51. Junxing Mountain · 1 · An Unexpected Encounter
The two successfully teleported to the edge of Junxing Mountain. After checking his storage ring, Beichen said regretfully, "I still have three teleportation talismans left! Next time, I'll bring Guifang along so he can get used to it."
"The Gui Fang might not want to get used to it."
Tang Xi looked around and said, "It's really sealed off... So we weren't teleported to Junxing Mountain back then?"
It's like the teleportation spell and the destination are contradictory; the 'mortise and tenon' don't match, and the three of them are bounced back to the outermost golden labyrinth.
Through the barrier, the two could see a portion of Junxing Mountain.
Everything that came into view was like a still, realistic painting. There was no wind, the leaves were still, the clouds were still, there were no small animals or monsters, there was no sound, so quiet that you could even hear your own breathing. The area was quiet, isolated by a pale black 'wall'.
Bei Chen looked up at the barrier that stretched endlessly into the sky, and felt somewhat troubled.
"There really is a barrier! The Golden Toad didn't lie to us. What should we do? We can't get in."
Tang Xi casually picked a leaf, held it between two fingers and shot it out. The leaf easily passed through the light black barrier.
Seeing this, Bei Chen was about to step forward when Tang Xi suddenly pulled him back, saying, "Wait."
Tang Xihe raised her fingertips, condensed a wisp of spiritual energy, and probed it little by little.
When the pale spiritual energy touched the outer layer of the barrier, it crackled and sparked.
Bei Chen's brow twitched. "Luckily you held me back. Or should I try to forcefully break through the barrier?"
Beichen was eager to try out the magical artifact that Baihu had given him, which he hadn't used yet.
"No, making too much noise might attract evil spirit masters."
Tang Xi thought for a moment, "The school taught the reverse writing method, I'll try to see if I can solve it."
Upon hearing this, Bei Chen took two steps back, giving Tang Xi space.
Tang Xihe approached and stopped an arm's length away from the barrier. She took a deep breath and focused all her attention on the pale-colored 'wall' in front of her.
Just like writing out the process while looking at the answer, or drawing the target in archery, it's not difficult at all.
Tang Xi focused intently, first carefully touching the barrier wall with her fingertips. Her control of spiritual power was extremely precise. She first condensed a wisp of spiritual power from her fingertips, making the thread extremely small, and then searched for gaps inch by inch on the barrier wall. Sure enough, she found a loophole in the barrier in an inconspicuous place in the array.
So she probed into the barrier with her spiritual energy, carefully "peeling away the cocoon" bit by bit. After discovering that her spiritual energy was not repelled by the barrier, Tangxi carefully touched it with her second and third fingers, and then pressed her entire palm against the barrier.
A gray-green ripple spread across the surface of the barrier, and at the same time, a faint aura mixed with decay and a sweet, pungent smell permeated the air.
The pungent smell made Tang Xihe frown. Not only Tang Xihe smelled it, but Bei Chen also caught the strange, fishy-sweet odor. He couldn't help but clear his throat and pinch his nose, saying, "This smell is so familiar? Where have we smelled it before?"
It smells a bit like fragrant grave soil... no, this smell is more pungent and makes me feel uneasy.
Bei Chen felt a thought flash through his mind and fell silent. The cloying, fishy-sweet smell was like cheap perfume, fleeting and elusive; upon closer inspection, it was gone.
Tang Xihe dared not relax and "resisted" the ripples. Her palm gradually merged into the barrier, and then, with her palm as the center, the ripples expanded more and more. Soon, the barrier was "melted" into a huge hole by Tang Xihe's hand.
Bei Chen watched in stunned silence, exclaiming in amazement, "Wow, Tang Xihe, you're really something! Your speed in deciphering spells is almost on par with the array magic department next door!"
"Come in quickly!"
Tang Xi urged, "I can't hold on much longer!"
The two entered the barrier one after the other. Bei Chen breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. Most of the rules of the secret realm only apply to monsters. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have been able to sneak into the barrier so quickly."
