Chapter 2714: The Ritual Was About To Start
Chapter 2714: Chapter 2714: The Ritual Was About To Start
However, the very instant their first clash occurred, his expression changed drastically as sheer shock washed over his features. He could instantly feel the terrifying, unbridgeable chasm in raw strength between himself and Long Hui.
The sheer weight of the pressure Long Hui exuded during the fight was completely overwhelming, effectively suffocating the young man’s momentum and forcing him to immediately deploy every single bit of skill, speed, and advanced martial arts technique he possessed without holding anything back. Even then, despite pushing his physical limits and trying his absolute best, he still could not gain even a slight advantage against Long Hui. It felt like trying to move an unshakeable mountain with his bare hands.
Meanwhile, Long Hui remained perfectly calm, relaxed, and composed throughout the entire duration of the bout, easily neutralising every fierce strike directed toward him with clean, effortless, and highly efficient movements.
In the end, the disciple was thoroughly outmatched and lost completely. He was disarmed and swept off his feet before he could even register what had happened.
After the match concluded, the young man panted heavily while dusting himself off. With genuine respect in his eyes, he asked Long Hui about his profession. He was clearly curious about where such lethal, precision-based combat ability could have possibly originated.
Long Hui looked at him calmly and simply informed him that he was a soldier.
Hearing that honest answer, the disciple immediately nodded in deep understanding and accepted his total defeat wholeheartedly. No wonder he had been crushed so decisively. The formidable individual standing before him was not an academic practitioner who trained merely for sport, but a seasoned warrior who had truly stepped onto real, brutal battlefields and survived countless life-and-death situations.
After spending a little more time watching the other disciples train on the grounds, Long Hui and Yu Qi eventually left to wander around the mountain paths on their own, right after Chang Shunchun politely informed them that she had some urgent pavilion duties she needed to handle first.
Yu Qi quietly took in the scenic, historic beauty of the Heavenly Crane Pavilion surroundings while walking closely beside Long Hui. The natural atmosphere up here was deeply peaceful, serene, and calm. A beautiful contrast to the noisy, chaotic, and exhausting cities outside, allowing the two of them to deeply enjoy a rare moment of undisturbed tranquillity together.
"There is a protective array surrounding the mountain." Yu Qi commented softly as she observed the subtle spiritual fluctuations rippling through the air around them.
"Yeah... But it is not strong enough to block everything." Long Hui replied, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Then he shifted the topic and asked, "What do you think about the Soul Summoning Ritual?"
"I don’t know." Yu Qi shrugged lightly. "My master talked about that ritual once before, but I did not pay much attention to the topic at the time."
"That Pavilion Master is a half-cultivator. That is probably what allows him to perform the ritual. And he also learned Taoist arts." Long Hui stated, analysing the man’s latent energy.
"Well, he probably does not even know that he is a half-cultivator." Yu Qi said thoughtfully, a trace of pity in her voice.
Long Hui also nodded, hearing her words. It was entirely possible. He probably had someone in his bloodline who was a cultivator. In ancient times, before the passage to the outside world became restricted, cultivators frequently travelled beyond their own realm to explore the mortal world. Some of them eventually found the love of their lives and chose to remain there permanently.
Because of that, it was not particularly strange for some of their descendants to inherit traces of a cultivator’s abilities. Although such bloodlines were extremely diluted after many generations and very few people ever awakened those hidden abilities, the possibility still existed.
...
Later that evening, Lou Weizhe sent someone to invite Yu Qi and Long Hui over to the main hall. Neither of them asked any unnecessary questions and simply followed the messenger through the twilight.
As they continued walking, both Yu Qi and Long Hui noticed that they were being led deeper and deeper into the restricted temple grounds. Eventually, they entered a long, damp underground tunnel illuminated by dim lanterns mounted along the stone walls.
The messenger finally stopped in front of a massive stone door that blocked the path ahead.
"Please wait here." The man said respectfully, bowing his head.
Yu Qi nodded and patiently waited for further instructions, her senses sharpening.
The messenger stepped forward and knocked on the stone door three times. The sound echoed heavily through the quiet tunnel. A few moments later, three distinct knocks echoed back from inside the chamber.
Only after the final echoes had completely faded did the messenger reach out and open the heavy stone door. It appeared to be part of the Heavenly Crane Pavilion’s ancient traditions and security procedures. The person who appeared from the other side was Lou Weizhe.
"Ms Tang, Mr Long, please come in. We are about to start." Lou Weizhe said, stepping aside to grant them entry.
Yu Qi and Long Hui stepped inside without hesitation. The moment they entered, both of them were surprised by the sheer size of the hidden area. The chamber resembled a gigantic underground cave. Numerous intricate arrays were carved into the surrounding walls and floor, their complex patterns glowing faintly with a cold, spiritual energy.
In the centre of the chamber stood Lou Liwei, Sang Yuling, and the unconscious Ji Gu Niang.
"Since everyone is here, let us begin the ritual." Lou Liwei stated solemnly, his face serious.
Yu Qi and Long Hui moved to the side and quietly observed the scene.
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