Winds Rising Beyond the Seas – The Small Stone Mountain

Chapter 455: Winds Rising Beyond the Seas – The Small Stone Mountain

“If you follow this trail at high speed for several hundred li, you will come to a canyon sealed by a restriction. The canyon is narrow but stretches on for an immense distance. The worlds inside and outside that canyon are two entirely different things.”

“Within, there are two paths you can take: the ‘Crystal Path’ and the ‘Lava Road.’ One is a bone-piercing chill, where a single misstep can freeze your body solid. The other is a blistering heat that could turn you to ash. Only by reaching the far end of the canyon will you find a teleportation array to carry you out—that is the second trial, the Ice and Fire Road. Before entering the canyon, as those two Star Palace cultivators said, everyone has one day to search this area for any celestial herbs they can find. What each person discovers is a matter of their own fate.” The Profound Bone Saint spoke these words flatly.

Upon hearing this, Han Li’s lips twitched. He was just about to ask another question when the Profound Bone Saint’s expression shifted, and he fell silent.

White light flickered behind them once more from the teleportation array as more cultivators stepped through in succession.

These newcomers did not spare Han Li or the Profound Bone Saint a single glance. Filled with excitement, they transformed into streaks of light and shot toward the distant mountain ranges, no different from those who had gone before in their eagerness to hunt for treasures.

The Profound Bone watched the distant figures recede into the distance. He furrowed his brow and, after a moment of hesitation, said:

“Let us go as well. If Extreme Yin and the others arrive, it may cause unnecessary trouble.” Without waiting for Han Li’s response, his form blurred into a dark cloud and shot into the sky.

Han Li’s expression remained unchanged. Without a word, he transformed into a streak of azure light and followed.

Not long after Han Li and the Profound Bone had flown away, Extreme Yin, Wan Tianming, and the other Nascent Soul cultivators began to emerge from the array one after another.

Being orthodox and demonic path respectively, they naturally split into two groups, with Man Brutal Beard and Wan Tianming taking the lead on each side.

The moment Extreme Yin appeared, he swept his gaze quickly across the area. Not finding Han Li, a trace of disappointment flickered in his heart, but none of it showed on his face. He even kept up his usual light-hearted chatter, exchanging a quiet word with the robed elder from time to time.

The beautiful matron Wen, however, cast a cold glance around and spoke in an icy tone:

“I am going to gather herbs. I will return to the pavilion when I am done. Fight amongst yourselves however you wish, but do not involve me.” With that, she transformed cleanly into a large cluster of silver light and vanished into the distance.

The orthodox and demonic parties were left staring at one another.

Wan Tianming watched the demonic cultivators for a few moments, then exchanged a few low words with Tianwuzi and the others. Without another word, the three rose simultaneously into the air, merging into a three-colored rainbow that shot off in a single direction.

The demonic elders, left behind, blinked at each other foolishly, unsure whether to give chase or simply go their own separate ways. The sudden shift had caught them off guard.

But before they could react, the orthodox cultivators had already disappeared from sight.

Extreme Yin Patriarch saw this. A strange glint flashed in his eyes. He cleared his throat and said with a full smile:

“Brother Qing, Brother Man! I have some spirit herbs I need to gather for pill refinement, so I will take my leave here. I shall see you both before the canyon.”

With that, he flicked his sleeve. A thick cloud of black mist surged out, sweeping him and Wu Chou, who stood at his side, into its folds. A gust of eerie wind rose, and the two vanished without a trace.

Man Brutal Beard’s expression flickered slightly at this sight. His face turned somber.

The green-robed elder, too, furrowed his brow, his expression growing thoughtful.

“Extreme Yin certainly runs fast. His escape arts seem more refined by the day. Brother Qing! If you have nothing pressing, how about accompanying me to gather some Longevity Fruit? With your help, I would have much better odds against the mountain spirit guarding the tree. I will share a portion with you. You are not young anymore. This fruit could extend your lifespan considerably.” Man Brutal Beard turned to the robed elder, who had been lost in thought, and made his proposal.

The robed elder, Qing Yi the Layman, was startled by the offer. He paused, his eyes shifting thoughtfully for a moment before a trace of awkwardness crossed his face.

“Forgive me, Brother Man! I have some urgent business of my own and cannot join you this time. Let us meet again at the canyon entrance.”

With a slightly apologetic bow, the old man transformed into a streak of light and flew away.

Man Brutal Beard’s face darkened to a frightening shade.

