Chapter 2: Family Heirlooms

Lu Yun shot into the cave, his heart racing uncontrollably. Standing on the ground, he felt the entire valley trembling, and a look of horror flashed in his eyes. Lu Yun murmured to himself: "Such a powerful demon spirit, even my master would have to retreat in fear; all I can do is flee for my life. I never expected to encounter it; what a stroke of luck that is! I wonder why our ancestors of the Lu family chose this place. Although it is indeed a treasure land of dragon veins, it is also too remote. With countless demon spirits around, who would dare to come and take that thing? It is truly perilous. If I didn't have some skills, I would have been finished today." As he spoke, he carefully surveyed his surroundings, feeling exceptionally vigilant. Outside the cave, three spirit snakes emitted eerie howls, which were quite alarming, but Lu Yun paid them no mind.

Secondly, the world is vast, and the number of sects in the cultivation of truth is countless. Each sect has its own essence worth learning. However, over the past few thousand years, the divisions have deepened, leading to mutual hostility among them, resulting in the decline of many sects. Yet, you must be cautious of the most renowned Five Sects and Six Academies in the world. I hope that after you retrieve the ancestral artifact, you can go to the Yi Garden in Xishu to learn from what is there. It also holds its own mysteries, and if you plan to go in the future, you must remember my words today. I hope that after you retrieve the ancestral artifact, you can go to the Yi Garden in Xishu to learn from what is there. It also holds its own mysteries, and if you plan to go in the future, you must remember my words today

Lu Yun raised his right hand, invoking the Confucian concept of "Haoran Tiangang," and instantly a powerful and masculine red light appeared in his hand. With a wave of his right hand, a formidable palm force, imbued with the might to split mountains and shatter stones, struck the stone coffin in the center. At the same time, Lu Yun swiftly rotated 180 degrees, positioning himself on the other side, his entire body surrounded by flickering red light, firmly protecting himself.

Lu Yun gave a slight bow, as a gesture of gratitude for the twelve years of master-disciple bond. Turning around, he gazed into the distance, and in an instant, Lu Yun's body soared into the air, transforming into a wisp of cloud in the sky, like blue starlight, vanishing without a trace. How mysterious and magical, truly hard to believe. The strange man looked at the horizon, let out a faint sigh, and turned to enter the cave. The mountain breeze blew by, carrying waves of floral fragrance, and everything returned to tranquility.

I remember the master once said that when he performed this set of techniques, he could reach a speed of 68,600 times per breath at the fastest, which is rare in the world. Given Lu Yun's current strength, achieving 2,400 times per breath is already quite remarkable. Lu Yun gradually maintained the frequency of his true energy at 2,400 times, and the true energy began to flow slowly, gradually passing through the gaps in the formation, step by step exploring the mysteries of the formation

Yi Garden, as one of the six academies in the world, is the most unique among them. This is because it enrolls two types of students: one is practitioners of the mystical arts, and the other is ordinary scholars, specifically nurturing talents in ancient Chinese literature. The other five academies only accept practitioners of the mystical arts, which is why Yi Garden ranks last among the six academies, yet it is the most popular. In the realm of mystical arts, Yi Garden is renowned for the "I Ching," and its most famous skill is the "Twelve Techniques of Changing Heaven," which is said to allow one to alter their fate upon mastery. Yi Garden possesses a treasure known as the "Heavenly Measuring Ruler," a legendary artifact that has been passed down through the ages, remarkable in its own right

Beneath the Cangfeng Ridge, the strange man quietly observed Lu Yun, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. At this moment, Lu Yun, dressed in a light blue long robe with his hands clasped behind his back, displayed a handsome face adorned with a blend of amusement and scholarly charm, exuding an enchanting demeanor. His gaze was as clear as water, concealing a trace of mystery, making him exceedingly captivating. He appeared much like a talented scholar from the Jiangnan region, delicate and graceful, giving off an impression of fragility.

Carefully observing the eight patterns and the four guardians, Lu Yun understood that there must be some hidden secrets and dangers within; otherwise, they would not have stood there for so many years without being discovered. After pondering for a while, Lu Yun decided to take action and test the power of this formation, so he could plan accordingly.

In the dark and deep valley, a thunderous roar echoed, and massive stones flew in all directions, accompanied by a terrifying momentum that profoundly shook the heavens and the earth. Lu Yun took a step forward and swiftly shot into the cave, narrowly avoiding a devastating strike from the three-headed spirit snake. Behind him, the stone walls on both sides of the cave were struck by the enormous tail of the three-headed spirit snake, instantly producing a deafening sound. The entire valley trembled, and the hard stone walls were shattered, creating a large hole, with strange rocks flying everywhere, an astonishing display of power.

