Chapter 369 - Robust Spirit Town

Xiao Chen was hit by a sudden wave of vertigo. Thirty-one people who share a birthday on the seventh day of the seventh month went missing at the same time? And they were all women with extraordinary cultivation. Weiyang’s birthday was also on that day. Were these incidents related? Impossible, he thought. It had been several thousand years since. He must be overthinking things.

It took a moment for him to compose himself. “Did you find out why they’re missing? Who’s the culprit?” he asked.

Qingluan and Ziyun’er exchanged looks, wondering what happened to their Master. Why did he look dispirited? It wasn’t until he coughed that Qingluan recovered her senses and immediately replied, “All we learned is their disappearance. We don’t know who the mastermind is. Those women include the Leader of the Order of Exquisite Ladies, Leader of the Autumn Waters Pavilion…”

After listening to the rundown of the missing women’s identities, Xiao Chen noted that they were either Leaders or Elders of minor sects. Even so, they were a part of the Orthodox Path. How could not one sect out of many in Violet Manor learn anything? Just what kind of powerful person was capable of kidnapping the women during their birthday banquets without raising alarm? He asked, “Has this ever happened in Violet Manor?”

Ziyun’er replied, “Yes, something like this would repeat every few hundred years. But this was left out of many historical records. It took a lot of investigation to learn this. But no one has ever discovered the mastermind.”

Xiao Chen contemplated this for a long time. However, this wasn’t his priority. “Forget it,” he said. “Did you learn anything else?”

“We discovered that many Orthodox cultivators have been rushing to a place called the Miasma Mountain Range over the past few days. They’re not the only ones. Some from Devil’s sects are also making their way there. Rumors have it that an extraordinary treasure is about to be born there.”

Xiao Chen frowned. He recalled Yi Tong and None-flower Dust making up a rumor about an extraordinary treasure when they came to save him a few days ago. Was someone else making up rumors as well?

Ziyun’er added, “We also learned that the Corpse Refinery Sect, one of the Four Major Devil’s Sects, is occupying a mountain nearby the Miasma Mountain Range, called the Mountain of Myriad Caves. They have been very active lately, but no one knows what they’re up to.”

“Corpse Refinery Sect…” Xiao Chen muttered. This sect had been desperately trying to revive an ancient Divine Corpse. Could the time have come? This piece of news must have reached the Orthodox sects by now. They wouldn’t let the sect achieve their goal, would they? It seemed that before long, the Miasma Mountain Range would turn into a warzone. Well, he just so happened to need a Corpse Puppet…

“Where’s the Miasma Mountain Range?”

“Slightly east of the common boundary of South and East Continent,” Qingluan answered. She took out a map and slowly unfolded it in front of Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen stared at the map for a long time, thinking to himself that many Orthodox sects and clans must have sent their disciples to respond to such a major commotion. “Which sects have their people to the Evil Miasma Mountain Range?”

Qingluan exchanged glances with Ziyun’er before replying, “As far as we know, Jade Qing Sect…” Hearing this name made Xiao Chen’s brows furrow. Were Brother Yifeng and the rest there as well?

Qingluan continued, “There’s also Xiaoyue from the Thousand Feathers Sect, Bai Yusu from the Immortals’ League, Zuoqiu Yang from the Divine Mist Sect…” She recited the names of more than ten sects in one go. Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes. The Orthodox side had produced quite a few talents this year. The youngsters could now help ease the Elders’ burden.

Ziyun’er said, “From the Devil’s sects are the Bloodied Fiend Sect, Fort Raksasa, Dark Shadow Hall…” She also reported a string of more than ten Devil’s sects. The Devil’s Practice had been growing day by day, Xiao Chen thought. From the look of things, both sides must have exchanged blows multiple times in the past year.

“Very well. Let me join the fun then! I’ll leave for the Miasma Mountain Range tomorrow!”

Qingluan and Ziyun’er exchanged glances before replying in unison, “We’re coming with you, Master!” Xiao Chen held up a hand. “No, I’ll go by myself. Stay here and help Xin’er with the subsequent matters once she’s awake.”

