The Deserted Mountain Gate

“Strange, why was the restaurant here torn down?”

There was a restaurant at the foot of Mount Mufu. Its business was always good, so it shouldn’t have moved. Yet, it had been reduced to ruins.

“From what I can tell, this doesn’t look like the work of mortals. It seems more like something cultivators would do.”

The two surveyed the ruins for a moment. Lin Tian felt a sense of unease settle in his heart.

“Let’s go. We should head up the mountain first and see.”

****

Moving swiftly, they ascended to the mountainside in the time it would take to eat a meal. Strangely, they had yet to encounter a single person.

Upon reaching the mountain gate, they found the ground strewn with withered branches and fallen leaves. The buildings were deserted, every soul gone. The residences, the administrative hall, the Library Pavilion… all were utterly empty.

“Fellow Daoist Luo, this…”

After searching for a long time without seeing a single person, Lin Tian tilted his head in thought and then rushed to the bounty board. All the tasks listed there had been removed. Only a conspicuous piece of beast-skin parchment remained:

“Under the oppression of cultivators, the sect has migrated north…”

“It seems… your poisonous Gu will have to find another solution, Fellow Daoist…” Lin Tian shook his head.

Just as Qian Yuling was about to speak, a white-robed disciple approached from a distance, carrying a bundle of firewood on his back.

“Someone’s there!” The two quickly ran over, startling the disciple. He only relaxed after seeing that it was two beautiful young women.

“The mountain gate has already relocated. Young ladies, please find another place to hire people,” the youth said casually, a hint of shyness in his expression as he lowered his head and tried to walk around them.

“This Junior Brother, I am also a Mount Mufu disciple. Why did this place migrate? Didn’t Zhang Yu, who caused trouble last time, already die?”

“Oh?” The youth seemed surprised. Usually, people who came here only did so for commissions, with no other purpose. “White hair… are you Senior Sister Luo?!”

“Fellow Daoist Luo, I didn’t expect someone to still recognize you! I’m truly envious.”

Her striking appearance and the fact that she had killed Zhang Yu were already well-known throughout Mount Mufu. It was no surprise to be recognized.

“Senior Sister Luo, you must be careful. After Zhang Yu’s death, his master returned seeking revenge, searching everywhere for your whereabouts and disturbing the peace of Mount Mufu.”

Seeking revenge? Lin Tian nodded. Zhang Yu’s master most likely wanted to reclaim those magical artifacts. It was fortunate he had left the mountain during that period.

“Out of gratitude for Fellow Daoist Luo’s life-saving grace, the new sect master had your information burned long ago. Only a few people revealed that you were on the mountain…”

“On the mountain?!” Lin Tian seemed to recall something. He immediately activated his Cloud-Treading Steps and swiftly ran towards the mountain peak. Qian Yuling couldn’t even catch up with a Thousand-Mile Talisman.

****

Mountaintop—

“Fellow Daoist Luo? Are you alright?” Qian Yuling, panting, climbed to the top of the mountain and saw Lin Tian standing motionless in an open space.

“Fellow Daoist Qian, do you know which cultivation sect governs Mount Mufu?”

“This area should belong to the Myriad Dharma Sect. They are a medium-sized sect, said to have been founded by a Core Formation cultivator.”

Luo Tao’s tomb had become a blackened pit. His elder brother was not even allowed to rest in peace after death. Lin Tian was furious. He swore that if he ever created a nuclear bomb, he would detonate it on their sect as a test!

“Both of you…”

Seeing the youth also climb up, Lin Tian turned and asked, “Is the information from the new disciple assessment two years ago still available? I’m looking for someone.”

“All disciple information has long been destroyed. I am the only one left on this mountain…”

“Sigh…” Lin Tian sighed. In this world without communication, a farewell could truly be a permanent one. “Fellow Daoist Qian, you’ll have to find another way for your poisonous Gu.”

“It’s no matter. Although I cannot return to the sect, Fellow Daoist Luo can help me invite my master out. With your talent, Fellow Daoist, you might even be able to join the sect.”

“Fellow Daoist Qian certainly has an open mind.” The three slowly walked down the mountain.

“The people of Mount Mufu have migrated, so why do you, Junior Brother, remain here?”

The youth shook his head helplessly. “When the sect migrates, one person must stay behind to inform regular visitors of the relocation. In two years, I will complete my mission and can be directly promoted to elder upon returning to the sect!”

