Chapter 119: Shennongjia

"Back then, I voluntarily admitted defeat and confessed my sins to the Heavenly Emperor. As a result, I was punished and tasked with guarding Shennongjia, the mountain of the Dragon God, to protect the sacred remains of Shennong, the ancestor of the Medicine Immortals. As it happens, Shennong and I had met once before and were very close friends, so I willingly accepted this duty, standing watch here to keep other malevolent spirits and evils at bay."

After speaking, the divine beast Hou seemed to heave a sigh of relief. "Since the Heavenly Sovereign wishes to enter, it is no longer appropriate for me to stand guard. I take my leave!"

With those words, the Hou tore through the cave wall and soared into the clouds.

Supported by Bai Ling, Fang You straightened up. He looked at Little Douzi, the last descendant of the tomb-raiding clan standing behind them, and took a deep breath. "In that case, let us see what this divine dragon body truly is."

The three of them continued inward. As they reached the depths, the path suddenly opened up; the other side of the tunnel was like another world entirely. Medicinal herbs grew lush and wild, and the soil was as fertile as it had been thousands of years ago.

Before Fang You’s eyes stood a massive, man-made earthen frame. It was the custom of ancient tribes to construct such frames when an elder or a person of great importance passed away, placing the body upon it as a testament to their virtues and a tribute to their memory.

"Sir, we have arrived!"

Fang You, Bai Ling, and Little Douzi approached the frame. Resting upon it was a skeleton so crystalline and pure that it appeared as transparent and dazzling as a gemstone. In the center of the ribcage, where the heart would be, lay a bead that shimmered with a translucent light.

Fang You carefully picked up the bead, suddenly realizing the truth: the Earth-Shielding Bead that the tomb-raiding clan had spent generations seeking was, in fact, the heart of Shennong. Legend held that whoever possessed the bead would be immune to all poisons, impervious to all medicinal interference, and shielded from external evil spirits. It turned out the bead was the manifestation of Shennong’s own heart.

"Is this the Earth-Shielding Bead? It’s beautiful!" Little Douzi exclaimed, gazing at the glistening object in Fang You’s hand.

Fang You looked at the bead for a moment, then handed it to the boy. "Take this back to your homeland. Consider it the debt settled on behalf of my father to your people."

Little Douzi took the bead, his voice thick with gratitude as he thanked them.

Bai Ling reached out and patted the top of Little Douzi’s head. "When you have the chance, stop this line of work. It is far too dangerous. You are still young—go back to your studies."

"Thank you, sister!" Little Douzi nodded.

The three of them walked out of the cave together.

Outside, two women were waiting for them.

"You’ve finally come out. It seems you’ve cleared away the guardian beast of Shennongjia. I don’t know how you managed it, but now it is our turn," said one of the women. Her features were exquisite, but a strip of red cloth was tied over her eyes, and her tone was chillingly cold.

"Who are you?" Fang You stepped out of the cave and, seeing the situation, quickly pulled Little Douzi behind him. "Are you here to steal the Earth-Shielding Bead?"

"We have no interest in such trinkets," the blindfolded woman replied. "You should not be strangers to us. My sister and I are members of the Twelve of the Yin-Yang Pavilion."

"My name is Shi Jing, and my sister’s name is Wu Yin. We have come here for the legendary sacred remains of Shennong."

"You dare to covet the remains of Shennong?" Fang You’s tension spiked. He had been the one to clear the path of monsters, the Chimera, and the divine beast Hou; if he let these intruders slip in now, he would be betraying the trust of the mountain spirits.

"Sister, what are they saying?" Wu Yin asked. "I can sense sound."

Shi Jing patted her sister’s head, then summoned a small bird. It flew to Wu Yin’s ear and chirped a few times. Wu Yin nodded as if she understood perfectly.

"So, one is blind and the other is deaf!" Bai Ling couldn't help but exclaim.

"Who are you calling deaf?" Shi Jing was instantly enraged by the comment directed at her sister.

"I think I understand," Fang You said politely. "The Yin-Yang Pavilion has come to our Eastern lands seeking to expand. As long as you do not harm the people here, we are happy to welcome friends from afar."

Shi Jing smiled. "Very well then, be a good host and step aside."

Fang You shook his head. "These remains are the legacy of the gods of our Eastern lands; I will never allow them to be trampled by outsiders."

Shi Jing let out a mocking laugh. "It seems we must use force after all."

She waved her hands, sensing the heartbeat of the world, and chanted, "All things share my heart, all living creatures share my will. Come, my birds!"

Suddenly, flocks of birds swarmed from every direction. Some were wild, while others looked trained, creating a truly grotesque sight.

"Oh no, what technique is this?" Bai Ling retreated slightly. With hundreds of birds, even if each one only pecked once, they would be shredded.

"We are descendants of the Flower-and-Bird clan of the Tokyo Yin-Yang Pavilion. Our clan is born with the ability to understand the language of birds and command them. If you do not wish to die, leave now. By the way, among these are some poisonous birds I have carefully cultivated. One peck, and you will die of toxicity," Shi Jing said with a cold, sinister grin.

Wu Yin also began to move her hands. "Bird souls that wish to follow me, emerge! Become my hands and feet, and fight for me!"

Behind Wu Yin, spectral birds formed from concentrated resentment appeared one after another. They were nothing but souls, yet they appeared reinforced, far more fearsome than any living bird.

"My sister can control the souls of birds after they die," Shi Jing sneered. "Compared to my ability, it is a perfect match. I command the living to fight, and when they fall, my sister commands their spirits to continue the battle. It is endless. The two of us alone are equal to an army of thousands."

"Must we fight?" Fang You clutched his exhausted body and drew his vermilion peach-wood sword and copper-coin sword. "I will not let you pass."

"With just the two of you and a child? You must be exhausted from the journey. What, you still have the strength to stop us? Fine, we shall not be polite then!"

"Sister, attack! Let’s peck these damned sorcerers to pieces!"