"Skull Mountain has Eight Halls and Thirty-Six Caves," Man Xiong Mu explained as they moved through the sect.
"The Thirty-Six Caves are prime cultivation abodes carved directly into the mountain. Only elders are qualified to reside in them."
"My Perched-Cloud Cave is one of the Thirty-Six.
"As for the Eight Halls, they include the Sect Master's White Bone Hall and seven other main halls. Matters such as cultivation, assignments, external missions, seeking techniques, and artifact refinement are all handled through these halls."
"I only gained the qualification to descend the mountain and conduct inspections after forging my cultivation cauldron and entering the stage of refining techniques. This time, I went down on assignment from the Mountain Patrol Hall."
"Now that I've returned, the first thing I must do is report back and return my command banner."
He glanced at Wu Tian and added gravely:
"Also, bringing beasts or spirit creatures into the mountain must be registered at the Mountain Patrol Hall. Otherwise, once the command banner leaves my person—and since you do not yet possess Nether Qi—the mountain-protecting formation will activate instantly."
"At that point, you would be crushed into a pool of blood and your soul extracted."
Man Xiong Mu led Wu Tian swiftly after entering the mountain gate. Along the way, they encountered other sect disciples, but most hurried past without pause. A few glanced briefly at Wu Tian, yet none showed interest.
To them, he was not even a spirit creature yet—merely a white dog with abundant vital essence, unworthy of attention.
Before long, they arrived at a vast hall.The plaque above its entrance bore two large characters:
Mountain Patrol.
The hall was expansive, with additional structures behind it. Its architecture was ancient and solemn, its walls covered in dense incantations that exuded an austere pressure.
Three stewards sat within, each handling different affairs.
Man Xiong Mu first approached one steward to return his command banner. The banner was not only proof of access in and out of the mountain—his entire patrol record was also stored within it.
"Patrolling the Eighteen Villages—minor merit, ten points."
"Discovering two spirit children—minor merit, twenty points."
The steward spoke calmly. With a flick of his finger, spiritual light traced three glowing runes onto Man Xiong Mu's identity plaque, recording his achievements.
"Thank you, Steward," Man Xiong Mu said, retrieving the plaque.
He then brought Wu Tian to another steward for registration.
This process was far simpler.
Wu Tian was not yet a spirit creature—only a mundane beast. After recording his information, the steward produced a bronze bell etched with runes. With a gentle shake, it rang clearly.
"Hang this on it," the steward instructed."With this bell, it may move freely within the sect. Do not lose it."
"If the bell is lost, the formation will activate—and it will be turned into blood and mud on the spot, its soul stripped away."
Man Xiong Mu thanked him, then drew out a strand of soul-thread from his refined Hundred Beast Banner. He threaded the bronze bell onto it and hung it around Wu Tian's neck.
"All right, Bai Long'er. Let's go."
With everything settled, Man Xiong Mu no longer delayed and headed toward Perched-Cloud Cave with Wu Tian.
Perched-Cloud Cave lay on the northwestern side of Skull Mountain's summit.
Outside the cave, not a blade of grass grew—only a sparse cluster of a dozen black bamboo stalks stood alone. Yet every sunset, clouds and霞 light filled the sky, and mist would rise within the cave itself.
Deep inside, a stone platform had been bathed in clouds and霞 for centuries. Cultivating there carried unique, subtle wonders.
Because of this special phenomenon, the cave had been established as a cultivation abode and named Perched-Cloud Cave.
Man Xiong Mu rode the wind with Wu Tian, landing outside the cave. Only then did he finally relax, a smile appearing on his face.
"This trip had its twists, but in the end, everything went smoothly," he said."At last, we're home."
He pointed at the ancient cave and smiled at Wu Tian.
"Bai Long'er, this is Perched-Cloud Cave. From now on, you'll cultivate here with me."
Wu Tian looked around.
Because the mountain peak had been refined by supreme ancestors using great magic, ordinary plants could not survive in the stone crevices—only rare spiritual roots could grow.
Thus, the surroundings looked barren. Aside from the black bamboo at the entrance, even the cave itself was merely carved into bare rock, sealed with a stone door—plain and unremarkable.
It differed greatly from Wu Tian's imagined cultivation paradise, but he felt no disappointment. He had never expected abundant resources—only a path forward.
Man Xiong Mu stepped to the stone door. It opened at once.
Wu Tian followed him inside.
The cave was not dark as expected. Instead, lotus-shaped lamps were embedded in the stone walls, their oil emitting a faint, calming fragrance.
On a table stood a fist-sized luminous pearl, radiating flowing light that illuminated the entire cave.
Once inside, the stone door closed behind them. Yet with the lamps and pearl, the cave remained as bright as day—only slightly dimmer.
This area resembled a reception hall. Further back stood additional stone doors, likely leading to the true cultivation chambers.
Man Xiong Mu sat down on a stone chair, grabbed the teapot on the table, poured himself a full bowl without caring how old the tea was, and drank it in great gulps.
Afterward, he exhaled deeply, his tone far more relaxed.
"Bai Long'er, behind this hall are three cultivation rooms, one alchemy-and-artifact room, and one storage chamber. Including this hall, it's not large—but more than sufficient for cultivation."
"However, there are two inconveniences for you here."
"First, there is no water. When I entered the sect, my master taught me the Cloud-Water Spell, which gathers clouds and draws water."
"Second, there are no grains. When I first entered, my master had me plant a bitter bamboo outside. Nourished by wind essence, it grows three feet per day. Its leaves are bitter but filling, and its bamboo joints can be drawn into fibers to make banners."
"The black bamboo you saw outside was planted by generations of Perched-Cloud Cave disciples."
"Thus, Nether-Communion Mantra, Cloud-Water Spell, and Wind-Gathering Spell are the mandatory introductory techniques of our lineage."
He paused, then sighed helplessly.
"Normally, after entering the sect, spirit children must train in the Transmission Hall. Only after condensing Nether Qi can they formally take a master."
"The Transmission Hall houses newly initiated disciples. Food is provided there, scriptures are taught, and literacy is instructed—laying the foundation for future cultivation."
"I myself could only learn the Cloud-Water and Wind-Gathering spells after forming Nether Qi."
"You cannot cultivate them yet."
"I also need to enter seclusion regularly. I cannot personally resolve your food needs every day, so you must go to the Transmission Hall."
"I'll notify the Transmission Hall disciples to provide you with food."
"However…"his expression turned serious,
"Fei Tianyun and Gu Lido are also in the Transmission Hall. The Mo Yun Village has seven or eight people there."
"You've already had conflict with them. You'll likely be bullied."
"My status is not high—I've only just entered the technique-refining stage. I have little influence in the Transmission Hall."
"So avoid them as much as possible. Go to the Transmission Hall once in the morning and once at night. After you've eaten, return immediately."
"Once you condense Nether Qi, I can teach you the Cloud-Water and Wind-Gathering spells. At that point, you won't need to go to the Transmission Hall anymore."
(End of Chapter)