Chapter 220 - 218: Valley God Palace

Chapter 220: Chapter 218: Valley God Palace

The white-robed Martial Artist from the Ming Sect and the middle-aged Daoist from the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect were both so stunned they forgot to fight, staring blankly at Chen Yuan.

The middle-aged Daoist’s face was full of disbelief, which then twisted in shock.

He couldn’t understand. ’My two junior brothers were by no means weak. Even if they couldn’t kill their opponent in a two-on-one fight, they shouldn’t have been slain so quickly.’

Meanwhile, the white-robed Martial Artist from the Ming Sect was utterly horrified, thinking to himself, ’This brother from the Celestial Fire Hall is a bit too powerful.’

’As expected of a prodigy on the Hidden Dragon Rankings. Mr. Bei has certainly found an incredible individual.’

After a moment of shock, the middle-aged Daoist turned and fled without hesitation.

Although he possessed a Half-Step Primordial Pill Realm Cultivation, he didn’t dare to fight Chen Yuan.

His two junior brothers were also strong, yet they had been effortlessly slain. If it were him, he wouldn’t last more than a few moves either.

But the white-robed Martial Artist from the Ming Sect let out a savage laugh. "Old scumbag! You’ve been coming at me for so long, and now you’re scared? Too late!"

As his voice fell, a profound light flared on the black Curved Saber in the white-robed Martial Artist’s hand. He slashed down, and the black light transformed into a howling, vicious wolf. Its Sword Momentum was incredibly fierce, instantly tearing through the middle-aged Daoist’s Protective Dao Essence.

Moreover, the power of this slash was exceptionally strange; its residual energy began to devour the middle-aged Daoist’s Qi Blood, causing his face to pale instantly.

However, after unleashing this slash, the white-robed Martial Artist clearly had no strength left and collapsed to the ground.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan immediately formed a Seal Technique. Boundless blood-red flames gathered in his hands, coalescing into a divine phantom that hovered in mid-air.

With a deafening BOOM, the Gouli Blood Flame Divine Seal smashed down. It seemed to sunder the sky and burn the gods, its might immeasurable!

The middle-aged Daoist tried to burn his Qi Blood to condense Dao Essence for defense, but just as he started, the lingering power from the white-robed Martial Artist’s earlier slash suddenly flared up, causing his Qi Blood to drain away wildly.

Before he could react, the Seal Technique descended. Chen Yuan’s Gouli Blood Flame Divine Seal blasted him into a cloud of flying ash, leaving only a black scorch mark on the ground.

With all the pursuers dealt with, the white-robed Martial Artist let out a long sigh of relief. He walked up to Chen Yuan and cupped his fist. "I am Su Yifeng, a disciple of the Dubhe Hall. Thank you for saving my life, Brother Chen."

Gratitude was written all over Su Yifeng’s face. "Thank goodness you stepped in, Brother Chen. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would have fallen at the hands of those old scumbags."

"Besides, my Dubhe Hall owes you a huge favor, Brother Chen."

"Why do you say that? I only recently made contact with the Ming Sect. Among the senior members in the sect, I only know Lord Ju Mang, the Hall Master of the Cyan Wood Hall."

Su Yifeng said, "Lord Ju Mang attended the Furnace Opening Assembly last time to help my Dubhe Hall’s Hall Master, Wan Guiyuan, refine a Healing Holy Medicine."

"Hall Master Wan Guiyuan is my master, so of course the Dubhe Hall owes you a great debt, Brother Chen."

"And today, you saved me. I have nothing to offer you right now, but once I return to the Dubhe Hall, I will ensure you are handsomely rewarded!"

As he spoke, Su Yifeng stood up and gave Chen Yuan a deep, formal bow.

"There’s no need to be so formal, Brother Su. We are brothers in the sect; it’s only right that we help one another."

Chen Yuan glanced around and said, "This isn’t a safe place to linger. You’re still injured. Let’s find a secure location before we talk more."

