Chapter 10: Exposed

Chen Ping paused, then added:

“However, the fact that you’ve awakened the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique cannot be exposed for the time being.

Starting today, you will use this secret technique to hide your cultivation and physical traits.”

Chen Ping passed a simple concealment technique to Lin Xiaoyu.

This secret technique was derived from the 《Grand Dao Divine Scripture》.

Although it was simple, when activated with the power of the Grand Dao, it would be extremely difficult to see through unless someone’s cultivation realm was vastly superior to his.

“Yes, Master.” Lin Xiaoyu committed it to memory.

A moment later, the divine aura around her withdrew, and her cultivation was suppressed to around the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Although this speed was still fast, it was at least no longer shockingly earth-shattering.

“Alright.” Chen Ping stretched.

“After tossing and turning all night, I’m going back to catch up on some sleep. You should rest too and consolidate your realm.”

“I’m not tired!” Lin Xiaoyu’s eyes sparkled.

“I want to cultivate a bit longer and test my newly acquired power.”

Seeing her excitement, Chen Ping chuckled and shook his head.

“Do as you wish. But remember, take it step by step. Don’t blow yourself up again.”

“I understand!”

Watching Lin Xiaoyu skip back to her room, a fatherly smile appeared on Chen Ping’s face.

He had truly made the right choice in taking this disciple.

He walked back to his room and shut the door, but he did not go to sleep immediately.

Instead, he took out the Map of Mountains and Rivers.

He unrolled the scroll, which was about three feet long and one foot wide.

Painted upon it were rolling mountains, surging rivers, and vast plains, all so lifelike that it seemed as if a hundred li of mountains and rivers had truly been condensed within.

System, how do I use this Map of Mountains and Rivers? Chen Ping asked in his mind.

【Map of Mountains and Rivers (Imitation): Contains a hundred-li mini-world. Spiritual energy concentration is adjustable, up to ten times that of the outside world. Can store items, trap enemies (limit: Nascent Soul Realm), and be used for cultivation.】

【Note: This map must be activated using Grand Dao power or Primordial Violet Qi. Ordinary spiritual energy cannot drive it.】

Chen Ping’s eyes lit up.

Ten times the spiritual energy concentration?

Can be used for cultivation?

Wasn’t this just a mobile Grotto-Heaven and blessed land^[1]!

With a thought, he injected a wisp of purple-gold Grand Dao Source Power into the map.

The scroll immediately glowed with a faint light, and the mountains and rivers in the painting seemed to come alive, with clouds drifting and water rippling.

Chen Ping tried to project his divine sense inside.

The next moment, he found himself standing amidst green mountains and clear waters.

The sky was azure, and white clouds drifted lazily.

Mountain ranges rolled in the distance, while a river murmured nearby. The air was thick with rich spiritual energy, and a single breath left him feeling completely refreshed.

“This is indeed a good treasure,” Chen Ping praised.

With this Map of Mountains and Rivers, it would be much more convenient for him and Lin Xiaoyu to cultivate in the future.

With ten times the spiritual energy concentration, their cultivation speed could be boosted by at least three to five times!

Furthermore, the space inside the map was vast, allowing them to plant spiritual herbs and raise spiritual beasts to be self-sufficient.

“Once Xiaoyu consolidates her realm, I’ll bring her in here to cultivate,” Chen Ping decided.

He exited the Map of Mountains and Rivers and carefully put the scroll away.

Lying in bed, Chen Ping found himself unable to fall asleep.

Although today’s matter had ended well, it served as a warning.

A divine item like Qingluan Meat had to be administered to Lin Xiaoyu in strictly controlled doses in the future.

They were lucky this time, and with the system’s help, no major disaster had occurred.

“I need to get some basic spiritual herb and spiritual food recipes,” Chen Ping pondered. “The rewards from the system are good, but they’re all too high-grade and not suitable for Xiaoyu’s current level.”

He decided to visit the sect market in a couple of days to buy some cultivation resources suitable for low-level cultivators.

At the same time, he would also gather information about the Blood Fiend Sect.

Since he had promised to help Xiaoyu seek revenge, he had to make some preparations.

Outside the window, the morning sun rose.

