In the southernmost reaches of the vast lands of the Divine Continent, legends speak of a place where harsh mountains and foul waters abound, breeding venomous creatures and fierce beasts. The most distinct boundary between this region and the Central Plains is marked by the sudden rise of towering, majestic mountain ranges that stand tall as if they were erected from flat ground, their peaks piercing the clouds and dividing the north from the south.
Throughout history, few from the fertile lands of the Central Plains dared to venture into the Southern Wastelands. The reasons were simple: the treacherous paths, the abundance of deadly creatures and poisonous miasmas, and the infertile soil that made agriculture impossible. Over time, tales began to circulate about the savage tribes that inhabited the endless mountains in the south—cannibals and bloodthirsty fiends who lived like beasts. These stories only served to fuel the fear that one day, these monstrous beings might emerge from the mountains and invade the Central Plains, bringing chaos and destruction.
For a thousand years, however, there have been no reports of any such tribes causing harm. Occasionally, strange creatures with uncanny appearances would be sighted in the borderlands, but these rumors usually faded away over time. Today, even those living in the frontier towns of the Southern Wastelands speak of these barbaric tribes only in the form of bedtime stories, telling their children, “If you don’t behave, the monsters will come and take you away.” In their daily lives, no one ever gives a second thought to the existence of these tribes, let alone people in the distant Central Plains.
Thus, the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, shrouded in layers of mist, have become a forgotten realm to the common folk.
Yet, while the ordinary people may have forgotten these tribes, the cultivators and practitioners of the Dao have not. The righteous and mighty sect known as the Fragrant Incense Valley has played a pivotal role in keeping the Southern Tribes at bay for a thousand years.
The immense, towering mountains serve as a natural barrier, preventing the people of the Central Plains from traveling south and the Southern Tribes from venturing north. However, a thousand years ago, a cataclysmic thunderstorm descended from the heavens, claiming countless lives within a radius of a thousand miles. After the disaster, it was discovered that the sheer force of the lightning had cleaved open a narrow, three-foot-wide passageway through one of the mountains, revealing a dark, ominous tunnel.
From that moment on, rumors spread about the Southern Tribes and their periodic raids on the border settlements. It was then that the disciples of the Fragrant Incense Valley emerged, bringing peace and order to the land.
The origins of the Fragrant Incense Valley are among the most mysterious in the world of cultivation. Their lineage can be traced back 1,500 years, and in terms of history, only the Azure Ethereal Conclave and the Demon Sect precede them, even surpassing the Celestial Sound Temple.
Despite their long history, the sect has always maintained a low profile, though they occasionally produced highly skilled and influential cultivators. Eight hundred years ago, they established a settlement in a valley near the dark tunnel in the Southern Wastelands. From that point on, they called themselves the Fragrant Incense Valley, and over the centuries, they have produced an incredible number of powerful cultivators, growing in strength and influence until they now stand as one of the three great righteous sects, alongside the Azure Ethereal Conclave and the Celestial Sound Temple.
The current leader of the Fragrant Incense Valley, Cloud Yi-Lan, is a figure of great renown, on par with the esteemed Dao Xuan of the Azure Ethereal Conclave and the Venerable Pu Hong of the Celestial Sound Temple. However, he is known for his modesty, and his fame does not match that of the other two.
Due to their geographical location, the Fragrant Incense Valley naturally took on the responsibility of guarding the dark tunnel, which the locals call the “Black Hole.” Since then, there have been no reports of Southern Tribes invading the borderlands. In the hearts of the people, the Fragrant Incense Valley is revered as a place of divine protectors.
These records are well-documented in the Ghost King Sect, and Bi Yao (Ghost Li) had studied them during the past ten years. Now, he recalled these details as he traveled south, seeking information about the fish-people from Zhou Yixian. It was the third day of his journey, and he had finally reached the vicinity of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
The night was deep, and the full moon hung high in the sky, partially obscured by thick clouds, allowing only a few stars to twinkle dimly. The moon’s light, however, bathed the surrounding mountains in a silvery glow, illuminating the peak where Bi Yao stood.
