Chapter 688: Extinction of the Clan

"Teacher!" Luo Qiqi greeted, cupping her fists as she approached.

Having been engrossed in an epiphany, she wasn't aware that the person before her had achieved Heaven-recognized Master Teacher status. All she knew was that this profound realization had significantly elevated her understanding of alchemy and artifact forging.

Previously, she was merely considered talented in artifact forging. But after this experience, she felt confident that upon returning, she could challenge and even surpass the renowned geniuses of the Artifact Forging Academy on the spot!

"Excellent!" Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction, seeing her bright eyes and knowing she had gained immensely.

After all, she was his student, and a teacher always felt proud when their student progressed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher!" Luo Qiqi knelt solemnly, her heart full of gratitude.

Just as he was about to help her up, Zhang Xuan felt a tremor in the Library of Heaven's Path, and a golden book appeared.

The Book of Heaven's Path! He had longed for it before but never obtained it. To his surprise, it had appeared directly at this moment.

"This is great..." With this item, he wouldn't have to worry about the puppeteer anymore; he could just smash it into a pulp with a single book.

"It seems only gratitude for imparting knowledge can produce this page!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Earlier, when he had entangled the puppet to allow her to escape, it was a great act of kindness, yet it hadn't materialized. Now, it had, clearly because she was grateful for his teaching, which had enabled her to learn and improve.

It appeared the Book of Heaven's Path could only be obtained through gratitude for one's role as a teacher, for imparting knowledge; other forms of gratitude were ineffective.

"Rise," Zhang Xuan said. "You've already forged a weapon beyond high-grade Spirit-tier. Let's see if you can obtain Wu Yangzi's legacy and find a way out!"

With the Book of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan felt much lighter. He helped the girl up, then, with a flick of his wrist, placed the Ice Rain Sword on the forging platform in front of the Red Flame Cauldron.

Creak, creak! It seemed the platform had detected the sword's quality met the requirements. The stone platform shuddered, and the sound of gears turning echoed once more.

"Congratulations! You have forged a weapon exceeding high-grade Spirit-tier. You are now qualified to be my student. I shall now impart my life's work to you!"

As the voice spoke, the ground before them trembled, and a stone platform slowly emerged.

There were mechanisms beneath the ground.

"On this stone platform, there are three items. First, my lifelong summary of artifact forging and a detailed explanation of my unique 'Lute Forging Method.' Second, my body cultivation technique, the 'Five Splendors Golden Body.' Third, my experiences here and the exit!"

"Trapped here, unable to leave, yet I bear no resentment. Instead, I spent my days accompanied by artifact forging, finding joy and forgetting my worries... Alas, my lifespan was limited, and I yearned to forge a Saint-tier artifact, but it was beyond my reach, leaving me with profound sorrow."

"I hope that my successor can fulfill my wish and forge a Saint-tier artifact using the Lute Forging Method, to bring comfort to my spirit in the heavens. Then... even in death, I can rest in peace!"

"If you are willing to swear an oath, I can impart a piece of information I possess. This information pertains to an ancient treasure. Upon acquiring it, breaking through to Saint-tier from the Cocoon Sealing Realm would likely be no difficult task!"

The voice continued.

"Breaking through to Saint-tier from Cocoon Sealing?" Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi exchanged glances, their breathing quickening.

The Ninth-level of Mortal-Transcendence, the Cocoon Sealing Realm, is also referred to as the Embryo Concealment Realm, the Fetal Concealment Realm, or the Nascent Soul Realm.

This realm signifies accumulating cultivation to condense a primordial embryo (or nascent soul) within the body. Once the primordial embryo is successfully formed and merges with oneself, one can break through the shackles to become a spirit or a saint.

Breaking through to Saint-tier from the Cocoon Sealing Realm is the greatest hurdle at the Spirit-tier, trapping countless individuals in a state of lifelong hopelessness.

Just like Emperor Ye Wentian and Hall Master Wei Jiang, who have been at the Eighth-level of Mortal-Transcendence for an unknown duration, they remain stuck at the peak, unable to break through.

If there was something that could enable a person to break through this realm, the value of such a treasure would be immense, truly terrifying.

"I accept!" Luo Qiqi glanced at Teacher Zhang, and upon receiving his nod of approval, stepped forward to the prayer mat, bowed in homage to her new master, and accepted the inheritance.

Zhang Xuan was only her alchemy teacher; although he had taught her artifact forging, he had not formally accepted her as a disciple. Therefore, it would not be breaking any rules for her to take another master.

Moreover, this also involved a supposed treasure and legacy.

After she swore the oath, the voice from within the mechanism continued.

"Since you have sworn the oath, I shall conceal nothing further. The secret of this treasure was left underground at my former residence, at the 'Three Star Earth Dragon' location, before I was captured. You simply need to arrange three formation flags there according to the 'Three Star Formation,' and the items will naturally emerge!"

The voice slowly faded.

"Three Star Earth Dragon? Former residence?" Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi both froze, nearly fainting.

Are you playing games with us? You've been gone for over two thousand years! Who would know where your old residence is? And what on earth is a "Three Star Earth Dragon"?

Knowing it was a recorded message from a mechanism, there was no way to ask for clarification. The two were utterly bewildered.

To speak of a treasure yet be so vague about its location was truly frustrating.

