A man from the Big Dipper, starting his charlatanship at Mount Tai.

“Since you speak frankly, young friend, I will not hide anything. My humble peak does indeed possess the Nine Secrets of the Dao, but it has long been lost. Even though I have sat here for hundreds of years, I have not been able to fully comprehend it. If you wish to seek it, you may freely wander through these mountains. Whether you gain anything depends entirely on fate.”

Li Ruoyu spoke frankly, without any intention of hiding anything.

Lin Xiu suddenly laughed heartily:

"Senior Li Ruoyu is indeed generous, but are you sure you haven't figured it out? I feel like you've already comprehended at least 90% of the secret of the character '皆'?"

Li Ruoyu: "........."

Li Ruoyu hadn't expected that this junior would even know this. He had indeed almost grasped it, just a tiny bit more away.

But... how did Lin Xiu know that?

"Ahem~ The great path lies ahead; those destined will obtain it." Li Ruoyu coughed tactically.

“My aptitude and comprehension are insufficient, and I don’t know how long it will take me to comprehend this last bit. I believe that with your comprehension, young friend, you will definitely be able to comprehend the Nine Secrets before me.”

"However... if you have truly gained something, please do not spread this matter. My humble peak is weak and cannot withstand any more storms."

Lin Xiu nodded: "Of course."

At this point, Lin Xiu paused, then asked:

"However, if what I comprehend is not the Nine Secrets, but something else... Senior, you wouldn't prevent me from leaving this Humble Peak, would you?"

Li Ruoyu: "..."

"Young friend, you jest. With your cultivation level, even if I wanted to keep you here, I couldn't."

Li Ruoyu's words were true. A Saint Body at the Dragon Transformation Realm already surpasses most top-tier experts in physical strength. Even if he is not a match for him in terms of Dao techniques, escaping is still not a problem.

Moreover, the fact that the other party could make Zhuofeng feel close to the mountain clearly indicates that they have a connection with it. Li Ruoyu has cultivated the Dao of Nature for hundreds of years and values ​​the concept of "fate" above all else; how could he possibly force someone to stay?

"No, senior has misunderstood."

"What I mean is, what if what I've comprehended is the Dao of this Humble Peak itself?" Lin Xiu explained with a smile.

Li Ruoyu was taken aback.

"What you mean, young friend, is...?"

Lin Xiu's gaze swept over the surrounding rocks, grass, and trees.

"Besides the Nine Secrets, there must be other aspects to the Zhuofeng lineage, right? For example... the mountain itself?"

"Young friend, you noticed?"

Li Ruoyu's expression changed, and he thought to himself that as expected of a young prodigy who could attract Zhuofeng's attention, he could see through Zhuofeng's true nature at a glance.

Under Li Ruoyu's gaze, Lin Xiu said calmly:

"The mountain's form aligns with the Dao, and the plants and trees possess spiritual power. If I am not mistaken, this entire Zhuofeng Peak is, in fact, a living scripture. To observe the mountain is to observe the Dao, and to climb the mountain is to cultivate the Dharma. Senior Li has sat here in meditation for hundreds of years, not only contemplating the Nine Secrets, but also the mountain itself and the natural Dao on it, right?"

Li Ruoyu remained silent for a long time, then sighed deeply: "The younger generation is truly formidable, indeed..."

He had cultivated the Great Dao of Nature for hundreds of years, connecting with the Qi of Zhuofeng, and only then did he gradually come to understand this principle. But this young man before him, having only been at the foot of the mountain for a short while, saw through the essence at a glance.

Such insight and such keen observation are simply beyond comprehension.

“Since you’ve already seen through it, young friend, I won’t hide it from you,” Li Ruoyu said slowly.

“There is indeed a great Dao in Zhuofeng, which is the natural Dao created by the ancient great beings who observed the mountain’s shape. This Dao is one with the mountain; the Dao exists where the mountain exists, and the Dao disappears when the mountain dies.”

"I have been seeking enlightenment here for hundreds of years, yet I have only just begun to grasp the basics. If you wish to further comprehend it, young friend, you may do so..."

As Li Ruoyu was speaking, Lin Xiu had already moved.

Lin Xiu slowly squatted down and reached out to touch the ground of Zhuofeng.

The next moment, the entire Zhuofeng Peak shook violently!

Rocks tumbled down, vegetation swayed, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered wildly, forming a huge vortex above Zhuofeng Peak!

Li Ruoyu's expression changed drastically:

"Huh? What is this!........"

Li Ruoyu had never seen Zhuofeng undergo such a drastic change; his cloudy eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

If he wasn't mistaken, Zhuofeng... seemed about to rise from the ground?!

.......

"Since you say you'll take it yourself, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Lin Xiu smiled, and in his palm, an ancient rune radiated endless divine light.

The rune resembled a mountain, its entire body a yellowish-brown color. As soon as it appeared, it exuded a vast and profound aura, as if it carried the ancient mountains and rivers and suppressed the eight wastelands and six directions.

Ancient Chinese character for "mountain" (山).

The ancient symbol of the character "山" (mountain) once helped Mount Tai to develop sentience, and Lin Xiu eventually transferred the spirit of Mount Tai to the Five Elements Immortal Mountain "太山" (Mount Tai).

The ancient mountain symbol also helped Zishan accelerate the birth of its intelligence. Lin Xiu obtained a trace of Zishan's original mountain momentum, and the ancient mountain symbol underwent a leapfrog upgrade.

