Chapter 478: Why Are You Here?

The Black Pine Ridge was a once-vast forest located seventy li west of Myriad Poison Mountain. It was a place where tigers prowled and wolves howled beneath the moon, a haven for vicious beasts. It was a wild, untamed land teeming with life—until the arrival of the first poison specialist.

Drawn by the abundance of materials, this poison specialist made Black Pine Ridge his home. He had moved here so that it could be easier for him to catch poisonous and venomous creatures to concoct poison and hunt wild animals as living subjects to test the potency of his deadly creations.

In just a few short years, the wild animals that once roamed the mountain vanished, driven to extinction by his ruthless hunts. The once-lush vegetation withered away, leaving only a type of black pine that could withstand extreme poison. Over time, it turned into this eerie and terrifying Black Pine Ridge.

These days, Black Pine Ridge has become home to far more than just one poison specialist. In fact, over a hundred of such poison specialists had moved here, each belonging to different lineages and legacies.

Poison specialists had long been a despised lineage in the world of immortality cultivation. Though they were weak in direct combat, they were sinister and unpredictable. It was nearly impossible to know when one might fall victim to their invisible traps or deadly schemes. As they were shunned and ostracized wherever they went, they would usually stuck together to survive and protect each other.

Black Pine Forest was just such a place.

The surrounding sects near Myriad Poison Mountain grew increasingly wary of such a large congregation of poison specialists. However, they mostly just kept their distance and avoided interacting with them.

The Red River Sect was likely the only sect that had a deep, mortal grudge against Black Pine Ridge.

The conflict started as small arguments over the natural treasures in Myriad Poison Mountain. The poison specialists, determined to protect their treasures, would set deadly traps of poison around these rare items, killing several Red River Sect disciples. In response, the Red River Sect struck back, sending groups of disciples into the mountain to hunt down the poison specialists from the Black Pine Ridge.

Poison specialists themselves were not strong in direct combat. When faced with well-prepared cultivators, they would often find themselves at a disadvantage. After suffering several losses, those poison specialists from the Black Pine Ridge started placing deadly poisons at various entrances to Myriad Poison Mountain, creating problems not just for the Red River Sect but for other sects as well.

Eventually, the Imperial Supervisory Bureau had to step in and mediate the conflict. They punished the disciples from both sides who were responsible for the most deaths, finally bringing an end to the fighting. However, the grudge between them had already formed, and small clashes continued.

If the members had died from methods commonly used by poison specialists, the Red River Sect would have immediately suspected Black Pine Ridge.

That night, a thin mist clung to the ridge, casting an eerie veil over the landscape.

A figure in white descended gracefully.

After hearing Zhao Duanyang explain what had happened at the Red River Sect, Jiang Yuebai decided to investigate the Black Pine Ridge while it was night time, searching for any clues that might link this place to the case.

But the moment her feet touched the ground, a chill ran through her. Something was off.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, hanging heavy in the mist.

Her expression grew grim. As she stepped into the moonlight, she seemed to vanish, becoming one with the shadows. Silently, she made her way toward the heart of Black Pine Ridge, where the poison specialists would typically gather.

The ground was stained crimson, large pools of blood seeping into the earth. Severed limbs lay scattered across the buildings and open spaces. The blood was still fresh, warm to the touch, suggesting that the slaughter had only just taken place.

She closed her eyes slightly, extending her divine sense to encompass the entire hillside. Every scene she sensed was filled with horror and violence. At least a hundred lives had been lost here, but there were no intact bodies, only dismembered limbs and scattered remains. The earth was marred by massive claw marks, as if a vicious beast had torn through the area in a savage rampage.

What kind of vicious beast could have single-handedly killed so many poison specialists?

Jiang Yuebai glanced around. She knew she should use Shadow of Radiance to recreate the scene, but even though she understood the divine technique, it was still difficult to perform as it required a great deal of cultivation energy.

But for Chu Liang, she had to give it a shot.

She swiftly crushed the Imperial Supervisory Bureau's tracking jade talisman, summoning the powerful members of the department. Then, with a quick twist of her wrists, she performed the hand seal.

Whoosh—

As the divine technique activated, her body suddenly radiated a brilliant white light, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to tremble violently!

What she had unleashed wasn't Shadow of Radiance, but an even greater immortal art—One with the Heavens!

Once One with the Heavens was activated, the practitioner's body would become connected with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, making their Sea of Qi limitless in this state. At the same time, their understanding of the Dao deepened significantly.

However, this state only lasted for a very short time. Jiang Yuebai could use it, but she could only maintain it for two or three breaths at most.

After activating One with the Heavens, she quickly began to activate the Shadow of Radiance.

Boom—

She had no choice. A higher level of cultivation than what she currently possessed was needed for her to activate the Shadow of Radiance.Though it had seemed effortless when Daoist Yan used it earlier, Jiang Yuebai knew she couldn't achieve the same without first enhancing her cultivation power.

In an instant, a brilliant white beam, like a shimmering mirage, enveloped half of the hillside. Scenes of light and shadow started flickering rapidly before her eyes.

