Nine Desolate Records

When the daylight was fully bright, Lu Li and his group finally arrived at the first pre-designated hiding spot marked on the Xuanji map. It was a natural rock crevice located in the shady side of a mountain valley. The entrance was hidden, the interior was dry, and there was even a pool of clear spring water seeping from the cracks in the rocks in one corner.

"Rest here." Lu Li carefully lowered Yun Jin from his back, letting her lie flat on the relatively flat stone surface. The girl was still unconscious, but the silver light from the sword marrow between her brows flickered steadily, like a faint lamp of life.

Shi Yong almost collapsed to the ground. The simple young man was too exhausted to speak, though his hand holding the iron rod was still trembling slightly. Lin Qingyuan slid slowly against the rock wall, his face as pale as paper. The black lines under the seal on his left arm were particularly glaring in the morning light. Although the "suppression" of the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger had stopped the upward spread of fear, the seal itself was also consuming his strength.

Lu Li took out the last bit of dry food and water from his bag and gave it to the two of them.

"Eat sparingly." His voice was a little hoarse. "The journey... is still very long."

Lin Qingyuan took half a hard wheat cake, but did not eat it immediately. He stared at Lu Li's chest, where the three-dagger seal was slowly circulating. The blue, red, and bronze lights intertwined to form a stable triangular array, but the edges of each light trembled slightly, as if it was barely maintaining balance.

"How long can you hold on in your condition?" Lin Qingyuan asked.

Lu Li remained silent for a moment before answering truthfully, "If I don't use my power, I can probably last a day. But if we encounter danger again, I'll need to activate the three daggers..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was already very clear.

Every time he wields the dagger, he shatters this fragile balance. And once that balance is completely broken, the seal will spread again, the proportion of humanity will plummet once more, and he himself has no idea what will happen then.

A brief silence fell over the crevice in the rock.

Only Yun Jin's faint but steady breathing and Shi Yong's suppressed panting could be heard.

"Take care of the wounds first." Lu Li broke the silence, taking out the medicine and bandages the old blind man had given him. "Brother Lin, your left arm needs to be re-bandaged. Shi Yong, the abrasions on your leg also need to be treated."

The three of them helped each other and hastily treated their most serious wounds. The cooling effect of the ointment temporarily relieved the pain, but everyone knew that this was only a temporary solution.

Yun Jin's soul crack needs to be nurtured with the Soul Nourishing Spring.

Lin Qingyuan's fear needs to be removed by the physicians of Xinglin Valley.

The Prisoner's Origin within Lu Li's body... requires Xuan Ji's guidance, and even long periods of arduous cultivation, to balance it.

But all of this takes time.

What they lack most is time.

"Map." Lin Qingyuan held out his hand.

Lu Li unfolded the leather-bound map given to him by Xuan Ji and spread it on the stone surface.

The morning light slanted in through the entrance to the rock crevice, illuminating the fine lines and markings on the map. From Mount Shu to Guilin Manor, a distance of one hundred and twenty li, and then to Xinglin Valley, eight hundred li, each route seemed like a path of life etched in blood.

"Our current location... is here." Lu Li's finger landed on a small dot on the map. "We are five li away from Duanlong Gorge, and a hundred li away from Guilin Manor."

"A hundred li..." Lin Qingyuan murmured, "In our current condition, it will take at least a day and a night to walk. And we still have to pass through Duanlong Gorge, which is marked 'dangerous,' and there's this marker too..."

He pointed to a skull pattern on the map.

"Senior Xuanji warned me that Duanlong Gorge is a necessary route, but it's also very dangerous," Lu Li said. "But he didn't elaborate on the specific dangers."

"I know." Lin Qingyuan's voice lowered. "My father mentioned this place in his old notes. It's called 'Dragon-Severing Gorge.' Thirty years ago, it was an ancient battlefield where the remnant soul of an 'Earth Dragon' that escaped from Mount Shu was sealed. The earth's veins are constantly disordered, making it prone to breeding unclean things. Moreover..."

He paused for a moment: "There is a 'ghost fog' in the gorge, which disperses at sunrise and gathers at sunset. Once trapped in the fog, you will completely lose your sense of direction and may even experience hallucinations."

Lu Li frowned deeply: "It's Chen Shi (7-9 AM) now. We need to hurry; we should be able to enter the canyon before noon. As long as we get through before sunset..."

