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Ancient Temple
In the southern border badlands, at the extre south of the Divine Land, legend said that it was inhospitable, abounded with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts. And the most glaring difference with the Central Plains was in the extre south, lofty majestic mountain ranges, one after another, like erupting abruptly out of the ground, towering into the clouds, cutting off the south from the north.
Since ancient tis, because of the fertile Central Plains, very few people ventured into the southern border, there was no other reasons, first the road was precipitous, second too many ferocious beasts and poisonous insects, miasma and unclean water and the most of the land was barren, unable to be cultivated. Later on without knowing since when, a rumour started that in the infinite great mountains of the southern border, there were different kinds of barbaric tribes which devoured raw ats and were savage and bloodthirsty, and among them there were even horrible cannibals, as such even lesser people dared to venture in. Instead the world shook in dread, worried day and night that one day those barbaric tribes would suddenly ran out from those great mountains and invade the Central Plains, endangering the world.
But for the past thousand years, there were no rumours of wild tribes attacking people. Although occasionally at the southern border frontier, from ti to ti there were sightings of queer creatures that looked like the tribes but most probably the rumours died off and people gradually forgot about it. In the current tis, even for the people living at the fringe of the southern border, probably only the mothers would say, If you dont listen, those monsters from the wild tribes will co and catch you these kind of words while coaxing the children to bed, in normal days, nobody had seriously considered if those tribes really existed in the deep mountains, not to ntion those living thousands of miles away in the Central Plains.
Speaking of which, that ten thousands great mountains shrouded within the layers of mists had already beca a place forgotten by the people.
But even though the common people had forgotten about those tribes but so true enlightened Taoist priests did not. Regardless whether it was Good or Evil Faction, as long as those who were slightly more senior would know for the past thousand years, the reason why the souths tribes were unable to scourge the world was because of the Good Faction huge sect, FenXiang Valley.
The majestic ten thousands lofty mountains, isolated the communications between north and south. The Central Plains folks were unable to travel down south and those wild tribes were unable to travel up north but a thousand years before, an unimaginable great calamity descended from Heaven, innurable number of common people within a radius of thousand miles died. After the calamity, soone discovered that in the middle of the lofty mountain ranges, the mighty lightning from the sky actually cleaved off sowhere in the lofty mountains, revealing a three chi wide, black and gloomy small path.
And it was from then on, rumours started that in the ten thousands great mountains, concealed strange wild tribes and from ti to ti, invaded and harassed the common folks. The common people living at the border was miserable until the appearance of FenXiang Valley.
Among the various sects in the Good Faction, FenXiang Valley had the most mysterious origin, the earliest record was at one thousand and five hundred years ago which ntioned a group of FenXiang Valley disciples roaming the world. If to compare only the history, in the world only Qing Yun Sect and the Evil Sects histories were longer than FenXiang Valley, even TianYin Temple was shorter.
But even though it was so, this sect had always been the the most low-profile. Although a few highly skilled cultivated Taoist priests would erge from ti to ti but their influences over the worlds matters were not great. Until eight hundred years ago, at the fringe of the southern border near that dark tunnel, this sect found a mountain valley and settled down and since then known as the FenXiang Valley. And in the eight hundred years, unbelievable highly skilled martial fighters ca forth in large numbers, their powers flourishing by the day and until today, it was already standing equal with Qing Yun Sect, TianYin Temple, becoming one of the three great sects of the worlds Good Faction.
And fittingly, the current valley master of FenXiang Valley, Yun YiLan, together with Qing Yun Sect Reverend DaoXuan, Tian Yin Temple PuHong, were the Good Factions main pillars. Just that this person had always been low-keyed and his reputation were inferior to the other two.
Because of the location, FenXiang Valley almost instinctively took up the responsibility of guarding that dim, dark small path, known locally as the Black Hole. Since then, there were no more rumours of creatures from the wild tribes harassing the common people. Hence to the local common people, FenXiang Valley had an extrely high prestige and revered by the people like immortals.
All of these information were recorded in the Evil Sect Ghost King Sect and in these ten years, Ghost Li had read it and now slowly recalled it in his head. It was already the third day he had travelled south since the day he had approached Zhou YiXian to inquire about the human fish tribe. Making haste during the journey, he had managed to reach the area near the ten thousands great mountains.
The night was already late, this night, the moon was right in the sky, the clouds were slightly thick, a few stars missing but the moonlight was clear and bright, shone onto the world, illuminating the hill where he was settling at.
Ghost Li stood on the hill, gazed towards the south, frowning slightly. Xiao Hui the monkey was still crouching at his shoulder, holding a wild fruit plucked from sowhere, gnawing deliciously at it.
