Yang Zheng pulled Qin Yu left and right through the crowd, finally stopping before a towering three-story pavilion. His eyes shone with excitement. "Brother Yu, this is it! The biggest restaurant in the entire outer sect marketplace-the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"
Qin Yu looked up and saw an exceptionally imposing restaurant.
Its gates stood over thirty feet tall, fashioned from black-gold wood and inlaid with runic array patterns that faintly radiated spiritual light, combining protection with decoration. The words "Drunken Immortal Pavilion" above the entrance swept boldly like dragons and serpents, with faint spiritual currents flowing between the strokes, as though carrying the fragrance of wine toward him.
The pavilion's outer walls were built from bluestone, with vermilion pillars supporting upturned eaves and interlocking brackets. Bronze bells hanging from the corners swayed in the wind, their clear chimes seeming to resonate with heaven and earth. Every floor's window lattices were carved with spirit beasts and auspicious clouds, outlined in gleaming gold paint.
Two attendants stood at the entrance, both neatly dressed in blue, with spiritual talismans hanging at their waists. Smiling, they lightly cupped their hands when guests approached. Beside them stood a jade price board, the names of wines and dishes engraved in spiritual script that glowed faintly in the sunlight.
Through the open vermilion doors, the interior was even livelier. Lilting zither music drifted out with waves of wine and food aromas, and faint laughter could also be heard. A huge night pearl hung at the center of the main hall, its light as gentle as daylight, illuminating the entire space.
"Wow..." Yang Zheng swallowed, his eyes practically glued to the scene inside. "Now this is the good life a disciple should enjoy! Brother Yu, let's go in and feast to our hearts' content today!"
Qin Yu smiled faintly. Taking in the restaurant's luxury and bustle, he felt a trace of ease he had never experienced before.
Qin Yu and Yang Zheng stepped through the vermilion doors and were immediately enveloped in the fragrance of wine and the lively atmosphere.
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion's first-floor hall was extremely spacious, its carved round tables neatly arranged and its bluestone floor polished like a mirror. Drinkers crowded together in groups of three or five, all outer sect disciples or rogue cultivators. Some exchanged toasts, laughing and talking loudly; others sat alone with swords in their arms, their expressions cold. Still others used Spiritual Qi to amplify their voices as they recounted their experiences in the Shadow Woods, drawing cheers from those nearby.
The night pearl at the center cast a gentle light, bathing the hall in shifting golden radiance. Vermilion lanterns hung overhead, containing spiritual flames that burned quietly without going out, keeping the air constantly warm. Entertainers plucked strings softly in the four corners, their melodious music mingling with the scent of wine to create a distinctive atmosphere.
"Honored guests, welcome!"
A thin attendant hurried over, smiling warmly and bowing with cupped hands. His blue clothes were clean and neat, and a spiritual talisman hung at his waist. Clearly, he knew something of cultivation himself.
His face brimming with excitement, Yang Zheng waved and laughed. "Waiter, take us somewhere quiet. We're having a proper feast today!"
"Please follow me." The attendant nodded and briskly led them through the noisy first floor, then up a staircase with carved vermilion wooden railings.
The second floor was noticeably quieter. Its windows overlooked the bustling marketplace, while the interior consisted mainly of private rooms, each hung with silk curtains to shut out the clamor outside. Spiritual incense curled through the air, adding a delicate fragrance that made it seem like an immortal realm.
The attendant pushed open a private room beside a window and smiled. "Please take a seat. This is one of our most popular private rooms at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. It offers a street view and a peaceful setting."
Qin Yu and Yang Zheng sat down. From their seats beside the window, they could see the bustling crowds below. Occasionally, outer sect disciples flew past on swords, leaving long trails of light that drew upward glances from the people beneath.
"What a place!" Yang Zheng patted the table in satisfaction, then turned to the attendant. "Bring us your best food and wine. Keep the spirit wine flowing. Today's my treat!"
The attendant's eyes lit up, and his smile broadened. "Please wait a moment, honored guests. I'll have everything prepared right away."
With that, he quickly withdrew. Before long, only Qin Yu and Yang Zheng remained in the private room, accompanied by the bustle outside the window and the flowing zither music.
