Chapter 153: Emperor's Tomb Forest

Chapter 153: Emperor's Tomb Forest

The Emperor's Tomb Forest was located in the central region of the Ghost Dream Wilderness, an extremely Yin-cold and desolate Spiritual Land with a history spanning thousands of years.

Yue Mingsong held a deep-brown disc in his hand, checking their bearings as he led the way, muttering to himself, "A woman’s heart is as deep as the ocean’s needle. Who would’ve thought Jin Quexi could tolerate you like that? It seems the ancient saying holds true—women should be touched more. The more you touch them, the more docile they become."

"Was there ever such an ancient saying?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.

Yue Mingsong replied with utmost seriousness, "Of course there was! Isn’t Jin Quexi the perfect example? Any other man who dared touch even a single finger of hers would have his entire hand chopped off. But you? You groped her all over and even demanded payment—tsk tsk—yet she didn’t lose her temper at all. Clearly, ancient sayings are indeed truths."

Ning Xiaochuan smiled without responding. Though Jin Quexi’s figure might have been exceptional, to him, she was merely a patient. He harbored no impure thoughts.

Perhaps there had been some fleeting temptations, but he had long grown accustomed to restraining his rationality.

Yue Mingsong excitedly said, "Why don’t you teach me heart-nurturing and alchemy? I want to be a Heart Nurturer too—long skirts and fragrant robes torn by hand! Who cares about propriety? This is the dignity of a Heart Nurturer, all of it buried beneath a woman’s skirt!"

"Shh!" Ning Xiaochuan raised a finger to his lips in warning.

His foot tapped lightly against the ground, propelling him upwards as he leaped onto a tree branch 20 meters high. Through the layers of leaves, he spotted a weathered, towering stone monument in the distance, atop which stood a martial artist.

The black stone monument stood a full 33 meters tall, its surface inscribed with faint ancient script, exuding an aura of antiquity and desolation—as if a relic from the pages of history had flown out and settled here.

Yue Mingsong also climbed up the tree, stroking his mustache as he said, "We’ve reached the edge of the Emperor's Tomb Forest. Within the forest, there are many such monuments. Legend says that beneath each one lies the burial site of a martial arts master."

Ning Xiaochuan’s gaze fixed on the martial artist atop the monument. "That’s a Native from the Emperor's Ruins. His cultivation should be at the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm."

"How do you know?" Yue Mingsong asked.

"Heart Spirit Perception."

"But only Martial Venerables can master Heart Spirit Perception! Hey—where are you going?" By the time Yue Mingsong turned his head, Ning Xiaochuan had already landed on the ground, transforming into a streak of Rainbow Light as he dashed toward the monument.

Yue Mingsong immediately gave chase. By the time he reached the base of the monument, the Fourth Level Divine Body Realm Native had already been slain by Ning Xiaochuan, his body buried beneath the soil.

Ning Xiaochuan erased all traces before swiftly heading deeper into the Emperor's Tomb Forest.

"Wait! The Emperor's Tomb Forest is filled with lingering Yin Evil and Foul Energy. If it clings to you, the least you’ll suffer is misfortune, and at worst, death and the dissipation of your cultivation!" Yue Mingsong warned gravely.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Does Foul Energy truly exist?"

He had never believed in such mystical concepts, but the moment he stepped into the graveyard, he indeed felt an icy force seeping into his body.

It wasn't a tangible force, only perceptible through one's spiritual senses, yet it undeniably existed.

Yue Mingsong nodded solemnly and retrieved two crimson-red pearls from his robe, handing one to Ning Xiaochuan. "These are Nine-Yang Evil-Warding Pearls. Wearing one around your neck can ward off evil, repel baleful influences, dispel cold, and cleanse impurities. They’re One-Star Mystic Artifacts."

Ning Xiaochuan had always considered Yue Mingsong unreliable, so he accepted the pearl with skepticism. However, he immediately felt a warm, enveloping energy spread through his body, driving away the intangible Cold Qi.

"Huh? Could this pearl really ward off evil?" Ning Xiaochuan was surprised, finding it hard to believe.

Yue Mingsong replied with slight displeasure, "More than just warding off evil—if you grind it into powder and drink it with water, it can even enhance potency! But since it’s a One-Star Mystic Artifact, using it that way would be a waste. If you’re looking for potency enhancement, I still have a Tiger Whip Tendril here, six hundred years old, dug up from North Cliff Ridge. Since you’re a Heart Nurturer, how about refining it into a batch of Aphrodisiac and Potency-Enhancing Elixirs for me? I’ll pay you."

Ning Xiaochuan fastened the Nine-Yang Evil-Warding Pearl around his neck and ignored Yue Mingsong.

Yue Mingsong hurried after him. "Little Brother Ning, we can still negotiate! How about I give you one pill after they’re refined?"

Without stopping, Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Who forged these two Nine-Yang Evil-Warding Pearls?"

"If you refine a batch of Aphrodisiac and Potency-Enhancing Elixirs for me, I’ll tell you."

Yue Mingsong actually produced the "Tiger Whip Tendril"—a cylindrical object as thick as an arm, about 40 centimeters long, entirely crimson-red with white root-like tendrils at the end.

This Tiger Whip Tendril was indeed six hundred years old, a Six-Star Spiritual Herb, an extremely rare treasure. That he managed to dig it up was nothing short of a miracle.

