Volcanic Age

A glossy head that reflected the sunlight, the wrinkles on his face, and the crescent-shaped eyebrows all looked very clean.

At first, Zhou Xuchuan just carried the man on his back without taking a closer look at his face in fear that he could die anytime soon, and descended the mountain as quickly as possible.

However, when he placed the man down at the foot of the mountain, he began to feel uneasy after looking at the man's appearance. When he took off the man's thick cold-resistant clothing, his suspicions were confirmed as the man was wearing red Buddhist robes.

"Allow me to thank you again for saving this lowly monk's life, Benefactor."

It just had to be a Lama Monk from the Potala Palace!

The martial world didn't just exist in the central plains, naturally, there were forces outside, which were collectively called the "Foreign Martial World". Among them, the Potala Palace represented Tibet, and it was a temple that followed Buddhist martial practices, just like the Shaolin Temple.

However, their practices were different, since they were a different denomination from the Buddhist temples of the Central Plains, and were more commonly called the Lama. The problem was that the Lama's deeds were questionable, and the Lama monks of the Potala Palace were very violent.

They had even schemed to invade the Central Plains several times, proving how aggressive they were. Even the Shaolin Temple and their nigh-infinite benevolence frowned at the mention of a Lama monk.

"Then let's go our separate ways. It was short, but it was nice to meet you."

"Oh, no, benefactor. Why are you in such a hurry?" The Lama monk laughed and reached out quickly to grab Zhou Xuchuan's pants.

"You see, I'm in a bit of a hurry, so let me go my way. Please let go, Sir Monk," Zhou Xuchuan replied, his face stern.

"You saved my life, Benefactor. I have yet to repay your kindness, how could you leave? Please be considerate of this lowly one's goodwill."

"You don't need to repay me. I plan to leave without revealing myself so please just let me be, Sir Monk."

"They say crossing paths is an act of fate. Could you please hear this lowly one's story?"

"Then let's end our fate at just crossing paths." Zhou Xuchuan replied, his dislike evident.

"From the way you look, it seems you plan to scale the Great Snowy Mountains. Am I right?"

"I was just passing through."

"Splendid. This must be fate. If it's okay with you, will you join me in reaching the summit?"

"Excuse me, dear monk. Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

He looked ordinary on the surface, but Zhou Xuchuan couldn't shake the feeling that he was still a Lama monk. The shape of his head was weird.

"Isn't this your first time in the Great Snowy Mountains, Benefactor? If it's okay with you, why don't you take this pitiful and lowly monk as your guide."

Zhou Xuchuan hesitated, suspiciously wondering how the monk knew this.

The Lama monk laughed gently. "Time is equivalent to experience. This isn't my first time seeing someone from the Central Plains, benefactor."

Zhou Xuchuan mulled over the monk's words in silence, contemplating his next move.

What now?

Sure, having a local around might be helpful. The Lama monk's offer seemed genuine, and having a guide should save a considerable amount of time. Shortening his stay here wasn't a bad idea.

What bothered him was naturally whether this monk was trustworthy or not.

I can tell he's less powerful than me…

From what he could tell, the monk was a Peak Realm expert just about to reach the Absolute Realm. He had no risk of losing even if he was caught off-guard.

"My destination is near the peak. You can't guide me all the way there, can you?"

"I'll guide you as far as I can point you in the right direction if you tell me where you're going."

"Have you been to the summit, Sir Monk?"

The Lama monk shook his head. "No. However, the Potala Palace was once called the Chomolungma, and their records and maps still exist. I have that memorized. Please trust me."

"If I accompany you, where do I need to take you?"

"I do not know where you plan to go exactly, but you said you were going near the summit. My destination is a bit lower than that."

Zhou Xuchuan took his time, weighing the possibilities.

After a long time, he made his decision.

"Very well."

*

During the Yuan Dynasty, Lama Buddhism was the national religion. Naturally, they had significant influence and power. However, this led the religion to commit all sorts of atrocities and walk down the path of ruin.

The Potala Palace, in particular, was notorious for their wrongdoing, and ultimately, they became infamous for corruption. People's opinions of them had, no, could never change.

"Both the Lama Buddhists and the Potala Palace remain stuck to in the past, clinging to their former glory," said the Lama monk, fiddling with prayer beads in his hand.

"I felt this when I first met you, but you're quite eccentric, Sir Monk," Zhou Xuchuan said, implying that he was a lunatic.

The two of them were climbing the Great Snowy Mountains again. It seemed the monk wasn't lying when he said he knew the way around, allowing Zhou Xuchuan to reach somewhere he had visited earlier in significantly less time than before.

"If there is something wrong, one must face it directly and admit its existence. Otherwise, one will sink into a path of foolishness, unable to differentiate or understand phenomena and objects."

