Nine Desolate Records

Lu Li followed behind the silver-masked woman, the two traversing the forest at such a speed that they left only faint traces on the fallen leaves. The woman chose an extremely treacherous route, sometimes skirting the edge of the poisonous swamp, sometimes crossing streams, and even using her lightness skills to glide along the rock walls in several places that seemed to have no path.

She clearly knew the terrain in the area like the back of her hand.

An hour later, the two arrived at a secluded mountain hollow. The entrance to the hollow was hidden by dense vines. Pushing aside the vines, they found a naturally formed stone cave. Inside the cave, there were obvious signs of human intervention: dried grass, remnants of an extinguished fire, and several simple storage compartments made of stones.

"I'll be spending the night here." The woman removed her silver mask, revealing a face that appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Her eyebrows and eyes were as clear and cold as snow-capped peaks, her nose was straight, and her lips were very pale. She was like a sword sheathed, sharp yet restrained.

She sat down by the fire and took out a tinderbox from her bosom to rekindle the flames. The flickering firelight illuminated her sharply defined profile.

Lu Li leaned against the cave entrance, still wary: "Can you tell me now? Who asked you to do this?"

"Master of the Pavilion." The woman added a dry branch to the fire. "The current master of Tingxue Pavilion is Han Jiangxue."

Listening to Snow Pavilion.

Lu Li had only caught a fleeting glimpse of this name in the collection of books at Bailu Academy, but the record was extremely vague, only stating that it referred to "a mysterious intelligence organization active in the northern border."

"I have never had any dealings with Tingxuelou."

"But the host has a past with your father." The woman looked up at him. "Lu Mingxuan was a guest elder of Tingxuelou twenty years ago. The host provided a lot of help when he was investigating your mother's illness."

Lu Li's heart skipped a beat: "My father..."

"Not a formal member, but an old acquaintance of the host." The woman said calmly, "Your father left you a 'teleportation talisman,' saying that if you ever encounter great calamity, you can crush the talisman, and Tingxuelou will lend a helping hand once."

She paused for a moment: "Three days ago, Elder Gusong of Xinglin Valley sent a message to the Lord, informing him of your situation and whereabouts. The Lord then crushed the teleportation talisman that he had stored for twenty years."

Therefore, it is not a coincidence.

It was his father from twenty years ago who left him a way to survive today.

Lu Li felt his throat go dry: "Master...why did you help my father? And why did you keep this promise for twenty years?"

"Because the bloodline of Emperor Yan is not just about you alone." The woman's voice lowered. "Among the nine powerful beings who sealed the prisoners in ancient times, the ancestor of Emperor Yan's lineage was the first guardian of the 'Tyranny' anchor point, and also... the 'eye of the array' among the nine. Your lineage has the most direct connection to the deep seal of the nine anchor points."

She looked at the flickering flames: "The author has been investigating something for years. Over the past three thousand years, the descendants of the guardians of the nine anchor points have almost all died or disappeared 'accidentally' in the last three hundred years."

Lu Li recalled the phrase "blood relatives as sacrifice" from Yun Potian's notes, and the words of the Elder of Xinglin Valley: "The grand sacrifice is approaching."

"Is someone purging the descendants of the guardians in preparation for the grand sacrifice?" he asked.

"Not only that." The woman shook her head. "The poster suspects that someone is deliberately 'replacing' the anchor point's guardian system. They're replacing the ancient system, which was originally maintained by bloodlines and sealing techniques, with a 'demon-feeding system' centered on human sacrifices and conceptual containers. The former, though it comes at a price, is stable; the latter... seems controllable, but in reality, it's feeding monsters, and it will eventually backfire."

She looked at Lu Li: "You are one of the most successful products of the 'Demon-Fed System.' But I believe there is another possibility for you. You are a direct descendant of Emperor Yan. Theoretically, you are qualified to inherit the position of 'Array Eye' of your ancestor and truly control the sealing power of the nine anchor points, rather than being devoured by the power of the Prisoner."

Lu Li remained silent for a long time.

"What does the original poster want me to do?" he finally asked.

"Go to the Sword Tomb and complete Xuanji's teachings," the woman said. "Then, we will help you obtain the Zhenlin Dagger. Afterward, the Lord of the Pavilion wishes to meet you at the Tingxue Tower headquarters in the Northern Territory."

"Why the North?"

"Because there are clues there." The woman's gaze was deep. "About the origin of the Yan Emperor's bloodline, and also about... what exactly happened before the prisoner was sealed away."

She stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and looked out at the pitch-black night: "Get some rest tonight. Starting tomorrow, I will escort you to the outer perimeter of the Sword Tomb. From then on, you will have to walk the rest of the way on your own."

"What's your name?" Lu Li suddenly asked.

The woman turned around, the firelight flickering in her eyes: "Han Yan. Han Jiangxue is my sister."

After saying that, she put her mask back on, walked to the other side of the cave, sat down cross-legged, and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.

