by Fang Xiang
Bright red flows of lava could be seen everywhere. It was possible to see white bones that bobbed and moved in the lava in a terrifying picture.
Zuo Mo marveled inwardly. It had to be said that the Ten Thousand Tombs of the Netherworld was an unique place.
The guard saw Zuo Mo seemed to be very interested and introduced the area, "If we go forward, we will arrive at the Fire Cemetery. That is where we forge. The fire cemetery is abundant in earth fire and there are many that come here to forge. In the past, this place was sparsely populated, then shen equipment came into style on the market. More and more people started to learn to forge shen equipment and more and more people came to the fire cemetery."
"Oh, how is the skill level of the Yin Tomb Guards in forging shen equipment?" Zuo Mo asked curiously.
"Not very good." The guard twisted his mouth. He clearly was not satisfied with the skill level of his group. "It is terrible. Lacking compared to the four nether lords. The Nether lords are worse than the xiuzhe realm. In the past, someone purchased a batch of Mo Cloud shen equipment. That level of skill is amazing. It is a pity that the Mo Cloud shen equipment does not match our shen power. The effects are not good. Otherwise, we will definitely will just buy directly from them."
Zuo Mo was very happy when he heard praise for Mo Cloud Sea from other people. His mind shifted. "Are you not able to communicate with Mo Cloud Sea? Why would they not sell shen equipment?"
"We had been planning to buy from them, but then something happened." The guard seemed to be wary of this question and did not discuss any further.
Zuo Mo was perceptive. It seemed as though the Nether Realm was not very calm either.
"Daren, the Fire Cemetery is up ahead," the guard pointed forward and said.
The bone carriage rounded between two hills and the scenery opened in front of them, an extremely large basin surrounded by mountains. Countless flows of lava flowed down from the mountain peaks as they gave off thick plumes of smoke.
Hundreds of streams of lava gathered at the base of the basin.
Thick pillars of fire occasionally erupted out of the center of the basin. Watching from far away, countless pillars rose and fell in a spectacular scene.
"This is the Fire Cemetery?" Even Zuo Mo couldn't help but be stunned by such a great scene.
"Yes! Grandmaster, this is the Fire Cemetery! One of the best fire regions in the Nether World!" The guard's voice was filled with pride.
The bone carriage flew swiftly downwards.
There were people waiting on the ground already and they moved over when the bone carriage landed. They bowed and called Grandmaster.
"This is the steward of the Fire Cemetery, Lu Zhuang," the guard introduced.
Zuo Mo greeted Lu Zhuang who was overwhelmed. Lu Zhuang was of a simple appearance and he was very embarrassed. "Grandmaster, please forgive us. Everyone tried to forge the white bones, but the best is only at this level."
Lu Zhuang handed over a piece of bone. There were many ugly white marks on the transparent bone.
Zuo Mo frowned. This was caused by leaving too many impurities.
Zuo Mo identified the problem. He had based his predictions using the skill level of Golden Crow Camp. The forging skill level of these people were far below Golden Crow Camp. From this bone, it could be seen the so-called best were about the same skill level as the fringe apprentices of Golden Crow Camp.
He needed a great amount of crystal bone. He could forge them, but he did not want to waste his time on the simple preparation work. He had thought that work like this could be done by other people.
Forging like this that was simple and was needed in great amounts was best for less-skilled forgers to forge.
"Who forged this piece?" Zuo Mo asked.
Lu Zhuang hurriedly summoned the forger. It was a youth in his twenties. Lu Zhuang hurriedly said, "Ming Hong is the best forger here, he is the most skilled."
"Give him a piece of white bone, I'll watch as he forges it," Zuo Mo said.
Ming Hong became alert. He had heard that a great grandmaster had come to the Ying Tomb Guards this time. He hadn't expected the grandmaster to personally come to the Fire Cemetery and would personally teach him. He could not waste a chance like this.
Ming Hong became as alert as possible as he started to forge the white bone.
