Chapter 110: The Mystiflame Altar

Ghoul Li tossed the lifeless ash-pig into a corner, then carefully examined the entrance of the cave where the ash-pig had been. Indeed, he found an extremely fine thread stretching from the cave, connecting to a distant bell. It was clear that his repeated failed attempts to infiltrate with Jin Ping'er over the past few days were all detected by this small creature.

He had read in the ancient and fragmented "Records of Divine and Demonic Oddities" that ash-pigs possessed an exceptionally keen sense of smell, far surpassing any ordinary creature. Though he had used every method to conceal himself, he never imagined he would be discovered by such a small beast.

Though he now understood the key, Ghoul Li's brow furrowed as he stood in the dark corner, lost in thought. While ash-pigs were not considered divine beasts of antiquity, they were rare in the world, usually found deep in the forests of the southern mountains. The fact that there were so many in the Fragrant Incense Valley, and that they were able to detect intruders no matter where they tried to enter, was truly astonishing.

But the most crucial point was the ability to tame and control so many ash-pigs. Such a mastery of beasts was unheard of, even among the righteous sects of the Central Plains or the demonic factions. It was said that only the barbarian tribes of the south possessed such strange skills.

Ghoul Li turned his gaze and looked ahead. Amidst the distant commotion, the depths of the Fragrant Incense Valley remained silent, shrouded in a thick, dark veil that hid countless secrets.

The clamor at the valley's entrance gradually subsided, and only faint voices could be heard. The sounds of fighting had ceased, indicating that the situation was under control.

Who dared to openly challenge the Fragrant Incense Valley? Ghoul Li's thoughts turned to Jin Ping'er, the mysterious and alluring woman who was likely still amidst the chaos.

Now, Ghoul Li had penetrated deeper into the heart of the Fragrant Incense Valley. Along the way, there were no more alarm bells triggered by ash-pigs, suggesting that the valley had placed these keen-nosed creatures at the edges, and once inside, they posed less of a threat.

The night was deep, and the recently calmed valley seemed especially serene. As Ghoul Li's ghostly figure moved through the valley's pavilions and pathways, the world beneath the black veil gradually revealed itself.

The Fragrant Incense Valley, known as a pillar of righteousness, though usually discreet, was a formidable sect that had thrived for eight centuries. The path ahead gradually displayed the sect's profound heritage.

Under the cover of night, numerous paths, large and small, intertwined like the veins of a body, extending into the darkness. On either side, dwellings of ordinary disciples and grand halls stood, interspersed with gardens and trees. Bamboo and winter plum, as well as vibrant peonies and tree peonies, formed clusters, blending harmoniously with the surrounding architecture, each with its own unique charm.

Despite the recent commotion, disciples of the Fragrant Incense Valley occasionally moved about, forcing Ghoul Li to hide carefully to avoid detection. Their calm expressions suggested that the situation at the valley's entrance had stabilized.

Navigating past the disciples was not difficult for Ghoul Li, who, over the past decade, had mastered the esoteric practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and demonic arts. His cultivation advanced at an unprecedented rate, even surprising the learned Demon King, who could only attribute it to the mystic synergy between the three paths.

However, the multitude of paths before him left him perplexed, unsure of which to take. He had come to uncover the secrets of the Fragrant Incense Valley, particularly any connection to the southern barbarian tribes.

To do this, he needed to reach the important figures within the valley, but the paths seemed like a labyrinth, leaving him puzzled.

As Ghoul Li pondered whether to capture and interrogate a disciple, he felt a sudden movement on his shoulder. A soft whimper came from Little Ash.

Startled, Ghoul Li turned to see Little Ash clinging tightly to his clothes, its face contorted in pain, eyes shut. Though the monkey was intelligent and knew the importance of the moment, it could not fully suppress its agony.

Alarmed, Ghoul Li noticed that Little Ash had been acting strangely since entering the valley. Now, it appeared to be in great distress.

Gently cradling Little Ash, Ghoul Li examined the trembling creature, feeling its effort to resist the unknown pain. Concerned, he asked, "What's wrong, Little Ash?"

Hearing his master's voice, Little Ash slowly opened its eyes, revealing a golden, slightly crimson glow, akin to otherworldly flames. The temperature around them seemed to drop.

Little Ash's breath grew heavier, and Ghoul Li felt the increasing strength of its grip. Its eyes, with their strange, golden light, fixed on him, conveying a familiar, bloodthirsty gaze.

Suddenly, Ghoul Li felt a chill. Turning, he noticed the Soul Devourer's Blood Pearl glowing with a faint, eerie light.

