Chapter 6, Eyes like Ghostly Flames, The Law of Luofu
Waaah! Waaah!
"There are still fruits, but I wonder if they are edible?" The young man suddenly noticed a cluster of shrubs with dark branches, resembling ferns with only a few scattered leaves. However, each branch bore five or six thumb-sized red berries, which looked quite tempting
Atop the peak, the figure of Yuan Tianyi appeared somewhat blurred amidst the wind and rain, faint and solitary, as if the ink on a piece of paper were gradually dissolving, ready to vanish at any moment. In fact, from the moment thirty years ago when Yuan Tianyi stood at the cliff's edge against the mountain wind, Lao Zhaonan had always felt this way; he constantly doubted that one day he would suddenly be swept away by the wind, disappearing in an instant. Lao Zhaonan knew that at that time, Yuan Tianyi was already an existence at the pinnacle of this world, a figure like him had no intersection with ordinary cultivators, and those bewildered mountain spirits and ordinary people were even more distinctly separated from him. Yet, the Mouchazhu was the thing that bound him; that iron chain and the height of this nameless peak were the only rules he set for the youth, and he would absolutely not allow anything to alter the rules he had established under his watch. "Impudent!" Amidst the torrential wind and rain, Yuan Tianyi coldly uttered these two words, one hand slightly extending as if to catch the falling raindrops from the sky, and a faint red sword light suddenly appeared, cascading down from the mountaintop.
The cave, which could only accommodate one person bending down to enter, was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to discern its depth. The mountain wind stirred, carrying with it a damp, moldy scent. To an ordinary person, it would likely seem eerie and terrifying; however, the pure-hearted youth perceived it merely as a delightful resting spot. He thought that if he brought food tomorrow and climbed up here to rest well, he might gather enough strength to reach the peak. Even today, it could provide him shelter from the wind and rain. Thus, without further contemplation, he pushed aside the vines and crawled inside.
Except for the entrance dampened by the rain, the ground inside the cave was dry, showing no signs of snakes or insects. Initially, the cave became narrower as one ventured deeper, but after several zhang, it unexpectedly widened, revealing a faint light. The youth leaned against the stone wall and walked a bit further, and suddenly, the view opened up before him. He found himself in a cave measuring several tens of meters in circumference, with several openings at the top connecting to the outside. Rainwater cascaded down like a curtain of pearls, and the faint light emanated from those openings. The youth paused for a moment and then understood; no wonder the air inside the cave, apart from the damp and moldy smell near the entrance, felt completely unstuffed. It must be that the mountain wind blew in through the entrance and then rushed out through these openings, creating that eerie howling sound.
The young boy could not help but walk closer, just as he was about to reach out to pluck one to take a look, suddenly, a sharp hissing sound came from his left side
The entire Luofu was suddenly shrouded in a vast expanse, with layers of white mist rising above the dense greenery. Such a scene may never be witnessed by those accustomed to a life of luxury. However, the rainwater carried in by the mountain breeze quickly drenched the boy, who felt no poetic charm or picturesque beauty in his heart. After a bitter smile, the boy gritted his teeth and stood up, beginning to explore the cave.
As the storm approached rapidly, it was safer to descend the mountain quickly along the iron chain. However, the boy's curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but climb up instead. With a "crack," a protruding thorny bush tore his clothes and left a blood mark on his back, yet the boy let out a cheer. What lay before him was a cave mostly obscured by vines, and the strange sound he heard was the wind blowing into the cave.
This creature stands no taller than three feet, upright like a human, with two heads positioned left and right. Its features are distinct, with graying hair and a face covered in web-like wrinkles. If it were not for its pair of thin, fire-red eyes, its appearance would at most resemble that of an ugly old man, not shocking the world. The creature also possesses two hands and two feet, but both appear weak and frail, especially the hands, which seem to have atrophied, curled up like chicken claws against its chest. This makes its tail, which is striking and resembles that of a crocodile, the main support for its upright posture.
Once again, a chilling mountain wind swept through, amplifying the strange sounds. This time, the young man observed closely; not far above his head, several dry branches and leaves, caught by the wind, were swept away in a swirl, as if they had been swallowed by something.
Beneath the cave at the mountain's peak, clusters of shrubs thrive, and the sound of raindrops falling creates a rustling noise. At a glance, aside from a few jagged rocks, most of the cave's interior is relatively flat, providing ample space to rest. Who would have thought that the cave would reveal such a hidden paradise? The young man couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, even imagining that on sunny days, the sunlight outside would surely form beams of light that would fall upon these shrubs. Who would have thought that the cave would reveal such a hidden paradise? The young man couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, even imagining that on sunny days, the sunlight outside would surely form beams of light that would fall upon these shrubs.
The young man knew he was nearing his limit, and when he looked up, he was unaware of the distance that still lay ahead. However, there was not a trace of frustration or disappointment in his heart; instead, he thought to himself that this method was indeed effective, as he had already climbed to a height that was double what he usually achieved. If he could not reach the top today, he would try again tomorrow. As long as he could climb higher each day, there would eventually come a time when he would reach the summit.