Lu Li leaned against the rock wall, processing everything he had just heard.

The father's connection to Tingxuelou, the possibility of it being the core of the formation...

Each message is like a piece of a puzzle, but he has too few pieces to see the whole picture.

He looked down at his hands, the pale golden veins on his palms faintly visible in the firelight.

The key point of the formation?

The next morning.

Han Yan led Lu Li on their way. She seemed to have a special way of avoiding the pursuit of the Zhuoyuan Sect, choosing routes that were either in the "blind spots" of the earth's veins or in places where spiritual energy was disordered.

During the journey, she briefly introduced the situation of Tingxuelou to Lu Li.

"The Listening Snow Tower was founded nine hundred years ago by one of the survivors of the 'Battle of the Cold Abyss'. Initially, it was only to preserve ancient texts and information related to the seal, but it gradually evolved into an organization primarily focused on information exchange and exploration of relics. We do not belong to any dynasty or sect, and we only follow the three ironclad rules set by the first tower master: do not participate in dynastic changes, do not actively intervene in the Nine Anchors conflict, and do not leak the core secrets of the seal."

"Then why make an exception this time?" Lu Li asked.

"Because the author believes that the current situation has already touched the 'sealed core'." Han Yan's tone was solemn. "The nine anchor points have been frequently active in recent years, the Turbid Abyss Sect is active, and the Demon Suppression Guard is suspected of being infiltrated. If Xun Wenruo's 'Demon Feeding Plan' succeeds, it may completely change the balance of power in Kyushu, and may even... trigger the 'Great Calamity' ahead of schedule."

"A great calamity?"

"Every three thousand years, the fortunes of heaven and earth undergo a great cycle. The last cycle was when the prisoner was sealed. The next one will happen within a hundred years." Han Yan glanced at him. "The Lord has calculated that this time, the nine anchor points will likely completely collapse. At that time, the prisoner will return to heaven and earth, but after three thousand years of sealing and sacrificial distortion, no one knows in what form he will return."

The Nine Provinces will become a purgatory.

"So, Tingxuelou is looking for a solution?"

"Not only." Han Yan shook her head. "The Lord is searching for the 'truth.' What exactly are the prisoners? Why must they be sealed? What price did the ancient sealers pay? Only by knowing these things can we find a true solution, instead of continuing to sacrifice ourselves like this to quench our thirst."

Two days later, the two arrived at a misty mountain range.

Han Yan stopped and pointed deep into the Misty Ridge: "Pass through this 'Misty Misty Ridge,' and another eighty miles east is the outer edge of the Sword Tomb. I can only take you this far. There are natural mazes in the Misty Ridge that can interfere with most tracking spells, but be careful, there are some troublesome things inside."

Han Yan looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes beneath the silver mask: "The Lord also asked me to pass on a message to you."

"Please speak."

"The core of the formation can determine the fate of the world, or it can shatter stars. Before you are strong enough and clear-headed enough, do not easily touch that position."

After saying that, she flashed and disappeared into the mist.

Lu Li turned and stepped into the Misty Ridge.

The fog was thicker than I had imagined, with visibility less than three meters. Underfoot were slippery moss and tangled tree roots, and the air was filled with the damp smell of decaying wood.

He used his inner energy to condense a thin film of light in his eyes, which allowed him to barely see through some of the fog.

The misty hill was eerily quiet.

After walking for about half an hour, a faint "rustling" sound suddenly came from the fog ahead.

It wasn't the wind blowing the leaves.

It looked more like... something crawling on the moss.

Lu Li stopped and placed his right hand on the hilt of the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger.

The sound was getting closer.

The mist churned, from which three dark green vines emerged. The vines were as thick as buckets, their surfaces covered with suckers and barbs, and their tips split open to reveal a dense array of spirally arranged sharp teeth.

It is a "Mist Vine Demon", a demonic plant that only grows in misty, chaotic places, and feeds on the essence of living things.

The three vines, like giant, living pythons, attacked from three directions simultaneously!

Lu Li advanced instead of retreating, drawing his Dragon-Suppressing Dagger, a flash of bluish-black blade light!

The foremost vine was severed at the root, and a dark green, viscous liquid spurted from the cut, splashing onto the nearby rocks and instantly corroding them into pits.

But two other vines have already wrapped around it!

One wrapped around his waist, the other pierced straight at his face!

Lu Li ducked low, slipping through the gap between two vines, and simultaneously slashed with his sword, striking the side of the second vine. The vine recoiled in pain, but a third vine had already wrapped around his left leg!

The barb pierced the flesh, causing excruciating pain, and a chilling, poisonous gas seeped into the body through the wound.

Lu Li gritted his teeth, and the Flame Emperor bloodline within him activated spontaneously, sending a surge of crimson-gold heat to the wound, fiercely clashing with the poison. At the same time, the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger in his right hand shone brightly, slashing fiercely at the vines binding his leg!

