The Legend of the Netherworld

As the night deepened, Lin Xiao returned to the back mountain alone.

He did not return to his familiar thatched cottage, but walked towards the cave where the dirty Taoist priest used to stay most often. The cave was still dark, and seemed to still retain the aura of the dirty Taoist priest.

Lin Xiao walked slowly towards the stone platform in the center of the cave, recalling the scene when he first came to this back mountain: the first time he carried water, the first time he practiced martial arts, and the first time he felt the strictness and care of his master here.

Thinking of this, tears unconsciously blurred his eyes. Although the dirty Taoist priest was unwilling to admit it, he had already become the master in Lin Xiao's heart. The dirty Taoist priest who repeatedly stated that he would no longer accept disciples had never stopped caring about Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao's heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. He slowly sat down on the stone platform, cross-legged like the old Taoist priest, and began to meditate and practice. The sword he brought back from the ancient forest lay quietly across his legs. The blade was cold, but it carried a heavy burden of memories.

It wasn't until the morning that Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes from his training. He had decided to take the token left by the dirty Taoist priest to the Sutra Pagoda today. He wanted to know what the dirty Taoist priest had left him. So, he ate some dry food, packed up his sword, and headed down from the back mountain.

When they reached the fork in the road leading to the Feng Shui Academy, they happened to run into the headmaster who had just returned from an outing. Seeing the unsheathed sword in Lin Xiao's hand, the headmaster frowned slightly and asked, "Are you going to the Sutra Pagoda?"

Lin Xiao nodded, his heart filled with respect. The Sect Master looked at the sword in his hand, then gently gestured for Lin Xiao to step forward. The Sect Master slowly raised a finger and placed it on Lin Xiao's forehead, muttering a mantra. Then, a warm energy surged into Lin Xiao's body. The Sect Master had taught Lin Xiao a spell called "Internal Concealment of Weapons," which allowed him to conceal weapons within his body through his energy, allowing him to retrieve them at any time.

After the teaching was completed, the headmaster said softly, "Since you are going to the Sutra Pagoda, it is not convenient to carry a sword with you. Learning the inner hidden weapon will help you to act better."

Lin Xiao, filled with gratitude, bowed and thanked the master. The master nodded, then turned and left. Lin Xiao stood there, silently reciting the incantation the master had taught him, gathering his energy and unleashing his inner transformation. He watched as his sword gradually vanished under his own power, merging into his body. Feeling the sword's presence linger, Lin Xiao felt a slight jolt in his heart, yet at the same time, he also sensed the magical power of this spell.

After mastering the new skills, Lin Xiao did not stay for long and continued to head towards the Sutra Tower.

The Sutra Library Tower is majestic and towering, with a total of six floors. The exterior of the tower is made of blue bricks and gray tiles, and it looks simple and solemn.

All the disciples of Feng Shui Academy know that the Sutra Pagoda contains countless precious secret arts and martial arts. The lower three floors of the pagoda contain lower-grade secret arts and martial arts, and the disciples of the academy can enter to study at any time.

The fourth and fifth floors house mid-grade spells and martial arts, accessible only to disciples with permission from the sect leader or elders. The top floor, however, is incomparably more valuable, housing powerful secret techniques. However, to enter, one must possess the academy's specific token and reach the Jiayin or Dingmao realms. Otherwise, even if one manages to enter, they will struggle to withstand the immense pressure posed by the secret techniques.

Lin Xiao stood in front of the Sutra Library, feeling a little nervous but more determined. He clutched the token left to him by the dirty Taoist priest, took a deep breath, and stepped into the Sutra Library.

Perhaps because he arrived too early, the tower was utterly silent, with only the gentle sound of his footsteps echoing through the empty space. Although there were many secret arts and martial arts on the lower three floors, Lin Xiao only glanced through them without stopping. He already had a clear goal in mind—the secret arts on the top floor.

Along the way, there were no other disciples in the pagoda, as if the tranquility of the Sutra Repository was designed specifically for Lin Xiao. A few minutes later, Lin Xiao arrived at the entrance to the top floor. The top door was ancient and majestic, and the stone tablet in front of it read: "Those without a token and sufficient cultivation should be careful to enter."

Lin Xiao watched the door to the top floor open wide, a surge of curiosity and anticipation welling up in his heart. However, just as he was about to step forward, a calm voice suddenly rang out in his ears: "Little Daoist friend, your strength doesn't seem to meet the requirements on the plaque."

Lin Xiao moved at the sound and looked in the direction of the voice. He found a person hiding in the pile of books next to him. He saw that person first stretched out a hand, pushed a book away from the pile, and then the whole person was revealed.

He was of average build, with a stubbled face, but his clothes were clean. He was holding an old book in his hand, as if he had just woken up from a sea of ​​books. He seemed nonchalant, but his demeanor revealed an aura that could not be ignored.

Lin Xiao frowned slightly, thinking that this person must be the Feng Shui Academy's sweeping monk, the top-level manager. After pondering for a moment, he said respectfully, "Master, this is my token."

The man waved his hand dismissively, interrupting Lin Xiao and saying calmly, "No need to look at the token. Once you reach the required realm, you can enter naturally."

Lin Xiao frowned, his tone firm: "What if I want to enter today?"

The man glanced at Lin Xiao, as if he had anticipated his determination. He chuckled and asked, "You want to come in today? Then you can give it a try. However, you can't get through this door."

Lin Xiao suddenly felt a surge of dissatisfaction. With a cold snort, he walked towards the door without hesitation. When he reached the door, he reached out and gently pushed, but found that the door was actually an invisible transparent barrier that could not be opened at all. He frowned slightly and decided to try to force the barrier open.

Lin Xiao took a few steps back, gathering his strength, and then suddenly rushed towards the transparent barrier. However, just as he was about to collide with the barrier, an invisible force instantly flung him away, and he fell heavily to the ground, his chest churning with blood.

The man next to him watched this scene, smiled and shook his head, his tone still calm: "This barrier can only be naturally lifted when you reach a certain realm and use the token. You can't get in by forcing your way in now."

Lin Xiao covered his chest, stood up, gritted his teeth and looked at the transparent door, feeling unwilling.

The man seemed to see through Lin Xiao's thoughts and said softly, "Don't worry, the dirty Taoist priest has already prepared things for you on the lower level. Go there to learn some martial arts, and when you reach a certain level, come back to get the things in here."

Lin Xiao's heart trembled upon hearing this, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Dirty Taoist Priest?" He had been filled with dissatisfaction and doubt, but upon hearing the other party mention the Dirty Taoist Priest, he suddenly calmed down. Since the other party mentioned the Dirty Taoist Priest, it was obvious that there was no ill intention, and the Dirty Taoist Priest seemed to have some connection with this person.

Lin Xiao nodded slowly and didn't force his way through the door again. He turned and walked downstairs, charging up his Dragon Shadow Fist as he walked.