I Will Travel Down the Mountain

Various thoughts flashed through Wu Tian's mind. Looking at Man Xiongmu, he said, "Master, please tell your disciple—is it possible to kill someone within the sect?"

Man Xiongmu pondered for a moment before saying, "At the Qi Nurturing, Form Condensing stage, even if the person dies, the refined beast soul will return to the sect's Hundred Beast Yin Soul Banner. By then, the sect will know who the killer is."

"If you cannot annihilate the soul, you must not kill a Qi Nurturing, Form Condensing cultivator."

"If you cannot avoid the eyes and ears of your fellow disciples, you must not kill."

"If you intend to kill someone, you must cut down their body, extinguish their soul, and wipe them out completely along with their Beast Robe and soul."

"If you can't do that..." His gaze fixed on Wu Tian, and he said sternly, "Then endure it!"

"This disciple understands." Wu Tian lowered his eyes. This was the foundation that kept Skull Mountain stable. Otherwise, if everyone fought among themselves and killed each other within the mountain gate, it would have collapsed long ago. The higher-ups alone could never suppress it.

"Then what if it happens outside the mountain gate?" Wu Tian pressed further.

Man Xiongmu swept him a glance. "Outside the mountain gate, life and death are left to fate. Unless relatives, friends, or elders take the initiative to pursue the matter, the sect will not interfere."

"First, we are not a prestigious great sect. Second, we are not one of the orthodox Buddhist or Daoist traditions. We are a heterodox path to begin with. We do not have that many rules, nor do we possess the ability to protect disciples who travel outside."

"If that is so, Master, please accompany me to the Dining Hall tonight."

"Tonight?" Man Xiongmu was somewhat puzzled. Why would they need to visit Huang Ren at night over such a trivial matter?

"I intend to have him deliver a message." Wu Tian's tone turned somewhat cold. "The people from Wild Dog Cave want to let the matter end just like that? How could things be so cheap for them?"

Man Xiongmu narrowed his eyes. "Tell me your plan."

Wu Tian naturally did not hide it from him and explained everything one by one.

"That old fox Tong Guan won't fall into the trap so easily. They have all lived for decades, even centuries. Which of those old fellows didn't fight and kill their way through?" Man Xiongmu warned him, "You must not underestimate those old fellows."

Hearing this, Wu Tian opened his mouth slightly, revealing fangs. "Master, I'm actually only interested in the Qi Circulation Diagram from Wild Dog Cave."

Man Xiongmu could not help laughing. "Enough. We'll do as you say."

After the twists and turns just now, and with their departure that night still ahead, master and disciple no longer mentioned the Curse Artifact. They began their cultivation for the day.

Wu Tian lay on the ground and practiced the four curse arts one after another. The four kinds of worldly essence—thunder, fire, water, and wind—gathered in turn, spreading around his body like brilliant rosy light, wondrous and hazy.

As the curse arts tempered him, the Tongyou Qi within his body grew purer and more abundant. Thunder boomed, water and fire collided, and fierce winds blew, causing the turbid qi in his body to dissipate at a visible speed.

Pfft! Pfft!

After an unknown amount of time, two successive sounds rang out from within his body. Two more acupoints had been opened.

When Wu Tian slowly opened his eyes, he found that night had already fallen.

He rose and glanced toward the cultivation chamber behind him. Before long, Man Xiongmu walked out.

"Let's go!"

Man Xiongmu flicked his sleeve, sending out a black wind that swept Wu Tian up. In the blink of an eye, they had left the cave entrance and headed toward the Dining Hall.

Dining Hall.

Wu Lian had already fallen asleep, but Huang Ren could not doze off no matter how long he lay there. He felt as if a massive boulder were pressing on his chest, nearly making it impossible to breathe.

The humiliation he had suffered at Wild Dog Cave could be set aside. He had been a small fry in the sect for so many years, no more than an ant, and had endured no shortage of disdainful looks.

Yet for some reason, he could not shake the unease in his heart.

