Book 3 Chapter 3: The Cave - Martial God

### Chapter 3: The Cave The dome above was shrouded in mist, with countless bizarre stalactites hanging down. A large part of these rocks was transparent or mixed with various colors. Under the sunlight, they appeared brilliantly colorful, making the cave seem like a mythical palace of jade and ivory. He Yiming was dumbfounded, marveling at this wondrous cave, overwhelmed with emotions. When he expressed his desire to learn the art of alchemy, Yaodao Ren agreed without the slightest hesitation—almost as if he were eager for such a request. From his expression, He Yiming even caught a hint of undisguised joy. For such a request, Yaodao Ren seemed more than willing. Thereafter, Yaodao Ren led them into the cave, a place previously sealed yet uninhabited within. Everything inside this cave greatly expanded He Yiming's horizons, particularly the main hall, which had innumerable skylights of varying sizes. Through them, the sunlight poured in, illuminating the wondrous stones with a dreamlike glow. He Wude sighed deeply, "Forty years... I never imagined I would have the chance to enter here again." He Laibao also nodded heavily. Though he remained silent, his eyes betrayed a profound sense of nostalgia no less than He Wude's. Finally, He Yiming drew his gaze from the colorful lights above. He looked around the rest of the cave, wherein there were surprisingly five or six more cave entrances, clearly leading to deeper places. His face shifted slightly—a shiver of awe. The sheer scale of this cave alone made him wonder how much manpower and resources might have been required to construct it. Yaodao Ren stood next to He Yiming with a smile, saying, "Elder He, what do you think of my cave?" He Yiming sincerely replied, "Remarkable." These three simple words succinctly conveyed his shock and admiration, causing Yaodao Ren’s face to momentarily show a proud smile, clearly pleased. Suddenly, He Yiming asked, "Elder Yao, how did you manage to construct such a vast cave?" He asked this question filled with curiosity. If such a cave were built purely by human effort, it would be almost inconceivable. Even with his mighty guandao, he might carve out something of similar size, but where did those strange rocks come from? And considering the tremendous size of the cave, it felt as if the entire mountain had been hollowed out, yet it gave an impression of extraordinary sturdiness. Combining all these extraordinary aspects, even He Yiming, a grandmaster in martial arts, felt a deep sense of incredulity. Yaodao Ren's smile froze for a moment, then he let out a bitter smile, saying, "Elder He, you jest. Such a cave couldn't possibly have been built by me." He Yiming paused momentarily, "Could it have been done by a predecessor of the Hengshan line?" Yaodao Ren hesitated briefly, then helplessly said, "This cave was indeed discovered by the founding ancestor of the Hengshan lineage." He Yiming, eyes widening with surprise, exclaimed, "Discovered?" "Yes," Yaodao Ren affirmed. "The founder of the Hengshan lineage discovered several grand caves in these mountains and decided to establish the sect here." He Yiming’s eyes were filled with astonishment as he glanced around once more, "Were all these caves naturally formed?" Yaodao Ren shook his head slightly, "I do not know. These caves might be natural formations, or they could have been excavated by an ancient master." A flash of awe crossed He Yiming's eyes. If this cave was naturally formed, so be it, but if it were man-made, what kind of power would be required to complete such a colossal project? In the main hall were five stone doors. Yaodao Ren casually approached the first one on the left and gently pushed it open. He Yiming's eyes flickered as he quickly absorbed the environment within the cave. This particular cave was an alchemy room with an area of several hundred square meters. The setup was similar to the alchemy room he had seen at the Xie household, but there was something in this room that immediately seized everyone's attention. In the center of the room stood a copper cauldron, about half a person tall. It was not very large but exuded a stark antiquity; the carvings on its surface were unlike anything He Yiming had ever seen. As his gaze swept over it, he instantly determined that this cauldron was certainly not a product of this era, nor of the northwest region. Beneath the cauldron was a peculiar tower-like object, dark and unimpressive. Yet somehow, He Yiming sensed an odd feeling—it had an extraordinary origin. Yaodao Ren glanced around with pride and said, "This is one of the five alchemy rooms at Yaofeng Peak. Although there are only five such rooms at our Hengshan, they are already quite renowned among the sects in the northwest." He Yiming raised his eyebrows lightly, asking, "Elder Yao, what’s so special about this place?" Yaodao Ren nodded slightly, stepped forward to the copper cauldron in the center, extended his hand, and gave the tower-like object beneath the cauldron a gentle tap. It was unclear what mechanism he activated, but the top