Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Inside the cabin, a hidden spring scene unfolded – a dozen or so dancers twirled and twirled, their flowing sleeves billowing like clouds, while musicians plucked the strings, their melodies ethereal and dreamlike.

Fine wines and exquisite liquors, beauties as numerous as clouds, everything is available.

Wang Sanpang, with a beautiful young woman on each arm, laughed loudly at Lin Daochen:

"Don't worry, brother! I'll personally escort you home tomorrow morning! Though I don't know what your master's up to, tonight we'll drink until we drop!"

"You saved my son's life, you're like my second parents! Even the King of Heaven himself would have to wait for us to finish this drink!"

Several girls danced gracefully around him, and one of them even smiled and leaned closer, flicking her finger and gently patting his hip.

……

Lin Daochen remained unmoved, sitting cross-legged like an ancient pine tree, his eyes calm and undisturbed—in his eyes, the entire cabin full of cosmetics was nothing more than bones draped in gauze, empty shells.

Wang Sanpang had just opened his mouth to offer some advice when Lin Daochen cut him off:

"This humble Taoist has severed all worldly ties, has no attachments in his heart, abstains from meat and fish, and is even more averse to women. The cultivation methods he practices also strictly forbid lust; if one breaks this vow, all previous efforts will be in vain..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Sanpang's face fell, as if he had just been robbed of all his possessions.

"My dear brother, no offense intended, but when things are going well, why insist on strict rules? Without a beautiful woman by your side, what's the point of life?"

"Besides, you've been in seclusion for ten years. Do you think you can defeat that tribulation-crossing dragon outside? It could swallow an entire city whole and it would just burp away!"

Lin Daochen lowered his eyes and remained silent. He knew in his heart that, given enough time, that dragon was nothing more than a mudfish that couldn't stir up any waves.

But why bother arguing with a fat guy about these things?

Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Wang Sanpang chuckled sensibly, put his arm around the two girls, and turned to go back to his room.

The next morning, the flying boat returned to Sky City, only to find the entire city in a state of panic—the Tribulation Transcending stage dragon was tearing through the clouds and hurtling towards the city.

The whole city knew that disaster was imminent, but Wang Sanpang, carrying a bronze array plate, quickly turned around and leaped onto the flying boat.

"There were some troubles on the way, but at least we managed to snag this thing! We need to get to the entrance of the ancient ruins right now; only with this can we get you in!"

Lin Daochen glanced at it and saw that the pattern on the array plate faintly glowed with a bluish light, which was undoubtedly the token for opening the secret realm.

The flying boat soared through the air for three hours before finally landing on a boundless ice field.

Wang Sanpang took out the array plate, made a hand seal, and tested it. The pointer hummed and trembled slightly before steadily pointing to the ground: "That's right, right here! The spatial barrier is the thinnest. I'll use a magic weapon to carve open a crack—but before I leave, there are a few words you must remember."

"Within these ruins, danger lurks at every turn, traps everywhere. Once inside, even if you see your own mother, mentor, or closest friend, don't believe a word—it's all an illusion!"

"You only have fifteen days. Everyone must evacuate by then. If you still have no solution by then, you will be trapped here. But at least... there is still hope for survival."

His brows were furrowed as he spoke, and his voice was deep and heavy, like a block of iron pressing down on him.

Before the words were finished, a beastly roar suddenly erupted from the horizon, dark clouds surged like boiling water, and a fierce wind and snow swept towards them.

Wang Sanpang's face instantly turned ashen. His hands flew, forming hand seals, causing the air to vibrate and the space itself to distort.

"That beast is almost here! Qingluan is still seriously injured and can't even muster thirty percent of her strength; she can't stop it!"

Before the words were finished, the void suddenly shattered, and a two-zhang-high vortex of eerie light suddenly opened up, revealing a paradise of peach blossoms, willows, and chirping birds on the other side, completely out of place with the surrounding frozen landscape.

"Hurry up and go inside!"

Lin Daochen flashed into the room, his clothes fluttering before he vanished without a trace.

In the distance, a dragon roared furiously, its long tail sweeping across the sea of ​​clouds as it charged straight towards the heavens.

Upon witnessing this scene, Qingluan's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and golden light surged around her, transforming her into a streak of light that sped towards the sky.

The relentless battles of the past few days had completely drained her strength. Her meridians were burning with pain, and her mind was foggy. All she wanted now was to find a secluded place to meditate and recuperate. If she delayed any longer, she feared even her bones would crumble in the wind.

On the other side, the moment Lin Daochen stepped into the secret realm, his vision suddenly changed—the icy plains vanished, a warm breeze caressed his face, the vegetation was lush, and the birds sang melodiously, as if he had mistakenly wandered into a summer wilderness. He was momentarily stunned, his throat slightly dry, and the icy chill of the frost still lingered on his fingertips.

