Placing the blocks back onto the wall, Chu Yang turned to exit the room via its jade door. As he passed the door into the stone cavern, a blast of icy cold air rushed towards him. At first glance, all seemed usual.
However, Chu Yang knew something had changed. Although he was still in the Nine Shades Congregation Grounds, the aura of the Nine Tribulations Sword had faded away!
Deep within the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds, a cold artefact was buried underground… In Chu Yang's previous life, it was not until he reached the Upper Three Heavens did he discover this secret by accident.
Now that Chu Yang had acquired the Nine Tribulations Swordpoint fragment, he was no longer interested in the artefact that had created the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds.
"Beyond the Heavens Sect can keep this power source for themselves."
Besides, Chu Yang had already absorbed the cold energy that the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds had accrued for decades! Although the Nine Tribulations Sword has absorbed it all, Chu Yang could meld it with his own abilities. There was no difference.
This was one advantage of being the owner of the Nine Tribulations Sword!
Of course, if Beyond the Heavens Sect could not escape destruction one day, Chu Yang would certainly return to procure this unknown artefact that created the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds. He would never let it fall into the hands of others!
Upon stepping out of the compound, Chu Yang was surprised.
Meng Chao Ran was still standing right there with his usual cold demeanour. However, the Sect Master had become a masked man! In fact, he was truly well-covered, exposing only his eyes through two small slits. His eyes seemed to have become smaller and sharper, like those of snakes!
Meng Chao Ran and Wu Yun Liang turned at the same time as Chu Yang walked out. Both felt puzzled and confused. This person definitely felt different from the one who had entered the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds a while back. However, they were unable to describe exactly what the difference was. It was astonishing indeed.
At the same time, Wu Yun Liang's face turned red as he felt Chu Yang scrutinizing him questioningly.
"How did ago?" Meng Chao Ran and Wu Yun Liang asked simultaneously.
Both were feeling extremely anxious as Chu Yang had been inside for six hours!
Usually, other disciples would enter the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds and leave within an hour as the extreme cold energy would freeze them to death had they stayed any longer! When they exit, they would usually appear barely alive, with their whole body shivering uncontrollably and covered in white frost.
Surprisingly, Chu Yang stayed inside the Seven Shades Congregation Grounds for a whopping six hours. In addition, he walked out comfortably as though it was nothing!
The two stared at Chu Yang as if they had just seen a devil in broad daylight.
Seeing the shock in his master and senior uncle's eyes, Chu Yang felt extremely confused. He could not help but felt his own face with his palms. If there was a mirror around, Chu Yang would have grabbed it instantly to see if a flower has grown on his face.
The expressions of the two men were very unusual.
Chu Yang was also unaware how it would be like when people entered Seven Shades Congregation Grounds for the first time.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Is there anything wrong with you?" The two asked at the same time.
"No, not at all." Chu Yang was growing a little more worried.
The two stared at each other. Wu Yun Liang's small eyes turned so big suddenly that they were almost popping out of their sockets!
"Cough... cough... cough! What your senior uncle meant is, how is your Seven Shades Absolute Saint Palm?" Meng Chao Ran asked calmly, after a few dry coughs.
"I haven't tried it yet, but I managed to absorb quite a fair amount of cold energy." Chu Yang answered. "Let me try it out now."
Wu Yun Liang and Meng Chao Ran turned silent. "What did you go in there for?"
Chu Yang activated his internal energy and drew the cold energy stored by the Nine Tribulations Sword in his dantian. The stone cavern immediately became freezing cold. Frost accumulated on his right arm so quickly that it resembled an ice pole.
With one strike, a powerful blast of cold wind shot out from his palms!
Chu Yang had only used thirty percent of his strength!
Wu Yun Liang and Meng Chao Ran's jaws dropped as they stared in shock!
"How could this be? This is level five of the Seven Shades Absolute Saint Palm! This…this is absolutely unbelievable! When he was attempting the Seven Shades Absolute Saint Palm the other day, he was not even at level one yet!"
