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Chapter 182: Close Shave With Death, Daoist Tai Hua’s Art of Divination
“Is there someone?”
A voice sounded in the darkness.
Soon, another voice resounded.
“Eldest Senior Brother, is that you?”
It was Xu Luochen’s voice.
“Where is this?”
Wang Zhuoyu spoke too.
“Why is it so dark here?”
Clearly, all the disciples of the Qingyun Dao Sect had arrived.
“Who’s lighting the fire?”
Lin Bei asked.
“Let me do it.”
Da Xu said excitedly.
Soon, a beam of light appeared. It was emitted from a pearl in Da Xu’s hand that was giving off a white light that enveloped the surrounding.
In an instant, everyone saw everything around them.
“Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Second Senior Brother.”
“You’re all here, huh?”
“It’s alright, we’re all together.”
“Where is this hell hole?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, I didn’t think you actually knew array formations, when did you learn them?”
The people discussed and first scanned their surroundings, only to discover that there was a large cave inside.
Everyone from the Qingyun Dao Sect was present, including Gu Jianxian.
“Disciple-Nephew Gu, what are you doing here?”
Chen Lingrou couldn’t help but speak up. She looked at Gu Jianxian curiously because she hadn’t seen him before.
However, before Gu Jianxian could answer, Xu Luochen beat him to it.
“Eldest Senior Brother, I didn’t think you actually knew array formations, when did you learn them?”
Xu Luochen’s words made everyone curious.
In particular, Wang Zhuoyu was dumbfounded.
Who would have thought that Su Changyu would really know how to lay array formations?
Besides, the most outrageous thing was that Ye Ping had set up an array formation according to an array diagram.
‘Where’s Su Changyu?’
‘He managed to set up an array formation by just saying something?’
‘That’s even more outrageous than Ye Ping.’
‘Is Eldest Senior Brother really a supreme talent in array formations? Was he just led astray by the Sect Leader?’
Standing among the crowd, Su Changyu was also a bit confused.
He had never learned any array formations, so he was prepared to run away after calling for the array formation to appear.
However, he didn’t expect the array formation to be activated.
‘This
 is a little too exaggerated, isn’t it?’
All of a sudden, Su Changyu couldn’t help but have a shocking thought in his head.
‘Am I really an array formation master?’
He inhaled sharply.
‘Wouldn’t I excel greatly then?’
However, in the face of the crowd’s doubts, Su Changyu felt the need to explain something
As soon as he said that, he felt that something was wrong again.
“Array formations are no big deal.”
He sounded extremely composed and looked even more condescending than before.
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Changyu was stunned, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that it was indeed not a big deal.
He thought that setting up array formations was an extremely difficult task but he didn’t expect it to be that.
At this moment, everyone was speechless.
Su Changyu’s actions had indeed shocked everyone.
In the eyes of the crowd, Su Changyu was a good-for-nothing, but today, he changed their opinion of him.
“Eldest Senior Brother, teach me array formations when you’re free.”
“Eldest Senior Brother, you’re so mighty!”
“Eldest Senior Brother, what kind of place is this? Why don’t you set up another array formation to get us back to the sect? We’ll talk when we return.”
Xu Luochen, Chen Lingrou, and Xue Zhuan spoke up one after another, their hearts full of astonishment and excitement.
However, Daoist Tai Hua, who was at the side, could not help but be silent after seeing this scene.
Before Su Changyu could answer, Da Xu spoke up.
“I’m afraid he can’t do that. Everyone, haven’t you noticed that this is a place without spirit? Look behind you.”
Da Xu observed the surroundings, and the first thing he noticed was that there was something odd about this place.
It was a spiritless area.
The so-called spiritless area was a zone without spiritual energy, and in such a place, even if one had incredible Dharmic Dao, they would not be able to extract any spiritual energy and the spiritual energy within them would be suppressed too.
Only one’s physical body would work and that was the reason that many cultivators would temper their physical body every now and then, for fear that they would one day reach such a spiritless area.
After learning that it was a spiritless area, the crowd did not seem surprised at all because even if there was spiritual energy, it would be of little use.
However, it was different in Da Xu’s eyes. Ordinary cultivators would react vigorously after hearing that it was a spiritless area.