"Be careful, it could be a trap. There are many evil spirit masters, and they've set up such a massive barrier covering the entire Junxing Mountain. How could I possibly break through it so easily?"
Tang Xi sniffed the air hard. "The moment the barrier was opened, I smelled a very strange, fishy-sweet smell."
Bei Chen: "I smelled it too, and it makes me feel really uncomfortable."
The two exchanged a glance and gradually fell silent, tacitly refraining from saying everything, but their thoughts were largely the same:
—This smell really resembles the lonely, fragrant grave soil of a place that has been cleared away, leaving only Zhu Qianqian as the sole remaining monster.
Does the area under the jurisdiction of the prefecture emit a strange fragrance after the prefect dies?
That Junxingzi...
The two remained silent for a long time as they continued on their way.
In the past, whenever they entered the secret realm to do a mission, the default teleportation point was first Junxing Mountain, and then they would go to the destination secret realm. The two of them were very familiar with this mountain road leading to the Sun and Moon Temple.
Junxing Mountain has been designed to resemble a paradise. To accommodate newcomers to Junxing Mountain, the mountain paths are specially paved with ordinary tiles commonly found in human settlements. Gentle and vast spiritual energy seeps out from the gaps between the tiles, firmly buried beneath Junxing Mountain.
Now, as they stepped onto the Sun and Moon Temple once more, the two discovered that not only the entire Junxing Mountain, but even the land beneath their feet was lifeless—this description may seem a bit strange, but the strong, gentle spiritual energy that once permeated this land was truly gone.
"Tangxi and Junxingzi won't end up like Zhu He, will they?"
Finally, Bei Chen, unable to bear the deathly silence any longer, broke it first, saying in a hoarse voice, "I don't understand the art of incense, but the scent you smelled when you opened the barrier just now was so similar to the style of Fragrant Grave Soil."
Tangxi remained silent for a while before answering.
Don't be too optimistic.
"..."
Bei Chen mentally counted from one to one hundred, then back down from one hundred to one. The only sound between them was footsteps; there was no other noise. He couldn't take it anymore: "Say something, brother. Aren't you bored?"
"ah?"
Tang Xi was taken aback. "What did you say...? Is there something you want to say?"
"Don't you think it's too quiet?" Bei Chen's gaze swept quickly across the dense bushes on both sides. "Whatever you want to say, you go first, you start."
The quiet of Junxing Mountain made him feel uneasy. At least with Zhu Qianqian guarding the Fragrant Tomb, there was truly no trace of monsters here.
After thinking for a moment, Tang Xihe said sincerely, "Bei Chen, I'm sorry, I may not be able to help you get the weapon dissolution."
"..."
Bei Chen's brain froze for a full three seconds. He hadn't expected Tang Xi to care about such a small matter. His eyes darted around in their wide sockets three or four times before he waved his hand and chuckled dryly.
"Huh? Hey! It's no big deal. I already have the White Tiger's sword energy! Besides, I was the one who asked to join your team in the first place."
No, we can't talk like this anymore. He realized that if they continued talking like this, Tang Xihe might keep apologizing, which would be incredibly cheesy. So Bei Chen quickly changed the subject to avoid danger: "Oh right, why is the mace that Baihu gave me getting dimmer and dimmer? It seems to have been sleeping inside my body all along."
Tang Xi glanced at him sideways, "You haven't named it yet, have you?"
Bei Chen was taken aback. "Do we need to name it?"
"...Of course I want to."
"..." Bei Chen scratched his chin. "I really didn't know. I used to rely on brute force to forcibly summon the Star Lord. Sigh, my spiritual power was too strong, there was no way to stop it, hahaha!"
Tangxi chuckled: "Narcissistic."
Bei Chen glanced furtively at Tang Xihe's expression and tentatively said, "You... uh, actually, helping me find a bodyguard wasn't necessary in the first place, so don't put pressure on yourself."
