Without a doubt, there was an astounding spirit vein in Tianliang’s last ancestral mountain. At the sight of the threads of milky white spirit energy radiating out of the river, the pair fell silent again.
Spirit veins were astounding wealth to any cultivator, and even a country. In Changling, because of Xue Wangxu and Ding Ning’s rebellion, even some of the students knew the reason White Goat Cave had been punished was because White Goat Cave had disobeyed the empress Zheng Xiu’s edict and was not willing to let her use the spirit vein.
Even though they had never seen the spirit vein deep in Zheng Xiu’s study in the imperial palace, through the many stories of Changling, the pair was sure that the spirit vein could not compare to this spirit vein in the Mountain of Ancestors.
“You should have listened to me, and let me put you down halfway.” Li Xixing took a deep breath and turned to Hu Jingjing. He said, “You are the only true student of Treasure Light. If you die, it will no longer exist.”
Hu Jingjing knew the meaning of his words. Just like how in the past many infected people here wanted to charge out, and many people who loved life had to kill their own relatives, numerous people had numerous choices. Their respect for Tianliang was not enough for the later countries to resist the lure of the spirit vein. For many years, the Wuzhi, Yuezhi, and Donghu did not have armies or cultivators who entered this ancestral land. This meant it was not out of respect, but because there was something terrifying to all experts of these countries here.
Hearing Li Xixing’s words, she inexplicably stopped trembling and smiled. “As expected, you wanted to find some medicinal herbs along the way, drop me off on the road somewhere so I could live.”
Li Xixing looked at her who smiled rather than grow nervous and frowned. “Are you mad?”
“What is the point?” Hu Jingjing was not angry and smiled unconcernedly. “Are you not the only heir to the Qin Dynasty City Guarding Sword? In terms of importance, your life is much more important than mine.”
Li Xixing glanced at her and wanted to speak but Hu Jingjing beat him to it. “Also, many people, even over a lifetime, cannot find a friend to go through life and death with.”
“You are so willing to die?” Li Xixing said coldly. “If so, then you are too easily content.”
Hu Jingjing was not angry and said, “If I have to die, at least it is better to be happy before death than unhappy.”
Li Xixing said mockingly, “Dying so young is definitely an unhappy thing.”
“At least I will not be lonely with someone.” Hu Jingjing’s smile faded. The herbs Li Xixing had given her were at least slightly effective, and she would not faint. She asked Li Xixing seriously, “Do you think it is possible that the terrifying plague in here has not faded. They do not dare to enter but want us to bring what is inside out?”
“Then kill us and take what they want from us? If that is the case, then why did they not send some criminals bound for execution here to help them?” Li Xixing’s disdain grew. “There are countless possibilities in this matter. If staying out is dying, and going in is dying, at least I will go in to die with understanding.”
The two seemed to be arguing but his steps did not stop. He came to the base of the Mountain of Ancestors by following the milky white river. When more spirit energy was at a place, everything would grow. But the closer they got to the black stone mountain, there were fewer plants, and their sight gradually broadened.
Then the two of them witnessed a strange scene.
At the end of the river were several springs at the mountain base. There was nothing growing around the springs. The white bones scattered outside were almost all gone, and the surroundings glinted with cold metal light.
One of the springs was hot, and formed a natural hot spring. All the milky white spirit energy came from that round hot spring that was less than ten feet wide. The spring was surrounded by all kinds of metal pieces. These metal pieces seemed to have melted and twisted together to flow along the ground.
When Li Xixing and Hu Jingjing saw the springs along the river, a wounded antelope was struggling towards the hot spring. There was already a white tiger by the hot spring, a dhole with earthy-colored fur, and also numerous fat white migratory birds.
The antelope was seriously wounded. A large bite had been torn out at its neck by a beast and it was bleeding constantly. Unimaginably, these wild beasts that usually ate the weak and could not coexist did not seem to care about the arrival of this antelope.
The dying antelope walked into the spring flowing with heat and spirit energy not far from their natural enemy, the dhole. The milky white spring water soaked the wound on its neck. Then Li Xixing and Hu Jingjing saw in surprise that its wound quickly stopped bleeding, and the flesh was regrowing. All the wild beasts did not seem to care about the pair’s arrival. They did not even howl. This place was still frighteningly calm.
Seeing this scene that was odd and unnatural, Hu Jingjing murmured: “Even the best spirit medicines of Changling cannot have such healing effects.”
“The legends say there is a Fountain of Eternal Life in Tianliang’s Mountain of Ancestors. It can revive white bone and create flesh,” Li Xixing murmured back.
“If Zheng Xiu knows this is true, and here is a spirit spring much greater than hers, would she go mad?” Hu Jingjing said sincerely, “I have no regrets in dying after I have seen such an incredible thing.”
Li Xixing heard the great hate she held towards Zheng Xiu in her words. He started to understand where the hate of this Treasure Light Temple disciple came from. He frowned and said, “Do not frequently talk of death.”
Hu Jingjing smiled. She did not speak and hugged Li Xixing tighter.
Li Xixing’s eyebrows rose. He did not speak, and walked into the shocking hot spring.
The water rippled. All the wild beasts in the water ignored these two uninvited guests.
Li Xixing tested the water temperature. There was only a weak heat. He sat and put Hu Jingjing down. When the warm spring water went over his chest, the wounds left from battle started to quickly heal, and even the extreme soreness and exhaustion he felt inside was slowly driven away by the warm water.
Hu Jingjing started to inhale deeply. She sensed life and vitality returning to her body. She was delighted. But looking at Li Xixing’s back, she pressed her lips together and did not mention death.
Li Xixing slowly looked up. There were black dots circling above in the sky.
The black eagles were soaring above the Mountain of Ancestors.
At the border of the ancestral land, above the valley, a patch of yellow grass parted to reveal Wu Lianzi and the man he called the Great Shaman.
“Great Shaman, they have reached the Mountain of Ancestors already. What should we do now?” Wu Liangzi looked at the hovering black eagles and could not help but ask the man next to him.
The man smiled and said softly, “Nothing. After the wineshop youth appears, then we enter.”
