Chapter 5, The Forbidden Land of the Qi Gate

Yang Jin asked: "What have you written?"

Zhou Fei was startled by his sudden voice

"It is not just this one that is a joke," Li Sheng said, "What is the name of the Huo family's seal? Do you still remember? That seal is called 'Shen Du', don't you think these two characters sound like someone's personal seal or casual stamp? As for what is referred to as 'the token of the fortress master', everyone only heard Huo Liantao say it himself. I have always found this matter puzzling. Isn't the Huo family fortress just a sect established by the old fortress master along with a group of disciples learning the arts? The old fortress master was merely well-connected and never considered himself the leader of the martial world. The fact that many came to affiliate with the Yueyang Huo family was only after the death of Beidou Lianzhen a few years ago—so why would the old fortress master have made such a large token back then for no reason?"

However, if this is truly the case, the Daoists of the Qi Sect would be lacking in integrity

Zhou Fei took the cane, gritted her teeth, and propped herself up, feeling like an old woman in her dotage. The wooden stick poked the ground, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Seeing this, Aunt Chun opened her mouth, eager to step forward to help, but was stopped by Ying He with a wave of his hand.

Zhou Fei waved his hand to indicate that it was unnecessary, and then said: "Hero Yin has changed countless swords in his lifetime, all of which are merely goods made by hiring others, without any inscriptions. Did not Madam Ni Chang's 'Drinking Deep in the Snow' end up being given to Hero Yin later? I think it is mostly because she saw Hero Yin casually buying one from Master Chen afterwards"

Zhou Fei was drenched in sweat from the pain of her injuries and the effects of that unscrupulous proprietary wound medicine. At that moment, she was relying solely on her last breath to hold on. Upon hearing the cold remark from the "doctor," she was instantly filled with rage, feeling that if she had even a bit of strength left, she would definitely give him a stab.

As soon as the girl's voice fell, a large group of beggars, consisting of men, women, and children, gathered around, all peering curiously at Zhou Fei.

In the corner of the wall, there was an exceptionally smooth small mirror, beside which was a cluster of transparent water jade, each with sharp edges. The light from the torch hanging on the wall fell down, was reflected by the small mirror, and passed through the layers of water jade, just converging into a point that landed on a tile next to several large boxes

Zhou Fei lowered her gaze and glanced at him

The water ripple effect and the antiquing, even the minute scratches on the sword sheath are indistinguishable... Let alone these outsiders, even if Yin Pei were to come in person, he would likely be momentarily bewildered.

Zhou Fei felt a tickling sensation in her teeth, crushing the shock and the faint sense of mutual understanding she had just experienced into a ball and trampling it underfoot—this brat with the surname Ying was still the same annoying bastard!

The Huo family's seal of caution has made an appearance in Yongzhou, causing quite a stir. The same goes for the Mountain and River Sword.

Zhou Fei felt that she could sleep until the end of time, and it would be best to just lie there and rot in the mud, so as to avoid having to get up and die again in the future

This... has never been tried before," he pondered for a moment and said with difficulty, "It's... cough... hard to say.

The descendants of mountains and rivers are surrounded by ulterior motives throughout their lives. Born weak and unable to resist, they can only resort to maliciously speculating about others.

Zhou Fei asked, "What?"

As he spoke, he opened the envelope and scanned through it rapidly. Suddenly, he fell silent. After a while, he handed the letter to Li Sheng beside him and said softly, "I apologize, it seems I was being petty just now."

Ying He frowned as he picked up the mother insect, which was in a state of complete dismemberment.

Yang Jin and Ying He Cong both gathered together. Yang Jin's Broken Goose Blade had become dull from chopping, and while feeling distressed, he also wanted to find a temporary substitute. However, after searching the area thoroughly, he found not a single sword, only scabbards. He then expressed his disappointment, saying: "What kind of forbidden place is this? It looks more like a storage cellar."

He spoke as his fingers probed the edge, gently lifting it, and unexpectedly pulled out a letter from within

Zhou Fei said: "Oh"

Zhou Fei did not wait for him to finish his words, but abruptly grabbed his collar. She herself did not know where the strength came from; just a moment ago, she was moving slowly step by step, yet now she effortlessly lifted Ying Hecong with one hand and pressed him, asking: "What does it mean to make a hundred poisons retreat?"

In the valley filled with tens of thousands of enemies, Zhou Fei was utterly fearless, even asserting to Li Cheng that she would certainly not die. However, now that she has taken refuge in a safe place, an uncontrollable shiver unexpectedly arises from within her. She originally possessed two streams of true energy; despite her internal injuries, they had been continuously circulating and healing autonomously since she awoke. At this moment, suddenly, it felt as if her energy reservoir had been depleted. If it were not for her meridians being severely weakened due to injury, there would be faint signs of her going into a state of demonic deviation.

As they spoke, the group slowly arrived at the place where Li Sheng and the others had just been. They saw a small door opened in the stone wall, leading to a hidden world within, with no end in sight.

Zhou Fei's heart suddenly sank, as if a cold iron hammer had struck her chest

This, ah, Spring Aunt seemed to sense her doubts and smiled, "It was the great hero Li who brought us here to find this place. It is truly wonderful; there are pots, bowls, and pans, everything you could need. There is a box filled with many good materials, and quite a bit of old grain. Although it is not very fresh, with a good sifting, it can still be eaten. It seems that someone used to live here regularly! Come, let me wipe the sweat off your brow.

