Chapter 169: Chapter 160: The Cyan Mountain Immortal Is a Six-Year-Old Child?
Mountain and River Realm, three days ago.
By now, most of Qin Country knows about the existence of the "Bronze Gate."
Everyday, people come here for pilgrimage.
"I am now standing in front of this majestic Bronze Gate, everyone can see its height."
A woman dressed in formal attire elegantly lifts her phone, slowly circling the Bronze Gate to film.
This Bronze Gate stands a hundred meters tall, like a sky trench, making the small humans seem even more insignificant.
Countless people widen their eyes to observe the clearly visible patterns above, having watched them numerous times over the last few days, yet still feeling awe-struck.
For the citizens of Qin Country who are far from this place, they can only watch the Bronze Gate through the window of the internet. Currently, the long queue at the foot of Cyan Mountain has already wound tens of li, the number of people exceeding a million, making it impossible to squeeze in.
"It’s unscientific for this Bronze Gate not to collapse on this peak. Could it have grown from the ground?"
"No, I know this. Yesterday, the military department dug three meters under the Bronze Gate and found a hollow, but the Bronze Gate was unaffected."
"Could it be due to the light material of this Bronze Gate?"
The formal-attired woman brushes through the online discussions with one hand, while touching the cold Bronze Gate with the other, revealing some insider information: "The military department conducted rigorous tests before, and even with all their might, they could not budge the Bronze Gate in the slightest."
Even national-level methods cannot move the Bronze Gate?!
Countless people were incredulous upon hearing this.
"This Bronze Gate is obviously man-made, such a method... Immortal? God?"
"Now, history records go back at most to the Spring and Autumn, eight hundred years. The world before eight hundred years seemingly does not exist. Could it be that before Spring and Autumn was the Era of Immortals and Gods?"
"But not even a single record or legend of the Era of Immortals and Gods remains."
"So, is it possible someone severed this part of history? History is written by the victors, and during the Spring and Autumn period, only one Immortal has been recorded."
"Cyan Mountain Immortal?!"
"Indeed, remember, many Cyan Mountain Saints devoted to science and thought began to cultivate Dao in their later years. Clearly, the Cyan Mountain Immortal and Red Flame Celestial Soldiers truly existed!"
"Brothers, no more talking, I’m immediately resigning to seek immortality on Cyan Mountain..."
Various bullet comments flooded in discussions.
The formal-attired woman hurried to film the Bronze Gate.
Next to her, there are three youths and a woman studying the small figure on the Bronze Gate, the woman can’t help but mimic the "figure’s actions" with her hand gestures.
"The actions demonstrated by this figure are martial arts, and it’s Upper Martial Arts."
At that moment, a deep voice sounded in the ears of the four.
"Upper Martial Arts?!"
The four were taken aback, looked around, and saw a dignified middle-aged man slowly approaching; they immediately clasped hands in greeting: "Uncle Zhao."
Zhao Halberd in plain clothes, nodded slightly, then lifted his head to look at the Bronze Gate, saying: "Your families originate from the Cyan Mountain Sword Saint Hidden Vein, have you found anything about the Bronze Gate?"
Among the youths, one surnamed Gao, one surnamed Zhang, one surnamed Duanmu, while the woman is surnamed Ning.
They are precisely the Cyan Mountain "Sword Holder" lineage, with the most outstanding disciples of each generation acting as "Sword Saints," "Saints," guardians, and even some Patriarchs exceed the contemporary "Sword Saint" in strength.
The Zhang Family is now the civil Cyan Mountain Dao Lineage Sect Leader lineage, theoretically the most orthodox Cyan Mountain transmission.
"No discoveries yet." Youth Zhang Qirui shook his head.
"Does your family have records of the Bronze Gate?" Zhao Halberd continued to ask.
The three immediately looked to the woman; their home’s elderly wanted them to bring "Ning Zhu" here precisely for this matter. The Cyan Mountain secret is passed down orally, only known by Cyan Mountain Saints and Sword Saints, but surely some clues remain.
And Ning Zhu is the contemporary heir of the "Author" lineage.
Ning Zhu, clever since childhood, at sixteen, had read all incomplete family texts and martial arts, slowly uttered a word: "Yes."
Zhao Halberd quickly turned his head: "Really have?!"
Ning Zhu said: "About the Bronze Gate appearing on Cyan Mountain six times. In the words of the wise men, this gate should be called ’World Gate,’ each appearance accompanied by an armored Celestial Soldier descending, known as Red Flame."
"However, the recorded World Gate is not as grand and tall, only about five meters." She looked at the Bronze Gate.
"World Gate? Lower Realm? Gateway to other worlds? Truly another world..." Zhao Halberd murmured.
Immediately he thought of something, asked solemnly: "Now that the World Gate has appeared, where is the descending Red Flame Celestial Soldiers?"
"Unknown." Ning Zhu shook her head.
Even Zhang Qirui was curious, asking Ning Zhu: "Do the sages have written records of what’s inside the World Gate?"
"No records."
Ning Zhu said, "But it can be speculated; Red Flame Celestial Soldiers appeared with regularity. It’s always when Cyan Mountain is weak, at the end of a dynasty, the leading Celestial Soldier is friendly, stating ’ordered to arrive’ to deliver medicine, then collecting Cyan Mountain lineage literature, swiftly departing, as if they can only stay briefly in this realm."
"Red Flame Celestial Soldiers are extremely powerful, the weakest among them hold the strength of "Innate" Martial Artists."
"About four thousand years ago, at the end of a dynasty, an ambitious warlord led an army of ten thousand trying to encircle and slay the Red Flame Celestial Soldiers, wanting to seize the ’Elixir of Immortality’ held by them. The leading Red Flame General was furious, wielding a great halberd, transformed into a ten-zhang fire bird, piercing through the army of ten thousand."