On his journey here, for the first two days he was still able to find the signs left behind by Kill-the-living Monk but today, Kill-the-living Monk seed to have vanished. However from the ssages that he had left in the previous days, the Kill-the-living Monk who was skilled in the art of pursuing had already confird that those mysterious human fish people were swiftly moving south, their goals obviously trying to return to their southern border lair.
Unless, Kill-the-living Monk already had a confrontation with those mysterious human fish people?
Ghost Li sighed softly, a trace of worry flashed through his eyes. The barbaric tribes were obviously very much different from Central Plains figures and this had been ntioned many tis in the Ghost King sect remnant records. Those people there never knew what was enlightennt and cultivation but seed to have all sorts of strange witchcrafts, inconceivable.
Kill-the-living Monk was young and had a fiery character but was an outstanding figure among the younger generations of the Ghost King sect and usually followed around Ghost Li, a capable man.
Now that he had mysteriously disappeared, Ghost Li felt worried. Right now he gazed ahead, in the heavy black night, shadows seed to be moving in the southern area, like so enormous animal was making threatening gestures, most probably that must be the legendary ten thousands giant mountains. And at so place below that range of mountains, would be the legendary mysterious FenXiang Valley.
The southern border had always been FenXiang Valley territory, an Evil Sect disciple venturing in alone, needless to say, it was dangerous.
While Ghost Li was pondering, suddenly he had a sense and raised his head to look, only a moon hung solitary in the horizon, traversing through the faint dark clouds, suddenly it felt sohow unnatural.
A dark red light suddenly appeared in the night sky, under the clear moonlight, swept past the horizon and landed among the mountains in the south.
Ghost Li stared at that strange red light, both of his brows slowly knitted, after a mont he made up his mind, patted Xiao Hui on his shoulder and the dark-green light below his feet lighted up, the Soul-Absorbing Stick glead with faint light, supporting him and Xiao Hui, slowly rose and abruptly increased in speed, pursuing in that red light direction.
x x x
Since when, the dark clouds in the night sky gradually increased in numbers, that solitude moon in the horizon, the moonlight gradually darkened and a gloomy unnatural atmosphere that seed to exist only in southern border, turned thicker and thicker in this night.
That mysterious red light flew for a while and landed between the mountains which were about ten miles south away from where Ghost Li was hiding. There were many mountains in the southern border and vegetations abounded on the mountains, just that in the forest on this naless small mountain, there was a desolate ancient temple. That red light landed before that temple, wavered and a bony old person walked out.
He glanced around the surroundings and after checking to see that there was no one around, he walked into the ancient temple.
Wild mountainous terrain, dilapidated ancient temple but soone still ca in the middle of the night, naturally there was sothing secretive. After a mont, in the shadows of the forest outside the ancient temple, Ghost Lis figure slowly erged. He studied the naless ancient temple for a mont and then raised his head to look at the sky again. The clouds had turned darker, gradually obscuring the moon.
His figure flashed and he silently moved towards the ancient temple.
This ancient temple evidently was in a disrepair for a very long ti, crumbling fences and dilapidated walls inside the temple, even the main hall from the outside also looked extrely broken-down, everywhere were holes. The cold night breeze blew over, the broken windows [zhi ya] swayed, the quiet noise seed especially miserable in the night, with an added feeling of uncanniness.
[Translator's note: crumbling fences and dilapidated walls - an idiom]
[Bo!]
A light sound, seed like soone lighted up a fire, a faint light lighted up in the great hall, just that this light was dim and could only brighten the main hall a little, the slightly further areas from it were still shrouded in darkness.
Ji ji, ji ji ji, ji, ji ji ji ji ji suddenly a weird noise rang out in the great hall, the noise was like the crying of the ghost in the night but also seed like the sound made by a poisonous insect traversing in the night, made one had goosebumps upon hearing it, extrely unbearable.
Ghost Li hid within the shadows and looked towards the great hall.
Under the dim light in the great hall, other than that elderly man seen earlier, there were two other n, one seed thirtyish, average build and the other man, taller but for so reasons, he was covered tightly with a cloak from head to toe, even the top of his head was not revealed and that weird noise actually ca out from the bottom of this persons cloak.
The noise reverberated in the dim ancient temple, getting more and more eerie, like an evil ghost awakening.
Ghost Li watched coldly, this was also the first ti he had heard such strange language, naturally he did not know what was being said but looking at the other two ns expressions, he knew there would be outco. As expected, after that mysterious man temporarily stopped after speaking for a while, the middle-aged man standing beside him who had been listening intently, turned and spoke to that elderly, Tribe leader said that this ti that they did not accomplish anything and instead lost n and also exposed their tracks, are all because of your inaccurate news. The God of Beast Great King after hearing these has already flew into a rage
When that middle-aged man ntioned the word, God of Beast, his voice suddenly dropped and that tall figure cladded under the cloak also shivered.
