Chapter 88 An Inexplicable Sense of Security

Red Bean and Ye Que walked amid the boundless forest of steles. It was shocking to them even with their mental state.

They couldn’t tell from a distance but once they came close, they realized that this wasn’t a forest of steles at all. This was an all-inclusive secret depository of cultivation techniques.

From swords skills, saber techniques, curses, venomous insects, formations, astronomical observations, to even Tantric Buddhism incantations… They could find anything they wanted on these steles as long as they searched carefully for it. Moreover, the records were incredibly detailed: the method to exhale and inhale, the way to operate True Energy, and the essential movements of styles. Furthermore, all the cultivation techniques recorded on the steles were long-lost ultimate cultivation techniques. If even one of these steles was taken out to the world, a bloodbath would likely follow.

“How is the ley lines of sovereignty of the Imperial Mausoleum constructed?”

“To think there would be so many secret techniques of various sects here.”

“Is there a need for the Imperial Mausoleum of a secular empire to be this grandiose?”

Even Ye Que was perplexed now. No matter how large an Imperial Mausoleum was, there ought to be a limit to it.

“Who told you that this is an Imperial Mausoleum?” Red Bean said placidly, upon hearing Ye Que’s confusion. “How could an Emperor be this capable? I don’t think he will be able to construct even this grand formation.”

“Besides, take a good look at these cultivation techniques. None of them are meant for the use of the common folk. Even the weakest ones were meant for the use of those in the Cultivation World. If this was an Emperor collecting cultivation techniques, do you think they will be such high-level techniques?”

“Your words make sense, but…”

“No ‘but’. If I say this isn’t an Imperial Mausoleum, then it isn’t.”

“Don’t question me.” The words had just left Red Bean’s mouth when the umbrella above her head suddenly turned to its side. A revolving scimitar hit the canopy of the umbrella before it swiftly rebounded.

Two persons were standing at an angle more than 10 meters away. One of them, a youngster, had his arm chopped off. Blood gushed out of his wound and soaked the ground under him. Judging from his appearance, he ought to be a member of the grassland royalty of Great Yan.

Since his scimitar rebounded, it was naturally his loss. He lost his arm the first time, and now he was getting stabbed in the chest.

Simultaneously, the disciples of the Cultivation World that had been brandishing their swords and sabers to cut others down shouted, “How dare a grassland barbarian like you touch a saber skill as precious as the Saber in the Wind Transforms the Nation! Go to hell!”

So, the battle was over a stele.

However, it wasn’t as if the stele was limited to one person. Couldn’t others take a look as well?

The reality was that such battles had quietly begun inside the forest of steles. It was to the extent that some would swiftly memorize the contents of a precious cultivation technique and then destroy the stele.

This could be considered a malpractice in the Cultivation World.

The only reason a cultivation technique was precious was that there were few who knew it. If everyone had seen and learned the technique, then it couldn’t be called precious.

The sound of killing finally reverberated inside the forest, especially from battles between disciples of the Cultivation World and Demon Race warriors. They barely kept it in throughout their journey here. In the first place, they were low-level disciples who entered the ley lines of sovereignty of the Imperial Mausoleum to serve their sects. They understood very well that it was impossible for them to obtain the Divine Tool. Even if they somehow obtained it, it wasn’t up to them to use.

Even the nearly one hundred disciples of Mount Shu had come to serve their Senior Brothers. The reason they tried to weaken other parties in the dark wasteland was so that they could relieve the burden on their Eldest Senior Brother in the end. Similarly, they entered the golden palace to open up a path for their Eldest Senior Brother and eliminate all obstacles inside.

They had no choice in this matter. This was the rule in the orthodox sects.

However, after entering the forest of steles, the disciples realized that the reason that they serve the sects was to obtain better cultivation techniques and sword skills. If they continued on this journey, they might very well lose their life. They might as well stay here and seek their own chance. There must a cultivation technique that suited them in this sea of techniques.

Even if the techniques didn’t suit them, they could study and comprehend the techniques after leaving this place. Their trip wouldn’t be in vain, at least.

When a Demon Race warrior dashed past them madly, Red Bean swatted him away with her umbrella. She nudged at one of the steles with her mouth. “Aren’t you, an insignificant Rogue Cultivator in the Cultivation World, going to memorize some of the cultivation techniques? An opportunity like this doesn’t come often.”

Ye Que followed Red Bean’s gaze and read the script on the stele. He lost interest after just a quick glance. “Is there a need to memorize these cultivation techniques?”

“It’s nothing impressive.”

Red Bean shot him a disdainful look. “Boastful.”

“Who’s boasting? Believe me, I…”

Red Bean interrupted him before he could finish. “I don’t believe you.”

“You!” Ye Que pointed at Red Bean. He looked like he was about to explain himself.

“You’re boasting.” Once again, she didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence.

Out of the three sentences that Ye Que intended to say, he had to swallow two. He felt as if he was choking on his words. He had been gauging his strength throughout the journey and estimated that he was unlikely to win against this girl in a battle. He felt like he was going to blow a fuse.

In the end, Ye Que opened his hands and said, in a foot-in-the-mouth way, “Fine. I was boasting. I desperately covet and need these cultivation techniques, but I’m simply too stupid. I couldn’t understand them at all. How’s this answer? Does it satisfy you?”

Red Bean nodded in satisfaction after hearing Ye Que’s explanation. “If you’re stupid, just admit it. It’s not that embarrassing. It’s fine if you don’t understand them but it’s your fault for boasting.”

She paused for a moment before adding, “The way I see it, it’s true that these cultivation techniques aren’t all that impressive.”

“They’re incredibly shallow.”

With that, she had delivered all the positive and negative arguments.

To avoid the influence of these steles, Ye Que and Red Bean picked up speed.

Whenever they encountered battles along the way, they would turn a blind eye if those battles didn’t affect them. But those who blocked their way, Red Bean would send flying with a swipe of her umbrella. If one swipe wasn’t sufficient, she would swipe again.

Since Ye Que had not fully recovered, there was naturally no need for him to make a move. It saved him quite the effort.

While walking, he began to wonder since when did he start enjoying walking behind someone. Moreover, he also stopped worrying about making a move immediately after encountering danger. Had he gotten lazy? Or was it something else?

He raised his head and looked at Red Bean’s back.

Fluttering white clothes.

Straight back.

Even somewhat tall and large.

He was surprised that a girl like her gave him an inexplicable sense of security. He felt as if he had nothing to worry about for as long as he walked behind her, for he could depend on her for everything!

He shook his head with force and tried his utmost to toss this unspeakable feeling out of his mind.

Their journey continued, one step at a time.

Passing one stele after another, they walked for a long time before the end of the forest of steles came into the view.

Simultaneously, the sound of musical instruments drifted to their ears.

The melodious sound that entered their ears were sometimes so loud that it reverberated and sometimes as quiet as a whisper. It was sometimes mellow, sometimes quivering…

Ye Que and Red Bean slowly walked out of the forest of steles in pursuit of the music. What they saw was a fresh-water lake that was as clear as a mirror. In the heart of the lake was a small pavilion, where 37 different musical instruments sat. That was where the music they heard originated from, but the strange thing was that there was not one player in front of the instruments.

The musical instruments were playing on their own!