Urban Martial Saint

The Corpse Ghost Dragon sighed and said, ”Back then, for the sake of this Human-shaped Gu, Nalan Yong truly put in a lot of effort. They exchanged for the cultivation method of the Human-shaped Gu. I think the Nalan family must have several people who’ve cultivated it by now, and maybe Nalan Yong has even lived on to this era. Therefore, the strength of the Nalan family should not be underestimated!”

”That being said...” Luan Ping gasped, looking at the Corpse Ghost Dragon, and said tremblingly, ”The Nalan family must still have many hidden masters. Doesn’t that mean their strength far surpasses the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls?”

”Hmph, not necessarily!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon shook his head and said, ”The method I gave them for cultivating the Human-shaped Gu wasn’t complete. Even if they can extend their lifespan, it might not improve their strength by much. Besides, the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls have stood for so many years, do you think it’s just because of the small amount of power they show on the surface?”

”Is there any difference?” Luan Ping asked curiously, ”Do they also have hidden strength?”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon replied, ”To unlock the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, what’s most crucial are the Seven Keys and the Three Maps. These two things have been respectively controlled by the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls for centuries. Over the years, many great forces have tried to seize these items, but in the end, the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls have stood firm. Do you really think it’s that simple?”

”So the hidden strength of the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls is also very strong, then?” Luan Ping muttered with a hint of despair. Having lived for so long, he initially thought his strength was enough to stand unrivaled in the world. However, after coming out, he first lost to the newcomer Helian Tiehua and was later controlled by the Corpse Ghost Dragon. Now, hearing that various large forces have hidden masters, he suddenly realized that his strength was far from sufficient, and his feelings were understandable.

”Whether their strength is strong, that’s hard to say. But...” The Corpse Ghost Dragon glanced at Luan Ping and said solemnly, ”These two forces are respectively supported by Buddhism and Taoism. The Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance were originally established by several martial monks from Xiaolin Temple, and as for the Twelve Green Halls, you should know that Heavenly Master Lin Xuan Yue has been stationed there for over a hundred years. Buddhism and Taoism each hold their own side. How could any other force, no matter how powerful, compete with these two sects of Buddhism and Taoism?”

”I see!” Luan Ping suddenly understood but then immediately questioned, ”But that’s not right. Since Buddhism and Taoism support these two forces, yet over the centuries, the number of times the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls have entered the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates has been few and far between. Often it isn’t even the most powerful individuals who enter. For example, in the previous era, Divine Doctor An Shiping entered the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates while on his deathbed. Could it be that the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls couldn’t stop him?”

”You’re misunderstanding. Buddhist and Taoist support for the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls doesn’t mean they want these forces to become the most powerful, but rather they are striving to maintain a balance. Buddhism talks about causality, Taoism speaks of opportunity, but their purpose is ultimately the same—it’s all about balance.” The Corpse Ghost Dragon said, ”Buddhism and Taoism’s support is primarily to maintain a balance, preventing any single force from becoming dominant. Under their control, they allow those with opportunity to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, which is their ultimate goal. This was also the primary purpose for which Great Sage Guiguzi left the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates back then!”

”Isn’t that just pointless!” Luan Ping scoffed and said, ”They make it sound so noble, but it’s the same in the end. The Taoist Sect is now in decline, and Xiaolin Temple has long been destroyed; they can’t even protect themselves, yet they aim to maintain balance in the world, how laughable!”

The Corpse Ghost Dragon said coldly, ”Hmph, they say it’s for balance, but it’s really just to maintain their own status!”

”What do you mean?” Luan Ping asked curiously.

”Who in this world doesn’t have personal motives? Buddhism and Taoism are the same,” the Corpse Ghost Dragon said, ”They speak of balance, but in reality, it’s about control. Maintaining this balance ensures that no single force can dominate, so any force is inherently at a disadvantage compared to them, and thus the world is in their hands. Haven’t you noticed? For thousands of years, there hasn’t been a Great Saint like Guiguzi arising in the world. This is the result of Buddhism and Taoism maintaining balance. They eliminate the most prominent figures to maintain this balance. The so-called Buddhism and Taoism are the most hypocritical of all!”

”Can such a thing really be true?” Luan Ping was astonished and asked, ”But if Buddhism and Taoism have such personal motives, why don’t they just control the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, preventing outsiders from entering? Why allow outsiders in?”

”That’s the crux of the matter!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon paused and said, ”I’ve heard that back when Great Sage Guiguzi of the Taoist Sect left behind the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, he also left a huge secret. Back then, the top figures of Buddhism and Taoism attempted to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, but after entering, none were able to return. Since then, figures from Buddhism and Taoism have not dared to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates again!”

