Elder Longbrow placed the life-extending talisman on top of his head, then closed his eyes, swiftly forming hand seals in front of him while silently chanting an incantation.
A few seconds later.
The talisman suddenly shattered, releasing a layer of dazzling white light that enveloped Elder Longbrow.
Soon, Ye Qiu sensed a surge of boundless vitality emanating from Elder Longbrow.
At the same time, Elder Longbrow’s ashen complexion quickly turned rosy.
“What a powerful talisman!”
After his initial shock, Ye Qiu marvelled inwardly, “Dragon Tiger Mountain truly lives up to its reputation as the ancestral seat of Taoism, its foundation is terrifying.”
Ten minutes later.
The white light around Elder Longbrow faded, and he opened his eyes, brimming with energy.
“Uncle Master, how do you feel now?” Shuisheng asked.
“It can only be described with one word—great!” Elder Longbrow stood up and said, “Not only will I not die now, but my cultivation has also been restored.”
“Really?” Shuisheng’s face lit up with joy.
“Of course it’s real,” Elder Longbrow continued, “But I only have four hours.”
“Though the life-extending talisman is powerful, it’s ultimately just a means to prolong life—it can’t last long.”
“Four hours from now, I’ll die.”
“So, I must pass the third trial set by the Patriarch and find the Heavenly Master’s Sword within that time.”
“No time to waste, let’s move now.”
With that, Elder Longbrow took the lead, heading towards Dalong Mountain.
His steps were swift and vigorous.
Ye Qiu and Shuisheng hurriedly followed.
In no time, they passed through two more canyons, yet still encountered no sign of the third trial left by the Heavenly Master.
Soon, they arrived before another canyon.
Elder Longbrow stopped and said, “Beyond this canyon lies Dalong Mountain.”
“If my guess is correct, the Patriarch likely placed the third trial within this canyon.”
“Everyone, stay cautious.”
With that, the three entered the canyon.
They proceeded with great care, observing their surroundings as they advanced, for no one knew what the Heavenly Master’s third trial might be.
After walking a few dozen metres.
Elder Longbrow stopped again.
Ahead stood eighteen stone figures.
Each stone figure was three metres tall, carved with lifelike detail, positioned in various directions, blocking the path forward through the canyon.
Ye Qiu studied the eighteen stone figures.
“See anything?” Elder Longbrow asked with a smile.
Ye Qiu replied, “It feels a bit like a formation.”
“Exactly, it’s a formation,” Elder Longbrow said. “This is called the Stone Array. I’ve seen it in Dragon Tiger Mountain’s ancient texts. Anyone who doesn’t understand formations will get trapped if they enter.”
“If you can’t find the way to break it, you’ll be stuck inside forever.”
Shuisheng asked, “Uncle Master, can you break this Stone Array?”
“Nonsense! Is there any formation under heaven I can’t break?” Elder Longbrow said, “I’ll go in first. You two watch closely, memorise every step I take. Once I’m out, follow the exact path I took, and you’ll be fine.”
“Alright,” Shuisheng nodded.
“Old man, be careful,” Ye Qiu cautioned.
“Don’t worry, the Stone Array isn’t some sophisticated formation. With my skills, I’ll break it in five minutes at most.”
Elder Longbrow was brimming with confidence. With that, he strode towards the Stone Array.
Standing before the eighteen stone figures.
Elder Longbrow clasped his hands and said loudly, “Patriarch, your descendant Longbrow has come to break the array.”
With that, he stepped into the formation.
The next second, Elder Longbrow felt the world spin, his mind growing hazy.
He didn’t panic in the slightest, steadying himself with a smile, “Worthy of an array set by the Patriarch himself—truly powerful. The moment I entered, it activated.”
“Patriarch, you probably didn’t expect this, did you? Though the Stone Array is intricate, to me, it’s a piece of cake.”
“What a pity, Patriarch, that you can’t witness your disciple break the array in person. Truly a shame.”
As Elder Longbrow finished speaking, he took another step forward.
Instantly, the scene before him changed dramatically.
He no longer saw the eighteen stone figures but an antique room with a wooden bed.
On the bed sat a young woman.
To be precise, an exceptionally beautiful young woman.
Her skin was smooth as jade, delicate enough to break with a puff, and she wore a fitted cheongsam that accentuated her curvaceous figure, exuding an alluring charm.
The woman looked at Elder Longbrow, her beautiful eyes filled with resentment.
“Xiao Ru!” Elder Longbrow exclaimed, then asked, “Where is this? Why are you here?”
“You heartless man, you still have the face to see me? Get out!” the woman cursed, tears streaming down her face.
Ten years ago, a car accident occurred at the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain, killing two of a family of three. Elder Longbrow happened to be there.
At the time, Li Ru was barely clinging to life, and Elder Longbrow saved her.
Li Ru, having lost her husband and child, was heartbroken and wished to die, attempting suicide several times, only to be saved by Elder Longbrow each time.
Feeling pity for her, Elder Longbrow kept consoling her.
Over time, affection grew between them.
They even ended up sharing a bed.
Just as they were about to take the final step, Elder Longbrow suddenly realised he was a man of the cloth, bound by vows he couldn’t break, and left abruptly.
Li Ru later went to Dragon Tiger Mountain multiple times to find him, but he refused to see her.
This became a secret Elder Longbrow buried deep in his heart.
He’d never spoken of it to anyone.
Elder Longbrow was puzzled, he’d clearly entered the Stone Array, so how had he ended up in Li Ru’s room?
Li Ru said softly, “Back then, I went to Dragon Tiger Mountain to find you, but you shut me out. So I found a cliff and jumped, intending to leave this world and make you regret it forever.”
“But after I leapt, a Taoist saved me.”
“That Taoist wore a purple-gold crown, carried a peachwood sword on his back, held a whisk, and was strikingly handsome—far more than you.”
“He also said we’d meet again someday.”
Elder Longbrow thought to himself, the Taoist Li Ru described sounded suspiciously like the Patriarch.
“What was that Taoist’s surname?” Elder Longbrow asked.
Li Ru replied, “He said his surname was Zhang, and Dragon Tiger Mountain was his domain.”
It was indeed the Patriarch!
Elder Longbrow’s heart jolted.
“But that’s not right, legend says the Patriarch ascended long ago, becoming an immortal in the heavens. How could he have saved Xiao Ru?”
“Could it be the Patriarch manifested his divine presence?”
“That must be it. With his boundless abilities, saving someone would be trivial for him.”
“It seems meeting Xiao Ru again is also the Patriarch’s doing.”
“What’s his purpose in this?”
Thinking this, Elder Longbrow asked Li Ru, “What else did that Taoist say to you?”
“He said years later, you’d go to Dalong Mountain to seek the Heavenly Master’s Sword, and then he told me where it is,” Li Ru said, looking at Elder Longbrow. “The Heavenly Master’s Sword isn’t at Dalong Mountain.”
What?
The Heavenly Master’s Sword wasn’t at Dalong Mountain?
Elder Longbrow was shocked and anxious, hurriedly asking, “Where is it?”
“You heartless man, don’t expect me to tell you, unless…” Li Ru looked at Elder Longbrow, suddenly turning shy, “unless you agree to one request.”
“What request?”
Li Ru stood, reaching to undo her buttons. The next second, her cheongsam fell to her feet.
In an instant, a flawless, graceful figure was revealed before Elder Longbrow’s eyes.
