At the summit of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, outside a temple that was primitive yet possessed an air of magnificence, Li Tianyi waited with a nervous expression.
This was the ancient temple where the Four Great Leaders of the mountain resided.
While the other ancient temples throughout the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems were filled with the heavy stench of blood, up here on the peak, there was surprisingly a refreshing fragrance that seeped into the heart—a scent identical to the "Divine Blood" he received every year.
"I've worked my way up, Old Ancestor! I actually worked my way up!"
Li Tianyi kept his head lowered, but his expression was one of pure excitement.
Over the past two years, not only had the family successfully refined "Dabao," but Li Tianyi had also utilized the Corpse Stitching Arts acquired from home to formulate his own set of insights.
He had presented these so-called "superficial learnings" to the leadership to attract the attention of the Four Great Leaders, all for the sake of getting closer to the Ling Tian Three Corpses and paving the way for future plans.
If the family's Corpse Stitching Art was to ascend to a higher level, or if he wanted to gather intelligence on the summit, he had to take this risk.
Yet, now that he was actually standing outside the Hall of White-Robes, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Taotie, Zhenwu, Huangui, and Lingxu—the four great titans of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems—were all powerful and bizarre existences.
He couldn't help but query the Profound Seals Talisman within his body,
"Seniors, I am facing Void Refinement experts here. Their methods are extraordinary. Can you really suppress my cultivation realm and ensure I don't give myself away?"
His voice had barely faded when a response came.
At the very front of the Profound Seals Talisman, an old senior whose body was formed from "Soul Refining Silk" smiled faintly.
"Rest assured. Even if you were surrounded by Void Refinement experts, I could suppress your aura so completely that you would seem no different from an ordinary mortal."
Although the old senior's phrasing was a bit odd, Li Tianyi felt a great deal more at ease.
...
"Are you Ghost Path Tianyi?"
Arriving at the Hall of White-Robes, he was greeted by the curling smoke of burning incense.
While the foot of the mountain was a landscape of corpses and seas of blood, the summit was incomparably holy.
The hall was carved from white jade, exuding an air of magnificence and grandeur.
He saw three figures sitting cross-legged.
The moment he stepped into the hall, he found himself instantly transported to the very center—a truly bizarre sensation.
For a moment, Li Tianyi felt the world spinning around him.
Directly in front of him sat a handsome young Daoist in white robes, holding a horsetail Brush.
He possessed an air of ethereal sagehood that surpassed even that of his Uncle Yunlin.
After years of investigation, Li Tianyi knew that this person was the White-Robe, Zhenwu.
To the left sat a young child cross-legged, wearing a loose white robe.
The fabric was dotted with starlight, yet in the blink of an eye, streaks of blood-colored light seemed to flicker across it, only for everything to return to normal upon a second glance.
The child opened his eyes; they were devoid of any whites, resembling the eyes of a wild beast—utterly bizarre.
This was White-Robe Taotie.
As for the right side, there was a woman.
She was glamorously beautiful, her white robe modified into a gown.
The bodice crossed over her chest, leaving an opening that revealed her ample curves.
The skirt was split high on both sides, with the fabric falling straight down the front and back to cover her ankles.
She reclined seductively on her side, the back of her hand supporting her rosy cheek.
With fiery red lips and her right leg arched to reveal jade-like, slender skin, she held a white jade pipe.
She exhaled a puff of white smoke, appearing even more enchanting.
This was White-Robe Huangui.
Only Lingxu had not appeared.
Li Tianyi felt that Lingxu was somewhere nearby, but with his true strength currently suppressed by the seniors to maintain his cover, how could he possibly investigate?
With these four great titans surrounding him in the center, Li Tianyi was drenched in cold sweat.
In all his years of raiding tombs, or even back when his old man used to chase him around with a whip, he had never been this nervous!
"This subordinate... this subordinate is indeed Ghost Path Tianyi!"
His mind suddenly stirred—the senior was alerting him.
Li Tianyi hurriedly bowed his head and responded.
It turned out that the three leaders were currently probing his body with their spiritual sense.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he had made preparations beforehand.
These three were simply too normal.
Since arriving at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, Li Tianyi had seen many Purple-Robes.
Those people all possessed hideous features; some had even used corpse stitching to transform themselves into monstrous forms that looked neither human nor ghost, or even like wild beasts.
But these three?
Forget calling them White-Robes of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems—if someone claimed they were members of the Righteous Path, Li Tianyi wouldn't be able to find a single reason to refute it.
"Sit down."
Before him, Zhenwu gave a slight wave of his hand, and a prayer mat appeared on the white jade floor.
Li Tianyi dared not say much.
He hurriedly sat cross-legged, waiting to hear what the three had to say.
It seemed that the insights on corpse stitching he had submitted from the family had truly won the appreciation of the White-Robes.
White-Robe Zhenwu wore a gentle expression.
"Do not be nervous. There are many rumors regarding us within the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems; this is inevitable.
After all, the techniques we cultivate are not tolerated by the mundane world, and even among us fellow Daoists, there is often much speculation."
"However, my Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems has always been fair. You receive what you deserve.
The living humans, living beasts, and Divine Blood offered to you each year are proof of this."
"There are very few people like us left in the world, and this bit of inheritance is all that remains.
We certainly would not harm you. Just consider yourself to be on equal footing with us."
As he spoke, Zhenwu gave a playful smile.
"However, do not be too presumptuous. Otherwise, if this seat becomes angered, I will kick you right back down the mountain with a single foot."
"...."
Li Tianyi blinked, completely dumbfounded.
Before ascending the mountain, he had imagined every possibility.
He had guessed that these fellows would be no different from malicious ghosts, or perhaps as hideous as the Old Ancestor of the Zhao Clan from years past.
But he never, in a million years, expected that these three... would act even more normal than his own father and the others.
"Ghost Path Tianyi, the reason we allowed you to ascend this time is that your insights and realizations are truly extraordinary.
Speak then, and tell us of your understanding regarding the Art of Corpse Stitching."
"Yes!"
Recovering from the shock caused by the stark contrast between his expectations and reality, Li Tianyi hurriedly recited the speech he had prepared long ago.
As he spoke, the expressions of the three listeners grew increasingly grave.
The corpse refining method bestowed by the Old Ancestor, encompassing concepts such as "genes" and "cells," involved observation of the human body down to the most minute detail.
These Four Great Leaders were ultimately still mortals; how could they possibly compare to the Old Ancestor's earth-shattering knowledge?
Li Tianyi grew more and more enthusiastic as he spoke.
Even Taotie, who appeared as a child of few words, occasionally exclaimed "Good!" in admiration.
"This method is truly ingenious, subtle down to the smallest particle."
Huangui parted her red lips lightly, ripples of emotion visible in her beautiful eyes.
"Such attention to detail... even after existing in this world for so many years, we never noticed these things.
Hearing your words today has suddenly made everything clear.
Ghost Path Tianyi, you were born to be a master of corpse stitching. With you in our Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, the future is promising.
You follow the Ghost Path, and I am the Illusion Ghost; are you willing to become my Head Disciple? Hahaha!"
The woman's hearty and uninhibited laughter rang out.
Gulp.
Li Tianyi stared blankly at the peaceful scene atop the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.