Chapter 44

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 44: The Cave Dwellers

Whether it’s a place filled with powerful spirit energy, or a place surrounded by dark demonic energy, the mountains and trees rooted in the land always thrive and flourish.

The tall trees overhead were so dense that they seemed to completely block out the dim sunlight. Vines and dry branches tangled at their feet, ready to ensnare anyone who wasn’t careful.

The boy named Blake took the old woman’s axe, while the boy named A’xiu held a wooden stick. They moved swiftly through the dense forest like monkeys, leaping ahead to clear the way for the three people following behind.

"When I was young, people in the village called me A’hua. But as I grew older and my peers were gone, they started calling me Granny. You two can just call me A’hua, Immortal Masters."

Granny A’hua was quite old, and although she had cultivation, she still moved with a slight wobble.

Wen Yun wanted to help her, but Granny A’hua shook her head politely, "No need to trouble the Immortal Masters. I grew up in these mountains, and while I can still move, I want to make a few more trips."

Despite her calm words, there was a touch of sadness in them. Wen Yun, upon hearing this, also felt a pang of sorrow. She discreetly connected with Ye Shubai through their mental powers, quietly asking him.

"How much longer does Granny A’hua have left?"

He remained silent for a moment and replied, "It’s less than a month."

How unfortunate that A’hua’s grandmother was able to cultivate up to the Qi Refining Stage in this barren land of scarce resources, showing her exceptional talent. If she were in the mainstream Four Continents, she might have been considered a precious genius disciple by some sect, unlike now, where her cultivation is stagnant and she can only wait for death silently.

A’xiu slowed down his steps ahead, standing in front of A’hua’s grandmother, carefully pushing away the hanging vines for her. The old woman smiled kindly at him, gently brushing off the fallen leaves from his shoulder.

Blackstone grinned and shouted, "Grandma," then pulled out a tuber-like plant, excitedly saying, "I found sweet potatoes, we’ll have a good meal tonight."

A’hua’s grandmother’s wrinkled face also blossomed into a smile. She cautiously received the sweet potatoes and whispered, "We have honored guests today, you two hurry, tidy up the village, wash the previously dried wild boar meat, and let’s go back to cook the meat and sweet potatoes for our guests."

Blackstone frowned slightly, seeming unwilling, "But grandma, the wild boar meat was hunted by A’xiu for you…"

"It’s okay, grandma doesn’t like eating meat as she is getting older. Hurry and go with A’xiu."

She whispered very softly, but with their higher cultivation levels, Wen Yun and Ye Shubai following behind could hear her words clearly.

This made Wen Yun feel even more uncomfortable.

She quietly asked Ye Shubai, "Are there any special medicines that can make you live longer?"

Ye Shubai calmly replied, "Thousands of years ago, there were alchemists who created pills like the Breakthrough Chance Pill to increase the chance of breakthroughs, and the Longevity Pill to extend one’s life. However, the tradition suddenly disappeared, and modern Medical Cultivators no longer make these advanced pills."

Ahead, A’hua’s grandmother was unaware that the two Immortal Masters behind her were worrying about her lifespan. She urged the two children to return to the village first, leading Wen Yun carefully to a large tree.

This tree was thicker than the others in the dense forest, but otherwise looked similar.

Wen Yun furrowed her brows and observed the tree closely.

"There is a formation on this tree, and it resembles the formations used on Blizzard Island."

Hearing this, A’hua’s grandmother smiled and nodded, "Yes, it is said that an ancestral master placed a protective formation here for us."

The ancestral master mentioned was a Golden Core Stage cultivator who escaped the pursuit of demon cultivators with survivors. He likely was a disciple of Blizzard Island, known for their advanced formations in the cultivation world. The hidden formation he set up could last for centuries, which helped the survivors escape the demon cultivators. Unfortunately, it seems like the formation is starting to weaken now.

It’s a pity that it is nearly falling apart now.

