I have Taoism and can understand other worlds

Chapter 645 The Rakshasa Clan and the Flesh Fungus
Under the dim, crimson light, the massive cave walls pulsated slightly.

It emitted a low, muffled echo, like the heartbeat of some sleeping behemoth.

The cave walls were rugged and covered with glistening, purplish-black growths of varying sizes. These growths had intertwined veins on their surfaces and occasionally oozed a viscous fluid.

In this vast cavern filled with fleshy growths, the labor force of the Baixi tribe was scattered throughout the cave.

Clad in simple leather armor and with their faces covered by coarse cloth, they carefully chiseled at the base of the tumor with crude stone chisels and bone knives. The clanging and banging echoed jarringly in the empty cave.

Every time a hole was broken, thick black liquid gushed out, emitting a nauseating stench. The laborers reacted quickly, retreating hastily, but some who couldn't dodge in time were always splashed with the black liquid.

Once the person is touched by the black liquid, their skin and flesh immediately hiss and burn, emitting puffs of black smoke. Before the victim can even scream, their body visibly shrivels and chars, their skin turning as black and wrinkled as charcoal, and their eyes becoming two empty black holes.

In the blink of an eye, charred, desiccated corpses staggered to their feet, emitting strange, hoarse sounds from their throats, and frantically lunged at the nearest living person—whether companion or guard. They were incredibly strong, felt no pain, and only utter destruction could stop their activity.

At the stronghold on the cave wall, the tribal warriors guarding the area gripped their weapons tightly, their faces grave as they stared at the excavation site, ready to deal with their suddenly "resurrected" companions at any moment.

The atmosphere was oppressive and tense; every chisel stroke felt like a gamble with one's life.

After all, no one wants to become a dried-up corpse; everyone wants to live.

“Eagle, the corrosion from the black water is getting worse. We can’t stay here any longer. We need to retreat twenty miles outside the Immortal Cave and rebuild the excavation site.”

Inside a wooden hut in the outpost, two young men with single horns on their foreheads were arguing. One of them, with a bluish-purple face, looked impatient, while the other looked worried.

“Yan, you should know our current situation. This year, the Immortal Cave has been taken over by our Rakshasa Clan, and we must offer a sufficient amount of Meat Fungus to the Azure Sky Tower. If we retreat twenty miles to rebuild and dig, it will probably delay us for dozens of days. Now, it’s not long before the bloodline opening ceremony of each clan is held. If we can’t send enough Meat Fungus within these dozens of days, how can we bear the responsibility when the elders blame us?” The young man named Eagle frowned and said in an unhappy tone.

“But…” The other young man, named Yan, hesitated before speaking.

"There are no buts. The corrosion from the black water isn't too severe yet. We can continue digging for a while longer. As long as we have enough meat fungus, I will naturally lead my people to leave this place. You should know that although our Rakshasa clan is one of the twenty-eight major clans of Baixi, there are countless covetous eyes. Who doesn't want to take over the Immortal Cave? The clans below the major clans are all eyeing it covetously. Once we make a mistake, I'm afraid our clan will have little chance to enter the Immortal Cave in the future."

"If the clan chief blames us, can we bear the responsibility?!"

After saying this, Eagle stormed off, leaving behind a young man named Yan standing on the high platform, his eyes filled with worry as he looked at the laborers in the distance, who resembled ants in a dense swarm.

There, the Rakshasa tribe members were diligently gathering snow-white flesh and blood.

"Sigh," Yan sighed. "What should we do?"

Just as Yan was watching the laborers, dozens of miles away, on a fleshy, towering peak, Jiang Wen stood atop it, surveying the vast Baixi tribe's settlement.

He was surprised that there was a settlement of the Baixi people here, and that there were many laborers with bluish-purple skin using stone tools to collect fleshy tumors.

Despite the black liquid gushing from the tumors being able to turn them into corpses, the group remained unmoved.

"What are they doing?" Jiang Su asked, puzzled.

Although this is a part of the Heavenly King's bloodline, the tumors growing on it are not good things. Few things related to fallen immortals are normal, and Jiang Wen is not keen on touching these things.

However, these Baixi people seem to be collecting tumors, cutting them into pieces, and transporting them out.

“These things should be useful, and may be related to cultivation.” Jiang Wen glanced at the laborers and then focused his gaze on a young man at the distant camp.

He had noticed this man earlier, and seeing the troubled and melancholy look on his face, he knew that the man must be troubled. Perhaps it would be best to start by investigating this person if he wanted to uncover some of the secrets of this place.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Wen's figure disappeared from the spot.

When he reappeared, he was already in the encampment. As he strolled around, the guards with bluish-purple skin and horns on their foreheads ignored him.

He can conceal his presence by using invisibility, so even if he kills someone in public, no one can detect his existence.

Looking around the encampment, it was quite large.

Besides the various row houses, there were countless huge warehouses and places to feed giant beasts.

Guards armed with weapons patrolled back and forth, vigilantly watching their surroundings. A large banner fluttered in the wind, bearing a single horn motif.

“The Rakshasa tribe,” Jiang Wen muttered, looking at the large banner.

"Your Excellency, what kind of race is the Rakshasa clan?" Jiang Su asked.

"The Rakshasa clan is one of the twenty-eight major clans of the Baixi tribe. There is an elder of the Rakshasa clan in the Azure Sky Tower of Baixi. Each of them has a horn on their forehead, and it is said that this horn contains various supernatural powers. It is with this ability that the Rakshasa clan has become a major clan in the Baixi tribe."

"Why are these people here? Although it's far from the Heavenly King's vital organs, it's not a place for them to be." Jiang Su was somewhat worried, after all, the Heavenly King's bloodline was not a good place these days. That divine blood that turned into black water could easily corrupt a living being.

“Perhaps we can ask someone about this,” Jiang Wen said with a smile, as he walked to a wooden house.

He waved towards the wooden house, and a soundproofing array enveloped it. Then he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Inside the room, Yan was intently studying the wooden slips. They recorded the casualties of the Rakshasa laborers over the past few days.

His face was filled with endless worry, concerned about the increasingly perilous situation.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a door opening. Yan instinctively asked, "Ying, is something wrong?"

No one answered him after he finished speaking.

Yan suddenly became alert, turned around, drew his long sword from his waist, and looked at the newcomer. The stranger stood in the doorway, looking at him calmly.

"Who are you?!" Yan demanded sharply, her previous hesitant demeanor completely gone. "Why are you here? Don't you know this is forbidden territory?!"

"Me? Just a passerby." The newcomer chuckled and slowly walked up to Yan.

He pointed at Yan, and Yan felt completely paralyzed.

Fear gripped Yan's heart. She took a deep breath and stared intently at the newcomer: "Who are you? What is your purpose in coming here?"

"Purpose? There's no purpose. I just wanted to say a few words to you." The visitor sat calmly in the chair.

"As for me, my name is Jiang Wen. I come from the Baiyi tribe, which is beyond Baixi. You must have heard of my name before, right?"

"Jiang Wen?! You're that extraordinary person?!" Yan was surprised to hear Jiang Wen's name. "Shouldn't you be in the Holy Land?"

(End of this chapter)