It can be said that Lin Xiu's ancient mountain-shaped talisman has a terrifying attraction to all famous mountains capable of giving birth to intelligence! Zhuofeng... is naturally no exception!

The next second, bursts of light emanated from the interior of Zhuofeng Mountain. Every stone, every inch of soil, every blade of grass and tree was radiating divine light!

Within the endless divine light, Dao patterns flowed—these were the Dao patterns naturally formed by Zhuofeng after countless years of absorbing the essence of heaven and earth. These Dao patterns were originally hidden deep within the mountain, but now they were drawn out one by one by the ancient mountain-character runes!

"This is the original mountain shape of Zhuofeng..."

"You...you're going to take the entire mountain?!"

Li Ruoyu finally understood why Lin Xiu had asked him beforehand.

He thought Lin Xiu only wanted to comprehend the Great Dao of Nature, but he never expected that the other party had come to "confiscate his property"!

Moreover... it's not the kind of ransacking that involves digging up spiritual veins and taking away spiritual herbs; it's about uprooting the entire mountain's "mountain momentum," the "mountain soul" and "Daoist charm" that have been nurtured for countless years, and taking them all away!

"Didn't the senior say that it is something that those who are destined to receive it will obtain it?"

“I have a connection with this mountain, so why can’t I take its path?” Lin Xiu asked with a smile.

"Can……"

Li Ruoyu opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He himself said "take it as you see fit," and he himself said "the one who is destined to receive it will get it." Now that someone is really going to take it, can he go back on his word?

Moreover, judging from the current situation, it's no use for him to back out now.

The aura emanating from that ancient mountain-shaped talisman was terrifying, as if it could suppress all the heavens and freeze eternity! Its power and mystery far surpassed the understanding of "mountain" by powerful beings and even natural Dao cultivators at the King level!

Yan Ruyu stood to the side, her beautiful eyes also filled with shock.

She knew Lin Xiu possessed extraordinary abilities, but witnessing this scene still made her heart tremble. That was one of the 108 main peaks of the Tai Xuan Sect, existing for countless millennia and nurturing countless cultivators. Now, Lin Xiu was going to forcibly "take away" its Dao essence?

The young ancestor's combat power is astonishing, and his Daoist techniques are extraordinary. How can he be so outstanding even when he casually comprehends a Dao?

.......

The mountain tremors became increasingly violent.

The light of Zhuofeng grew brighter and brighter, eventually transforming into torrents that surged upwards and disappeared into the ancient mountain-shaped symbol in the air!

Li Ruoyu stared blankly, her expression shifting constantly.

He could feel that the close connection between himself and Zhuofeng was rapidly weakening. For hundreds of years, he had been connected with the mountain's energy and mind, and had long since merged his own Dao with the mountain's form.

But now, the mountain has "come alive," but it no longer belongs to him.

That feeling is like an old friend who has been with you for many years suddenly turning around and leaving, without any lingering attachment.

I don't know how much time passed; maybe a quarter of an hour, maybe an hour.

The tremors at Zhuofeng finally stopped.

The mountain was still the same mountain, the rocks were still the same rocks, and the vegetation remained the same. But Li Ruoyu could clearly sense that the mountain was "empty."

It's not the kind of emptiness where spiritual energy dissipates, but a deeper, more fundamental kind of "emptiness." It's like a body whose soul has been taken away; it's still there, but it has lost its spirit.

The ancient mountain-shaped symbol in the air slowly fell and disappeared into Lin Xiu's palm.

Lin Xiu closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

"Beautiful mountains, beautiful paths." Lin Xiu opened his eyes and looked at Li Ruoyu.

"Thank you, senior, for your help."

Li Ruoyu remained silent for a long time, then finally sighed and waved his hand dejectedly.

"Enough, enough... It is my good fortune, young friend, and the destiny of this mountain. I have guarded this mountain for hundreds of years, and only today do I realize that mountains also have spirits and will choose their masters."

"Young friend, please accept this mountain's charm and spiritual essence. In the future... please treat it well."

“That’s natural.” Lin Xiu nodded.

"The way of this mountain is in harmony with my cultivation, and I will naturally carry it forward in the future."

Although Lin Xiu's ancient mountain-themed symbols contain many mountain formations, with Zhuofeng being just one of them, Lin Xiu would not favor one over the other. Mutual evolution and mutual promotion are the true path.

.......

"By the way, I am not one to dig up roots. Now that I have taken advantage of the mountain's terrain, I should give back in return."

After saying that, Lin Xiu flicked his finger, and a wisp of spiritual light entered Li Ruoyu's brow.

Chapter 161 Void Mirror, Have You Betrayed Me?!

Li Ruoyu shuddered, and a terrifying glint flashed in his eyes.

The inspiration Lin Xiu provided contained the true meaning of the "Great Dao of Nature" that he had comprehended from the terrain of Zhuofeng Mountain! Moreover, it was more complete and profound than what Li Ruoyu had comprehended over hundreds of years, pointing directly to the origin of the Great Dao!

Because at this time, the level of the ancient mountain talisman has reached the point where it can absorb the entire mountain power of an ordinary spiritual mountain under the blessing of Purple Mountain!

The natural principles directly drawn from Zhuofeng are naturally more astonishing than those comprehended by Li Ruoyu.

......

"This……"

Li Ruoyu was speechless for a moment.

After centuries of sitting in meditation, I have finally obtained the true essence today, and... it was given to me by a young man.

Although, as the master of Zhuofeng, this was what he deserved.