Chapter 1563 - Fainted Ancestor

When the disciple shouted, Sect Master Wang Hengzhi frowned slightly. This was the ancestral tomb area. If a body appeared here… could it be an ancestor?

Wang Hengzhi didn’t dare be careless and immediately hurried forward. Beside one of the tombs lay a young man. Of course, no one would assume he was truly young; many ancestors kept the appearance they had in their youth.

“Check him. Is he still breathing?” someone asked.

“I’ll examine him myself,” Wang Hengzhi said.

He knelt down and felt for the youth’s aura. Spirit energy shifted around him, a faint blue glow wrapping Xu Zimo’s entire body.

“He’s still breathing!” Wang Hengzhi called out excitedly.

He poured all his spirit energy into Xu Zimo, trying to heal him. But compared to Xu Zimo, his energy was nothing more than a drop in the ocean, completely swallowed without effect. Before long, Wang Hengzhi’s face turned pale from exhaustion. When he stood up, he swayed and nearly collapsed.

“Sect Master!” a disciple rushed forward to support him.

“Is he… one of our ancestors?” someone asked cautiously.

“I don’t know,” Wang Hengzhi replied, shaking his head. “I can’t even tell whether he’s truly alive or dead.”

He frowned. “His life force is there, but he won’t wake up. It’s like he’s trapped in a deep sleep.”

“What do we do?” an elder asked. “We don’t know if he’s friend or foe. If he’s an evildoer and we save him, the True Martial Sect could be finished.”

“That won’t happen. He appeared in the ancestral tomb of the True Martial Sacred Ground. I believe he’s someone connected to us,” Wang Hengzhi said. “Bring him back with us.”

He gestured toward a young woman in the distance. “Linyu, I’ll leave this… Fellow Daoist in your care.”

He had wanted to call him an ancestor, but he didn’t know his identity, so “Fellow Daoist” was safer.

The woman he addressed, Deng Linyu, was the sect’s Saintess.

“Master, you want me to take care of him?” she said, startled. She eyed the unconscious Xu Zimo, her expression full of reluctance. “But I need to cultivate. I don’t have time to look after him.”

“That’s an order,” Wang Hengzhi said sharply.

Deng Linyu pouted, eyes glossy with grievance. Wang Hengzhi rubbed his temples; he had spoiled this disciple far too much and now couldn’t control her.

“Niece Deng doesn’t need to force herself,” the Grand Elder said with a placating smile. “This man’s identity is unknown. We don’t even know if he belongs to our sect. Why not choose someone else?”

“Master… I’ll take care of him,” a soft voice said.

Everyone turned. It was Xiao An’an, the Grand Elder’s personal disciple.

The Grand Elder nearly coughed up blood. His own granddaughter had undercut him in an instant.

“Sect Master, since An’an is willing, let her take the responsibility,” Linyu said.

“Sect Master, the girl is talking nonsense,” the Grand Elder said with a stiff smile.

“I’m not talking nonsense,” Xiao An’an said quietly, her eyes fixed on the unconscious youth. “I don’t know why, but… he feels familiar. Close, even.”

The Grand Elder’s expression crumpled into helplessness. She was not only his disciple but his granddaughter, he couldn’t scold or punish her even if he wanted to.

“I’m done with this,” he muttered and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Wang Hengzhi chuckled. He ordered a wheelchair to be built and had Xu Zimo placed onto it. Xiao An’an stayed at his side.

“If you need anything, just ask. The sect will support you,” Wang Hengzhi told her.

Xiao An’an nodded shyly. She was quiet, reserved, and clearly not talkative.

“I don’t need anything,” she said softly.

Wang Hengzhi left to oversee the ancestor worship ceremony.

After he departed, Deng Linyu approached Xiao An’an.

“An’an, are you stupid? We don’t even know who he is. What if he stays paralyzed forever? Are you going to take care of him for life? Don’t waste your future. I’ll go talk to Master.”

“It’s fine,” Xiao An’an said softly, shaking her head. “I don’t know why… but he feels familiar. I’ll take care of him for now. If he really stays like this forever… then I’ll take care of him forever.”

“You silly girl. Don’t regret it later,” Deng Linyu sighed.

Meanwhile, Wang Hengzhi had ordered the disciples to prepare the offerings before the thousands of ancestral graves. The True Martial Sect had completely declined; only a few thousand disciples remained. But they were loyal and united, with little conflict among them. The atmosphere was warm despite the sect’s fall.

Wang Hengzhi walked to one particular grave, a small, inconspicuous one among many.

It belonged to Wang Qianhe, Elder Qianhe. His strength and seniority were not impressive compared to the other ancestors, but he was the one Wang Hengzhi respected most, because he was the only master he had personally known.

He placed the offerings, lit incense, and knelt.

“Master… you always sighed back then, telling me how glorious the True Martial Sacred Ground once was. I’ve struggled so hard to rebuild the True Martial Sect, but everything is difficult. Forget restoring our glory, I don’t even know how long we can survive. If you can hear me in the afterlife, please watch over the sect.”

He rose to leave.

Then the sound of drums echoed from the direction of the sect. Wang Hengzhi’s expression changed instantly. That drum was only struck when the sect was facing an enemy.

“What happened?” an elder said, frowning. “Quick, go check if we’re under attack!”

The disciples whispered anxiously.

Wang Hengzhi took the lead and hurried toward the sect entrance. Behind him, Xiao An’an pushed the wheelchair carrying Xu Zimo.