The Portal of Wonderland

Mo Yun Yang’s movement slowed down the moment he got trapped in the blue ripples.

Shi Mu’s eyes lit up brightly as he saw this scene. He then drew in a long and deep breath… Several fervent currents gushed out of his lower abdomen, and swarmed along his arm into the black blade. He then hacked his blade to cut off the joint of the zombie’s knee.

A layer of faint-black blade-light burst forth on the surface of the black blade as soon as it received a flick. It was merely half-a-foot wide. But, it looked very pure and translucent. In fact, it was entirely different from the previous blade-lights.

Ka-cha!

The black blade-light hacked at the zombie’s knee with full force… It seemed that the incredibly sturdy body of the zombie had suddenly become very fragile under the blade-light. That’s because the black blade had chopped down both of its legs below the knees without much difficulty!

Plop! “Mo Yun Yang” turned over, and fell to the ground.

This incident blew up Shi Mu’s mind for a second. He cast an astounded glance at the black blade in his hand, and noticed that the black blade-light had started to fade away little by little.

As for “Mo Yun Yang”… he hadn’t given up on his revolting approach despite the fact that both of his legs had been severed from his body. He shot his arms on the ground with full force, and took off in the air once again. He then threw himself straight at Shi Mu.

“Big Brother Shi, watch out!” Zhong Xiu exclaimed.

Shi Mu took his gaze off the black blade, and looked at “Mo Yun Yang”. He couldn’t help but shake his head.

Shi Mu waved his arm. And, the remaining arm of the zombie flew away from its body, and fell to the ground.

“Mo Yun Yang” heavily crashed to the ground, and took a few rolls before he finally stopped.

However, “Mo Yun Yang” still didn’t seem to give up… He was still struggling desperately to stand up.

He tried to stand up twice. But, he couldn’t do so since all of his limbs had been cut off.

Then, a black blade-light pierced through Mo Yun Yang’s chest, and pinned his body to the ground with a “Ka-cha” sound.

Simultaneously, the last glimmer of translucent blade-light on the surface of the black blade dissipated. The black blade eventually returned to its original appearance.

Shi Mu slowly unfolded his tightly wrinkled eyebrows.

The purple light in Mo Yun Yang’s eyes slowly subsided after being nailed to the ground. Also, the strong aura around his body started to decline at a very fast speed. Even the expression in his eyes gradually regained its sobriety and brightness.

Simultaneously, the zombie-like bulky and swollen body of “Mo Yun Yang” also started to shrink at lightning speed… as if air was leaking of it.

The zombie had completely transformed into the human form and size in a matter of few breaths. In fact, it had resumed the appearance of the human Mo Yun Yang by now.

Shi Mu looked at Mo Yun Yang with severed limbs, and sensed that his vitality was diminishing very rapidly. Mo Yun Yang was unlikely to survive much longer at this rate.

“It’s… it’s you…” Mo Yun Yang barely managed to turn his head as he looked at Shi Mu and Zhong Xiu once. He then spat out a few words with great difficulty.

The red-veined lines on his skin gradually brightened while he was speaking.

“Big Brother Shi, be careful,” Zhong Xiu’s complexion slightly changed, and she said.

“Don’t worry. I’m on the verge of death… I’m in this miserable state. My current state clearly doesn’t pose any threat to you… Thank… Thank you so much for rescuing me from the state of corpse transformation…” Mo Yun Yang’s voice was getting weaker with each passing second.

Shi Mu held Zhong Xiu’s hand, and patted it gently to dispel her unnecessary worries.

“City Lord Mo, why did the entire official mansion turn like this? How did you become a zombie? Who is behind all this mess?” he looked at Mo Yun Yang, and questioned.

“It’s the people of the Dark Moon Cult… It was my fault for placing trust in them. They had said that they would make me stronger… conspiracy…” A gleam of deeply-engraved hatred flashed through Mo Yun Yang’s eyes. His voice had sounded louder this time, but it had still been incoherent.

Shi Mu’s eyes flickered, and he said “as expected” in his heart. Then, he asked again,

“So, the goods in the inn have also been plundered by them?”

The aura around Mo Yun Yang’s body was getting increasingly weaker with the passage of time. He turned his head to glance at Shi Mu, and a wisp of crystal-like light streaked across his eyes.

