Chapter 293: Chapter 288: Feng Shanshan
Xu Fei explained, "Of course, it’s related. The ancestor of the Ninghun Family wasn’t named Ninghun, but Sima Senluo. His title was the Senluo Saint. He earned this title because he dedicated his entire life to creating a Secret Technique—a High-level Secret Technique for cultivating Spiritual Power..."
"A High-level Cultivation Method for Spiritual Power?!"
Mu Chen gasped in surprise. ’He remembered his Master once saying that Cultivation Methods for Spiritual Power had gone extinct tens of thousands of years ago. But the Ninghun Family was only established thirty thousand years ago. If that was the case, the legends about this Senluo Saint were definitely not exaggerated. A Great Power capable of creating a Spiritual Technique... I’ve never heard of such a thing in this world. After all, Spiritual Power involves the study of the soul—something no one can fully comprehend!’
"No wonder it’s called the Senluo Ruins. It was named after the Senluo Saint," Wan Xian’Er muttered from the side.
Xu Fei continued, "That’s right. And since the Senluo Ruins were controlled by the Ninghun Family, each generation’s Clan Leader would enter the Senluo Ruins to peacefully pass away when their life was nearing its end. That place also became the Ninghun Clan’s ancestral tomb. In terms of both status and power, the Ninghun Clan far surpassed the Blood Python Family. But the Blood Python Family has survived to this day, while the Ninghun Clan was completely slaughtered overnight ten thousand years ago—not even the infants survived. From that day on, no one in the Blood Soul Empire, or even the entire continent, ever heard the name of the Ninghun Family again. This once-famous Noble Family was completely relegated to history."
"However, another piece of news gradually spread... that the Spiritual Power Cultivation Method created by the Senluo Saint was hidden within these Senluo Ruins. And the name of that Spiritual Technique was ’Forest of Myriad Manifestations.’"
"Forest... of Myriad Manifestations..." Behind his closed eyelids, Mu Chen’s pupils suddenly constricted. "After all these years, there must have been quite a few Martial Artists who entered the Senluo Ruins. Has the Forest of Myriad Manifestations been recovered yet?"
Xu Fei shook his head. "No. At least, not yet. To this day, no one has been able to find that Spiritual Technique in the Senluo Ruins. Ever since the Blood Python Family gained control of the ruins, they’ve wanted nothing more than to obtain that High-level Spiritual Technique. That’s why every year, they arrange for the most outstanding members of three families to enter the ruins to train. They call it ’training,’ but everyone in the Outer Realm knows their true purpose is that Spiritual Technique. Some even speculate that the masterminds behind the massacre of the Ninghun Family were very likely the Blood Python Family."
Mu Chen was stunned. "But aren’t the Blood Python Family and the Ninghun Family on completely different levels of power? How could the Ninghun Family possibly have been wiped out by the Blood Python Family?"
Xu Fei shook his head. "Brother Mu Chen, you’re thinking too simply. Sometimes, being stronger doesn’t mean you’re safer. Being more cautious does. You have to understand, the Blood Python Family’s greatest strength isn’t their power, but the Blood Python’s Contract ability."
"Contract ability... Brother Xu, are you saying the Ninghun Family was destroyed from the inside?!" Mu Chen had a sudden realization, and his expression immediately darkened. ’Thinking about it carefully, that must be it. If the Blood Python Family had secretly planted their Blood Poison in an important member of the Ninghun Clan back then, and then used that person to slowly infiltrate them... it wouldn’t have taken long for the Blood Python World to completely permeate the Ninghun Family’s inner circle. The most terrifying thing in this world isn’t a Martial Artist... it’s the human heart...’
THUMP THUMP... THUMP THUMP... Feeling his own heartbeat, Mu Chen suddenly asked, "Then isn’t it also possible that the Blood Soul Empire’s Royal Family has been infiltrated by the Blood Python Family?"
Xu Fei nodded. "It’s highly likely. It’s very possible that the true rulers of this Empire are actually the Blood Python Family. The reason the Blood Python Family is so famous yet still hasn’t managed to infiltrate the Central State is because all the Noble Families in the Central State are wary of them. The Blood Python Family is simply terrifying, almost like a virus, constantly dividing and infiltrating."
GULP...
Mu Chen swallowed hard and said gravely, "Doesn’t that make the Blood Python Family invincible?"
Xu Fei laughed heartily. "How could that be possible? The Extreme Martial Continent has all sorts of people, and there are countless factions that could wipe out the Blood Python Family with a wave of their hand. As for which factions those are, I think with Brother Mu Chen’s abilities, you’ll come into contact with them in the near future. As for the Forest of Myriad Manifestations, it really hasn’t reappeared. This is also related to the continent’s rules: the maximum power an Ancient Ruin can withstand is anything below the Emperor Realm. Anyone stronger would likely disrupt the spatial balance within, causing a spatial collapse and ultimately destroying the ruin completely. That’s something the titans of the Extreme Martial Continent would absolutely not want to see."
"So, the chances of the Blood Python Family obtaining the Forest of Myriad Manifestations are minuscule. The Senluo Saint entered the ruins at the Saint’s Martial Artist Realm. How could these ordinary Martial Sects possibly even get close to the places he could reach? So just forget about that Spiritual Technique. If you go too deep, you might get sucked into a Spatial Rift and never come back."
