AWB Chapter 315 Exploring Forward!
Chapter 315 Exploring Forward!
Chen Jinshu put away his zither, squatted down, and used the tip of his sword to pry open the corpse of a poisonous scorpion, digging out a demon core the size of a thumb from its abdomen.
The demon core was earthy yellow in color and emitted a faint fluctuation of earth-elemental spiritual energy.
"Second-tier, high-grade." She weighed the demon core in her hand and put it into her storage bag. "Although the grade is not high, it is pure and can be used as medicine."
Zhao He also squatted down and skillfully peeled off the carapaces and stingers of several scorpions, saying as he worked:
"These things may not be of high quality, but they can still be sold for some spirit stones. Little by little, they add up."
Chen Jinshu glanced at him, said nothing, and continued walking forward.
Over the next two days, the two were attacked several more times.
One time it was a pack of sand wolves, about twenty of them, led by a wolf king who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Those sand wolves were extremely fast, running almost silently across the sand, only letting out low whimpers.
One was a solitary sand python, as thick as a bucket, its scales gleaming coldly in the greyish-white light.
It lurked in the sand, and when the two people walked up to its head, it suddenly sprang up, its gaping maw capable of swallowing an adult whole.
Another time, it was a region of quicksand.
It was an area that looked no different from any other sandy area, but as soon as Zhao He stepped onto it, the sand beneath his feet suddenly collapsed, and he sank into it. If Chen Jinshu hadn't reacted quickly and thrown out the emerald rope of the Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle, pulling him out of the quicksand, he would probably be buried in the yellow sand by now.
"Thank you so much for saving my life, fellow Daoist!" Zhao He lay on the safe ground, panting heavily, his face filled with lingering fear.
"No need." Chen Jinshu put away the Azure Light Rope and looked at the quicksand area in front of him.
"This area of quicksand is quite large, let's go around it."
The two took a long detour, adding half a day to their journey, before finally crossing the quicksand area.
……
Three days later.
If the gray sky could be called dusk, then the two finally saw the end of the desert.
A low, rocky hill appeared ahead.
The stone mountain is dark red, with weathered cracks covering its surface. At its foot, many pebbles are scattered, some of which still bear faint traces of runes.
At the foot of the rocky mountain, there is a narrow passage leading into the mountainside. At the entrance to the passage stands a broken stone tablet, on which four characters are engraved in ancient seal script:
"White Bone Hill Boundary".
"We've arrived." Zhao He looked at the stone tablet and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Once we pass through this passage, we'll reach the second level of the stone forest. Fellow Daoist Chen, shall we rest for a bit before continuing?"
Chen Jinshu glanced inside the passage. The passage was deep and dimly lit, making it impossible to see what was inside.
"Rest for half an hour." She sat down behind a sheltered rock, took out a Qi-restoring pill, swallowed it, and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.
Zhao He also sat down, took out a pot of spirit wine from his storage bag, and carefully tasted it.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, if I may be so bold as to ask, what are you seeking in this secret realm?"
Chen Jinshu opened her eyes, glanced at him, and said, "Find a medicine."
"Medicine?" Zhao He blinked. "What medicine? Could it be that you have some hidden injury?"
Chen Jinshu did not answer.
Seeing this, Zhao He didn't press further, but simply chuckled.
"I was just asking casually. If you don't want to say, I won't ask anymore. However, I can tell you some news as a way of repaying your life-saving grace before."
"What news?" Chen Jinshu asked.
"I have heard that deep within this second layer of stone forest, there is a 'Spring of Time,' whose water can cleanse the soul and heal its wounds. It is said that the spring is where the Lotus of Time grows."
Chen Jinshu's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive:
"Where did this news come from?"
"I heard it from an old monk."
"That old cultivator entered this secret realm when he was young and came out alive. He said that the Spring of Light was located under the Bone Tower in the center of the Stone Forest, but it was protected by a powerful restriction, and he was unable to get close."
Chen Jinshu remained silent for a moment: "Thank you for informing me, fellow Daoist."
"You're welcome, you're welcome." Zhao He waved his hand and smiled. "I was just mentioning it casually. However, that Bone Tower is really dangerous. If you want to go there, please be careful."
Chen Jinshu nodded and didn't say anything more.
Half an hour later, the two got up and walked into the passage leading to the stone forest.
The passage was not long, only a hundred feet or so, but the further you went in, the dimmer the light became and the colder the air grew.
The walls were covered with dark green moss, which was slippery to the touch and gave off a damp, musty smell.
After passing through the passage, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before me.
The second layer of stone forest was even more spectacular than Chen Jinshu had imagined.
Countless stone pillars stand in a jumbled array, some tens of feet high, others as short as a mound, each with a different shape.
Some stone pillars are covered with densely packed runes, some have lifelike animal heads carved on their tops, and others are covered with a thick layer of moss, as if they are wearing a green coat.
The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves and pebbles, which felt soft and made a rustling sound when stepped on.