It is said that after Yin Pei released the Nirvana Gu, he used that poison to kill the Daoist Chongyun, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Li Sheng said softly, as he half-knelt while holding an arm, he turned over the corpse's face, carefully distinguishing the distorted features of the person. After a long time, he could not discern anything, and finally gave up, slowly shaking his head and saying, "The distortion is too severe; I cannot recognize whether this person is indeed Daoist Chongyun."

Ying He held a mountain and river sword sheath and said, "So that means that this mountain and river sword sheath, which has been fiercely contested by many, was later matched and is not the work of Master Chen. I am pondering something: Ying Pei had been here before, and it is said that his martial arts were quite low when he did not possess the Nirvana Gu. If at that time, Senior Qi had taken action to exchange the mountain and river sword sheath on him, do you think he would have been unaware of it?"

The man, who had practiced martial arts similar to Baguazhang, appeared to be of considerable age. Ying He was flipping over the corpse, examining several vital areas, but found no obvious wounds, which left him somewhat puzzled

Zhou Fei attempted to move slightly and was astonished to discover that she could not muster any strength in her waist

"Are you saying that these predecessors all died due to the Sea and Sky Covenant, and were silenced?" Zhou Fei said, "I have thought about this as well, but later found it illogical. If those who caused their deaths are the same people who made the covenant with them back then, that person must possess extraordinary skills. Since he can kill invisibly, why would he allow the Sea and Sky tokens to fall into the hands of others? If it were me, I certainly would not sit idly by while the Sea and Sky tokens ended up in the hands of Zheng Luosheng, who is known for his ruthlessness."

The white smoke in the box resembled a lingering vengeful spirit, surging fiercely towards the top of the stone chamber, and then suddenly dissipating. Zhou Fei and the others waited for a moment; when the box showed no further signs of activity, they approached to investigate. Inside the empty octagonal box, they saw a piece of silk cloth, on which the shape of an insect had been pressed.

After she finished speaking, she no longer looked at Li Sheng, steadied herself after swaying a couple of times, and walked away with uneven steps.

A young boy next to him responded and immediately ran away.

Zhou Fei was taken aback, as Mu Xiao Qiao had once told her that the legend of the sea and sky becoming one was becoming increasingly absurd. They, the witnesses, began to belatedly consider reclaiming the tokens that had been passed down to future generations. Yin Pei's martial arts were lacking at first, and later his character was also wanting, so it made sense for the Qi Sect to want to retrieve the sword sheath from him.

Li Sheng arranged the sword sheaths with the fronts facing up in a row: "What do you see?"

At that time, Yin Pei was injured by the remnants of the Qinglong and was taken in and treated by the Qimen, like a stray dog. Naturally, Daoist Chongyun could see that he was narrow-minded and had an extreme temperament, compounded by the fact that he was born with an illness, making it fundamentally difficult for him to practice martial arts. Yin Pei believed that the Shanchuan Sword was a very important relic left by his late father, yet he did not understand what "Haitian Yise" truly was. Lacking the ability to protect himself, when the Shanchuan Sword sheath was in his hands, would it not be akin to a child holding a gold bar?

"I thought we were saved," said Chun Gu, "Alas, who would have known that this good fortune would not last long? Those beasts barged in again, initially sweet-talking us. We are just ordinary commoners, how could we dare to oppose the court? Naturally, whatever they said was taken as truth. However, they became increasingly overbearing, treating us more and more like pigs and dogs. In the end, they even herded us into one place, forcibly dragging the women away to the western camp for their amusement."

A few people exchanged glances for a moment, and Yang Jin incredulously said: "So what? Don't tell me that there is no such thing as 'the sea and sky merging into one' in this world."

Zhou Fei sighed, "At that time, Yin Pei will be like a drop of water entering the sea, safe and sound"

Li Sheng then remembered something and hurriedly covered the insect corpse with his old clothes, pale as he advised: "This... this is Young Master Xie, a fortunate person will have the protection of heaven. A mere worm of poison may not truly be of any use. In any case, the North Army is outside, and we cannot go out. It is just right for us to thoroughly search this forbidden area before my uncle and the others arrive. Who knows..."

Li Sheng carefully observed her expression: "Are you... alright?"

Zhou Fei had just bounced out of the secret passage, causing her waist wound to split open. The blood mixed with the unique golden wound medicine of the Ying family, making it truly both painful and itchy, a sensation that could almost send one to heaven. She held back a face full of indescribable pain and said: "Don't mention it, I just want to take its life right now"

Zhou Fei seemed to be lost in thought—this means that the valley built outside the Qi Gate had taken shape many years ago. The Taoists of the Qi Gate anticipated a day of turmoil and had early on revealed the location of this place to the border residents who had once shown them kindness.

Indeed, when we first entered, Brother Yang had been holding the torch for me to illuminate the way. Li Sheng placed the torch back into the groove, the flame flickering intermittently, the light wavering subtly, appearing and disappearing, quite erratic.

At this moment, a voice from the side interjected: "I had no choice but to disguise myself as a woman, and I apologize for the abruptness."

Throughout his life, he can truly be described as lacking both literary and martial accomplishments. Aside from his ability to raise snakes, he has learned very little about the furs and skins of the Great Medicine Valley. However, by a twist of fate, he became the only survivor, forced to swallow his blood and tears, desperately seeking the remnants of the lost heritage, leaving no trace overlooked. Upon reflecting on this, Zhou Fei could not help but feel speechless. She had always thought that she had done all the foolish things in the world for Xie San, but little did she know that in the martial world, there are hidden talents, and there exists someone even more foolish than herself.

