Traversing the path of life and death

Chapter Nine Forbidden Area in the Back Mountain

Seeing Lin Yang fleeing in such a disheveled state, Lin Yu smiled helplessly.

The Lin family is located in the westernmost part of Qingshan Town, right next to the Wild Beast Forest. The family's territory is the largest among the four major families, especially the area behind the family's mountain, which is vast but full of unknowns and dangers.

During his duel with Lin Yang, Lin Yu witnessed the combat techniques Lin Yang used, and a flicker of excitement rose within him. On his way to the back mountain, he couldn't help but think of something...

As if sensing Lin Yu's current state of mind, Elder Wu looked at his sullen expression and asked, "You've been so quiet since you finished fighting that kid Lin Yang. Is there something you want to say?"

Upon hearing his teacher's words, Lin Yu felt as if he had found an outlet for his emotions and hurriedly asked, "Teacher, when can I start practicing combat skills?"

When Elder Wu heard Lin Yu say this and saw his curious expression, he told him the conditions for cultivating combat skills. "The primary condition for cultivating combat skills is to raise one's own realm to the sixth level of Body Solidification, have a strong physique, and be able to withstand tempering. After all, each combat skill has a certain degree of difficulty. The combat skill that kid Lin Yang used just now only exerted one percent of its strength. It did not unleash the full power of the combat skill. Moreover, to master a combat skill, one not only needs to practice diligently, but also needs a certain amount of talent."

"Secondly, it is about the control of the elements in the world, and how to integrate the elements into combat techniques. This is a test for the cultivator himself. If one cultivates spiritual cultivation while refining the body, it should be easier to control the elements than for someone who only refines the body," Elder Wu continued.

"The last point, and the most important one, is that combat skills are best suited to the cultivator's own element. If someone with a fire element tries to cultivate an earth element skill, there will only be one outcome: failure. Therefore, choosing a combat skill that suits you is the most important thing," Elder Wu concluded.

"Then what type of combat skill should I cultivate when I meet the conditions?" Lin Yu asked hurriedly. The old shaman thought for a moment and did not answer immediately. Instead, he said after thinking for a while, "You are born with five attributes, so you can cultivate any combat skill. But the more that is the case, the more you need to have a better choice of combat skills. When you meet the conditions, I will give you some combat skills that are suitable for you."

Upon hearing his teacher's promise, Lin Yu was extremely excited. He thought to himself, "Then what I need to do now is to quickly improve my strength, reach the sixth level of the Body Solidification Realm as soon as possible, and start cultivating combat skills."

Back on the mountain, I returned to the place where I had cultivated for more than two years. Looking at every blade of grass and every tree, I was filled with my memories. Every time I was exhausted, every time I broke through my limits, it was all done here. This place has endless significance. Seeing the still merciless waterfall, I was reminded of my perseverance below it.

This time, Lin Yu did not go under the waterfall to temper his body again. Instead, he passed through the waterfall and entered the area behind it, which he had discovered by chance but had never entered before. Since breaking through to the second level of the Body Solidification Realm, his strength had improved. This time, his inner drive prompted him to move forward.

When I discovered the passage behind the waterfall last time, I went forward for a while until I saw light coming in, then I turned around and left without lingering.

This time, having just entered again, he was determined to explore the area thoroughly. As soon as he entered the area behind the waterfall, some flying insects flew over Lin Yu's head, carrying a slight stench. The area was covered with unknown wild grasses, which thrived despite the lack of sunlight.

When I returned to the place where I had turned around last time, I looked at the bright area in front of me and carefully continued to move forward until I reached the exit.

The scene unfolding before Lin Yu was a tremendous shock. He had never imagined that there was such a strange place behind the waterfall—a barren forest, utterly silent. A giant pit lay in the forest, obscuring what lay inside. Everything here was vastly different from the outside environment.

Looking at what was in front of him, Lin Yu casually glanced around. Two or three zhang away, there was a stone tablet standing there. On the stone tablet, which was covered with marks, were engraved two eye-catching characters: Forbidden Land.

"The Lin family's forbidden area? I've never heard of it. I only know that there is a very important place in the Lin family, and the location is very secluded. I only heard my father mention it by chance, but the location is not here. So what is this forbidden area all about?" Lin Yu wondered.

Lin Yu was dominated by intense curiosity, but reason told him to go back. Just as Lin Yu was hesitating, the old man's voice suddenly came, "Continue forward."

Hearing the teacher say this, he gripped the dagger he used for self-defense tightly in his right hand, raised his left hand to assume a defensive stance, and walked to a bare tree. He gently poked the tree with the dagger in his hand, and the moment he touched the tree, the tree instantly turned into tiny molecules and dissipated into the sky.

Seeing this scene, a sense of unease rose in his heart, and he couldn't help but wonder, "Where exactly is this place? Why is it so strange?"

Just as he was having doubts, the old man's voice came out again, "It seems that the plan I made for you needs to be revised. This place is just as I imagined. Continue forward and go to that place. Don't rush in. Wait for a while on the side."

Upon hearing his teacher's words, Lin Yu hurried forward, believing that everything his teacher said and did was for his own good.

Upon arriving at the side, the figure of the old shaman slowly appeared. As soon as he appeared, a cloud of gray gas surged out and rushed to his side, surrounding him as if he were a delicious meal. However, the old shaman, surrounded by the gas, still wore a slight smile. After a moment, the gray gas moved and quickly rushed towards the illusory old shaman.

The moment it came into contact with Elder Wu, Elder Wu shouted loudly, and the gray gas that came from it fled quickly as if it had encountered a powerful opponent, but some of the gas was also shattered.

Watching this dramatic scene, Lin Yu became even more curious about the mystery surrounding the old shaman.

Looking at the stunned Lin Yu, Elder Wu simply said, "You don't need to cultivate outside anymore. Just cultivate here."

"What was that thing just now?" Lin Yu asked hurriedly.

Old Wu simply uttered two words: "miasma."