Zuo Mo's mouth gaped at the following actions. Ming Hong was using the fire that erupted from the Fire Cemetery to forge!
Zuo Mo pointed at the focused Ming Hong and asked Lu Zhuang, "You all forge like this?"
"Yes!" Lu Zhuang had an expression of punishment. "Shouldn't it be so?"
Zuo Mo was completely speechless. He had been mentally prepared before that the Yin Tomb Guards were not skilled, but he had not expected for their skill to be so low.
"Don't you know that there are many impurities in these pillars of fire? If the flame itself is not pure, how can you forge?" Zuo Mo shouted in a rarely stern tone. "Don't you have the xiuzhe's scrolls? How can you not even know this basic knowledge?"
Lu Zhuang had a grimace. "Grandmaster, please do not be angry! It is not that this lowly one does not know that forging needs flames, because we cultivate nether shen power we cannot absorb earth fire."
Without knowing it, there were more and more mo gathered in the surroundings. They had heard that a grandmaster had arrived and had all ran over.
Zuo Mo stilled. He finally realized. The forging arts of the xiuzhe had gone through tens of thousands of years of development. What flames could be used, which ones were not good, that must have been learned through the contributions of countless people. For the mo, ten years ago, they didn't need to know how to forge. They had refined their bodies as weapons, and only began forging as they entered the era of shen power. Shen equipment was something unfamiliar to everyone, but to them even forging was unfamiliar.
This fundamental knowledge needed to be accumulated through countless people. There were no shortcuts.
The faces were bitter and dispirited. They had studied for so many years, but they still did not understand.
The mysteries of the forging world were unreachable to them.
Zuo Mo sighed inside. He looked at these faces, and suddenly thought of himself back at Wu Kong Mountain.
"Nether shen power is not suited for absorbing earth fire. You have death energy within your shen power and that is even more unsuited for earth fire. However, other than earth fire, there are other types of fire. The reason that xiuzhe mostly use earth fire is because, for them, earth fire is easy to absorb and control."
Everyone listened carefully in fear of missing a word.
"But you are suited for yin type fires, like ghost fire," Zuo Mo continued.
"How can ghost fire be used to forge?" someone shouted from among the crowd.
They were familiar with ghost fire. The shen power that many people cultivated carried small amounts of ghost fire. This as the Ten Thousand Tombs of the Underworld, ghost fire and similar fires could be seen everywhere.
Zuo Mo smiled slightly. "For the xiuzhe, ghost fire is not a good fire to forge with. But for you, it is most fitting. Does anyone have ghost fire?"
A weak voice said, "Grandmaster, I do."
Zuo Mo followed the noise. It was Ming Hong who had just demonstrated for him. Zuo Mo said gently, "Let me see."
Ming Hong moved his hand, and a pale green ghost fire floated in his hand.
"Other powers are usually mixed in with ghost fire when used in attacks. However, in forging, you have to remember the most important quality about any flame is purity. The purer the flame, the more suited it is for forging." Zuo Mo's voice was not loud, but it could be heard all over.
"This ghost fire's quality is not bad, but it has not been refined enough. It is easy to refine fire. Channel your shen power." Zuo Mo then said to Ming Hong. "Try."
Ming Hong hesitated. Hiss, the ghost fire was absorbed into his body. As the ghost fire circulated around his body, Ming Hong's face b
ecame a pale green.
About an hour later, the green tinge on Ming Hong's face gradually faded. He summoned the flame. The ghost fire was slightly more green than previously.
"Alright, when you refine ghost fire it will be pure when it is colorless." Zuo Mo suddenly threw a white bone to Ming Hong. "Try forging this with the ghost fire."
Ming Hong looked helplessly at Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo patiently taught, "Control the ghost fire to wrap around the white bone."
Following the words, Ming Hong used the ghost fire to surround the white bone. Soon, the white bone was covered in a terrifying layer of green and a layer of sweat appeared on Ming Hong's forehead.
