Chen Jiuyang rushed into the waterfall, finding a hidden world within.
A section of the mountain peak had been carved out, allowing sunlight to stream in and nourish the lush vegetation inside.
Numerous inscriptions and paintings adorned the mountain walls, but they were obscure and difficult to decipher. Chen Jiuyang surveyed his surroundings.
In the center of the mountain, a small wooden hut stood before a peach tree of unknown age.
There was a stove, a stone table, and stone chairs.
It seemed as though someone had resided here for a period, perhaps hundreds or thousands of years ago.
Chen Jiuyang slowly advanced, reaching the wooden hut and pushing open its door.
"Creak—"
The interior was spotless, as if meticulously cared for by someone at regular intervals.
However, this was not the case. The peach tree outside was untended, and the stone table and chairs were covered in dust. Only the wooden hut itself was free of debris and dust.
It was likely maintained by some special artifact.
Inside the hut, there was a jade bed, a tea table, and two futons, along with a bookshelf.
The decor was antique, simple yet full of charm.
Chen Jiuyang approached the bookshelf, which held bamboo slips of ancient poetry, similar to the Book of Songs. Instead of wine cups, artifacts from before the Qin Dynasty were used.
This small wooden hut had existed for at least two thousand years.
"Where will the inheritance be? Could it be elsewhere, not within the wooden hut?"
Chen Jiuyang pondered, and just as he was about to turn to search elsewhere, he noticed a jade slip left on the tea table.
Chen Jiuyang reached out to touch the jade slip.
"Rumble!"
Chen Jiuyang felt the true qi and divine soul within him being voraciously devoured by the jade slip.
Moments later, the bamboo slip seemed to open.
A young man in black robes, with long hair cascading over his shoulders and a handsome, devilishly charming appearance, emerged from the jade slip and sat on a futon by the tea table. His eyes looked at Chen Jiuyang with a hint of complexity, and he spoke calmly, "Are you the current tribulation of love for the Heavenly Charm Physique?"
"Indeed."
"Since you are the tribulation of love for the Heavenly Charm Physique, please be seated." The spectral figure of the devilishly charming man gestured invitingly.
Chen Jiuyang took a seat on the futon opposite the spectral figure.
"Dreaming for thousands of years, what year is this?" the spectral figure asked Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang mused for a moment and replied, "Approximately two thousand five hundred years after the passing of the Sage Confucius."
The spectral figure's expression flickered with a daze. "The Sage Confucius is?"
"..." Chen Jiuyang.
"Never mind," the spectral figure said. "I must have died a long time ago. What you see before you is the lingering obsession of my divine soul left before my death."
Chen Jiuyang got straight to the point. "Senior, I am the current tribulation of love for the Heavenly Charm Physique and wish to seek the method of overcoming the tribulation from you."
The spectral figure nodded slowly. "Certainly. My lingering soul obsession was prepared for those who would face the tribulation of love later."
"Your talent is excellent, and you are also of the Pure Yang Physique. The current Heavenly Charm Physique is in for a treat."
"..." Chen Jiuyang felt that this previous tribulation of love was somewhat unconventional.
The spectral figure said, "Since you know the method to overcome the tribulation of love is here, you must have been informed by the Cold Spirit Sword."
Chen Jiuyang nodded.
The spectral figure stated, "This Cold Clan Forbidden Land is a massive formation that isolates heaven and earth, created by the first tribulation of love. To overcome the tribulation of love, three things are necessary."
"First, to gain control of the formation. This control is this jade slip. You will learn how to use it after my divine soul dissipates."
"Second, cultivate my Sacred Way of Aversion to Life. This method allows you to devour people's fortunes, enhancing your own fortune and origin."
"Third, obtain the exclusive spirit blade of the tribulation of love, the Blade of Aversion to Life."
"The first tribulation of love possessed unparalleled talent and intellect. He not only created the Cold Clan Forbidden Land but also forged the Cold Spirit Sword and the Blade of Aversion to Life, a pair of dragon and phoenix blades and swords."
"The Cold Spirit Sword can only be wielded by the saintess of the Cold Clan's Heavenly Charm Physique, while the Blade of Aversion to Life can only be wielded by the tribulation of love of the Heavenly Charm Physique."
"When the sword and blade are united, and yin and yang merge, combat power will increase by thirty percent."
"The Blade of Aversion to Life is buried next to my tomb in the wooden hut. You can retrieve it yourself later."
"This Aversion to Life method is a Sacred Way technique. Use it with caution, or you may suffer backlash or qi deviation."
"When you cultivate the Aversion to Life method and kill all the insects within this forbidden land, holding the formation jade slip, you can successfully break through to the Earth Realm."
"The Earth Realm is the foundation of the Great Dao. Although the Heavenly Charm Physique brings tribulations to the tribulation of love, breaking through this hurdle will also bring many benefits."
"Good things come to those who wait. To the tribulation of love of this generation, I wish you good luck."
With that, the spectral figure of the devilishly charming man raised a finger and touched Chen Jiuyang's forehead.
"Rumble!"
A vast amount of information and cultivation techniques surged into Chen Jiuyang's sea of consciousness.
"The Aversion to Life Method"
"Killing life is not just killing life, but also protecting life."
"The Aversion to Life Method does not mean aversion to life, but aversion to killing."
"The Aversion to Life Method is also a method of protecting life."
"To carry one person as my life's supreme, protect her safely, on thorny paths, kill one encountered until free and at ease."
"There are no innocent souls under the Aversion to Life Method."
"Do not repeat our mistakes."
Chen Jiuyang closed his eyes, quietly digesting the cultivation method and information. Then, following the cultivation experience transmitted by the spectral figure, Chen Jiuyang mastered the Aversion to Life Method within half an hour.
Chen Jiuyang's temperament and features had undergone some changes due to the Aversion to Life Method.
Previously, Chen Jiuyang was incredibly masculine, like a sharp sword unsheathed. Now, he possessed a touch of gentleness and compassion.
Chen Jiuyang slowly opened his eyes. The spectral figure of the devilishly charming man had vanished, but his regretful sigh seemed to still echo in Chen Jiuyang's ears.
Chen Jiuyang's eyes held a complex expression. "There are such astonishingly talented and extraordinary individuals in the demonic path. Killing life is protecting life, not becoming a demon by killing, but doing so out of necessity."
"Killing without becoming a demon, and also devouring others' fortunes to strengthen oneself."
"This 'Aversion to Life Method' is no less than 'Eight-Nine Profound Palace' or 'Instant Annihilation Martial Way'."
Chen Jiuyang put away the jade slip. In his divine soul, he could directly view the entire Cold Clan Forbidden Land from a God's-eye perspective.
He could not see it when he put down the jade slip, but once he picked it up, the entire Cold Clan Forbidden Land was under his observation. "This is truly a good thing."
He could observe where people were, where their strength was weaker, and where their strength was stronger.
Emerging from the wooden hut, he went to the back of the hut, where two graves stood.
The tombstone of one grave was inscribed with a line of text:
The tomb of my beloved wife, Han Peining.
The tombstone of the other grave bore only three characters:
Xin Jueqing.
On this tombstone, a saber was also placed.
A line of text on the scabbard read: My beloved wife failed to ascend, and I had no will to live on. I leave this saber for the next tribulation of love of the Heavenly Charm Physique.
Chen Jiuyang activated the Aversion to Life Method, raised his hand, grasped the Blade of Aversion to Life, and then respectfully bowed three times to the graves. "Senior Xin, rest assured, I, Chen Jiuyang, will not repeat your mistakes."