Volume 1: The True Dragon of Purple Void – Chapter 24: The Secret That Shall Not Be Revealed

Half a year had passed, and even ordinary people with access to information knew about the “Soul Being.” The stories surrounding it grew increasingly mysterious, with all sorts of claims circulating, not to mention the discussions online.

Basically, there were several viewpoints:

Those representing the official stance claimed the figure was entirely fictional, created by ulterior-motived individuals who linked several “ordinary” cases together to deceive others and gain attention.

Those from the cultivation community were overjoyed, especially since a villain who had a grudge against them had been slain—this was far more than just a moment of satisfaction. As for those who followed dark paths, they tightened controls over their disciples, urging self-defense and living in constant fear. Yet, whether from the righteous or the evil, one common conclusion was that the “Soul Being” must be a master close to the ways of heaven.

Ordinary people were simply delighted. For those commoners and vulnerable groups, the emergence of such an anonymous hero who represented their interests and fought against evil was greatly welcomed. The same was true abroad—otherwise, fictional saviors like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man would not be so popular and widespread.

For those with ulterior motives and those who could not stand the light, there was only constant cursing and anger, along with deep fear and nightmares…

…

After six years, Tianyu finally returned to his long-lost hometown of Nanjing. But instead of going straight home, he went to a property belonging to the Xuanji Sect, where Bu Chan and Xian Yun had been waiting for him for a long time.

In the secret room, when Bu Chan and Xian Yun saw Tianyu, they could hardly believe their eyes. This was not the simple and innocent “little fool” they remembered. At eighteen, Tianyu was already 1.86 meters tall, his muscles bulging with strength, his bronze-colored skin glowing with a subtle radiance. His sharp features, dark gaze, and slightly furrowed brows gave him an appearance that seemed to exude violence, along with a chilling aura of killing intent that made people shudder and avoid looking at him.

Bu Chan and Xian Yun had been prepared, but seeing Tianyu in this state was beyond their acceptance. No matter how well they tried to maintain composure, this was their beloved disciple whom they had trained with so much effort and hope. To see him turned into this by that mad scholar, who went completely against the principles of Buddhism and Taoism they pursued, filled them with anger. They glared angrily at the mad scholar, who, perhaps feeling guilty, even he, usually so proud, could only force a sheepish smile and turn away.

“Elder Master, Second Master, are you both well? Tianyu misses you so much.” It was still Tianyu’s greeting that eased themad scholar’s unease and embarrassment, turning those deadly gazes into gentle ones as they turned toward Tianyu.
“Elder Master, Second Master…” Facing their gazes, Tianyu cried out again, choked with emotion.
Buchan felt the deepest affection for Tianyu and had been separated from him the longest. Even someone as composed as him was deeply moved by the sincere affection Tianyu showed when greeting them, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Xianyun felt the same way, and silence fell over the secret room…
It was themad scholar who first spoke up, brashly saying, “Oh, well, there’s no need for everyone to be so sad. Tianyu is just a bit too aggressive…”
As soon as he said this, he received stern glances from Buchan and Xianyun, causing him to almost choke on his words. After a pause, remembering that he should have asked Tianyu to step back first, he cautiously continued, “Actually, under the guidance of the two masters, Tianyu’s understanding of Zen Buddhism and the foundation of his mindset have not turned toward evil. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he has just begun to embark on the path of killing. On the way back, I used the methods recorded in our Xuanji Sect’s teachings on turning to evil to help him organize his thoughts and overcome his inner demons. This time, I ask the two of you to not only help Tianyu cultivate the protective techniques for this path but also, more importantly, spend some time with him to calm his mind and nurture his heart, preparing him for this practice.”
“mad scholar, can you reveal a little about this ‘path of turning to evil’ of your Xuanji Sect? What exactly is the technique, and what level can one achieve after practicing it?” Xianyun asked, somewhat dissatisfied.
Hearing this, themad scholar stammered, “This is a secret known only within our Xuanji Sect. It’s really hard to disclose. I hope the two of you can understand.”
“What about the consequences? Can’t you at least tell us the outcomes of practicing it and the level one can reach?” Buchan also grew impatient and interjected regardless of propriety.
“Well, I really don’t know much about it. After all, it’s an ancient and rare skill, and few people can master it. But I can assure you that if one succeeds, they should, um, possibly reach a level where they can glimpse the ways of heaven…”
Buchan and Xianyun exchanged a look, their angry expressions communicating silently. Then Xianyun slowly said, “Elder Master, is this a secret room?”
Buchan nodded. “Indeed, it is a secret room!”
“If it’s a secret room, then perhaps we should do something?”

