Chapter 103: Little Ash

In the darkness, he slowly opened his eyes.

Surrounding him was an inky black void, and then, not far ahead, a faint light gradually emerged, like a meager candle burning quietly in the dead of night.

He gazed silently at the glow, which was a soft lavender, then shifted to a hue of azure, before morphing into a deep green. The light continued to change, flickering with various colors, a mesmerizing sight.

“Chirp, chirp…”

Suddenly, a low sound echoed from beside him—it was the little gray monkey, its voice barely above a whisper, as if even it feared to speak too loudly in this enveloping darkness.

Ghost Li turned his head, and indeed, aided by the feeble light, he saw the little gray monkey crouching beside him.

He smiled and instinctively clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the pain as he sat up to get a better look around. To his surprise, he sat up smoothly, feeling no pain at all, which only heightened his astonishment.

In the darkness, the ever-shifting light gently illuminated him. Ghost Li internally examined his body; the injuries he had sustained from the Black Water Mysterious Snake’s fierce collision were, inexplicably, completely healed.

Frowning slightly, he was genuinely baffled, but unable to discern the reason, he decided to stand up and take a closer look at his surroundings.

As he moved, he suddenly paused, his body becoming rigid.

At some point, another hand, white, slender, and tender, was clasped tightly in his own.

They held each other so tightly, so naturally, that they had almost forgotten their hands were still intertwined.

Ghost Li froze, then slowly turned his gaze to the side. The ethereal light, gently flickering in the darkness, revealed a face both cold and beautiful. Lu Xueqi’s eyes were still closed, her pale face adorned with a hint of blood on her lips, like a strange red petal on the pristine snow of her skin.

Her lips were slightly pursed, as if still holding a faint smile.

Silence.

Whose gaze was quietly lingering in the darkness, time flowing like water, the ten years deeply etched in life, yet as if nothing had ever happened, as if it were just yesterday.

***

“Boom!”

A deafening roar exploded in the dark space, causing the ground to shake and mountains to tremble. Accompanied by distant phoenix cries and enraged roars, the entire dark space violently shuddered. The little gray monkey screeched, turning into a rolling ball and stumbling to the side, eventually crashing to the ground. Ghost Li, unable to maintain his balance, toppled over.

The force of the shock also jolted Lu Xueqi, who, seemingly awakened, gasped softly and, as she tilted, opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was darkness, followed by the familiar face sitting beside her.

Just like in the depths of the Dead Spirit Abyss, by the shore of Heartless Sea, a decade ago!

The shaking gradually subsided, and silence returned. What had caused such a violent disturbance?

Lu Xueqi slowly sat up, her gaze meeting Ghost Li’s. He did not look away, staring back at her. After a moment, both lowered their gazes, their hands still tightly and naturally intertwined.

Lu Xueqi remained silent, motionless. Ghost Li’s lips moved, and he slowly released her hand, drawing it back.

She gazed at the hand that had just retreated into the darkness, the hand that had moments ago been a source of warmth. Her eyes briefly showed a glimmer of sorrow, which then vanished, returning to her usual composure.

Rising to her feet, she frowned slightly, apparently surprised by the sudden, unexpected healing of her injuries. She surveyed the surroundings, then asked calmly, “Where are we?”

Ghost Li, also standing, replied, “I’m not sure, but I remember we flew into the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault.”

Lu Xueqi was silent for a moment, then asked, “Did you save me?”

Ghost Li glanced at her, then said indifferently, “No, it was your own luck. You managed to fly in before the stone door closed.”

Lu Xueqi turned her head, expressionless, her eyes still bright in the darkness, as if they were shining.

Avoiding her gaze, Ghost Li turned away and began to walk toward the flickering light. “You owe me nothing. If you want to kill me, go ahead.”

Lu Xueqi stood silently in the darkness behind him, standing there for a while, then lightly dusted herself off and straightened her appearance.

