Oh, what are you saying, sir? I don't understand."
The old man said, "Young man, stop acting. I mean you no harm. In fact, from the first day you stepped into the library, I already knew that you were a profound cultivator, and your cultivation should have just reached the third level."
Chen Nan was extremely shocked. The cultivator's aura emanating from his body was extremely weak. He hadn't expected that the old man had seen through him the first time they met.
The old man said, "If you are under twenty years old, your cultivation level is enough to rank you among the top twenty cultivators under twenty on the continent. If you are close to twenty-five years old, your cultivation level can rank you among the top two hundred cultivators under twenty-five on the continent. In either case, you can be considered an outstanding young master."
Chen Nan remained silent, observing the situation.
The old man said, "Young man, you've concealed it very well. I believe not many people can see through your extraordinary skills, but I'm not one of them."
Chen Nan nodded and said, "As expected of an elder, your insight is truly remarkable. I have nothing to hide in front of you, senior."
The old man nodded and asked, "What are you looking for?"
Chen Nan didn't answer, but instead asked, "What are you searching for, senior? And what have you obtained?"
The old man laughed, his face full of wrinkles trembling slightly, looking somewhat frightening.
"Heh heh, young man, I asked you to translate an ancient text, but you messed up the sentence arrangement. You must be quite unhappy with me, right?"
Chen Nan said, "No, you're overthinking it."
The old man said, "I had no choice. That book is a heretical and unorthodox book, containing many taboos that are unacceptable to ordinary people. I was afraid that if you found out, you would despise me and refuse to translate it for me, so I had to resort to this tactic."
Chen Nan asked, "Something from unorthodox or unorthodox practices?"
The old man said, "Yes, I had no choice. I am now over 170 years old, and my body is too old to be anything but. I have failed in my cultivation of Taoism and have no talent for martial arts, so I cannot make my body young again..."
"Over 170 years old! Rejuvenated again?!" Chen Nan exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, more than seventy years ago, I achieved minor success in martial arts and was able to rejuvenate at the age of one hundred. In the past few decades, although my skills have become increasingly profound, I have never been able to advance to a higher level. My body is gradually aging, and time waits for no one! The realm of immortal martial arts is getting further and further away from me."
Chen Nan opened his mouth in surprise. He never expected that the frail old man in front of him was actually a peerless master. The old man's "some achievements" were definitely not "some achievements" but must be the culmination of his great skill.
The old man continued, "In order to prolong my life, I had to study heretical books and find other ways, hoping to one day understand life and death."
Chen Nan exclaimed in surprise, "Studying heretical books and comprehending life and death?"
"Yes, in fact, there is no distinction between good and evil in this world. 'Good' simply conforms to the perception of the vast majority of people, while 'evil' is intolerable to the vast majority of people. At my age, I have seen through everything and no longer distinguish between good and evil, so I no longer care what kind of book I cultivate. As long as it can prolong my life, it is 'good'."
Although Chen Nan felt there was some truth to these words, he still felt a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself, "People say that Buddhas and Taoists can turn into demons. Could this old guy have fallen into the demonic path after reaching a certain level of power?" He was now certain that the old man's cultivation had reached at least the fifth level.
The old man asked, "Young man, what are you looking for?"
"As you said, I am indeed searching for something. I have mentioned that I am very interested in ancient myths and legends, especially the origin of the Cemetery of Gods and Demons, which fascinates me. I want to use the vast royal archives to unveil its mystery."
A flash of green light appeared in the old man's eyes, and he said, "The Cemetery of Gods and Demons is an ancient mystery that has perplexed countless generations. If you can find even the slightest clue within it, it will surely cause a sensation throughout the entire continent. Have you made any discoveries?"
Chen Nan said dejectedly, "No, I searched almost the entire ancient library, but the Cemetery of Gods and Demons is like an endless void, with no book recording its origin."
The old man said, "Alas, the truth has long been lost to history. If you want to understand what happened ten thousand years ago, you may only be able to find out by entering the fairyland."
Chen Nan nodded in agreement. The Chu Kingdom was one of the most powerful empires in the Eastern Continent, and its royal records were all-encompassing, but there was no record of the origin of the Divine Demon Cemetery. It was clear that the truth could not be found in historical records.
Suddenly, he felt an unusual fluctuation gently rippling within the ancient library, exactly the same feeling he had when he first stepped into this place on his first day. He hadn't paid attention to it last time, but this time he closed his eyes and focused on sensing that fluctuation. Slowly, a look of shock appeared on his face; the fluctuation was actually coming from underground.
Seeing the drastic change in his expression, the old man nodded and said, "Young man, you are indeed extraordinary. You can even sense this subtle fluctuation, which shows that you possess spiritual roots."
Chen Nan asked, "Senior, what is that?"
