Chapter 2042: Take it Easy

As dawn approached, the three reined in their horses in front of a city.

"Good terrain," Ye Chen said, scanning the city and couldn't help but exclaim.

He had heard of this city before; it was called Bei Lang Cheng, named for the two mountains on either side that resembled wolf heads, their wolf-like faces glaring toward the north.

Bei Lang Cheng was extraordinarily grand, with imposing walls and a majestic presence, serving as a key northern stronghold in Yan territory. Situated between the two mountains, it leveraged natural defenses as if they were man-made walls. Since ancient times, it had been a strategic point for military contention. Conquering it would require at least three hundred thousand troops—anything less was unthinkable. The Yan Wang had repelled joint attacks from various feudal lords here more than once.

Before even entering the city, the three spotted a notice posted at the base of the wall—it was a wanted poster for Yang Xuan. The bounty had now risen to one hundred and fifty thousand taels.

"My head is getting more valuable by the day," Yang Xuan sneered.

"If I turned you in for the reward, I'd never have to worry about food or clothes again," Shangguan Jiu said meaningfully.

"Your forehead looks a bit dark—bad omen!" Yang Xuan cursed.

"Don't mess around; you couldn't beat me."

"Let's go," Ye Chen said, glancing around before dismounting and leading his horse into the city.

Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu exchanged a look and quickly followed. They still had some distance to cover to reach the northern border and needed to rest here—not because they were tired, but because their horses were.

The prosperity of Bei Lang Cheng far surpassed that of Zhu Xian Town, with a mix of all sorts of people from every walk of life. Soldiers patrolled the streets everywhere, and one hundred thousand troops were stationed both inside and outside the city. As a strategic military site, it couldn't afford to be lax.

"There are so many martial arts experts in the city!" Yang Xuan whispered, eyeing the taverns and teahouses on both sides. Many hidden inner force masters were there, usually in groups of three or five, looking travel-worn like them. They were stopping here to rest and change horses before heading to Gui Shan.

"Take it easy and don't casually reveal your inner force," Ye Chen said casually. He was speaking to Yang Xuan—this guy was a hot commodity, and if recognized by troublemakers, it would cause problems. Ye Chen was here for Gui Yu Cheng and didn't want to waste effort on that, especially with one hundred thousand troops around—it wasn't a joke.

"We're on a mission; you can count on us," Yang Xuan said with a smile.

"The one I trust the least is you," Shangguan Jiu remarked.

"Still talking? Come on, let's go buy horses."

"I didn't bring any money."

"You? No money? I don't believe it," Yang Xuan grumbled, grabbing Shangguan Jiu and dragging him along. Along the way, he had already planned this out and was determined to make this stingy one shell out some cash. He had bought the horses for the previous leg; it was time for someone else to pay up.

Shangguan Jiu didn't want to go but was pulled along anyway.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, entered a tavern and went straight to the third floor. Standing by the window, he gazed into the distance, as if he could see through the haze to a mountain range—that was Gui Shan, where the legendary Gui Yu Cheng was hidden. So many people came here for that very reason.

Suddenly, he closed his eyes slightly and could vaguely sense strands of spiritual power drifting from the sky above, all originating from the source crystals in the ancient tombs and being drawn toward the north.

"So it's you causing this," Ye Chen opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them. He had basically confirmed that some mysterious object in the direction of Gui Shan was secretly absorbing the spiritual power from the ancient tombs' source crystals. This made him even more curious about the legendary Gui Yu Cheng—a mere mortal ancient star with such bizarre existence, capable of capturing source crystals from thousands of miles away to steal their power.

Withdrawing his gaze, Ye Chen turned and sat down, ordering some food to replenish his energy.

Before long, Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu returned.

It was clear from Shangguan Jiu's darkened expression that he had paid for the horses. As someone notoriously tight-fisted, this must have been more painful than getting stabbed.

Ye Chen couldn't help but want to laugh. The renowned Dao Kuang of the chaotic world, ranked second in the martial arts world, should be bold and straightforward to live up to his title, but he had this miserly flaw. In that regard, Shangguan Jiu fell short compared to Dao Huang.

In contrast, Yang Xuan was in high spirits.

After all these years, he had finally fleeced Dao Kuang once—this felt incredibly satisfying. From his expression, it seemed he'd even be willing to let Shangguan Jiu stab him just to make him pay.

"Have you heard? The Xuan Ming Er Lao have been wiped out," the three were enjoying their meal when they overheard patrons discussing it. These were martial arts folks, and as always, there was that chatty one spouting saliva everywhere, with eager listeners hanging on every word.

"It must have been Dao Kuang who did it."

"Definitely Dao Kuang—one Great Vajra Palm strike, so domineering. Now, he's made an enemy of the Xuan Ming faction; they're the type to seek revenge for the slightest grudge."

"What surprises me more is that Yue Gong Palace Master actually got married."

"Who can make sense of Jianghu affairs? And take Yang Xuan—for how long has he been on the run? Even Yan Wang has lost his temper from searching everywhere."

