Chapter 19 Bone Ghost Follows

After Yuan Qing departed, Xiao Yan's eyes fixed on the shattered giant mountain. His gaze burned with determination, and his heart pounded with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Once he was sure no one else was around, he flew toward a massive crack in the mountain.

Inside the crack, he discovered a spacious cave where dozens of figures stood in a row. As soon as Xiao Yan entered, an invisible heat wave struck his face. He ignored the searing sensation and, with a look of surprise, waved his hand—instantly, a curtain of flames burst forth, enveloping him completely.

The heat wave rolled against the flame curtain, colliding with it in a loud "bang" that sent ripples through the air like water waves before it dissipated into the void. Xiao Yan frowned. He hadn't expected that the heat wave here could not only rebound attacks as external restrictions did but even counterattack on its own. Fortunately, its force was weak enough that his Dou Qi shield remained intact.

Moving deeper into the cave, he noticed that the heat waves grew stronger and his Dou Qi shield vibrated continuously. Though he pressed on, the tension in his furrowed brows betrayed his inner unease. Each time the flame wave struck his flame curtain, he detected a faint wisp of flame merging with it. At first, he thought this was a lucky remnant of the strange fire's origin—something he could absorb. But after collecting a small amount, he was shocked to realize that the strange fire's spirit was deliberately trying to seize the flame within his body.

Xiao Yan attempted to isolate himself from these invasive flames, but he soon discovered that he could not separate them. Instead, the bone-chilling cold fire within him was steadily being devoured. In mere moments, most of it was consumed, and the cave passage behind him was filled with raging flames—making retreat nearly impossible. With no choice but to continue forward, his expression grew solemn.

Eventually, he reached the end of the flame heat wave, only to find nothing useful—no trace of the strange fire remained. Standing at the edge of an endless abyss, with no bottom in sight, he felt the crushing presence of death. This void was clearly a no-fly zone where no cultivator could linger, except for a solitary stone platform suspended in the void and winding upward—a small beacon of life.

Xiao Yan looked up at the platform, noticing a faint glow of fire that illuminated its surface. Around the platform stood six ice pillars connected by interlocking lines of fire restrictions. The engravings on the platforms emitted waves of scorching aura that made his scalp tingle. Then his eyes caught sight of a huge silver-white stone sculpture on the opposite wall. The sculpture depicted an old man with a plain yet dignified face and mysterious carved eyes that seemed to look down upon the world. The only feature with color was his hair—a cascade of bright silver-white, icy-blue strands that shone vividly despite being chiseled in stone.

Stunned, Xiao Yan murmured, "Tathagata Gudi!"

At that very moment, in an ice-blue hall far away, an old man in a white robe with icy-blue hair opened his eyes. His appearance was an exact match to the stone sculpture. Narrowing his eyes, he looked toward the dome of the hall—the same direction where Xiao Yan stood. A mixture of joy, reluctance, and relief played across his features before his heroic voice echoed:

"Haha, after more than ten years, you're finally here. Now, let's see who among us old ones can match you this time, haha."

After a few more glances toward Xiao Yan, the old man closed his cloudy eyes, resumed his practice, and quietly waited. The hall fell silent except for the sound of his steady breathing.

Xiao Yan, still absorbed by the sculpture's mysterious aura, noted the resemblance to Ancient Emperor Tuoshe. Perhaps this was the inheritance Tuoshe had left behind. A spark of excitement stirred within him as he mused, "I, too, am half a disciple of Tuoshe Ancient Emperor. Tuoshe, I shall not be too polite in accepting your legacy."

His heart quickened with anticipation as he observed the endless abyss and the stone platforms suspended in the void. After a brief hesitation, he moved toward the first platform. Drawing nearer, he saw thin black iron chains attached to the platform in multiple directions, hanging down into the unseen depths. Additional chains connected every two platforms and led upward to the highest platform, from which bursts of flame emanated. Mysterious runes were engraved along the chains, occasionally emitting faint energy light that lent an otherworldly quality to the entire space.

Xiao Yan's expression turned somber as he muttered, "I didn't expect such a vast formation. This first level is extremely challenging. I wonder how much more difficult the next levels will be… Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, you're clearly making things hard for me."

He shook his head and sighed. As he approached the endless abyss, a twitch of a smile crept onto his face despite the anxiety—a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation.

Calming himself, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the first stone platform. He bent his legs slightly, leaned forward, and stomped on the ground before soaring toward the platform just three or four feet away. The perfect arc he envisioned faltered halfway, and his body began to drop. Startled, he adjusted his step and landed on one of the black iron chains. His body then soared upward and narrowly landed on the edge of the stone platform.

