Hell on Earth (Part 1)
There was a front and back courtyard. There were adequate rooms. Really, it was an almost an estate. Unfortunately…
“I’m not sharing a house with Jerk. I’m going to lodge at an inn.” Ku Mu got ready to leave.
It was as if Ku Mu ate an explosion pill and was spraying it everywhere, including on Mu Yu. Mu Yu, however, was worried he couldn’t defend himself against bullies. He grabbed Ku Mu and reasoned, “Come on, they’re not complaining about letting you stay.”
“I mind.”
“Fine! Leave by yourself!”
“Hmph!”
Mu Yu crossed his arms. “Let me remind you Miss Wanwan is head over heels for you. Will I have to see her on top of you when I go to see your tomorrow? On second thought, you’d still be a winner if you could score her.”
Ku Mu’s foot stopped before it hit the ground. He walked back and kicked Mu Yu. “Go prepare me a room for me.”
“Right away, right away.” Mu Yu pursed his lips but couldn’t hide his puffy cheeks.
Mu Yu hung out with his seniors as he did back in the day at Mount Dustfallen. It would’ve been perfect if the twin pranksters were also around. Speaking of which, Qing Mei and Feng Haochen planned to pick the two up along with Daoist Qing Song. Very soon, Primordial Infant Realm cultivators wouldn’t survive at Moyun Mountains, after all.
After Lie Shang made contact with Ximen Buxing the fourth day, Mu Yu dropped into Melodic House again. On his way to Melodic House, he sped past Xiaohong before he lost his breakfast. The first thing he did upon entering was yell for Ximen Buxing. Wanwan was first to come out with her lissom strut but was grouchy when she didn’t see Ku Mu.
“You sure you want to go there?” Ximen Buxing asked, running his analytical eyes up and down Mu Yu.
“Well, I’m here. That’s a pointless question, isn’t it?”
“Do you know what sort of place it is? It’s not going to be easy to have an audience with the boss of the unorthodox faction. You better think twice.”
“Will I die?”
“No.”
“Let’s roll, then.”
They left Melodic House and continued along Nineteen Kilometres Street. One person made a dash for it as soon as they saw Ximen Buxing. Leading the way, Ximen Buxing said, “I’m worried you’ll want to bolt out the door as fast as you can once you go in. It’s our faction’s sacred ground. My shifu likes to put visitors to the test. It’s traumatising, I tell you. Not even I last long. People from self-proclaimed orthodox sects can’t stand our tests.”
“Will I have to cross a mountain of blades or bed of fire?” Mu Yu joked, albeit seriously preparing himself for what was to come. He never made light of Ximen Buxing’s competence, so hearing the latter say that he couldn’t last long was a serious warning.
“Ahem, I can only tell you that you won’t like it. It’s a test of will. Your mind will be in tatters if you lack mental fortitude. It’s tougher than crossing a mountain of blades or bed of fire.”
“Ahem, don’t worry. I can weather it,” replied Mu Yu, confident in his resilience after making it through Second Heaven and back.
“I don’t know about that. By the way, Brother-in-Law, how are you and Tian Ran?” Ximen Buxing asked coyly.
Mu Yu’s concern lasted for a split second. “If I hear ‘brother-in-law’ out of that mouth again, I’ll fix it. If you dare to even think about laying your hands on the girl I like, I promise you hell.”
Ximen Buxing opened his fan and tugged up the corner of his lips. “Come on, it’s a fair contest until marriage. I was just asking, for that matter. When you enter our sacred grounds, our sacred item might prompt you to conjure images of Secular World Sect’s young holy maiden.”
Mu Yu hated nothing more than someone or something messing with his mind. Presumably, Feng Haochen and Lie Shang both made it through the tests in the past. Nevertheless, they clearly didn’t want to take part it in again. The thought sure didn’t motivate.
Ximen Buxing led Mu Yu into a small lane. Surprisingly, there were more people there than on the main street. Everyone wore masks that fit so well that they appeared custom made. The people didn’t dress extravagantly; ordinarily would be the best description. If it wasn’t for detectable spiritual energy on them, they would’ve passed off as poor people. They didn’t look or behave bizarrely as those on the connecting street did.
“Are they all part of your faction?”
“Once they wear on a mask, I suppose so.”
They stopped at a huge black skull roughly five metres tall. The eyes on it glowed red. Its bloody mouth was open wide. Green grey energy formed a haze to obstruct vision. The people wearing masks went to and from it. In red, “Hell on Earth” was written on a stone tablet. Further blood stains were splattered on for extra impact.
Tensely, Mu Yu remarked, “Hell on Earth?”
“Everyone who comes to our sacred grounds must wear a mask. I prepared this one for you.”
Mu Yu took the flower mask and held it up to his face. The mask came to life and actively plastered itself to his face, fitting his face shape snuggly.
“I don’t need a mask since everyone recognises me. Let me remind you again that you need to be mentally prepared. If you fail the test, you might bleed out. Of course, with risk comes opportunity. If you pass, your cultivation will be rewarded.”
Mu Yu took in a deep breath. “All right. Let’s do this.”
Ximen Buxing cracked an unsettling grin and stepped into the skull. The spooky smog shrouded them. The sight Mu Yu’s eyes beheld stunned him.
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