Lu Yun smiled and said, "Master, feel free to speak your mind without any reservations; it is just the two of us here, with no one else around." After saying this, he smiled lightly, subtly revealing a hint of something sinister, which was quite difficult to discern clearly

Slightly raising his head and gazing at the horizon, Lu Yun fell into deep thought. Whenever Lu Yun pondered, he always loved to look at the sky, as if he were roaring at the heavens, expressing his unwavering will to never yield. Once again looking at the deep valley, Lu Yun murmured to himself: "It seems that our ancestor of the Lu family must have been an extraordinary talent, otherwise how could he have hidden the ancestral grave atop this dragon vein's dragon eye, thus ensuring the prosperity of the Lu family for generations? Truly an extraordinary thought"

Lu Yun never expected to encounter it today, truly unsure whether to feel happy or to sigh. Lu Yun glanced at the cave; fortunately, the entrance was not large, and it seemed that the massive bodies of the three spirit snakes could not enter. Now, he had no choice but to enter and hide, hoping to evade its attacks. With this thought, Lu Yun twisted his body in mid-air and swiftly shot towards the cave.

As he watched the ground slowly approaching, Lu Yun gathered all his strength and carefully observed the movements around him, continuously searching for the source of the sinister and eerie aura. Unfortunately, after a while, Lu Yun found that the valley floor was surrounded by a desolate landscape of bizarre, towering rocks, offering no place to hide, yet he did not see that otherworldly spirit. This left Lu Yun momentarily stunned, followed by a sudden realization—what a formidable cultivation spirit, capable of invisibility.

Lu Yun's body hovered three feet above the ground. A red light burst forth from his surroundings, instantly illuminating the valley floor in a blood-red hue, making everything clearly visible. Yet, there was nothing there, which was strange. After glancing around, he noticed a cave about ten feet high to his left, appearing particularly eerie and filled with malevolence. Lu Yun's gaze turned suspicious, and as he gestured with his hands, two extraordinary lights—one blue and one gold—appeared in his palms. He pressed down slightly, and the ground immediately sank. Following this, an astonishing force of energy radiated outward, causing the ground to upheave, forming a wave of true energy centered around Lu Yun that rapidly expanded in all directions, violently sweeping everything in its path. The thunderous roar echoed in the air, resembling the collapse of heaven and earth, with an overwhelming momentum.

The so-called spiritual artifacts, along with the diagrams and texts, are what cultivators create after refining magical tools and further cultivating them. There are many methods for refining tools, with the two most common being as follows. The first method is employed by righteous practitioners, who forcibly inject their own cultivation, spiritual power, or magical energy into their original magical tools, significantly enhancing their power and allowing them to transcend the boundaries of magical tools to become spiritual artifacts. Spiritual artifacts cultivated through this method possess immense power; however, it is highly demanding on one's cultivation. Therefore, cultivators without a strong will are often reluctant to expend the effort required to refine spiritual artifacts. The first method is employed by righteous practitioners, who forcibly inject their own cultivation, spiritual power, or magical energy into their original magical tools, significantly enhancing their power and allowing them to transcend the boundaries of magical tools to become spiritual artifacts. Spiritual artifacts cultivated through this method possess immense power; however, it is highly demanding on one's cultivation. Therefore, cultivators without a strong will are often reluctant to expend the effort required to refine spiritual artifacts.

The second method is the technique of artifact refinement in the demonic path, which generally involves forcibly incorporating the souls of living beings or the primordial spirits of certain demonic entities into one's own magical tools. This is done to enhance the power of the magical tools, thereby achieving the potency of spiritual artifacts. This method is the most commonly used by practitioners of cultivation, but it is exceedingly malicious and looked down upon by the righteous path. However, those of the demonic path favor this method the most, as it is the quickest and most labor-saving approach, far surpassing the speed at which practitioners of the righteous path cultivate spiritual artifacts.

Lu Yun erupted with a brilliant radiance, having already unleashed ten layers of power. The frequency of his true energy instantaneously accelerated to 2,400 times per breath, which was his limit; any faster was impossible. If this attempt failed, Lu Yun would be at a loss. Among the five techniques he practiced, the one from the Demon Sect, "Heart's Desire Without Trace," was the fastest, allowing the highest frequency of true energy. Therefore, he chose this technique to explore the mysteries of the formation.

