Chapter Twenty-Two: The Temple of Radiant Dependence

A few lush jade bamboo bonsai surrounded the area, dotted with rare flowers, clearly tended with meticulous care. Sitting at the main seat, Chen Heng held a cup of fragrant tea, surveying the scene.

The three-story building was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. Though there were no lavish gold or jade ornaments within, several ink paintings of verdant bamboo lent an air of elegance and artistic charm.

The cluster of white foxes no longer dared to whimper or act out, each shrinking outside the main building, peering in with wary eyes at Chen Heng. Whenever he glanced their way, they scrambled to flee, fearful that a moment’s hesitation would see them slain and their pelts turned into fine brocade.

“Your kin are quite spirited,” Chen Heng remarked, addressing Tu Mountain Ge, seated below him. The youth in yellow robes was sprawled limply on a dark wooden chair, as though half his life had ebbed away.

“Is that so? Before I met you, I was just as lively…” Tu Mountain Ge wore a mournful expression. “Master, you’re too ruthless! The contract I just signed is no different from a death pact—no, it's even harsher than that. I’m utterly bound to your ship now.”

“Fate is unpredictable. Who’s to say you won’t rise with me if I attain the Dao?” Chen Heng responded casually.

“That’s true!” Tu Mountain Ge’s spirits lifted at the words, and he straightened up. “I forgot to ask, Master, which sect are you from? The Eight Major Sects of the Mystic Gate are too lofty—that’s beyond my hopes. The Six Demon Sects, too, let’s skip those…”

“I see Master’s decisive killing intent, and you’re from the southern region of East Emi Prefecture. Perhaps you hail from the Demon Gate’s Evil Food Mountain, or maybe the Flower God Mansion or Human-shaped Temple? These are all great sects, just below the Eight and Six, second-tier but formidable, each with True Sovereigns who’ve attained the Primordial Soul, able to command ten thousand miles of land!”

“I am a righteous cultivator,” Chen Heng shook his head.

“…Right! Right! How could I forget, there are plenty of ruthless ones among the righteous too. Their Dao hearts are cold as iron, especially those sword cultivators—they’re almost inhuman, as if possessed by madness!” Tu Mountain Ge clung to hope, asking again, “Then, Master, are you from Luofu Sect, Divine Fire Cliff, Pure Yang Sword Sect, or Five Light Clan?”

Unconsciously, Tu Mountain Ge lowered his expectations yet another notch.

“Master, you dare to kill a Qi practitioner while still in fetal breathing stage—you must have an extraordinary background, right?”

“At present, I am cultivating at the Xuan Zhen Sect in Little Gan Mountain,” Chen Heng replied calmly.

“What?”

“The mountain gate of Xuan Zhen Sect is on Little Gan Mountain, not far from Lilan Liang City. You should know it.”

“Yes, yes… I know, it’s that sect whose leader is only at the Cave Profound stage…” Tu Mountain Ge’s vision darkened, nearly collapsing, but he managed to ask one last question: “Let’s leave the sect aside—what about your family? Surely you’re from an immortal family?”

Beneath the Eight Major Sects of the Mystic Gate and the Six Demon Sects, there were twelve families of the Mystic Gate, deeply rooted and powerful, true nobility of the Dao, both wealthy and respected.

But even a lesser-born child from one of those twelve families would never end up practicing at a dilapidated sect like Xuan Zhen, whose leader was merely a Cave Profound refiner.

Tu Mountain Ge lowered his hopes to an ordinary immortal family, though his heart still trembled.

“My family is the Chen clan of Rong Kingdom,” Chen Heng smiled.

“Ruined!” Tu Mountain Ge cried out inwardly, smacking his hand and falling back in despair.

In the path of cultivation, it is said: companions, land, resources, and methods.

This person seems to lack them all!

No family background, no good sect, how does one cultivate? He’d have to risk his life!

No resources, no superior scriptures, no mentors or friends to support him, no blessed lands or celestial caves.