Upon landing, his body sank slightly into the platform, but he paid little attention as he looked back with relief. Closer inspection revealed that the once pitch-black chain now emitted a faint glow. Soon, chains on multiple sides of the platform began to glow at their contact points and extend outward visibly. Xiao Yan believed that it wouldn't be long before the chains throughout the cave shone brightly—an ominous sign that the mysterious formation was about to activate, which would make the challenge even greater.

Xiao Yan's expression grew grave. After a careful moment of thought, he resolved to proceed. Despite his body trembling as he rose, he ignored the strong suction from beneath his feet and the immense pressure on his body, striding directly toward the opposite platform. Being a cultivator of both Dou Qi and another powerful energy, he knew such pressure was but a minor inconvenience.

As he grew accustomed to the platform's conditions, Xiao Yan noticed that each time he landed, the surrounding iron chains activated—glowing and extending further—an observation that filled him with apprehension. Continuing to leap from platform to platform, he finally reached a point where he was only one step from the final platform. A satisfied smile briefly appeared on his sweat-soaked face, but when he saw the now-illuminated chains, his expression soured once more.

Taking heavy, deliberate steps, Xiao Yan advanced slowly, clearly showing signs of being overwhelmed.

"Bang!"

He fell to one knee, gasping for breath as sweat dripped like blossoming chrysanthemums. His face was solemn as he stared at the platform only nine feet away, his teeth chattering in tension. He raised his head, peered at the platform within reach, then at the formation gathering around him. With resolute determination, he pressed his hands firmly against the ground, forced himself upright from his half-kneeling position, and fixed his steely gaze on the platform ahead.

Though the platform's top was obscured, Xiao Yan believed that reaching it would bring him closer to the Strange Fire. With hope igniting in his eyes, he advanced step by step, while the glow on the iron chains continued to extend. Only then did he realize that the chains' ends were connected to the six ice pillars, which now burst with crystal light, complementing the shimmering chains.

Xiao Yan's expression changed once more as he quickened his pace and neared the platform's edge. Gazing upward at the higher platform, he took a deep breath, bent forward, spread his legs in a bow-like stance, and after a moment, leaped toward it.

In a huge ice-blue hall, two figures in white robes sat opposite each other—one old, one young—each holding a teacup and sipping tea.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan asked, "Senior Guyou, since you claim to be Guyou, one of the Five Flame Sealing Points, then the other four must be the remaining members of the Five Flame Sealing Points, correct?"

Gu You, unsurprised, nodded, set his teacup down, and replied, "Yes. The Five Flame Sealing Cave is composed of five types of strange fire in this world. As long as one of these strange fires retains its spiritual intelligence, the Five Flame Sealing Cave will never vanish. The other four members are located in different directions on this continent. They, too, have mastered the remaining fragments of the Burning Flame Art. Our tasks and tests differ. Whether you can obtain the fragments of the Burning Flame Art depends entirely on you. As for the identities of the other four, I can only name two now; the other two are so elusive that even I have difficulty finding them. Their discovery depends on chance."

Gu You then explained the identities of the two known individuals. One, known as Hai Lao, is also called Hai Mochen, whose true form is Hai Xinyan. He dwells in the northernmost part of the continent, near a vast ocean, where his Flame Sealing Point is located.

"That old fellow also founded the Beihai Academy there. Perhaps you should visit—it's rather shabby, nothing grand," Gu You added with a wry smile.

Xiao Yan listened without taking it personally. Yet while Xiao Yan remained calm, others might not. As Gu You spoke, in a distant wooden house by the North Sea, an old man in a green robe sneezed unexpectedly, frowned, and muttered, "Huh? Which old man is speaking ill of me again?"

Gu You continued, "The second is a woman—but!" His voice grew louder and more cautious before he said, "Do not underestimate women! An ordinary woman is one thing, but this woman is formidable—proud, aloof, and utterly indifferent to others. Once she acts, lives will be lost! She has accepted only one disciple, for if her disciple does not share her temperament, he cannot withstand her. I have warned you of her danger, and now I will reveal her true form. She is the Red Lotus Karma Fire, known as Ye Honglian, also called Aunt Honglian. She lives in seclusion in the Fire Maple Forest in the extreme south, with only her disciple venturing out. So, if you plan to visit, I suggest you consider old Hai Mochen first—he's much easier to deal with, though he's quite fond of wine. Perhaps if you bring good wine, he will accompany you, haha…"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyebrows rose, and excitement flashed in his eyes. He had long hoped that Gu You would eventually join him. Now, Gu You's words hinted that the five might follow the successor of Tuoshe Ancient Emperor. This would ease many troubles and potentially grant him access to five types of strange fire that have existed for over a thousand years—a treasure far greater than ordinary strange fires.

