159: Chapter 158 The Old Man in the Coffin! The Seven-Colored Divine Stone or a Taotie, you choose one.

Lin Feng pressed both hands on the coffin lid and took a deep breath.

The coffin lid was very heavy, like a mountain.

He gave it a push, but it didn't budge at all.

He pushed again, but it still didn't move.

He gritted his teeth as mana surged from his palms and poured into the coffin lid.

The coffin lid began to glow—not white, but gold, very bright, like the sun.

Runes pulsed within the light, floating up from the coffin lid one by one, spinning a few times in the air before dissipating.

The coffin lid moved.

Inch by inch, like a snail crawling.

Light seeped through the crack of the coffin.

It wasn't gold; it was multicolored.

Red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple.

Seven colors intertwined like a rainbow, like an aurora, like a dream.

The light was soft, not blinding, feeling warm as it shone on his face.

The black mass behind him screamed, "Don't open it! Please! Don't open it!"

Its voice was sharp, like a whistle, like a siren, like someone screaming in his ear.

Lin Feng ignored it, continuing to exert force with both hands.

The coffin lid moved another inch.

The gap widened enough to fit a hand through.

A stream of Qi surged from the coffin.

It wasn't hot air or cold air; it was... Spiritual Qi.

It was thick and pure, almost like a liquid; one breath made his whole body feel comfortable.

The black mass froze. "This... this is..."

It stopped screaming and shaking, simply staring blankly at the multicolored light.

Lin Feng continued to exert force with both hands.

The coffin lid moved another inch.

The gap widened enough to fit an arm through.

Something floated out of the coffin.

It was a stone.

It was the size of a fist and completely transparent, with seven colors flowing inside it.

Red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple.

The seven colors were like seven little fish, swimming back and forth inside the stone.

The stone hovered in mid-air, rotating slowly and emitting a multicolored radiance.

The black mass looked at the stone and murmured, "The seven-colored divine stone... He actually put a seven-colored divine stone in the coffin..."

Lin Feng ignored it.

He reached out to take the stone.

The moment his fingers touched the stone, a powerful suction force emanated from it.

It wasn't just pulling his hand; it was pulling his entire being.

He felt as if he were being grabbed by an invisible giant hand, flying toward the stone.

His vision went black, and he could see nothing.

Only multicolored light swirled before his eyes, round and round like a vortex.

He felt himself falling, falling, falling.

The wind whistled in his ears; he could see nothing and hear nothing.

Only multicolored light, endless multicolored light.

Then, his feet hit the ground.

The sensation of solid ground made him sway slightly.

He steadied himself and opened his eyes.

This was a world he had never seen before.

The sky was multicolored—red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, and purple—seven colors intertwined like a giant palette.

Beneath his feet were clouds, white and soft, feeling like stepping on cotton.

In the distance were mountains, and they were also multicolored: red mountains, green mountains, blue mountains, and purple mountains.

There were trees on the mountains, and they too were multicolored: golden trees, silver trees, and emerald trees.

There were birds in the trees, and they were multicolored as well, with feathers like gemstones and eyes like stars.

The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers—not just one kind, but the scent of countless varieties blended together.

The scent was faint and fresh, like a spring breeze, like a young girl's laughter.

Lin Feng stood on the clouds and looked around. "Where... is this?"

"This is my world," a voice came from behind him.

It was old and raspy, yet very gentle, like a grandfather speaking to his grandson.

Lin Feng turned around.

An old man stood behind him.

He had white hair and a white beard, a lean face, and wore a grey Daoist robe. The robe was very old and faded from washing, but it was clean.

He stood there with a slightly hunched back, leaning on a walking stick.

The walking stick was made of wood and looked very ordinary, like a branch picked up from the roadside.

He looked at Lin Feng with a smile, his eyes very gentle, as if he were looking at his own grandson.

"Who are you?" Lin Feng asked.

The old man chuckled. "Haven't you already guessed?"

Lin Feng fell silent.

He looked at the old man's face, those gentle eyes, and that old Daoist robe.

He remembered the person on the mural—the young man standing on the mountain peak, facing east and pointing his sword toward the sky.

That young man had grown old; his hair had turned white, his back was hunched, and he could no longer lift his sword.

His Disciples were gone, the trees had withered, and the cranes had flown away.

He was all alone, sitting here, waiting for death.

This was that person.

The Master of the Taixu Dojo.

"You... are still alive?" Lin Feng asked.

The old man shook his head. "Dead. I died ten thousand years ago. What you see is merely a wisp of my remnant soul. I stayed here to guard that coffin, that stone, and that thing."

He paused. "Waiting for you to come."

Lin Feng was stunned. "Waiting for me? You knew I would come?"

The old man smiled. "I didn't. But I've waited ten thousand years; someone was bound to come eventually. Whether it's you or someone else, it's all the same."

He looked Lin Feng up and down. "However, you are younger than I expected. And stronger, too."

Lin Feng didn't know what to say.

The old man leaned on his walking stick and slowly walked over.

He walked very slowly, taking each step carefully as if afraid of falling.

He stopped in front of Lin Feng and looked up at him.

The old man was very short, only reaching Lin Feng's shoulder.

He squinted, looking at Lin Feng's face. "You opened the coffin and took the seven-colored divine stone. Do you know what that means?"

