Silence.
The voice that suddenly echoed through the trees caused the four to instantly draw together.
Another stretch of quiet followed.
*Gulp.*
The stick-thin man swallowed hard, his voice tinged with fear. "I can't sense any presence at all... Big Dog, what do your birds say?"
Big Dog: "...No human figures within a thousand meters."
Upon hearing this, Liu One-Slash raised his longsword, projecting his voice. "Sir, we have no grievance. If you have taken a liking to these items, I, Liu, offer them to you. How about we become friends?"
"Friends?" came the response, laced with amusement. "I dare not presume."
The air rippled.
Right in front of Big Dog.
Pulses of terrifying cold spread out. Ice spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the three late Qi Refining cultivators like skewers in a fraction of a second. The sensation was not a humane one.
Liu One-Slash leapt back, whirling with a sweeping slash of his blade.
A familiar sword aura cleaved the air—the very same technique that had cost Wang Yu his left arm for so many years, only restored after he reached Guiding Spirit. Old hatred flared.
*Frostmoon Wings* unfurled, shimmering with cold light.
With speed bordering on teleportation, Wang Yu covered the dozens of meters in a blink and kicked Liu One-Slash into the earth.
The ground cracked like a spiderweb.
"You... who are you?!"
From that single blow, Liu One-Slash felt his internal organs and spine shatter. He could no longer feel his lower body. Trembling, he fumbled for his sword, finding only soil and debris.
"Who am I? Manager Liu, long time no see~"
Wang Yu casually removed the Earth Net Ghost Mask. When taking revenge, one couldn't let the target die in ignorance! They had to know who killed them, otherwise, the victory felt hollow.
The moment he saw Wang Yu's face, Liu One-Slash's pupils contracted violently.
He immediately recalled the events of years past. It was precisely because of this person that he'd been forced to flee the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect and hide in a chaotic cesspool like Ten Thousand Poison Town.
How could his memory not be seared deep?!!
"It's you... Wang Yu!"
"Since you still remember me, there's no need for further words."
With a thought, dozens of finger-long ice swords materialized. An ice pillar rose from the ground, binding Liu One-Slash tightly.
The long-unused Ice Sword technique had matured, almost as responsive as his own limbs.
Each twitch of the tiny ice swords shaved off a translucent slice of flesh the size of a fingernail. A drop of saline solution fell onto the wound. The cycle repeated, over and over.
Liu One-Slash, who had been about to say something more, was immediately consumed by this inhuman torture. His agonized screams were pitiful and shrill.
In less than a quarter-hour, a layer of flesh slices piled on the ground. His throat swelled from screaming. His tolerance for pain reached its limit, and he blacked out multiple times.
Seeing this, Wang Yu fed him a few healing pills, then improvised. He constructed a man-sized steamer basket from local materials, lit a fire beneath it... and steamed him alive.
This lasted a full three hours.
When he was removed, the outermost layer of his flesh was so tender a finger poke would break it. Yet, sustained by the resilience of a Foundation Establishment cultivator and the effects of the healing pills...
He was still alive.
—*Continue.*
By the time night fell and Wang Yu suddenly realized it was dark, only Liu One-Slash's head remained, impaled on a broken branch, crawling with ants.
"That might have been a bit excessive... how boring."
Clapping his hands clean, Wang Yu noted he was already at the very edge of the Sky Demon Bone Forest and decided to proceed into the mountains. He was about to release Xue Yu from the spirit beast pouch when...
He suddenly turned his head to look at the frozen Foundation Establishment elder. This was the sole survivor left from earlier. The poison in him had been neutralized by Liu One-Slash's group, and his injuries were stabilized.
He had inadvertently survived.
Wang Yu considered for a moment, then put the Earth Net Ghost Mask back on. Wherever he stepped, the ice melted away.
"Wake up!"
A gust of spiritual sense brushed over the groggy Ruan family elder. He jolted upright, immediately sensing danger upon finding himself still in the forest.
Scanning his surroundings—nothing but corpses and a masked figure—grief welled up within him. He could guess what had happened.
Such events were commonplace in Scarlet Kite.
Partings in life and death between cultivators were more frequent than in mortal times. They might live long lives, but few survived to the natural end of their lifespan.
"Fellow Daoist... did you save this old man?"
"More or less."
"Then my... my young mistress..."
"The bodies are over there. So are the four who ambushed you."
The Ruan elder fell silent again. His cloudy eyes filled with tears. Finally, he let out a long sigh, sinking into some memory, his gaze vacant.
Seeing this, Wang Yu spoke again. "I have questions for you."
The elder snapped back to the present, shakily using a tree trunk to stand. "Please ask, sir. This old man will tell you everything he knows, holding nothing back!"
"Nothing so dramatic."
Wang Yu was satisfied with the elder's attitude; it fell within his comfort zone for conversation.
"On your journey into the mountains, did you happen to see a strangely shaped mountain, like an inverted character for 'mountain'?"
"That shape... isn't that like a gate frame without a gate?"
"Something like that. Have you seen it?"
"I have not."
This clue came from the inheritance jade slip Wang Yu had obtained during the desperate flight through the Withered Leaf Swamp years ago. It marked the location of the Sky Demon Bone Forest and contained a symbol resembling an inverted 'mountain.'
Finding this symbol would lead to the ancient Heavenly Soul Sect ruins.
He assumed it was either the shape of the mountain gate or some kind of sect emblem. Asking the Ruan elder was just a shot in the dark.
Since he didn't know, Wang Yu would simply continue deeper.
He had twenty years for this journey, which could be extended or shortened, depending on how long the conflict in Chasing Moon Province lasted.
