Chapter 196: This Is Not How I Remember It

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From the first mine shaft to the second, the distance was nearly half a li. Standing before the second mine, Zhou Qing noticed that its entrance had partially collapsed. It was clear that this was the site of the mining accident. As he scrutinized the mouth of the mine, strange noises began to rise from below. Hearing the sounds from beneath, Zhou Qing shifted his stance, stepping aside calmly while keeping his gaze fixed on the tunnel.

Soon, the eerie noises grew louder, and from the increasing intensity, Zhou Qing could tell the sinister creature below was drawing closer to the entrance. Finally, a small green specter emerged from the depths of the second mine. The apparition was no larger than an infant, its entire form a vibrant jade-green. Zhou Qing instantly recognized it as a ferocious spirit.

Seeing such a weak spirit, Zhou Qing found no need to draw his weapon. He simply raised a finger and gestured toward the creature. The fiery beast resting on his shoulder let out a strange cry, transforming into a fiery meteor that shot straight at the spirit. The little green wraith had barely climbed out of the mine before it was pierced by the mystical flame and reduced to ash.

In just one swift motion, the fiery beast extinguished the malevolent spirit. It then leapt back onto Zhou Qing’s shoulder, emitting another peculiar cry. Zhou Qing reached up to pat the fiery creature, then glanced once more at the collapsed mine shaft before heading toward the third mine.

There were numerous shafts scattered throughout the mining area, but the entrance to the third mine was sealed shut. As Zhou Qing approached, faint sounds rose from beneath the earth. At first, the noise seemed chaotic, but upon closer listening, it vanished without a trace. Given Zhou Qing’s cultivation level, hallucinations were impossible; thus, some malevolent presence must lurk beneath the sealed shaft.

This third mine was farther from the previous two, its entrance intact and showing no signs of an accident. Weeds had overgrown around it, suggesting the workers were aware of the strange occurrences below and had sealed it off accordingly. Though curious about the sounds emanating from beneath, Zhou Qing did not feel compelled to investigate immediately. After hesitating briefly by the entrance, he finally leapt down into the mine shaft.

The depth was uncertain, but Zhou Qing’s body fell steadily before landing at the bottom.

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Thanks to his Earth Spirit root, Zhou Qing emerged unscathed. Steady on his feet, he turned to survey the surroundings. Bathed in the glow of the fiery beast on his shoulder, he found himself standing in a corridor. Ahead was a short passageway, illuminated fully by the flame, lined with a few decayed wooden supports and some collapsed timbers littering the floor.

Behind him, the corridor stretched into endless darkness, scattered only with rotten wooden braces. Without hesitation, Zhou Qing turned and ventured down the path behind him. After some time, he encountered several small side tunnels branching across the passage. Continuing forward, he soon halted—the path ahead had collapsed.

As Zhou Qing examined the debris, a cacophony of strange sounds echoed from behind the rubble, identical to those he had heard above but louder. Focusing his will, Zhou Qing waved his hand, invoking a spiritual energy to sift through the dirt mound. The ground trembled slightly, and fine dust trickled down from above.

The underground tunnel was collapsing. Zhou Qing exhaled softly, then swiftly retraced his steps. Reaching the base of the mine shaft, he planted his foot and sprang upward three or four zhang, lightly tapping the tunnel wall as he ascended. After dozens of jumps, he emerged once more at the surface.

However, as he landed, he sensed the ground beneath quiver slightly before settling. Though the sealed mine appeared unchanged from above, the tremor revealed that the underground passageway had likely caved in completely. His plan to investigate the strange noises was thus thwarted.

Though puzzled by the sounds from beneath, Zhou Qing resolved to bury his curiosity deep underground. After ascending from the mine, he lingered only briefly before setting off again. Eleven years passed quickly, and now he found himself returning to the Tianyue Kingdom. The first thing on his agenda was a trip to the Savage Forest.

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Within that forest lay the pain buried deep in his heart. After so many years of holding it in, now he had come to exhume it. Following the path etched in his memory, Zhou Qing arrived at a county called Guobei. He recalled that after setting sail years ago, he had reached a small town called Beitan, south of which lay this county.

Leaving the county to the north, he headed toward the Beitan town from his recollections. The distance between the county and town was just over a hundred li—a journey of less than an hour for Zhou Qing. Upon arriving in Beitan, he found the town had changed drastically. Once bustling when he first came, it was now dilapidated and desolate.

Walking through the forsaken streets, Zhou Qing noted abandoned houses, overgrown weeds, and in the distance, a trembling figure of a gray-haired elder. Approaching the old man, Zhou Qing observed that he appeared close to seventy years old.

“Sir, why has this town fallen into such ruin?” Zhou Qing asked.

“Huh? What did you say?” the elder replied.

“I said, how could the town become so desolate? Over ten years ago when I came here, it was not like this.”

“They’re dead. Yes, they’re all dead. Such calamity—so many have perished,” the old man answered incoherently, clearly struggling to hear.

Realizing further questions would be futile, Zhou Qing smiled wryly and shook his head, then turned to leave. Just as he was about to depart the town, a middle-aged man stepped out from a dilapidated house. Eyeing Zhou Qing’s red robe with suspicion, he asked, “Who are you?”