Chapter 124
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Chapter 124: The Ancient Stone Tablet
Beneath the azure sky, the mountains stretched endlessly, with strange peaks standing tall, lush and steep, shrouded in mist.
Even on a clear day without rain, the clouds deep within would still dampen one’s clothes.
The inner mountain gate.
The core area of the Yunyang Sect!
A winding path meandered forward, disappearing into the fog.
Beside the path stood a majestic stone tablet, inscribed with the two large characters "Yunyang."
The calligraphy was powerful and free, exuding a sense of Dao rhythm.
It left one mesmerized!
Wang Chen, carrying a basket of Spirit Peaches, arrived in front of the stone tablet.
The thousand-year-old Xuan Gui he sought lay peacefully beside the tablet, eyes closed, soundly asleep!
Its massive body, with a dark yellow shell, rose high like a small mountain!
As Wang Chen approached the Xuan Gui,
it suddenly opened its eyes and snorted a breath: “Hmm～”
It sniffed the air vigorously.
Wang Chen respectfully bowed: “Junior Wang Chen, greetings to you, Senior Xuan Gui!”
This Xuan Gui was older than any cultivator of the Yunyang Sect, guarding the entrance to the inner mountain gate for a thousand years.
It could not be regarded as just a magical beast.
“The peaches are good.”
The Xuan Gui opened its mouth, and a deep rumbling sound came from its throat, like thunder.
Wang Chen immediately offered a Spirit Peach: “I’m glad you like it, Senior.”
The Xuan Gui took a deep breath, and one by one, the firm, juicy peaches flew into its mouth.
It swallowed them all at once.
After finishing, it smacked its lips: “Next time, remember to bring more.”
Before Wang Chen could respond, the Xuan Gui asked, “You are here to retrieve Wang Shaoyuan’s belongings, right?”
Wang Chen nodded: “Yes.”
His heart rate suddenly quickened.
Lu Defang had long suspected that Wang Shaoyuan had encountered great fortune while exploring the secret realm.
He had been troubled by this, even developing an inner demon.
Yet, no matter how he tried, he could not extract the secret from the original owner.
Now Wang Chen felt that he was on the verge of discovering the answer!
"Your aura is intact," Xuan Gui said slowly. "There is no third party around, which satisfies the conditions for retrieving the item."
It opened its mouth and spat out a small storage bag.
Wang Chen promptly bowed, "Thank you, Senior!"
He reached out and took the storage bag into his hands, intending to open it later after returning home.
"Return the storage bag to me," Xuan Gui called out just as Wang Chen turned to leave. "That is mine!"
Oh no!
Wang Chen had no choice but to infuse his energy into the storage bag, only to find it completely empty.
Aside from a single letter, there were no treasures inside!
To say that Wang Chen felt no disappointment would be a lie.
But he wouldn’t let it disrupt his mindset.
What is destined to be will come; what is not meant to be cannot be forced!
Wang Chen’s luck had already been more than sufficient.
After tucking away the letter, he returned the storage bag to Xuan Gui.
The creature swallowed it, closed its eyes, and drifted back into slumber.
Wang Chen did not return to his home.
Instead, he went back to the courtyard in Yunshan City.
Although he hadn’t found the treasure, the letter was still of immense importance to Wang Chen.
It was highly likely to completely resolve the grievances of the original owner’s residual spirit.
It could help restore Wang Chen’s soul attributes to normal!
Sitting in the room where the original owner had once lived, Wang Chen took out the letter left by Wang Shaoyuan and opened it.
Inside were three sheets of paper densely filled with writing.
Wang Shaoyuan’s handwriting was exquisite, with sharp strokes that exuded vigor.
Yet, between the lines, Wang Chen sensed a tone of heaviness and determination!
It took him nearly the time it takes to burn an incense stick to read the entire letter.
…
Seven years ago, Wang Shaoyuan, Lu Defang, and others formed a team to explore Tianyun Mountain, but they accidentally stumbled into a secret realm.
The team suffered heavy casualties in the secret realm, and in the end, only the two of them managed to escape alive.
Just as Lu Defang had suspected, Wang Shaoyuan had obtained a treasure during the exploration.
It was an ancient small tablet.
After returning to the Yunyang Sect, Wang Shaoyuan delved into countless books and materials.
Eventually, he began to suspect that he had entered the "Biluotian" secret realm.
Legend has it that the Biluotian secret realm was created by an ancient, immensely powerful being.
Due to cosmic upheavals, it descended from the upper realm into the Mountain-Sea Realm, where it was later claimed by the renowned Daobao Daoist.
The Daobao Daoist was a figure of great renown.
Not only was he a Yuan Infant true immortal, but he was also a master of weapon refining.