Time passed slowly, and after a considerable while, Lu Yun finally arrived at a large cave measuring several dozen zhang. This appeared to be the heart of the cave, as there were three passages surrounding it, forming a triangle, leading to other places. In the center of the cave, there was a fist-sized pearl that illuminated the surroundings brightly. In the middle stood a stone coffin, with four stone statues arranged around it, all resembling armed guards, each standing at attention, with swords and blades at the ready. Outside these four guards, there were also eight patterns engraved on the ground, depicting fierce-looking demonic figures, resembling the legendary malevolent spirits, which were quite terrifying. In the center stood a stone coffin, with four stone statues arranged around it, all resembling armed guards, each standing at attention, with swords and blades at the ready. Outside these four guards, there were also eight patterns engraved on the ground, depicting fierce-looking demonic figures, resembling the legendary malevolent spirits, which were quite terrifying.

Lu Yun carefully surveyed the surroundings for a while. Fortunately, all he encountered were weak supernatural entities that had just entered the realm of the supernatural, posing no threat to him. The valley was deep, extending several hundred zhang. As Lu Yun descended further, he felt the surrounding yin energy growing heavier. The bottom of the valley seemed to faintly emanate a fierce and eerie malevolence, which made Lu Yun feel wary. He understood that there must be powerful supernatural beings hidden at the valley's bottom, as the aura was quite distinct—fierce yet malevolent. It appeared that these were not benevolent spirits, so he needed to be cautious.

Fourth, you have not possessed a weapon for a long time; it would be wise to find one when you have the time. In the realm of cultivation, weapons are categorized into four types: divine weapons, immortal weapons, spiritual weapons, and magical tools. Magical tools are the most common and ordinary, while divine weapons are exceedingly rare, with only a few existing in the entire world, making them something that can be encountered but not sought after. As for immortal weapons, they are weapons left behind by those who have attained enlightenment and ascended, characterized by their overwhelming power and extreme rarity, with very few found in the world.

Only then did Lu Yun's immensely powerful strike instantly hit the stone coffin. However, just three feet away from the coffin, the eight demonic patterns on the ground suddenly emitted a dazzling light, forming a protective barrier and a book that firmly shielded the coffin within. At the same time, the four guards inside sprang to life, each wielding their weapons, and instantly erupted with a brilliant display of four colors, creating a magical true energy shield of four colors that flowed continuously, forcefully blocking Lu Yun's powerful strike. Simultaneously, the four guards inside sprang to life, each wielding their weapons, and instantly erupted with a brilliant display of four colors, creating a magical true energy shield of four colors that flowed continuously, forcefully blocking Lu Yun's powerful strike.

Thirdly, I have been observing the stars in the night sky recently and have discovered an ominous sign: chaos is about to ensue in the world, and malevolent beings are sure to emerge. Within a maximum of three years, there will be a significant upheaval, and at that time, I fear the entire realm of cultivation will be affected, plunging it into a sea of blood and carnage. After you leave, you must remember this calamity and be vigilant.

Before long, Lu Yun arrived at the top of a deep valley. Looking down, Lu Yun furrowed his brow slightly and said, "This should be the place. Why would our Lu family's ancestral grave be chosen here? This is a place of absolute yin, with extremely heavy yin energy; there must be quite a few malevolent entities hidden below. " As he quietly gazed at the deep valley, a hint of astonishment gradually appeared in Lu Yun's eyes, and his expression was quite peculiar.

The strange person said: "You need not say this; I understand. Go ahead. The vastness of heaven and the wonders of all things will lead you to comprehend many truths that you do not grasp now. The path of cultivation goes against the heavens, and not everyone has it easy. This road is difficult to traverse; I hope you take good care of yourself. Go on, for all things in heaven and earth, in the blink of an eye, are but fleeting clouds, and everything in this world is merely an illusion." After speaking, he gazed slightly at the horizon, no longer looking at Lu Yun.

Time slowly passed, and Lu Yun was already drenched in sweat, his body beginning to show signs of weakness, a phenomenon resulting from excessive consumption of true energy. Finally, after enduring for a while longer, Lu Yun suddenly collapsed, lying on the ground and gasping for breath, his clothes soaked through with sweat. Glancing at the mysterious formation, a hint of a smile appeared in Lu Yun's eyes; he had finally uncovered the secret of this formation, and there was a chance to break it, allowing him to penetrate this defense and enter within.

