Chapter 117: The Key

　　After the dwarf Taoist priest vented his anger on the stone forest, he quickly regained his composure. He leaped back in front of Wen Leyang and continued reminiscing.

　　After the Huan River was formed, the Qilian Immortals decided to live in seclusion, cutting all ties with the outside world. Their duty passed down from generation to generation was to stay in the Gold-consuming Nest and protect the Exquisite Ice. Of course, from time to time, some of them will go out of the valley, abduct some children and made them their disciples.

　　The Exquisite Ice slowly grew day by day. Huge ice columns started forming, protruding from the ground. The Qilian disciples were overjoyed! When the Exquisite Ice was young, the aura of people will have an adverse effect on it. Hence, the Qilian disciples only looked after it from afar, rarely going close.

　　There were only three forces that reside in the Gold-consuming Nest. They were the Qilian Immortals, the two bronze ants Mo Ya and the bunch of metal mountain demons that were born when the Exquisite Ice formed a magical fountain.

　　The two bronze ants Mo Ya had been endlessly killing the metal mountain demons for hundreds of years in a quest to capture their severe Metal Poison. However, both Mo Ya and the metal mountain demons coexisted peacefully with the Qilian Immortals, neither of them bothering the other. Other than that, there were the occasional practitioners from the outside. However, so long as they only trained at the outskirts, the Qilian Immortals would not be bothered.

　　“However, twenty years ago…” the old priest’s tone changed suddenly, becoming extremely sharp, “One day, a strange noise came from the stone forest!”

　　Wen Xiaoyi was completely mesmerized by the dwarf Taoist priest’s story. She asked, “What noise!”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest’s old face, which was formerly like a calm, had a mixed expression of anger, helplessness, lost and brutality. The plum on his forehead was shining against the background of mixed expressions, “I can’t tell what kind of noise it was. It sounded like a sickly dying baby’s cry, like a weak dog in labor, like a jawless wild boar chewing on meat, like a broken-necked rooster crowing, like a goat who had its tongue pulled out…”

　　Goosebumps appeared on Wen Xiaoyi’s beautiful forehead. She unconsciously grabbed onto Wen Leyang’s arm. Wen Buzuo smiled drily and interrupted the priest, “Where did you learn so many adjectives?”

　　Little Chi Maojiu’s little face was filled with terror. He said to the priest, “Hold on!” He waved in the air, summoning his golden vital fire again. He then carefully took a five-inch-long leather strap out of his sack.

　　Wen Xiaoyi asked with curiosity, “What is this?”

　　“Spotted dog’s tongue.”

　　Wen Xiaoyi cried, “Ahh.” Remorse clear on her face. Her hand that was holding onto Wen Leyang’s arm grabbed even harder.

　　Little Chi Maojiu took out black needles and used it to draw a peculiar pattern on the spotted dog’s tongue. He then tossed the tongue into his vital flame. He covered his ears with his hands.

　　The moment the spotted dog’s tongue entered the vital fire, an indescribable cry sounded. The sound could only be produced when Yan Wang Ye’s (the keeper of the Chinese underworld) hand had held onto a little demon’s tongue and pulled outwards with all his might. The cry was a mix of wailing and excruciating pain!

　　The cry continued for a few minutes before fading gradually. Wen Xiaoyi’s face was pale. She cursed at Little Chi Maojiu, “Next time give me a warning first, so that I can cover my ears!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu saluted and bowed at Wen Xiaoyi. He turned to the dwarf Taoist priest, “Is this that kind of noise?”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest recalled for a moment, “It’s similar. The despair is almost the same. But the weird noise during that night was far louder. It almost overpowered thunder. Also, it had a trace of life within it. Your noise was something of a dead being. That noise sounded like something had come to life.”

　　Little Chi Maojiu had a stern look. He nodded like a little adult, “It’s the Witch’s Song. Before a great witchcraft is completed, the Witch’s Song can be heard.” He took another eight pieces of “spotted dog’s tongue”. He drew the patterns on it using the witch needle while saying, “It was also raining on that day…”

　　Wen Buzuo immediately jumped in front of Little Chi Maojiu. He grabbed his wrist and forcefully put the dogs’ tongue back into his sack, “That’s enough. It’s enough that you know the meaning, there’s no need to imitate it.”

　　The cry just now was too penetrating. Hearing it once would be enough for three years’ worth of nightmares. No one wanted to hear it again. Even the dwarf Taoist priest nodded in agreement.