Tang Xi shook her head. "It was my own decision. Regardless of whether I teamed up with Gui Fang or not, my initial intention was to help you find a way to dissolve the enemy."
Unexpectedly, Nine-Headed Chapter revealed that the Tiger Clan Lord and the Hollow Inn had both been attacked by treacherous forces, meaning that the Giant Sword and the Heart-Clearing Flute had suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Tangxi was so frightened she almost lost her mind, unsure of what to do next.
Bei Chen: "But... okay, let's not talk about me, let's talk about Gui Fang. The Qingxin Flute he needed was initially to suppress the negative effects of the evil energy."
“Now we know that Gui Fang is born with a poisonous vein, and Qingxin Flute can't do anything about it. This isn't your problem.”
Bei Chen comforted him, "Don't overthink it. Don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Gui Fang has a powerful ally, so this trip has been very fruitful, haha."
Hopefully, everyone can leave the secret realm safely.
Bei Chen thought to himself silently.
If Gui Fang were here, he would dare to make any joke, but for some reason, when Tang Xihe was around, Bei Chen had to be careful and restrained, for fear of saying the wrong thing and making Tang Xihe overthink.
"Tangxi and".
"What?"
"you……"
Bei Chen considered carefully before asking, "Are you the type who feels guilty if you don't help your classmates?"
Tang Xi was stunned by the question, and paused in her tracks. "...I've never thought about this question before."
—Am I?
Never mind, in this world, 'Tang Xihe' is just an NPC. He's someone who wandered in another world to the point of almost forgetting his past.
For the rest of the uphill climb, only the sound of footsteps could be heard.
Bei Chen suddenly felt a little annoyed. If Gui Fang were here, the atmosphere might be better.
"Hello……"
Tang Xi's steps suddenly stopped. "Someone's here!"
Before the words were even finished, the two of them moved in perfect unison, silently disappearing into the bushes beside them.
A woman's voice gradually became clearer, coming from the bushes opposite, "...It's much better looking than my brother's drab gray school uniform, it's just too easy to get dirty."
Tang Xi's heart skipped a beat, her face tensed slightly, and she subconsciously wanted to jump out of the bushes.
How could that be?
Bei Chen noticed that Tang Xi's mood was off and was about to ask when he heard a male voice interject: "That's banana moon color, a sophisticated gray-green, what gray..."
The rustling sounds grew clearer as the two voices emerged from the bushes opposite, getting closer and closer to the wide mountain path.
The woman said irritably, "It's gray! It's not pretty at all! It's so gray and smudged. My brother already has a low profile, and with that kind of uniform, you can hardly see him... Hey, don't push me, or I'll punch you!"
The male voice protested innocence: "It wasn't me! It was Haiyue Tree who touched you! I told you not to wear white clothes on Junxing Mountain!"
With a rustling sound, two people emerged from behind the bushes. Four pairs of eyes stared wide-eyed at each other, both surprised by the other's appearance.
"...Zhang Benyi? Xiao Chun?"
"elder brother!"
Tang Xichun's anger vanished in an instant, and she happily trotted over, "Brother, what are you doing here!"
"That's what I'm asking you! What are you doing here?"
Tang Xihe turned to Bei Chen and introduced, "This is my younger sister, Tang Xichun, and this is Zhang Benyi from the investigation team."
Bei Chen nodded.
He had watched the freshman comprehensive test competition and was deeply impressed by Tang Xichun's strange long sword and bizarre fighting style; Zhang Benyi next to him was a "celebrity in the investigation and judgment group". He was so busy that he could hardly touch the ground. It seemed that he often appeared in various corners of the school, holding a strange compass and making random measurements. It was as if he had nothing to do with anything. He had seen this person hundreds of times since freshman year and could hardly forget him.
Tang Xichun snorted, "Of course we're here! Zhang Benyi said that every time we enter the secret realm trial, the default landing location is Junxing Mountain. The seven of us are the first team to be sent in, and there are many more people behind us."
Seven?