In the depths of the valley, a chilling wind howled, accompanied by eerie wails, as if the souls of hell were roaring. A mass of black mist suddenly enveloped Lu Yun's head, revealing a three-headed spirit serpent that writhed incessantly, its body stretching approximately one hundred zhang. In the air, it resembled a dark cloud, casting a shadow over the surroundings, dimming the light. Each of the serpent's three enormous heads was ten zhang wide, with six eyes that glowed like lanterns, emitting a blood-red, otherworldly light in the dark valley, striking terror into the heart. Each of the three long, red tongues extended several zhang, flickering continuously, while gusts of chilling wind surged from the three massive mouths, carrying a sinister poison that corroded everything in its path. The three-headed spirit serpent's three enormous heads, each ten zhang wide, with six eyes glowing like lanterns, emitted a blood-red, otherworldly light in the dark valley, striking terror into the heart. Each of the three long, red tongues extended several zhang, flickering continuously, while gusts of chilling wind surged from the three massive mouths, carrying a sinister poison that corroded everything in its path.

Lu Yun gazed at the colossal creature, feeling an immense shock within. It was the first time he had encountered such a large demon spirit, truly terrifying. Reflecting on what his master had once mentioned about the three-headed spirit snake, Lu Yun felt an ominous premonition. It was said that this three-headed spirit snake was an extremely rare spiritual entity in the world, long extinct, and he never expected to see such a primordial beast here, which was truly incredible. Legend has it that this creature is a variant of the dragon, with a lifespan that can reach thousands of years, even tens of thousands of years. Among its three heads, there are three different malevolent properties, capable of emitting fierce fire, icy cold, and deadly poison, making it one of the rarest evil spirits in the world. This creature is exceptionally intelligent, and its cultivation is far faster than that of ordinary spirits, placing it among the rarest demon and evil spirits in existence. Anyone who encounters it would find it nearly impossible to survive.

The strange person smiled faintly and said: "It has been twelve years, and today you have finally achieved something in your studies. You have absorbed all my skills, and although you are still far from mastering them, with effort, there will surely come a day when you catch up to me. My knowledge is vast and eclectic; for you to learn all my centuries of cultivation in just twelve years is truly a unique feat in the world. Your life is filled with mutations and uncertainties, and whether you can contend with fate in the future will depend on yourself; no one can help you. Now that you are about to leave, I will tell you a few things that you must remember when you encounter them in the future." After saying this, he paused slightly, looking at him with an odd expression, as if concealing some secret.

The last point, based on my years of experience, is something you should remember well. That is, in this world, apart from humans, there are also other spiritual beings cultivating their essence, hoping to transform into humans and attain immortality. However, in the eyes of humanity, they are regarded as outcasts, merely referred to as monsters and demons. These supernatural entities, like humans, possess both good and evil qualities; not all monsters and demons are malevolent, just as not all humans are virtuous. Therefore, when you embark on your path in the future, do not be deceived by the words of the world that advocate exterminating demons and monsters. You must discern the good and evil of others for yourself before making a decision. Remember, the most wicked in this world are not those otherworldly beings, but humanity itself. Keep this in mind. Well, I won't say much more; you will gradually understand on your own in the future. You may go now, and feel free to come back to see me when you have the time.

Lu Yun looked around, carefully examining the large cave. He quickly discovered piles of white bones on the ground, seemingly at least a hundred corpses. This made Lu Yun particularly cautious, knowing that there must be some hidden secrets here; otherwise, so many people would not have come to their deaths. He quietly circled around the stone coffin in the center, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. This place was rich in spiritual energy, yet devoid of any malevolent aura. The ominous energy he had sensed earlier was now completely absent, which was truly strange. As he continued to circle the stone coffin, the same look of surprise returned to his face. This place was indeed filled with spiritual energy, but there was not a trace of evil. The ominous energy he had felt before was nowhere to be found, which was quite peculiar. All the spiritual energy here seemed to converge upon that stone coffin. What could be hidden inside it? It was perplexing and mysterious.

On a towering mountain peak, a blue figure suddenly descended, silently and without a trace, leaving no one aware of its origin, appearing as if out of thin air, shrouded in mystery. Quietly gazing down at the valley, this young man in blue, around twenty years old, was exceptionally handsome; he was Lu Yun. A faint smile graced Lu Yun's face as his body swayed slightly, moving through the forest like flowing clouds and water, with astonishing speed.