A faint smell of decaying vegetation filled the air, mixed with the scent of earth and the fragrance of some unknown flower.
"A good place." Zhao He took a deep breath, his spirits lifted.
"The spiritual energy here is much richer than in the desert."
Chen Jinshu did not answer, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding stone pillars, his divine sense quietly spreading out.
She could sense that many subtle presences were hidden deep within this stone forest.
Some were demonic beasts, some were human cultivators, and some had faint auras that made it impossible to identify what they were.
"Be careful," she whispered. "There are many living things in this stone forest."
Upon hearing this, Zhao He's smile faded slightly, and he gripped his spirit sword tighter: "I understand."
The two carefully made their way through the stone forest.
There are many forks in the stone forest. Some paths look open but turn out to be dead ends, while others look like dead ends but reveal a hidden bend when you get closer.
Guided by the map in his memory, Chen Jinshu led Zhao He through a maze of twists and turns, avoiding areas that clearly harbored the aura of demonic beasts and places with broken restrictions.
They encountered two groups of cultivators along the way.
The first group consisted of three Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, who were arguing endlessly about a spiritual herb growing in a crack in the rock.
The herb was entirely crimson, with heart-shaped leaves that emitted faint fluctuations of fire-type spiritual energy, making it look quite extraordinary.
When the three men saw Chen Jinshu and his companion approaching, they immediately became wary, placing their hands on their weapons as if to say, "Don't blame us for being impolite if you dare to come any closer."
Chen Jinshu ignored them and walked straight past.
The second group consisted of two disciples from the Five Poisons Sect.
The two men were squatting on the ground, using a palm-sized jade box to collect the poisonous insects crawling out of the corpse of a dead monster.
They glanced at Chen Jinshu and his companion briefly before lowering their heads to continue their work, clearly not paying them any attention.
Not wanting to cause any more trouble, Chen Jinshu led Zhao He around the two men and continued deeper into the stone forest.
After walking for about two hours, the stone pillars ahead became more numerous and denser, and in some places, one even had to turn sideways to pass through.
Animal skeletons began to appear on the ground, some as big as a fist, others as tall as a person. They were yellowish in color and covered with fine cracks, indicating that they had been decaying for a long time.
"The Bone Tower shouldn't be far away," Zhao He said in a low voice, glancing at the map.
"If you walk another three miles or so, you will see the spire."
Just as Chen Jinshu was about to reply, he suddenly sensed something, abruptly stopped, and pressed his right hand onto the strings of the zither.
"What's wrong?" Zhao He also stopped and looked around warily.
Chen Jinshu didn't speak, but closed his eyes and sensed for a moment before opening them and looking towards the back of a thick stone pillar on his left:
"Come out."
After a moment of silence behind the stone pillar, a streak of earthen-yellow light slowly emerged, revealing Sand Scorpion's gaunt figure. Sand Scorpion leaned on a cane, his gray robe covered in dust, his face even paler than before, but his narrow eyes remained bright, carrying a hint of a relieved smile.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, I've finally found you."
"Alliance Leader," Chen Jinshu loosened his grip on the strings, "Are you injured?"
"It's just a minor injury," Sand Scorpion waved his hand dismissively.
"I was chased by a monster from the stone forest the whole way, but I've shaken it off. As for you..."
He glanced at Zhao He beside Chen Jinshu, his gaze questioning: "And who is this?"
"Zhao He, the wanderer of the wind and sand, is a companion I met on the road," Chen Jinshu introduced simply.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Sha Xie cupped his hands in greeting to Zhao He, who quickly returned the gesture.
"Alliance Leader, the Bone Tower is just ahead." Chen Jinshu looked into the depths of the stone forest.
"Do you still want to go and find that life-extending ginseng?"
“Go.” Sand Scorpion said without the slightest hesitation.
"My days are numbered; I must seize even the slightest chance of survival."
He looked at Chen Jinshu with earnestness in his eyes: "Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to go with me? If you find that ten-thousand-year-old ginseng, I am willing to give you all the spirit stones and materials I have on me."
Chen Jinshu was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."
After discussing for a moment, the three decided to go to the Bone Tower first, and then look for the spiritual spring around the tower.
The paths through the stone forest became increasingly difficult. The ground was covered with more and more loose stones, and in some places, one even had to climb to get through.
A faint smell of blood filled the air, whether from a demonic beast or a human was unknown.
……
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the stone pillars in front of them suddenly thinned out, revealing a relatively open space.
In the center of the open space stood a dilapidated stone tower.
The tower is constructed of grayish-white boulders, its surface covered with cracks and signs of weathering, yet it remains tall and imposing, estimated to be at least twenty zhang (approximately 63 meters) high. The top has largely collapsed, revealing a large gap through which a dimly lit space can be seen.
"The Tower of Bones." Sand Scorpion looked at the tower, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement.
“That spiritual spring is right under the tower,” Zhao He said in a low voice, pointing to an inconspicuous corner at the base of the tower.
