White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 36 Yuanzhen
Another half month has passed in the blink of an eye, and the greenery in the mountains is fading, replaced by a withered yellow landscape.

The locust tree in front of the White Bone Cave shed its withered yellow leaves, which piled up on the dirt road, unswept away.

This is Bai Wuxiang's first autumn in Yunze Mountain.

The bleak autumn wind carried a hint of desolation, like the clashing of swords and spears, and the cold wind from the north added a layer of white frost to the mountains.

Bai Wuxiang stood under the withered tree, stretched out his palm, and an insect fell from the tree into his palm.

It is a cicada.

The cicadas that chirped incessantly throughout the summer ended their lives in the autumn wind.

No one cares about the life or death of the tiny summer cicadas, except for the demonic spirits in the deathly aura who will set their sights on them.

In the silent night, Bai Wuxiang climbed to the top of Skull Mountain. He played the bone flute once more, and the mournful sound spread in all directions.

Summer insects die in autumn, withered grass and faded flowers; wisps of decay and death gather on the mountain, dark clouds fill the sky, and the bleak autumn wind rustles through the countless withered leaves in the mountains.

Hundreds of insect corpses appeared on Skull Mountain, and a light autumn rain fell, sweeping away the summer heat.

In a spacious house in Black Stone Village, Li Yiguang, who was sleeping on the bed, suddenly woke up.

He listened to the pitter-patter of rain outside the window, and a chill crept up his legs and back, like fine needles piercing his limbs and bones.

The pain was so intense that even this usually resolute and brave man couldn't help but gasp and roll around on the bed in agony.

Li Yiguang frowned. Had he contracted rheumatism? He thought about it and realized that he had been working in the fields before his leg bone had fully healed, braving wind and rain. Perhaps that had left him with a hidden problem.

It seems I really am getting old; I'm no longer useful when I'm old.

He sighed, endured the pain, and opened the door. A gust of autumn wind and night rain blew in, which cleared his mind considerably.

Recalling the days when I fought alongside Prince Yi, amidst the clash of swords and the shadows of battle, I could not sleep soundly day or night.

More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Looking at the houses and villages in the wind and rain, he realized that everyone was now living a peaceful life, which was a relief to the brothers who risked their lives to cover the rear back then.

Li Yiguang's thoughts drifted away with the rain, and he no longer felt the deep pain in his bones.

Unable to sleep, he put on a raincoat, lit a lantern, and strolled into the wind and rain until he arrived at the village's temple.

He gazed at the mountain peaks that seemed slightly higher than before, and walked forward for a while. On both sides of the road were graves as tall as a person.

Li Yiguang squatted in front of the grave, grabbed some wet mud from the ground, and piled it up again, making the somewhat flattened grave mound higher.

He patted each grave mound with his muddy hands and sighed, "Brothers, you left us too early. Our village has been getting better and better these past few years, but it's a pity you didn't get to enjoy the good fortune."

But you know, your kids are all grown up now, and I'm not so useful anymore. I'll be able to rest easy once I've seen your kids all settled down and started their own families.

The black crows in the distance stared at the man in front of him in the darkness, and their gaze fell into Bai Wuxiang's eyes.

Li Yiguang, this brave and valiant man, no longer had the upright posture he once possessed. It seemed his life was numbered.

Bai Wuxiang's innate demonic art seems to not only be able to sense death energy, but also to have a vague sense of a person's lifespan.

This man must have fought many battles in his early years, leaving him with many hidden injuries. In addition, more than half a year ago, the tiger spirit shattered all the bones in his body. It was already a miracle that he survived. However, he has repeatedly used his internal energy to work hard for the village. At most, he has two or three years left to live.

The three leaders of Black Stone Village were no ordinary mortals. Bai Wuxiang had been keeping a close eye on them, wondering how their death aura would differ from that of ordinary mortals if they were to die.

As for extending their lives, Bai Wuxiang hadn't considered it. He was already being lenient by not secretly harming them and letting them die peacefully of old age.

As the days passed, Wuxiang continued his peaceful and quiet cultivation in the White Bone Cave. The little white fox also grew up a bit and was no longer as afraid of Bai Wuxiang as it had been when it first arrived.

The martial arts practitioners in the mountains were also forced back by late autumn, and Yunze Mountain seemed to have returned to its former tranquility.

Until early October, a mournful wail echoed from the deep mountains.

Bai Wuxiang, inside the cave, sensed the deathly aura from the northwest. He summoned Xuan Ya and sent it to clear a path.

Bai Wuxiang followed Xuan Ya, heading leisurely towards the northwest.

As far as the eye could see, the mountains were shrouded in a gray mist. With the onset of early winter, snakes and insects had fallen into hibernation, and the flocks of birds that used to frequent the mountains were now few and far between, having mostly flown to the warmer south.

As Bai Wuxiang traveled, he sensed the deathly aura in the distance, which did not seem to be the aura of a living being on the verge of death.