Soon, footsteps approached, and several attendants filed in carrying jade platters. The dishes on them shimmered with spiritual light, their aromas filling the air.
The first dish was spirit reishi and jade dew soup. Its broth was as clear as jade, with several emerald-green spirit reishi leaves floating on the surface, giving off a refreshing fragrance that seeped into the heart. As the steam brushed his face, Qin Yu felt his chest ease, and even the surging currents within his body grew considerably smoother.
The second was fire crystal tiger bone stew. Red broth boiled in a large bronze pot, with several tiger bones gleaming amid spiritual flames. Spiritual power curled around them, and faint tiger roars echoed. Its spicy aroma struck the nose without the slightest trace of anything mundane, as though one mouthful could set a person's blood surging.
The third was green-scaled spirit fish. The whole fish shimmered silver, the patterns on its body resembling a river of stars flowing across its scales. It had been steamed, leaving its flesh translucent. Taking a piece and putting it into the mouth sent a cool sensation straight into the sea of consciousness, refreshing the mind.
These were followed by hundred-herb spirit vegetables and honey-brewed spirit fruit, every dish exquisitely arranged and wreathed in Spiritual Qi, like delicacies of the immortals.
But the most eye-catching of all was the jar of Drunken Immortal Spirit Wine.
The jar was made of celadon porcelain. The instant its lid was opened, a rich wine fragrance rushed out, carrying faint fluctuations of spiritual breath that refreshed the heart and mind. Poured into jade cups, the wine shone pale gold, its rising bubbles sparkling like stars.
"Fine wine!" Yang Zheng could no longer contain himself. He raised his cup with a broad smile. "Brother Yu, today, we brothers won't talk about cultivation or life and death-only enjoyment! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Qin Yu also raised his cup, its golden light reflected in his eyes, bringing out a rare ease. He and Yang Zheng drained their cups together. The spirit wine first burned like fire as it went down, then turned into a clear spring flowing through every limb and bone. His whole body warmed, as though he were soaking in a spiritual spring.
Yang Zheng laughed heartily and set down his cup, his clear voice shaking the entire private room. "Now this is living! Brother Yu, the reason we risk our lives cultivating and growing stronger is so that one day, we can drink and laugh like this!"
Qin Yu smiled faintly, looking at the fine wine and food before him, yet an inexplicable heaviness flashed through his heart-he knew perfectly well that prosperity and comfort lasted only a moment, while the road ahead remained thick with thorns.
But at that moment, he did not interrupt Yang Zheng's enjoyment. Instead, he raised his cup again and drank with his brother, smiling.
After three rounds of drinks, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion grew even livelier. Zither music mingled with laughter, and the fragrance of spirit wine lent even the air a tipsy haze.
Qin Yu and Yang Zheng were exchanging toasts when several hushed voices suddenly came from the neighboring private room. Though quiet, they were perfectly clear to both of them with the aid of their Spiritual Sense.
"Have you heard? Near the Soul-Rending Mountain Range in the northern borderlands, someone recently discovered... unusual fluctuations."
"Yes, I heard about it too. Apparently, even the nearby demon beasts have been affected. They've all become frenzied, even rampaging in packs. Several disciple squads have already perished in there."
"Shh, keep your voice down. This isn't news you can spread carelessly. I heard the higher-ups of the Cloud-Leveling Hall have noticed too. They might even send outer sect disciples to investigate."
"Hah, then they're doomed. Those aren't ordinary secret realm fluctuations. I suspect something terrifying is being suppressed in there. Otherwise, how could all the demon beasts lose control together?"
"Exactly. Disciples at our level should just listen and leave it at that. If they really sent us, I'd rather turn around and go back to my village to farm."
"Don't talk nonsense! Still, anyone who makes it out of that place alive might gain a tremendous opportunity..."
Their voices gradually faded, as though someone had used spiritual power to seal off their conversation.
Inside their private room, Qin Yu and Yang Zheng exchanged a glance.
