Chapter 10 - The Invisible Realm

The ridges were neatly arranged, and the crops, from stalks to leaves to grains, all shone brightly like golden ornaments, standing out in the dark mountains, shrouded in mystery. Everyone present was captivated by Feng Yi'an's words. Such a spectacle in the fog-laden mountains at night? "Who is farming there?" Xu Yueping asked. Feng Yi'an shook his head; a lost patroller had accidentally discovered the place but dared not approach. They reported it immediately afterwards, and even high-ranking officials came in person, yet they couldn't find it. Old Man Liu, who was over seventy years old, sighed, "The night is boundless, and there are too many unknowns in the vast wilderness and deep mountains. Even if the city lord from afar came, it would be difficult to venture deep." "Grandpa Liu, have you also encountered some strange things?" Qin Ming asked. Old Man Liu nodded, showing a look of reminiscence, and said, "Not just in the wild, even near our place of residence, there are oddities." Back then, he was still a boy, flying kites with friends at the village entrance. When reeling in the kite, he found it sticky, with blood on it. "Right at our village entrance?" Yang Yongqing was startled, unable to resist looking out into the night sky through the window. Qin Ming hesitated and said, "Could it be an injured bird crashing into the kite?" "Maybe. When my grandfather saw the blood-stained kite string, his face changed immediately and told me to bury this matter in my heart. Decades have passed since then," Old Man Liu said. Such events happening right at one's doorstep always leave people feeling uneasy. Xu Yueping said, "Let's have Brother Feng talk more about the mountains." "Have you ever heard of mountain beasts mourning at graves?" Feng Yi'an brought up the topic with some caution and reverence, his expression very complicated. "What kind of graves do they mourn?" someone asked. They had been traversing the mountains for years, yet had never encountered such a thing. Feng Yi'an replied, "Beast graves." "Do wild beasts perform burials?" Xu Yueping was astonished. Feng Yi'an nodded and said, "The night fog covering the no-man's land is awe-inspiring; anything bizarre could happen there." That day, the old leader of the Mountain Patrol Team noticed anomalies in the mountains, worried that a mysterious creature might undergo further transformation, leading to chaos, and approached quietly. "The old leader wanted to obtain firsthand information to see which kind of 'strange insect' or 'notable beast' was enhancing itself, so we could prepare and strike accurately." Because creatures that have undergone multiple mutations each possess different abilities, dealing with them requires various preparations and strategies. On his way, the old leader suddenly realized that the abnormal noise was actually crying, but he did not stop. Soon after, he saw an old white-furred beast sobbing, crying over a grave in the night, which was quite eerie. Feng Yi'an said, "That ruined earthen grave has existed for at least a thousand years, as the ancient cypress growing on it has lived for at least a millennium." The old leader saw the white-furred mountain beast kowtowing like a human, and light rain fell near the grave, illuminating the pitch-black forest. Subsequently, more fierce birds descended from the night sky, and monsters emerged from the swamp, all joining the worship. At this point, Feng Yi'an paused. "What happened next?" someone urged. Feng Yi'an said, "The old leader risked approaching, wanting to clearly see the true appearance of the white-furred mountain beast and prepare to search for records to defensively prepare." The old white beast kowtowed, shedding tears, and then inexplicably began to mutate. Crying over the grave seemed to be a mysterious ritual, elevating its life level. The old leader quietly retreated, but on the way back, he began coughing blood, and his whole body itched. Although he returned alive to report what he saw, he died with his flesh rotting away. "A massive force was dispatched from above, and a great battle ensued in the mountains. It is said that the timely delivery of the message was fortunate; otherwise, if the white-furred old beast had fully matured, it would have caused great disaster." Everyone felt heavy-hearted. While the area outside the mountains seemed peaceful, hidden dangers lurked where nobody could see. Someone was silently guarding the mountains, fighting fiercely. Old Man Liu, with white hair and a face full of wrinkles, sighed, "There are more than just one or two like the old leader. A dear friend I made in my youth also spent years guarding the mountains, blocking dangerous anomalies. In the end, he grew old, and I don't know if he died in the mountains, but he never appeared again." Feng Yi'an nodded and said, "Most members of our Mountain Patrol Team have suffered severe injuries, and some have ended poorly, not even leaving any remains." He used the old leader's mentor as an example, saying, "Back then, that senior was highly skilled and respected. He had retired honorably after losing an arm, but when he heard of a dangerous mountain monster's appearance, worried that the younger generation couldn't handle it, he prevented others from going to their deaths and dragged his injured body to confront it himself." In the battle, although the old leader's mentor severely injured the mountain