Chapter 693

Chapter 693: There Are Chi Remnants

In the House of Plantagenet, the size of a continent was roughly equivalent to a province in her previous life. The governor of a continent was the highest administrative official of that continent, also controlling about 20% of the troops within, allowing him to flexibly deploy them to deal with minor alien races, suppress rebellions, maintain public order, and other miscellaneous tasks.

The remaining 80% of the troops were under the control of the colonels, who generally took orders directly from the central court. They also had the responsibility of supervising the governors. If the governor or any general wanted to mobilize them, they would need the tiger talisman issued by the court.

However, if the continent was located on the frontier or the situation within was complex and difficult to navigate, the court would preemptively grant more military power to the governor, enabling them to control about 40% of the troops within the continent to handle complex and difficult situations. This was precisely the case with Huilu Continent, where Lolan Hill currently resided.

Inside the inn, Lolan Hill sat in a corner, facing away from the center of the hall, quietly eating her dinner. Although she hadn’t deliberately observed, the scenes within the inn were easily transmitted into her mind through her keen perception.

The dozen or so “Black Leopard Riders” had robust physiques, with traces of dried blood on their swords and halberds, indicating they often engaged in killing. No wonder people here were so fearful.

Just as this group of people had just sat down waiting for their food, a dish of plain greens was served at the tables where the white-robed individuals were seated. Upon seeing this, the leader of the cavalry slammed the table loudly.

“F*ck! We’ve been sitting here for so long, how come they got served first?” This soldier had a beard like a porcupine, and his face twisted in anger, causing many around him to be startled.

“This… sir, you didn’t order any greens. This one was ordered by them and has already been prepared,” the waiter said, sweating profusely.

“Are you allowed to speak?”

**Slap**

A palm slapped him across the face, sending him flying and even dislodging a tooth or two.

Seeing this scene, many guests quickly ended their meals and hurriedly left to avoid trouble. The manager also rushed out from the kitchen to calm these unruly soldiers.

But the soldier who had struck the waiter paid no heed to the manager’s long and humble apology; instead, he glanced sideways at the few white-robed individuals nearby.

At this point, even those with slightly better eyesight could sense the hostility and potential conflict. People started packing up, either heading upstairs to rest or leaving the inn quickly.

Lolan Hill, witnessing such a scene, did not want to get involved rashly and quietly returned upstairs.

Afterward, downstairs there were sounds of mockery and argument. The group of white-robed individuals seemed to have suppressed their anger and left the inn. Only later did the commotion gradually subside.

The next morning, after dressing, Lolan Hill descended the stairs. The hall was mostly empty, with only a few people eating breakfast.

After ordering breakfast, seeing that the waiter wasn’t busy, Lolan Hill curiously asked about the surrounding situation.

“Do you know about the Xiyu Mountains?”

“The Xiyu Mountains? I only know a bit about what locals usually know,” the waiter began recounting.

“Our Xiyou Continent is separated from the Moshan Continent by a desolate and extremely high mountain range, which used to be called Yama Mountain but is now known as Xiyu Mountains. This is the official term, but many locals still call it Yama Mountain.”

“A great sect called Songli Yama Palace once existed atop Yama Mountain in ancient times. It had many envoys of the Nine Netherworlds, adept at driving corpses and ghosts.”

“After the Great Chaos, when heroes rose everywhere, Yama Palace naturally supported a local force, establishing the Youchi Kingdom.”

“Later, our dynasty rose, these kingdoms fell, and even Yama Palace disappeared. The Youchi Kingdom split into Moshan and Xiyou continents. The remnants of the Youchi Kingdom still live on Yama Mountain, and that’s the general situation.”

The waiter wiped the table while speaking, recounting common knowledge familiar to locals.

When Lolan Hill asked further, the waiter knew little more.

It seemed she would have to visit the Xiyu Mountains (Yama Mountain) herself. Her mission from her sect was to support a divine shrine in these desolate mountains.

After packing her things, Lolan Hill did not linger and left the town named Youcen, continuing northwest into the dangerous mountains where commoners dared not venture.

—

The air carried a peculiar chill. As the young lady looked down from above, she noticed the land’s color gradually shifting from lush green to barren gray.

