Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

"Don't look at me, it wasn't me who made a move. You all should think about whether you have wronged anyone in the Southern Borderlands," the man in the black robe said in a hoarse voice.

The words of the man in the black robe drastically changed the expressions of the others. Seemingly recalling something, they panicked and ran out of the inn immediately.

"Uncle Ghost, can they escape?" the girl asked the man in the black robe.

"They have been marked by the Curse Master; even if they run a thousand miles away, they cannot save their lives." His casual words seemed to have already sentenced these people to death.

However, the joys and sorrows of the world do not necessarily relate. While some were frantically fleeing to save their lives, the rest in the inn had already regained their composure. In the Southern Borderlands, such scenes were not uncommon, and they had grown accustomed to them.

Instead, it was Yang Wen who advised Lu Yu, saying, "Brother Lu, as you have seen, the Southern Borderlands is a lawless land. Killing here is as common as dining; being a scholar without the strength to truss a chicken, you really should not risk your life by coming here."

Lu Yu, however, waved his hand dismissively, "Brother Yang need not worry. Although I am a scholar, I am not one of those pedantic ones who only know their books; I have also trained well in swordsmanship." After speaking, he even patted the treasured sword hanging at his waist.

Only then did the siblings notice that Lu Yu was actually wearing a treasured sword at his belt, which however looked unadorned and lacked the glow of Spiritual Nature, seeming just like an ordinary mundane sword.

Hearing Lu Yu's words, Mo Chou couldn't help but laugh and said, "You scholars really are bold, daring to go after witnessing that scene just now."

But before she could finish her words, she received a chastising flick on her forehead from her senior brother. Yang Wen sternly said, "How many times have I taught you, how do you talk like that? You should call him Big Brother Lu, not just 'scholar'."

Ignoring Mo Chou, who was now clutching her forehead and sulking, Yang Wen turned to Lu Yu and said apologetically, "My sister is still young and spoiled by us; her impolite words were unintended. However, as the Southern Borderlands are mountainous and far, with miasma prevailing, it might be dangerous for Brother Lu to go alone. Why not travel with us, brother and sister?

It would be better to have company on the road."

Lu Yu looked at Yang Wen, not expecting the young man to possess such a sense of chivalry, and therefore did not decline.

After satisfying their hunger and thirst, the people in the inn began to set off towards the Southern Borderlands in dribs and drabs. They each harbored their own purposes, but at this moment, their expressions were anything but relaxed. Entering such an unsafe place, especially after what had happened earlier, cast a shadow over their journey.

Lu Yu followed Yang Wen and his sister, slowly walking on the vast lands of the Southern Borderlands, experiencing the mystery often spoken of by the people.

Everyone said the Southern Borderlands was a mystical land, seemingly enveloped by some force, but most believed it was just a psychological effect since it was an unexplored territory. Outsiders knew very little about this land, and the tribes living in the Southern Borderlands seldom liked to communicate with the outside world, thus creating the rumored mystery.

Yet, Lu Yu could clearly feel that on this land, there truly existed a mysterious power, majestic and sublime as if it hovered above, governing the fate of this world.

"This feeling is very much like the evolution of the 'Law' as described in legends!" Lu Yu thought to himself.

The Southern Borderlands had always been abundant in rainfall, with towering mountains and dense forests, harboring countless poisonous insects hidden within these woods. These insects, feared even by the most formidable assassins, were also top-grade medicinal materials capable of curing many stubborn diseases.

Many merchants ventured into the Southern Borderlands solely to procure the bodies of these poisonous insects and make a fortune from them.

However, for those walking through the jungle, it posed some dangers. The elusive poisonous insects were the biggest headache for all adventurers since the toxicity of the insects living there was unpredictable, and a small bite could easily claim an adult's life.

Yet, for Lu Yu and his party, this didn't seem to be a concern. A faint white light emitted from the clothing of Yang Wen and Mo Chou, and any approaching poisonous insects were instantly sliced into pieces by this light, unable to reach their bodies. Lu Yu squinted at the pale light, recognizing it as the faint sword light.

As for Lu Yu himself, ever since he had set foot on this land, he had been constantly sensing the mysterious power contained within the Earth, hence, his body bore a strange aura, as if merging with the land into one. If one didn't pay close attention, they could hardly notice his presence, and the poisonous insects seemed to ignore him as if he were mere air.

Yang Wen looked at Lu Yu in astonishment. He felt that this Scholar had a special charisma, especially since setting foot on this land. He could distinctly feel that Lu Yu seemed to have formed an inexplicable connection with the land, giving off the sensation that he was originally a part of the Southern Borderlands, which surprised him greatly.

"Brother Lu, do you feel anything special since arriving in the Southern Borderlands?" Yang Wen asked tentatively.

"I sense a strange, familiar aura," Lu Yu said with a smile.

"Really, I also noticed that Brother Lu seems to fit very well with this land," Yang Wen said with a laugh.

Mo Chou looked puzzled at the two men conversing, unsure of the riddle they were discussing.

Suddenly, a flurry of panicked footsteps came, and a young girl covered in blood rushed out from the dense jungle—it turned out to be the spirited young girl from the inn.

At that moment, the girl looked disheveled, her previously inseparable hooded companion nowhere in sight, and her clothes were torn, revealing fair skin. She looked terrified, devoid of her earlier confidence at the inn.

When she saw Lu Yu and his companions, her eyes showed a glint of hope, but before she could speak, a gloomy voice came from the dense forest.

"Young girl, don't try to escape. You are destined to be a sacrifice to our god, and merging with the Divine Spirit is your fate," an elder dressed in strange attire emerged from the jungle.

He held a staff adorned with a Skull Head, wore a headdress resembling a moose skull adorned with bright feathers, and half of his face was covered in peculiar patterns. His visage was slightly aged but lacked the typical weariness of an old man, instead exuding a chilling aura.

When he saw Lu Yu and his companions, his eyes lit up, especially after seeing Lu Yu, his eyes filled with fervor. He suddenly kneeled down and cried out fervently, "Great Divine Spirit, is this your revelation to me, sending the finest vessel in the world before me?"