Chapter 1220 - 1217: Seeing a Ghost
"Third Elder, while he was out with a few juniors, sent word back, saying that they encountered a loose cultivator with extraordinary talent. Now the Third Elder is bringing that loose cultivator here, and that's why I've gathered you all — to see the genius that the Third Elder is bringing back."
The Sect Leader was no longer young. The years had given him not only deeper cultivation but also profound wisdom and rich experiences.
The Second Elder nodded slightly and exchanged a look with another person. That person understood immediately and stepped forward, "Sect Leader, although our Puppet Sect has declined, we were once a top-tier sect. I'm afraid this cultivation genius brought back by the Third Elder might be a spy from another sect."
The one speaking was Third Elder, Ouyang Rui.
The others nodded in agreement. A thousand years ago, the Puppet Sect was one of the mightiest sects, ruling the era with its puppetry techniques. But starting a thousand years ago, the sect gradually declined, losing its secret techniques, and it was no longer the glorious sect it once was.
Nowadays, the Puppet Sect bears the name "Puppet," but the puppetry techniques practiced are only the most basic. The elders and disciples within the sect all practice other cultivation techniques. Now, one could say the Puppet Sect only retains its name without any formidable puppetry.
Within the Puppet Sect, there are seven elders, each with considerable cultivation, but the techniques they practice are bizarre and different. The only commonality is barely the low-level puppetry that is of no use.
"Alas, you elders are overthinking it. Our Puppet Sect has been in decline for a thousand years. During this millennium, many have tried to infiltrate us to steal our secret techniques, but..."
At this point, the Sect Leader smiled bitterly, "The puppetry secret techniques were lost a thousand years ago. We don't even know if they still exist. Those spies who come here and our sect won't get anything at all."
All the elders let out bitter smiles, feeling their previous worries were unfounded.
It's not the thieves you fear but the thief's attention, yet their Puppet Sect doesn't even have the capital to attract the thieves' attention.
"Wow, you fat old man, slow down! If you drop me, I won't let it go, I swear."
"Hahaha, fat old man, fly a bit lower! If I fall and don't die, I'd at least break something. Even if you're not scared, I am."
Along the way, Lin Chuan wailed like a ghost and howled like a wolf, almost forgetting himself that he was a powerful cultivator of the Refining God realm, nearly putting himself in the shoes of a Core Formation stage novice.
After half a stick of incense's time, the Puppet Sect's gate finally came into view, and the short, fat elder's speed gradually slowed down.
Along the way, his face was as dark as charcoal, and several times he wanted to throw Lin Chuan down and let him fall to his death. But due to Lin Chuan's remarkable cultivation talent, he had to endure.
"Boy, this is our Puppet Sect's grand entrance. Isn't it impressive?"
Finally on the ground, the short, fat elder tossed Lin Chuan to the ground, boasting proudly.
But Lin Chuan, looking at the dilapidated gate in front of him, swallowed hard and said, "Fat old man, are you sure this is your sect and not the wrong place?"
The half-collapsed gate, desolate wasteland, when looking inside, Lin Chuan saw a large fenced area with chickens and ducks. How could this resemble a cultivator's sect?
Immortal sects are usually built like immortal realms, but the sight before him truly could not associate with such grandeur.
A half-collapsed gate, dilapidated buildings, barren land — these were enough for Lin Chuan to hold back further comments. However, vaguely visible on the so-called Puppet Sect gate were the blurred words "Sky Sword Mountain," almost making Lin Chuan cough up blood.
Where was this the Puppet Sect, clearly it was a place abandoned by "Sky Sword Mountain," picked up cheaply by the Puppet Sect.
He had seen "makeshift," but never something so "makeshift."
Lin Chuan's expression grew complex. If the short, fat elder couldn't see the clue here, then he really lived several hundred years in vain. Immediately, he coughed awkwardly, saying seriously, "A mountain doesn't need to be tall; it becomes sacred if immortals reside there. A body of water doesn't need to be deep; it gains spiritual power if a dragon lives in it. Although this place is rundown, it's..."
Hearing him babble, Lin Chuan finally couldn't help but explode in anger, "Fat old man, I now really suspect you're a con artist. Is this really an immortal sect?"
Lin Chuan, towering over the short, fat elder by a head, pointed at his nose and scolded, "You're at least at the Nascent Soul stage, finding any haven would be better than this dump. Look at your sect, how does it resemble a sect? Puppet Sect, my foot! This clearly says 'Sky Sword Mountain.' I've seen people picking up scraps, but never to the extent you guys have. What a bizarre sight."
The short, fat elder's face turned an intermittent green and purple, not from anger but from embarrassment.
Just as Lin Chuan said, despite being a Nascent Soul cultivator, any half-decent place would be better than this. But seeing this place... Taking a glance at the dilapidation around him, his face turned more blue and purple.
"Hmph, you are so rude. Elder Wei is a senior, how can you speak to him like this?"
