“You should be well aware of the wonders within Redstone Mountain, Xueying,” Palace Master Chen urged. “It holds boundless mysteries, even treasures coveted by mighty beings from the Divine Realm and the Abyss! Why else would the Witch God and the Great Demon God go to such extremes if not for Redstone Mountain? Now, powerful deities from both realms have paid a steep price, sending teams of demigods wielding divine artifacts into this world—all for the sake of Redstone Mountain!”
Dongbo Xueying nodded solemnly.
The treasures obtained by the Black Wind Ancestor alone were astonishing! Seven divine war-beasts, three of which reached the limits of demigod power. Unfortunately, the golden humanoid from that battle was captured and taken away by the Spider Queen, and had yet to be rescued.
Though Dongbo Xueying had once joined forces with Xia Clan demigods to explore the ‘Forest Sea World,’ the Forest Sea World had since become impregious. Attempts to probe through the Void yielded nothing, as the enemy was now well-prepared.
“To resolve the curse of the Six Grievances of Ghosts, within Redstone Mountain, is nothing extraordinary!” Palace Master Chen continued. “The only complication is… Redstone Mountain is perilous!”
“Perilous indeed,” murmured Dongbo Xueying. “Even those supreme beings who reign over an entire epoch would find themselves staring into the abyss of near-certain demise should they dare venture within.”
[Note: The translation maintains the fantasy genre’s dramatic tone while:
1. Using “murmured” for natural speech cadence
2. “Supreme beings who reign over an entire epoch” elevates “the mighty ones” to match fantasy grandeur.
3. “Staring into the abyss” creates vivid imagery
4. “Venture within” implies forbidden exploration
5. Retains the name Dongbo Xueying’s cultural authenticity
6. Alliterative “perilous indeed” preserves rhetorical impact]
“In our Xia Clan’s history, few who entered alone ever returned,” Palace Master Chen sighed. “Chao Qing entered and never came back.”
A pang of sorrow struck Dongbo Xueying’s heart.
Master Chao…
He had bid farewell during Dongbo’s wedding, then entered Redstone Mountain, never to return. If Chao Qing had survived, he would now be over three thousand years old—yet the lifespan limit of demigods was only three thousand years.
“Chao Qing’s battle-aura double remained outside for nearly a year before finally dissipating from exhaustion,” Palace Master Chen added. “At least during that first year, he wasn’t dead. Though it’s been over a century since, perhaps he has already ascended to godhood within Redstone Mountain.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly, though this was merely wishful thinking. Becoming a god was no easy feat. Both knew the chances of Chao Qing surviving were infinitesimally small.
“Vice-Principal Chao Qing, after merging with his divine core, has reached a power level comparable to Mountain Lord He. Yet despite his vast experience, he still hasn’t emerged,” Jing Qiu interjected with urgency. “If even supreme beings who dominate entire eras face nine deaths out of ten, what hope do we have?”
“Dominate an era?”
The Xia Clan currently had no one capable of that.
“That is why I previously visited the Earth Temple’s team,” Palace Master Chen explained. “The Earth Temple dispatched a demigod team of three formidable warriors. Each is formidable beyond measure—the weakest among them could dominate an era, while their leader is even more formidable. When I spoke with them, I could sense the other two dared not defy him in the slightest.”
Dongbo Xueying and Jing Qiu were both startled.
Three warriors… the weakest capable of dominating an era?
“After all, we are but mere mortals in this world,” Grandmaster Chen of the Celestial Palace continued. “This demigod squad represents the true elite of the Earth Temple. The machinations of the Witch God and the Great Demon Lord have compelled even the mightiest beings from the Divine Realm and the Abyss to stake everything, dispatching teams of formidable power. At the very least, I surmise that the initial perils of Crimson Peak will pose little challenge to them. Snow Falcon, should you follow in their wake, you need not exert yourself overmuch. Great rewards surely await you—perhaps even the resolution of the Six Curses of the Spectral Dead. Once the venom is purged, you may seize the moment to return!”
“Travelling with a powerful team will be far easier. Relying solely on yourself would be too difficult.”