"Do you think Yang Xuan might show up this time with the treasures emerging at Gui Shan?"

"Don't say it, but it's possible." An elder stroked his beard, adopting the air of a senior expert, and said leisurely, "Dao Kuang and Du Gu Jian Sheng will likely come too."

The discussions buzzed on, but Ye Chen and his companions acted as if they hadn't heard.

No one knew what expressions the people in the tavern would have if the three revealed their identities. But one thing was certain—if Yang Xuan showed up, the one hundred thousand troops stationed outside the city would swarm in an instant. They had been searching high and low, and now he'd delivered himself right to their doorstep.

An hour later, the three finished their meal and left without using the door—they leaped out the window. Of course, they paid for the food: one ingot of silver, shiny and eye-catching.

Once out of Bei Lang Cheng, they spurred their horses into a gallop.

The three finally arrived near Gui Shan just as night fell.

From afar, they could vaguely make out the entire Gui Shan: rugged and uneven, stretching for several hundred li, pitch-black and shrouded in eerie mist, with gusts of chilling wind blowing from within.

"Is that Gui Shan?" Shangguan Jiu gazed into the distance.

"Just looking at it gives off a weird vibe," Yang Xuan murmured, as if seeing it for the first time.

Ye Chen said nothing, sitting on his horse and quietly observing.

It was just as Yin Yue Huang Fei had described: Gui Shan was barren, with not a blade of grass—not because there wasn't any, but because some mysterious force had sucked away the essence of all the trees and vegetation.

As for the terrain of Gui Shan, it was extremely formidable. In terms of yin-yang and five elements, it was an extremely yin place, heavy with yin energy, a breeding ground for evil spirits. Not just ordinary people—even martial arts masters could lose their minds if they weren't careful.

Turning his gaze from Gui Shan, Ye Chen looked up at the hazy sky and could clearly see strands of spiritual power being drawn from the ancient tombs and vanishing into Gui Shan.

As he watched, another group of about a dozen people rode up, all in black robes and hoods, moving swiftly. They glanced at the three as they passed and headed straight for Gui Shan.

Such groups were not uncommon—some in threes, others in fives, each with figures of unusual ability, as if aware of the strangeness here.

Ye Chen flicked his horsewhip and set off first, with the other two following.

An hour later, the three abandoned their horses and proceeded on foot into a dark forest. It wasn't much of a forest—just dead trees without branches, leaves, or moisture. The ground was cracked and lifeless, shrouded in mist that obscured the path ahead.

Ye Chen led the way, scanning their surroundings while handing each of Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu three yellow talismans. "Keep these in your pockets and don't take them out lightly," he said casually.

"You really believe in ghosts and spirits!" The two shook their heads with a smile but accepted them.

"Ghosts and spirits are everywhere," Ye Chen replied indifferently, then handed them a jug of black dog blood. "Apply this to your weapons."

"This is getting more and more spooky," Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu laughed again.

Ye Chen didn't respond and closed his eyes. He navigated through the forest without sight, which made Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu raise their eyebrows in surprise. There were a few times they thought he'd collide with a tree, but he effortlessly avoided them.

"Interesting." The two stroked their chins and tried imitating Ye Chen, walking with their eyes closed.

But it was awkward—they barely took a few steps before bumping into trees.

Ye Chen ignored it. He could walk blindfolded without collisions because he had cultivated his mind's eye, a profound and mystical technique that all heterodox practitioners understood to some degree, though few could master it as he had. Using the mind's eye to perceive the world was far clearer.

Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu rubbed their foreheads, increasingly impressed and puzzled by Ye Chen's obscure skills.

Once they passed through the forest, the three truly entered the mountains.

To Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu's surprise, at the base of the mountain stood an ancient temple, its age unknown, covered in dust and spiderwebs.

In front of the temple was a solitary well.

"Don't look at that well; stay close to me," Ye Chen said lightly, walking past with his eyes closed.

His warning only piqued their curiosity, and both Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu turned to look at the well.

At the sight, they shuddered—crawling out of the well was a figure, only the upper half visible, with disheveled hair and emaciated frame, grinning at them. The grin was sinister and terrifying, sending chills down their spines.

"Is that a malignant ghost?" The two swallowed hard, even as martial arts masters, they felt uneasy.

While they were stunned, Ye Chen, still with eyes closed, gently waved his hand. A yellow talisman flew from his sleeve and stuck to the figure's forehead.

Ah!

A shrill scream echoed as the figure tumbled back into the well, followed by wails from the depths, adding a layer of eeriness to the night.

"There really are ghosts!" Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu shivered.

Ye Chen didn't bother explaining and continued onward.

Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu didn't know it, but he was well aware—it wasn't a malignant ghost but an evil spirit. This place was extremely yin, and the well led to the underworld, a convergence point for yin energy. Such spots were prime for evil spirits to spawn. If one lost their focus, they'd be dragged in and trapped forever. The human world held many such mysteries.