Tang Xi and Bei Chen looked completely bewildered. "Where are the other five? It's not finals yet, so why are we sending everyone into the secret realm?"
The spiritual plant crystal mine is still dormant and not fully recovered, so you can't do any tasks.
“Something happened at school. The teachers were sending students into the secret realm in batches of seven. We were in a group with Xuan Yingxian and a few other classmates I didn’t know. But during the teleportation, Xuan Yingxian got into an argument with one of them, and then something happened that somehow separated us. So Tang Xichun and I ended up together…”
Zhang Benyi said worriedly, "I wonder how the others are? Xuan Yingxian is really something. He gets provoked by just a few words. The school is already unsafe, and the secret realm may not be safe either. He has an impulsive personality and is likely to offend people wherever he goes."
"Since we've run into each other, let's all four of us work together!"
Bei Chen raised his chin and pointed in the direction of the towering Sun and Moon Temple, indicating that everyone should continue forward. "Recently, the blessed lands have been in chaos. Who came up with the bad idea of sending you into the secret realm?"
"chaos?"
Tang Xichun asked with some concern, "What happened?"
"Let's talk as we walk," Tang Xihe said, taking the lead and stepping forward.
...
The two sisters, suspended in mid-air, looked down at the scene below.
"Shall we go back, sister?" Fu Guanhong stood firmly on the talisman hunting rifle, hovering in the air, and tugged at the life-sized doll that floated lightly in her arms.
The doll remained motionless.
If Tang Xihe were to see the doll, he would surely recognize it. The doll that Fu Guanhong had tucked under his armpit was the very same ghost he had seen in the Langji Mountain forest. One was alive, and the other was dead; they were exactly the same and quite strange.
“Wait,” Fu Ningjing said, his unfocused pupils looking down, “help me align him with Zhang Benyi… a little more to the left, that’s fine.”
"What are you waiting for?" Fu Guanhong yawned. "Does your Lord Xuanwu have another task for you?"
I won't tell you.
"Then what are you looking at?"
"Let's see if Beichen's entourage will help Junxingzi."
"Isn't that a given?" Fu Guanhong asked curiously. "Teachers love students who are all enthusiasm and no thought, especially since he's a rising star in the martial arts department."
"..."
After waiting for a while, Fu Guanhong urged, "Let's go? If we go back late, Shi Jinxiu will report us to Director Yan again."
Fu Ningjing ignored her.
“Xuanwu’s human form is a little boy, and if that Tang Xihe were a bit shorter, he could barely be considered a little boy…” Fu Guanhong suddenly realized, “Sis, you’re a boy-lover!”
Fu Ningjing turned his head 120 degrees, making a harsh, grating sound like wood rubbing against wood, his lifeless pupils staring blankly at her. "Are you sick?"
Fu Guanhong stuck out his tongue and chuckled twice, "Let's go, let's go, there's nothing to see... Ah, they've entered the Sun and Moon Temple, are you relieved now? Let's go, let's go."
"That guy named Tang Xihe is overly cautious; he's a bit annoying."
Fu Ningjing's voice was flat and even, "However, Lord Xuanwu asked me to give him experience points."
"...Now? Junxing Mountain?"
Fu Ningjing said, "Give me the mirror."
Fu Guanhong's cheek twitched. "So cruel? We were classmates after all."
"Where is he ruthless?" The puppet under his arm scolded expressionlessly. "How old is he? Besides, Lang Yuehua investigated him. This guy has been spending all his time on the task list from freshman to junior year. What inner demons could he have? Give me the mirror."
Seeing this, Fu Guanhong sighed, took out an old Bagua mirror from his pocket, and stuffed it into his sister's hand.
"I'll head back after I'm done setting everything up."
Fu Guanhong gave instructions, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the four figures at his feet.
They hurried toward the Temple of the Sun and Moon, their shadows smaller than ants. Since the group had grown from two to four, they had been chatting and laughing, oblivious to what was about to happen to them.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
