Chapter 193: Tales of the Western Fallen
Chapter 193: Tales of the Western Fallen
Baili Jingfeng understood Cheng Lingyu’s meaning and rose to walk outside.
“Senior Brother Baili, since all Western Fallen Nine Ridges belong to Lou Ri City, why aren’t they harmonious?”
Though Cheng Lingyu could partially guess the reasons, he couldn’t pinpoint the fundamental cause.
Baili Jingfeng walked along the cliff edge, harsh winds tousling his long hair as he appeared solitary.
“This traces back to Lou Ri City’s origins. Though Xiyun Divine Mountain has nine ridges, why was the city named after Lou Ri Ridge? This is tied to Lou Ri Ridge’s lineage.”
Cheng Lingyu pressed, “How so?”
Gazing at the distant cloud sea, Baili Jingfeng recounted, “Each ridge holds profound secrets. But Lou Ri Ridge’s mysteries were deciphered first, producing a legendary figure who dominated the other eight ridges and founded Lou Ri City.”
“So that’s how the city got its name?” Cheng Lingyu marveled.
Ignoring the question, Baili Jingfeng continued, “A millennium ago, Mingmo Ridge’s greatest talent emerged from Mingmo Valley, overpowering the Three Saints and Four Peerless. He should’ve brought glory to Xiyun Divine Mountain… yet vanished mysteriously.”
“Does this mean only Lou Ri and Mingmo Ridges have been fully comprehended?”
A strange smile crossed Baili Jingfeng’s face. “Such matters require chance. Like a dragon’s nine offspring, each ridge differs in strength.”
“Since Lou Ri Ridge stands tallest, does its legacy remain strongest?”
Baili Jingfeng nodded slightly – this assumption had been accepted by disciples for millennia.
“But why the discord between ridges?”
“Competition persists. When Mingmo Ridge nearly surpassed Lou Ri Ridge centuries ago, hopes arose for a new city lord. All eight ridges still strive to outshine Lou Ri Ridge and install their own leader for a new era.”
“So it’s merely power struggle,” Cheng Lingyu sighed.
“Sometimes power struggles embody battles for glory,” Baili Jingfeng countered.
Changing subjects, Cheng Lingyu asked, “With your cultivation level, why remain in lower four palaces?”
Baili Jingfeng’s expression tightened. “Upper palaces draw attention. Remember – the three strongest ridges now are Lou Ri, Xuanmoon, and Mingmo. Stay cautious.”
“Xuanmoon rivals those two?”
“Each ridge holds mysteries,” Baili Jingfeng evaded.
“Aren’t you tempted to challenge them?”
Baili Jingfeng turned suddenly. “How old do I appear?”
“Perhaps a few years my senior?”
“Several times older.”
“Impossible!” Cheng Lingyu stared in shock.
“Appearances deceive, especially among cultivators,” came the wry reply.
Baili Jingfeng remained calm, almost indifferent, placing little importance on age.
Cheng Lingyu chuckled dryly, “Does age really matter in the battle for glory?”
Baili Jingfeng shook his head. “It matters greatly. When one’s mindset shifts, everything changes.”
For those on the path of cultivation, mental state held vital significance.
After a brief silence, Cheng Lingyu shifted topics. “Feixing Ridge contains three ancient ruins and three dangerous areas. Have you explored any, Senior Brother Baili?”
Baili Jingfeng fell silent. Just as Cheng Lingyu assumed he wouldn’t respond, the man suddenly nodded.
“I visited one.”
“Which one?” Cheng Lingyu pressed.
Gazing at the horizon, Baili Jingfeng murmured, “The three ancient ruins on Feixing Ridge are the Feixing Stone, Star Ruins, and Feihong Hall. The Feixing Stone lies within the upper four palaces’ domain. Star Ruins sits between the Fifth Palace and Sixth Palace, while Feihong Hall rests between the Eighth Palace and Ninth Palace of Feixing. I entered Star Ruins…”
“Star Ruins? Strange name. What’s it like?”
Baili Jingfeng’s smile turned bitter as he deflected, “Time runs short. You should depart. Feixing Ridge’s disciples already track your movements.”