Among the countless wandering cultivators of the nine continents and four seas, only one truly became the Real Person Yan Xi; his contemporaries? Most died halfway, or sat in meditation and became bones in their tombs!

He even recalled that the Chen clan of Rong Kingdom might have had elders who once offered incense for him…

At this thought, Tu Mountain Ge felt the world’s coldness and lost all interest in life.

“That’s enough,” Chen Heng said, unconcerned. “You’ve served as a local mountain god for quite some time—may I have a look at your hidden treasures?”

“Master, you’re too courteous. In this situation, what’s mine is yours,” Tu Mountain Ge choked.

He could easily take it by force, yet he politely asks—excessively courteous…

At Tu Mountain Ge’s command, the white foxes outside sprang into action, hauling in heaps of items and soon filling the reception hall.

With the contract binding him, Tu Mountain Ge’s intentions could not be concealed, so Chen Heng had no worry of deception.

Soon, after some perusal and Tu Mountain Ge’s explanations, Chen Heng found what he needed.

“Dao techniques—so it’s these. Truly a stroke of fortune,” Chen Heng said, joy lighting his face as he held three bamboo scrolls.

The mundane gold and silver, and the scholarly ink paintings, were hardly worth mentioning.

Beyond a few talisman coins, he had unexpectedly found three Dao techniques among the pile—a delightful surprise.

In Xuan Zhen Sect, Dao techniques are not freely taught.

You either rely on your master’s instruction…

Or, you render great service to the sect, your deeds tallied by the merit office, and then exchange for techniques at the elders’ quarters.

…

“Three Dao techniques: Qi Armor Technique, Blood Armor Technique, and Grand Aurora Escape.”

“Qi Armor and Blood Armor are both lesser-grade defensive arts, their effects overlapping—mastering one suffices. But with my True Law Realm, and ample time, I can practice both. As for Grand Aurora Escape…”

Chen Heng mused to himself, “Grand Aurora Escape is an evasion art of superior grade, above the other two. Though it’s not an offensive technique, it’s quite useful.”

“Master, these three techniques were left by the previous owner. When she died in a Dao battle, we spirit pets lost our backing and were driven from the Scarlet Bright Sect… I was lucky, arriving safely at Yang Mountain and surviving till now. The others were less fortunate—many were intercepted and killed by their master’s enemies along the way, their souls used to fuel celestial lamps, so pitiful.”

Seeing Chen Heng with the Dao techniques, Tu Mountain Ge was moved, sighing, “When the previous master was alive, she always wanted to cultivate in the ‘Nine Sovereign Constant Yang Golden Palace Celestial Cave’. Sadly, she died before realizing her wish…”

“So that’s why you’ve always called this place the ‘Nine Sovereign Constant Yang Golden Palace Celestial Cave’?”

“Forgive me—it’s true, only after the master’s death did I realize how good Scarlet Bright Sect was, and how hard life could be. Supporting my clan here has been a struggle,” Tu Mountain Ge sighed.

“Here, I was nearly killed by Yang Mountain Daoists. Yet, when we were under the previous master, even the servants who fed and watered us were stronger than them. What a world…”

At this, Tu Mountain Ge suddenly remembered something, his expression alert.

“Master! There’s something I almost forgot. The other two techniques are nothing special, but this ‘Grand Aurora Escape’ has a hidden danger!”

“What danger?” Chen Heng frowned.

“This ‘Grand Aurora Escape’ was gained when the previous master killed a disciple of the Reliance Sect. Not only is it difficult to cultivate, it mustn’t be shown openly!”

“Are you worried the Reliance Sect will find out and bring trouble?” Chen Heng asked.

“Exactly! The Reliance Sect is one of the Six Demon Sects—their methods…” Tu Mountain Ge shuddered, recalling something terrifying, his body stiffening.

“In any case, Master must be extremely cautious!”

After a long pause, he forced a bitter smi