Chapter 236: Ancient Village on the Desolate Mountain
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Pingyin County, shrouded in white mist, exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spine of ordinary people with just a glance.
However, ever since Pingyin County was mysteriously engulfed, there were no longer any ordinary residents within dozens of miles around. Anyone who could run had already fled, and those who couldn’t had found their eternal rest here.
But at this moment, about twenty or thirty individuals stood ten miles outside the eastern gate of Pingyin County, silently observing the changes in the aura within the county and calculating the hour.
“Master Fang, can we go in now?”
Several people, with an elderly man at the center, approached Master Fang. Among the group, some were in the early stages of Aperture Tempering realm, while others were in the Visceral Tempering realm and Marrow Tempering realm. One of them respectfully asked for guidance.
The elderly man was named Fang Ziqiu, a wanderer without affiliation, and his cultivation had already reached the mid-stage of Aperture Tempering realm. Amongst wandering cultivators, reaching the early stage of Aperture Tempering realm was considered a rare achievement, let alone the mid-stage.
After reaching the early stage of Aperture Tempering realm, most wandering cultivators spent their entire lives at that level, unable to make further progress unless they encountered some extraordinary opportunity.
Fang Ziqiu’s ability to reach the mid-stage of Aperture Tempering realm made him one of the top cultivators among this gathering of wandering cultivators. Moreover, he had embarked on the path of formation cultivation by deciphering a basic formation method in his early days.
Among the cultivators present, not only did Fang Ziqiu have the highest cultivation level, but his understanding of formations was also the most profound.
The reason so many people had gathered outside Pingyin County without forcefully entering was due to a mysterious formation that had enveloped the county.
The formation was so bizarre that it had everyone intrigued. Coupled with the unusual increase in power of the mysterious force within, it was clear to everyone that this mysterious entity possessed something of great value.
As a result, numerous wandering cultivators had flocked here, hoping to get a share of the spoils. The warriors in the Visceral Tempering realm and Marrow Tempering realm had been brought along by the Aperture Tempering realm to handle any minor tasks within the strange city.
“No rush, the power of the formation is still at its peak. Let’s continue to wait,” Fang Ziqiu waved his hand and said.
“Master Fang is always so wise,” someone praised him.
“Master Fang has been traveling far and wide in recent years, so he naturally knows more than the rest of us.”
“Master Fang, have you encountered similar situations in other places?” someone humbly inquired.
“I’ve encountered a few cases,” Fang Ziqiu pondered for a moment before responding.
“The abilities of these enigmatic phenomena vary greatly. Just a few days ago, when I was in another location, 1 came across a mountain village where the entire territory had turned into a mysterious domain. Dealing with the peculiarities there would pose a challenge even to most Aperture Tempering realm.”
The people around couldn’t help but be amazed when they heard this. For ordinary folks, encountering the mysterious was almost a life-threatening situation. As martial artists’ strength increased, so did their ability to confront the mysterious.
However, both martial artists and the mysterious had varying degrees of strength. In the case of Pingyin County’s current strangeness, it was exceptionally potent, and even those in the early stages of Aperture Tempering realm would be in mortal danger if they ventured in.
It was surprising to discover that within dozens of miles, there was another mysterious domain, and its level of danger was no less than the current one.
“It’s different there from here. The strangeness in Pingyin County is purely a manifestation of immense power, while that place is sinister. Without proper methods to deal with it, it might be difficult to leave once you enter,” Fang Ziqiu explained as he noticed the expressions of those around him.
He was about to continue when he saw a slight change in the formation within Pingyin County, and his eyes lit up.
Let’s go!” Fang Ziqiu shouted, taking the lead and charging towards the eastern gate of Pingyin County.
The martial artists around him didn’t dare to delay and followed him, rushing into Pingyin County’s eastern gate.
As the last person entered Pingyin County, the eastern gate trembled slightly and then slammed shut.
In a remote village nestled among barren hills.
Chen Fei stood in front of a thatched hut, looking around with a sense of bewilderment. Chen Fei had no idea why he was standing here, and all memories of his past seemed to have vanished.
Chen Fei lowered his head to examine his palm, where he held a red candle. It felt strangely familiar, as if it had some significant purpose.
After a moment of thought, Chen Fei took out a lighter, intending to light the red candle. However, as he was about to ignite it, he had a feeling deep inside that doing so would lead to even more complicated events.
“Are you lost, my friend?”
While Chen Fei hesitated, a voice suddenly rang out. He looked up and noticed an elderly man who had appeared nearby, smiling warmly as he gazed at Chen Fei.
The old man’s smile seemed friendly, but instead of warmth, it sent a chill down Chen Fei’s spine, diffusing a sense of unease.
“This is Mi Village, and I am the village chief. With all the chaos outside, we’ve been quietly hiding here. It’s quite a fate that you found your way here.”
The village chief approached with enthusiasm and grabbed Chen Fei’s wrist. Chen Fei instinctively tried to pull away but found himself unable to escape the firm grip. A freezing sensation emanated from his wrist and spread through his entire body.