The grade of a Spiritual Herb was closely tied to its age.

Generally, herbs under a hundred years old were considered ordinary medicinal plants.

Only those over a century old could be called Spiritual Herbs.

Those between one and two hundred years old were classified as One-Star Spiritual Herbs.

Those between two and three hundred years old were Two-Star Spiritual Herbs.

Those between nine hundred and a thousand years old were Nine-Star Spiritual Herbs.

Herbs over a thousand years old were exceedingly rare, surpassing the category of Spiritual Herbs entirely, possessing the power to revive the dead and restore life to withered bones.

Ning Xiaochuan examined the Tiger Whip Tendril in Yue Mingsong’s hand, hesitated for a moment, then took it. "Fine, I’ll help you refine a batch of Intermediate Elixirs."

"They must have aphrodisiac effects," Yue Mingsong emphasized.

Ning Xiaochuan gave a wry smile and nodded.

"And they must enhance potency," Yue Mingsong added.

Ning Xiaochuan nodded again. "But you’ll have to pay me."

"How much? Name your price!" Yue Mingsong was ecstatic. He had long wanted to refine a batch of Aphrodisiac and Potency-Enhancing Elixirs, but Intermediate Heart Nurturers were hard to find, and even if he found one, they might refuse to refine such a pill. Now, someone was finally willing to help him!

Ning Xiaochuan said, "This Nine-Yang Evil-Warding Pearl will suffice as payment."

"Good, truly a good brother. Once the elixir is refined, I’ll definitely give you one," Yue Mingsong said with hearty generosity.

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Who exactly refined this Nine-Yang Evil-Warding Pearl?"

"Me," Yue Mingsong replied.

"You?"

"That’s right, me. Didn’t I tell you? I’m the neighbor of the disciple of the World’s First Forging Master. Shh, keep it low-key, don’t let outsiders know," Yue Mingsong said.

Ning Xiaochuan stored the Tiger Whip Tendril into the Heaven and Earth Bag and stopped wasting time with Yue Mingsong, advancing deeper into the Emperor's Tomb Forest.

Before them lay graves everywhere, some cracked open, revealing half-buried coffins—a sight that sent chills down one’s spine.

When night fell, eerie blue ghost fires floated throughout the graveyard, and strange sounds emerged from the tombs, as if some creature was howling.

Flap!

A black crow, clutching a bloodied bone in its beak, landed on a withered tree.

On its head were a pair of human eyes, staring down at Ning Xiaochuan and Yue Mingsong as they passed beneath.

This was the "Human-Eyed Crow," said to be a transformed spirit of the dead from the tombs. It fed on human flesh and emitted child-like cries.

Spotting a Human-Eyed Crow was an ominous sign.

"Maybe we shouldn’t go any further. This place is called the Emperor's Tomb Forest for a reason—it’s definitely extraordinary. Our current cultivation isn’t enough to recklessly trespass," Yue Mingsong said, holding an iron compass to determine their direction.

But he soon realized that after entering the Emperor's Tomb Forest, all sense of direction was lost—the compass had completely failed.

This indicated that a mysterious force within the forest was disrupting spatial orientation.

Through mental perception, Ning Xiaochuan also sensed that proceeding further would be perilous and decided to retreat before they became completely lost in the graveyard.

"Ah!" Yue Mingsong turned around and found, standing behind them, a knight riding a White Skeleton War Stag.

The knight wore only black armor, but inside the armor was nothing but a ghostly flame—no physical body.

A single ghostly flame sustained the armor.

"Nether Knight—the guardian of the Emperor's Tomb Forest!" Yue Mingsong shuddered, dropping the iron compass with a loud clang.

The Nether Knight drew its war sword, unleashing a chilling wave of Sword Qi, and slashed toward Yue Mingsong’s neck.

Boom!

Ning Xiaochuan fired a Lightning Ball from his palm, sending the Nether Knight flying.

"Run! The Nether Knights have Undying Bodies! If more come, we’re dead!" Yue Mingsong yanked off his shoes, hung them around his neck, and bolted faster than a wild dog.

Boom!

The Nether Knight that had been blasted away climbed back up, mounted the White Skeleton War Stag, and pursued Ning Xiaochuan and Yue Mingsong.

"Little Shuang, come out!" Ning Xiaochuan summoned the Double-headed Stone Beast from the Mystic Beast Manual.

He mounted the beast, hauled Yue Mingsong up behind him, and fled at full speed.

The Nether Knight chased closely, letting out a strange roar—calling for others to join the hunt.

Yue Mingsong sat on the back of the Double-headed Stone Beast, finally letting out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the Mystic Beast Manual in Ning Xiaochuan's hand, a strange light flashing in his eyes as he exclaimed excitedly, "Hand me that bone in your hand for a look."

Ning Xiaochuan naturally did not hand over the Mystic Beast Manual, instead guarding it warily as he asked, "What do you want with it?"

"I think the forging technique on this bone is extraordinary, unlike the work of an ordinary person. I want to study it," Yue Mingsong said.

Ning Xiaochuan was slightly surprised. Among all the talented geniuses in the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, none had been able to discern the special qualities of the Mystic Beast Manual. How could Yue Mingsong recognize its uniqueness at a glance? Could he truly be a hidden master of forging techniques?