With a beauty to accompany him, Qin Wentian spent a long period of time in that tranquil area within the mountains and its waterfall. Although life was simple and quiet, it wasn’t lonely.
As before, Qing`er wasn’t fond of speaking too much. However, when Qin Wentian occasionally cracked a joke and teased her, the expressions on that perpetually calm and cold face would change slightly. That could also be considered a lively part of his life and hence, he didn’t feel lonely at all.
Roughly half a year had pa.s.sed since that battle. Qin Wentian had completely recovered and his cultivation had also advanced a step, breaking through to the eighth-level of Celestial Phenomenon. Now, he was only one step away from the ninth-level, and could faintly see the barrier to the immortal foundation realm.
In the evening, the cool wind blew. Qin Wentian stood in front of the waterfall, and was attempting to achieve a deeper comprehension of his innate techniques. And at this very moment, the sound of the wind whistled as a grey-colored silhouette flashed by him. Qin Wentian’s eyes flickered and he stopped his cultivation; by his side, Little Rascal instantly shot through the air, as though it too had discovered something.
"Is someone there?" Qin Wentian soared into the air, his movements as swift as a wind roc, darting towards the distance. A while later, he noticed a white-robed figure standing on a gigantic rock ahead.
This caused a strange expression to appear on Qin Wentian’s face. Was this Nanfeng Yunxi?
"No, she has absolutely no aura at all." Qin Wentian suddenly realized that he had no way to sense this person’s aura.
"Who might you be?" Qin Wentian asked.
"Bzz!" He saw the female’s silhouette flicker, s.h.i.+fting into a pale, ghostly phantom that continued to fly ahead, leaving behind faint shadowy images of her movements.
‘How quick,’ Qin Wentian silently mused. Little Rascal began to bark, and it followed after the woman.
Qin Wentian looked puzzled, then he followed after them as well. Behind him, a flawlessly beautiful figure appeared and upon seeing both Little Rascal and Qin Wentian pursuing someone, spatial energy manifested and surrounded her as Qing`er also vanished on the spot.
Not too long after, Qin Wentian and Little Rascal halted. That female they saw earlier was simply too fast, she was like an apparition.
"Underworld Mountains." Qing`er caught up to them. And upon staring at the path ahead of them, her countenance changed.
"Qing`er, what sort of place are the Underworld Mountains?" Qin Wentian asked curiously.
"A forbidden ground in the City of Ancient Emperors. There were many geniuses who entered in the past, but none have ever exited. Right in front is the entrance to the Underworld Mountains." Qing`er pointed ahead, and when Qin Wentian looked carefully, he could see a mountain in the shape of an arch, radiating an aura of extreme coldness. It felt as though that arch separated the forbidden ground from the rest of the outside world.
"Did that female enter the Underground Mountains?" Qin Wentian mumbled.
"Whine~..." Little Rascal let out a low whimper. Qin Wentian stared at it and asked, "Little Rascal, what’s wrong?"
"Summon, I can feel the aura of something summoning me," Little Rascal’s voice grew solemn, causing Qin Wentian’s expression to freeze. Little Rascal felt something calling out to it?
"Then let’s go in and take a look," Qin Wentian spoke. After that he turned to Qing`er, "Qing`er, you go back and wait for me, alright?"
Qing`er simply stared at Qin Wentian, and Qin Wentian couldn’t help but smile at her expression. "Okay, let’s go in together. But let’s try to be cautious."
Before he’d even finished speaking, Little Rascal’s body had already darted through the air; Qin Wentian and Qing`er followed after it.
"There’s a rumor of an inheritance left behind in this place by an ancient emperor. However, the methods of this ancient emperor were extremely cruel, and up till now, it’s unknown how many geniuses have perished within. Also, no one knows the exact ident.i.ty of that ancient emperor. In spite of this, many people still wish to enter the Underworld Mountains," Qing`er explained, as if to caution Qin Wentian.
The entrance only had a single pathway. The atmosphere was chilly and sinister, causing everyone to feel a cold.
Little Rascal’s speed became slower, and even its body was trembling slightly as though from fear. This was the first time Qin Wentian saw Little Rascal in such a state. It could sense the aura of a summons, yet it seemed to be very afraid.
What type of energy did that summoning have exactly?
"ROAR!" A low roar sounded from Little Rascal, and its speed quickened once again as it dived into a canyon.
"Little Rascal!" Qin Wentian could sense the nervous beat of Little Rascal’s heart. There seemed to be a mysterious power guiding it.
"It’s very dangerous in there," Qing`er warned when she saw Qin Wentian moving forth.
"Qing`er, you return first," Qin Wentian said again as his countenance turned solemn.
Since the Underworld Mountains was a forbidden ground of the City of Ancient Emperors, there would surely be extreme danger found inside. However, he couldn’t ignore Little Rascal, but he also couldn’t allow Qing`er to come to danger.
"My spatial power can bring you away at a critical moment. And there’s a protective strand of immortal sense in my body." Qing`er shook her head, stubbornly refusing the order. Given her personality, there was no way Qin Wentian could persuade her.
"Very well, but if we run into any danger, you have to leave at the earliest opportunity," prompted Qin Wentian solemnly.