"Do not stop." Zuo Mo shouted in a low voice, "Focus your mind, pay attention to controlling the fire to permeate into the interior of the bone."
Ming Hong gritted his teeth and persisted. He forced himself to control the ghost fire. Moments later, he was soaked in sweat.
But he persisted without a sound.
The pale green bone started to change. It gradually became transparent.
Zuo Mo taught Ming Hong and everyone listening how to connect ghost fire and seal scripts, how to control the ghost fire more effectively.
"It's good!"
Ming Hong sat down on his behind on the ground, unable to move, but had an expression of undisguised joy on his face. A transparent and faintly green bone was in Zuo Mo's hand.
"The green color is because the ghost fire is not pure enough," Zuo Mo evaluated.
The people who had been watching this scene became excited. So forging was actually like this.
Zuo Mo saw this and waved his hand. "Those with ghost fire, start refining your ghost fire. Those that don't, go find ghost fire."
Then he did not pay any more attention to the crowd. He said to the guard, "Let's go, to the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools."
The guard bowed respectfully. "Yes!"
Translator Ramblings: I really appreciate how that Fang Xiang managed to keep the three races true to their traits for the entire story and actually put some more thought into the different cultures.
Chapter 866: Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools
"Daren, this is the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools."
The guard said respectfully. He had been following Zuo Mo for these past days and observed all of Zuo Mo's speech and conduct.
Grandmaster treated the Ghost Lord as an equal without any wariness or restraint. Facing those mo of low status, Grandmaster still treated them equally.
There was no pride, no disdain, he was willing to explain and help.
Humbleness when one did not have power was self-protection. Humbleness after possessing power was due to having a noble character and strong self-control.
Of all the people he had seen, only Grandmaster behaved like this.
This was really a person worthy of respect!
Zuo Mo did not know what the guard was thinking. His attention was completely attracted to the scene in front of him.
Death energy pools of various sizes were spread out into the distance, there was no end. The grey death energy that sprouted out of the pools roiled and spread. From far away, it looked like a grey sea. The grey mists roiled as though they were boiling. This was the cause for the name of Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools.
"Spectacular!" Zuo Mo murmured.
The thick and boiling death energy was endless, vast and unfathomable. Zuo Mo stood at the border of the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools and suddenly felt he was so small in front of such a vast existence. But Zuo Mo was god-level and his mind was strong. This feeling only lasted for a moment before disappearing.
The feeling of confidence that everything was in his control came back to him.
Zuo Mo was very curious what it was like under this spectacular Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools. Where did such a great and vast amount of death energy come from, and why had it formed. Zuo Mo could not imagine it.
Was the legendary Yellow Springs really under here?
When this thought appeared, Zuo Mo shook his head and laughed. He was thinking too much.
Things like the Yellow Springs did not exist. Those were myths invented by other people.
People could be seen all over the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools. The shen methodology of the Yin Tomb Guards could absorb death energy and turn it to shen power. The Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools with its vast amount of death energy was undoubtedly one of the best cultivation locations.
"Let's go in to look around," Zuo Mo said.
"Yes!" The guard followed bside Zuo Mo with a wary expression and looked around occasionally.
"Is it not safe here?" Zuo Mo saw the guard acting like this and couldn't resist asking.
The guard's wariness did not waver. As he maintained his cautiousness, he explained, "The death energy here is abundant, and it is of great help to cultivation. Everyone likes to cultivate here. With more people coming here, small conflicts cannot be avoided. Someone suggested that the Ghost Lord should take over all of the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools so people would have to pay fees. However, the Ghost Lord did not agree. There are no guards here, and it is slightly chaotic. However, Daren, do not worry, the great majority of people cultivating here are people of the Yin Tomb Guards, there will not be any problems."
The guard was right. Before the two had walked far, they encountered people along the way that bowed to the guard.
"I really didn't see it, you have good standing with these people," Zuo Mo said with a smile.
The guard was slightly embarrassed, "I have served the Ghost Lord for a long time, and my face is familiar." His rank was not low. In a short amount of time, he had gathered many people. The wariness on his face eased.