Bi Yao gazed southward, his brow furrowed. His monkey companion, Xiao Hui, still perched on his shoulder, gnawing on a wild fruit he had picked from somewhere.
During the first two days of his journey, he had found the marks left by his subordinate, Slaughter Monk. But today, the monk’s trail had vanished. Based on the previous messages, the skilled tracker Slaughter Monk had confirmed that the mysterious fish-people were heading rapidly south, presumably returning to their lair in the Southern Wastelands.
Could it be that Slaughter had already clashed with the enigmatic fish-people?
Bi Yao sighed softly, a hint of worry in his eyes. The Southern Tribes were vastly different from the people of the Central Plains, as recorded in the surviving texts of the Ghost King Sect. They did not practice cultivation or the Dao, but instead possessed various bizarre and inexplicable magical techniques.
Slaughter Monk, though young and hotheaded, was an exceptional talent among the new generation of the Ghost King Sect. He was a reliable and capable subordinate in Bi Yao’s entourage.
This mysterious disappearance filled Bi Yao with unease. As he gazed ahead, he saw the dark, ominous shadows of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains stretching before him, their presence almost palpable in the night. Somewhere beneath that mountain range lay the legendary Fragrant Incense Valley.
The borderlands of the Southern Wastelands were within the territory of the Fragrant Incense Valley, and a lone disciple of the Demon Sect entering that area would face grave danger.
As Bi Yao pondered, a sense of foreboding suddenly washed over him. He looked up at the sky, where the solitary moon glided through the faintly black clouds, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow.
Suddenly, a streak of dark red light appeared in the night sky, cutting through the moonlit air and descending towards a mountain peak in the south.
Bi Yao’s gaze fixed on the strange red light, his brows knitting together. After a moment’s hesitation, he patted Xiao Hui on the shoulder, and the green light beneath his feet flared, enveloping him and the monkey in a ghostly glow. They ascended into the air, speeding off in the direction of the red light.
※ ※ ※
The night sky grew increasingly overcast, and the moon’s glow dimmed, as if the malevolent aura unique to the Southern Wastelands was growing stronger with each passing moment.
The mysterious red light flew for a while and landed on a mountain peak ten miles south of Bi Yao’s hiding spot. The Southern Wastelands were dotted with mountains and forests, but in the forest of this unnamed hill, there stood a desolate ancient temple. The red light descended in front of the temple, and after a moment of flickering, a gaunt, elderly figure materialized.
The old man scanned his surroundings, confirming that no one was around, and then entered the temple.
In the dead of night, someone visiting a desolate temple on a remote mountain surely had sinister intentions. Moments later, Bi Yao’s figure emerged from the shadows of the nearby trees. He examined the temple for a moment, then looked up at the sky, where the moonlight was being swallowed by the thickening clouds.
Silently, he moved towards the temple.
The temple was clearly abandoned, with broken walls and shattered pillars. Even the main hall was in ruins, with holes and gaps everywhere. The cold night wind caused the broken windows to creak and groan, creating a mournful, eerie sound in the darkness.
“Snap!”
A soft sound echoed, as if someone had lit a match. A faint light flickered in the main hall, barely illuminating the area. The dim light could only reach a small portion of the room, leaving the rest shrouded in darkness.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak…”
A strange, inexplicable noise suddenly resonated in the main hall, like the wails of ghosts or the scurrying of insects. It was a sound that sent chills down the spine and made one feel deeply uneasy.
Bi Yao, hidden in the shadows, watched the scene in the main hall.
In the dim light, he saw the old man from earlier, along with two others. One was a middle-aged man of average build, and the other was tall, but entirely wrapped in a cloak, with no part of his body exposed. The eerie sounds were coming from beneath the cloak.
The sound echoed in the desolate temple, becoming more and more sinister, as if awakening some malevolent spirit.