The old man said, "Very well, to repay you for translating the ancient scriptures for me, I will take you to see them."
The old man led Chen Nan to a bookshelf, moved it aside with force, and then groped around on the ground. A dark hole appeared in front of Chen Nan's eyes, and the fluctuations were coming from there.
Chen Nan could hardly believe his eyes; how could such a place exist in the prestigious Royal Library?
The old man said, "Seventy years ago, when I achieved some success in martial arts and my spiritual root was awakened, I unintentionally sensed this unusual fluctuation. I never expected you to be born with a spiritual root. Alas, people can't be compared!"
Chen Nan asked with some doubt, "How could the Royal Ancient Library have such a secret entrance?"
The old man laughed and said, "I secretly dug this hole."
"You dug this out?" Chen Nan was somewhat surprised. This old guy was far too bold.
"Why not? I could openly dig a cave under the emperor's throne and he wouldn't dare say anything, because I am his ancestor."
Ugh, utterly bewildered, Chen Nan was completely at a loss. He hadn't expected this old man to be so important.
"Follow me, I'll lead you down to take a look."
The cave spiraled downwards, and Chen Nan followed the old man, his steps uneven, feeling somewhat uneasy. After descending about thirty meters into the dark tunnel, a light appeared below. After descending another ten meters or so, the two arrived at the source of the light. The tunnel dug by the old man intersected with another tunnel in a "T" shape.
The tunnel is weathered and its walls are made of hard, iron-like diamond rock. One can imagine how difficult it must have been to carve such a road back then. Above the tunnel, every three zhang (approximately 10 meters) there is a luminous pearl, and the light comes from these pearls.
Chen Nan exclaimed in amazement, "What a grand gesture! A single pearl is priceless, yet here, so many pearls are being used as ordinary lighting." As he finished speaking, he stared intently at the pearls.
The old man said, "Young man, be more ambitious. You wouldn't be thinking of robbing graves, would you?"
"Ah, this...this is a tomb?" Chen Nan felt a chill run down his spine and noticed that the light emitted by those pearls was somewhat eerie.
"Of course, who lives underground?"
"No way, the grand palace of the Chu Kingdom would be built on top of a tomb?"
"When the palace was built, who knew what was underground? Who would dig fifty meters underground?"
The old man led Chen Nan along the ancient tunnel toward the brighter end. The only sound in the empty tunnel was the "tap-tap" of footsteps, making the ancient tomb seem particularly eerie and desolate.
Following the winding ancient tunnel, the two arrived at a brightly lit hall. Although underground, the hall was spared the erosion of rain, snow, and wind, yet it was still etched with the marks of time, bearing the marks of antiquity. The four walls of the hall were covered with exquisite bas-reliefs, mostly depicting gods, demons, monsters, and other mythical creatures… Pearls were inlaid among the reliefs, making the entire hall as bright as day. Under the illumination of the pearls, the lifelike bas-reliefs seemed to possess a soul, as if they were about to burst forth from the walls.
In the center of the ancient hall stood a white jade platform, its surface crystal clear and radiating a soft glow—clearly a top-quality gem. However, what caught Chen Nan's eye was not the jade platform itself, but the person standing on it: a tall, imposing middle-aged man standing in the very center.
The middle-aged man had long, jet-black hair that flowed freely over his shoulders. He had a bronze face, long eyebrows that reached his temples, a straight nose, a square mouth, and a pair of bright black eyes that were captivating and intimidating. But what was most awe-inspiring was his aura—an unparalleled domineering presence, a domineering posture that made him appear like a demon god looking down upon all living beings.
Chen Nan's eyes welled up with tears, which almost rolled down his cheeks. The middle-aged man's demeanor was so similar to his father's, with equally wise and sharp eyes and an equally domineering aura. That kind of self-important and peerless demeanor deeply shocked him.
The old man said, "You see? That unusual fluctuation came from the deceased before us. This senior was truly an extraordinary person!"
Upon hearing the words "deceased," Chen Nan was utterly shocked, hardly believing his ears. He scrutinized the man before him again, finally spotting a glimmer of light in his long hair—a sword hilt. The word "flying sword" flashed through his mind; the imposing middle-aged man had been pierced through the head by a flying sword and died.
"Dead? Such a peerless master actually died under a flying sword?" Chen Nan was somewhat incredulous. The aura of the middle-aged man before him was no weaker than that of his father, Chen Zhan. He must have already surpassed the fifth level. Back when Chen Zhan reached the pinnacle of martial arts, even those cultivators at the Great Ascension stage of Daoist arts found it difficult to withstand his power. He had heard his mother say that when one's martial arts cultivation reaches that level, no weapon in the mortal world can harm them, and it is difficult to find an opponent who can stand against them.
He circled the jade platform and found a pile of bone dust behind it, and a short distance away, a heap of broken bones. Without a second thought, he knew that the two men had died from the unparalleled skill of the middle-aged man on the platform.
