flstandardbreds Chapter 149 The First Exploration of the Dharma
Chapter 149 The First Exploration of the Dharma
"Something happened to the Jiang family?" Ye Shuli frowned, her unease instantly amplified; her worst fears had come true.
She grabbed the person's arm and asked urgently, "What exactly happened? Explain yourself!"
The man, panting, said haltingly, "I...I don't know...I only know...the Jiang family...was attacked by a group of men in black...flames were shooting into the sky...many people...were injured!"
"Damn it!" Ye Shuli cursed under her breath, her heart burning with anger. She knew that the mysterious organization would never let this go!
She turned to look at Jiang Ye, only to find that his face was already ashen, his fists clenched, and his eyes surging with boundless rage.
"Sister Li, I want to go back!" Jiang Ye's voice was deep, like a wild beast about to erupt.
Ye Shuli knew that Jiang Ye cared deeply for his family and must be extremely anxious at this moment, but she knew that the most important thing now was to stay calm.
"Yezi, don't be impulsive! Going back now would be like walking into a trap; their goal might be to lure us there!"
Jiang Ye took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. He knew Ye Shuli was right; he was too weak now, and going back would only cause trouble.
"So what do we do now? Are we just going to stand by and watch them..."
Ye Shuli
"An old hermit?" Jiang Ye was somewhat puzzled, but he knew that Ye Shuli wouldn't make such a claim without reason.
So the two of them didn't delay any longer and immediately set off for the old hermit's secluded place.
They moved through the dense forest, the wind whistling in their ears, the shadows of the trees swaying, and everything around them seemed so eerie and sinister.
Ye Shuli frowned; she felt something was amiss.
Sure enough, they hadn't walked far when they discovered a huge pit beneath their feet. Luckily, Ye Shuli reacted quickly and grabbed Jiang Ye, preventing them from falling in.
"Holy crap! What the hell is this?" Jiang Ye was so scared that his face turned pale, and he almost had a close encounter with the ground.
"Be careful, there's a trap here." Ye Shuli analyzed calmly. She could sense an atmosphere of conspiracy surrounding her, as if fate was preventing her from becoming stronger.
The journey ahead was even more difficult. They encountered all sorts of traps and obstacles, including entangled vines, poisonous fog, and surprise attacks from hidden weapons. Ye Shuli was nearly injured many times, only managing to escape by relying on her rich experience and exceptional skills.
"Damn! Does this old hermit live in a maze? He's so hard to find!" Jiang Ye complained while constantly keeping an eye on his surroundings, feeling like he was about to go crazy.
Ye Shuli pursed her lips, her gaze resolute. No matter what, she was determined to find the old hermit and become stronger!
Because she knew clearly that only when she was strong enough could she protect everything she wanted to protect.
Finally, they arrived at a cave entrance, which was hidden by dense vegetation, making it seem as if the old hermit was inside.
"Finally arrived." Jiang Ye wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a long sigh of relief.
Ye Shuli remained vigilant, looking at the cave in front of her, she felt that something was amiss.
Just then, an old voice suddenly came from inside the cave: "Come in, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Jiang Ye immediately became alert and pulled Ye Shuli behind him. "Who are you?" he asked in a low voice, his tone full of wariness.
Ye Shuli grabbed Jiang Ye's arm, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "Let's go, it's time to see this old friend."
As the two entered the cave, a damp and chilly atmosphere hit them. The cave was dimly lit, with only the winding passages barely visible.
Ye Shuli took out a luminous pearl from her backpack, and its soft light instantly illuminated the surrounding environment.
"Sister Li, your equipment is too complete! You're practically a walking, talking supermarket!" Jiang Ye couldn't help but complain as he looked at Ye Shuli's bulging backpack.
Ye Shuli rolled her eyes at him. "Stop talking nonsense and stick close to me."