Yang Zheng swallowed his wine and lowered his voice. "Brother Yu, did you hear that? The Soul-Rending Mountain Range... rampaging demon beasts. That doesn't sound simple."
Qin Yu frowned slightly, silently pondering. The Soul-Rending Mountain Range... unusual fluctuations...
He suddenly recalled that before the fierce beast in the Shadow Woods had been annihilated by the gray light, it seemed to have roared toward the north. Could all of this... be connected?
But he did not voice his suspicions, merely replying calmly, "I heard. But we're still only outer sect disciples. There's no need to overthink it. We can simply watch and see what happens."
Yang Zheng nodded, yet could not help muttering, "Hopefully the sect won't send us..."
Qin Yu said nothing more. He raised his cup and drank the last mouthful of wine, his gaze as deep as an abyss.
Night deepened, yet the Drunken Immortal Pavilion remained brightly lit, filled with endless laughter and cheerful voices. When Qin Yu and Yang Zheng settled their bill and left, moonlight had already spilled across the long bluestone street. The marketplace was gradually quieting, with only scattered sounds of vendors packing up their stalls.
The two walked side by side along the mountain path back to the Cloud-Leveling Hall. The mountain breeze brushed their faces with a chill, dispersing some of their drunkenness.
Yang Zheng stretched and patted his stomach, laughing. "Brother Yu, today was a real delight! Wine, meat, and even a few strange stories."
Qin Yu smiled faintly, but his gaze rested on the distant lights of the mountain gate as he silently pondered the conversation from the neighboring room. Those so-called "unusual fluctuations in the Soul-Rending Mountain Range" probably would not remain quiet for long.
Soon, they returned to the Cloud-Leveling Hall's outer sect disciple courtyard. It was already silent, with only the patrol disciples assigned by the deacon making their rounds with spiritual lanterns, their footsteps echoing clearly.
Yang Zheng waved and smiled. "Brother Yu, I'll head back to my room first. I'll come spar with you tomorrow."
"All right. Get some rest." Qin Yu nodded.
Yang Zheng turned and hurried back to his little house, pushing open the door and entering. Lamplight appeared inside, casting a warm glow through the paper windows.
Qin Yu watched him leave before returning to his own residence. Though simple, the little house carried a faint spiritual fragrance from the lingering traces of his cultivation with spirit stones and pills. He stepped inside and gently closed the door, and silence immediately returned outside.
Night enveloped the Cloud-Leveling Hall. An occasional insect chirp accompanied the distant tolling of a bell, and everything seemed calm and still.
Yet deep down, Qin Yu had an inexplicable premonition-this peace was merely a brief silence before the storm.
Night lay deep, and moonlight streamed like white silk outside the window, spilling over the Cloud-Leveling Hall's tiled eaves in a wash of silver. The room was silent, with only a gently flickering candle illuminating Qin Yu's thoughtful expression.
He lay quietly on his wooden bed, staring at the rafters, unable to sleep for a long time. The snatches of conversation from the neighboring room at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion earlier that day still seemed to echo in his ears-the Soul-Rending Mountain Range, unusual fluctuations, rampaging demon beasts...
Qin Yu's brows knitted tightly, his thoughts surging without end.
If there really is such an anomaly, it must signify an extraordinary secret. An opportunity, a crisis, or perhaps both. If a cultivator shrinks back in fear, how can he ever reach the summit?
His gaze gradually grew resolute.
If the sect sends us there tomorrow, that would naturally be ideal. But if it doesn't...
He slowly clenched his fists. As the thought stirred, even his chest seemed to grow hot.
Then I'll go alone! With an opportunity right before me, how can I sit by and let it slip away? Even if there's danger, at worst I'll fight with everything I have and retreat if I can't win. But if I lack even the courage to take this step, what meaning is there in cultivating?
At that thought, an inexplicable surge of hot blood rose in Qin Yu's heart.
But then his gaze dimmed a little.
I mustn't tell anyone about this, not even Yang Zheng, whom I trust most... If anyone finds out, it will inevitably bring unnecessary interference, and might even implicate others.
Qin Yu took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Moonlight spilled through the window lattice onto him, enveloping him in a layer of cool radiance.
