The ferryman grinned and accepted them, unable to resist saying, “Daoist Master, you’re so young, yet you've gained such fortune in this Blissful Land. Truly impressive.” Li Yanchu replied coolly, “It’s nothing special. I’m just more experienced.” Those artifacts had actually come from the Mount Mao Sect under Hong Baiwei. Otherwise, he never would’ve had so many on hand. The ferryman said, “There are only two pieces of memory left in that boat spirit.” Suddenly, the ferryman’s expression twisted in fear. His eyes stared up at the sky, filled with shock. “Impossible! Impossible! Why would it be !?” Li Yanchu and Ding Rou both tensed. They thought it was the spirit trying to possess the ferryman through lingering memories of its death. But instead, the ferryman suddenly returned to normal and said, “That was the boat spirit’s first memory. What he saw... was an eye. A massive, eerie eye. It was utterly horrifying.” Li Yanchu and Ding Rou fell silent. Was it really necessary to act it out that dramatically!? Li Yanchu couldn’t help wanting to roast him for the performance. The ferryman scratched his head and smiled, “Since you’ve been so generous, naturally I’ve got to give you the full experience.” Li Yanchu cupped his fists. He conceded; this guy's service was seriously top-notch! His attention shifted back to the information the ferryman had provided. “A massive eye, huh?” He furrowed his brow slightly. Was it that this single eye had brought in the demonic presence? Or did the eye belong to some great demon, with the boat spirit’s memory damaged after centuries, leaving it incomplete? “What else was in its memory?” Li Yanchu asked. “The immortal fortune of longevity... the Fusang Tree[1],” the ferryman said solemnly. With that, the ferryman’s service officially ended, and he once again returned to that expressionless mask. Only this time, no matter how Li Yanchu looked, he couldn’t see the terrifying aura from before. He exchanged a glance with Ding Rou. “The immortal fortune of longevity is on the Fusang Tree?” Li Yanchu frowned. “Or maybe... the Fusang Tree is the immortal fortune?” The two fell into thoughtful silence. Suddenly, Ding Rou seemed to remember something, and her cheeks flushed red. “Fellow Daoist... I don’t think I should’ve heard that.” She’d freeloaded again. Li Yanchu gave her a deep look. “Can’t exactly throw you into the river now, can I?” Hearing this, Ding Rou was left speechless. Her master had told her that men down the mountain were full of sweet talk, especially the good-looking ones. They were the most dangerous; they were the kind who lulled girls like her with gentle, affectionate words. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel(ꜰ)ire.net But... Ding Rou couldn’t help glancing at Li Yanchu, a hint of doubt rising in her heart. This Daoist Master Li is so handsome... Why is he so cold and aloof? Could it be... I’m not pretty enough? Not his type? She couldn’t help but sneak another peek at Li Yanchu. He had sharp, arched brows and bright, striking eyes, with a noble bearing and striking good looks. Although he wasn’t exuding any particular aura at the moment... Just standing next to him gave Ding Rou an indescribable sense of security. The ferryman didn’t speak another word the whole way back, like a stone statue. After dropping them off on the opposite shore, he quietly turned and rowed away. Li Yanchu watched him depart, deep in thought. Meanwhile, Ding Rou stood quietly beside him. Now that they were on the far side of the river, the once distant Mount Jinting began to come into clearer view. Though it still towered skyward, it no longer seemed so impossibly far away. This time, Ding Rou mustered her courage and said, “Fellow Daoist, you’re clearly the destined person meant to help me avoid my death tribulation. Why not let me travel with you? If we really face danger, I promise I won’t drag you down, we can each escape on our own! How about it?” Li Yanchu gave a slight nod. “Alright.” “If you fall into demonic possession, I’ll be the first to kill you. Don’t blame me for making a swift strike with my saber.” In this strange and perilous world, it wasn’t unlikely for someone plagued by bad luck like Ding Rou to succumb to inner demons. Ding Rou smiled sweetly. “Deal.” The two of them sprang into motion, rushing toward Mount Jinting. This time, Li Yanchu didn’t go full speed. Instead, he deliberately slowed his pace. Even so... Mount Jinting still appeared swiftly before the two of them! It was a massive mountain range, towering into the clouds, with a deep and unfathomable chasm nearby. It was majestic and treacherous. The two soon arrived at the foot of the mountain. But suddenly, they both felt an invisible force pressing down, carrying the weight of heaven and earth. Even the