The mountain was towering, and the steep stone steps ahead stretched on and on, with no telling how far remained.
Between a cluster of boulders, the steps narrowed to a path through a thin crevice. Lin Wei passed through easily, but Jin Si's enormous body, with two bulging sacks slung over his back, could not squeeze through even after two attempts.
He simply dug his sharp claws into the cracks and climbed over the rocks on all fours, his curved talons leaving several shallow, whitish scratches on the green stone. Lin Wei casually told him about recent happenings on Pillowstar Mountain.
"There weren't many Daoists on the mountain to begin with. These past years, evil spirits have been causing terrible trouble in the Spirit Realm and the Mortal Realm. Many of our fellow disciples spend all year traveling outside and only return to the mountain a handful of times."
She yawned before continuing.
"It's a little deserted up here now. You might go two or three days without running into anyone."
Jin Si had heard about it before. Several hundred years ago, cultivation had become difficult for unknown reasons, and evil spirits and malicious ghosts had seized the opportunity to rise.
They had thrown both the Mortal Realm and the Spirit Realm into turmoil.
The ancient powers had been forced to reveal the Spirit Realm to the public, drawing rogue cultivators and demonic beasts into it to suppress the evil spirits.
They climbed step by step for half a day.
Lifting his head, he felt there must be a broad, level terrace ahead, because all he could see beyond the end of the steps was sky.
Lin Wei rubbed her sleepy eyes and pointed ahead, mumbling.
"We're almost at the Mountain Gate."
Seen from above, a Daoist was the first