The Great Wizard was silent for a moment before responding, “Yes.”
Ghoul Li fell silent.
The Great Wizard spoke slowly, “This holy relic is tied to the fate of countless lives in the Southern Border. I only hope that you will lend a hand to our people.”
Ghoul Li’s eyes twitched, and he asked, “There are countless souls among the Five Tribes of the Southern Border. Why must you seek help from an outsider?”
The Great Wizard shook his head, his voice filled with sorrow, “Since the Five Tribes split, the power of our sorcery has waned. Now, there is not a single capable person left to take on this task. You have asked me to summon the soul of your friend, and I have agreed. However, the situation you described is unlike anything we have seen before in the Southern Border. I cannot guarantee success, but I will do my best. Tomorrow morning, I shall accompany you to the Central Plains!”
Both Ghoul Li and Xiao Bai were surprised by the urgency in the Great Wizard’s tone. Ghoul Li, who would brave death itself for Bi Yao, had no qualms about taking on the perilous quest for the legendary holy relics. Yet, even as he felt a surge of hope, he could see the grievous injuries the Great Wizard bore. He said, “Elder, after last night’s duel, shouldn’t you rest for a few days first?”
The Great Wizard sighed deeply, “I have little time left. Before my end, let me exert myself one last time. I only hope that, for the sake of this dying old man, you will extend a hand to the countless people of the Southern Border.”
Ghoul Li remained silent, fully aware of the Great Wizard’s frail condition, though he had not expected it to be so severe. Meanwhile, Xiao Bai suddenly spoke, “Great Wizard, you mentioned that all five holy relics must be returned to the ancient cave for the beast demon to revive, correct?”
The Great Wizard nodded, “Indeed.”
Xiao Bai continued, “In that case, even if one of the holy relics has been lost among the Miao, there are still four others. You need not be so anxious…”
“Two, it’s two!” The Great Wizard interrupted abruptly, followed by a fit of harsh coughing.
Xiao Bai was taken aback, “What?”
Once his coughing subsided, the Great Wizard sighed, “Embedded in our tribe’s sacred Black Staff is another holy relic, the Bone Jade, which we took from the Li Tribe two hundred years ago.”
Xiao Bai gasped, his face showing a mixture of surprise and unease, and said nothing more.
After a brief pause, the Great Wizard continued, “Actually, two hundred years ago, we realized something was amiss. We learned that the holy relics of the Zhuang, Tu, and Gaoshan Tribes had mysteriously vanished over the centuries. At that time, only the Miao and the Li still possessed their holy relics. Among the Five Tribes, only our Miao altar still held some power. Thus, we seized the Bone Jade from the Li and kept it in our altar for safekeeping. But in the end….”
Neither Ghoul Li nor Xiao Bai commented, knowing that seizing another tribe’s holy relics was not a noble deed.
The Great Wizard, understanding their reluctance, turned to Ghoul Li, “So, the situation is dire indeed. All five holy relics have been lost, and it might be the work of the beast demon. The magic the Li sorcerer used last night was the same black flame sorcery once wielded by the beast demon. I am deeply worried…” His voice trailed off into another fit of coughing, leaving him hoarse and strained.
Ghoul Li took a deep breath and slowly said, “I agree to help you.”
The Great Wizard’s face lit up with joy, and he nodded eagerly, “Th-Thank you, thank you so much.”
Sitting to the side, Xiao Bai suddenly asked, “Great Wizard, what was the name of the witch lady? I truly admire her!”
The Great Wizard’s expression shifted, and he sighed, straightening his posture with a look of reverence, “Her name was ‘Ling Long.’”
Amidst the eerie, twilight darkness, surrounded by towering, entangled black trees, Jin Ping’er faced a forest littered with human and beast bones, phosphorescent light flickering between them.
Since she had pursued the Sorceress into the ominous Ten Thousand Mountains, navigating through treacherous terrains and entering a vast, dark forest, this was the scene that awaited her.
This was her third day in the dark forest.
The seemingly endless darkness ahead, as still as stone, brought a faint anxiety to Jin Ping’er’s charming face. With each step, her feet made a soft sound. Glancing down, she saw a bleached human skull rolling aside, its age unknown.
Jin Ping’er sighed and nudged the skull away with her foot.
Despite her mental preparation, Jin Ping’er had not anticipated the sheer malevolence and danger of the place. The air was thick with toxic miasma, and one wrong move could mean certain death. Along the way, she encountered strange, monstrous beasts, more akin to mutated predators, such as tiger-leopards and pig-bears, yet not as intelligent as the Fish People she had seen before.
Though ferocious, these monsters were no match for Jin Ping’er, a skilled warrior from the demonic Cult of Blissful Union. Her journey, while challenging, was manageable, save for the constant threat of poison and toxins.
The Sorceress, unaware of being followed, led Jin Ping’er deeper into the mountains. However, the vile dragon accompanying the Sorceress posed a serious problem. No matter how well Jin Ping’er concealed herself, the keen-sensed dragon always sensed her approach. After several attempts, Jin Ping’er decided to keep her distance.
Using the secret tracking techniques of the Cult, Jin Ping’er followed the Sorceress, who had not stopped moving since they entered the dark forest three days ago, traveling at a consistent pace.
Jin Ping’er, with her deep cultivation, managed to keep up, but fatigue began to set in. Ahead, the relentless Sorceress showed no sign of tiring.
The glowing phosphorescence in the forest, like ethereal lights, watched the intruder. Suddenly, a roar shattered the silence as a pig-headed, bear-bodied monster charged at Jin Ping’er. She swiftly rose, her hand flashing a brilliant purple light—her Purple Blade.
The monster, passing where Jin Ping’er had stood, let out an agonizing scream and was split in two, blood splattering as it lay still.
The dark forest, bathed in phosphorescent light, soon erupted in a cacophony of roars. Countless eyes, gleaming with malice, appeared in the shadows.
Jin Ping’er breathed deeply, her face paler than before.
A long howl echoed, and a horde of monsters surged, surrounding her. With her Purple Blade, she felled over twenty beasts, but the relentless onslaught tore her pants, and more monsters emerged endlessly.
Jin Ping’er, realizing the danger, launched herself into the air, dodging the ground-bound beasts. As she ascended, the trees came alive, branches lashing out with venomous sap. She deflected them, creating a purple aura, but was driven back, with the beasts below ready to pounce.
Jin Ping’er, battered and bloodied, burst through the chaos, hacking her way through the forest. Finally, a glimmer of light appeared ahead. Renewed, she sliced through the final obstacles, emerging into a cliff, above a sea of toxic mist.
Exhausted and blood-soaked, Jin Ping’er surveyed the surroundings, only to find herself cornered. Behind her, the forest roared with monstrous sounds, but none dared cross the edge. Perhaps, they were creatures bound to that dark realm.
Just then, a massive roar drowned the noise. A shadow leaped from the forest—a fierce dragon, the Sorceress’ companion. Jin Ping’er, overwhelmed, was thrown off the cliff, her blood staining the air.
As the dragon landed, the forest fell silent. The Sorceress, clad in black, appeared, followed by the dragon. He looked over the cliff, seeing ripples in the mist, and nodded, patting the dragon.
The dragon growled, and the pair vanished into the forest. The cliff was silent, the wind masking the remaining bloodstains.
Moments later, a flash of purple light revealed Jin Ping’er, injured and bleeding. She gazed at the knife in her hand, etched with two words: Slay Life.
She looked towards the departing figures, pondering. The wind carried her whispered words, “Monk Slay Life…”
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