Chapter 594: Chapter 290: Nine Treasures: Innate Seal! The Fall of the Top Expert (Part 2)

Some say that the Nine Techniques have profound origins, and can even be traced back to the Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators.

There are even tales claiming that back then, the Nine Heavens Profound Lady descended to the mortal world, bestowed the Talisman Book unto the Yellow Emperor, and with it, thoroughly defeated Jiu Li Chi You. Later, the Yellow Emperor used this Talisman Book to seek the Dao from Guang Chengzi, from which were derived the Nine Immortal Pill Techniques, which have since been passed down through the ages.

The origins of the Nine Great Inner Elixir Methods cannot be verified, yet their mystery and immense power are undoubted.

Over the endless years, how many talents and eccentrics within the Daoist Sect have gone white-haired poring over ancient texts, all to glimpse the secrets of the Nine Techniques!?

"The marvels of the Nine Techniques, I don’t need to say more. You should already know." Ye Jinciao said calmly.

"The Way of Heaven takes from what is in excess to nourish what is lacking... Since ancient times, the Heavenly Dao favors the weak, disdains the strong; if there is one strength, there will be one that counters it."

"Though the Nine Techniques are powerful, there are also Nine Treasures hidden in the world, crafted specifically to counter the Nine Techniques!"

As soon as these words fell, Zhang Fan’s eyes lit up; it was his first time hearing such a thing.

He instinctively looked at the ancient paintings on the rock wall, and the scenes upon them seemed to transform once again.

One of the shadows on the mural had black and white winding behind it, resembling night and day, like something supremely holy or supremely demonic, cradling a Great Seal within its palm.

"Divine Demon Holy Embryo!?"

Zhang Fan vaguely realized that this figure represented one of the Nine Techniques—Divine Demon Holy Embryo. Then, the Great Seal in its hand must be...

"That’s called the Innate Seal!" Ye Jinciao said in a deep voice.

Out of black and white is born the Pill Mother, the Divine Demon brings forth the Holy Embryo

A certain thing forms in complete unity, and it was originally born Innate.

The Primordial Spirit is birthed Innate.

The Divine Demon Holy Embryo exhaustively pursues the secrets of the Primordial Spirit; it turns Postnatal back into Innate, a method of reverse Immortal ascension for the human body.

"The Nine Treasures are not ordinary magical treasures; they themselves cannot be comprehended, just like the Nine Great Inner Elixir Methods..."

"The Innate Seal is one of the Nine Treasures, and it is the nemesis of the Divine Demon Holy Embryo..." Ye Jinciao’s voice became raspy and low.

The Primordial Spirit is Innate; once this Seal appears, it conquers the Divine Demon.

"Innate Seal!?" Zhang Fan mused to himself.

The clues left by Zhao Jie Xuan also pertained to this Seal—in other words, he too was searching for it.

"Zhang the Second spent his whole life searching... Even on his deathbed, he couldn’t let go, always seeking this Great Seal..."

Ye Jinciao’s demeanor was becoming off; a strange smile stretched across his face, his gaze turning a bit insane.

"Pity, even till South Zhang met its ruin, he never managed to find this Great Seal."

The Nine Treasures, just like the Nine Techniques, have their own fated paths in the dark; they cannot be simply seized by human will or effort.

Perhaps that item is simply hidden somewhere in this world, waiting for its true destined owner.

"He died, yet Third Li refused to give up; traversing famous mountains and rivers across the land... Finally, he found a clue..."

Ye Jinciao leaned in close to Zhang Fan’s ear; all at once, a strange scent wafted over, but in the blink of an eye, it turned nauseatingly foul.

"Do you know... do you know where the Innate Seal is most likely to be found?"

"Where!?" Zhang Fan’s eyes darted, turning to Ye Jinciao.

"Zhenwu Mountain!"

Ye Jinciao’s mouth grinned, his wrinkled face squeezing out a bizarre smile that made Zhang Fan’s skin crawl.

"Zhenwu Mountain!?"

Zhang Fan had considered many possibilities, but never expected to hear this name from Ye Jinciao’s lips.

"Chu Chaoran is a really interesting man..."

"When he was young, he was never one for conventional rules—free and unrestrained, lawless, hardly ever associating with the orthodox circles..."

Ye Jinciao changed the subject, suddenly mentioning the Pure Yang Zhenren.

Chu Chaoran’s standing within today’s Daoist Sect is far too lofty, too distant, almost utterly transcendent.

Though physically present in this era, standing in this realm, he cannot be compared to anyone, not even his own peers, as if he belonged to a different world, a different era.

