Chapter 295: A Mysterious Place
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Mo Wen nodded slightly. “Tell me the rules.” Two people challenging a whole sect? He would be crazy if he could relax.
“Every time during the Sect Leader Selection Meeting, the Five Aristocratic Families can each send five candidates, with the conditions that the candidates must have the Cultivation of Qi Nucleation realm and above, and they must be below 40 years old. So with this restriction, a lot of times not all the families from the Five Aristocratic Families can gather five candidates. It is possible to have only three, four, or even two candidates from a family.
“But let me tell you. We only have one candidate, which is you. We have the lowest number in the history of the Dafang Sect. At the same time, it means you have no teammates. Everyone in the Sect Leader Selection will be your enemy.
“The Jiang Clan can send out five candidates that fulfill the criteria. If the Jiang Clan wants to block you, you will have to face the combined a.s.sault of these five individuals. Also, the other three Aristocratic Families will have at least two or more candidates partic.i.p.ating. The number of people taking part in the Sect Leader Selection will definitely not be less than 15.
“The worst case scenario is if the other three Aristocratic Families join the Jiang Clan’s camp, completely follow the orders of the Jiang Clan, and join together to deal with you. Then, you alone will be facing the joint attack of more than ten individuals.”
w.a.n.g Yinru shrugged her shoulders as she stated the worst case scenario. Now that they only had two people and were fighting alone, their odds would not be very good. One person going up against a group of people was not the most common of scenarios.
If she did not know that Mo Wen had the ability and could obtain the position of sect leader under such dire circ.u.mstances, she would not have brought him along.
In her plan, the most crucial part was not whether they had the support of the three Aristocratic Families, but Mo Wen’s strong ability. With his ability, obtaining the position of sect leader was not something that would be too difficult.
Once they had obtained the position of sect leader, with her Cultivation together with Mo Wen’s terrifying combat ability equal to that of the Embryonic Breathing realm, it should be enough to deal with the Jiang Clan.
“You seem to think highly of me.” Mo Wen’s mouth curled into a smile. A person with Qi Nucleation realm Cultivation going up alone against a group of Qi Nucleation realm ancient martial art pract.i.tioners… Probably no one would believe it, but w.a.n.g Yinru had treated him as her hope.
“After all, you can only win and cannot lose.” w.a.n.g Yinru softly snorted.
…
On a stone tower not far from the square stood two men. One was an elder dressed in white, and the other was dressed in gray. Both of them were very old, but their spirits were still very good. Their entire bodies emanated indescribable auras.
“Are the arrangements in place?” The elder dressed in white looked at the elder dressed in gray beside him. A cold light flashed in his eyes. This person was Jiang Quangui, the Dafang Sect Grand Elder who had left in anger the previous day.
“Hehe, naturally they are in place. I guarantee that woman will not return after coming here.” The elder dressed in gray had an insidious expression. His voice was sharp and unpleasant. His cold laughter was enough to scare a child to tears.
“Since that woman has come forth to die, then we should send her on her way. However, it really is a pity. At such an age, already she has such Cultivation. In the future, she would probably not be below that of our uncle. Why is it that our Jiang Clan does not have such a genius?”
Jiang Quangui sighed. His disappointing son had wasted large amounts of the Dafang Sect’s resources and practiced for so many years, but still had not managed to break through to the Embryonic Breathing realm. On the other hand, the little girl back then, upon returning, was already an Embryonic Breathing realm strong pract.i.tioner.
The elder dressed in gray said bluntly, “Since she is a genius and also our enemy, then there is naturally only one way for her to leave – by dying!”
This person was the Jiang Clan’s second Embryonic Breathing realm strong pract.i.tioner and one of the Dafang Sect’s Grand Elders. His name was Jiang Quanfu, and he was Jiang Quangui’s second brother. His personality was cold and vicious with a heavy air of hostility. He killed people at the slightest provocation.
“That woman seems to have a son with Cultivation of the Qi Nucleation realm. So young and already at that realm. His talent is probably above even that woman’s. You can’t help but admit that the woman not only has talent in practice but also in bearing sons.”
Jiang Quanfu began to laugh strangely.
“I have yet to have an heir to my name. That woman has given birth to such a talented son. I am considering whether or not I should capture her and let her bear my heir before killing her off.”
A dark look flashed in Jiang Quanfu’s eyes. The gaze he had as he looked at w.a.n.g Yinru from afar had a different meaning behind it.
“Younger brother, can you even do it? You’ve been trying for so many years but have yet to have a son. Now, you want to give birth to a genius?”
Jiang Quangui gave Jiang Quanfu a strange look. His second brother had been without an heir for dozens of years. Now, he was still without an heir. He was already old, and was still thinking about the matter of succession. Sometimes, he was suspicious as to whether Jiang Quanfu had problems in that department.
Jiang Quanfu’s facial expression chilled. “Elder brother, if you keep talking about whether I can or cannot, don’t blame me for getting angry.” Other people saying that he was impotent was the taboo of his life.
