72: Chapter 72 The Cave of a Hundred Ghosts

Gao Feng accepted the large amount of gold, silver, and precious medicinal herbs allocated by Su Meiniang, but he did not set off immediately.

After returning to his courtyard, he immediately announced that due to his Origin being damaged in the battle against the Thousand-Faced Thief, he needed to go into seclusion to heal.

During this period, he declined any and all visits.

He even had Su Meiniang personally issue an order designating his entire small courtyard as a restricted area; unauthorized trespassers would be executed without mercy!

Such a solemn stance completely dispelled everyone's doubts.

In the eyes of everyone, this Guest Elder Gao Feng had become a tragic hero who was gravely injured for the sake of the merchant guild, his future uncertain.

Every day, Su Meiniang would send people to deliver the top-tier medicinal meals for healing to the courtyard entrance, which were then taken inside by designated personnel; throughout the process, no one could see Gao Feng's true face.

This was exactly the effect Gao Feng wanted.

He had created the perfect illusion that he was still in Hanyang City and "gravely injured and near death."

On the third night after announcing his seclusion, a waning moon hung high, and the cold wind was bleak.

Gao Feng changed into night-traveling clothes, stored all his supplies into the spirit spring space, and then executed the Phantom Steps Without a Trace.

His figure, like a ghost merging with the night, did not make a single sound as he silently vaulted over the heavily guarded walls of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, disappearing like a wisp of smoke into the deep night of Hanyang City.

He did not return directly to Panshi Stockade but first went to Qinghe County.

At this moment, he was no longer the youth who had just arrived.

After a simple disguise, changing into the attire of an ordinary traveling merchant, and slightly restraining his aura, no one could connect him with the famous "Guest Elder Gao" of Hanyang City.

In the largest market of Qinghe County, using the gold and silver gifted by Su Meiniang, he made a massive purchase without hesitation.

Considering the predicament of Panshi Stockade facing the upcoming snow-blocked mountains, he bought the most practical and urgently needed supplies—refined salt sufficient for thousands of people to survive the winter, a large amount of thick cotton cloth for sewing winter clothes, several large barrels of strong liquor to ward off the cold, and some trap parts forged in blacksmith shops for hunting and defense.

After transferring all the supplies into the spirit spring space in batches and silently, Gao Feng officially began the final leg of his journey home.

The closer he got to the Gui Jian Chou Mountain Range, the gloomier the sky became.

When he entered the outskirts of the mountain range, heavy, goose-feather-sized snowflakes were already drifting down from the lead-gray sky.

The cold wind howled, whipping up snow dust that felt like knife cuts on one's face.

In just one day, the world had become a vast expanse of white, with snow deep enough to reach one's knees.

Such severe weather was almost a desperate situation for ordinary people.

But for Gao Feng, who was already at the Peak of the 3rd Realm and possessed a 4th Realm light body technique, it was nothing.

He circulated his Internal Energy, radiating a faint heat from his body, isolating the bitter cold.

With a light tap of his toes on the snow or treetops, he could glide several zhang away, leaving almost no trace.

When the silhouette of the Panshi Stockade, like a dormant giant beast in the wind and snow, finally appeared in his field of vision, a warm current surged in Gao Feng's heart.

It was late at night, the moment when the wind and snow were at their worst and people were most exhausted.

However, on a highly concealed watchtower on the outskirts of Panshi Stockade, Gao Feng still sharply captured two figures standing in the wind and snow.

They were draped in thick animal skins, revealing only eyes as sharp as hawks in the night, vigilantly scanning every inch of movement outside the stockade walls.

The gale had plastered their eyebrows and beards with snow, making them look like two snowmen, yet they remained vigilant, patrolling all around.

"Not bad!"

Gao Feng knew that the training in the stockade had never relaxed in the slightest.

Even in this harsh season where water froze upon contact, and even though everyone believed it was impossible for enemies to attack at this time, the sentries still faithfully performed their duties.

This tenacity and discipline were the Foundation of why Panshi Stockade could establish itself in this chaotic land!

He did not alert anyone.

His figure flickered, and like a night owl, he silently hugged the shadows of the stockade wall, circling around to a blind spot with no guards.

Immediately, he exerted force with his feet, his whole body rising from the ground.

On the vertical wall, as if walking on flat ground, he tapped a few times and lightly vaulted over the wall.

The entire process was as fast as lightning and completely silent; even the torches swaying in the wind and snow did not flicker any more than usual.

Back on familiar ground, Gao Feng's heart finally settled completely.

Avoiding the patrol teams, he went straight to his stone house, which was covered in thick snow.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a familiar smell, mixed with lime and dried grass, rushed to greet him.

He walked in and shut the door behind him, completely isolating the snow-filled sky and the bone-chilling cold outside.

At this moment, everyone would think he was in deep seclusion.