“But would they allow Snow Hawk to join?” Jing Qiu asked urgently. “From what you’ve said, Palace Master, Redstone Mountain is so dangerous that the Earth Temple’s team only has three warriors, and they must work together seamlessly. Would they really accept another member?”
More people are not always better.
Sometimes, a poor teammate could burden the rest.
“That is indeed a complication,” Palace Master Chen admitted. “However, first, during the previous assault on the Demon God Church’s headquarters, the Earth Temple owes Snow Hawk a favor. Second, this Earth Temple team desires our Xia Clan’s intelligence on Redstone Mountain. Without Snow Hawk, we will not share it. Given these two factors, they have agreed to meet Snow Hawk and assess whether he would be a burden. I believe that with Snow Hawk’s profound mastery of True Intent, he should not pose a burden.”
Dongbo Xueying turned to Jing Qiu, hesitating slightly.
He had intended to stay by her side, but if he went… success would be ideal, but failure meant death in Redstone Mountain.
“Snow Hawk, you still have a chance now. But if you delay further, the poison will worsen, and without such powerful teams to accompany you, you won’t even have the opportunity to fight,” Palace Master Chen urged.
“To retreat means certain death. But to fight, if you succeed, you will gain immeasurably. With your talent, you may even have a strong chance of becoming a god someday,” Palace Master Chen implored.
He strongly wished for Dongbo Xueying to go.
Without taking action, there was only death.
The Xia Clan’s most brilliant prodigy of all time should not perish like this.
“Snow Hawk, go,” Jing Qiu said, looking into Dongbo’s eyes with a smile. “I know you’re reluctant to leave me, but these years we’ve shared have made me very happy. Go and fight. If you succeed, we can be together for longer. You won’t have to suffer the torment of the curse anymore, and we can finally have a child of our own.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly.
A child.
Because of the curse, they had been unable to have one. Over the years, Dongbo had often taken in children to teach them spear techniques, perhaps partly to fill that void. He could sense that Jing Qiu had longed for a child of their own.
“Alright!” Dongbo Xueying’s eyes blazed with determination. “I, Dongbo Xueying, shall fight once more!”
To once again take up the spear and begin fighting!
This time, it was for his life—and for the hopes of his loved ones.
“Hahahaha! That’s the spirit!” Palace Master Chen laughed joyfully. “Young people should be full of fighting spirit. Snow Hawk, I believe you will emerge alive from Redstone Mountain, and when you do, you will be reborn!”
“I look forward to that day,” Dongbo Xueying nodded, his eyes subtly ablaze.
Once the decision was made…
It was time to give it his all!
…
Dongbo Xueying had no lingering concerns. His family had long been taken care of. Aside from Jing Qiu, only Qing Shi had become an extraordinary being by his own efforts. It was quite amusing, actually—shortly after Dongbo and Jing Qiu’s wedding, Qing Shi and Dai Ya had also married. For a long time, Qing Shi had been stuck at the Named Rank, but the very next day after their wedding, he suddenly broke through to become an extraordinary being! Now, Qing Shi had many children and grandchildren, and his parents were quite pleased.
As for his own parents and Uncle Zong, they eventually became pseudo-extraordinary beings through the use of the Seven-Petal Transcendence Bloom. As for Uncle Tong, the burly lion-man, unable to ascend to the Named Rank, Dongbo Xueying could do nothing for him, and he eventually passed away.
Before his death, Dongbo Xueying visited him.
Uncle Tong had lived nearly two hundred years due to the many medicinal herbs he had consumed before finally succumbing to old age. The burly lion-man had died happily, surrounded by a large crowd of descendants. Dongbo Xueying could feel Tong’s joy that day. He had been present by his bedside until Tong closed his eyes. Even in death, Tong had not changed much from his youth, except for the deep lines on his face and his originally vibrant yellow hair turning dry and yellow.
…
The day after Palace Master Chen’s visit, Dongbo Xueying set off alone toward the Earth Temple’s headquarters in the Xia Clan’s world.
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