Chapter Four: The Celestial Ruins

Before entering the Celestial Ruins, Li Ruoyu said to Wang Bo, “Fat Boy, do you want to go in with me and have a look?”
“If we came together, we should leave together, so of course I’ll go in with you,” Wang Bo replied.

Li Ruoyu and Wang Bo continued towards the inner perimeter of the Celestial Ruins. Danger abounded within: not only were there numerous exotic and ferocious beasts, but also many strange and ominous phenomena. Li Ruoyu wondered what means Daoist Tianheng and his adversaries had employed to create such a place.

Cautiously observing their surroundings, the two slowly approached the site where the beasts had previously fought. Ahead, in a mountain cave, stood a small tree bearing nine red fruits that emitted a peculiar radiance. Beneath the tree lay a skeleton, its clothing long decayed; not far from the corpse, a sword rested on the ground, and a black ring adorned the skeleton’s finger.

“Scarlet Flame Fruit,” Li Ruoyu mused. This was a rare medicinal treasure recorded in the Common Knowledge of the Cultivation Realm, one of the few capable of transforming beings in the Dust Refining stage. Rather than entering the cave immediately, Li Ruoyu picked up a stone and threw it inside. After some time, the cave remained silent. Only then did Li Ruoyu and Wang Bo carefully approach the Scarlet Flame Fruit tree.

On the way, Li Ruoyu picked up the sword. Though it appeared thin and light, it was not as light as it seemed. The hilt was engraved with the words “Cold Light Sword,” likely its name. As they neared the tree, Li Ruoyu noticed a small snake whose color matched the tree exactly, coiled among its gnarled branches. His palm, gripping the Cold Light Sword, broke out in a cold sweat.

“If I hadn’t noticed it, the outcome would have been grim,” Li Ruoyu thought.

Drawing nearer, Li Ruoyu suddenly slashed at the snake with the Cold Light Sword. The snake sensed his movement and tried to evade, but Li Ruoyu’s attack was too swift; it had no time to escape.

After killing the snake, Li Ruoyu did not rush to pick the Scarlet Flame Fruits. He searched for further dangers and, only after confirming there were none, gathered the fruits.

Having plucked the Scarlet Flame Fruits, Li Ruoyu took the ring from the skeleton’s finger and searched the remains, finding nothing else except a small, dark stone bead.

Reflecting that he and Wang Bo had spent a considerable time in the cave, Li Ruoyu hastily called Wang Bo to hurry back to the outer perimeter. As they mounted the white crane bird, a louder commotion erupted from the depths of the Celestial Ruins. Li Ruoyu looked back toward the cave, only to see the great serpent that had battled the Qilin descendant rushing madly toward him. Alarmed, Li Ruoyu wondered, “Was the snake I killed in the cave its offspring?” With this thought, he quickly urged the white crane bird to fly faster toward the lodgings of the Everlasting Nine Sect.

Nearing the sect, he saw the serpent linger outside for a while before returning to the Ruins. Li Ruoyu finally relaxed. “The Records of Great Demons say that monsters are vengeful. Looks like I’ll have to be even more cautious when venturing out. This time, luck was on my side,” he thought.

Back in their quarters, Li Ruoyu divided the Scarlet Flame Fruits, taking four for himself and giving five to Wang Bo. Holding the ring and the sword, Li Ruoyu asked, “Fat Boy, pick one!” Wang Bo glanced at the treasures and said, “I’ll take the sword.” With that, Li Ruoyu handed Wang Bo the Cold Light Sword.

After Wang Bo left, Li Ruoyu examined the remaining items: the dark stone bead, the ring, and four Scarlet Flame Fruits. The bead seemed useless, yet Li Ruoyu felt it was a treasure. As for the ring, he recalled reading in the Common Knowledge of the Cultivation Realm about something called a Sumeru Mustard Seed. He retrieved the book and found the entry: “Sumeru Mustard Seed—holds the void in a mustard seed; requires spatial materials such as the Empty Stone to refine. Ancient cultivators could forge it, and within a square inch, it could contain mountains, rivers, and even the sun and moon. Drip blood upon it to claim initial ownership.”

Following the instructions, Li Ruoyu cut his finger and dripped blood onto the ring. He instantly felt a mysterious resonance, perceiving objects within the Sumeru Mustard Seed. He understood, “This is an extraordinary item. My father once warned me—those who possess treasures invite trouble. I must not reveal this Sumeru Mustard Seed.”

The internal space of Li Ruoyu’s Sumeru Mustard Seed was about ten square meters—small compared to those described in the book, but still a rare treasure in current times.

Inside the Sumeru Mustard Seed were five important items: two books, a small bell, a piece of blue-tinged iron, a sealed vial, and various odds and ends. One book introduced the previous owner, who was known as the Demon Daozi—a formidable figure of the demonic path, a contemporary of Daoist Tianheng three thousand years ago. When Daoist Tianheng crossed realms and seized the territory now occupied by the Everlasting Nine Sect, a great war erupted in Yan Country, resulting in heavy casualties. Demon Daozi was a main force in the assault on Daoist Tianheng. The book explained that the true motive was not to seize the sect, but to hunt Daoist Tianheng, who was pursued by outsiders seeking a dark stone bead. Local cultivators joined the fray upon hearing the news, forcing Daoist Tianheng to relinquish the bead. The demonic overlord, Grand Evil Lord, seized the opportunity to snatch the bead and fled, inciting a pursuit from all sides. Demon Daozi ultimately hunted down and killed the Grand Evil Lord, but was mortally wounded himself. To avoid further pursuit, he returned to the Celestial Ruins—site of his battle with Daoist Tianheng—set up formations, and concealed himself.

“The most dangerous place is often the safest,” Li Ruoyu mused. Demon Daozi truly deserved his reputation as a leader of the demonic path. Li Ruoyu continued reading; the book mentioned the small bell, named the Soul-Quelling Bell, a rare treasure for soul defense. Li Ruoyu recalled seeing descriptions of such treasures in the Common Knowledge of the Cultivation Realm: all extraordinary treasures possess wondrous abilities.