Finding the ancient Heavenly Soul Sect ruins was one goal.
Seeking spiritual materials that could rapidly accumulate true essence was another. He had found items like Ghost Eyes during his Qi Refining stage; there should be similar treasures for the Foundation Establishment stage. He was simply ignorant of them. Returning to the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect to check the archives in the **[Scripture Recitation Hall]** would be more appropriate, but it wasn't convenient to return now.
Zuoqiu Ming had mentioned a few locations he knew of.
Unfortunately, they were all too far away.
It was said that under the Yellow Springs Temple's jurisdiction was a Peach Province, south of the Silent Desert, with thirty thousand li of peach forests. A few of those peach trees bore **[Purple-Gold Peaches]**, which had the effect of increasing true essence.
But the yield was pitifully small, barely enough to meet the internal demand of the temple's disciples.
Further south.
In Nether Mountain Sect territory, at the southeastern tip of Scarlet Kite, was a place called **[Calm Wave Dock]**, one of the largest departure points to sea in the demonic realm.
Offshore lay a deep-sea trench abundant in a silvery fish resembling a ribbon fish. Their hearts, called **[Silvery Fish Hearts]**, could also increase the true essence of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The distance was immense. Wang Yu's ambitions fell short of his reach.
As for the four provinces under the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's control, they also produced such spiritual materials, but none on a significant scale.
For example, in Night Jade Province, there was a blood clam farm producing **[Blood Jade Pearls]**, more effective than Silvery Fish Hearts. Unfortunately, the yield was too low, reserved only for core disciples.
Even the sect's treasure vault didn't offer them for exchange.
For someone like Wang Yu, the only option was self-reliance—venturing into famous hazardous lands like the Sky Demon Bone Forest, the Severed Boundary Mountain Range, the Vermilion Bird Divine Mountain, or the Primordial Wilderness to search.
Returning to the matter at hand.
Since the Ruan elder had no relevant information, Wang Yu prepared to leave. Unexpectedly, the old man called out to him, explaining, "Sir, if you wish to search for special geographical features, it's best to find an Earth Formation Master to accompany you. Venturing deep into the Sky Demon Bone Forest alone is dangerous and inefficient."
"In the outer regions of this bone forest, it's manageable. You'll only encounter patches of poisonous miasma occasionally. But once you enter the inner regions, the ground beneath three feet is almost entirely composed of the bones of demon beasts and humans."
"These accumulated corpses, rotting over the years and intermingling with heaven and earth's spiritual energy, give rise to vicious poison barriers. If you encounter fog demons, life and death become unpredictable."
"Even Core Formation cultivators can fall prey, dying inexplicably within. Although my Ruan family has declined, we still retain some connections."
"As far as this old man knows, a certain **[Formation Master Long]** is also searching for something within the Bone Forest. This is a Ruan family jade token. If you encounter her, show her this token, and she will surely help you search."
Wang Yu fell silent upon hearing this.
He pointed at the pile of corpses and asked, puzzled, "You were unconscious when your team was attacked. Don't you suspect I might have been the one who did it?"
A bitter expression crossed the Ruan elder's face. "Sir, your cultivation is profound and unfathomable. How could you possibly take a liking to the meager possessions we carried? This old man definitely believes you."
"Very well. I'll accept this token."
Scorpion Venom City's Ruan family... Wang Yu noted the name in his mind. Based on his understanding, the Ruan family's situation wasn't good.
This kind of favor token was undoubtedly a one-time use, meant for critical moments. Offering it now as thanks for saving his life was likely the limit of what he could repay within his means.
An Earth Formation Master's abilities could indeed save him a great deal of time.
As for the life-saving grace...
To be honest, when he had arrived, he saw the glow of the activating formation from a distance. By the time he drew near, he witnessed the sword piercing the young mistress's heart.
He had the power to stop it. But he did not.
He felt he did not deserve the gratitude.
It had been many years since he'd felt such a sentiment. Probably since returning from the Great Lake, he had changed completely.
"The Ruan family... sigh..."
Watching Wang Yu's figure vanish into the thick fog, the Ruan elder began collecting the bodies. Seeing his young mistress's corpse, tears once again flowed uncontrollably.
He could only hurriedly gather the remains and leave this place of sorrow.
Several days later.
As Wang Yu drew closer to the inner regions of the Sky Demon Bone Forest, the number of venomous insects and vicious beasts he encountered skyrocketed. He flew low, three meters above the ground, never touching it.
The accumulated, rotting leaves hid too many poisonous insects. Some had even managed to affect him.
Poisonous insects, poisonous trees, poisonous miasma... touching anything required caution. He had encountered a type of poisonous tree. Merely standing on a branch to survey the terrain...
Left him feeling completely paralyzed, unable to move.
Only after the Immaculate Jade Toad detoxified him did he realize it was a type of resin secreted by the tree.
It was amber-colored, nearly odorless, but inhaling it caused full-body paralysis. It was unnerving!
Consequently.
He placed the Immaculate Jade Toad inside his robes, where it constantly monitored his physical state. Even with intelligence on the Sky Demon Bone Forest, progress was arduous and winding.
This was a matter of habit and experience. Many habits from the outside world were lethally dangerous here.
Don't fly too high, or you'll attract the attention of toad demons.
Don't step on the ground, or you'll be stung by lurking poisonous insects.
Don't touch anything, or you'll be poisoned. Don't breathe deeply, or you'll inhale too much poisonous miasma. Experiencing it firsthand, he was becoming much more familiar with the rules.
**(End of Chapter)**