The refugees quickly cleared a path for them, and Li Sheng's voice suddenly halted—he noticed that the stone wall there had caved in, likely triggered by someone's careless touch, revealing a small path inside

Zhou Fei took a step and rested for half a day, seizing the opportunity to look around at the legendary "unknown land." Suddenly, she discovered a copy of the "Tao Te Ching" inscribed on a stone wall amidst a diagram of the Eight Trigrams. Thousands of characters were carved into the stone, and Zhou Fei couldn't help but stop and examine it closely. She found that this "Tao Te Ching" was identical to the one given to her by Chongxiaozai years ago. At first glance, the writing appeared very hasty, with dots, horizontal strokes, and slanted lines flying chaotically, yet it contained a set of unknown internal martial arts principles.

Before she could finish her words, the little snake "slithered" out of her hand and fled without looking back—this little creature was quite convincing in its act of playing dead

Everyone followed the direction of his finger and saw something in the corner reflecting light in reverse

That group of Northern soldiers, in their ignorance, actually regarded him as a fresh and delicate young lady

At that moment, someone not far away shouted, "I have broken through the formation!"

Having wasted sixty years, I now find myself at this point, where the fleeting life is about to cease and the great dream is just awakening. It is only then that I realize I have spent the brief moments of time worrying about the long span of generations, lamenting the insignificance of an ant while contemplating the vastness of heaven and earth. What is there to say? It only adds to the laughter. "The small borderland venomous insects are merely a side path used for parasitic transmission of skills. They can cause mischief, play tricks, and are laughable, laughable! Their saliva does have some remarkable uses, capable of repelling a hundred poisons. Although this place is clean, there are many insects and scorpions. The young friends who have long resided here often suffer from the dual poisons of dampness and cold, leading to stagnation in their meridians. One can use a small amount of venom from these insects, along with methods to assist the dual energies of yin and yang to dispel it. The nature of venomous insects is treacherous, so please be cautious and remember..." What are you doing?

"What is there to say?" Spring Aunt laughed and said, "If it weren't for you all, my brother and I would have lost our lives. We fled from the north, thinking we would starve to death. It was kind-hearted people who were fleeing with us that saved us, took us in, and brought us here along the way.

Oh, really!

He said that he once went to seek out the voodoo grave and the ruins of the Nirvana cult from back in the day, and then spent several years in the Valley of Herbs, studying ancient voodoo necromancy, in order to... " He paused, furrowing his long brows, " to find out whether there truly exists a method of resurrection in this world.

Zhou Fei raised an eyebrow upon seeing him waving three or four old scabbards in his hand, all of which were identical to the one that Yin Pei carried with him, the Shanchuan sword scabbard

Ying He and Li Sheng, along with others, surrounded the corpse of the Nirvana Mother Gu, chattering about something that Zhou Fei could not hear at all. Suddenly, she inexplicably recalled a line from the letter left by Lu Run: "All things are but fodder, only humans indulge in their own emotions, arrogantly considering themselves intelligent, unaware that they are merely beasts of the Six Paths! How cruel is fate!"

Zhou Fei asked: "Is he the Taoist of the guide?"

Zhou Fei squeezed out three words from between her teeth: "Speak human language"

The quack stood there, speaking nonchalantly: "She rolls around all day in the midst of wind, knives, and frost, looking quite formidable. How could she possibly die so easily? There's no need to worry about her."

Zhou Fei's fingers tightened even more: "You said the same thing about 'Tough Bone Green' when you were in Yongzhou before. You claimed it is the foremost of all poisons, and those who are afflicted by Tough Bone Green need not worry about others... So what happens when Tough Bone Green encounters Nirvana Gu poison?"

The other three were taken aback by these words, each falling into a contemplative silence.

Zhou Fei tilted his head and saw Ying Hecong walking over. He had already undone the inexplicable braid on his head. Although he had not had time to change his clothes, as long as he did not deliberately conceal his voice and demeanor, it was still possible for people to see that he was merely a handsome young man.

Zhou Fei fell silent for a moment, suddenly threw him aside, and turned to leave. She simply disregarded her crutch and swiftly hopped out of the seven gates on one leg, dragging Li Sheng, who was directing the digging, up with her: "Where is that Nirvana Gu mother you casually rolled up? Give it to me, and also, there must be other secret doors here, turn them all over and see if there are any records about 'Yin and Yang Qi' in the forbidden area of the Qi Gate."

"Let’s skip this nonsense," Zhou Fei said, "And then? He studied so many ancient witchcraft texts, what did he discover? Surely the Nirvana Gu must have some purpose? Otherwise, why would the Qi clan have preserved this source of calamity for so many years?"

One should consider that being immersed for many years in venomous snakes and poisons inevitably leads to a somewhat unconventional mindset, often prompting one to associate situations with schemes and deceptions

Zhou Fei asked, "How did you end up with such a demeanor?"

Upon receiving the lit torch, He Cong recited, "Since I was young and orphaned, I have received great kindness from my teachers. My name 'Run' represents my duty to nourish my body, propagate my teachings, and uphold my principles. At the age of twenty, I became a teacher myself, and my youthful arrogance led me to believe that I had achieved something great. I spoke of 'the world' and 'the people' without restraint..."

"Take a look at this." Li Sheng, with one arm awkwardly clutching a large pile of sword sheaths, had no choice but to drop them all on the ground. "There are plenty more of these sheaths over there—I must say, this place is truly remarkable. Just leaning against any wall can lead one into a trap formation. Even if you have learned a bit, you would still find yourself stuck inside for half a day, so I advise everyone not to wander around."

