Ghost-Suppressing Pass

A massive Griffon Beast flew slowly through the sky, its destination unmistakably the Jia Ma Empire.

Inside a small wooden cabin on the Griffon Beast's back, Xiao Yun sat on the bed, pondering something.

This time, when he returned to the Jia Ma Empire, he did not intend to go straight back to the Xiao Clan. Instead, he planned to first visit the Northwestern Great Desert and subdue the Green Lotus Core Flame. As for the three items necessary for collecting Heavenly Flames, aside from the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, he had long since prepared the Blood Lotus Pill and Naling.

As for the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, Xiao Yun remembered that in the original story, Gu Te, the younger brother of the Pill King Gu He, possessed it. He had merely forgotten where the man lived. However, that was not particularly difficult. As the younger brother of the Pill King Gu He, Gu Te was quite famous himself. Xiao Yun believed that with a little inquiry, he could learn Gu Te's address. When the time came, he would simply trade some rare natural treasures for it.

After subduing the Heavenly Flame, he would make contact with Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian. By the time he completed that circuit, this return to the Jia Ma Empire would be richly rewarding. As for Xiao Yan's declining cultivation, Yao Lao probably would not harm him anyway, so Xiao Yun was not in such a hurry.

Time passed amid the tedious journey, and Xiao Yun drew ever closer to the Jia Ma Empire. According to the map, after flying a few dozen more kilometers, the Griffon Beast would reach the empire's border. At that point, Xiao Yun would have the flying Magical Beast return to Jia Nan Academy, while he would fly the rest of the way himself.

A moment later, when the Griffon Beast crossed another majestic mountain range, the faint outline of an enormous fortress appeared at the edge of his vision.

The fortress had been built against the mountains. Like a fierce tiger, it guarded the road leading into the Jia Ma Empire. Anyone wishing to enter the empire had to pass through this massive fortress. Over the years, this heavily defended stronghold had devoured an unknown number of battlefield souls, making many surrounding empires fear it like a tiger.

"Junior Xiao Yun, we've reached the border of the Jia Ma Empire!" the Outer Academy student steering the Griffon Beast shouted upon seeing the enormous fortress.

His voice rode the fierce wind into the cabin. Xiao Yun, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed cultivating, opened his eyes, rose to his feet, pushed open the door, and stepped outside.

"Thank you, Senior. Let us part here. This is a small token of my appreciation; I hope you will accept it." Looking at Ghost-Suppressing Pass in the distance, Xiao Yun took a jade bottle from his Storage Ring and tossed it to the Outer Academy student. His body trembled slightly, and a pair of fiery red wings appeared behind his back. With a beat of his wings, Xiao Yun shot rapidly toward the fortress.

Although Xiao Yun appeared to be at least ten thousand meters from the fortress, with the Dou Wang Wings carrying him swiftly through the sky, he arrived above the fortress in only a few minutes.

Looking at the bustling fortress below, Xiao Yun did not descend obediently to queue up for entry like everyone else. Such entry procedures were for ordinary people. As a Dou Wang expert, if he did not need to ask someone for directions, he could simply fly past checkpoints like this and no one would dare say a word.

He slowly closed his eyes. Surging Soul Power poured from between Xiao Yun's brows and swiftly swept across the fortress below. After a long while, Xiao Yun opened his eyes and looked toward the center of the fortress walls. He had already grasped the situation throughout Ghost-Suppressing Pass, and the person he sought was there.

His wings flapped, and Xiao Yun's figure whistled downward, flying directly below.

Inside a stone chamber at the center of Ghost-Suppressing Pass's walls, Mu Tie—the elder of the Mu Clan, one of the empire's three great clans, and the highest authority in the entire fortress—sat listening to his subordinates report on their work.

"You are the commander of this fortress, correct? Come out. This old man has some questions for you."

Suddenly, an aged voice rang through the chamber. At the same time, a powerful aura blanketed the entire stretch of city walls. Some of the weaker soldiers were shaken until foam spilled from their mouths. Feeling that aura, Mu Tie's face immediately revealed a trace of terror. He hurriedly rose and went outside, where he saw a figure entirely concealed beneath a black robe floating in midair. Behind him was a pair of fiery red wings, and the powerful aura continued to erupt from his body without end.

"May I ask what this senior wishes to know?" Seeing the wings behind the black-robed figure, which symbolized cultivation at the Dou Wang realm or above, Mu Tie knew that he could not afford to offend this person. He could only speak humbly.

The black-robed figure in the air was none other than the disguised Xiao Yun. He smiled. "Do not be nervous. This old man means no harm. I merely wish to ask for directions. Do you know where Gu Te, the younger brother of the Pill King Gu He, is?"

"This..." Upon hearing Xiao Yun's words, Mu Tie looked troubled. He could not afford to offend the black-robed expert before him, but neither could he afford to offend the Pill King Gu He. If he revealed Gu Te's information now and Gu Te suffered harm because of it, would he not become enemies with the Pill King Gu He?

"Do not worry. This old man is not seeking trouble with him. I have long heard that Master Gu Te has collected many exotic treasures. I merely wish to trade with him for some treasures." Seeing Mu Tie's difficult expression, Xiao Yun instantly understood and explained.

However, the explanation only made things worse. To Mu Tie, Xiao Yun's words sounded no different from, "Gu Te has many treasures in his collection, and this old man intends to rob him of a few."

"Why are you dawdling? This old man already said I am not looking for trouble with him. Why do you still not believe me?" Completely unaware that there was anything wrong with his explanation, Xiao Yun grew displeased when Mu Tie remained silent. Dou Qi churned within him, and an even more powerful aura erupted forth.

"Senior, I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Please do not attack!" Seeing that Xiao Yun seemed ready to strike if reason failed, Mu Tie's expression changed drastically.

Damn it, offending Gu He is still better than losing my life right now. Brother Gu Te, I have failed you.

With that thought, Mu Tie hurriedly said, "Gu Te lives in Black Rock City, several hundred li from Ghost-Suppressing Pass. Fly southwest all the way, and you will find it."

"Thank you. I hope you have not deceived this old man. Otherwise, hmph!" Leaving behind those words, Xiao Yun's body trembled slightly. His wings flapped, and he soared directly into the sky, flying southwest.

"Whew, he finally left. I hope Gu Te will be all right." Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Mu Tie took a deep breath and calmed the heart that had been trembling under Xiao Yun's powerful aura. After a while, once he had regained his composure, he said, "Quickly send someone to notify Master Gu He. Tell him that an unknown Dou Wang expert has gone to find Gu Te."

After flying for who knew how long, the sun, which had already hung low in the sky, finally set completely, replaced by a crescent moon.

Xiao Yun had already swallowed several Qi Recovery Pills when he finally spotted a brightly lit city. His wings beat repeatedly, and his body turned into a streak of fiery red light, cutting across the sky like a meteor.

As Xiao Yun gradually approached the city, his originally swift figure slowly decelerated. At last, he stopped directly above the city, lowered his head, and looked below. Even from a thousand meters away, Xiao Yun could clearly make out the large characters above the city gate.

Black Rock City!

He had finally arrived! Letting out a soft breath, Xiao Yun slowly descended into an empty, uninhabited area of the city. Looking at the darkened sky, he felt too embarrassed to seek out Gu Te in the middle of the night to trade for the Ice Spirit Cold Spring. Thus, he casually found an inn to rest in and decided to look for Gu Te tomorrow.