Chapter 10, The Uninvited Guest

Feng Yunwuji was perplexed, not understanding what he meant by 'having.' Just as he was about to ask, he felt two immense auras, akin to the vastness of the ocean, rapidly approaching. In the blink of an eye, he had already appeared not far from outside the cave.

Elder! A cry from another cave where practitioners are training came from outside the cave.

A thunderous shout echoed through the air: "Sanctuary of the Hidden Valley, disturbances are not permitted. You, You Wuxie, dare to violate the valley's rules."

The spiritual energy within this hidden valley is abundant, making cultivation here yield twice the results with half the effort. I have decided to diligently study the Xuanming Scroll here, and I will not step out of the hidden valley until I succeed. Brother Wuji, if you are willing, you may also stay here. There will be arrangements for us to move into new caves within the hidden valley, each equipped with numerous small spirit gathering formations, which are far superior to our self-cultivation. However... once you decide to stay here, you must not leave this place for at least one thousand years. Brother Wuji, if you are willing, you may also stay here. There will be arrangements for us to move into new caves within the hidden valley, each equipped with numerous small spirit gathering formations, which are far superior to our self-cultivation. However... once you decide to stay here, you must not leave this place for at least one thousand years.

"Silence!" The Demon Slayer suddenly opened his eyes, casting a displeased glance at Zhao Wuji. Zhao Wuji trembled all over and quickly lowered his head.

The internal energy before ascension is vastly different from that of the ancient practitioners in terms of the time and effort invested. One of the primary reasons for this disparity lies in the purity of the true qi. The internal energy acquired previously is akin to a poorly crafted handmade item, which cannot be compared to the true qi cultivated by the ancient martial artists.

In the hidden valley, how can one allow for disturbances! Hmph! As soon as the voice fell, a loud crash was heard. Yōu Wúxié let out a terrible scream, the sound growing fainter until it gradually faded away towards the valley's exit. Fēng Yúnwújì felt a stir in his heart; could it be that this Yōu Wúxié was thrown out by some elder of the hidden valley? Is Yōu Wúxié truly so obedient?

It should be soon, Zhao Wuji suddenly said to himself

Fengyun Wujie glanced at the Demon-Slaying Hand with some surprise, feeling quite skeptical in his heart

Thank you for your assistance, senior. Feng Yunwuji felt deeply grateful, realizing that the mastery of this Demon-Slaying Hand was truly unfathomable. Such an ability to transmit skills across distances was beyond his imagination

Zhao Wuji trembled all over, staring blankly at Feng Yunwuji. After a long while, he sighed deeply, "No wonder you were able to break through the spatial illusions in your thirties; your comprehension truly surpasses that of ordinary people. Mastering this technique to great perfection, whether it takes tens of thousands of years or even millions, is quite common in this ancient era and is nothing extraordinary. Everyone has grown accustomed to it, but your statement is something I have never heard before. Upon careful reflection, it does seem to hold some truth."

There is no need to worry now. You Wuxie is a person who acts erratically and has strayed onto a wicked path. Although the Hidden Valley is quite renowned, he does not come here often. The elder of the Hidden Valley has been residing here for millions of years, cultivating his skills. Apart from the masters who have reached over 300 meters in the Hidden Valley, there is essentially no one else in the entire valley who can be compared to him. You Wuxie, unaware of the gravity of the situation, is making a big fuss in this valley, and he will surely suffer the consequences. The slightly excited mocking voice of Zhao Wuji reached my ears. Although You Wuxie does not come here often, he has spent a considerable amount of time here, and some of the secrets within the Hidden Valley cannot escape his notice. Sure enough, an elderly voice came from outside the valley, and judging by the voice, it was indeed one of the two elders who had appeared earlier: "You Wuxie, as a punishment for your actions, you will be confined in the wall-facing cave of the Hidden Valley for ten days..." The elder of the Hidden Valley continued speaking as he walked towards the valley's exit, and by the time the sound of breaking air reached my ears, he had already vanished outside the valley.

Zhao Wuji's expression suddenly changed upon hearing Fengyun Wujie's words, his nails turning white from the pressure as he gritted his teeth and said: "Once a teacher, always a father. My master treated me well, but today he was treacherously killed by the cold pool demon You Wuxie. I must avenge him to wash away this blood feud. Although I, Zhao Wuji, am lazy and do not enjoy practicing martial arts, I will certainly fulfill my word." Zhao Wuji's right hand pressed tightly against his left chest. Fengyun Wujie knew that hidden in his chest was the upper scroll of the Xuanming Secret Art left by his master. Zhao Wuji had evidently placed all his hopes on this renowned martial art that he spoke of.

Is it the same for the ancient martial artists depicted in the illustrations and books?