"It's impassable." Lin Qingyuan interrupted him, tracing the area of ​​Duanlong Gorge on the map with his finger. "The gorge is fifteen miles long, but there's a section called 'Dragon's Ridge' in the middle, where the plank road has long since collapsed. To get through that section, you either have to detour thirty miles over the mountains, or... risk climbing the cliff face."

He looked up at Lu Li: "In our current state, climbing the cliff is tantamount to suicide. Taking a thirty-mile detour... we don't have enough time. Yun Jin's sword essence only lasts for less than nine hours, otherwise..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But everyone understands.

Otherwise, Yun Jin's soul would completely disintegrate, and Lin Qingyuan's erosion would invade her heart meridian.

And they will lose these two companions forever.

The air inside the rock crevice seemed to have solidified.

Shi Yong gripped the iron rod tightly, and for the first time, despair appeared on the face of this simple young man: "Then... what do we do? We..."

"There is a way," Lu Li suddenly said.

His gaze fell on a small marker on the map next to Duanlong Gorge, a marker depicting a simplified diagram of a waterfall with two words written beside it:

"Dragon Falls"

"What is this?" Shi Yong leaned closer to take a look.

"An alternative route," Lu Li explained, "is to dive into the deep pool beneath the Falling Dragon Waterfall. There's an underground river that leads directly to the lower reaches of the Broken Dragon Gorge. Although dangerous, it avoids the treacherous Dragon Ridge section and saves at least two hours."

Lin Qingyuan stared at the mark, his expression growing even more grim: "An underground river... do you know what that means? Utter darkness, unpredictable currents, and the possibility of encountering filth lurking in the earth's veins. Moreover, Yun Jin is unconscious, my left arm can't get wet, and Shi Yong can't swim..."

"You don't need to know how to swim," Lu Li interrupted him. "I have a way."

He took out the tortoise-suppressing dagger from his bosom.

A bronze glow shone in the dim rock crevices, and the mountain patterns on the surface of the dagger flowed slowly.

"The Turtle-Suppressing Dagger has a natural affinity for the power of water," Lu Li explained. "I can temporarily manipulate the water flow to create a bubble space in the underground river, enough for the four of us to fit in. But it can only last for an hour at most. After an hour, I must cast the spell again."

"One hour..." Lin Qingyuan calculated the distance. "From the Falling Dragon Waterfall to the lower reaches of the Broken Dragon Gorge, the underground river journey is about ten miles. One hour... is barely enough. But your condition..."

"I can hold on." Lu Li sheathed his dagger, his voice calm. "This is something I have to do."

Lin Qingyuan stared at him for three breaths, and finally nodded slowly: "Alright, let's take this route then."

Having made their decision, the three of them no longer hesitated.

Lu Li picked up Yun Jin again, Shi Yong helped Lin Qingyuan, and the four of them left the crevice and headed towards the Falling Dragon Waterfall.

The mountain path was rugged, but they walked quickly, not because their strength had recovered, but because they were forced to move at a speed. Everyone knew that time was slipping away second by second, and every wasted second could mean a permanent loss.

Half an hour later, the sound of rushing water came from ahead.

We've arrived at Zhuilong Waterfall.

It was a waterfall cascading down a cliff hundreds of feet high, the water flowing like a giant dragon falling into the abyss, crashing into the deep pool below and stirring up a cloud of mist. The pool water was deep and dark green, its bottom unseen.

On the rock wall beside the waterfall, there is an inconspicuous arrow mark pointing into the depths of the pool. It is a signpost left by Yun Potian thirty years ago.

"This is it." Lu Li stopped and temporarily handed Yun Jin to Shi Yong. "There should be an entrance at the bottom of the pool leading to an underground river. I'll go in first to scout ahead; you wait for my signal."

He took a deep breath and leaped into the deep pool.

The icy pool water instantly enveloped my entire body.

Lu Li opened his eyes, the faint golden light in his left eye shining in the dark water. He dived downwards; the pool was deep, and the pressure increased. After descending about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), a cave entrance appeared at the bottom of the pool, about the width of two people. The interior was pitch black, with a faint sense of water movement.

right here.

Lu Li returned to the water and gestured to Shi Yong and Lin Qingyuan on the shore.

The two immediately understood. Shi Yong carried Yun Jin on his back, and Lin Qingyuan grabbed Shi Yong's shoulder with his still-functioning right hand. The three of them jumped into the pool together.

Lu Li immediately activated the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger.

A bronze light emanated from the dagger, transforming into a semi-transparent bubble that enveloped the four people. The bubble contained air, allowing them to breathe normally, and completely isolated them from the pool water.

