Chapter 490 (1): Meticulous Skin City's Show of Strength
It was dawn when Chen Ping'an left the inn, telling the dozing inn attendant lying sprawled on the counter that he was checking out.
The young inn attendant didn't think much about this, nodding in response to show that he understood.
Even though the young wanderer wearing a bamboo hat was checking out two days in advance, it wasn't like the money that the wanderer wasted would fall into his pockets as a result. Thus, the young inn attendant was lacking energy and motivation as he instructed the female inn worker to clean the room. He would think about these things later.
He turned his head and looked at the quiet street outside the inn, yet the figure of the young wanderer was already nowhere to be seen.
The young inn attendant felt slightly unhappy as he thought about the news that had traveled over from Mural City. The fated opportunities tied to the three murals of the female heavenly officials had all been taken away by outsiders, and this was a complete betrayal of people like him who had wasted their time visiting the murals so often.
He thought to himself that the three divine maidens weren't as ethereal and impressive as they appeared, and they had definitely run away to chase some handsome men and their powerful clan. The more the young inn attendant thought about this, the more deflated he became. This was absolutely infuriating.
Chen Ping'an left the market and went to the row of archways at the entrance of Malicious Ghost Valley, handing five snowflake coins to a guard cultivator from the Flax Robe Sect and obtaining a ninefold seal script jade tablet. If one managed to leave Malicious Ghost Valley alive, one could return the jade tablet and receive two snowflake coins back.
The entrance fee wasn't expensive, and it was only the cost of a dozen or so cups of gloomy tea from the Swaying River.
Moreover, people could enter without paying first, leaving this as a debt to the Flax Robe Sect. As such, many criminals who were desperate and with no other options would do three things after entering Skeleton Shoal. First, they would spend a few copper coins at the river god temple of the Swaying River to offer three sticks of incense and pray for good fortune. Second, they would visit the three murals in Mural City to try their luck. And finally, they would go to the market at Helpless Pass to purchase a Be At Ease Compilation. Afterward, they would enter Malicious Ghost Valley through the row of archways and hand their fate to the heavens.
After paying five snowflake coins, Chen Ping'an received the jade tablet that was inscribed with the seal script characters "Majestic Might of the Heavens Crushing All Ghosts." The powerful yin spirits in the cities in the southern region of Malicious Ghost Valley would mostly refrain from provoking cultivators who possessed these jade tablets. After all, Sect Leader Guochi stayed in Malicious Ghost Valley all year round to oversee a small town, and she would often bring cultivators from the two towns with her to hunt yin entities. However, the city lords of the large and small cities didn't restrict the movement of their subordinate ghosts because of this.
Many city lords in the south had refused to take the jade tablet seriously in the past, and they had insisted on indulging themselves and brutally targeting and killing those who possessed the jade tablet. Zhu Quan, also known as Esteemed Immortal Guochi and the sect leader of the Flax Robe Sect, had led a group of several earth immortal cultivators who were direct disciples of the ancestral hall and charged deep into the territory of their enemies without any regard for the consequences.
Risking damage to the foundation of her Great Dao, Guochi had a strong desire to kill the main culprits and display their lifeless heads to everyone in the region. In fact, Esteemed Immortal Guochi's cultivation journey to reach the Unpolished Jade Tier was only so slow because she always put herself in danger and fought against powerful enemies. She had genuinely been at the Nascent Tier for far too long.
The most perilous time, Sect Leader Guo Chi had returned by herself with severe wounds, with the heads of three yin spirit city lords hanging from her waist. Afterward, the previous sect leader of the Flax Robe Sect had locked her up in the prison located at the back of the sect, stating that she was prohibited from leaving the mountains unless she advanced to the Upper Five Tiers.
When Sect Leader Guochi was finally allowed to leave the mountains, the first thing she had done was return to Malicious Ghost Valley. If it weren't for the previous sect leader issuing a strict decree before passing away, disallowing any sect leader from carelessly activating the immortal weapon bestowed upon them by their superior sect and summoning the one hundred thousand yin soldiers raised inside to attack Middle Five Tiers, it was entirely possible that with Sect Leader Guochi's temper, she would have risked severe damage to the sect once again to charge to Skeleton Wall City.
