Chapter 68: Visiting Doko (Part One)

“Master Dohko, the training is just too exhausting!” Ruolan replied, her face drawn with fatigue.

The old man spoke with earnest gravity, “Effort and reward always go hand in hand. Without sacrifice, how could one hope to achieve anything?”

“And in these troubled times, as the earth trembles and evil gods run rampant, the Sanctuary needs warriors now more than ever.”

“If you don’t devote yourself to your training and strive to raise your strength, how can you possibly stand against the wicked ones and protect this land’s justice and peace?”

Hearing this heartfelt admonition, Ruolan dared not contradict the old man’s goodwill and could only force herself to nod in agreement.

“Yes, I understand, Master Dohko!”

Seeing her reluctant acceptance, Dohko refrained from pressing further, his feelings a tangled web.

Then he turned to Yin Seventeen, his stern expression softening into a smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a gifted youth as you.”

With a glance, he could tell that Yin Seventeen’s strength far surpassed Ruolan’s, already reaching the level of a Silver Saint.

What was more remarkable, Yin Seventeen even appeared younger than Ruolan.

Such a diligent and extraordinarily talented disciple was truly rare.

“Master Dohko flatters me. Compared to the elders of the Twelve Palaces, I still have a long way to go,” Yin Seventeen replied with lowered head.

“Hahaha—”

At that, Dohko burst out laughing, his hearty laughter thundering over the roar of the great waterfall, echoing down to the foot of the mountain and drawing the attention of the trainees in the camp below.

“Master Dohko is so cheerful today—did something wonderful happen?”

“It must have! It’s been ages since I’ve seen Master Dohko so happy!”

The whispers spread among the crowd.

High on Five Elders Peak, Dohko finally ceased his laughter after some time, nodding approvingly at Yin Seventeen. “Setting your sights on becoming a Gold Saint—excellent, truly excellent!”

Among the Saints, there were the Bronze, Silver, and Gold ranks. In truth, both Bronze and Silver Saints belonged to the realm of the Sixth Sense.

With enough effort, advancing from Bronze to Silver was only a matter of time.

But when it came to confronting those evil gods who threatened the earth, only the Gold Saints, awakened to the Seventh Sense, could truly be considered the Sanctuary’s fighting force.

Bronze and Silver Saints, aside from clearing out minor threats, were of little real consequence in the greater struggle.

Thus, the Sanctuary placed particular emphasis on cultivating Gold-level warriors.

Alas, attaining the Seventh Sense was difficult beyond measure, and so most Saints limited their ambitions to the Sixth Sense, content with mediocrity.

To find someone like Yin Seventeen—bold enough to aim for Gold—was a rare thing indeed.

Even more, Yin Seventeen possessed the natural talent to realize such ambition—a promising seed destined to flourish into a Gold Saint.

“Your master must be Capricorn Shura, isn’t that right?” Dohko asked with a smile, sensing the keen and cutting Cosmos energy within Yin Seventeen.

That Cosmos was unmistakably similar to Shura of Capricorn.

Yin Seventeen shook his head softly. “I’m not sure, for I have never seen the true face of the one who instructed me.”

“Moreover, he told me upon leaving that only when I awakened the Seventh Sense would I be worthy to call him my teacher.”

“The Seventh Sense, is it?” Dohko mused.

He was all but certain that Yin Seventeen’s mentor was Capricorn Shura.

Yet he couldn’t fathom why Shura would keep his identity hidden, nor why he’d set such an exacting condition for recognition.

The Seventh Sense was, after all, the prerequisite for becoming a Gold Saint!

At this, a sudden flash of insight struck Dohko’s mind.

“Could it be…”

“Could it be what?” Ruolan, curious about the old man’s unfinished thought, blinked and asked.

Dohko shot her a glance, then replied unhurriedly, “In time, you’ll understand.”

The more the old man withheld, the more Ruolan’s curiosity burned, leaving her restless inside. But mindful of his status, she dared not press and could only bury her questions deep within.

“How are things in the Sanctuary lately?” Not wishing to dwell further on the matter, Dohko changed the subject, looking at the two of them.

“Not well,” Yin Seventeen replied gravely. “In recent years, the followers of evil gods have grown far more active across the continents. The casualties among Saints have risen, and now even Silver Saints have begun to fall.”

Although Bronze and Silver Saints were in the same realm, their abilities in battle differed greatly.

Especially when Gold Saints rarely ventured out, Silver Saints represented the Sanctuary’s highest external fighting force.

What’s more, not all of the Sanctuary’s twenty-four Silver Saints had returned to their posts—their numbers were already few, and each loss was a devastating blow.

Such a situation was deeply troubling.

“Even the Silver Saints are falling now? This Holy War may be more dangerous than the last…” Dohko sighed deeply, as if recalling old memories.

“The last Holy War?”

Ruolan paused, suspicion in her voice. “Master Dohko, were you part of the last Holy War?”

Though she knew Dohko was old, she could hardly believe he was a survivor of the previous Holy War.

For ordinary mortals, living just over a hundred years was already the limit.

But the last Holy War was over two centuries ago.

“Eh… Didn’t I ever tell you?” Dohko asked in surprise.

“Never!” Ruolan replied with certainty.

“Then I must have forgotten!” Dohko laughed.

He had lived atop Five Elders Peak for over two centuries—day after day, year after year. With so many memories, it was hardly surprising if some things slipped his mind.

Beside him, Chunli covered her mouth, smiling as she turned to Ruolan. “Grandfather was the Libra Gold Saint in the last Holy War, and is still the current guardian of Libra Temple.”

As his granddaughter, she remembered well the glory of her grandfather’s past.

“No way! That means Master Dohko is over two hundred years old?” Ruolan was dumbfounded.

“That’s right!” Dohko stroked his white beard and said with a smile, “By order of the previous Goddess, I have watched over the sealed Specters here for more than two centuries.”

Both Chunli and Ruolan were astonished.

This was the first time they had heard that Five Elders Peak concealed sealed Specters.

“Master Dohko… is it really all right to tell us such an important secret?” Ruolan looked around nervously, a sense of unease in her voice.

Dohko didn’t reply, instead gazing calmly at Yin Seventeen. “What do you think, young bearer of the Crater?”

Earlier, as the three of them ascended the mountain, he’d already burned his Cosmos, eavesdropping on their conversation from afar.

Thus, he knew Yin Seventeen’s identity.

“There’s only one reason: Master Dohko simply doesn’t care if we know,” Yin Seventeen answered seriously.

“Doesn’t care? What does that mean?” Ruolan was still at a loss.

“Because the seal has failed. The Specters have already returned to the Underworld, so I have no reason to fear you knowing the truth,” Dohko announced calmly, delivering a revelation that stunned them all.