Chapter 129: The Miraculous Effect of the Ice Silkworm

Hearing these words, I could not help but feel overwhelmed with excitement.

"Is it true? Can you take me to that place?" I asked immediately.

However, the Mountain Ghost shook her head slightly and said, "That place—it cannot be reached."

"Why?" I asked.

"That place is now territory belonging to the Demon Clan," she replied.

"Demon territory? Weren't the demons wiped out over a thousand years ago? How could there still be demon territory now?" I asked, bewildered.

"The Demon Ancestor, Luohou, was sealed away over a thousand years ago, and under the power of the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array, he was surely reduced to ash. However, some remnants of the demon race occupied several 'Dead Lands.' These places are beyond the reach of the Heavenly Way, which is how they have been able to multiply. The Ancient Wutong Land is one such place."

"Furthermore, the recent activity of demons in Cangmang Town is because many of their kin are gathering toward the Ancient Wutong Land. It is said that Luohou left something of great importance there, something that will likely be the key to the rise of the Demon Clan."

"What did he leave behind?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I do not know. After all, I have only been a Mountain Ghost for a little over five hundred years, and the demons were destroyed long before that. By the way, the key to the annihilation of the Phoenix Clan back then was the destruction of the Ancient Wutong Land, which severed the foundation of their destiny. And a significant reason for the destruction of that land was precisely the object Luohou left behind."

"Originally, the Ancient Wutong Land was full of vitality, which nurtured the Wutong forest and the Phoenix Clan. To destroy such a forest, sever its life force, and turn the land into a dead zone—one can only imagine how incredibly malevolent that object must be."

"Therefore, once that object emerges, the Demon Clan will surely rise again. With the current crop of Taoist practitioners and their amateur techniques, there is no way to resist them. The consequences would be unimaginable."

The matter of the Wild Immortals had just been settled, yet the demons were already stirring. I asked the Mountain Ghost if there was any way to resolve this.

She thought for a moment before saying, "Unless someone can retrieve that object before the Demon Clan does. As long as it does not fall into their hands, it will be difficult for them to rise again."

"Didn't you just say that the object is in the Ancient Wutong Land, and that the land is demon territory? Doesn't that mean it is already in their hands?" I countered.

"Not necessarily. For the demons to rise, they must crown a leader. As long as that person does not obtain the object, there will be no problem," the Mountain Ghost explained.

These words left me stunned.

I looked at the Mountain Ghost and said, "I think the demons have already found that person."

I said this because her words immediately made me think of Er Pang. Perhaps he was the key to the demons' return, the person they intended to crown.

Naturally, my statement surprised the Mountain Ghost. She immediately asked, "How do you know?"

I did not tell her about Er Pang; I had my own considerations. After a moment of thought, I asked her another question: "If the Ancient Wutong Land were no longer a dead zone, could the Wutong forest reappear?"

The Mountain Ghost pondered for a while before answering, "That is hard to say. After all, that place has been a dead zone for over a thousand years. To return to the past requires destiny. The great opportunities of this world are all controlled by the Heavenly Way. If they do not grant the opportunity, it is safe to say the Wutong forest is unlikely to reappear. Moreover, the Heavenly Way destroyed the Dragons, Phoenixes, and Qilins over a thousand years ago because their existence was too powerful and even threatened the Heavenly Way itself. Now, it is even less likely that they would grant the opportunity for the Wutong forest to reappear and the Phoenix Clan to return."

Her words left me silent, yet this was the only chance for Weiyang to be reborn. Only if the Wutong forest existed, and the powerful destiny of the Phoenix Clan remained, could Weiyang be reborn from the ashes.

I looked at the Mountain Ghost with a burning gaze. Although the hope was slim, I had to try for Weiyang's sake.

"Can you find a way to take me to the Ancient Wutong Land?" I asked again.

"That place is fraught with danger. The demons are skilled at stealing the life force of others. You cannot go now; the timing is not right!" she said. But when she saw me waiting for her agreement, she sighed helplessly and added, "Lin Yi, you have old wounds, and now you have been injured by the Soul-Confusing Gu. You can't even defeat a mountain spirit; you cannot go now!"

If I didn't go now, the demons certainly would. Once they went and obtained that object, their return would be assured, and the Ancient Wutong Land—their ancestral root—would never recover its vitality.

If the demons returned, they would naturally drain the life force of all living beings to strengthen themselves. Their existence would be many times more terrifying than that of the Wild Immortals, and it would surely lead to untold suffering.

