Chapter 463: Illusion Array(Two)
Jian Chen quickly passed over the boundaries between the kingdoms and finally arrived at the beautiful mountain ranges on his third day of traveling. This large mountain range was extremely vast and the peaks pierced the clouds, hiding more than half the mountain from below.
This mountain range was not as ordinary as it looked. There was an abundant amount of energy from the world—about two to three times the normal amount. Even without a monster core, this was still a very decent place to cultivate. In this place, double the work could be done with half the effort.
Jian Chen floated a hundred meters up the mountain before looking around. Sometimes, he would refer to the map in his hands as he searched for the area where the cave was.
Several moments later, Jian Chen let out a sigh in disappointment. Although the map indicated that the cave of the Saint Ruler was in this mountain range, it was not all that detailed and did not accurately pinpoint where the cave was.
Jian Chen looked once more at the topography of the entire area and focused on it in his mind. Putting away the map, he began to use the wind element to envelop his body, allowing him to fly into the air. At the same time, he began to spread his presence out. It covered a diameter of fifteen kilometers in an attempt to scour the entire range for any hints or clues to the secret cave.
Quickly, Jian Chen arrived in the depths of the mountain range when all of a sudden his eyes noticed something strange. Up ahead, there were hundreds of wooden houses scattered about in a single ring and a fifty meter tall tower stood in the middle. On top of the tower, three bold words were written on it—Pure Heart Pavilion!
“Within the mountain ranges, there is still a hidden sect?” Jian Chen was extremely curious and began to fly toward the buildings,
Just as Jian Chen drew close to the Pure Heart Pavilion, an elderly voice could be heard through the air, “A guest is approaching from far away, how delightful! Disciples, let us welcome him.”
As soon as he spoke, the doors to the houses began to open as men wearing all sorts of clothes began to walk out. Both men and women, of varying age with smiles adorning their faces and a spirited aura surrounding them, appeared.
At the same time, a white-robed elder came flying from the tower. The elder had a long braided hairstyle and held the air of a sage to him as if he was one who had achieved the status of an Immortal.
Jian Chen floated 500 meters away from the entire crowd with a suspicious look on his face as if he was trying to figure out what they would do next. His presence had already spread throughout the Pure Heart Pavilion sect grounds, and from his presence, he could clearly sense their strengths without fail.
There weren’t many people to the sect—about sixty people total. Aside from the long-haired elder, there was still another Heaven Saint Master gathered within the crowd. Half of the sixty people were at the Earth Saint Master realm while the remaining half were at the Great Saint Master level and under.
“Traveler, if you are inclined, please come sit at our Pure Heart Pavilion for a while.” The floating Heaven Saint Master had a smile on his face as he spoke.
Laughing, Jian Chen spoke, “We are complete strangers. Sire has neither idea if I am a well-doer or an evil-doer. Yet, I am invited in on our very first meeting, does sire truly trust this one that much?”
The elder laughed in return before using his hand to stroke his beard, “Pure Heart Pavilion, ah, Pure Heart Pavilion. As the name implies, we are of pure heart with few desires. As such, our Pure Heart Pavilion is penniless and we do not covet wealth like those other sects. We desire no items, and since we disciples cultivate in hiding, we have no enemies. Friend, you think too much.”
Hearing this, Jian Chen had a suspicious expression on his face. He had already traveled the Tian Yuan Continent for a very long time and met all sorts of people, but those with pure hearts and few desires, he could safely say that he had never met anyone like that before.
“In that case, this one will be troubling you for a while.” Jian Chen accepted with cupped hands before following them into the sect.
Under Jian Chen’s omnipresence, the area of the Pure Heart Pavilion wasn’t hidden at all. However, what led to Jian Chen being surprised was that the elder was true to his word and the entire sect was extremely impoverished. As an example, none of the disciples could be seen wearing a Space Belt or Ring or even anything similar. There were no monster cores, no exotic foods, or any valuable jadeite pearls or stones. Even the more fundamental items to living like rice could not be seen.
Furthermore, when it came to the disciples of the sect, Jian Chen could see that they were all pure in the sense of not wishing for anything. Each one of them had an air of a person who had rejected the secular world.
Knowing this, Jian Chen could hardly believe his eyes. This feeling was almost like he was in a completely different world.
Jian Chen followed the elder into the tower where he was given a single cup of pure mountain water.
“I am Tian Xuzi, a master of sorts to the Pure Heart Pavilion. For my very young friend to reach such a high level of strength, I cannot help but find it hard to believe.” Tian Xuzi sighed in admiration.