This was exactly the perfect beginning he wanted.

The next morning, Gao Feng pushed open the door.

The snow had stopped, and the brilliant winter sunlight shone on the vast white snow, reflecting a dazzling light.

He did not alert anyone but went straight to Su Yue's residence.

Su Yue was sitting around a fire basin, intently checking several rolls of animal skin ledgers.

Hearing the knock, she looked up with some surprise.

When she saw the familiar figure standing at the door, the charcoal pencil in her hand dropped to the floor with a "clatter."

"Brother Feng! You... you've come out of seclusion?" Su Yue was both surprised and happy, hurriedly rising to welcome him.

Gao Feng pressed her down, not letting her rise, and sat beside her.

Su Yue looked Gao Feng up and down and couldn't help but ask with concern: "Brother Feng, did you... succeed... in your Breakthrough?"

"No." Gao Feng shook his head and asked instead, "During the time I was in seclusion, did anything... happen in the stockade?"

"No!" As soon as this was mentioned, Su Yue immediately became spirited, "Don't worry, everything is going well!"

"According to your instructions, although the snow has blocked the mountains, we haven't been idle for a single day.

The logging team has already stored enough firewood in the forest area near the stockade to last the entire stockade for two winters.

Du Wei has been taking the soldiers through training without relaxing for a single moment."

"And the hunting team," Su Yue said, becoming more excited as she spoke, "I heard they improved the traps, and now they can have quite a harvest every day; the meat reserves in the stockade are very sufficient.

What makes people happiest is that in a valley on the west side of the stockade, they actually discovered a small open-pit coal mine and an iron ore vein!

Although the reserves are not yet clear, Mr. Liu said that with these two things, we can smelt iron ourselves, forge weapons and armor, and never have to be restricted by others again!"

Saying this, she lowered her voice, her eyes shining: "Right now, Mr. Liu is taking a group of the most reliable brothers to mine there secretly!"

Item by item, case by case, it was all good news.

Panshi Stockade, this war machine that he had started with his own hands, had not only not stagnated during his "seclusion" but, under the management of Luo Qin, Du Wei, Liu Chengfeng, and others, was still operating at high speed and in an orderly manner, even better than he had expected.

The heart Gao Feng had been holding up finally settled completely.

Before this, he had not been without worries.

After all, people's hearts are unpredictable; once he was away for a long time, whether these generals under him would develop disloyalty was something no one could say for sure.

But now it seemed that Du Wei and Liu Chengfeng had both withstood the test.

"Well done." Gao Feng praised sincerely, "Everyone has worked hard."

His gaze became profound, "My coming out of seclusion this time is just to get some air temporarily; I feel my cultivation is still a bit unstable and plan to rest and recuperate for a few more days.

Regarding my return, do not spread the word for now, lest everyone be distracted."

"Mm, I understand." Su Yue nodded obediently.

Leaving Su Yue's place, Gao Feng did not see anyone else and returned directly to his stone house.

He closed the door, immediately sank his mind, and entered the spirit spring space again.

He was not in a hurry to start Cultivating, but instead combed through and deeply studied the several profound martial arts he had obtained during this trip to Hanyang City.

The first four layers of the Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Wind Thunder Guide were infinitely profound, drawing upon the power of wind and thunder between heaven and earth to temper his body, giving his Internal Energy, beyond its mightiness, an extra trace of invulnerable sharpness and dominance.

The complete Flood Dragon Overturning Sea Saber Technique, especially after completing the final move "Dragon Fighting in the Wild," made the entire saber technique natural and seamless, its power more than doubled.

Now, when he slashed out with one strike, there was faintly the momentum of a flood dragon emerging from the sea, overturning rivers and seas.

The Phantom Steps Without a Trace greatly strengthened his movement and footwork, making him even more elusive and unpredictable.

Combined with the Following Wind Willow Catkin Movement Technique, his light body technique had now become his strongest aspect.

As for the sinister and ruthless Shadow Assassination Art, he drew inferences about other cases from one instance, fusing it with the special forces killing techniques from his previous life that shared core techniques, creating several more bizarre and lethal killing moves.

Gao Feng sorted through all his martial arts, playing them over and over in his mind like a movie, repeatedly deducing, dismantling, and analyzing them.

What he wanted to do was to thoroughly understand these profound theories first, grasping their core methods of force application and the true meaning of the Dao of martial arts, rather than swallowing them whole to Cultivate directly.

This process was boring and mentally exhausting.

In the spirit spring space, time passed quietly.

Unknowingly, several more days passed.

When Gao Feng had thoroughly mastered all the martial arts theories, he tried again to attempt to break through the 4th Realm Bottleneck, which seemed close at hand yet indestructible.

However, the result was still failure.

