Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Book 2: Chapter 20: Sealed Wintry Gate

The Heaven Martial hidden realm boasted an abundance of fortuitous encounters, but its true allure lay in the remnants concealed within its depths. Rumoured to be the ruins of ancient sects, these remnants were said to be the most rewarding locations in the hidden realm.

Speculation circulated about the unknown number of discovered remnants, with each resembling the once-thriving abode of a sect. Strikingly, the hidden realm seemed to harbour only the ruins of these sects, their origins and the causes of their demise shrouded in mystery.

What was universally known, however, was that these remnants served as pristine repositories for all the spiritual treasures the sects once possessed. Cultivation methods, spiritual techniques, pills, equipment, arrays, and talismans—all were perfectly preserved within these remnants.

With each discovery of a sect remnant, a cascade of rewards awaited those who ventured into the hidden realm.

In the race for treasures within the Heaven Martial hidden realm, Abhijñā realm cultivators sought the most coveted rewards, aiming for treasures of the barren grade or even higher. Meanwhile, the more mundane spiritual items were left for the weaker contenders.

Being early to the scene didn’t necessarily guarantee greater spoils. The sects’ ruins were fortified by formidable arrays that, even after millennia, required the collaborative efforts of a significant number of individuals to breach.

This logistical challenge fueled the swift dissemination of information in the preceding days, attracting a massive gathering of over a hundred thousand cultivators to the snowy valley. The scene reminded Murong Lin of a similar congregation when a remnant appeared outside South Village City.

Positioned at the forefront, Murong Lin, with a fan in his hand, observed the crowd working in unison to dismantle the blue barrier before them.

“Channel more power! This array is on the verge of breaking!”

“Cease using sorceries! Their efficacy is too low! Rely on physical attacks!”

The jubilant crowd encircled nearly half of the expansive array, their attacks bombarding it from every angle, spanning over a mile. Some soared through the air, manipulating their spiritual items with precision. It wasn’t long before the great array teetered on the brink of shattering.

“It’s about to happen! The break is imminent!”

Eager eyes fixated on the crumbling array, individuals poised to charge in the moment the barrier gave way.

Outside the array, more people continued to gather, drawn by the promise of the treasures within.

At the pinnacle of the spectacle, a small flying ship adorned with the emblem of a six-sided snowflake—the insignia of the Dayue nation—hovered. Within its confines, the Abhijñā realm cultivator, Yue Long Teng, presided. Accompanying him were Zhou Xuan Tong and two other Abhijñā realm cultivators.

They had been aware of this remnant’s emergence well in advance, as disciples from their influential forces had documented its existence five years ago. This foreknowledge prompted them to rush toward the snowy valley without pause, forsaking any other opportunities along the way.

In the current gathering, the four of them formed the most formidable alliance, representing the pinnacle of combat power in the vicinity. Observing the array on the brink of collapse, Yue Long Teng spoke with a hint of joy, “Given that there are only four of us, I’ll claim any ice-attributed spiritual items we find later!”

His eagerness stemmed from the fact that they were in a snowy valley—a clear indication that this sect had an ice attribute.

Zhou Xuan Tong readily agreed, saying, “Certainly, and I’ll take the thunder-attributed ones.”

The two other Abhijñā realm cultivators exchanged glances before one declared, “I cultivate the flame attribute.”

“And I specialize in poison,” added the other.

While being an expert in the Abhijñā realm meant that they possessed the ability to awaken ‘Abhijñā,’ not everyone could achieve this remarkable feat. The majority relied on their Intent realm to awaken Abhijñās, but there were exceptions—individuals who used their Intent realms to enhance their Abhijñās. However, the latter was notably weaker than the former.

The pursuit of Abhijñā often led individuals to deliberately suppress their strength, delaying their breakthroughs to the peak of the Cognizance realm. This strategic delay aimed to prioritize awakening their own Abhijñās, a critical step for advancing into the Abhijñā realm.