The rocks and black soil on the mountainside were exposed, with sparse vegetation and few animals. Occasionally, a rabbit would dart out of a burrow, cautiously searching for food.

As Lolan Hill flew over the wasteland, the towering mountains came into clearer view.

Those incredibly tall peaks stood like massive doors on the earth, with distant towns and villages appearing as tiny specks beneath them, barely reaching the doorframe.

The continuous high mountains blocked the view behind, making it impossible to see the setting sun when the sun sank in the west. Only the mountaintops had a faint golden afterglow.

Amidst the misty clouds, that faint light seemed to come from another far-off world, sparking countless imaginations.

As the young lady entered the high mountains, some small black-clothed figures appeared below. Their bodies were mostly wrapped in black robes, making their faces indistinguishable as they struggled and labored on the barren soil, planting black barley.

Finding a village with a larger population, Lolan Hill slowly descended from the sky, carrying a wooden box, and approached.

As the young lady drew near, a villager at the entrance urgently shouted, his words heavily accented.

Under this villager’s frantic shouting, a group of villagers ran out of their houses, peering at the unfamiliar young lady with a mix of fear, surprise, curiosity, and disdain.

Seeing this, Lolan Hill paused slightly.

“Hello, I am from Huilu Continent. Do you know where Qianliu Shrine is?”

Seeing no response, the young lady repeated several times. After a long while, an elderly man with white beard emerged, trembling as he asked.

“Excuse me, do you seek the shrine for any reason?”

This old man had a withered face, and his head was wrapped in black cloth.

“I am a cultivator from Huilu Continent, from the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect.” The young lady briefly introduced herself.

“Oh,” hearing the name Xiangyu Sect, the old man seemed relieved and sighed in relief.

“May I see your credentials?” He waved his hand slowly, and some young men holding weapons slightly retreated.

“Is this it?” Lolan Hill thought for a moment and took out a yellowish token from the box.

The old man did not dare approach, examining it from a distance. After a long while, he nodded.

“Yes, it’s exactly like the one I saw when I was young.”

“Please follow me.” The old man leaned on his cane and slowly walked toward the village.

“I never expected Grandma Ge Luo could still contact you,” he muttered to himself.

Following the old man, Lolan Hill entered the mountain village.

Compared to the desolate lands outside, this village was in a special location, nestled in a sheltered spot surrounded by three mountains. Even though it was on a mountainside, there was a large open space in the middle. The fields were in this open area, and some houses were built on the slopes nearby.

After the old man led Lolan Hill into the village, the younger residents were called aside by the old man, kept at a distance to avoid disturbing the young lady.

As she approached, Lolan Hill gradually noticed the differences between the villagers and outsiders.

Firstly, their skin was very pale, almost as if lacking sunlight, not rosy but slightly bluish. Among the villagers, there were a few Extraordinary Beings, all of whom followed the Necromancer Sequence, with none from other sequences.

This was relatively rare. Generally, the War Sequence was the most widespread because it was easy to start at a low rank and still be effective, and with state promotion and military expansion, it was the sequence ordinary people could most easily access.

Following the white stone steps, she slowly climbed to a flat area halfway up the mountain. Finally, the old man brought Lolan Hill to a semi-cave-like house.

Most of the house was hidden within the mountain, with windows only on the outer edge.

Upon entering the house, it felt much cooler than outside. The old man then gestured for her to sit down.

The chairs were old wooden ones, with many dents, scratches, and worn spots. But they looked smooth, perhaps due to long use, making the edges almost unnoticeable.

“You’re going to the shrine to meet the witch, right?” the old man asked straightforwardly.

“Yes,” Lolan Hill nodded, looking at the hunched and emaciated old man who was struggling to sit down.

“That should be correct.”

“I apologize for any rudeness. Since there are so few outsiders here, everyone gets nervous and uneasy,” the old man explained simply.

“Since you’ve come from far away, I think I should introduce you to this place.” He spoke with pursed lips, his voice altered due to missing teeth.

“We locals differ somewhat from those outside, from the Dynasty. You can probably tell from our skin color.”