Ziyun’er fell silent. After a while, she finally said, “Then please be careful on your maiden journey to the Miasma Mountain Range. Watch out for these three in particular: Seven Killings from the Bloodied Fiend Sect, Su Lianyue from Fort Raksasa, and Yi Yeqiu from the Dark Shadow Hall.”

Xiao Chen nodded. Like the Orthodox side, the Devil’s side had also produced many powerhouses in the past year. There were also sects that toed the line like the Fallen Immortals Sect.

The next morning, amid a backdrop of the rising sun, a mountain filled with birds’ cries, murmuring of flowing water, Xiao Chen continued to guard Huangfu Xin’er by her bed. She would wake up every now and then, though her consciousness remained hazy. Her injuries must have been too severe.

A flurry of footsteps resounded outside the room, prompting Xiao Chen to sigh. He got to his feet and walked outside. The twelve ladies of the Hidden Fragrance Wafting Under the Moon were all present and the Koo-chee beast had run over as well. “Koo-chee… Wuu! Koo-chee…” the beast cried, rubbing against him. It looked like it couldn’t bear being separated from him.

Xiao Chen chuckled. “Brother Koo-chee, stay with Qingluan and the others and wait for me to come back.” He took out three jade notes and handed them to Qingluan. “Crush these jade notes if something happens. I’ll detect your location immediately.”

In the end, he walked toward the entrance of the valley under everyone’s gaze. The Koo-chee beast cried and ran after him. Xiao Chen turned around and chuckled. “Brother Koo-chee, please go back.”

“Wuu! Koo-chee…” the beast whimpered, stopping fifty feet away from him. It stared at him with its large eyes.

Just like that, the Koo-chee beast followed after Xiao Chen, all while maintaining a distance of between thirty to fifty feet. Each time he turned around, it would stop and refuse to budge. This continued until they finally arrived at the forest of mottled bamboos at the mouth of the valley. Xiao Chen turned around with a smile. “Brother Koo-chee, please return now. I’ll be back very soon.”

“Wuu! Koo-chee…” This time, the Koo-chee finally stopped following him. It stood on its tiptoes and watched him walking farther and farther away until he was out of view. It whimpered, “Wuu… Koo-chee…”

A snow-white pair of hands pulled the beast into an embrace. “Let’s go back, Koo-chee beast. He’s gone…”

“Wuu! Koo-chee…”

Xiao Chen only started traveling on his flying sword after leaving the Falling Flowers Valley, feeling the cold breeze against the hair on his temples. He was in rather low spirits as he looked at the fast-flowing water in the river below. Sometimes, the Koo-chee beast was even livelier than a human. It was he who took the beast out of the pagoda yet he couldn’t keep it company at all times.

…

East Continent was a vast land with abundant resources, green hills, and clear waters on all sides. It was a well-populated place that had produced countless illustrious figures in the past thousands of years. However, the southeast junction of East and South Continents was comparatively desolate. It was the Miasma Mountain Range that struck fear into many people.

The mountain range, spanning the boundary of the East and South Continents, was a place without sunlight. Besides being shrouded in miasma year-round, it was also crawling with venomous insects and ferocious beasts. Never mind commoners, even cultivators refused to step on this wretched land.

If one walked another 15 kilometers eastward, one would find the Robust Spirit Town. The name of the town was rather poetic. It was said that a lovely place with verdant mountains and clear waters was abundant with spirit energy, and the concentration of spirit energy births distinguished characters. However, this saying couldn’t be further from the truth here. There was barely anyone in this town, much less as a god. The only temple in town was even rebuilt into a pigsty.

It was now nighttime. Twenty or so people had gathered in the shabby temple, where livestock like pigs and cows were driven to a corner. The animals stared at the humans occupying their home, frightened.

The group was a mix of both men and women, most being independent cultivators from across the world. Their clothes were all drenched. The men were fine, but the young ladies had to firmly cover their chests with their hands. Their thin clothes clung to their skin, outlining their curves. Fortunately, the darkness outside lent them enough of a cover.