The black crow flew over mountain ridges and finally landed in a valley.

Bai Wuxiang's mind was connected to Xuan Ya, and he saw what was happening in the valley.

Beneath a huge, ancient, verdant pine tree, two groups of people were besieging it.

The ancient pine tree, which had existed for countless years, was surrounded by a layer of greenish-green fluorescence, drawing the group of people around it.

The surrounded group was divided into two factions. One faction consisted of only three people, led by a middle-aged man, followed by a man and a woman. Judging from the patterns carved on their shoulders and arms, they did not appear to be from the Nanzhao Kingdom.

On the other side, a woman was leading the group, followed by three others who seemed to be fellow disciples from the same lineage.

The leading man held a staff in his hand and chanted incantations, conjuring up giant wolves that frantically pounced on the blue light barrier.

The alluring woman behind him released a crimson python, spewing out streaks of crimson poisonous mist that corroded the cyan-green light barrier.

The man, on the other hand, was covered in black fur, and at first glance, he looked like a giant human bear, frantically pounding on the light screen.

As for the other group, all three seemed to be injured, except for the woman who was still in good spirits. She held a pale gold longsword that transformed into a golden light shield, protecting the three who were recuperating.

The woman then raised her voice and said, "You have cultivated for hundreds of years and your current level of cultivation is truly remarkable. Why do you need to provoke my Sanqing Mountain?"

An old human face appeared on the trunk of the giant pine tree. It was the village god of this ancient pine village, the old tree demon that had cultivated for hundreds of years!
The demon chuckled and said, "I didn't want to provoke you, but you have stepped into my Nine Azure Spring Formation. Once inside, you must nurture the spirit of immortal roots for me and use it for my purposes."

Even though Sanqing Mountain is the top sect in the world, several elders and sect leaders at the Yuanzhen realm are not allowed to enter Yunze Mountain.

"Once I survive this tribulation and attain the Dao, I can transform and leave the Yunze Mountains, entering the Three Mountains and Six Caves. Then your masters will have no way to travel across mountains and rivers to seek revenge on me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qianli's expression hardened, and he looked at the three people beside him. "That one must be a mage from the Great Abyss, right? If he holds back now, he's probably going to lose his life!" The Great Abyss mage said coldly, "You are a disciple of the Three Pure Ones Mountain, renowned throughout the Daoist sects. Surely you have more than just this much ability, right? Since you are hiding your strength and not making a move, then this mage will not waste his energy."

Seeing that the other party was dragging things out like this, Xiao Qianli stopped talking and continued to protect his three junior brothers behind him as they continued to recuperate.

The situation on the field became somewhat deadlocked for a moment. Although Master Dayuan and several disciples of Sanqing Mountain were trapped, it was clear that all three parties knew that they each had their own trump cards. At this moment, whoever revealed their trump card first would be in a more dangerous situation later.

The old demon of the pine tree patiently trapped only the two groups of people, allowing the three people from the Great Abyss Kingdom to maintain their light shield.

It has cultivated for hundreds of years, and its demonic power is so profound that it could exhaust everyone present to death.

If these seven people are trapped in the formation and refined for seventy-seventy-four-nine hours, they will be transformed back into nourishment for the original body, allowing the pine tree to advance further and become a demon king in the Yuanzhen realm from a great demon!

Bai Wuxiang, who had only been there a short time, figured out the situation and hid in the shadows, quietly observing the scene.

The battle between the sorcerer of Dayuan, the Xuanmen disciple of Sanqing Mountain, and the old demon who has lived in the deep mountains for many years is bound to be an unprecedented situation.

However, when Bai Wuxiang's gaze fell on the disciples of Sanqing Mountain, he had some guesses in his mind.

All three of them seemed to have been poisoned and had to quickly suppress their injuries.

And this poison seems to be... the poison of some kind of exotic flower!

Bai Wuxiang suddenly thought of his new neighbor, the village god who was a flower fairy.

It seems this matter also involved the mysterious village god.

The situation seemed to have reached a stalemate, with neither side willing to make a mistake, as a single misstep could lead to their demise.

Bai Wuxiang looked at the three people from Dayuan Kingdom. Yunze Mountain was not far from Dayuan. Why would they come here?
Could it be that the few people disguised as people from the Great Yuan Kingdom that I killed before attracted this mage in front of me?

In terms of demonic power, everyone present was far stronger than him, especially this old pine demon, who was said to be at least five hundred years old and whose strength was unfathomable.

However, the other two groups are no ordinary people either, so it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.

Just as Bai Wuxiang was deep in thought, a voice suddenly rang out beside him.

"God of Wuxiang Village, would you be willing to lend a helping hand?"

A colorful light and shadow appeared not far in front of him; it was the new village god of Baihua Village!

Bai Wuxiang raised an eyebrow. "This is the first time I've met the Flower Goddess. I hope you'll take good care of me since we'll be neighbors in the future."

