Xiangxi was remote and secluded, far from the bustle of the world. In peaceful times, it was a land of poor mountains and treacherous waters; in chaotic times, it became a paradise apart from the world.
Xiangxi was where the Miao people gathered. Since ancient times, it had been filled with old legends of Miao Borderlands witchcraft and Gu poison, Xiangxi corpse driving, and more.
As the saying went, troubled times inevitably bred monsters, and even a paradise could not escape calamity.
A plague swept through the surrounding villages. The mountain folk lacked clothing and food, much less decent medical care, and could only turn to shamans, ghosts, and gods for help.
As a result, more and more people died. Every clan village sealed itself off, preventing outsiders from entering and spreading the plague.
Huang Bai arrived in this world at precisely this time. Along the way, he had been turned away from one village after another and forbidden from staying.
Night fell.
The stars glittered beneath a vast blue sky.
Shadows of trees stretched on endlessly, while the rustling of snakes, insects, rats, and ants came from the underbrush.
Dressed in a Daoist robe and carrying the Five-Element Formation Disc on his back, Huang Bai walked at an unhurried pace.
"The night sky before urbanization really is beautiful."
Huang Bai let out a long breath.
As his cultivation deepened, going three to five days without food or water no longer affected him.
"First, I'll establish myself in Xiangxi."
He would first build a Heavenly Dao Temple nearby, then wait patiently for Chen Yulou and the others to explore tombs.
Ding ding ding...
As Huang Bai sat beneath a tree, lost in thought, a string of bells rang out ahead.
The bells were accompanied by repeated cries.
"The dead are