It rained hard outside, pelting the ground with raindrops the size of soybeans. So dense were the raindrops that they threatened to topple the small town. Fine rain drifted inside the temple, bringing such a chill that a burly man with a coiled beard burst into anger. “F*ck! What kind of god-forsaken place is this? There’s not even a tavern here! And this shabby temple is filled with pig manure! It stinks to high heavens here!”

“Sigh. I, Yue Wuya, have lived confident and carefree my entire life. Who knew I’d one day spend a night in a temple with a bunch of livestock?”

This time, it was a young man that looked twenty-three or twenty-four who spoke. A mark resembling a crescent moon sat between his brows. His words earned him quite a few glares. “Hey, Yue Wuya! Who are you calling livestock?”

“Heh. I’m just referring to the pigs and cows in the corner. Don’t treat yourself as livestock.”

“Hey, Yue Wuya! You’re picking a fight, aren’t you? Come on! I’ll play along!”

The sound of argument rang out amid a darkening sky and increasingly heavy rain. Suddenly, the dim little temple became even darker. A man with a woven raincoat draped over his shoulders and a conical bamboo hat on his head stood at the door, blocking part of the light filtering in. A hush fell over everyone as they stared at the man who had appeared out of thin air like a spirit.

They couldn’t tell what the man looked like as he had his back against the light, only making out that a face full of wispy beard and a pair of exquisite hands. The atmosphere suddenly turned rather strange.

The man in the woven raincoat ignored their gazes. He frowned when he noticed that the floor was littered with pig manure, but still chose to walk in. He sat down in a corner, his drenched raincoat soon wetting the floor around him.

After a while, the others in the temple began talking again. The man with the coiled beard said, “Say, the birth of an extraordinary treasure in this Evil Miasma Mountain Range has drawn Orthodox cultivators from all over the world. Do you think the Devil’s sects are behind this? What if they’re trying to kill all the rising rookies from the Orthodox side in one fell swoop?”

“Nonsense! Do you think they’re capable of that? Even if they are, did you think people of the Orthodox side are all vegetarians for the past thousands of years? Never mind Fairy Xiaoyue and her invincible Autumn Water Sword. How many from the Devil’s sects can win against Su Zimu’s Heavenly Thirteen Swords and Yu Shiyi’s Dance of the Arcing Rainbow?”

The man with the coiled beard laughed. “Brother, that’s not necessarily true. There are many talents on the Orthodox side, but don’t you think that the devils are vegetarians either. Never mind the rest, we can just talk about three people. Take Seven Killings from the Bloodied Fiend Sect for example. Even the devils are afraid of him. His victims are so numerous that they could probably line the Great Wall.”

Seeing that the other man couldn’t retort, the man smiled smugly and continued, “Then there’s Su Lianyue from Fort Raksasa. The moment her Reed of Frosted Blue-Violet Jade makes a noise, who among you can fight against her? Finally, there’s Yi Yeqiu from the Dark Shadow Hall.” He laughed. “He can slice your throat and kill you with a single swing of his sword. Who among you dare to fight him? Your soul will scramble back to the Underworld before you can even blink.”

The sudden rise of these three individuals among the Devil’s sects had indeed overshadowed a great many distinguished experts on the Orthodox side. Yue Wuya laughed and added, “Those three are indeed capable, but I wonder if you still remember a certain someone?”

“Who?” Everyone turned to look at him. Simultaneously, the man in a woven raincoat reached out to pulled his conical bamboo hat farther down.

Yue Wuya smiled. “Last year, he went on a murderous rampage and washed Tianyuan City in blood. He even destroyed the Immortals’ League in the end. Don’t tell me you’ve all forgotten him.”

“God of Murder, Xiao Chen!”

Everyone cried out in shock, feeling a chill run down their backs. A cold sensation emerged from their hearts and spread to all corners of their bodies. It was as if the person they just mentioned was right next to them at this moment.