Yefutidaolu

Chapter 334 Summer Worrying Woodworm

Inside the mountain gate of the Netherworld.

The sound of bells echoed in Xia Youdu's mind.

The bells in the underworld were extremely piercing, as if they were really dragging people into the underworld, like the howling of evil spirits.

She dragged a pillow over her head, trying to shut out the noise, but the bells continued to chime.

Until flocks of crows were awakened by the bell and flew out of their nests, soaring into the air in groups, circling and circling, as if to proclaim that the time had come, that the world had turned day and night upside down, and that heaven and earth had been turned upside down.

This is the effect of the Yin energy of the Yellow Springs. Therefore, in the realm of the living and the dead, there is actually no distinction between morning and evening. It is the same all year round, so it relies heavily on the sound of bells to keep time.

All these things at once completely dispelled Xia Youdu's sleepiness. She had no choice but to get up, slump her shoulders, tidy her hair, pull the curtain next to her, and open the mirror.

The person in the mirror was a beautiful young girl.

She is truly beautiful. Even a blind person could feel the softness and perfect shape of her face just by touching it. Her master said that this was part of her 'talent'. Her beauty was actually due to her physical constitution, because her bone structure was exceptionally good. She was destined to be a beautiful woman in this life, which is why he was willing to take her as his disciple.

This is also part of the practice of cultivating in the realm of the living and the dead.

In the realms of the living and the dead, as the saying goes, human life is bestowed by Heaven, and thus manifests in physical signs. To discern one's fate by observing these signs is like discerning one's appearance by examining one's physical features. These signs refer to the bone structure.

It is said that emperors have a dragon-like countenance, ministers have unusual appearances, and nobles have auspicious signs; this is indeed the case.

However, people have two kinds of "appearance": skin appearance and bone structure. Most people are shallow and only have skin appearance, not bone structure. They judge people by their appearance, but true people can know a person's fate by looking at their bone structure. Therefore, there is a method of examining bones and joints to observe the skin and determine a person's life. This method is always accurate.

Those who can read bone structure can be called "masters of destiny," which is a very important fortune-telling skill. In the Divine Dynasty, fortune-telling and divination are real and practical.

Therefore, the skillful means of understanding destiny lies in observing the signs in the body's bones and bodies, and in discerning wealth, nobility, poverty, and lowliness, just as a person can see the vessels in a dish and know their intended use.

Good tools are used by noble people, while bad tools are used by lowly people. A fine tripod is not placed next to a latrine, and a gourd is not placed in a palace hall. This is clear.

Those with the bones of wealth and nobility will not suffer the hardships of poverty and lowliness; those with the appearance of poverty and lowliness will not experience the joys of wealth and nobility—this is also true. A vessel can hold a measure of a peck or a stone, just as people's ranks differ in quality. If a vessel exceeds its capacity, the contents will overflow and be discarded; if a rank exceeds its limit, death will ensue. If those who interpret fate use this analogy to examine the body's structure, then fate is determined by the physical form.

Xia Youdu, a disciple of Youmingdi, is a young girl with the bone structure of a noble beauty. It was because of this that she was picked up by her master as an orphan and entered Youmingdi because of her talent, becoming an inner disciple of the "Knowing Destiny Craftsman".

Of course, that's nonsense. Those who can enter the Netherworld are all geniuses, with cultivation talent that is at least one in a million. Those who are one in a thousand or one in ten thousand are simply not qualified to come to the Netherworld to listen in.

However, as mentioned before, Xia Youdu is an orphan and should have suffered.

However, her noble bone structure meant that as soon as her name was written on her and she was abandoned by the roadside, she was picked up by a powerful being from the Netherworld and taken back to the sect as an inner disciple. Her status was much higher than that of any rich young lady, and she never suffered a day of hardship.

Now, she has reached the fifth realm of cultivation. After failing the Imperial Academy exam last time, she has been depressed ever since. No one has urged her to improve, which has caused her to remain in a depressed state for more than half a year.

"Sigh." Xia Youdu touched her face. Her master said that with her bone structure, she would never be able to endure hardship in her life, so she should just enjoy life and not think about her origins. Cultivating well is better than anything else.

But she still had some doubts about her background.

The word '忧蠹' means to worry that bookworms will eat up the books. Bookworms are a kind of monstrous insect that likes to gnaw on books. They are also called bookworms. There is a saying: "There was an unworthy son who transformed three times: first, he transformed into a locust, which sold his farmland and houses to eat; second, he transformed into a bookworm, which sold his family's ancient books to eat; third, he transformed into a large insect, which sold his slaves to eat."