A’hua’s grandma didn’t know what was special about this tree. She only knew it was something left by their ancestor, so she respectfully bowed to the tree and then led Wen Yun to the roots, moving aside a thick layer of dry branches and leaves.

Surprisingly, there was a small tunnel that only one person could pass through!

The old man walked ahead, apologetically smiling at Ye Shubai and Wen Yun, "Apologies for inconveniencing you, Immortal Masters."

Digging through the tunnel was not difficult for Wen Yun, especially since she was a magician who loved to dig Magic Stones by hand; she had spent a lot of time exploring tunnels before.

However, what Wen Yun didn’t expect was that Ye Shubai was also very skilled at digging. Like a slippery eel, he quickly disappeared into the tunnel without getting his clothes dirty.

Wanting to save face for her own sword spirit, Wen Yun quietly asked Ye Shubai in her mind, "You seem very skilled at this, huh?"

Ye Shubai stayed silent for a moment before answering, "As a sword cultivator, I often venture outside to find high-quality materials to forge swords. Even though I use the Phoenix Tree Sword now, I used to forge swords for my disciples."

Suddenly, Wen Yun remembered the incident. All three senior martial brothers used extraordinary swords. Once, Ye Shubai borrowed Third Martial Brother’s sword and secretly used it to help Wen Yun during an important competition. Back then, Bai Yushan thought he had lost the sword and almost cried like a baby.

Looking at Ye Shubai’s celestial and refined appearance, Wen Yun couldn’t imagine him being associated with the blacksmiths who swung hammers with bare arms.

Ye Shubai didn’t know that Wen Yun was already thinking ahead, so he changed the subject, "Usually, the first sword of a sword cultivator is forged by their master. After we finish this task, I will make a sword for you."

"Some people insist on emphasizing the role of their master."

The cave underneath was narrow and long. Wen Yun was already thinking about what kind of sword to have Ye Shubai make, but they hadn’t reached the end of the cave yet.

Up ahead, Elder A’hua hunched her body and turned around, respectfully saying, "Two Immortal Masters, Yimin Village is just ahead of us."

Walking through the final narrow part of the cave, the scenery suddenly changed.

It was a huge cave, dimly lit with faint light coming down from fist-sized ventilation holes on the ceiling. Encircling the area were several pieces of glowing spiritual jade, providing just enough light to illuminate the entire cave. The air was musty and filled with the smell of old mud, making it almost difficult to breathe.

Upon entering, Wen Yun felt as if she had stepped into a very deep and vast tomb, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a world of its own.

Despite living at the bottom of the cave, this world was still orderly. In front of the village entrance, an underground river flowed through. The row of houses to the east was built with wood and blue stones. Surprisingly, to the west near the light source, there were several plots of land with wild vegetables growing on them, thin and underdeveloped, but green and sprouting together, bringing a glimmer of hope to this underground village.

Seeing Elder A’hua returning, two women who were washing things downstream in the underground river happily greeted her, "Elder, you’re back! A’xiu and the others just brought out some dried meat to wash, saying they will cook it tonight…"

Her voice stopped suddenly, and she looked fearfully at Wen Yun and Ye Shubai behind her, pointing at them–

"Grandma! Who are they!"

"Blast it, don’t be rude to the Immortal Master!" Grandma A’hua quickly stopped the woman’s disrespectful gesture, turning back apologetically to Wen Yun and Ye Shubai, "Immortal Master, she has lived underground her whole life, hasn’t seen the world…"

"It’s okay, Grandma." Wen Yun quickly helped her, soothing the poor old woman gently.

The arrival of Wen Yun and Ye Shubai became the most sensational event in Yimin Village for decades.

It was said that they had come to take their immortal home, and two to three hundred people gradually gathered in the open space in the center of the cave.

Since birth, they had always lived underground, the blue sky, vast sea, and abundant homeland passed down by their ancestors, the mountains, forests, and grasslands where they could freely run and bask in the sun were all distant and unfamiliar to them. Their memories only held the dim light and heavy air of the underground, and even occasionally climbing out to breathe fresh air nervously could be considered their greatest pleasure.

