Chapter 40: Past and Present Lives

Sss…

As soon as his fingertip touched it, Mu Feng felt a sharp, burning pain as if his flesh was being roasted over a blazing fire, nearly smoking. He could only endure it for a moment before he had to give up.

“Could it be that every cultivation technique in the Cangshu Pavilion is enchanted with a restriction?”

Mu Feng raised his eyebrows and felt something was amiss in his heart. He strode forward.

Wind-Severing Blade—couldn’t open it.

Cloud-Piercing Arrow—couldn’t open it.

Thunder-Rushing Art—still couldn’t open it.

…

Mu Feng walked around almost the entire Cangshu Pavilion, but not a single cultivation technique could be opened. Forget about advanced cultivation techniques, even basic techniques like the Mu Family Fist couldn’t be opened.

Restrictions—definitely powerful restrictions had been placed on them!

Mu Feng’s face turned cold as he realized someone must have tampered with these cultivation techniques. Even if his bloodline grade was poor, it was impossible for there not to be a single suitable cultivation technique. Clearly, someone had planned this in advance. In the entire Mu Manor, who else but that scoundrel Mu Qingyuan would have the motive and ability to do this?

“Mu… Qing… Yuan…”

Mu Feng stopped in his tracks and suddenly roared, raising his head. The Ancestral Sorcerer’s Essence Blood inside him surged with scorching blood waves, unleashing overwhelming killing intent.

While Mu Feng faced obstacles everywhere in the Cangshu Pavilion, in a secret underground chamber, Mu Qingyuan was laughing heartily. The crystal ball before him clearly showed Mu Feng’s every move inside the Cangshu Pavilion.

“Hahaha, kid, you’re still far from being able to challenge me!”

Mu Qingyuan’s face twisted viciously as he continued, “Without advanced cultivation techniques, let’s see how you cultivate and break through. Hahaha, stay stuck in the Early Mortal Realm forever!”

Watching Mu Feng get injured by the restriction on the crystal case, Mu Qingyuan laughed freely and without restraint.

The significance of the Cangshu Pavilion to the disciples of Mu Manor was undeniable. Basically, everyone had only one chance in their lifetime to enter. Once missed, it was gone forever. Without suitable advanced cultivation techniques, no matter how high one’s talent or how hard they trained, they would never have the chance to advance further. In the crowded Mu Manor, this meant ruthless elimination.

Roar…

Just as Mu Qingyuan was laughing heartily, he suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of dread, and his ears faintly caught an angry roar. On the crystal ball, Mu Feng, who had unknowingly widened his eyes, was staring fiercely at him as if he had discovered the existence of the chamber and Mu Qingyuan himself.

“Huh? He actually noticed?”

Mu Qingyuan’s laughter abruptly stopped as he widened his eyes in confusion. Before he could think further, he saw Mu Feng leap high into the air, and a fist the size of a bowl appeared before him. With a ‘bang,’ the illusory crystal ball suddenly went dark, and Mu Feng’s figure vanished from sight.

“This… Elder of the Cangshu Pavilion, what’s going on?” Mu Qingyuan was startled and abruptly turned to look at an old man sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“Clearly, the detection array has been destroyed.”

The Cangshu Pavilion Elder, seated cross-legged, remained expressionless and calmly added, “Alright, Second Young Master, it’s almost time for you to leave. Remember, this is the last time. I no longer owe your family any favors. You were never in this chamber, and we never met!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Cangshu Pavilion Elder gently flicked his long sleeve, and Mu Qingyuan’s vision went black. The next moment, he found himself outside the Cangshu Pavilion’s main gate, unable to take another step forward.

“To detect the array even in the Early Mortal Realm—impressive! As expected of Mu Yuan’s son. Truly something to look forward to!”

After sending away the troublemaker Mu Qingyuan, the Cangshu Pavilion Elder suddenly formed a mysterious hand seal. The underground chamber deep below erupted with overwhelming Spiritual Power fluctuations. The next moment, the entire Cangshu Pavilion glowed with a blue light, and the restrictions on the crystal cases vanished simultaneously. Outside the Cangshu Pavilion, the half-burnt stick of incense had dwindled to its last ember, on the verge of extinguishing.

The time limit of half a stick of incense was about to expire!

After destroying the detection array in the Cangshu Pavilion with a single punch, Mu Feng quickly noticed the unusual activity inside. Unfortunately, the footsteps of the black-robed attendants were already audible outside the door, leaving him no time to select another advanced cultivation technique suited to his bloodline. He took a step forward to the nearest bookshelf, opened the ancient, mottled crystal case, and discovered a thread-bound ancient book inside. On its cover were the words ‘Past and Present Lives,’ signed by Xu Guangling.

Lord Guangling?

Mu Feng’s eyes lit up, and he suddenly felt an inexplicable excitement.

This was a remote corner where the crystal cases on the bookshelves were covered in a thick layer of dust. Clearly, it was rarely visited, housing only low-level cultivation techniques and even some miscellaneous clan notes. No disciple entering the Cangshu Pavilion would come here. Initially, Mu Feng hadn’t expected to find anything valuable, but upon seeing the name ‘Xu Guangling,’ he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

Many years ago, he had been fortunate enough to obtain an ancient book titled ‘Guangling Miscellany.’ At first, he hadn’t paid it much mind, only reading it occasionally to pass the time. But as he read on, he gradually became captivated by the author Lord Guangling’s profound knowledge and was deeply moved by his travels across every inch of the Great Thousand World.

The astronomy, history, geography, and philosophies of life recorded in the book might be dismissed by ordinary people, but for a scholar like him, it was undoubtedly a work of extraordinary significance.

“Past and Present Lives—good, I’ll take this one!”

Without hesitation, Mu Feng resolutely picked up the thread-bound ancient book. Just as he tucked it into his robe, an expressionless black-robed attendant pushed the door open and said coldly, “Young Master Mu Feng, time’s up. Please!”

“Alright!”

Mu Feng brushed the dust off his robe and followed the black-robed attendant as he strode away.

After exiting the main hall, he realized that the area outside the Cangshu Pavilion was nearly packed with people, all eager to witness his outcome. Standing prominently at the front was the pale-faced Mu Qingyuan, whose youthful body had already been drained by indulgence in wine and luxury. He was surrounded by a large group of guards, all wearing smug smiles, clearly waiting to mock him.

“Trash!”

Mu Feng sneered coldly, glanced at the grinning Mu Qingyuan, and strode forward without even giving him a direct glance, treating him as if he were air.

Endure!

Swallowing the frustration of his setbacks in the Cangshu Pavilion for now wasn’t a retreat but a preparation to make his next strike more powerful. If he didn’t act, all would be calm; but once he did, it would be a fatal blow!

When the day came that he achieved fame on the golden roll or broke through to the Elite Realm, gaining enough strength, he would settle the score with him and tear him to shreds in public!

“Young Master Mu Feng, please present the cultivation technique you obtained for registration and records.”

As he reached the entrance, Mu Feng was stopped by two black-robed attendants. According to Mu Manor’s rules, every disciple who entered the Cangshu Pavilion had to present the cultivation technique they obtained for registration.

“Alright!”

Mu Feng nodded and took out the thread-bound ancient book from his robe.

“Past and Present Lives—huh? This… this is a music score!”

The black-robed attendant took the thread-bound ancient book from Mu Feng, opened it, and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

What?

The onlooking clansmen were instantly petrified, and even Mu Feng himself was no exception.

He had thought it would be another masterpiece like ‘Guangling Miscellany.’ Who would have thought it would turn out to be a music score?