Bizarre
Village Chief Bu pointed to the largest red spot. “This is where Ultimate Immortals Monument is located and is also the heart of Third Heaven Continent. Formation Sect and Pill Cauldron Sect are on either side of Ultimate Immortals Monument and separated by a long distance. Don’t you reckon their locations resemble the black and white dots in the yin yang symbol?”
“Yes, but how did you confirm the eight locations?” Mu Yu queried.
“I based it off the relative distance in the eight trigrams diagram, using Formation Sect and Pill Cauldron Sect as the central hub, and then expanded it to cover the continent. Of course, this is only my inference. This dot here is Moyun Mountains to our east. Ghost Gate is to our north. To the west is the fiend race’s swampland. To the south is Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden and Ku Mu Valley. This should be where the ocean is. I can’t be certain, but I’m sure there’s some meaning to these places. I don’t know if there’s anything more to them, which is why I’m pitching the idea to you, hoping you know something more.”
Mu Yu took the map to study in detail, enlarging Moyun Mountains’ geography and then the red spot, eventually confirming the exact spot was No-Man’s Cemetery! He then enlarged the fiend’s territory in the west. “No way…”
“What is it?”
“The rifts. My shifu has cast a seal on the world’s rifts. There’s a rift at the bottom of No-Man’s Cemetery, the space crossing into the fiend’s territory and all of them bear a striking resemblance. Actually, I remember there’s also a similar valley in the earth in the ocean! Xiaoshuai, you remember when those oceanflame beasts hunted us, and then Qiao Xue led us into the waterfall and fell into an abyss?”
“… Oh, that was when we went along Sacred Road.”
Mu Yu referenced the map with his finger. “I reckon the abyss we saw is the northeast spot on this eight trigrams diagram. There might be a rift to another world if we go to bottom of it. Shifu might’ve even set a seal there.”
“You’re saying that there are sealed entities at Ku Mu Valley and Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden, but we didn’t see them?”
“If I’m to venture a guess, I suspect one is under the river in Dad’s valley and another entrance is sealed at Melody Garden in Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden. If we think about it, I don’t think it’s a coincidence Xie Bulao was at Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden, and Dad was at the valley. My conjecture is there might be another heaven and earth formation besides Celestial Prison to prevent foreign invasions. That would explain why Bai Jie still hasn’t brazenly taken action despite his power.”
“I have marked the other spots based on the eight trigrams diagram for you. The eight spots are Moyun Mountains, the ocean, Ghost Gate, Ku Mu Valley, the entrance to the fiend race’s territory, this desolate forest here, Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden, Formation Sect, Pill Cauldron Sect and the towering mountains near Penglian City,” stated Village Chief Bu.
“I’ve been to six of those places whether deliberately or not. The only places I haven’t been to are the barren forest and Penglian City. If all of them have a sealed rift… I can’t figure out their significance. Xiaoshuai, do you have any memories related to No-Man’s Cemetery or Ghost Gate?”
Xiaoshuai leaned back in his chair to put his legs on the table. “They’re familiar? The seal is pretty intricate, yeah? You reckon there’s a monster sealed in each location, such as Chi Yue or Ghost Ancestor’s kind?”
“I’m inclined to agree. Just as importantly, I now realise why I couldn’t make sense of the formation: I didn’t see the complete formation; each formation I’ve seen thus far is only part of the complete formation. The only way I can make sense of it is if I connect the eight formations together.”
“We need to visit all eight spots, then?”
“Well, all multi-part formations can be deduced. With that said, two components aren’t enough for me to deduce the rest. We will need to visit several of the locations if I’m to draw any valid conclusion.”
Village Chief Bu sat down and studied the map again. “If our speculation is correct, would Bai Jie have also noticed? Would he be trying to remove the eight seals?”
Mu Yu replied, “My guess is as good as yours. He might be searching for them but has yet to realise there’s a system to them because, the last time we ran into Chi Yue, Ghost Gate found its sealing location before we did. From that, we can conclude they don’t know the exact locations. Else, Bai Jie would’ve sent reinforcements there before we had a chance to kill Chi Yue once.”
“We have the upper hand?” effused Village Chief Bu.
“Well, who knows? He might be using a different means of discerning the eight locations. I need to go to Twenty-Five Kilometres South Garden.”
“Not the valley first?” Xiaoshuai asked.
“I want to pick up Lan Ling’er and the others,” Mu Yu clarified.
Noticing Mu Yu’s elevated shoulders, Village Chief Bu figured out what was on Mu Yu’s mind. “Emotional issues?”
Xiaoshuai immediately explained, “Old Fraud, Mu Yu flirted with two beautiful maidens, and the both of them are offering themselves up for marriage. He’s trying to find an excuse to hinder them.”
“You can’t blame me, can you? I can’t stop people from liking me? Is it my fault I’m so likable?” Mu Yu cockily responded with a shrug.
“Pfft, rides my coat tail, yet he’s acting like he’s hot. It’s all thanks to my coolness rubbing off on you.”
“Lucky none of your shamelessness rubbed off on me, then, huh?”
“Yet he claims he’s not shameless.”
Mu Yu inquired, “Grandpa Village Chief, what do you say I tell Tian Ran?”
“How should I know? I don’t have any experience,” Village Chief Bu replied.
“Old Fraud, I’ve never heard you mention your partner. Have you been single all your life?”
“My wife passed away too early. Honestly, I’m quite sad I don’t have a descendent, but I do like taking care of the kids in the village. Plus, I’m happy to see how accomplished Mu Yu is.”
“Grandpa Village Chief, do you plan to remain single forever? Don’t forget you’re immortal. You could tell Bu Junior’s stories…”
Village Chief Bu stroked his wrinkle. “You have a good point, huh? I’m too old now, though. Besides, my descendants might not be immortal. I’d prefer not to have to attend my descendants’ funerals. Why don’t we worry about you first?”
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