With that, Chen Yuan led Su Yifeng to a hidden cave nearby to rest. He then took off his own mask.

Because of the Furnace Opening Assembly, the people of the Great Brightness Sect naturally knew his identity, so there was no need to hide it from Su Yifeng.

"Brother Su, why are the people from the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect after you? Did they discover your identity as a member of the Ming Sect, or are they targeting your public identity?"

Su Yifeng gave a bitter smile. "My public identity is the young master of the Tiansheng Commerce Association in Ji Province. The Tiansheng Commerce Association is one of our Ming Sect’s assets, and it doesn’t draw too much attention."

"The reason the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect is hunting me is because I was sold out. Dammit, it’s infuriating just thinking about it!"

Su Yifeng cursed, then asked, "Brother Chen, have you ever heard of the Valley God Palace?"

"The spirit of the valley never dies; it is called the Mystic Female."

"Brother Su, are you talking about the Valley God Palace left behind by a direct disciple of the Daoist Ancestor?"

The Valley God Palace was a Major Sect of the Ancient Daoist Sects. It was said that its founder was one of the Daoist Ancestor’s direct disciples. In its time, it was exceptionally powerful, claiming to have mastered the Three Thousand Dao Techniques, and was known as the foremost Daoist Sect in the world.

But all that flourishes must fade. At its peak, the Valley God Palace suffered some kind of internal strife, causing the world’s foremost Daoist Sect to splinter into pieces.

Currently, the Yellow Court Temple and the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect, both part of the Four Daoist Courts, have founders with origins tied to the Valley God Palace.

Su Yifeng said, "That’s the one—the legendary Valley God Palace of the Daoist Ancestor’s direct disciple."

"A few masters from our Ming Sect discovered that the Ouyang Family of Ji Province’s Purple Peak Mountain holds the ruins of a site left by the Valley God Palace. We traced its origins and found that while it’s not the true location of the Valley God Palace, it is a branch Daoist Palace they established."

"The ancestor of the Ouyang Family was the original Palace Master of this Daoist Palace. However, the Ouyang Family was scattered by wars and chaos, their lineage was broken, and their power declined. They long ago lost the ability to open this branch Daoist Palace of the Valley God Palace."

"After a few of our Ming Sect masters learned this news, they sent me to negotiate a collaboration with the Ouyang Family."

"Opening this branch Daoist Palace of the Valley God Palace requires the Ouyang Family’s bloodline as a key, and it also requires immense power to withstand the traps and mechanisms left behind by their ancestors inside."

"The Ouyang Family actually had Array Maps for these traps and mechanisms, but they were lost long ago during the wars."

"With the Ouyang Family’s current strength, entering it would be suicide. That’s why they have to seek outside help."

"The Ming Sect has already offered the Ouyang Family more than enough. We only want the Valley God Palace’s Core Technique, the *Valley Spirit Scripture*. They can have everything else."

At this point, Chen Yuan suddenly interrupted Su Yifeng. "Why not just capture someone from the Ouyang Family’s Direct Lineage and use their bloodline to open the Daoist Palace directly? Why go through all this trouble to negotiate with them?"

’The Ming Sect’s style shouldn’t be so timid and hesitant. On the contrary, it’s usually wild and domineering.’

’Just like at the Furnace Opening Assembly. Mr. Bei wanted the Shennong Cauldron, so he went up and tried to seize it. He never even considered negotiating with Medicine King Valley.’

"We wanted to," Su Yifeng said gloomily. "But the Valley God Palace lineage’s research into Arrays is beyond the imagination of modern Array Masters. It has to be a person of the Ouyang Family’s Direct Lineage who willingly opens the Daoist Palace for the Array to activate. Otherwise, if the Array detects any wavering in their will, the Daoist Palace won’t open at all. It might even enter a deeper level of lockdown."