“Hmph! Did you really think I needed your help to get that fruit? Once we reach the inner hall, I will show you both.” Man Brutal Beard muttered the words under his breath. Then, he stomped his foot and reappeared high in the sky. A few flashes of yellow light flickered, and he, too, was gone.

…

By now, Han Li had been following the dark cloud of the Profound Bone Saint for over two hours. The ground beneath him was no longer the vast, flat grassland but a sprawling network of mountain ranges stretching for thousands of miles.

Peaks of all sizes rose and fell before him, a magnificent and imposing sight.

“How much further to this place you mentioned?” Han Li, wrapped in a large cluster of azure sword-light, could no longer hold back his question. “I am beginning to suspect we will fly all the way to the edge of this space.”

A cold laugh came from the dark cloud ahead. “Did you think something like a Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng would be sitting in some easy-to-reach spot?” the Profound Bone Saint replied bluntly. “If it were that simple, it would not be waiting for you or me. You want such a great prize, boy; you’ll need a little patience.”

Han Li’s eyes flickered coldly at the old monster’s condescending tone, but he said nothing.

Given the old fiend’s age and experience, he supposed the man had the right to speak to him in such a manner.

Though somewhat displeased, Han Li was not about to waste words on useless arguments.

Yet, after flying in a straight line for so long with no sign of their destination, the unease in his chest only grew, even if he kept his mouth shut.

He could not help but add a few more layers of wariness toward the old fiend, just in case the old ghost tried something unexpected.

Their alliance was hardly reliable.

Han Li did not believe for a moment that the old monster had flown this far into the space on some previous visit for no reason at all.

If he had been searching for spirit herbs, many of the mountains they had passed had brimmed with dense spiritual energy and would have been ideal places to search. A few of them in particular, Han Li could sense even from high in the sky, had pulsed with an incredibly thick aura of qi.

Such spiritually rich mountains must have nurtured rare and precious herbs.

The fact that the old monster had flown straight past them without a second glance? Han Li was deeply suspicious.

Whether it was because he sensed Han Li’s doubt, or because his companion’s silence felt off, the Profound Bone Saint’s voice came drifting back from ahead, hesitant now.

“I have been to this space twice. I discovered the Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng by pure luck on my first visit. I was chasing a spirit bird, a ‘Tiger-Scream,’ and I flew this far before I caught it. If not for that, I would never have had the fortune to stumble upon the ginseng. Given its value—something nearly on the level of celestial immortal objects—it has no business appearing here. In my estimation,” the Profound Bone continued, “this ginseng is a one-in-a-million product of this semi-closed space, nurtured over millennia by such dense spiritual energy. It was a coincidence of heaven and earth, never something the ancient cultivators intended to leave behind. Heh. You are lucky, boy.” A rare hint of envy and regret crept into the Profound Bone’s voice at the end.

“I see.”

Han Li’s misgivings had not fully eased, but the explanation calmed him somewhat, even if he did not let his guard down entirely.

The two flew on for a while longer. The dark cloud ahead suddenly slowed to a halt, hanging motionless in the air.

“We are here. But do not rush down just yet. The Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng has extremely keen senses. If it detects anything wrong, it will burrow into the rock and never show itself again. We must plan carefully before we act, or we will be returning empty-handed.” The Profound Bone Saint stared down at the scene below, his eyes flickering, while speaking in a slow, deliberate tone.

“Are you sure this is the right place, Senior?” Han Li swept his gaze across the scene below and could not help but wear a strange expression.

Beneath them was an unremarkable small stone mountain. It was barren, without a single blade of grass, and its spiritual energy was pitifully thin. Compared to the several great mountains nearby, the difference was like night and day.

Han Li found it hard to believe that such a patch of barren hills could serve as the lair of a Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng.

“Heh. Surprised, aren’t you? I was just as shocked when I first saw it. But the ginseng is indeed lurking somewhere on this very mountain.” The dark cloud of the Profound Bone Saint dissipated, revealing his form. He looked at Han Li with a half-smile and spoke.

Since the old monster had said so, Han Li had nothing more to say. He simply watched coldly, waiting to see what the old ghost would do next.

The Profound Bone Saint paid Han Li no further heed. His gaze fixed on the mountain below, a blood-red light suddenly shot from his eyes, extending for over an inch. Han Li’s heart clenched at the sight.

(Another chapter coming this evening. I hope everyone can throw in a few more recommendation votes to support this book! Wang Yu thanks you all in advance!)

(Chapter End)