However, they always remembered what their ancestors had said.

Someone would come to take them back home, to that abundant, beautiful, and free homeland.

They watched Wen Yun and Ye Shubai curiously and joyfully, whispering quietly to each other, "So beautiful, Grandpa was right, fairies are indeed very beautiful."

"Yes, Grandma is also half fairy, so when she was young, she was the prettiest lady in our village."

…

Wen Yun liked being complimented for her looks, but it was the first time someone praised her so directly and purely, causing a slight blush on her face.

However, after seeing the appearance and clothing of these refugees, her heart sank.

They were pale, due to the unhealthy complexion from staying underground all year round. Everyone was thin and short. Grandma A’hua was considered decently dressed in coarse linen, while the other villagers wore shabby clothes. Children like A’xiu were bare-chested, only wrapping a circle of leaves around their waists. Adults had only a few pieces of clothing made of miserable animal or bark skin covering their vital parts.

The underground had dark rivers, which, although convenient for daily water use, made the entire underground cold and damp. These ordinary people had no spiritual power protection, and wearing such little clothing probably couldn’t even keep them warm.

However, as if they were already accustomed to it, each of them approached with a smile on their face, carrying items.

"This is a bird egg my son dug up from the surface two days ago."

"This is the wild fruit we picked yesterday."

Before long, there was a tall pile of food in front of Wen Yun, which may seem simple, but to the people living underground, it was the most precious thing in their homes, all prepared to welcome special guests.

A’hua’s grandmother was happy to see her children being sensible, smiling with her eyes crinkled, "Please have a seat, both Immortal Masters, we will prepare dinner soon."

Wen Yun couldn’t bear to see it, she didn’t dislike the food, she just felt sorry for these hardworking people.

She held A’hua’s grandmother, smiling gently, "Grandma, please have a seat first, we’ll handle this."

As soon as she finished speaking, she took out a piece of fire hemlock from the space bag and threw a Fireball at it, instantly igniting it.

Wen Yun was pleased, finally understanding why Third Martial Brother used fire hemlock as firewood, it really worked well.

"Wow!"

The onlookers were stunned, they didn’t need flint or a fire bow to ignite the wood, this must be the power of immortals!

However, Wen Yun wasn’t finished yet. She reached into the space bag and pulled out dozens of pre-cooked chickens.

These were the wild chickens that Zhu Erchong insisted on hunting and killing at the time, saying they were for roasting when they returned to the sect later. But they didn’t expect Wen Yun to take advantage of the opportunity this time.

The chickens grown in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm were extraordinary. Each one weighed around thirty to forty pounds, leaving the onlookers in disbelief, "Are these wild chickens?"

"Are they wild chickens?"

"But… are wild chickens this big? How come they look different from the ones we catch in the forest?"

"I guess these are chickens raised by immortals, right? Truly amazing!"

Wen Yun appeared calm on the surface, but inside, she was staring at these dozens of chickens as if she were facing a major enemy. She intended to treat the refugees to a meat feast, but there was a serious problem – she only knew how to eat, not to cook.

Just then, Ye Shubai, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward and took a plump chicken from her hands.

"Let me do it."

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his eyes were downcast, and his hands skillfully skewered the chicken onto the elderberry sticks. He then took out some seasonings from somewhere and sprinkled them on, the whole process not only not crude, but also flowing smoothly and looking beautiful.

Wen Yun listened to his instructions on the side, occasionally using magic to control the heat.

Everyone, including Grandma A’hua, stared at the two of them in astonishment, until the fairy-like girl gently greeted them, "Come on, everyone, the taste is best when eaten hot."

It turned out that the fairy was roasting wild chicken for them to eat! How dare these ordinary people let a fairy do such a thing for themselves!

The expressions of the survivors became fearful, Grandma A’hua’s face was shocked, about to kneel in panic, but Wen Yun grabbed her first.

"Grandma, you should taste it first."

