The sky remained dim and gloomy, but whether it was an illusion or not, he couldn’t say. Li Yanchu looked up at that black sun in the sky. It seemed... slightly brighter than in the past few days. This time, his movement technique had reached an even more refined level, allowing him to soar across the ruins and debris at incredible speed. Along the way, he encountered two or three groups of cultivators; some were traveling alone, while others in pairs or trios. Li Yanchu didn’t stop, and neither did they attempt to approach or entangle him. They merely exchanged brief glances before continuing on their separate ways. “Getting closer to Mount Jinting... even the chances of running into living people are increasing,” Li Yanchu muttered to himself. He noticed that two among the cultivators bore injuries, though he couldn’t tell whether they had come from infighting among those entering the Blissful Land of Mount Jinting... Or if they had encountered demonic interference. It wasn’t until nightfall that Li Yanchu found a ruined Daoist temple and decided to stop and rest. But the moment he stepped into the main hall, he was momentarily stunned. There were seven or eight people already inside, and they were divided into two groups. One group was made up of four young men and women dressed in white. The men were young and handsome, and the women were elegant and refined. They clearly possessed the bearing of those from immortal sects. Although they didn’t quite match the beauty of someone like Ding Rou, the two women still had an undeniable grace about them. All of them carried a cold, aloof air, as if untouched by worldly dust. The other group, in contrast, was made up of people from the southern barbarian tribes. At the forefront stood an elderly crone, stooped with age and barely holding onto her last teeth. Behind her stood two strong, well-built middle-aged men, dressed in the distinct fashion of the southern tribes. The southern tribes differed from their northern counterparts: they were shorter in stature, darker of skin, with deeper-set eyes and brows. The northern tribes, by contrast, were herders of the grasslands. They were tall, broad-shouldered, and rugged. Their clothing and customs were also completely different. Li Yanchu’s brows furrowed slightly. Known as the Land of Ten Thousand Mountains, the Southern Regions were humid, thick with miasma and venomous creatures. The southern tribes were infamous for their mastery of gu and were extremely troublesome opponents. Their techniques were difficult to defend against. That couple he’d encountered previously had been gu cultivators as well, especially the woman, who harbored deadly poison insects within her body. Even fellow cultivators wouldn’t be immune to her venom. And these three clearly hailed from the southern tribes, and it stood to reason their gu arts were likely even more formidable. There was one more person inside the main hall. He stood tall and straight, bearing an air of quiet authority. A long spear rested in his arms as he waited silently in a corner of the hall. Li Yanchu narrowed his eyes and let out a soft, “Hm?” The sharp-eyed young man turned to look at him as well, also momentarily stunned. Then, he stood up with a long, graceful motion. Their eyes met, and the two shared a knowing smile without exchanging a single word. Li Yanchu walked straight over, under the watchful eyes of the others, and came to stand beside the young man. Both groups’ expressions darkened slightly, as they hadn’t expected the two to know each other. That young man exuded an extraordinary presence, commanding a natural authority that made it impossible to underestimate him. He was none other than the young military officer from the Court of Judicial Review, Chen Yang! “It’s been a while, Daoist Master. You’re still as impressive as ever,” Chen Yang said, his tone tinged with emotion. Clearly, his time in this Blissful Land had not been an easy one. Li Yanchu gave a slight smile and replied in a low voice, “You're the one with true poise. Surrounded by two hostile forces, yet still calm and composed.” Chen Yang gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Earlier, the atmosphere between the two groups had been tense, and as a lone outsider, he had become... an obvious thorn in their sides. “What’s going on between these two groups?” Li Yanchu asked. “The atmosphere feels off.” The grand hall was vast and empty, and their quiet conversation posed no risk of being overheard. Chen Yang replied, “The ones in white should be disciples of the Longevity Sect of the South Sea. They were already here when I arrived. They’ve collected several magical artifacts from the Daoist temple and have explored quite a few areas. “As for those three dressed like southern barbarians, they arrived just before you. While they were exploring the temple, they suddenly