Shrouding the Heavens

Scattered throughout this area were some mountain villages inhabited by ordinary people, living as neighbors to the Qin Sect. Mischievous children often ran up to the Short Mountains to play, and no one stopped them.

One could say that this declining small sect of just over a hundred people truly had no strict regulations, appearing very lax and not at all like a Hidden Secret Sect.

Are the nine secret arts hidden within this small sect?

The lineage of the Qin Sect’s Head Elder bore the surname Qin, which seemed vastly different from the Cai Clan, with no apparent connection.

The only suspicious aspect was that, despite its decline, this small sect incredibly possessed a history spanning thousands of years. In the mortal world, countless dynasties would have risen and fallen in that time.

The nearby mountain villages had no idea to what era the Qin Sect could be traced; it was so ancient, seemingly having existed since their ancestors’ time.

They don’t bear the Cai surname, yet such a small sect has such a long-standing inheritance…

Ye Fan was very cautious. He spent these days observing and found that, aside from the Southern Vein where Li Xiaoman was, the other eastern, western, and northern branches were similar: they each had masters of the Immortal Platform First Layer Heaven and one or two disciples in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm.

This defied common sense. Even for a top-tier Great Sect, this would be extraordinary. With so few members, how could their young disciples be so powerful and numerous?

Finally, he quietly approached the central main peak, intending to observe the strength of the main sect.

Though referred to as the main peak, it was merely over a thousand meters high, only two or three hundred meters taller than the surrounding Short Mountains. It was devoid of any majestic grandeur or divine, ethereal aura, appearing quite ordinary and commonplace.

It was rather similar to the small Daoist Temple where that old Saint resided—appearing plain and ordinary, yet possessing an air of returning to fundamental simplicity.

Soon, Ye Fan’s heart skipped a beat. He discovered a sovereign sitting in meditation at the Mountain Gate, motionless.

Is this really a small sect? I’ve only just reached the Mountain Gate, and I already encountered a sovereign!

He was astonished. On this Short Mountain was a cluster of buildings. Could there be even more formidable people within, perhaps several sovereigns?

Ye Fan did not get closer. Such individuals possessed extraordinary spiritual perception, and any carelessness could lead to his detection. If not for the golden small lake at his brow having undergone Heavenly Tribulation baptism, which tremendously enhanced his divine sense, and his possession of the Source Heavenly Divine Technique, he would have long been discovered.

This is a Hidden Secret Sect!

Now, he could confirm that this seemingly declining small sect was truly extraordinary, harboring unknown secrets. Though not bearing the Cai surname, it was highly probable that this place held secrets worth investigating.

「 」

In the following days, Ye Fan carefully studied the county and state annals of the region. He discovered that long ago, there was a prominent surname in this locality—Cai.

Unfortunately, it was unclear in which era this clan had migrated en masse, vanishing without a trace.

The former land of the Cai Clan…

Soon after, Ye Fan accidentally found an ancient book in the library of a local prominent family and learned more.

In the extremely distant past, the only prominent surname here was Cai. For unknown reasons, the entire Cai Clan moved away thirty thousand years ago, disappearing completely.

Thirty thousand years ago… wasn’t that the era when, according to legend, the Green Emperor attained his form and achieved enlightenment?

The Cai Clan had lived in Qinling back then, and there was a rumor that the Green Emperor had also originated from this region, his beginnings traced to the Immortal Transformation Pool.

It’s highly probable that the members of the Qin Sect are descendants of the Cai Clan. They’ve returned to their ancestral homeland but under a new guise. However, the Green Emperor passed away ten thousand years ago. What could they possibly still fear?

Ye Fan had not found any trace of Hua Yunfei, but he believed he must be nearby, perhaps even within the Qin Sect.