Cheng Lingyu paused, then clasped his hands. “Farewell, Senior Brother Baili. Till we meet again.”
With measured steps, he rejoined the two women.
“We must go. Feixing Ridge knows our location.”
The women paled. Without further discussion, the trio activated the teleportation array.
Watching them vanish, Baili Jingfeng whispered, “Do you truly hail from the Fifth Palace of Fallen God?”
Feixing Ridge disciples reached the Ninth Palace of Feixing moments later, finding only empty air where their targets had been.
Meanwhile, Cheng Lingyu, Lan Xiaozhu, and Fang Ruohua reappeared at Lou Ri Square, intending to trade souls for contribution points.
“Exchanging all our souls at once would draw unwanted attention,” cautioned Lan Xiaozhu, inheritor of the Celestial Cataclysm Divination legacy.
Fang Ruohua suggested, “Exchange portions gradually. Build points over time.”
Cheng Lingyu nodded. “First observe others’ exchanges to gauge safe amounts.”
At the square’s southern edge, they watched disciples trading souls. After observing, they regrouped.
“Three exchange tiers: high-grade souls give three points, mid-grade two, low-grade one,” Fang Ruohua summarized.
Turning to Cheng Lingyu, she asked, “How many do you have?”
“Roughly seven thousand.”
Fang Ruohua’s eyes widened. “That’s fortune!”
Lan Xiaozhu warned, “Most exchange single digits, sometimes dozens.”
“I heard someone once traded two hundred,” Cheng Lingyu countered. “We’ll split up, each exchanging under two hundred per trip.”
Agreeing, they separated to exchange low-grade souls first – their most plentiful type.
“Elder Brother, I exchanged 180 contribution points. How about you?”
Lan Xiaozhu laughed, “Same here. He exchanged 200 points.”
“Where to next?”
Fang Ruohua asked, her face glowing with excitement.
Among the Western Fallen Nine Ridges, they’d already visited Xingyun Ridge and Feixing Ridge. Excluding Fallen God Ridge, which of the remaining six should they choose?
Cheng Lingyu recalled Wan Fang’s specific warning to avoid Xuanmoon Ridge, Lou Ri Ridge, and Mingmo Ridge. Baili Jingfeng had also mentioned these three as the strongest ridges. Coincidence or hidden meaning?
“Let’s try Yunjir Ridge first.”
The third ridge lay between Xuanmoon Ridge and Youxing Ridge.
Using the teleportation array, the trio appeared near Yunjir’s Eighth Palace, closest to Soul Gathering Valley’s entrance.
Their arrival disturbed Yunjir Ridge disciples nearby.
Fang Ruohua chuckled, “Now I see why teleportation arrays keep distance from palaces—to prevent clashes.”
Cheng Lingyu added, “I wonder more about how these arrays position themselves. The token-based system seems simple but hides complexity.”
Lan Xiaozhu shrugged, “Some matters need only be known, not understood.”
Passing through Eighth Palace’s defensive barrier, they froze at the shocking sight.
“Wh-what’s happening here?”
Fang Ruohua gaped, words failing.
Even calm Cheng Lingyu stared wide-eyed.
Barren peaks stood devoid of greenery. Flames erupted from the earth everywhere, creating a blazing mountainscape.
Lan Xiaozhu frowned, “Yunjir Ridge… does this mean a sun fell here?”
Fang Ruohua shook her head, “That would’ve destroyed the whole ridge!”
Cheng Lingyu noted flame-free zones with vegetation amidst the inferno.
Consulting the ancient ruin map, he found only two sites on Yunjir Ridge: Yunjir Stele in upper four palaces territory, and Yunjir Valley between Fifth and Sixth Palaces of Middle Four Palaces.
The danger map revealed Yunjir Valley as deadlier than Yunjir Stele, topping four hazardous zones.
“Few disciples come here despite fire attribute herbs and beasts,” Fang Ruohua noted. “Most areas remain unexplored with only four known dangers.”
Lan Xiaozhu grimaced, “This hellscape can’t compare to other ridges.”
“Since we’re here, let’s investigate,” Cheng Lingyu decided, tucking away his maps.
The three flew toward Soul Gathering Valley.