"He’s visited that village of the Wuwei Sect, entered the Dragon Tiger Zhang Family’s ancestral tomb, and has even uncovered the Daoist Temple of Wuwei Sect’s Ancestral Court..."

"Some say, he carries secrets upon him that no one can see."

Ye Jinciao slowly straightened up, moving away from Zhang Fan, yet that crazed smile still hung on his face.

"Some say?" Zhang Fan’s expression grew strange, Chu Chaoran’s visage surfacing in his mind.

"Senior, is the Innate Seal really at Zhenwu Mountain?" Zhang Fan asked for confirmation.

"Back in the day, Third Li named a few places; Zhenwu Mountain was the most likely among them."

Hearing this, Zhang Fan fell silent and didn’t reply.

"Enough—I’m old, need to sleep. You go now."

Ye Jinciao murmured dreamily, pulling Zhang Fan’s thoughts back to the present.

This meeting and conversation had been oddly scattered and cryptic, yet for Zhang Fan, it was tremendously significant.

At the very least, he’d learned what in this world was best able to suppress he and his father—the Innate Seal.

"Senior..."

Zhang Fan bowed, just about to salute, when suddenly Ye Jinciao’s sleeve billowed and a blast of fierce wind erupted, like a giant hand tossing Zhang Fan off a thousand-zhang cliff; then, that wind caught him, with the whistling wind roaring in his ears.

In the next instant, Zhang Fan landed squarely on his butt, tumbling into a daze, right in the middle of Louguan Platform.

"Damn... what the hell..."

Zhang Fan rubbed his sore backside, cursing; luckily his cultivation was at the Great Soldier Realm, otherwise, anyone else would’ve coughed up blood from shattered organs.

"That old bastard..."

Zhang Fan gritted his teeth, about to curse some more to vent, when he looked up and saw Ye Beichen staring at him coldly.

"Old folks just have a strong grip," Zhang Fan forced a laugh.

"Senior..."

"Just leave. I’ve no more words for you." Ye Beichen immediately gave the order to go.

"..."

Zhang Fan gave a little pout; he didn’t really have anything else to say anyway, and besides, this Celestial Master Ye was practically his father’s romantic rival.

"Bah, not even fit to be a romantic rival." Zhang Fan cursed inwardly.

With matters in Chang’an wrapped up, Zhang Fan returned to the Welcome Building, packed his things, brought Lin Jianyue’s Primordial Spirit, and prepared to head home, first returning to Yujing City.

That night, Qi Delong also booked tickets, planning to travel with Zhang Fan.

...

Night fell deep.

Zhongnan Mountain slipped into stillness, the tourists long gone.

A bright moon hung high, its cold light shining on the sheer cliffs.

Whooo...

Suddenly, a mountain breeze wafted by; Ye Jinciao, sitting like a Living Dead, slowly opened his eyes.

Then, his brows twitched; in the bleak nocturnal light, under the chilling moon, he saw a solitary figure standing afar, hands behind his back.

"Who are you? How did you manage to get here?" Ye Jinciao’s eyes flashed in surprise.

With his level of cultivation, he couldn’t discern the other’s origins at all; that person seemed to blend into the shadows, their aura entirely undetectable—truly, a god alone, with will vast as the land.

"Ye Jinciao, you’ve lived long enough, haven’t you?"

At that moment, a cold, distant voice echoed through the nocturnal silence.

From the darkness, that mysterious figure slowly turned around.

...

Late night, Chang’an International Airport.

Zhang Fan and Qi Delong had just checked in, preparing to go through security.

"Brother Fan, Brother Qi, once I’ve strengthened my cultivation, I’ll definitely go visit you guys." Qin Ergou came to see them off.

He’d only just joined, was supposed to stay behind, but Meng Qiwu said a word and brought him out.

"Cultivate well in Zhongnan Mountain; I’m rooting for you."

Zhang Fan patted Qin Ergou on the shoulder, encouraging him.

He had great hopes for Qin Ergou.

"When you get to Yujing, I’ll introduce you to a friend. He’ll definitely like you." Zhang Fan grinned.

"A friend?"

"His name’s Li Yishan."

As he spoke, Zhang Fan turned to Meng Qiwu, saying quietly: "Beauty Meng, I’m entrusting our Ergou to you—please take good care of him, or else..."

"I’ll expose you!"

"..."

"Can you please stop threatening me all the time?" Meng Qiwu gnashed her teeth, just about to explode, when suddenly her phone rang.

She pulled out her phone; a text message popped up.

Meng Qiwu glanced at it, and her face instantly changed.

"What’s wrong?" Zhang Fan saw her expression shift, leaned over, glanced at the screen himself, and his own eyes widened in disbelief.

"Ye Jinciao... is dead!?"