Chapter 38.1 Mountain road
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The Sect Master called him, Pei Yuzhi, right? It was quite unbelievable that there would be another person named Pei Yuzhi in this world, and meeting him here.
Pei Jing closed his spiritual senses and blindly groped ahead in the darkness. He felt confused, as if the voice had a hint of familiarity. But he was terrible with directions, his instincts no better than a dog’s. In this situation, he could only wander aimlessly like a lost soul.
Separated by a wall.
The empty secret room had paintings and calligraphy hanging on all four walls. Each artwork was vibrant with shades of blue and red.
The place where Nascent Soul cultivators secluded themselves always had something unique about it. Like this place, with an opening above that was once used to attract thunder during the tribulation. Now, it let the moonlight flow in, casting a mysterious glow on the scattered white bones.
Across the white bones lay a coffin, inside of which floated the head of an old man. His hair was gray, his cheeks sunken, and his eyes glowed with resentment. Standing in front of the coffin was a young man with black hair and dressed in white.
The old man smiled, revealing bloody fangs. “You foolish little beast. Back then, you only managed to gain the upper hand because I was corrupted by demons. But now that you’ve come, don’t think you can escape.”
Chu Junyu said, “It’s really strange. Are you absolutely sure that I am Pei Yuzhi?”
The old man’s voice was filled with resentment and sounded menacing. “Even if you turned to ashes, I would still recognize you!”
Chu Junyu chuckled. “You’re smarter than some others.”
The old man thought he was being mocked, and in an instant, his anger turned into green smoke rising from the top of his head. The intimidating presence of the Nascent Soul Elder surrounded him from all sides, like a flowing river. It felt suffocating, destructive, and filled with resentment, as if an invisible hand was gripping his neck.
Chu Junyu remained unfazed, disregarding the pressure as if it meant nothing. His white robes brushed the ground as he continued walking forward.
The old man suddenly withdrew his imposing aura, his eyes widening in disbelief. “You…”
The youth, stepping on the dry bones, had light-colored eyes as cold as snow. He spoke softly, “Because of you, the entire Yunzhong fell into darkness. As the Sect Master, you deserve to die.”
Chu Junyu stood in front of the coffin, his eyes reflecting the Sect Master’s astonished and incredulous expression.
The head of the Sect Master instantly shattered, revealing a Nascent Soul shrouded in a dark aura, with a twisted appearance, attempting to escape.
Chu Junyu reached out, his slender fingers gripping it firmly in his hand.
The small Nascent Soul displayed a profoundly pained expression.
The youth lowered his head, his eyes slightly bloodshot, and a smile that carried a wicked and mysterious quality. “I’m quite curious, though. How did Shu Yan transform you into this state? And where does that world beneath the mountain forest truly lead to?”
The Sect Master’s eyes were bloodshot, and as a fragile Nascent Soul, he felt like he had plunged into a frigid abyss. Seeing the smile on the white-robed youth’s lips, he perceived an evil presence and struggled to speak, “You… you’re not… you’re not Pei Yuzhi!”
Chu Junyu crushed his Nascent Soul, lowering his gaze. The outwardly graceful and gentle youth had bloodthirsty eyes. “Yes, I haven’t been Pei Yuzhi for a long time.”
“Ah—!!”
At the moment the Nascent Soul shattered, the Sect Master let out a heart-wrenching scream!
True essence surged outward, power exploding from above Wuwang Peak, causing the entire mountain to tremble.
The earth quaked, shaking everyone on the mountain.
“What’s happening?”
“Why is the ground shaking?”
Several disciples who were hunting demons on the mountain were awakened, staring blankly at the epicenter of the disturbance.
“Ah—!” Someone was affected by the surge of power and immediately vomited, falling to his knees.
The hearts of the crowd leapt to their throats as they gathered around, helping up the young man. “Are you alright?”
The young man held his chest, his expression similar to seeing a ghost as he pointed in a certain direction. “Something happened in the north, the north. Shisi Province, Yunzhong!”
Shisi Province, Yunzhong—just three words, and a shiver ran down everyone’s spine. They were all residents of Yunzhong City, a place that had endured the hellish times of four hundred years ago, a period when man-eating demonic cultivators ran rampant. Even if they hadn’t experienced it firsthand, a sense of fear lingered within them for such a era.
What on earth… had happened?
Outside the mountain gate, Wu Sheng also froze in place.
Eyes covered in white silk, he gazed silently ahead. A dense crimson hue obscured everything, but that bloody aura wasn’t the most terrifying aspect. The true horror lay in another force—a chilling darkness that emanated from the depths of the abyss.
He sat cross-legged, with the compassionate radiance behind him.
Kneeling beside him were countless tormented souls.
Wu Sheng furrowed his brow.
Pei Jing, trapped in the secret passage, was in great discomfort.
He could only make out a single sentence. That blasted old man began to unleash the oppressive force of his Nascent Soul. When it reached him, it felt as if someone had a grip on his neck, causing unbearable pain. His senses were forcibly stripped away. He couldn’t see or hear, and he nearly believed that his life was about to fade away.
