Chapter 70: The Old Taoist’s Question

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Old Taoist’s Question

Qilin Cliff lay prostrate upon the earth like an ancient, auspicious beast. Its back was broad, a full thousand zhang wide, with three of its sides plunging into sheer cliffs. Only a single, winding path led to the top of the Qilin’s back.

Chen Sha reached the flat, broad summit of the mountain. He saw a Daoist in a yellow robe sitting cross-legged on a stone platform, with over a hundred people before him, all listening intently.

’A First-Grade Great Innate!’

He took one look at the yellow-robed Daoist, and his heart clenched.

’Is this yellow-robed Daoist Zhang Daoxuan, the very person depicted by the clay statue in the Earth God Temple? It’s only the first Chapter, and the gatekeeper is already a First-Grade Great Innate.’

Chen Sha had personally witnessed a duel between First Grade experts—his Little Martial Uncle and Ancient Transformation Dragon—so he was intimately familiar with the aura of a First-Grade Great Innate.

This yellow-robed Daoist was clearly a terrifying expert of the First-grade Level.

Moreover, just by sitting there cross-legged, he gave Chen Sha the impression of a Golden Pagoda, suppressing the entire Qilin Cliff and the auras of all the other experts present.

Chen Sha had the distinct impression that this old Daoist was significantly more powerful than his Little Martial Uncle.

He inwardly lamented picking such a thorny opponent. ’At my current level of Grandmaster Peak, trying to clear a stage guarded by this ’First-Grade Great Innate’ will take ages. It’s not something I can do in a short time. I’d need to reach First Grade myself to have any real chance.’

But he was already here, so sighing was pointless. He decided to first see if he could gather any information about ’the matter of Ascension’ within this ’Zhang Daoxuan Chapter’.

So, after reaching the summit of Qilin Cliff, Chen Sha decided against an immediate challenge and instead found a spot among the others to sit cross-legged.

The old Daoist in yellow robes seemed to have just finished a lecture on Martial Arts Principles. He smiled as he surveyed the hundred-odd people on the clifftop.

Then, looking in a certain direction, he remarked with a sigh:

"In the world today, sectarianism is rampant. The Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and Demon factions are as incompatible as fire and water. I began these lectures on Qilin Cliff to attract those who appreciate the Dao, to pass on my Martial Arts and leave a spark for future generations. I never expected such talented individuals from the Three Religions to come and listen. I am truly gratified."

Chen Sha noticed that in the direction the old Daoist was looking, three people slowly rose to their feet.

"Guu Changming..."

"This humble monk, Shede..."

"Xu Gui..."

A middle-aged scholar in a tall Confucian Hat and robes, a middle-aged monk draped in a brilliant red Kasaya, and an ugly old man with a red face, dressed in black.

Having stood up, they bowed in unison toward Zhang Daoxuan.

"Greetings, Master Zhang."

The old Daoist in the yellow robe immediately said, "There is no need for such formalities, my three young friends. That you could cast aside sectarian views to come and listen to my lecture on the Jade Emperor Tower, to help preserve this legacy for posterity... it is I who should be thanking you."

Sitting cross-legged in the crowd, Chen Sha watched the trio, realizing they must be crucial figures within this Cosmic Light Fragment.

Listening to their conversation, he mused:

’Strange. If the Jade Emperor Tower created by this Elder Zhang is truly the ultimate Martial Art of the Jade Emperor Sect from the Divine Land World, then for such a Divine Skill to be taught so selflessly... shouldn’t the Martial Artists be the ones weeping with gratitude? Why is he thanking others instead?’

’Is it merely because of sectarianism? Could sectarian views in this world be that severe? Unlike the Divine Land World, where factions would fight to the death over a single Divine Skill.’

So he remained silent off to the side, continuing to listen to the conversation on the platform.

Hearing Elder Zhang’s words, the three became flustered, insisting they were unworthy of such thanks.

The man in the Confucian Hat said sorrowfully:

"Master Zhang, in this End of Dharma Era, you dare to defy the very Heaven and Earth Rules to forge a new path for us and for all future generations. This is a deed of immeasurable merit. Posterity will never forget the pioneering feat you have accomplished for us Cultivators."

As the Confucian Sect scholar, Guu Changming, spoke, he seemed to stir the emotions of the many Martial Artists on the clifftop. Agitated and grateful, they began to chant:

"Master Zhang’s merit is immeasurable!"

The more Chen Sha listened, the more confused he became, his brow furrowing deeper. He had no idea what these people were talking about. Behind their fragmented words, every character seemed to hide a mountain of information.

