Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Guo'er, calm down.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the Zhongnan Mountains a dark red.

Yang Guo squinted with one eye and peered closely at the cross-section of the broken stele.

That fist-sized dark area looked awkward no matter how you looked at it.

It's like a mixed grain bun mixed into a pot of white steamed buns. Although they are both made of flour, the color difference is impossible to hide under the setting sun.

There's a trick to it.

Yang Guo looked around. In this desolate wilderness, apart from a few crows cawing loudly as they returned to their nests, there wasn't a soul in sight.

He stretched out his finger and scratched at the edge of the dark circle.

When you scratch it with your fingernail, it makes a sickening "sizzle" sound.

This thing looks like a stone, but it doesn't feel right.

It's a bit soft, yet a bit tough, like aged clay that's been dried for a hundred years.

"Grandmaster Chongyang, what are you up to?"

Wang Chongyang was quite a remarkable person.

As the greatest martial arts master in the world and the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, he actually resorted to such underhanded tactics. Who could have imagined that something would be hidden inside the stone tablet, a forbidden area symbolizing the majesty of the Quanzhen Sect?

If I hadn't accidentally smashed the stone tablet, this secret would probably have remained buried for hundreds of years.

"Let me see what treasure this old Taoist priest is hiding."

Yang Guo muttered to himself, but his hands didn't stop.

He focused his energy in his dantian, channeling his internal strength into the index and middle fingers of his right hand.

If you don't have a chisel, these two fingers will serve as your chisel.

Although he couldn't yet handle things with the same ease and turn fossils into mud as Wang Chongyang, it wasn't difficult for him to pry open this piece of clay that had been dried up for many years.

"rise!"

Yang Guo let out a low shout, his fingers like hooks, and suddenly dug into the gap between the clay and the bluestone.

If this had happened before, his finger would have been broken.

But after taking the Nine-Turn Life-Reversing Pill these past few days and sleeping on the Cold Jade Bed, his internal strength, though not yet at the level of splitting stone tablets, is more than enough to deal with this piece of weathered clay.

There was a crisp "snap" sound.

He actually managed to loosen the sealant around the edge.

Yang Guo was overjoyed; it seemed he had guessed correctly.

This stone tablet is basically a hollow "piggy bank".

He didn't mind the mess, and used both hands to pry open the loose stone plug, pulling it out little by little.

Stone dust fell in a flurry, stinging my eyes.

Yang Guo spat out two mouthfuls of earthy-tasting saliva, braced his feet against the broken stele, and exerted force from his waist.

With a "pop".

The cylindrical stone plug was forcibly pulled out.

A musty, rotten smell wafted out from the dark cave entrance.

Yang Guo quickly held his breath, turned his head to the side, and waved his hand to fan himself.

Only after the smell dissipated did he lean in to look inside.

The hole wasn't deep, only about half a foot long.

Inside lay a small box made of sandalwood.

This box is extremely well-made, with copper sheets covering the four corners. Although it has been inside the stone for decades, its luster remains warm and lustrous, and even the carvings on it are clearly visible.

"Wow, it's made of sandalwood."

Yang Guo reached in and carefully took the box out.

This wood is a real gem; every inch of it is worth its weight in gold. If you take this box to a pawnshop, you could probably get several hundred taels of silver to buy wine.

He sat cross-legged on the large blue stone, placed the box on his knees, and didn't rush to open it. First, he used his sleeve to wipe the dust off the box.

The box wasn't locked; it was just secured with a brass clasp.

Yang Guo flicked his finger, and the copper clasp popped open.

Open the lid.

There weren't many things inside, and it looked rather shabby.

A letter that has turned yellow.

A thin, blue-covered, thread-bound booklet.

There was also a dark, inconspicuous iron ring.

Yang Guo was slightly disappointed.

"this one?"

"The dignified Central Divine, the founder of the Quanzhen School, left only this much legacy to his descendants?"

He pursed his lips and casually picked up the letter.

There was no writing on the envelope, and the sealing wax had long since dried and peeled off.

He pulled out the letter, unfolded it, and took a look.

The handwriting is vigorous and powerful, with strong strokes and elegant lines. Even just looking at these words, one can feel a surge of heroic spirit.

"I have roamed the martial world for decades without ever suffering a defeat, and everyone calls me the number one in the world..."

It started with such an arrogant tone.

Yang Guo was speechless with astonishment.

This old Taoist priest certainly has a big mouth.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Back then, during the Mount Hua Sword Tournament, the Eastern Heretic, the Western Poison, the Southern Emperor, and the Northern Beggar were all incredibly talented individuals. Yet, they were all overshadowed by Wang Chongyang. He truly deserves the title of "Number One Under Heaven."

Yang Guo patiently continued reading.

"Lin Chaoying was exceptionally talented, far surpassing my own abilities. The duel within the ancient tomb was both my fortune and my regret."

"This stone tablet was erected on the back mountain not to prohibit coming and going, but to protect its tranquility. Chao Ying is arrogant by nature, and if he knew that I was secretly protecting him, he would certainly not appreciate it."

The letter was short, but it essentially said that Wang Chongyang had never failed the world or his country in his life, except for one person.

That was Lin Chaoying in the ancient tomb.

The two met while fighting against the Jin dynasty, but later fought due to their differing martial arts philosophies. In the end, their relationship soured and they never spoke to each other again.

Wang Chongyang erected this stone tablet here that reads "Forbidden Land of Quanzhen, those who trespass will be killed," not to humiliate the Ancient Tomb Sect, but to protect it.

He knew that after his death, the disciples of the Quanzhen Sect would be of mixed quality and might not be able to maintain the sect's foundation. He also feared that someone might disturb the tranquility of the ancient tomb. Therefore, he erected a monument as a warning, strictly forbidding his disciples from setting foot on the back mountain.

"Tch, what a hypocrite."

Upon seeing this, Yang Guo couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

"If you like her, then go after her! All this fuss about erecting a monument and setting rules, only to end up making her so angry she dies in an ancient tomb, and you end up a lifelong bachelor—isn't that just crazy?"

In his view, if you like someone, you should try to get them, even if it means stealing or cheating.

Wang Chongyang's decision to abandon true love for the sake of so-called "righteousness" and "face" is utterly foolish.

If it were Yang Guo, he wouldn't care about the greater good of the world; he'd just snatch Sister Long... oh no, Sister Rong away first.

Yang Guo shook his head and continued reading.

"Young man, if you ever see this letter, you will surely have already shattered this monument."

"Those who shatter the stele must possess extraordinary strength and extraordinary fortune. The barrier between Chongyang Palace and the ancient tomb was established because of the stele, and it should also be broken by the stele."

"Breaking this stele signifies a predestined connection."

"I leave you with a chance, and I hope you will use it wisely to protect my true self and the ancient tomb."

Yang Guo's eyes lit up when he read this.

A small gift?

Could the "small gift" left by the world's number one master be anything ordinary?

He quickly put the letter down and reached for the blue book.

The book cover was somewhat worn, and three large ancient seal characters were written on it.

Although Yang Guo had read many books, he didn't recognize many ancient seal characters. But luckily, he did recognize these few characters.

One Finger Zen.