Chapter 134: The Secret Manual and Diagrams of the Nine Palaces of the Yellow Springs (Please Subscribe)

At the very moment the Water Eye closed, a violent explosion erupted. Beyond the cultivators who flew out, there were also various birds and beasts. Lu Qian concealed himself among them and retreated far from the site.

Once clear, he saw the members of the Tongyou Temple. Not a single one had been lost. Conversely, the Lingbo Tower faction had lost two deacons. However, as it was a secret realm that opened only once every decade, the major powers did not send many people; whatever could be exploited had already been exhausted long ago.

"Did you see that golden light just now?"
"Don't be ridiculous, even a blind man could see it."
"So many treasures. Next time, I must bring more people."

The scattered individuals continued to discuss the golden radiance. Lu Qian had a faint premonition that a storm would brew over the next ten years. This was, after all, the secret sanctum of the Daoist Tianhe. When the sanctum was first established, many of the current sects were not even a glimmer on the horizon.

"Is Tianhe truly dead?" Lu Qian felt a trace of doubt. The aura within the cave dwelling had been incredibly potent, comparable to that of the Daoist Tongyou, yet it possessed a fundamental difference. Regardless, that aura was undeniably real. The manifestation of the Underworld River Secret Sanctum might well be a conspiracy. Should the Daoist Tianhe reveal himself, this region would likely be engulfed in a massive tempest.

However, those were concerns for ten years hence. For now, he needed to return and examine the contents of the golden casket and jade scroll. If it contained the method for condensing *Sha* energy and refining *Gang* energy, he would have struck a massive windfall.

Lu Qian transformed into a streak of black light and vanished into the horizon.

Hidden Dragon Cave Dwelling.

Lu Qian’s figure appeared abruptly within the cave. In the refining room, a coffin sat in the center. The chamber was cold, with water vapor congealing into frost. Under Lu Qian’s refinement, the "Flesh of Sight" had reached the Iron Skin stage, equivalent to the early phase of Spirit Cultivation. He had not taken the Flesh of Sight with him on this journey, feeling the timing was not yet right; it had remained here, absorbing iron energy.

Sitting before the coffin was a Daoist in black robes. This was Lu Qian’s physical body, which, aside from checking in at Lingbo Tower, spent every day refining the corpse. The three women were not in the dwelling; they had likely gone to the Qihuo Trading Firm to retrieve supplies. Having embarked on the path of cultivation, they could not remain housebound forever. Moreover, they carried his personal tokens, so he was not worried about their safety.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

The cave gates were struck.

"Hmm?" Lu Qian sensed the surroundings, and his Yin spirit promptly flew back into his physical body. Upon opening the gates, he found a paper crane waiting.

"The Tower Master has returned. Come to Lingbo Tower immediately!" the short message read.

Lu Qian tidied himself, mounted a Wave-Stepping Beast, and departed. Upon arriving at the fifth floor of Lingbo Tower, he saw a massive, strange fish seated amidst a throng of people. Having visited the Water Eye, Fubo’s aura felt significantly more formidable.

"Tower Master, what was the meaning of that golden light just now?"
"Indeed, the pressure was so great it nearly rendered me immobile."

Fubo’s expression was grave. "If I am not mistaken, it was the emergence of the Underworld River Secret Sanctum. The orthodox lineage of the Daoist Tianhe has appeared." He, too, felt a pang of greed for the treasures within; had he obtained even one or two pieces, his cultivation would surely have advanced several degrees.

"Since the location of the Underworld River Secret Sanctum is exposed, we no longer need to hunt for the secret map," Liu Ding said, exhaling in relief. The inability to track down this "Lu Qian" had weighed heavily on him. Now, he no longer had to fret over it.

Fubo glared at him fiercely. "The bounty on Lu Qian is not to be rescinded. They killed our people—if we do not pursue it, where will the reputation of Lingbo Tower stand?"

The conversation shifted back to the Underworld River Secret Sanctum, and the group discussed it incessantly.

"The competition will be fierce the next time the Water Eye opens," Fubo said, his eyes filled with chilling murderous intent. "Everyone is required to participate in the seizing of the Water-Commanding Golden Tablets. Those who refuse will be executed!"

