Chapter 273: Underworld Treasure Land, Mountain Lord Cave Dwelling
Time: PM5:40.
Location: [Misty Mountains], Cloud Deep Unknown Place.
Although this ghostly place of Running rarely sees direct sunlight year-round, the visibility distance during Daytime remains excellent. Naturally, there is also the boundary line between day and night, Dusk.
Inside the [Misty Mountains], the cloud and mist coverage is even more severe, but the arrival of Dusk can still be clearly felt.
As the daylight gradually dims, the Tiger Demon, single-mindedly hurrying along the road, shakes off the Auspicious White Deer that cannot keep up with its speed.
Escaping into Shadow again, it races forward alone at extreme speed, following the position in the White Deer’s Memory, charging into a patch of unknown Mountain Forest.
Even though it merges into the Shadow of this Mountain Forest, it still senses that the natural environment of this area carries a ‘Chilly’ Polluted Aura. This is an anomaly not present in other areas of the [Misty Mountains].
Not only that, the deeper the Tiger Demon ventures into this Mountain Forest, the more relaxed and comfortable its body in the Shadow feels. The pores all over its body want to expand, absorbing that trace of Chilly aura from the surrounding environment.
“Yellow Springs!”
Snake Snake cries out in surprise. Soon, in a slightly excited tone, she says: “No! No! This isn’t the smell of Yellow Springs, but it is genuine Death Qi! This area naturally gathers the aura of Death.”
…
The Tiger Demon had close contact with the aura leaking from [Yellow Springs] in the [Little Xihong Realm], and there is a sample record in the [Immortal Scripture Database].
At this moment, Snake Snake uses the sample as reference to compare the ‘Chilly Aura’ existing in this Mountain Forest. It is confirmed to be a highly impure degraded ‘Undead Aura’. It can be called a low-end version of ‘fake Yellow Springs Death Qi’.
If understood in terms of Celestial Dynasty mythology, [Yellow Springs Aura] is the authentic Underworld power flowing from the [Nine Serenities Underworld]; while Death Qi is the Negative Energy flowing from Human World mass graves, chaotic burial mounds, corpse-nurturing grounds, and Ghost Realms of haunted houses.
Different sources, varying quality, but consistent attributes, Energy used for Undead and Ghostly Creatures.
In the dark and eerie Mountain Forest before its eyes, a large amount of ‘Death Qi’ is condensed, belonging to a unique Pollution depression, and it deeply attracts the [Shadow Tiger Demon], this Underworld Demonic Monster.
The Tiger Demon excitedly drills out of the Shadow, widening its tiger eyes to survey this Mountain Forest, its joy overflowing: “Treasure land! Indeed an Auspicious Land! This is the old lair I’m looking for!”
If at the beginning of entering the mountain, it still didn’t know which section to choose to open the [Mountain Lord’s Domain], as if anywhere would do, then at this moment, just by being in the forest, it instinctively feels joy and wants to take root and settle here.
No wonder after signing the [Anti-Law], the White Deer relied on beast instinct to immediately select this [Dangerous Land] for its own King.
It seems it was the barely detectable ‘Yellow Springs Aura’ hidden in the [Shadow Pollution] ([Ghost Companion Divine Ability]) that made the White Deer think of this place.
Snake Snake hurriedly controls her ‘Bow Tie ([Shadow Uniform])’, spraying out black [Ribbon Fireworks] from the Tiger Demon’s head to celebrate: ‘ “Congratulations King! Joy to King! Finally found the promised land belonging to you.”
The Tiger Demon hurriedly stops her action: “Don’t pop the champagne at halftime, we still don’t know if this area has an ‘owner’? And how strong is it? From the Memory intelligence provided by the White Deer, the core area here brings it a Death threat, making it actively retreat and avoid.”
Snake Snake retorts: “Even if there’s a Boss entrenched, it can’t threaten you. If the Demonic Creatures here truly far surpass [Species], they would have been forcibly rejected by Du Ling Star and Ascended on the spot!”
