Chapter Five: Deep Within the Jungle, Peril at Every Turn

A howl, so fierce that it shook the heavens and made ghosts weep, thundered across the sky. The forest seemed to shudder at its cry; a violent gale swept through, carrying yellowing leaves like a raging beast, howling as it crashed in every direction. Even the dust, unwilling to remain still, joined the wild wind in its frenzied dance.

Turning toward the sound, they saw a monstrous beast rushing toward Yushang and his companion—a creature with the body of a tiger and the head of a leopard, its ears long and pointed, with a single horn jutting from between them. Its blood-red maw gaped open, rows of fangs flashing like cold, deadly blades as it attacked with reckless fury.

Xiaoyin sidestepped in an instant, slipping away with ease. He glanced at Yushang with a faint, devilish smile, as if he were merely spectating an amusing play.

Yushang, however, stood unmoving, showing no intention of dodging. Slowly, he extended his index finger and tapped lightly in the air. At that moment, a surge of white light burst forth, shooting straight at the beast. The creature leaped and twisted in midair, narrowly evading the seemingly weak but truly formidable glow. Though it managed to dodge most of the attack, the trailing light still staggered it.

Unwilling to give in, the beast roared and lunged again at Yushang. Yet as it charged, a faint green light enveloped its body, steadily devouring the essence gathering from every direction, swelling larger and larger, as if on the verge of exploding.

“Kill it now, hurry!” Xiaoyin, who had been watching from the side, finally lost his composure and shouted at Yushang.

In a flash, Yushang summoned his blade, pouring his strength into a mighty strike aimed at the monster. The ferocious blade energy collided with the strange green light, scattering countless shards of force in all directions. In an instant, trees toppled, the earth split, and the creatures of the forest scattered in panic. The former tranquil beauty was annihilated, leaving only devastation and ruin.

The tremendous impact left the beast battered and exhausted, collapsing to the ground. In moments, its desperate struggles ceased, and its breath faded. With a wave of Yushang’s blade, the corpse disintegrated into dust, vanishing without a trace, save for a single dark green crystal that floated in the air.

Xiaoyin snatched the crystal and rolled it in his palm, exclaiming excitedly, “You’ve really hit the jackpot this time! This dark green crystal is a rare treasure. It can only occasionally be found in the dens of ancient beasts, yet today you’ve claimed it!”

Yushang said nothing, ignoring Xiaoyin’s envy and jealousy. He took the crystal, broke it in two with a snap, tossed one half to Xiaoyin, and swallowed the other half whole.

Xiaoyin, upon receiving his share, was visibly elated and quickly sat cross-legged to begin refining the crystal.

As soon as the dark green crystal entered Yushang’s stomach, a mysterious power quietly emerged, wrapping around the crystal and surging toward the gateway of his core. Yushang could feel this enigmatic energy growing stronger within him, filling him with both anticipation and unease—wondering how powerful he would become when the force finally broke through, yet also fearing whether he might one day be consumed or controlled by it.

“Life never goes as one wishes. Even if you could live forever, even if you could summon the heavens, what would it matter? One step at a time,” Yushang thought with resignation.

The forest was lush, the mountains cloaked in green. Blossoms and willows thrived, the stream murmured gently. Yet this picturesque beauty sent a chill through the heart—no one could find joy in it, only an urge to flee.

“Why is the atmosphere in this forest so strange? And why can’t we find a trace of the Nether City?” Yushang, silent for some time, finally spoke.

“On the surface, this forest seems peaceful, but beneath it lies unfathomable depth. They say this forest is the outer city of the Nether City,” Xiaoyin replied, uncharacteristically serious.

“They say? Didn’t you claim you’d been to the Nether City? Why do you seem to know so little about it? I’m curious—how did you get in there?” Yushang asked.

“To be honest, I was already delirious from my injuries at the time. I’m not quite sure how I made it inside. I vaguely remember following a black cat to get there.” Xiaoyin frowned, trying to recall more, but nothing else surfaced.

“A black cat? It just gets stranger and stranger. The Nether City truly is intriguing.” Yushang gave a bitter laugh.

As they bantered, a shadow flashed past them. Xiaoyin started, then quickly said to Yushang, “Quick, after it! That aura feels familiar—if we follow, we might find a way out!” For reasons unknown, Xiaoyin’s face twisted with anger and resentment at the sight of the shadow, then he sprinted after it with all his might.

Yushang noticed this subtle change and felt a surge of questions—just who was Xiaoyin, and what secrets did he harbor?

“What are you waiting for? Hurry!” Xiaoyin’s voice echoed from a hundred paces ahead.

Jarred from his thoughts, Yushang gathered his energy and raced after Xiaoyin, chasing the shadow together. The figure darted and paused, as if intentionally guiding them. After who knew how long, the shadow finally stopped and then vanished.

“It seems it led us here on purpose,” Yushang remarked, his tone neutral yet thoughtful.

“Yes, I think so too. That terrifying figure must already know we’re here.” Xiaoyin’s voice quivered with barely concealed fear. “But why bring us here? I don’t see anything unusual about this place.”

“Calm down, and you’ll sense what is different. Try it,” Yushang said, as if privy to some secret.

Resigned, Xiaoyin sat cross-legged and entered meditation. Moments later, his eyes snapped open. “There’s a barrier over there!” he exclaimed, pointing behind Yushang.

“You’re not as dull as you look! But this time, you’ll have to lend your strength to break it—you can’t always let others do the work!” Yushang teased.

“Brat, when have I ever not helped you? You make it sound like I’m cold-hearted—it wounds me!” Xiaoyin replied, dramatically clutching his chest, only to be ignored.

“Blade of Destiny—strike!” “Power of Turbidity—release!” The two unleashed their secret arts together. After many attempts, a crack rang out as the barrier finally shattered.

Stepping through, they found themselves in a paradise, a celestial realm untouched by the world. Sky met earth, earth touched sky. Crystal-clear waters sparkled as fish swam and leapt. The meadows bloomed with soft pink peach trees. Most enchanting of all was a small, spiritual hut, its roof adorned with delicate white flowers of unknown kind. Everything was so beautiful, so alluring, it was impossible not to be captivated.