Chapter 119: The Corpse Coffin Cave (Part II)

The moment my right foot crossed the threshold of those vermilion gates, I could almost clearly feel the black vortices trembling ceaselessly around me. Had this been before, I might have disregarded such things entirely, but now I understood that all of this was merely for my sake—or rather, for the sake of my true self—while I had become nothing more than a puppet.

This realization filled me with profound depression. Yet, amidst such layers of mystery, I felt utterly helpless, lacking the strength to resist. It was as if my entire fate had been orchestrated from the very beginning; to keep me from discovering the truth, a boundary had been set for me to operate within. Everyone I encountered and everything I perceived within this scope had all been scripted in advance.

I felt like a chess piece on a computer, playing out a pre-programmed strategy within a set difficulty level.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a jungle, but in this place, the crescent moon hanging in the sky was blood-red. Legend has it that only ghosts see the moon as blood-red, and the fact that it was a crescent only confirmed one thing: we had arrived in a ghostly realm. Furthermore, having passed through the spatial channel earlier, our bodies had already been tainted by the aura of this spectral land.

"Xiaodong, this place is known as the Land of Ghostly Marshes. It was discovered by a Supreme Elder of our Azure Dragon Pavilion within the underground ghost city of Chengdu. Because this land is an excellent breeding ground for ghostly energy, the Pavilion Master later placed it within Thrush Village."

My mind began to race with doubt. If what Chen Chuyi said was true, then Thrush Village should not have even existed by the time I grew up.

"Grandpa Chen, how old is Thrush Village?"

"Ninety-nine years!" Chen Chuyi replied without a moment’s hesitation. "We learned all this information only after we found you in Chengdu and returned to Azure Dragon Mountain."

"You were a genius in the arts of Yin and Yang, much like our Pavilion Master who has lived for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Well, that’s not quite right—the Pavilion Master was naturally an unparalleled prodigy. In just eighteen years, he was only a step away from mastering both the Yin and the Yang, possessing the power to move mountains, fill seas, and twist the currents of Feng Shui. He is the foremost master of Yin and Yang in this age."

Listening to Chen Chuyi’s account, a sense of familiarity began to echo within me, yet there were no concrete traces—only eerie shadows drifting through the sea of my consciousness.

"Junior Brother, over here!"

Just as Chen Chuyi was about to continue, I heard the voice of Zhao Shiwu from not far away.

"Senior Brother?"

Zhao Shiwu saw us and immediately waved. My mind was still reeling from Chen Chuyi’s words. It seemed that the Azure Dragon Pavilion Master—this foremost master of the mundane world—must have learned of the Sea of Spirit Moon while seeking a breakthrough, and thus risked everything to enter it, hoping to achieve total mastery over Yin and Yang. He clearly hadn't expected to nearly lose his life and soul, which led to everything that had happened to me.

Ninety-nine years... that would mean the original Pavilion Master entered the Sea of Spirit Moon at least one hundred and seven years ago. It was impossible for me to be only in my twenties after all this time; there must be other secrets hidden within.

"Senior Brother, did you find the entrance?"

Zhao Shiwu nodded slightly and added, "The map of Thrush Village the elders gave us was useless. I had to use the Azure Dragon Secret Arts—the method of tracking dragons and locating veins—to find it. Let's go."

We all nodded. Xiyue seemed to understand the situation perfectly; it felt as if I were the only one left in the dark. However, I didn't want to think about it anymore. If this was all predestined, why should I fret? I only wanted to know who I truly was. If I were merely a test subject for the Azure Dragon Pavilion, I would rather die here in Thrush Village.

Having seen the power of the mysterious Azure Dragon Mountain, I knew they were people who understood the secrets of heaven. I was no match for them, a mediocre, entry-level practitioner of Yin and Yang. Rather than living such a muddled existence, I would rather end a life that was not my own to command.

Just then, Xiyue squeezed my hand tightly and whispered, "Xiaodong, don't let your imagination run wild. Things aren't as bad as you think. You must believe that your fate is always in your own hands. No matter what happens, I will be by your side."

I nodded. But some thoughts are like seeds; once they take root in your heart, they are constantly nourished by the false reality surrounding you. I glanced at Xiyue. I wanted to tell her that even her memories had been sealed, that her fate was just like mine, and that she might also be nothing more than someone else's appendage.

"Let's go, Xiaodong!"

Chen Chuyi and Zhao Shiwu looked at me with a sincerity I recognized from the start. I knew they wouldn't harm me, but I also knew that if I were to become a discarded pawn one day, they would abandon me, for they had no say in the matter.

I nodded, took Xiyue’s hand, and followed Zhao Shiwu toward a mountain path nearby. The path was difficult and shrouded in gloom, but with Zhao Shiwu leading the way, it was bearable. When we reached the end of the mountain range, I saw a cave.

It was identical to the one I had seen in my dreams.

At the sight of it, my entire body trembled violently. A call from deep within my heart surged forth, making my legs shake uncontrollably. Cold sweat streamed down my forehead.

Seeing this, Xiyue frowned and immediately asked what was wrong. Zhao Shiwu turned around, his brow furrowed as he asked, "Xiaodong, have you remembered something?"

After all, I had gathered from Chen Chuyi that their intention was to guide me through the very things I had once arranged myself, hoping it would help me recall my past self and reclaim the genius I once was.

"No, it's just this place..."

I didn't finish my sentence, for at that moment, a cold, chilling voice rang out.

"I knew that by following you, I would eventually find the entrance to the Shadowless Village..."