Chapter 62

Half an hour later.

Su Yi and Guo Bing arrived at the foot of Guimul Ridge, in front of the chaotic graveyard.

They saw wild grass growing everywhere, graves scattered about, and a few crows perched on a distant bare tree, occasionally emitting harsh, unpleasant cries.

Even though it was early morning, the scene was still eerie.

The armored young woman and her entourage were already waiting there.

When she saw the tardy Su Yi and Guo Bing, the armored young woman huffed in displeasure, "You finally made it!"

As she spoke, she dismounted and instructed, "Leave two people to watch the horses, Uncle Yong and the rest follow me into the mountain."

"Yes."

The attendants immediately sprang into action.

"Guo Bing, you lead the way."

The armored young woman ordered.

Guo Bing hurried forward, and Su Yi followed, saying, "I'll go with you."

He had promised to bring Guo Bing back safely and would not let him walk alone at the front.

"I didn't think you, who are so indifferent, still have a bit of conscience."

The armored young woman mocked.

Su Yi ignored her, finding it beneath him to argue with a clearly pampered and spoiled young woman.

"Uncle Yong, you go to the front too, don't let anything happen to Guo Bing."

After a moment's thought, the armored young woman added.

The middle-aged man in gray robes immediately moved forward, standing on one side of Guo Bing, with Su Yi on the other.

Guo Bing was flattered and thanked them repeatedly.

Su Yi, however, inwardly shook his head. This was both protection and surveillance, nothing to commend.

Next, the group set off, heading deeper into the chaotic graveyard.

Along the way, they saw many graves that had long been abandoned, with wild grass and some bones, paper money, and broken incense scattered among them.

The deeper they went, the taller the grass and the denser the fog, making the place seem desolate and silent, except for the occasional caw of a crow.

Guo Bing held a hunting knife, cutting through the thorny undergrowth, leading the way with familiarity.

"Son-in-law, what are you here to do at Guimul Ridge?"

Guo Bing suddenly asked on the way.

The armored young woman perked up her ears at the back.

"Tell me first, what strange and unusual things are there on Guimul Ridge."

Su Yi casually replied.

Guo Bing thought for a moment and said, "Guimul Ridge has been haunted by ghosts since ancient times. If you're talking about strange and unusual things, there are a few."

"One is a temple in a white pine forest halfway up Guimul Ridge. It has long been abandoned and collapsed, with a statue facing away from the entrance. However, the statue's head disappeared a long time ago."

"Facing away from the entrance? Was the statue moved intentionally?"

The armored young woman couldn't help but ask.

Su Yi suddenly said, "Why face away from the world? Lamenting that people refuse to turn back, I think this statue must be from the Buddhist school."

Guo Bing was stunned and admired, "Son-in-law must have read many books, far surpassing us ordinary people."

A cold snort came from the armored young woman at the back, clearly disapproving.

Su Yi ignored her and asked, "Besides the statue, are there any other strange things about the temple?"

Guo Bing said, "Yes, and quite a few. It's said that at night, the dilapidated temple emits chanting sounds, but some say it's the whispers of ghosts. The only thing certain is that if you stay overnight in the temple, you must not extinguish the campfire, or you'll be eaten by the ghosts in the darkness. Many such incidents have occurred in the past."

"Ordinary ghosts can't harm us."

A proud and confident voice came from the back, clearly the armored young woman who had been listening.

"What about other places on Guimul Ridge?" Su Yi asked.

Guo Bing, being the most knowledgeable about Guimul Ridge among the herbalists in Guangling City, proceeded to describe the situation.

However, what caught Su Yi's attention were three places.

One was a "peach grove" on the western side of Guimul Ridge, where the peach trees were shrouded in miasma. Anyone, human or animal, who entered would never find their way back.

Another was the "Mountain Ghost Path" on the back of Guimul Ridge, a winding path through blood-red fog. Once you step on it, it's like entering the underworld, and you'll be attacked by ghosts.

The third was a ruined building at the peak of Guimul Ridge, said to have been a city god temple long ago. At night, green phosphorescent lights appear, and anyone who approaches will end up with their bones completely destroyed.

Besides these three places, there were other dangerous areas on Guimul Ridge.

But in Su Yi's view, the place where the "Six Yin Corpse" appeared must be one of these three!

And as long as he found the right place, it wouldn't be hard to discover the Yin Sha Spirit Vein, Six Yin Grass, and Extreme Yang Flower.

"Guo Bing, take us to that peach grove first!"

Suddenly, the armored young woman spoke, having heard Guo Bing's words and made a decision.

