Chapter 67: The Stone Cave
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Ji You had no idea that his reputation outside had been utterly ruined. One fiancée, two fiancées—it seemed as though every direction was whispering about some imagined betrothal. What he couldn’t possibly know was that someone was waiting for him right now, eager to see what his “nonexistent” fiancée looked like.
At this moment, Ji You was crouched over, following Yuan Chen through a narrow and pitch-black cave. The prolonged hunch left him feeling short of breath. [This jade token must be high-grade…]
In the darkness, Ji You fumbled onward, sensing the increasingly volatile energy around him. It felt like the calm before a storm. Within the cave, the sound of something slicing through the air echoed, interspersed with jubilant cries.
Ji You had no idea what those disciples of the Immortal Sects had encountered on the mountain. However, he could feel bursts of energy indicating realm-breaking progress. It was as if a celestial fate truly resided here. Yet the concept of enlightenment was fundamentally about understanding—a personal epiphany, not something that could be bypassed by external means. It was akin to studying: memory-enhancing pills could help, but in the end, one still had to read the book.
Unless, perhaps, there was something incomprehensible within the Azure Clouds Dominion.
As Ji You pondered, Yuan Chen, walking ahead, suddenly called out, “Brother-in-law.”
By the faint glow of the jade plate, Ji You noticed the blood-red stone ahead. It starkly contrasted with the previous material, as if oil and water met, forming a clear divide.
“The outer mountain’s stone seems normal, but what lies inside… is uncertain,” Ji You muttered. “Let’s move quickly, finish this, and settle accounts. You pay, I leave. Money and goods exchanged, end of story.”
Yuan Chen pouted. “What about my sister?”
“Forget it. You can’t use your sister to reel in a brother-in-law as brilliant as me.”
Sulking, Yuan Chen trailed behind him. The two soon passed through the narrow passage and emerged into a vast, silent stone cavern.
What greeted them was horrifying: bones littered the floor.
The good news was that most of the remains didn’t belong to humans. The shapes alone made that clear. Among them, a particularly massive leg bone stood out, thicker than Ji You himself.
“Di Ren…” Yuan Chen murmured.
“What?” Ji You asked.
Yuan Chen raised his head. “It’s said that in ancient times, a colossal race inhabited the ten-thousand mountains beyond the Nine Provinces. They were ultimately devoured by remnants of another race. However, a branch of their lineage survives among the Barbaric Tribes, albeit requiring berserk transformations to achieve such immense bodies.”
“When the Northern Garrison conquered the Northern Plains, they encountered such a tribe. But their physiques were no longer as powerful as their ancestors.”
Ji You frowned. “So, the Barbaric Tribes aren’t a singular race but a collective term?”
Yuan Chen turned to him, his expression akin to a high schooler looking down on a middle schooler.
Ji You chuckled bitterly. “I come from Yuyang County in Feng Prefecture, where meals are hard to come by. The only books around belonged to Teacher Chen, and they didn’t even have illustrations. What do you expect me to know?”
Yuan Chen paused. “There are places that poor? No wonder you love money so much, brother-in-law.”
“Can’t help it. Poverty’s a scary thing.”
Yuan Chen turned back to the massive leg bone. “This isn’t really a secret. The ancient war was so fierce that many tribes fled beyond the Northern Plains to the wilderness. That’s why the Barbaric Tribes are not a single race but encompass all non-human races.”
After some thought, Ji You added, “But aren’t there the Demon Clans too?”
“Correct. However, during that war, the Demon Clans sided with humanity, so they’re not counted among the Barbaric Tribes.”
While mulling this over, Ji You suddenly extended his arm and yanked Yuan Chen back with an explosive burst of strength. Veins bulged on his arm as he exerted himself, pulling Yuan Chen’s weight just in time. Yuan Chen’s feet dangled in mid-air, and cold sweat instantly formed on his forehead.
He had been about to step into empty space—a pit with no bottom. Below lay a heap of bodies, tangled and layered. Unlike the ancient remains, these were unmistakably human, or at least cultivators. Their abdomens were all cut open, leaving a gaping hole in the center.
Ji You, a once-naive university student, had no idea how to determine how long these bodies had been dead. Moreover, this ruin seemed immune to natural decomposition. Even a detective wouldn’t be of help here. Judging from the dried blood and dusty clothing, however, these corpses weren’t recent.
The good news: none of them appeared to be alchemists.
Squatting down, Ji You pointed to the cavities and asked Yuan Chen, “What’s missing from here?”
“Spiritual Essence…” Yuan Chen swallowed hard, trembling.
Alchemists, being healers as well, were well-versed in human anatomy. After reaching the Qi Refinement stage, cultivators generated Spiritual Essence, which resided in this very spot. Yet Yuan Chen had never heard of it being gouged out so gruesomely.
[That must hurt…] Yuan Chen shivered. Even though he didn’t cultivate the Heavenly Dao or form Spiritual Essence, he possessed an inner core. Just the sight of this sent chills through him.
Turning to Ji You, he saw no reaction on his face.
Ji You caught the look and silently thought, [Why are you looking at me? I don’t have that kind of thing.]
“What can you do with extracted Spiritual Essence?” Ji You asked.
“Once outside the body, it’s just a pearl-like bead. I’m not sure if it has any special uses… or maybe there’s something I don’t know.”
Ji You vaguely recalled the disappearance of disciples from the Heavenly Script Academy. Though the Office of Affairs hadn’t publicized the grisly details to avoid panic or attracting undue attention from other sects, rumors still lingered.
“Let’s keep going. Find whoever we’re looking for. Can’t enjoy money if we’re dead,” Ji You said, drawing his longsword. Spiritual Qi clung to the blade like mist, its cold glint gleaming in the dim light.
In the Lower Three Stages, cultivation tempered the body through Spiritual Qi refinement. Only upon reaching the Essence Refinement Stage could one condense Spiritual Essence. Those who died here were at least at this level, possibly even in the final stage of the Lower Three Stages, just like Ji You.
Earning a thousand taels of gold was proving to be no easy feat.
Continuing forward, they found countless iron cages arranged throughout the cavern. The dense rows bore marks of clawing and scraping. Besides the cages, there were bamboo cushions, incense burners, and other items—enough to indicate a significant population. Yet everything was coated in a fine layer of dust, untouched for at least half a month.
This so-called “Unknowable Land” had long since been claimed, and whatever calamities followed its celestial emergence… they had long since evacuated, leaving behind a massive conspiracy.
As Ji You pondered, Yuan Chen noticed the jade plate in his hand emitting a burst of brilliance. The aura triggered a rapid spin, fixing itself on the cavern’s southern end.
Holding the glowing jade plate, Yuan Chen bolted ahead. At that moment, a thunderous rumble echoed from the mountain peak, and the ground beneath their feet began to quake.