Liaozhai: Immortality Begins with Becoming Yan Chixia's Apprentice

Chapter 70 Guardian of the Underworld

Zhou Ning took out the jade talisman and infused it with a wisp of true essence.

Yan Chixia's voice echoed in his mind.

"Zhou Ning, where are you?"

Zhou Ning responded with his divine sense: "Master, your disciple has obtained the thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum in the Cangmang Mountain."

"Hmm. Where's the ambergris?"

"I got it too."

"Good. Between the Earth Core Fire Lotus and the Frozen Pool Water, which do you plan to seek out first?"

Zhou Ning said, "This disciple plans to go to the Flaming Mountain first."

Yan Chixia was silent for a moment, then said, "The Flaming Mountains are in the Southern Frontier, a long way away. That's the territory of the demon race, so you must be careful."

"Disciple understands."

"There's one more thing," Yan Chixia said, his tone becoming serious.

"The people of Montenegro already know you went to southern Xinjiang. They might ambush you on the way. You need to be extra careful."

Zhou Ning's heart skipped a beat: "This disciple understands."

"Go. Come back as soon as you get the Earth Core Fire Lotus."

"Yes."

The jade talisman's light dimmed, and Yan Chixia's voice disappeared.

Zhou Ning carefully put away the jade talisman, packed his bags, and began his descent from the mountain.

By the time we reached the halfway point of the mountain, it was already getting dark.

Zhou Ning found a sheltered cave, lit a campfire, and prepared to spend the night there.

He sat cross-legged by the fire, closing his eyes and regulating his breathing.

The true energy within the body circulated slowly, bringing a warm and comforting sensation.

The battle at Cangmang Mountain gave him new insights into the use of true energy.

True essence is more condensed and more powerful than physical energy.

If he can break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, his strength will reach another level.

"Don't rush, take it one step at a time."

The following morning, Zhou Ning left Cangmang Mountain and continued south.

This time, his target is the Flaming Mountain.

With the matter of the Cangmang Mountain settled, Zhou Ning dared not delay and immediately set off south.

The Flaming Mountains are located deep in southern Xinjiang, thousands of miles away from the Cangmang Mountains.

At Zhou Ning's pace, it would take him a month to travel day and night. He chose a shortcut.

Only by traversing the "Black Wind Ridge" in the south, crossing the "Miasma Swamp," and then traversing the "Blazing Canyon" can one reach the foot of the Flaming Mountain.

This road is extremely dangerous, but it can save at least ten days of time.

After careful consideration, Zhou Ning decided to take this path.

"Time waits for no one, we have to go even if it's risky."

He traveled swiftly along the southern foothills of the Cangmang Mountains.

The first two days were calm and peaceful.

Zhou Ning passed through several small towns along the way, but did not stop. He only bought some dry food and water from a roadside tea stall before continuing on his journey.

On the evening of the third day, he arrived at the edge of Black Wind Ridge.

Black Wind Ridge, the mountain lives up to its name.

The mountain is steep and densely forested, and is shrouded in black clouds and mist all year round, never seeing the sun.

Locals say that there are mountain demons in the ridge that prey on passersby, and few dare to cross it alone.

Zhou Ning stood at the foot of the ridge and looked up.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, and the mountain wind howled, whipping up withered branches and fallen leaves, making a mournful sound like the wailing of ghosts.

Along the mountain path, jagged rocks of menacing shapes appear particularly eerie in the twilight.

"We must cross Black Wind Ridge before nightfall."

Zhou Ning gripped his Qingfeng sword tightly and quickened his pace.

The mountain path is rugged and becomes increasingly difficult as you go higher.

The fog grew thicker and thicker, reducing visibility to less than ten steps.

Zhou Ning poured his true essence into his eyes, activating his spiritual eyes, and barely managed to see the road ahead.

After walking for about an hour, it became completely dark.

In the fog, some dark shadows could be vaguely seen moving about.

Zhou Ning stopped, gripped his Qingfeng sword tightly, and cautiously observed his surroundings.

"Who's there?"

No one answered.

More and more shadowy figures gathered from all directions.

Zhou Ning pulled out an "evil-repelling talisman" from his waist and held it in his hand.

