Chapter 32: Waterfalls and Secrets

Chapter 32: Waterfalls and Secrets

32

Waterfalls and Secrets

I

Tian Jin set the magical cloud in motion again, except this time, they werent heading straight away, but veering toward the right. After flying for a short while in this new direction, Tian Jin then started reducing their speed and altitude, bringing the cloud closer to the canopy of trees below.

Hao Zhen sat beside Tian Jin, paying close attention to their surroundings. Inside, he was rather conflicted about his decision. By betting on the fact that there was something special about Tian Jins intuition, he was taking a risk, and he normally didnt take risks if he could help it. He didnt speak up or voice his uncertainty, however, choosing to remain silent and keep his thoughts to himself.

Lan Yue sat to Hao Zhens left, and there was a frown on her face. Hao Zhen guessed that she was feeling pretty confused about what was going on, but he didnt offer her an explanation or reason for his decision. He couldnt think of any way of going about that without having to reveal his theory that their reality was like a cultivation novel, and that was a conversation he had already decided to delay.

Thankfully, perhaps because she had just come clean about her identity, Lan Yue wasnt her usual self, so she didnt try to dig too deep into what was going on, nor did she voice any protests.

A short while later, a break appeared in the vast expanse of green around them. Hao Zhen narrowed his eyes, taking in the largest clearing they had come across so far. A large lake occupied most of it. Next to the lake was a steep incline, beyond which a river ran. A large waterfall connected the two bodies of water. The terrain surrounding the clearing was elevated in relation to it, forming a small valley around the lake.

It was late morning, and the sun shone down on the water, the water reflecting its light. Around the bank of the lake, there were some brightly colored plantsand considering some of them were glowing, they were probably of the magical variety.

Had they just stumbled into this clearing while wandering around the forest, Hao Zhen would have liked to spend a few moments just taking in its beauty.

They were there for a reason, however, so Hao Zhen forced himself to focus. More specifically, he focused on the waterfall. It was on the other side of the clearing, opposite them. When you took into consideration how exaggerated the dimensions of everything else in the forest were, the waterfall wasnt particularly tall, but it was definitely wide.

Wide enough to hide a cave behind it.

Hao Zhen narrowed his eyes. Finding a cave or a secret location behind a waterfall wasnt something that only happened in cultivation novels. It was a pretty much ubiquitous trope to the adventure genre as a whole.

Hao Zhen then shifted his attention to the lake. It was also rather common for there to be a secret hidden at the bottom of a lake, but he didnt think that was the case. Not when there was a waterfall nearby. He still kept the possibility in mind, however. Just in case Tian Jins intuition couldnt directly point him to wherever they needed to go and they didnt find anything behind the waterfall.

Its here, Tian Jin said, just as the magical cloud touched the ground. He then jumped onto the grass, Hao Zhen and Lan Yue following suit right after.

To Hao Zhens total lack of surprise, Tian Jin had his gaze fixed on the waterfall.

Sure enough, Hao Zhen thought, before glancing at Lan Yue. She was looking around the lake curiously, paying more attention to the surrounding vegetation.

Its behind the waterfall? Hao Zhen asked, returning his attention to Tian Jin.

Tian Jin nodded his head, still looking ahead. I think so. He then turned back, giving Hao Zhen a confused look. How did you

I guessed, Hao Zhen said, shrugging. He didnt bother coming up with any excuses. If things went according to plan, hed be telling the two of them the truth soon enough, so he didnt see the point in trying to come up with explanations right now.

Hearing them, Lan Yue looked away from the lake, focusing on the waterfall. She stared hard at it before looking at the two of them suspiciously. I dont feel anything.

Tian Jins the one feeling something. Like I said, I was just guessing, Hao Zhen said. He then gave Tian Jin a nod. Lets have a look.

Tian Jin at the lead, they began making their way over to the waterfall.

Hao Zhen had Spiritual Sight activated, but he could see nothing unusual about it. All that he could see was the continuous cascade of clear blue water. The closer they got, the louder the waterfall becamea continuous burble as the water of the river crashed into the lake.