"The God of Wuxiang Village is joking." The Flower Goddess smiled charmingly, her beautiful face radiating a captivating glow. "Given the current situation in this village, don't you intend to lend a helping hand?"

I don't like making enemies.

Bai Wuxiang shook his head and refused. Even though they were both village gods, he should have intervened, but the strength of all parties present was not to be underestimated, and he would not take the risk lightly.

"The God of Wuxiang Village probably doesn't know yet, but the Mountain Lord of Tiger King Village has already broken through to the Yuanzhen Realm and can be called a Demon King." The Flower Goddess said worriedly, "If the God of Cangsong Village cannot step into the Yuanzhen Realm this time, I'm afraid that Yunze Mountain will be unified by all thirty-six villages, and there will be no place for us to stay!"

"Is the Yuanzhen Realm worlds apart from our strength?" Bai Wuxiang asked, having heard of this realm many times.

"It seems that the God of Wuxiang Village is devoted to cultivation and rarely comes out of the world." The Flower Goddess was somewhat surprised, but still explained, "All the spirits in the world, whether demons, humans, gods, or ghosts, each have their own path. The myriad paths are all wonderful in their own way, so there is no use of the term 'same realm'."

However, the Realm of Primordial Truth is the boundary between living beings and immortals; below the Realm of Primordial Truth, one remains a mortal.

Only by passing through this realm can one attain the true Dao, receive the spirit of heaven and earth, and transform from mortal to immortal.

Human cultivators can be called half-immortals, but we demons can only be called kings when we reach the Yuanzhen realm.

Look at the old pine demon, who has devoted himself to the Dao and cultivated diligently for eight hundred years. Only today has he been fortunate enough to touch the realm of primordial truth and has the hope of transforming from a mortal to an immortal.

I received his help in my early years, so I have come here today to help him. Those disciples of Sanqing Mountain were killed by me secretly using the Poison of a Hundred Flowers.

If you and I help him attain enlightenment today, then the Old Demon of the Pine Tree will remember our kindness and protect us so we can live in this Cloud Marsh Mountain.

"This..." Bai Wuxiang hesitated on the surface, "But those people claim to be disciples of Sanqing Mountain and leaders of the Xuanmen. If we provoke their elders, wouldn't we be courting death?"

"The God of Wuxiang Village need not worry about this. Our Yunze Mountain is a forbidden area for humans in the Yuanzhen realm. Legend has it that this place was once the Daoist temple of a demon immortal. Later, this immortal ascended to the God Realm and set up a law to protect his people, prohibiting humans in the Yuanzhen realm from entering this mountain."

Even if a human expert does arrive, we can simply leave the borders of Nanzhao Kingdom and either head south or north to join the ranks of the Three Mountains and Six Caves Demon King. The Three Pure Mountains are too far away to reach us!

“This…” Bai Wuxiang pondered for a moment, “Then I will do my best for Senior Cangsong. However, my strength and magic are weak, and I can only act at night, and I can only deal with the two under the command of the Great Abyss Mage.”

"Very well then, I will meet with the Dharma Master of the Great Abyss Kingdom."

The Flower Goddess didn't mind, and simply smiled and agreed, "We'll make our move after sunset!"

……

On the other side, outside Black Stone Village, a group of people dressed in gray appeared. The leader was an old man with white hair, who was being supported by a young man with a mole between his eyebrows. Looking up at Black Stone Village, he sighed, "This village secretly conforms to the feng shui formation, which seems to be the method of the Tongshan You family."

Let's go in and take a look; perhaps we'll even meet a fellow disciple of the You family.

"Master, wasn't the You family of Tongshan wiped out by the North Sea Demon King?" the young man asked疑惑地问道, "How could they appear here in the south?"

"Alas, there's no need to dwell on the past. The You family of Tongshan has a long-standing relationship with our Wei family of Guangling. Back when the Great Zhao Dynasty was in turmoil and the Southern Zhao Dynasty was newly established, they seemed to have had a lot of contact with the court. It's normal that they received the court's protection and left behind some descendants."

I remember that more than ten years ago, when Prince Yi led his army to quell the rebellion, he was accompanied by imperial messengers, most of whom were from the You family.

In the village, You Junzi heard from the guards that someone outside the village, claiming to be a demon hunter from the Wei family, wanted to enter the village to take a look.

He sat up abruptly, his mind racing. Unlike other charlatans with shallow lineages, the Wei family of Guangling and the You family of Tongshan were both among the eight great demon-hunting families. Moreover, the Wei family had always produced many talented individuals, unlike the impoverished You family.

You Junzi looked towards the Skull Mountain behind the village, feeling conflicted and unsure of what to do.

　Sorry, I had two molars extracted today, and my mouth has been bleeding ever since. The anesthesia has worn off, and I still feel a slight pain. My mouth is really uncomfortable, and I haven't been able to get into a writing mode, so the update is a bit late. I hope you can forgive me.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)