A new day had begun.

The legend of Luoxia Peak had only just begun.

However, what the master and disciple did not know was that the recent phenomenon had not been completely hidden from everyone.

The elder leading the Hall of Discipline was named Lu Ya.

On the surface, he seemed to have been fooled by Chen Ping, but in reality, his suspicions had only deepened.

Upon returning to his quarters in the Hall of Discipline, Lu Ya did not sit in meditation to cultivate as he usually did.

Instead, he hurriedly shut the door and began searching eagerly through his simple bookshelf.

“Purple qi rising from the east… ten thousand rays of light… clouds forming a vortex, surging spiritual energy…”

He muttered under his breath, his fingers quickly scanning across rows of yellowed ancient books.

Finally, he stopped in front of a tattered manuscript titled 《Records of Ancient Unique Constitutions》.

With trembling hands, Lu Ya flipped open the pages, examining them closely by the moonlight filtering through the window.

A few crude illustrations were drawn on the pages, accompanied by written annotations.

On one of the pages, a figure was depicted sitting cross-legged, with purple qi descending from above and rays of light surrounding their body.

The text read:

“The Heavenly Dao Divine Physique is a rare sight throughout the ages.

Upon its awakening, purple qi rises thirty thousand li from the east, and ten thousand rays of light illuminate heaven and earth.

Heaven and earth resonate, and all living things offer their respects. The bearer is the darling of the Heavenly Dao, destined to reach the absolute peak…”

Thud.

The book slipped from Lu Ya’s hand and hit the floor.

He froze in place, his expression shifting rapidly from shock to ecstasy, and finally to an uncontrollable greed.

“The Heavenly Dao Divine Physique… it really is the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique…”

Lu Ya muttered to himself, his voice trembling with excitement.

“The darling of heaven and earth… a rare sight throughout the ages…”

He snapped his head up, a flash of madness gleaming in his eyes.

“Chen Ping… Lin Xiaoyu…”

One was the Qingyun Sect’s universally acknowledged trash peak master, stuck at the half-level of Qi Refining for twenty years.

The other was a naive girl with a Heaven-Detested Physique who had only just joined the sect.

These two people – one a disciple possessing the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique, and the other… a master who perhaps held some sort of secret.

“A gift from the heavens… my opportunity has come!” A twisted smile appeared on Lu Ya’s face.

He could already see himself seizing the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique, soaring to greatness from then on, and becoming a genius of the Qingyun Sect, even the entire Southern Region.

He would be revered by tens of thousands, enjoy endless resources, and ultimately ascend to the absolute peak to look down upon all living beings.

Just as he was immersed in this wild fantasy –

A sharp, intense pain suddenly shot through his chest!

“Argh!” Lu Ya groaned, stumbling back and collapsing into a chair.

With trembling hands, he tore open his collar, revealing his chest.

There, a bizarre black mark was clearly branded.

The mark was shaped like a twisted eye, pitch-black all over, with blood-red veins spreading from its edges.

At this moment, it emitted a faint black glow, squirming slightly as if it were alive.

The color instantly drained from Lu Ya’s face, and an unspeakable pain and fear welled up in his eyes.

He clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, his hands balled into tight fists as his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing thin lines of blood.

“No… please, no…” he groaned in agony.

“Give me a little more time… I will definitely find a way…”

The black mark seemed to understand his words; its glow dimmed slightly, and the piercing pain eased a fraction.

Lu Ya collapsed back into his chair, gasping for breath, his entire body drenched in cold sweat.

He looked down at the mark on his chest, his eyes filled with pain and despair.

“The Heavenly Dao Divine Physique… perhaps… perhaps it can neutralize this blood-fiend mark…” Hope rekindled in Lu Ya’s eyes.

He recalled that according to 《Records of Ancient Unique Constitutions》, those with the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique were the darlings of the Heavenly Dao.

The purest power of the Heavenly Dao flowed through their veins, granting them a natural counter to all forms of evil and heresy.

If he could seize Lin Xiaoyu’s Heavenly Dao Divine Physique.

Or even if he only obtained a single drop of her source essence blood^[2], it might be enough to dissolve this damned demonic brand.