　　Wen Leyang asked the dwarf Taoist priest, “Were there any visitors during that time?”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest shook his head confidently, “Definitely none!”

　　After the weird noise that night, the dwarf Taoist priest was worried that something had happened to the Exquisite Ice. He risked affecting the treasure with his mortal aura and rushed into the forest to check on the Exquisite Ice. However, everything was normal in the ice forest. For the next few days, the priest went in again, but he did not discover anything new. Although he was puzzled during that time, he did not think about it too much. After all, nobody has ever cultivated such a large vegetable, as the Exquisite Ice. Maybe the weird noise was normal.

　　One day, two days, one month and two months, nobody could tell. But after a few years, the Qilian Immortals could see that something is wrong. The Exquisite Ice had stopped growing since that night! The priests panicked like ants on a hot pot, but there was nothing that they could do. No one knew what to do. There was nothing inside the ice forest.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest smiled wanly at this point, “I even comforted myself back then. Maybe when Exquisite Ice grows to this extent, it will stop growing for a while. Who knows, it might even generate remnant ice, heh!”

　　This scenario continued until one day a few months ago, that strange cry once again broke the silence in the sky.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest pointed a trembling finger at the stone forest, “That Exquisite Ice forest turned into this! I had stopped by that evening and it was still crystal clear, shining dazzlingly. However, it turned into this patch of dead rocks in the night!”

　　At the same time, the stone forest was also sealed by a Prohibition Spell. The priest was furious and wanted to break the stone forest apart with his treasured weapon. However, he almost went berserk due to the great shock to his state of mind. He threw up three liters of blood and was badly injured. He barely managed to recover. When he was recuperating, he ordered his disciples to go out of the valley to search for the Mountain-guarding Divine Beast who usually fools around in the outside world.

　　The other disciples also attempted to barge in the stone forest, but they did not expect that the metal mountain demons, who lived together with them harmoniously, would turn on them when they saw that the priests wanting to attack their birthplace.

　　The head of the Qilian Immortals was badly injured while the disciples could not hold the metal mountain demons back. They also could not attack the stone forest. It was not until a few days later when the dwarf Taoist priest had recovered and the giant pangolin had rushed back after hearing the news that they formed a party to attack the stone forest. They wanted to find out what kind of demon made the flourishing Exquisite Ice into this stone forest.

　　Wen Buzuo’s mouth twitched with disdain. He seemed to jeer casually, “Your Mountain-guarding Divine Beast usually fools around in the outside world? Don’t you worry that monks or other priests will punish it?

　　The dwarf Taoist priest cursed, “Senior Po Tu was already a name to be feared two thousand years ago. Who can harm him?”

　　The Bushuo and Buzuo exchanged looks. It was clear that when the giant pangolin came back, it was unharmed. They dared not probe further in case the Qilian Immortals became suspicious.

　　Wen Leyang actually witnessed what happened next. The metal mountain demons ganged up to rush back here and fought with their lives. The two Mo Ya chased their prey here. The giant pangolin escaped into the stone forest. The dwarf Taoist priest planted a plum on his forehead…

　　When the Painting Town entered the Gold-consuming Nest, the Qilian Immortals were busy dealing with the metal mountain demons and attacking the stone forest. They had no time or energy to spare for them. After the five old priests went back to retrieve their disciple’s corpse, they hurried back here to reinforce their comrades.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest suddenly changed the subject. He turned his gaze towards Wen Leyang, “You have probed that the Prohibition Spell on the stone forest is witchcraft. Then the two cry-like weird noise of the Exquisite Ice within twenty years, it that the sound of witchcraft too?”

　　Little Chi Maojiu chipped in, “It wasn’t him, it was me. The two cries are definitely Witch’s Songs.”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest was still looking at Wen Leyang, “I AM asking you!”