The sheer power of the freezing blast clearly suggested that Chu Yang was at level five. This was tantamount to the level of a master who had cultivated for decades!
If they realized that Chu Yang was only using a fraction of the cold energy, what would they think?
The two rubbed their eyes in unison. Shocked by his own disciple, Meng Chao Ran quietly pinched Wu Yun Liang's thigh.
Wu Yun Liang yelped in pain. It was a spot that was bruised earlier so the pain was even more unbearable. He jumped about and held his leg.
"So this is not a dream." Meng Chao Ran laughed. He was extremely satisfied with his disciple's marvellous accomplishment.
"You!" Wu Yun Liang glared angrily at Meng Chao Ran, "Don't you have your own legs?"
"I do." Meng Chao Ran replied calmly, "I just wanted to verify if all of this is true."
"But you pinched my thigh at the bruised spot!" Wu Yun Liang yelled angrily.
"We are both so close. Will there be any difference between pinching you or pinching me?" Meng Chao Ran let out a hearty laugh and walked towards Chu Yang. He patted Chu Yang on the shoulder and commended his disciple, "Not bad! You have made me proud!"
Meng Chao Ran had always been cold and indifferent. It was unusual to see him in such high spirits. However, he was so elated at that point in time that he could not control his emotions. Although Wu Yun Liang appeared angry, he was extremely glad to see his junior brother returning back to the way he was when he first entered the sect, lively and cheerful. Wu Yun Liang could not help but laugh in joy as well.
"Since you are able to absorb so much cold energy, I feel a lot more at ease about letting you venture out on your own." Meng Chao Ran smiled at Chu Yang, "When you get to the Iron Cloud, you should still remain cautious and stay low. Never ever be arrogant and meddle unnecessarily in the affairs of others. Especially, not in affairs like 'saving a damsel in distress'. If you can avoid it, please avoid it! You should know that beauty is a source of disaster!"
Chu Yang agreed.
Meng Chao Ran's advice was valuable indeed. The 'hero saves the damsel' and the 'beauty repaying the hero with special favours' was what many young men in the Jiang Hu sought after. However, this was also how many martial artists faced their end.
Anyone taking advantage of a beauty in public had to be a powerful character. If he was not powerful, his family should definitely be so. Anyone provoking beauties without any powerful backing would certainly face death or be exiled to some distant land.
Chu Yang thought to himself, "If I were as gullible as those arrogant young men and foolishly get involved in other's business, then that would certainly be a strange phenomenon."
"I still don't understand how you absorbed so much cold energy." Wu Yun Liang questioned suddenly. His eyes were now wide opened wide as he scrutinized Chu Yang, "You are just a Martial Warrior! Wait, a Martial Warrior?"
Chu Yang asked with large innocent eyes, "What is wrong with being just a Martial Warrior?"
Sect Master Wu Yun Liang was dumbfounded. His eyes became so large that his eyeballs almost fell out of their sockets. He clearly remembered that just a few days back, Chu Yang was only a third grade Martial Pupil. How could he have become a Martial Warrior in a few days' days' time?
There was seriously too much mystery enshrouding surrounding this young man recently.
Moreover, if a first grade Martial Warrior took in so much cold energy, his meridians would have been frozen and shattered to pieces. How could Chu Yang just stand there as though nothing had happened to him at all?
After staring hard at Chu Yang's innocent face for some time, Wu Yun Liang finally rolled his eyes and gave up, "Fine, I shall not pursue any further. I just hope you can resume your mission and get to the Iron Cloud. That would be the best outcome."
"I will not let you down." Chu Yang smiled reassuringly and confidently. His face was full of warmth, sincerity, and innocence.
Wu Yun Liang was speechless. He looked at the kind and honest face again before gritting his teeth and said, "Whoever trusted this face would be an utter fool! If they believe in those 'sincere' words you said, they would certainly be tricked many times over."
Meng Chao Ran simply laughed.