The vine was cut, but the severed part still clung tightly to the leg, its barbs digging even deeper.

Lu Li grunted and used his dagger to pry open the remaining vines. The wound was already black, and the blood flowing out was dark green.

The poison gas is still spreading.

He immediately took out the medicine pouch given to him by Lin Qingyuan from his pocket, poured out an antidote pill and swallowed it, then sprinkled on the external application powder. The cooling sensation temporarily suppressed the excruciating pain, but the toxins were not completely eliminated.

We must leave here as soon as possible.

But more rustling sounds could be heard from within the fog.

Not three, but more than a dozen!

The entire Misty Ridge seemed to come alive, with countless vines stretching out from the depths of the mist, like a giant net, enveloping him!

Lu Li's expression changed.

With so many vine demons, a direct confrontation would only lead to certain death.

He recalled the record about Mist Ridge in the Jade Slip of Cold Smoke: "The Mist Vine Demon fears fire and thunder, and is especially afraid of the intense Yang energy."

fire?

He reached into his robes with his left hand; the Zhenfeng Dagger was slightly warm.

Just then, a vine wrapped around them!

Lu Li was about to draw his dagger when suddenly—

A clear, melodious sword cry came from the depths of the mist!

Immediately afterwards, a silver-white sword light streaked through the thick fog like a meteor, snapping the vines in its path!

The sword light landed and transformed into a figure wearing a gray robe.

White hair, a hunched back, and a simple iron sword in his hand.

Xuanji.

The old man turned around, his cloudy eyes looking at Lu Li, his face expressionless: "One day late."

Lu Li bowed: "Senior, we encountered some trouble on the way."

Xuanji nodded, asked no further questions, and simply raised his hand to strike with his sword.

There was no dazzling sword light, just a simple and unadorned slash.

But as soon as the slash landed, all the vines in the entire Misty Ridge froze and quickly turned to ashes.

The fog also thinned out by a third.

"Follow me." Xuanji turned around and walked into the depths of the misty mountains.

Lu Li quickly followed.

The two walked through the fog. Xuanji's steps seemed slow, but in fact, each step landed on some strange node, and the surrounding fog automatically parted to form a clear path.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The fog completely dissipated, revealing a wide, open valley. The valley was barren, except for countless broken swords stuck in the ground, densely packed and stretching as far as the eye could see.

The outer perimeter of the Sword Tomb.

He looked at Lu Li: "Your condition is worse than it was twenty days ago."

Xuanji remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I'm going to teach you the first level of the 'Sword Intent of Ceasefire.' But you must remember, the Sword Intent of Ceasefire is not a technique of killing, but a way of 'protection' and 'balance.' The violent power within you is contrary to the essence of sword intent. You will suffer greatly during the cultivation process."

"I understand."

"Good, you understand." Xuanji pointed deep into the valley. "Do you see that tallest broken sword?"

Lu Li looked in the direction he was pointing.

In the center of the valley, a massive broken sword, ten zhang tall, plunges straight into the ground. The blade is covered in cracks, yet it still exudes a chilling aura of majesty.

"That's the main remains of the 'Sword of Ceasefire'," Xuanji said. "For the next twenty days, you will cultivate under that sword. I will impart the mental techniques to you, but how much you can comprehend depends on yourself."

He paused. "Twenty days from now, no matter what level you've reached in your cultivation, you must leave. The Sword Tomb... is about to break down."

Lu Li's heart skipped a beat: "Senior, what happened at the Sword Tomb?"

Xuanji gazed into the depths of the valley, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes: "The seal on 'Battle Intent' has loosened. I can feel that thing deep underground is awakening. In three months at most, the Sword Locking Heaven and Earth Formation will completely fail."

He turned to look at Lu Li: "So, you must get the Zhenlin Dagger as soon as possible and then go to the Northern Border. Han Jiangxue is right, the truth is there. And you... may be the only one who can still do something before the 'Great Calamity' arrives."

Lu Li clenched his fist.

Three months.

Time is more pressing than we imagined.

He took a deep breath and walked towards the huge broken sword.

A profound and silent voice came from behind, echoing through the empty valley:

"Remember, the first level of the sword intent of stopping war is called 'seeing oneself'."

"What you need to see is not your strength, but your vulnerability. Not your hatred, but your fear. Not who you want to be, but who you really are."

Lu Li sat down cross-legged ten feet in front of the giant sword.

Looking up, the ten-zhang-tall broken sword, like a silent giant, looked down at him.

The cracks on the sword resembled gruesome wounds.

He closed his eyes.

Consciousness sank into the body.

This time, he wasn't going to observe the confluence of the three rivers.

Instead, it's about "seeing oneself".

Go see that one who, corrupted by the essence of a prisoner, scorched by the bloodline of the Flame Emperor, and measured by the standards of humanity, still refuses to give up—

Lu Li.