However, they all seemed extremely calm. It was no wonder that they were supreme experts.
However, they turned back and looked.
They saw a stone tablet.
On the stone tablet, it was written “Close Shave With Death Cave”.
Immediately afterwards, there were ten caves behind the tablet and everyone’s expression changed a little.
“Where is this hell hole?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, where did you transport us to?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, stop it, send us away.”
“Close Shave With Death Cave? Who’s that bored?”
Everyone discussed. They were still a little confused about what had happened.
Su Changyu was confused.
He had no idea where they had been teleported to, and to be honest, he had no idea that he would activate the Teleportation Array.
“Everyone, if I’m not wrong, this should be a mystic realm, right?”
Da Xu looked around him. Being a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, he naturally knew more, and thus he could detect at a glance that it should be a mystic realm.
“Mystic realm?”
“You said it’s a mystic realm?”
“Are there treasures then?”
Upon hearing that it was the mystic realm, everyone immediately snapped back to their senses. They had never been to a mystic realm, but they knew what a mystic realm was.
In ancient times, some powerful cultivators had opened up mystic realms for their descendants to come and fight in and inherit their legacies, before they died.
The mystic realm represented danger and also all sorts of opportunities.
“It should be a mystic realm, but I don’t dare to guarantee it.”
Da Xu did not dare to be 100% certain as it only seemed to be the case on the surface.
“Let’s not worry about that first, let’s talk about Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Eldest Senior Brother, when did you learn the array formation?”
“Yeah, Eldest Senior Brother, this array formation is so much better than the third Senior Brother’s. Third Senior Brother is so wishy-washy when he sets up array formations and yet you can set up an array formation just by saying something. How did you do that? I’d like to learn too.”
“I want to learn it too.”
Everyone was curious, including Da Xu.
Wang Zhuoyu was the only one who felt sad.
Su Changyu glanced at the crowd and sneered in his heart.
‘Array formation? You just need a pair of hands.’
‘You guys don’t really think that I’m a good-for-nothing, do you?’
Su Changyu was elated. Having cultivated in the Sword Dao for so many years, his junior sisters and junior brothers had always looked down on him.
He did not expect to be talented in array formations, and anyone in his place would be glad.
However, Su Changyu knew that he had to maintain a mysterious attitude.
He could not explain it clearly. Besides, the more he said, the more mistakes he would make. Hence, he might as well let them guess it for themselves.
“In fact, I have been thinking about a problem. Master, don’t get angry but you found a Dao for each of us after divination. However, we’ve been having mediocre achievements after cultivating for more than a decade. Could it be that you made a mistake?”
Xu Luochen discovered the key point. The fact that Su Changyu managed to casually set up an array formation made him curious and shocked.
Now he couldn’t help it, so he looked at Daoist Tai Hua and asked that question.
Daoist Tai Hua was the one who had the most vigorous reaction.
“What nonsense are you babbling? How could I have made a mistake? Maybe Changyu is talented in array formations but he’s definitely the most talented in the Sword Dao.”
Daoist Tai Hua would never admit that he had made a mistake. Absolutely never.
“I don’t care, I’ll try the Dao of array formations. If I can’t, I’ll try talismans. I really haven’t tried the other Dharmic Dao.”
Xu Luochen said as he continued to watch Xu Luochen pretending to be impressive. He was really jealous and he wished he could go back to the sect now and see if he was talented in other aspects.
They were discussing.
Da Xu saw everything. He didn’t believe it at all.
He knew that Daoist Tai Hua was still pretending because Ye Ping had mentioned it before he left.
The big shots of the sect were all great at pretending and they probably didn’t show their true strength because of some secret. They would still pretend to be like ordinary people.
To be honest, since Ye Ping left, Da Xu seriously observed these people.
He felt that they were really good at pretending.
If he hadn’t known that they were supreme experts, Da Xu would have almost been deceived.
“Master, there’s an opportunity now to prove whether your divination is good or not. This is the Close Shave With Death Cave, try predicting which cave leads to the way out. You should be able to prove it immediately.”
Lin Bei asked.
He pointed at the Close Shave With Death Cave.
After hearing his words, everyone nodded.
What a good idea.