The two walked along the passage. The cave was silent, with only the faint sound of their footsteps echoing inside.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from ahead, and then several giant, jet-black spiders darted out of the darkness. Their eyes gleamed with an eerie green light, and their sharp fangs were terrifying.
"Holy crap! What is this thing? Has the spider become a spirit?" Jiang Ye was so frightened that he took a step back and almost bumped into the stone wall behind him.
"Don't panic, they're ghost spiders, controlled by some kind of force." Ye Shuli recognized the species of these spiders at a glance. She quickly took out a few pills from her backpack. "Eat these, they can temporarily shield our presence."
After the two took the pills, the ghost-faced spider indeed lost its target and began to wander aimlessly in the cave.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ye Shuli led Jiang Ye around them and continued forward.
"Sister Li, you're amazing! You're practically a walking encyclopedia!" Jiang Ye's admiration for Ye Shuli was like a surging river, never-ending.
Ye Shuli's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. "Basic stuff, don't be surprised."
They walked for about fifteen minutes, and then a vast cave appeared ahead. In the center of the cave was a huge altar, covered with strange runes that emitted a faint red light.
"This place... is a bit eerie..." Jiang Ye couldn't help but shiver, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Just then, the runes on the altar suddenly lit up, and then a huge black bat flew down from above the altar. It was several times larger than the previous Ghost-faced Spider, with a wingspan of ten meters. Its blood-red eyes stared intently at Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye.
"Holy crap! What is this now? A distant relative of Batman?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but exclaim.
"It's a Bloodwing Bat! Be careful, it's very fast!" Ye Shuli warned.
The bloodwing bat let out a sharp cry and pounced on the two of them.
Ye Shuli reacted quickly, pulling Jiang Ye aside to dodge. The blood-winged bat's sharp claws grazed their clothes, creating a gust of wind.
"Sister Li, this thing is tough to deal with!" Jiang Ye said while dodging the attacks of the Bloodwing Bats.
"Don't be afraid, I have a way." A glint of light flashed in Ye Shuli's eyes as she pulled a silver dagger from her backpack. "Its weakness is its eyes!"
Ye Shuli seized the opportunity, leaped into the air, and the dagger in her hand transformed into a streak of silver light, piercing straight into the blood-winged bat's eye.
The bloodwing bat let out a shrill scream, its massive body crashing heavily to the ground. After struggling for a few moments, it went still.
"Sister Li, you're amazing!" Jiang Ye exclaimed, looking at the Bloodwing Bat lying on the ground.
Ye Shuli sheathed her dagger and clapped her hands. "Easy peasy." She looked around, her gaze falling on the altar. "It seems this is the old hermit's hiding place..." She walked towards the altar, reaching out to touch the runes on it. Suddenly, a powerful force pulled her in...
"Sister Li!" Jiang Ye exclaimed, only to find himself unable to move.
An aged voice rang in his ear: "Young man, don't worry, she's alright..."
The scene before Ye Shuli's eyes distorted for a moment, and when she came to her senses, she found herself in an antique-style room.
In the center of the room sat an elderly man with white hair, exuding an air of otherworldly wisdom; he was the old hermit they were looking for.
“Young man, you are quite good.” The old hermit opened his eyes, a glint of light shining in his cloudy gaze. “You actually managed to find this place. It seems you and I are destined to meet.”
"You flatter me, senior. I was just lucky." Ye Shuli humbly cupped her hands in greeting.
“Luck is also a part of strength.” The old hermit stroked his beard. “However, if you want to receive my inheritance, you still need to pass a test.”
"What kind of test?" Ye Shuli was overjoyed. It seemed that she had really found the right person this time.
"See that stone tablet over there?" The old hermit pointed to a black stone tablet in the corner of the room. "You need to carve your name on it."
Ye Shuli followed the old hermit's gaze and saw that the stone tablet was completely black, with a smooth, mirror-like surface, exuding a mysterious aura.
"That's it?" Ye Shuli thought to herself: Is this old man playing a trick on me?