A fragrant chicken leg was stuffed into Grandma A’hua’s mouth, the chicken skin was already crispy and fragrant, while the meat remained tender and juicy, bursting with an incredible rich spirit essence with each bite!

A hint of shock flashed across her old face as she carefully took another bite, realizing that her fragile body, always on the verge of collapse, was regaining some strength.

For the other survivors, this roasted chicken was a rare feast they hadn’t had in a long, long time, and this chicken meat was completely different from the ordinary wild chickens they hunted, so delicious that it made them want to swallow their own tongues.

The sunlight above slowly went down, a soft ray of light fell through a small hole into the cave, shining on the bright fire of the fire hemlock, illuminating the whole village warmly and cheerfully.

Wen Yun took a step back, holding not chicken meat but some half-green and half-yellow wild berries, given to her by the refugees earlier.

She took a bite, feeling the sourness burst in her mouth instantly, but her face showed no sign of unease, remaining calm and composed.

Then, Wen Yun handed a berry to Ye Shubai’s mouth, saying, "This berry tastes great, here, have one."

Ye Shubai looked at the fingers approaching him, fair and slender like two pieces of spring onions, even more adorable against the green-yellow berry.

He averted his gaze, not opening his mouth, but took the berry from her hand and put it in his mouth.

"…"

Ye Shubai’s handsome face slightly wrinkled, making Wen Yun chuckle quietly. She kept the sour berry in her mouth, slowly getting used to the sourness.

"I never asked you before, why did you come to save Martial Brother Shen from the outer sea? He is not a disciple of The Tenth Peak, you actually didn’t need to rescue him."

She came to save Shen Xinghai because Shen Xinghai risked his life to find medicine for her in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm that day, and she couldn’t forget this kindness.

Ye Shubai swallowed the sour fruit in his mouth, remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Is it right to let the younger ones protect the elders?"

Wen Yun was puzzled for a moment, then remembered that on the day they left the secret realm, Zhu Erchong wanted to go alone to the sea to save his junior brother, which surprisingly touched the usually calm Ye Shubai’s heart.

"So this time…"

Ye Shubai’s clear eyes showed no hesitation, as he gave Wen Yun the answer she expected, "I promised already, how can I go back on my word?"

Indeed, he wasn’t just saying things, he really intended to take these survivors back home.

A faint smile appeared on Wen Yun’s face as she looked at the man beside her and suggested enthusiastically, "How about we bring them back with us once we find Junior Brother Shen?"

"Okay."

With her chin resting on her hand, she pondered for a moment, "But with so many people, we can’t all fly on swords together. Just like the demon cultivators built ships to cross the sea in the past, maybe we can quickly build a ship that can hold hundreds of people… or something like the sect’s spiritual boat that can fly and sail over the sea?"

As Wen Yun was talking, she fell into deep thought, carefully considering how to find a way to bring the refugees home.

Beside her, Ye Shubai frowned slightly and then looked up at one of the small holes in the ceiling.

The air flow there suddenly became disturbed.

He quietly moved closer to Wen Yun and tightly grasped the wooden sword in his hand.

After a moment, a strange and piercing howl came from the small hole in the ceiling. Though the cave was still far away, the sound was exceptionally loud, as if the hole amplified the sound.

The moment the sound rang out, the cheerful faces of the people turned pale. Everyone instinctively covered their mouths and noses, staring fearfully at the commotion above.

A’hua, in silence, took out an axe and with a swing, the resulting airflow extinguished all flames and spiritual jade light, plunging the entire cave into endless darkness.

Wen Yun, sensing something amiss, though always alert, noticed the villagers around her holding their breath. Without asking, she cleverly stayed silent and moved closer to Ye Shubai.

In the darkness, the two of them huddled together closely.

The cave below turned into a silent grave, only the faint sound of the underground river could be heard, while the sharp cries of the unknown monster above grew closer and the soil began to fall from the ceiling.

No one dared to make a sound, trying their best to erase their presence.

Just then, a baby in swaddling clothes let out a few whimpers, followed by a burst of ear-splitting cries!