Chapter 105: The Netherworld Mountain [Additional Chapter for the Alliance Leader Lin Boyilang]

Xu Shiqing led the group away.

By noon that day, more than a dozen cultivators returned hurriedly, each clearly exhausted from a long journey. Since Zhou Yi was occupied with other matters, Ye Qing and Sophia received them, while he continued his secluded cultivation.

What surprised Zhou Yi most was the secret chamber.

No matter how disorderly it had been before, once sealed and re-entered, the room appeared untouched. Of course, any books taken would not automatically duplicate, but any damage would self-repair.

However, after several attempts, none of Sophia’s group could enter. As soon as someone stepped onto the chamber floor, they would be repelled, utterly unable to enter.

Even more astonishing was the wordless booklet that had been tossed out—it returned once again to his storage box. Zhou Yi scratched his head, flipping through it; not a single word was inscribed.

With no time to study it further, Zhou Yi chose not to dwell on it for now.

Once everyone gathered, he handed over some books on spells and martial arts to Ye Qing.

Though valuable, if Qingcheng Mountain could not be preserved, keeping these tomes would only be a liability. It was better to distribute them.

Ye Qing was thrilled. Zhou Yi gave them three days to retreat to the back mountain caves for secluded cultivation. After all, most of their practice involved wood-element magic, and Cheng Zhi was left among them.

First, Cheng Zhi’s progress was rapid; his guidance was helpful since he had previously come into contact with spiritual stones, amassing considerable energy.

Second, it was to observe their loyalty. Having lived through countless repeated stories in the 2000 worlds, Cheng Zhi was adept at judging people.

This time, the chubby fellow did not need special arrangements and took the initiative to study magic.

The mountain gate was closed.

Naturally, Ye Qing followed Cheng Zhi and the others. Though her abilities were decent, her mastery of wood magic was not as skilled as Cheng Zhi’s. She had previously favored seductive arts but now had a new understanding.

Zhou Yi found himself in peace, with only three of them left on the front mountain. They found a hilltop to practice ice arrows, beginning with firing three simultaneously.

As for the Leap skill, it allowed three consecutive jumps, each nearly twenty meters.

Regarding the Sleep spell that lasted a hundred years, Zhou Yi had only tested it on a crow.

The result was unknown—the crow fell from a branch and died upon impact. Since he did not know how to lift the curse, using it against humans was risky; it would be an automatic loss of manpower. Real combat would have to prove its worth.

In the following days, Zhou Yi devoted himself to continuous study in the secret chamber and practical training on the hilltop. Since time inside the chamber passed more slowly, while others trained for three days, he practiced nearly nine.

With prior cultivation, all but the metal-element spells had become second nature.

However, the consumption of water-element spiritual stones was immense. As he improved, the stone no longer showed the ghostly shape; its edges had dulled.

...

On the third day, at dawn,

Zhou Yi emerged early, standing before the door, gazing toward the mountain gate.

A pale green figure leapt swiftly from the direction of Xintang Hall. Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes—news had arrived.

Sure enough, Ye Qing ran over and presented a flying crane to him.

Zhou Yi did not reach out—not arrogance, but because he had no idea how to use the crane; learning it now would be embarrassing.

“Read it!” Ye Qing said.

She seemed to hear something, and Sophia and the chubby fellow also rushed out. The chubby one, flustered, had forgotten his hat and his hair was all tousled.

They all looked anxiously at Ye Qing.

“Elder Xu said that on the day they returned to the capital, Qingcheng Mountain’s demon cultivators were wiped out, nearly annihilated. He also reported that the army sent from Yingzhou City was completely destroyed.

“The entire capital was shaken. The Ministry of War had made no troop movements and no one knew of the demon attack. The court was in the dark.

“He raised doubts about the black-robed national tutor—the figure who had appeared suddenly a year ago. Emperor Liang had never consulted anyone on this, and some in the court opposed it, but the emperor was resolute.

“Then news came from the palace that Imperial Concubine Shu had gone missing. She was the black-robed tutor’s sister, both from the eastern Ghostly Mountains of the Gobi Desert, though they possessed only rudimentary skills.

