MD Ch4 Part 6

The Valley of Ghosts had treacherous terrain. From high above, the sharp peaks looked like blades piercing the sky. Unlike the area where I lived, this place was a barren wasteland, devoid of trees and vegetation. Hundreds, even thousands, of caves dotted the mountains. This was once the habitat of the vicious beast Qiongqi, and the caves were filled with the bones of demonic beasts and cultivators. Hence the name, Ten Thousand Bones Cave.

Looking down at the dark abyss, I couldn’t help but gulp. I released my divine sense, identified a spot midway up the mountain, and slowly made my way there.

As expected, the moment I arrived at the entrance of the cave, a powerful gust of wind and the stench of blood assaulted my senses. I waved my sleeve, dispersing the wind, and continued forward.

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Qiongqi, one of the four vicious beasts, had been sealed, leaving only its primordial spirit. But I couldn’t afford to lower my guard, so I proceeded cautiously. I hadn’t gone far when I heard a cracking sound beneath my feet. Looking down, I saw a broken bone.

I quickly moved my foot and waved my hand, conjuring a dark blue flame that illuminated the black stone wall. As I suspected, the ground was covered in bones, extending dozens of zhang ahead. The eerie blue light made the scene even more chilling.

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Despite the goosebumps rising on my skin, I forced myself to crouch down and examine the bones. The ones further inside were ancient. The others were more recent; some even had dried blood clinging to them. My heart began to race uncontrollably.

Could it be… that the Qiongqi had been revived?

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Impossible! If the Qiongqi were revived, I wouldn’t be able to use its blood to heal Song Qiyuan’s meridians, and the entire continent would be in chaos!

But if the beast had truly been revived, it wouldn’t be hiding in this small Valley of Ghosts. It would have sought revenge on the Four Divine Beast Clans. So, who was responsible for these bones?

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Suppressing my growing fear, I ventured hundreds of zhang deeper into the cave. A crimson pool came into view. The vibrant red light illuminated the cave, creating a grotesque atmosphere. The ceiling of the cave was incredibly high. I looked up and gasped.

A massive iron cage, at least seven zhang tall, hung from the ceiling, its thick bars shimmering with a dark blue light. Inside the cage was a winged demonic beast, resembling a tiger, its body covered in markings. It was currently in a deep sleep, but its sharp fangs, visible around its mouth, were terrifying.

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Was this massive creature the Qiongqi’s primordial spirit?

Fortunately, my worst fears hadn’t been realized. I recognized this blue iron cage. It was crafted from the skin and bones of fallen Azure Dragon warriors, reinforced with powerful sealing techniques. As long as the cage remained intact, this place was safe. The bones outside were likely the remnants of other beasts.

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Feeling slightly relieved, I looked at the pool of blood, the source of the pungent stench. Despite being centuries old, the blood was still fresh and hadn’t diminished in the slightest. I could sense the pure power contained within it just from the smell. Inhaling the air, I felt a faint stirring within my own blood.

But I couldn’t understand why such a valuable cultivation treasure hadn’t attracted the attention of other cultivators.

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《Heavenly Demon Tribulation》 didn’t explain this. It only mentioned that Ye Wangzhi found a way to enhance Song Qiyuan’s constitution, giving him extraordinary abilities.

Pushing aside my doubts, I scanned the cave once more. It was definitely safe. The Qiongqi, seemingly in a death-like slumber, showed no signs of awakening.

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Perhaps I had been too paranoid.

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***

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“Shizun, why do you always wear a mask?”

Two days later, as we were traveling towards the Valley of Ghosts in the two-headed lion carriage, Song Qiyuan’s question caught me off guard. I blurted out a random excuse.

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“I have a terrible scar on my face.”

Ah Jiu burst out laughing and flew outside. Ignoring him, I continued,

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“The wound was so deep it exposed bone, and it stretches from my forehead to my nose. Even after healing, it’s so gruesome that I wear a mask to avoid frightening people.”

“I’m sorry, Shizun. I shouldn’t have asked.”

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Song Qiyuan quickly lowered his head, his voice filled with remorse.

Just as I was about to tell him it was alright, the carriage suddenly shook violently. Song Qiyuan lost his balance and fell into my arms.

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As the carriage stabilized, he quickly scrambled back, his face and even his ears flushed crimson. He looked adorable.