That night, he never truly slept. The unknown called the "Soul-Rending Mountain Range" had silently taken root and sprouted in his heart.
Early the next morning, the Cloud-Leveling Hall's morning bell rang slowly as usual, its sound echoing through the mountains. The disciples assembled in orderly fashion and performed their morning cultivation as always. Spiritual Qi and shouts filled the courtyards, and everything appeared undisturbed.
No elder announced any unusual developments.
Qin Yu stood quietly amid the crowd, having long since made his decision. Since the sect had not mentioned the anomaly in the Soul-Rending Mountain Range, he would take this step in his own way.
That afternoon, Qin Yu packed his belongings, tucked the necessary pills, dry rations, and several spirit stones Deacon Zhang had given him afterward into his robe, then went to Yang Zheng's little courtyard.
Yang Zheng was practicing his swordsmanship. Seeing Qin Yu arrive, he quickly lowered his sword, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled. "Brother Yu, what brings you here at this hour?"
Qin Yu said gravely, "Yang Zheng, I'm going on a long journey. The grand elder instructed me to escort a shipment of medicinal herbs down the mountain. I might be away from the sect for a while. Don't worry."
Yang Zheng froze at first, then his gaze focused, and he nodded. "I see. If it's sect business, of course you have to go."
He stepped forward and patted Qin Yu's shoulder, his voice carrying a brother's concern. "Brother Yu, be careful on the road. Escorting medicinal herbs is no small matter. Don't worry. I'll cultivate diligently here in the sect and wait for your return."
Qin Yu smiled faintly, a trace of warmth flashing through his eyes. "Yes. Wait for me."
They exchanged a glance, everything left unspoken.
As the sun sank in the west, Qin Yu's shadow stretched along the bluestone avenue outside the hall's gates, until he disappeared beyond the mountain gate.
Yang Zheng stood at his courtyard entrance, watching him leave, and murmured softly, "Brother Yu... you must come back safely."
Beyond the mountain gate, heaven and earth opened wide.
Qin Yu had changed into plain outer sect disciple robes. With his spear and the Spirit Annihilation Sword on his back and several pills and spirit stones concealed inside his robe, he walked north with resolute steps. The bluestone avenue wound onward, ending at the ancient road leading to the Soul-Rending Mountain Range.
As he walked, he observed heaven and earth.
Mountain winds howled through the woods, whipping his sleeves into snapping flutters. Birds and beasts occasionally darted through the wilderness, scattering gravel and dust. Clouds churned across the sky, as though foretelling the unknown dangers of his journey.
Yet Qin Yu's heart grew ever more certain.
The Soul-Rending Mountain Range... there must be a reason for those unusual fluctuations. Whether opportunity or calamity, I have to confirm it myself. If I truly obtain some heaven-sent fortune, it will be my chance to step onto the path of the strong.
He stopped and gazed toward the distant horizon. The unbroken mountains of the northern borderlands stretched across it like a sleeping behemoth, vast and imposing. Even hundreds of miles away, he could feel their ancient, dangerous pressure.
The closer he came to the northern borderlands, the heavier the atmosphere along the road became. The roadside vegetation looked withered and yellow, Spiritual Qi fluctuated chaotically, and occasional demon beasts lurked in the woods, their eyes revealing agitation and unease.
At the sight, Qin Yu inwardly stiffened.
It seems the rumors weren't false. The anomaly in the Soul-Rending Mountain Range really has affected the surrounding creatures.
Night gradually shrouded the land, and the distant mountains' outlines looked especially menacing beneath the blood-red evening clouds. Qin Yu found shelter beneath a rocky outcrop, lit a campfire, and sat cross-legged. He placed a spiritual pill in his mouth, allowing Spiritual Qi to circulate slowly within him, his gaze fixed northward throughout.
Amid the flickering firelight, he murmured:
"This time, I cannot retreat."
The following morning, a blood-colored sun rose on the horizon. Qin Yu set out alone along the final stretch of the ancient road, finally reaching the outskirts of the Soul-Rending Mountain Range.
As he stepped inside, heaven and earth seemed to change color abruptly.
