The hidden path on the map, an opportunity or a trap?
Ye Xiaofan decides to brave the danger alone, unaware that he has long become a pawn in someone else's game.
Inside the Void Origin Pearl, time seems to stand still. Ye Xiaofan sits cross-legged on the gray "ground" within the space, tightly gripping the dark red iron piece and the leather map. His heart continues to pound.
The scarlet dot on the iron piece echoes the skull marking on the map, and a faint vein extends from it, pulsing like a blood vessel, pointing directly towards an unknown area to the southwest.
"Southwest... that blank area marked as 'Burial Wind Hills'..." Ye Xiaofan recalls the entirety of the map. Originally, there were no special markings there, only simple contour lines, indicating an undulating hilly terrain. In the vast Black Rock Mountain Range, such places were quite ordinary.
Who would have thought that such a seemingly ordinary place would require the core token of the Blood Fiend Sect (the iron piece) as a key to reveal a hidden path? This is definitely not an ordinary mineral vein map; it's more like a treasure map pointing to some secret stronghold or special inheritance!
"The Blood Fiend Sect went to such great lengths; what lies at the end of this path must be extraordinary!" The impulse for adventure surged within him. Fortune favors the bold; the path of cultivation is inherently defying the heavens. If one is always timid, how can they achieve longevity?
But reason immediately sounded the alarm. The undercurrents in Green Ox Town, the probing by Mr. Wang and Mr. Li, the pursuit by Black Wind Stronghold, all indicated that he was at the center of a vortex. Would leaving town now and heading to an unknown dangerous place play directly into someone's hands? Could this iron piece and map be a lure themselves?
"Strength! It all comes down to insufficient strength!" Ye Xiaofan took a deep breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts. Regardless, improving his own cultivation is the foundation for dealing with any change. He had just broken through to the third layer of Qi Condensation, and his realm needed to be stabilized.
He no longer hesitated and sank his mind into cultivation. The Void Realm Derivation Formula slowly circulated, pure void energy from the Origin Pearl space trickled into his meridians, nourishing the newly opened acupoints and solidifying his cultivation at the third layer of Qi Condensation. Simultaneously, he diverted a wisp of his consciousness to begin comprehending the Compendium of Basic Spells obtained from Zhou Fu.
"Body Lightening Technique," "Object Manipulation Technique," "Qi Concealment Technique," "Lesser Fireball Spell"... these most basic spells in the cultivation world were, for Ye Xiaofan at this moment, practical means to enhance his combat power. Especially "Qi Concealment Technique" and "Body Lightening Technique," which would be crucial for his subsequent actions.
The different flow of time within the Origin Pearl space gave him valuable time to digest. After an unknown period, he had barely mastered these basic spells, and his cultivation was completely stabilized in the early stage of the third layer of Qi Condensation.
His consciousness returned to his body. The sky outside was turning faintly light. Ye Xiaofan quietly left the inn and circled the town a few times, confirming he was not being followed, before arriving at an inconspicuous general store on the west side of town. He needed to prepare for a potential long journey.
"Shopkeeper, ten Vitality Pills, three pots of water, and a packet of Detoxification Powder. Also, the most detailed topographic map of the area around the 'Burial Wind Hills' to the southwest," Ye Xiaofan lowered his voice, placing a few pieces of silver on the counter. These were standard supplies for a mortal traveling afar and wouldn't arouse suspicion.
The shopkeeper, a lean middle-aged man, skillfully wrapped the items and handed over a yellowed, rough map. He casually said, "Young man, going to Burial Wind Hills? That place isn't peaceful. Besides poisonous insects and miasma, I heard it's been restless lately. There seem to be traces of Demonic Beast activity. Be careful."
Ye Xiaofan's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. "Thank you for the reminder, shopkeeper. I'm just going to the outskirts to try my luck, collect some herbs." After paying, he quickly left with his purchases.
Demonic Beast activity? This made him even more convinced that the direction indicated by the map was not without reason. Ordinary Demonic Beasts wouldn't easily approach human settlements unless something there attracted them.
Back in his inn room, Ye Xiaofan closed the doors and windows and sorted the purchased supplies into the Void Origin Pearl. He kept ten of the more than twenty low-grade Spirit Stones for emergencies, and the rest, along with the Spirit Stones obtained from the Blood Fiend Sect disciples, he hid close to his body. His firewood axe was secured at his waist, and all preparations were complete.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Ye Xiaofan settled his bill, slung a small bundle over his shoulder, and walked out of the west gate of Green Ox Town. He deliberately slowed his pace, like an ordinary wanderer, heading southwest along the official road.
After walking about fifteen kilometers, the pedestrians on the official road grew sparse. Ye Xiaofan keenly sensed that someone was tailing him from behind. He remained calm and continued forward until he turned onto a secluded path leading towards Burial Wind Hills.
The path became rugged, and the trees grew denser. Ye Xiaofan suddenly quickened his pace, his figure flashing a few times as he disappeared into the dense bushes.
A moment later, two dark figures sped over and stopped where Ye Xiaofan had vanished. They were two of the yamen runners who had appeared in the side hall of the Town Guardian's office that day.
"Where is he? How did he disappear in the blink of an eye?"
"Search! He can't have gone far! The Captain ordered us to keep a close eye on him and see exactly where he's going!"
The two split up and searched the vicinity meticulously, but found nothing. Ye Xiaofan had vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiaofan, using the Body Lightening Technique and the cover of the complex terrain, had taken a large detour. Following the starting point of the hidden path marked on the map, he truly entered the range of Burial Wind Hills from another direction.
Upon entering the hilly terrain, the spiritual energy in the air seemed to become thin and chaotic, carrying a faint scent of decay. The terrain was uneven, with strange rocks, and withered yellow grass grew taller than a person. According to the markings on the new map, he carefully avoided several dangerous areas marked with miasma and quicksand.
As he went deeper, the surroundings became increasingly silent. Even the sounds of birds, beasts, and insects diminished greatly, and an invisible sense of oppression permeated the air. Ye Xiaofan fully circulated the Qi Concealment Technique, reducing his presence to the minimum, and moved through the hills like a ghost.
According to the guidance of the leather map, the hidden path was not straight but winding and circuitous, requiring him to detour around several specific hills and cross a dry riverbed. The path was very concealed; without the map, it would be impossible to find.
In the evening, following the map's instructions, he arrived at a seemingly ordinary cliff face. The cliff was covered with withered vines, indistinguishable from its surroundings. However, the map indicated that the entrance to the hidden path lay behind this cliff.
Ye Xiaofan cautiously surveyed the surroundings. After confirming it was safe, he pushed aside the withered vines. Behind them was not solid rock but a narrow fissure barely wide enough for one person to pass!The fissure was dark and deep, and a cold wind blew out from it, carrying a faint fishy/bloody smell.
"This is it!" Ye Xiaofan took a deep breath but did not enter immediately. He found a hidden crevice to conceal himself, deciding to first recuperate and adjust his condition to the best possible state before entering this unknown secret path to investigate. Night fell, and the hills were utterly silent, save for the moaning wind, like the breath of some giant creature.
Deep within the cliff fissure, a faint light seemed to flash and disappear in the darkness. Ye Xiaofan tightened his grip on the firewood axe, his eyes sharp. At the end of this secret path, would he find the chance to ascend to immortality, or face an abyss of ten thousand fathoms?