of the tower suddenly retracted, as if the top floor was sinking into the second, giving rise to an inexplicable eerie feeling. Abruptly, a red light shot out from the opening. When the red light emerged, it brought with it a scorching aura, painting the entire alchemy room in a faint shade of red. He Yiming stepped forward hesitantly, observing cautiously, only to see that all was glowing red within the opening, accompanied by a soft, spine-chilling sound. He had no idea what this noise was, but he sensed that beneath this tower-like object was some kind of powerful energy—a natural force of some sort. He had sensed similar energy from Cheng Fu and Yaodao Ren, but when compared with this natural force below, theirs were mere drops in the ocean. Suddenly, he vaguely felt that Yaodao Ren’s fire energy was comprehended from this underlying force. This was akin to a slow but steady method of cultivation. While it lacked the spectacle of sudden enlightenment, prolonged exposure allowed one’s body to gradually become attuned to this energy and slowly integrate it into one's own cultivation. Although this cultivation method wasn’t as thrilling as instant enlightenment, it excelled in its subtlety. While a triple jump could cover distance quickly, when it came to leaving footprints, it could not compare to carefully placed steps. In He Yiming's heart, he swiftly compared Cheng Fu and Elder Yao, finally reaching the conclusion that if the two met and fought, Cheng Fu’s chances of victory would be slim. Pointing to the red light, Yaodao Ren said, "Beneath the cluster of peaks of our Hengshan lineage lies the fire from the earth’s core. During the refining of precious elixirs at Yaofeng Peak, we utilize the core fire, increasing the success rate of the elixirs by at least ten percent." He Yiming nodded slightly, asking, "What are these tower-like objects?" "They are a peculiar metal, resistant even to the core fire's melt, ideal for isolating the ground fire, allowing us precise control of the heat during alchemy." Yaodao Ren said, lightly tapping the tower-like object several times. The nine-tiered tower gradually emerged layer by layer, eventually sealing off all the red color. The temperature in the alchemy room gradually cooled down once more. He Yiming’s eyes shone with fascination. He never imagined witnessing such an extraordinary scene. The vast power of a lineage passed down through thousands of years was indeed beyond his wildest imagination. "Elder Yao, what kind of metal is this, to possess such astonishing abilities?" He Yiming asked, curiously. After pondering briefly, Elder Yao replied, "I only remember it being called some kind of alloy, but beyond that, I’m not sure." "Was it the work of previous masters of Hengshan?" Yaodao Ren smiled wryly, "Ever since I joined Hengshan, these things have been here. Whether they were crafted by the first ancestor or were here all along, no one knows." He Yiming was intrigued, "Is there no record in the sect's annals?" Yaodao Ren shook his head slightly and said, "I once had my doubts about this, but after searching through all the sect’s books, I found no records about it." He then laughed, "But eventually, I came to terms with it. Since this thing is so useful, I'll just keep using it. How it came here has little to do with me as an alchemist. Unless, of course, one expects me to switch professions and become a tool refiner." He Yiming couldn't help but laugh. Yaodao Ren’s words were practical indeed. Pursuing too many interests often results in achieving none, a common tale that Yaodao Ren was wise enough not to follow. Yaodao Ren gently caressed the copper cauldron, speaking softly, "Each of the five alchemy rooms has a copper cauldron like this. They are at least five hundred years old and treasures from the eastern continent, the most cherished possessions in an alchemist's eyes." He Yiming felt a stir in his heart, asking, "The Great Shen Empire?" Yaodao Ren nodded, "Some were made by the Great Shen Empire, but the two oldest were forged in the predecessor dynasty." He Yiming gazed at the copper cauldron, filled with awe. These items had a history spanning hundreds to thousands of years, yet they remained unscathed after all that time under the burning ground fire. This durability alone spoke volumes about their value. "Elder He, since you're interested in learning alchemy, I shall teach you without reservation," Yaodao Ren sincerely proposed. "Our Hengshan lineage is at a critical juncture. My Yaofeng Peak is no exception. If you master alchemy, I’d willingly hand it over to you." He Yiming was startled and hastily replied, "Elder Yao, please don't misunderstand. I have no intention of taking over Yaofeng Peak." Yaodao Ren laughed heartily and said, "There are no outsiders here, so I can speak candidly." He paused, his expression growing serious, "Elder He, ten years ago, we sensed a great crisis. It's been sixty years since a new innate expert emerged in Hengshan." He Yiming glanced at his grandfather, noticing the same confusion in He Wude’s eyes, clearly unaware of this internal