Chapter Fifty: The Interrupted Legacy

  Thanks for ben7th's reward, congratulating the second ally of this book.

  Lin Du Jiao looked up at the incredibly high tower top, with a face full of reverence and pride. "This is the Ancestor Tower, you are currently inside it. The names of all 37 generations of ancestors, over 136,770 years, and all Taoist priests above the level of annotation of the Nine Great Ways are recorded here."

  Those disciples who have been studying for a long time are already very familiar with the ancestral temple, and they disperse to various places to think of their ancestors. This year's new disciples gather around Master Du, listening intently as he introduces the precious treasure that guards Mount Pangshan Dao.

  "The Ancestor's Pagoda is the only treasure of the Nine Great Dao that can confirm inheritance, and everyone will come here to worship their ancestors and confirm their inheritance before formally learning the Dao, no matter where they are from."

  "Everyone?" Shen Hao asked in the crowd.

  "Everyone, starting from next month, you will have the opportunity to meet disciples of other Taoist sects."

  "Is the entire Spirit Nourishing Peak just the Ancestral Tower?" asked Meng Fei Huang, stunned.

  "Yes, Yangshen Peak is hollow inside and houses the Ancestor's Pagoda."

  "But I heard that Laozu Peak's Taiyuan is where the tower was erected." Xinyu Tao interjected.

  "The true body of the ancestral pagoda is stored in the Taiyuan Temple, personally guarded by the patriarchs and first seats. It's very small, only about nine inches high. This is the only branch of the ancestral pagoda, with no difference except for being a thousand times larger."

  The new disciples gasped again, unable to believe that a nine-inch small tower could actually transform into such a large avatar.

  "Later, clear your minds, just like you normally practice Zhan Zhuang. Don't control your feet, they will take you to find your own lineage."

  The new disciples immediately dispersed and sat down in sections according to their room numbers, focusing on their breathing exercises. Only Xiao Qiu remained standing - he had not yet learned the "Storage" technique.

  Lin Duojiao walked up close and said, "Follow me."

  Just a few steps away, Xia Qiu saw Shen Yi get up from the ground and move in one direction as if sleepwalking. He stopped just before colliding with the tower wall and then looked up to the front with a gaze.

  Xiao Qiu followed Shen Yi's line of sight and looked over, but there was nothing on that section of the wall.

  "The ancestral tower is not quite what you imagined, is it?" Lin Duojiao stopped in his tracks.

  "Uh, it's very big and flat, with no spiral staircase going up, can't tell how many floors there are." There was an abandoned old tower in Yelin Town that Xiao Qiu often played at, so she knew what the inside of the tower looked like.

  "The ancestral tower has two layers, this is the inner layer, the stairs and all that are on the outer layer." Lin Duojiao raised his head, narrowed his eyes to look at the wall of the tower - similarly, Xiao Qiu didn't see anything either.

  "This area is the ancestral inheritance of the Forbidden Sect, I can see the 16th generation ancestor, and beyond that, it's not possible. Master said that in another 50 years or so, there might be progress."

  "Master? Are you referring to Zuo Liu Ying?"

  Lin Du Jiao chuckled twice and did not scold his disciple for calling him by his name, "Have you thought about which department to enter in the future?"

  "Wu Xing Department, I want to learn how to slay demons and exorcise evil spirits!" Xiao Qiu immediately replied.

  "We should go this way."

  While the two were talking, the new disciples had already gone to their respective inheritance areas. There were more people from the Five Elements Department, either sitting or standing, all staring up at the sky in a daze.

  "What did you see?" Lin Sa asked.

  Xiao Qiu calmed down and focused his attention, gazing intently at the wall. There was still nothing there - no words, no patterns. He couldn't even tell what material the wall was made of, whether it was gold or stone. "I...can't see anything."

  "Hehe, maybe it's because Wu Xing Ke isn't suitable for you, or maybe it's because you haven't learned the correct method of storing thoughts yet."

  "I just passed through the Flowing Light Treasure Mirror, and it didn't appraise me either. Is it because I haven't learned the Storage Thought Method?" This question had been lingering in Xiao Qiu's mind for a while, and finally came out.