Bi Yao watched silently, his eyes cold. This was the first time he had heard such a strange language, and he couldn’t understand its meaning. But the reactions of the other two indicated that the message was important. Sure enough, after the cloaked figure spoke for a while, the middle-aged man turned to the old man and said, “The Chieftain says: This time, our mission was a failure, and we lost many of our own. The information was incorrect, and the Beast God has become furious upon hearing this…”
When the middle-aged man mentioned “Beast God,” his voice dropped, and the cloaked figure seemed to tremble slightly.
The old man frowned, saying, “We had agreed to inform the Beast God about the location of the ‘Heaven Emperor’s Dark Stone.’ According to our knowledge, it is indeed located in the Heaven Emperor’s Treasure Vault in the Death Swamp. How can you say our information was wrong?”
He glanced at the cloaked figure, a hint of mockery in his expression. “Perhaps you are simply unable to handle the task?”
At this, the cloaked figure responded with a series of sharp, angry squeaks. Although Bi Yao didn’t understand the words, the urgency and anger in the tone were clear.
The cloaked figure continued to speak, and the middle-aged man’s expression grew increasingly grim. When the cloaked figure finally stopped, the middle-aged man hesitated before translating, “The Chieftain says: Although they have never visited the Death Swamp, they know it is uninhabited. This time, the sudden appearance of numerous cultivators from the Central Plains must mean your information was flawed.”
The old man, sensing that the middle-aged man had finished, was taken aback. The cloaked figure had spoken for a long time, yet the translation was brief, indicating that much of it was curses and insults the middle-aged man had chosen not to convey.
After a moment’s thought, the old man, apparently unwilling to antagonize the cloaked figure, said, “The emergence of the Heaven Emperor’s Treasure Vault was a grand and shocking event, drawing the attention of many cultivators from the Central Plains. This is beyond our control.”
The cloaked figure, still angry, emitted more odd sounds. The middle-aged man listened intently, nodding repeatedly, and then translated, “The Chieftain says: The Heaven Emperor’s Dark Stone is of great importance to the Beast God. Due to this failure, the Beast God became enraged and killed several of our kin…”
The old man’s face grew somber, though a hint of derision flashed in his eyes.
The middle-aged man continued, “Therefore, please quickly find out who possesses the gemstone so that we can retrieve it and present it to the Beast God!”
Bi Yao, hidden in the shadows, felt a sudden realization. Could the gemstone they were talking about be the one Xiao Hui had swallowed?
The old man pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Very well. We will handle this matter. Within three days, we will provide you with an answer.”
The cloaked figure snorted, making a few more squeaks. The middle-aged man nodded to the old man, “The Chieftain agrees. Three days from now, we will meet here again.”
The old man nodded, but the cloaked figure turned and walked out, completely ignoring them, displaying a haughty and disrespectful demeanor.
The old man’s face contorted with anger, but the middle-aged man quickly pulled him back, shaking his head. The old man glanced at him and reluctantly held his tongue.
Once the cloaked figure disappeared into the darkness, the old man spat, cursing, “What kind of creatures are they? Just a bunch of beasts!”
The middle-aged man placated, “Uncle, please don’t be angry. It’s not worth it to get upset over them.”
The old man sneered, “I don’t care about them,” he said, turning to the middle-aged man. “Speaking of which, Sun Tu, you’ve spent three years among those beasts learning their language. You must have suffered a lot.”
Sun Tu smiled, “I am deeply grateful to my sect for their kindness. Though I am of meager talent, I am determined to repay the Valley Master and all my uncles’ favor. This is my chance to do so.”
Bi Yao, hearing the words “Valley Master,” felt a chill run down his spine.
The old man smiled, apparently approving, and patted Sun Tu on the shoulder. “It’s fortunate that the Valley Master recognizes my calmness and sent me to deal with these beasts. If it were Old Man Shangguan Cai, things would have gone terribly wrong!”
Sun Tu forced a laugh, his expression awkward. He dared not speak ill of Shangguan Cai, even in private.