Soon they reached the face of the cliff, from which the waterfall flowed down. The waterfall took up most of the cliff, and they stood close enough to it to be hit by stray splashes of water.

You know what that is?

Yes, Lan Yue said, walking past them to stand right in front of the barrier. She reached out a hand, touching it. Its the strongest sealing schema the sect has. The Radiant Light Imprisonment Talisman was derived from it. She turned back to look at them. Whoever made this barrier was a member of the sect.

Hmm. Hao Zhen looked at the barrier thoughtfully, going over a few possibilities in his head. One of them was that a member of the sect had sealed something behind it for some reasonmost likely a treasure. Another was that an elder of the sect had gone into the cave to practice secluded cultivation to attempt a breakthrough, set up the barrier so that they wouldnt be disturbed, and silently passed away while cultivating.

The second option was far more common than the first, so Hao Zhen was leaning toward it.

First, however, they needed to find some way to get to the other side of the cave, however.

Is there some trick to opening or breaking it? Hao Zhen asked Lan Yue.

There isnt, Lan Yue said. If we had enough time, we could probably attack it until it broke, but its supposed to be able to withstand a barrage of attacks from a seventh-level cultivator, so wed need a lot of time to wear it down. This is odd, however. Only protectors of the sect who specialize in inscriptionery currently know how to inscribe this schema, and as far as I know, none of them have left the sect in decades.

So this barrier is pretty old?

It should be.

Hao Zhen turned to Tian Jin. What do you think?

Considering it was Tian Jins intuition that had led them here, chances were that he was the key to getting through the barrier. He was also the one who knew the most about inscriptions and arrays.

Tian Jin was standing beside them, inspecting the barrier. This doesnt look the sort of schema that can run on ambient spiritual power, so its most likely being powered by spiritual stones. He nodded toward Lan Yue. If it has really been so long since it was set up, and the spiritual stones werent replenished, then the barrier should already be pretty weak. We should be able to bring it down ourselves fairly quickly by attacking it if thats the case, but

Red gauntlets appeared on his fists. He then reached forward and pressed his hands against the barrier. They went right through it.

Around Tian Jins wrists, which were sticking through the barrier, a gap appeared, which became wider and wider until the barrier was gone.

With that, the cave became much darker, the only light source being the dull light from the sun that passed through the waterfall.

I thought that this could also work, Hao Zhen heard Tian Jin speak. He could see a vague, shadowy outline of the boy. Beyond them lay almost absolute darkness.

Not creepy at all, Hao Zhen thought to himself, suddenly a little apprehensive. He quickly activated Spiritual Sight, and the darkness gained a red tinge. He could distinctly see Tian Jins and Lan Yues spiritual auras, though the light that radiated from them, as it was only spiritual, did nothing to brighten up their surroundings.

Hao Zhen directed his attention to the inside of the cave. The most eye-catching thing inside was a sword-shaped spiritual radiation, floating a few feet above the ground, as well as numerous magical symbolsinscriptionson the walls, floor, and ceiling. On the far corner was a small pile of something emanating spiritual radiationspiritual stones, he reckoned.

Hao Zhen relaxed a little. At least it didnt seem like there was someone inside, even if the inscriptions and arrays were a little concerning.

All of a sudden, the cave filled up with light, and Hao Zhen found himself blinking at the sudden change. Turning around, he saw that Lan Yue was now holding some kind of really bright stick in her hand.

Hao Zhen then quickly returned his attention forward, finally seeing the inside of the cave physically.

It was mostly bare. In the corner, as he had guessed, was a pile of spiritual stones. More importantly, however, was whator rather, whosat at the center of the cave: a middle-aged man wearing dark red robes with golden patterns on them, sitting with his legs crossed under him on top of a cushion. The man had his eyes closed, and although he appeared to be meditating, the lack of spiritual aura from him meant he had no soul, so he could only be dead.

On the mans lap was a long, white-bladed sword.

Hao Zhen smirkednot at the corpse, of course, but at the situation.

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