The Tiger Demon also agrees with Snake Snake’s statement, but out of Earthling taboos, it doesn’t dare to jinx it and can only say the opposite: “If strength is strong enough, it must Ascend? Then what about the [Peach of Immortality Immortal Tree] on Geng Continent?”
In his middle school Geography Textbook, there is a black-and-white photo of the [Kunlun Immortal Tree] taken by Yao Yao. Unsure if it’s hundreds or thousands of kilometers away, in the picture, a [Heavenly Realm Tree] entwining a massive mountain body directly breaks through the horizon. The trunk spans unknown kilometers, stretching between heaven and earth, with lush branches either hanging down or disappearing beyond the firmament.
This old photo taken a hundred years ago is widely circulated around the world. It is both a great miracle and has made the residents of Du Ling gradually take it for granted, merely marveling at the wonders of nature.
Only an Earth traverser like Yuan Zhu can feel the shock and incredulity in it. This shit is simply unscientific!
According to Snake Snake’s [Forced Ascension Theory], this Kunlun Immortal Root should have Ascended long ago and shouldn’t exist in the Human World. Therefore, there might be even more terrifying Demonic Creatures in this ‘dangerous situation’.
…
The Tiger Demon proceeds with 120% caution and vigilance, following the deep Desire in its heart, continuously moving toward the area with the densest ‘Death Qi Pollution’.
The closer it gets, the more frequent the Mental Pollution Attacks on its [Soul Firewall]. Later, it even exceeds the Passive Defense limit of the [Firewall], starting to remind in its mind [San value -1, -1, rationality recovery +2, San value -1……]
In the Tiger Demon’s eyes, the scenery of this deep forest becomes increasingly serene and desolate, with no more insect chirps, bird calls, or Beast roars in its ears… In sight, only endless green Plants, vines, hanging Aerial Roots, Moss.
After passing through a patch of undulating steep slopes, the view ahead suddenly opens up: a not-too-large ink-green Cold Pond, adjacent to a abrupt Strange Peak, a waterfall cascading from the Mountain Peak, smashing onto rocks, splashing white water flowers, emitting crashing sounds that break the deathly silence of this Mountain Forest.
The Tiger Demon looks across the Cold Pond to the opposite shore; besides the dozens-of-meters-high waterfall, there are several peaks not high in elevation but with unique shapes connected in a ring, forming a picture of an Immortal Realm beyond the world.
It is these many interconnected Cliff peaks that nearly enclose the Cold Pond in a ring shape, surrounded by Mountain Peak Cliffs everywhere, rarely seeing the sun year-round, exceptionally Chilly, damp, and desolate.
Perhaps this layout forms a natural ‘Feng Shui formation’, allowing it to gather Death Qi from the nearby mountains, settling in this Cold Pond, where the pond water looks clear yet bottomless, reminding it of the spring eye in [Vajra Temple] that connected to [Yellow Springs].
The Tiger Demon’s [Mountain Lord Bloodline] is attracted by this Cold Pond; it has already determined that just this Underworld scenic spot is enough to support the [Mountain Lord’s Domain].
However, its attention is not held by the [Cold Pond] for too long; it breaks free from this temptation and looks toward a ‘Strange Peak’ next to the waterfall on the opposite shore.
On this steep and unique mountain body, it sees man-made Steps!
“？！！！”
“Boss, quick look, Steps!”
Tiger Demon: “I saw it, does someone live here?”
At the same time as its surprise, bursts of Shadow Wind generate out of thin air in the center of the Cold Pond, rippling the lake surface. Immediately after, in the Mountain Forest that was serene and deathly silent except for the waterfall and stream sounds, strange noises suddenly arise. Rustling, near and far, sometimes ringing in the ears and then vanishing.
The Tiger Demon hurriedly turns its head to look around; in its ‘Tiger Demon Vision, Dark Vision’, no animals appear. But it can sense that something is moving nearby.
