Chapter Thirty-One: The Great Dark Heaven-Shrouding Veil

Tianyan Sect.

On the heavenly path, at this moment within Tian Lake, if anyone paid close attention, they would surely notice that the entire area had been shrouded in endless darkness. Though it was night, numerous disciples from both the outer and inner halls continued to gather, drawn by curiosity.

Watching the arriving disciples, a frail young man anxiously glanced toward the region engulfed in dark energy, worry etched across his face.

“…I wonder how Senior Brother Tianming is doing now,” Xi Ren murmured softly to himself.

His gaze swept the surroundings, and as if he spotted something, Xi Ren hastily walked over to a young man.

“Senior Brother Chu?”

While Chu Qingchen was anxiously watching the interior of Tian Lake, he seemed to hear someone calling him and quickly turned around.

“…Who are you?” Chu Qingchen looked at the frail disciple in surprise and asked.

“Sorry, Senior Brother Chu,” Xi Ren said quietly, lowering his head and avoiding Chu Qingchen’s gaze.

“Why are you apologizing to me, Junior Brother?” Chu Qingchen’s expression calmed as he looked at Xi Ren in puzzlement.

…

After listening to Xi Ren’s hesitant confession, Chu Qingchen sighed deeply, his face clouded with sorrow.

“This isn’t your fault. The fact that you came here to apologize shows you didn’t do it on purpose. Besides, what’s meant to happen will happen; fate is written in the stars,” Chu Qingchen patted his shoulder and shook his head.

The moment he awoke to discover Tianming missing, Chu Qingchen knew something serious had occurred and promptly reported it to the Elder Pavilion. He hadn’t expected the anomaly here to be related to Tianming. Could it be that this was deliberately targeting him?

At this thought, Chu Qingchen looked inside once more, his worry renewed.

Xi Ren…

Hearing Chu Qingchen’s words, Xi Ren’s face was filled with guilt. If he hadn’t recommended this place, his senior wouldn’t have encountered danger. If only he had stayed inside to cultivate, so much wouldn’t have happened…

Yet Xi Ren knew there were no “if onlys” in this world. All he could do now was pray that his senior brother would emerge unscathed.

…

“Hiss… What on earth is that?”

The dark energy grew ever more intense, and disciple after disciple was drawn to the spectacle, staring in shock at the region enveloped in blackness, gasping in disbelief.

It was utterly terrifying!

Those who arrived later stood bewildered in place.

Just as everyone was at a loss, a slightly chubby disciple stepped forward.

“If my guess is correct… this is a spatial artifact of the dark element!” the chubby young man nodded to the crowd, his face serious.

“What?” As soon as he finished, cries of shock rang out, astonishment and disbelief written on everyone’s faces.

…

The atmosphere immediately seemed to freeze, and no one dared to breathe loudly.

Darkness?

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Anything associated with that word was always an evil thing, and now it appeared within one of the continent’s top sects, Tianyan Sect—what that implied was clear to all.

As a top sect, its reputation was well-earned, supported by formidable ancient arrays capable of annihilating any foe below the Golden Immortal realm should they be activated. The sect was also guarded by powerful Golden Immortal cultivators.

More crucially, though Tianyan Sect belonged to the Central Divine Continent, its location was not actually within the continent itself. It existed in an independent space, carved out by an ancient mighty cultivator. Without the proper token, it was nearly impossible to find the sect’s exact whereabouts.

“What dark artifact? Hmph, let me smash it with a punch!” Suddenly, a burly man strode in from the left, channeling the energy of heaven and earth through his body. He stomped the ground with great force, a surge of flame enveloping his massive fist as he punched toward the ominous region.

But as his flaming fist approached the darkness, it vanished instantly and eerily.

“Wan Lizha, be careful!” a disciple who seemed to be his companion shouted from the crowd.

Hearing his name, Wan Lizha tried to withdraw his fist, only to find his hand trapped as though stuck in a quagmire, impossible to pull free.

“Damn it!”

Feeling his arm go numb, Wan Lizha’s face turned pale, sweat pouring from his forehead. At his cultivation level—first rank Spirit Void—he couldn’t harm that thing in the slightest.

“Quick, cut off your hand!”

At that moment, someone shouted, and many disciples echoed the call.

Wan Lizha immediately raised his hand like a blade, slicing downward with a crimson surge of energy.

Ah!

With a scream, a jet of black blood gushed from the mutilated arm like a fountain, splattering the earth.