He knocked on the ground tiles and said: "Empty."

Li Sheng finished reading the letter and said: "Daoist Chongyun and Yin Pei had proposed that the Mountain and River Sword Sheath be kept by the Qi Sect, but it seems that Yin Pei misunderstood something and vehemently opposed it. Daoist Chongyun found it inappropriate to press further, so he had no choice but to seek a compromise and came up with this rather ineffective solution. Unfortunately..."

Who would have thought we were so lucky to have a Snake Hero... oh, no, it's Snake Master. Chun Gu stuck out her tongue and said, "Those scoundrels, as soon as they approach the Northwest camp, will inexplicably get bitten by snakes, and sprinkling realgar won't help. Hehe, they don't even know what's going on; they think they are possessed by evil spirits."

What should I do when the spring maiden raises her eyebrows: "You see."

Why was it only after she killed the Nirvana Gu that she was able to enter the forbidden area of the Qi Gate and find the legacy of Master Lü?

Zhou Fei has always been one to act more and think less, and she is certainly not at the age where she is obsessed with the theories of fate. However, all of a sudden, she inexplicably recalled the elders in the village who often spoke of "auspiciousness and misfortune".

Zhou Fei lightly frowned

Zhou Fei suddenly felt a jolt, as if a dam had burst in her memory, recalling where she was. She raised her hand to reach for the knife at her waist, only to find nothing there. She abruptly opened her eyes and found herself staring at the dirty face of a young girl.

For the first time in her life, she encountered the so-called "fate has its own design"

Zhou Fei then noticed that she seemed to be underground, with an extremely wide field of vision. The torches around her had already been lit, no wonder the echoes of the fleeing people were so loud. The girl in front of her was not afraid of her; she scooped a bowl of some sticky substance from a large pot beside her and leaned closer, saying: "This pot is too heavy; I almost spilled it just now. Come on, drink a little; it has both medicine and water in it."

"The Mountain and River Sword' is actually not a sword, but refers to the hero Yin himself," Zhou Fei corrected, feeling a bit curious about what a pile of Mountain and River Sword sheaths would look like. She supported herself with one leg and a cane, slowly moving towards the path taken by Li Cheng and the others.

Zhou Fei raised her hand, using her cane to pin the snake at its seven-inch mark, lifting the small serpent into her grasp. The slender snake thrashed wildly in her hand, and if it could speak, it would likely be screaming "Help!" in a frenzy.

I entrusted the traveling gang to investigate the forbidden area of the Qi Gate, but unexpectedly, the news somehow leaked. The few men from the traveling gang who helped me were all killed. The murderer is likely an assassin, stubbornly believing that I must know something, relentlessly pursuing me. Fortunately, the snakes I raised alerted me several times in advance. Once, I was trapped in an inn, and I had run out of medicinal powder, with no time to prepare more. With no other options, I had to disguise myself in women's clothing and escape among a group of women fleeing from the jaws of danger. Little did I know, by sheer coincidence, I was brought to this valley by them.

In the stone chamber, there were several large chests, filled to the brim with identical sword sheaths

Ying He was taken aback: "That is indeed the case"

Zhou Fei exchanged glances with the several stone statues, momentarily hesitating to step inside.

Although Chun Gu spoke a lot, it was evident that she was accustomed to serving others. She deftly administered a bowl of medicine to Zhou Fei, neither choking her nor spilling a single drop. Afterwards, the girl hummed a little tune and took out a piece of plain fine silk. Zhou Fei couldn't help but cast a curious glance at the piece of silk.

Ying He looked at her strangely and said, "Am I the only one left in the Great Medicine Valley? What else could it be?"

Over the years, she has endured hardships and challenges while living outside, which has made her overly alert. Even when her consciousness drifts in the air, she can still be startled by the incessant rustling sounds in unfamiliar surroundings. Zhou Fei, feeling a bit dazed yet somewhat awake, instinctively moved slightly, only to be met with a sharp pain that caused her vision to darken. Instinctively fearful, she immediately wished to faint again, but unexpectedly, someone nearby carelessly placed something on the ground, resulting in a loud crash that jolted her fully awake.

Ying He had run ahead in no time. Fortunately, Chun Gu had fed Zhou Fei porridge and medicine, so she had regained some strength and was slowly making her way forward with a cane, moving step by step between the guiding wooden stakes. In this underground valley, the walls and ground were covered with Bagua diagrams and strategically placed stones and wooden stakes, making Zhou Fei feel dizzy. Fortunately, Li Cheng and the others had explored the nearby paths while she was unconscious, marking the ground with numerous small stakes to indicate a route for her. The walls and ground were covered with Bagua diagrams and strategically placed stones and wooden stakes, making Zhou Fei feel dizzy. Fortunately, Li Cheng and the others had explored the nearby paths while she was unconscious, marking the ground with numerous small stakes to indicate a route for her.

Li Sheng whispered, "Be careful!"

"No one knows," Zhou Fei pointed to the wall, "so these are carved by ghosts?"

Zhou Fei was not very accustomed to being taken care of, and she turned her head slightly: "Miss, you need not be so..."

The girl was startled, then widened her eyes and shouted in a thick accent of unknown origin: "She is awake!"