”How... how could this happen?” Luan Ping asked curiously, ”Guiguzi was a Great Sage of the Taoist Sect. Even if he set up seals within the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, they shouldn’t have been against the Taoist Sect. Why couldn’t the high figures of the Taoist Sect make it out after entering?”

”Who knows!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon shrugged, ”However, I’ve heard that within the tomb of Great Sage Guiguzi of the Taoist Sect is buried a shocking secret. I believe this secret is surely related to the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates. If one could obtain this secret and then enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, they would undoubtedly be able to control it and find the Taoist method of extending life!”

”The tomb of Guiguzi...” Luan Ping gasped, ”I have heard of this tomb. But Guiguzi passed away thousands of years ago and the Great Tomb has never been found. Many suspect whether the tomb truly exists!”

”To open Guiguzi’s tomb, two things are required,” said the Corpse Ghost Dragon solemnly. ”One is the key to open the tomb, and the other is the map of the tomb.”

Luan Ping said, ”I know these two things, but it’s said that in the past, some have gathered them and ventured with large groups to find the tomb of Guiguzi. But since then, they have vanished without a trace. Later generations suspect that the tomb of Guiguzi might be fake and doesn’t exist at all.”

”Hmph, those two items are just for opening the tomb. But, opening the tomb also requires the right timing!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon said coldly, ”Without the timing, even with the map and key, you cannot open Guiguzi’s tomb. On the contrary, since Guiguzi was a Great Sage of the Taoist Sect, the formations he created are against the heavens. If someone rashly breaks in, there’s no way they’ll make it out!”

”Timing? What timing?” Luan Ping asked curiously, ”I’ve never heard of any such timing concept.”

”I learned of this timing purely by chance.” The Corpse Ghost Dragon said, ”Remember, I told you Nalan Yong exchanged a method for a Human-shaped Gu with me for a page of Taoist Incantation? But do you know what that page of Taoist Incantation actually was?”

”What was it?” Luan Ping asked quickly.

It was clear that after the Corpse Ghost Dragon had fed Luan Ping the Heart-stealing Worm, he had fully accepted him as one of his own. Even when discussing these top-secret matters, he didn’t hide anything.

”That page of Taoist Incantation was left by Ancestor Chen Tuan, a top figure of the Taoist Sect from a thousand years ago. It contained some methods for Taoist Longevity Cultivation. Actually, a hundred years ago, I was nearly at the end of my life, but thanks to that page of Taoist Incantation, I managed to live another hundred years. This shows just how wondrous Taoist Secret Techniques are!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon paused and continued, ”However, the most crucial part of that page isn’t the methods for Taoist Longevity Cultivation but rather a hidden secret within it.”

”There’s a hidden secret?” Luan Ping asked, surprised, ”What is this secret?”

”I think even the Nalan family might not have discovered this secret on that page. Otherwise, they would never have given me that page of Taoist Incantation!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon smirked coldly, ”And within that page of Taoist Incantation is recorded a shocking secret about the Great Tomb of Guiguzi!”

”What secret?” Luan Ping asked immediately.

The Corpse Ghost Dragon glanced at Luan Ping and smiled coldly, ”The secret is exactly what I just told you. To enter the Great Tomb of Guiguzi, the map and key alone aren’t enough; you also need the right timing. And this timing is the most crucial part. The map and key are easy to find, but timing isn’t something you can easily come across!”

”So what is this timing?” Luan Ping asked urgently.

”Hahaha...” The Corpse Ghost Dragon laughed, ”This timing is in this era!”

”This era? Why?” Luan Ping asked curiously, ”Could it be that Guiguzi calculated thousands of years ahead and designated this era as the time to open his tomb?”

”Not like that!” The Corpse Ghost Dragon shook his head, ”Guiguzi didn’t set a specific time, just a specific timing. And this timing is during the Era of the Turmoil of the Three Stars of Sirius!”

”Three Stars of Sirius!” Luan Ping gasped, finally understanding why the Corpse Ghost Dragon said it would be in the current era. The Era of the Turmoil of the Three Stars of Sirius is precisely this time!

The Corpse Ghost Dragon glanced at Luan Ping, and said, ”This is also why I sealed myself for thirty years and didn’t fight for it the last time the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates opened. I had to wait for this era!”

”I see...” Luan Ping suddenly understood and was about to speak when suddenly, from the entrance of the Demon Hideout Cave, came a rustling sound.