Chapter 351: 351: The story of Uncle Autumn Ancestor (Five updates today, asking for monthly tickets + rewards)
Gong Leitian felt a bit embarrassed. Indeed, had his Master fooled him again? He silently clenched his fist, vowing never to listen to his Master’s nonsense again. But soon, he forgot about this vow because that senior uncle told him that this time, his Master was telling the truth. That Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor really was still alive and occasionally came back to the cave mansion to stay.
"Really? When does Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor usually return? Why does Master say he’s never seen Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor?"
"Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor, of course, is out there cultivating. At her level, she can’t just sit in a room meditating; she needs to experience the mundane world, hiding in the city to gain enlightenment and improve. I don’t fully understand the specifics, as I haven’t reached that level yet. It’s just something I’ve heard from others, but generally, that’s the principle."
"You haven’t said when Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor will come back. Why does my Master say he’s never seen her?"
"Child, why are you so anxious? Listen to me explain slowly."
Gong Leitian felt a bit disheartened. How could he not be anxious about this? These old guys loved to say things half-heartedly, dragging things out unnecessarily! Can’t they be a bit more straightforward when doing things?
The more anxious Gong Leitian was, the more Fire Cloud Peak’s senior uncle liked to intentionally drag it out: "Where was I again?"
Gong Leitian felt like crying: "You were saying Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor is cultivating outside..."
"Oh, right, indeed. Ever since her Master and sect brothers ascended, Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor has been practicing outside whether there’s anything to do or not. She’s rarely returned to the Sect. If there are any major events at the Sect, they might notify her, but generally, the Sect Leader does not disturb her. Occasionally, she returns on her own to check on everyone and ask if there’s anything the Sect needs her to do."
"Hmm!"
"You must understand, for people like Uncle Martial Ancestors, time is the least meaningful thing. Meditating for a few years, decades, or even hundreds of years may just pass by. So, it’s not surprising many have only heard of Uncle Autumn Martial Ancestor but have never met her. I’m luckier than your Master; I joined the Sect years earlier, just when Uncle Martial Ancestor happened to want a young disciple to help feed her little demons in the cave mansion. At that time, the Sect Leader recommended me."
Finally getting to the point, Gong Leitian’s eyes widened: "And then? Did you meet Uncle Martial Ancestor?"
After taking a sip of wine, he leisurely said, "I did meet her!"
"What does Uncle Martial Ancestor look like? They all say she hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Is that true?"
"Yes, it’s true, she’s even more beautiful and charismatic than in the portrait!"
"Portrait, how come I’ve never seen a portrait?"
"Of course, you haven’t seen it. Do you think just anyone can see Uncle Martial Ancestor’s portrait? It’s hidden in the Treasure Pavilion, watched by Elders, and you can’t enter unless you’ve reached a certain cultivation or made significant contributions to the Sect..."
Gong Leitian kept this in mind. So, there was a portrait of Uncle Martial Ancestor. He hadn’t seen it because his cultivation wasn’t enough. He had to work harder. And he had to contribute to the Sect, so he could one day meet Uncle Martial Ancestor.
In the years afterward, Gong Leitian worked very hard. His greatest dream was to enter the Treasure Pavilion.
When he was eighteen, his dream finally came true. Due to his outstanding performance during a mission with his Master, he was allowed to enter the Treasure Pavilion to select a treasure as a reward.
Knowing the night beforehand, Gong Leitian was so excited he couldn’t sleep, heading to the Treasure Pavilion with dark circles the next day.
As the doors of the Treasure Pavilion opened for him, white spiritual qi rushed out, instantly refreshing his entire being.
Gong Leitian strode in, and the doors behind him closed. Numerous spiritual lights flickered in the white mist, and even spiritual artifacts actively flew toward him, tempting him to snatch them. Unfortunately, he already had a goal in mind and ignored their presence, walking straight ahead.
And these spiritual artifacts and treasures, upon seeing this boy ignoring them, all rushed in front of him to tease. Who wouldn’t be eager to grab them right away? They finally got another visitor after a long time, but he had no reaction at all, and this only piqued their curiosity more.
The less he reacted, the more they wanted to tease him, and even Half Divine Artifacts came out to join the fun, yet he remained indifferent.
He climbed floor by floor, searching step by step, wanting to see where the cherished portrait of Uncle Martial Ancestor was. By the time he climbed to the third floor, slightly out of breath, he couldn’t help but think: Could that senior uncle have been lying to him? Where in the Treasure Pavilion was Uncle Martial Ancestor’s portrait?
As the Treasure Pavilion floors rose, the spiritual pressure increased. His spiritual power was insufficient, so he had to crawl at the end, and even his body’s blood circuits started to slow as if subjected to severe compression, with circulation blockages causing pain everywhere.
"Senior Uncle, you’re a liar!"
When he could no longer move, he couldn’t help but angrily curse. Unfortunately, by this time, he was so tired that speaking was difficult, and his voice was as soft as a kitten’s.
At this moment, he heard a voice say, "Wow, you’ve got some nerve, kid. You’re almost bleeding from all five orifices, yet you’re still climbing. Do you have a death wish?"
This voice sounded so familiar!
Gong Leitian looked up and saw Fire Cloud Peak’s senior uncle. Wait, wasn’t senior uncle supposed to be guarding the gate? How did he end up in the Treasure Pavilion?
"Senior Uncle, aren’t you guarding the gate anymore?"
His senior uncle smiled mischievously and said, "Guarding the gate is just my side job. My main job is as Elder of the Treasure Pavilion!"
While speaking, he patted Gong Leitian’s back, the spiritual pressure disappeared, and Gong Leitian felt much better. He sat up, nearly crying: "So, everything senior uncle said before was a lie to me?"
"What did I say before? I say a lot of things. How would I know which was a lie?"
Gong Leitian was frustrated: "You said there’s a portrait of Uncle Martial Ancestor in the Treasure Pavilion!"
"It is there; you didn’t see it?"
"No."
"Don’t tell me you climbed to the fifth floor just to find Uncle Martial Ancestor’s portrait?" His senior uncle nearly speechless, "Child, why are you like this..."
"I just wanted to see what Uncle Martial Ancestor looks like, is that not okay?"
"Alright, alright, but..." His senior uncle sighed helplessly, "Even if Uncle Martial Ancestor’s portrait is important, it wouldn’t be kept with the treasures. If you want to see it, just go to the Book Collection Pavilion on the first floor of the Treasure Pavilion, and you’ll find it."
Gong Leitian burst into tears: "Why didn’t you say so earlier?!"
If you’d said it earlier, would he have needed to climb so long? Wouldn’t it have been easier to go straight to the Book Collection Pavilion!
"Alright then, I’ll take you there!" His senior uncle patted Gong Leitian’s shoulder, carried him onto his shoulder, and walked into an array.
"Senior Uncle, you’re pressing against my stomach, it’s uncomfortable!"
"Serves you right! Just deal with it, let’s go!" As soon as he finished speaking, a white light flashed, and they disappeared from the fifth floor of the Treasure Pavilion.
Then, his senior uncle’s exclamation sounded, "Oh no! You finally climbed to the fifth floor and could have selected a good treasure for a weapon, but I forgot to let you choose first!"