Painting of the Nine Immortals

Chapter 106: Drum Beating

Translator: Tatienne Editor: – –

Hearing this, ambition flashed across Ling Xian’s eyes.

Cultivators could never resist treasures or techniques that could potentially improve their training. Ling Xian was no exception. When The Untainted said there will soon be a birth of a treasure, he felt his heart blazing. If The Keeper of Land Sea claims it’s a valuable treasure, then the item must be rare and exceptional!

Watching the young man burn with desire, The Untainted impolitely poured cold water over his enthusiasm. “Don’t place too much hope on it. This place is full of monstrous beasts. With your low level of training, even if the treasure does appear, you won’t get the chance to even look at it.”

“You didn’t have to beat me on the head like that.” Ling Xian bitterly smiled.

“I am simply stating the truth.” The Untainted was expressionless.

“Of course I know you are stating the truth. With the little training I have, I won’t be able to get my hands on the treasure before the beasts do.” Ling Xian’s face remained salty. “The truth really hurts though, please try to let me down easy next time.”

“Let you down easy?” The Untainted Froze. After a while, she slowly whispered four words, “I don’t know how.”

Ling Xian was speechless. He realized it was useless no matter what he said. Ignoring the fact that the Keeper seemed to have multiple complex personalities, with only her cold tone and her rigid face, one could tell that she had no idea how to let someone down easy.

The Untainted’s face was as cold as the snow. Perhaps it was because of Ling Xian’s bitter smile, she suddenly said something in consolation, “Don’t give up. You might get lucky and catch a fish in troubled water.”

“I know my own capabilities. If those beasts really do appear, I’m afraid what you said will really happen – I will not even get the chance to look at the treasure. Luck can’t get me anymore.” Ling Xian slowly shook his head. Then, he became confident and grinned, “However, if a rare treasure is to be born, how can I not try and take a look?”

“That is true.” The Untainted stared far into the distance and whispered, “Just you wait. Within three days, a rare treasure will be born.”

“Watch for any wind and cloud, laugh at the changing skies.”

The corners of Ling Xian’s lips curved up. Anticipation was all there was on his handsome face.

…

Just as Ling Xian waited for the birth of the treasure, an Elder dressed in white arrived at the gate of the Wan Jian House.

It was Si Tu Nan.

After parting from Ling Xian two months ago, Si Tu Nan crazily fleeted and planned to seek help from the House.

However, just when he was a few miles away from the House, he mistakenly entered a mysterious cave. Just as luck would have it, with the mysterious energy form the cave, he was able to reach the Completion Level. However, also because of this, he was trapped in that place for a whole two months. Only today was he finally able to leave the place.

If this were any other day, he would feel overjoyed to run into such a rare opportunity and reach the Completion Stage. Usually, every little improvement in training would take light years. However, with his luck, he only needed two months to peak to the Completion Level. This kind of speed was unheard of.

However, Ling Xian was the only thing on Si Tu Nan’s mind, and instead of feeling excited, he felt deeply guilty.

Right now, his heart was enflamed, and his face was full of worry. Standing beside the gate, he took out his Elder medal and performed the seals required to enter the cave leading to the Wan Jian House.

The entire mountain shook, and a giant golden door appeared, emitting an infinite amount of light. Like a rainbow, it was blinding.

On top of the golden gate, like three dancing dragons, three giant characters were carved beautifully.

Wan Jian House!

One of the most powerful forces in Yunzhou.

Without any hesitation, Si Tu Nan marched forward and instantly, the golden gate oozed out a dizzying amount of light, swallowing his body in.

“House Gate… I have finally returned.”

Peering at towering twelve mountain peaks, Si Tu Nan lightly sighed. He immediately stepped forward and flew toward the top.

He wasn’t planning on returning to the Hidden Sword Peak, and he had no intention of going to the Immortal Palace where the Supreme Headmaster was. Instead, he was going to the Stage of Life and Death, the stage that changes everyone’s mood just with the mention of its name.

Of course, he wasn’t going there to die. He simply wanted to beat a drum.

The Drum of Eternity.

Exactly like what its name indicates, this drum answered to the heaven’s orders. It was a treasure left by the ancestors of the Wan Jian House, and it really doesn’t have a lot of special properties. Still, it was left behind by the ancestors, and therefore, ever since the second Supreme Headmaster was appointed, it has been placed on the Stage of Life and Death. If anyone in the House has been wronged, has news to report, or for whatever reason cannot talk to the Supreme Headmaster in person, he can come to the stage and hit the Drum of Eternity.