He said to Zuo Mo with a smile, "Grandmaster, if you find a place, pick it out and I will have people stand guard."
Zuo Mo smiled but did not speak as he moved through the death energy.
This was the death energy that was sprouted out of the pools. Because there were too many death energy pools packed closely together, this scene was created. It was possible to see faint figures among many death energy pools. The dense death energy was of great help to the cultivation of these mo. Zuo Mo had to sigh at the unpredictability of the Yin Tomb Ghost Lord's style. Any other power would definitely take control of such a valuable piece of land.
But this Yin Tomb Ghost Lord did not do anything with it.
He really couldn't understand. Zuo Mo shook his head and suddenly through of a question he asked the guard, "Aren't the guards here afraid of being disturbed while cultivating here?"
"They will not be disturbed," the guards said with a smile, "Grandmaster may not know that once you enter the state of cultivation, these death energy pools will gather large amounts of death energy around you, forming a shield. This death energy shield is very strong, and it will repel all other powers."
Zuo Mo was surprised when he heard this. These death energy pools did have some wonders.
"Grandmaster? Is this the forging grandmaster?" someone next to the guard asked curiously.
The guard's expression turned cold and he shouted in displeasure, "Old Wang, do not overstep!"
Old Wang shrank back. He feared the guard.
Zuo Mo waved his hand. "That's fine. Yes, I'm that forging grandmaster."
Most people would not call themselves a "forging grandmaster" but Zuo Mo said it so easily as though it was an ordinary matter. However, Zuo Mo's cool expression made the surrounding people believe his claim immediately.
These people were experienced and seeing Zuo Mo was easy to talk too, they pressed further. Old Wang said respectfully, "Grandmaster, will you forge shen equipment for me? No matter the conditions as long as I can accomplish them…"
The guard glared harshly at Old Wang and was about to start scolding.
Old Wang knew he was about to be scolded but a chance like this was too rare. If he passed it by, it would definitely not come back. He s
hrank back but he still looked with anticipation at Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo said with a smile, "Shen equipment, I have a lot of. Let me ask you something. If you can answer, I will give you one."
OId Wang's eyes lit up and he asked impatiently, "What does Grandmaster wish to know? Ask!"
"In the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools, which place has the highest concentration of death energy? I will give a piece of shen equipment." Zuo Mo still had a smile.
"I know." Old Wang was clever and said rapidly, "The place with the highest concentration of death energy in the Sea of Ten Thousand Boiling Pools is of course the death eye."
Everyone else had expressions of vexation. They were a step late. They hadn't expected the grandmaster to ask such a simple question.
Zuo Mo saw the expressions of everyone else and knew what this person said was the truth. He said briskly, "I'm giving you a piece of shen equipment, wait for a moment."
His hand flipped and a piece of shen equipment appeared on his hand.
He had kept this Mo Cloud shen equipment from the past but it was not suited for nether shen power. Zuo Mo beckoned, hiss, a large wave of death energy flowed suddenly towards the shen equipment in his hand.
Grey spread quickly along the shen equipment.
Where the grey color passed through, complex mo matrices took form at a visible rate. The shen equipment seemed to be alive as it twisted and changed shape. Many long spikes appeared.
No one had seen such a fantastical method of forging. They gaped in speechlessness. Even the guard's eyes were wide as he stared at the shen equipment in Zuo Mo's hands.
About fifteen minutes later, Zuo Mo finished modifying the shen equipment. The shen equipment that had been refined with death energy looked completely different than before. It had a cruder appearance, and many spikes. It looked slightly ugly.
Zuo Mo threw the shen equipment to Old Wang. "For you."
Old Wang could not bear to keep his hands away. He quickly put it on. The ugly grey shen equipment seemed vicious and savage when it was worn. The dense spikes were fearsome.
Old Wang was overjoyed. He channeled shen power and the spikes on the surface of the shen equipment seemed to come alive.