The old man said, "I got my book from here. Judging from the characters on the book, everything here must be six or seven thousand years old. And this elder's body is immortal, still standing tall and upright. It's simply unbelievable."
Chen Nan sighed in admiration: "This senior's skill is extraordinary. He actually condensed his physical body into an indestructible body. The strong are always strong. Even after death, his aura is still so imposing."
The old man said, "Let's go up and take a look; there are still words at his feet."
"Oh?" Chen Nan perked up and jumped onto the jade platform with the old man.
On the crystal-clear jade platform, a few lines of words were carved with finger strength, like iron hooks and silver strokes, vigorous and powerful, and a sense of desolation rushed towards you, making you sigh endlessly.
"A demon's ascension to immortality is an outrage against Heaven. I must slay this demon and punish him to serve as a warning to the world. Alas, the demon had a younger brother who returned. My severely wounded body fought him, but to no avail; we perished together. His imposing form vanished in the demon's lair. Shamed, I have sealed myself here!"
"I see, alas!" Chen Nan sighed, "Although the demonic path has only just entered the realm of immortality, it is still an immortal after all. This senior's heroic spirit is truly awe-inspiring; he actually annihilated an immortal. I admire him greatly!"
The old man sighed, "Yes, if he hadn't overlooked one person, there would probably have been another powerful martial immortal in this world."
Chen Nan sighed, "In life, his divine skills were unparalleled, a towering figure. In death, his body remains immortal, standing tall and proud. His domineering aura, accumulated over a thousand years, remains undiminished; he is an unparalleled hero, looking down upon the world."
Then he suddenly burst into laughter: "Haha... I am now full of confidence in martial arts. Immortals are so powerful, but they were still killed by a martial arts master. You can imagine, if a martial artist were to enter the realm of immortals, hehe..."
The old man said, "Let me take you to see the place where the demon cultivator cultivates."
Chen Nan followed the old man through the ancient hall and along the tunnel to an ancient cave that resembled a living hell. A pearl gleamed with an eerie light, and the ground was a vast expanse of white, which upon closer inspection turned out to be thousands of withered bones. Some of the bones had been completely pulverized; a slight movement of air sent up puffs of dust, and a chilling aura permeated the cave. At the very center of these countless bones was a dried-up pool of blood, its walls a sinister, dark red, emanating a chilling aura, as if ghostly spirits were floating above it.
This is a sinister and terrifying mass grave. In the extreme silence, it seems as if thousands of souls are howling, sending chills down your spine and making your heart tremble.
Chen Nan was horrified. He exclaimed, "Is this where demons cultivate? They are utterly inhuman! To satisfy their own selfish desires, they slaughter countless lives. It is truly unforgivable for such people to become immortals!"
After speaking, he involuntarily looked at the old man. If he was not mistaken, the so-called evil book in the old man's hand must be an evil technique that the demonic Taoist had once practiced. He couldn't help but feel a chill. The person standing in front of him might be the second demonic Taoist.
The old man laughed, his wrinkled face trembling slightly. He said, "Young man, there's no need to be afraid. I am a martial artist; how could I possibly cultivate Taoism, especially the extremely dangerous path of blood cultivation? For a martial artist to switch to Taoism is something only a person of extraordinary talent could accomplish; the two are fundamentally different. I'm merely borrowing some unique insights from that evil book. It does require blood, but I think the livestock slaughtered by the imperial kitchen every day are sufficient."
The chill emanating from Chen Nan lessened slightly, and the two then left the eerie and terrifying ancient cave.
Upon arriving at the ancient hall, Chen Nan stood before the jade platform, gazing at the peerless expert, and asked the old man, "I sensed this unusual fluctuation twice while I was in the ancient library. Why didn't I sense it then?"
The old man said, "Your two occurrences happened to coincide with the night of the full moon. Only at this time do the fluctuations become stronger. This is likely related to the layout of this place. There may be some ancient formations here that gather the primordial energy of heaven and earth."
"Is there an ancient formation here?"
"Indeed, it must have been set up by the evil Taoist priest back then. If one cultivates here, one will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort. However, the risks will also inevitably increase. If cultivation goes too smoothly without experiencing the corresponding mental tempering, inner demons will grow, and it will be easy to go astray in cultivation."
Chen Nan nodded in agreement and said, "There's a saying that you can't have everything. This world is balanced. People have to learn to have things and know when to give them up. The demon was too greedy and cruel back then. After setting up the great array that gathered the energy of heaven and earth, he still slaughtered so many living beings. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought about his own demise."
The old man said, "Saying is one thing, doing is another. Many vices are deeply rooted in the human soul, making it difficult to resist great temptations. For example, if you had the chance to acquire the unparalleled skills of a peerless master, could you remain unmoved?"