Its tiger fur instantly bristles, inner Alertness at its peak, guessing that the owner of this place is about to appear.
At the same time, the sky above the [Misty Mountains] grows even darker, officially entering Demon Hour. The Tiger Demon’s peripheral vision suddenly catches some shadowy, wavering figures.
It hurriedly channels its refined [Ghost Companion Power (Yellow Springs Aura)] into its eyes, and the field of view changes instantly; those blurry figures become clear.
Skeletons of various sizes! Animals with flesh Organs hanging on them! A plum blossom deer standing upright, half-rotted half-Skeleton; dressed in tattered Scholar robes; similarly dead and decayed jackals…
Beasts and Wild Animals of all shapes, all Dead, appearing in its eyes in forms of Skeletons, floating Corpses, Zombies… Movements slow, numb, stiff, breathing power carrying ‘Death Qi’, moving stiffly, slowly, and aimlessly in the Mountain Forest where it is and on the opposite Cliff.
“This is… Demon Hour?!”
The Tiger Demon suddenly understands; originally, it was only attracted by the Death Qi condensed at the ‘Cold Pond’ and the opposite ‘Mountain Peak’, and hadn’t heard these strange noises.
Until Demon Hour, in the core area of this [Death Qi Land], it accidentally hears sounds not belonging to the Human World, glimpses Shadows existing between reality and illusion with peripheral vision, and is pulled into another layer. Under the Blessing of [Ghost Companion Power], it sees things that shouldn’t be seen.
The Tiger Demon looks at a headless Rabbit not far away, wearing ancient tattered Children’s Wear, standing upright. It is using its own bloody, fleshy rabbit head as a ball, kicking it while Stealth. Clearly headless, yet its broken neck emits ‘giggling laughter’.
Snake Snake: “Oh no, we’ve encountered ghosts!”
Tiger Demon: “This wave is [Demon Encounter Time]!”
According to its observation, the ‘Undead’ eroded by the Cold Pond Death Qi are all common animals in the [Misty Mountains], and none show ‘Human’ structural features.
Their displayed ‘anthropomorphic’ traits, upright walking, wearing Clothes, are all based on Wild Animals, ignoring physiological structure, forcibly standing upright, walking pretentiously, imitating Humans.
In addition, animals qualified to be eroded by Death Qi Pollution, leaving behind Skeletons or Corpses, all had considerable ‘Pollution traces’ when alive.
If ‘Pollution accumulation’ before Death is insufficient, they don’t even qualify to die in this area, eroded and transformed into Walking Dead-like ‘numb Ghostly Creatures’.
They show no surprise or reaction to the [Tiger Demon]’s appearance, still absorbing Death Qi, ignoring and deaf to it, continuing to wander aimlessly, muttering and chanting to themselves.
The Tiger Demon stays Vigilant for a moment, seeing no siege coming, and no Boss appearing from the depths of the opposite mountain body. It lowers its guard a bit and suddenly approaches the Rabbit playing by kicking its own head.
Shadow Entanglement on Shadow Tiger Claw, the Tiger Demon slaps from behind. Smack! A crisp sound, the Shadow Tiger Claw entwined with [Ghost Companion Power] successfully contacts the little Rabbit.
The feel is very brittle, no flesh sensation or elasticity, like a piece of aged, stale Zombie meat. Easily slapped flying, exploded, shattered by it… Splattering open in front, scattering on the ground, some falling into the lake, rippling.
Then… the Rabbit Undead just dies like that. Strands of Death Qi emanate from its stiff Corpse chunks, some absorbed by the lake surface, some drifting toward the opposite mountain.
Snake Snake looks surprised at the thoroughly dead Rabbit, only tattered coarse cloth Children’s Wear left on the ground: “It’s dead just like that?”
The Tiger Demon scans with Perception, nods in confirmation: “Thoroughly dead.”
