Chapter 4787: Mysterious Coffin
“There’s hardly anyone who knows of the ident.i.ty and the trail of the sect founder. In fact, no one even knows whether he’s alive or dead. However, the rumors that the sect founder’s grave is located in the Yinyang Withered Well Realm isn’t completely unfounded,” Xia Yan said.
“Tell me more about it,” Chu Feng said curiously.
“The Yinyang Withered Well Realm is a peculiar place. It contains 99 forbidden areas that bring about certain death to those who dare tread on their grounds. There were a few who were confident in their abilities and tried challenging the forbidden areas, but none of them came out alive.
“However, our predecessors found that the vicinity around the forbidden areas granted the highest chance of stumbling upon a fortuitous encounter. However, out of fear of the forbidden areas, most people dared not to even come close to them. Only the bravest of souls would dare to venture into those treacherous places. Some of them happened to stumble upon a phenomenon,” Xia Yan said.
“What kind of phenomenon is it?” Chu Feng asked.
“One predecessor saw an inexplicable procession consisting of giant humans that towered over a thousand meters, terrifying armored worms that boasted a length of over ten thousand meters, and thousands of armored humans who formed a ma.s.sive army. They were all traveling alongside one another. It was just an illusion, but the world seemed to tremble at their presence.
“There were monstrous beasts and humans amongst them. Some of their auras felt inviolable and divine, but there were also those who were oozing with malevolence. Such contrasting dispositions shouldn’t have been able to co-exist in the same s.p.a.ce, but they were traveling together.
“However, it didn’t look like they were comrades. They felt more like guardians tasked to protect an object, and that object was a coffin,” Xia Yan said.
“Coffin?”
Chu Feng’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes, a coffin. The procession was filled with many terrifying beings, but they were ultimately all illusions. However, the coffin is something that tangibly exists. It’s made entirely out of wood that appears to have rotten with time. However, all of the predecessors who have set their eyes on it all agree that it contains some kind of quality that induces deference in them.
“Due to that, many speculate that the person lying in the coffin is our sect founder. It was hard to imagine that anyone else would be able to stir such a huge phenomenon after his death, especially in the mysterious Yinyang Withered Well Realm,” Xia Yan said.
“There’s actually such a thing?”
Chu Feng was starting to look forward to paying the Yinyang Withered Well Realm a visit. Given what Xia Yan had said, there was indeed a good chance that the person lying in the coffin was no other than the sect founder.
While there was no evidence to back up the claim that the sect founder was dead, it also seemed unlikely that the sect founder would be able to live to this day no matter how powerful he might be.
“Chu Feng, ask her if the access to the Yinyang Withered Well Realm is only limited to the juniors,” Yu Sha suddenly said.
Chu Feng quickly posed the question to Xia Yan, asking, “Xia Yan, is the Yinyang Withered Well Realm only open to us juniors, or are the other seniors able to enter too?” Chu Feng asked.
“Of course it’s only limited to the juniors! Chu Feng, you mustn’t miss this opportunity. Let me put it in this way for you. There are many things in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect that can’t be explained with common sense, but the most mysterious one of them all that all disciples look forward to is no other than the Yinyang Withered Well Realm.
“The Yinyang Withered Well Realm only opens once every three hundred years, and it’s only open to the juniors. Due to that, there are many seniors and elders who were unable to enjoy its benefits. It’s a huge stroke of luck that we’re able to enter it, and you won’t get a second chance if you were to miss it,” Xia Yan said earnestly, fearing that Chu Feng would refuse this opportunity.
Chu Feng was surprised to hear that the Yinyang Withered Well Realm only opened once every three hundred years. Considering that juniors were defined to be within a hundred years of age in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect, those who were born in the wrong years would be unable to enter the location.
“It looks like we’re indeed lucky,” Chu Feng remarked.
“Indeed. To be honest with you, the last time the Yinyang Withered Well Realm opened was 179 years ago, so it should have been another hundred years before it opened once more. However, while you were being punished in the Hidden Dragon Prison, a disturbance suddenly occurred with the gates leading to the Yinyang Withered Well Realm. After careful inspection, the elders realized that it’s a sign that the Yinyang Withered Well Realm would be opening prematurely,” Xia Yan said.
“It’s opening prematurely? Has such a thing happened before?” Chu Feng asked.
“No, this is the first time it has ever happened. Everyone is bewildered by it as well. However, regardless of the cause, it’s a blessing to all of us. Had it not been for this disturbance, those in our generation wouldn’t have the chance to enter the Yinyang Withered Well Realm at all,” Xia Yan replied.
“I see.”
Chu Feng nodded his head contemplatively. He felt that there was more to this premature opening than what appeared on the surface.
“Chu Feng, why do I feel that there’s something amiss with the Yinyang Withered Well Realm?” Yu Sha suddenly spoke up.
“What makes you think so?” Chu Feng asked.
Yu Sha might be a world spiritist, but she did accrue a fair amount of world experience in the Asura Spirit World. She might know of things that Chu Feng knew not of.
“It’s clear that the current Hidden Dragon Martial Sect isn’t able to truly control the formations within the sect, such that it could be said that the current sectmaster isn’t in full control at the moment. It’s just that the sect founder’s formations are still working to this day.
“It’s one thing if the formations were to collapse. It would be a huge loss, but at least it wouldn’t cause any damage. However, there appears to be some terrifying being lurking in the Yinyang Withered Well Realm, especially with the existence of the forbidden areas. It would be one thing if the lifeforms are innate to the formation, but what if they are independent?
“If these lifeforms really exist, the danger wouldn’t just be limited to the Yinyang Withered Well Realm but the entire Hidden Dragon Martial Sect. On top of that, it’s suspicious that the realm is opening in advance. I have a feeling that it has something to do with you,” Yu Sha said.
“Something to do with me? You think so too?”
Even though it might sound narcissistic, Chu Feng shared the same thoughts too.
“Yes. I also believe that the Yinyang Withered Well Realm is under someone’s control. That person probably determines when the realm opens. Could it be possible that the person has noticed you and opened the realm in advance so that he could make use of you?” Yu Sha asked.
“This… I don’t think it’s too likely. Someone like the sect founder wouldn’t leave such a threat lying in the sect,” Chu Feng disagreed with Yu Sha’s speculation.
He felt that the sect founder ought to be in control of everything. Even if he wasn’t around, it was unlikely for his formations to go haywire.
“Chu Feng, you shouldn’t forget about the oddities occurring in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect. Just take the calamity for example, isn’t that already beyond the sectmaster’s means to resolve? In any case, I have a bad feeling about the Yinyang Withered Well Realm. I don’t think you should go in,” Yu Sha said.