Chapter 87: The Hidden Realm in the Mountain
The “back mountain” that the village chief spoke of was actually a barren hill behind the village, nestled against the mountain range. Since there weren’t any valuable trees there—only weeds and scattered stones—few villagers ever bothered climbing it. The mountain wasn’t large either; compared to Mount Kui, where the Qingyang Sect resided, it was much smaller.
The steward and the village chief had both mentioned that after the last group of heavenly masters vanished, the villagers had organized search parties, scouring the area to no avail. As Yun Jiao’s group ascended, they still saw traces of those past searches—flattened grass, half-worn paths. Following the trail, the three soon reached the summit without much effort. But there wasn’t a single suspicious mark in sight.
“Girl,” the old man said, frowning as he glanced around. “Could it be that the demon already fled?”
“Not necessarily.” Yun Jiao’s eyes scanned the surroundings. From their height, the village below looked like a small chessboard. She paused, mentally estimating their climbing time, then suddenly turned to him. “Old man, did you bring any Barrier-Breaking Talismans?”
“Barrier-Breaking?” he blinked. “Why would I carry that useless thing?”
Barrier-Breaking Talismans were meant to dispel illusions—basic, low-grade charms even weaker than exorcism talismans. Only minor spirits or weak ghosts relied on illusions to trick people; anyone with firm willpower could resist them. Still, if the girl was asking, she probably had a reason. He rubbed his chin. “I don’t have that, but I do have a Sound-Burst Talisman. Would that work?”
“Good enough. Give me one.” Yun Jiao held out her hand.
He handed her the talisman, curious. “What did you find?”
“I’m not sure yet,” she replied, activating it as she spoke. “Let’s test it first.”