Amidst the crowd’s roaring cheers, Zhang Daoxuan looked to the heavens and declared with a sigh:

"The natural energy of heaven and earth is like the tide; it ebbs and flows. Though we are now in an End of Dharma Era, a time of great change for the world, no matter how harsh the environment becomes, all living things will find a way. Our path of ’Post-Innate’ can no longer be walked. However, as long as we can adapt our Cultivation System to the environment, there is still a chance for Ascension to the Immortal Realm."

"The ’Jade Emperor Tower’ that I have created is precisely..."

The old Daoist in the yellow robe was about to continue.

Suddenly, a question came from the crowd:

"Excuse me, Master, what do you mean by ’great change for the world’ and ’End of Dharma Era’?"

The crowd turned to look at the source of the voice.

They saw a young man in a simple Daoist Robe sitting far in the back. His features were exceptionally handsome, and his expression was a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

It was Chen Sha.

He had been listening from the side for a long time and knew that if he didn’t ask directly, he would never be able to piece together these fragments of information into a coherent story.

"Who is this Little Daoist?"

"He doesn’t have any Martial Arts, does he?"

"He looks like someone without any Martial Arts. Otherwise, how could he not even know about the world’s changes during the End of Dharma Era?"

"Anyone who practices Martial Arts or Qi Cultivation can feel that the energy between heaven and earth has diminished. In the past, we martial practitioners could easily cultivate Acquired True Qi, but now it’s as difficult as ascending to heaven..."

"That’s the result of the world’s great change. We really are in the End of Dharma Era."

The chattering voices of the Martial Artists filled Chen Sha’s ears.

He hadn’t expected that before the old Daoist could even answer, this crowd, with their scattered comments, would reveal most of the truth about the so-called End of Dharma Era to him.

So, it turned out most people in this world already knew what the End of Dharma Era meant.

Chen Sha didn’t feel awkward at all. Instead, he muttered thoughtfully to himself:

"So that’s the reason."

Many of the Martial Artists couldn’t help but cast puzzled glances at Chen Sha, their expressions full of confusion.

How could a young man with no Martial Arts manage to reach the summit of Qilin Cliff?

The path up the mountain was extremely treacherous; an ordinary person would find it impossible to ascend.

However, unlike most of the Martial Artists present, the gazes of Guu Changming, Zen Master Shede, and Old Ghost Xu—whose real name was Xu Gui—were fixed intently on Chen Sha from their places on the high platform. They exchanged glances, their lips barely moving as they communicated:

"Such a young Middle Innate Expert?"

"Judging by his Daoist Robe, when did the Daoist Hidden Lineage produce such a great talent?"

The shock in the eyes of the three was undeniable. With their talent, in a normal era, they would all have been considered heaven-sent geniuses. But having the misfortune of being born in this End of Dharma Era, merely reaching the Middle Innate Realm had cost them forty to fifty years of their lives.

And now they saw Chen Sha, who looked to be only twenty and several decades their junior, yet his Martial Arts Realm was on par with theirs?

As the three exchanged shocked glances, they failed to notice that on the high platform, the seated Master Zhang Daoxuan was looking at Chen Sha with an expression of both shock and delight.

"Young friend, is that the aura of the Great Yellow Court Martial Arts I sense from you?"

When the many Martial Artists saw the highly respected Master Zhang actively strike up a conversation with Chen Sha, they were all stunned. How could someone with no Martial Arts attract Master Zhang’s attention...

But some who had clearly heard Zhang Daoxuan’s words immediately turned to look at Chen Sha.

"What did Master Zhang say? ’Great Yellow Court’? Does that sound like a type of Martial Art? This young man has Martial Arts..."

If he had Martial Arts, why couldn’t they sense any Acquired True Qi from him?

It couldn’t be that someone so young was actually an Innate Expert, just like those three great talents of the Three Religions?!

If he were an Innate Expert, it was true that those in the Acquired realm wouldn’t be able to sense his aura.

But how was that possible? ℯ

This was the End of Dharma Era! To be an Innate at his age!!

Meanwhile,

Chen Sha was even more shaken to hear Zhang Daoxuan’s question. ’This old Daoist can actually recognize the origin of my Martial Arts?’

He immediately asked, "Master Zhang, how did you know the Martial Art I cultivate is called the Great Yellow Court?"

Even before Zhang Daoxuan could answer, a few guesses had already formed in his mind.

Just the fact that the old Daoist could recognize the Great Yellow Court was enough to tell him one thing: even if the ’True Realm’ he inhabited was different from the Divine Land, the two worlds had to be intricately connected.