Chapter 19: The Struggle for Legacy, The Perilous Journey Begins

Dong Changfeng stood at the entrance of the assessment chamber, his heart brimming with both anticipation and anxiety for the unknown journey that lay ahead. The words of the chief examiner echoed in his ears, each syllable striking his inner drum with the weight of a heavy hammer.

He took a deep breath, resolutely stepping forward toward the secret inheritance site. The air around him grew unnaturally dense, as if even the atmosphere itself had solidified. Cautiously, he advanced, each step feeling like walking on thin ice, ready to plunge into an abyss at any moment.

His eyes scanned the dimly lit forest with vigilance; every rustle of leaves sent jolts through his nerves. Occasional calls of night birds added a layer of eerie tension to the scene.

“Secret inheritance, here I come!” Dong Changfeng whispered to himself, determination ringing in his voice. Clenching his fists, he vowed not to betray his own convictions nor the expectations of the elders.

Suddenly, a noisy commotion broke out in the woods ahead. Dong’s heart leapt; swiftly, he ducked behind a massive boulder, holding his breath as he carefully observed the source of the disturbance.

A group of outer disciples emerged from the trees. Leading them was Senior Brother Chen, whose greedy eyes gleamed like a beast fixated on prey in the darkness.

“Brothers, this inheritance opportunity is rare. We must seize it!” Chen’s voice was low and menacing, cutting sharply through the still night.

The others nodded eagerly, their eyes shining with urgency, watching their surroundings like predators ready to pounce.

Cold sweat oozed from Dong’s palms as he tightened his grip, knuckles cracking faintly. He knew the dangers ahead were just beginning. Chen’s greed and selfishness stirred anger within him, but fury alone would not solve anything. He needed calm and strategy.

“Changfeng, you’re here to snatch the inheritance too, aren’t you?” Chen’s voice suddenly pierced the silence like a cold arrow, striking at Dong’s heart.

Startled, Dong rose from behind the boulder, forcing a reluctant smile while his mind raced for a response.

“I... I’m just here to observe. Senior brothers are so skilled, how could a junior dare compete with you?” Dong feigned timidity, his voice trembling.

Chen’s eyes flickered with triumph, a slight smirk curling his lips as if victory was assured.

“If that’s the case, be sensible and don’t block our way!” Chen snapped coldly. A surge of anger welled within Dong, but he stifled it and turned to run in the opposite direction.

His figure soon vanished into the dense forest, leaving Chen and his followers standing in place.

“That kid won’t give up so easily, will he?” one disciple muttered, receiving no reply from Chen.

Chen’s gaze remained icy, as if already envisioning the inheritance within his grasp.

Dong Changfeng dashed deeper into the forest, his panic-stricken face changing more swiftly than a Sichuan opera mask. Chen and the others burst into laughter, convinced the inheritance would fall into their hands without resistance.

“That coward runs like a rabbit and still dares to try for the inheritance? Ridiculous!” Chen sneered, waving his hand. “Brothers, chase him down! Don’t let him escape; we’ll teach him a lesson!”

Though his flight seemed frantic, Dong was intimately familiar with this wilderness. He deliberately veered through bushes and thorny thickets. Chen’s group, relying on their numbers, charged blindly, dismissing these minor obstacles—and promptly fell victim to them.

“Ah!” “What the heck!” “What’s that?” screams erupted as Chen’s group tumbled helplessly, a disheveled mess.

Hidden in the shadows, Dong bit back laughter, shoulders trembling with suppressed mirth. “If you want to fight me, you’re too inexperienced!”

Chen finally scrambled up, his face scratched and bleeding from thorns, fury blazing from every pore. “Damn Dong Changfeng! How dare he fool us! Chase him! We’ll skin him alive!”

The others rose, their faces dirtied, eyes blazing with anger. They had expected an easy claim to the inheritance but had been thoroughly outwitted, losing face and temper alike.

Behind him, the sound of footsteps grew louder. A sly smile curled on Dong’s lips. He pulled out small stones he had prepared and hurled them ahead.

“Swish, swish, swish!” The stones cut through the air, striking tree trunks with sharp clinks.

“What’s that noise?” Chen and his group abruptly halted, alert, eyes darting around.

At that moment, Dong’s figure appeared not far ahead, a playful smile on his face. “Senior brothers, since you’re so tired from the chase, why not take a break?”

Enraged, Chen and the others charged forward—but suddenly, a crackling sound came from above.

“Not good!” Chen’s face shifted to horror. “Get out of the way!”

The crackling grew louder and more frequent. Looking up, they were horrified to see huge beehives hanging from the branches, swarming with venomous bees poised to strike.

“Run!” Chen shouted, turning to flee. The others scrambled after him in panic, their screams echoing through the forest.

Amid the chaos, Dong laughed heartily, delighting in their miserable retreat. “You wanted to chase me? Now you’re reaping the consequences!”

After dealing with these troublesome foes, Dong pressed onward toward the inheritance site.

Soon, he encountered a thick mist swirling before him, obscuring the path ahead.

“An illusion array?” Dong’s heart quickened as he grew alert.

He recalled records in the sect’s ancient tomes describing such arrays, designed to bewilder the mind, cause disorientation, and trap victims in hallucinations.

Hidden in the shadows, Elder Fang smiled wickedly. “Hmph, brat, let’s see how you die this time!” His carefully arranged illusion array was nearly impossible even for inner disciples to break, let alone a mere outer disciple.

Dong studied the mist, brow furrowed. He reached out, lightly touching the fog. An icy chill spread through his body, causing a shiver.

“It really is an illusion array,” he thought, but he remained calm, recalling everything he knew about such formations.

“The key lies in the array’s core. Find it, and you can dismantle the entire trap...” Dong mused, carefully moving along the edge of the mist in search of the core.

Elder Fang watched smugly, confident. “Take your time, kid. By the time you find the core, I’ll have already taken the inheritance!”

Yet, Fang’s smile froze abruptly. Dong suddenly stopped.

Boom!

A tremendous rumble shook the ground. The mist evaporated instantly, revealing the hidden core beneath.

“Impossible!” Fang’s eyes widened in disbelief. He could not fathom how Dong had so effortlessly located and broken the core.

With the illusion array dissolved, Dong pressed forward until he reached the entrance to the inheritance site.

An ancient stone door stood there, radiating a mysterious aura.

Taking a deep breath, Dong felt both nervous and hopeful. He knew the real challenge was only just beginning.

“Hopefully, there aren’t any demons or monsters inside...” he muttered softly, then reached out and pushed open the stone door.