Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

The air in the clearing instantly froze. Only the faint, cold wind of the Little Grotto Heaven drifted silently by.

After a long three or four breaths, Hua Wuxin’s white-knuckled grip on his sword hilt slowly relaxed.

His expression was complex. He suddenly clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute, bowed deeply to Chen Li, and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you... Senior."

This reaction took Chen Li by surprise.

He looked to Feng Suiyun, his gaze questioning.

"Senior, please understand. The Seven Kills Ancestor was our master in name only. He led us through the gates of the Martial Dao, and for that kindness, we are not ungrateful. But beyond that, the Cultivation we have today came mostly from our own bitter training and life-or-death struggles. The Ancestor’s ’nurturing’ of us was less a master-disciple inheritance and more like he was raising livestock."

Feng Suiyun explained frankly, "Besides, we martial brothers have long had our suspicions. The Ancestor raised us to the Divine Hall Realm, perhaps... for the sole purpose of one day using an Evil Technique to steal our bodies and extend his own life, or to use us as cultivation fodder. For you to have struck today, Senior, and slain the Ancestor, is no cause for vengeance. On the contrary, you have given us a possible way to survive. For the grace of saving our lives, a word of thanks is only natural."

Chen Li nodded slightly.

Feng Suiyun turned to Hua Wuxin. "Wuxin, please bring the Senior’s two subordinates here. Be sure to treat them with respect."

Hua Wuxin said nothing. With a single movement, he transformed into a faint gray shadow, nearly impossible to track with the naked eye, and shot toward the distant row of stone houses. His Body Technique was uncannily swift.

"Senior, the Ancestor’s personal cave, where he lived and practiced, is located in the mountain wall near the pool by the exit. Please, follow me."

Feng Suiyun made a gesture of invitation toward Chen Li, then took the lead, activating his Body Technique and soaring away.

Chen Li’s figure drifted into the air. Effortlessly, he kept a steady distance of about ten feet behind Feng Suiyun.

Their Body Techniques were incredibly fast. In no time, they had crossed most of the plain and arrived in the depths of the Little Grotto Heaven.

The sound of water grew louder, roaring like thunder.

On the cliff face, a waterfall like a bolt of white silk cascaded from the summit, crashing into a deep pool below and throwing up a sky-high mist.

Behind the waterfall, the mountain wall was faintly visible, concave, as if hiding another world within.

"Senior, the Ancestor’s cave is behind the waterfall."

With that, Feng Suiyun veered and plunged without hesitation into the rushing curtain of water.

With a soft SPLASH, water flew in all directions, and his figure vanished behind the cascade.

Primordial Qi circulated naturally around Chen Li. He took a single step forward and walked into the curtain of water.

The streams of water parted around him, not a single drop touching the hem of his clothes.

Beyond the water curtain, the view opened up dramatically.

Just as expected, a massive natural cavern opened up behind the waterfall, but its entrance was sealed tight by a heavy stone gate that must have weighed thousands of pounds.

The gate’s surface was rough, covered in water stains and moss. Its color was so similar to the surrounding rock wall that it was nearly impossible to spot unless you were right in front of it.

Beside the stone gate, a rust-spotted, square iron table stood against the wall. Its surface was smooth, as if frequently handled.

Feng Suiyun walked to the iron table, gripped its edge with both hands, and let out a low grunt as he slowly put his strength into turning it.

GRIND... CREAK...

The dull sound of a mechanism turning echoed.

As the iron table turned, the heavy stone gate slowly slid to one side, revealing a pitch-black opening.

"Senior, please."

Feng Suiyun entered first.

Chen Li followed.

The stone chamber inside wasn’t large. While spartan, it had all the necessities.

Deeper inside was a simple stone bed covered with an animal hide, a stone table and stools beside it.

On the other side was a crude bookshelf with a few scattered books.

There was even a stove and a water cistern in the corner, among other daily necessities.

Everything was neatly arranged and relatively free of dust.

Chen Li’s gaze swept across the room. ’It seems the Seven Kills Ancestor really did live here.’

He walked over to the bookshelf and casually picked up a few books to flip through.

They were all Martial Arts Secret Manuals, but they were only the most basic External Cultivation Techniques for tempering one’s muscles and bones and building up qi and blood. Out in the Jianghu, they might cause a minor stir, but to Chen Li, they were of little use.

He turned to Feng Suiyun. His gaze was calm, but it carried an invisible pressure. "Are these the ’precious treasures’ of the Seven Kills Ancestor you mentioned?"

As that gaze swept over him, Feng Suiyun felt a chill run up his spine. He quickly explained, "Senior, please understand! This was the only place the Ancestor ever lived. There might be hidden compartments or secret rooms within the cave. The mechanisms are likely quite clever, so it will require a careful search."

Chen Li told him to call Hua Wuxin and the others.

Feng Suiyun went to the cave entrance and let out a long whistle.

Before long, the light at the cave entrance dimmed. Hua Wuxin had arrived, followed by two others: Bai San and Gossip.

Both men were in a wretched state.

Their clothes were ragged and stained with dirt and blood. They both walked with a limp, and the exposed skin on their faces and hands was a mess of purple bruises and scabbed-over cuts.

Bai San was grimacing, clearly in considerable pain.

"Boss, you’re finally here!"

The moment Bai San saw Chen Li, he limped over, his voice thick with indignation. "Boss, you have no idea how vicious these bastards are! They didn’t treat us like human beings at all. The second they dragged us in here, they gave us a brutal beating! Just look! Look!"

He tore open his ragged shirt, revealing a crosshatch of welts on his chest. "They used a leather whip soaked in water... If you hadn’t shown up, Old Bao and I would’ve been done for! These old bones of ours would’ve been left to rot in this godforsaken place!"

Gossip trailed behind him. Though he said nothing, his face was ghastly pale, and even his goatee seemed to droop.

Chen Li’s gaze swept over the injuries on Bai San and Gossip, then shifted to give Feng Suiyun and Hua Wuxin a cold glance.