"Sister Song is right, you are truly lacking in manners."
"Quickly apologize to Elder Wei, or you won't get dinner tonight."
Three women started to speak up for the short and fat elder. These three had pleasant appearances, though not exceptionally beautiful, looking just about acceptable, and appeared to be around twenty years old with a pure, inexperienced demeanor.
The chubby kid and the tall, thin man both looked uncomfortable.
"Hmph, kid, don't look down on this place just because it seems rundown, there's more to it than meets the eye. Just wait and see."
The short, fat elder grabbed Lin Chuan by the collar and strode into the sect, his face flushed a color that resembled liver.
Held by the short, fat elder, Lin Chuan did not resist. As the saying goes, 'when something abnormal happens, there's usually something strange.' Since arriving at this desolate place, Lin Chuan had felt a growing suspicion in his heart.
A Nascent Soul stage expert from the Maoshan Tao is already considered among the ranks of masters. How could one be living in such a place? Just from this point alone Lin Chuan felt puzzled and wanted to investigate further.
With hurried steps, the short, fat elder tugged Lin Chuan through the mountain gate, striding forward. After a dozen breaths, a bright scene appeared before Lin Chuan's eyes; there was indeed more than met the eye here.
But this so-called hidden place was not a paradise-like scene; rather, it was a row of tidy wooden houses, with vegetation planted around them, creating a stark contrast with the surrounding desolation.
"Is this what you call a hidden place?" Lin Chuan frowned, he really didn't want to further berate the fat old man.
"Of course," the fat old man said. "Do you see that great hall? The Sect Leader and several other elders are waiting for you there. Let me take you there first."
He pointed to the right of the wooden houses, indicating a fairly well-preserved grand palace, which stood alone and conspicuously.
Lin Chuan helplessly brushed off the fat old man's hand grabbing his collar, saying, "Stop pulling me, I'll follow you in myself. I want to see what tricks you can pull."
At this moment, Lin Chuan had no patience for pretense, showing none of the demeanor of a novice at the Core Formation Stage, but rather the air of a seasoned expert. He had secretly decided that if there was nothing inside that piqued his interest, he would leave immediately, refusing to waste any more time with this fat old man.
Striding forward, Lin Chuan followed behind the fat old man, moving swiftly. In just a few breaths, they had approached this solitary palace, while the chubby kid and four others scattered like birds and beasts, nowhere to be seen, having not followed.
The moment they neared the palace door, Lin Chuan's expression suddenly changed, his eyes narrowed, and his steps came to an abrupt halt, as if rooted to the spot, not moving an inch, his True Qi surging like a raging river within.
"Why aren't you moving?" The fat old man was about to push open the palace door when he noticed Lin Chuan's strange behavior, turned around, and asked him.
Lin Chuan looked at the fat old man with a complicated gaze, remaining silent.
The fat old man didn't think much of it. In front of Lin Chuan, he had no more dignity of a Nascent Soul old monster, being purely motivated by affection toward a talent. With a slight exertion of strength in his arms, the heavy palace doors were pushed open.
As the doors opened, a synchronized gaze fell upon Lin Chuan. Inside the hall, all seven people had their eyes fixed on Lin Chuan the moment the doors were opened.
Under the scrutiny of seven gazes, Lin Chuan broke out in a cold sweat, soaking his back, as if a Five Elements Mountain was pressing down on him, unable to move a fraction.
In the hall were seven people, and although they did not come near, Lin Chuan could clearly sense that all seven had higher cultivation levels than himself, seemingly seven great virtual transformation masters.
A sense of crisis suddenly surged in Lin Chuan's heart, and he called out inwardly in distress.
Who would have thought, amid a collapsed mountain gate and a dilapidated palace, there would be seven great virtual transformation masters lurking?
"Elder Wei is back. Where's the genius you mentioned? Bring him in, let me take a good look," the hook-nosed Second Elder spoke impatiently, his gaze already scanning Lin Chuan, letting out a light "hmm" in surprise.
The other five elders and the Sect Master also frowned, their eyes scrutinizing Lin Chuan.
The fat old man was only at the Nascent Soul stage and naturally couldn't see through Lin Chuan's cultivation level. However, the lowest among these seven had a higher realm than Lin Chuan, so they could surely perceive his Refining God Realm cultivation.
"Sect Master, Old Two, Old Three... Old Seven, what's with the staring? Seen a ghost?" The fat old man unceremoniously grabbed Lin Chuan by the collar, intending to drag him inside.
However, when he tried to lift Lin Chuan inside, he found that no matter how much strength he used, Lin Chuan's feet didn't budge from the ground.
"Fat Wei, is this the so-called once-in-a-lifetime genius at only the Core Formation Stage you brought back?"
The Second Elder's face was sullen, his gaze icy cold as he stared at Lin Chuan, with a bone-chilling aura rising from Lin Chuan's feet, shooting straight to the Heavenly Spirit.