　　Wen Buzuo flashed a villain smile towards Chi Maojiu, “Kid, you did that on purpose, right?”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest knew that it was because of his cross-eye. He changed the subject again without changing expressions, “The ancestors have a saying among themselves. There was an expert who knew how to control fairy fire, exorcise demons and dig through mountains, draw divine markings, lead fished and divide the waters. His power was like nothing the ancestors have ever seen. Once, somebody asked him, he said his power is called Witchcraft!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu’s thoughts were like a frog, jumping around aimlessly with the words of the priest. He is now boggled, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest smiled sinisterly, “Someone used witchcraft to help us without being asked. The Exquisite Ice had sung the Witch’s Song twice in twenty years and turned into a stone forest. Now, it is sealed by a witchcraft Prohibition Spell. Hehe! I’m worried that after two thousand years of hard work on the part of the Qilian Immortals, all they accomplished was making a wedding dress for others becoming the watchdogs of their treasure!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu exhaled, “Planting the seeds of witchcraft using remnant Ice two thousand years ago and activating it after two thousand years. It’s not impossible.”

　　The Qilian immortals knew nothing about witchcraft. However, after connecting the dots of all the happenings, the dwarf Taoist priest discovered a possibility almost immediately. That ‘savior’ who helped the Qilian disciples cultivate remnant ice may not have intended to regrow Exquisite Ice. He wanted to use the growth of the remnant ice to culture something else.

　　If that were true, then the Qilian Immortals had been free manual labor when they dug the mountain. They were the guards protecting Exquisite Ice for two thousand years. Throughout all this, they kept praising the goodness of their supposed savior. All that was left was to give the person a place among their ancestors.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest paused briefly then continued, “We initially thought that some powerful monster had grown silently in the ice forest, causing the Exquisite Ice to change its form. Hence, we vowed to do everything we can to go in and investigate. Now, it seems that maybe we Qilian Immortals had been made the fool for two thousand years. Hehe, if that’s the case, then he better not think that he will succeed!”

　　Wen Leyang glanced at Wen Buzuo with an incredulous expression. Witchcraft may be fascinating, but in the eyes of true cultivators, it was only child’s play. Miao Bujiao is the top sorcerers but even weak rogue cultivators like Ji Fei and Shui Jing also made it out of Seven Maidens Mountain unscathed. If it were not for the wicked witch Chi Liang, they would have made it out a lot sooner.

　　No matter how they thought about it, the only person who can overcome a great sect such as the Qilian Immortals would be none other than their master teacher Tuo Xie.

　　However, when the said stranger ascended the mountain, it was only a few decades after the two grand masters. Tuo Xie and Chang Li, had a great battle between the elite cultivators. Even if master teacher Tuo Xie was to reduce to ashes, mixed in glue and wiped onto the metal mountain demons, he would still be recognized by his enemies, who were cursing him day and night.

　　Little Chi Maojiu asked with a straight face, “How does that guy look like? What’s his name? What are his characteristics?”

　　Wen Leyang silently praised the mini Big Dragon’s Root. He took a carrot from Wen Xiaoyi.

　　While the dwarf priest was recounting these past events, he spoke at a fast pace. Although things were a tad complicated but talking about them was not much of a hassle. He showed a trace of impatience, “What? The looks and name of this person concerns you breaking the Prohibition Spell?”

　　Little Chi Maojiu nodded matter-of-factly, “Witchcraft has been around for thousands of years, you may not know that person but he might be a significant person among us, Miaos. If we can correctly guess his identity, we’ll know exactly which kind of witchcraft he used. That will make breaking the spell a lot easier.”

　　The dwarf Taoist priest nodded with a pinch of salt, “Our ancestors say that this person is dark-skinned and skinny. He carried a huge tumor that was like a small incense burner on his back. He used a stiff metal-headed serpent as a staff. He was a pervert and an alcoholic. He called himself Lue Luo.”

　　Little Chi Maojiu’s brow knitted after he heard that and turned his gaze towards Wen Buzuo.

　　Wen Buzuo laughed and made an obeisance to the dwarf Taoist priest, “Master, could you give us a moment? We have something to discuss among ourselves.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest’s face twitched but did not stop them. He only said, “Be quick!” He led his disciples and moved backwards but still formed a fence around Wen Leyang’s group outside the stone forest.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest added, “Please forgive us!” His great sword Molten Metal Fire Bell and the red-colored sword formation of his disciples hovered in the air. The priests were worried that they would pull something out of their sleeves just as Leyang Shoujin did, who ran into the stone forest in a flash.

　　When the priests moved away, Little Chi Maojiu immediately spoke to the group in a low voice. His little face hardly suppressed his excitement, “The witchcraft used to create the stone forest is very similar to ours on the Seven Maidens Mountain but on a far higher level. Even if you put all the previous Big Dragon’s Roots together, they might not accomplish such a powerful Prohibition Spell. However…”

　　Wen Buzuo frowned and reminded the group in a low voice, “The priests are watching us from the outside, be mindful of your expressions and movements!”

