Yefutidaolu

Chapter 338 An Unexpected Incident!

An intense, irresistible, and agonizing curiosity!

Who exactly is he? Is he really just an imperial envoy from the Divine Dynasty? How can a student of the Imperial Academy possess such terrifying strength? If the Imperial Academy is full of monsters like this, how can other immortal sects stand on their own? They would have already bowed their heads and awaited death.

How did he do that? Sixth Realm? You're kidding me! He must have been hiding his strength! But what method could he use to deceive the Ancestor? To deceive everyone's eyes? And what kind of earth-shattering secret technique was that seemingly ordinary move?
What is he doing in the Netherworld? He was captured by the Ancestor, and instead of staying put, he went there to challenge the true disciples of the Netherworld? Is this a show of force? Or... is there something else going on?
What kind of kung fu did he use? This is unheard of! Master is knowledgeable enough, yet he's never heard of any sect possessing such bizarre and powerful techniques!
Countless questions churned and collided in Xia Youdu's mind, making her restless. Her previous disdain and contempt for Gao Jian were now replaced by a feeling mixed with awe, inquiry, and intense interest.

This isn't an insect! This is clearly a raging dragon crossing the river!
She suddenly looked at her master, Qingxuan Zhenren, her beautiful eyes sparkling with an unprecedented light, no longer lazy and naive, but full of thirst for knowledge and... a little bit of excitement?
"Master!" Xia Youdu's voice was filled with urgency and eagerness. "Over there... it must be a complete mess right now, right? How about... I go and check on the situation for you? After all, the people the Ancestor captured caused such a commotion, we can't just sit idly by! I'll go and find out what's going on for you?"

She tried to make her tone sound like she was sharing her master's burdens, but the burning curiosity in her eyes had already betrayed her true thoughts—she desperately wanted to see that monster named Gao Jian with her own eyes!
I really want to find out who he is!
As for the danger, she never considered it.

She's destined for wealth and privilege; her bone structure is naturally auspicious, she wins no matter what, and she never needs to worry about herself.

Master Qingxuan watched her disciple transform from a "lazy couch potato" to a "curious child" in an instant, a knowing glint and a barely perceptible smile flashing in her cool eyes. She nodded slightly: "Very well. It's good to go and see. Remember, observe more, speak less, and don't cause trouble. This person... is no ordinary person, so be careful."

"Yes, Master! Don't worry!" Xia Youdu, having received permission, felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She turned and ran outside, the hem of her brocade nightgown billowing a fragrant breeze. Reaching the door, she remembered something and turned back to Qingxuan Zhenren, making a face at her: "Master, wait for me! I'll go find out all about him for you right away!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had vanished outside the door like a gust of wind, showing no trace of the dejected look he had when complaining about being a "laborer." Only Qingxuan Zhenren remained standing there, looking at the empty doorway, and gently shook her head.

But, that’s okay.

Xia Youdu has extraordinary luck. She was born with the protection of a lucky star, so there is absolutely no way she could be in trouble. Placing her in the sect has brought Youming Land good fortune over the years, and the sect's expansion has been extremely smooth.

It seems that a wise suggestion wouldn't be able to do anything to her.

----------

Meanwhile, Xia Youdu ran very fast.

She had long forgotten her master's instructions and, like a nimble cat with its tail set on fire, sped through the intricate and eerie paths within the Netherworld at full speed.

The brocade robe fluttered, making a soft whistling sound. The languidness on her beautiful face was gone, replaced by a gleam of excitement, tension, and intense curiosity.

After passing through a twisted archway made of huge black animal bones, the view suddenly opened up – the cave area had arrived!
However, the anticipated scene of deafening shouts and explosive energy did not materialize.

What came into Xia Youdu's view was an eerie silence.

At the bottom of the enormous, black valley, which looks as if it had been cleaved by a giant axe, lies a relatively flat black stone platform—the Sharpening Peak Platform.

At this moment, the area around the Sharpening Platform was densely packed with disciples from the Netherworld! From outer disciples with unstable auras to inner elites with restrained killing intent, and even some figures with profound auras dressed in elder robes, they all hid behind the crowd or in front of the cliff caves to observe.

The crowd was large, yet utterly silent! Only the mournful wailing of malevolent energy and the heavy, suppressed breathing rose and fell.

All eyes were fixed on the center of the Lifeng Platform.

There was only one person there.

Insightful.

He wasn't as domineering and arrogant as Xia Youdu had imagined. He wasn't even standing.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the cold, black stone platform, his eyes slightly closed, as if he were resting.

