298: The Legacy of the God of War

At the zi hour, the moon hung high in the sky.

Qin Feng arrived at Ascending Cloud Temple alone. The temple gate was left slightly ajar, as if his arrival had been expected.

He pushed the door open and entered; the temple was silent, save for the rustling of the night wind through the ancient trees. He passed through the front and middle halls, arriving before the Scripture Pavilion.

The pavilion doors were open, and a figure stood in the moonlight—it was Abbot Yan Qi.

"Benefactor Qin, this poor Daoist has been waiting for quite some time." Yan Qi turned around, looking at Qin Feng with a complex expression.

Qin Feng cupped his fists. "This Junior has been impolite to disturb you so late at night."

Yan Qi shook his head. "No need for pleasantries. Since you were able to find that letter, it shows you are indeed the destined one. Moreover..."

He took a deep look at Qin Feng. "You carry the aura of Hunyuan True Essence. You have cultivated the first volume of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art, haven't you?"

Qin Feng's heart jolted. Knowing he couldn't hide it from this old Daoist, he admitted frankly, "Yes."

Yan Qi's eyes flashed with excitement as he murmured, "Lost for three hundred years... Finally, the wait is over..."

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Benefactor Qin, please follow me."

The two entered the Scripture Pavilion and went straight to the third floor. Yan Qi stopped before the hidden compartment but did not open it, turning instead toward the stairs leading to the fourth floor.

An ancient painting hung at the entrance to the stairs—it was a portrait of Immortal Master Cui Hu. It looked exactly like the statue in the hall, but was more lifelike, especially the eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through a person's heart.

"Before Ancestral Master Cui Hu's Ascension, he placed a Restriction here." Yan Qi pointed at the portrait. "Only someone who has cultivated the first volume of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art to Major Achievement Perfection can open the passage to the fourth floor by injecting Hunyuan True Essence into the eyes of the portrait."

He stepped back and made a gesture of invitation. "Benefactor Qin, please."

Qin Feng focused his mind and calmed his breath, circulating the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art within his body at full power. After his cultivation in Medicine King Valley and a month of consolidation, he had long ago reached Major Achievement Perfection in the first volume, and his Hunyuan True Essence was incredibly pure.

He extended both index fingers, and a faint cyan-gold light flickered at his fingertips—it was the Hunyuan True Essence!

The True Essence was slowly injected into the eyes of the portrait.

*Weng—*

The portrait suddenly lit up with a soft white light, and those eyes seemed to come alive, gazing at Qin Feng. In the next moment, the space at the stairwell distorted slightly, and a gate of light slowly emerged.

"It worked!" Yan Qi's voice trembled with excitement. "Grandmaster... he really is the destined one you've been waiting for!"

Qin Feng looked at Yan Qi. "Will the Abbot not enter with me?"

Yan Qi smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Though this poor Daoist Cultivates Daoist techniques, I am not a successor of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art and cannot enter. Benefactor Qin, please. The Ancestral Master's Legacy is on the fourth floor."

Qin Feng nodded and stepped into the gate of light.

The scenery before him shifted, and he found himself on the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

This place was much smaller than the three floors below, only about ten square zhang. It was empty, except for a simple, wordless stone tablet standing in the center. The tablet was entirely dark green and black, its surface smooth as a mirror, with a faint radiance flowing over it.

As Qin Feng approached the tablet, he could clearly feel the majestic Dao charm contained within—it was a power far deeper and more profound than that of the first volume.

With a thought, he summoned the System.

[Daily Intelligence Refreshed] (zi hour):

1. [Blue Intelligence]: Cui Hu did indeed become a Martial God, and is now ?????. Before his Ascension, he sealed his life's learning here, waiting for the destined one.

2. [Red Intelligence]: The complete version of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art is actually an Earth Rank High Grade technique. However, because the technique's level rose after Cui Hu became a god but the Legacy was broken, it was mistaken by the world as Earth Rank. When cultivated to Major Achievement, one can form 'Hunyuan Protective Aura' within the body, which can block or even counterattack most attacks of the same rank and has a natural suppression against demonic techniques. If both the first and second volumes can be completed, there is a chance to touch the threshold of Heaven Rank High Grade.

3. [Red Intelligence]: The second volume of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art is sealed within the stone tablet. Requirements for learning:

First, possess a heart for upholding justice; evil cultivators who attempt to force cultivation will have their Meridians destroyed;

Second, possess a cultivation level of Late Stage Martial King or above;

Third, have already learned the first volume and reached Major Achievement Perfection, enabling a resonance with the second volume.

After reading the intelligence, Qin Feng sucked in a breath of cold air.

"My god... the '???' has reappeared!"

The last time he saw this symbol was when the System hinted that there was a '???' existence behind the Blue-Clad Woman. And this time, Ancestral Master Cui Hu had actually reached this level as well!

"Ancestral Master Cui Hu... just how strong did he become?" Qin Feng was shocked.

The second piece of Red Intelligence made his heart race even faster—the complete Daoist Primordial Chaos Art was actually Heaven Rank Middle Stage! Furthermore, reaching Major Achievement allowed for the formation of 'Hunyuan Protective Aura,' which could block or even counterattack most attacks!

"Incredible..." Qin Feng murmured. "My Sword Heart's intuition was right; this technique was worth coming to the Imperial Capital for."

