Feng Xi guessed that it was because of the skeleton and quickly knelt down and kowtowed three more times.
This time she avoided the sharp bones and didn't bleed again.
At that moment, the little black ball's voice sounded in her divine sense, "Master, what kind of place is this? Why are there Qi of Death?"
Feng Xi asked in confusion, "Qi of Death?"
"That's right, Qi of Death!
If this thing spreads out, it won't take long before there won't be any breathing things left out there!
I guess this circular platform is a formation disk, his skeleton used itself as the formation eye to seal the Qi of Death."
Feng Xi had previously had a similar guess, she just didn't know that the gray mist was Qi of Death.
She suddenly had another conjecture, the skeleton had been suppressing the Qi of Death here, but something in its hand had been taken away, causing the formation to loosen, so the Qi of Death began to leak out.
A small number of Human-Eyed Azure Moths and Ghostfire Xuanming Aphids also took the opportunity to escape to the outside world.
Her being transformed into a wandering ghost earlier was probably because some Qi of Death dispersed when the Human-Eyed Azure Moth self-destructed, and she had unluckily absorbed it.
So the question was, what was the artifact that was originally in the skeleton's hand?
Could it be… Shen Zhilan's Feihong Sword?
That's very possible!
According to the menial servants, the strange phenomena at Sword Mountain had begun after Shen Zhilan obtained the Feihong Sword!
And the process by which she obtained it was also very strange. That day, before she even began comprehending sword intent, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and a sword suddenly appeared in her hand.
No one saw where this sword came from, they just assumed, based on conventional thinking, that it came from within Sword Mountain.
Looking at it this way, it's most likely the sword from the skeleton's hand.
As for whether this was Shen Zhilan's unintentional act or the result of prior planning, there was no way to know.
She had previously called Shen Zhilan a jinx merely out of habit, but now it seemed she wasn't wrong.
Shen Zhilan really was a jinx!
Everyone had nearly been killed because of her!
However, now wasn't the time to think about this, it's better to leave this place quickly.
If nothing else, her master must be very worried.
But recalling the malevolent insects and plants she had encountered along the way, Feng Xi felt her scalp tingle.
Not to mention her, even the heads of the four major sects would likely croak here!
What to do?
At that moment, the little fat bird said softly, "Master, I should have a deterrent effect on malevolent insects. Let me out and try.
Also, Fire-Swallowing Qiu's earth fire should deter malevolent plants.
Why don't you try?"
Feng Xi thought it made sense, and decided to try it out first. If it didn't work, she would retreat back to the circular platform.
Because she had discovered that the area around the platform was clean, without any malevolent insects or plants.
She casually stored the demonic beast horn stained with her blood into her storage ring, then had the little fat bird perch on Fire-Swallowing Qiu and walk in front. She held the wooden sword behind them, ready to strike at any moment.
Still uneasy, she brought the little black ball out and had it sit on her head. In an emergency, it could use lightning to attack.
After they left, the skeleton's skull tilted slightly, the direction of its "gaze" following Feng Xi's departure.
Feng Xi was completely unaware. She was fully alert, with her eyes wide open, afraid of any danger.
She not only had to protect herself, but also the little fat bird and the others, not daring to relax in the slightest.
At this moment, she somewhat missed the time when she was a wandering ghost!
It's better to be a wandering ghost, she could be carefree, drifting with the wind!
Soon, they reached the territory of green malevolent insects.
Sensing someone approaching, the insects began wriggling slowly. The little fat bird let out a clear cry.
Those insects immediately stopped moving.
Feng Xi was delighted inside but she didn't dare relax at all, quickly passing through the area.
Next was a region of malevolent plants.
They were also restless, but seemed to fear Fire-Swallowing Qiu's earth fire and didn't dare approach within three meters of Feng Xi.
Half of her worry eased, and she continued forward.
Not knowing how long they had walked for, she finally saw blue light ahead.
They'd reached the territory of the Human-Eyed Azure Moths.
The little fat bird cried again. Those Human-Eyed Azure Moths seemed less intimidated, constantly flapping their wings.
Feng Xi suddenly remembered something, she withdrew the Fire-Swallowing Qiu, only leaving the little fat bird.
Sure enough, the Human-Eyed Azure Moths quieted considerably.
Feng Xi couldn't help laughing, it seemed that "moths drawn to a flame" also applied to these Human-Eyed Azure Moths!
Then she felt her divine sense become somewhat dazed, as if something was attacking her sea of consciousness.
The little fat bird sensed it as well and its cry became sharp.
Only then did Feng Xi break free of the discomfort. It seemed Elder Ge had been right, Human-Eyed Azure Moths could indeed attack one's divine sense.
After dealing with those Human-Eyed Azure Moths, Feng Xi belatedly realized a problem.
Now that the formation had restarted, the restrictions here were also in effect, and flight was forbidden.
Sure enough, when she summoned the wooden sword, she couldn't fly at all.
The little phoenix tried several times and could only fly up to about three meters high, unable to go any higher.
The little black ball tried turning itself into mist, but likewise couldn't fly out.
Feng Xi felt like a small frog at the bottom of a well looking up at the sky, unable to leap out no matter how she tried.
The Fire-Swallowing Qiu, the big genius, said, "Master, I'm an expert at digging holes, let's dig our way out!"
Feng Xi: "..."
Leaving aside whether the malevolent insects here would follow the tunnel out and harm other living beings, the key point was that there's a formation here, you couldn't dig out at all.
Sure enough, Fire-Swallowing Qiu nearly wore its claws down without digging a hole.
Feng Xi thought of countless methods, rejecting each one, none would work.
Suddenly, the little black ball said, "Master, didn't that old fellow from Yunxiao Sect say that broken token could be used as a talisman brush? Something about drawing the sun and moon, drawing mountains and rivers, drawing heaven and earth, you can just draw a door yourself!"
Feng Xi: "..."
The fuck do you take me for, Ma Liang with his magic brush(1)?
But she really had no other option, so she took out the token.
To be precise, it's now an ordinary talisman brush.
At that instant, Feng Xi sharply sensed fluctuations of spiritual qi around her. Almost instinctively, she stored the little fat bird back into the spirit beast pouch.
White light flashed before her eyes, and Feng Xi disappeared from the spot.
A sigh echoed from the depths.
The chasm once again fell into dead silence.
When Feng Xi regained consciousness, she found herself inside Hunyuan Sect's… treasury.
This rascal: "..."
Damn it, teleporting me here is just to torture me, right?!
If she takes something, she'll drown in spit if someone discovers!
If she doesn't take something, Hunyuan Sect still owes her more than ninety million spirit stones!
While she was struggling with this, the four spiritual roots in her dantian began holding hands and spinning in circles.
Feng Xi: "..."
How about I… cultivate here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) 'Ma Liang with his magic brush':
Referencing the Chinese folktale, Ma Liang and the Magic Paintbrush'. It's about a boy whose paintbrush brings whatever he draws to life.