Apart from Chen Ping'an who was by himself, there were three other groups of people waiting at the entrance as well. Some were friends who had decided to travel around Malicious Ghost Valley together, while some were accompanied by their subordinates and guards. They were all standing there and waiting for daybreak.
If one weren't gambling with their lives, then it was important to pick an auspicious day and time to enter Malicious Ghost Valley.
There were some clan elders and sect elders present, and they continually reminded their youthful juniors to be extra careful after entering Malicious Ghost Valley. Many of their warnings were very standard, and they were warnings that were already recorded in the Be At Ease Compilation.
Chen Ping'an tied the jade tablet to his waist and stood by himself relatively far away from the others. He breathed into his hands to warm them up.
Daybreak arrived, and the elderly cultivator of the Flax Robe Sect standing in the middle of the two-colored-glazed archway at the forefront of the archways stepped aside, wishing them luck with some auspicious words. "Here's wishing everyone a safe and smooth-sailing journey."
A smile appeared on Chen Ping'an's face.
His name was truly very good.
Chen Ping'an walked at the very back of the group entering Malicious Ghost Valley, looking at the archways that were made to different standards and decorated with plaques containing different content. This was an eye-opening experience.
Before entering Malicious Ghost Valley, Chen Ping'an had put on the green Dao robe, Green Grass, that the Purple Sun Residence's Flood Dragon Wu Yi had given him. At the same time, he had retrieved from his pocket treasure the walnut bracelet that Cyan Gorge Island's Liu Zhimao had given him, as well as a stack of yellow paper talismans that he had prepared last night, placing all of these things inside his sleeves.
Most of the talismans were elementary-grade talismans from the Authentic Death-Avoiding Book, such as Yang Energy Illumination Talismans, Barrier-Shattering Talismans, and, of course, the three Inch Movement Talismans. One of the three talismans was made from precious golden material, and Chen Ping'an had spent much of his energy last night making this talisman. He could use it to flee or to fight for his life, and it would be most effective when used together with the Deity Drumming Technique.
It surprisingly took Chen Ping'an and the others a full fifteen minutes to walk through the twenty archways, and standing on the two sides of the archways were armored soldiers that measured around six meters in height. These soldiers were statues of the two opposing sides that had done battle on the ancient battlefield of Skeleton Shoal.
This was a chaotic battle between two powerful empires and their sixteen vassal states, and the two sides had engaged in brutal warfare for a whopping ten years, with both sides becoming increasingly rash and emotionally invested as time went on. They no longer cared about the fortunes of their empires and whatnot, and it was said that almost ten thousand cultivators from the mountains had traveled over from the north to spectate on the conflict.
Chen Ping'an glanced back, and the figure of the cultivator standing guard at the entrance was already blurry and barely perceptible. Everyone came to a stop, and the area in front of them immediately opened up, with the heavens boundless and the earth vast. However, the clouds were dark and dreary, and the concentrated yin energy of the small mystical realm instantly surged into their acupoints, making it much more difficult to breathe.
Everyone became solemn, and the three groups of cultivators in front of Chen Ping'an channeled the breathing technique explained in detail in the "Travel" chapter of the Be At Ease Compilation. They used this breathing technique to block the furious assault of the yin energy.
Among them, a young Qi refiner wearing dull gold robes still underestimated the ferocious yin energy of Malicious Ghost Valley, appearing slightly flustered as his face instantly flushed beet red. A woman standing beside him with a saber and a bow on her back hurriedly handed him an azure porcelain bottle, and only after drinking the Three Official Attendant Temple Sweet Rain produced by their immortal sect did the young man's situation finally take a turn for the better.
The young man felt slightly embarrassed, and he gave an apologetic smile to the woman who appeared to be his subordinate. The woman smiled in response, following which she started to look around, with her gaze eventually catching the gaze of an elder in black who was walking behind the young man the entire time. The elder gestured for her to be at ease.
