I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 99: Secret News

Xuanyi Realm.

Zheng Fa navigated the Du’e Boat through the Thunder Pool.

At the front of the boat, two figures stood side by side—Senior Sister Zhang and Senior Sister Yuan.

"Senior Sister Zhang, you're already at the Nascent Soul stage..." Zheng Fa looked at her with concern. "Coming to the Thunder Pool might be too dangerous."

The Thunder Pool was extremely unfriendly to those above the Foundation Establishment stage. The stronger one's cultivation, the more dangerous it became.

"It's fine." Senior Sister Zhang glanced at him and shook her head. "I want to see the Heavenly Monument too."

The three of them were heading straight for the Heavenly Monument.

"Besides, if forming a Nascent Soul only ties my hands, then I might as well not form one at all." There was a trace of arrogance in her voice.

Zheng Fa was speechless.

Seeing his attempt to argue but failing to find the words, Senior Sister Zhang suddenly chuckled. "Even if I only use my Foundation Establishment divine sense and spiritual power, I’m confident I won’t be weaker than anyone else."

Zheng Fa nodded.

Senior Sister Zhang had earned her reputation through battle—her skills were formidable. But he still didn’t understand why she insisted on coming.

"Besides, I heard the Copper Coffin Elder is hiding in the Thunder Pool."

"The Copper Coffin Elder?"

Zheng Fa was momentarily stunned—he remembered that name.

Back when the Three Nascent Souls of the Great Freedom Demonic Sect attacked the Five Dragons Palace, one was killed by Martial Uncle Pang at the cost of his life, another was obliterated by a single sword strike from the Setting Sun Sword Immortal.

Only the Copper Coffin Elder managed to escape.

"Senior Sister, have you been investigating him all this time?"

Senior Sister Zhang nodded lightly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Since he dared to cause trouble in my Jiushan Sect, I naturally need to return the favor."

"..."

As expected, Senior Sister had quite the temper.

"But he’s a Nascent Soul cultivator too. Why would he hide in the Thunder Pool?"

"Of course, he's afraid of the Setting Sun Sword Immortal." Senior Sister Zhang’s voice was calm. "For him, the Thunder Pool is a sanctuary."

Zheng Fa suddenly understood—just as they feared Nascent Souls, the Copper Coffin Elder likely feared the Setting Sun Sword Immortal just as much.

"Besides, his copper coffin is rather strange." Senior Sister Zhang seemed to have done her research. "There are rumors that he’s actually an ancient corpse that gained Dao. That copper coffin isn't just eerie—it also offers powerful protection. In the Thunder Pool, he’s even stronger than most Nascent Souls."

"Then why not hide in the Great Freedom Demonic Sect’s secret realm?"

Zheng Fa was still puzzled.

"I don't know either." Senior Sister Zhang glanced at him. "Maybe he has other schemes. If I come with you, I’ll feel more at ease."

Zheng Fa turned to look at her.

"All that talk about being unafraid and seeking revenge!" Senior Sister Yuan muttered beside them. "You just don’t want to leave Junior Brother Zheng alone!"

"Do you want to get off the boat?" Senior Sister Zhang’s voice turned cold.

"I also don’t want to leave Junior Brother Zheng alone!" Senior Sister Yuan quickly changed her tone, grinning. "Senior Sister Zhang, Junior Brother Zheng is not just your... No, he's Jiushan Sect’s treasure now!"

...

The closer they got to the Heavenly Monument, the more thunder surrounded them.

At first, the lightning was like a dense forest—plentiful but with enough gaps for the Du’e Boat to pass through.

A few miles ahead, the lightning resembled an intricate web, leaving only shifting openings. The three of them had to abandon the boat to proceed.

Further in, the gaps in the web became smaller, shifting unpredictably until no path remained.

They stopped.

"I made it this far before but didn’t dare to go further." Senior Sister Yuan explained from the side, "If we go any farther, we’ll be struck by lightning. The power of the heavenly thunder seems to adjust according to one's cultivation—the higher the level, the stronger the strikes. Those who haven’t mastered thunder techniques can’t advance."