“Young man, don’t underestimate this stone tablet. It’s no ordinary stone.” The old hermit seemed to see through Ye Shuli’s thoughts and said meaningfully, “Only someone with a sufficiently strong spiritual power can leave a mark on it.”
Jiang Ye finally regained his mobility and ran to Ye Shuli's side, asking with a worried expression, "Sister Li, are you alright?"
Ye Shuli gave him a reassuring look. "It's nothing, just a small matter." She walked to the stone tablet, took a deep breath, concentrated her spiritual power at her fingertips, and slowly carved her name.
"It's done!" Jiang Ye exclaimed excitedly.
The three characters "Ye Shuli" appeared prominently on the stone tablet, shining with golden light.
The old hermit said, "It seems you are the chosen one." He stood up and walked to Ye Shuli. "Young man, I have decided to pass on all my knowledge to you."
Ye Shuli was so excited she almost jumped up. Suppressing her joy, she respectfully bowed to the old hermit, "Thank you, senior!"
"This is what you deserve." The old hermit smiled slightly, and then began to teach Ye Shuli her special cultivation method.
This method is completely different from ordinary cultivation methods. It focuses on the cultivation of mental power, which can be transformed into powerful attack power.
Ye Shuli listened with rapt attention, feeling as if she were a dry sponge, frantically absorbing the sweet rain of knowledge.
Jiang Ye gazed at Ye Shuli with deep affection from the side...
Jiang Ye gazed at Ye Shuli with a tender look that seemed to melt her heart.
This girl has really impressed him!
With a luminous pearl and a silver dagger, anyone who didn't know better would think she was tomb raiding!
However, he likes it!
That wit and courage is something he just can't resist!
He gently stroked Ye Shuli's smooth, long hair, feeling the strands slip through his fingertips, and a surge of pride and love welled up in his heart.
Sister Li, you are my queen!
Ye Shuli felt a warmth in her heart as she felt Jiang Ye's gentle touch.
This guy is quite reliable at critical moments!
She turned around and gave Jiang Ye a sweet smile. That smile, like the warm spring sun, instantly melted Jiang Ye's heart.
A sweet, ambiguous atmosphere filled the air between the two, and the air itself was filled with a romantic scent.
"Ahem..." The old hermit coughed twice at an inopportune moment, breaking the pleasant atmosphere. "Young man, cultivation is the most important thing."
Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye then realized that they had been a bit out of line, and quickly sat up straight and began to seriously study the special method taught by the old hermit.
The method taught by the old hermit was indeed extraordinary. Unlike traditional cultivation methods that focus on absorbing spiritual energy, it emphasizes the cultivation of spiritual power.
The old hermit explained that spiritual power is a mysterious force within the human body that can be transformed into powerful offensive capabilities and even control over all things.
Following the old hermit's instructions, Ye Shuli began to try cultivating.
She closed her eyes, concentrated, and felt the flow of spiritual energy within her body.
At first, she only felt a faint energy flowing through her body, like a trickle, elusive and hard to grasp.
But as she continued to practice, this energy gradually grew stronger, clearer, and more powerful.
Suddenly, Ye Shuli felt her mental energy touch an invisible barrier. This barrier was incredibly hard, like an impenetrable fortress, preventing her mental energy from advancing any further.
She tried to break through the barrier with stronger mental power, but the result surprised her.
The barrier was not broken; instead, it rebounded her mental energy, and a sharp pain instantly spread throughout her body, causing her to groan involuntarily.
"What happened?" Jiang Ye asked anxiously as he stepped forward upon seeing the situation.
Ye Shuli shook her head, her face pale. "I don't know either. It feels like I touched some taboo..."
The old hermit's expression also turned solemn. "It seems there's an even greater secret hidden behind this method..." He gazed intently at Ye Shuli and slowly said, "Child, are you ready? This secret might change your destiny..."