"The map says there's a hidden entrance there."
Chen Jinshu followed his finger and saw that there was indeed a hole half-covered by rubble at the base of the tower, which was easy to miss if one did not look carefully.
She was about to take a step forward when she suddenly sensed something and turned around abruptly.
At the edge of the stone forest, three figures slowly emerged.
The old demon, dressed in a black robe, had a sinister face and eyes that gleamed eerily in the black mist. His gaze fell upon Chen Jinshu, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"So you know about this well too."
Sand Scorpion's face instantly turned ugly. He gripped his cane tightly, his voice turning colder: "Black Demon Old Ghost, were you following us?"
"It's not really about tracking." The old black ghost slowly approached, his steps seemingly slow, but each step covered several feet, and in the blink of an eye he was ten feet in front of the tower.
"I just happened to have discovered this place and happened to run into you."
Behind him were two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators from the Blood Fiend Sect, one tall and thin, the other short and stout. Both of them looked at Chen Jinshu and the other two with undisguised killing intent.
“Since everyone is interested in this well,” the old black ghost grinned, revealing a mouthful of blackened teeth.
"Then why don't we each rely on our own abilities?"
Sand Scorpion's face turned ashen, and he muttered in a low voice, "Old fox."
Chen Jinshu remained silent, his fingertips lightly resting on the Star Moon Guqin at his waist, his gaze fixed on the old black ghost's steps. Just as the old ghost took his final step, he suddenly spoke:
"Wait a minute."
The old black ghost paused in his steps: "Little girl, is there anything else you want to say?"
Chen Jinshu said calmly, "No one knows what lies beneath this Bone Tower. Rather than taking action now, it's better to investigate first. If there truly is treasure below, then we can rely on our own abilities."
The old black ghost narrowed his eyes, stared at Chen Jinshu for a moment, and then suddenly burst into laughter:
"Good! You have guts! No wonder you survived the Blood Hand Demon. I'll give you face and let you go into the tower first before deciding how to divide it."
As he spoke, he waved his hand and led two of his men toward the entrance at the base of the tower.
Chen Jinshu and the other two followed closely behind.
The entrance to the cave is narrow, allowing only one person to pass sideways.
Chen Jinshu walked last, but he remained on edge the whole time.
She had a hunch that the old black demon would not agree to peaceful coexistence so easily.
However, now is not the best time to break off relations.
She glanced at the scorpion's back, then at the dark depths of the cave entrance, took a deep breath, and slipped into the cave.
Darkness rushed in.
The cave passage was narrow and long, with slippery moss covering the stone walls on both sides. The ground was uneven, and small stones would occasionally roll down.
The air was damp and stuffy, carrying a strong earthy smell, as if this cave had been sealed for thousands of years and had finally been reopened today.
The sand scorpion walking ahead suddenly stopped and whispered:
There is light ahead.
Chen Jinshu peeked out from the side and saw a faint golden light shining from the end of the cave.
The light was soft and warm, like the sunlight at dusk, yet it carried an indescribable ancient aura.
“Let’s go take a look,” Chen Jinshu said, taking the lead and walking towards the light.
At the end of the passageway was a huge underground cave.
The cave is circular, with a diameter of several tens of feet and a height of more than ten feet.
A fist-sized luminous pearl was embedded in the cave ceiling, emitting a pale golden light that illuminated the entire cave as if it were daytime.
In the center of the cave, there is a spring about three feet in diameter.
A stream of clear spring water gushed from the spring, flowing slowly along a shallow ditch toward the edge of the cave, eventually seeping into the ground.
The spring water exudes a faint, ethereal fragrance that soothes the soul.
Beside the spring, there grows a peculiar aquatic plant.
The plant had thick roots and stems, and its leaves were emerald green and translucent, revealing a flowing spiritual light within them.
At the top of the stem, a pale golden lotus is slowly blooming, its petals shimmering with a faint light, as if it came from another time and space.
“Time Lotus…” Chen Jinshu’s gaze fell on the lotus flower, and his pupils contracted slightly.
"Such a treasure really exists!" Zhao He exclaimed, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.
Sand Scorpion's gaze was also intense, but he quickly composed himself, looked at the three Blood Fiend Sect cultivators, and said coldly:
“Black Demon Old Ghost, since the treasure is right in front of us, let’s follow the rules of the martial world and each take it based on their own abilities.”
The old black ghost didn't speak, but stared at the Time Lotus with a greedy glint in his eyes.
A moment later, he suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with contempt:
"You don't actually think I'd share it equally with you, do you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators behind him attacked simultaneously, one on the left and one on the right, heading straight for Chen Jinshu and Zhao He.
Sand Scorpion was prepared. He shouted and slammed his cane on the ground. A yellowish-brown protective shield instantly rose up, enveloping him and Chen Jinshu.
"clang--!"
Two attacks, one black and one white, struck the protective shield with a dull thud.
The protective shield trembled violently, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on its surface. (End of Chapter)