That elderly frowned and said, Our original agreent was to inform God of Beast Great King the location of the Celestial Emperor Ming Stone and according to what we know, that rare stone is indeed at the Celestial Emperor Treasury in the death marsh, why are we being blad for incorrect information?
He glanced at that mysterious figure hiding in the cloak, a sneer suddenly brushed past his lips and he said, Im afraid its more likely due to your inability?
Once the words were out, that mysterious figure wrapped in the cloak imdiately responded with a series of sounds, Ji ji, ji ji ji ji, ji ji ji... The sounds ca out repeatedly, even though Ghost Li who was hiding at the side could not understand the aning but listening to the sharp and urgent sounds, it was obvious that the mysterious figure was enraged.
After that mysterious man Ji ji ji ji for a while, the expression on the middle-aged man who was translating also gradually changed. When he finally waited until that man stopped, the middle-aged man hesitated for a mont and said, Tribe leader said although they have never been to the death marsh but they also know that it has always been secluded but this ti, a great number of Central Plains cultivated martial experts suddenly appeared there, naturally, naturally it is your information which is inaccurate.
That elderly seed surprised that the middle-aged man had finished, that mysterious man had spoken for a quite a while but when this middle-aged man translated, it was only this sentence, most likely the mysterious man had included many crude and vulgar words in-between and the middle-aged man did not wish to translate that.
That elderly pondered for a while, looked as if he did not wish to offend the mysterious man and said, The appearance of the Celestial Emperor Treasury this ti had unusual astonishing signs, shocking the world, most likely those Central Plains cultivated martial experts also heard about it and swiftly went over, this is not sothing that we can control.
That mysterious man hiding inside the cloak had not appeased and made another series of strange sounds, the middle-aged man listened and nodded, spoke to the elderly, Tribe leader said that the Celestial Emperor Ming Stone is really very important to the God of Beast Great King, stakes are high, this ti because they had returned empty-handed, God of Beast Great King was infuriated and killed a number of the tribe people on the spot
When the elderly heard it, his face beca somber and seed to be in a heavy mood but a in his eyes, a mocking look seed to flash past involuntarily.
The man in the middle continued to translate, Therefore please quickly find out who have the rare stone now so that they can again go get it and offer to the God of Beast Great King!
Ghost Li who was hiding, suddenly had a thought, after hearing them ntioned this Celestial Emperor Ming Stone a few tis, could it be that strange stone which was swallowed by Xiao Hui?
The elderly was heard saying after hesitating for a mont and then nodding his head, Alright, leave this to us, within three days, we will give you a reply.
The mysterious man humped once, Ji ji ji ji said a few tis, the middle-aged man nodded to the elderly and said, Tribe leader agrees, after three days, we will et here again.
That elderly nodded, was still waiting for him to go on when that mysterious man instead turned and walked out, and did not even regard them with a look, extrely arrogant and rude.
That elderlys expression changed, filled with rage while looking at that mysterious mans back, the middle-aged man hurriedly pulled him and shook his head, the elderly glanced at him and held himself back.
Until that mysterious tall figure disappeared into the darkness, the elderly suddenly [pei] a sound, scolded, What is that thing, a bunch of bastards only!
That middle-aged man smiled obsequiously, said, "Teacher uncle, dont always get angry, dont stoop to their level.
That old man sneered and said, I cant be bothered with them after which he turned and looked at him and said, Speaking of which, SunTu, you must have suffered a lot while living with those bastards for three years in order to learning their bird language?
The middle-aged man who was called SunTu, smiled and said, Disciple has received great kindness from teacher sect but because disciples aptitude is too low and was agonizing on how helpless disciple was in repaying valley master and various teacher uncles generosities, happened that there is this opportunity, how can disciple not put in all of his efforts!
When Ghost Li suddenly heard the words, Valley master, his heart imdiately turned cold.
That teacher uncle instead smiled and looked approving, he stretched his hand and patted SunTus shoulder. Suddenly he sneered again, Luckily valley master is brilliant, know that I have always been level-headed therefore send to et those bastards, if its ShangGuan Ce that old fellow who ca, he would have ssed up the whole thing there and then!
SunTu forced a laugh, his expression looked odd, respectfully replied with an acknowledgent but seed afraid to comnt anything on that ShangGuan Ce.