Bi Yao, now certain, recognized that Shangguan Cai was one of the top figures in the Fragrant Incense Valley, though he rarely ventured outside. His reputation, however, was well-known. Especially after the battle at the Azure Ethereal Conclave a decade ago, when the Ghost King had cleverly sent Zhou Yin to impersonate Shangguan Cai and ambush the monks of the Celestial Sound Temple, nearly destroying both the Azure Ethereal Conclave and the Celestial Sound Temple. Bi Yao, then known as Zhang Xiaofan, had been present and remembered the name well.
Listening to the two men refer to the cloaked figure as a “beast,” Bi Yao realized the identity of the cloaked figure. Yet, the normally righteous Fragrant Incense Valley now seemed to exude an unexpected evil aura.
Bi Yao, watching the two men in the hall, sneered coldly in the darkness.
After a few more words, Sun Tu blew out the candle, and the two men left the temple, seemingly intending to depart. Bi Yao, hidden in the shadows, frowned. Suddenly, a strange, eerie scream echoed from outside the temple!
Everyone in the temple was startled. The old man and Sun Tu stopped in their tracks.
The scream was harsh and angry, with a hint of fear. It sounded like a beast, not a human. Bi Yao, after a moment’s consideration, recognized it as the voice of the cloaked figure. His brows furrowed. At the same time, the old man and Sun Tu also recognized the voice and immediately took to the air, flying out of the temple.
In the depths of the wilderness, someone had ambushed them!
The moonlight, cold and eerie, intensified.
※ ※ ※
Outside the temple, behind a distant hill.
A burst of purple light suddenly flared in the night, rising into the sky and then descending.
Even from a distance, Bi Yao could feel the chilling, malevolent aura. His pupils contracted, and in an instant, he recognized the magic weapon.
The two men from the Fragrant Incense Valley flew towards the light, but the old man, clearly more skilled than Sun Tu, pulled ahead, wielding a dark red sword as he flew towards the source of the light.
Before he could reach the hill, a desperate, anguished cry echoed through the night. The old man’s face changed, and he flew faster, reaching the hilltop in a flash. Bi Yao, silently following from another direction, arrived at the scene.
A stench of blood filled the air. The cloak, torn in half, floated slowly down, and dark red blood splattered everywhere. The cloaked figure, now revealed, was indeed a fish-creature, but it had been brutally split in two, from head to crotch, its body lying on the ground. The killer, however, was nowhere to be seen.
The old man, filled with rage and shock, realized the killer was incredibly powerful. Although he despised the fish-people, he knew that the Valley Master had a significant deal with them. This sudden attack under his watch could bring serious consequences.
Sun Tu, arriving at the scene, stared in horror at the gruesome sight.
The old man’s face was livid. He suddenly took to the air, scanning the surroundings, but the darkness and the dense forest made it impossible to locate the killer.
Suddenly, he shouted, “Whoever is here, show yourself! Lu Shun of the Fragrant Incense Valley requests an audience!”
His voice echoed through the forest, and the echoes reverberated, “Lu Shun requests… Lu Shun requests…”
But there was no response.
Lu Shun’s eyes blazed with fury. After a moment, he landed and told Sun Tu, “Clean up the Chieftain’s body and bring it back to the valley. The killer must be nearby. I will search the entire area to find this person.”
Sun Tu nodded hastily, “Uncle, be careful.”
Without waiting for a response, Lu Shun leaped into the air, vanishing into the darkness. Sun Tu turned, looking at the severed body, the stench of blood filling his nostrils. He spat in disgust.
Bi Yao, observing from the shadows, contemplated for a moment, then glanced around at the terrain. His gaze fell on the temple, and he swiftly moved towards it.
The night was cold, and the clouds blocked the moon.
Although it had only been a short time, the temple now seemed even darker and more ominous. Only the occasional rays of moonlight, peeking through the clouds, provided a fleeting glimpse of light, before plunging the area back into darkness.
Bi Yao emerged from the shadows, standing in the courtyard in front of the main hall, his eyes fixed on the building.
The cold wind caused the broken windows to creak, creating a low, eerie sound in the darkness.
“Sir, you are truly formidable. I may have fooled Lu Shun, but I cannot fool you!”
A faint, ethereal voice echoed from the darkness of the main hall, drifting out gently.
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