Three days had passed.
In the ghostly king’s stone chamber, Ghost Li’s expression had transformed from initial calm and indifference to unease, then to anxiety, and now was brimming with impatience. Despite his preparedness for the intricacies of this celestial disk, which he knew was no ordinary treasure, he had never imagined it would take three whole days, and worse, after all this time, Mister Ghost seemed to have made no significant progress.
According to his original expectations, when Mister Ghost first interacted with the celestial disk, it had undergone a strange transformation, suggesting that he should have a profound understanding of the artifact. He thought that after several days of study, they would unravel its secrets. Yet, during these three days, he had watched Mister Ghost incessantly examine the artifact, flipping it over and back, and even memorizing the ancient inscriptions on the small jade pieces that slid across the central disc.
However, Mister Ghost was clearly in a bind or, more accurately, faced a formidable challenge in deciphering the artifact. Days passed with no advancement.
The ghostly king’s stone chamber, compared to the other chambers within the Fox Ridge Cavern, was significantly larger, divided into two sections: a spacious outer room where Ghost Li and Mister Ghost studied the celestial disk, and a smaller inner chamber, which served as the ghostly king’s bedroom. Although the ghostly king was absent, neither Ghost Li nor Mister Ghost had ventured into the inner chamber over the past three days. Their profound cultivation allowed them to remain awake for extended periods, even up to ten days and nights without rest.
Yet, the hardest part was the waiting.
For three days, Ghost Li did not leave the chamber, and so did the monkey, Little Ash. With its lively nature, being confined for three days was utterly stifling for the monkey. Ghost Li and Mister Ghost were still staring at the celestial disk, and by now, they barely paid any attention to Little Ash.
Little Ash ran around the chamber, having become familiar with every nook and cranny. Eventually, it jumped onto the ghostly king’s large desk, an act that would normally be considered highly disrespectful, but in the absence of authority, no one dared to stop it.
With nothing to do, Little Ash lay down, rolled over, danced, and even played dead. Finally, overwhelmed by boredom, it sat up, scratching its head and making low chirping sounds, looking around for something to entertain itself.
Though the chamber was spacious, it was not overly vast, and thus, Little Ash’s gaze naturally fell upon the inner chamber. The monkey scratched its head, glancing at Ghost Li, whose face was grim, exuding a fierce aura, clearly in a terrible mood. Mister Ghost, on the other hand, was intensely studying the celestial disk, occasionally glancing at Ghost Li before returning his focus to the disk.
Both men were entirely engrossed in the celestial disk, their only concern being to keep an eye on each other. No one spared a thought for the monkey. Little Ash shrugged, made a face, and, with a swing of its tail, turned towards the inner chamber. It examined the room for a moment before jumping down and slowly approaching it.
The ghostly king’s chamber was not opulent; instead, it was simple, reflecting the owner’s disdain for worldly luxuries. The outer and inner chambers were both modestly furnished: a wooden bed, a round table, three stools, and four hanging scrolls. The first scroll depicted a serene landscape with ink leaving much to the imagination, the second featured a spring scene with birds and flowers, the third showed a tiger lying in the grass, radiating power and dominance, and the fourth, a portrait of a beautiful woman, exquisitely detailed, evoking a sense of admiration.
Little Ash, however, did not understand the artistic nuances. It saw the scrolls as mere decorations, save for the tiger, which caught its eye. It bared its teeth, made a face, and spat at the tiger’s image.
The scrolls, hung side by side, created a harmonious yet distinct atmosphere. Opposite them, a single scroll hung alone, depicting a stunning woman, a work of art that could stir the heart of anyone who gazed upon it.
But in the eyes of the monkey, the beauty of the scrolls was greatly diminished. Little Ash showed no appreciation, merely glancing at the tiger again.
Perhaps the best paintings, from a monkey’s perspective, would feature monkeys themselves.
What Little Ash found most intriguing was the scroll with the tiger. It blinked its three eyes, jumped under the scroll, and gazed up at the magnificent tiger, feeling its power emanating from the canvas.
After some time, Little Ash turned to see if Ghost Li and Mister Ghost were still occupied, which they were, and, with a leap, it snatched the scroll from the wall. The long scroll, unwieldy, fell to the ground with a thud.
The sound, though not loud, startled the two men. After a moment of silence, Ghost Li’s voice, tinged with confusion, called out, “Little Ash?”
“Chirp, chirp,” Little Ash responded, dragging the scroll to Ghost Li.
Both Ghost Li and Mister Ghost were taken aback.
Little Ash, clutching the scroll, scampered to Ghost Li, chirping excitedly.