There is even a poem that says, "Not only can bookworms erode words, but they also burrow into holes like ants." This shows their usual habits.

However, Xia Youdu still doesn't know why her father, whom she has never met, gave her such a name, which is also her only doubt about her origins.

If this is resolved, she will truly be free of all problems and can enjoy a life of wealth and luxury.

However, this is actually just a way to pass the time.

Xia Youdu looked at her face in the mirror—a face that seemed to be constantly being fed by the heavens—and sighed softly. Her fingertips traced her smooth, delicate cheeks, the feel of which made even herself envious. Her master's words echoed in her ears again: "Youdu, with your bone structure, you're born to roll around in a pile of gold and jade. Want to suffer? No way! Stop worrying about your background, just focus on your cultivation and enjoy your boundless wealth."

"Sigh..." She sighed again, just about to give up thinking and consider, as usual, whether to soak in the spiritual spring and daydream, or go to the alchemy room to find some snacks. Anyway, her master doted on her, and the senior brothers and sisters in the alchemy room wouldn't dare to say anything. Or she could simply continue to stay in bed and count the countless crows and bats flying around under the dark sky...

Just then, a cold thought, like a fine needle, pierced precisely into her sea of ​​consciousness.

“Youdu, hurry to the entrance of the ‘Ghost Gate Crossing’ and guide a distinguished guest.”

It was her master's voice! It rang directly in her mind!
Xia Youdu jumped in fright, nearly scared to death. Her master had personally sent a message?! And he wanted her to go pick someone up?!

"Distinguished guest? Who is it? Who would make my master personally instruct me to pick them up? Could it be an ancestor from some major sect?" Xia Youdu's mind instantly flashed through various possibilities: a white-haired, venerable old man with an air of otherworldly wisdom, or an imposing sect leader...

With this thought in mind, she hurriedly tidied her slightly messy hair in front of the mirror, and with a mix of curiosity and a little resentment at having her decadent life forcibly interrupted, she set off.

Having grown up in the Netherworld, Xia Youdu was quite familiar with the place and soon arrived at the 'Ghost Gate Crossing' at the entrance of the sect.

The reason it is called this name is because the mountain gate of the Netherworld is located in the Netherworld.

The place where the netherworld and the mortal realm coexist is the gap between the underworld and the mortal realm, also known as the "Gate of Hell." It is outside the Yellow Springs and below the Gate of Hell, yet it has not yet reached the Gate of Hell. This is the mountain gate of the netherworld.

A river encircles the mountain gate, which is called "Yellow Springs". The Yellow Springs flow there, and the caves of the Youming Mountain Gate are built there. It is said that deep in the Yellow Springs is the abode of our own Earth Immortal Ancestor.

After passing through these familiar landscapes, Xia Youdu tidied herself up and arrived at the Ghost Gate Crossing.

As soon as Xia Youdu arrived, he saw a figure so thin that it seemed a gust of wind could blow it away. It was quietly floating on a protruding black stone beside the ferry. The wide black robe was not moved in the cold wind, and the hood was hanging down, so the face could not be seen.

Seriously, it's that same outfit again. About half of the people who appear in the underworld are dressed like this. There's absolutely no creativity. It's like all the patriarchs and elders look like this.

Opposite this man in black robes... Xia Youdu blinked her beautiful big eyes, thinking she was seeing things.

That...that was a person who wasn't wearing clothes?
He was broad-shouldered and burly, with a body brimming with vitality, yet he stood barefoot on the icy, bone-chilling stone ground. The clothes he wore... if they could still be called clothes, were just a few tattered strips of cloth, covered in dust and unidentified stains, barely clinging to his body, offering virtually no coverage.

His face, arms, and legs were covered in streaks of black and gray, and his exposed skin was blue and purple from the cold, but he didn't seem to feel cold at all. He must have just come out of an extremely cold area, hence his disheveled appearance.

But it doesn't have to come to the point of going completely naked!

There was a breeze in the dim light, and he was still swaying!

Xia Youdu immediately turned around, her back to the other person, her face flushed as she avoided eye contact.

This is just too much! This is too rude! Where did this madman come from, coming to the gates of Youming Land dressed like this? Youming Land has female disciples too.

This...this is the "distinguished guest" Master was talking about?!

