Chapter 76 - 74: Forbidden Words
"Don’t be nervous. I mean you no harm. I only came to find you to give you something."
The woman in black stopped about twenty meters away from Jiang Zuo and spoke in a calm voice.
"How did you find me?"
Jiang Zuo asked, a little curious.
’To have found me so quickly, she must have asked Xia Shiyuan.’
’But unless Xia Shiyuan was on his deathbed, it’s highly unlikely he would have revealed anything about me.’
’Xia Shiyuan knows me well. He knows that if he talked about me without my permission, I would almost certainly flee.’
’Besides, Xia Shiyuan is still at Celestial Gate Pass. How did she force him to talk?’
’Could Celestial Gate Pass have been breached without anyone noticing?’
"The Blood God Skill. For several days, anyone who cultivates the Blood God Skill leaves a trail that is as clear as a loach’s path through mud in my eyes. As long as I want to find them, I can."
Jiang Zuo was silent. ’What kind of ability is this?’
"My name is Bu Yuehua, from the Bu Family in the Ancient Beast Forest, north of the Daze Dynasty. The Blood God Skill was passed to the outside world by our Bu Family. Anyone who can cultivate the Blood God Skill to the Grandmaster realm on their own will receive a token."
"With this token, you can find the Bu Family. The Bu Family will give you some Martial Techniques related to the Blood God Skill. If you’re lucky, you might even obtain immense benefits from them."
"Although you are not yet a Grandmaster, you are on the verge of breaking through at any moment. You are worthy of a token."
After she spoke, Bu Yuehua flicked her hand, and an ancient-looking Wooden Token flew toward Jiang Zuo.
Jiang Zuo extended his dagger, catching the Wooden Token on its blade.
The Wooden Token was about two inches in size and looked like an antique. Carved on it was the faint image of a stone monument.
Other than that, there was nothing special about it.
"If I go to the Bu Family, what price will I have to pay?"
Jiang Zuo asked after a moment of thought.
The Blood God Skill was incredibly powerful, but apart from the Blood Frenzy Technique, it had no other associated Martial Techniques. Jiang Zuo had long felt that something was off.
Now it seemed the Bu Family had intentionally held them back.
"There is no price. The Bu Family is an ancient clan that considers passing down the Blood God Skill its duty. I cannot go into detail, but you will not regret making a trip to the Bu Family."
’Is there really such a good deal?’
Jiang Zuo didn’t believe it.
Getting one person to do good deeds their whole life without seeking any reward was already next to impossible.
Let alone a great family doing charity for generations without expecting anything in return. That was simply impossible.
’There must be some unspeakable secrets involved.’
"I understand. When the time is right, I’ll consider paying the Bu Family a visit."
But Jiang Zuo didn’t refuse outright.
He was still extremely interested in the Blood God Skill and the secrets behind it.
’Once I’m strong enough in the future, it wouldn’t hurt to pay them a visit.’
"You should go as soon as possible. The younger you are, the greater the benefits you can obtain from the Bu Family."
Bu Yuehua said, unconcerned whether her words would make Jiang Zuo suspicious.
Her task complete, Bu Yuehua turned to leave.
"Wait. What was that technique you used the other night? Can you tell me?"
Jiang Zuo said quickly.
It was common sense not to inquire about another person’s mysterious techniques.
But Bu Yuehua gave Jiang Zuo a strange feeling. He felt she might actually tell him.
Bu Yuehua turned back and looked at Jiang Zuo.
Her lips parted, but the instant Jiang Zuo saw her mouth open, he snapped his eyes shut.
At the same time, he quickly replayed the scene from the other night in his mind, calculating.
Just as the silent syllables from Bu Yuehua’s mouth were about to end, but before they were complete, Jiang Zuo opened his eyes.
Then, just like three days ago, Jiang Zuo felt a roar in his mind and was momentarily stunned.
An instant later, Jiang Zuo recovered.
But his gaze toward Bu Yuehua had deepened considerably.
’This truly is a terrifying, unknown power!’
"After just one time, you’ve already found a way to counter me?"
Bu Yuehua stared at Jiang Zuo, her impassive face finally showing a change in expression.
"Just lucky, I guess."
Jiang Zuo gave a faint smile.
He had considered that Bu Yuehua might come for him. The reason he hadn’t fled immediately was that after analyzing what he’d seen that night, Jiang Zuo was almost certain she was not a Cultivator. As long as he didn’t watch her lips, he wouldn’t fall for her trick.
With his sense of smell, he could pinpoint her location in close combat even with his eyes closed.
"You are very different. Listen to me, go to the Bu Family as soon as you can. Otherwise, you will regret it later."
Bu Yuehua’s expression returned to normal, and she uncharacteristically added a few more words.
In the past, she would simply deliver the token, state her purpose, and leave. She never cared whether the recipient actually went or not.
With a flicker, Bu Yuehua’s figure vanished from the woods.
However, her voice drifted from afar and echoed in Jiang Zuo’s ears.
"Those are the Forbidden Words! They cannot be recorded, cannot be spoken, and cannot be heard!"
Forbidden Words!
’Cannot be recorded, cannot be spoken, and cannot be heard... Did I lose my senses for a moment because I heard these Forbidden Words, and what I heard was forcibly erased from my mind, causing my consciousness to break?’
’But that’s not right either. If what she said is true, how was she able to speak the Forbidden Words?’
Jiang Zuo frowned as countless questions flashed through his mind.
Unfortunately, Bu Yuehua had no intention of explaining further.
’To truly understand these Forbidden Words, I’m afraid I’ll have to make a trip to the Bu Family.’
’The Ancient Beast Forest?’
Jiang Zuo mused.
He had read many miscellaneous books over the years, but he had no memory of the Ancient Beast Forest.