Fengyun Wujie shook his head and said, "I fear that may not be the case. Although cultivation requires the accumulation of time, it is not the only condition. In the path of martial arts, luck, opportunity, and enlightenment are equally essential. Often, a sudden realization can lead to a breakthrough after much contemplation. Hence, there is an ancient saying: 'One who attains the Dao in a single morning may ascend to the heavens in broad daylight.' If one only engages in arduous practice, it is unlikely that great achievements will be realized."

Why is this so

Thank you, Brother Zhao, for your guidance. By the way, how long do you plan to stay here?" Feng Yunwuji inquired

Zhao Wuji walked out towards the cave, transmitting a message as he went: "Each cave in this Hidden Valley is akin to a secluded meditation chamber. Although there are no doors, this Hidden Valley is indeed a powerful sacred place. Who among ordinary people would dare to seek trouble here... except for that You Wuxie... Enough about him. Each cave is a private domain; had it not been for the close friendship between my master and the senior Demon Slayer, we would not have been permitted to enter at all. The fact that the senior Demon Slayer did not drive me away is already a great favor." Enough about him. Each cave is a private domain; had it not been for the close friendship between my master and the senior Demon Slayer, we would not have been permitted to enter at all. The fact that the senior Demon Slayer did not drive me away is already a great favor.

Feng Yunwuji, however, had other thoughts in his mind. The Intent Sword Body Technique he was practicing was exceptionally difficult, even the first level was hard to master, and despite practicing for a long time, he found it challenging to make any progress, as if he had hit a bottleneck. However, before his ascension, he was a master of the sword path, having unique insights into the art of the sword. This allowed him to step into the first level of the Intent Sword Body Technique within three years, a progress that is simply incredible for anyone who has practiced this martial art.

A powerful and rich internal force suddenly surged into the body from all hundred acupoints, traversing through Feng Yun Wu Ji's meridians. Within a few breaths, it had nearly healed Feng Yun Wu Ji's injuries.

"Brother Wuji, let us go out," came a voice that was as faint as a mosquito yet remarkably clear. It was Zhao Wuji, who, fearing to disturb the Demon Slayer, communicated with Fengyun Wuji using the technique of sound transmission.

"Brother Zhao, this senior Demon Slayer seems rather unapproachable," Fengyun Wujie furrowed his brow and replied using the secret sound transmission technique. This technique merely condenses the voice into a single line using a substantial amount of internal energy; it is not anything extraordinary. Fengyun Wujie had mastered it long before his ascension, so using it now posed no issue.

In this ancient world, the practice of martial arts takes thousands, even millions of years. It is feared that this is also related to the concept of enlightenment; if one can achieve enlightenment, it may significantly shorten this time. However, Fengyun Wujie gradually comes to understand that these extraordinary skills require an immense amount of true energy to propel the internal meridians and circulate the vital energy. Although the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is abundant and omnipresent, it is both thin and, moreover, this spiritual energy is not true energy. Often, vast amounts of the elemental energy of heaven and earth can only be transformed into a small quantity of pure true energy. Fengyun Wujie also gradually realizes that these extraordinary skills require an immense amount of true energy to propel the internal meridians and circulate the vital energy. Although the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is abundant and omnipresent, it is both thin and, moreover, this spiritual energy is not true energy. Often, vast amounts of the elemental energy of heaven and earth can only be transformed into a small quantity of pure true energy.

Of course, the library... is not a secluded place for retreat. Apart from the Hidden Valley, who would choose such a conspicuous location for seclusion? Well, these matters you will have to understand sooner or later. Some things are completely different from the space we originally inhabit. You need to be cautious and avoid violating others' taboos, lest you find yourself being hunted down without even knowing why

Alright, you may get up now. This person, who may be practicing the demonic path, behaves so audaciously. How could you have provoked such an individual?

"I am sorry, senior, I acknowledge my mistake," Zhao Wuji said repeatedly. The Demon Slayer nodded in satisfaction and then closed his eyes again

What a sight... Ah, it turns out to be two elders. I am Han Chi, the Heavenly Demon of the Endless Abyss... Just now... It turns out that the arrogant You Wuxie momentarily spoke in a timid manner, as if he had encountered his nemesis.

This, however, is difficult to articulate; this is the rule of the Hidden Valley, the original purpose of which is now unknown. Nevertheless, the training time for each type of cultivation will not be less than one thousand years, thus this rule has not been violated by anyone, and it holds little constraint over everyone.

Although severely injured, Feng Yun Wu Ji did not lose consciousness. From beginning to end, Feng Yun Wu Ji kept his eyes wide open, and no one stood behind him to tend to his wounds. Zhao Wu Ji was too preoccupied with his own situation to possibly assist him. Thus, the powerful internal energy that appeared and disappeared without a trace could only be attributed to the master of the cave.