MTLNOVEL Chapter 497: The Mysterious Old Man
Chapter 497: The Mysterious Old Man
Thinking back to Nangong Xiu’s words from earlier in the day, Lin Fengmian felt a pang of emotion and sighed as he sat down at the desk.
Even someone as ruthless as Jun Wuxie had a tender side to him, didn’t he?
Lin Fengmian couldn’t help but imagine Jun Wuxie sitting alone in this study, confiding in his mother’s portrait, sharing his joys and sorrows, his experiences and losses.
What a filial son!
“Brother Wuxie, don’t worry. I’ll take care of your aunt and mother for you. You can concentrate on being a eunuch and a blood slave!”
But soon, Lin Fengmian noticed something strange. Why hadn’t You Yao stopped him from entering?
After spending so much time searching for Jun Wuxie’s soul, he had never heard anything about this.
Moreover, why would paying respect to his mother need to be so secretive?
Was it just to maintain his image?
Frowning, Lin Fengmian walked over to the incense burner and the portrait for a closer look. He decided to imitate Jun Wuxie’s actions.
He took out some incense from the side, lit it, and respectfully placed it in the burner.
Since he had taken on Jun Wuxie’s identity, it was only right to offer some incense to his mother.
As the three incense sticks burned, the smoke curled upward, only to be absorbed by the shrine.
Everything seemed normal, as if Lin Fengmian was thinking too much.
But just as the incense burned out, the ground suddenly opened up, revealing a hidden passage beneath Lin Fengmian’s feet.
Lin Fengmian stared at the dark entrance with a blank expression, silently acknowledging that Jun Wuxie was indeed a clever man.
If it weren’t for him, anyone else would have been too uncomfortable to linger in someone else’s private space, let alone wait for the incense to burn completely.
Lin Fengmian’s curiosity grew. What secret was Jun Wuxie hiding underground that required such secrecy?
He stepped into the underground passage, and as he walked, flames gradually lit up along the walls.
Lin Fengmian entered an underground chamber about ten meters wide. The room was empty except for a single formation.
He recognized it immediately – it was a small teleportation array.
Soon, he found a small teleportation token in Jun Wuxie’s storage ring, activated the array, and teleported away.
When he opened his eyes again, Lin Fengmian found himself in a massive underground cavern.
In the center of the cavern was a huge pool of blood, its pungent metallic smell overwhelming. Surrounding the pool were twelve sinister statues.
“Are these the Twelve Ancestral Witch Statues?”
The cave was circular in shape, with several stone doors leading to different chambers.
Lin Fengmian flew down and opened one of the chambers. Immediately, a foul stench and the smell of blood assaulted his senses.
The floor was stained with blood, and the walls were decorated with human and animal skins, as well as piles of hair. The sight was deeply disturbing.
In the center of the chamber was a large stone table, with vats of various sizes placed around it.
Suppressing his disgust, Lin Fengmian approached the table and looked into one of the vats.
Inside were naked, decaying corpses and various organs, preserved as if they were precious collections.
Even someone as experienced as Lin Fengmian couldn’t help but feel nauseated.
If he had felt even a hint of guilt earlier, it was now replaced by the urge to stab Jun Wuxie a few more times.
This man was a deranged madman!
The stone table was covered with a layer of grease, and next to various tools, there was a notebook.
Lin Fengmian opened it and found detailed records of various forbidden and dark arts.
It seemed that Jun Wuxie wasn’t just torturing these people – he was also conducting experiments on souls and bodies.
“You’re back? I thought you weren’t interested in this?”
A hoarse voice suddenly spoke, startling Lin Fengmian so much that he nearly dropped the notebook.
He turned around to see a gaunt, skeletal old man standing behind him.
The man had thinning hair, a stooped posture, and vulture-like eyes that were piercing and seemed to be able to see through one’s soul.
The old man’s gaze sent a chill down Lin Fengmian’s spine, and he felt a wave of unease.
Lin Fengmian could not sense any life from the old man, and his spiritual sense could not detect him at all.
If not for the fact that he could see the old man with his own eyes, it was as if he didn’t exist.
To reach this level of concealment, the old man had to be at least in the Void Realm!
From his tone, it seemed like this mysterious cavern belonged to him.
Who was this man?
Could he be Jun Wuxie’s master?
The old man narrowed his eyes and let out a sinister chuckle.
“You seem surprised to see me.”
Although Lin Fengmian had his suspicions, he wasn’t sure of the old man’s identity and chose his words carefully.
“Not at all. It’s just that your sudden appearance startled me.”
The old man snorted. “I thought that after your trip to the Heavenly Fiend Hall, you might have forgotten about me, your master.”
Lin Fengmian finally confirmed the old man’s identity-he was indeed Jun Wuxie’s mysterious master!
He bowed respectfully. “A master is like a father for life. Wuxie came to pay his respects to you as soon as he returned.”
The old man sneered. “Good. Remember, everything you have is because of me, and I can take it all away at any time.”
Lin Fengmian’s mind was filled with questions, but he maintained a serious expression on his face. “I dare not forget your kindness, Master.”
The old man nodded calmly. “I heard from You Yao that you used a Spirit Refining Ginseng to rebuild your spiritual roots?”
Lin Fengmian suddenly understood why the Chen family patriarch was only worried about Elder Ming and not You Yao.
You Yao was one of the subordinates of this mysterious old man!
She hadn’t stopped him from entering the study because she already knew its secrets.
Who exactly was this man?
Although his mind was racing, Lin Fengmian kept his composure. “I obtained a spirit-refining ginseng from the Joyful Union Sect and consumed it.”
The old man’s eyes gleamed with a strange light, and he suddenly reached out his hand.
Lin Fengmian felt himself being pulled uncontrollably toward the old man, who then grabbed him by the throat.
Lin Fengmian felt the mysterious mark in his sea of consciousness tremble slightly, as if checking whether it was intact.
At the same time, a cold, sinister energy surged into his body, circulating through him before slowly receding.
The old man tossed Lin Fengmian aside and snorted. “Three spiritual roots? Not bad.”
“But don’t ever act like this on your own again, or else…”
Lin Fengmian gasped for breath, truly shaken. “Yes, Master. I understand.”
This wasn’t an act – he was really scared.
If he hadn’t had that mark, or if his meridians and acupoints hadn’t been in the right condition, the old man would have killed him without hesitation.
The old man spoke with unquestionable authority. “Prepare yourself. You must pass the upcoming selection and participate in the Blood Fiend Trial.”
Lin Fengmian stood up and hesitated. “Master, should I still hide my strength this time?”
Having fought Jun Wuxie, he was certain that Jun Wuxie had been hiding his true power.
That “useless” man was terrifyingly strong for someone at his level.
“No. This time, I want you to make a grand entrance, just like he did back then.”
“Back then, he spent half of his life in obscurity before making a stunning debut.”
The old man’s eyes burned with intensity as he coldly added, “Even if you have to fake it, you must project an aura of invincibility.”