The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 882 - 485: The Worst Deduction (Part 2)

Regarding the lichen that the Clan Leader mentioned, it may look unimpressive and not taste great, yet it is almost the most precious gift Wu Chi’er Mountain gives to mortals. In the icy and snowy season, having a bite of seasonal vegetables rich in fiber and vitamins is a luxury even ancient nobles couldn’t enjoy. This is evident today, as the most common winter vegetables for residents of the Northeastern Region are still potatoes, dried green beans, dried eggplants, cabbages, and sauerkraut made from cabbage.

At this point, the possibility of Wu Chi’er Mountain being a former volcano is quite significant. Ning Xiaoxian took a deep breath, suppressing the anxiety in her heart, and asked, "How do we get to Wu Chi’er Mountain?"

"Travel twenty li to the east from here, the mountain shape resembles an overturned giant bowl." Chief Pu glanced at her expression and then cautiously added, "The Mountain God has been in a foul mood for decades now, refusing to let outsiders in."

"How did you know?"

"Many precious herbs used to grow year-round on Wu Chi’er Mountain, including the rare Snow Baby, which our people often dug out and exchanged at the market for silver coin, then used the proceeds to buy wheat, flour, and tea oil back." Chief Pu said with a bitter smile, "But for the past thirty years, Wu Chi’er Mountain has not been safe. Initially, those who ventured into the mountain alone to gather herbs or firewood often disappeared and never returned. We organized search parties four or five times, and each time, out of the thirty-plus people who went, only about six or seven would return." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Those who came back were all terrified, saying the ancient forest in the mountains was unusually dense, making it almost impossible to take a step. People separated by merely ten zhang couldn’t see each other. Once inside the mountain, there were no traces of birds or beasts, not even a single bird call or beast roar."

"The scariest thing is, after walking in the dense forest for about an hour, people become mentally exhausted, extremely fatigued, and can’t wait to lie down for a good sleep. But at this time, one mustn’t rest, or they won’t wake up again." Chief Pu swallowed and continued, "My wife’s younger brother, he fell asleep in the dense forest of Wu Chi’er Mountain, and that sleep took him away. We originally thought it was the work of demons, but no matter how many people we sent, or from which direction we entered, the same thing happened. It seems we weren’t sincere enough in the past, angering the Mountain God, who decided to cut off our livelihood. Immortal... Are you okay, Immortal?"

He saw Ning Xiaoxian’s face growing increasingly distressed and couldn’t help but call out softly twice.

She, her mind in turmoil, stood up and said, "All Hidden Guards, listen to my command, we set out for Wu Chi’er Mountain in an hour." Tu Jin and the others acknowledged and went out to prepare.

Chang Tian gently asked, "Girl, did you think of something?"

"No."

Perhaps her response was too quick, as Chang Tian squinted and, after a long pause, said, "Come in, speak to me face to face." Her heart had just been beating unusually fast, she must have thought of something.

She bit her lip, standing motionless. Chief Pu didn’t know what this Granny was suddenly lost in thought about but remained cautiously by her side.

"Come in." He commanded again, "Something is very wrong with you."

Knowing she couldn’t avoid it, she had to ask Chief Pu for a small single room as a pretext, entering directly into the God Demon Prison from there.

Her complexion, formerly flushed, had turned pale, and even her rosebud lips had lost their color, looking absent-minded. Chang Tian, seeing this, was startled and gently caressed her cheek, comforting her, "What happened?"

"Nothing." She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his glittering golden eyes.

"You’re unwilling to be honest with me too?" His voice was displeased, "Troubled about what? Speak! Does it have to do with the Nanming Lihuo Sword?"

Ning Xiaoxian tightly grasped his wrist.

It was then he realized her hand was also strangely cold, even slightly sweaty, making him alarmed and serious. Ning Xiaoxian’s Divine Skills, almost taught by him personally, this girl had faced many battles, with a solid mental fortitude; even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of her, she wouldn’t change her expression. As a cultivator who excels in Body Techniques, her palms have always been steady and dry; otherwise, how could she grasp weapons? Unless her heart was in utter turmoil, how could it be like this?

With a keen mind, he finally managed to force her to speak. Ning Xiaoxian sighed deeply and said, "From what Chief Pu said, there may not even be a Mountain God on Wu Chi’er Mountain; rather... rather, all of this could very well be the result of volcanic gases."

"Volcanic gases?" He looked puzzled.

"If you stayed in my world, you’d know the symptoms he described and the consequences of volcanic gases are roughly the same. Volcanic gases are composed of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and methane—gases that won’t immediately kill but will make people or animals drowsy, weaken physically, and eventually die unknowingly." In Huaxia, are there not enough cases of gas poisoning, carbon dioxide poisoning?

"That’s why you can’t hear bird or beast calls on Wu Chi’er Mountain, because animals can’t survive here; that’s why those who enter the mountain also encounter mishaps, because as they walk further into the dense forest, their physical strength is quickly eroded by volcanic gases, and the forest is dense, making it even harder for mortals to find their way back when nervous."

"And the dense forest—with such a high concentration of carbon dioxide, plants would grow more vigorously too." She pursed her lips and said, "Volcanic gases are gases produced when a volcano erupts or before it erupts."

"Chang Tian, do you know what this means? The thing that originally suppressed Wu Chi’er Mountain is gone, and this volcano is about to erupt again!" She suddenly hugged her beloved’s narrow waist tightly. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)