Rumors of the Underworld River Secret Sanctum within the Water Eye had existed before, but for hundreds of years, no one had found a trace, and the major powers had gradually shifted their focus away from it. Now that the sanctum had revealed itself, more factions would likely swarm toward it.

"The northern and southern cultivation worlds have been at peace for nearly a thousand years," the logistics deacon, Ji Yan, suddenly sighed.

"This time, I fear it will be another Millennial War," Cui Shan said, his expression darkening as he recalled something.

"A Millennial War? Why do you say that?" Lu Qian asked. It was merely a secret realm; surely that was an exaggeration?

"Heh heh, Brother Yulong, you don't understand," Liu Ding chuckled.

"I seek your guidance, brother," Lu Qian said, cupping his hands. Liu Ding was a man who valued his ego; as long as his vanity was satisfied, he would spill everything.

"For nearly a thousand years, there have been no large-scale conflicts. Three great powers have emerged on both banks of the Tongtian River: Tongyou, the Nine Heavens Dao Alliance, and the Demon Ghost Gate. These sects were established either from the legacies of Tianhe or by cultivators who encountered unique fortunes." Beyond these, there were countless small and medium-sized factions.

"Forget a thousand years ago—even three hundred years ago, cultivators were extremely rare. A single man at the Embryonic Breath stage could occupy several cities."

"Unlike now, where large cities are filled with cultivators and there are even 'Ghost Markets' for them." The reason these were called Ghost Markets, aside from their secrecy, was that they had no fixed location. In the past, a map to a Ghost Market was a stroke of singular fortune. In recent years, the cultivator population had increased tenfold.

"So, resources are limited. Will this event act as a fuse for the major powers to thin out the population?" Lu Qian mused. Cultivation required endless resources; once the number of cultivators exceeded the available wealth, conflict was inevitable. It was much like secular dynasties: when the population exploded and land annexation became severe, a great war would erupt to redistribute the resources.

"Precisely. Next time, it could be a war engulfing the entire cultivation world," Fubo remarked. In truth, the winds of change had been blowing for years; they had only lacked a catalyst.

"I see. I am enlightened," Lu Qian pondered. It seemed he could no longer remain an outsider. If this had been a simple cave exploration, he could have opted out. It was clear now that he had to rapidly strengthen his power within these next ten years.

After finalizing their plans, the group dispersed to their respective homes.

Lu Qian returned to the Hidden Dragon Cave Dwelling. A ripple disturbed the entrance, and three women, each with their own distinct charm, walked in. The one on the left was bewitching and seductive, the center one pure and beautiful, and the one on the right possessed a gentle, girl-next-door grace. Any one of them would be considered a premier beauty in the outside world.

"Master, you have returned," Moshou said with delight.

"I have. How has your cultivation been?" Lu Qian asked. Among the three, Xiyue possessed the highest cultivation—late-stage Qi Refining, with the majority of her Yin-Gui True Water condensed. Next were Moshou and Yaoyue, both roughly at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Their progress was relatively rapid; after all, they engaged in dual cultivation with him daily and had access to unlimited pills. It would be difficult *not* to progress.

In the Tongyou Temple, a cultivator's family background accounted for at least half of their cultivation level. Under equal conditions, those with deep-rooted backgrounds almost always held higher cultivation. Ordinary people had to laboriously accumulate "Dao Merit" just to scrape together a few resources, whereas those from wealthy houses had them handed over upon request.

Sometimes, when one thought about it carefully, "Dao Merit" was merely a threshold established because resources were insufficient.

Reflecting on this, Lu Qian felt more convinced than ever that this war was inevitable. He sent the three women away, cast concealment spells around the area, and then cautiously opened the sword pouch. Even though the high-grade cave dwelling already had concealment wards, he remained wary.

He took out the golden casket and jade scroll, and a burst of golden light illuminated the room. The jade scroll opened slowly.

Fluorescent light filled the space, and a line of poetry slowly coalesced in the void:

*The karmic obstacles of all living beings stem from the heart,*
*Liberation requires the merit of immeasurable causes.*
*I bow to the Supreme Dao of the Yellow Springs,*
*A single word of this precious verse is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.*

—*Scripture and Diagrams of the Secret Methods of the Yellow Springs Nine Palaces*