Category: After Failing to Find Immortality

Chapter 194: Truce, A Hidden Pearl

“The altar?”

Both elders looked towards the altar, their expressions puzzled.

The Valley Master was hidden inside the altar?

“You knew?”

The First Elder was surprised. “I don’t remember telling you—”

“I sensed a presence within the altar.”

“You…”

Remembering that this man could even shatter the Soul Moon, the First Elder swallowed her surprise and sighed. “It’s true.

This altar is the foundation of the Soul Moon ritual. It’s incredibly strong, imbued with powerful spells. It’s the best prison in the Lunar Valley. Even the Valley Master, with her cultivation, can’t escape from it. She’s trapped… Although, looking back, she must be quite furious.”

Her expression turned awkward. “I hope she’ll forgive me later.”

Lin Tianlu chuckled. “I’ll be back soon. Wait here.”

…

As he walked towards the altar, the Second Elder turned to the Ninth Elder. “Jingyun, what happened between you and Lin Tianlu in the Moon Soul Prison? You seem to have known about his extraordinary power.”

The Ninth Elder lowered her eyes and murmured, “That’s Tianlu’s personal business. I can’t reveal it.”

“Not even to us?”

“No.”

She shook her head. “Just know that he’s truly an extraordinary individual, far beyond our comprehension. Knowing more will only cause unnecessary trouble.”

The Second Elder frowned, but she didn’t press further.

She admired Lin Tianlu’s power and wanted to maintain a good relationship with him.

“You seem quite different now.”

A soft chuckle echoed through the air.

The First Elder turned to see Yun Yue approaching gracefully, a gentle smile on her face.

“Did you also benefit from this… unfortunate incident, breaking through to a higher realm?”

“Azure Fox…”

The First Elder bit her lip, her head bowed in shame. “I apologize for attacking you earlier. If you’re upset, you can hit or scold me. I’ll accept it.”

“It’s just a minor injury. Consider it a friendly spar.”

Yun Yue smiled and helped her up. “If you truly feel guilty, just treat Tianlu well. We’re practically family now. There’s no need to dwell on such trivial matters.”

The First Elder’s expression was complex. “You’re different from the rumors.”

The Azure Fox of a thousand years ago had been a fierce and ruthless warrior, her power feared throughout the land.

But now…

She was gentle and kind, like a caring wife.

Yun Yue smiled faintly. “A thousand years can change a person. Even I am not immune to the passage of time. And Tianlu has given me a second chance at life. I’m grateful to him.”

She took the First Elder’s hand, her voice soft. “A thousand-year legacy is important, but the past cannot compare to the present.

The Lunar Valley doesn’t need to rely on the power of its ancestors. Let go of their desires and ambitions. This is your true legacy, the bonds you’ve built, the family you’ve created.”

The First Elder was silent for a moment.

Then she bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you for your guidance, Azure Fox.”

Yun Yue’s smile widened, and she exchanged glances with the Ninth Elder, their thoughts in sync.

“Where are Ruoyu and Miss Shuya?”

“They followed Tianlu to the altar. They’re worried about him.”

…

At the top of the altar…

The golden-red flames were still burning, but their intensity had diminished.

As soon as Lin Tianlu stepped onto the altar, Mao Ruoyu and Hua Shuya arrived, their faces filled with relief upon seeing him unharmed.

Hua Shuya frowned. “Senior, why are you here?”

“The Valley Master is inside the altar.”

Lin Tianlu raised his hand, and the flames vanished, revealing a black altar beneath.

Upon closer inspection, they saw that it wasn’t filled with fuel, but covered in strange and intricate runes.

Mao Ruoyu was surprised. She had never seen such markings on the altar before.

But how could they—

Click!

Lin Tianlu flicked his fingers, breaking the mechanism, and with a swift movement, he opened a hidden stone door.

A faint, grayish-black mist seeped out.

A dark and cavernous space lay beyond the door.

“This is—”

“Wait here, you two. There might be traps inside.”

Hua Shuya nodded obediently. “Be careful, Senior.”

“Mm.”

Lin Tianlu jumped into the opening, his body falling smoothly.

A pungent smell filled the air, growing stronger as he descended, like a curse, a noxious Yin energy that would incapacitate ordinary mortals.

He landed softly in shallow water and looked around.

