Chapter 218: The Journey to the Vast Wasteland – The Demon Sword Stirs, the Ice Dragon Appears

The two of them didn’t speak much; it seemed as though too many words had been buried deep in their hearts. Time passed slowly as they gazed at each other. The hall was unusually quiet. Before long, footsteps could be heard coming from the corridor outside. Ye Luobaihua understood immediately—that was Ye Luojianmu returning with the map of the Vast Wasteland Mountain. Liu Yi was about to leave…
For some reason, she knew clearly that although Liu Yi was in danger, this trip would only last three days, at most not much longer. Yet her heart couldn’t calm down. That figure was both strange and familiar. Strange because he had only been in her world for a few days, but familiar because those few days felt like tens of thousands of years, filled with life and death. If she couldn’t see that figure, Ye Luobaihua would feel utterly insecure.
Liu Yi also knew those were Ye Luojianmu’s footsteps. At this moment, he had no other thoughts—only to set off quickly, complete this dangerous task in as short a time as possible, and then bid farewell to Ye Luobaihua. For in his heart, he was thinking of one person—July. It seemed as though July had been gone for a long time already. He wondered how she was doing all this while.
At that moment, Ye Luojianmu came over and handed out a piece of parchment map, saying, “This map shows the routes in the Vast Wasteland.”
Liu Yi took the map. Though it was somewhat worn, the black lines and handwriting were still clear, allowing him to understand its contents easily. After storing the map, Ye Luojianmu patted Liu Yi’s shoulder and said, “Young master, there are countless monsters on the Vast Wasteland Mountain. You must be very careful.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Mm, I know. The more monsters, the better.”
Ye Luojianmu nodded and said, “Don’t worry about that, young master. The Vast Wasteland Mountain is a remnant from ancient times, filled with all kinds of monsters. Because it’s a primitive forest, no one has lived there, which is why it’s also known as the Monster Mountain.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “That’s great. There’s no time to lose. I’ll set off now. Senior Jian, please take me to the Scorpion Birds.”
Ye Luojianmu nodded and said, “Alright. Please follow me.” Then he headed toward the corridor outside the hall, with Liu Yi closely behind… Ye Luobaihua watched the two leave. She wanted to say something more, but the words died on her lips. In quiet reflection, she realized that the simplest way to express her feelings was that she was very worried about him.
As Ye Luojianmu walked out of the long corridor, then out of the hall, turned right, and passed by several stone rooms, he stopped at the corner of the city wall. Liu Yi looked—and sure enough, inside that shed, there were another dozen Scorpion Birds, their bodies huge. But that wasn’t what Liu Yi cared about. At the entrance of the shed, a prepared Scorpion Bird was already standing there.
Ye Luojianmu pulled the leather leash around the Scorpion Bird’s neck and said, “Young master, just hold onto this leash to control its direction.”

Liu Yi nodded, reached out to grab the leather lock, and with a light leap, sat atop the “Scorpion Bird.” He glanced at Ye Luo Jianmu and said, “Senior Jian, I leave the City of Tears in your hands. Princess Baihua is still too young; it’s a time when you’re needed most. I hope you can hold on until I return.”

Ye Luo Jianmu naturally understood Liu Yi’s meaning. He smiled and nodded, saying, “Don’t worry, young master. We will definitely hold out to the end. As long as the old men like me and Ming are here, the princess won’t suffer a single scratch.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Good. Then I’ll take my leave. Let’s meet again in three days.”

Ye Luo Jianmu nodded and stretched out his right hand, saying, “Please, take care, young master.”

Liu Yi didn’t say much more. He tightened his legs, and the “Scorpion Bird” flapped its wings and awkwardly took off. Guided by Liu Yi’s movements, it flew in the direction indicated on the sketch toward the Great Desolation Mountains.

Although it wasn’t long, it felt as though it had been a long time since Liu Yi had flown in this vast sky. On earth, flying on a sword through clouds and mist was such a carefree experience—clear skies above, white clouds all around, dancing against the wind. But here, in this strange place, he couldn’t use his sword to fly.

Though a fallen hero unable to soar on a sword, having a clumsy bird beneath him wasn’t bad. It clearly didn’t require any vital energy to operate, and sitting on this large bird was quite comfortable. He watched the clouds recede rapidly around him and felt the intensity of the wind, yet his feelings were different from before.

Time passed as the white clouds drifted away. The sun set and the moon rose. As the stars shone and the North Star guided the way, Liu Yi had unknowingly flown for a whole day. His abundant vital energy kept him from feeling tired. Meanwhile, “Lanerfina Qing” continuously absorbed the chaotic energy around it, doubling his vital energy. This demonic technique, stronger than ordinary mental practices, brought him power but also entanglement between life and death.

Yet after experiencing so much in his dreams, Liu Yi seemed to have seen many things more clearly. Though he was worried that the demonic technique might corrupt his heart and drive him to madness, since it was already destined, worrying further was futile. Instead of overthinking, it was better to focus on the present and find a way to use “Lanerfina Qing” to contact Nie Ren’s consciousness left in space for advice.