His Internal Energy was already as mighty as the extreme of the Peak of the 3rd Realm, even carrying a trace of lightning attribute due to absorbing some of the Profound Truths of the Wind Thunder Guide.

But no matter how he circulated his internal cycles or how he gathered his power, that power could never complete the final step from quantitative change to qualitative change.

"Where exactly is the problem?" Gao Feng exited the Cultivation state, his brows furrowed, falling into deep thought.

He felt that he seemed to have walked into a misunderstanding, missing some crucial link.

"Still lacking guidance from a famous teacher; otherwise, I wouldn't even know where the problem lies."

His cultivation was founded upon the combat techniques and physical instincts from his past life.

Afterwards, he relied on various Opportunities, piecing together various Cultivation Techniques he had learned.

Although they were powerful, they never formed a cohesive system.

Regarding the martial arts Realms of this world, he only had a smattering of knowledge about what to pay attention to during Breakthroughs to each major Realm and what kind of catalysts were needed; he relied entirely on his own exploration.

This time in Hanyang City, he had also tried to sound out Su Meiniang and the others about the mysteries of breaking through to the Fourth Realm.

However, the answers he received were all very vague.

They were nothing more than empty platitudes like "accumulate enough, and it will naturally happen," or "it requires an Epiphany, it depends on one's personal Opportunity."

Perhaps such core secrets were simply not things that outsiders could easily inquire about.

"Forget it, being eager for quick success is a great taboo in cultivation."

Gao Feng eventually forcibly suppressed the anxiety in his heart, consoling himself.

The path of martial arts is inherently long.

Since his Transmigration, not much time had passed, and to have achieved what he had now was already a great blessing; he should not ask for more.

Perhaps, just as those people said, when his accumulation was sufficient and the Opportunity arrived, the Breakthrough would naturally occur.

Having figured this out, his state of mind suddenly became clear.

After sitting in meditation in the spirit spring space for another half a day and adjusting his state to a flawless Peak, Gao Feng finally "exited seclusion."

He summoned Su Yue, the four sisters of Luo Qin, Du Wei, Liu Chengfeng, and other core senior members of Panshi Stockade for a meeting in the council hall.

At the meeting, he first gave high affirmation and praise for everyone's work, and then announced that scouts should focus on reconnoitering the Hundred Ghost Cave.

"Remember, you are only allowed to observe from a distance, not get close! Once any abnormality is discovered, report back immediately!"

"Yes."

After the meeting ended, everyone dispersed.

In the large council hall, soon only Gao Feng remained.

He stood before the window with his hands behind his back, watching the orderly and vibrant scene of the stockade outside, and a long-lost feeling of relaxation and comfort welled up in his heart.

Since his Transmigration, he seemed to have been constantly rushing about, fighting, and scheming; his nerves were always taut, almost never resting.

First, he had to match wits and courage with the Black Wind Stockade for survival, followed by the internal integration and construction of Panshi Stockade.

Each and every matter was like an invisible burden pressing down on his shoulders.

And now, as the Foundation of Panshi Stockade was becoming increasingly stable and capable hands were responsible for various tasks, he, the Stockade Master, had become uncharacteristically idle.

This sudden switch from extreme busyness to having nothing to do left him feeling a bit unaccustomed for a moment.

He strolled out of the council hall, deciding to walk around the stockade to take a look.

The afternoon sun shone through the sparse clouds onto the snow-covered training ground, reflecting a dazzling light.

Du Wei was shirtless, personally supervising the training of the new recruits in the bitter cold, the white breath exhaled from his mouth resembling two white dragons.

The shouts of the soldiers were uniform and filled with power.

From the direction of the craftsman camp, the "clanging" sound of metalworking could be heard; that was Liu Chengfeng leading the craftsmen, attempting to use the newly discovered coal to improve the efficiency of steel smelting.

Even from far away, one could feel the scorching heat rushing toward them.

Women gathered in groups of three or five on the square, mending winter clothes while chatting about daily life, occasionally letting out bursts of hearty laughter.

Children chased and played in the snow, throwing snowballs at their companions, their little faces frozen red but filled with joy.

Scenes of ordinary and warm moments entered Gao Feng's eyes.

The corners of his mouth inadvertently curled into a heartfelt smile.

Wasn't this everything he had tried his best to protect and create from the very beginning?

The string in his heart that had been taut all along finally relaxed at this moment.

He walked aimlessly, but in his mind, he began to involuntarily outline a more magnificent blueprint for the future of Panshi Stockade.

"Winter will eventually pass. When spring comes next year and the snow melts, it will be a brand new beginning."

"Opening up wasteland and farming is the first priority. The stockade's population is growing, and food must be self-sufficient to truly break free from being controlled by others."

"The mining of coal and iron must also be officially put on the agenda to form large-scale production. I need more steel to arm my army and create better tools."