Once the drum is hit, the special sound waves would transpire throughout the entire House. Other than the Elders who were behind closed doors, those with roles in the House would converge here and listen to what the drummer has to say. They would judge whether or not the event is important and if it is, then the one hitting the drum will be rewarded. On the other hand, if the reported incident were trivial, the drummer would be harshly punished.

The Drum of Eternity has not ringed in 160 years.

Today, Si Tu Nan planned to strike the drum for Ling Xian!

[Ling Xian, I believe you are still alive. Hold on, the Wan Jian House will send someone to find you.] Si Tu Nan’s expression was serious. He slowly walked onto the Stage of Life and Death. His Completion Level Qi was oozing out of him, overpowering the drum’s presence.

Looking at the gold and heavy Drum of Eternity, Si Tu Nan grabbed onto the hammer with his right hand. Inhaling deeply, he swung hard onto the drum!

Dong!

A giant rumble ripped across the sky. The special sound waves from the drum diffused throughout the entire Wan Jian House!

“My God! Is that the sound of the Drum of Eternity?”

“Who dared to do this? Could it be that something big is happening!”

“Something big is definitely happening. Did the other eight Houses attack our House?”

“Why don’t we go and see for ourselves?”

Silhouettes jumped into the sky one by one, each of them was engulfed in a trembling mana. They were all headed to the Stage of Life and Death.

Half of these people were Wan Jian House’s trainees, and the weakest of them were at the foundational level. The others were all Elders of the House, who were all in the Completion Level!

“A simple strike of the drum caused a quarter of my mana to disappear and my hand to crack. It is a treasure from the ancestors after all.” Looking at the gold drum before him, Si Tu Nan’s heart shook, and his face paled. Red blood dripped from his right hand onto the ground, an injury caused by the shaking of the drum.

Even though he was protected by the Completion Level spiritual energy, he was still injured. If someone from the Foundational Level rung the drum, the person himself probably would’ve perished from the force.

The power of the Drum of Eternity sure was horrifying!

“This is not enough. The first rumble informs the regular Elders, the second informs the 12 peak leaders, and the third informs the Supreme Headmaster. With Ling Xian being an incontestable genius, a gifted youth with both social skills and Taoism talent, he could protect the Wan Jian House for at least 3,000 years. Him being in danger is serious enough of an issue to inform the Supreme Headmaster and the entire House,” Si Tu Nan hesitated. His face then turned into determination, and he struck again with the hammer!

Dong!

Another ear piercing roar dissipated across the house. More shadows dashed toward the Stage of life and Death. The entire House entered into a state of chaos.

If the first sound was like throwing a palm-sized rock into a pond, then the second rumble was like throwing in a millstone!

“It rang again! Who is this person? What does he want to say?”

“My God, the first strike informs the Elders and the second one informs the 12 peak leaders. Who has such confidence? Or such stupidity?”

“This is interesting. Could it be that he doesn’t know that reporting something trivial will cause him to be sliced into pieces? To poke fun of the 12 peak leaders is a big crime.”

“Haha, it doesn’t matter if he’s arrogant or if he’s stupid. To have the guts to step onto the Stage of Life and Death, and to even touch the Drum of Eternity that’s been asleep for 160 years is something truly courageous.”

On top of the mountain, countless shadows appeared with each one of them reeking of strength. Like Gods descending into the mortal world, they created a terrifying atmosphere.

It was the 12 peak leaders!

Other than the Inquiry Sword Peak leader, who has never shown his face, the other 11 peak leaders were all here. Even the Hidden Sword Peak’s Leader showed up!

It was apparent how important these two drum beats were for the Wan Jian House since it was enough for all 12 peak leaders to show up!

“Sadly, the Wan Jian leader is not here. If he was, we 12 could gather and celebrate,” a very studious looking gentleman said softly.

“Correct me if I’m wrong but the last time the 12 of us were together was 60 years ago. Time sure passes quickly.” A kind looking old man sighed.

“I don’t care about any of this. I care about how there is a person who dares to hit the Drum of Eternity. If what he wants to talk about is stuff that doesn’t matter much then I will not forgive him.” A white-faced woman sneered.

“Why don’t we just go and see. This person’s presence feels like an Elder from my Hidden Sword Peak…” The Hidden Peak Leader said and dashed toward the drum.

The others followed in a heroic manner. A horrifying atmosphere crawled toward the Stage of Life and Death!

Just then, as the 11 Peak Leaders arrived at the Stage of Life and Death, Si Tu Nan had already picked up the golden hammer, and he swung.

Boom! The third rumble exploded!

In an instant, the entire Wan Jian House lost its voice and fell into a dead silence.

At this moment in the House, the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.