　　Chi Maojiu was startled. He immediately lowered his head and spoke in a low voice, “This Prohibition Spell is placed for us!”

　　“What do you mean?” Everyone was stunned. Their expressions changed, some were sad, some were helpless, and some were fretting… From afar, they looked like a group of unlucky people who hadn’t eaten in two days.

　　“There’s a witchcraft in the Miao Bujiao that can only be refined by Big Dragon’s Root. It’s called the ‘Red Mark’. When refining it, you must remove almost a fifth of your blood in two months, and…”

　　Three-inch Nail Wen Bushuo blurted out four words, “Long story, cut short!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu managed an ‘oh’ with a wronged expression, “My point is that it’s extremely painful. You basically wrestle with death every day. It is useless even after you refined it, but that was our ancestors’ command, to have every Big Dragon’s Root refine this witchcraft. Nobody knew why we had to refine this Red Mark. Not long ago I asked Second Mother…”

　　Three-inch Nail Wen Bushuo interrupted him again, “Long story, cut short!”

　　Wen Buzuo scolded him while laughing, “You didn’t seem like the talkative type.”

　　Little Chi Maojiu was upset to be called talkative by Wen Buzuo, “When I probed the Prohibition Spell on the stone forest just now, it was clear. We can easily get in by means of the Red Mark! The spell is the lock and the Red Mark is the key!”

　　Wen Xiaoyi exclaimed in a low voice. She beamed in wonder, “Could it be that master teacher knew that we would come by one day? This Prohibition Spell is left for us by master teacher Tuo Xie? But that…Lue Luo and master teacher Tuo Xie, they look nothing alike.” Nobody could answer her questions.

　　Lue Luo is a dark-skinned skinny hunchback, master teacher is a wealthy looking jar. The two looked nothing alike.

　　The well-behaved child Luo Wanggen also had a fair share of knowledge. He was frowning and seemingly talking to himself, “Using a stiff metal-headed serpent as a staff, that’s the custom of the Ling Nan witchcraft…” Witchcraft is frowned upon among the true cultivators but those who practiced it in the secular society were numerous. They were divided into sects according to their regions. There’s the Miao, Ling Nan, Xiang, and others. Miao Bujiao was cut off from the world and had no ties to these Witchcraft sects.

　　Wen Xiaoyi shrugged her delicate shoulders, “Maybe grand master disguised himself. But the Red Mark really is the key? We were almost burnt to death by the green fire just now.”

　　There was a sly spirit in Little Chi Maojiu’s eyes but he put on a moping face, “It’s fake! The green fire is my own witchcraft. I acted the part to deceive the priests! I’ve got to put on a show before asking him about the details.”

　　Wen Leyang finally understood why Second Mother was willing to let Little Chi Maojiu accompany him to this Gold-consuming Nest. Not only this kid had talent in witchcraft, he was also very smart.

　　The Miao Bujiao of the Seven Maidens Mountains never had contact with anyone else. The Red Mark was passed down from generation to generation of Big Dragon’s Roots. Even the Wind Rain Rainbow group could see that this ‘key’ was intentionally left behind by master teacher Tuo Xie. Now, the person holding the key had finally found the lock.

　　Wen Buzuo was originally worried that there was something powerful inside the stone forest that will endanger everyone’s lives. However, now, it seems that this stone forest was waiting for their arrival. Even if there were demons inside, they were all allies. He made an earnest heartbroken face, “That dwarf did not tell us the whole truth! If it really was as he said that there were only demons and powerful magic in the stone forest, then why did they forbid outsiders from entering? It seems to me that there is a treasure in there!”

　　Wen Leyang was holding half a carrot and asked with a drooping head, “What you’re saying is, master teacher Tuo Xie had left us some treasure in there?” He almost couldn’t hold in his urge to laugh throughout this short sentence.

　　When Little Chi Maojiu and well-behaved child Luo Wanggen heard this, they shook their heads and sighed, grief and sadness written all over their faces.

　　The great pangolin is connected to master teacher Chang Li’s whereabouts, the stone forest is a clue left behind by master teacher Tuo Xie. All the dangers inside were ‘allies’ to them. This venture into the stone forest had to be undertaken no matter what.