Guo Bing trembled and said, "Young lady, that's a very dangerous place..."

The armored young woman interrupted, "No need to say more, just take us there. I guarantee your safety."

Guo Bing sighed and asked Su Yi, "Son-in-law, what do you think?"

"Going there first is fine."

Su Yi casually replied.

He already suspected that the armored young woman's goal was the same as his.

However, such opportunities were unowned, and if it came to a contest, he wouldn't be polite.

Hearing Su Yi's words, the armored young woman frowned.

A guard nearby whispered, "Miss, don't worry. If this person obstructs our actions, we'll kill him."

The armored young woman hummed in agreement, saying nothing more.

As they conversed, they had already passed through the chaotic graveyard and were ascending Guimul Ridge along a rugged path led by Guo Bing.

Upon arriving, the originally clear sky darkened, with thick clouds and a gray, oppressive atmosphere.

A cold mountain breeze blew, causing the trees and grass to rustle, and a suffocating aura spread through the air.

"This mountain is filled with Yin Qi and ominous energy, indeed the perfect place for ghosts to thrive."

Su Yi mused.

Just by observing the mountain, he could discern some clues.

"Everyone be careful. We've entered the mountain, and unexpected dangers may arise along the way."

Guo Bing took out an amulet, hung it around his neck, and became extremely cautious and alert.

"Everyone, draw your weapons. Don't be careless. If any danger arises, remember to protect the young lady first."

The middle-aged man in gray robes, Uncle Yong, gave a stern order.

"Understood!"

The guards all moved into action.

The armored young woman also drew her sword.

Seeing Su Yi still nonchalant, only carrying a bamboo staff, she was taken aback, then coldly snorted, hoping some ghosts would appear to see Su Yi's cowardly reaction.

"Old Guo, hold this bamboo token in your hand; it can protect you."

Su Yi took out a seven-inch bamboo token and handed it to Guo Bing.

Guo Bing was stunned, though skeptical about the token's use, he still gratefully accepted it, saying, "Thank you, son-in-law!"

Uncle Yong noticed this and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Though he couldn't see the pattern on the token clearly, he recognized it as made from Green Jade Spirit Bamboo!

"This Su Yi, who casually gives a Green Jade Spirit Bamboo token to a herbalist, is not as simple as he seems."

Uncle Yong's brows furrowed slightly.

Previously in the city, Wen Jueyuan had simply introduced Su Yi as a赘婿 (a man who marries into a family and takes on the family name), unimportant.

But now, it seemed he was not so simple.

Uncle Yong then dismissed the thought.

With his status and cultivation, he could ensure the trip would go smoothly.

As they continued, the clouds grew thicker, and the day turned as dark as dusk.

The fog in the mountains also affected their vision, forcing them to slow down.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, making Guo Bing shiver and change his expression. "Not good, a ghost is following us! Retreat, we can't go any further!"

But at that moment, Uncle Yong coldly snorted, drew his battle saber, and leaped forward.

Swish!

A bright red saber light flashed through the fog, followed by a piercing scream that abruptly stopped.

"Just a low-level ghost without intelligence. No need to panic, Guo Bing, continue leading the way."

Uncle Yong returned, his expression calm and composed, with a lingering aura of death.

Guo Bing breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease, and bowed, "With your presence, I'm not so afraid anymore."

"Another at the peak of the Qi Gathering stage, such cultivation is almost unseen in Guangling City, yet he's just a guard. This armored young woman's identity must be no less than that of Zhang Yuanxing from Yunhe County."

Su Yi mused.

At the peak of the Qi Gathering stage, he was already a top warrior in the Great Zhou, second only to the Furnace Cultivation stage martial arts masters!

The group continued on their way.

They encountered no further incidents, thanks to Guo Bing's familiarity with the terrain.

Guimul Ridge, though just a ridge, was vast, covering dozens of miles, with rugged rocks, lush vegetation, and dense undergrowth.

The thick clouds and fog further slowed their progress.

After a full hour,

They finally reached halfway up the mountain.

"Son-in-law, look, that white pine forest in the distance is the dilapidated temple I mentioned."

Guo Bing pointed as they arrived.

Everyone looked and saw the dense white pine forest in the fog, but could not see its depths.

"If we return and it's late, we can rest in that dilapidated temple for the night."

Guo Bing said, about to continue, when a faint light suddenly appeared in the distance in the white pine forest.

"Hmm?"

Almost simultaneously, Su Yi and Uncle Yong, at the front of the group, noticed this.

——

ps: The second update and the extra update will be released at 6 PM.