Chapter 1087: Ancient Sage Appears

Any formation, by its nature, is divided into many gates: Rest Gate, Life Gate, Injury Gate, Obstruction Gate, Scenery Gate, Death Gate, Fear Gate, Open Gate… Among these gates, some lead to life, some to injury, some to death, and some trap individuals within, never to escape.

One wrong step could lead to irreversible ruin.

For this reason, when trapped in a formation and unable to find an exit, many dare not act rashly, as there's a high probability of entering a death trap from which escape would be nearly impossible.

Nine gates had appeared before them. Although this didn't align with Bagua-based formations, it surely followed a similar principle, indicating they shouldn't be entered lightly.

Seeing President Han's actions, the others also looked towards the young man nearby.

Zhang Xuan was speechless. The people before him were renowned master teachers and formidable formation masters. Anywhere else, their words would carry immense weight, and they would be figures of awe. So why... after arriving at this ruin, did they become so indecisive and rely on him? He wasn't omnipotent, alright? There were many things he couldn't do.

"Teacher Zhang, throughout our journey, your understanding of formations and your observational skills have surpassed all of ours," President Han said with a smile, having discerned his thoughts. "Whichever one you say to enter, we will trust you."

"Yes, we trust you!"

"None of us understand formations very well. We're afraid only you can find the correct one among these nine gates!"

Everyone spoke up.

Seeing their attitude, Zhang Xuan knew he couldn't refuse. He simply nodded and said, "I'll give it a try!"

After speaking, he stepped forward and used his Eye of Insight. Using his Eye of Insight, he could only see the components and structure of these gates. It was impossible to discern whether they were safe inside; in this regard, its effectiveness was limited.

"Hm?"

After surveying the gates, his gaze quickly settled. He crouched before one of the gates and looked down at the ground.

The others followed closely. On the ground, they saw a trace of blood. Though it was unknown how much time had passed, it was already somewhat dried and flattened, imprinted on the stone, not particularly clear.

"It looks like someone left it deliberately..."

Teacher Wu frowned.

Zhang Xuan nodded. Teacher Wu was right. This mark wasn't left by dripping blood from an injury; rather, someone had intentionally smeared it there, seemingly to leave a clue for those who followed.

Raising his eyebrows, Zhang Xuan looked again. The patterns in his vision continually wriggled, and the blood before him seemed to revert to the moment it had first appeared.

"This blood was left by Elder Dean Zhang Yinqiu. It indicates they entered this gate!" Zhang Xuan stood up.

"Then we'll go through this one!" President Han looked at him.

"Mm!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Their primary goal was to find Zhang Yinqiu and the others. Now that the latter had entered this gate, they could rescue them by simply following. Furthermore, while they had encountered so many dangers along the way, the Elder Dean and his group had navigated smoothly. It was likely they already knew the secrets of the dwelling's ruins, and thus, the place they entered would naturally be extremely safe.

"Alright!"

Having made their decision, the group didn't hesitate much. Teacher Wu led the way, walking inside. The others followed closely. The moment they stepped inside, the scene before them immediately changed. A small garden appeared, filled with vibrant flowers, their fragrance wafting through the air.

Everyone was taken aback. They had expected danger or some formidable trial, but it turned out to be just an ordinary garden.

"Look..."

A combat master pointed forward, and everyone then saw a tall statue standing in the center of the garden. Crafted entirely from a special material, it wore a master teacher's robe, and its face was so lifelike it seemed as though it could come alive at any moment.

"It's Ancient Sage Qiu Wu..."

Upon clearly seeing the statue's face, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched. This guy was precisely the one he had tried to take as his student earlier.

"Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?"

Seeing that there was indeed a statue here, Feng Xun and the others' eyes lit up. They rushed forward, their faces filled with reverence and respect, and bowed deeply. The seal set up by this sage had protected humanity from harm for tens of thousands of years, earning him the respect of all. Teacher Wu and the others also promptly knelt down.

Seeing everyone's pious expressions and their reverence for their ancestors, Zhang Xuan felt utterly awkward. He had, apparently, just recently declared his intention to take this very individual as his student... If these people found out, would they beat him to death?

Boom!

Just as he wondered what to do, the ground trembled. The statue before them suddenly shook twice, and its eyes emitted a brilliant light.

It was alive!

Witnessing this scene, Teacher Wu, Feng Xun, and the others were startled and dared not rise.

"It's a wisp of consciousness left behind, not a true resurrection..." Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then let out a sigh of relief. The situation was identical to when Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's consciousness had appeared in the Boundless Realm: the same aura, the same pressure. It wasn't a resurrection of the individual, but merely a wisp of lingering consciousness awakening. Right, his true body had been dead for tens of thousands of years; how could it possibly come back to life? Their kneeling must have triggered some mechanism, activating the consciousness stored within.

Since a wisp of consciousness remained, it seemed they had chosen the correct path; this was indeed the right gate.

The stone statue opened its eyes, looking at the kneeling figures on the ground. A faint voice resonated, "I am Qiu Wu. I presume you already know."

