The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 148 Leaving the Ruins and Heading to the Black Forest and Ghost Mountain

On the ruins of the former site of Lanting County in the Western Shu Kingdom of the Floating Continent.

"Once we arrive in Linhai, we'll set off immediately, venturing deep into the heart of the Black Forest—Ghost Mountain. Perhaps the clues we've been searching for are hidden there." Li Chao gazed at the distant horizon, his eyes filled with determination and anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Shi Qingfeng nodded slightly, indicating his complete agreement with Li Chao's decision. They deeply understood the importance of this trip, as it concerned not only their personal fates but also the future of the entire martial arts world. Therefore, they decided to return to the town first, rest briefly, and await Lin Hai's arrival.

On their way back to town, both were filled with complex emotions—a mixture of anticipation for the future and fear of the unknown. They understood that the path to immortality was far from easy, fraught with challenges and dangers at every step. But they also knew that only by bravely taking that step could they possibly unveil the mysteries of that world.

As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the town's cobblestone streets, they finally returned to Tongfu Inn. The inn's lights shone warmly in the night, like a haven for their souls. They decided to rest there and recharge for their upcoming adventure.

As night fell, the two sat in the courtyard of the inn, gazing at the starry sky, a strange sense of melancholy welling up within them. The journey of life was long and arduous, like a play, and they were both searching for their own destiny and meaning. At this moment, however, they longed even more to uncover the secrets of Ghost Mountain with Lin Hai and find the path to that mysterious world.

Soon after, Lin Hai arrived in Xinzhen, Lanting County, from Mount Emei, weary from his journey. He had ridden at breakneck speed, eager to reunite with Li Chao and Shi Qingfeng as quickly as possible. Thanks to his careful arrangements, Hongyi City near Mount Emei now had a suitable person in charge—his newly appointed vice-leader, Wan Li. Therefore, he could come to Lanting County without hesitation to face the challenges ahead alongside Li Chao and Shi Qingfeng.

Lin Hai's arrival filled Li Chao and Shi Qingfeng with hope. They believed that with Lin Hai's help, they would be able to find clues more easily and unravel the secrets of the Ghost Mountain time tunnel. The three exchanged smiles, as if they could already see the dawn of that mysterious world shining ahead.

The three met at the inn, exchanged information briefly, and decided to head to Ghost Mountain deep in the Black Forest early the next morning.

The next morning, as dawn broke, the three were already fully prepared. They mounted their horses and set off on the road to Ghost Mountain. Along the way, Lin Hai recounted his past experiences in the martial world to Li Chao and Shi Qingfeng. The three chatted and laughed, seemingly forgetting the dangers and challenges that lay ahead.

As the sun slowly rose, illuminating the surrounding sky, they finally arrived at the edge of the legendary Black Forest after countless hardships. Inside the Black Forest, dense trees towered into the clouds, their intertwined branches blocking out almost all sunlight, making the forest exceptionally dark and eerie, giving off a chilling and terrifying feeling. This atmosphere instilled fear, as if something terrible could happen at any moment.

"Let's go that way." Shi Qingfeng's voice echoed through the silent forest, breaking the silence. He pointed in a direction ahead, his eyes resolute, and said, "According to the location Ishikawa gave us, there should be an altar of the Sleepless Clan over there. We need to find it quickly."

So the three of them set off into the depths of the forest. They traversed dense thickets, the branches and leaves almost completely enveloping them, as if they were in a green maze. They crossed rushing streams, the water crystal clear but chillingly cold. Despite the difficult journey, they did not give up and resolutely continued forward.

After a long trek, they finally arrived at an open area. Darkness had fallen, and everything in the forest became indistinct. However, in this open area, an ancient stone altar came into view. Despite the passage of time, the altar remained solemn and mysterious. A mysterious aura permeated the area, as if some powerful force was slumbering. They felt a sudden unease, but also a surge of anticipation and curiosity.

They cautiously approached the altar, carefully observing this ancient and mysterious structure. They knew this altar held great significance for them, perhaps holding the key to unraveling their doubts and anxieties. So they began searching for clues, hoping to uncover the secrets of the Sleepless Tribe.

"During their venturing into the unknown, Luo Yifei and his group inadvertently encountered some ancient power, unexpectedly breaking the seal on an ancient demon beast. This sudden turn of events has undoubtedly caused us great concern. We currently do not know the exact whereabouts of that demon beast, which is indeed a problem that urgently needs to be solved." Lin Hai looked at the two people in front of him with a solemn expression, his tone filled with worry.

“From what I understand, Han Yue, Luo Yifei, Shen Lixi, Shi Chuan, and Shi Hao are all highly skilled individuals, and coupled with the dozen or so well-trained soldiers they led, their strength was formidable. Yet, they were defeated by that demonic beast, which is enough to show that the beast's power is far beyond our easy estimation,” Li Chao said in a deep voice. He had already learned of Luo Yifei and his group's perilous encounter in Ghost Mountain through his intelligence network.

"Speaking of which, this matter is indeed somewhat strange." Shi Qingfeng frowned and continued, "Both of you are experts in intelligence, so why did you only learn of this news so late? In fact, more than three months ago, when that mysterious tunnel was still open, the four brave explorers, Dugu Xin, Chu Ji, He Shihui, and Ji Mi, visited Ghost Mountain. They returned to the Floating Life Continent from another world through the space-time tunnel inside Ghost Mountain. During that process, they also encountered that ancient monster. Fortunately, they received timely assistance from Yao and successfully killed the monster."

"Yao? You mean, the mysterious black tiger you raised?" Li Chao asked in surprise, clearly finding it hard to believe that Yao was able to defeat the ancient monster.

“That’s right, it’s that black tiger.” Lin Hai also showed a surprised expression. He was equally shocked by Yao’s abilities. “This black tiger is so powerful that it can even contend with ancient demonic beasts? How did it convey this information to you?”

"Actually, the Black Tiger cannot communicate directly with people," Shi Qingfeng explained. "It was when Luo Yifei, Shen Lixi, Qi Yuan, Bi Li, Dugu Xin, Chu Ji, He Shihui, and Ji Mi were discussing this matter in the woodshed of Tongfu Inn that the inn's chef overheard them. He overheard them talking about Yao's deeds and the detailed process of how Yao helped them successfully defeat the monster."

"So, is the chef at that inn your informant?" Lin Hai asked curiously.

“No, I just bought this information from him the day before yesterday.” Shi Qingfeng nodded. “As for who else he sold this information to, I don’t know yet. But it’s clear that he didn’t sell it to anyone you know.”

Li Chao also expressed great interest in this, clearly indicating that the story behind this intelligence was far more complex than they had previously known.