Before he finished speaking, a sudden scream came from outside

"That is impossible, there must be a connection between the sea and the sky." He continued, "The deaths of Shan Chuan Jian and Li Lao Zhai Master both have their doubts. Where did the poison that Huo Liantao used to frame Huo Laobao come from? To this day, there is no evidence to support the claims. After General Wu Fei's death, his wife and children have been relentlessly pursued by Beidou; how did the news leak? And what about Qi Men, which has remained hidden for many years? It has finally revealed its traces. If one of these incidents were a coincidence, I would believe it, but surely not so many events can all be coincidences."

Unfortunately, there was no time to make Yin Peiming understand his heartfelt intentions, and Yin Pei's obsession and hatred awakened the Nirvana Gu worm

Zhou Fei suddenly realized and thought to herself: So this is what my martial arts practice has been called all these years

Stay close to me, there are three layers of formations stacked here, ever-changing. It took us nearly an hour to figure our way out just now.

Zhou Fei was momentarily shocked by his nonchalant description, and incredulously asked, "You... did you find all this out by yourself?"

Lu Runhua spent several hundred words writing about his life experiences due to fate and chance. The tone is quite normal, the handwriting is neat and well-structured, yet the content is rather mystical, with every three sentences revolving around "seeking immortality" and "transcendence"

It will come to find me by itself in a while. She rolled up her sleeves, stood on tiptoe to touch the inscriptions on the stone wall, and murmured, "This seems to be 'Ancient Voodoo Script'"

Li Sheng sighed: "Come here, brother will carry you."

He threw her a cane made from a carved stick and said, "There are still many strange formations inside this. Your brother and the others just wandered around and got stuck in a corner for quite a while, unable to get out. Do you want to take a look?"

He then spoke at length: "I went to investigate the life of this 'Qinghui Zhenren' and discovered that before obtaining the Nirvana Gu, he seemed to be an obscure figure, someone who had put in considerable effort to unearth his true identity—he turned out to be a descendant of the Shanchuan Sword, which I believe you already know, so I need not elaborate further. I lingered at the foot of Mount Heng for quite some time and finally gathered a few clues. It is said that he was severely injured in the past and was rescued by several Taoist priests. There are only a few well-known Taoist temples, and you can count them on your fingers. Among them, only the Qimen Zhuyin Mountain is not far from the Xiang River, and it seems that the first to die at the hands of Qinghui Zhenren, 'Baihu Zhu' Feng Feihua, also operated in this vicinity after leaving the Living and Dead Mountain. The Qimen is known for employing those strange techniques of the Eight Trigrams, which aligns perfectly with what Master Lü's writings refer to as 'places unknown to man.' At this point, all the clues matched up, and I speculated that Master Lü's final location must be the forbidden ground of the Qimen."

Wait, Brother Yang, don't touch it!" Li Sheng hurriedly called out to him

Yang Jin felt as if his head had split into two, completely bewildered and at a loss for words. He aimlessly wandered around, picked up a mountain river sword sheath from the side, weighed it in his hand, and said: "Hey, is the old Taoist you mentioned out of his mind? Since he thinks that sword sheath is a disaster in Yin Pei's hands, and he doesn't covet that kid's belongings, why not destroy it in front of him and make things clear? Instead of speaking directly, they create so much unnecessary trouble... Once this junk is out, Yin Pei is safe, but what about 'the sea and sky in one color'? Isn't that going to cause even more uproar? If they believe that sword sheath is a disaster in Yin Pei's hands, and they don't covet that kid's belongings, why not destroy it in front of him and make things clear? Instead of speaking directly, they create so much unnecessary trouble... Once this junk is out, Yin Pei is safe, but what about 'the sea and sky in one color'? Isn't that going to cause even more uproar? It's redundant."

No.Spring Gu busily brought a bowl of rice porridge, blew it cool, and fed it to Zhou Fei. Then she said, "But it is said to be related to Taoists. There was an old man a few years ago who had a Taoist come to his house to ask for water to drink. At that time, his family was still well-off. When he saw the monk, he invited him in and gave him a meal to eat. When the Taoists were leaving, they gave him a map and said that if he encountered difficulties in the future, he could follow the map to find a place to stay. The old man didn't pay much attention to it at the time, but later when trouble really broke out, he remembered this thing and hurriedly gathered his relatives and friends along the way to follow the map and find the place. When they arrived in the valley, they discovered that more than one group of people had come before them, and all the people who had come, whether by chance or not, had offered some form of tribute to the Taoists. The stories were similar."

No wonder my snake didn't feel anything, Why are you squinting and staring at the knife on the insect's body? It turns out it's already dead. Zhou Daxia, Look at this knife... Did you cut it?

Okay, Afei. Why do you always pick fights as soon as you wake up? Yang is right, that's the problem. Li Sheng shook the torch in his hand, and countless tiny dust particles passed through the flames, making a crackling sound. The winding and confusing path in the secret passage came to an end, and they arrived at a small stone room.

Why is the voice getting lower and lower, but the eyes are getting brighter and brighter? He knelt carefully on the ground, almost lying on the piece of silk, murmuring, "Ming Run... This, this is Master Lu's authentic work!"

At the entrance of the stone chamber, there are five stone statues, each taller than a person. The statues have human faces on top, but their necks are connected to the bodies of five poisonous creatures, with vividly lifelike snake and scorpion tails. The faces of the statues express either anger or joy, both emanating an indescribable sense of strangeness.