"come out."

A sharp laugh came from the mist.

"Hehehe..."

The laughter was sinister and terrifying, sending chills down your spine.

Immediately afterwards, a figure dressed in a black cloak emerged from the mist.

The man was thin, pale-faced, with sunken eyes and a sinister smile on his lips.

In his hand, he held a black bone staff, the top of which was inlaid with a dark green gem that emitted an eerie light.

"Zhou Ning, I've been waiting for you for so long."

Zhou Ning's heart skipped a beat: "Are you from Black Mountain?"

The man nodded: "Youming, Right Protector under the Black Mountain Demon."

Zhou Ning gripped his Qingfeng sword tightly: "How did you know I would take this path?"

Youming laughed.

"Master is incredibly resourceful; he foresaw your journey to the Flaming Mountains. This road is an unavoidable route, and I have been waiting for you here for three days."

He raised his bone staff, and the eerie green gem at the top of the staff shone with a strange light.

"Hand over the dragon's saliva grass and the thousand-year-old lingzhi mushroom, and I might spare your life."

Zhou Ning sneered: "Dream on."

Youming's face darkened.

"If you refuse a toast, you'll have to drink a penalty cup."

He swung his bone staff, and a black mist surged from it, transforming into countless black bats that swarmed towards Zhou Ning.

Zhou Ning was prepared and dodged the bat's attack with a swift movement.

At the same time, he slashed out with his sword, and the cyan sword energy pierced through the air, cutting several bats in half.

But there were too many bats, covering the sky and blotting out the sun.

They emitted sharp hisses as they tore at Zhou Ning's protective aura.

Zhou Ning gritted his teeth, pulled out three "evil-repelling talismans" from his waist, and threw them out at the same time.

Three golden rays of light exploded within the swarm of bats.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The bat swarm was blasted open, but it quickly closed up again.

Youming sneered:

"It's no use. My blood bats are fed with the life essence of living people, so your talismans won't have much effect on them."

He waved his bone staff, and more bats poured out of the mist.

Zhou Ning fought and retreated, but the bats were too fast and too numerous, and soon surrounded him.

"Oh no!"

Several bats broke through Zhou Ning's protective aura and bit his arm.

Zhou Ning felt a sharp pain, and the skin on his arm began to turn black, clearly indicating that he had been poisoned.

He gritted his teeth, concentrated his true energy at the tip of his sword, and unleashed the "Demon-Slaying Slash".

A dazzling cyan sword aura swept out.

"boom!"

The sword energy exploded among the bats, slicing hundreds of them into pieces.

But more bats swarmed up, seemingly endless.

Zhou Ning's physical strength was being rapidly depleted, and his true essence was almost gone.

"No, we can't hold out much longer like this."

He suddenly remembered the Buddha relics in his arms.

That was entrusted to him by Master Huiming of Longquan Temple, and it is said to be able to suppress all evil spirits.

Zhou Ning took out the Buddha relic from his bosom and infused it with his true essence.

The Buddha relic emitted a dazzling golden light, a light that was warm and peaceful, carrying a power to purify everything.

Wherever the light touched, the bats turned into black smoke and dissipated into the air.

Youming's expression changed drastically: "Buddha's relics? How do you have Buddha's relics?"

Zhou Ning did not answer, but raised the Buddha relic high.

The golden light grew stronger and stronger, dispelling the surrounding mist.

The swarm of bats vanished in the light, not a single one remaining.

Youming clutched his chest and staggered backward.

His face was filled with terror, and his eyes were filled with resentment.

"You...you wait, your master won't let you get away with this."

He suddenly crushed a black token, which turned into a wisp of black mist and disappeared into the air.

Zhou Ning did not pursue.

He slumped to the ground, panting heavily.

The wound on my arm is still turning black, and the toxins are spreading.

He quickly took out an antidote pill from his bag and swallowed it.

He then used his internal energy to force the poisonous blood out of the wound, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"That was close."

He looked down at the Buddha relic in his hand, and a sense of relief welled up in his heart.

"Master Huiming, thank you."

He carefully put away the Buddha's relics, stood up, and continued on his way.