“This isn’t scientific, Undead and Ghostly Creatures killed just like that?!”
Even stranger, the nearby other Undead Animals are completely unmoved by the [Tiger Demon] killing the little Rabbit, still acting according to some pattern on their own.
The Tiger Demon distorts again, turning from realistic Demonic Monster into a 2D-like outline silhouette. In this minimalist line ‘Kitten Shadow’ state, it seems to lose weight, moving at high speed directly over the Cold Pond water surface, reaching the opposite shore in the blink of an eye.
When passing by a ‘dead ghost remnant wolf’ that is mostly a Scholar, it hears the other muttering something?
As the Tiger Demon listens carefully, these ‘Animal Undead’ wandering aimlessly in the mountains all emit incomprehensible beast calls according to some Rhythm pattern. Even Skeletons unable to make sounds constantly clash their teeth, producing collision sounds as syllables.
The Tiger Demon is responsible for collecting audio data, while Snake Snake relies on the [Immortal Scripture]’s data processing ability to quickly give an unreliable guess: “Boss, they are reciting books!”
Tiger Demon incredulous: “Huh? Reciting books?! You sure?”
Snake Tail nods, using the upper and lower jaws of a similarly Skeleton to ‘clack clack’ collide in demonstration: “Listen carefully, this Rhythm, doesn’t it sound like five-character quatrain?”
Upon careful listening, the Tiger Demon truly grasps the pattern.
Then, it seriously listens to a half-Skeleton plum blossom deer walking on four hooves, emitting eerie, windy ‘yo yo’ sounds, but with unique emotion and Rhythm, very much like seven-character poetry.
Soon, it hears from jackals, tigers, leopards, rock sheep… and other Undead Animals, beast sound lyrics clearly in ‘ci pai’ specifications. Some Zombie Animals with tongues even have faintly audible rhymes. Just like MC villagers [Cyber Reciting Poetry].
“It really is?”
Influenced by Snake Snake, the Tiger Demon increasingly feels these Undead are reciting poetry and lyrics.
Driven by curiosity, the Tiger Demon believes the source of all anomalies can be found at the end of the stone Steps in the mountain.
Tiger Demon: “Let’s go?”
Snake Snake: “Go! King, remember to stay cautious and vigilant.”
The tiger-shaped silhouette nods, escaping into the rock crevices again, quickly advancing along the direction of the Steps. At this moment, the sky is even darker; it relies entirely on the [Shadow Creature]’s Dark Vision to see the road.
Bypassing the last sluggish, dumb ‘decayed Scholar tiger’ clansman responsible for guarding the Door, the Tiger Demon finally reaches the end of the stone Steps: a man-made Cave Dwelling.
At the Door position, there are rough and simple polishing marks, shaped into ancient Eastern style; where the plaque should be, no characters are left.
The Tiger Demon boldly releases pressure toward the interior of the Cave Dwelling, as ‘greeting + provocation’; after waiting a long time, there is no response.
Thus, it chooses to step over the stone threshold, entering the Cave Dwelling interior. Then it sees a Skeleton wearing the wizard robe of the [Magic Universe], the head of the eight major external Universes, half-slumped half-sitting on the only seat in the stone chamber, staring mutually with the entering Tiger Demon.
The Tiger Demon is first startled, then discovers this ‘mage Skeleton’ has been Dead for many days.
And on the stone wall beside it, a line of Classical Chinese is engraved: [White Bone Scholar sits in meditation here].
Tiger Demon full of confusion: “？？？”
Clearly, the Cave Dwelling’s excavation and construction style is ancient Eastern, the Clothes worn by the outside Animal Undead are also ancient Eastern, and your name is even [White Bone Scholar].
But why before sitting in meditation, wear a [Western Wizard Robe] to mess with people’s minds?!
I, Tiger Demon King, can’t stand this discordant provocation; it’s too tormenting, my OCD is about to flare up!