Because of the Nirvana Gu. What should we do? "I didn't know at first, but later I saw in the batch of medicinal valley classics you sent, there was a book called "Records of Strange Tales" which recorded the incredible things that Master Lu had seen and heard throughout his life. It looked like a folk myth. You may not have read it carefully, but there is a chapter called "Demon and Ghosts" which mentions the "Nirvana Sect" and the Nirvana Gu. At the end of the chapter, there are some small characters added by Master Lu later, vaguely saying that he left this evil obstacle out of curiosity and later raised it due to some inner demons. Now it seems like a root of calamity... It wasn't until then that I suspected that the so-called "Qinghui True Person" may have visited the place where Master Lu "ascended to heaven" in the past."

You haven't seen a more playful side of you. Zhou Fei said, "General Wu's token is the delicate Longevity Lock, not made of gold, just a worthless small silver lock. The one my grandfather left behind is even more absurd. When I went home last year to help my mother organize old things, she showed it to me once. It's simply the bracelet she wore when she was a child, so ugly that it's impossible to wear, too small even for me. Besides melting it down to make something new, there's no apparent value. If Kou Dan knew that what she desperately sought back then were these two things, she'd probably be able to come back to life."

Zhou Fei found it inconvenient to move around, so she stepped aside and watched others dig without much interest. She lifted a crutch with one hand and held a torch with the other, walking into the dark doorway where the dried corpse fell out. Passing through a narrow path, Zhou Fei found the interior unbelievably deep, with seven stone doors. Although the mechanisms on the wall had been destroyed, the exposed parts still dazzled her. If it weren't for Yin Pei's previous intrusion, it would have been really difficult to enter this place. Zhou Fei couldn't help but slow down and be slightly on guard.

This is "Wu Du Wu Sheng". She didn't know when he walked behind her and said, "It is an evil god from the frontier. The border people who believe in witchcraft worship them to avoid being harmed by poisonous insects... ... But later, they were borrowed by the "Nirvana Sect" to deceive people.

Upon hearing these words, the person who caught up exclaimed in shock, "What? The Nirvana Gu Mother is on you? Impossible!"

Zhou Fei said, "Master Chen is a renowned master in the present age. Some of the weapons are custom-made by others, such as the Wàngchūnshān and Yǐnchénxuě, which are both heirlooms. However, there are some that are rather deceptive, simply made with a random mix of materials, lacking dedication, without inscriptions or marks. They are fitted with wooden scabbards and sold to make ends meet. I heard Master Chen say that what Hero Yin bought was the kind of 'to make ends meet' sword. Lady Níshang should have understood later on. Given Hero Yin's level at that time, if he were to hold a piece of iron, that piece of iron would be the 'Mountain and River Sword,' regardless of anything else. It would seem deliberate to present a famous sword as a gift... But this is just my speculation and may not be accurate."

Ah, yes, Snake Lady... um, the snake. The hero gave you a unique medicine called Jin Chuang Yao. He said it works quickly, but the wound may feel numb and you may have difficulty moving at first. Don't worry, I'll feed it to you.The girl spoke quickly and handed the bowl with a missing piece to Zhou Fei. "My name is Chun Gu, no surname. If you need anything, just tell me. I say, don't crowd around her. Xiao Hu, go tell the Snake Hero and the others."

He struggled to move his neck with difficulty: "Literally... haven't you heard of fighting poison with poison? Let me go!"

After finishing his words, he swaggered forward, completely unaware of the need to slow down and wait for the injured.

Zhou Fei was taken aback, not expecting such a convoluted reason behind it.

Zhou Fei gritted her teeth and said: "Those who raise snakes, be careful in the future, do not fall into my hands"

"Excuse me, please make way." As he approached, he half-squatted down to examine the corpse closely. The snake he had kept close to his body slowly peeked out its small head, looking outside. However, as if it had encountered a natural enemy, the little snake suddenly froze, quickly retreating back into the sleeve of its venomous master, trembling in fear.

"You mean..." Ying Hecong immediately realized something, his eyes widening slightly. He hurriedly turned over the hand of the corpse, only to find a three-inch-long gash on the back of the hand. The shriveled human skin hung loosely over the bones, resembling a flour sack that had been bitten through by a rat. Ying Hecong then flipped the corpse over and saw another similar gash on the back of its neck. "Nirvana Gu!"

Ying He coldly glanced at her and said: "What a question to ask, the mother insect has long since died, where would one find the venom? You might as well go to the place where the Gu insects were slain back then and scrape the ground."

Zhou Fei pressed her hand firmly against her forehead, forcibly diverting her gaze from the rocky mountain, and saw Li Cheng and the others running towards her along the narrow path dotted with small wooden stakes

The assassin, obsessed with the forbidden land of the Qi Gate, knew that Feng Wuyan was someone extraordinary. She thought for a moment and found it quite reasonable—who was Feng Wuyan, the "Black Judge"? Naturally, he would not pay attention to a group of destitute refugees. How could he have imagined that the secret realm he yearned for was in the hands of these insignificant beings? It was likely that he missed the only opportunity of his life. At that time, having lost the trace of where to go, Feng Wuyan must have sought other avenues. Coincidentally, he encountered the various sects besieging Yin Pei at Liu Family Village, intending to take advantage of the situation, but unexpectedly, through a twist of fate, he ended up entangled with her.

A layer of dust had settled on the corpse, yet the surface of the skin surprisingly showed no signs of decay. A thin layer of skin clung tightly to the skeleton, clearly outlining the shapes of the joints and bones

Yang Jin leaned over and said: "Is this jade water or ice..."

Zhou Fei observed his expression, feeling so tense that her palms began to sweat, and asked: "How is it? Is there still any of the poison mentioned in Master Lü's will?"