Therefore, I had to stay ahead of Er Pang.

Looking at the Mountain Ghost, I said solemnly, "Lady Mountain Ghost, there is no more time."

Seeing me like this, she sighed in resignation. "It seems your grandfather's worries were correct. I shouldn't have cured your Soul-Confusing Gu; I should have let you stay unconscious!"

"Lady Mountain Ghost, you don't know—as far as I know, the person chosen by the demons has already made their move. If I am late, that object will inevitably fall into their hands, and then there will be no turning back!" I insisted. My intuition told me that the person was definitely Er Pang. If that object fell into his hands, the malevolent energy would be too powerful and would certainly consume him.

The Mountain Ghost was hesitant. Finally, she said, "Wait here, I will ask your grandfather."

I nodded. She walked to the shrine and burned incense in prayer.

"What did my grandfather say?" I asked.

"He agreed," she said. However, she took me to a different place. Upon opening the door, the room was filled with all sorts of insects on the walls and floor, making one's scalp tingle and skin crawl. This must have been the "Insect Room" they had mentioned.

I asked her why she had brought me here. She didn't answer, but instead walked inside and retrieved a plump silkworm from a wooden box.

This silkworm was very strange; its entire body was transparent, and a peculiar white aura seemed to swirl within it. It looked truly extraordinary.

"Hold out your hand," she said.

I did as she instructed. She placed the silkworm on my palm; it was incredibly cold. Then, the silkworm began to crawl slowly in circles on my hand.

Strangely, the more it crawled, the thinner it became, until it finally shriveled up.

I was amazed, and when I asked the Mountain Ghost about it, she said, "You are still suffering from serious injuries, and you were struck by the Soul-Confusing Gu. This Ice Silkworm Gu is a precious healing treasure of our Nu-Tong Village, and there are only two of them. It not only heals but also strengthens the foundation of one's true energy. I have raised it for thirty years, and for the sake of your grandfather, I am letting you have it today."

After the ice silkworm shriveled, my entire right arm felt incredibly cool, as if it had been rubbed with cooling oil. A moment later, this cooling sensation spread throughout my whole body.

I took a deep breath and adjusted my internal energy.

No matter the level of cultivation, true energy is the most important foundation, and my practice was still shallow; my true energy was thin. Last time, when facing Master Hu San, I had nearly lost my life because my foundation was insufficient to support the "Slaying Sword" technique.

However, after that silkworm withered, I immediately felt an unprecedented fullness of energy within me. I even felt that the energy I now possessed might be enough to perfectly execute the Slaying Sword.

I couldn't help but be astonished; a tiny ice silkworm was so potent.

At this moment, the Mountain Ghost said, "Thirty years of the Ice Silkworm Gu is equivalent to ten years of non-stop cultivation, and it has miraculous effects depending on one's natural aptitude. I've given you such a precious gift; don't you intend to say thank you?"

I had been too lost in wonder and had drifted off. Regaining my composure, I immediately bowed to express my gratitude. Then, thinking of Taoist Li and Niu Dahuang, I asked if she had seen them yet.

Since my grandfather had sent them to resolve the demon matter, they must have been in contact with her.

The Mountain Ghost told me she had already seen them. However, they had discovered the whereabouts of Luo Jinhong and Ma Zhenlei in Cangmang Town.

"What? Luo Jinhong and Ma Zhenlei are both in Cangmang Town?" I asked immediately.

"Yes, they arrived in Cangmang Town a long time ago. However, I do not know Ma Zhenlei; I only know of the one called the Southern Gu King, Luo Jinhong, who is famous for cultivating poisonous Gu. But do not worry; Taoist Li and Niu Dahuang have the antidotes I gave them. Surely, they will be able to resolve these two concerns for you."

As she said this, I asked, "Do you have an antidote for the Six-Yao Insect as well?"

The Mountain Ghost shook her head, but she said, "Rest assured. It is said that the person Luo Jinhong and Ma Zhenlei want to kill is you. Luo Jinhong only has one Six-Yao Insect left, and he will certainly save it for you. As for the other Gu poisons, Taoist Li and Niu Dahuang can handle them with the antidotes I provided."

By comparison, the situation with Er Pang was more urgent. Sufficient malevolent energy would cause him to fall completely into the demonic path, turning him into another person—or even the Demon Lord himself. The object Luohou left in the Ancient Wutong Land was surely the key.

I had to act as quickly as possible to prevent all of this from happening!