flow of spirit power inside Li Yanchu’s body became sluggish. Good grief! This place is just the opposite of what the rumors say. The sacred mountain at the center of the Mount Jinting relic actually suppresses spirit power! Li Yanchu thought to himself. It wasn’t some clever form of suppression meant to refine or purify one’s spirit qi. It was pure suppression. Ding Rou said, “Either this is the work of a world-level formation, or there’s an incredibly powerful magical artifact buried here. This kind of pressure is terrifying.” Li Yanchu replied softly, “Or... it could be that a great demon is sealed here.” After all, they had clearly heard that monstrous roar echoing from within Mount Jinting. If a great demon was sealed inside, then it made perfect sense that its aura would suppress their spiritual flow! The two continued climbing side by side, heading up Mount Jinting. If any divine fate or “immortal fortune” existed here, it would almost certainly be linked to that faintly visible Daoist temple hall silhouette at the summit. They had climbed for quite some time and still hadn’t encountered a single person. Suddenly, Li Yanchu’s expression changed subtly. He saw three strange, blood-soaked corpses. The upper bodies were completely intact... But all the flesh of the lower halves had vanished without a trace, leaving behind bare white bones. This grotesque and unnatural manner of death was deeply unsettling. Li Yanchu couldn’t help but speak, “It’s those three.” “Daoist Master Li, you know them?” Ding Rou asked. “Last night, I was with these three inside the Daoist temple hall’s main hall. I didn’t expect that as soon as they crossed the river and arrived at the sacred mountain, they’d die here so inexplicably!” Li Yanchu said. He stepped forward to examine the bodies of the three and found that the jade fragments on them were still intact! Only their Daoist temple artifacts were shattered; the divine protection was gone, and they had turned into ordinary broken objects. “Looks like they were killed by the demonic forces lurking in this relic,” Li Yanchu confirmed. If they had been murdered by other people, there was no way the jade fragments would have been left behind! Ding Rou gave a slight nod. Suddenly, on the hillside, a burly man appeared and hurled a stone spear down toward them with a heavy whooshing sound. “Watch out!” Li Yanchu shouted. He struck forward with a palm. Void-Splitting Palm! His Divine Astral Hands collided with the stone spear mid-air, and a wave of scorching energy spread outward, making it hard to breathe. The burly man on the slope threw another stone spear. This time, he charged straight toward the two of them! He was a strange figure; he was completely naked with skin like stone, and had only white sclera in his eyes. A demon!? The same thought arose in both their minds. As they got closer to the heart of the Mount Jinting relic, the demonic creatures appearing were starting to change in form and grew more dangerous. In the distance, an eerie sound of a baby crying echoed unnervingly clear, as if it were right next to your ear. Li Yanchu felt nothing but disgust toward these heaven-defying demonic beings. With a palm strike... Boom! A surge of immense, mighty palm force cleared the way. He followed closely behind, hand on the hilt of his saber. Boom! After a thunderous explosion, that grotesque, burly man was cleaved apart by the Jiaoslayer. The qi shattered in one strike, and he instantly disintegrated into a sky full of ash. Ding Rou couldn’t help but cover her mouth in disbelief. That was far too overwhelming! 1. Fusang is a mythical world tree or place located far east of China. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas and several contemporary texts, the term refers to a mythological tree of life, alternatively identified as a mulberry or a hibiscus, allegedly growing far to the east of China, and perhaps to various more concrete territories which are located to the east of the mainland. In Chinese mythology, Fusang refers to a divine tree and an island which are both located in the East, from where the sun rises. A similar tree, known as the Ruomu (若木) exists in the west, and each morning, the sun was said to rise in Fusang and fall on Ruomu. According to Chinese legends, ten birds (typically ravens) lived in the tree, and because nine of the birds rested, the tenth bird would carry the Sun on its journey. This legend has similarities with the Chinese tale of the fictional hero Houyi, sometimes referred to as the Archer, who is credited with saving the world by shooting down nine of the suns when all ten suns simultaneously took to the air one day. Some scholars have identified the bronze trees which were found at the archaeological site Sanxingdui as these Fusang trees. ☜