“The people that I had sent haven’t returned yet. Those goods should still be in their possession…” Mo Yun Yang replied. Meanwhile, the expression in his eyes started to gradually fade.

“Do you know where they could go to?” Shi Mu promptly asked.

“I can tell you, but on one condition… You have to avenge me!” Mo Yun Yang said.

“Well, we’ll track them down, and take our goods back even if you don’t say it,” Shi Mu replied with a blank expression on his face.

“That’s right, I’m stupid… you go to… Crying Crane Mountain Range, Hidden Wind… Valley…” Mo Yun Yang’s pupils looked uncontrolled and sluggish at this moment. He squeezed out the last bit of strength, and spat out a few words. After that, his head tilted to one side, and his breathing stopped.

Boom!

The red lines on Mo Yun Yang’s body suddenly gleamed, and ignited a blood-red flame.

Shi Mu’s complexion changed. He turned his hand, and pulled out his black blade. However, it was already too late to extinguish these blazing flames.

The raging flames flared up, and engulfed Mo Yun Yang’s dead body in the blink of an eye. Mo Yun Yang’s body was reduced to ashes by the flames along with the stuff on it. Even his spirit didn’t get enough time to escape.

Shi Mu shook his head, and sighed inwardly.

The dignified Lord of a city had been exterminated to such an extent that not even his spirit was left. And, all of this had happened because he had made a wrong decision in the spur of the moment. His existence had been wiped out from the face of the world… Not even the slightest trace of him could be found anywhere now.

Shi Mu’s eyes again drew toward the black blade in his hand, and he clearly felt it to be a lot lighter than before.

That radiant and translucent blade light from a moment ago was almost similar to the time when Yan Luo had stimulated the short stick to resist Elder Wu Chen’s attack.

A string of thoughts rolled in his mind at this moment. He remembered that Yan Luo had once said to him that he might be able to display the true might of the black blade once his strength ascended to the realm of Earth-rank.

The might of that translucent blade-light from before was awe-inspiring. Could it possibly be the true power of the black blade?

Shi Mu felt a sense of excitement and expectation surging in his heart at the moment. He knew that his strength would reach the Earth-rank after undergoing totem body transformation. So, it was possible for him to display the true power of the black blade in the transformed state if he listened to Yan Luo’s words.

However, there was still something that needed to be dealt with at the moment. So, he didn’t have spare time to give it a try once again.

“Miss Xiu, let’s go.” He inserted the black blade back into its scabbard. Then, he turned around, and walked into the distance.

Zhong Xiu complied, and followed him closely.

The two walked out of the official mansion which was permeated with Dead Spirit World’s aura, and came to a street with quick steps. Then, they heaved a sigh of relief.

“Miss Xiu, what’s your view on Mo Yun Yang’s statement?” Shi Mu asked.

“It is said that people’s words are always true when they are on their deathbed. So, Mo Yun Yang’s last words should be reliable. I think those people of the Dark Moon Cult should be in the Hidden Wind Valley.” Zhong Xiu replied.

“Miss Xiu, do you know this Hidden Wind Valley?” Shi Mu asked.

“I’ve also come to this place for the first time. So, I haven’t heard of the Hidden Wind Valley so far,” Zhong Xiu said while shaking her head.

“Then, we’ll investigate about it first. It shouldn’t be difficult to locate this place since it is somewhere in the Crying Crane Mountain range,” Shi Mu pondered for a moment, and then said.

The two people soon found a book-store on the street, and bought a topographic map of the Crying Crane Mountain range.

They immediately found the Hidden Wind Valley on the map. It was located in the north of the Crying Crane Mountain Range. It was a well-known place in that mountain range. Moreover, the Dark Moon Cult’s sub-altar was also situated in this valley.

“It seems to me that those people of the Dark Moon Cult should’ve carried the batch of goods to the sub-altar in the Hidden Wind Valley.” Shi Mu looked at the map, and said.

“Big Brother Shi, are you planning to go to the Hidden Wind Valley?” A hint of concern spread across Zhong Xiu’s face.

“Of course… We’ve found the clues of those goods’ whereabouts with great difficulty. So, I obviously wish to pursue,” Shi Mu replied without any hesitation.

“But, that place ought to have a large number of people since it is the sub-altar of the Dark Moon Cult. I’m afraid…” Zhong Xiu said with little hesitation.