Hearing this, Mu Chen fell silent. ’He’s right,’ he thought. ’If the Senluo Saint truly hid it in the ruins himself, then no one would be able to find it. At least, no one below the Martial Venerable realm would have a chance.’
"Sigh... what a shame!" Mu Chen sighed, his voice tinged with frustration.
Xu Fei clapped Mu Chen heartily on the shoulder and laughed. "I say, Brother Mu Chen, you really want that Spiritual Technique, don’t you? To be honest, if anyone could get close to where the Senluo Saint hid the technique, I’d bet on it being you. Your very existence can’t be explained by common sense. But for your own safety, you shouldn’t try anything rash. It’s too much of a long shot. Besides, the Senluo Ruins are Ancient Ruins, after all. The occasional Heaven and Earth Spiritual Treasure that pops up is enough to make anyone green with envy. A person should be content with what they have. Hiyah!"
Mu Chen calmed himself, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a slight smile. "I understand, Brother Xu. Thank you."
Xu Fei laughed and shook his head. "Why thank me? You’re my benefactor, and my great matchmaker, too! HAHAHAHA!"
"Matchmaker?" Mu Chen’s mouth fell open, and he broke out in a cold sweat. "What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about? I’m not telling you that! When you return, I’ll have a surprise for you!"
"Er... I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll definitely come find you when I get back, Brother Xu."
"Good! Hiyah!"
With a loud cry from Xu Fei, the steadily trotting Hurricane Horse suddenly accelerated, leaving a pale green afterimage on the wide road as it galloped fiercely toward the Blood Soul Imperial City...
「One month later.」
At the North City Gate of the Blood Soul Imperial City, a young woman in a dark green dress was looking down, lost in thought. A gentle breeze lifted her long black hair, revealing a slightly pale cheek. And where she stood, perfectly centered, was the very middle of the main road.
"Watch out! Miss, get out of the way!!!"
A loud shout came from behind the young woman. She whipped her head around at the sound, only to see a carriage hurtling toward her...
BANG! The young woman felt a sharp pain in her back, and her entire body was thrown into the air. In her daze, she thought she heard someone calling her name, but the intense pain made her vision go black, and she lost consciousness. When her awareness returned, she found herself lying on a wide bed. Sitting beside her was an ethereal young woman who looked just like a fairy.
Seeing that she had woken up, the fairy-like girl blinked her bright, pure eyes. Her small face was dotted with glistening beads of sweat, giving her the appearance of a fairy who had descended to the mortal realm. At that moment, the girl was tightly gripping her hand, her palm warm.
"You’re awake! Mu Chen! Brother Xu! Come quick, she’s awake!!"
That’s right. This fairy-like young woman was Wan Xian’Er. And the carriage that had come hurtling toward her was none other than the Hurricane Horse Carriage driven by Xu Fei.
After a month of hard riding, Mu Chen and the others had finally arrived at the Blood Soul Imperial City. But just at the critical moment, the running Hurricane Horse was spooked by a Wind Eagle diving down from the sky. The Hurricane Horse then lost control and bolted madly toward the North Gate of the Blood Soul Imperial City.
As luck would have it, a young woman was standing right in the middle of the road at that exact moment. The sight stunned Xu Fei, who was trying to restrain the Hurricane Horse. A person tends to freeze up when they panic, and that’s exactly what led to the accident.
At Wan Xian’Er’s shout, Mu Chen and Xu Fei rushed in from outside the door. Seeing the young woman was awake, Xu Fei hurriedly asked, "Are you okay? Does anywhere feel uncomfortable?"
Seeing Xu Fei’s sincere and flustered expression, the young woman’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled faintly. "I’m fine now. It’s just that my back still hurts a little."
Mu Chen let out a deep breath. "It’s good that you’re okay. Luckily, the Hurricane Horse had already slowed down drastically. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been as simple as being unconscious for two days."
The young woman was taken aback and said anxiously, "I’ve been unconscious for two days? This is terrible!" As she spoke, she tried to get up, but a piercing pain shot through her body when she was only halfway up, forcing her to lie back down.
Mu Chen couldn’t just let her get up. He quickly pressed down on her shoulders. "You can’t move around right now. Although you’ve received prompt treatment, you still need to rest for another two days. If you have something urgent to take care of, tell us. We can help you."
The young woman seemed to realize her body wouldn’t allow her to move recklessly and said helplessly, "I came to participate in the Senluo Ruins. I was just calculating the opening time for the ruins, but before I could figure it out, the carriage knocked me unconscious."
Hearing this, Mu Chen exchanged a look with Wan Xian’Er and smiled. "So that’s what you were worried about. What a coincidence. I’m also here to participate in the Senluo Ruins. If it’s about the ruins, then you don’t need to worry. There are still five days until they open, which is enough time for you to recover completely."
"That... is a coincidence. I’m relieved then. By the way, my name is Feng Shanshan. It’s nice to meet you all." After hearing this, the young woman relaxed completely, let out a breath, and smiled at Mu Chen and the others.