Song Qiyuan had been a prodigy since childhood. At only ten years old, he had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment and was the strongest among his peers in the cultivation world. It was understandable that he was embarrassed for falling into my arms just because the carriage shook.

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I lifted the curtain and saw Ah Jiu with a grim expression and the two-headed lion frozen in place, looking startled. I frowned and asked Ah Jiu,

“What happened?”

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Ah Jiu looked at me, his eyes wide with shock.

“Lord, I… I just saw the afterimage of the Qiongqi.”

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He hopped onto my shoulder, still visibly shaken.

“The afterimage was almost thirty zhang tall. It opened its huge, crimson mouth, and we almost got swallowed. The two-headed lion and I were so scared we couldn’t move. If I hadn’t calmed them down, the carriage would have overturned!”

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Looking down, I realized we were right above the cave I had visited the other night. Although the Qiongqi was sealed, the pressure emanating from its primordial spirit still lingered.

When I had entered the cave, I only felt a strong gust of wind, which I easily dispersed with a wave of my hand, thanks to my high cultivation level. However, Ah Jiu and the two-headed lion, being beasts, were clearly more affected.

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I reassured Ah Jiu and instructed the two-headed lion to wait for us outside the mountain. Only Song Qiyuan and I would enter the cave. Restoring his meridians would take time. I specifically told Ah Jiu to wait for a few days and not to be alarmed, as nothing major would happen.

“Qiyuan, follow closely behind me. If you feel any discomfort inside the cave, tell me immediately.”

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“Yes, Shizun.”

After seeing him nod, I focused my mind and entered the dark cave. It was daytime now, so it wasn’t as frightening as it had been at night. However, the bones were more visible, and there were definitely more of them than before. What kind of beast dared to venture into the Qiongqi’s cave and feed?

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I waved my hand, clearing a path through the bones. In less than fifteen minutes, Song Qiyuan and I arrived at the Qiongqi’s prison.

The Qiongqi’s primordial spirit, trapped in the massive cage high above, was still in a deep sleep. Hearing the boy gasp beside me, I chuckled and patted his head.

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“There’s no need to be afraid. It’s been sealed for centuries; it can’t break free.”

“…Shizun, I’m not scared.”

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Song Qiyuan, seemingly unwilling to admit his fear in front of me, tried to act brave.

I didn’t press him further. Pointing at the Blood Pool, I said seriously,

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“Remove your outer robe and enter.”

Song Qiyuan obediently took off his outer robe, leaving only his inner garment. Looking at his small frame, I felt a wave of concern. Could such a frail body withstand the intense cleansing of the beast’s blood?

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The moment he stepped into the pool, his calm expression contorted in pain. However, the pain only made him hesitate for a moment. He gritted his teeth, his face flushed, and carefully entered the pool, kneeling down. He didn’t utter a single cry of pain.

Impressed by his endurance, I instructed,

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“Recite the breathing technique you used before and circulate your profound energy. And… be careful!”

ROAR—!!!

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Before I could finish my sentence, the Qiongqi in the cage above suddenly opened its massive eyes, its gaze filled with a terrifying light. As the beast roared, the blue iron cage rattled violently, as if about to collapse.

A ringing filled my ears. The cage was directly above Song Qiyuan, and blood was trickling from his ears. My heart lurched. I quickly scooped him into my arms and jumped towards a corner of the cave, gently setting him down. I shielded his ears with my profound energy and was about to turn back when Song Qiyuan grabbed my sleeve and looked at me.

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His words were slightly slurred, probably due to his impaired hearing, but I understood. He said,

“Shizun, don’t worry about me. Leave quickly.”

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A wave of warmth spread through my heart. I stroked his head and said,

“Trust me.”

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Looking up, I saw cracks appearing on the iron cage. The trapped Qiongqi thrashed and roared, its voice deafening. Finally, one of the supporting pillars broke, and the primordial spirit partially escaped. It took the form of a twenty-zhang tall beast, its body radiating malevolent energy, and charged towards me.

It seemed this wouldn’t be over quickly. I finally understood. The bones outside were the work of this primordial spirit, and the key to triggering its aggression was the pool of blood. Disturbing the blood summoned the beast’s wrath, and the fate of any human who dared to touch it was to become a pile of bones.

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Knowing a fierce battle was imminent, I channeled a powerful surge of profound energy towards the entrance of the cave, sealing it completely and cutting it off from the outside world. I blocked the entrance to prevent Ah Jiu from entering.

I didn’t want to see him get hurt again.

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