He was inside a vast and empty cave, its walls and ceiling covered in intricate runes that pulsed with a chilling light, their energy still active.

But the most striking feature…

…were the massive black chains that were fastened to the walls, connected to eight silver pillars, each adorned with a carved dragon, extending towards a jade platform in the depths of the cave.

A figure sat on the platform.

Lin Tianlu waved his hand, dispelling the mist, and walked towards the platform.

As he approached, he saw a woman with long, gray hair sitting on the platform, her head bowed.

“This—”

He recognized her attire and his eyes widened in shock.

The woman’s legs were bound tightly by black chains, her arms pulled above her head, her body restrained, her chest and stomach wrapped in thin chains, her entire body covered in talismans, not even her fingers spared.

A strange rune glowed on her chest, emitting a faint light that flowed into the chains, then into the surrounding pillars, as if draining her Yin energy.

Her eyes were covered by a cloth, her mouth forced open by a metal gag, unable to speak or see, her senses completely sealed. Her appearance was truly pitiful.

She looked almost identical to the First Elder’s disguised form, but her face was pale, giving her a fragile and delicate beauty, her figure slightly more voluptuous.

Lin Tianlu calmed his racing heart, dispelled the barrier protecting the platform, and approached the woman.

He carefully removed the gag from her mouth.

“Cough, cough…”

The gray-haired woman coughed weakly.

But after catching her breath, a faint smile appeared on her lips. “After waiting for so long… it seems I’m finally free.”

Chapter 193: The Fall of the Soul Moon, Lingering Power

The oppressive crimson aura that had enveloped the Lunar Valley vanished.

The blood-red wall that had separated the battlefield dissolved, revealing the figures of the Ninth Elder and the others in the distance.

“…”

The First Elder opened her eyes, the blood-red glow fading from them. She touched her forehead, her expression a mixture of confusion and regret.

With the Soul Moon shattered, she felt her emotions calming, the turbulent desires and ambitions that had consumed her fading away like smoke, replaced by a sense of peace.

So she had been manipulated by the Soul Moon all along…

“—It wasn’t you who brought disaster upon the Lunar Valley, First Elder.”

Lin Tianlu sheathed his broken sword and looked at the dejected woman sitting on the ground. “It was those restless spirits from the past, those remnants of the Moon Soul Sacred Sect, who tried to force their ambitions upon you.

From the moment it was created, this Soul Moon was meant to consume and control, like a dark shadow cast over the Lunar Valley, a constant reminder of your tragic past.”

This thousand-year-old hatred and resentment, like a potent poison, had been festering within the Lunar Valley, passed down through generations.

And now, it had finally manifested, seeking a perfect vessel to inhabit.

The First Elder lowered her hands, her voice soft. “You… you knew I was being influenced by the Soul Moon?”

“I sensed something strange about you from the moment we met.”

“No wonder… with your power, you could have easily killed me. But you always showed restraint.” She sighed, her voice filled with shame. “In the end, you were the merciful one.”

Lin Tianlu chuckled. “How do you feel now?”

“…It’s strange.”

The First Elder looked up at the starry night sky, her eyes distant. “The obsession that drove me, the desire for revenge… it’s gone. My mind is calm and peaceful.

Looking back, my actions were reckless and foolish. For a fleeting moment of glory, I was willing to sacrifice the Lunar Valley, to abandon my family, to destroy everything we’ve built over the centuries.”

She bit her lip, her face filled with regret.

She knew about the tragic events of a thousand years ago, and she truly wanted to revive the Moon Soul Sacred Sect.

But like the Second Elder, she had never intended to harm her family or her fellow disciples, to plunge them into a senseless war.

Yet, she, the First Elder, responsible for their safety and well-being, had almost condemned them to a fiery abyss.

She took a deep breath and turned to Lin Tianlu. “I’m responsible for this. I’ll accept any punishment.”

“Your tone and demeanor have changed quite a bit.” Lin Tianlu chuckled. “I almost thought you were a different person.”

“After being beaten and humiliated, shouldn’t I show some humility?”

The First Elder chuckled wryly. “I can’t exactly throw a tantrum and cry like a child. I would lose all my dignity as an elder.”

Hearing her self-deprecating tone, Lin Tianlu was relieved.

She was a wise and experienced woman, her mind strong and resilient.