monster, he also died tragically, leaving behind only a large bloodstain and half a broken blade. "The senior's greatest wish before death was to be buried outside the mountain, alongside his deceased wife and children, but his wish remained unfulfilled, his soul unable to return, lost in the pitch-black mountains," Feng Yi'an shook his head and sighed. The elder's wife and children had died prematurely due to the chaos caused by mountain monsters, and since then, he never remarried. The Mountain Patrol Team brought back his bloodstained broken blade and buried it beside his wife and children's grave. Qin Ming, hearing this, found that even the spicy old wine lost its flavor and remained silent. Feng Yi'an was feeling down and said, "In the end, the Mountain Patrol Team members either end up wounded, dead, or mad, left in the mountains like beasts, eating bleeding, hairy raw meat, turning into complete monsters. Alas, we still don't know what the final fate of our group will be. Perhaps the mountains are our ultimate resting place." The atmosphere at the wine table was somewhat gloomy. With changes occurring in the mountains, a clearing operation might be imminent, and no one knew what would happen next. Feng Yi'an downed his cup of wine in one gulp and said, "Brother Xu, I'll have to trouble you to plant the medicinal seeds." He solemnly took out a wooden box from his bosom and opened it to reveal four black seeds, about the size of kidney beans. Xu Yueping was taken aback and asked, "Plant them in winter?" Feng Yi'an's expression was grave as he replied, "To place them in the Fire Spring for nourishment now, by early spring they will flourish. This upcoming battle will certainly place the Mountain Patrol Team at the forefront. Some brothers' lives are probably starting to count down. Even if they survive, they might be half-crippled. I don't know if they can endure until the 'Black Moon' matures. This is a life-saving medicine for many people, Old Xu, you must be attentive!" The Black Moon takes root in the Fire Spring, its leaves akin to orchids, and once its full buds bloom, each petal resembles a black crescent moon, casting down dark light and swirling white mist. Feng Yi'an wiped a bit of wine from his thick beard, stood up, and bade farewell, "Thank you, Brother Xu, for your hospitality. If I survive the mountain clearing, let's meet again." "Brother Feng is highly skilled and will surely turn misfortune into fortune," Xu Yueping said. Those present escorted Feng Yi'an to the village entrance, watching him disappear into the night. "It's been a bad year, but the Mountain Patrol Team has shown understanding, sending only four seeds. The spiritual essence drawn from the Fire Spring can bear it," someone said. The patrol not only monitors the dangers in the mountains but also guards them. All places are willing to plant life-saving herbs for them and do not resist. According to the agreement, each village must provide four to eight Black Moon plants annually. With just four plants, the impact on the crops in the Fire Fields is not significant. The people dispersed. Old Man Liu lingered, staring at the four black seeds, saying, "They really managed to cultivate them." As Qin Ming left, he noticed Xu Yueping seemed preoccupied. ... There were more people on the street, all carrying bows and hunting forks, ready to enter the mountains. Yesterday, they had asked Qin Ming in detail about the situation in the mountains, and today they began to take action early in the morning. Mainly, the food supplies of each family were running low, and food was becoming scarce. "A great harvest, we've hunted two Blade-Horned Deer!" A group of people returned, bringing good news and a plentiful harvest. "Currently, the outer areas of the forest have become calm. As long as we don't go too deep, we can hunt cautiously." The next day, more people entered the mountains in groups, bringing back quite a few game. Many children cheered, not fearing the cold, as they exhaled white mist, running around the streets, as if it were New Year's. The atmosphere in the village significantly improved. "Uncle, come to my house for a taste, we're having roe deer meat today." Wen Rui happily came to invite Qin Ming. Qin Ming, having tasted the game, walked out of Lu Ze's house and happened to see Xu Yueping returning from the village entrance with a frown. "Uncle Xu, did you go to send someone off?" "Yes, the Mountain Patrol Team came and urged me to bury the Black Moon Seeds," Xu Yueping replied. Qin Ming thought that indeed, being a patroller was not easy, facing various dangers, and at any moment, they could be injured or even die. Seeing the worry on Xu Yueping's face, Qin Ming chose not to say more. That day, when the last group returned from the mountains, it caused a commotion because most of them were injured, covered in blood, and had lost their game. "It was close, we encountered a mutated Snow Ape, and Old Chen almost had an arm ripped off," the villagers who escaped said, still terrified. "Fortunately, we drove it away with arrows and managed to escape." They survived by the skin of their teeth, realizing they had ventured too deep into the mountains and shouldn't be reckless next time. As the thick night fog dissipated, a new day arrived. Although some were injured yesterday, it didn't deter others, especially since there were newcomers joining them this time. However, it wasn't