Zheng Fa listened but kept his eyes fixed ahead.

He had seen the Heavenly Monument.

It was an enormous stone tablet, its exact size indiscernible, seemingly carved from white jade. Faint engravings adorned its surface.

At its center was an area densely covered in names—some faded, while others remained clear.

At the very top of the legible names was "Yan Wushuang."

This was likely the ranking that Senior Sister Yuan had mentioned.

Looking around, many cultivators stood nearby, unwilling to leave. Though they dared not advance, they couldn’t bring themselves to give up the opportunity either.

They clustered in small groups, occasionally pointing at names on the monument and arguing over who was the strongest.

Zheng Fa glanced at Senior Sister Zhang and Senior Sister Yuan.

Neither of them practiced thunder techniques. Or rather, neither had the resources to cultivate them.

From Zheng Fa’s perspective, Jiushan Sect was already an upper-mid-tier force in Xuanyi Realm—but the Five Thunder Physique had been lost for nearly ten thousand years.

If they moved forward, the two senior sisters would likely struggle.

Only he had cultivated the Five Thunder Physique and had just begun learning the Shenxiao Imperial Lightning True Method, giving him a chance to press on.

The two senior sisters seemed to realize this as well. Senior Sister Zhang’s expression showed concern.

Senior Sister Yuan hesitated before muttering, "That monument doesn’t seem all that special. Maybe you shouldn’t go, Junior Brother."

"Zheng Brother."

A voice interrupted—it was Yan Wushuang.

"Hmm?"

The three of them turned, surprised that he had chosen this moment to speak up.

Zheng Fa looked at Yan Wushuang.

Standing beside him were Chu Tianque and Xue Zhenzhuan of the Supreme Dao Sect—it seemed the three were close.

"Brother Yan, why do you say that?"

"Do you know why we keep entering the Heavenly Monument?" Yan Wushuang asked in return.

"I don’t."

"Those of us who cultivate thunder techniques struggle with a lack of spiritual materials. However, the Heavenly Monument contains many rare materials that haven’t appeared in Xuanyi Realm for ages—greatly benefiting our cultivation."

"I see." Zheng Fa nodded lightly. He had been hesitant about whether to enter the monument’s trial.

He never considered himself a risk-taker.

Even when the sect master gave him that secret technique, he didn’t feel it was something he absolutely had to practice.

Seeing his expression, Yan Wushuang and the others exchanged glances, confused.

As members of Xuanyi Realm’s top five sects, they had considerable wealth.

Yet even they got excited at the mention of rare materials.

But Zheng Fa? He didn’t seem moved at all.

"Rare materials?" Senior Sister Zhang spoke up. "I’ll collect them for you later. No need to rush."

"..."

Chu Tianque was stunned.

He glanced at the insignia of Haori Mountain on his robe, then at the Jiushan Sect emblem on Zheng Fa’s.

One thought filled his mind:

Do all Jiushan Sect disciples get this kind of senior sister upon entry?

"There’s another thing," Yan Wushuang continued. "According to my Tianhe Sect, whoever conquers the Heavenly Monument will gain control over it."

"Control over the Heavenly Monument?"

Everyone was caught off guard.

"That’s why Tianhe Sect has always held a Sword Dao Heavenly Monument," Yan Wushuang explained. "If this monument gains a master, it will leave Taiyang County."

Zheng Fa glanced at Senior Sister Zhang, who sighed helplessly.

As valuable as the materials were, the Heavenly Monument was far more important. Jiushan Sect had relied on it to create the Thunder Pool blockade against the Great Freedom Demonic Sect.

If the monument disappeared, they’d have to flee as well.

"And why didn’t you mention this before?" Chu Tianque asked, eyeing Yan Wushuang.

"...It was a Tianhe Sect secret," Yan Wushuang admitted.

"Then why tell us now?"

Yan Wushuang looked toward the edge of the Thunder Pool, seemingly fixated on a small figure in the distance. He murmured, "I don’t know why either."