Some time later. Yang Ye opened his eyes slowly.
Meanwhile, a clear and melodious voice came from his side, “You’re awake?”
Yang Ye turned to look, and it was that young girl whom he’d saved first. She was around 13 or 14 years old, pretty but rather immature in appearance. She wore a rather loose pure white robe, and the robe made her seem even more petite.
Yang Ye closed his eyes, scanned the condition of his body, and noticed that there was nothing unusual. Some time passed before he opened his eyes and looked at her, “Why did that old man act against me?”
“You’re talking about Grandpa Mo, right?” The young girl revealed a brilliant smile, “Grandpa Mo said that your mind was highly tense, and you needed some rest. You can really sleep! You’ve slept for two whole days!”
Rest! Yang Ye’s face eased up slightly, So, he didn’t attack me. It was because my mind was strained.
Actually, the old man wasn’t wrong. Since he arrived at the Ominous Territory, his mind had been constantly in a tense and concentrated state. It wasn’t in such a state for a certain period, it was in such a state at every moment.
The old man was right, and he really did need a rest. However, how could he dare to rest in the Ominous Territory?
Only someone who was tired of living would dare to rest here!
Meanwhile, the young girl took his hand and said, “Grandpa Mo told me to take you to see him once you’ve woken up.”
Yang Ye gazed at her and smiled, “What’s your name?”
She smiled sweetly, “Xiao Wu!”
Yang Ye rubbed her head and said, “Come, let’s go see Grandpa Mo.”
Just like that, both of them left the room, and Xiao Wu guided Yang Ye to a hall that seemed to be severely damaged.
In the hall, Yang Ye met the old man with a long beard again.
The old man grinned, “You’re awake?”
Yang Ye nodded and said, “Senior, there were many things that I didn’t want to know. Yet now, I have a slight urge to find out.”
He had too many questions. For example, who the mysterious woman was, who all of them were, why they were in the Ominous Territory, why they’d been sealed on the mountain wall…. He knew the old man could give him the answers he sought.
The old man remained silent for a long time, and then he said, “We aren’t human. We’re from the Spirit Race.”
“The Spirit Race?” Yang Ye frowned, “I’ve never heard of it. Is it from the large world?”
“The large world?” The old man was slightly stunned, and then he shook his head, “We are from a large world, but we’re not from the large world in your universe.”
Yang Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Senior, all of you aren’t from this universe?”
The old man grinned, “All of that isn’t important. Let me finish before you ask questions. We are from the Spirit Race. Because of certain reasons, we were sent here. In the end, an expert found out about it, and he sealed us in order to obtain a precious treasure we possessed. A very long time ago, he would come here from time to time and ask for it. However, for some unknown reason, he stopped coming. Being sealed for such a long time forced us to go into deep sleep in order to preserve our energy.”
The old man paused for a moment and said, “In the end, we realized that even that wouldn’t guarantee our survival. Because we might be sealed until we die. So…. So, Ling’er destroyed her own body, escaped the formation, and then searched for a way to save us.”
“Ling’er?” Yang Ye continued, “That woman who made me come here?”
The old man nodded, “Yes.” A wisp of pain flashed through his eyes at this point, and he continued, “She is the most outstanding genius amongst us, and possesses a natural spirit body that’s one in a million. If she hadn’t destroyed her body, her future would be limitless! However, it couldn’t be helped because she was the only one amongst us who could remain in spirit form for a long time!”
“She’s in spirit form?!” Yang Ye frowned, “Even if she’s in spirit form, it’s impossible for her to stop me from noticing her presence.”
“She possesses a natural spirit body!” The old man continued, “It transcends the five elements, Yin, and Yang. Besides dead people, only those with extremely formidable strength are able to see her. Your strength isn’t sufficient, and you’re not dead. So, you can’t see her.”
So that’s why! Yang Ye nodded, “Senior, there’s something I don’t understand. The strength of that expert who sealed all of you definitely far surpasses your Spirit Race. Since it’s like that, then why didn’t you hand it over to him in exchange for peace?”
The old man grinned, “If we did hand it over, then you wouldn’t have been able to see us now.”
They would be killed to keep them quiet! Yang Ye came to an understanding.
Meanwhile, the old man added, “If we can hand it over in exchange for peace, then I wouldn’t have kept that treasure. No matter how precious a treasure is, it isn’t as precious as the lives of our people or Ling’er. However, I’m very well aware that if it falls into his hand, then the first thing he does would be to kill us. Because if news of it were to spread, then he would suffer endless trouble!”
Yang Ye said, “That treasure is the Spirit Pearl, right?”
The old man gazed at Yang Ye for a long time, and then he said, “She gave it to you?”