  "Hmm, it should be like that. You've been thinking for a month and just arrived at Nurturing Spirit Peak on the day of the Ancestor's Memorial. This is something I've never encountered before." Lin Daoyi replied casually, as if he didn't think it was a big deal. "Come, let's continue on our way forward. Although quiet contemplation is the most important method for communicating with the ancestors, there are also exceptions. You should try calming your mind and giving it a shot at each place."

  Lin Du Jiao led Xiao Qiu around the tower, introducing each area with a few simple sentences: "The Precepts Department is the most prosperous department. You can see that there are the most disciples guarding here - be careful not to bump into anyone; The Dan Medicine Department, if you can make friends with these future alchemists, it will be of great help to your future cultivation; The Hong Furnace Department, more than half of the materials for making magic tools come from the hands of the disciples in this department; The Bright Mirror Department, who doesn't want a divine mirror that can reflect all directions? Unfortunately, there are very few disciples willing to enter this department..."

  Lin Du Jiao led the way around, and finally returned to the area of the Secret Department. There were three more disciples here, two sitting and one standing, staring blankly at the wall above, while Xiao Qiu still hadn't seen any text or diagrams so far.

  "Fang Fang?" Xia Qiu called out in surprise and in a low voice.

  Fang Fang was standing there making an effort to look up and didn't hear anyone calling her at all.

  "Hmm, she has found her own heritage and is now thinking of her ancestors, can't hear you speaking. Alas, the Secret Department hasn't taken in new people for many years."

  "I don't want her to go to the forbidden department." Xia Qiu blurted out, and it was too late to take back what she had said.

  "Why?" Lin Duojiao asked with a smile.

  Xiao Qiu didn't know how to answer, so Lin Du Jiao spoke on his behalf: "Because the people of the Secret Division are prone to demonic possession, more than half of the disciples will eventually go mad."

  "I heard it from someone," Xia Qiu said in a low voice, which was what Zhang Lingsheng had told them when they first entered the temple.

  Lin Du Jiao patted Xiao Qiu's shoulder and said, "You should think about it this way, isn't there still half of the people who haven't gone mad?" He chuckled a few times and continued, "Inheritance is not the only option, nor is it necessary. If you're unwilling, you can completely ignore the ancestral tower's reminders and choose the subject you like."

  Xiao Qiu nodded, deciding to find an opportunity to have a good talk with Fang Fang. Whether she would go crazy later was secondary; as someone from Ye Lin Town, entering the top-secret department of Zuo Liu Ying was no different from jumping into a trap.

  "There's an area that you haven't introduced before." Xiao Qiu pointed to the place they had just passed, adjacent to the Secret Department, and further ahead was the Lampwick Department.

  Lin Du Jiao fell silent for a moment, seemingly reluctant to answer the question. Finally, he spoke up, his face devoid of a smile. "That is an unnamed sect, already discontinued for many years. In today's world, you can't find any disciples from that sect."

  Lin Duo's face regained its smile, "Just take it easy and don't think too much about it. Even if you can't find the inheritance, it doesn't matter. These things happen sometimes."

  All taught to lift their heads, immersed in the inheritance of the forbidden sciences.

  Xiao Qiu walked around the robust figure and went to Fang Fang's side. Her expression was as serious as when she usually read books, but also had a certain indescribable intoxication, as if she saw profound and beautiful words, reluctant to move her gaze away, even for a moment.

  Xiao Qiu didn't disturb her, alone in the circular tower turning around, the Precepts Department was indeed the most prosperous, Da Liang Shen Xiu Ming and several other Ye Lin Town youths sat on the ground looking up, there were also many people from the Five Elements Department in this area, Shen Hao stood here, the seriousness on his face was something he had never had in Mr. Qin's school.

  Xiao Qiu stayed for a while longer. He wanted to become a Wu Xing master, but the Wu Xing department didn't look down on him. The ancestors of each generation were unwilling to reveal themselves to him.

