Urban Martial Saint

Xiliang Mountain is located at the westernmost edge of Huaxia, near the border.

Xiliang Mountain is a collective name for a series of mountain ranges, which have an average altitude of over five thousand meters, making it the place with the highest average altitude in Huaxia.

Due to the extremely high altitude and proximity to the border, the area around Xiliang Mountain is sparsely populated.

You would have to travel beyond one hundred kilometers outside of Xiliang Mountain to encounter any signs of human habitation. As for the places close to Xiliang Mountain, they are virtually uninhabited. The entire Xiliang Mountain seems like a true human forbidden zone; no human dares to step inside.

Ye Qing specifically reviewed numerous records about Xiliang Mountain, and the title of human forbidden zone originates from more than thirty years ago. Legend has it that back then, there were still people living near Xiliang Mountain. People even lived at the foot of the mountain and would occasionally venture into Xiliang Mountain to hunt prey and sell them for money. The mountain range of Xiliang Mountain is highly complex, teeming with wild animals, and rich in resources.

Then, one day more than thirty years ago, a mysterious golden light burst into the sky within Xiliang Mountain, visible to everyone inside and outside the mountain.

Those outside Xiliang Mountain saw the soaring golden light and thought something had appeared in the mountain. Thus, a dozen or so bold villagers banded together and ventured into Xiliang Mountain, intending to locate the source of the light.

As it turned out, this group stayed inside Xiliang Mountain for three days and nights until the golden light vanished, yet they still hadn’t reached the location. However, they encountered a severely injured woman at this moment. They rescued her, and from her mouth came a terrifying message.

The woman turned out to be a human smuggler. Such activities were not uncommon around Xiliang Mountain, so the young men weren’t surprised. However, what the woman said next stunned everyone.

On the day the golden light burst from Xiliang Mountain, a group from a neighboring country happened to be crossing Xiliang Mountain, intending to enter Huaxia. But as they passed through Xiliang Mountain, they encountered this sudden phenomenon. The golden light’s location was very close to them, and out of curiosity, they decided to go closer and investigate. Before they could reach the golden light, another beam of golden light shone upon them. They had no time to dodge, and the light enveloped most of them. Under the illumination of this golden light, their bodies began to rapidly split apart, blood spurting out, and chunks of flesh falling off. Within minutes, they turned into bloody and fleshy skeletons, looking incredibly terrifying.

The woman and a few others, due to their weak stature, stood relatively far away and didn’t get exposed to the golden light, hence their bodies didn’t experience the same fate. However, they witnessed the people ahead turn into skeletons and were naturally shocked. In fact, that was just the beginning; the events following were truly deadly.

After the people transformed into skeletons, they didn’t immediately die, nor did they fall. On the contrary, they could still move, and most alarmingly, these skeletons were capable of attacking. They turned around and began assaulting those who hadn’t been exposed to the golden light!

The woman was among those attacked and realized the situation was dire. She immediately turned to flee but was chased by one of the skeletons, nearly losing her life. Fortunately, at a crucial moment, she ran into a bear’s territory, angering the bear. The bear and the skeleton battled each other, giving the woman a chance to escape desperately until she collapsed from her injuries and was rescued by these young men.

After hearing the woman’s story, the young men did not believe her. To them, once a person dies, they are simply dead and can’t move if they’re just skeletons. Hence, they thought she was lying. They even suspected she was trying to prevent them from finding the source of the golden light and deliberately invented these lies to deceive them. Therefore, the young men insisted on going to the place where the golden light flashed, even forcing the woman to lead the way.

The woman was adamantly unwilling, but at that time, the young men forced her, and ultimately she had no choice but to lead a few young men forward. Before they reached the golden light’s location, they encountered a group of skeletons. The result was predictable, as the young men suffered attacks, with most of them killed by the skeletons, leaving only two to escape desperately. The woman, in the end, couldn’t escape either and was torn in half alive by the skeletons.

The two young men who escaped didn’t dare stay in the mountain. After coming out, they immediately reported the matter to the village. With more than a dozen deaths, it was a serious matter, and the village promptly reported it to the county. Coincidentally, there was an infantry base nearby, and the military dispatched a squad of fifteen men into the mountain to investigate. Of those fifteen, only one managed to escape, and what he reported was identical to what the two young men described, causing a thorough uproar.