The Blood Pearl, the most malevolent and evil object in the world, was acting strangely.

A bitter taste filled Ghoul Li's mouth as he gazed at Little Ash, who called out softly. Regaining his composure, Ghoul Li saw a hint of fear in the monkey's eyes. He took a deep breath and smiled, "It's okay."

Little Ash seemed to understand, blinking and eventually closing its eyes. The pain subsided, and its grip weakened.

Ghoul Li held Little Ash close in the cool night air. They stood in the shadows, one man and one monkey, moving quietly.

After a while, Little Ash seemed to fall asleep, resting in Ghoul Li's arms. Suddenly, the monkey stirred, lifting its head. Ghoul Li looked down to see the golden glow in its eyes had vanished, replaced by its usual lively expression.

Relieved, Ghoul Li watched as Little Ash pointed to a path. Following the monkey's gaze, Ghoul Li recognized two approaching figures: Li Xun and Yan Hong.

Frowning, Ghoul Li recalled meeting them ten years ago. Both were exceptional talents, and though time had passed, their appearance and demeanor were nearly unchanged, though their prowess had clearly grown.

Approaching, Yan Hong asked, "Senior Brother, why did those monsters suddenly attack?"

Li Xun, frowning, replied, "Who knows what goes through the minds of these uncivilized beasts! I say we should annihilate them, no need to bother Senior Uncle Shangguan."

Yan Hong gently responded, "Senior Brother, don't be angry. The Valley Master has his reasons. Senior Uncle Shangguan's power intimidated those barbarians, and his presence will make them leave. That's why the Valley Master sent us to fetch him."

Li Xun snorted, "I know, but why should our noble Fragrant Incense Valley bow to these monsters? If this gets out, we'll be a laughingstock."

Yan Hong smiled, "These barbarians must be of some use, so the Valley Master puts up with them. In the future..."

She left the thought unfinished, but her eyes were full of meaning.

Li Xun still looked somewhat unwilling, yet seen from afar that only lent him a touch more dashing grace. He said nothing further, only sighed softly, and with Yan Hong slowly took the side path beside them. After a while, the two vanished into the night.

From the shadows, a gaze as sharp as a blade watched their retreating figures. Thoughts raced through Ghoul Li's mind. So the ones who had invaded Fragrant Incense Valley tonight were in fact the fishfolk he had been investigating. Thinking back to three nights ago, when he had overheard Lü Shun speaking in secret with one of the fishmen, that towering fishman had seemed to be the chief of their tribe.

In that case, tonight's events were most likely caused by Jin Ping'er's assassination of that fishfolk chieftain, provoking the remaining fishfolk into coming here for revenge in their fury. At the thought, Jin Ping'er's figure flashed through Ghoul Li's mind, and his wariness of that woman deepened yet another layer.

He stood in the shadows for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind and glanced at Little Ash in his arms. The monkey blinked several times, then suddenly sprang up onto his shoulder, baring its teeth in a grin. It seemed to have fully recovered.

Ghoul Li relaxed, smiled faintly, and said, "Let's go have a look at this so-called Senior Uncle Shangguan, shall we?"

Little Ash chattered twice, waved a monkey paw, and pointed straight down the path Li Xun and Yan Hong had taken.

Ghoul Li smiled soundlessly in the darkness. His figure suddenly rose and shot away like a phantom down that secluded little road.

In the distance, a disciple of Fragrant Incense Valley was walking this way when he suddenly felt his vision blur, as though a ghostly shadow had flashed across the road leading toward the valley's forbidden inner ground, the Altar of Profound Fire. But when he looked carefully again, there was nothing there. He froze for a moment, then shook his head, muttered to himself, and continued on, thinking no more of it.

The path was dim and secluded, unexpectedly long, clearly leading to a place where that Senior Uncle Shangguan lived in great isolation. Ghoul Li had not gone far along it before there were no houses to be seen at all. On either side of the road there were only trees and flowers. The night wind blew beneath the wan light of the moon overhead, and the shifting shadows of the trees looked like demons dancing wildly, lending the place a strange and eerie air.

Ghoul Li advanced carefully along the trail. After a long while, he still saw no forks as he had outside; it seemed this road led directly to the place where Senior Uncle Shangguan resided.

Fragrant Incense Valley occupied an enormous stretch of land, and this winding path seemed to burrow ever deeper toward the heart of the mountain valley.

Suddenly, a square white object appeared by the roadside ahead. Ghoul Li's gaze sharpened. Looking closely, he saw it was a stone stele, carved with two lines of four characters:

Sacred Ground of Profound Fire

Disciples Halt Here

Ghoul Li frowned. It was not because he hesitated at the thought that some mysterious place of Fragrant Incense Valley lay ahead, but because the two words "Profound Fire" quietly stirred something deep within him.