“Well, I agree. Amitabha. But the Buddha said, ‘It cannot be spoken’…”
The mad scholar wasn’t a fool; on the contrary, he was quite sharp. Seeing the two of them lying and casting hostile glances at him, he immediately felt a chill run down his spine. Just as he was about to use the Xuanji Step to flee, Xianyun and Bu Chan had already appeared, blocking the exit…
The next day, the mad scholar looked exhausted. Unusually, he even wore sunglasses when he entered Tianyu’s room. He told Tianyu his plans—to stay with the first master and second master for a while before starting his training.
Tianyu had no objections, but seeing the scholar’s strange appearance, he couldn’t help but ask, “Third master, what’s wrong? You seem so upset, and your face is bruised. What happened?”
The mad scholar, annoyed that Tianyu brought up an irrelevant issue, thought to himself, “It’s all because of you!” So he casually replied, “Oh, nothing. I accidentally bumped into something in a moment of haste…”
Tianyu was puzzled. With the scholar’s cultivation level, even if he had hit steel, he shouldn’t have been hurt. Out of concern, he quickly said, “Then why didn’t you use your cultivation to dispel the bruising? Prolonged bruising under the skin isn’t good!”
The mad scholar didn’t want to argue further. “Oh, I know that. It’s nothing. I’m leaving now. Your first master and the others will be here soon…”
Without waiting for Tianyu’s reply, he hurriedly left. At that moment, the mad scholar felt extremely humiliated. He thought, “I don’t even need to use cultivation to remove bruises! To make matters worse, your first master and second master used their techniques—Arhat Fist, Vajra Finger, Qingfeng Palm, and Pulse-Sealing Hand—on me. The worst part is Xianyun, who took this opportunity to use his unique skill to ‘touch’ my face violently, leaving bruises that won’t go away. There are also painful marks from Bu Chan’s Shaolin Dragon Claw Hand on my back. Just thinking about it makes me want to bite something!”

Ten days later, inside the secret chamber, Tianyu sat in the center, with Bu Chan, Xian Yun, and the Mad Scholar surrounding him in a triangular formation. In front of the Mad Scholar stood an ancient-looking wooden box made of rosewood, without seams or openings. The Mad Scholar solemnly pushed the box toward Tianyu and said, “Tianyu, actually, our sect’s cultivation method for turning to evil has two parts. The first is the booklet I used to guide you last time; after several generations, it is no longer the original version, but what’s written in it remains unchanged. The first part of the booklet explains and introduces this cultivation method, while the second part outlines the prerequisites, conditions, and methods for practicing it. The second part is this wooden box before us. There’s an ancestral rule stating that only those who belong to our sect may open it, so even I have never opened it. I don’t know what’s inside, and that booklet doesn’t mention it either; it only says that the unlocking method can be done with the sect leader’s ring.”

As he spoke, the Mad Scholar took off a jade ring adorned with swirling treasures from his ring finger and handed it to Tianyu, then continued, “I am officially passing this sect leader’s ring to you today. I hope you will carry forward our Xuanji Sect in the future…”

“Enough, enough! Let Tianyu open the box and start practicing right away. You can talk all this nonsense behind closed doors later!” Xian Yun quickly interrupted the Mad Scholar, who was about to go on at length about sect rules like the Three Bonds and Five Constants.

Reluctantly, the Mad Scholar muttered while handing over the ring, “When my master gave me the ring, I listened for three whole hours…”

Tianyu took the ring, aligned its shape and angle with the notch on the box, and placed it in…