"Okay," Qing`er replied. After that, she followed after Qin Wentian. Qin Wentian could sense the direction Little Rascal moved, and soon they were swiftly diving into the canyon. The mountains were shaped bizarrely here, and every one of the mountain peaks were so tall that they reached the heavens. In addition, the atmosphere seemed to grow increasingly sinister the deeper they proceeded.
"Little Rascal!" Qin Wentian continued ahead, lifting his head and staring at an isolated peak in the distance. And there, Little Rascal stood. The night was extremely dark, and its silhouette on the mountain peak seemed to resemble a lonely wolf, desperately looking around for something.
"Bzz!" A wind shuddered past as a white-robed figure appeared on the isolated peak. Qin Wentian stiffened; he could tell that this was none other than the mysterious female they had chasing earlier.
A sudden mist enveloped the mountains in this area, intensifying by the moment.
"What’s going on?" Qin Wentian discovered that, despite his strong vision, he couldn’t see through the mist. There seemed to be a mysterious sort of barrier blocking his sight. But a while later after the mist dissipated, Qin Wentian’s countenance changed.
The scene before them had transformed completely, although they were still in the mountains, the darkness seemed deeper here. And the mountains around them were no longer the same mountains as before. It was as if they had been instantly transported into another location, yet they clearly knew they hadn’t moved a single inch from where they stood.
"The Underground Mountains," Qing`er spoke in a low voice.
"Are these the true Underground Mountains?" Qin Wentian murmured. Qing`er might have known that the Underground Mountains were forbidden grounds in the City of Ancient Emperors, but she didn’t really know much about them beyond that. Who would have thought that the moment night fell, another mountain range would appear: the true Underworld Mountains.
"That’s…?" Suddenly, Qin Wentian froze. He stared at the foot of a mountain before staring at his surroundings. He’d spotted the bones of many geniuses scattered around.
The chill in the air grew stronger and stronger, as though affected by a special energy. Qin Wentian’s aura began to slip out, as though something was pulling it out bit by bit, draining it away.
"What’s going on?" Qin Wentian stretched his arms out. The Underworld Mountains could forcibly sap the strength of one’s physical body. And when he glanced at Qing`er, he could tell that she was experiencing the same thing.
"Woooooof~" Little Rascal let out a long whistle as its body expanded. It was actually devouring the special energy in the atmosphere, and wasn’t at all affected by the mysterious force sapping their strength away.
"Little Rascal…" Qin Wentian stared at the puppy. But at this moment, a white-robed figure flashed by, directly appearing before Little Rascal. Qin Wentian’s countenance changed as he instantly dashed towards it.
"Who are you exactly?" Qin Wentian icily asked. He saw the white-robed figure tilt her head and stare at him. A face of such beauty it left one breathless, yet there was something demonic about her features. This kind of beauty lacked any kind of charm, and her eyes seemed devoid of emotion. They only seemed to contain a fearsome stateliness as though she was a peerless expert. There was no aura emanating from her at all—it felt like she wasn’t even a living person.
Similar to Little Rascal, she wasn’t under the influence of the strange phenomenon here in the Underworld Mountains. With no aura, her strength naturally remained unaffected.
"Are you a human or a ghost?" This was the first time Qin Wentian encountered an existence completely lacking in any aura.Even for someone like the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor, who could retract his aura, the faint wisp of humanity would always be there. However, this person in front of Qin Wentian had no presence nor aura at all. If he hadn’t been looking at her personally with his own two eyes, he’d have no way to sense her existence.
The woman’s eyes s.h.i.+fted away, landing onto Little Rascal. After which, she started moving towards the puppy. Qin Wentian’s eyes widened in shock at the scene; her current form didn’t seem to be corporeal, and she was now attempting to fuse with Little Rascal’s body.
"ROAR!" Little Rascal let out a roar of pain and agony, as its body trembled violently.
"SCRAM!" Qin Wentian brandished his immortal-ranked spear, and immediately lunged towards the white-robed female. However, the spear pa.s.sed directly through her body, and didn’t seem to affect her at all.
"An apparition!" Qin Wentian face twisted in alarm. Little Rascal continued to howl incessantly as its trembling grew even more intense.
"BOOM!" The entirety of Little Rascal’s energy instantly erupted, and the woman’s form suddenly shuddered as a look of uneasiness crossed her face.
"This thing is afraid of the flames in your bloodline!" Little Rascal called out. Qin Wentian’s blood started thrumming, giving rise to a terrifying white flame which he then infused into Little Rascal’s body. Swish~ a raging wind blew past as the apparition immediately recoiled from Little Rascal. She turned her cold eyes onto Qin Wentian.
From a young age, Little Rascal had been raised with Qin Wentian’s blood as nourishment. There were traces of Qin Wentian’s blood in its veins, and earlier when its entire energy erupted forth, it was that very blood which caused the apparition to be fearful.
The female apparition glanced coldly at Qin Wentian before abruptly rus.h.i.+ng towards Qing`er. In an instant, her form was about to fuse with Qing`er’s.
"QING`ER!" Qin Wentian’s countenance drastically changed, and he instantly pressed out with his fingers, channeling his white flames into her as well. He saw the apparition being expelled out once more.
The white-robed female then re-appeared without warning in front of them, glaring at them with cold fury in her eyes.