stumbled upon a rare and precious natural treasure. “The two sides nearly came to blows. If you hadn’t walked in just now, and if they hadn’t noticed we know each other and held back out of caution, they’d probably be fighting already.” Li Yanchu raised a brow. “A rare and precious treasure?” Chen Yang replied in a soft voice, “That’s right. It’s a single apricot, but the vitality it contains is immense. Just catching a whiff of it is enough to wash away exhaustion. Every so often, it even emits a radiant glow.” Li Yanchu's eyes lit up. What is it with the rare fruits in this Blissful Land? First it was jujubes, now it’s apricots. Chen Yang warned in a low voice, “There’s a faint aura of wind and lightning around that apricot tree. Ordinary people can’t even get close. In my opinion, seizing that spiritual fruit won’t be easy.” “Wind and lightning aura?” Li Yanchu said in surprise. Isn’t that the kind of treasure that Lei Zhenzi ate inInvestiture of the Gods, which caused him to grow wings?[1] “I think it’s best we don’t get involved in this matter,” Chen Yang said quietly. “Hm?” Li Yanchu looked puzzled. As a military officer of the Court of Judicial Review, Chen Yang shouldn't be so timid. With a rare and precious treasure right before his eyes, shouldn’t he be tempted? Chen Yang smiled and said, “I suspect that apricot tree was placed there deliberately to lure people in. There’s a feng shui grand formation set up around it by someone skilled in the art. We’re now inside the formation, likely pieces on someone else’s board.” Li Yanchu was startled. He hadn’t even seen the apricot tree himself, so it actually hid such danger? ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel·fire·net “Your observation is remarkably sharp, Lord Chen,” Li Yanchu said with admiration. Anyone who dared to set up a feng shui formation in such a place would have taken great care to remain undetected. He hadn’t expected Chen Yang to see through it at a glance. Chen Yang chuckled. “You’re too polite, Daoist Master Yanchu. I’m a few years older than you, just call me Brother Chen. That whole ‘Lord’ business is just for keeping up appearances with outsiders.” A warm sense of goodwill rose in Li Yanchu’s heart. This young military officer with such a noble fate truly had substance. “Then I’ll accept the liberty. Brother Chen, in your opinion, who might be behind all this?” Li Yanchu was eager to hear the analysis of a professional. Chen Yang spoke slowly, “This feng shui formation is based on the White Tiger configuration. The White Tiger governs misfortune, and this setup uses the residual malevolent qi within the ruins as its trigger, channeling it into the formation itself. It’s an extremely vicious arrangement. Where we are right now should be the tiger’s mouth. And as the saying goes: ‘When the White Tiger opens its mouth, nine out of ten houses are emptied’. It’s a harbinger of great calamity. “This formation is known as the White Tiger Battlefield Formation. It was lost long ago. Only one feng shui master in history is known to have ever deployed it in Jiangnan. Seventy-two high-level Daoist cultivators died in that battle. That feng shui master was known as Mr. Qingwu. He was rejected by orthodox sects and eventually joined the Bare Body Sect. His lineage has since been passed down within the Bare Body Sect.” The Court of Judicial Review that Chen Yang served was not the same as the judiciary of ancient feudal dynasties. Rather, it was a special bureau specifically formed to hunt demons and rogue cultivators. As an official organization established by the Kingdom of Qian dynasty, the Court of Judicial Review had an extensive intelligence network. Its knowledge of such hidden matters far surpassed that of the average Buddhist or Daoist sect. “So what you’re saying is... this is the work of the Bare Body Sect?” Li Yanchu asked. Chen Yang shook his head. “It’s the work of remnants of the Bare Body Sect, but not necessarily an ambush set up by the sect itself. I suspect some surviving Bare Body Sectivators have infiltrated other forces, and are deliberately stirring chaos within the ruins.” The Bare Body Sect was a cult officially outlawed and hunted by the Kingdom of Qian dynasty. Although once powerful, it now clung to survival, with only a handful of members remaining. Li Yanchu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You don’t mean... Mount Mao’s Hong Baiwei, do you?” Chen Yang sneered coldly. “That’s right. That bunch from Mount Mao under Hong Baiwei’s command are full of filth and rot. Who’s to say Bare Body Sect remnants haven’t already wormed their way in?” 1. 《封神演义》 (Investiture of the Gods) is a classic Chinese mythological novel. 雷震子 (Lei Zhenzi) is a character in the novel who, after eating a magical item (often depicted as a kind of divine fruit or pill), grows wings and gains supernatural powers. ☜