The cave was not small, and it seemed to be bottomless. As I continued deeper into the cave, the atmosphere grew increasingly sinister, and Lu Yun felt a growing unease, as if some ferocious beast was waiting for him below. There were numerous small branching paths around, each containing countless strange otherworldly beings, varying in shape and size. At this moment, the "Haoran Tiangang" that Lu Yun had been using was replaced by the Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation Technique." A black aura gradually enveloped Lu Yun's entire body, and the eerie and mysterious techniques of the Ghost Sect emitted a malevolent energy, causing all the otherworldly beings to keep their distance, not daring to approach him. This was because he exuded an evil aura that devoured everything, instilling fear in the hearts of these beings.

Lu Yun carefully savored his master's words and smiled slightly, saying, "Rest assured, I will not be like those people. Master, take good care of yourself; Yun'er will be leaving now. I entrust this land to your care." After saying this, he glanced around, seemingly filled with a sense of reluctance.

Moreover, I am aware of a secret in the Yi Garden. Within the Yi Garden, there exists a set of techniques known as the "Five Thunder Righteous Heaven Technique." Since the inception of the Yi Garden, no one has successfully mastered it. If you have the opportunity in the future, be sure to learn this set of skills. The most formidable aspect of this technique is that it can annihilate all demons and monsters in the world, serving as the nemesis to all evil beings. It embodies the utmost rigidity and positivity, capable of destroying all sinister and ghostly entities, making it exceedingly domineering.

Lu Yun's body swayed slightly and began to descend slowly, the speed not fast, appearing very gradual. At the same time, a blinding red light erupted from Lu Yun, as if the sun were shining directly overhead, extremely dazzling. For safety, Lu Yun still invoked the Confucian "Haoran Tiangang" to firmly protect his body. As he descended slowly, Lu Yun noticed countless bizarre creatures surrounding him, all of which were strange beasts he had never seen before. Some were extraordinarily large, while others had astonishing lengths, all fixating on Lu Yun as if they were gazing at their prey.

In mid-air, the three-headed spirit serpent's six eyes glimmered with a cold light, and with a powerful flick of its massive tail, it swept towards Lu Yun with all its might. Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, carrying the force capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, rapidly engulfing Lu Yun's body. Suspended in the air, Lu Yun felt the overwhelming force approaching and was greatly alarmed. He raised both hands with all his strength, fiercely striking down with two palms. His intention was twofold: first, to hope to thwart the three-headed spirit serpent's attack, and second, to utilize the rebound force to accelerate his advance, allowing him to enter the cave and take cover as soon as possible. Suspended in the air, Lu Yun felt the overwhelming force approaching and was greatly alarmed. He raised both hands with all his strength, fiercely striking down with two palms. His intention was twofold: first, to hope to thwart the three-headed spirit serpent's attack, and second, to utilize the rebound force to accelerate his advance, allowing him to enter the cave and take cover as soon as possible.

The strange person pondered for a moment and then spoke: "First, I will impart to you all the techniques, which include the ultimate skills of the five sects: Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, the Demon Sect, and the Ghost Sect. You must remember not to use them lightly, as it may bring you trouble. Among the techniques of these five sects, the Daoist 'Tai Xuan Lie Tian Dao' and the Buddhist 'Xin Chan Bu Mie Jue' are the most domineering. The Confucian 'Hao Ran Tian Gang' is the most vigorous, the Demon Sect's 'Xin Yu Wu Chen' is the most mysterious, and the Ghost Sect's 'Hua Hun Da Fa' is the most malicious. In twelve years, you have already mastered them, though only to a minor extent, yet for someone of your age, you are truly unparalleled.

Lu Yun's expression changed slightly as he raised his head and fell into deep thought. It seemed that breaking through these two layers of formation barriers was not an easy task. This stone coffin should be the place where the ancestors of the Lu family left their treasures; what kind of treasures were hidden inside? Why was it so heavily guarded? Lu Yun was filled with curiosity. He walked around the stone coffin continuously, with five-colored light flowing around him, fully exerting the magic sect's "Heart's Desire Without Trace" to probe the mysteries of this peculiar formation. Lu Yun kept increasing the frequency of his true energy, starting from one hundred to two hundred times per breath, and now it had accelerated to one thousand two hundred times per breath, yet he still could not enter that magical formation. He continued to walk around the stone coffin, with five-colored light flowing around him, fully exerting the magic sect's "Heart's Desire Without Trace" to probe the mysteries of this peculiar formation. Lu Yun kept increasing the frequency of his true energy, starting from one hundred to two hundred times per breath, and now it had accelerated to one thousand two hundred times per breath, yet he still could not enter that magical formation, unable to sense any trace of the stone coffin.