Ghost Master

"How is it? Qingfeng, did you manage to find out anything about Broken Void City or the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range?" Bai Yixin asked Shi Qingfeng, who had just awakened.

Having successfully entered the Heaven-Mending Pavilion, Bai Yixin had not forgotten his purpose for being here. One reason was to study scriptures, but unless he could enter the Scripture Pavilion, the gains would be minimal; he had already mastered everything the instructors taught in daily classes.

The primary goal, however, was to hitch a ride to the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range, as Bai Yixin had no idea how to find Broken Void City on his own.

Information regarding the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range was harder to come by than he had imagined, not to mention that it was likely much further away than he anticipated; he had no idea how long it would take to reach it on foot.

"I didn't get any concrete information. I only know that it seems to open once every few hundred years, and the timing is uncertain—it's very mysterious. As for Broken Void City... Brother Bai, I'm sorry, I couldn't find anything," replied Shi Qingfeng, who had just returned from the Void God Realm.

"As expected..."

Bai Yixin fell silent, though fortunately, he had anticipated this.

After all, Shi Qingfeng's capabilities were limited; he could only gather information in the Initial Ground (Blood-Moving Realm), so the chances of encountering someone in the know were slim. Even if he asked Bird Master or Master Jingbi, they weren't exactly close. It was already quite an achievement that Shi Qingfeng had managed to ask about the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range at all.

Bai Yixin would not easily connect to the Void God Realm himself. After all, if his spirit left his body, his physical form would be left behind. Given how much enmity he had attracted over the past few days, he figured he would likely be beaten into a serious injury if someone took advantage of his absence.

Shi Qingfeng hadn't even opened a Heavenly Cave yet; he wouldn't be able to stop anyone who came specifically looking for trouble.

So, was the only viable path forward the one involving Ghost Master?

Ghost Master was an outcast from the Heaven-Mending Sect of the Upper Realm and the founding patriarch of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion. He had been killed when the woman he loved conspired with top experts from the Heavenly Kingdom to ambush him, piercing his skull with a single sword strike.

Because of his lingering obsession, every time the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range opened since his death, he would seek out outstanding geniuses from the Heaven-Mending Pavilion who met his requirements to go to the mountain range and retrieve his lost sword.

The Hundred-Broken Mountain Range opened once every few hundred years, shaking the world each time. However, not everyone could go; it was a battlefield for geniuses, and only youths under the age of eighteen could enter. All top-tier major powers would send their clan's geniuses there, and those lacking sufficient strength would merely become fodder for other clans.

If Bai Yixin accepted Ghost Master's commission and retrieved the lost sword for him, he could report it to the elders of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion and secure a ticket to the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range.

"Let's try our luck first. I don't know what Ghost Master's standards are, but I should go visit the Sacrificial Spirit of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion these next few days." Bai Yixin pondered. He had already beaten his way through the entire Genius Camp; it was time to explore the rest of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion.

The territory of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion was truly vast. The area where disciples practiced alone contained hundreds of Spirit Mountains, and each elder or high-ranking official occupied a majestic ancient mountain.

Furthermore, there were many mysterious places, akin to the primeval Great Wilderness, which were even more expansive and off-limits to disciples.

For instance, the Ancient Sacred Academy.

That academy was shrouded in auspicious energy, making it impossible to see the buildings. One could only see a path that seemed to lead to the end of chaos.

On that path, a youth was walking forward, hailed as a god-like existence among his peers. He was in harmony with heaven and earth, and the divine sounds of the Great Dao emanated from him, as if ancient gods were chanting.

That person was none other than Shi Yi.

"Having a good family background is a form of strength, too," Bai Yixin sighed.

There was no comparison to be made. The Martial King Manor was the most powerful branch of the Stone Kingdom, possessing everything from the true blood of Primordial Remnants to Treasure Techniques. Combined with the Double Pupil and Little One's Supreme Bone, Shi Yi's starting point was incredibly high.

But so what? Bai Yixin was very confident he could surpass him. He didn't believe that with his own cheats, he couldn't catch up to him.

This was an extremely vast garden containing various plants, small bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and halls. However, it had one distinct characteristic: everything was very old. The bridges and halls looked as if they might collapse at any moment, as if they hadn't been repaired for thousands of years.

The vegetation remained, but the arched bridges and the like seemed to be relics from ancient times, on the verge of destruction.

"This must be the place," Bai Yixin whispered to himself as he looked at this ancient pure land.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Bai Yixin heard some movement. He turned around and saw Little One tiptoeing over, dragging Furry Ball by its tail.

"Eh 罒▽罒, Brother Little White, why are you here?" Little One and Furry Ball looked surprised.