“Was elder able to tell my age that easily?” Jian Chen was greatly astonished. Within the continent, the appearance of a person was not always an accurate method of determining age. Unless it was someone who knew of his details, anyone that saw him as a Heaven Saint Master would never believe he was as young as he looked. Another reason for that was because within the Tian Yuan Continent, there were many methods for a person to maintain their youthful appearance.
Tian Xuzi nodded his head as his right hand moved to stroke his long beard. Slowly, he said, “The mysteries within the ancient records my Pure Heart Pavilion cultivates with allows us to see the origin of everything clearly. So my young friend, I can see your age quite clearly as well. You are no older than 25 years old.”
At his statement, Jian Chen truly felt astonished. Seeing how Tian Xuzi’s stare had a slight change to them, Jian Chen sighed in admiration, “It seems that your sect truly practices an extremely mysterious record.”
The elder laughed, “Of course, the Pure Heart Secrets are truly abstruse and can decipher the origins of everything, but those capable of cultivating these secrets are rare and few. The Pure Heart Pavilion has existed on this mountain range for well over a thousand years, but in this current generation, the sect has never had as many disciples as now. That said we only have eighty disciples. The other twenty disciples are out traveling the continent to seek others that are capable of practicing our Pure Heart Secrets.”
“Ai, those who can practice the Pure Heart Secrets are far too few in this world. Because of the secrets, a practitioner must be pure of heart and have little desires. Otherwise, they wouldn’t make any progress. At the same time, the rates in which practitioners learn at are slower than the outside world. Firstly, that is because we focus on tempering the mind. Secondly, we cannot absorb the energy within a monster core and instead absorb the pure energy of the world to slowly accumulate energy. For that reason, our speed is not yet like those of the outside world.”
“It would appear the Heavens are fair, if the Pure Heart Secrets are that divine in power, then its restrictions makes sense.” Jian Chen had said, this was the very first time he had seen or heard of such a strange method of cultivation.
“Little friend, I know that you would not have come out here without reason. Why have you come to this mountain range?” Tian Xuzi asked.
Jian Chen sat upright with both eyes staring back at Tian Xuzi. Feigning a casual air, he asked, “Sire, you must have lived within these mountains for a very long time and thus, know it like you know your own hand. Would sire know of any strange areas within these mountains?”
Tian Xuzi gave a beaming smile at Jian Chen, “The strange area you are talking about, it must be that Saint Ruler’s cave, yes?”
Jian Chen’s eyes lit up as he cupped his hands and smiled, “Sire has an amazing prophetic ability to be able to speak so accurately.”
“Not at all, this elder has no such ability. It is only that the cave of the Saint Ruler is the only area in this mountain range with any mystery to it.” Tian Xuzi spoke. “The predecessor living in that cave was extremely mysterious. Using the profound mysteries of the world, he was able to control the world so that an illusion would safeguard the location of his cave and allow the Saint Ruler to escape detection. In fact, the illusion array he put up was far too strong for even him to break. A hundred years ago, this old man went to the cave to pay my respects to the predecessor, but his body had long since withered away to becoming a skeleton.”
“Sire has entered the cave of the Saint Ruler?” Jian Chen was startled before growing serious. He wanted that Saint Ruler’s skeleton.
“This old man cultivates a method that can see the origin of everything. While the illusion array that predecessor put up is strong, it has no affect on me. With just a small amount of effort, I would be able to enter. But the items inside, I have never touched. The Pure Heart Secrets doesn’t allow me to be tempted by such things. So the wonders and treasures that lay in there may as well be sands and stone to me.”
Jian Chen let out a sigh in relief, “Would it be possible for sire to tell me where that cave would be?”
“About fifty kilometers south from here, the cave lies at the bottom of a great valley.” Tian Xuzi did not hide any details from Jian Chen and told him the exact coordinates.
“Many thanks for the information, sire.” Jian Chen spoke gratefully.
“That won’t be necessary, even if this old man didn’t tell you, you would be able to find the cave after a small amount of effort. However, the cave is protected by an extremely strong illusion array, only Saint Rulers would be able to enter it.” Tian Xuzi informed him.
“This one will remember that. Sire, this one still has some matters to take care of, I will be taking my leave first.” Now that Jian Chen knew the location of the Saint Ruler’s cave, he had lost his patience to stay here and quickly bid farewell to Tian Xuzi.
Tian Xuzi watched Jian Chen fly away from his window, and when Jian Chen fully disappeared, he whispered to himself, “What a truly outstanding genius. If he was able to become a Heaven Saint Master at such a young age, then he is truly one of the strongest individuals on the continent. At the very least, he’ll be the second coming of Mo Tianyun. Perhaps I should report this to the master of the sect, if he is able to bring him close, then the pressure from the guardian clans will lessen by a large amount. The pressure from the Beast God Continent wouldn’t be as stifling either.”