From the perspective of color and brilliance, this pale red sword light seems incomparable to those flying swords of Mount Shu. However, just like the laws within Mount Luofu, sometimes the things that attract the least attention are the most dangerous and lethal
The young man retreated two steps instinctively, grasping the machete inserted at his waist. "Hiss!" A vicious expression suddenly appeared on the faces of the monster's two heads. In an instant, it leaped directly from the standing rock and pounced towards the young man. His heart contracted, and a chill ran down his spine as he raised the machete to strike at the monster. With a whoosh, the monster did not dodge; its tail swept towards him. The young man's machete struck like a blow against leather, leaving only a white mark on the monster's tail. The young man's heart contracted again, and a chill ran down his spine as he raised the machete to strike at the monster once more. With a whoosh, the monster remained unyielding, its tail sweeping towards him again. The young man's machete struck like a blow against leather, leaving only a white mark on the monster's tail. Although the monster appeared weak, its tail was incredibly powerful. The young man was jolted, half of his body went numb, blood flowed from his mouth, and he could no longer grip the machete, which clattered to the ground.
The sound suddenly echoed in the vast cave, startling the young man, who immediately turned his head. A cold sweat broke out all over him. He saw four fiery red eyes staring intently at him, and the owner of these four fiery red eyes turned out to be a creature with two heads, resembling neither human nor beast
The young man had just been stunned, his ears buzzing as if struck by thunder, when a faint red sword light appeared in his line of sight, slicing toward the monster.
Following the sound, the young man suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out to be a small gray monkey, which, after glancing at him with its bright, twinkling eyes, also disappeared into the thicket of rocks and trees, startled.
He may not be considered wise, yet he possesses a resilience and simplicity that most people lack. If it were another boy of his age, he might not even reach a third of the way. Now, as the boy grits his teeth and continues to climb, he remains vigilant, carefully observing his surroundings without a moment's relaxation. The area around the iron chain is overgrown with shrubs and vines, and the scenery and terrain differ from those below. Suddenly, a rustling sound startles the boy, and while he strives to steady himself on the iron chain with his left hand, his right hand swiftly grabs a machete that is tucked into his waist. Before climbing, the boy had already discarded all unnecessary items to lighten his load. The reason he still carries this machete is twofold: first, to cut through some obstructive thorns and shrubs to clear a path; and more importantly, one day during a previous climb, he had encountered a snake, with a color as withered as its surroundings, yet as thick as a child's arm, coiled among the vines beside him.
The young boy rolled with the momentum, grabbed a stone from the ground, and began to hurl it wildly at the monster. The monster was caught off guard and was struck twice by the boy, seemingly becoming even more enraged. With a loud "whoosh," the boy's eyes lit up as one of the monster's heads opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of blazing flames. The flames not only emitted a fierce energy but also caused the stones the boy threw next to sizzle and crackle from the intense heat, shattering them into pieces.
The dry branches and fallen leaves at the cave entrance had accumulated quite thickly, making the ground feel as soft as cotton. As the young man stepped firmly onto the ground, he felt a sense of relief in his heart, and his whole body seemed to collapse as he sat down heavily at the cave entrance. After sitting for just a moment, raindrops began to fall like pearls that had come loose from a string.
"Oh no, it's going to rain!" The young boy had just sheathed the firewood axe he found in the Miao Yi cabin back at his waist when a fierce and strong mountain wind swept through, nearly blowing him off the iron chain, leaving him drenched in cold sweat. In an instant, the previously sunny mountainside was suddenly shrouded in dark clouds, and the sky turned pitch black.
I refuse to die like this! After finally finding a foothold, I encounter such a monster! In the cave, as he watched the monster pounce towards him, the boy's heart was filled with unwillingness and resentment! In an instant, his eyes turned blood red, like an injured lone wolf, even if he had no strength left, he would still use his teeth to bite his opponent. "Impudent!" But at that moment, the voice of Yuan Tianyi thundered down from the sky.
Suddenly, the boy heard such a strange sound in his ears again. This sound was as if someone in the distance was blowing a huge conch shell, both loud and hollow
That pale red sword light was surprisingly faster than sound
Compared to a few days ago, aside from becoming somewhat familiar with the terrain below one-third of the steep peak and knowing which routes would be less strenuous to climb, the boy's physical condition has actually deteriorated slightly. He has clearly sustained no fewer than ten visible wounds, most of which were incurred during the first day of climbing. At that time, the boy was determined not to give up, and when he was utterly exhausted, he could barely hold onto the chains, relying instead on the friction between his hands and feet and the iron chains to slide down. The climate between the Luofu Mountains is humid and warm, and now most of these wounds have become red, swollen, and pus-filled. Any slight movement or pulling results in excruciating pain. The adverse conditions do not end there; the food supplies in the Miao Yi hut where he is resting can only last for another three or four days at most. Over the past two days, the boy has had to spend considerable time searching for food in an area teeming with venomous snakes, insects, and wild beasts. Although he has devised a method to tie himself to the iron chains with a cloth rope to rest when he is utterly exhausted, this cannot fully restore his strength. By the time he has climbed to this height near the mountainside, he feels as if his hands and feet are as heavy as lead. Initially, after securing himself and resting for a while, he could ascend another seven or eight meters before needing to rest again. However, now, after climbing just two or three meters, he is forced to stop and rest once more.
It can still breathe fire! The young man was horrified to the extreme, and suddenly realized that there were no stones left to throw around him. Moreover, he was utterly exhausted, to the point that he didn't even have the strength to stand up and run