Chapter 139: The Secret Mansion
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"So I see, it's the Xuan Yin Heart Technique!"
Back in the temporary headquarters of the Five Ghosts Sect.
Since Fang Yuan had displayed exemplary martial art, all his requests were strictly acceded to by Gui Wuhun. Even if Fang Yuan had wanted to know the last mystery behind the technique, Gui Wuhun didn't dare to disobey.
"Previously, the Xuan Yin Heart Technique from Elder Han only comprises of the 12 Gates and the method to break through Wu Zong. However, that was not the real version…..The secret was only made known to the oldest sect master and the inherited elder."
When Fang Yuan had taken the Xuan Yin Heart Technique from Elder Han, Fang Yuan didn't trust him and even found some problems with this technique when he was practising it in the dream world. It looked like he was correct about the defect of the technique.
"After the 4 Heavenly Gates, the version of the Xuan Yin Heart Technique I have with me is different from the real one. The version I have is evil in nature and…...the Miniature Elemental Force I have trained will be restrained when it meets the real version. This is a secret method used by the Five Ghosts Sect to control many elders and disciples!"
The real version of the technique was passed down by ear and mouth.
Luckily, Gui Wuhun was the elder who had inherited it and Fang Yuan was then able to get the mystery behind this technique.
"This technique should not be called the Xuan Yin Heart Technique, it should be renamed as…..Xuan Yin Body Refining Spell! A martial artist who has reached the peak of the 12th Gate can use this spell to refine his or her body to become the Xuan Yin Metal Body. The power obtained will be similar to a Wu Zong with elemental force!"
Of course, the Five Ghosts Sect didn't have any martial artists who were at the peak of the 12th Gate previously. Or else, the situation would have been different if there was a Xuan Yin Metal Body cultivated by the Five Ghosts Sect.
"This martial art…..is a type of spiritual spell previously. It is then changed by someone into a heart technique and the person has managed to design such a marvellous control technique. That person is indeed a talented one!"
After pondering for quite a while, Fang Yuan sighed.
Luckily he avoided the evil pathway even though he had read through the content regarding the Xuan Yin Body Refining Spell. He had pushed for the strengthening of his Yin from his Eagle Claw Iron Skin Technique and managed to avoid that dangerous stage.
Currently, as he had gotten the full inherited copy of the Xuan Yin Body Refining Spell, with the exception of perfecting his Eagle Claw Iron Skin Technique with a few spiritual spells, there was no other use to it.
However, the Five Ghost Sect Sect Master's recordings and notes which were kept by the inherited elder shocked Fang Yuan a little.
"From the description, his ancestor has great magical power….."
Fang Yuan read one of the pages and shook his head.
Even though the recordings were recorded based on someone else's account and there could be some mistakes here and there, most of the content should be accurate.
"It was said that this ancestor had such great magical powers that the techniques he had passed on were shocking. The requirements were very high and even his three greatest disciples were not able to fully inherit them. As time passed, the techniques were lost but the Xuan Yin Body Refining Spell became well known and that was what made the Five Ghosts Sect special!"
"Unfortunately, there were originally 3 pieces of treasure maps. 2 of them are in the Xia Country and had been taken away by the Five Ghosts Sect Sect Master. The last one was missing and had probably ended up in a foreign country already….."
Fang Yuan rubbed his forehead as he had a little headache.
If the last piece was in the Secluded Mountain Prefecture or even somewhere in the Xia Country, there was still hope even though it would be very hard to find the last piece. Anyway, he wouldn't have to look for it personally as he had his men to do it.
However, if the last piece really ended up in the hands of a foreign power, the consequences would be very serious.
"Hoo….."
As he placed the last scroll back onto the bookshelf, Fang Yuan got up and stretched himself. "Maybe I should put that matter aside first and focus on Lu Renjia's secret mansion….."
He was looking forward to examine the condition of the place that alchemy master was living in.
Fang Yuan was currently in a small room with the doors shut. No light could enter the room and the only light source was from the table lamp.
In the whole of the martial arts centre, this place was guarded the heaviest. After all, the last inheritance of the Five Ghosts Sect was stored here.
"Did you manage to find anything, Sir?"
At that moment, when Fang Yuan walked out of the study room, he met Elder Gui Wuhun who asked him with much respect.
"I did!"
Fang Yuan nodded his head.
"We are honoured to have been able to help you!"
Gui Wuhun smiled till his eyebrows were almost joined together like an old chrysanthemum and continued, "The governor of Lieyang County know that you are here and he is here to visit you. He is waiting in the guest hall….."
He looked at Fang Yuan with a look of anticipation.
If Fang Yuan had followed his own intention, he would have rejected to see the governor.
However, since he had just troubled Gui Wuhun to look through the secret manuals and now Gui Wuhun only needed him to show his face to the governor, this was just a small request and Fang Yuan felt that it was rude to reject. Hence, he replied, "No problem, please lead the way!"
"Yes, Sir!"
Gui Wuhun was overjoyed.
He was old and experienced. Hence, he knew how influential the governor of Lieyang County was, but he had the intention to sow discord. Without hesitation, he wanted to help the sect to establish a good rapport with Fang Yuan.