After several years apart, the skills of the poison doctor in seeking a fight are even more formidable than in the past

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a precious item is a crime." Where should we go from here? These sword sheaths were originally prepared for Yin Pei. If they were to circulate, there would be countless 'Mountain and River Sword Sheaths' in the martial world, and at that time, no one would be able to distinguish the real from the fake

Yang Jin shouted again: "I see there is nothing new here, aren't you looking for traces of the Nirvana Gu? Are you going or not?"

It is said that the Mountain River Sword was crafted by Master Chen from Penglai, Li Sheng remarked, yet the sword itself has long been lost, leaving behind only a scabbard.

Zhou Fei: "... ..."

Zhou Fei raised an eyebrow: "Impressive, Southern Barbarians, you even know the term 'buying the case and returning the pearl'?"

"Do not disturb your internal energy within a short period of time. Your internal strength is solid; although you have some internal injuries, it is unclear what the cause is. However, it seems to have a sense of breaking and then rebuilding, so I believe the issue is not significant." After saying this, Ying He looked at Zhou Fei and sincerely praised, "Miss Zhou, you truly can withstand a beating."

Between the characters, there were numerous marks resembling those made by axes and knives on stone blocks, as if someone had vented their frustration by hacking away at them. However, upon closer inspection, Zhou Fei felt that amidst the chaotic marks, something seemed to be on the verge of emerging, and a chilling sense of battle intent suddenly surged forth.

She recalled the past in Duan Jiuniang's small courtyard, where she was left in a state of despair, unable to live or die at the hands of that madwoman. With a sense of nostalgia, she looked down and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh!" She noticed that the first half of the Qiwu Jue was identical to what Chongxiaozu had given her, but the second half had undergone changes

Li Sheng hung one arm and danced with excitement, saying: "Ah Fei! Oh, you woke up quite quickly, you scared me to death, you know? Hurry and look at what we found!"

The poison doctor, feeling somewhat wronged, covered his own hand and stole a glance at Zhou Fei, yet remained silent

Awake, awake!

A piece of a personal play seal, a box that holds a sword, a worthless silver lock, and a bracelet belonging to a young girl... In the most mysterious forbidden area of the Qimen in the world, they laid out the greatest secret of the present martial world, "Haitian Yise," and as they discussed it, the more absurd it seemed, as if the legendary "Haitian Yise" was merely a joke.

Li Sheng noticed that her complexion was off, and quickly raised his hand to interrupt Ying Hecong: "Wait a moment... Ah Fei?"

One might feel invulnerable to all poisons, yet still reach out, only to be thwarted by Zhou Fei's swift maneuver.

What could be the reason for this

A few individuals inadvertently discovered such a roundabout truth, leaving them momentarily speechless, and they all fell silent for a moment. After a while, Ying Heceng spoke again: "But don't you find it strange? Such a sword sheath, it doesn't require a master craftsman; an ordinary artisan can replicate as many as they want as long as they have a mold. Tell me, would it be too frivolous for Yin Wenlan, who allied with the Sea and Sky, to use this sword sheath—this 'box'—as a token of trust?"

Zhou Feiqi said: "But aren't you from the Great Medicine Valley? Why are you also searching for the Forbidden Land of the Qi Gate?"

Why was it precisely she who personally split the Nirvana Gu?

Li Sheng, urged by Zhou Fei, frantically searched for a long time before finally retrieving the Nirvana Gu Mother wrapped in old clothes from a small personal pouch. The three of them squatted on the ground, staring at the mother insect that Zhou Fei had sliced in half with a single strike.

Zhou Fei had one leg pierced by an arrow from the Northern Army, and she was hesitant to put her foot on the ground, relying solely on a crutch to move on one leg. She suspected that if she squatted down, she would not be able to get back up, so she had to support herself on the wooden stick, bending slightly at the waist to look.

Under the direction of Li Sheng, everyone carefully avoided the diverse array of formations in the forbidden area of Qimen, chose a spot, dug a pit, and buried the dry corpse.

Zhou Fei felt a weight in her hand and discovered that the "bear-like" snake had actually lowered its tail and stopped moving. At first, she couldn't tell whether it was dead or just stunned. She thought it was because her grip was too strong, so she quickly loosened her fingers and said: "Hey, you snake..."

Li Sheng casually inserted the torch into the groove in the wall and held up two thin sheets of paper: "Every ripple on the sword sheath is identical. Brother Yang and I just tried to imprint the ripples onto the paper. Look, they can completely overlap."

Because Master Lü's tomb is a grave of honor, it is said that in his later years he was quite extravagant, spending each day refining elixirs and taking medicines, to the point where his mind became rather unclear. One day, he even went missing. The elders in the valley searched the entire Central Plains but could not find him. Only a few years later did they receive a letter from him, in which he appointed the next sect leader and mentioned that he had received guidance from an immortal, having found a secret realm in an unknown place, preparing to transcend there... It is simply incomprehensible; these embarrassing matters are secrets of the sect and have never been disclosed.

Zhou Fei remained silent

Li Sheng then said: "Take a look at his hands and feet to see if there are any wounds."

What is that?"

The person screaming is the young boy Xiao Hu. His sister Chun Gu casually instructed him to find Li Sheng. As a result, the child turned around and ran off, only to get lost. By chance, he accidentally opened a hidden door and happened to come face to face with a dry corpse.

