Volume Two: The Emergence of the Nine Provinces Map, Entering the Spirit Void Sect Chapter 127: Entering Red Flame Mountain

Chen Yu could sense an aura stealthily approaching his room. The target was extremely specific; this was certainly no coincidence.

He did not wish to alert the intruder prematurely, yet he prepared himself, waiting for the person to make a move. The stranger lingered outside Chen Yu’s room, not acting immediately. They were engaging in a test of patience, or perhaps waiting for Chen Yu to lower his guard.

Since that was the case, Chen Yu decided to play along, slowly settling into bed. He regulated his breathing to appear as though he had fallen into a deep sleep. Even so, the intruder still made no move. They remained in this stalemate until the middle of the night, when the person outside finally acted. The intruder shattered the room’s defensive barrier, lunged inside, and struck at the "sleeping" Chen Yu with a single sword thrust.

Sensing the murderous intent, Chen Yu sprang up instantly. His long sword flashed like lightning, swinging toward the enemy’s body with even greater speed. However, he felt no resistance and heard no sound of steel meeting flesh. Instead, there was a sharp "snap"—the sound of wood splintering.

"A Substitute Talisman? A sleight of hand?" Chen Yu watched the direction of the intruder's escape, showing no intention of pursuing. The capital of the Daqing Kingdom was vast and densely populated; once the culprit vanished into the crowds, finding them would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

*Who could it be?* Chen Yu wondered. *Since arriving in these Nine Provinces, I have spent almost all my time in the Spirit Ruins and have no grudges with anyone. Unless it is the Xuankong Sect? But is it truly them?*

Regardless, he knew he could not afford to let his guard down in the days to come.

Before long, the inn’s attendant hurried over in a panic. "Respected guest, has something happened?" Although the attendant was well aware of the state of the room, he played ignorant, hoping to keep the matter quiet and avoid ruining the mood for other guests. Of course, that depended on whether Chen Yu chose to pursue the matter.

"It’s nothing, just a piece of wood that broke," Chen Yu replied, showing no desire to escalate the situation.

Upon hearing this, the attendant let out a long sigh of relief and said, "I apologize for the disturbance. To express our regret, your food and lodging will be on the house. We will also ensure that this matter is looked into properly."

Chen Yu gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment, quite satisfied with how they handled the situation.

***

After remaining for a few more days, Chen Yu’s cultivation was fully consolidated. Having seen enough of the Daqing capital, he prepared to depart.

Once outside the capital, he rode a swift horse, galloping along while keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings. Sure enough, he soon sensed several auras pursuing him closely. Chen Yu furrowed his brow and muttered bitterly, "Who on earth wants me dead?"

During his days in the Daqing capital, Chen Yu had not been idle; he had quietly gathered information on the Xuankong Sect. However, because the sect had offended the Prince of Qingmu’s estate, its disciples had left the capital long ago. Thus, the probability that the attackers were from the Xuankong Sect was very low.

Chen Yu could not help but wonder if it was the mastermind behind the Xuankong Sect. But upon reflection, he dismissed the thought; that was a power struggle between them and the Prince of Qingmu’s estate. Even if he had been caught in the middle, it shouldn't have been enough to warrant such a targeted pursuit.

With no leads, he decided to continue on his way, hoping to lure the snake out of its hole and uncover the identity of his pursuers. Since he was still uncertain of their cultivation levels, Chen Yu dared not be careless and kept his horse at a full gallop.

By the end of the day, he arrived at the Red Flame Mountain. It was scorched year-round and perpetually shrouded in volcanic ash and haze, with visibility fluctuating unpredictably—a perfect place for an ambush.

Perhaps due to the relentless heat, even his horse refused to go further, ignoring Chen Yu’s commands. With a helpless, bitter smile, Chen Yu patted the horse's neck and said, "If you do not wish to proceed, then you may go."

Chen Yu dismounted and continued on foot. Even with his current level of cultivation, he could not help but feel the oppressive heat of the Red Flame Mountain.

Shortly after Chen Yu left, five figures arrived at the base of the mountain. They were none other than Zhu Gui, Feng Qing, and their three companions from the Spirit Ruins.

"Senior Brother, it seems Chen Yu has entered the Red Flame Mountain," Guo Ming said in a low voice, his eyes filled with a trace of trepidation as he gazed at the mountain.

"The Red Flame Mountain? Hmph, perfect. Let him die inside—it will save us the trouble of burning his corpse," Feng Qing said coldly.

"This Chen Yu is utterly detestable and has ruined my reputation. He must not be allowed to leave alive," Zhu Gui added with a grim expression.

The group nodded in silent agreement and stepped into the Red Flame Mountain.

***

The Red Flame Mountain was vast, and the low visibility made tracking a single person quite difficult. After searching for the length of an incense stick, Zhu Gui and his companions still had not caught a glimpse of Chen Yu.

"Senior Brother Zhu, perhaps we should split up to search; it might be faster. The fire energy here is too intense; staying too long will be detrimental to our cultivation," Feng Yu suggested.

"Junior Sister Feng is right," Zhu Gui said, wiping sweat from his forehead, looking quite uncomfortable. "If any of you find the little thief, do not engage him. Send a signal to everyone immediately."

"Understood." The group quickly scattered to search for traces of Chen Yu.

By this time, Chen Yu had ventured deep into the heart of the mountain. His choice of location was deliberate; he intended to ambush his pursuers. Furthermore, the rich fire-attribute spiritual energy here might prove helpful for practicing his "Five Elements Great Evasion" technique.

"Could that be a Fire-Marrow Fruit?" Chen Yu looked at a vine-like spiritual tree ahead. Its leaves were less than an inch long, and its bean-sized fruits were a fiery, blood-red color—exactly as described in ancient texts. He exclaimed in surprise, "Legend says the Fire-Marrow Fruit grows only in intensely hot places. It can harmonize the energy of the five viscera and contains powerful fire-spirit energy. If I use this to cultivate the Five Elements Great Evasion, I might better comprehend the mysteries of the Fire Path."

Chen Yu stepped forward and plucked the ripe fruits; there were eight of them in total—a significant harvest.

Just as he turned to leave, a sense of danger prickled his skin. He immediately vaulted to the side.

*Snap!* A Fire Crow descended from the sky, striking with sharp, lethal talons that instantly shredded the spiritual tree. It glared at Chen Yu with fury, its eyes glowing like embers.

"Human, hand over the Fire-Marrow Fruits," the Fire Crow hissed coldly. It had guarded this tree for a long time, consuming one fruit each day. It had never expected that a moment of carelessness would allow Chen Yu to strip the entire branch.

"The Fire-Marrow Fruit is a treasure of heaven and earth. Since I found it, it belongs to me. Why should I hand it over?" Chen Yu replied with disdain. The creature’s strength was only around the first-tier five-aperture level; he had no reason to fear it.

"Audacious!" the Fire Crow roared. "These fruits are mine! You stole them, and instead of begging for forgiveness, you dare speak such arrogance? Fine... very well. It seems I must teach this ignorant human boy a lesson today."

"Hmph, and you think you’re the one to do it?" Chen Yu’s gaze turned icy as he prepared for battle.