Also, Fang Yuan was already right at the doorstep.
With the current position Fang Yuan had in the Secluded Mountain Prefecture, Fang Yuan would not have to say a word. With him, the life of the Five Ghosts Sect in Lieyang County would be way better than before.
...…..
Three days later, in the Melting Sun Peak.
This place was the most famous landmark in the Lieyang County, but the name sounded fierce!
The Melting Sun Peak was filled with fire. Hence, within the 6300-yard radius, there were no plants grown there.
Also, the fire gave out poisonous gas and normal human beings would die from breathing in the gas!
Hence, this place was very good for mining but not many dared to risk their lives to come here and mine. The place was therefore kept in its original state.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
At that moment, a shadow of a black eagle was hovering over the Melting Sun Peak and was letting out a high-pitched chirp.
"Keep going, don't stop!"
On the back of the eagle, there was a person and it was Fang Yuan, who had came here to look for the secret mansion of Lu Renjia!
He rode the Iron-tailed Black Eagle and circled around the vicinity for a few times. His eyes then glittered. "This is the place. Land there!"
"Chirp!"
The eagle flapped its wings and a big gust of wind blew away the poisonous gas.
Even if the poisonous gas was 10 times stronger, the gas would not be able to poison Fang Yuan and the Iron-tailed Black Eagle.
"Lu Renjia had been travelling a lot since young and had stayed in Lieyang County for quite some time already. He even managed to build a secret mansion just in case he was in trouble….Unfortunately, it was useless!"
Fang Yuan, who had managed to obtain the memory from Ling Yin, had no difficulty in locating the secret mansion.
He would reach the mansion after passing by a giant lava lake.
"According to the map, at the edge of the lake, the entrance to the mansion will be right above the wall of a cliff….."
Fang Yuan found the cliff and touched it.
The rock here felt different from those elsewhere. The rock here was a little warm.
Also, there was the presence of vegetation here.
There were vines that were red in colour and were very tough. The vines had sharp thorns and they grew over half of the wall of the cliff. It looked scary to many people.
"This place is really well hidden!"
As he released some of his magical energy, he didn't manage to find anything. Fang Yuan then knew that Lu Renjia had an extra setup. He then sighed lightly. His foot tapped on the raised rocks lightly and his whole body rose like a cloud.
His lightness skill was very good and he was able to jump up by a few yards to the middle section of the cliff.
"3 pieces of raised rock to form a finished shape. This is the place!"
When he saw the exact symbol here, which was like the one in the secret manual, he felt happy and grabbed the wall with his fingers.
"Chi! Chi!"
How powerful was his Eagle Claw Technique? These vines were very sharp, but with his fingers slaying through, the vines then broke and a small platform was revealed.
The platform was very small and could only fit one person.
Fang Yuan went on top and saw a red coloured moss above the cliff. It looked strange and Fang Yuan went up to have a look. However, he couldn't find anything useful and it was as if he had been obstructed.
"Good stuff!"
His eyes glittered and said, "Even though this moss is not really spiritual in nature, it was special still. I'm not sure whether this can be relocated to somewhere else…."
Such spiritual object was grown here likely because of the unique environment. Even though Fang Yuan had the intention to relocate this plant, he had no confidence in doing so.
Then, there was an echo after he hit the wall of the cliff. He figured out for a while and managed to find the mechanism behind it.
"Kacha!"
With a loud noise, the dust from the rocks came down and the wall, which was right in front of Fang Yuan, had started to move and it revealed a tunnel. The end of the tunnel seemed to have a red light shining brightly.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
A light breeze came through the tunnel and the ventilation of the air suggested that there were other tunnels connected as well. There was no bad air.
"Interesting! This is interesting!"
Fang Yuan was bold. Plus, this place was built as a backup place for Lu Renjia, hence it would not be built in such a way that would endanger the lives of Lu Renjia himself and his disciples. Hence, the place was not dangerous and Fang Yuan went straight in.
Not long after, he reached the end of the tunnel and there was a strange alchemy room right in front of Fang Yuan.
"This is….."
What he saw was a cave that was not small. Beside the cave, there was a small magma lake and it was boiling hot.
In the magma, there was a huge alchemy furnace and the surface of it had many lines. The material of it seemed to be gold or rock and the colour was dull. There were many red lines moving vibrating as well.
"An alchemy furnace that is using the underground fire? This is indeed a good place to practise alchemy!"
Fang Yuan sighed upon seeing that.
If this room was discovered by Huang Fu Renhe, he would probably not leave this room ever once he entered it.
After all, when one is practising alchemy, it would be much more convenient with the help of the underground fire.
Other than the alchemy furnace, there were a few cupboards beside the cave and they were metallic. The jade bottles that were placed in these cupboards would bring coldness to whoever who touched them.
"If one wants to store the medicinal pills here, the pills will need to be stored in a special place. This person is indeed rich as he is using Cold Jade Bottles to store the pills….."
Fang Yuan sighed with envy and now he knew how rich this alchemy master was.
He was very happy as he counted the number of things he could get this time that were of great value.