He raised his head and stared out the window. The wind had risen that night, and thick dark clouds blotted out even the moonlight. The night was deep and heavy; he could not see his fingers in front of him.

Huang Ren stared blankly at the darkness outside, not knowing what he was thinking.

The breathing of his wife beside him was calm and gentle. Outside, the night wind howled. Everything was so peaceful.

"Looks like I've been overthinking it."

Huang Ren came back to himself. "In any case, with thirty Minor Merit added to the materials and Merit points I prepared earlier, there should be enough for Xia'er to refine the Curse Artifact."

Just as he was thinking this, his pupils suddenly contracted. His entire body tensed, as if he had been startled by something.

Within his line of sight, a shadow suddenly appeared on the openwork wooden window covered with light gauze.

"It's that white dog!"

Huang Ren recognized it at once. It felt as if someone had seized his heart in one hand, and panic seized his whole body.

"Huang Ren, come out yourself. Don't disturb anyone else." A cold male voice reached Huang Ren's ear. "It's Senior Brother Man Xiong."

When he heard that voice, cold sweat broke out all over him, and his back turned icy.

"What should I do? They must have come to settle the score with me."

At this late hour, if it were not for the matter concerning Wild Dog Cave, they could not possibly have come calling now.

Huang Ren panicked at once. His heart pounded wildly, and he wanted to shout for help. But when he turned and saw his sleeping wife beside him, he gradually calmed down. He clenched his teeth and carefully got out of bed.

He wore only a thin inner garment and had not even put on an outer robe. In the shabby shoes he had not replaced for many years, he crept to the door and opened it with a soft creak.

When he opened the door, he deliberately looked back, afraid that he might wake his wife.

Fortunately, Wu Lian seemed to have been exhausted during the day and was sleeping soundly.

Huang Ren gave her one more deep look before leaving the room.

After closing the door, he looked up and saw a tall, burly figure standing opposite him in the pitch-black night.

At the window beside him, the white dog was staring fixedly at him, like a beast that had spotted its prey and was waiting to choose the moment to devour it.

Huang Ren did not know how they had discovered him. Perhaps they had learned of him from Wild Dog Cave, but none of that mattered anymore.

This was not the mortal world. This was Skull Mountain, where evidence was unnecessary.

His face had gone somewhat pale. In a dry voice, he said, "Senior Brother Man Xiong..."

"Tomorrow morning, I will travel down the mountain." Man Xiongmu's voice came from the darkness, carrying an indescribable chill and killing intent.

"You will personally deliver this news to Wild Dog Cave, but you must not let Tong Guan know."

Huang Ren froze for a moment, but he quickly understood. His face turned deathly pale.

He might have been foolish, but he had spent several decades in Skull Mountain. He had seen and experienced far too much.

Man Xiongmu intended to retaliate. He intended to kill!

Once something happened to Wild Dog Cave, as the one who had delivered the message, Huang Ren would be doomed.

The night wind howled, carrying a chill as it blew. His thin clothes billowed and trembled around him.

After remaining silent for a long while, Huang Ren glanced at the dog beneath the window. He lowered his head, concealing the fear and regret in his eyes, then slowly said, "All right."

At his words, Man Xiongmu beckoned to Wu Tian. The man and dog turned and left without looking back, their figures gradually vanishing into the darkness.

There had been no threats and no intimidation.

Huang Ren stood blankly in place for a long time. Only when his legs had gone numb did he sigh. Feeling as if all his strength had been drained away, he dragged his heavy, exhausted body around and returned to the room.

When he lay down on the bed, Wu Lian seemed to hear the movement. She turned over with her eyes still closed and sleepily embraced him. "Why are you so cold?"

"It's nothing. I just went to relieve myself." Huang Ren held his wife. "Go to sleep!"

"Mhm, you should sleep soon too. We still have work tomorrow!" Wu Lian murmured, nestling closer into the man's arms. For decades, they had lived this way. They had long grown accustomed to relying on each other for survival.