Chapter 1863: Is Master Kong Dead?

Lying in the coffin was none other than Master Kong, the eternal teacher of the Master Hall, who had stood for ten thousand ages!

Hadn't he ascended to a higher plane?

How could his corpse be lying here?

Trembling all over, Zheng Yang dared not think further, fearing that too much thought would cause the entire Master Hall to collapse.

Master Kong was the spiritual pillar of the Master Hall. When he vanished, everyone assumed he had ascended to a higher world, becoming a god or an immortal. Never in their dreams did they imagine he would die here, lying like the statue outside, a faint smile on his lips as if he were lecturing.

It seemed he had been killed while giving a lesson.

With his strength, who could have killed him?

And who buried him here, without the Master Hall or the Hundred Schools of Thought knowing?

His heart racing, Zheng Yang's throat went dry. He wanted to say something but found himself speechless, so he sat cross-legged on the ground, not daring to move.

Seeing the corpse of the ancient sage Ran Qiu had only shocked him, but now he was terrified.

Anyone in the world could die, but news like this about Master Kong would shatter countless people's beliefs.

For a moment, his mind was filled with confusion, and he didn't know what to do.

“When Teacher comes, I'll understand…”

Struggling to his feet, Zheng Yang dared not think further.

Having followed his teacher for many years, he knew that no matter how difficult the matter, it was nothing in front of his teacher. Since he couldn't figure it out, he might as well wait patiently. Just as he was about to leave along the passage, his feet suddenly froze.

As if enveloped by some force, his vision went black.

Thump!

Zheng Yang lost consciousness.

…

Sitting in the room where he had previously taught, Zhang Xuan felt a serene state of mind as his thoughts rapidly spread into the distance.

In his previous life, he had only been a librarian at an ordinary university. Never in his dreams did he imagine that after death, he would transmigrate into such a world.

When he first arrived, he was full of panic and confusion, not knowing what to do, only thinking about surviving.

Now he had finally stabilized, fitting into this world and becoming a part of it.

Transmigration, rebirth, bearing the Heavenly Dao Library…

The past life and the present life slowly merged, and an inexplicable emotion arose. Zhang Xuan felt a sudden enlightenment, as if a power beyond the Heavenly Dao began to sprout, ready to break through the soil at any moment.

Just as he was contemplating, he heard an urgent shout in his ear. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Wei Ruyan's figure.

“You said… you discovered the corpse of the ancient sage Ran Qiu?”

After hearing her words, Zhang Xuan abruptly stood up.

The ancient sage Ran Qiu, the strongest among Master Kong's many disciples, a figure he had always revered—how could he have died here, with his corpse buried tens of kilometers underground?

“Let's go take a look!”

Unable to contain himself, he followed Wei Ruyan and flew straight toward the corpse. Before long, they entered the underground palace and saw the coffin.

After a careful look, his brows furrowed deeper: “Judging by appearance and aura, it is indeed the ancient sage…”

At Baixi Mountain, he had seen the remnant soul of the ancient sage, so they had met once. The corpse before him was exactly the same, without the slightest difference.

It seemed Wei Ruyan was right; this was indeed his corpse.

“You take a look!”

With a flick of his wrist, the Dragon Bone Divine Spear transformed into a divine dragon hovering above, then lowered its head to look at the coffin below. With a shake, it fell directly to the ground.

“Master…”

It whimpered continuously, its massive dragon body trembling uncontrollably.

It had been forged by the person before it, and it had thought that the latter had long since ascended with Master Kong. Never in its dreams did it imagine that the corpse remained here, without breath.

“It seems it's true…”

With the Dragon Bone Divine Spear's confirmation, Zhang Xuan frowned again and looked at the girl beside him: “Where's Zheng Yang?”

“I don't know either. He should have been here…” Wei Ruyan was also startled.

Since he had sent her to report, he should have been guarding here. Why was there no sign of him?

Zhang Xuan looked around but didn't find Zheng Yang's trace. Then he approached the corpse of the ancient sage Ran Qiu and gently touched it with his palm.

To figure things out, the best way was to use the library.

“Flaw!”

The library trembled, and Zhang Xuan shook his head.

No book was produced.

He didn't know if it was because of the corpse or because there was a power that isolated the Heavenly Dao.

“It should be that there is a power here that isolates the Heavenly Dao…”

Zhang Xuan looked around.

He had also examined the corpse; at most, he couldn't determine its life, but detecting its level and such was still easy.

This was somewhat similar to examining treasures.

Now that nothing appeared, it only indicated that this place isolated the Heavenly Dao. For this reason, countless diviners couldn't deduce it, and they didn't even know that this disciple, Master Kong's strongest combatant, had died here.

“This is an ancient land, said to have never experienced the battle with the Heterodox race… It has a chance to restore weakened bloodlines. Is there some significance to the ancient sage Ran Qiu's corpse being left here?”

The more he thought, the stranger it seemed. Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

The ancient land, besides having thin spiritual energy and being unsuitable for cultivation, had many wonders. The corpse of the ancient sage Ran Qiu was also found here, and he himself had transmigrated here. Could there be a connection?

Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan walked around the coffin again.

“There's a passage below…”

Raising an eyebrow, he suddenly stomped on a spot.

Creak!

The coffin moved, and just like when Zheng Yang was there, an underground passage slowly appeared before them.

Exchanging a glance with Wei Ruyan, Zhang Xuan stepped in without hesitation.

The girl followed closely.

The second stone chamber had the same layout as the first, and the stone coffin was positioned identically, giving a sense of ancient vastness.

The room was empty, with no one in sight.

“Teacher, Senior Brother Zheng Yang seems to have been here…”

Looking around, Wei Ruyan suddenly said.

“He was here?”

Zhang Xuan looked over.

“Yes, there are marks on the wall from a collision. Judging by the shape, they should be from Senior Brother…”

Wei Ruyan pointed.

Zhang Xuan quickly looked and indeed saw a deep pit in the wall, roughly the same size as Zheng Yang. If his guess was correct, Zheng Yang had made it with his back.

“He was indeed here. He must have seen the corpse in the coffin and been frightened, causing this…”

After a glance, Zhang Xuan analyzed, curiosity showing in his eyes.

What was in this coffin that could cause even more terror than the corpse of the ancient sage Ran Qiu?

“Open it and see!”

Unable to hold back any longer, Zhang Xuan strode over and exerted force with his palm.

Creak!

The coffin lid slowly opened, and a figure gradually appeared before him, peaceful and serene, as if it had just stopped breathing.

His pupils contracted, and Zhang Xuan's whole body tensed.

The corpse lying in the coffin was… Zheng Yang!