　　Three-inch Nail Wen Bushuo went straight to the point. They had to go into the stone forest no matter what. He immediately started discussing strategy with Little Chi Maojiu, “How do we know that the Prohibition Spell is broken?”

　　Wen Buzuo elaborated for his younger brother, “Will you be able to pass through while the spell is intact? Or are you going to completely destroy the spell? Or can you bring other people into the stone forest? And…long story cut short!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu thought about it for a while, seemingly choosing his words, “The Red Mark is the key, the Prohibition spell is the iron gate. The key can open the gate from the outside, then anybody can get in. The key can also lock the iron gate from the inside but I need a little bit of time.”

　　“How much time?” Bushuo and Buzuo asked simultaneously, their expressions concerned.

　　“I don’t know!” Little Chi Maojiu cut his long story short, straight to the point.

　　The lot discussed some more in hushed tones. Finally, Wen Xiaoyi waved her blunderbuss and nodded to the large group.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest was looking at the fake dejected looks of this band of people and he shuddered with fear. The few short minutes felt like a lifetime. He finally waited for them to finish and appeared before Wen Buzuo in one move of his body, “This priest had said, break the Prohibition Spell. You guys leave this Gold-consuming Nest and from then on you will be intimate friends of the Qilian Immortals!”

　　Wen Buzuo said nothing. He tapped Little Chi Maojiu on the shoulders.

　　Little Chi Maojiu made a reluctant face and took out snake skulls, rat’s teeth, centipede beads, colorful silkworm chrysalis, wind-dried golden head flies and an assortment of peculiar objects from his sack. Wen Xiaoyi’s hairs stood up at the sight of them. She told little Little Chi Maojiu solemnly, “After this, get that sack of yours away from me!”

　　The vital fire rotated slowly. The flickering light shone on his little face. Little Chi Maojiu finally took out a red bamboo whistle and put it between his teeth.

　　The whistle was not sharp, nor was it loud. Instead, it was a low, creamy rubbing sound of wet mud! Wen Leyang, Bushuo, and Buzuo were familiar with this sound. During their time in Miao Jiang when they were pursued by the Miao Bujiao’s A Swarm of Bees, all they heard was this sound. They weren’t sure if little Chi Maojiu was only putting up a show, or casting the Red Mark is indeed like this.

　　It was right before dawn in the Gold-consuming Nest. This is when the darkness is at its utmost thickest. The two groups of people each had their own hidden agenda and they held their breaths. They watched silently as Little Chi Maojiu cast his witchcraft to break the Prohibition Spell. The sound of rubbing mud was like tide water, slowly emanating to the surrounding. Sometimes clear, sometimes blurry.

　　Wen Buzuo could not help but look at his surroundings. He was checking if there were black vines wrapping itself around his neck.

　　Little Chi Maojiu’s expression was solemn and painful. After a while, he would pick up an object and toss it into his golden vital fire. For every peculiar object that combusted in the vital fire, an equal sound was added to the sound of mud outside.

　　When the snake skull was burnt, the sound of a serpent’s slither and hiss is mixed into the sound of mud. When rat’s teeth were burned, the sound of rats grinding their teeth popped up in the sound of mud. When the golden head flies were burnt, a buzzing sound could be heard…

　　God knows how many chilling sounds were mixed together. Everybody felt that the creamy mud had wrapped around themselves in numerous layers. They felt something like rats or venomous snakes swiftly passing them by. Even the light night breeze brought along a putrid stench!

　　The stone forest, which was like clear jade, shifted a little in the upsetting sound. Wen Leyang was unsure if it was his imagination, but he felt as though the towering huge rock columns were slowly coming to life. They were like tall giants, lowering their heads in disdain, looking down on them from on high.

　　Beads of sweat rolled down Little Chi Maojiu’s face. The golden vital fire was like a greedy frog, rolling its flames with agile movements, consuming the crystal sweat into its belly. The fire burned greater.

　　Everybody could feel that everything in their surroundings was changing silently. However, nobody could tell exactly what had changed.

　　The dwarf Taoist priest had mixed expressions. He kept his eyes glued to Wen Buzuo like a needle. Wen Buzuo was quite annoyed. He knew that the priest was not looking at him. The Molten Metal Fire Bell in the sky did not budge, hovering above everybody’s heads. It occasionally rolled out a few flames, like an evil beast licking its lips.

　　In the cracks within the clouds on the skyline, a dazzling white could be slowly seen. Dawn was breaking.