"I've come to pay my respects to the Sacrificial Spirit of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion," Bai Yixin smiled, patted Little One's small head, and said quite formally.

"Na na, Brother Little White, the surprise you mentioned last time..." Little One looked at Bai Yixin with anticipation.

Furry Ball's large eyes rolled around, just as curious as Little One.

"Let's talk as we walk."

Looking up, one could see strands of Divine Radiance pouring down from the firmament. The stars in the sky and the Silver Moon all shed their light, falling into the depths of the garden like silver raindrops.

The two of them and the monkey walked toward the depths until they reached an ancient garden.

This was a garden within a garden, enclosed by ancient walls mottled by time, which had left too many traces here.

The courtyard consisted of three sections. The light rain was heaviest in the back courtyard, where all the moonlight fell; clearly, the Sacrificial Spirit was there.

Endless light rain fell, causing silver radiance to steam and rise, creating a peaceful and sacred atmosphere. There, a plant stood—the Sacrificial Spirit of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion.

However, it was completely different from what he had imagined. It was not brilliant or lush green, but yellow and sickly, as if it were about to wither away.

It was a Gourd Vine, crawling over a pile of stones. Its entire body lacked luster and divine light; all it had was a withered yellow hue.

It was not particularly large, only five or six meters long, with sparse leaves. It was as if autumn had arrived, stripping it of its vitality.

A withered vine with only a sliver of life, its frame covered in yellow leaves; even the light rain falling from the sky could not alleviate its decaying, decadent state.

The starlight and moonlight were brilliant as they poured down, bathing the entire back courtyard in a white haze and sinking into the vines, yet it remained listless, severely lacking in vitality.

This was the Sacrificial Spirit of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion, an ancient vine that had lived for endless years. It was heart-wrenching; even though it was sickly and appeared to be in its twilight years, it still possessed an inexplicable majesty, like a god!

Upon seeing it, Little One, who had just been excited to learn that his parents were still alive, paused and fell silent, his expression solemn.

"Greetings, Sacrificial Spirit!" Bai Yixin had spoken from far away when he first entered the courtyard, and now that he was in front of it, he paid his respects once more with a serious expression.

"The grass on the plain withers and flourishes with each passing year. If it could be reborn like Willow Deity, it would also be a terrifyingly powerful being. In that case..." Bai Yixin muttered intentionally, mentioning the cycle of autumn withering and spring flourishing, while bringing up Willow Deity as a backer.

The second half of the sentence he left unsaid was: "In that case, perhaps the Heaven-Mending Pavilion wouldn't be destroyed."

"That's right, that's right! I know a willow tree that was once even sicker than you. It was completely bare, with only a single branch left, but in the end, it came back to life."

Little One was incredibly sharp, striking up a rapport with the spirit.

"Sacrificial Spirit Uncle, are we allowed to cultivate here?"

Little One sat cross-legged, letting the light rain fall upon him. He absorbed a portion of it, feeling his entire body refreshed. His runes began to resonate, and his eyes lit up.

"Since you haven't spoken, Sacrificial Spirit Lord, I'll take that as your silent consent. We won't stand on ceremony then, and we'll come here to cultivate from now on."

Bai Yixin had bathed in that light rain and naturally understood that cultivating here would yield twice the result with half the effort. Seeing that the Sacrificial Spirit showed no reaction, he spoke with cautious optimism.

Exchanging a glance with Little One, Bai Yixin also sat down beneath the Gourd Vine and began to visualize the Original True Interpretation in his mind, continuing to study the various profound meanings of the runes recorded within it.

A gentle breeze blew, yellow leaves swayed, and the entire Gourd Vine moved slightly as silver light rain descended. This place was exceptionally sacred and peaceful.

He did not know how much time had passed, but while contemplating the Original True Interpretation, Bai Yixin vaguely heard the sound of the Great Dao humming. He suddenly opened his eyes and discovered that the Green Gourd on the vine was moving, with an ancient rune flickering upon it, accompanied by chaos and an air of deep mystery.

Bai Yixin was startled, desperately wanting to see that rune clearly, but despite many attempts, he failed; it was simply impossible to discern.

Calming his heart once more, he realized that as the rune flickered, the sounds of the heavenly Dao rumbled, and his comprehension of the Original True Interpretation seemed to become much easier.

Bai Yixin was moved; this place was truly extraordinary! It was even more miraculous than the books had described!

Night slowly deepened, and Bai Yixin awoke from his meditation.

"Little One, it's time to go."

Little One woke up right on cue. He also knew that this was an area where disciples were not permitted to enter; if they didn't return for the night and were discovered by others, there would be trouble.

The two stood up and bowed once more toward the backyard, agreeing to come back again tomorrow night.

