Shrouded Sky

Chapter 133 - Re-Establishing The Mountain Gate

Dull Peak remained as ordinary as ever, nothing special at all. Even the ancient bow in Ye Fan's hands looked plain and worn. It was pitch-black, as though scorched by fire, with a few holes on it, appearing decayed and on the verge of rotting.

Yet it was precisely this seemingly ruined bow that released such intense pressure that the sky distorted slightly. It was as if an invisible force field radiated in all directions. The disciples from Star Peak trembled in fear, their faces pale as paper.

Several elders from Star Peak descended, saluting Elder Li Ruoyu, who stood within the broken temple. One of them said, “Congratulations, Senior Brother. Dull Peak's lineage is about to shine once more.”

Li Ruoyu stepped out and returned the salute. “Why do you say this?”

“The Dull Bow has appeared. Its presence surely means the inheritance is about to reawaken. With the emergence of one of the Nine Secrets, the other main peaks will be overshadowed. Dull Peak will shine over the entire Supreme Mystery Sect.”

Li Ruoyu shook his head. “I came upon the Dull Bow by chance. It doesn't mean the inheritance will return.”

“Where did you find the Dull Bow, Senior Brother?” the Star Peak elders asked, astonished.

“In a badger hole halfway up the mountain. It was being used as firewood by the badgers for their nest.”

Everyone was stunned. The Dull Peak was truly strange, a sacred treasure of the mountain being used as firewood by wild animals left them speechless.

“With the ancient bow reappearing, the rise of Dull Peak is not far off,” one elder said.

“Reviving Dull Peak is easier said than done. The inheritance has been lost for five hundred years. There are no disciples, and the mountain is barren. Reconnecting the broken thread is incredibly difficult,” Li Ruoyu sighed.

One of the Star Peak elders glanced at Ye Fan and said, “This one seems like a decent seedling.”

Ye Fan felt uneasy. These elders were clearly no ordinary people. Earlier, he had used the Dull Bow to intimidate dozens of Star Peak disciples. He didn’t know what these elders thought of it, and if they were displeased, it could be troublesome.

By now, Ye Fan had put the ancient bow away, dispersing the oppressive energy. Several crows cawed as they flew from his side to perch on a nearby dead tree.

Soon, the elders from Star Peak bid farewell and prepared to leave. Li Ruoyu called after them, “Dull Peak is reestablishing its mountain gate. Please inform your Peak Master that your disciples should exercise more restraint. Dull Peak is a main peak, after all, it shouldn't be trespassed upon.”

Hearing this, the elders paused in midair. One of them replied, “We will pass along the message.”

Only after leaving Dull Peak did the Star Peak elders begin to speak quietly.

“Why did the Dull Bow reappear like this?”

“It seems our Senior Brother Li isn’t as simple as we thought. We once believed he was untalented and would achieve nothing. But he has stayed on Dull Peak for decades, and we can’t see through him anymore.”

“Dull Peak is strange. Many things here defy common sense. Could Li Ruoyu become the second great power of Dull Peak?”

They recalled Dull Peak’s past, one former master had seemed ordinary, yet had obtained a cultivation method even before the inheritance resurfaced, ultimately becoming a peerless power on par with ancient legends.

“Dull Peak, simple but not dull, modest outside but radiant within. Its revival isn't far off. I have a feeling about it,” said one elderly Star Peak elder.

“Even if Dull Peak returns to its prime, so what? Star Peak is the foundation of the Supreme Mystery Sect and has one of the strongest inheritances. Half the sectlords in history have come from our line.”

At this point, Ye Fan was thankful that he had only roasted a wild rabbit and hadn’t tried to kill the nine crows. He couldn’t imagine what might have happened if he had.

The pitch-black bow, with its worm-eaten holes, still puzzled him. How could such a sacred weapon have wormholes?

Li Ruoyu stood before the Nine-Step Stair and took the Dull Bow from Ye Fan’s hands. He gently caressed it, then placed it on the ancient jade steps.

The nine-colored jade stones began to ripple like water, engulfing the bow. Then flames appeared, and the pitch-black bow started burning.

“Senior, what are you doing?!” Ye Fan was shocked.

“It is said the mountain is the scripture and the bow is the key. This bow may unlock the inheritance,” Li Ruoyu said.

“But it’s a great treasure, what if it’s destroyed?”

“It won’t be. It will merge into Dull Peak and become one with it, enhancing its power. Mountain and bow as one, able to pierce the heavens,” Li Ruoyu said with emotion. “The inheritance may not necessarily return, but this might help.”

As the flames danced, the bow merged with the Nine-Step Stair and vanished. All returned to calm. Ye Fan sensed a subtle change.

The peak now seemed more restrained, less imposing. It looked several hundred meters shorter, now under 2,600 meters tall, while many surrounding sub-peaks were taller.

“If I die here, you should leave,” Li Ruoyu said, sitting cross-legged in front of the Nine-Step Stair, motionless like a fossil.

“Elder…” Ye Fan was shocked, wanting to stop him, but didn’t know how.

In the end, he stepped aside and opened the yellowed book the elder had given him. It contained some cultivation techniques, but more importantly, it was filled with insights and personal experiences.

Ye Fan was quickly captivated. He didn’t lack techniques, he had the Dao Scripture, the most powerful method for cultivating the Oceanic Wheel Realm in the Eastern Wilderness. But he’d always practiced alone, without guidance. This book was like a gift in a snowstorm.