The sky was as gray as lead. Sunlight seemed swallowed by heavy dark clouds, and the remaining rays fell through the gaps like cold, hard blades cutting across the land. Endless mountains lay like countless immense beasts from ancient times, with cracks crisscrossing between them like wounds tearing heaven and earth apart.
The air was oppressive and icy, carrying a mingled stench of decay and blood. A breeze stirred the withered branches and leaves, their rustling like countless wronged souls whispering unspeakable secrets.
Suddenly, a beast's low growl came from the woods ahead.
Boom-!
A huge demon wolf swept out of the brush, its eyes glowing scarlet like burning blood-red flames. It did not stop, instead racing madly into the depths as though driven by some force, leaving fragmented afterimages trailing behind it.
The ground trembled in its wake. A rumble approached from afar, as though the earth's heart were beating. Loose stones showered down, and cracks split the bluestone beneath Qin Yu's feet, as though invisible hands were tearing the land apart.
A pitch-black bolt of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky-there was no thunder, only an instant of intersecting light and shadow that cast the entire mountain range into an apocalyptic tableau. Distant peaks were wrapped in twisting black mist, within which hideous beastly silhouettes faintly appeared. Huge claws reached out from the mountainsides and instantly withdrew, as though the entire mountain were breathing.
Qin Yu's heart tightened, and his hair stood on end.
This place... really is wrong.
An icy sensation shot up his spine. He abruptly raised his head and saw countless pairs of scarlet eyes light up in the woods, flickering in the darkness, all staring straight at him. Their gazes were cold and frenzied, filled with bone-chilling killing intent. A moment later, those eyes suddenly vanished as though they had never existed, leaving only deathly silence.
Qin Yu gripped the Spirit Annihilation Sword tightly and slowed his breathing, his gaze growing ever colder.
This was the Soul-Rending Mountain Range-
A nightmare land that seemed ready to devour people at any moment.
Qin Yu slowly walked deeper into the Soul-Rending Mountain Range. The surrounding black mist grew thicker, obscuring half his vision. Withered branches twisted like the arms of evil spirits, interlacing overhead as though to trap all who entered until they died.
Suddenly, a harsh rustle came from the bushes.
The next instant, an enormous wolf, pitch-black all over and fully thirty feet in size, lunged out! Its fur stood upright like steel needles, its eyes blood-red, its pupils entirely filled with a bloody radiance. Black saliva dripped from the fangs in its mouth, corroding the ground with sizzling hisses.
Its presence was unmistakably at the late spirit awakening realm!
The wolf's howl shook the sky. Fierce winds swept withered leaves in every direction, and the pungent stench of blood and decay filled the air. When its four paws struck the ground, the impact actually shattered the earth, sending stones flying in all directions like countless arrows.
Qin Yu's heart tightened, and his Spiritual Sense instantly spread out. The Spirit Annihilation Sword left its sheath, its blue-silver blade releasing a cold gleam in the dim surroundings, like a ray of dawn tearing through the black mist.
"Roar-!"
The demon wolf lunged at him, its blood-red eyes fixed on Qin Yu as near-tangible killing intent enveloped the surroundings. Its speed was astonishing. In a flash of afterimages, it appeared before him, opening its fanged jaws as though to tear him apart in one bite!
Boom!
Qin Yu stamped down hard, shattering the ground beneath his feet as his body shot upward. Spiritual light suddenly flared from the Spirit Annihilation Sword in his hand, and blue radiance gathered at its tip into a dazzling blade of light that stabbed straight toward the demon wolf!
Sword light collided with the demon wolf's fangs, erupting in a deafening metallic crash. Spiritual Qi and Yao Qi intertwined wildly, and the exploding shock wave hurled the surrounding dead branches and loose stones away, as though space itself had warped.
Qin Yu retreated three steps, his blood surging in his chest and his arm faintly numb. But the demon wolf was also driven back dozens of feet, its fangs cracked. Its furious roars intensified, its frenzied presence seeming almost ready to tear heaven and earth apart.
It... had completely lost its reason!
Qin Yu's heart sank, his gaze flashing like lightning.