He was still wearing the ordinary black casual clothes provided by Youmingdi, which looked exceptionally plain on him. There was no powerful aura emanating from him, no intimidating energy fluctuations, and not even the slightest bit of killing intent or fighting spirit.

He sat there quietly, like a stubborn rock that had existed on the Sharpening Platform since time immemorial.

However, this seemingly ordinary "stubborn rock" was like an invisible ancient divine mountain, suppressing the entire Lifeng Platform! It made the hundreds of disciples of the Netherworld around it unable to breathe, and made those true disciples who were usually arrogant turn pale, their eyes filled with fear, anger, and even... a trace of barely perceptible fear!

The entire Lifeng Platform, along with the surrounding mountain walls and caves, was shrouded in Gao Jian's silent aura. He didn't need to speak or move; simply sitting there, his record of defeating nine true disciples in succession formed an invisible barrier that instilled despair! No one dared to take another step forward! The voices that had previously clamored to teach the "madman" a lesson had long since vanished without a trace.

Xia Youdu's heart skipped a beat. She had finally seen it with her own eyes! The person she had regarded as a barbarian was now displaying a power and absolute control that was beyond her imagination, a power that had returned to its original simplicity! Sixth Realm? Yet the way he sat there was even more unfathomable than the elders in seclusion in the sect!
In this deathly and oppressive atmosphere, this was the scene that Xia Youdu saw when he arrived.

She stood on the periphery of the crowd, her beautiful eyes sparkling with intense curiosity as she stared intently at Gao Jian.

As soon as she arrived, several familiar disciples noticed her immediately.

"The worm has arrived."

"It's Senior Sister Youdu!"

The hushed whispers sounded somewhat abrupt in the oppressive silence. Xia Youdu's arrival seemed to inject a faint glimmer of life into this stagnant pool.

Just then, a figure parted the crowd and walked out calmly. It was Wu Feng. Xia Youdu recognized him; he was also one of the true disciples of Youming Land and one of Xia Youdu's senior brothers. However, he was usually quite low-key. Xia Youdu knew him, but they weren't close.

He was dressed as a true disciple, his face was not outstanding, but his eyes were sharp and steady, and his steps were unhurried, showing none of the anger or fanaticism of the previous challengers.

He walked straight to the edge of the Sharpening Platform, but did not step in immediately. Instead, he clasped his hands in a fist salute towards Gao Jian, his voice clear and calm: "Wu Feng, a true disciple of the Netherworld, greets Mr. Gao."

Gao Jian remained seated with his eyes closed, as if he had not heard anything.

Wu Feng didn't care. His gaze shifted to Xia Youdu in the crowd. His eyes were calm, without fanaticism or pleading, more like... confirmation? A communication based on some kind of judgment.

"Junior Sister Youdu." Wu Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone around to hear clearly, "I, your senior brother, am not very talented and wish to ask Mr. Gao for some more guidance. Could you please, junior sister, be here to... cheer me on for a few minutes?"

These words sound like he wants to pursue Xia Youdu, as if he wants to leave some impression on Xia Youdu.

However, this instantly awakened many people around! Those core disciples and elders who knew about Xia Youdu's special abilities all looked at Wu Feng.

Xia Youdu's "rich and noble bones" are no ordinary goods.

Within the upper echelons of the Netherworld, this was no secret. Xia Youdu possessed an unusual bone structure and was blessed with extraordinary fortune, like a walking auspicious omen. Wherever she went, misfortune would often turn into good fortune, and calamities into blessings. Some even said that the Netherworld's smooth expansion and prosperous fortune in recent years were not unrelated to the existence of this "lucky star." Although she did not primarily cultivate combat techniques, this good fortune was sometimes more mysterious and elusive than formidable strength!

Wu Feng was clearly not a hot-blooded brute. He knew the terrifying power of Gao Jian; even Senior Brother Zhou had been defeated. For him to go up against such a formidable opponent would be like throwing an egg against a rock under normal circumstances.

But then he saw Xia Youdu! The sect's acknowledged "lucky star"! He was betting on the intangible influence of Xia Youdu's mysterious good fortune on the environment! With her present to keep things under control, perhaps she could suppress the opponent's strange and evil methods, creating a sliver of opportunity for him? Even if it was just a slight disturbance, it was worth a try! If he could salvage a bit of the sect's reputation, his name, Wu Feng, would be etched in history!
Xia Youdu was called out by Wu Feng. She was stunned for a moment, then nodded!