Everyone immediately looked at Daoist Tai Hua.
Sensing the crowd’s gazes, Daoist Tai Hua humphed coldly.
Faced with everyone’s doubts, he knew that he had to reveal his skills.
Otherwise, they would rebel.
Thinking of this, Daoist Tai Hua took out a copper coin, followed by a turtle shell, and put the coin into the turtle shell.
He then shook it continuously.
He closed his eyes and kept chanting in his heart.
“Heavenly secret, Heavenly secret, I’m testing for blessing and disaster. Please face up if the first cave is a way out! If not, please face down.”
Daoist Tai Hua kept reciting in his heart.
That was his Heavenly Secret Divination Technique.
It was simple, direct, and convenient.
About eighteen minutes passed.
Daoist Tai Hua poured out the copper coin.
It was facing upwards.
In an instant, Daoist Tai Hua could not help but say with a joyous expression,
“It’s a way out.”
Daoist Tai Hua pointed to the first cave and said with great joy.
However, as soon as he said that, everyone’s faces changed and so did Gu Jianxian’s. Da Xu was the only one who was looking at Daoist Tai Hua in admiration.
“Master, can you be more serious?”
“Master, are you telling me it’s a way out?”
“Master, cut it out, how can it be the first one? Do it again.”
“Master, how did you figure it out? I see others doing it with several copper coins. Yet, you managed to do it with one? Tell me the principle.”
Everyone spoke.
It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in Daoist Tai Hua, but mainly because it was indeed a bit outrageous.
‘It’s decided based on heads or tails? Isn’t it a 50-50 probability?’
Although they respected Daoist Tai Hua, they were not stupid.
“Don’t you guys believe in me?”
Daoist Tai Hua frowned a little.
“I believe in you. Master, why don’t you go in and try? If it’s dangerous, call us and we’ll rush in together. If not, we’ll follow immediately. How does that sound?”
Xu Luochen seemed extremely serious.
As soon as he said that, Daoist Tai Hua shook his head immediately.
“Heavenly secrets are not to be revealed. I defied heavens and altered your fates for you. I can’t take the initiative to go. How about this? Luochen, you go in and take a look. If there’s danger, call out to us and I’ll dash in immediately. If not, we’ll follow you in.”
Daoist Tai Hua was not a fool. Although he had confidence in his divination skills, heavenly secrets were unpredictable. If there was a slip-up, everything would be over.
“I’m not going, I won’t go even if I have to die.”
Xu Luochen immediately took a few steps back, dead bent on refusing. If there was really danger, he would be in trouble.
If he died, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but there would be one less peerless alchemist.
“Second Senior Brother, go, we definitely won’t be at a loss. If there’s really danger after you enter, you’d be saving all of us. Saving a life is better than building a seven-storied pagoda. There are ten of us here, it’d be worth it.”
“There will be endless merit. You can go through Immortal Ascension immediately too. If it’s a way out, there would definitely be treasures. We won’t be at a loss no matter what. Second Senior Brother, trust me!”
Xue Zhuan said. He had already calculated it carefully and discovered that he would not be at a loss no matter what.
However, as soon as he said that, Xu Luochen dared not go ahead.
However, someone was tempted.
Da Xu, who was behind the crowd, was tempted.
In particular, after hearing Xue Zhuan’s words, he was even more tempted.
If he died and rescued everyone, there would indeed be endless merit. If he didn’t die, he would be able to get treasures.
Besides, if there was really danger, the experts would definitely help him, right?
Besides, Da Xu somehow felt that it was a test for him. He thought that they had actually long seen that the cave would lead to a way out, and which ones would lead to death.
They just wanted to test him, and if he was willing to sacrifice, they would be moved by him.
Daoist Tai Hua did not mess around.
He repeatedly made a divination several times and discovered that the first one was indeed a way out.
However, at this moment, Chen Lingrou spoke up.
“Master, why don’t you test the other caves by using divination?”
Daoist Tai Hua was suddenly enlightened.
‘Yeah, I’ll do a divination on the other caves.’
Thinking of this, Daoist Tai Hua immediately did a divination on the second cave.
‘Hey!’
‘It’s a way out too?’
‘The third one too?’
