Chapter 113: Rushing to Ghost Mountain
Three months later, southern Chen Prefecture.
Guan Zhao Mansion, near the border of the Qi Kingdom and Chu Kingdom.
Outside the city, on a desolate hill, two groups of cultivators stood. One group had emerged from the city, while the other was about to enter.
All of them wore the Daoist robes of the Eastern Abyss Sect. A cold wind blew through the barren hills, their robes fluttering.
The leader of the group exiting the city cupped his hands in greeting: “Elder Yu, it has been a long journey.”
The cultivator addressed as Elder Yu had a solemn expression, his bearing naturally commanding without anger. His hands were clasped behind his back.
Hearing the other’s words, he nodded and said:
“Senior Brother Yang and the fellow disciples stationed here for half a year—you are the ones who have it hard.”
Though both groups were Eastern Abyss Sect disciples, they differed in gender, age, inner and outer sect status.
The disciples exiting the city mostly had joyful expressions.
But behind Elder Yu, no one was in the mood for idle chatter. Each remained silent, quietly listening to the two elders exchange pleasantries.
Among them was a disciple with delicate features, wearing an inner sect disciple’s Daoist robe, carrying a dark green long case on his back.
Unlike the surrounding cultivators who kept their eyes lowered and seemed listless, his expression was calm, with a faint sharp light in his eyes.
From the vantage point of the desolate hill, he gazed at Changping City in the distance.
This youth was none other than Song Yan.
When the sect had conscripted disciples recently, as a newly advanced late-stage Qi Refining disciple, it was only natural that he joined this group stationed in Changping.
Though both leaders were elders, the elder leading the group entering the city clearly held higher status.
The reason was simple.
This Elder Yu was none other than Yu Tian, the peak master of Spirit Spring Peak!
Before departing the sect, Song Yan had already made inquiries. Aside from Elder Xu Ziqing, who would remain permanently stationed in Changping until the mission’s end, the other elders would take turns garrisoning the area.
This journey together had changed his impression of what it meant to be a peak master.
This Elder Yu Tian was not the lofty, untouchable type.
On the contrary, he was very pragmatic.
Whatever he could do himself, he absolutely would not let the disciples beneath him handle.
“Fellow disciples, take care.”
That group departed on the spirit boat back to the sect, while Yu Tian led a group of disciples toward the city.
As they walked, he spoke to them: “Changping is situated at the border of two kingdoms. Heretical cultivators run rampant, and yokai cultivators gather at the Corpse Bone Abyss.”
“Regardless of how long you are stationed here, or what missions you carry out, you must exercise caution.”
“Whether you complete the missions well is one thing. If you lose your lives through carelessness, that would be truly unworthy.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“Yes, Elder.”
The group soon entered the city.
The one greeting them was none other than Xu Ziqing along with several accompanying Eastern Abyss Sect disciples.
“Elder Yu.”
Yu Tian nodded: “Ziqing, let us speak inside. These disciples should first be allowed to rest and given proper arrangements.”
“Yes.”
Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Xu Ziqing gestured for several disciples to receive their fellow sect members. He noticed Song Yan among the crowd wearing an inner sect disciple’s robe, feeling slightly surprised, and looked a few extra times.
Perhaps he found it somewhat unexpected.
But soon, he departed with Elder Yu Tian to the meeting hall.
“Fellow disciples, you have traveled far. Please follow me.”
The group followed several disciples heading eastward.
Changping City in the twilight, under the setting sun, exuded an atmosphere of dark, rust-like red.
A border fortress.
The buildings were constructed from unnamed dark wood and sandstone stacked in alternating patterns.
Copper bells engraved with runes hung from the eaves, seemingly for warding off evil.
On the rooftops, one could occasionally spot peculiar tile-made guardian beasts.
Eastern district of the city.
Nourishing Hall.
“Fellow disciples, this is where we garrisoned disciples temporarily reside.”
Song Yan looked up. The characters for “Nourishing Hall” had been painted over repeatedly multiple times.
This was a vast complex of old residences. According to the leading disciple, disciples from all six major sects stationed here all lived in this area.
Naturally, the sect elders had their own separate courtyards. After casually choosing a room with an open view, he pushed open the door and entered.
The residences were all quite old. Cleanliness was their only merit.
Spreading his divine sense, he carefully inspected everything inside the room, ensuring no strange objects had been left behind. Only then did Song Yan begin organizing his belongings.
He placed four formation beads at the four corners of the room, setting up a simple protective formation.
Though this extremely basic formation was not particularly useful, it could at least serve as an early warning.
It was not like North Watch Mountain’s Cold Flower Valley, which came with its own built-in formations.
To put it bluntly, this place was no different from an ordinary mortal inn.
Moreover…
Due to the limited space, there was no room to make arrangements for Xiao He.
She did not even bother emerging from Song Yan’s sleeve.
Having just arrived, there were no missions assigned yet.
Song Yan sat cross-legged on the bed, circulating his cultivation technique.
After a while.
He slowly opened his eyes, furrowing his brow.
“The spiritual energy situation here is even worse than I imagined.”
Compared to the magnificent spiritual beauty of the Eastern Abyss Sect’s mountain gate, the spiritual energy here was not only thin and impoverished but also tainted with impurities.
The efficiency of refining spiritual energy was less than a tenth of normal.
Fortunately, the room was inscribed with spirit-gathering formation patterns, a pleasant surprise.
However, it still required his own spirit stones to power them.
“…”
Fortunately, he had made thorough preparations this time. Had he come here rashly, he truly would have been completely in the dark.
He took a deep breath, adjusting his mood.
Just as he was about to go out for a walk to familiarize himself with the surrounding terrain.
He happened to hear a commotion outside.
Pushing open the door and following the sound, he saw a crowd of cultivators gathered in the eastern corridor.
His gaze sharpened as he spotted several familiar faces.
Cheng Yu stood with his arms crossed, a mocking expression on his face.
Opposite him was a female Eastern Abyss Sect disciple with reddened eyes, wearing a gray robe—clearly an outer sect disciple.
Li Qingfeng still wore his usual smiling expression.
But anyone could tell that this chubby man was seething with anger.
“Senior Brother Cheng, the patrol missions have always been handled by disciples from each sect in rotation…”
“Why suddenly assign Junior Sister Cen to patrol the outer perimeter of the Corpse Bone Abyss alone tomorrow night?”
Li Qingfeng stepped forward half a pace, positioning himself in front of the female disciple. His normally genial voice carried an unusual coldness.
“Which elder issued this mission? I fear it goes against protocol, and it is far too dangerous.”
Cheng Yu chuckled without answering his question: “Junior Brother Li, what you say is unreasonable.”
“Recently, fellow cultivators have discovered traces of demonic cultivators near the outer perimeter of the Corpse Bone Abyss. You must have heard?”
“Adding more personnel is for the safety of all fellow cultivators, so that everyone may pass through this period securely.”
“As for danger… the situation in Changping is extremely chaotic right now. Which mission does not carry danger?”
Cheng Yu spoke righteously.
“What?”
“Could it be that Eastern Abyss Sect disciples only know how to cultivate and cannot bear the sight of blood?”
Several cultivators surrounding him let out sneers.
Cheng Yu was about to say more when his peripheral vision caught Song Yan approaching slowly from outside the crowd.
He furrowed his brow, then noticed the inner sect disciple’s robe on Song Yan’s body, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
He was not surprised by Song Yan’s arrival.
It seemed he had known long ago.