Lu Chen looked at Wind Dragon and asked softly, "Wind Dragon, are you able to reach the bottom of the cliff with your strength? If so, shall we go down and take a look? We might be able to obtain that Cosmic Psyche Incarnation." "Uh... well..." Wind Dragon's face turned red as he hesitated. "If I still had my past strength, maybe I could try. But now... I'd probably be swallowed by the mist the moment I step down there." "Hm? Even you can't go down?" Lu Chen's reply sounded almost mocking to Wind Dragon. "Why are you laughing? What's so funny?" Wind Dragon snapped, tugging at Lu Chen's hair. "This terrain is terrifying. Without peak-Earth Core Realm cultivation, you can forget about hunting for treasure down there. Even lingering in this mist for a quarter of an hour could be deadly." "I estimate the mist will surge upward again after some time, maybe within the next few days," Wind Dragon said, looking around and then lowering his voice. "Otherwise, the Heavenly Mandate Hall wouldn't have set up a formation here and stationed guards." "When that happens, the mist will affect the outside world but also release many treasures. I reckon the Cosmic Psyche Incarnation that brat Jun saw just now came from this. The Scripture Hall will soon be sealed, likely for the same reason." "So what do we do? It's not my style to see treasure and not take it," Lu Chen said, his eyes darting as he thought rapidly. "If you can't go, then what about the other chieftains? Their cultivation isn't gone, right?" "They could, indeed," Wind Dragon replied when he heard Lu Chen talking about Flame Demon and the others. "But since Lord Seventh returned last time, he placed restrictions on them. They can no longer intervene freely." "Uh... alright, then we'll have to figure something else out," Lu Chen sighed. "If they can't step in, then what can we do?" Jun Laoye, also a scion of a sect family, listened to Lu Chen's murmured words and quickly deduced much about him. He grew more convinced that Lu Chen was likely a young master from a sect, traveling the world for the first time, or perhaps forced out by circumstances. As for why Lu Chen didn't know the current cultivation methods of the continent, that also made sense; a secluded sect often sent disciples to explore the world only once every few thousand, or even tens of thousands, of years. Over millennia, the mortal world had drastically changed, even more so for cultivators. With this in mind, Jun Laoye quickly pieced together many things. From Lu Chen's innate talent and strength, his solo journey through the Green Emperor's secret realm, Jun Wudi's attitude toward him, to the sudden appearance of members of the Nantian Sect. Everything fit. "Anyway, since we're heading to the Scripture Hall, why don't we just observe from inside?" Jun Laoye murmured, eyes fixed on the mist below the cliff. "We might pick up a few things later." At that moment, Nantian Yijian suddenly collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed by the mist. Jun Laoye fell with a thud as well. Wind Dragon sensed the danger immediately, summoning his six true bodies to shield the two unconscious men. "What's wrong with you guys? Is it the mist?" Lu Chen started questioning them to figure out what was happening, but immediately felt a tremendous pressure pressing on him from behind. A voice called out, "Little brat, what are you doing? Don't you know the Scripture Hall is about to be sealed?" Lu Chen quickly grabbed Nantian Wan'er and dodged, while Wind Dragon carried Jun Laoye and Nantian Yijian, preparing to escape. The instant Lu Chen reached a corner, he opened the portal to his small world and shoved Nantian Wan'er inside. Returning to the cliff to rescue Jun Laoye and Nantian Yijian, he saw a black-robed Daoist standing where he had been moments ago. Lu Chen hadn't noticed the figure appear. All his attention had been on the cliff. The black-robed Daoist was shrouded in dark mist. A massive hat obscured most of his face, leaving only one deep, piercing eye scanning the surroundings. When he saw Lu Chen, he made no move to stop him. Content orıginally comes from 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕·𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎·𝚗𝚎𝚝 "Who are you? What did you do to my friends?" Lu Chen asked in a demanding tone, drawing his sword and standing on the edge of the Scripture Hall. His heart pounded as if about to burst. "This is the Heavenly Mandate Hall's territory. No outsider may enter here!" The Daoist's gaze lingered on Lu Chen only briefly before returning to the cliff behind him, treating Lu Chen like an utterly insignificant ant. Lu Chen gritted his teeth, sensing a murderous aura that felt like staring into an abyss. He is stronger than even Grandpa Xiu. He must be at the Human Core Realm, likely rivaling Flame Demon and the others in power. "Wind Dragon, are you okay? Come back!" Lu Chen positioned the Hunyuan Greatsword to shield against part of the Daoist's oppressive aura. "I've unlocked access to my Heavenly Pool. You can use my spirit qi