Malicious Ghost Valley was a good place to train and temper oneself, but it was also a good place for people to exact revenge on others.
The woman and the elder were both subordinates of the young man.
The woman was approximately thirty years old, and she was a pure martial artist who had just advanced to the sixth tier. This was a very rare sight.
Even though the Northern Complete Reed Continent had a thriving cultivation world, there were still few female lesser grandmaster martial artists to begin with. There were even fewer who managed to advance to the sixth tier at such a young age.
Generally speaking, only sect-level immortal forces and powerful clans in mortal empires could raise such outstanding subordinates and have them remain loyal.
As for the elder in black, he was even more powerful and profound, and it was difficult to even discern whether he was a pure martial artist or a Qi refiner.
The other group of Qi refiners consisted of a burly man who was holding an armor pellet and wearing a suit of snow-white Militarian Dew Armor. Shimmering light traveled across the surface of the armor, causing the permeating yin energy to be unable to approach him.
There was also an elderly cultivator who took off the box on his back, causing it to emit a soft sound of clanking porcelain wares. In the end, the elderly cultivator retrieved a porcelain vase shaped much like a slender woman. It was clear that this was a relatively high-grade spirit tool, and wisps of pure yin energy started to visibly funnel toward the vase as the elderly cultivator held it in his palm. However, the yin energy left as quickly as it had come, and only a grain-sized orb of yin energy was gathered and condensed at the vase opening, gently hovering and twirling in the air and not falling into the vase.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged cultivator flicked his sleeve and summoned a verdant green banana leaf flag. Shaking the rosewood flag handle between his two fingers, the flag immediately grew in size to become as long as his arm. There was a long golden tassel on the rosewood handle, and the middle-aged cultivator used this to tie the banana leaf flag to his wrist.
Silently reciting a mantra, yin energy instantly flowed toward the flag and washed over it like streamwater, appearing as if someone were cupping water in their hands to wash their face. This was the simplest type of tempering technique, and to put things simply, it was as easy as taking out one's spirit tool. This was all there was to it. However, how many treasured lands in a continent could possess such concentrated and pure yin energy?
Even if such places existed, they would have already been taken over and sealed off by powerful sects, with outsiders prohibited from entering and obtaining any benefits. How many sects would be like the Flax Robe Sect, allowing outsiders to freely enter and obtain fated opportunities?
Two cultivators who had decided to travel through Malicious Ghost Valley together exchanged a knowing smile. The purity of yin energy in Malicious Ghost Valley was indeed different from other places. It was most suitable for cultivators like them who cultivated ghostly techniques.
They had truly entered a mountain of gold and silver.
Afterward, it was up to them how much of these treasures they could obtain and carry away.
As for the Militarian cultivator who possessed an armor pellet, he was a bodyguard whom they had spent a huge sum of wealth to enlist the help of. Compared to the yin energy at the border of Skeleton Shoal and Malicious Ghost Valley that had already been filtered by the mountain and water formation of the Flax Robe Sect, the yin energy naturally produced in Malicious Ghost Valley was much more abundant and cold.
The further one ventured into Malicious Ghost Valley, the more valuable the yin energy would become. Of course, the dangers would naturally become greater as well. It was even possible that one would be forced to do battle against the yin spirits and malicious ghosts, obtaining several sets of skeletons if they emerged victorious. This was another healthy sum of money. If one were defeated, however, then everything would be over as one suffered a most miserable fate. Compared to mortal humans, Qi refiners were much more privy to the pitiful nature of being reduced to a yin entity in Malicious Ghost Valley.
Chen Ping'an stopped looking at them after taking just a few glances.
Absorbing yin energy in Malicious Ghost Valley was a huge taboo, and there was a clear warning regarding this in the Flax Robe Sect's Be At Ease Compilation. Such behavior would very easily provoke and draw the ire of yin spirits in the mystical realm. After all, it was completely understandable that no one wanted thieves in their house.