The way he spoke wasn't simple.

It seems this old man has beef with the Potala Palace. He must have been ostracized because of his eccentric personality.

It was quite obvious to him..

Considering how he came here by himself without any company, he must not have a high position in the Potala Palace either.

It was a good thing from Zhou Xuchuan's perspective since he wanted to minimize his involvement with the Potala Palace.

"Oh, what is your name, Benefactor?"

"Sir Monk, I don't think we're close enough to share names. Let's just leave our relationship at being passersby."

"You're as cold as the northern snow, Benefactor."

"It has always been my dream to become a cold man."

Though, he would show warmth to those within his own sect.

"We must have been brought together by the Lama. Could you please have mercy and teach me warmth?"

"Don't Lama monks have something like the Practice of Noble Silence? I suggest you start one right now."

*

As the sun set, darkness fell, and the brilliant full moon was hidden behind a sea of clouds.

Zhou Xuchuan also had no choice but to stop at night because of the Lama monk.

"Huff, huff. There is a cave about seventy meters from here. It'd be best that we spend the night there."

"Just stay here with this on, Sir Monk."

Zhou Xuchuan took off his cold-resistant clothing and handed it to the monk.

"Have you gone crazy because of the cold, Benefactor?" the Lama monk exclaimed in disbelief. Taking off padded clothing in this cold was akin to suicide.

"I'm okay, so just focus on pulling yourself together so that you don't freeze to death."

Zhou Xuchuan retorted, leaving the cave without further explanation, despite the blizzard raging outside.

He gathered the snow nearby and used his sword to cut them into bricks before piling them in a crisscross pattern. He filled the gaps with snow.

A wall made of snow blocked the entrance. Any remaining gaps he discovered were filled with snow from inside the cave.

"Whoa. I have lived a long life, but this is the first time I've seen something like this." The Lama monk blinked repeatedly in curiosity.

A makeshift wall made of snow blocked out the blade-like winds and the chilly air. The Lama monk felt like this was some kind of sorcery cast by those in Nanman.

"I hear it's an architecture in the Northern Seas. Originally, the blocks are piled in a circular fashion to build a house."

This was one of the things he had learned while fighting during the Era of War and Chaos.

"You seem pretty young, Benefactor, but not only do you have extraordinary martial prowess, your knowledge is vast as well."

The Lama monk's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"Anyone in the Central Plains can do this much."

Zhou Xuchuan hid the plum blossom patterns on his sleeves.

"Well, then. Let's get some sleep."

He lay down, using his bag as a pillow. He didn't need a blanket.

"That aside, why are you climbing the Great Snowy Mountains, Sir Monk?" Zhou Xuchuan asked. Although he tried not to pay any attention to it, his curiosity got the better of him.

"It is to see someone suffering in pain."

"Huh?"

"I may be a lowly monk, but don't you think that it's a little unfair that I'm the only one answering questions?"

"Let's just sleep."

"…"

*

The Lord of the Dark Heavens Association quietly looked down, his chin resting on his hand.

"Archive."

"Y-yes!" the head of the Archive and his subordinates replied in unison, their voices trembling slightly.

"Why is it not there?" the Lord asked, his voice devoid of emotion, making him sound even more frightening. "Why… is the Ten Millennia Fire Carp not there?"

The head of the Archive gulped, his eyes shaking violently. He had just reported on the Ten Millennia Fire Carp, no, someone on the Lord's level should have realized before that.

"The Seven-horned Serpent is not there either."

The seven horns, and even its internal core had disappeared. The head of the Archive immediately searched every nook and cranny of the Poisonblood Valley after hearing that the Seven-horned Serpent had become a Six-horned Serpent. However, his search was fruitless and he attributed it to the poisonous creatures of the valley.

"Its horns should have been enough to craft seven fine swords, and its internal core would have been enough to entice an elder of the Ten Major Organisations," the Lord muttered, his words making the head of the Archive tremble even more violently. "This Lord is a generous ruler, so you need not tremble in fear like that."

The Lord crossed his legs. Indeed, there was no hint of fury or murderous intent from him.

"You have served me for a long time, haven't you? I'm not foolish enough to excise you after all the achievements you have made."

The head of the Archive banged his head on the ground, unable to speak. With a loud bang, the ground cracked, and his forehead began to bleed.

"I'm sorry!"

"Yes. That's enough."

The Lord flicked a finger.

"Urgh!"

Dozens of members of the Archive behind died with a short scream. Their bodies were severed without any warning.

"Head of the Archive. You have made many achievements and are useful to me with your abilities, but the ones behind you are not. They are mere worthless, incompetent maggots, are they not?"

"…Yes, my lord."

"I hope you do not disappoint me."

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