"Let's go." Lu Li manipulated the bubble, sinking it towards the cave entrance at the bottom of the pool.

The moment you enter the cave, all the light disappears.

Absolute darkness.

Only the bronze glow of the tortoise-suppressing dagger cast a faint halo inside the bubble, barely illuminating the surrounding three feet.

This is a naturally formed underground river, about two zhang wide, with a gentle current. The riverbanks are made of slippery rocks, with stalactites hanging from the top. Occasionally, water droplets fall, creating a crisp echo in the silence.

Lu Li manipulated the bubbles to drift downstream.

Time becomes blurred in the darkness.

After an unknown amount of time, a faint light appeared ahead.

It wasn't the light from the river's exit, but a ghostly blue glow, like will-o'-the-wisps. The light came from the rock walls on both sides of the river, where countless fist-sized blue crystals were embedded, with liquid slowly flowing inside them, emitting a soft halo.

"Fluorite..." Lin Qingyuan stared at the crystals. "A mineral that only grows deep within the earth's veins. The veins here... are very active."

As soon as he finished speaking, the bubble suddenly vibrated violently.

It wasn't the force of the water's flow, but rather a rhythmic vibration emanating from the depths of the riverbed. Thump...thump...thump...like a giant heartbeat.

"What is that?" Shi Yong asked nervously.

Lu Li did not answer. He was completely focused on maintaining the power of the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger, while simultaneously channeling the dark gold energy in his left eye at full power, looking in the direction from which the tremor came.

He saw it in the prisoner's fragments' vision.

Deep in the riverbed, a massive black shadow lurked.

It was neither a living thing nor an inanimate object, but rather... a condensation of some kind of ley line energy. It resembled a constantly writhing, dark purple tumor, its surface covered with pulsating blood vessels that contracted and expanded in rhythm with a heartbeat.

Each contraction draws wisps of grayish-black mist from the surrounding rock walls—the negative emotions polluted within the earth's veins.

Each expansion would spew out a dark red, turbid stream that would merge into the river's flow.

The entire underground river is being polluted by this substance.

"It's a 'geological ley line tumor'," Lu Li said in a low voice. "It's a filthy substance formed from negative emotions after the ley lines were polluted. It's been here... for many years."

"Can we go around it?" Lin Qingyuan asked.

Lu Li observed the river's topography. The ley line was located at the narrowest point of the river, where the rock walls on both sides almost closed in, leaving only a narrow gap that could barely allow air bubbles to pass through.

"We have no choice but to force our way through." Lu Li gripped the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger tightly. "Hold on tight, I'm going to speed up."

The bronze light shone brightly, and the speed of the bubble suddenly increased, shooting towards the crack like an arrow released from a bow!

The lesion sensed the approach of a living creature.

The veins on its surface throbbed wildly, and a slit opened in the center of the tumor, spewing out a thick, dark purple mist. Wherever the mist passed, the fluorescein on the rock wall quickly dimmed and shattered, and the river water began to boil and bubble.

That was a concentrated fog of fear.

"Hold your breath!" Lu Li shouted sharply, while simultaneously activating the Zhenfeng Dagger.

Crimson flames of burning desire surged from the tip of the dagger, forming a fiery barrier around the bubble. The poisonous mist, upon touching the flames, hissed and burned, being purified into grayish-white smoke.

But the attack of the lesion does not stop there.

Dozens of dark purple tentacles, each as thick as an adult's thigh, extend from the surface of the tumor, covered with suckers and barbs, and wrap around the bubble!

"Shi Yong!" Lu Li roared.

Shi Yong immediately understood, gripped the iron rod tightly, and smashed it hard into the foremost tentacle from inside the bubble.

"Bang!"

The tentacles were smashed, splattering juice everywhere, but more tentacles surged up. They entangled the bubbles, squeezing them frantically, and cracks began to appear on the surface of the bubbles!

Lu Li gritted his teeth and simultaneously unleashed the power of the three daggers.

The dark blue light of the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger surged forth, transforming into sharp blades that severed the tentacles; the crimson flames of the Phoenix-Suppressing Dagger continued to purify the poisonous mist; and the bronze light of the Tortoise-Suppressing Dagger did its utmost to keep the bubbles from bursting.

The three colors of light intertwined and collided in the narrow river channel.

The tumor emitted a silent shriek, and more tentacles emerged from the tumor, almost completely blocking the river channel.

As the bubbles were wrapped and squeezed by the tentacles, more and more cracks appeared, and they could collapse at any moment.

Just then, Yun Jin's body suddenly moved slightly.