“It’s alright… Just leave it to me. I won’t fight without due consideration… I won’t fight if I figure that the enemy is too strong,” Shi Mu replied whilst rubbing Zhong Xiu’s head.

Zhong Xiu’s face flushed red, and she nodded in agreement.

“So, let’s walk faster. They shouldn’t have reached the Hidden Wind Valley yet if we take the Floating Cloud Carriage’s speed into consideration. Everything will be very easy if we can catch up with them halfway,” Shi Mu said.

They took a moment of consideration. Then, they quickly left the city, and went into nearby woods.

Shi Mu waved his hand, and the long blue shuttle appeared before him. Then, he pulled Zhong Xiu, and jumped onto it. After that, the shuttle seemingly turned into a rainbow, and flew in the direction of the Crying Crane Mountain Range.

The Hidden Wind Valley was located in the depths of the Crying Crane Mountain Range. So, it would take them at least half-an-hour to enter the boundary of the Hidden Wind Valley at the blue shuttle’s speed.

They didn’t come across the fleet of Floating Cloud Carriage the entire way.

“Can it be possible that we’ve already entered the Hidden Wind Valley…?” Shi Mu’s brows wrinkled upward, and he said inwardly.

“Shi Tou, look below,” Cai who was on Shi Mu’s shoulder said at this moment.

Shi Mu and Zhong Xiu turned their heads, and looked downward. They saw that a few black-robed people were moving forward at full speed somewhere in the valley.

Shi Mu’s eyes flashed as he noticed the clothes of these people… They were clearly the Dark Moon Cult’s disciples.

An idea streaked across Shi Mu’s mind… He immediately changed the direction of the shuttle, and moved towards the ground.

Then, he and Zhong Xiu stopped in front of those disciples with a flash of blue light.

Those disciples’ complexion changed the moment their eyes fell on these two. They immediately took a vigilant stance one after another.

“Who are you? Why did you stop us?” A young man who was seemingly the leader of this group shot a glance at Shi Mu and Zhong Xiu’s face, and a panic-stricken look flashed through his eyes. However, he still shouted in a stern voice.

That trace of panic vanished from his eyes in an instant. But, it couldn’t escape from Shi Mu’s eyes.

However, Shi Mu didn’t waste any moment in idle talk. He simply waved his hand, and mumbled something. A massive cloud of fire emerged in the air with a flash of red light the next moment. It then hung over the heads of those disciples.

Those disciples’ facial expression terribly changed. However, they didn’t get enough time to respond to this situation.

The cloud of fire tumbled in a violent manner. Then, a red light shone, and a large meteorite appeared; it was wrapped up in a blazing fire. It then descended from the sky, and plummeted down on them like raindrops.

Those disciples issued terrified screams as they saw the approaching peril. Then, they started to activate their defenses one after another.

Bang!

Innumerable blazing rocks drowned the surrounding people in one fell swoop. Then, bursts of painful screams echoed from time to time.

“Meteoric Fire Rain! This is a high-ranked fire-attribute magic technique which demands very high degrees in fire element-induction force. Even many of the moon-ranked warlocks in the Heavenly Wu Chamber of Commerce haven’t been able to master it,” Zhong Xiu looked at Shi Mu with some surprise.

“My fire element-induction strength has exceeded six degrees,” Shi Mu explained.

Zhong Xiu covered her mouth with her hand, and revealed an awestruck look through her eyes.

The person who commanded six-degrees in any element induction force was regarded as a proficient practitioner in almost all Sects. Even the Heavenly Wu Chamber of Commerce held such people in high esteem.

A few breaths passed. Shi Mu then waved his hand, and the clouds of fire in the air dissipated. Simultaneously, the blazing fire on the ground started to extinguish little by little.

A blood-soaked man’s silhouette partly knelt on the ground. Half of his body looked black after having been severely burnt. He was the same young leader from a moment ago. His injuries were very severe. However, the others had been turned into scorched corpses by now.

Shi Mu stepped forward, and arrived in front of that person. Then, he flicked his finger, and the golden sword emerged. Then, the sword turned into a streak of golden sword-light, and landed on the neck of that person.

“You have recognized us, haven’t you? Tell me where we can find them,” Shi Mu asked in a lowered voice.