The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 122 A Familiar Adventure on Ghost Mountain

The Floating Continent, the Ghost Mountain region of the Black Forest in the Western Shu Kingdom.

This area is filled with mist, and it is the legendary Mist Swamp.

“Something doesn’t look right here. Is the direction your golden compass is pointing in correct?” Chu Ji asked.

The four stood in a dense, boundless forest, surrounded by towering trees that seemed to reach into the clouds. The thick, dense canopies of these trees almost completely blocked out the sky, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate, and the entire forest appeared dark and mysterious. The ground was covered with a thick layer of leaves, which rustled underfoot, like the whispers of nature.

Because of the dense foliage, sunlight was almost completely blocked, with only faint rays filtering through the leaves to create dappled light and shadow. This made the entire forest appear even more secluded, filled with an atmosphere of mystery and the unknown.

A damp atmosphere filled the air, with mist swirling around, as if shrouding the entire forest in a hazy mist. Due to the obstructed vision, the four could only see about ten meters ahead; everything in the distance was swallowed up by the mist, appearing even more unreachable.

The four huddled together, proceeding cautiously, afraid of getting lost in the forest. They remained vigilant, watching their surroundings, hoping to find a way out and escape this unknown and dangerous forest.

After about half an hour of hiking, they finally arrived at a relatively open area. The fog here was significantly thinner than before, allowing for a slightly wider field of vision. Although a hazy fog still lingered around them, they could now clearly see several dozen meters ahead.

In this slightly open space, they felt an unprecedented tranquility and peace. Enveloped in mist, it was as if they were in a traditional Chinese ink painting, every scene appearing hazy and beautiful. They slowed their pace, savoring this unique peace and beauty, as if the whole world had shrunk to just them and this mist-shrouded open space.

At that moment, they couldn't help but marvel at the wonder and beauty of nature. On this mist-shrouded land, they seemed to feel the breath and pulse of nature. They took a deep breath, feeling the freshness and moisture in the air, as if all their fatigue and worries were carried away by this refreshing air.

"Look over there, what are those?" Ji Mi suddenly stopped and pointed ahead, asking in confusion.

Upon hearing this, the other three looked in the direction Ji Mi pointed. They saw a black object hanging conspicuously from the trunk of a towering tree in the distance. The four exchanged glances and decided to approach the tree together to investigate.

Carefully navigating through a dense forest, the four finally arrived at the large tree. Looking up, they saw a black cloth bag hanging tightly on the trunk, its opening open, seemingly containing a black object. However, due to the darkness inside, they couldn't see its contents.

"What's in this bag?" one person asked curiously.

“I don’t know, we need to find a way to take it down and take a look,” another person suggested.

So the four of them began looking for a place to climb to retrieve the bag. After some effort, they finally succeeded in taking the bag off the tree trunk.

Upon opening the bag, they found a black sphere inside. The four examined it closely again and noticed an inexplicable eeriness about the object.

"What exactly is this?" Dugu Xin asked in surprise.

“I don’t know either, but I have a feeling that there are more secrets waiting for us to discover here,” He Shihui said in a deep voice.

So the four decided to continue climbing, searching for more clues. They discovered that at regular intervals, an identical black cloth bag would appear. These bags were positioned higher and higher, as if guiding them to explore further.

After more than an hour of arduous climbing, the four finally reached the summit. However, there was no way out or treasure as they had imagined; only a flat meadow and a few lonely trees.

"Did we take the wrong road?" Chu Ji said with some disappointment.

"Perhaps, but I feel there are still more secrets waiting for us to discover here," Ji Mi said with a determined look in her eyes, taking a deep breath.

So the four decided to search the mountaintop carefully to see if they could find more clues. They believed that if they persisted, they would surely be able to uncover the secrets of this place.

"Dugu, do you still remember those legends about the martial arts world that we collected?" Chu Ji's voice sounded somewhat deep in the night.

Dugu Xin paused slightly, his brow furrowing as if recalling ancient and mysterious stories. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "You mean the legend known as Ghost Mountain?"

“Exactly.” Chu Ji nodded, his gaze fixed on the black beads in his hand. “These black beads should be the legendary Netherworld Beads. It is said that these Netherworld Beads can absorb the resentment of ghosts, thereby enhancing their own cultivation. However, their appearance here is probably not a coincidence.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of doubt flashed in Dugu Xin's eyes. "You mean, the appearance of these Netherworld Pearls is related to the monsters of Ghost Mountain?"

“That’s right,” Chu Ji said in a deep voice. “These Netherworld Pearls were likely used to seal the monsters of Ghost Mountain. They absorbed the resentment of ghosts and formed a powerful sealing force, suppressing those monsters under Ghost Mountain. However, now these Netherworld Pearls have appeared here. I think you can guess what that means.”

Upon hearing this, Dugu Xin's expression turned solemn. He knew that the appearance of these Netherworld Pearls was no small matter, and that some unknown secret must be hidden behind them. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness and vigilance in each other's eyes. They knew that what they were about to face might be an unprecedented challenge.

Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and the four of them couldn't help but shiver.

The sky gradually darkened.

"We're not going to have to spend the night here, are we?" Ji Mi asked, the youngest of the four.

"It seems we have no other choice." He Shihui looked around and sighed helplessly. "The terrain here is treacherous, and there's no shelter around us. We'll have to spend the night on the mountaintop."

The four found a relatively flat spot and prepared to set up a temporary campsite. However, they soon discovered that the temperature here seemed much lower than down the mountain, and the biting wind was unbearable.

"We need to find a way to keep warm." Dugu Xin rubbed his hands together, trying to dispel the chill.

So the four of them began looking for something to burn. After some effort, they finally found some dry branches and leaves and started a campfire.

The firelight flickered in the night, bringing warmth to the four men. They sat around the fire, warming themselves while discussing their next plans.

“We need to find a way to get out of here,” Chu Ji said. “This place is too strange; we don’t know what other dangers we might encounter.”

"But how do we get out of here?" Ji Mi asked, somewhat bewildered. "There are cliffs all around us, and we can't find a way down the mountain."

“Perhaps we can start with those bags,” He Shihui suggested. “Those bags seem to be distributed in a regular pattern on the mountainside; perhaps they are clues to getting down the mountain.”

“You’re right,” Lonely Heart nodded. “We’ll investigate those bags first thing tomorrow morning to see if we can find a way down the mountain.”