I Can Strengthen Infinitely-Chapter 202 - 160: Journey to Yangzhou Prefecture (Part 2)

Chapter 202: Chapter 160: Journey to Yangzhou Prefecture (Part 2)

Qin Yuesheng immediately lifted the curtain, carrying the Celestial Demon Blade, and stepped out of the carriage.

He saw nothing but wild plains stretching all around, a completely deserted and remote place.

Jumping off the carriage, Qin Yuesheng thrust the Celestial Demon Blade into the ground, stretching lazily to relax his muscles.

A cracking sound like exploding beans erupted from within him, enough to send chills down Qin Hai’s spine.

"When I used to travel on foot, I would camp in the wild at night. I didn’t expect that even with a carriage, I’d still be in the same situation." Qin Hai couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.

This was Qin Yuesheng’s first time camping outdoors, and he found it oddly interesting, so he said, "You wait for me here, I’ll go hunt some game."

"Be very careful, Cousin Yuesheng."

Qin Hai was well aware of Qin Yuesheng’s skills. Back when a ghost woman enchanted him, it was Qin Yuesheng who rescued him from that pink trap.

"Don’t worry." Qin Yuesheng dashed into the dense forest beside the road and soon disappeared from Qin Hai’s sight.

"Sir, I’ll go gather some wood to start a fire now," the coachman said to Qin Hai.

"Let me help you."

"Oh no, I couldn’t possibly let you do that."

"It’s fine, I can handle it. I’m not that precious. It’s settled." Qin Hai smiled.

...

Speeding through the forest, any tree that stood in Qin Yuesheng’s way was sliced in half with a single slash, his path as unstoppable as a dragon’s rampage.

A startled bird took flight, aiming for the skies, but with quick reflexes, Qin Yuesheng drew a throwing knife and flung it.

Whoosh!

The sound of the knife slicing through the air was followed by the bird being struck in the abdomen.

The bird cried out before plummeting to the ground.

"One doesn’t seem enough to eat." Qin Yuesheng grabbed the bird by the neck and continued his search in the dense forest.

He had to admit, the area was rich in wild animals. After a few rounds, Qin Yuesheng found three pheasants and a spotted deer.

After killing them, Qin Yuesheng used vines to tie their legs and hung them on the Celestial Demon Blade, ready to head back.

...

As night fell completely, a campfire was already lit near the carriage. Qin Hai and the coachman were crouched beside it, adding wood to the flames.

Qin Yuesheng sat nearby, using a throwing knife to skin the game he had caught. The scene was unusually quiet, with everyone focused on their tasks.

"Uncle, when will we see people on this Baoqing road?" Qin Yuesheng asked, looking up.

"By midday tomorrow, we should reach Jiaqing Market." the coachman replied.

Jiaqing Market, also known as Jiaqing Marketplace, was a populated place on the Baoqing Road, serving a purpose similar to rest stops on highways, established by the government for travelers to take a break.

"Oh." Qin Yuesheng nodded.

After quickly finishing their meals, the three found clean and cool spots near the fire to rest.

Having spent most of the day in the carriage, except for Qin Yuesheng, the coachman and Qin Hai were quite exhausted.

The coachman was used to it after many years, but it was tough for Qin Hai, whose bouncing in the carriage nearly left him in discomfort.

Lying on the ground, an overwhelming fatigue and drowsiness hit them, and the two soon fell into a deep sleep, with the coachman even snoring loudly.

Qin Yuesheng sat cross-legged, practicing the Profound Celestial Scripture. For him, sleep could completely be replaced by cultivation, and it also served as a night watch.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

A deep and resonant clock sound suddenly echoed from the distant forest, causing Qin Yuesheng to open his eyes immediately.

Two hours had probably passed since earlier, and the strange noise amid the previously silent surroundings naturally attracted Qin Yuesheng’s attention.

"Where is that clock sound coming from?" The coachman awoke quickly from his slumber. Although he snored, he was more alert than Qin Hai.

Watching the still-sleeping Qin Hai, Qin Yuesheng went over and pulled him up from the ground.

"Don’t sleep, there’s a commotion."

"Wh-what’s happening?" Qin Hai rubbed his eyes, asking sleepily.

But he soon heard the strange clock sound too.

"Uncle, are there any temples or monasteries nearby?" Qin Yuesheng asked.

"None. I’ve never heard of any." The coachman shook his head with certainty.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The clock sound showed no signs of stopping, continuously reverberating in the forest.

After about ten breaths, the clock sound finally ceased.

However, Qin Yuesheng’s ears still rang with the echo of that donging clock sound, as if he had imagined it.

"Something doesn’t feel right." Qin Yuesheng picked up the Celestial Demon Blade. "I’ll go check things out. You two stay here and don’t leave the carriage. If I don’t return, drive the carriage along the road and escape. I’ll meet you at Jiaqing Market tomorrow."

Qin Hai advised, "Cousin Yuesheng, I think it’s best to leave it be. The clock sound is eerie, and there’s no need to seek trouble. It’s too dangerous."

However, unbeknownst to them, Qin Yuesheng, as an officer of the Seven-Star Monitoring Bronze Toad, had to handle supernatural and mysterious occurrences within Jiangnan.

Given that Baoqing Road was closest to Cyan Yang City, if something supernatural and mysterious happened, it would end up as Qin Yuesheng’s responsibility to resolve.

Be it sooner or later, the problem had to be solved eventually, so he might as well investigate it now.

"Follow my instructions. Both of you get in the carriage and be vigilant." Qin Yuesheng handed two Soul-Swaying Bells to Qin Hai: "Take these, don’t let them leave your side."

Saying that, Qin Yuesheng plunged into the pitch-black forest.

...

The deep forest, an uninhabited place, was most prone to eerie happenings, unrestrained by human presence and often breeding the inexplicable.

In a part of the forest, a group of four—three men and a woman—were walking cautiously in a single file along a shoulder-width path. Below them on the left was a cliff, and above on the right was a rocky wall; any slip could plunge them into an abyss, so they treaded very cautiously.

"Brother, that place must be nearby. We’ve been searching for four or five days already."

"According to the map, it should be here, but we haven’t seen it." The leader, walking at the front, scratched his head in puzzlement.

As they rounded a bend in the path, the view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a hanging bridge stretching before them.

On the opposite side of the dilapidated hanging bridge stood an ancient temple built against the mountain, shrouded in heavy mist that covered most of its structure, even at this late hour of the night.

The four of them exclaimed with joy and excitement at the sight.

"We’ve found it! Finally found it!"

"The ancient mountain temple, it’s got to be it."

"Let’s go check it out."

Without hesitation, the group stepped onto the creaky, uncertain bridge and made their way across.

Fortunately, luck was on their side. Despite its dilapidated state, the bridge supported their weight all the way across.

Upon reaching the other side, they instantly rushed towards the temple’s main gates.

The ancient temple, standing for countless years, showed signs of decay with the craftsmen’s applied paint long eroded, leaving visible cracks and worm-eaten holes.

Flanking the gates, faceless giant statues holding Vajra Pestles and axes stood with tilted heads as if peering down at anyone who intended to enter the temple.

The statues’ faces had been weathered over time, their features smoothed flat, making them appear more ghostly and mysterious.

"Let’s get to work," the lead man whispered.

Immediately, the other three set about their tasks.