Letting go of his worries, the man’s heart gradually opened up. After going through so much, perhaps Liu Yi already understood the difference between reality and illusion. Perhaps he could live more freely, even with many things to do.

Unconsciously, Liu Yi picked up the jade flute in his left hand. A white light flowed within the flute, as if the entire flute was moving. Seeing it, Liu Yi couldn’t help but think of Ye Luo Baihua and smiled bitterly.

Deep in his memory, he had once heard a melody from a flute, but that was a very long time ago. In that haze, there were always those familiar figures and sad tunes. Unconsciously, Liu Yi picked up the flute and, as he gently blew into it, a melody titled “Fallen to the Mortal World” spread through the clouds.

The flute sound is gentle, ethereal, and elusive, as if someone is in the clouds. Amidst its softness lies a hint of helplessness; each note seems to tell a story, and each story seems to have witnessed the vicissitudes of life. Time flies by, and a thousand years pass like a dream. How many times have people been infatuated? How many times have they been drunk with emotion? Yet at the moment when hearts connect, they are hindered by infinite forces. When love cannot be perfect, she falls to the mortal world, cursed by the gods. Throughout reincarnation, the sorrows of the human world accompany her.

The melody carries a trace of longing, without any regret. One person’s suffering requires two to bear. Giving up eternal life, giving up absolute power, descending to the mortal world—just because of her loneliness.

The flute sound isn’t very loud, but it travels far. In those sad notes, one seems to hear the true meaning of “Fall to the Mortal World.” A voice says, “July, listen—what a sad flute sound.”

On the land, dust rises everywhere. A woman in purple robes, riding a strange animal, says, “It’s indeed sad. There’s no one here either. Who is playing?” This woman in purple is July, while the woman in blue robes beside her is Yu Chenxing, who took July away. For some reason, the two ride side by side, heading in the exact opposite direction of Liu Yi above.

Yu Chenxing suddenly smiles, a cunning expression appearing on her beautiful face. She says, “Perhaps we heard wrong. Maybe it’s… the elves playing. Legend has it that in this desolate land, there are elves who appear every night.”

July seems to understand something and nods. “Oh, I see. Let’s keep going.”

Yu Chenxing nods as well. As their mounts race forward, they leave a trail of yellow dust under the deep blue night sky before disappearing into the darkness.

Perhaps sometimes we just pass by each other like this—you go left, I go right. What’s missed will always be missed…

Meanwhile, Liu Yi plays the melody “Fall to the Mortal World” from his memory, feeling even more relaxed. The slightest bit of sadness seems to be conveyed to the sky, the moon, and the white clouds. With a long cry from the “Scorpion Bird,” Liu Yi seems to sense that the Great Barren Mountains are not far ahead. It seems the “Scorpion Bird” is quite fast.

Looking up at the moon, Liu Yi puts away his flute and sighs softly. “One melody of falling to the mortal world, countless journeys across the world. Looking back at past and present, the autumn waters stretch to the sky. Sighing at the changes of the world over seven thousand years—just a fleeting moment. A life like a dream. Who can share it? Those who understand each other in old age…” As he thinks, Liu Yi actually laughs, shakes his head, and says to himself, “Perhaps I’m overcomplicating things. Since I’ve accepted it, I must face it. What’s the use of complaining? Hehe.” With Liu Yi’s bitter laugh, the “Scorpion Bird” has already flown to the top of a mountain.

Liu Yi looks around and sees mountains stretching endlessly below, boundless and without end. The dense primeval forests cover the mountains below, making it impossible to see what’s inside. Liu Yi thinks to himself that since he plans to bring many monsters back to the City Without Tears, he needs to choose a good location in the middle and also find a way to escape. Otherwise, he won’t be able to run away, and even if he isn’t eaten by those beasts, he’ll be killed by them.

Liu Yi directed the “Scorpion Bird” to circle above the Great Desolation Mountains. Soon, he found what seemed to be the central location. Though uncertain, from that spot, as soon as the Blood of Fury appeared, countless monsters would surely emerge. If they couldn’t return to Tearsless City within a day, Ye Luoxiong would be in trouble.

Liu Yi leaped downward silently, without even a hint of wind. As he landed, the giant “Scorpion Bird” also slowly descended and stood quietly beside him. Liu Yi glanced back and knew that this bird must have been rigorously trained by Ye Luojianmu and the others.

But Liu Yi didn’t have time to praise the bird now. What he had to do might be simple, but if done poorly, it could cause great trouble. He began to observe the terrain. Almost every tree here was thousands of years old, with lush branches and leaves. Vines climbed recklessly around the trees, and thick pythons lay coiled on the branches, appearing lazy and silent. The dense foliage blocked the moonlight, forcing Liu Yi to rely on his keen vision enhanced by his spiritual energy.

Seeing strange animals the size of fists crawling around him, Liu Yi shook his head and thought, “It seems I’ve found the right place. There are all these creatures around. If the Blood of Fury appears, it will quickly attract larger monsters.” He looked around again and found the terrain to be favorable—so he would have a way to retreat once all the monsters appeared. Nodding, he said to himself, “How fortunate. By tomorrow at this time, I’ll be able to hear Ye Luoxiong’s screams.”

