The old man’s terrified expression suggested that he had witnessed something truly horrific. Something which had left a deep scar in his mind and was still gnawing at his thoughts.“Why don’t the buses go to Shandong anymore? What happened?” Dongxiang asked calmly.But the old newspaper vendor gasped and staggered back in terror as if he had just seen a ghost. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything,” he mumbled like a lunatic. “We don’t talk about the dead. We should bury the corpses. That...will silence the screams. They need their rest. They do need their peace.”Hearing the old man’s rambling, Dongxiang thought he had lost his mind and backed away. “We are not going to get any answers from him. His thoughts are too troubled.”Zi Han, however, wasn’t ready to leave just yet. Instead of walking away, he brushed past Dongxiang and approached the old vendor.“It’s alright. You are safe here. No one can hurt you anymore,” he said, holding the old man’s trembling shoulders in his grasp. “L

Zi Han stared awestruck at the towering idol of the fire deity. Zhurong stood atop a grey boulder carved in the shape of a tidal wave, representing his victory over the Water God, Gonggong. Dressed in bright golden armor with blazing red robes underneath, he looked like a living embodiment of the eternal inferno, ready to defend his kingdom with fire and fury.“The God of flames watches like a lifeless puppet while his followers perish like cattle. Something isn’t right,” Dongxiang whispered from behind, his ominous words echoing in the dimly lit prayer hall of the silent monastery. “What do you mean?” Zi asked, still looking at Zhurong’s idol.“The villagers of Shandong weren’t faithless. They worshipped Zhurong and even built a monastery in his honor. He was supposed to be their guardian and protect this village. The Qiongqi should never have been able to get anywhere near this place. Yet, it slaughtered everyone without any trouble. This doesn’t make sense,” Dongxiang explained. “

Zi Han sized up the Qiongqi, keeping pace with its measured strides while maintaining perfect eye contact. The monster had feasted on thousands of warriors in the past, but this time, it found its claws too deep in a prey that wasn’t afraid of fighting back.Dongxiang unleashed a Nine-edged Dragon Slash to take down the pack leaders, and the rest of the wolves scattered in fear, running back into the woods. “It is your turn now to face my blade,” he said, throwing out his challenge to the Qiongqi. “The people of Shandong shall be avenged. And you will learn that only the dragon can rule the skies.”Faced with two skilled warriors, the Qiongqi hesitated to attack. It could sense their powerful auras and knew one careless pounce could land it in deep trouble, so it chose to rely on its mystical abilities instead of using its brute strength.Lifting its enormous wings skyward, the Qiongqi flapped them with all its might, unleashing a blinding dust storm that knocked Dongxiang off his fee

Zi Han breathed a sigh of relief as the morning breeze swept the dark clouds away, and the old winter sun appeared over the eastern horizon, dispelling the shadows. The long night had ended with a frightful struggle, but now that daylight was breaking through the trees, they had nothing more to fear. Zi Han unfurled the Scroll of Sacred Knowledge once more, and it highlighted the new skill he had just acquired by killing the Qiongqi.[New Elemental skill learned!][Elemental skills available:][1. Rumbling Quake (Earth).][2. Adaptive Hardening (Earth).][3. Fist of the Furious Gale (Wind).][4. Zhurong’s Flame (Fire).][5. Gale Walker (Wind).]“What exactly do you do?” As Zi Han ran his fingers over the last skill, his mind absorbed the knowledge from the parchment, and he memorized a new pathway linking the Qi conduits inside his body. Even without any practice or training, Zi Han automatically learned how to harness the power of the wind to lighten his body and move like the bree

Encountering an ancient spirit near a place of power wasn’t the least bit surprising. Zi Han had read plenty of old tales in which mythical creatures would serve as guardians and protect sacred shrines and important gateways.He approached the lady without fear and said, “So, you are the one who created the forest fire. It was quite an impressive illusion. But I passed your test.”The guardian spirit smiled faintly and replied, “The wildfire wasn’t a test. It was meant as a deterrent to keep nosy travelers away. But the true seeker is always bound to see through my illusions and find what he wants.”“And here I am,” Zi Han said, showing his empty hands to prove he meant no harm. “I am going to enter the waters of the Golden Carp and cultivate to master Core Condensation. So please move aside.”Mei’s eyes darkened into a frown as she mistook Zi Han’s unblemished words for arrogance.“The Golden Carp is my home. No mere mortal shall taint its sacred waters with their filth!” she warned.