Hearing this, Lolan Hill nodded and listened on.

“Outsiders call us the Chi clan, saying we often deal with evil spirits, hence our poor reputation.”

“But in fact, this is a necessity. Living here, one must practice the Nine Netherworlds arts, or survival would be difficult.”

“You might not know yet, but every month during certain days, many spirits and ghosts emerge from underground in these mountains and roam around.”

“Without some self-defense, survival would be hard, and only the Nine Netherworlds arts are best suited for dealing with such spirits.”

“I heard that there used to be a prosperous Youchi Kingdom here with a great sect,” Lolan Hill recounted what she had learned from the waiter that morning. As she spoke, the old man listened intently until she finished.

“This is how outsiders describe us, isn’t it? You’re too kind, embellishing it a lot,” the old man sighed after listening.

“In fact, this description is roughly accurate. About seven or eight hundred years ago, there was indeed a Youchi Kingdom, and it was a beautiful place,” the old man’s words carried a nostalgic tone.

“At that time, due to the Great Chaos, all living beings suffered. The Youchi Kingdom faced various threats, so the king sought assistance from some experts to resist.”

“But with all countries in turmoil, major sects couldn’t spare hands to help. So the king couldn’t find a ninth-rank immortal to assist.”

“Then a small nearby sect volunteered, calling themselves Yama Palace, specializing in the Nine Netherworlds arts.”

“Though the Nine Netherworlds arts were feared, they proved powerful in the chaos and even unified the West. So the king agreed and provided them with all kinds of support.”

The old man gazed out the window at the slanting sunlight, sitting on a decaying but sturdy wooden chair, recalling slowly.

“Thus, Yama Palace’s disciples summoned the dead across the nation, forming a vast army to battle distorted phantoms.”

“Compared to before, casualties were significantly reduced, and some lost territories were reclaimed.”

“As a result, the king’s actions were no longer resisted or cursed. More and more people, whether nobles or commoners, joined Yama Palace to learn and become part of it.”

“War continued year after year until one day, the Great Cataclysm passed. Immortals cleared and swept away the distorted phantoms, bringing temporary peace to the world.”

“By then, nearly 90% of the cultivators in Youchi Kingdom had joined Yama Palace. Naturally, Yama Palace grew from an obscure sect to a top-tier sect spanning multiple continents, with hundreds of thousands of cultivators under its command.”

“If the story ended here, it would be fine. Unfortunately, the story didn’t end there.”

“After the Great Cataclysm and brief peace, various feudal lords and great powers began to fight each other. As a renowned strong kingdom, Youchi was no exception.”

“A larger war erupted.”

“With the continuous expansion of Youchi Kingdom, relying on the Nine Netherworlds arts to sustain warfare, Youchi Kingdom was finally envied by neighboring countries and united against it.”

“Several major battles were fought, and the most intense one took place in these mountains and on this land.”

Perhaps it had been a long time since he last shared these stories with outsiders, or perhaps the old man was too lonely, with no one willing to listen to these forgotten tales.

As Lolan Hill sat quietly at the table, listening attentively, the old man gradually immersed himself in recounting the past, as if reliving it personally.

“After the great battle, nearly a million people died on this land. The dragon veins were polluted, exploded, and became chaotic.”

“The energy flowing within the earth was no longer pure primordial energy but became demonic energy of the Nine Netherworlds. Even the dead wouldn’t be left undisturbed, becoming zombies and spirits wandering the earth.”

“So this is a cursed place, and our ancestors thus incurred a sin, condemned to remain forever.”

After a long silence, the old man slowly regained his composure.

“Sorry, old man that I am, rambling on about old stories again. Ah, I can’t change this habit. Many young men don’t like listening to this, advising me that it will make them old and feeble, unable to do anything. Haha…”

Dry and self-deprecating laughter echoed in the house, like an old, broken windbag being pulled.

The young lady wanted to comfort him but didn’t know how to begin. Finally, the old man slowly stood up and opened a drawer beside him.

“Sir, you’re going to find Grandma Ge Luo, right? Her shrine is on the other side of the mountain. I have a rough map here, please take a look.”

—

(End of Chapter)