Fortunately, the pressure dissipated quickly. But before he could even rejoice, more misfortune followed.
The ground started to tremble, the world spinning around him, and the bricks forming the walls made a crackling sound.
His head throbbed with a splitting pain.
Pei Jing couldn’t find anything to hold onto.
He stumbled and staggered forward.
It had been a long time since he had been in such a sorry state.
Utter darkness and chaos, with no sense of direction. His body was riddled with internal injuries, and an inexplicable force suppressed his cultivation, rendering him powerless.
His fingers grazed the icy and rough wall as he moved forward slowly. Each step felt like walking through the gates of the underworld.
Whether it was the confusion caused by the mist of blood or his own dazed state from the injuries, he couldn’t tell.
Pei Jing’s thoughts were in disarray, scattered and unfocused.
He thought about the initial fear he felt when entering this world. He remembered the appearance of his Master during their first meeting at the Full Moon Feast.
He recalled the hundreds of years of solitary cultivation, marked by tranquility and desolation.
This path was dim and devoid of light.
Eventually, it merged with a suppressed memory deep in his soul—a path from long, long ago.
A camping trip, an unfortunate accident.
A human trafficker, a mountain cave.
A path, a snake.
The kindergarten bus took them on a spring outing to the mountains. Unfortunately, the bus accidentally crashed into a tree on the side of the road, narrowly avoiding a tragedy. The driver instructed them to stay on the bus while he dealt with the situation. Many onlookers gathered on the mountain road, pointing and talking loudly, creating a chaotic scene.
He waited on the side with his backpack, and suddenly felt someone covering his mouth and dragging him backward. He tried to struggle, but something sweet was forced into his mouth, causing him to lose consciousness immediately.
When he woke up, he found himself trapped inside a cave with a large stone blocking the entrance. Being just a young child, he didn’t have the strength to move it.
Clutching his backpack, fear overwhelmed him, leaving his mind blank. However, he knew he couldn’t stay in that place. He decided to go in the opposite direction, and as he walked, the ground became increasingly damp, with bats hanging upside down above him. It was his first encounter with the fear of the unknown. The path stretched long and narrow, with forks along the way, resembling a crossroad of destiny where one wrong step could lead to the abyss.
Will they sell my organs?
Are there ghosts in this cave?
What lies at the end of the path?
He walked for an unknown duration.
He reached the end.
At the end of the path, there was an exit.
However, the only thing awaiting him in the pale moonlight that shone through the exit was a coiled serpent. It was long and large, completely blocking the way out.
Immediately, he heard the sound of police cars.
Behind him, someone was desperately trying to pry open the stone.
“Damn it, luck is really against us. Quickly, move this kid out of here.”
Childhood fears and traumas could leave a lasting imprint on a person’s memory. Even though he had now entered another realm of existence as a formidable cultivator capable of incredible feats, he still vividly remembered every detail of that fateful night. His shirt was drenched in sweat as he managed to escape, but the human traffickers quickly realized and angrily pursued him.
Clenching his teeth and clutching his backpack, he attempted to leap over the snake, but the sudden movement startled the serpent, causing it to sink its fangs deep into his leg. It was painful, but he couldn’t afford to linger. Dragging the snake along, he continued running forward. The serpent coiled around his leg, causing him to stumble and tumble down the slope.
As he rolled down the hill, he burst into tears.
He was afraid of snakes. Whenever he saw one, his scalp would tingle, and he felt suffocated.
To outsiders, he pretended to find snakes disgusting, but deep down, only he knew it was because he never wanted to relive the emotions from that fateful night.
Pei Jing reminisced with an emotionless heart, and the more he looked at this path, the more it resembled the nightmare of his childhood. It was devoid of light, and the same sense of despair enveloped him. Pei Jing thought to himself, “That old man really has a sinister hand.”
Gripping the Cloud Slayer Sword, he resembled his younger self from that unforgettable night, clutching his backpack tightly.
Wuwang Peak trembled and shook.
The self-destructing Nascent Soul cultivator possessed enough elemental energy to shatter the entirety of Shisi Province. Palaces collapsed, roofs caved in, all in a thunderous and swift manner. However, the palace where the Sect Master resided, after intense trembling…
…came to a halt, steadied by someone’s spiritual power.
The ground was littered with bones turned to ash.
The realm that should have been reduced to ruins was preserved at his whim. Chu Junyu’s purpose in coming here was solely to obtain a trace of the Sect Master’s true essence as a key. Now, he should depart, but he discovered that someone else had entered this place. With a flick of his finger, he collected that strand of crimson blood into a tiny vessel.
He lifted his head, his gaze cold and clear.
His divine sense permeated, comprehending everything.
In truth, he had guessed that Pei Jing would come, for he understood him so well——
He understood his somewhat ridiculous kindness and his brave but foolish courage.
Chu Junyu lowered his head and murmured softly, “I really should teach you a lesson.”
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