matter. Yaodao Ren shook his head lightly, "For sects with thousands of years of inheritance, innate grandmasters are crucial. If the number of innate grandmasters falls below three, it invites covetousness from others, leading to unforeseen calamities." He Yiming was secretly startled but, recalling the copper cauldron and the mysterious tower-like artifact beneath it, as well as the thousands-year-old medicinal garden, he began to believe Yaodao Ren’s words more. If he knew that a small family near Hejia Village possessed such rich reserves, he too, would feel tempted. It's human nature's greed. Even if he wouldn’t act, he couldn’t guarantee others wouldn’t. With such wonderful resources, if Hengshan were slightly weaker, it might face destruction from rival innate strongmen. Yaodao Ren said gravely, "Over a hundred years ago, we had an innate golden pellet. But sixty years ago, after Elder Yu Hongbing passed, the grand elder customarily used it to promote Elder Yu Xichen as one of the three grand elders." He sighed, "But that was our last golden pellet. Since then, despite our efforts to find a 500-year-old innate spirit beast, in decades, we only found one, and although we got its neidan... unfortunately..." He glanced at He Wude, regret filling his eyes. He Wude blushed, looking awkward. He Yiming chuckled and said, "Elder Yao, if that golden pellet were made successfully back then, there’d be no He Yiming or these two mutated neidans today." Yaodao Ren momentarily paused before laughing aloud, "Indeed, you're right." He brushed away the look of regret and said, "Innate grandmasters are the key to a sect's continuity, and the number of innate golden pellets guarantees longevity. After using the last golden pellet, we scoured for spirit beast intel and trained the young disciples. Yet for decades, we've found no trace of innate spirit beasts, nor do disciples show hope of breaking into innateness." His gaze turned serious, "We are aging; it’s been sixty years. I am over 150, even the youngest Elder Yu is past 120. More worryingly, both the grand elder and Brother Zhang are getting on in years. In a few decades, if no one else reaches innateness..." Though he left the consequence unsaid, He Yiming and the others understood. He Wude sighed, "Master, when I heard senior brothers and the elders left the mountain, I suspected, but dared not inquire since I’m not formally readmitted to the sect. Now I know—they are out searching for innate spirit beasts." Yaodao Ren nodded gently. Despite his youthful appearance, he naturally exuded the elder’s demeanor before He Wude and others, without any awkwardness. "Wude is correct. Our only chance is to delve into the mountains, seeking spirit beasts’ traces. If the ancestors bless us, perhaps we’ll gain something." Yaodao Ren suddenly smiled, "However, the ancestors indeed watched over us. When the sect faced a talent drought, not only did Elder He join us, but he also brought two innate neidans. This amounts to gaining two innate grandmasters, ensuring at least a century’s safety." He Wuji stepped forward, "Master, what's even more joyful is Elder He’s keen interest in alchemy. So Yaofeng Peak has its successor." Yaodao Ren’s face lit with joy but then sighed, "Pity Elder He’s practice doesn’t align with the firewood path. Though he can refine pills, advancing far on this path will be... more challenging." He Yiming shared a wry smile, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Yao." Yaodao Ren waved it off, "Elder He, given your interest in alchemy, how much do you understand about the way of pills?" He Yiming quickly revived his spirit, openly sharing his knowledge acquired from the Xie family. Yaodao Ren shook his head slightly, "Wude, you’ve learned alchemy artfully under my tutelage for decades, yet your knowledge transmission needs improvement." He Wude blushed slightly, "Master, I did not teach Yiming alchemy." He took a deep breath, sincerely saying, "Without your consent, I dare not pass it on arbitrarily." Yaodao Ren glanced over, relieved. He Yiming clarified, "It’s true. I learned alchemy from the Xie family in Fire Wu Country." Yaodao Ren understood and, after some thought, took out a token, handing it to He Yiming, "Elder He, to study alchemy truly, one should start with the basics. Though Yaofeng Peak’s garden is small, it grows exquisite herbs. Wude, show Elder He the herbs both in the garden and the nearby mountain, familiarize him first. Then, I'll impart the alchemy way." He Wude agreed promptly, then with He Laibao, took their leave with He Yiming. After they were gone for a while, Yaodao Ren seemed to remember something, "Wu Jin, Elder He is Wude’s grandson. How old is he?" Considering He Yiming’s youthful appearance made Yaodao Ren skeptical. Wu Jin smiled wryly, "Master, with the new year in two months, Elder He will turn seventeen after celebrating." Yaodao Ren’s eyes slowly widened in disbelief. After a long pause, he murmured, "Sixteen... could it be that the ancestors truly blessed us, that our lineage at Hengshan might produce another unparalleled talent?"