Lin Feng shook his head.

The old man sighed. "It means you have taken over my position. This Dojo is now yours. And that thing is yours as well."

He looked at Lin Feng with a hint of guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry for placing such a heavy burden on a young man like you."

Lin Feng looked at him. "What exactly is 'that thing'?"

The old man was silent for a few seconds.

Then he spoke, his voice low and heavy, as if squeezed from his chest. "Taotie."

Lin Feng's pupils contracted. "Taotie? The ancient Vicious Beast Taotie?"

The old man nodded. "Yes. That very Taotie. Gluttonous, it eats everything. It eats mountains, water, the earth, and the sky. When it finishes those, it even eats itself. It is never full, always eating, always hungry."

"Ten thousand years ago, it came from the Void Realm, wanting to devour the Earth. I couldn't defeat it, so I could only Seal it. I traded my life for ten thousand years of peace."

He looked at Lin Feng. "Now, the Seal is about to break. Since you opened the coffin and took the seven-colored divine stone, the Seal has become even more unstable. It will be out soon."

Lin Feng fell silent.

He looked into the old man's eyes—those cloudy, gentle eyes held guilt, worry, and a hint of... expectation.

"You want me to kill it?" Lin Feng asked.

The old man nodded. "It's the only way. Kill it, or be eaten by it. There is no third path."

Lin Feng fell silent.

He looked at the clouds beneath his feet—multicolored and soft.

He thought of his Master, the General, Mr. Chen, the fallen Iron Bone Clan warriors on the arena, the desolate land of Yanjiao, and that broken bridge.

He raised his head and looked at the old man. "Where is it?"

The old man pointed into the distance.

There was a mountain there.

It was black, very tall and massive, like a crouching giant beast.

Black smoke was rising from the mountain peak.

The black smoke was thick and viscous, like ink, like asphalt, like congealed blood.

Within the black smoke, a red light pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat.

"It's right under that mountain," the old man said. "The Seal is about to break. It's coming out soon. You must be prepared before it emerges."

Lin Feng stared at the black mountain for a long time.

Then he looked back at the old man. "What is this seven-colored divine stone you mentioned?"

The old man pulled a stone from his robes.

It was fist-sized and completely transparent, with seven colors flowing inside.

Red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple.

The seven colors were like seven little fish, swimming back and forth inside the stone.

It was identical to the one he had seen in the coffin.

"This is the seven-colored divine stone," the old man said. "The stones Nüwa used to mend the heavens. There are only seven in existence, and this is one of them. It contains the power of creation and can reshape all things."

He handed the stone to Lin Feng. "Take it. It can help you kill the Taotie."

Lin Feng took the stone.

The stone was very light, like a feather.

It felt warm and smooth to the touch, like jade.

The seven little fish inside were swimming quite joyfully.

"How do I use it?" Lin Feng asked.

The old man smiled. "You'll know when the time comes."

He paused. "Also, the core of this Dojo is already in your hands. Keep that bead safe. It can help you control the entire Dojo. Here, you are the Master. Every grain of sand, every stone, and every breath of wind is yours. You can use them to deal with the Taotie."

Lin Feng touched the wanxiang ring in his robes.

The multicolored bead was inside.

Taixu Dojo core.

The old man looked at him with gentle eyes. "Child, I must go. This remnant soul cannot hold on much longer."

His body began to fade, starting from his feet, bit by bit turning into specks of light that drifted into the air.

Lin Feng looked at him. "Do you... have anything else to say?"

The old man thought for a moment. "Yes."

He looked into Lin Feng's eyes. "Exterminate it."

Lin Feng nodded. "I promise you."

The old man smiled.

That smile was filled with relief and gratification. "Good. Good."

His body grew fainter and more transparent.

Finally, he transformed into countless specks of light, scattering into the multicolored sky.

Lin Feng stood there, watching the specks of light slowly dissipate.

A breeze blew from afar, carrying the scent of flowers, the scent of grass, and the old man's final essence.

He looked down at the seven-colored divine stone in his hand.

The stone was still glowing, and the seven little fish were still swimming.

Then, his vision went black.

The feeling of weightlessness returned; he felt himself falling, falling, falling.

The wind whistled in his ears; he could see nothing and hear nothing.

Only multicolored light swirled before his eyes.

Then, his feet hit the ground.

The sensation of solid ground made him sway slightly.

He steadied himself and opened his eyes.

He was standing in front of the coffin, both hands still pressed against the lid.

The coffin lid was halfway open, revealing what was inside.

There was no corpse inside, only a stone—a seven-colored divine stone identical to the one in his hand.

He looked down at his hand; the stone was still there.

He looked back at the one in the coffin; it was there too.

Two stones?

No, it was the same stone.

His consciousness had entered, taken the stone, and then come back out.

The stone was still in his hand.

He stored the stone into the wanxiang ring and took a few steps back.

The black mass hovered behind him, looking at him. "You... you saw him?"

Lin Feng nodded. "I did."

"What did he say to you?"

Lin Feng looked at the coffin. "He said the Taotie is coming out soon."

The black mass shuddered. "Taotie... it really is the Taotie..."

It murmured, "Ten thousand years... He sealed the Taotie for ten thousand years. Now, the Seal is about to break."