Chapter Twenty: The Shadowed Woods of the Nether Valley

On the third day, when Yu Ge arrived at the Hundred Remedies Hall, Lin Maozhi was already fully equipped and ready to go.

Yu Ge took note of the group assembled for this expedition: eight in total, including himself and the portly Lin Maozhi. The rest were all robust men in their thirties or forties. His youth made him stand out immediately, drawing the gaze of the others.

The purpose of this hunt was to slay mountain spirits and retrieve the Nether Pearl that forms within them. The Nether Pearl is not only a highly prized material for forging weapons, but also an essential ingredient in certain potent medicines. Given the mountain spirits’ strength and the treacherous terrain, all those recruited for the task were confident in their abilities; ordinary folk would be useless, even a liability. The minimum requirement was to have reached the Body Strengthening stage—Yu Ge’s presence here indicated he’d achieved just that, an uncommon feat for someone his age.

Yet these seasoned men, accustomed to all manner of things, merely glanced at him before returning to their preparations. After waiting a while in the hall, a middle-aged man in fitted attire with a cold, severe expression emerged from the rear.

Without emotion, he surveyed the group and said, “I am Li, the supervisor leading this hunt. You are all aware of the Hall’s aim: the Nether Pearl inside the mountain spirits. Recently, we discovered a gathering place of mountain spirits in the western shadowed woods. I urge everyone to cooperate fully and not let your guard down.”

His final gaze lingered on Yu Ge, the meaning clear without words. Lin Maozhi had spoken to him of the boy’s strength, but his doubts remained. He conceded Yu Ge might have the power, but questioned his experience—slaying a mountain spirit, whose body was as hard as iron, required more than brute force.

Yu Ge said nothing, quietly polishing the steel blade he had brought, acclimating to its weight and feel. In the outside world, eyes are always watching, and envy is commonplace; owning a demon-slaying blade worth thousands of silver was sure to incite greed. For this reason, he had left his demon-slaying blade behind—a wise decision, it seemed, since the others carried only standard broadswords, and even the Hall leader’s weapon was merely above average. Not a trace of a demon-slaying blade was seen.

Li, the Hall’s supervisor, outlined the final precautions, and the group set off, heading south from the town. Lin Maozhi was among them, brandishing a slender cleaver, appearing rather comical. Yu Ge noticed, with some surprise, that Lin Maozhi’s excitement seemed to surpass even his own.

They left the town, crossing a shallow stream to the south, gradually entering a dense forest where the path grew increasingly difficult. As the terrain became more treacherous, the group shed their earlier nonchalance, growing vigilant.

Because Li had warned that they were entering a mountain spirit stronghold, with at least five or six spirits lurking within. A single misstep could spell disaster. Though the Nether Valley was still some distance ahead, who could say what other dangers might arise?

While the others grew wary, Yu Ge felt a thrill rising within. To him, these were not just trophies—they represented progress, a tangible step forward.

As they penetrated deeper, the path narrowed, thick with wild grass, many trails hidden beneath heavy foliage, disorienting and obscure. The light appeared to dim, but a glance upward revealed it was not the sky darkening, but the dense canopy overhead, blocking out the sun’s rays.

“We’re here!” Li’s booming voice rang out from the front.

The group looked up, realizing they had emerged from the forest and stood before a narrow opening to a small valley. Yu Ge couldn’t help but marvel—Shadowed Nether Valley was the birthplace of mountain spirits, yet finding such a secluded spot was no small feat.

Had he found it alone, he would never have ventured forth single-handedly, for he doubted there’d be only one or two spirits within.

At the valley’s entrance, everyone paired off as instructed. Only then did Yu Ge notice the others’ eyes skirting over him, clearly skeptical of his abilities.

“Sun Gangfeng, from the southern part of town,” said a sturdy man, stepping over to introduce himself.

“Yu Ge, from the west side,” Yu Ge replied.

In the end, he partnered with Sun Gangfeng, the wiry man. Following Li’s instructions, they began to inch toward the heart of the valley. Yet the arrangement left Yu Ge frowning; he realized his position was not among the main assault, but on the flank, supporting the others. Clearly, his chances of slaying mountain spirits would be fewer, and any kills would not be credited to him.

“Brother Sun, would you mind letting me deliver the final blow when we slay a mountain spirit?” Yu Ge asked, smiling at his companion.

Sun Gangfeng was taken aback, his expression darkening. He had chosen to team up with Yu Ge out of goodwill, seeing his youthful face and inexperience, intending to guide him. But now it seemed Yu Ge was overstepping.

Battling mountain spirits was no easy task, even for them. The situation could change in an instant—how could he guarantee the last strike?

Noting Sun Gangfeng’s unease, Yu Ge added, “I’ve never really killed a mountain spirit before. I just hope to get a taste of it, gain some experience.”

Hearing this, Sun Gangfeng’s expression softened. It was understandable; he himself had been tense and excited during his first hunt. That Yu Ge could maintain his composure was impressive.

“All right, I’ll keep it in mind,” Sun Gangfeng said, patting Yu Ge’s shoulder.

As time passed, the group drew nearer to the valley, soon reaching a shadowy, deep woodland. Li gave a signal, and the group dispersed, keeping a safe distance to form a small encirclement.

At his gesture, two men approached the dense woods, cautiously edging forward before vanishing into the gloomy foliage.

Lin Maozhi stood motionless, eyes wide as he stared at the spot where the two disappeared.

A chilling howl suddenly erupted, the foliage shaking, echoing like the cries of ghosts and wolves—a sound that seemed to come from another world, bone-chilling.

The two scouts reappeared, fleeing in panic, a far cry from their earlier composure.

Behind them, three figures shrouded in black mist followed closely, their forms indistinct.

There was no doubt—these were mountain spirits, bodies as hard as iron, moving like the wind.

At the sight, everyone tensed, their faces grave, the air thick with anticipation as they awaited the spirits’ approach.

Yu Ge drew his long blade from his waist, licked his parched lips, and ran his fingers over the hilt’s grooves, eyes shining with excitement.