319: Chapter 319 The Sacred Land of the Fox Clan, Nine-Tailed Skeleton

The outline of Qingqiu gradually appeared in the night.

It was not the immortal mountain paradise that Chu Sheng had imagined, but a ruin.

The rolling mountain ranges had been scorched by flames, and even after a thousand years, not a blade of grass grew.

The grey-white rock walls were covered in cracks.

Gravel and rubble were scattered at the foot of the mountain, and occasionally, a half-collapsed stone pillar could be seen.

Chu Sheng stood at the edge of the ruins, looking at the scene, silent for a moment.

He had seen Tianmo Mountain, the Reverse Demon Tower, and countless destroyed relics, but the ruins of Qingqiu made him feel a unique desolation.

It was not because so many had died, but because the lingering aura carried a sense of Wrath and unwillingness.

Wan Jiuer stood by his side, her face calm, but Chu Sheng noticed she was trembling slightly.

She did not speak, just stood there, staring at the ruins for a long time.

Chu Sheng did not rush her.

He knew that for her, this was not a ruin; it was home.

The two walked up a half-collapsed stone staircase, occasionally seeing scattered bones in the grass on both sides, weathered down to mere fragments.

When they reached the mountainside, Chu Sheng suddenly stopped.

His Divine Sense caught two weak auras—not Yao Beast, but Cultivator—sneaking around as if searching for something.

He gave a look to Wan Jiuer.

Wan Jiuer sensed it too, and her brows furrowed slightly.

The two crept closer and saw two figures crouching behind a collapsed stone tablet, whispering to each other.

One was at the Spirit Lake Realm, the other at the Spirit Spring Realm.

Both were Rat Yao.

They had sharp mouths and monkey cheeks, their eyes darting around, and they held shovels, looking like tomb robbers.

"Big Brother, there doesn't seem to be anything good here anymore. Should we check over there?" the one at the Spirit Spring Realm whispered.

"What's the rush? I heard Qingqiu used to be one of the Twelve Clans; there must be plenty of treasures hidden here. Keep looking."

"But..."

"Don't 'but' me. If we find the treasure, we'll be rich."

Wan Jiuer walked out.

Her footsteps were light, but every step seemed to land on the heartbeats of the two Rat Yao.

"Scram." Her voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable pressure.

The two Rat Yao jumped in fright, their shovels dropping to the ground with a crisp clatter.

They looked up, saw Wan Jiuer, and then Chu Sheng following behind her, and their faces instantly turned pale.

"Ni... Nine-Tailed Fox, my lord!" The voice of the one at the Spirit Lake Realm went out of tune.

"This small one was blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai. We'll scram right now, we'll scram!"

The two didn't even bother to pick up their shovels, scrambling away while complaining to each other.

"It's all your fault for insisting on coming to Qingqiu!"

"How was I supposed to know we'd run into the real deal!"

Their figures quickly disappeared into the ruins.

Chu Sheng watched the direction the two Rat Yao had disappeared in and shook his head.

"Thieves from the Western Regions are certainly diligent."

Wan Jiuer said nothing; her gaze fell upon the collapsed stone tablet, and she walked over.

She crouched down and reached out to touch the surface of the tablet.

The tablet had been weathered until it was unrecognizable, but within the remaining patterns, the emblem of the Fox Clan could be faintly discerned.

Her fingers traced lightly over those patterns, as if touching some distant memory.

Chu Sheng walked to her side and also crouched down.

His Divine Sense swept over the tablet, and he suddenly discovered something amiss.

At the break in the tablet, two different auras remained.

One was faint but sharp, like a keen blade—that was the aura of the Dragon Clan.

The other was even fainter, almost dissipated, but a trace of heat could still be felt—that was the Fox Fire of the Fox Clan.

Chu Sheng frowned. "The aura of the Dragon Clan..."

Wan Jiuer nodded, her voice very low. "A thousand years later, it can still remain; this shows the mark left back then was very deep."

She stood up, her gaze sweeping across the entire ruin.

"And..."

She paused, her voice turning colder. "This Formation looks more like it was broken from the inside."

Chu Sheng was stunned for a moment.

He sensed it too.

Most of the shattered Formation patterns had exploded outward from the inside.

If it were an external attack, the Formation patterns should have shattered from the outside in.

But what he saw here was the exact opposite.

"An inside job," Chu Sheng whispered.

Wan Jiuer did not answer, but her expression said it all.

She stepped forward and walked toward the depths of the ruins.

Passing through collapsed halls, dried-up ponds, and squares scorched by fire.

She walked very slowly, as if looking for something.

After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Wan Jiuer stopped in front of a half-collapsed archway.

The archway was very high, and a relief of a Nine-Tailed Fox was carved into the lintel, mostly weathered away, but one could still see its former exquisiteness.

Behind the door was a long corridor leading into the depths of the mountain.

Wan Jiuer stood before the archway, not entering immediately.

She looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox relief on the lintel, silent for a long time.

"This is the entrance to the Holy Land," she said softly. "In the past, only the Clan Chief and Elders of the Fox Clan could enter."

Chu Sheng stood by her side, not speaking.

He could feel a very faint aura circulating deep within the corridor.

"Let's go." Wan Jiuer stepped inside.

Chu Sheng followed behind her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

The two disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.

After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, light finally appeared ahead.

Chu Sheng quickened his pace and walked out of the corridor.

The sight before him made him pause slightly.

The Holy Land was better preserved than the ruins outside, at least it hadn't completely collapsed.

In the center of the great hall was a stone platform, mostly shattered.

Scattered around the stone platform were a few broken Magical Artifacts and some unknown fragments.

Chu Sheng's Divine Sense swept over those fragments, and his expression changed slightly.

One was Fox Fire, the other was Dragon breath.

Moreover, the Dragon breath was stronger than the Fox Fire.

"As expected." Wan Jiuer's voice came from behind, carrying a suppressed Wrath.

Chu Sheng turned his head and saw her standing at the entrance of the great hall, her gaze fixed on the shattered stone platform.

There was no expression on her face, but in her eyes, there was a light Chu Sheng had never seen before.

That light looked like hatred, yet also like something deeper.

Chu Sheng did not comfort her.

He knew that what she needed right now was not comfort, but answers.

She walked to the stone platform, crouched down, and reached out to touch the shattered runes.

Then she stood up and walked toward the deeper parts of the great hall.

Chu Sheng followed behind her.

At the end of the great hall was a tightly closed stone door.

A Nine-Tailed Fox relief was carved on the door, exactly the same as the one at the entrance.

But its eyes were closed.

Wan Jiuer stood before the door, took a deep breath, and then reached out to press her hand onto the Nine-Tailed Fox's forehead.

From her palm surged a pale purple light, merging with the aura remaining on the stone door.

The stone door began to vibrate, emitting a low rumbling sound.

The door opened.

In the darkness behind the door, something was sleeping.

Chu Sheng could not see what it was, but he could feel that the thing's aura was very ancient and very powerful.

Wan Jiuer stood before the door, not moving.

She stared into the darkness, her voice very soft, as if talking to herself, or perhaps to the thing behind the door.

"I have returned."

In the darkness, something responded to her.

It was not a sound, but a faint light, like a lamp being lit.

The light grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the scene behind the door.

Chu Sheng's pupils constricted slightly.

Behind the door was a skeleton.

Not a human one, but a fox's.

The outline of nine tails, even after death, was still clearly discernible.

The skeleton sat cross-legged on a stone platform, its posture upright, as if in meditation.