The First Elder sighed and summoned a carved dagger, its blade gleaming. “But I’ve committed a grave error. I must—”

“Aunt Gong, stop!”

The Ninth Elder suddenly appeared, her face filled with alarm as she grabbed her wrist. “Please calm down! Don’t do anything reckless!”

Lin Tianlu was also surprised, and he stepped forward to intervene.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

The First Elder looked at them, her expression confused. “Did you think I was going to… kill myself?”

The Ninth Elder and Lin Tianlu were stunned.

“It’s good to know that you care, Jingyun.”

The First Elder chuckled and tapped her nose playfully. “But don’t worry, I’m not that fragile.

I’m just sealing my cultivation, so you can imprison me. Just in case I lose control again.”

“Aunt Gong, you’re not thinking about…”

“According to the rules, I should be confined to the Moon Soul Prison for fifty years, right?” The First Elder chuckled. “But I’m quite fond of life. I still want to live for a few more centuries.”

Lin Tianlu couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You have a good attitude, First Elder.”

“No, I’m still quite upset.”

The First Elder glared at him and rubbed her backside. “When you subdued me earlier, you pulled my tail so hard, I almost lost my soul! That was quite brutal. It still hurts. I can barely stand.”

The Ninth Elder’s expression turned strange as she looked at Lin Tianlu.

Lin Tianlu’s smile froze.

He hadn’t known that her tails were real. He had thought they were just manifestations of Yin energy, annoying appendages that kept getting in his way. He had just wanted to pull them off.

This Moon Shadow Secret Art was truly strange.

“You should be thanking him, Wu Lei.”

A deep and raspy voice echoed through the hall.

They turned to see the Second Elder approaching slowly, her steps unsteady.

“Second Elder, your injuries…”

“It’s fine. I just had a little spar with the Third and Fourth Elders. Just some minor injuries.”

The Second Elder’s lips curled into a cold smile. “I gave them a good beating. They’re being treated by the disciples now. They’ll probably be bedridden for half a month.”

Lin Tianlu: “…”

This elder was even more formidable than he had imagined.

The First Elder’s face was filled with concern. “Were any disciples injured?”

“That’s why I told you to thank Lin Tianlu. Thanks to him, there were no other casualties. Just a few injured elders and some damaged buildings.”

The Second Elder said in a deep voice, “Otherwise, the Lunar Valley would have suffered a devastating blow. If any disciples had died, you would have regretted it for the rest of your life!”

The First Elder bit her lip and bowed her head respectfully.

“Thank you for saving the Lunar Valley, Tianlu. And thank you… for saving my life.”

Lin Tianlu didn’t say anything, simply nodding in acknowledgment.

The Second Elder walked towards her, a dark light gathering in her palm. “I’ll seal your cultivation for now and confine you. We’ll decide on a proper punishment after the valley has recovered. Do you have any objections?”

“No objections.”

The First Elder smiled, her expression serene, and closed her eyes.

“This is the Gong Wu Lei I know.” The Second Elder sighed and pressed her palm against the First Elder’s chest.

But as soon as their skin touched, her expression changed drastically. She stumbled back, her hand smoking. “This…”

“What’s wrong?”

“How is this… possible—”

The Second Elder’s face was filled with shock. “Wu Lei, your cultivation… it’s terrifying!”

Her Yin technique had backfired upon contact, almost sealing her own power.

The First Elder was startled.

She touched her chest, sensing her calming aura, her expression bewildered. “My cultivation… it hasn’t returned to the Savage Realm? And why is there this warmth within me…”

Then she looked at Lin Tianlu, her eyes wide with disbelief. “This scorching energy… did you infuse it into me, Tianlu?”

Lin Tianlu flexed his hand, his expression strange. “I just wanted to dispel the evil energy within you, First Elder.”

“I never imagined you possessed such power.”

The Second Elder stared at him intently, then glanced at the Ninth Elder, whose expression was surprisingly calm. She looked back at the First Elder and said in a deep voice, “We’ll discuss this later.

Wu Lei, since I can’t seal your cultivation for now, Jingyun and I will keep an eye on you. Tell us where you’ve hidden the Valley Master, so we can rescue her and restore order to the Lunar Valley.”

“There’s no need to trouble yourselves. I’ll bring her back.”

Lin Tianlu smiled and looked towards…

…the altar, still intact amidst the ruins.

“The Valley Master has been there all along.”