In addition to crafting his own magical treasures, the Daobao Daoist had a penchant for collecting various spirit tools and treasures, often resorting to unscrupulous means to acquire them, all of which he eventually stored within the Biluotian secret realm.
A millennium later, the Daobao Daoist vanished from the world; whether he ascended to a higher plane or passed away remains a mystery.
Without its master, the Biluotian secret realm began to appear and disappear sporadically, each time in a different location.
Whenever the secret realm manifested, its portal would open to the outside world.
Those fortunate enough to discover the portal could enter to explore and seek its treasures.
The Biluotian secret realm was vast and expansive.
Within its confines, it not only housed the treasures of the Daobao Daoist but also contained countless heavenly materials and treasures, awaiting those destined to find them.
Most notably, the secret realm was protected by powerful restrictions.
The higher a cultivator’s cultivation level, the more severely they would be suppressed within its boundaries.
Only Qi Training cultivators remained completely unaffected.
However, the secret realm was also home to numerous fierce creatures and puppet beasts crafted by the Daobao Daoist.
Thus, it was an exceedingly perilous place.
Despite the dangers, there were occasional Qi Training cultivators who, by chance, stumbled into the Biluotian secret realm and emerged with valuable treasures.
Wang Shaoyuan was one such fortunate individual!
After uncovering the origins of the secret realm, he devoted considerable thought to studying the ancient small tablet he had obtained.
Though he couldn’t determine the exact origins of the tablet, Wang Shaoyuan was certain that it was no ordinary treasure.
This realization led him to conceive a bold plan.
Wang Shaoyuan sought out a method known as the "Fate Alteration Container," willingly sacrificing his own cultivation level and lifespan to embed the ancient small tablet within Little Wang Chen’s body, binding it to his soul and bloodline.
The Fate Alteration Container method is a unique technique within the realm of "tool cultivation."
Its principle revolves around entrusting a cultivator’s root bone and life vein to a magical tool.
By relying on the tool, one can elevate their cultivation limit.
This method achieves the effect of altering one’s root bone and, consequently, their fate!
For example, if a cultivator’s root bone is capped at the Qi Training ninth level, by using this method to store a spirit tool within their body, they might achieve a breakthrough to a higher realm!
However, the Fate Alteration Container method comes with numerous drawbacks; even among tool cultivators, it is rarely used, and knowledge of it is scarce.
Because they had a better choice—life-saving magical tools!
Wang Shaoyuan learned about this option from a book, which inspired him to seek out the method.
He had no choice but to do this out of desperation.
Little Wang Chen inherited his mother’s "Withering Spirit Syndrome," making him born with dull talents, and doctors diagnosed that he might not live past thirty!
The "Withering Spirit Syndrome" is extremely difficult to cure; only a Yuan Infant true immortal can help alter one’s root bone and save him.
How could Wang Shaoyuan ever find a Yuan Infant true immortal?
With no other choice, he had to place his hopes on the Fate Alteration Container method and the ancient small tablet he obtained from the Biluotian secret realm.
In the end, Wang Shaoyuan succeeded but also failed.
The ancient small tablet was successfully stored.
However, Little Wang Chen fell seriously ill as a result, severely damaging his vitality and shortening his lifespan.
Doctors predicted he would not live past seventeen!
Wang Shaoyuan was overwhelmed with guilt, and with unwavering determination, he re-entered Tianyun Mountain to search for the Biluotian secret realm.
Because only there could he find the heavenly materials and treasures to prolong Little Wang Chen’s life!
Before leaving, Wang Shaoyuan made all the necessary arrangements.
If Wang Shaoyuan returned with the heavenly materials and treasures, then Little Wang Chen would never see this letter.
If he did not return, and if Little Wang Chen reached eighteen years old and received the letter from Xuan Gui, it would prove that Little Wang Chen had survived the calamity.
Then he could die in peace!
At the end of the letter, Wang Shaoyuan encouraged Little Wang Chen to be brave and live well.
He and his wife would be watching from above.
…
At this moment, Wang Chen was already in tears.
This letter was a testament to Wang Shaoyuan’s deepest fatherly love for the original owner.
Such a willingness to sacrifice his life for protection melted away the last remnant of the original owner’s attachment to his father.
Wang Chen clearly felt it.
The original owner’s residual spirit was dissipating, or rather, merging with him.
【Soul +1】
【Soul: 15】
In an instant, it was as if a light shone deep into Wang Chen’s Sea of Consciousness.
An ancient small tablet leaped into view!
He understood.
He understood completely!
The original owner had scattered his soul in the process of activating this small tablet.
Wang Chen, who had crossed over due to playing video games late at night, had occupied the body!
The next moment.
The ancient small tablet in the Sea of Consciousness burst forth with countless rays of light.
Three golden characters suddenly appeared on its face: Ancient Dao.
Its true name—Ancient Stone Tablet!