Though the images were somewhat blurred, she could still make out a massive beast—tiger-like in form, with two horns on its head and wings on its back. It rampaged through Black Pine Ridge, its claws and fangs tearing through people with terrifying ease, killing them instantly.

The time of three breaths passed quickly. The state of being One with the Heavens vanished, and the light screen created by Shadow of Radiance collapsed in an instant.

Jiang Yuebai withdrew her hand, her face appearing slightly paler.

After a brief moment of rest, she returned to normal. Reflecting on the scene she had just witnessed, the beast resembled the legendary Qiongqi, a vicious creature of myth...

As she waited for the powerful members of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau to arrive, a rustling sound suddenly broke the stillness nearby. Her gaze snapped toward the source, sharp as a blade.

Swish—

Without hesitation, she activated Dimension Compression and instantly flashed toward the sound. As expected, a shadowy figure had been startled and quickly turned to flee, moving with astonishing speed.

Jiang Yuebai surged forward, closing in on the fleeing figure, but just as she was about to catch up, the shadow slipped into the Myriad Poison Mountain. As she continued her pursuit, countless screeching noises suddenly echoed, and a horde of venomous bats erupted, swarming toward her like a living storm, blocking her path with their venomous wings.

Jiang Yuebai activated the Ten Thousand Swords Seal, sending a thousand swordlights slashing through the horde of bats, cutting them down in a storm of light. The creatures fell to the ground in pieces, but in the blink of an eye, the shadowy figure had already disappeared into the depths of the mountain, leaving her no choice but to stop.

By the time she returned, a member of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau had arrived.

"You must be Jiang Yuebai from Mount Shu? I've heard of you."

The person who arrived was a young woman, seemingly in her early twenties, dressed in light blue robes. Her complexion was as fair as white jade, and her eyes, clear as a tranquil pool, radiated a quiet beauty. She wasn't breathtaking at first glance, but the longer one looked, the more captivating her presence became.

The woman raised her celestial official’s token toward Jiang Yuebai.

In response, Jiang Yuebai gave a slight bow and greeted her respectfully, "This junior greets Celestial Official Xue."

Although Jiang Yuebai had never met Celestial Official Xue before, the woman's identity was easy to deduce. The Imperial Supervisory Bureau had four celestial officials: Li Chengfeng, Xue Muyu, Fang Donglei, and Ji Zidian. Among them, only Xue Muyu was a woman, making it obvious that this was Celestial Official Xue.

She was also Li Chengfeng's wife[1], and someone a certain peak master of the Mount Shu Sect had repeatedly tried to befriend—though it seemed this friendship was mostly one-sided.

After exchanging greetings, Jiang Yuebai briefly explained the situation, though Xue Muyu could already see what had happened.

After Jiang Yuebai described what she had seen through Shadow of Radiance, Xue Muyu activated a divine technique of her own, and like Jiang Yuebai, she also used the Shadow of Radiance.

With a powerful roar, the light screen of heaven and earth materialized once again.

Compared to the Shadow of Radiance Jiang Yuebai had activated earlier, Xue Muyu's version was far more refined and complete. Not only could they clearly see the vicious beast's destructive rampage, but the appearances of the poison specialists were also vividly revealed.

The murdered poison specialists appeared very sluggish, as if they had been poisoned before their deaths.

As the light and shadows faded, Xue Muyu's expression grew serious. "There's more to this case than we first thought. I'll report this to the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner. You should come back with me."

"Alright," Jiang Yuebai said as she nodded lightly.

It was the perfect opportunity for her to visit Chu Liang.

I wonder how he's doing after two days of imprisonment?

Jiang Yuebai thought.

...

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"I can't do this anymore, really," Chu Liang said, waving his hands in exasperation. Before him lay a grand feast spread across the table.

Not only was Ji Zidian present, but Li Chengfeng had also joined. He chuckled as he said, "The Imperial Supervisory Commissioner said you should feel right at home. We can't let it seem like the Imperial Supervisory Bureau is treating you poorly."

"My brothers, I don't ever do this at home," Chu Liang replied with a bitter smile. "Maybe next time my esteemed teacher comes, she will drink with you all?"

As soon as he said that, everyone's expressions changed.

"No need to trouble your esteemed teacher with that," Ji Zidian said awkwardly, forcing a smile.

Their attitudes conveyed a clear message: drinking and cheering were acceptable at this table, but mentioning Di Nufeng was a definite no-no.

Chu Liang paused, quickly realizing that these people were peers of his teacher and likely knew each other well. They had probably endured a lot together over the years.

It seemed especially true for Li Chengfeng. After all, his teacher seemed to have a particular fondness for his wife.

Who would dare invite a wolf into their home?

As they laughed and chatted, a woman's voice rang out from outside, "I'm back!"

In an instant, two beautiful figures stepped into the guest hall.

Chu Liang and Li Chengfeng both jumped to their feet, exclaiming in unison, "Why are you here?"

1. The person that a certain peak master referred to as Little Yu when she saw Li Chengfeng. ☜