Ghost Li, frowning, took the scroll and unfolded it, revealing the powerful image of the tiger. He examined it, then looked at Little Ash, asking, “Why did you bring this here?”
Little Ash leaped, gesticulating excitedly, pointing at the tiger, then at the north, clearly trying to convey something. Mister Ghost, while erudite, could not comprehend the monkey’s gestures, and turned to Ghost Li, equally puzzled.
Seeing the confusion on Ghost Li’s face, Mister Ghost asked, “Who is Da Huang?”
Ghost Li, pausing, replied, “A dog.”
Mister Ghost, momentarily speechless, turned back to the celestial disk. Ghost Li, stroking Little Ash’s head, told it to stay put, then refocused on the disk.
Little Ash, sitting beside them, soon grew bored. It wandered off, eventually entering the inner chamber again. The wall, where the scroll had hung, showed faint traces, suggesting it had been there for a while. The inner chamber, aside from the four scrolls, contained only a bed and a table, offering little interest. Little Ash, restless, jumped onto the bed, rolling around, oblivious to the mess it was creating.
Suddenly, the bed trembled, and the wall behind it cracked open, revealing a secret passage. Little Ash, intrigued, hopped down, peering into the darkness. With a grin and a playful gesture, it leapt into the passage, disappearing into the blackness.
A faint, blood-tinged breeze wafted from the secret passage, causing the golden light in Little Ash’s third eye to flicker. The dim tunnel became slightly visible, and Little Ash, excited, began to explore. The passage, though narrow, was manageable for a monkey, and after a while, it sloped downward.
The walls, as Little Ash descended, became increasingly damp, with water droplets trickling down. The tunnel, long and winding, led deep into the earth. Suddenly, a faint red light appeared in the distance.
Little Ash hesitated, glancing back, then, with a chirp, moved forward, drawn by the light. As it approached, the faint scent of blood grew stronger, but Little Ash, undeterred, continued until it reached the end of the passage, where it jumped out into a larger, well-lit area.
One side of the large area was connected to another dark tunnel, and on the other, a bright, red light pulsed, casting a glow. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and the walls, once gray, now bore a dark red hue, with blood dripping from them.
Little Ash’s third eye glowed, and it stared at the blood droplets, then, with a final look, it turned towards the red light and cautiously moved forward.
As it neared the light, the red glow grew more intense, and Little Ash’s senses heightened. Finally, it stood before the light, which revealed a large, cavernous space, bathed in an eerie red glow.
High above, the stars twinkled, casting their light down upon the earth, and in the barren mountains, a white figure, graceful and ethereal, drifted like a leaf in the wind, landing atop the mountain. The figure, revealed to be the nine-tailed celestial fox, Xiao Bai, surveyed the desolate landscape with a troubled expression.
Xiao Bai, her brows furrowed, knelt down, scooping up a handful of sand, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. She carefully examined the grains, her thoughts swirling. Standing up, she gazed at the starry sky, her expression softening, as if seeking solace in the celestial light.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she stomped the ground, a strange sound echoing through the night. A cloud of dust rose, and the ground beneath her feet began to crackle, revealing a deep pit. With a graceful leap, she descended into the pit, her white form a vision of beauty.
As she descended, the walls, initially gray, turned red, and the air grew thick with the stench of blood. Xiao Bai’s eyes flashed, and she continued downward, her senses heightening. Finally, she stopped, her eyes fixed on a thin, red line on the wall, a sign of the sinister presence below.
Xiao Bai’s face twisted in disgust, and with a cold laugh, she leaped out of the pit, landing gracefully on the ground. The stars shone down on her, and she gazed into the night, her voice low and mocking, “After all these centuries, some fools still think they can defy the heavens. We shall see how this ends.”
Her laughter carried on the wind, and the stars continued to twinkle, casting their light upon the lonely figure standing atop the mountain.
Inside the Fox Ridge Cavern, Ghost Li and Mister Ghost continued to study the celestial disk, making slow but steady progress. Mister Ghost, with his vast knowledge, had begun to decipher the ancient inscriptions, though the full secrets remained elusive.
Meanwhile, in another part of the mountain, the icy chamber was filled with a faint, drifting mist. Bi Yao, still in her deep slumber, lay quietly, with the ghostly king seated silently beside her. His silver hair, a testament to the passing years, and the sleeping figure beside him, a reminder of his sorrow. In the silent night, he, like so many times before, awaited the dawn, hoping for a change.
In the distant, serene night, high on the peaks of Azure Ethereal Vapors, Lu Xueqi sat up, unable to sleep. She walked barefoot, the cool floor beneath her feet, and gazed out at the stars, her thoughts wandering to the person far away, wondering if they, too, were under the same starlit sky.
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