Yang Ye nodded.
The old man laughed bitterly, “Actually, I guessed it.”
Yang Ye glanced at the old man and said, “Senior, you wouldn’t try to take it back, right?”
The old man smiled, “If I wanted to, I would have done it already.”
Yang Ye smiled, “That’s what I was thinking!”
Meanwhile, the old man suddenly said, “Your lifespan seems to be….”
Yang Ye nodded, “I came to the Ominous Territory in order to gain the Spring of Life at the Forest of Darkness.”
The old man frowned, “You’re heading to the Forest of Darkness!”
Yang Ye asked, “What’s wrong?”
The old man remained silent for a long time, and then he said, “Kid, to be honest, it’s really a miracle that you were able to get here with your strength.”
“Senior, what sort of place is the Ominous Territory? Why aren’t all of you leaving it?” asked Yang Ye in a serious tone. He was really curious about the Ominous Territory, and this place was truly too mysterious.
The old man shook his head, “Greed is a form of original sin. It’s something we should suffer. I only pity these little fellows that have to suffer with us.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he gazed at Yang Ye, “I can’t tell you too much because it would be of no benefit to you. Since you were able to get here, getting to the Forest of Darkness shouldn’t be a huge problem for you. However, you have to be careful!”
Once he spoke up to this point, the old man spoke in an extremely solemn voice, “Don’t go past Yellow Springs River.”
Yang Ye frowned, “Why?” It wasn’t the first time he’d heard about the Yellow Springs River. The middle aged man he’d encountered on the way had given him a similar warning. What exactly was on the other side? Why was it so terrifying?
“Because you’ll die there!” The old man spoke solemnly, “You know that person who sealed us here? Even with his strength, he didn’t dare to cross Yellow Springs River.”
Yang Ye was at a loss for words.
“It really isn’t a place you can go to.” The old man spoke in a low voice, “Don’t go in there out of curiosity. It’ll cost you your life!”
Yang Ye spoke solemnly, “What is in there?”
“I don’t know!” The old man shook his head, “All I know is that many people who I felt were extremely formidable have entered that place, but none have come back out. Yet you are too weak when compared to them. Not to mention them, you can’t even fight me!”
Yang Ye’s face darkened, Do you have to be that direct?!
Meanwhile, the old man hesitated for a moment and said, “Kid, logically speaking, I should thank you for saving all of us. However, I really don’t have much….”
“Why don’t all of you accompany me to the Forest of Darkness?” Yang Ye hurriedly said, “Help me get the Spring of Life, alright?”
The old man’s face froze. He’d thought that Yang Ye would say something like — It’s fine, it was nothing.
However, he’d never expected Yang Ye to say that.
The old man hesitated for a moment and shook his head, “No. Don’t look at me like that. I’m doing it for your sake.”
Yang Ye asked, “What do you mean?”
The old man explained, “Everyone has their own territory here. If we leave our territory, it’s equivalent to breaking the rules. Let me explain it like this. So long as we leave this place, then it’s equivalent to entering someone else’s territory. Once we enter someone else’s territory, then the owner of that territory will attack us madly! If we follow you to the Forest of Darkness, it means that we’ll have to fight our way there. But if you go alone, I believe it will be even easier!”
Yang Ye nodded. He didn’t feel like the old man was making up an excuse. Because he’d experienced how abnormal those demon beasts were. So long as he entered their territory, they would immediately attack him, no matter the reason!
So, it was just as the old man had said. If such a huge group were to head there, then it would actually make the journey more difficult. Because they would be a huge target.
Actually, he was only joking earlier. Because the Spirit Race didn’t owe him anything. Even though he’d saved them, they’d compensated him, and it wasn’t a small amount of compensation. In short, they didn’t owe each other anything.
Meanwhile, the old man said, “If… if you get the Spring of Life, then can you come back here?”
Yang Ye asked, “Why?”
“I need your help for a small thing!” The old man smiled, “It’s a very small thing. Of course, you’ll be compensated.”
Yang Ye thought for a while and replied, “Alright!”
The old man’s smile grew wider. He flipped his palm, and a thumb-sized pearl appeared on his palm. He passed it over to Yang Ye and said, “It’s an Energy Pearl. It can replenish the spirit energy within your Dantian once. It should be helpful to you!”
What a treasure! Yang Ye’s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly took it before he asked, “Do you have more? Give me a few more, alright?”
The corners of the old man’s mouth twitched, and then he smiled spuriously, “It’s very precious. I don’t have more for now. However, if you come back here, then I can give you a few more!”
Yang Ye hurriedly nodded, “Alright! I’ll definitely come back!”
The old man was at a loss for words.