Xiao Yan's mind raced with possibility, but Gu You shook his head and cautioned, "Don't be so naive. If it were as simple as you think, I would have followed you long ago. Although the five of us are eager to follow a worthy successor, it depends on whether that successor possesses the talent and strength to impress us. With your current power, if you hadn't met me, no one would dare even consider you."

Stunned for a moment, Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows, grinned, and looked at Gu You with eager curiosity.

Xiao Yan knew that if the five seniors were to follow him, he would face many difficult tests—much like when he entered Gu You's training cave. Although Gu You did not personally test Xiao Yan's strength, his calm smile and detailed explanation were genuine. Gu You, having lived for thousands of years, was not one to be deceived by a few scheming words from someone barely half a hundred years old.

Gu You sighed helplessly and said, "My test is simple because, first, I considered that you have just arrived and are relatively weak. The formation's power is not much stronger than yours, giving you a chance to catch your breath. Secondly, I believe you are a good kid, so I have given you some special treatment. You must remember my kindness."

His tone turned playful, then grew serious again, "But you'd better be cautious. The difficulty here is far beyond basic tests. If you venture to Old Man Hai, it's one thing—I might help you there. But if you go to Ye Honglian, then you'd better pretend you never saw me; otherwise, I cannot guarantee your safe return. Should you encounter those two monsters, you must act as if you know nothing."

Xiao Yan was shocked. The current formation was merely a preliminary test; the real trial would be even harder. Yet this challenge provided ample motivation for growth. With the remaining fragments of the Burning Decree as fuel, he had nothing to fear.

After a moment's thought, Xiao Yan looked back at Gu You and asked, "Old Gu, may I call you that?" Gu You nodded. Xiao Yan continued, "Since I've passed your test, does that mean I can obtain the remaining fragments of the Burning Flame Art from you?"

Gu You shook his head with a hint of apology, "No. At the beginning, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor integrated the fragments of the Burning Flame Art into the bodies of the five of us to ensure its preservation—a test for the heir. Unless you can refine the origin of your strange fire, you cannot obtain it. Your current strength is too weak to refine my fire origin, so you cannot obtain the fragments yet. At most, I may merge with you when you are strong enough. But the fusion is extremely dangerous. When you refine and merge my origin, my soul will be automatically erased—to prevent the inheritor from bearing any residual anomalies."

Xiao Yan's eyes widened, and his face twitched. It was unbearable to watch—a treasure so precious, yet he could only stand by. How could anyone endure such pain? Yet Xiao Yan had no choice but to accept it.

"Good," Gu You said with a firm, plain tone, "but don't overthink it. I cannot help you further—even if your life is at risk, I will not come to your aid."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan fell silent and simply looked at Gu You. After a while, trying to break the tension, Xiao Yan asked, "Then, can you explain the origin of the Burning Flame Art? Since it is so powerful, its creator must be extraordinary. Please help me solve this mystery."

Xiao Yan's tone was filled with an intense thirst for knowledge—the kind he had never felt before. Gu You grinned, revealing a row of old yellow teeth, and looked at Xiao Yan with approval, as if the young man had made progress.

"The Burning Flame Art—the creator of this technique was indeed a dominating figure. He reached the pinnacle with this art alone. With the power of fire, he forged a new world and saved countless lives. His might shook the heavens!" Gu You's tone grew excited, but then suddenly the momentum dropped, as if deflated.

He continued calmly, "Unfortunately, he died at the hands of his own brothers—a peak warrior of his generation who perished in loneliness because of a few treacherous kin."

At these words, the hall fell deathly silent for a moment before returning to normal, though Xiao Yan felt as though he had witnessed an era pass. It wasn't until a soft hum escaped Gu You's nostrils that Xiao Yan regained his composure.

Xiao Yan looked at Gu You in horror, wondering just how powerful this ancient strong man would be if he were still alive.

"Alright, I won't say more. Let's seal this place off and move on." Gu You said lightly.

After that, Xiao Yan gathered his thoughts and followed Gu You out of the hall. Outside, Gu You took a long, lingering look at the Nether Bone Hall, where he had resided for a thousand years. Slowly, he raised his hands, and seals appeared one after another. The ground in front of the hall door trembled, and a dark, black wall surged from the earth, sealing the hall completely.

As soon as the wall appeared, Xiao Yan took a deep breath. He couldn't discern the material of the wall, but its unfamiliarity convinced him that he had no chance of breaking it. Gu You merely grinned, said nothing further, and then flew out of the mountain.