"Since Senior Wu Yangzi was captured, it's understandable that he wouldn't dare keep the treasure on him. He also wouldn't know who would inherit his legacy after his death, so a vague message is normal!"

Although frustrated, Zhang Xuan could understand the reasoning.

Since he was captured and unable to escape, he must have been helpless. At such a time, truly carrying a treasure's secret on his person would surely mean it couldn't be preserved!

"It's just... where is his old residence?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know, but... Teacher Wu Yangzi lived in Hongyuan Imperial City back then, which is the city where Hongyuan Academy is located," Luo Qiqi recalled. "If necessary, we can go back to the academy and search thoroughly. It's only two thousand years; we should be able to find some clues!"

"Mm-hm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Two thousand years might bring vast changes and transformations to a small kingdom like Tianxuan Kingdom, but for a behemoth like the Hongyuan Empire, the changes would not be as drastic.

The Empire boasted Saint realm experts whose lifespans were around a thousand years. So, two thousand years would only mean two or three generations. If they truly wished to search, it should still be possible.

"Let's examine his legacy then!" Knowing about the treasure's general location meant they wouldn't have trouble finding it. Zhang Xuan no longer dwelled on it and gestured.

Luo Qiqi nodded and approached the stone platform.

There were three items Wu Yangzi had left for his successor. She didn't look at the first two, but immediately picked up the third one.

This concerned how to leave, making it naturally the most important item.

"Teacher!" She handed the book over.

"Mm!" Zhang Xuan took it, casually flipped through it for a moment, and his expression turned peculiar.

"What's wrong, Teacher? Is there no way out inside?" Seeing his expression, Luo Qiqi grew anxious.

It would be terrible if they couldn't get out.

"We can get out, but I've just read some interesting things. This Senior Wu Yangzi seems to be... not quite what we imagined," Zhang Xuan replied with a faint smile.

"Not what you imagined?" Luo Qiqi was puzzled.

"See for yourself!" He handed the book to Luo Qiqi.

She took it, still puzzled, and looked down at the contents. After reading, her expression also turned peculiar.

Having anticipated her reaction, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly.

This Wu Yangzi, it turned out, had been captured by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

In other words, this underground palace was a lair of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!

The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, who once gloriously ruled humanity, were now reduced to merely surviving in these underground palaces. Naturally, they considered the outside world their true homeland.

Therefore, the inscription "Home-Longing Abode" on the first stone tablet conveyed a longing for their homeland, referring not to Wu Yangzi, but to them.

This was also why the three large characters carried a unique aura of slaughter.

This underground palace was built by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe to evade pursuit, concealing dozens of their clansmen. It was constructed with exceptional skill, ensuring that even with many inhabitants, it would not feel stuffy.

As for why Wu Yangzi was captured, it was simple: this group of Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members, who had been hiding from the Master Teacher Pavilion for tens of thousands of years, had a dwindling population due to their small numbers, intermarriage, and steadily declining birth rates. They were on the verge of complete extinction.

Knowing he was skilled in artifact forging and mechanical arts, they captured him, hoping he could help them temper their bodies to prolong their lifespans.

The idea was good, but... how incredibly difficult it was to prolong life by tempering the body!

Not to mention Wu Yangzi was only a 6-star artifact forger; even an 8-star or 9-star would likely be unable to achieve it!

Otherwise, such news would surely spread throughout the Master Teacher Continent, causing countless people to flock to it.

Everyone wanted to live... no one wanted to die!

Wu Yangzi was captured and imprisoned in this stone chamber. Although it appeared spacious, it was, in reality, a cage. To escape, one could only pass through the narrow stone door, and as long as someone guarded it, escape was impossible.

In essence, he was incarcerated, deprived of his freedom. Even with artifact forging as companionship, he must have found it tedious, making "forgetting worries" hard to comprehend.

However, knowing what happened next, it became clear why he named it that.

The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members who captured him intended for him to help them temper their bodies to extend their lifespans. The result was... this fellow was ruthless enough to use all sorts of methods to forge their bodies to be even stronger and indestructible...

But... they also lost their consciousness, turning into mere puppets that would only follow orders.

This meant... the puppet outside was actually one of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members who had captured Senior Wu Yangzi, and he had forcibly forged it into that thing!

As for later, the other party must have discovered the problem. Additionally, Wu Yangzi's lifespan was nearing its end, so in the end, he never left.

The weapons that had circulated outside earlier were released by him through mechanisms he designed, hoping someone would discover them and rescue him. Unexpectedly, he waited... for over two thousand years!

In two thousand years, the world had changed drastically. Apart from those he had forged into puppets, almost all the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members here had died out. That was why the place was empty when they arrived.

Knowing his lifespan was nearing its end, Wu Yangzi left behind his legacy, which led to everything they had seen. As for the large puppet outside, it had continuously guarded the place to prevent his escape. Even at his death, he couldn't get rid of it, so he had to let it continue "living."

"This..." Luo Qiqi still couldn't believe it.

Wu Yangzi had a great reputation throughout the Hongyuan Empire as an upright and unyielding individual. She never would have dreamed he could be so sinister.

To forge all the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members who captured him into puppets... that was truly ruthless!

This wasn't just ordinary ruthlessness; it was destroying a lineage, annihilating a clan!