Later, the military sent several more groups in, with the largest dispatching over one hundred people simultaneously. But the results were the same; they didn’t know whether the skeletons were dead or alive, as they weren’t afraid of any bullets or weapons. Instead, those people sent in suffered countless deaths and injuries, unable to solve the problem.

Ultimately, having no other option, the military blocked off the area. All people outside Xiliang Mountain were relocated. The nearest place from Xiliang Mountain was over one hundred kilometers away, and Xiliang Mountain became a complete human forbidden zone; no one dared to enter again. Within these thirty-plus years, people from Huaxia didn’t dare to approach Xiliang Mountain, and no one on the border dared to smuggle across Xiliang Mountain, leaving it desolate. Occasionally, some disbelieving adventurers entered the mountain, but none returned, further reinforcing Xiliang Mountain’s reputation as a human forbidden zone.

Before entering Xiliang Mountain, Ye Qing thoroughly investigated the information available. Much of the data was actually classified. However, the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and Twelve Green Halls had a lot of hidden information. Plus, after verifying all the information, Ye Qing could confirm that Xiliang Mountain’s reputation as a human forbidden zone was likely authentic. The events recorded in the data definitely occurred. However, whether those moving, attacking skeletons were real remains to be discussed.

Ye Qing had ventured into many ancient tombs, witnessed many unbelievable phenomena. Honestly, he had become somewhat immune to such matters. Although the legends of Xiliang Mountain shocked Ye Qing, he was more focused on thinking whether the golden light inside Xiliang Mountain and Shijia entering the mountain shared any common reasons?

The Buddhist Sect’s power is golden in color, and those Buddha’s Relic, even the Honored Buddha, emit golden light. The golden light should have some relation to the Buddhist Sect. However, the Buddhist Sect’s power shouldn’t be so evil, such that it causes people’s bodies to split and skeletons to attack people. Therefore, Ye Qing could confirm that there must be some other sinister force in the mountain causing such a result. Shijia might have been controlled by this evil force. But if even Shijia was controlled, what purpose would Ye Qing’s team, who couldn’t perform Martial Arts, serve?

After pondering along the way, Ye Qing’s group finally arrived at the county town outside Xiliang Mountain. This county town didn’t have an airport, but there were stationed troops, and the military had a dedicated airfield. Before coming, Ye Qing had already contacted Su Kaicheng, who arranged everything, allowing them to smoothly disembark at the military base.

After the plane came to a halt, Old Chen, who had been clutching the back of his chair and trembling, sprang to life, taking deep breaths as if experiencing a rebirth.

Handsome Fatty Wang had been bickering with him throughout the journey but didn’t gain the upper hand. At that time, even while Old Chen was terrified, one could see how strong his eloquence was. Seeing Old Chen regaining his spirits now, Handsome Fatty Wang turned decisively to leave. Bickering with Old Chen again would definitely put him at an unfair disadvantage.

Old Chen was still watching Handsome Fatty Wang and, seeing him about to run, quickly chased after him, saying, ”Fatty, where are you going? Come, let’s have a chat?”

Handsome Fatty Wang quickly responded, ”Chat with your uncle, Fat Lord needs to take a shit!”

Old Chen: ”What a coincidence, I need to take a shit too. How about we go together and chat while squatting?”

Handsome Fatty Wang stiffened his neck, ”I suddenly don’t feel like going anymore, you go ahead.”

Old Chen: ”In fact, I’m not in a hurry either, why don’t we chat here for a bit first?”

Handsome Fatty Wang, close to breaking down, exclaimed, ”Damn it, you’re like a persistent ghost! I just don’t want to talk to you!”

Old Chen: ”No problem, I can talk while you listen!”

”...” Handsome Fatty Wang almost spit blood, but it’s apparent that Old Chen wouldn’t let him go easily.

Ye Qing had just stepped off the plane when a few individuals resembling military officers approached him. The leader saluted Ye Qing with a standard military salute, then greeted Ye Qing and his group.

The people summoned by Handsome Fatty Wang, seeing the situation in the camp, were scared silent. These people were experienced grave robbers, having raided many tombs, but they had never been to such a solemn place. They were trembling when they saw the soldiers wearing military uniforms and hats. Nonetheless, they were also enthusiastic at heart; who would have thought they could openly appear in such a place? Previously, whenever they saw someone with a large-brimmed cap, they would hide as quickly as possible. Now being welcomed, that feeling was truly wonderful!