That night, he was completely absorbed in it. Many of his doubts were resolved.

Inside his body, a divine meridian extended like a bridge across the golden Oceanic Wheel. Mist surrounded it. That bridge extended noticeably overnight. It was a rare gain resulting from resolving his inner confusion. If it could reach the far side of the Oceanic Wheel, he would enter the Other Shore stage.

Caw caw caw!

Over the next few days, Ye Fan often felt a dark omen. The crows hovered above him, which felt deeply unsettling. It was said these were the spirits born of the bow, when fired, they could pierce clouds and tear apart the heavens.

Ye Fan speculated that these “spirits” were weapon-birthed deities. He didn’t know the tier of this divine weapon, but it was clearly terrifying.

As for the nine arrows, they were just vessels. The real power came from the bow and the nine spirits, making them a fearsome combination.

Over these days, Star Peak disciples did not dare intrude into Dull Peak, but many lingered nearby, clearly unhappy.

Ye Fan ignored them. He continued exploring the mountain. He believed that even if Supreme Mystery wasn’t as powerful as the Ji Clan or the Radiant Light Sacred Ground, once domain gates were activated, they could likely traverse half the Eastern Wilderness.

Half a month later, Li Ruoyu awoke, murmuring: “Grand completion appears incomplete, grand fullness seems empty, grand skill appears clumsy…”

Ye Fan quickly approached and saluted. “Elder, did you gain any insights?”

“Dull Peak is meant to be this way. It doesn’t need celestial mist or divine light. I think I’ve discovered something.” Li Ruoyu seemed to have found clarity. “The mountain is a scripture. To inherit the secret method, your mind must align with it. Only then can the immortal art be imprinted.”

The elder’s life wasn’t in danger, and he hadn’t passed away. Ye Fan was relieved and began to focus on managing the mountain gate.

In the past half-month, Star Peak disciples often loitered around, seemingly waiting for him to come down.

“Don’t you guys get tired? Always hanging around Dull Peak, trying to steal something?” Ye Fan shouted.

At the foot of the mountain, a Star Peak disciple sneered. “The peak competition between main peaks is about to begin. There’s still two months. Hope you don’t chicken out.”

“What’s it got to do with me? I never said I’d compete. Go fight your own battles, I’ll just cheer from the sidelines,” Ye Fan replied casually.

“You’re the only disciple of Dull Peak. You have to compete, whether you want to or not. Let’s see if you’ll still be laughing when the time comes.”

Star Peak disciples had suffered greatly at his hands and were hostile. Once the competition started, they would certainly target him.

“Oh? Then I forfeit in advance!” Ye Fan declared.

“Where’d this guy come from? How thick-skinned can he be?”

“Unfortunately, you have to fight at least ten matches before forfeiting,” someone said gleefully. “A lot of people are looking forward to giving you some special attention.”

“Is it between those of the same realm, or can we fight across realms?” Ye Fan asked.

“You think you’re a God Physique? Want to fight across realms?” Star Peak disciples looked at him with disdain.

“So it’s same-realm combat. Why don’t we start now?” Ye Fan grinned. “Any Oceanic Wheel Realm cultivators are welcome to spar at Dull Peak.”

The Star Peak disciples were mostly at the Life Spring realm. They had come to teach Ye Fan a lesson. Hearing this, they looked at each other.

Several Life Spring cultivators put on friendly smiles and walked forward. “We’re all at the Oceanic Wheel Realm. Let’s spar.”

Half an hour later, word spread across Star Peak: over a dozen disciples had been beaten black and blue and were now detained at Dull Peak, repairing its roads.

The news caused a stir. Some flew toward Dull Peak. A few wanted to break in, but were stopped by others. Everyone landed in front of the mountain gate.

“A bet’s a bet. I didn’t force them…” Ye Fan shouted from the peak. “You here to help rebuild Dull Peak too?”

“Where’s this freak from? Even daring to detain Star Peak disciples?”

“Don’t you know? Half a month ago, he seriously injured several of us, then used some demonic bow to confront dozens more, caused such a commotion the elders had to step in!”

“Dull Peak will host small-scale sparring before the grand competition. Oceanic Wheel Realm cultivators are welcome,” Ye Fan said innocently. “But line up, one at a time.”

On Dull Peak, the detained Star Peak disciples cursed him in their hearts. That scoundrel was baiting people again.

This time, though, no one rushed in. Having learned their lesson, they suspected Ye Fan had some treasure like the Dull Bow.

More and more Star Peak disciples gathered, curious about who dared to detain their own. Among them was a white-clothed woman, her expression stunned in disbelief, it was Li Xiaoman.

At that moment, Ye Fan hadn’t noticed her. He suddenly rushed up the mountain, sensing something unusual.

The Bodhi Seed he carried had started to pulse with warmth, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.

“Could it be... that secret technique is about to emerge?!”

Ye Fan dashed toward the summit at full speed.

At the top, a mysterious void appeared, utterly still. Plants within it bloomed and withered repeatedly. One moment, the leaves were lush; the next, they had wilted.

The Nine-Step Stair grew hazy, expanding in size. Jade towers and celestial palaces began to manifest, suspended in midair. Li Ruoyu sat still as a statue, facing the stair.