The Dragon Suppressing Formation spontaneously activated, absorbing and neutralizing the icy coldness. Chen Fei, who had initially paled, gradually returned to normal.
Let me show you around Mi Village, my friend. Come!”
The village chief tugged at Chen Fei’s wrist, exerting considerable force. Chen Fei felt like an ordinary person, forcibly led forward.
“Mi Village currently has three hundred and twenty-three residents. If you find this place suitable, you’re welcome to stay. The outside world is far too dangerous, but Mi Village can at least provide you with safety.”
The village chief continued to wear a warm smile on his face, but despite the apparent friendliness, there was not a hint of warmth in his eyes.
For some inexplicable reason, Chen Fei couldn’t help but think of the paper person. The paper person had a similarly radiant smile on its face, yet its gaze was as cold as ice, sending shivers down one’s spine.
“This is our cultivated farmland. Over the past few years, we’ve had excellent harvests thanks to favorable weather, and nobody here has gone hungry.”
The village chief led Chen Fei to a field where the breeze gently rustled the rice stalks, portraying an image of abundant harvests. However, as Chen Fei gazed at the rice stalks for a while, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something unsettling about the crimson hue within the stalks.
Before Chen Fei could scrutinize further, the village chief had already dragged him to a pond.
“In the past, our villagers rarely had access to meat, but now we have many fish. We can occasionally enjoy some fish meat.”
Chen Fei glanced at the fish pond, noticing a considerable number of fish. It seemed that the fish had sensed Chen Fei’s arrival, as they surfaced one by one, their mouths opening and closing.
Faint noises reached Chen Fei’s ears, and for a moment, it seemed like he heard cries for help. However, these noises vanished as quickly as they had appeared, as if it had all been an illusion.
Chen Fei shook his head slightly and looked back at the fish pond, where all the fish had returned to the depths.
“It seems like these fish really like you. We’ll catch one for you to enjoy later,” the village chief said with a smile.
“No need,” Chen Fei responded, feeling a strange aversion deep within.
“In Mi Village, when you come here, you should consider it your own home. No need to be so reserved!”
The village chief continued to smile softly and led Chen Fei to where they raised pigs and sheep. However, compared to the large fish, these pigs and sheep appeared thin and malnourished.
“We raise these animals collectively now to ensure that everyone has enough to eat,” the village chief stated, eyeing the pigs and sheep while his tongue licked the corners of his mouth, revealing sharp teeth.
“I have some business outside. Can you help me leave?” Chen Fei asked.
The more he walked around Mi Village, the worse Chen Fei felt. What was even worse was that he couldn’t recall why he was here, which filled him with unease.
“No need to rush. The villagers are aware that we have guests from outside, and they’re all waiting for us in the village,” the village chief replied.
Without giving Chen Fei a chance to refuse, he led Chen Fei deeper into the village. Chen Fei tried to break free but found himself powerless.
Almost as if being dragged, Chen Fei arrived in the central square of Mi Village. Over three hundred people stood there, young and old, all staring at Chen Fei with unwavering gazes.
Although they didn’t say a word, their icy stares sent a chill from the soles of Chen Fei’s feet all the way to the top of his head.
These people remained silent, even the children stood quietly by, not crying, not making noise, and not playing.
“Oh, we have two more guests.”
Suddenly, the village chief’s face lit up with a smile. He turned to look behind him and released Chen Fei’s wrist. Several villagers ran forward, disappeared from Chen Fei’s sight.
Chen Fei raised his wrist and found it bruised and swollen, but thanks to the activation of the Dragon Suppressing Formation, the bruising gradually dissipated.
Chen Fei glanced around and felt an overwhelming sense of unease in this place. Just as he was considering whether to make a break for it, several villagers directly blocked his path.
The villagers remained expressionless, unlike the village chief, who had at least shown some semblance of a smile. These villagers stared at Chen Fei with cold, unfeeling eyes.
As Chen Fei hesitated, unsure whether to communicate or attempt to leave forcibly, he noticed that the village chief, who had brought two more people with him earlier, had now arrived at the scene.
Chen Fei examined these two newcomers. One of them didn’t strike any chords of recognition, but the other appeared oddly familiar. Chen Fei’s expression shifted slightly; he should know these two people, but there was an underlying feeling of disdain toward the latter.
“Today, our Mi Village is quite lively, with three guests visiting simultaneously,” the village chief exclaimed, and the previously expressionless villagers all revealed forced smiles.
However, these smiles seemed as if they were carved from the same mold, making one’s scalp tingle.
Liu Zhichun furrowed his brow, gazing at Chen Fei, sensing familiarity but unable to recall where he might have seen this person before. It seemed that his presence here was closely related to the individual, but he couldn’t remember why.
“For the sake of welcoming you all, the village has prepared some food. It’s simple fare, and we hope you won’t mind,” the village chief clapped his hands, and a few villagers set up a table on the open ground. Several steaming dishes were placed on it, filling the air with their savory aroma, whetting one’s appetite.
However, neither Liu Zhichun nor Hua Daohong made a move, and Chen Fei, despite looking at the dishes, remained motionless..