Riu Xian's pulse hammered in his throat as he pushed through the dense undergrowth, the sounds of the panicked sect fading behind him. The war with the Bright Snow Sect was inevitable, and the Cloudspring Sect's half hearted attempts at defense were laughable. He had no desire to be caught in the crossfire, a nameless casualty in someone else's war. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig under his boots, sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. "I need to get out of here," he muttered under his breath, his eyes darting around, searching for a safe path. "Away from this cursed place."
As if in answer to his desperate plea, a peculiar sight materialized before him. The earth seemed to shimmer and ripple, like the surface of a disturbed pond, and a cave entrance, previously hidden, revealed itself. The opening was dark and mysterious, framed by an ethereal, portal like gate that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light.
Riu Xian stared, dumbstruck. "Is this a secret realm?" he whispered, his voice filled with awe and a touch of trepidation. He'd heard whispers of such places, even in the Murim hidden dimensions, pocket worlds left behind by powerful cultivators. But they were the stuff of legends, not something a lowly outer disciple like him would ever encounter.
"Hah! You don't even know what a secret realm looks like, do you?" a voice scoffed behind him.
Riu Xian whirled around to see Lu Hao, the sect leader's arrogant son, standing there with his two lackeys, Wei and Chen. They had followed him, their fear apparently outweighed by their greed.
Lu Hao strode forward, pushing past Riu Xian with a superior smirk. "Take a good look, you fool," he sneered, his eyes gleaming with avarice. "This is no ordinary secret realm. This is an ancient cave abode. Probably belonged to some high level cultivator, centuries ago. See that gate? It looks like a portal, but it's actually a restriction. And it looks like the restriction has weakened or been lifted somehow."
Riu Xian frowned, his mind racing. "An ancient cave abode? You mean, like, a house? But for a powerful cultivator?" He glanced at the shimmering gate, then back at Lu Hao. "But why is it appearing now? And what kind of restriction?"
Lu Hao ignored him, his attention fixed on the cave entrance. "You, trash!" Lu Hao barked, pointing at Riu Xian. "Go check it out. See if it's safe."
Riu Xian recoiled, taking a step back. "But Young Master," he stammered, feigning terror, "my cultivation is too low. I wouldn't be able to sense any danger. Chen is stronger, surely he would be better suited"
"Silence!" Lu Hao snapped, his impatience growing. "Are you questioning my orders?" He glared at Riu Xian, then turned to Chen. "You, go. And don't disappoint me."
Chen paled, stammering, "M me? But Young Master, what if there are traps, or spirit beasts?"
"Then you'll be the first to find out, won't you?" Lu Hao said with a cruel smile. He shoved Chen towards the entrance. "Go on, don't just stand there."
Chen hesitated, glancing back at Lu Hao with pleading eyes. When he saw no reprieve in his master's gaze, he swallowed hard and slowly approached the shimmering gate. He reached out a trembling hand, then quickly withdrew it. "It's... it's cold," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Lu Hao rolled his eyes. "Just go through it, you idiot!"
Taking a deep breath, Chen closed his eyes and stepped through the gate. He vanished for a moment, then reappeared on the other side, looking stunned. "It's... it's incredible," he called back, his voice filled with awe.
"See?" Lu Hao declared, puffing out his chest. "Nothing to it. Let's go." He pushed past Riu Xian again and strode through the gate, Wei close behind him.
Riu Xian lingered for a moment, a sense of unease settling in his gut. Something about this didn't feel right. If this was the abode of a powerful cultivator, why was it so easy to enter? Why were there no obvious defenses? Still, the lure of the unknown, the possibility of finding something that could aid his escape and increase his strength, was too strong to resist.
"This might be the chance I've been waiting for," he murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the shimmering gate. It pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light, like a beating heart. He took a deep breath and stepped through.
The sight that greeted him on the other side stole the air from his lungs. He had expected a cave, perhaps a simple dwelling. Instead, he found himself in a grand hall, more opulent than any palace he had ever seen, even in the Murim. The floor was made of polished jadestone, smooth and cool beneath his feet, reflecting the faint, ethereal light that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. Intricate carvings adorned every surface, depicting scenes of epic battles and mythical creatures. The air hummed with a residual spiritual energy, faint but still potent, like the lingering scent of a powerful incense.