“Hiss!” Witnessing this, the disciples’ faces turned pale, inhaling sharply. Some looked at Wan Lizha with admiration—such courage was beyond them.

Some female disciples fared worse, turning away in horror before the arm even fell, some crouching down to retch.

Wan Lizha himself was wracked with pain, his face twisted in agony. Supported by a tall fellow disciple, he finally left, his clenched teeth and bloodied arm revealing the depth of his suffering.

“So this is a spatial artifact of the dark element—how terrifying!”

“Lucky I didn’t act impulsively just now…”

Watching Wan Lizha depart, many shook their heads in exaggerated relief, their eyes wary. Had they attacked, they’d be the ones with severed hands.

…

Elder Pavilion, in the grand hall at the highest level.

The hall was abuzz with discussion…

“Do any of you know what that artifact is?”

“No, I’ve never heard anything like it.”

“Legend says that in ancient times, there existed an incomparably evil artifact, wielded by the Dark Immortal Ku’an. No one knows where he acquired it. He used it to imprison an entire city of ten thousand people; after that, the city vanished without a trace…”

“It’s said that when the artifact is fully activated, it can imprison an entire world and rewrite the laws of heaven and earth. I never thought I’d witness it firsthand—it’s terrifying!” An elderly man with white hair, eyes closed and aura deep, suddenly opened his eyes and spoke.

“That can’t be right. According to you, its power should be much greater than this!”

“True, but it seems to be only a half-broken artifact,” another elder replied.

“Indeed, it is a partial artifact,” the white-haired elder nodded, but worry still furrowed his brow.

Even as a half-remnant, its power was still extraordinary. Only those above the Golden Immortal realm could own such a divine artifact. Even if several Golden Immortals combined their strength, they couldn’t break it unless they entered the shroud and killed its wielder. Otherwise, only cultivators above the Golden Immortal realm could intervene.

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“But wait, according to Elder Six, wasn’t the Great Dark Heaven Shroud said to have vanished a long time ago?” a middle-aged man seated at the end spoke.

“Legend is legend. Do you think anything is stranger than the Black Demon Clan?” Elder Six, the white-haired elder, replied disdainfully.

In truth, they’d already noticed the anomaly at Tian Lake, but had yet to find a solution. If they acted rashly, it would only panic the disciples further. So they chose to wait for the right moment.

…

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Yes, the Black Demon Clan was a mystery. No one knew their origins, nor how they secretly infiltrated every sect. Even Golden Immortal cultivators couldn’t accomplish such feats.

“Alas… what are we to do?” A rough voice echoed through the hall, filled with sorrow.

Hearing this, the dozen or so figures nearby turned to look.

“Yes, and the Sect Master isn’t here either. If only he were, we’d surely turn danger into safety!” an elder, slightly older than middle age, chimed in.

“Everyone, calm yourselves. Just because the Sect Master is absent, does it mean we can’t resolve this?” A white-haired elder stood, his stern gaze sweeping the room.

“Yes, yes!” The others quickly fell silent, embarrassed.

“Elder Three is right. But have you noticed that despite all this, Han Anshan still hasn’t appeared?” A middle-aged man who had been quietly observing spoke.

Everyone looked toward the empty seat at the front.

“…You mean Elder Two?”

Cough cough…

Just then, an extremely elderly man entered from outside, coughing and looking unwell.

“Grand Elder!”

Seeing him, everyone stood with respectful bows.

“With the Sect Master absent, I will temporarily assume command. Does anyone have objections?” The elder’s deep gaze gradually brightened.

His voice was frail, but each word seemed to contain profound wisdom, echoing like ethereal music in every soul.

…

At that moment, an invisible pressure seemed to descend upon their spirits. Though the elder looked frail and sickly, when his eyes opened, it was as if they stood as mere grains in a vast sea of stars.

…

Everyone’s faces changed in astonishment, and they all shook their heads.

“Grand Elder, please speak!” The white-haired elder who had scolded others earlier now addressed him with utmost respect.

Those nearby felt their hearts stirred. Legend had it the Grand Elder was rarely seen, like a hidden dragon. No one expected him to emerge today.

It was said he’d existed since ancient times, living over a thousand years. Though he was the Grand Elder, his status was far above Xiaotianji’s—a relationship like ancestor and descendant. He had served as the sect master for three generations, his cultivation having long reached the tenth rank of Golden Immortal.

Now that he had emerged, could it be he had broken through the tenth rank and attained an even higher realm?

At this moment, everyone couldn’t help but wonder, their anticipation fixed on the Grand Elder.

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