As expected, the disturbance in the Soul-Rending Mountain Range has driven even the demon beasts mad.
The demon wolf's furious howl shook the sky, its sound rolling like thunder. Amid the churning black mist, violent Yao Qi erupted from its entire body, burning through heaven and earth like black flames as it lunged at Qin Yu!
Qin Yu's eyes suddenly turned cold. Spiritual Qi surged explosively within him, and the mass of primordial Qi in his dantian ignited like a blazing sun. The power of the Qi condensation realm instantly coursed through every limb and bone!
"Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art-Heaven-Guiding Strike!"
Boom!
He leaped into the air, battle spear in hand, and it was instantly engulfed in boundless Spiritual Qi. Gray-white and azure intertwined along its shaft, and runes lit up one after another, radiating dazzling brilliance. The sky suddenly darkened, leaving only the spear's radiance illuminating the surroundings like lightning!
Qin Yu raised the battle spear high and plunged fiercely downward, Spiritual Qi condensing into a huge curved blade that spanned heaven and earth!
At that moment, space itself seemed torn apart. The air distorted, and countless cracks instantly burst across the ground. Wherever the arc of light passed, the black mist was swept away completely, revealing a crystalline, translucent trail through the void, like a celestial river of spiritual light piercing heaven and earth.
"Roar-!"
The demon wolf raised its head with a furious howl, its scarlet eyes filled with madness and despair. Black Yao Qi erupted like flames as it tried to withstand the annihilating strike.
But the curved spiritual blade crashed down like the collapsing heavens, cleaving straight through the demon wolf's defenses. The black Qi shattered instantly within the light, like black snow evaporating beneath a blazing sun!
"Boom-!"
The spiritual blade fell, and the entire earth violently shook. Stone and soil surged skyward like a tide! The demon wolf's enormous body was utterly torn apart. Before its flesh and blood could scatter, they vanished amid the roar of Spiritual Qi, leaving not even remains behind, as though it had never existed.
Only a bottomless ravine remained, stretching across the land. Residual spiritual light still flickered along its edges, as though the aftershocks of a heavenly tribulation had yet to fade.
Qin Yu landed on one knee. The battle spear in his hand still hummed, giving off a low resonance. A breeze brushed past, and heaven and earth fell silent once more.
He looked at the utterly annihilated, empty area and silently exhaled.
The power of the Qi condensation realm... truly is extraordinary.
The dust gradually settled, and deathly silence returned to heaven and earth.
Qin Yu slowly rose, the battle spear in his hand still trembling faintly with lingering aftershocks. He focused and surveyed the battlefield. The demon wolf had completely disappeared, its flesh and bones reduced to drifting ash. Only a crystal core emitting an eerie light floated quietly at the center of the ravine.
It was no ordinary demon core.
It was pitch-black throughout, yet a dazzling scarlet pattern shone from deep within that darkness, like fresh blood constantly flowing inside. At its center, a faint gray point of light flickered continuously, pulsing like a heart, giving an impression of extreme danger and irresistible temptation.
Qin Yu frowned deeply and slowly stepped forward.
The instant his Spiritual Sense touched it, a frenzied will rushed at him! It was as though countless wild beasts were roaring, savagely tearing at his mind, trying to drag him into an abyss of bloodshed and chaos.
Boom!
The Spiritual Qi within Qin Yu instantly seethed, and the mass of vital Qi in his dantian trembled. Then a faint glimmer of gray light flashed out, instantly suppressing that frenzied will. The world fell silent again, and the beast core grew completely still.
Qin Yu took a deep breath, reached out, and closed his hand around it.
The beast core was incomparably cold, even exuding a trace of bone-piercing chill, yet he could clearly sense that the Spiritual Qi contained within it was far denser than that of ordinary demonic beasts of the same rank. More importantly, that speck of gray light... seemed to resonate in some way with the mysterious gray light within him!
"A mutated beast core... to think it could possess such power." Qin Yu murmured to himself, his gaze deep. "Perhaps this is one of the true reasons behind the disturbances in the Soul-Rending Mountain Range."
He tucked the beast core into his robes, but his heart pounded from that faint, elusive resonance.