"One person against an army?!"
Zhao Halberd, upon hearing, was greatly startled.
Though an Innate Martial Artist is ultimately made of flesh and blood, even they bleed when cut or struck.
In history, only two people have truly achieved such feats. One is the swordsman named Ah Qing, who broke into an army of three thousand and captured the King alive. The other is the Qingfeng Sword Saint, who, with one person and one sword, defended the city gates and slew over one thousand eight hundred and thirty Jin Country cavalry, ultimately fighting valiantly until the end.
The former relied on an extraordinary and otherworldly skill, while the latter took advantage of favorable terrain.
And this Red Flame Celestial Soldier can transform into a firebird ten Zhang high, single-handedly resisting an army of a hundred thousand? It sounds like an unbelievable wild legend.
Zhao Halberd’s face showed doubt as he asked, "Elixir of Immortality? Did such a thing really happen in history?"
Ning Zhu explained, "Indeed, it did happen, but later generations of Cyan Mountain Saints erased this record from the history books for certain reasons. As for the ’Elixir of Immortality,’ it’s nothing but a false rumor passed down by the people."
After a pause, Ning Zhu continued:
"The strangest part is that the Red Flame Celestial Soldier asked nothing from Cyan Mountain and frequently mentioned the words ’by command,’ clearly following the instructions of the Cyan Mountain Immortal."
"So, inside this World Gate, it’s highly likely to be the Immortal Realm of the Cyan Mountain Immortal."
"Immortal Realm?!"
Zhao Halberd snapped back to reality, his gaze sweeping over Ning Zhu, Zhang Qirui, Gao Feng, and Duanmu Lei, deep in thought.
Cyan Mountain Sect Leader is skilled. For five thousand years, there has always been a Sect Leader in every era and generation.
Only these four hidden families rise and fall, each generation cultivated and protected by the "Saints" in charge of Cyan Mountain, ensuring their descendants never break lineage, clearly showing their ancestors have the deepest ties with Cyan Mountain Immortal.
Ning Zhu is a descendant of "Spring," the Zhang family’s ancestor is unknown, but he knows they are fellow apprentices with Qingfeng Sword Saint, Gao family were once descendants of famous Jin Country generals, and Duanmu were once descendants of famous Yu Country generals.
Zhao Halberd softly inquired Ning Zhu, "Does Cyan Mountain have any passing down items from ancient times? Preferably from the Spring and Autumn Period."
"Spring and Autumn Period..."
Ning Zhu did not conceal, "The recipe for Strength Pill developed in Autumn, Cyan Mountain Transmission ’Purple Sky Innate Skill,’ ’Seven Swords of Cross and Vertical,’ ’White Clouds Drifting Leisurely’... Oh, and the last cyan sword ’绝’ sword fragment from the Cyan Mountain Seven Swords."
She looked toward Zhang Qirui.
Zhang Qirui quickly took out a piece of "Bronze Necklace" from his chest, swiped it across the Bronze Gate, but the gate did not respond.
"It doesn’t work."
Zhao Halberd looked disappointed.
"Uncle Zhao, let’s try again."
Zhang Qirui did not give up and tried around the Bronze Gate.
Ning Zhu, Gao Feng, and Duanmu Lei observed the upper martial arts of the Bronze Gate.
Just at that moment,
The Bronze Gate suddenly emitted a crisp "click" sound.
Everyone surrounding the Bronze Gate was suddenly startled, involuntarily retreating several steps, tightly watching the Bronze Gate slowly open a small crack.
Zhang Qirui looked up, stunned, the white light penetrating the crack was somewhat dazzling.
"The gate opened?!"
"Retreat."
Zhao Halberd’s eyebrows furrowed, with a wave of his hand, a team of Flying Eagle Guards formed a human wall, isolating the Qin Country masses a hundred steps away.
Zhang Qirui, Ning Zhu, Gao Feng, and Duanmu Lei withdrew behind Zhao Halberd, their eyes intently fixed on the crack in the Bronze Gate.
"An astonishing incident happened at the scene! Just now, the Bronze Gate, under the military testing, unexpectedly produced an unusual disturbance."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please look. This Bronze Gate is now being gently opened from the inside, revealing a subtle crack. The person behind the door is most likely the legendary Cyan Mountain Immortal!"
The formally dressed lady reporting on-site was particularly excited upon witnessing this scene, squeezing to the front, fingers swiftly typing, quickly changing the title to "Bronze Gate Tremors! Unveiling the True Face of Cyan Mountain Immortal!"
She tightly gripped her phone, the camera firmly focused on the crack in the Bronze Gate, though the camera could only capture a burst of white light.
Countless people flooded in from the internet.
Under the expectant gaze of the Qin Country people.
Crack—
The Bronze Gate was once again slowly pushed open until half-open.
Next, a tender little head peeked out stealthily, a pair of eyes clear as water scanned all around.
Then cautiously, a foot stepped on the ground.
His whole body slowly walked out. The child’s face was rosy, looking about five or six years old, hair in a topknot adorned with a wooden hairpin, wearing a Daoist robe embroidered with cloud patterns.
The Daoist robe gently swayed in the breeze, appearing ethereal and transcendent.
"A child?"
Zhang Qirui, Ning Zhu, Gao Feng, Duanmu Lei exchanged glances, eyes full of shock and confusion, exchanging a look amongst themselves.
And from the Bronze Gate emerged a six-year-old child, a scene that not only left everyone at the scene dumbfounded but also stirred up a huge wave online, the comments coming in like a tide.
"Is this the Cyan Mountain Immortal?"
"Cyan Mountain Immortal appears in the form of a child?"
"Could it be... this is the Immortal’s Rejuvenation technique?"
...