She remained unconscious, but the silver light from the sword marrow between her brows suddenly intensified!

The light pierced through the bubble, through the darkness, and shone directly into the core of the lesion.

The next moment, the movement of the lesion suddenly stopped.

Its "heartbeat" rhythm was disrupted, and its contractions and expansions became erratic. The tentacles that were wrapped around the bubbles began to twitch and loosen unconsciously.

"Opportunity!" Lu Li seized the fleeting gap, manipulating the bubble to swim through the gap in the tentacles like a fish, rushing into the narrow crevice!

Behind them, the lesion stabilized again, letting out an angry roar, but the bubble had already passed the most dangerous section.

The river ahead gradually widened, and the current became gentler.

Lu Li breathed a sigh of relief; his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Maintaining the simultaneous operation of the three daggers was an enormous burden for him. The seal on his chest trembled violently, and a burning pain emanated from the edges of the seal.

But he couldn't care less about any of that.

"Yun Jin..." He looked at the girl on his back.

The silver light from the sword marrow between Yun Jin's brows had returned to normal, as if the outburst had never happened. But on her pale face, there seemed to be a trace of... indescribable weariness.

"She just now..." Lin Qingyuan also noticed.

"It might be an instinctive reaction," Lu Li said in a low voice. "The Eye of Delusion is extremely sensitive to negative emotions, and the fear-inducing poisonous mist emitted by the Earth Vein Tumor stimulated it."

He paused for a moment, then said, "But this is a good thing, it means that her spirit is still fighting and has not completely collapsed."

The bubbles continued to float downstream.

About half an hour later, natural light finally appeared ahead.

It wasn't the blue light of fluorescein, but real, natural light coming in from the outside.

We've arrived at the export point.

Lu Li manipulates the bubbles to rise to the surface of the water.

Before us lay a hidden cave, its entrance concealed by hanging vines. The sound of rushing water could be heard outside; we were already downstream of Duanlong Gorge, at least ten miles from Zhuilong Waterfall.

They successfully avoided the treacherous section of the Dragon Ridge, saving valuable time.

But the price is...

Lu Li looked down at his chest.

The patterns on the lock have spread out a little further.

The power of the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger to maintain the bubbles is about to run out.

"Let's get ashore." Lu Li put away his dagger, and the bubbles slowly dissipated.

The four of them climbed ashore, soaking wet. Shi Yong carefully put Yun Jin down and collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted. Lin Qingyuan leaned against the stone wall. As soon as he landed, a piercing pain shot through his left arm. The vibration from activating the bubble had shattered the shallow seal left by the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger! Black lines, like awakened venomous snakes, instantly spread upwards along his arm, climbing all the way to his elbow. It felt as if countless insects were crawling under his skin, causing him to tremble all over in pain, his clothes instantly soaked with cold sweat.

But he just gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound.

He even raised his hand and used his still-movable right hand to press firmly on the wound on his left arm, temporarily suppressing the surging black energy under his elbow.

The effects of Yun Jin's sword marrow will last for about eight hours.

Lin Qingyuan's seal can last for another six hours.

Their current location is five miles from the exit of Duanlong Gorge and eighty-five miles from Guilin Manor.

Eighty-five li.

Eight hours.

"Rest for fifteen minutes." Lu Li took out the last bit of dry rations from his bag, a wheat cake as hard as a rock, and gave it to Shi Yong and Lin Qingyuan. "Eat these and set off immediately. We must reach Guilin Manor before dark, otherwise..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But everyone understands.

Lin Qingyuan took a bite of the wheat cake, the dry, hard crumbs choking him and making him cough. He forced himself to swallow and looked towards the sunlight outside the cave.

The morning light had long since faded, and it was now noon.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the vines, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

In that play of light and shadow, it seemed as if countless tiny dust particles were dancing in the air.

Like life, like time, like everything that is quietly slipping away.

He suddenly spoke, his voice very soft:

"Lu Li, if we really get to Apricot Grove Valley... and heal our injuries... then what?"

Lu Li was checking on Yun Jin's condition when he heard this and paused.

after?

He had never thought that far ahead.

From the moment he embarked on this perilous journey, from the moment he set foot on Mount Cangwu, from the moment he set foot on Linyuan City, all his thoughts were solely focused on "surviving."

Survive, heal your companions, redeem the collateral, and then...

And then what?

Should I return to the Sword Tomb to cultivate? Continue investigating Xun Wenruo's conspiracy? Or find a place to hide and eke out a living?

he does not know.

