I am just a mortal, why do you all worship me as a saint?

Chapter 33: The Unlucky One – “Purple Sword Master”

Gu Heng scoffed.

Sure enough, all that charade was just a shaped white mist, and he still managed to smash it apart.

He shook his head, collected his thoughts, and walked to the bronze gate carved with various intricate patterns and symbols. The bronze gate was heavily corroded; it collapsed with just a gentle push, raising a cloud of dust.

Upon entering the main hall, a sense of decay and desolation immediately sets in.

The palace's dome was shattered, and the surrounding stone pillars had all collapsed. The only reason this place was still standing was probably because the palace was practically embedded in the mountainside. The place wasn't very large either.

He had thought there might be something in the hall that could reveal the origin of this nameless tomb, but after looking around, Gu Heng found that there was almost nothing left in the hall.

The identity of the tomb's occupant remains a mystery.

"who are you?"

Suddenly, a voice came from the fallen stone pillar beside them. Gu Heng looked over warily and shouted, "Who's playing tricks now?"

Then, a wisp of white smoke rose from behind the stone pillar, gradually condensing into a glowing white sphere.

Like a will-o'-the-wisp.

"...It seems it really is haunted."

Gu Heng shook his head. He should have known that this place was eerie; after all, it was a tomb, so it was normal for it to be haunted.

Back in Qingmu City, many people went to the desolate outskirts of the city to chop wood or hunt, and then wandered into mass graves. They were scared half to death by the ghosts that weren't quite dead yet, and then came to him for some calming medicine so they could get a good night's sleep.

In this world, ghost stories are perfectly normal.

Moreover, these ghosts pose virtually no threat other than being frightening. They can even exorcise ghosts and drive away evil spirits from ordinary people who are not cultivators but have mastered martial arts.

Of course, there are some evil spirits who are said to have committed many evils in life. After death, they are rejected by the Netherworld and remain in the world, causing trouble in one area. These kinds of people are naturally to be eliminated by cultivators.

But looking at that hazy white ball, Gu Heng immediately came to a conclusion.

This doesn't even qualify as a ghost. The one outside looked like a ghost, at least it had some ghostly appearance. This one inside doesn't even look like a ghost. It wouldn't even qualify as a decent special effect in a horror movie.

"Who are you? And why have you entered this place?"

The white ball swayed and came to his side, its voice surprisingly strong, as if it had been in its prime before it died.

"Tsk... If you want to know my name, why don't you tell me yours first?"

Gu Heng glanced at the white ball and coldly remarked.

He never imagined that he would one day be able to chat with a group of ghosts.

"Me? Hmph, I have quite a background. Do you know the name of 'Purple Sword True Man' Jian Xuan?"

"Master Zijian? Never heard of him."

Gu Heng chuckled.

"What!? How could I not have heard of it? I am—"

The white ball seemed to be flaming up, its light flickering, but Gu Heng interrupted him without any politeness, "What are you? You're just a useless ghost now, you can't even scare people, you can't even be a ghost!" "So don't make a fuss in front of me, you shameless guy."

He waved his hand dismissively.

This place was already eerie; he was startled outside and almost got scared again inside. Gu Heng was getting annoyed.

Do ghosts these days really like to seek out mortals to make their presence known?

"you you you!"

The white ball... no, Jian Xuan, is now enraged.

He, Jian Xuan, also known as "Purple Sword True Man," is the Grand Elder of the Ten Thousand Swords Immortal Sect and a powerful expert at the tenth level of the Mahayana stage! However, upon learning about the "Nameless Emperor's Tomb," he believed that there was an opportunity here, so he hurriedly came to this place.

Then Jian Xuan was overjoyed, because there was a wall of sword intent at the entrance of the mountain cave!

He knew that the sword intent was merely an obstacle; the real opportunity lay within. So, relying on his powerful cultivation and the sword aura he had independently comprehended, he exerted tremendous effort to barely dissipate it for a fleeting moment, using that tiny opening to rush inside. Then, outside the main hall, he was besieged by thousands of remnant souls, each possessing the strength of a Tribulation Transcending stage cultivator!

To pass the first test, Jian Xuanjiu had expended a great deal of effort. Now, he was doing his best in the second test, but he was completely defeated. He fled into the main hall, but as soon as he entered, he was killed by the ancient formation set up inside.

Only a dying remnant soul remained.

That happened so many years ago.

Only in recent years has he been able to regroup his power, allowing this remnant soul to perceive external objects, move, and even regain the strength of the Integration Stage!

But the ancient formation inside the main hall was still in operation, leaving him nowhere to go, and he had no idea what was happening outside.

"Wait! Why are you able to walk around here unharmed!?"

Perhaps because he had been dead for too long and had become numb for too long, Jian Xuan didn't even notice this at first. How did this guy, who, in his eyes, didn't exude the slightest aura, get in here?

The wall of sword intent at the mountain cave seemed to be eternal; it would shatter and then reassemble. Even in his prime, he found it incredibly difficult to break through that barrier of sword intent. How could this mortal...?

wrong!

This guy is no ordinary person!

No mortal can pass the Wall of Sword Intent; they can't even get past the first level.

"Hmm? You're asking me why I can... walk around unharmed?"

Gu Heng looked at Jian Xuan, his face full of doubt, "Have you been dead for too long and can't understand things anymore? Is there something in this hall that can stop me from moving around?"

After saying that, he took a stroll around the hall, returning to the white sphere with a look that said, "What nonsense are you spouting?" This hall has been abandoned for so long, there's not a single living person, only two dead bodies. Could there be something else here?

Gu Heng didn't see it, but he felt that this... Purple Sword Master might really be a little confused.

It's not his fault; he's already dead. What more can you ask for?

But Jianxuan finally saw it clearly.

That ancient formation couldn't even be triggered!

This person brazenly walked into the killing range of the formation, and then the formation was completely stopped after only a moment of operation!

Jian Xuan knew that since this person had not made a move and the formation could not have failed, there was only one possibility: his very existence was enough to render the formation ineffective!

Are there really such terrifyingly powerful beings in the world?

He could easily kill him, who was at the tenth level of the Mahayana stage, but he couldn't even do anything to this guy.

What terrifying being has arrived here? "This... I don't know, what is this senior's name?"

If Jian Xuan still had a physical body, he would definitely have bowed respectfully, but he didn't.

“My name is Gu Heng. Also, why do people keep calling me ‘senior’ or ‘sir’ lately? It sounds awful.”

Gu Heng pursed his lips.

"Then, how should I address you?"

Jian Xuan was trembling with fear.

"Young Master Gu sounds quite nice, doesn't he? Although you are a ghost, it's fate that we met in a place like this. Consider me your friend, and I'll call you Old Xuan from now on."

"Well, whatever makes you happy..."

Jian Xuan thought about it and realized that he had never actually met a powerful person with this kind of personality.

Pretending to be young.