Jiang Quangui looked at Jiang Quanfu and ignored his anger. Jiang Quangui said plainly, “That son of hers, from his age, he fits the role. But whether he actually is her son, that would probably be hard to say for sure.”
Jiang Quanfu laughed coldly. “It doesn’t matter whether he is or isn’t. After all, he doesn’t have long to live. I guarantee that he will die in the Sect Leader Selection a.s.sessment.”
…
On the other side, w.a.n.g Yinru was explaining the details of the Sect Leader a.s.sessment to Mo Wen. Just in case, she patiently went over the entire process and the details with Mo Wen.
“You mean to say that in this Sect Leader a.s.sessment, anyone can be in danger, including me?” A glint of surprise flashed in Mo Wen’s eyes.
“That’s right. If you enter that place, even the people from the Jiang Clan cannot control the entire situation. It is common for the clansmen to die in there. However, this was the rule set by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. They cannot change it. Even though they know there is danger, they have to bite the bullet and push through.
“So, you’d better still be cautious. That place can be life-threatening, even for an Embryonic Breathing realm ancient martial art pract.i.tioner. However, your a.s.sessments will not have demands that are too hard. If no accidents happen, usually there will be no issues.”
A look of concern flashed in w.a.n.g Yinru’s eyes. They must enter that place for the Sect Leader a.s.sessment. Once they were there, it meant that there was no longer any control. It would be hard for anyone to predict what would happen. Past Sect Leader Selection Meetings occasionally had people dying in them. It was considered common.
The reason why the Dafang Sect had such a rule was because a few hundred years ago, the Dafang Sect’s five founders had a chance encounter. One by one, each of them was promoted to the Embryonic Breathing realm, and they founded the Dafang Sect.
So, past Dafang Sect leaders had to visit the place once. Regardless of whether or not there was danger, they must experience the entire process. Also, although that place was dangerous, it came with many unexpected encounters. If their luck was good, they could very possibly end up like the five founders and come across a strange encounter. Then, the Dafang Sect would have soaring development.
However, regrettably, after hundreds of years, past sect leaders had never had strange encounters there. The number of people who died inside, on the other hand, wasn’t few.
“What is that place exactly?” Mo Wen asked curiously. w.a.n.g Yinru only mentioned that the place was mysterious, and at the same time very dangerous, but she never said why.
“In reality, even the past generations of the Dafang Sect did not know what that place was. They only know that it is an ancient ruin with a long history. At the same time, it contains many hidden mysterious items. As for how long it has been around, almost no one knows.” w.a.n.g Yinru shook her head. A matter that even past generations could not manage to figure out… How was it possible that she would know?
Ancient ruins have many mysterious things!
An idea flashed through Mo Wen’s mind. It couldn’t be an immortal cultivator ruin, could it? Only an immortal cultivator ruin could be described as mysterious. He had known that the Earth had traces of immortal cultivators. The chance of immortal cultivator ruins existing was very possible.
Although Mo Wen was not an immortal cultivator in his other lifetime, being in an immortal cultivator sect, he naturally knew a lot about them. Those ancient immortal cultivator ruins being able to survive the long pa.s.sing of time, it meant that it was not normal and definitely not simple.
Usually places like that would be perilous, with terrifying dangers lurking everywhere. A single careless mistake could be fatal.
Though it was dangerous, at the same time, it was also an environment where a chance encounter could occur. Those who were fated would normally come across strange encounters in these types of places. Then, their paths would be smooth, and the skies blue as they progressed higher.
The stranger the encounter, the greater their future achievements would be.
Mo Wen’s eyes lit up with flames. He did not crave any strange encounter, but normally immortal cultivator ruins would have many items from the immortal cultivation world. If he could get his hands on some, they would be of great use to him.
As for danger, Mo Wen did not worry about it too much. Danger and opportunity coexisted. Also, sect leaders from every generation of the Dafang Sect had entered the place. Would his entering be dangerous?
…
Three hours later, Mo Wen stood in front of a natural cave deep within the Yandang Mountain range. His hands were behind his back, and his expression was indifferent.
Within the Yandang and Kuochang Mountain ranges, there were many natural grottoes. Some grottoes were famous in the entire country and were world cla.s.s tourist sites.
Aside from the grottoes that were famous in the outside world, many more were unknown and hidden deep in the mountains. Some grottoes hid many mysterious types of food. Normal people could not step into some grottoes, such as the Dafang Grotto before them. This was the Dafang Sect’s grotto. All year long, there were people guarding it. Ordinary people simply could not enter.
“Entering from here, pa.s.sing through levels of obstacles, and reaching the center region will be the first stage. If you fail to pa.s.s the first stage, you will lose your qualification to compete for sect leader. Also, to test you all, there are countless dangers ahead. It is very possible for your life to be on the line. You had better be prepared. If you have no objections, then please enter the cave. If you choose to give up, you can return to the sect now.”
Beside Mo Wen stood two stern looking middle-aged men. They stood to the left and right of the cave entrance, like two door G.o.ds.
After speaking a few words with Mo Wen, they did not open their mouths to speak again as they quietly awaited Mo Wen’s choice.