Just as Liu Yi was planning everything, a long howl rang out, echoing through the heavens and causing the beasts in the primeval forest to scatter and the birds to fly in panic. Instantly, a layer of gray clouds appeared in the sky, making the already dark forest even darker under their cover.

Liu Yi was shocked. He thought to himself, “It’s a dragon.” That was his first thought—and also his last. The howl sounded so familiar, yet at the same time somewhat strange. The gray clouds in the sky were certainly not accidental. If his guess was correct, such omens could only mean the emergence of a Desert Dragon.

However, Liu Yi remembered that the sages had once planted eight spirit seeds on Earth, which had evolved over time into the Eight Desolate Divine Dragons. But no matter how these dragons changed, they still belonged to the human world. Now, standing on the land of the netherworld, why could he still sense the presence of a dragon? Could it be… that years ago, the Desert Dragons had scattered for some reason?

If that were the case, Liu Yi realized the trouble ahead. Even if he didn’t encounter a Desert Dragon today, he could go to the human world later to search for and subdue it. But if he encountered one today, it meant the Desert Dragons were already scattered. Although he might be able to subdue this one, how could he find the other three?

As Liu Yi was lost in thought, another deafening sound from the long flute echoed. The gray clouds in the sky grew even denser, once again proving that the sound must have come from a dragon. Without further hesitation, since he had already encountered it, he had to seize the opportunity and retrieve this dragon at all costs—five dragons were surely much stronger than four.

Immediately, Liu Yi closed his consciousness and spread his vital energy outward, using his most sensitive senses to search. Following the aura emanating from the sky and the direction of the sound, Liu Yi’s spiritual awareness gradually drifted farther away. The surroundings became clear, to the point where he could even sense the movements of every plant and the crawling of tiny, invisible animals. After drifting for what felt like an eternity, Liu Yi suddenly noticed a pure white light ahead. As he approached to see what it was, a pair of red eyes flashed by in an instant. Then, Liu Yi abruptly opened his eyes and retracted his spiritual awareness.

Liu Yi quickly gathered his vital energy and chased in the direction he had been searching. He was certain that the red eyes he had seen were definitely those of a dragon. Without further thought, after a few leaps, he arrived at the place illuminated by white light.

The area around the light was surrounded by thick trees, their trunks covered in silver-white ice. Liu Yi found this strange—given the current temperature, how could there be ice? Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in his mind, and he muttered to himself, “The power of a dragon?” He quickly realized that the white ice wasn’t natural but was likely caused by an external factor. If he wasn’t mistaken, that factor was probably a dragon.

Liu Yi slowed down, heightened his vital energy, instinctively gripping ‘Sorrowful Dream’ in his left hand while his right hand hung loosely at his side. His eyes scanned every angle carefully, as he could sense that the dragon’s power was extremely strong. Even if it wasn’t a dragon, its strength would still be terrifying.

When Liu Yi passed through the trees, he discovered that the glowing area ahead was actually a lakeshore. The bright moon above the lake wasn’t obscured by the gray clouds, and the lake’s surface was covered in thin layers of white ice. There was no trace of cold, yet the ice didn’t melt. The white light originated from those silver ice layers.

Liu Yi looked up at the moon and then at the ice on the lake, feeling puzzled. Among the Eight Deserts Divine Dragons, he had already tamed the Water Dragon. And the eyes he had seen with his spiritual awareness were indeed those of a dragon. What kind of dragon could live in this lake? Although he wasn’t sure yet whether there was a dragon in the lake, those eyes had appeared right here.

Confusion enveloped Liu Yi. If it wasn’t a dragon, then what kind of monster could possess such immense power? From what he had felt, that monster’s strength was no less than that of any Desert Dragon. If that were the case, then this Great Desert Mountain was truly terrifying. What kind of horrible monsters might emerge once the Blood of Fury appeared? It was likely that not only Ye Luoxiong but also those in the nearby Wulai Region would be affected.

Thinking of this, Liu Yi felt somewhat confused, but soon he regained his composure and said to himself, “I must find a way.” At that moment, the long sword at his waist began to tremble violently. As the sword shook, Liu Yi gripped it even tighter. This strange phenomenon did not surprise him; instead, it made him happy.

Sure enough, it must indeed be a dragon. Out of the Eight Deserts Divine Dragons, four had already entered the sword, so he naturally could sense the others. With such intense trembling of the sword, it was certain that the monster was also a dragon. But what kind of attribute did this dragon possess? Why was it so strange? Could it really be hiding at the bottom of the lake?

Without overthinking it, Liu Yi decided to prove through action—capture it if it was a dragon, kill it if not, and then think of other ways to bring the beast back to Tearsless City. He raised the “Lanelfina Qing” meditation technique to the twelfth level, using his left hand to control it inside the sword. The moment the sword stopped trembling, his right hand moved swiftly. As the black sword sliced through the dark night, Liu Yi shouted, “Come out!” At the same time, red light emanated from the black sword, and with his strike, a purplish-red sword beam shot straight into the lake…