"By the heavens..." he whispered, his eyes wide with wonder.
Shelves lined the walls, filled with weapons of every shape and size. Some were clearly made from high grade materials, gleaming with an inner light, while others were more ordinary, but still finely crafted. Vials filled with colorful pills, each one pulsing with spiritual energy, sat on display, their contents a mystery.
"Look at this place!" Wei exclaimed, his voice echoing in the vast chamber. "We've struck gold!"
Lu Hao and his lackeys were already rushing around, their eyes wide with greed, grabbing at anything that looked valuable. Chen was stuffing weapons into a large sack, while Wei was carefully examining the vials, a greedy glint in his eyes.
"We're rich!" Chen shouted, his voice filled with glee. "This stuff is worth a fortune!"
Riu Xian, however, remained rooted to the spot, his initial awe replaced by a growing sense of suspicion. "This is too easy," he muttered to himself. "A high level cultivator wouldn't just leave their treasures lying around like this. There should be traps, arrays, guardian beasts... something." He ran his hand over the smooth surface of a nearby table, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings. Everything was too perfect, too accessible.
His gaze drifted towards a room on the far side of the hall, partially hidden behind a curtain of thick, green vines that seemed to have grown naturally over the entrance. The vines were ordinary in appearance, but something about the room beyond drew him in, a faint whisper in the back of his mind.
Ignoring the others, who were too busy plundering the hall to notice him, Riu Xian made his way towards the hidden room. As he approached, he felt a strange pull, a sense of familiarity, as if a part of him recognized this place.
He reached out and gently pushed aside the vines, revealing a simple, yet elegant chamber. In the center of the room, on a raised stone platform, sat an altar. And on that altar rested a single, ancient scroll.
Lu Hao, who had apparently finished looting the main hall, suddenly appeared beside him, his eyes widening when he saw the scroll. "What's this?" he breathed, pushing past Riu Xian without a second thought. He practically leaped towards the altar, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
He snatched the scroll from the pedestal, his hands trembling with excitement. "This is it!" he exclaimed, his voice hoarse with greed. "This is the real treasure!" He unfurled the scroll, his eyes scanning the ancient text. "A cultivation technique! And not just any technique... this is... this is a high grade Foundation Establishment technique! Maybe even supreme grade!"
He turned to Wei and Chen, his eyes blazing with manic energy. "With this," he declared, his voice ringing with newfound power, "I'll be unstoppable! I'll surpass everyone in the sect. Even the elders will bow before me!"
Wei and Chen cheered, their voices filled with awe and envy. But Riu Xian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the scroll, his mind racing. A supreme grade Foundation Establishment technique? Just lying there for anyone to take? It was too good to be true.
"This doesn't make sense," he thought, his brow furrowed. "Why would such a valuable technique be left unguarded? Is it a trap? Or is there something else, something we're missing?"
He took a step closer, his eyes scanning the room, searching for any clue, any hint of what this place truly was. The scroll, the technique... they had to be connected to the sudden appearance of the cave. But how? And why did he feel this strange sense of familiarity, this feeling that he was somehow connected to this place? The technique was calling to him.
"Hey, trash!" Lu Hao's voice, sharp and commanding, cut through his thoughts. "Stop standing there and make yourself useful. Start searching for more treasures. There might be other hidden rooms, or secret compartments. Don't just stand there gaping like an idiot!"
Riu Xian turned to face Lu Hao, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. "Of course, Young Master," he said, his voice calm and steady. "Wouldn't want to miss out on any more... treasures."
As Lu Hao turned back to the scroll, engrossed in his newfound power, Riu Xian's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. "Perhaps Lu Hao is too quick to celebrate," he thought, his eyes gleaming with a newfound determination. "This cave holds more secrets than he realizes. " He had a feeling that this Foundation Establishment technique was meant for him. He had felt a strange pull towards the technique the moment he had set his eyes on it.
While the others were busy celebrating their apparent victory, Riu Xian began to carefully examine the room, his senses on high alert. He would find the truth hidden within this ancient abode. He had to. His instincts told him that his destiny, his very survival, might depend on it.