‘Why are the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth all ways out?’
When he reached the ninth, a path to death appeared.
The tenth one was a way out too.
Weren’t there only one way out and nine paths to death?
‘Why are there nine ways out and only one to death?’
‘Is it really reversed?’
Daoist Tai Hua frowned.
He still did not believe it, and hence, he did the divination thrice.
He finally came up with a very surprising result.
Apart from the ninth cave, the rest were all a way out and he repeatedly tested three times, only to get the same result.
Daoist Tai Hua even did a divination on the ninth cave.
No matter how the divination was done, it still turned out to be a path to death.
“That’s odd! Aren’t there nine ways out and only one to death? Why does it lead to only one path to death?”
Daoist Tai Hua looked at the ninth cave.
After everyone heard Daoist Tai Hua’s words, they somehow seemed to have understood something.
Of the ten caves, nine would lead to survival and one would lead to death.
If Daoist Tai Hua’s divination was reversed, the only path to death would be the only way out.
However, at this moment, Daoist Tai Hua slapped his thighs and seemed to have realized something.
“I get it.”
“This stone tablet is fake, it’s confusing us and there should be only one path to death. It’s trying to trick us.”
“Good thing I can do divination. Otherwise, we would be in trouble if we accidentally walked into the path of death.”
Daoist Tai Hua slapped his thigh and said with confidence.
Everyone was speechless.
Apart from Da Xu, they all had strange expressions.
‘Only one path to death? Trust Daoist Tai Hua to be able to come up with that.’
‘Must you go to that extent?’
‘If there’s a 90% chance of success, what is this thing for?’
The crowd didn’t know what to say, but at that moment, Da Xu spoke up.
“Let me try. Regardless of whether it’s one or nine paths to death, I’ll do it for the sake of everyone. I have no kin, and after coming to the sect, I felt familial warmth. I have nothing more to ask.”
“If I can’t return, I still hope that you can remember me. If I do manage to survive this time, I hope that you can accept me from now on.”
Da Xu said generously.
Everyone was indeed touched by his words.
“Da Xu, you’re really like Bodhisattva.”
“Da Xu, I couldn’t tell that you had such a kind heart. I’ll always remember you.”
“Da Xu, don’t goon, if we can make it out alive, I’ll teach you the art of alchemy.”
“I’ll teach you the Dao of array formation.”
Everyone spoke up and Wang Zhuoyu snapped back to his senses.
However, when Da Xu heard the mention of the Dao of array formations, he was stunned. He then looked at Wang Zhuoyu and said, “I want to learn alchemy first.”
Wang Zhuoyu was speechless.
‘Go to hell.’
Wang Zhuoyu fell silent and once again fell into a state of melancholy.
“Forget it, it’s better to think of a solution first. Da Xu, don’t be impulsive.”
Daoist Tai Hua spoke, intending to do some more divinations. If something terrible happened, they would really be in trouble.
“Sect Leader, you’re so scared of everything, what’s the point of talking about cultivation and the Great Dao then? I’ll go.”
Da Xu was full of generosity, and without any nonsense, he dashed straight into the ninth cave.
He did not care whether there was one path to death or nine.
Anyway, as long as there was danger, the experts would definitely intervene.
He wouldn’t lose out if there wasn’t danger.
In short, he would definitely be able to win their favor.
Soon, Da Xu vanished and entered the cave.
Everyone was a little nervous as they were looking forward to the result.
Fifteen minutes passed.
At this moment, Da Xu suddenly spoke up.
“Everyone.”
Everyone got up nervously.
“What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? Da Xu?”
“I told you, this is the path to death and you still won’t believe me! Great, now someone’s dead huh? How are you going to explain it to Ye Ping?”
“Da Xu, don’t be afraid, you’re about to reach Greater Mastery and Immortal Ascension. Don’t be scared.”
Everyone spoke up nervously.
Xue Zhuan continuously comforted Da Xu and told him that he was going to reach Immortal Ascension soon.
However, at the next moment, Da Xu suddenly spoke up.
“There’s no danger, come here quickly.”
Everyone was stunned.
In particular, Daoist Tai Hua stood rooted to the ground.
At the same time, in the Great Xia Dynasty palace.