Such a path ensured a solid foundation and positioned them as formidable contenders in the Abhijñā realm.

Among the quartet, Zhou Xuan Tong and Yue Long Teng had successfully awakened their Abhijñās, cementing their status as powerful cultivators. The other two, although having only haphazardly awakened their Intent realms, stood as competent cultivators in their own right.

Zhou Xuan Tong concurred, “Given the absence of conflicts so far, we’ll let these people break the array first.”

Their gaze descended upon the excited crowd below, a trace of mockery evident in their expressions.

To them, the individuals beneath were nothing more than tools. While they currently required assistance to breach the array, once accomplished, they had no intention of leaving anything for the masses to scavenge.

“Hah, I wonder what kinds of mechanisms lie within. Let these people test them first.”

Yue Long Teng nodded in agreement.

Though arrays presented the primary obstacle to accessing the sects’ ruins, the interiors were fraught with various mechanisms. While some sects might abstain from such safeguards, there was no guarantee that this sect would follow suit.

Thus, their cautious approach was well-founded.

Positioned outside their flying ship, several individuals observed the unfolding events below. Upon spotting a particular figure, a few hurriedly reported to those within, “Young master! That kid appeared! The woman is by his side as well!”

Instantly, one of the seated individuals sprang to his feet with great fury—it was Zhou Xuan Zi.

He strode toward the side of the flying ship, fixating his gaze on Luo Miao Miao and Xiao Dong below. “Go and kill him! Then, capture Luo Miao Miao and bring her to me!”

In the Heaven Martial hidden realm, devoid of elders, Zhou Xuan Zi’s actions were marked by audacity.

His men hesitated for a moment before stammering, “But, but the eldest young master hasn’t permitted us to attack! Furthermore, he said that you are not permitted to be more than ten feet away from him…”

Zhou Xuan Zi, a mix of anger and shame on his face, snapped, “I don’t care! Will you listen to him, or will you listen to me? Send a few people to follow them, and have them strike when the opportunity arises!

Also, I will double the bounty! Whoever can kill them both will be rewarded with twenty higher Sky grade spiritual items!”

His extravagant offer left his men with no choice but to nod in agreement.

Meanwhile, the resonating sounds of shattering reached their ears, diverting their attention. All eyes, including Zhou Xuan Zi, who momentarily diverted his gaze from Xiao Dong.

The once-protective blue barrier shattered, its fragments dissipating into the air, and a surge of potent spiritual power flowed through the crowd. T

his concentration of spiritual power, harnessed by the sect’s great array, surpassed that of the outside world at least sixfold. In certain areas within the remnant, the concentration could exceed tenfold the norm.

Astonishingly, even after a millennium, the spiritual power within the sect’s remnant remained abundant!

Joy flickered across the faces of the crowd as they swiftly moved forward. Those at the forefront of the array-breeching efforts charged into the sect without hesitation.

Among them was Murong Lin, who, despite possessing the Array Disruptor, refrained from venturing in alone due to the remnant’s vast size and the presence of various mechanisms.

His Array Disruptor was more suited for smaller remnants, such as palaces or treasure pavilions within the remnants.

Tens of thousands of individuals flooded into the sect, revealing its once-hidden features. An expansive square came into view, surrounded by several mountain peaks—seven in total, one large and six smaller ones.

Murong Lin’s complexion shifted as a sense of familiarity washed over him, but not in a comforting way. His gaze fell upon a stone totem in the square, and a slight breath of relief escaped him as he read the inscription, ‘Sealed Wintry Gate’.

As long as it wasn’t the Jade Snow Sect, he felt a measure of reassurance.

However, a nagging feeling of unease lingered, as the sight seemed oddly familiar. The terrain, the square, and the seven mountain peaks—all triggered a memory.

In an abrupt moment of realization, he hastily turned his attention to the system’s window.

Translator’s note

Sorry for the late chapter, was sick 😦

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