This is a vast, ancient forest, where towering trees block out the sun, their gnarled branches twisting like a dragon's spine, thick moss covering them like ink stains. Occasionally, birds chirp and frolic in the woods, and the babbling brook murmurs, so quiet that you can hear the soft sound of leaves unfurling. This tranquility, however, carries an unsettling, eerie quality.

He scanned his surroundings intently, making sure there were no ambushes, before venturing out to investigate. The further he went, the more uneasy he felt: the forest stretched out endlessly, yet there was no sign of tigers or leopards, not even a wild boar or deer, only the fluttering wings of insects and the fluttering feathers of sparrows.

I underestimated this place. It appears peaceful on the surface, but there are probably sharp blades lurking beneath.

Three days passed. He tried running a hundred miles eastward, then turning southwest and rushing, even climbing treetops to locate himself by starlight—but he always ended up in the same old spot. A crooked pine tree, three stacked stones, half a piece of charred wood… all were “landmarks” he had marked himself, yet they always appeared three zhang behind him.

He refused to believe in superstition and set up twelve sensing arrays, using spiritual threads as veins and the earth's energy as a guide, to trace the outline of the entire forest inch by inch.

Finally, during the seventh simulation, the array diagram trembled violently—the truth emerged: the entire forest was a living maze! Countless spatial folds were densely packed like a spider web, the array patterns were naturally generated, perfectly formed, and even the finest runes were perfectly aligned with the tree bark rings and the direction of the vines.

How could the hand of nature sculpt such a meticulously crafted killing scheme?

Once the crux of the problem is identified, a way to break the deadlock becomes clear. Simply pinpoint the key issue, tear open a crack, and one can escape.

As he was concentrating on his deductions, he suddenly noticed that several array patterns had simultaneously gone out—someone had exposed him.

He quickly compared the remaining images, and his pupils contracted: the ruins had been opened, and the disciples of those major sects had arrived.

He quietly concealed himself and retreated into the depths of the shade, leaving no trace.

Right now, he only has one thing on his mind: follow this group of people, use them as a guide, and go straight to the place where he can find the opportunity to break the Heavenly Dao Scroll.

If one is lucky enough to find a secret technique for the soul, one might be able to deduce how to extinguish the "timed calamity fire" hanging in the sea of ​​consciousness; even if it cannot be eradicated, at least one must find a method of sealing it to block the crack that could explode at any time.

Sure enough, these scions of prestigious families sensed something amiss as soon as they landed, and in the blink of an eye, they each used their own methods—some unfurled ancient animal-hide diagrams, while others summoned the Boundary-Breaking Jade Shuttle, their fingertips lightly slicing open thin cracks in the void. Such effortless confidence was something that ordinary rogue cultivators would rarely witness in their entire lives.

Lin Daochen hid among the branches, his Adam's apple bobbing silently.

He followed closely behind, finally bursting through the forest mist and leaping out of the secret realm. But the scene before him made him pause—

Outside, the forest stretched on endlessly, but the ancient trees were thicker and their canopies taller, their bark cracked like tortoise shells, and the vines hanging from the branches shimmered with a faint purple light. In the distance, a low roar rolled in, shaking the leaves into a rustling sound.

It turns out that the grove of trees we just saw was merely the first real threshold of the ruins.

He lightly touched the branches with his toes, his figure rising and falling like a hawk, leaping and darting through the dense forest.

According to the information he gathered, ancient artifacts and fragments of secret texts lurk in this place, but each treasure is guarded by a ferocious demon beast.

The sounds of fighting echoed through the forest: the clang of metal, the explosion of spells, and the howls of demons shook the woods... Clearly, the newcomers were well-prepared and had a clear objective.

Lin Daochen, however, was like a blind ant that had strayed into a chess game, wandering aimlessly among the crisscrossing clues.

While aimlessly searching for what they needed, halfway through their journey, a terrifying battle suddenly erupted ahead.

He crept closer, parted the bushes, and saw several cultivators dressed in identical sect robes, working together to hunt down a ferocious beast that resembled a pangolin.

The demonic beast was fiercely guarding an ancient, yellowed manual, its ink bold and vigorous.

Lightning Five-Strike Whip

What? How did this thing end up here?

Lin Daochen's pupils contracted, and he was stunned on the spot. He never expected to encounter these five words in this desolate mountain valley, a dangerous place where killing intent was surging.

Looking closer at the attackers, their auras were deep and their footwork refined, clearly indicating they had all reached the Nascent Soul stage; yet they were only around twenty years old, undoubtedly top talents nurtured by leading sects. But these chosen ones were actually turning against each other, swords drawn, their killing intent palpable, all for a single manual, "Lightning Five-Strike Whip."

It was so absurd it left people speechless, so comical it made them want to laugh.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the one-eyed man in the lead suddenly turned his head and locked onto his hiding place like a hawk.

