Urban Martial Saint

Within Mount Duwang, the mountains stretch endlessly, with no paths to follow, forcing everyone to blaze their trail while they search.

Du Canglang was unaware of the exact location of the Doomsday Sect, only knowing it was at the mid-mountain of one of these ranges. So, at every mid-mountain point they reached, he would have the Wanyan Family and those foreigners search the mountain for the Gate of the Dead.

These people had ingested Du Canglang’s Meridian Intestine-Breaking Pill and needed to take the antidote at regular intervals every day, or else the pill would take effect. Because of the control the pill provided, Du Canglang was not at all worried about them escaping or finding the Gate of the Dead without returning. Without the antidote, even if they attempted to flee or had any tricks up their sleeves, it would be impossible. Moreover, when one of them returned late and missed taking the antidote, the pill’s poison took hold, causing intense pain to his organs, and he writhed and screamed in agony, witnessed by everyone, which made them even more fearful of the pill’s power and made them obey Du Canglang without any scheming.

With these people helping Du Canglang in his endeavors, he was much more at ease. At every site, he simply awaited as the others naturally scoured the entire mountain to locate the Gate of the Dead. Additionally, they searched thoroughly as Du Canglang promised to help them remove their poison and even teach them a unique skill if they found the sect’s location. For survival, they diligently searched, eager to avoid the agony of the poison.

While they searched for the Gate of the Dead, Du Canglang stayed behind studying the Tianzhu Sword Technique transcribed for him by Ye Qing. Although the Tianzhu Sword Technique seemed simple, it required time to master fully. Especially since Ye Qing provided an altered version, mastering it was no easy task. Clearly, Du Canglang planned to practice the technique in advance so he could wield the Tianzhu Sword immediately upon acquiring it.

Ye Qing and Wen’er did not ingest the Meridian Intestine-Breaking Pill, so he couldn’t let them out of his sight. As a result, Ye Qing and Wen’er stayed with Du Canglang, waiting patiently for the others to look for the Gate of the Dead.

Along the way, Ye Qing plotted how to escape from Du Canglang. However, after past events, Du Canglang was more vigilant against him. Besides, with Wen’er there, even if Ye Qing had a way to escape, taking Wen’er along would complicate things considerably. No matter what, Ye Qing wouldn’t leave her behind.

Ye Qing devised many plans but was unable to execute any of them. Ultimately out of ideas, Ye Qing turned his attention to the Tianzhu Sword Technique like Du Canglang. Ye Qing had memorized the entire technique and studied it silently within his mind. Therefore, throughout this journey, Du Canglang remained oblivious to Ye Qing’s research on the technique, as Du Canglang couldn’t read his thoughts.

Together they journeyed over many mountains, and by the fifth day, they had crossed over a dozen peaks. The deeper they went, the more barren and elevated the terrain became. Along the way, one foreigner got lost and couldn’t return in time, missing the chance to take the antidote, and the meridian pill took its toll twice, resulting in his excruciating death. Witnessing the man’s gruesome demise, the others grew more fearful of the toxin, intensifying their search efforts without any neglect.

By the fifth day, Ye Qing had thoroughly studied the Tianzhu Sword Technique. However, upon mastering it, he realized it was useless to him. The technique required one’s Inner Strength to harmonize with the sword’s power, first making the sword accept one’s strength. Yet, Ye Qing lacked any Inner Strength, rendering him powerless to use the sword’s technique. Thus, even with a complete understanding of the technique, Ye Qing would need to restore his Inner Strength to wield the sword.

Meanwhile, Du Canglang had made some progress with the altered technique over the five days. Clearly, Du Canglang was pleased and more determined than ever to acquire the Tianzhu Sword.

On the morning of the sixth day, they reached a high mountain. As usual, the Wanyan Family and the foreigners dispersed to search for the Gate of the Dead, while Du Canglang stayed behind to study the Tianzhu Sword Technique.

Less than an hour after they left, a man suddenly came running back in a panic. A foreigner came up to Du Canglang and started speaking urgently in a foreign language.

Ye Qing understood what the man was saying—he was telling Du Canglang about a very strange stele blocking his path. No matter what he tried, even attempting to bypass it from afar, he couldn’t get past the stele, which was very peculiar.

Du Canglang couldn’t understand the foreign language but could tell from the man’s agitation that something was up. This mountain was so remote with likely no visitors, and unique features likely related to the Gate of the Dead. So, Du Canglang immediately thought of the sect—the foreigner might’ve found it!

”Take us there!” Du Canglang stood up immediately. Though he couldn’t understand the man, he knew he just needed to see it himself.

The man didn’t understand Du Canglang either but guessed his meaning and led the way. Du Canglang brought Ye Qing and Wen’er along, following the man for about twenty minutes until they arrived at an unusual canyon entrance. The canyon was actually formed by two protruding mountain ridges coming together, with a flat road nearly ten meters wide in between. However, since no one had come here for ages, the road was overgrown with various plants, blocking the path.

Seeing this, Du Canglang was overjoyed. He clapped his hands and said in a deep voice, ”This is the place!”

”Is this the Gate of the Dead?” Ye Qing looked at the canyon, surprised.

”It must be!” Du Canglang replied, ”In Mount Duwang, there’s only one Gate of the Dead, nothing else. This clearly manmade path must be connected to the sect. Who else would clear a path here? The Gate of the Dead must be inside this canyon.”

”Oh.” Ye Qing examined the canyon entrance to find the stele the man mentioned. The man said there was a stele preventing his advance, which Ye Qing found puzzling. Sure enough, there stood a stele at the canyon’s entrance, about three meters tall and one meter wide, with some crooked writing on it, too distant to read.

The foreigner also saw the stele and gestured and shouted to Du Canglang, indicating he couldn’t get past it.

Hearing this, Ye Qing frowned slightly, observing the surroundings. Though the stele was large, it didn’t block the entire canyon. One could easily go around it from either side. Why did the man claim he couldn’t pass the stele?

Du Canglang examined the stele, brow furrowing. After a moment of silence, he led them closer to the canyon, stopping ten meters from the stele.

From there, Ye Qing could finally read the stele and his expression changed, for the writing wasn’t ordinary; it was a language unrecognizable to most. Ye Qing had seen it before and realized it was Taoist Script!

Taoist Script is a language only comprehensible to those well-versed in Taoist teachings, much like Buddhist Texts. Without deep Taoist study, one couldn’t hope to master Taoist Script, even with a lifetime of learning.

To write in Taoist Script, one’s prowess must be considerable, at the very least a master of the Taoist Sect. This suggests the stele was erected by a Taoist adept, blocking the canyon entrance, with an unknown purpose. Its message must be deciphered to understand the stele’s true purpose here.

Du Canglang scrutinized the stele, then looked at the foreigner, signaling him to approach it.

The foreigner mumbled about his previous failed attempts to pass it. But, intimidated by Du Canglang’s might, he attempted again. When he reached the stele, he tried to go around it but upon reaching its edge, could move no further, as if faced with an invisible wall obstructing his path.

The man turned to Du Canglang, gesturing at the barrier, showing he couldn’t proceed.

”What’s going on?” Wen’er asked in a low voice, intrigued by the peculiar situation.

Ye Qing remained calm as he had encountered similar situations before.