CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 38: THE TURMOIL OF YIN NIANG AND THE WOODSMAN (PART 2)

The remaining upper echelons of the Magic Sect, while cleaning the battlefield, suspected that someone had taken the opportunity to hide the Hidden Moth Object. Suspicion and mistrust arose among them, leading to the split of the thousand-year-old Magic Sect, with the seven lineages going their separate ways and the Hidden Moth Lineage officially disappearing.

This division in the Magic Sect’s history was known as the "Hidden Daughter’s Chaos." Most of the relevant records were lost, but there were plenty of folktales.

For instance, later generations of literati wrote the "Assassin Hidden Girl’s Story" based on the hearsay, which was adapted into stage plays and eventually even filmed into movies.

Despite the split into seven sects, the various techniques could not completely avoid mutual dependency and exchanges, with many aspects complementing each other.

Afterwards, elders privately met to review the "Hidden Daughter’s Chaos." A Calculator speculated that it might have been a conspiracy by some high-ranking members targeting the Hidden Moth Lineage, which ultimately spiraled out of control.

About a hundred years later, a new figure emerged, a woodcutter. The woodcutter’s story need not be recounted as it was documented in historical records, and Peng Xian had even discussed it with Meng Ya in a café.

The records seen by Magic Gate Elders detailed that the woodcutter was surnamed Gong, named Da Fang, and was very simple. Gong Da Fang had never read a book, yet he infiltrated the enemy camp and quietly brought back the head of the enemy commander.

Initially, the Magic Sect suspected he might have received the legacy left by the missing Hidden Daughter or Kong’Er from a century ago, but eventually confirmed he was just an ordinary person with no formal training in the techniques, but with innate divine strength.

The so-called innate divine strength might have been exaggerated in ancient lore, as he was merely naturally robust, often climbing mountains to chop wood, wielding a knife with considerable strength.

From the woodcutter’s feats, even the presence of Hidden Daughter or Kong’Er would probably be hard-pressed to achieve such tasks, unless the Hidden Moth was involved.

Most importantly, the woodcutter’s hometown, where he frequently chopped wood, was precisely the battlefield where the Magic Sect experts besieged the Hidden Moth Divine Nun.

There’s no need for Calculators to divine it; anyone could guess the woodcutter found the Hidden Moth’s relic in the mountains, namely the legendary Immortal Artifact.

The fact that the Hidden Moth Object could enable an ordinary person to possess the Invisibility Ability without practicing any techniques was an unprecedented situation for the sects at the time, naturally driving them to madness!

The sects quickly took action, with the Xingshen Sect being the first to succeed. They brought the woodcutter to their lair, the newly built Sect Blessed Land after the Magic Sect’s split.

The other six Technique Sects surrounded the Xingshen Sect’s base, where not even a bird could fly out.

Regarding the chaos from a century ago, many circumstances remain unclear, with the Hidden Moth Secret being a crucial element. How could the Xingshen Sect enjoy it alone?

The six Technique Sects demanded the Xingshen Sect hand over the woodcutter to collectively figure out the truth.

The Xingshen Sect naturally refused, claiming, "We’re each living our own lives now, why should we comply?" They relied on the protection of their Sect’s Grand Array, while their opponents deployed Earth Masters to break the array, engaging in several back and forth attacks, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Eventually, the Xingshen Sect was forced to yield, not only because they could no longer withstand the pressure but also because they had lost the woodcutter.

Though Gong Da Fang was merely an illiterate woodcutter, it didn’t mean he was stupid; otherwise, he would hardly have accomplished the feat of entering the enemy camp at night and returning with the commander’s head.

He initially couldn’t understand what these sorcerers were discussing, but later seemed to grasp their conversation, yet continued to feign ignorance.

The sorcerers of the Xingshen Sect weren’t so easily fooled. They caught on to inconsistencies within his words and employed some techniques to get to the bottom of it.

They asked the woodcutter if he found any treasure. He replied that his hatchet was the treasure, but couldn’t explain how, claiming he simply knew how to use it once he held it.

This answer was indeed believable. The woodcutter had set out for battle with only hemp shoes and tattered clothes, carrying a few copper coins and a hatchet, with nothing else on him. He used the hatchet to cut off the enemy leader’s head.

All items, including the worn hemp shoes, were taken by the Xingshen Sect’s high-ranking members. They focused on the hatchet, studied it extensively but gleaned no insights, then proceeded to question the woodcutter again.

The woodcutter suggested, "You don’t know how to use it; hand me the hatchet, and I’ll demonstrate." When asked how he would demonstrate, he claimed he could chop wood through a wall.

In a heavily guarded chamber where all exits were blocked, the high-ranking members of the Xingshen Sect handed the hatchet to the woodcutter. In the middle of the room was a short wall; the woodcutter was on one side, with a piece of wood on the other.

The woodcutter made numerous chopping movements for a long time without success, finally stating, "You’re all staring at me; I can’t get the feel of it. Turn away a bit, and I’ll try again."

Everyone turned away, yet the woodcutter continued to struggle. In the end, the Sect Leader seemed to realize something, secretly using Divine Thought to instruct everyone present to retract their Divine Sense, ceasing their focus on the woodcutter.

Just as the Divine Thought was issued, he sensed something amiss. Turning back, he found the wood split but the woodcutter nowhere to be seen.

This was the incident of the "Woodcutter’s Chaos" where the six Technique Sects besieged the Xingshen Sect.

The woodcutter’s story was also documented in historical records, not having as many legendary tales as Hidden Daughter, but there was a piece called "Mountain Record."

Due to this event, the six Technique Sects reunited, partially reviving ancient traditions, and formed a centralized management body, now known as the Ancestral Hall.