****

Back on the mountainside, Qian Yuling suddenly pointed to the bounty board and said, “Little brother, didn’t you say you were the only one on the mountain? There’s someone else over there!”

Lin Tian also looked over, his eyes instantly brightening. This person was the stout young man! It was truly fate!

“Senior Brother Junzhu!”

****

In the small courtyard pavilion, the youth brewed a pot of tea for the three, then returned to his room with the firewood. Lin Tian explained Qian Yuling’s poisonous Gu situation, asking the stout young man if he could cure it.

“Poisonous Gu?” The stout young man looked at Qian Yuling with confusion, then extended his plump hand. “Give me your hand.”

Qian Yuling expected him to take her pulse, but to her surprise, he directly placed a fat worm into her palm. Her face turned pale with fright. If Lin Tian hadn’t held her down, she might have thrown it away.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s non-toxic and harmless. It will locate where the poisonous Gu is lurking.”

The sticky worm burrowed into Qian Yuling’s sleeve. Her brows furrowed, a look of disgust on her face, and the hair on her body stood on end. The worm crawled under her sleeve, quickly moving onto her body and down her stomach…

“Hey! Where is it going to crawl?!” The feeling of a worm crawling inside her clothes was unsettling.

Three inches below her lower abdomen, the worm stopped moving. The poisonous Gu was coiled there.

“It seems the poisonous Gu in your body is coiled in your lower Dantian. If it acts up, your spiritual energy will be difficult to gather,” Lin Tian said, using his divine sense to probe the worm’s location.

“Is it done yet! Get it out quickly!” Qian Yuling stomped her foot in exasperation.

The two chuckled. Lin Tian reached out and grabbed the large, fat worm, making Qian Yuling’s face flush crimson. The fat worm moved its body, even faster than when it was on Qian Yuling, climbing onto the spirit beast bag and sticking there motionless.

Many parasitic worms were inside. Lin Tian also intended to consult the stout young man about them, but for now, Qian Yuling’s poisonous Gu was the priority.

“Brother Junzhu, is there a way to cure this poisonous Gu?”

The stout young man pondered for a moment. “I’ve seen many poisonous Gu, but one coiled in the Dantian is a first.”

“Brother Junzhu, I forgot to tell you, this was placed by a cultivator, so it might be different.”

The stout young man remained silent for a long time, making Qian Yuling anxious. “Can it be cured?”

“I’m not confident I can cure a Gu placed by a cultivator, but my master can definitely solve it. For Yingkong’s sake, I can go plead with him,” the stout young man said leisurely.

“That’s wonderful! Where is your esteemed master?” Qian Yuling felt much more relieved seeing his certainty.

“Not far, a three-day journey.”

“Then let’s depart now. Oh, by the way, Brother Junzhu, what brings you to Mount Mufu?” Lin Tian asked.

“I almost forgot!” The stout young man slapped his head, having been engrossed in their conversation. “I came to find Junior Sister Yingkong. My master calculated that you would arrive at Mount Mufu today, and he was indeed correct.”

The two women were astonished to hear that encountering the stout young man wasn’t a coincidence, but rather the result of divination. Lin Tian, however, remained skeptical, believing it to be mere chance.

“Then, Brother Junzhu, what do you need me for?” Lin Tian asked, his beautiful eyes making the stout young man feel a little shy.

“It’s not me looking for you; my master invites you for a chat. I don’t know what he wants, but he’s a lecherous old man, so Junior Sister Yingkong should be cautious.”

The three bid farewell to the guarding youth and walked down the mountain.

“A lecherous old man curing my Gu?” Qian Yuling shuddered at the thought.

“Don’t worry, although the old man is lecherous, he’s actually a very good person. He raised me from childhood, and I’ve never seen him do anything bad.”

It was a convenient detour. Lin Tian also had several bags of parasitic worms, and consulting his master would be more reliable.

“Is Brother Junzhu’s master also a cultivator?” Lin Tian was more concerned about this. After being indirectly harmed by Qian Yuling, he was wary of all cultivators.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him use magic, but he knows many things about the outside world without leaving his home. Even about this place, before I even spoke, the old man already knew what happened at Mount Mufu.”

“That divine?” Qian Yuling looked incredulous, but in her heart, she already imagined him as an otherworldly expert.