“Chirp, chirp!”

The little gray monkey, dazed from the fall, recovered and scampered over, jumping onto Ghost Li’s shoulder, peering at the mysterious, glowing light.

As they drew closer, the details became clearer.

In the darkness, a wooden platform stood about half a person’s height. A circular wooden pillar, about the thickness of a baby’s arm, connected to the ground, supporting a small platform a foot in diameter.

In the center of the platform lay a crude wooden cup, which, upon closer inspection, appeared to be seamlessly connected to the platform and the tree beneath, forming a single, integrated structure.

But the most captivating thing was the contents of the tiny wooden cup. About three inches tall and two inches wide, the cup contained a transparent liquid. Floating atop the liquid was a small, clear stone, shaped with five flat surfaces, gleaming and translucent. From this stone, a soft light emanated, forming a semi-circular curtain of light on the small wooden platform, refracting various hues and radiating outward.

By now, Lu Xueqi had approached and stood beside Ghost Li, looking at the wooden cup.

A strange, invigorating fragrance wafted through the air, permeating the surroundings.

Neither Ghost Li nor Lu Xueqi could discern what this object was, but it was rumored to be the elixir of immortality, hidden by the Heavenly Emperor. The wooden platform and cup were connected to the ancient tree, preserving the elixir with the tree’s immense spiritual energy.

Outside the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault, the Black Water Mysterious Snake, a primordial beast, was drawn to this elixir, even willing to fight its natural enemy, the golden bird, to obtain it.

The sudden, mysterious healing of Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi’s wounds was, in fact, related to this elixir and the treasure vault.

Yet, few today knew of these legendary secrets. Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi, unaware of the significance, merely frowned in confusion.

As they pondered, another loud boom shook the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault, accompanied by the terrifying roar of the Black Water Mysterious Snake. It seemed the ancient beast, driven by intense anger, refused to give up the elixir.

Though the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault was a wondrous, ancient place, the repeated attacks by the Black Water Mysterious Snake were taking their toll. The surrounding wood creaked and groaned, and the little gray monkey, nearly falling off Ghost Li’s shoulder, screamed in alarm.

Feeling the ground tremble, Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi struggled to maintain their footing.

Amidst such violent shaking, the elixir within the wooden cup should have spilled, but instead, a thin golden light rose from the stone, shooting straight up and illuminating the curtain of light. The entire screen turned golden, and the light intensified.

Under the glow, the wooden platform, previously teetering, suddenly stilled, and as the shaking subsided, the golden light dimmed, returning to its original state.

Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting amazement and admiration at the wondrous craftsmanship.

Scanning the area, Ghost Li, with the help of the stone’s light, saw that the treasure vault contained nothing else but the wooden platform. The stone, radiant and filled with divine energy, must be the treasure they had sought for so long.

Heart pounding, he reached out to touch the glowing screen.

“Don’t touch it!” Lu Xueqi’s voice, suddenly cold, echoed beside him.

Ghost Li’s hand halted in mid-air, then slowly withdrew. Turning to face Lu Xueqi, they stood less than three feet apart, the warmth between them suddenly turning to icy silence.

“I need that,” Ghost Li said slowly, his eyes fixed on Lu Xueqi.

She met his gaze, her tone calm. “I won’t let you have it, unless you kill me first.”

Ghost Li fell silent.

The faint light in the darkness gently flowed, changing colors, as if telling a story.

“Boom!”

Another thunderous roar, causing the earth to shake more violently than before. Though the stone emitted a protective golden light, the walls of the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault seemed to crumble under the pressure.

With a crack, a large wooden beam plummeted from above. Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi leaped aside, and as the rumbling continued, the Black Water Mysterious Snake outside raged, continuously ramming the vault. The angry cries of the golden bird grew fiercer, and the battle outside was reaching a climactic showdown.