However, each person had their own fated encounters, and the Flax Robe Sect wouldn't obstruct those who were capable and courageous.
The final two people looked like a pair of young Dao partners, and they were both carrying an extremely large wooden box on their backs, making it look as if they had come to Malicious Ghost Valley to pick up bargain goods. Apart from the most precious yin energy and skeletons, Malicious Ghost Valley actually produced many peculiar flowers, plants, and spirit beasts as well.
Much of this flora and fauna was recorded in the Be At Ease Compilation, but ever since the Flax Robe Sect had opened Malicious Ghost Valley up to the outside world, countless people had already entered this mystical realm over the past one thousand years to try their luck. Not only that, but the Flax Robe Sect also had cultivators responsible for searching for natural treasures in the mystical realm all year round. Due to these reasons, very few people had experienced great fortune and found highly-coveted natural treasures in the past one hundred years.
Chen Ping'an squatted down and grabbed a handful of soil, gently manipulating it in his hand.
Sure enough, it was extremely cold, much like the thousand-year-old dirt at burial grounds.
Chen Ping'an dropped the dirt and picked up an ordinary stone that could be found anywhere in the surroundings. He squeezed the stone and frowned. The stone was relatively soft, so much so that it was almost identical to the dirt.
This was as expected of Malicious Ghost Valley. Even the earth here was strange.
The Flax Robe Sect had constructed two towns in Malicious Ghost Valley, one called Orchid Scent Town and one called Green Cottage Town. The former was located in the southernmost region of the mystical realm, and it was similar in size to the market at Helpless Pass. The latter was located in a mountain pass near the westernmost side of the central region of the mystical realm, and this was the town where Sect Leader Zhu Quan cultivated much of the time.
Esteemed Immortal Guochi guarded this place all year round, and the city lord of Skeleton Wall City had visited Green Cottage Town twice in the past three hundred years, traveling there by himself both times. He had fought against Zhu Quan and the earth immortals of the Flax Robe Sect, and the battles were so fierce that Zhu Quan had destroyed countless surrounding mountain peaks with her bonded item, a Dao saber.
The two paths leading to the north of Malicious Ghost Valley had also been formed due to these battles.
Heading to Orchid Scent Town was the safest choice, seeing that it was close and almost a straight path from the entrance. Orchid Scent Town was only forty kilometers away, but there were many places near the town that one needed to visit despite its close distance from the entrance.
There were famous scenic spots for people to enjoy, for example, an ancient underground palace that had already been abandoned for a very long time, White Head Peak that was filled with jagged rocks and was snow-white in color, and a city that had chosen to subordinate itself to the Flax Robe Sect.
The city lord was a yin spirit who had been an imperial preceptor skilled at Daoist talismans when he was alive, and he often engaged in the exchange of goods with cultivators from the outside world.
On the other hand, the journey to Green Cottage Town was surprisingly more than four hundred kilometers due to the natural obstructions caused by the undulating mountains and winding rivers. Perhaps people might think about riding on the wind, riding on their swords, or riding on their immortal treasures, but the Be At Ease Compilation made it abundantly clear that doing so would be an act of seeking death, even if one were a Golden Core Tier earth immortal.
As for powerful cultivators at the Nascent Tier, coming to the eerie Malicious Ghost Valley filled with a murderous aura would be of no benefit unless one cultivated ghostly techniques. In fact, coming here might even grind away one's cultivation. In any case, Nascent Tier cultivators were often unwilling to interact with the mortal world, and they seldom left their abodes to venture through the outside world. Venturing outside was a waste of time.
The Nascent Tier cultivator of the Flax Robe Sect was looking after their intercontinental ship right now, but this was an act of helplessness since he no longer had the opportunity to advance to the Unpolished Jade Tier. As such, the old Nascent Tier cultivator with the surname Su couldn't be blamed for appearing slightly gloomy.
It was because of these reasons that people joked that Nascent Tier cultivators and Ascension Tier cultivators were old turtles hiding in their shells.