Ghost Li who was at the side, was now without any doubts. ShangGuan Ce was one of the south FenXiang Valley well-known top figures and although he never road the world but his reputation preceded him. Especially ten years ago at Qing Yun Sect battle, Ghost King deployed a clever tactic and sent ZhouYin to impersonate as ShangGuan Ce and assassinate Tian Yin Temples monk, and it really worked, almost dood Qing Yun, Tian Yin Temple these two big sects. At that ti, Ghost Li was a Qing Yun disciple called Zhang Xiao Fan and also at the scene, therefore he had deep impression of that na.
After hearing the two of them addressed that mysterious man as bastard, that mysterious mans identity could also be surmise, just that FenXiang Valley who had always been awe-inspiring righteous, could actually revealed such unimaginable evil aura now.
Ghost Li coldly looked at the two people in the great hall, in the darkness, a cold and disdain sneer on his lips.
In the scene, the two of them discussed a little while more and SunTu blew out the candle in the great hall with one breath. Both of them headed outside and appeared to be leaving. Ghost Li frowned in the darkness and was just hesitating when suddenly, a strange cry was heard outside the ancient temple!
The people inside the temple were shocked, the elderly and SunTu stopped in their tracks.
The cry was shrill and angry, and also carried a feeling of panic but it seed to be coming from so wild beast and not human cries. Just that Ghost Li analyzed it slightly and imdiately recognized the sound was made by that mysterious figure who was hiding in the cloak, he frowned subconsciously. At the sa ti, the elderly and SunTu also recognized it and imdiately their expressions changed greatly, they both soared up at the sa ti and flew out of the temple.
In the deep wild mountains, there was actually still an ambush happening!
The moonlight cold and chilly, as if the unnatural aura had deepened.
x x x
Outside the ancient temple, at the back of a hill far away.
A purple light suddenly flared in the night, charged halfway into the sky and suddenly struck down.
About several zhangs away, Ghost Li also felt that piercingly cold murderous aura. His pupils contracted and he instantly recognized what magical weapon it was.
The two people from FenXiang Valley flew but that elderly was obviously higher skilled than SunTu and in a short while, increased the distance to several zhangs between them and at the sa ti a dark red celestial sword appeared in his hand, flying swiftly towards where that purple light had flashed.
Just that without waiting for him to reach the back of the hill, a loud roar of despair reverberated in the dark night. That elderlys expression changed greatly and went even faster, [hu] a sound and he had already flew over, Ghost Li quietly followed from the other side and ca around to the back of the hill.
A blood stench assaulted the nose imdiately, the cloak which had been sliced into two floated down, dark red blood splashed everywhere. The revealed identity of that mysterious figure was actually a fish-head-human-body human fish but right now had been chopped into two from the head to the crotch, cleaved into two in one stroke, its corpse fell onto the ground but the killer had already vanished.
That elderly was shocked and angry, this killer had killed in an instant and disappeared, the skill level was definitely not low. Although he extrely disliked these human fish but he knew that the valley master had important matters with these barbaric tribes and now that a murder had happened right before his eyes, if the other side pursued it, he would have a hard ti explaining.
By now SunTu had also arrived and saw the butchery, imdiately he was speechless.
The elderly expression was very ugly, suddenly he soared up, the dark red light supporting his feet, he flew to mid air and glanced around but everywhere was darkness, in the sea of forests, how could he find the killer?
Suddenly, he shouted loudly, Whichever master is here, please co out, FenXiang Valley LuShun will like to consult!
The voice spread far away, imdiately in the sea of forests and mountains, a faint echo reverberated everywhere, LuShun will like to consult...LuShun will like to consult
Just that other than that, there was no other sound.
LuShuns eyes looked like it was going to spit fire, after a while he landed and spoke quickly to SunTu, Clean up the tribe leaders body and bring it back to the valley, the killer has just acted and still must be around, even if I have to dig for three chi, I must find this person.
SunTu quickly nodded and said, Teacher uncle be careful.
Before he could finished his words, LuShun had already soared up and vanished into the dark forests. SunTu turned around and saw the cleaved corpse, the strong stench of blood everywhere and he could not help but revealed his disgust, made a [pei] sound.
Ghost Li slowly retreated, thought for a while in the darkness and carefully scrutinized the surroundings, after which he looked back at that ancient temple and imdiately silently went over.
The cold night, dark clouds obscured the moon.
Although it was only a short while but in this ancient temple, it seed to suddenly darken down, the occasional moonlight peeking out from the dark clouds illuminated this place slightly but returned back to the darkness after a while.
Ghost Li unhurriedly walked out, stood in the ground before the great hall, a pair of eyes staring at the hall.
The cold breeze blew over, the broken windows making [zhi ya] uncanny sounds, quietly groaning in the darkness.
GongZi is really amazing, I can hide from LuShun but I cant hide from you!
In the main halls darkness, a faint voice suddenly rang out, softly floated out.
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