The entire treasure vault, under the immense pressure, began to deform, the walls caving in, and splintered wood falling like rain.

In this chaos, Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi dodged the falling debris, temporarily forgetting about the wooden platform.

Just as the vault was about to collapse, the stone emitted a much brighter and larger golden light, forming a column that shot straight up, piercing the glowing curtain and illuminating the ceiling.

A mysterious, distant voice resonated within the vault, like a chant from a sacred mountain or a whisper from the netherworld. As the golden light hit the ceiling, the entire vault seemed to be supported by some powerful force, stopping the inward collapse and the falling debris.

Then, in the vision of Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi, a voice resounded, and in the golden light, glowing characters appeared one by one, forming a phrase:

“Heaven and Earth show no kindness, treating all things as straw dogs!”

Ghost Li was stunned.

The nine characters slowly faded, but the mysterious chanting grew louder. Suddenly, the golden light burst, flooding the entire vault, and more glowing characters appeared, flying around them.

Mesmerized, Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi forgot everything, their eyes fixed on the text.

Ghost Li’s heart pounded, and he heard a voice in his mind shouting:

“The Celestial Book! The Celestial Book! This is the third volume of the Celestial Book!”

***

Outside the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault, Fa Xiang and others observed from high above, watching the battle between the two primordial beasts, their faces pale.

The once vibrant, flower-covered tree now lay in ruins, its branches broken and flowers withered.

In front of the tree, the Black Water Mysterious Snake coiled around the stone door of the treasure vault, its massive head roaring at the sky. The golden bird, with wings spread nearly a hundred yards, sharp beak and claws, dove down, attacking the snake with its beak and talons. The snake, spewing venom, fought back fiercely, occasionally ramming the treasure vault.

Their battle was cataclysmic, turning the sky dark and the world chaotic. Only the desolation of the place prevented the destruction of more populous areas.

Both beasts, wounded and exhausted, paused. The Black Water Mysterious Snake, covered in dark red blood, was battered, while the golden bird, its feathers torn and bloodied, was also gravely injured.

The two beasts, facing each other, neither showed any sign of retreat. But the snake, realizing its disadvantage, turned and, with a final roar, rammed the treasure vault with all its might.

The golden bird, enraged, swooped down again, its beak like an arrow, aiming for the snake.

In a blinding flash, the roof of the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasure Vault collapsed under the snake’s immense force. Simultaneously, the golden bird, in a whirlwind, descended, and the snake, with a horrific scream, was blinded in one eye.

Inside the treasure vault, the golden light dimmed, and Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi, shaken but standing, faced the two enormous beasts. The little gray monkey, frightened, hid under the wooden platform, holding onto the pillar for dear life.

Seeing the situation, Ghost Li, though concerned for the little gray monkey, had no choice but to flee. As he turned, the golden bird, with a powerful gust, pushed him and Lu Xueqi away.

Desperate, Ghost Li tried to return, but the little gray monkey, still hidden, drank from the wooden cup, much to the surprise of the two giant beasts.

The battle ceased, and in the silence, the little gray monkey finished the elixir and swallowed the stone, causing the snake and bird to lunge at it. In the nick of time, Ghost Li snatched the little gray monkey and fled.

The remaining structure of the treasure vault crumbled, and the snake, enraged and injured, finally retreated, disappearing into the mist. The golden bird, however, pursued Ghost Li and the little gray monkey.

Sweating, Ghost Li maneuvered, using his agility to avoid the bird. As he neared a flower garden, he saw something unexpected—his companions, including the Ghost King, activating the Dragon Subduing Cauldron, trapping the golden bird.

The Ghost King, with a smirk, landed, and Ghost Li, holding the little gray monkey, joined him. The golden bird, trapped, stopped struggling.

Looking at the Ghost King, Ghost Li asked, “What do we do with those people?”

The Ghost King, his smile warm but his eyes cold, replied, “We’ll discuss that later.”

Silence fell once more.