Not long afterward, they arrived at the end of the mountain path.
What came into view was a staircase leading up the mountain.
"We’re here. This is the mountain gate of the Extreme Yin Sect,"
Fan Zhenglun took the lead, hopping down from the carriage and familiarly climbing the steps.
Fang Zhixing also disembarked and looked up to see, at the end of the staircase, a magnificent mountain gate towering imposingly.
They ascended the staircase.
The gate was spacious and tall, with a fire basin on each side.
Each basin was filled with a thick, green oil burning quietly inside.
The green oil, whose material was unknown, emitted no odor, and burned extremely slowly. However, the green light it emitted was bright, illuminating the entire gate as if it were daylight.
The mountain wind was strong, howling.
Yet, the strong wind hardly caused a ripple upon the green oil.
Even the flame barely flickered.
However, the green light was truly eerie, overpoweringly reminiscent of the netherworld.
Fang Zhixing walked to the base of the door, tilting his head to look up.
Horizontally placed above the gate, the signboard read "Extreme Yin Sect" in gentle, graceful script, exuding an elegance akin to a female’s demeanor.
Four gatekeepers quickly appeared.
Fang Zhixing glanced at them, noting their grey-green attire and their eerie, pallid complexions as white as bone.
Under the glow of the green fire, their faces also appeared green.
At first glance, they looked like the dead!
Extremely netherworld!
Fan Zhenglun coughed lightly, touched his sleeve, and presented a visiting card to the gatekeepers.
The young gatekeeper, upon seeing the visiting card, immediately showed respect and said, "So it is Sect Master Fan in person, my apologies, please wait a moment, I will go and report your arrival."
Fan Zhenglun smiled, standing by patiently.
Fang Zhixing felt a surge of curiosity and couldn’t help but whisper, "Why is there a cold aura emanating from their bodies?"
Fan Zhenglun explained with a smile, "The foundational cultivation technique practiced by members of the Extreme Yin Sect is named ’Evil Yin Decision.’ It is extremely cold, and its power can make an enemy feel as if plunged into an ice cave, truly terrifying."
Upon saying this, he added, "’Evil Yin Decision’ can be practiced by both men and women, yet one can only reach the pinnacle of the Five Beasts Realm with it.
Moreover, the Demon Transformation Technique of the Extreme Yin Sect is named ’Extreme Yin Basic Skills,’ oddly suitable only for women to practice. Thus, the Extreme Yin Sect is dominated by females, and its upper echelons are all women,"
Fang Zhixing quickly understood.
As they chatted, footsteps approached.
Fang Zhixing turned his head and saw a woman in red, with white hair and deep wrinkles on her face, dressed simply in a pleated skirt, floating towards them, accompanied by a young boy and girl.
She stepped forward with a smile, bowing slightly and said, "Such rare guests, I did not expect Sect Master Fan from the Six Void Sect to grace us. Our Extreme Yin Sect is honored by your presence."
Fan Zhenglun bowed and responded, "Elder Du, it has been years since we met, and you’re still radiant as ever!"
The woman in red covered her mouth and chuckled, "Old and old, I am already an old woman."
Her eyes fell on Fang Zhixing, raising an eyebrow, "And who is this handsome and valiant young man?"
Fan Zhenglun quickly replied, "This is Fang Zhixing, a newly inducted Guest Elder of our Six Void Sect."
The woman expressed surprise, marvelling with laughter, "Such a young Guest Elder is indeed a rarity. I thought he was a direct disciple you had taken in."
Fan Zhenglun laughed, "I would indeed be lucky to take in a direct disciple like him, alas, I don’t have such fortune."
Seeing this, the woman gestured invitingly and warmly said, "Come, come, let’s sit inside and chat."
The group entered the gate, first passing through a spiral staircase, climbing the mountain.
Suddenly, a series of caves hewn from the mountain by human hands burst into sight.
These caves seemed to be man-made excavations, illuminated with a green light, appearing as portals to hell, ready to devour anyone.
The woman in red led them past these caves, and the scene suddenly opened up.
On a wide, open plain, pavilions of varying heights sprouted from the ground.
Fang Zhixing focused intently, and what he saw made him involuntarily gasp in shock.
All the pavilions were neither made of wood nor stone.
Instead, they were entirely assembled from skeletons!
Fang Zhixing scanned them and saw human skulls, rib cages, and large mutant beast bones.
The woman in red stopped in front of a two-story pavilion, inviting them inside with a smile.
The green light cast on the old woman’s face made her look like a fierce ghost from hell inviting you into her home, eerily unsettling.
Fan Zhenglun, unfazed, walked in confidently.
Fang Zhixing followed without a second word.
As expected, the interior decorations were also exceedingly netherworldly, the tables and chairs all made of white bones, even the floor was paved with bone.
The young boy and girl brought tea.
Fang Zhixing glanced at the teaware, his mouth twitching when he shockingly discovered that the teacups were made from human skulls with holes drilled in the crown.
"Esteemed guests, please enjoy the tea," said the woman in red, all smiles.
Fan Zhenglun picked up the teacup, gulped down two mouthfuls, then exaggeratedly smacked his lips, nodding and exclaimed, "Excellent tea, excellent tea!"
Fang Zhixing also took a symbolic sip, feeling the tea was ice cold, fragrant, and particularly refreshing, slightly indescribable.
Fan Zhenglun playfully asked, "Elder Du, why isn’t your Sect Master present?"
The woman responded promptly, "Our Sect Master is currently in closed-door cultivation and cannot receive guests."
Fan Zhenglun nodded, getting straight to the point, "Truth be told, Fan is here on a matter of urgency."