"Step aside." Zhou Fei limped forward, holding her breath, and carefully used the tip of her cane to lift the piece of silk cloth. The cloth was approximately three feet square. After Zhou Fei unfolded it and spread it on the ground, she saw it covered with densely packed tiny characters, the handwriting very neat, and even somewhat elegant.

Oh, it doesn't matter," said He Cong as he casually walked around several evil god statues, "This place should be the secret chamber where the Nirvana Gu Mother was kept. When the mother insect was alive, it left behind some mucus. This Gu is extremely toxic; for many years after leaving, ordinary insects, ants, snakes, and scorpions dared not approach. The stone chamber is actually cleaner than the outside.

Although the underground valley is vast, the echoes are quite pronounced. A few individuals hurriedly streamed out of the stone cave, with Li Sheng placing a hand on Zhou Fei's shoulder, leading her to soar out with lightness of body, heading towards the source of the screams

Li Sheng took down the torch from the wall, waved it around, and changed its angle. The light passing through the jade water immediately scattered, no longer able to converge into a beam

Man is but a beast among the six realms

Upon a closer look, it turns out that the title of that scripture is not "Tao Te Ching," but rather "Qiwujue"

After passing through the seven stone gates, there lies a dim stone cave. She raised the torch high, while simultaneously squinting her eyes in discomfort. Whether it was Zhou Fei's illusion or not, as soon as she entered the cave, a heavy, cold aura rushed towards her. This square stone chamber was exceedingly eerie, with the walls and ceiling covered in dense, small characters. It was unclear what kind of strange symbols they were, and Zhou Fei did not recognize any of them. She only felt that those characters seemed to be like crawling insects residing within the stone, coldly staring at any intruder who dared to enter.

Zhou Fei said: "You suspect that the 'unknown secret realm' is indeed the forbidden land of the Qi Gate"

Li Sheng knew that he was sharp-tongued, so he refrained from discussing him and simply waved his hand, saying: "No matter who it is, since we have encountered him, let us allow him to rest in peace."

"It's nothing, it's not poisonous." He brought the letter close to his nose and sniffed it, "The envelope is addressed to 'Dear Nephew Yin Pei'—has Yin Pei never seen this letter before?"

She was taken aback, instinctively stepping back a pace, nearly losing her balance as she stumbled.

A group of refugees was seen running around in chaos, not knowing how they all gathered in a corner

Someone has forcefully erased some strokes from the latter half, specifically those indicating the meridians, and the erasure was done without any concealment, resulting in many characters in the latter half being incomplete, as if they were written by Yang Jin

Is there an irrevocable fate in this world, rushing unhesitatingly towards a predetermined outcome, regardless of how much mortals struggle, ultimately finding themselves powerless?

Spring Aunt: `` ... ... ''

Ying Hecong remained silent as he walked to the center of the stone chamber, where he discovered a fragrant altar standing at the innermost part, upon which was an oddly shaped octagonal box. Ying Hecong reached out to press down on the lid of the box and gently twisted it—surprisingly, the lid was movable and fell off with just a touch. At the same time, a plume of white smoke rose from the opened lid. Zhou Fei, quick-witted and agile, used her cane as a long knife, swiftly hooking it around Ying Hecong's neck and pulling him back: "Why do you touch everything recklessly!"

The Qi Men practitioners often utilize those kinds of techniques related to Qi Men Dun Jia, is it not exactly as mentioned in Master Lü's writings, "in places unknown to others"?

Inside lies a horrifying desiccated corpse

Zhou Fei furrowed her brows, noticing that each sword sheath had a ripple pattern, located in the same position, and almost identical in appearance

Before the chaotic and murky era of the Nirvana Sect, the Nirvana Gu first appeared in an ancient tomb of 'Voodoo' located beyond the pass. It is said that the tomb was filled with such inscriptions, and the walls were adorned with strange totems painted in rooster's blood. However, due to the passage of time, it is likely that all members of that clan have perished, leaving these reptilian-like characters unreadable. At that time, Master Lü simply referred to it as 'Ancient Voodoo Yinwen.' Ying He Cong reached out to wipe a brown mark on the wall, and Master Lü simply referred to it as 'Ancient Voodoo Yinwen.' Ying He Cong then brought his hand to his nose and sniffed, saying, 'It really is blood.'

What a waste of resources!" he said with a sense of frustration at the failure to turn iron into steel.

"Well, exchanging fake for real is not impossible," Zhou Fei said, "but isn't one fake item enough? Why go through the trouble of making so many?"

"Tao Guqing?" Ying He was taken aback for a moment and blurted out, "What, that person is still not dead?"

What is going on? Li Sheng said, "It's not that I don't allow you to act recklessly..."

"What is there to study about a sword sheath?" Yang Jin could no longer bear to listen and interjected, "I ask you, are you truly people who wield swords and blades? There are distinctions between good and bad, high and low in swords and blades. A sword sheath... isn't it just a box? Who can discern its authenticity? Do the swordsmen of the Central Plains really indulge in buying the case while neglecting the pearl inside?"

He should smoothly pull the torch from her hand and step into the stone chamber. As he took a step, the small snake on his body went into a frenzy, frightened to the point of abandoning its host, and shot out from his collar like lightning, landing on the ground with a "thud," twisting itself into eighteen bends as it desperately rushed towards the cave entrance

He coldly laughed and said: "In this vast land of our great nation, it truly produces many wolves of Zhongshan"

I think you should come out first, " Zhou Fei said to He Congdao, " You, who are not afraid of fire and realgar, are now actually scared to this extent. There must be something strange in this stone chamber.