LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 9:
Chapter 9: The Divine Scroll Awakens!
In an instant, the air was filled with the stench of blood.
While Chu Tian and the others were still in shock, Xiao Yunhe let out another ear-piercing scream.
“Master! Look over there!”
Not far away, countless red dots flickered in the darkness, appearing and disappearing like ghostly embers.
“Ah!”
“Ah!”
More agonized screams echoed through the night as several disciples behind Chu Tian collapsed lifelessly.
At the same time, the red dots were drawing closer and closer.
“Retreat!”
“Don’t scatter! Activate your defenses and retreat now!”
Chu Tian panicked, ignoring the mangled bodies beneath his feet. Grabbing his magical weapon, he turned and fled.
“Master, wait for me!”
Xiao Yunhe scrambled to his feet and ran after him, his voice trembling with fear.
In his frantic escape, he suddenly heard a low growl—it was faint, like the sound of a cat.
His entire body broke out in cold sweat, and his soul nearly left his body from sheer terror.
…
Lu Chen woke up to find that it was already midnight.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its silver glow over the land like a layer of frost.
As his body relaxed, Lu Chen suddenly realized that he was starving.
It had been a long time since he had felt such an intense hunger.
He could even hear his stomach grumbling.
“Am I really this hungry?”
Muttering to himself, he walked toward Xuan Mo.
Xuan Mo lifted its head lazily, its expression drowsy as if it had just woken up.
“Little one, do you want something to eat?”
Xuan Mo seemed to understand his words and suddenly turned toward the cave entrance.
Bathed in the moonlight, Lu Chen saw something neatly arranged at the entrance.
Curious, he took a few steps closer—
It was Spirithorn Meat!
And not just any part—this was the most tender cut!
“Did you bring this?”
Xuan Mo ignored him and curled up again.
Lu Chen chuckled. He was probably overthinking things.
How could a little cat barely the size of a palm bring back such a large chunk of meat?
Right now, he had no interest in questioning where the Spirithorn Meat had come from.
The most important thing was filling his stomach!
There was plenty of dry wood and firestones in the cave.
Lu Chen quickly set up a simple rack and began roasting the meat.
Before long, the cave was filled with an enticing aroma.
Sizzle—Sizzle—
Each time the oil dripped into the fire, the flames would flare up slightly.
The surface of the meat gradually turned golden brown, becoming even more mouthwatering.
Lu Chen reached out to cut a portion for Xuan Mo, but as he lowered his head, a strand of his hair suddenly fell loose.
Lu Chen froze.
His hair… had turned black?
Three hundred years ago, he had fought desperately to defend the demonic cave.
In the end, he exhausted his cultivation to seal the demons away.
It was at that moment that his once jet-black hair turned as white as snow.
Ever since, no one had seen him with dark hair again.
Lu Chen had never cared much about appearances, but today’s unexpected change still made him feel a bit pleased.
Three centuries of snowy white hair—
Today, at last, he had regained his former appearance.
“Owuuu!”
Xuan Mo suddenly let out a soft cry.
Lu Chen snapped back to his senses and quickly grabbed the roasted meat.
If he left it on the fire any longer, it would burn.
…
Mystic Spirit Holy Sect
Chu Tian knelt in the grand hall, his head lowered.
Behind him stood Xiao Yunhe and two other trusted disciples.
All of them looked pale as paper, their expressions filled with fear.
Even though they had returned to a safe place, their bodies were still trembling uncontrollably.
“Sect Master, this subordinate is guilty! I failed to uncover the cause of the disturbance in the demonic cave, and I lost dozens of our disciples. I am willing to accept any punishment!”
Yu Yanxue remained silent.
Meanwhile, the elders standing on either side of the hall exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.
A single trip to Jade Spirit Mountain…
How had they lost so many people?
Had they encountered demonic creatures?
But there were no signs of battle on Chu Tian or the others.
What exactly had frightened them to this extent?
The elders couldn’t suppress their curiosity.
Elder Xu Qingshan finally spoke up.
“Elder Chu, were you ambushed?”
“Did you fall into a trap set by those people from the Azure Sun Sect?”
“I’ve never liked those people! If they dared to humiliate us today, we will make them pay for it!”
Chi Lingxiao scoffed and flicked his sleeve.
“Second Elder, are you confused? Elder Chu went to Jade Spirit Mountain. What does this have to do with the Azure Sun Sect?”
Xu Qingshan’s face stiffened, unable to find a retort.
“Senior Sister, Second Elder is just anxious. The Azure Sun Sect has pushed us too far, so it’s natural that he suspected them.”
Qi Ze’s words reminded everyone of the Azure Sun Sect’s past deceptions, reigniting their anger.
Under the watchful eyes of the elders, Chu Tian recounted everything that had happened at Jade Spirit Mountain.
By the time he finished, everyone in the hall was stunned.
“You didn’t see what kind of demonic creature it was?”
Chu Tian’s face flushed with shame as he shook his head repeatedly.
This was beyond humiliating.
But compared to survival, pride meant nothing.
Any of them, had they been in his place, would likely have made the same decision.
Suddenly, Xiao Yunhe spoke up.
“Sect Master, the creature’s cry… sounded like a cat!”
His words stunned the entire hall.
Even Yu Yanxue couldn’t help but take another look at Xiao Yunhe.
“A cat?”
“Yes! I was at the rear of the formation, and just as I entered the defensive barrier, I clearly heard a cat’s cry!”
Xiao Yunhe’s voice trembled as he spoke.
Chu Tian’s face turned dark.
This fool! Does he not know when to keep his mouth shut?!
Bringing up a cat at a time like this?!
Did he want everyone to laugh at them for being scared out of their wits by a cat?!
Chu Tian shot him a glare so sharp it could cut through steel.
Some of the elders had already begun suppressing their laughter, their expressions twitching.
What was originally a terrifying disaster had suddenly turned into a joke—
The mighty Elder Chu Tian, reduced to a coward by a cat!
Suddenly, Chi Lingxiao’s expression turned serious, and he spoke in a deep voice.
“Sect Master, something is not right!”
“When Lu Chen left… he took a cat with him!”
The hall instantly fell into silence.
Lu Chen.
It was Lu Chen again.
Why was it that everything seemed to be connected to him?
Even before his death, Elder Bai Xuan had hinted at Lu Chen being involved!
Yu Yanxue exhaled slowly.
“Elder Chu, are you certain that the creature was a cat?”
Chu Tian immediately denied it, his voice firm.
“Impossible!”
“Sect Master, do not believe Xiao Yunhe’s nonsense! He must have been so terrified that he started imagining things!”
“Twenty of our disciples died, their bodies torn apart. How could a mere cat be responsible for that?”
Chu Tian had already made up his mind.
Even if it was a cat, he would never admit it.
Otherwise, his ancestors would be rolling in their graves!
“Then, do you believe this matter is related to Lu Chen?”
“Sect Master, we searched carefully along the way but found no trace of Lu Chen.”
Chu Tian answered with certainty.
At that moment, everyone in the hall had the same thought—
Lu Chen’s face flashed in their minds.
…
“Ah-choo!”
Lu Chen, having just finished eating, suddenly sneezed.
Then another—
And another—
He couldn’t stop.
Looking up at the moon, he muttered,
“At this hour, who could possibly be thinking about me?”
Just as he finished speaking, he froze.
Deep within his consciousness, something exploded—
A divine scroll that had remained sealed for three hundred years—
Had just opened its first page!