long before one group returned, many of whom were bloodied, with the newcomer being the most severely injured. His left shoulder blade was shattered, one leg bent unnaturally, and his chest partly caved in, mouth full of blood foam, uncertain if he would survive. "What happened?" "We encountered a Blood Bear!" someone said, their lips trembling. The Blood Bear is a formidable mutated creature, its fur as red as blood, ferocious and violent. Even a newly ascended cultivator encountering it may not survive. "Where is Brother Lu?" Qin Ming swiftly arrived at the neighboring courtyard. "He has gone into the mountains." Upon learning the situation, Liang Wanqing became anxious. "I'll go find him!" Qin Ming turned to leave. Xu Yueping, upon discovering that a group had not returned, became immediately alarmed and called all the new cultivators to enter the mountains together. Qin Ming ran at the forefront, snow waves billowing on both sides of his body, startling Xu Yueping, who was closest to him, into a momentary daze, while the others were quickly left behind. Approaching the forest, Qin Ming stopped, as a group stumbled out. He immediately saw Lu Ze being carried out. "Brother Lu!" He rushed over. Lu Ze's face was pale as paper, eyes closed, his clothes tattered and stained with blood, the most severe injuries were on his chest and abdomen, with at least three broken ribs. Crying could be heard nearby, as two of the heavily injured who were carried back had already stopped breathing. "Did the Blood Bear injure you?" Qin Ming asked. Someone, with a look of lingering fear, replied, "Yes, if the patrollers hadn't appeared, many of us might have died." Qin Ming stared into the dark forest and drew out his gleaming short blade. Xu Yueping arrived and stopped him, saying, "Don't take risks, let's go back first!" Liang Wanqing, seeing Lu Ze being carried back, turned pale with fright and stumbled over, while the two children cried loudly. "Sister-in-law, Brother Lu has only passed out," Qin Ming said. He had carefully examined Lu Ze, noting that the broken ribs hadn't pierced any internal organs and, after setting them and treating the wounds, the situation was not too severe. Many were injured this time, and the cries of the elderly and children could be heard from the street. The atmosphere in the village was oppressive. Xu Yueping ordered that from now on, no one was allowed to enter the mountain. Qin Ming walked into Xu Yueping's courtyard and found Old Man Liu and Yang Yongqing there. "Do you intend to kill the Blood Bear?" Xu Yueping asked inside the house. Qin Ming's voice was not loud as he said, "Although Lu Ze has wounds left by bear claws, several of his ribs seem more likely to have been broken by a fist." "You feel the same way, then it is most likely caused by human actions," Xu Yueping suddenly stood up, showing anger, "Some people have gone too far!" Qin Ming had already sensed something and had some guesses. Ever since Xu Yueping received the four seeds, he had been preoccupied. "Why?" Qin Ming asked, guessing was one thing, but it was difficult to accept in his heart. Xu Yueping's voice was low, "The Mountain Patrol Team forced me to immediately plant the Black Moon seeds. I didn't agree, and I didn't expect them to retaliate like this." Old Man Liu said, "There is something wrong with the seeds. They seem to be mutated and would absorb a large amount of the spirit of the Fire Spring, affecting the cultivation of the fire field, which may lead to a famine next year." Qin Ming's mind was restless. He had found the bearded Feng Yi'an to be quite heroic, having shared some tragic stories of the patrolmen that moved people, yet he ended up doing such a thing. Yang Yongqing said, "What Feng Yi'an mentioned were all true stories, but they have nothing to do with the main members of the current group!" Qin Ming thought of what he had said before: Some patrolmen are very responsible. At that time, he felt Yang Yongqing seemed to be implying that some people were very irresponsible, expressing it quite subtly. Old Man Liu lowered his voice, "This group has hunted Blood Bears before. I seriously suspect someone is wearing that bear skin to commit evil." Upon hearing this, a surge of anger rose in Qin Ming's heart. The patrolmen were supposed to protect the mountain and the people, earning respect, but what were they doing? Outwardly bold and responsible, yet secretly committing evil, with the villagers' blood on their hands—where had their conscience gone? "Brother Xu, are you home?" Feng Yi'an, leading four patrolmen, walked into the courtyard. "It’s all our fault. We failed in our duty this time and couldn’t protect the villagers," the bearded Feng Yi'an said with a look of guilt, expressing that they would immediately go after the Blood Bear. Xu Yueping's fingers in his sleeves were clenched so tightly that they turned white, yet he couldn't erupt in anger and had to maintain a proper demeanor to cope. His heart was filled with unbearable resentment; the other party had the audacity to apologize after the murder, as if looking down from a high perch, smiling mockingly. Qin Ming sat quietly, temporarily suppressing the urge to draw his blade. Gratitude to Sssxi, the true gentleman never looks at the pure white, the scattered and fleeting, the little nothingness, and names should not be too long, just about right. Many thanks to the alliance leader for the support!