As for the third piece of intelligence... "Except for the Late Stage Martial King requirement, I've met all the others," Qin Feng analyzed. "Though my cultivation level once fell, my Foundation remains undamaged. I'm currently at the Peak of Mid-stage Martial King, just one step away from the Late Stage. Moreover, I've mastered the first volume to Major Achievement Perfection, and I possess... a heart for upholding justice."

He didn't consider himself a Saint, but along the way, his actions were clear to his conscience. Fighting the Yin Demon Sect, saving Star South City, West Lake City, Yunmeng City, and Medicine King Valley... if that wasn't justice, then what was?

"Let's try to sense it."

Qin Feng sat cross-legged before the stone tablet, pressed his hands against its surface, and closed his eyes.

He circulated the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art at full power, his Hunyuan True Essence surging like a river as it flowed from his palms into the stone tablet.

At first, there was no reaction.

But Qin Feng was in no rush. He continued to inject True Essence while silently reciting the first volume's Mind-Cultivation Technique, completely releasing his understanding of the Daoist concept of 'Primordial Chaos as one, the Dao follows nature.'

One incense stick of time, two, three... Just as Qin Feng began to think his method was wrong—

*Weng...*

The stone tablet suddenly vibrated!

The dark green surface rippled with radiance, the light flowing like water before finally converging into golden characters that rose from the surface and hovered in the air!

It was the scriptures of the second volume of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art!

Even more miraculously, as these scriptures emerged, the True Essence from the first volume within Qin Feng's body automatically resonated, like long-lost kin cheering at a reunion.

However, he did not start learning immediately.

Because at the very top of the scriptures, there were several lines of small characters, clearly warnings left by Ancestral Master Cui Hu:

"Future destined one, upon receiving this Legacy, you must remember—"

"First, this technique specifically counters evil. If one with an impure heart forces its cultivation, they will surely suffer a backlash."

"Second, if your cultivation has not reached Late Stage Martial King, forcing the comprehension of the second volume will result in damaged Meridians at best, or total loss of cultivation at worst."

"Third, when the first and second volumes are combined, their power multiplies, but this will also attract greed. Do not expose it easily before reaching Martial Emperor."

"Fourth, if you achieve success in the future, I hope you will pass down the lineage of Ascending Cloud Temple. Though this temple is small, it holds the Great Dao."

Qin Feng engraved these warnings into his heart.

His current cultivation was Mid-stage Martial King, only a hair's breadth from the Late Stage. Logically, he shouldn't take the risk, but the Imperial Capital was fraught with danger, and the threat of a Half-step Martial Saint was imminent. He had to become stronger as quickly as possible.

"My cultivation once fell, but my Foundation became even more solid because of it. Moreover, I have Meridians repaired by the Astral Meridian-Reconnecting Pill and the Sword Heart and Sword Bone to stabilize my Origin... it should be fine."

Qin Feng took a deep breath, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

"Let's do this!"

He no longer hesitated and completely immersed his mind in the scriptures of the second volume.

The moment the first word entered his mind—

*Boom!*

A majestic Dao charm, like a flood breaking a dam, crashed into his Sea of Consciousness!

It was a Daoist true meaning ten times deeper and a hundred times more profound than the first volume!

The Primordial Chaos as one can divide into Yin and Yang, transform into the Five Elements, and manifest all things!

The Dao follows nature, allowing one to merge with heaven and earth, connect with the Laws, and touch the Great Dao!

Qin Feng felt as if his entire Soul was being cleansed and sublimated, and his understanding of the martial path was rising at an incredible speed.

But at the same time, a terrifying pressure followed—the power contained in the second volume was too strong; his Mid-stage Martial King cultivation could hardly withstand it!

His Meridians began to throb with pain, his Dantian vibrated violently, and his Sea of Consciousness felt as if it were being struck by a heavy hammer!

"Ugh..."

Qin Feng let out a muffled groan, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

But he gritted his teeth and persisted. His Sword Heart circulated, forcibly stabilizing his mind; his Sword Bone resonated, reinforcing his Meridians and bones; and the residual medicinal power of the Astral Meridian-Reconnecting Pill was also triggered, repairing his damaged Meridians.

More importantly—the True Essence from the first volume and the scriptures of the second volume created a wondrous resonance!

Like a key opening a lock, the first volume's True Essence began to circulate automatically according to the path recorded in the second volume. With every cycle, his cultivation improved slightly, and his understanding of the second volume deepened.

And the golden characters on the stone tablet flew one by one into the space between Qin Feng's eyebrows, branding themselves into the depths of his Soul.

Time passed quietly during his cultivation.

Outside the pavilion, Yan Qi waited anxiously.

He could feel the majestic Dao charm emanating from the fourth floor—a sign that the Ancestral Master's Legacy had been touched!

"Ancestral Master... the destined one you've waited three hundred years for has finally arrived..."

He knelt on the ground and bowed devoutly toward the portrait.

Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, spilling into the Scripture Pavilion.

Before the stone tablet, Qin Feng's body was enveloped in cyan-gold radiance, and his aura was steadily climbing.

The Bottleneck of the Mid-stage Martial King began to loosen.

A transformation was quietly taking place.

And the night sky over the Imperial Capital remained calm.