“Elder Xu bribed a eunuch serving Concubine Shu, who revealed that the palace she was in was often visited by the emperor and the tutor, but was completely empty inside. Whenever they came, all others were sent away.”

The chubby fellow was stunned and blurted out, “Wait, does that mean Emperor Liang knew the tutor’s true identity all along? And that the concubine was just a pretense to silence the harem?”

Ye Qing nodded and glanced behind.

Zhou Yi shot the chubby fellow a glance; the fellow shrank back, realizing it was a bad moment to interrupt. He quickly pretended to be a quail, mouthing inaudibly as if mumbling, hoping to go unnoticed.

Ye Qing smiled; she was not displeased by his straightforwardness.

After all, the few around the sect leader all possessed exceptional skills. Even Asu, close to her age, had fire magic far surpassing hers.

“Elder Xu specifically inquired and suspected this as well. The old eunuch was under a truth-compelling spell and revealed nothing else.

“He said that a year ago, Emperor Liang went hunting in the Gobi Desert, was attacked by a vulture, and was saved by the black-robed tutor, who was then brought back. Before this, the emperor was open to advice, but since then has been unusually stubborn.”

Zhou Yi frowned.

A vulture—where had he seen that before?

Sophia, reading his expression, guessed his question and quickly clasped her hands.

“In Wanzhou City, the black-robed tutor rode a giant vulture. I wonder if Wuwencai from Wanzhou City is involved.”

Zhou Yi shook his head. Wuwencai was merely a lecherous fool, lacking such abilities.

“That seems unlikely. I think it's just exploiting Xu Shiqing’s adopted daughter for some connection. The tutor wouldn’t bother with such a dimwit. The key question is—where exactly did they go hunting?”

Ye Qing produced a map, spreading it on the table. After a moment, she pointed to a valley outside Wanzhou City.

“This is it—the Ghostly Mountains. It’s the easternmost part of the Gobi Desert. Beyond this lies near-certain death, as the summers are dry and rainless, winters bitterly cold. Even rodents reportedly cannot survive.”

Zhou Yi nodded; needless to say, they knew nothing of the Five Elements Tomb further into the desert. Compared to previous worlds visited, this task-world was vastly larger, mostly desert. The surrounding regions were these countries, but their boundaries remained unclear.

“Have there been demon cultivators in the Ghostly Mountains before?”

Ye Qing shook her head, puzzled.

“In truth, any sect can control demon cultivators. My master once said demons are simply the reanimation of the dead—a forbidden art. To master it, one must first become undead.

“These immortal demons lack breath or heartbeat, sustaining themselves by killing and absorbing souls to advance their cultivation. A demon king requires tens of thousands of souls to nourish it; without them, such power is impossible.

“The Ghostly Mountains sect we’ve never contacted. Their leader was once the crown prince of Wei but was betrayed and fled into the desert to survive.

“This prince’s master knew this secret art and taught it to him. Their sect has existed over two centuries. Their current status is unknown. They had been outside Wanzhou City but moved east into the desert to avoid conflicts between the two countries.”

Elder Xu’s intelligence had yielded little progress—only that the tutor held sway over Emperor Liang and likely hailed from the Ghostly Mountains. Although the capital was abuzz with talk, no substantial breakthroughs emerged.

Zhou Yi remained silent. Sophia stepped closer, sensing his true worry.

“Sect Leader, what is our next step? Should we go to the capital or head directly to the Ghostly Mountains?”

Zhou Yi pondered briefly.

“Notify everyone to bring ten days’ provisions. Ye Qing will lead a team to stealthily approach the Ghostly Mountains—no attacks or reconnaissance. Just observe from afar whether vultures come and go, whether anyone leaves, or if anyone heads toward Wanzhou City.

“As for the rest of us, we’ll go directly to the capital. At least we must see Emperor Liang. Then we’ll rendezvous with you.”

Ye Qing was stunned. Four people entering the palace to meet Emperor Liang—even without the tutor—posed great danger; the palace was swarming with formidable experts.

“How can just four of you enter the palace to see Emperor Liang? Is that feasible?”