Xia Youdu's pretty little mouth opened slightly, big enough to fit a small spiritual fruit. Her "knowing-fate" eyes, which could see through bone structure and distinguish between the noble and the lowly, were now completely blinded by the extremely impactful scene before her.

All she saw in this "distinguished guest" was a profound sense of misery.
But... there's a problem.

Although this person was not the ethereal and majestic figure she had imagined, although he was extremely disheveled, and although the few filthy tattered strips of cloth barely hanging on his thin body offered almost no cover.

His skin, exposed to the biting cold air, was an unhealthy bluish-purple, covered in dust, scratches, and even dried, dark marks. His hair, like tangled weeds battered by a storm, was matted and covered in unidentified debris. He stood there, hunched over, barefoot on the cold, smooth stone floor…

but--

Without shame, anger, or even the slightest embarrassment, he calmly walked behind Xia Youdu and said, "Then lead the way."

Xia Youdu was stunned.

No, are you really that calm?

Brother, your cultivation level doesn't seem much stronger than mine. How did you become such a master?
Just as Xia Youdu was stunned,
At that moment, Takashi also saw a young girl gracefully approaching.

The girl was dressed in luxurious clothes and seemed to have a special constitution. In the dim environment, she seemed to have her own soft glow. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her temperament was lazy and innocent, like a precious flower that had mistakenly entered the underworld.

Gao Jian was actually somewhat surprised. Although he knew that Youmingdi was good at tempering the body, this was indeed a bit... the deception was too effective.

Anyone who saw her would think she was a lady from a prestigious family, practicing orthodox methods, rather than an inheritor of the ghostly arts of the Netherworld.

That makes sense, it seems that all cultivators in the Netherworld are like this. Xuehaijun is very handsome, and Huang Chengshi, although gloomy, is also a very handsome person. Now that another one has come, it doesn't seem surprising.

Judging by the appearance of the people in Youming Land alone, you would really think they were from a sunny and cheerful sect. Each of them was full of energy, had a rosy complexion, and were extremely handsome.

but--

At that moment, after Gao Jian walked over, Xia Youdu did not react at all.

Xia Youdu: "..."

Gao Jian: "..."

A silence fell, the air seemed to freeze, leaving only the wailing of the churning mist from the abyss and the distant cawing of crows.

"Lead the way," Gao Jian said, taking the initiative.

“Okay…” Xia Youdu nodded.

Then, the two moved, and the man in black robes disappeared.

Gao Jian's movements were somewhat stiff, clearly indicating that his body was seriously injured. His bare feet made a slight, teeth-grinding scraping sound as they stepped on the cold stone slabs. But he walked steadily, one step at a time. He didn't flinch, he didn't try to hide anything, he just walked forward openly and silently.

The tattered rag swayed with his movements, revealing more of his bluish-purple skin and taut muscle lines.

Xia Youdu walked ahead of him, leading the way, feeling a tension in her back. The chilly air seemed even colder. She could clearly hear her own heartbeat, and the steady yet icy footsteps behind her. For the first time, she felt a slight unease about the eternally eerie atmosphere of Youming. She couldn't help but glance quickly behind her out of the corner of her eye.

The man continued walking in silence, his jawline taut, his face expressionless. His bare upper body and the last remaining tattered cloth, under his almost ruthless and indifferent aura, somehow didn't seem so wretched; instead, they exuded a strange, unassailable aura? As if the wretchedness was merely a facade, concealing a hard, cold iron beneath.

Xia Youdu quickly averted his gaze and quickened his pace, wanting only to get the person to their destination as soon as possible.

To be honest, she felt that the "knowing destiny" method she had learned from her master was ineffective and... a little defeated for the first time in front of this person.

So she fell silent, and the two walked in silence along the dark path, with only the sound of their footsteps and the mournful cries of an unknown creature in the distance.

They arrived at a black stone house shrouded in a chilling aura, next to which was a deep pool emitting visible white steam.

"We've arrived at Cold Pool Cottage, sir." Xia Youdu stopped and pointed to the chilling pool water. "The water of Cold Pool can cleanse away impurities and temper the body. Please help yourself. Clothes... someone will bring them later." After she finished speaking, she almost immediately wanted to turn around and leave this person who made her feel so uncomfortable.

Gao Jian finally spoke, his voice, like his personality, hoarse and calm, permeated with a chill, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if he were merely stating a fact:
"Okay, you can go."

Xia Youdu suddenly felt a little annoyed.

Who is this person?

(End of this chapter)