Call of the Bronze Chime

The golden thread released by the luminous spores stretched out to about half a zhang (approx. 1.6 meters) before stopping—clearly, the mycelium wasn't long enough.

Yet the thread continued to sway midair, as if trying to prevent Chen Jinshu and the others from landing.

"This place must be territory claimed by lichen fungi," Chen Jinshu deduced. "We've trespassed onto their ground—they're issuing a warning."

"Let's fly ahead a bit more and find a better place to land," Du Yi suggested.

The three of them flew forward toward the miasma ahead. Along the way, they encountered many strange types of fungi: grotesque in shape, some growing on corpses, others on tree trunks or scattered across the ground.

They varied in size and bore colors so vibrant they made one instinctively want to retreat. After a while, the three arrived at the edge of the miasmic zone. The number of luminous fungi on the ground finally began to lessen. Beside them flowed an emerald-colored river, seeping from the miasma zone and exuding an aura of mystery.

"These spirit fungi must fear the miasma!" Jiang Daoyu speculated.

"This location is unique—it's backlit, perfect for fungal growth. Plus, the emerald river carries something unusual that nourishes the fungi," Chen Jinshu added.

"Let's explore deeper into the miasma. We might find something unexpected," she suggested.

She pulled a few Vajra Talismans from her storage pouch, stuck them to herself, and activated them quickly. They formed a golden defensive shield around her and Xiao Yin.

Du Yi activated a defensive jade pendant at his waist, creating a faint blue screen like flowing water. Jiang Daoyu held a protective orb, its energy forming a barrier that kept the miasma at bay.

"Stay close, both of you," he said. "It'll save us some spiritual energy if we move together." He increased the orb's power to shield the group.

"Much appreciated, Senior Brother," Chen Jinshu replied. Her talismans were running low—saving a few was prudent.

As they walked further, they realized that the miasma, while harmful to the fungi, couldn't actually penetrate their defenses. It was toxic—but only if inhaled.

Contrary to their expectations, the interior of the misty zone was densely packed with vegetation. Instead of diminishing, spirit plants grew even thicker. Weeds filled the space. They were forced to clear a path as they moved.

Rustle… rustle…

The trio stepped onto damp, dark-red soil. Suddenly, a crawling sound echoed around them—growing louder and denser.

"Be careful! Sounds like beasts!" Jiang Daoyu instinctively stepped in front of the others, fulfilling his role as senior brother.

But the sound came from all directions, so he could only brace for whatever came from ahead.

"Not good—it's Blood-Eyed Centipedes!" Du Yi's sharp eyes spotted the incoming swarm of red insects.

Covered in blood-red exoskeletons and bearing crimson eyes, the centipedes swarmed toward them, seemingly crazed.

"Weren't these centipedes only native to Bone Mountain?" Chen Jinshu asked, puzzled.

She was familiar with them. The sect master had once warned about several forbidden zones, including Bone Mountain—home to these centipedes, which preferred crawling among bones.

"Could we be near Bone Mountain already?" Du Yi asked doubtfully.

"Impossible. Bone Mountain is a strange skeletal ridge up north—we've been flying south. It can't be Bone Mountain. But it may be related somehow," Jiang Daoyu countered.

Relieved to hear it wasn't Bone Mountain, Chen Jinshu quietly exhaled. She wasn't ready to risk her life in that cursed place.

"What do we do about so many of them?" she asked.

"Blood-Eyed Centipedes can't fly, but they spit venom—highly toxic. Even cultivators at the late Qi Refining stage like us wouldn't last seven days if poisoned," Jiang Daoyu warned.

"Everyone attack! Take out as many as possible—I'll hold the defense!"

Jiang Daoyu drew his sword with one hand, the orb glowing in the other, and prepared for battle.

Whoosh!

A tide of red centipedes surged toward them.

Disgusted, Chen Jinshu instinctively struck. Her sword released blinding arcs of energy, slicing through swaths of centipedes.

She took a few steps back, summoning her Lüqi Zither. With practiced fingers, she plucked the strings swiftly. A chilly autumn wind rose, and frost-laden leaves surged forward like blades, assaulting the wave of centipedes.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Each frosted leaf carried a sharp sword energy, leaving streaks of cold light in the air. Du Yi and Jiang Daoyu also launched powerful spells. Soon, the ground was littered with centipede corpses, reeking of acidic rot.

"Junior Sister, your zither technique is truly impressive," Du Yi praised.

"Not the time for compliments. Let's move before we run into something worse," Jiang Daoyu said grimly, scanning the eerie silence.

The others nodded.

The silence was unsettling. Before, they'd at least heard occasional beast cries or bird calls. But now, with the centipedes gone, the world seemed dead. Fifteen minutes passed. They'd wandered aimlessly, unable to find any valuable resources. They may have gotten lost in the miasma. They had been following the river, but it eventually dipped underground, leaving them disoriented.

"Do we keep going?" Du Yi asked, disheartened.

Chen Jinshu didn't answer immediately. In her storage pouch, a small bronze chime bell had started to tremble faintly, as if it were being drawn toward something ahead.

The bell had stirred when the emerald river vanished. At first, she ignored it, but the shaking had intensified, even disturbing her pouch—finally catching her attention.

Her master had entrusted her with this bell for the secret realm, saying it would guide her to something. She took it out, and the chime tried to fly away—only her firm grip held it back.

Now, their current path aligned perfectly with the bell's direction.

After a moment's thought, she told her companions, "We've come this far. If we turn back now, everything would be wasted. There might be something incredible up ahead."

The others agreed and pushed forward.

After about ten more li (approx. 5 kilometers), the miasma thinned. The sound of flowing water returned—the emerald river reappeared.

"There seems to be a ruin up ahead!" Du Yi called out, eyes sharp as he peered through the haze. Before a massive stone cliff, rows of ancient buildings came into view.