He could not help glancing at his right arm. Beneath the sleeve, the Mirror of Profound Fire lay silently against it.

He stood stunned for a moment, then let out a cold laugh and stepped past the stone stele.

Though the stele looked plain and unremarkable, it seemed to mark a boundary. Once beyond it, for some reason, though the path still twisted forward as before, the trees and flowers on both sides grew noticeably sparse.

First the grass on the ground gradually disappeared, then the low shrubs, and at last even the once-thick trees to either side began to thin out. Not only did cracks start appearing in the earth, but the few remaining trees had trunks and branches gone yellow and withered, as though this place were suffering an extreme drought, the land itself scorched dry.

Could it have something to do with the words "Profound Fire"?

Little Ash gave a low cry from his shoulder and shifted uneasily, as if disturbed. Ghoul Li gently patted it, and only then did the monkey gradually settle down. The surrounding scene was indeed extremely strange, yet it did not look like some heavily guarded vital ground of Fragrant Incense Valley; otherwise, after coming all this way, how could he still not have seen even a single sentry disciple?

Turning these thoughts over in his mind, Ghoul Li followed the path and rounded its final bend.

At once, even with his composure, his body gave an involuntary jolt. Before him spread a vast open space, and a wave of heat, from who knew where, came rushing into his face.

At the very center of the clearing stood an enormous circular altar, its base suspended above the ground. Thirteen gigantic pillars of white jade, each thirty feet high, supported the whole structure. Twelve of them stood along the edge of the altar, each so thick that two men with joined arms could barely encircle one, while the single pillar at the center was so massive that it would take at least five or six men to embrace it.

Above, every part of the structure had been built from a strange crimson stone: the steps, the railings, all of it. At the center of the altar rose a towering, majestic hall in the form of a pagoda, with three tiers. Each higher level was about half the size of the one below, yet each tier seemed almost impossibly tall, nearly a hundred feet high.

Seen from afar, the entire altar resembled a gigantic mass of burning scarlet flame thrusting straight into the heavens. Standing beneath it, Ghoul Li felt as small as an ant, insignificant beyond measure.

Ghoul Li drew a deep breath. The building before him was truly astonishing; even the words "a work of divine craftsmanship" would not be unworthy here. He had never imagined that within Fragrant Incense Valley there could be such a grand and imposing structure. As he pondered, his thoughts flicked back to the stone stele he had passed, and he vaguely understood that this place before him must be the famed site within Fragrant Incense Valley known as the Altar of Profound Fire.

Steadying himself, he drifted silently forward. Aside from the Altar of Profound Fire before him, the surrounding area was nothing but bare open ground, without any cover at all. Fortunately there seemed to be no guards nearby, and his movement was swift. In the blink of an eye he had reached the base of the altar.

The moment he drew near, the heat in the air multiplied severalfold. Even at Ghoul Li's level of cultivation, he felt a wave of irritation and restlessness rise in him, and a faint sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. He frowned, inwardly startled. Then he suddenly remembered Little Ash and wondered whether the monkey could withstand such searing heat. Turning to look, however, he saw Little Ash perched on his shoulder scratching its head and ears, seemingly completely indifferent to the blazing air around them.

Ghoul Li was taken aback. Instinctively he felt that Little Ash had become very unusual of late—especially since swallowing those spiritual medicines and strange stones in the Heavenly Emperor's treasury atop the divine tree in the Death Marsh, after which its body had clearly begun to change little by little.

But no matter what, under the circumstances it was certainly better that Little Ash did not fear the heat. Ghoul Li had no time just now to dwell on it. He was considering whether to leap up onto the Altar of Profound Fire when suddenly the sound of footsteps drifted down from above.

Ghoul Li's brows knit. He cast a swift glance around, only to see there was nowhere at all to hide. After the briefest hesitation, he shot beneath the altar itself and concealed himself behind one of the massive white jade pillars.

Hidden in the shadow of the pillar, he reached out instinctively to touch it. At once his hand was scorched. His reactions were so quick that he immediately snatched it back.

Even beneath the Altar of Profound Fire, these stone pillars were burning hot.

The footsteps grew louder. Clearly someone was descending. Then an aged voice said slowly, "Since the Valley Master has invited me, naturally I must go. But tell me this—why have those fishfolk suddenly become so violent that they have gone so far as to attack the valley?"

Concealed in the shadow of the pillar, Ghoul Li looked outward and saw Li Xun and Yan Hong following respectfully behind an old man in gray as they came down.