It's been exposed.

Lin Daochen was quite straightforward. He simply strode out, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a clear, melodious voice, "This humble Daoist, Kongxuzi, has just happened to pass by this precious place and has disturbed your quiet cultivation. I will take my leave now!"

His demeanor was humble and his expression gentle; even with a human skin mask on, his manners were impeccable. He was certain that the other party wouldn't kill without reason.

Unfortunately, life loves to prove us wrong.

Before the words were even finished, a cold light appeared—the man's longsword pierced the air, aiming straight for his throat! The others followed closely, unleashing palm strikes and sword energy simultaneously, their killing moves as fierce as a torrential downpour.

Lin Daochen's heart skipped a beat: Without any warning or cause, why did he suddenly launch an attack?

The battle instantly split into two: three men continued their fierce attack on the pangolin, while the other four formed an iron wall around it, pinning it firmly in the center.

Without hesitation, he unleashed a burst of inner energy as his sleeves billowed, forcefully meeting the oncoming attack: "Fellow Daoists, we are complete strangers. Why do you risk your lives against me?"

His only response was an even more ruthless sword strike and a faster burst of talismanic fire.

His opponent's attacks were all deadly, clearly intended to kill him. Lin Daochen knew something was wrong, so he immediately withdrew and retreated rapidly, transforming into a wisp of green smoke and rushing into the depths of the dense forest.

As he fled, he pondered: We've never met before, so why is there such murderous intent? Could it be that the manual holds a shocking secret?

There was no time to think. He moved as fast as a streak of light, leaving a shadow among the treetops; but the pursuers behind him were no ordinary men either. The Nascent Soul cultivators flew through the air as if walking on flat ground, relentlessly pursuing him.

Given the vast difference in their abilities, it would be impossible to shake them off in a short time. If they were to fight head-on, it would inevitably result in bloodshed and mutual destruction—a foolish thing to do.

Fortunately, he had been wandering around for the past few days and was already very familiar with the ravines and caves within a hundred miles. Ten miles ahead, a Great Earth Bear King was entrenched, its cultivation having reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. It was fierce and dangerous, and strangers should not approach it.

Lin Daochen's lips curled slightly, and he abruptly changed direction, luring the snake into a trap.

In a flash, the figure was outside the bear's den. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and delivered a flying kick to the bear's rump—

"Awooo—!!!"

The colossal creature roared to life, its ten-zhang-tall body sending rocks tumbling down the mountainside. It had reigned here for centuries, and never before had anyone dared to humiliate it like this: a surprise attack, a direct assault!

A roar tore through the sky, his palms slammed into the ground, and the shockwave overturned the pursuers.

Lin Daochen had already taken advantage of the chaos to escape far away, but he circled around and returned to the original spot.

The pangolin lay dead on the spot, while the one-eyed man gripped the "Lightning Five-Strike Whip," his fingertips glowing gold. His spiritual energy surged like a tide, and the laws of heaven and earth seemed to be drawn by an invisible hand, seeping into his meridians in strands—a sign of sudden enlightenment!

But just as he was engrossed in it, the manual in his hand collapsed like a sandcastle, the writing became sparse, and the pages silently turned to ash...

What exactly is the connection between this book and sudden enlightenment?

Lin Daochen crouched far behind the cliff, holding his breath and not daring to approach even half a step closer.

Twenty-seven

After comprehending the ancient book of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the leader's aura became increasingly calm and composed, like a mountain. He raised his hand, drew out a long whip with thunder patterns, and lashed it five times in mid-air.

Before the whip even arrived, the explosions tore through the sky—Boom! Boom! Boom! Electric snakes danced wildly, silver light splashed, and the air was cleaved open with charred cracks.

Such a swift and powerful attack, if it really came down to a prolonged fight, would probably be too much for an ordinary cultivator to withstand even three moves.

Lin Daochen didn't stare any longer. This scene, however, gave him a sudden inspiration: perhaps the ruins truly held what he had been searching for. But searching for it alone would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Is there any shortcut? He frowned slightly and glanced at the distance—each of the disciples of the major sects held a fragment of a map in their palm. The markings drawn with ink lines were dense, but they were too far away to be clearly seen.

His mind raced: If he could make rubbings of all the fragments and piece them together to form the whole picture, wouldn't the secrets, restrictions, and dangers of this place be immediately clear?

The thought had barely formed when he set off. But those people were at least at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and the strongest possessed an aura as deep as the abyss, clearly at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage! And he himself had only just entered the Golden Core stage; how easy was it to "borrow" a map from these people?

Just as he hesitated, the jade talisman at his waist suddenly trembled, and Wan Botao's hoarse cry for help lashed out—

"Help! Anyone nearby? Come quick!"

Lin Daochen pressed his fingertip against the jade talisman and sped off according to the communication coordinates. The distance wasn't far; hopefully, he could make it in time.