But judging from Bu Yuehua’s words, finding information about it shouldn’t be difficult.
’It seems the waters of the Mortal Territory run deep indeed. I still need to lay low.’
Jiang Zuo gazed at the Li River, clicking his tongue in thought.
As someone whose worldview was shaped in the modern world, he had no desire to live like a coward hiding in his shell.
Jiang Zuo had always believed that lying low was a means, not an end.
He lay low to grow stronger so he wouldn’t have to live his life constantly in hiding.
With his current abilities and his Spirit Beast, Xiaoqing, he had thought he would at least have the power to protect himself in the Mortal Territory, without having to flee at the slightest sign of trouble.
After returning from Celestial Gate Pass, Jiang Zuo hadn’t run away immediately because he was confident he wouldn’t have to fear Bu Yuehua even if she found him.
As it turned out, Bu Yuehua indeed posed no threat to him.
But her words made Jiang Zuo realize that even in the Mortal Territory, where Immortals were absent, there were still too many unknowns and mysteries.
So, when it was time to lay low, he had to lay low!
’In a few days, after Xia Shiyuan gets back, I’ll ask him about the Ancient Beast Forest and then find a new place!’
Jiang Zuo had always been decisive and made up his mind on the spot.
But before he left, he had to ask about the Ancient Beast Forest. It wouldn’t be easy to find someone else to ask later.
Two days later, Xia Shiyuan returned from Celestial Gate Pass. Jiang Zuo went to him at once and managed to gather some information about the Ancient Beast Forest.
The Ancient Beast Forest wasn’t well-known because it was an old name. Nowadays, most people knew it as the Daze Forest.
A major reason why the Daze Dynasty constantly sought to expand its territory was that the Ancient Beast Forest was continuously spreading. The number of Fierce Beasts within it was always increasing, and they often ran out to harm people.
With no other choice, the Daze Dynasty could only try to find ways to expand its lands.
Jiang Zuo was curious why the Daze Dynasty chose to wage war on other kingdoms instead of fighting the Fierce Beasts.
Theoretically, Fierce Beasts should be easier to deal with than people.
But Xia Shiyuan just shook his head.
It wasn’t that the Daze Dynasty hadn’t tried. But the Fierce Beasts in the Ancient Beast Forest were no ordinary animals.
The weakest Fierce Beasts there were at the Skin Refining level, and there were countless beasts equivalent to High Tier human Martial Artists.
If they waged war against the Fierce Beasts at the edge of the Ancient Beast Forest and the casualties mounted—regardless of whether they were beasts or humans—it would attract terrifying Grandmaster Level Fierce Beasts.
Grandmaster Level Fierce Beasts!
Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but be shocked when he heard this.
’Aren’t those just Demon Beasts?’
’How could so many powerful Fierce Beasts be born in the Mortal Territory?’
But Xia Shiyuan just smiled and shook his head, saying that was nothing.
Further north of the Ancient Beast Forest was another, astonishingly vast ancient forest.
No human had ever set foot there, and it was said that deep inside, there were Fierce Beasts that could rival Innate Martial Artists!
Moreover, every thousand years or so, the Fierce Beasts from that place would rampage out and wreak havoc upon the world.
The Daze Dynasty was under so much pressure because once a beast plague occurred, they would be the ones to suffer the most.
About a thousand years ago, the Daze Dynasty didn’t even exist.
The kingdom that once ruled that land was destroyed in a beast plague, and only then was the Daze Dynasty established.
’Further north of the Daze Dynasty... that’s almost the very center of the Heaven and Earth Sealing Spirit Array.’
Jiang Zuo looked toward the northern sky.
’So many powerful Fierce Beasts couldn’t have appeared out of thin air.’
’Within the Heaven and Earth Sealing Spirit Array, Treasures of Heaven and Earth containing Spiritual Qi are almost nonexistent.’
’Only the Heaven and Earth Sealing Spirit Array could cause a forest to produce so many Fierce Beasts.’
’It’s not necessarily that the array intentionally created these Fierce Beasts. Given its terrifying power, it could probably cause such an effect with just some unintentional influence.’
’In that case, could some ultimate treasure have been born at the center of the Heaven and Earth Sealing Spirit Array?’
’That’s not very likely either.’
’If that were the case, the Cultivators would have found a way to get it long ago.’
’After all, these mortal secrets are probably nothing special in the Cultivation Realm.’
But regardless, Jiang Zuo planned to go there and see it for himself in the future.
「...」
「Daze Dynasty.」
Because they had a Grandmaster, Wei Jiemie, the Wei Family held an incredibly respected position in the Daze Dynasty.
If Wei Jiemie had been interested in expanding his family’s influence, the Wei Family would have likely become one of the dynasty’s largest clans.
But with Wei Jiemie’s capture by the Cao Kingdom, the Wei Family’s situation plummeted.
Although Wei Jiemie had already sent a letter back to the Daze Dynasty via the Cao Kingdom, informing them that he only needed to serve in the Cao Army for twenty years to return unharmed and that he would not participate in any battles against the Daze Dynasty.
He would be serving his term elsewhere.
But the Wei Family was immediately brought under the control of the Daze Dynasty, their contact with the outside world severed.
Many people didn’t even know what had happened as the once-glorious Wei Family vanished from the Daze Dynasty in the blink of an eye.
In the new residence arranged for them by the Daze Dynasty, Wei Jiemie’s son, Wei Xiangbo, paced back and forth in the courtyard, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"This won’t do! I have to make things clear with the Daze Dynasty! Otherwise, both our Wei Family and the Daze Dynasty could face annihilation!"
Wei Xiangbo decided to confess to the Daze Dynasty.
If he didn’t explain things clearly, the Daze Dynasty would never let them contact the outside world.
This would lead to extremely severe consequences!