Chapter 25: The Theory of the Ancient Great Era

"I've read your mission report. Eradicating a Skin-Stripper Demon using your wits—that was very well done."

Lu Yang's heart swelled with joy. It wasn't easy to earn a compliment from his Senior Sister, so the trip to Taiping Village had been worthwhile.

After her brief comment, Yun Zhi thought of the deeper meaning behind the Skin-Stripper Demon incident, and a shadow crossed her brow.

"For the past hundred years, with the arrival of the Great Era, various hidden forces have been stirring, and malevolent spirits are rampant. This Great Xia Dynasty appears peaceful, yet who knows how many calamities are hidden within it? The Great Xia Dynasty is too proud to seek help from the Five Great Immortal Sects." Yun Zhi sighed softly. These words were clearly not meant for Lu Yang's ears.

Lu Yang noticed a phrase in his Senior Sister's words: "The arrival of the Great Era?"

He had never heard this term before, nor had he seen it in any books.

Yun Zhi's voice became ethereal, as if she were not truly in this realm: "A hundred years ago, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Oracle Sect emerged from his death seclusion. He shed blood into the Clear River, sacrificing his life to question the heavens. What he divined remains unknown."

The Heavenly Oracle Sect claimed to be able to predict all things, solve all mysteries, and believed in the clear principles of heaven and karmic retribution. They were the ones who had raised questions about the insurance policies of the Goldfall Merchant Guild.

"The Grand Elder then announced to the world that the Great Era had arrived, signifying the resurgence of the glorious cultivation age of antiquity."

"According to past customs, for the Five Great Immortal Sects, producing even one single-spirit root talent in a generation was considered a good harvest. Yet, in your generation, we have seen an ancient barbarian, three single-spirit roots, and even an immortal physique, which is rarer than a single-spirit root. I've also heard that other immortal sects have recruited many talents no less gifted than single-spirit roots over the past century. From these signs, one can glimpse a corner of the ancient Great Era."

A rare, faint smile, almost a sneer, touched Yun Zhi's lips: "The ancient Great Era is spoken of as a glorious age, but in truth, it was utterly chaotic. The Great Era was also an era of turmoil, where various powers and interests intertwined, where demons and monsters schemed against each other, and human hearts were unfathomable, with life and death determined by fate. Countless innocents perished before a single powerful cultivator emerged. In terms of peace and stability, it was far inferior to the present."

Lu Yang felt his Senior Sister's smile was chilling.

Lu Yang had read descriptions of the ancient Great Era in books. It was an age where strength reigned supreme, the victor was king, and there was no distinction between righteous and demonic paths. Humanity was merely one of many powerful races then, far from its current status as the continent's overlord.

Demons emerged, heroes clashed fiercely, and prodigies roamed the land, forging their renown with blood and bone. They were decisive in battle. Moreover, countless mighty figures became legends revered by millions during this period, serving as unattainable goals for cultivators to strive for their entire lives. Reading about it truly made one's blood boil, wishing to travel back to that era and display one's talents.

It was precisely in such turbulent times that various heroes and exceptional individuals had the chance to rise.

However, seeing his Senior Sister's expression, Lu Yang suddenly realized that while the ancient Great Era was a boon for prodigies, it was a hellish nightmare for ordinary people.

They were born in the morning and died in the evening, their lives constantly in peril. A simple conflict among the upper echelons could reduce their clansmen to slaves and prisoners, to be enslaved and slaughtered at will, with no stability whatsoever.

The books depicted the ancient Great Era as magnificent and grand because the authors themselves were high-level cultivators who yearned for those times.

From the perspective of an ordinary person, it would have been a completely different picture.

Lu Yang realized that ever since he became a cultivator, he seemed to have overlooked the fact that he was once a mortal.

This shouldn't be.

Yun Zhi did not dwell on the topic, deeming it too early for Lu Yang. "Do you have anything else to ask?"

"Um, Senior Sister, do you have any movement spells?"

"Of course. But why do you ask for such a spell?"

There was an agreement between the Dao Inquiring Sect and the Goldfall Merchant Guild. All expenses for lodging and travel incurred by Dao Inquiring Sect disciples were charged to the sect's account. Lu Yang didn't even need to spend spirit stones to travel by flying boat, so where would he use a movement spell?

Lu Yang scratched his head, a rare look of embarrassment on his face. "It's nothing, I just want to learn one to save our Dao Inquiring Sect some money."

Yun Zhi didn't suspect anything. "Since you have such intentions, as your Senior Sister, I cannot refuse. You've just established your foundation, so there aren't many spells you can use."

Lu Yang rubbed his hands together, chuckling. "As long as it's something I can use!"

"I've observed your cultivation this past year; you truly live up to the name of a Sword Spirit Root. I have a Flying Sword Art here that will allow you to stand on your flying sword and travel across the lands."

"There's also a Teleportation Art. It refines your spiritual sense, making it powerful enough to move your body and fly freely. It's not as fast as the Flying Sword Art, but it saves energy, and refining your spiritual sense will also aid you in future battles."

"Transformation Art is another option. Once mastered, you can transform into a bird and soar freely through the sky."

"Junior Brother, which one do you choose?" Yun Zhi casually listed a few spells for Lu Yang to pick from.

"...Um, is there a movement spell that doesn't involve flying?"

Yun Zhi looked at the blushing Lu Yang with interest. "Oh, why do you want to learn a movement spell that doesn't involve flying?"

Lu Yang stammered, unable to speak for a long while.

Yun Zhi didn't press him further. "There are non-flying spells too, but that particular one requires extremely high comprehension of Daoist principles and demands a certain level of spiritual power. It might be a bit early for you to learn it now."

"It's fine, I'll just try it. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work."

"This spell is called 'Shrinking the Earth to an Inch.' It's extremely difficult to cultivate. Here is the incantation. Once you've memorized it proficiently, I will formally teach it to you."

Yun Zhi raised her jade-like hand, casually parting a section of space to retrieve a golden page, neatly filled with elegant characters.

Lu Yang cautiously took the golden page. It clearly looked incredibly valuable, and it would be disastrous if he accidentally tore it.

After Lu Yang left, Yun Zhi closed her eyes and continued her cultivation. As a chilling gust of wind swept through, an ancient, resentful voice echoed in her ears, sending shivers down her spine, as if plunging her into an ice cellar.

"My dear disciple, how much longer will you keep your master imprisoned?"

The voice seemed to emanate from the Nine Nether Purgatory, chilling to the bone and making one's spine tingle!

"Your master hasn't taught you many times, yet it's truly remarkable that you've cultivated to your current realm. Your master is proud of you."

"As the saying goes, 'a teacher for a day is a father for life.' You mustn't disregard your master's nurturing grace by imprisoning your master here."

"The Dao Inquiring Sect hasn't had a Sect Master for ten years. You're exercising the Sect Master's authority on my behalf. Aren't you afraid of gossip affecting your Senior Sister's glorious reputation?"

"It's one thing for you to accept a disciple on my behalf, even a sword cultivation genius like this one. Your master won't delve deeply into that."

"But at least release your master, let me meet my disciple! Making him kowtow to my portrait instead of a living person—wouldn't that be a joke if it got out?"

The voice contained a peculiar magic, tugging at one's heartstrings, making one instinctively want to believe it, to break the seal and release its owner.

Yun Zhi cultivated diligently, ignoring the voice.

Seeing Yun Zhi unmoved, the ancient voice transformed its myriad words into a long sigh, then completely vanished, as if it had never been there.

Yun Zhi remained in her meditation posture, all five points facing upward, everything as before.