"I’ve seen Arrays restricted by a Secret Treasure. I’ve seen Arrays restricted by a Cultivation Technique. I’ve even seen Arrays restricted by bloodline. But this Daoist Palace is specifically restricted by the will of the Direct Lineage. If every last person in the Ouyang Family died, this Daoist Palace could never be opened again. The Ouyang Family’s ancestor was truly ruthless."

"So, left with no other choice, we could only opt to cooperate with the Ouyang Family. Fortunately, we never intended to take everything for ourselves from the start. Our main goal has always been the *Valley Spirit Scripture*."

"I have the weakest cultivation, and I have the cover of my commerce association identity, so I was sent to negotiate with the Ouyang Family. Besides, my identity is expendable; it wouldn’t matter if I was discovered."

"Everything was going well. Our Ming Sect showed great sincerity. We were even willing to give the Ouyang Family a transcribed copy of the *Valley Spirit Scripture* afterwards."

"We were just waiting for the Ouyang Family’s ancestral worship ceremony to end before we would all work together to open the Valley God Palace. Then, everyone would get what they wanted, and it would be a happy outcome for all."

"Who would have thought the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect would stick their oar in? The Ouyang Family’s old ancestor, Ouyang Xun, was blinded by greed. He decided that teaming up with my Ming Sect was too risky and the reward too small, so he sold me out to the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect! That’s why they started hunting me!"

At this, Su Yifeng was grinding his teeth with rage.

Any disciple of the Ming Sect hated one thing above all else: betrayal!

"So the Ouyang Family is planning to work with the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect now?"

Su Yifeng shook his head. "Although the Ouyang Family leaked my information to the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect, they haven’t actually agreed to cooperate with them yet. Instead, they’re trying to use the Daoist Palace to blackmail the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect for more benefits."

"The Ouyang Family’s ancestor came from a Daoist Sect, so they have some connections with all of the Four Daoist Courts."

"The Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect is probably afraid the Ouyang Family will leak the news to the other three major Daoist sects, so they don’t dare to push them too hard. The two sides are still in a standoff."

"However, the Ming Sect’s status is... special. That’s why the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect made a move, choosing to kick us out of the game at the first opportunity."

Hearing Su Yifeng’s explanation, Chen Yuan suddenly slapped his forehead.

He had suddenly remembered this plotline involving the Ouyang Family.

In the future, an Ancient Daoist Palace’s ruins would indeed be unearthed in Ji Province, even sparking a conflict among the Four Daoist Courts. The Ouyang Family just served as background scenery.

This time, the Ouyang Family must not have reached an agreement with the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect, which led to the news leaking out later and drawing in the other three major Daoist sects.

In the end, it was a branch head from the fourth branch of the Ouyang Family who opened the Daoist Palace. He wasn’t after anything in particular; he did it purely because his branch had a major falling out with the main branch of the Ouyang Family. In a fit of anger, he chose to open the Daoist Palace without any conditions, which resulted in the Ouyang Family scheming for so long only to end up with nothing, not even a sip of soup.

Chen Yuan closed his eyes slightly, deep in thought. ’I think I’d like to get involved in this.’

’If I wait until the news leaks and this branch Daoist Palace of the Valley God Palace opens in the future, masters from all Four Daoist Courts will be there. I’d have no chance to compete.’

’But right now, only the Heaven-Encompassing Daoist Sect knows. My side has Ming Sect masters as well. We could strike early and seize the opportunity.’

Besides, Chen Yuan was in desperate need of a Core Technique from a Daoist Sect right now.

His current Cultivation Techniques included those from the Buddhist Sect and the Demon Dao. The Daoist Sect’s *Inner Vision God Observation Method* was only a Secret Technique, not an Inner Power Heart Method.

If he could obtain a core Daoist Inner Power technique, he would be able to smoothly cultivate the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword. At the same time, the Triple Power balance of Daoist, Buddhist, and Demon would reach a new equilibrium, and the foundation of his strength would increase by another thirty percent.