But the moment they stepped out of the courtyard, they found an old man standing outside the gate. He had gray hair, hollow eyes, and a rusted, ancient sword pierced straight through his head. He was dressed in incredibly archaic clothing.

He had no breath, no heartbeat, and not a shred of life force. He simply stood there, his eyes terrifyingly empty, like two black holes.

Little One pulled Bai Yixin back a few steps, his eyes wide as he asked.

"Brother Little White, are you seeing this?"

"Hiss, this is way too creepy for the middle of the night, isn't it?!" Bai Yixin was also shocked. Even though he had anticipated something, he was still terrified.

Without a sound, the old man vanished as if he had never appeared at all. Yet, both Bai Yixin and Little One felt a chill run down their backs. They spun around abruptly, their scalps tingling.

Furry Ball was so frightened that it leaped off Little One's shoulder, for the gray-haired old man was now right behind them, his hands reaching out as if to grab their shoulders.

"Damn!" Bai Yixin's hair stood on end. He threw a punch, bringing with it the sound of wind and thunder, but it didn't connect.

Swish!

The old man vanished silently once again. This time, he didn't appear behind them, but instantly reappeared amidst the broken walls and ruins in the courtyard, emitting a wailing sound, as if he were weeping.

"Brother Little White, is this place haunted?" Little One's face turned pale; he was clearly terrified.

"When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, earth covers it. It's fine, this is still within my control." Bai Yixin was also scared; this was more intense than watching a horror movie.

"Should we go back and ask the Sacrificial Spirit for protection..."

Without a sound, the old man suddenly appeared right in front of the two, standing there without any reaction. His face was like a wooden carving, his eyes hollow, simply blocking their path.

Suddenly, Little One turned around and dashed back into the courtyard, zooming toward the backyard.

"If you have something to say, say it. Don't be so scary in the middle of the night." Bai Yixin knew that Ghost Master wouldn't hurt them, so he forced himself to stay calm.

It was unclear what Little One had done in the courtyard, but the gray-clad old man in front of Bai Yixin shuddered, and a voice issued from his mouth: "Return... my sword..."

"Brother Little White, are you okay? The Sacrificial Spirit is ignoring me!" Little One poked his head out cautiously.

"Come over, it's fine." Bai Yixin beckoned to Little One.

Little One's back still felt cold. The Gourd Vine was actually letting this strange old man be; could there be some connection between them?

"Is it really okay?"

"If we don't agree to help him, we won't be able to leave." Bai Yixin demonstrated for Little One; no matter which way he tried to walk, the old man would block his path.

"Return my sword," the old man muttered incessantly.

"Isn't the sword right there in his head?" Little One asked, both shocked and suspicious.

"If it were that simple, it would be fine. It's obvious that the sword in his head is the murder weapon that killed him. The sword he wants is his own," Bai Yixin explained.

"Little One, you aren't going to leave me to face this alone, are you?"

"Haha, of course not..." Little One paused, then said.

"Come on." Bai Yixin signaled to him and spoke to Ghost Master.

"We promise to help you find your sword, but tomorrow you have to come with us to talk to the elders."

"Right, we promise to help you find it, but the elders have to agree to it first." Little One hurriedly agreed. Once we get to the elders, I won't be afraid of you anymore!

As soon as these words were spoken, the heavens lost their color, the wind howled, and thunder rumbled. The old man vanished instantly, never to be seen again.

"Brother Little White, is this really okay? This is just too bizarre, isn't it?" Little One was filled with doubt, his expression extremely tense.

"It should be fine. If something really goes wrong, we'll just head back to Stone Village and seek the Willow Deity's protection." Even Bai Yixin couldn't guarantee that everything was foolproof.

No matter how bizarre Ghost Master was, he was still no match for Willow Deity.

The next day, Ghost Master appeared before them right on schedule. Little One had not expected the old man to be able to manifest in broad daylight, and the resulting commotion reached the ears of the elders.

Following the flow of events, both Bai Yixin and Little One were brought before the high-ranking members of Heaven-Mending Pavilion, where they secured their spots to head to the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range.

Although the elders of Heaven-Mending Pavilion were puzzled as to why Ghost Master had sought out two people this time, a brief test of Bai Yixin and Little One's depths revealed their extraordinary nature. They also learned that Little One was the Bear Child, and they wanted them to go to the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range to help search for the Everlasting Spring while they were at it.

As a reward for finding the Everlasting Spring, they would primarily be allowed to stay in the Scripture Pavilion for one month and could choose any one Treasure Technique.

The reward was quite decent. Since the Everlasting Spring was already one of Bai Yixin's goals for heading to the Hundred-Broken Mountain Range, handing over a single drop in exchange for these rewards seemed like a pretty good deal.