"The army also needs to be further expanded. These people are enough to hold the fort, but if we want to take the initiative to attack and completely eliminate all potential threats around us, it is far from enough."

"And that Hundred Ghost Cave... once the scouts figure out the situation, this malignant tumor lurking on our side must be completely eradicated with thunderous force!"

One plan after another kept popping up in his mind like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

The slight feeling of emptiness that had arisen from being idle also gradually dissipated.

But what Gao Feng didn't expect was that just two days after the order to investigate the Hundred Ghost Cave was given, Shouhou came to report.

His voice carried a trace of suppressed heaviness.

"Stockade Master, the brothers sent to scout the Hundred Ghost Cave... something happened to them."

Gao Feng's hand holding the teacup paused slightly in mid-air, and his gaze instantly became sharp: "Tell me specifically."

"We sent out three scout teams one after another to conduct peripheral reconnaissance."

Shouhou's voice was hoarse and low, "The first team lost all contact after arriving near the Hundred Ghost Cave. The second team found the secret signal they left behind, followed the trail into a dense forest, and then also went missing."

"I personally led the third team to support them, but I was still a step too late." He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, "We found the remains... of the six brothers who had gone missing earlier in that dense forest."

Gao Feng's brows instantly locked together tightly.

He did not interrupt, signaling with his eyes for Shouhou to continue.

"Their state of death is very strange; there are no obvious fatal external injuries on their bodies, and their expressions look like they saw something extremely terrifying. The blood in their bodies... seems to have been drained, becoming shriveled and rigid."

Shouhou's tone tried to remain calm, but the chill revealed in his words made the temperature of the entire room drop by a few degrees.

"The most bizarre thing is that we found a kind of grayish-white powder at the scene, covering the ground and the bodies, emitting a faint smell of corpses. Moreover, that area is terrifyingly cold, just like a natural ice cellar."

"I understand." Gao Feng slowly stood up, "Were the bodies brought back?"

"They were brought back; I didn't let anyone else get close for the time being."

Shouhou replied, knowing that this bizarre method of death must be handled with caution.

"Well done." Gao Feng nodded, "Keep this matter strictly confidential; do not spread it, so as not to cause unnecessary panic in the stockade."

"From today on, all reconnaissance operations targeting the Hundred Ghost Cave are suspended. No one is allowed to approach that area again."

"For the families of the sacrificed brothers, withdraw triple the pension from the treasury and comfort them well. Tell them that I, Gao Feng, will personally take revenge."

Looking at Gao Feng's back, which was as steady as a mountain, the emotions that had been churning in Shouhou due to the tragic death of his brothers miraculously calmed down, replaced by a burning flame of revenge.

He knew that their Stockade Master never broke his word.

"Yes! Stockade Master!"

Sending Shouhou away, Gao Feng stood alone in the council hall, his eyes already filled with bone-chilling murderous intent.

He had originally wanted to make more preparations and wait for a foolproof Opportunity.

But now it seemed that the Hundred Ghost Cave had already made the choice for him with the blood of six elite scouts from Panshi Stockade.

He could not wait any longer!

Late that night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.

Gao Feng put on black night-walking clothes and, like a vigorous cheetah, silently merged into the vast night outside Panshi Stockade.

He did not bring anyone, alone, following the direction described by Shouhou, sneaking toward the mysterious Hundred Ghost Cave.

With "Phantom Steps Without a Trace" pushed to the limit, his figure weaved through the forest like a wisp of untraceable light smoke, incredibly fast.

Half a day later, he arrived at the area described by Shouhou as an "ice cellar."

As soon as he stepped into this forest, an icy, bone-chilling aura rushed toward him, causing the Internal Energy in his body to stagnate for a moment.

In the air, there was indeed a faint, foul odor mixed with decay and blood.

On the ground, there was indeed a thin layer of grayish-white powder resembling bone ash.

Gao Feng squatted down, pinched a bit of powder with his fingers, held it to the tip of his nose, and sniffed it, his brows furrowing even tighter.

This was not a natural substance, but the bones of some creature, crushed and mixed with special drugs, deliberately sprinkled here.

The purpose was to create such a "territory" suitable for the activities of evil things.

It seemed that the master of this Hundred Ghost Cave was an expert proficient in the Evil Path.

He did not hesitate any longer, following the direction where the icy aura was strongest, tracking all the way.

Half an hour later, a huge and ferocious cave appeared before him.

The entrance was full of jagged rocks, like the wide-open mouth of an evil ghost, and the surrounding trees all presented a strange, withered, grayish-black color, with not even a single green leaf to be seen.

Streams of visible black mist were slowly overflowing from the cave entrance, making a "hissing" sound like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

This was the Hundred Ghost Cave.

Gao Feng restrained all his aura, lowering his presence to the minimum, and like a falling leaf, silently drifted into the cave.