The Cyan Spirit Flying Shuttle flew steadily above clouds for two days. To avoid possible scouts and inspection points established by major sects, Mu Qingfeng chose mostly desolate routes — below mostly continuous mountains, uninhabited plains, and winding rivers; human habitation was scarce. Until the third day, to replenish fresh food and water, and attempt to gather latest news around the Black Wind Mountains, the shuttle under Mu Qingfeng's control descended, choosing to land at the outskirts of a medium-sized town several hundred li from Black Wind Mountains.
This town was called Ash Rock Town, named for the abundant hard gray rock nearby. The town appeared much larger than Kaoshan Village, with stone walls and gate towers, but the atmosphere was heavy with depression. Six people put away the shuttle, draped in qi-concealing cloaks, entering the town like ordinary travelers, low-profile.
The town's scenery confirmed their first impression. Shops along the streets mostly opened for business, but customers were few; shopkeepers and clerks listlessly sat at doors. Pedestrians hurried, faces mostly carrying unease, conversations deliberately lowered. A restless atmosphere permeated the air.
They found a seemingly clean inn, renting two adjacent superior rooms. After settling, Liu Yun and Mu Qingfeng stayed at the inn for vigilance; Xiao Qi, Second Senior Brother, and Zhao Tiezhu split up, attempting to gather intelligence.
Xiao Qi came to the town's central market. The market mostly sold mountain products, medicinal herbs, and crude daily goods — no resources cultivators needed. He pretended to select herbs, striking up conversation with an elderly herb seller selling ordinary injury medicines.
"Elder, this herb has nice quality — collected recently?" Xiao Qi picked up a herb, asking casually.
The elderly herb seller raised cloudy eyes, sighed: "Yes, can only harvest around the outer mountain areas; dare not go deeper."
"Oh? Why is that? I heard herbs are more abundant in the mountains." Xiao Qi feigned puzzlement.
"Young man, you are not local, right?" The herb seller's face showed fear: "For the past half year, the mountain's been strange! Several veteran hunters and herb gatherers went in and never returned! Alive no trace, dead no corpse! Officials investigated several times, found nothing — just said probably met wild beasts. But beasts can eat people, cannot possibly leave no bones at all?" He looked around, voice even lower: "And it's not just the mountains — last month in our town, Butcher Zhang's eldest son went out drinking at night, disappeared on the way back! And Widow Li at the west end... sigh, people say their souls were taken by mountain evil spirits! Now townspeople close up before dark — who dares go out at night?"
Xiao Qi's heart chilled; how similar this was to Kaoshan Village! He calmly asked again: "Heard the southwest Black Wind Mountains are even more sinister?"
The herb seller's face changed, waving hands repeatedly: "Do not even mention that place! That is truly a demon's den! Ten who enter, nine do not return! They say... there are man-eating demons inside! We here can barely get by, but there... heard several camps near the Black Wind Mountains, people have nearly fled completely!"
On another front, Second Senior Brother Luo Feng wandered the town's blacksmith shop and talisman paper shop, pretexting to buy special metal parts and materials, chatting with shopkeepers, also hearing similar rumors — mostly about missing people, night-time phantom sightings, and Black Wind Mountains' terror. Zhao Tiezhu went to a small tavern. His simple honesty easily put people at ease; after a few bowls of ale, several local men opened up, saying nothing but "recent troubled times, evil spirits acting, officials incompetent, life getting harder"; some even quietly complained that this world seemed increasingly hopeless, that "those immortals" reportedly giving people power had not been seen for a long time...
Evening; the three reconvened in the inn room, exchanging information. The situation was worse than anticipated. Shadow Snake Pavilion's — or rather their subordinate forces' — activity range was far wider than known — not just Black Wind Mountains, but surrounding areas also suffered erosion, through creating fear and disappearance events, seemingly brewing something, even beginning to shake mortals' hearts.
"They are spreading fear, creating chaos." After hearing the report, Liu Yun coldly said, "This might also be a kind of nourishment — the Myriad Soul Devouring Spirit Formation needs despair and grudge."
Mu Qingfeng's expression was grave: "Looks like Shadow Snake Pavilion's movements are faster than we imagined, their layout also wider. Ash Rock Town like this — places closer to Black Wind Mountains will probably be even more serious."
Xiao Qi's mood was heavy. Listening to ordinary people's fear and helplessness, he more deeply realized Shadow Snake Pavilion's cruelty. They treated living beings like grass, like materials, harvesting indiscriminately. This made a fire burn in his chest; he wished to immediately fly to Black Wind Mountains, find the demon lair, and completely destroy it.
"This place is not safe to linger; we've restocked supplies, depart tonight." Liu Yun decisively ordered, "Target: Black Wind Mountains' outer region. We must find their definite traces as soon as possible."
Night fell again; Ash Rock Town fell into uneasy slumber. Six figures, like melting snow, silently left this shadow-shrouded town, once again embarking on their journey. Only this time, everyone's heart bore the heavy observations from the marketplace — that was the most real perception of approaching disaster.