"What happens next," Lu Li gently brushed the wet hair from Yun Jin's forehead behind her ear, "we'll talk about it after we survive."

Lin Qingyuan remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

Yes.

First, survive.

Only by surviving can one have the right to think about "what comes next".

Fifteen minutes later, the four set off again.

Lu Li carried Yun Jin on his back, and Shi Yong supported Lin Qingyuan as they walked along the hidden path outside the cave toward the exit of Duanlong Gorge.

The midday sun was intense, shining on the sheer cliffs on both sides of the canyon and making the rocks scorching hot.

But deep in the canyon, the wind is cold.

It carried moisture, chill, and a certain... indescribable eeriness.

Further away, towards the canyon's exit, dark clouds began to gather in the sky.

It's going to change.

An hour later, they emerged from Duanlong Gorge.

Before us lay a relatively flat mountainous area, with rolling hills visible in the distance. According to the map, Guilin Manor was located deep within these hills, about eighty li away.

Eighty li is just half a day's walk for a healthy person.

But for them now...

"We need to speed things up." Lu Li glanced at the sky. "The clouds are getting thicker; it might rain. If it rains, the mountain path will become even more difficult to traverse."

Shi Yong gritted his teeth: "I can still hold on."

Lin Qingyuan did not answer, but instead used his still-functioning right hand to lean on a tree branch and moved forward step by step. His right eye was mostly blurred, and all he could see were flickering lights and patches of color.

Three, or rather four, people were struggling to make their way through the mountains.

Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge.

Every step requires tremendous willpower.

Time passes little by little.

Shen Shi (3-5 PM)... You Shi (5-7 PM)... Xu Shi (7-9 PM)...

As darkness fell, dark clouds completely obscured the sky, and a muffled rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.

It is going to rain.

They were still thirty li away from Guilin Mountain Villa.

"I can't go on..." Shi Yong suddenly stopped, his voice trembling with tears, "Lu Li, I... I can't walk anymore..."

The boy had finally reached his limit. His legs were trembling, and each step left deep, bloody footprints on the ground; the soles of his shoes were long worn through.

Lu Li himself was also nearing his limit.

Although the brocade on his back was very light, carrying it for several hours straight had caused his shoulders to chafe and bleed, and every movement of his spine sent shivers down his spine. The three dagger seals on his chest were trembling violently, and the willpower he needed to maintain his balance was rapidly being depleted.

And what's even scarier is...

He looked down at Yun Jin.

The silver light of the sword marrow between the girl's brows began to become unstable.

It flickered, like a candle dying in the wind.

"The sword essence... is about to fail." Lin Qingyuan's voice was hoarse. "There are two hours left." At this moment, the seal on Lin Qingyuan's left arm had completely failed, and the erosion was spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye. It could only last for four hours at most, but at this moment he could no longer care about his left arm.

Two hours.

Thirty li (approximately 20 kilometers).

In the mountains where a rainstorm is about to break.

is it possible?

Lu Li gritted his teeth and lifted Yun Jin up a little higher.

"Let's go." He only said one word.

The voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable resolve.

As Shi Yong watched his retreating figure, at that back that was clearly swaying but still upright, he suddenly felt his eyes welling up with tears.

He took a deep breath, used the last of his strength, and took another step.

Lin Qingyuan followed.

Three, or perhaps four, continued forward as the sky grew darker.

The rain finally started to fall.

First a few drops, then a light drizzle, and finally a torrential downpour.

The rain washed over the mountain path, making it muddy and slippery; every step could lead to a fall. The icy rain soaked through my clothes, taking away the last bit of warmth from my body.

But no one stopped.

They cannot stop.

The price of stopping is permanent loss.

When it was completely dark, they finally saw the light.

It wasn't daylight, but lamplight.

Deep in the mountain valley, hidden by a dense forest, a few dim lights stubbornly shone through the downpour.

That is... Guilin Manor.

"We're here..." Shi Yong's voice trembled with tears, "Finally...we're here..."

Lu Li looked up at the few lights and suddenly felt her eyes welling up with tears.

One hundred and twenty li.

The twelve two-hour periods of the day.

They...did it.

He took a deep breath, carried Yun Jin on his back, and walked towards the light.

One step, another step.

Every step felt as heavy as iron.

Every step is filled with hope.

Just as they were about to reach the gate of the manor, the silver light of the sword marrow between Yun Jin's brows went out.

The effect of the last drop of sword marrow has been exhausted.

The girl's body suddenly began to convulse violently.