Chen Nan laughed and said, "I'm tempted, of course I'm tempted, but I don't have that opportunity."
The old man said, "What if such an opportunity really existed?"
"Although I'm tempted, I will eventually give up."
The old man stared intently at Chen Nan, his eyes unblinking, and asked, "Why?"
Chen Nan said, "Power obtained from the outside world is never as pure as power obtained through one's own cultivation. I'm afraid it will hinder the development of one's own power."
The old man sighed, "Young man, you are very arrogant, but you have the right to be arrogant. I am not. Death threatens my life at any moment. If there were such a powerful force, I would never give up."
Chen Nan smiled but didn't say anything.
The old man said, "Young man, would you be willing to lend me a hand? Let me escape the shadow of death."
Chen Nan looked puzzled.
The old man's wrinkled face trembled slightly as he said, "Young man, do you know? The first time you stepped into the ancient library, I sensed the spiritual energy within you. Upon closer observation, I discovered that you were born with spiritual roots. If I could obtain the help of someone born with spiritual roots, I might gain immense power, thus allowing me to extend my life by several decades without having to cultivate evil books."
The old man pointed to the imposing, peerless master on the jade platform and said, "Do you know why there are strange fluctuations emanating from his body? It's because he possesses a vast power within him, the power of his unparalleled cultivation. If one could draw that power out..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Nan felt a chill in his heart. He had been wondering why the old man would lead him here if he wanted to repay a debt of gratitude. It turned out that this was all premeditated by the old man.
"Senior, you're overthinking it. Thousands of years have passed, and the spirit of that peerless master has long since vanished. How could his body possibly contain such immense power? I believe it's the result of his immortal body resonating with the primordial energy of heaven and earth."
The old man said, "I can't rule out that possibility, but it's also possible that what I'm guessing is true. How will we know if we don't try? Young man, are you willing to help me?"
Chen Nan said, "My cultivation level is far inferior to yours, how can I help you?"
The old man said, "This has nothing to do with cultivation level. You possess spiritual roots, making it very easy for you to attract the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If you and I work together, we will definitely be able to unleash the power within that peerless master."
Chen Nan was extremely reluctant to help this cunning old man, and even more unwilling to offend that peerless master, but considering his current situation, he had no choice but to agree to the old man's request.
The old man was very pleased and said, "Your spiritual root is innate, while mine was cultivated later and is far inferior to yours. In a moment, place your palms on his back and use your heart to sense the power within him, then guide it out. I will assist you from the side."
After ascending the jade platform, Chen Nan muttered to himself, "I'm sorry." He placed his hands on the back of the immortal body and tried to sense the unusual fluctuations.
The old man also placed his hand on the back of the immortal body, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed it.
A complex, inexplicable emotion, seemingly from the distant past, entered Chen Nan's heart, making him feel as if he had experienced a thousand years in an instant, filling him with immense loss. He was startled; if it weren't for the icy touch of the Undying Body, he would have truly believed that this peerless master was about to be resurrected. He knew that the complex emotion was the feeling of a peerless master on their deathbed—a mixture of loss and helplessness…
Chen Nan calmed his mind, clearing away all distractions, and carefully sensed the unusual fluctuations within the Undying's body. Suddenly, the unusual fluctuations seemed to resonate with him, and a vast power began to surge within the Undying's body. Chen Nan was greatly surprised; the body of a peerless master truly did contain a tremendous power. He was utterly astonished; this was beyond his imagination—a person had been dead for thousands of years, yet his body still retained that unparalleled skill.
Chen Nan glanced over and saw that although the old man's hands were also pressed against the back of the Undying Body, he seemed completely unaware. He secretly made a decision: he must not guide this enormous power out and inject it into the old man's body. He felt that this old man was too cunning and unfathomable. If he were to let the already exceptionally powerful man absorb this power, who knew what terrible consequences it would bring.
After a long while, Chen Nan lowered his hands and sighed, "Apart from that strange fluctuation, I couldn't sense any power flowing within this immortal body."
Hearing him say this, the old man lowered his hands, his face showing undisguised disappointment.
After emerging from the ancient hall, Chen Nan felt uneasy in the empty ancient tunnel, fearing that the cunning old man would kill him there. He only breathed a sigh of relief after crawling out of the entrance to the ancient library.
The old man pushed the bookshelf back to its original position, smiled at Chen Nan, and said, "Hehe... young man, don't be afraid. I won't harm you. You are a promising young talent of my Chu Kingdom. How could I possibly ruin Chu Kingdom's future peerless master?"
The old man patted him on the shoulder and said, "Work hard. I, an old man, can live for another twenty or thirty years thanks to that evil book. During that time, I can still give you some pointers."
Chen Nan nodded blankly, and it wasn't until he returned to Qishi Mansion that he felt the cold sweat on his body.