Demonic Cultivation: Devouring Ten Thousand Demonic Beasts
Chapter 46: Paying respect

Chapter 46: Paying respect

Langtian took out his dagger and began to carve the letters into the wooden plank he had just cut from a nearby tree.

Zhao Rui Chen

Mysterious Sun Sect

A good brother. A good man.

When he finished, he drove the plank into the soil. Then, placing his palms together, he bowed in silent respect.

Beside him, Yue Ling followed suit, her long sleeves drifting with the breeze as she lowered her head in quiet prayer.

There was no incense nor any paper offerings, but only a few plain buns and sweets, carefully placed on a clean cloth by Yue Ling, though she would take them back later of course. It was all they had.

Around them, the mist curled softly, and for a moment, even the wind seemed to still, as if paying its respects in silence.

"I swear, no matter how long it takes... I will avenge you, Senior Brother," said Langtian, his eyes filled with determination.

"And not just him," Yue Ling added softly. "All of them. Every soul buried here, every life taken."

Langtian gave a small nod.

"Of course."

He raised his head and looked at the graves now.

"Once I kill that bastard Yan Hao Yang... I’m going to bring his head here and offer it to all of you."

The moment those words left his lips, a sudden gust of wind swept through the clearing. The spider lilies trembled. The mist stirred and danced. The grave markers groaned faintly as if shifting in place.

It could’ve been coincidence.

Or perhaps... the dead had heard.

Either way, neither of them spoke. They stood there in silence, side by side, surrounded by a forest of weathered grave planks and crimson blossoms, the graves stretching endlessly into the mist.

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Afterward, the two spent some time together pulling weeds, clearing the overgrowth from between the grave markers as much as they could. It wasn’t much, but it brought a bit of order, made the resting place feel more dignified, more cared for.

Eventually, they left the burial ground behind.

Langtian still carried Senior Brother Zhao’s jade flute, secured carefully at his side.

He had made a silent vow: that if he ever escaped this cursed valley, he would return the flute to Zhao Rui Chen’s family, so they would at least have something to remember him by.

He still remembered...

Back when they had first gotten to know each other, Zhao Rui Chen had once invited him to visit his hometown.

It was a prosperous clan based in the southeast, known throughout the region for their spice trading and merchant ventures. They were wealthy, respected, and well-connected in the mortal world.

If not for his love of cultivation, Zhao Rui Chen would’ve likely inherited the family business and lived a comfortable, stable life.

But that wasn’t the path he chose.

That Senior Brother... he had always chased the thrill of adventure, always dreamed of climbing higher on the Dao, no matter the danger, no matter the cost.

Langtian exhaled softly, then ran his fingers along the flute once more, gently tracing the plum blossom carvings near its mouthpiece.

Then, Langtian turned to Yue Ling, who had already taken a few steps ahead.

"Senior Sister," he called out, quickening his pace. "Where are we going next?"

Yue Ling glanced over her shoulder, the stick of a malt lollipop poking from her lips. A faint grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Another secret place, of course," she said playfully. "There’s something there I really want to show you. Actually... not a thing, but a person."

Langtian blinked. "What?! You mean... there’s someone else living in this valley besides us?"

Yue Ling gave a little shrug. "Not quite. This old senior passed away a long time ago. Even before I got thrown down here."

"Eh?" Langtian frowned in confusion. "Then why didn’t you bury him with the others?"

She stopped walking for a moment, her expression turning just a little more serious.

"He’s... a little different," she said quietly. "You’ll understand once you meet him. Or rather, once you see what’s left of him."

"O-okay..."

With that, Yue Ling turned forward again, her figure leading the way into the misty trail ahead.

And so, the two continued down the winding path, their silhouettes gradually swallowed by the fog.

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Moments later, they arrived at a rugged mountain slope, its surface steep and shadowed by jagged overhangs. The two stopped.

Langtian glanced around, brow furrowed.

"Huh? There’s nothing here?" he asked, puzzled.

Right now, all he could see were bare stone walls, crooked tree roots, and a few large boulders resting at the foot of the slope. The wind whistled through the mountain pass, bringing with it a faint, earthy chill. Nothing seemed unusual, just another desolate cliffside like countless others in this valley.

Yue Ling, however, just smiled and turned to him.

"Look closer, Junior Brother. Maybe try using your spiritual sense too."

"Ah... alright..."

Langtian muttered, then narrowed his eyes and began to focus.

He slowly extended his spiritual sense outward, letting it sweep across the landscape like a soft current. His eyes roamed from the rocks to the trees, watching for any irregularities.

Then, something caught his attention.

"Wait... there’s an array formation here?"

"Hoh? You’re pretty sharp!" Yue Ling grinned, clearly pleased. "To spot the array that fast... not bad at all."

"Yeah... it’s almost perfect," Langtian muttered. "I nearly missed it."

"So?" she asked, tilting her head. "What gave it away?"

"First, there was a very faint fluctuation in the flow of spiritual energy," Langtian said.

Even the best-hidden arrays slightly disrupt the natural qi circulation. Thanks to his training in qi sensing, he managed to catch it.

Then he pointed toward a jagged outcrop near the edge of the cliff. "And second, that shadow over there... it doesn’t match the angle of the light coming from those glowing crystals."

Yue Ling laughed softly and gave an approving nod.

"Well spotted. Junior Brother, good job."