now." "I'm fine," Wind Dragon said, linking to Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool. He forced a breakthrough and returned to Lu Chen's side. "But these two brats seem to have been put to sleep by that Daoist's aura. No matter what I try, I can't wake them." Lu Chen admitted, "What do we do now? I don't dare even look at him." He hadn't felt this terrified even facing Flame Demon and the others. The more he stared at the black-robed Daoist, the more he felt like he was confronting death itself. "Let's retreat. That black-robed Daoist probably came for whatever's at the bottom of the cliff," Wind Dragon said, positioning himself across the Hunyuan Greatsword to shield Lu Chen. "We'll rush out and summon the sect elders. Maybe we can save what we can." "No, I need to save Little Jun and Little Jian first. Their bodies... I still don't know what's happened to them." Lu Chen glanced at the two unconscious figures behind him, gripping the hilt of his sword and holding the Hunyuan Greatsword fully across his front. He pressed against the oppressive aura of the black-robed Daoist, trying to force himself to step forward. As soon as he did, a sharp premonition struck him, as if even the slightest movement now could end his life. "Leave quickly, and I'll let you live. Take another step, and not even the three peak lords will be able to save you," the black-robed Daoist said, glancing sideways at Lu Chen. His expression changed slightly as he watched Lu Chen struggle against the overwhelming pressure. "I am Lu Chen, the new chief disciple of Serene Void Academy," Lu Chen said, forcing back his fear and looking up at the Daoist. "May I ask who you are? And what have you done to my friends? Could you at least release the pressure on them?" The Daoist tilted his head, eyeing Lu Chen, yet made no move to ease the aura. "Hmph... You can barely save yourself, and yet still plead for others? Do all the current academy chiefs behave this recklessly?" The Daoist continued to push Lu Chen away from the Scripture Hall with his aura, but Lu Chen's concern for Jun Laoye and Nantian Yijian only burned stronger. Summoning every ounce of his strength, he struggled forward, inching toward the far side of the hall. "Senior, your tone... You must be one of the sect elders. We are only here seeking resources and mean no harm," Lu Chen said, planting the Hunyuan Greatsword firmly into the ground and shouting toward the Daoist. "Please, spare my friends! If you let them go, I swear we won't tell anyone a word about what happened here today." "Sect elder? Me?" The black-robed Daoist muttered. "I'm no sect elder. Just an old hermit, guarding this place for nearly three thousand years." Hearing Lu Chen's plea, his tone softened slightly, and the crushing pressure around him began to ease. "Go quickly. My aura only works within the Scripture Hall. Step outside, and it will vanish. It won't harm them." "Really? But... Can we truly leave ? Thank you, Senior, for your generosity. We'll be leaving now." Relief flooded Lu Chen's face as he saw his friends remained unharmed. Bowing to the Daoist, he prepared to leave, until a voice called out, "Wait!" "Yes? Do you have further instructions?" Lu Chen turned, tilting his lips into a smile. "If you worry about the secrets here being exposed, rest assured. We won't reveal a thing." "If you still doubt me, I can swear by the Heavenly Dao itself," Lu Chen said, raising his hand and holding up three fingers. "I, Qi Zepeng, swear that if today's events leak, the heavens will strike me with lightning, and I'll never advance in my cultivation again..." "That's enough! The Heavenly Dao has vanished. Swearing by it is meaningless. And if you try to fool me, at least use your real name. Why make one up?" The black-robed Daoist withdrew his aura and pointed at Lu Chen's identity token. "You just claimed to be Lu Chen, Chief of Serene Void Academy. And now, you're Qi Zepeng?"[/ref]Editor's note: I guess this confirms what some readers said in their comments during the early chapters. Lu Chen's brain might not be working properly...[ref] Caught off guard, Lu Chen blushed. "Sir... I..." Without the oppressive aura, he gradually steadied himself, but Nantian Yijian and Jun Laoye remained unconscious. "Enough with all this 'I' and 'my' talk," the Daoist said, appearing beside Lu Chen. He fixed his gaze on him. "Weren't you planning to search the Scripture Hall for resources? Why back down now?" "Senior, I'd better go back for now. I can return in a few days." Avoiding the Daoist's eyes, Lu Chen muttered to the ground, "I'm afraid that if I stay here, I might not even know how I die." "What are you mumbling?" the Daoist's hoarse voice cut through the air. "Raise your head. Let me see what makes you special." Lu Chen lowered his head further. "Better not. I'm just an ordinary cultivator. There's nothing special about me." The Daoist's strength was overwhelming, and Lu Chen feared his secrets might be exposed. "Please, sir, just let us go. I don't want to get in the way of you collecting treasures."