She didn't feel much about her own life of wealth and privilege, but she was just looking for a reason to observe Gao Jian's actions up close, so this was like a pillow delivered to her sleepy head!
A bright and encouraging smile immediately bloomed on her face, and her voice was clear and melodious: "Senior Brother Wu is determined to bring glory to the sect, and I will naturally support you! Don't worry, Senior Brother, I'll be right here watching and cheer you on!"

For Wu Feng, Xia Youdu's promise was enough; her certainty and smile carried a reassuring power. She even subtly took a step forward to make herself more noticeable.

A barely perceptible glint flashed in Wu Feng's eyes. Xia Youdu's response greatly reassured him! He took a deep breath, and the chilling aura around him began to subside and condense, no longer radiating murderous intent like the other disciples, but instead appearing more composed. He slowly stepped onto the Sharpening Platform, his steps steady, stopping about five zhang away from Gao Jian—a safe distance that allowed him to attack or retreat as needed.

"Mr. Gao, please enlighten me!" Wu Feng said in a deep voice, slowly raising his palms. A dark, gloomy light emanated from his palms, and a condensed Yin energy began to swirl and compress at his fingertips, faintly forming a rotating black vortex.

He adopted the starting stance of a rather exquisite palm technique from the Youming School—emphasizing breaking through the surface with a single point, and using insidious and cunning force.

His posture, his aura, his eyes—all indicated that he was not acting impulsively, but rather had come prepared after calm consideration! He had adjusted himself to his best condition and, at the same time, placed his biggest bet—Xia Youdu's good fortune—on this battle!

The surrounding disciples' gazes changed. Their initial skepticism and sympathy transformed into a mixture of anticipation and tension. Perhaps… perhaps Senior Brother Wu could truly create a miracle?
All eyes were on Wu Feng, eager to see how he would break through the unfathomable depths of Gao Jian's wisdom.

at this time--

Gao Jian, who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, slowly raised his eyelids.

There was no intimidating glint, no ferocious aura. Those eyes were as calm as a timeless, icy pool, indifferently sweeping over Wu Feng, and then seemingly... fleetingly, yet meaningfully, glancing at the smiling Xia Youdu below the stage.

"Mr. Gao, forgive me!" Wu Feng shouted, his figure suddenly rushing forward like an arrow released from a bow! His palms, carrying a shrill sound that tore through the air, struck Gao Jian's shoulders from the left and right! Before the palm wind even arrived, the condensed Yin Sha palm force pressed down like two small mountains! He held nothing back in this attack, betting that with Xia Youdu's blessing of good fortune, he could break through the opponent's strange defense!

Just as Wu Feng's palms were about to strike Gao Jian's body!
A sudden change occurred!

Gao Jian remained seated cross-legged, without even opening his eyes.

He simply raised his right hand casually, his index and middle fingers together, and as if he had foreseen the future, he pointed with unparalleled precision at the core point where Wu Feng's palm attacks converged—the most crucial hub for the flow of power in the opponent's palm technique. Once the point was struck, the palm force would immediately crumble.

This was a precise judgment made by Gao Jian based on his profound insights from the "Song of the Great Dao of Profound Transformation" and his current perception. Logically speaking, this single finger strike should have been enough to strike Wu Feng like a thunderbolt, causing him to retreat instantly.

however--

Just as Gao Jian's fingertips were about to touch that crucial point!

"Crack!"

A very faint yet incredibly abrupt cracking sound rang out! The black whetstone beneath Takami, harder than refined steel, suddenly developed a tiny crack without warning! The appearance of this crack caused an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible instability in Takami's seated posture!
This seemingly insignificant and almost impossible "instability" became a fatal flaw in a battle at the level of Takami!

His fingertip missed the mark by a hair's breadth!

The finger force grazed the core edge of Wu Feng's palms meeting, and although it still brought a sharp sound of air being cut, and even tore the sleeve of Wu Feng's arm, leaving a shallow bloodstain, it failed to disintegrate the core of his palm force as expected!

"Bang! Bang!"

Two muffled thuds! Wu Feng's palms, imbued with all his strength, landed solidly on Gao Jian's shoulders!
Gao Jian's seated body jolted violently! His internal energy and blood were instantly damaged, fluctuating and flickering violently, like water ripped with pebbles! The already cracked whetstone beneath him was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks! A chilling, bone-piercing aura, transmitted through his palm strike, attempted to invade his meridians!
At that very moment, Gao Jian's gaze, instantly sharp and scrutinizing, locked onto the smiling, seemingly harmless girl in the audience—Xia Youdu!

(End of this chapter)