As before, the voice carried the weight of ages, exerting a crushing pressure on their souls.

"Your junior, a humble student, greets Ancient Sage Qiu Wu!"

Hearing him acknowledge his identity, everyone was filled with excitement. This was a figure on par with Master Teacher Kong, one of the famous master teachers among humanity's ancient sages, an idol to countless people.

Seeing their respectful attitude, the stone statue responded, "To have reached this gate indicates that both your disposition and judgment are excellent! In that case, I will not offer many words of encouragement. Instead, I will assess your comprehension. Those who pass will be accepted as my students and receive my legacy. Those who fail, to prevent information from leaking, must remain here... Is there anyone willing to try?"

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, just like the consciousness in the Boundless Realm, was decisive: declaring discipleship, then holding an assessment, acting with swift efficiency and no hesitation.

"A comprehension assessment?"

"The elder's... legacy?"

Everyone's breathing quickened. Aside from Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's strength, which surpassed Saint 9-dan, his understanding of space alone was beyond the reach of countless 9-star master teachers. It was foreseeable that obtaining his legacy would lead to increasing strength, and standing at the pinnacle of the continent would only be a matter of time.

"Indeed. For cultivators, disposition and talent ensure they can learn from their predecessors, constantly improve, and grow stronger. However, only comprehension allows one to possess something truly their own, to establish new schools of thought, and even... to surpass their predecessors. If you agree, enter the gate behind me. If not, you may return the way you came and leave Qiu Wu Palace!" the stone statue continued.

"This..."

No one rushed to state their position. Instead, they exchanged glances, their expressions solemn. While obtaining Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's legacy was naturally ideal, considering the overall difficulty of the entire ruin, passing his final assessment would likely be extremely challenging. If they failed, they would be trapped inside, unable to leave.

In other words: success meant life! Failure meant death! There was no third option.

"Zhang Yinqiu and the others must have chosen to go in, which is why they haven't come out yet..." Teacher Wu and the others nodded in agreement. If the Elder Dean wasn't dead, he was surely inside. Otherwise, it would be impossible for no news to have been sent out. To become the dean of Hongyuan Academy, one's talent and comprehension were naturally extraordinary. Moreover, he was accompanied by the vice-dean and elders, each a genius among geniuses. Yet, none had emerged after more than two years, which was sufficient proof of the assessment's difficulty.

"Even if I get trapped inside, I must go in! This kind of opportunity is too precious for me!" Feng Xun's gaze was resolute.

"Yes, even if it means death, it's worth it just to see the Ancient Sage's legacy!" Jiang Yuan and the others nodded simultaneously.

Combat masters always possessed an indomitable spirit. Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's legacy was a treasure countless people dreamed of. Even if they truly failed the assessment, it would only prove their comprehension was too low, and spending their remaining days trapped inside, or even dying, would be a consequence of their own choosing.

"I choose to go in!"

"Me too!"

Teacher Wu, Teacher Mu, Wu Tianqiong, and the others also nodded. As master teachers, how could they possibly give up an opportunity to receive the legacy of a senior like Ancient Sage Qiu Wu! It wasn't just about cultivation techniques; it was also a philosophy of perseverance.

"Wait, if this is an assessment for a legacy and it traps people, why is King Tian Ye also inside? Can the Acheron Bloodline cultivators also be accepted?" As everyone made their decisions, Zhang Xuan, who was at the back, frowned.

While the other party's legacy held a significant allure for him, it wasn't particularly critical. He had seen the movement technique, "Traveler Without Bounds," and while it was indeed powerful, it also had many flaws. To be trapped here for life, unable to leave, just for a cultivation technique of that caliber, was not worth it. After all, his immediate priority was to reach 9-star master teacher before turning thirty; otherwise, it would be a dead end. Of course, whether to go in or not was something he hadn't fully considered. What puzzled him was how King Tian Ye could also be inside if Elder Dean Zhang Yinqiu was truly trapped here.

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had expended countless efforts sealing nodes and even fought the Acheron Bloodline cultivators, losing his life in the process. This showed his deep hatred for them... With his stone statue guarding this place, how could one of them be allowed inside, possibly even obtaining his legacy?

"Could it be that this guy is a fake?" Zhang Xuan frowned. Outside, there were nine gates, some leading to life, some to death. For this guy to appear and immediately offer a cultivation technique seemed far too easy, making it hard not to be suspicious.

"Very well. Since you have made your decision, begin making your choice!" The stone statue, not noticing him at the back of the crowd, spoke again.

"Yes!"

Teacher Wu and the others stood up, their eyes filled with determination, and walked directly forward. Of the remaining twenty-two people, all but Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi, who stood at the very back undecided, actually chose to enter.

"Wait..."

Seeing them about to walk in, Zhang Xuan shouted loudly and stepped forward to block them.

"What's wrong?" Teacher Wu and the others were startled and quickly made a silencing gesture. Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was right in front of them; speaking so loudly was simply rude!

"Nothing, I just find it a bit strange..." Frowning, Zhang Xuan turned around, raised a finger, and pointed it towards the stone statue.