  He had no choice but to continue on his way, stopping for a while in each area, and as he listened to the introductions of all the teachers before, he could try to "store his thoughts" by retracing his steps.

  Every time Xiao Qiu walked through a region, his disappointment grew. He even lingered in the chanting department he was least interested in, but still couldn't see any unusual scenery.

  Lin Du Jiao said that it's not uncommon for people to lose their way, but inside the tower, hundreds of people were standing still, with only Xiao Qiu wandering around, while everyone else was frozen in place, staring at the walls without blinking.

  Xiao Qiu circled around for the second time and returned to the restricted area of Jin Mi Ke, Fang Fang and three other disciples were still looking up, but Lin Du was nowhere to be seen.

  Xiao Qiu was extremely disheartened, and simply walked to the area of the unnamed department, muttering to herself: "No matter what this department specifically cultivates, after being interrupted for so many years, it should have taken in a disciple. Ancestor, my name is Mu Xingqiu, I most want to go to the Five Elements Department, but the ancestor over there seems to not like me..."

  He closed his eyes, meditated for a moment, and opened them again - the wall was still empty, although he had guessed that the result would be this way, Xia Qiu let out a long sigh.

  "What's wrong?" Fangfang asked beside him, she had just finished her daydream and saw Xia Qiu standing nearby, so she walked over.

  "I can't see anything."

  "Don't worry, it may be because you haven't learned how to store your thoughts yet."

  "Lin Du Jiao also said so, is it difficult to think of storing?"

  "It's not difficult at all, first clear your mind and then focus on one thing."

  "What's on your mind?"

  "Anything goes, this is just a means of assistance. Once you can concentrate your thoughts, then turn to think about the ancestors."

  "What does the ancestor of the Secret Department look like?"

  "There are all sorts of people, men and women, old and young, with their pictures and names, and some small characters, probably recording their deeds, which I can't see clearly yet. I also saw the Liufengying."

  "Him?"

  "Hmm, on the wall, he's not an ancestor, but because of his profound Taoist skills, he can leave a name under the 37th generation ancestor. He looks really young."

  "He's actually several hundred years old and very sinister."

  Fang Fang smiled and said, "You should practice thinking about it, some people can learn it right away."

  Xiao Qiu closed his eyes and cleared his mind. He could easily do that, but focusing on a particular thing was a bit more difficult. There were many things worth thinking about, but it wasn't necessary to think about them specifically.

  "Don't think too much, just think of the first thing that comes to mind." Fangfang's voice came over, and Xia Qiu's mind immediately conjured up an image of Fangfang covering her mouth with a smile.

  The master was late in arriving, and Fang's appearance became more and more unreal. Xia Qiu could no longer focus her mind, suddenly opening her eyes wide, "It really is a bit..."

  He was shocked, his mouth agape, and the word "difficult" stuck in his throat. The wall in front of him lit up with flashing images and texts. Not only that, but the entire circular wall was filled with countless figures and characters of all sizes.

  Xiao Qiu spun around in a circle, slowly lifted her head, no matter how high the wall was, as long as she looked at it, the picture and text on that block became extremely clear, as if right in front of her.

  Xiao Qiu's gaze went further and higher, and he even saw the twelve ancestors of the third generation. Further up, his line of sight could not reach.

  Xiao Qiu was just about to tell Fang Fang about the strange scene she had seen, when the light that filled the walls gradually dissipated, leaving only one line, a solitary and intermittent line, from head to toe, with a total of only twenty-nine people.

  What surprised Xia Qiu the most was that from a certain ancestor of the third generation, all twenty-nine people were women. They looked very young in appearance, but each had a sorrowful expression, as if they were extremely unhappy when alive and still gloomy after death. The text near the image is blurry and unclear.

  "You must be mistaken, Fangfang. This should be your inheritance." Xia Qiu took a step back and bumped into a very elastic big belly.

  Lin Duojiao suddenly returned, looking down at Xiao Qiu with an unprecedented serious expression, "The Ancestor's Tower won't make a mistake, but you absolutely cannot choose this subject."

  (Collection needed, recommendation needed)