1 - Dungeon Growth Log

The night was deep, with shadows cast by the dense forest, leaves rustling in the wind, and the faint sound of cicadas resonating through. A young boy dressed in coarse hemp clothing was strenuously carrying a bucket full of water, making his way up the uneven mountain path. Under the bright moonlight, after walking for a while, he started feeling breathless and decided to put the bucket down and rest for a bit. Suddenly, a faint rustling sound emerged from the forest, reminiscent of a beast moving through the undergrowth. The boy looked around uncertainly and noticed a dark figure swiftly passing through the dense woods. Instantly alert, he quickly crouched down in a patch of grass, observing the direction in which the figure moved. The shadows of the trees swayed. A dark figure hurried past, with hurried and urgent steps. Observing the direction the figure was headed, the boy’s heart skipped a beat—towards the forbidden area behind the mountain? The silhouette seemed somewhat familiar. The boy glanced at the water bucket he had left aside, then back towards the direction the figure had gone. Gritting his teeth, he abandoned the bucket and decided to follow. His steps were light and slow, while the dark figure moved quickly and anxiously, seemingly unaware of being followed. Stealthily, the two made their way down the winding mountain path, eventually reaching the rear mountain. “This person is heading straight for the forbidden area of the back mountain!” The boy felt a surge of panic. He thought about going back to notify someone, but just then, his foot inadvertently snapped a small twig with a loud "crack." Hearing the noise, the figure in black also panicked, becoming visibly flustered. The corner of the black cloth covering their face was caught by a slanting branch, revealing half of a face under the bright moonlight, clearly seen by the boy hiding behind a tree. “…Xia Wu Yin?!” The boy’s heart pounded wildly. Xia Wu Yin…why was she heading to the rear mountain? The rear mountain was a forbidden zone in Lingxi Mountain, off-limits to all disciples. Though he was an outer disciple of Danfeng, he was still aware of this prohibition. His mind raced, and the boy’s expression became complex. He gripped the tree trunk tightly but dismissed the idea of informing his fellow disciples. If it had been someone else, he might have; but if it was Xia Wu Yin… Gritting his teeth, he decided to keep following. However, before he had taken a few steps, he heard a mocking laugh. “Well, well, what is a low-ranking disciple of Danfeng doing here in the rear mountain?” The boy’s heart sank—this was bad! Yet he tried to maintain his composure, turning towards the source of the voice. He saw a boy in blue, holding a long sword, his sash fluttering, and his face pale but handsome, with a cold and slightly sharp expression. “My identity token fell from the mountain to this area,” the boy said, lowering his head. “I was searching for it and didn’t realize I ended up in the rear mountain. I’ll leave now.” “Heh, the rear mountain is a forbidden zone; you can’t just come and go as you please.” The boy in blue sneered, his sword suddenly unsheathed a few inches, glinting coldly under the moonlight. “Without teaching you a lesson, I fear you won’t understand the solemnity of the ‘forbidden’ of the rear mountain!” The boy in hemp clothing felt a chill. Feeling bitter, he forced a smile. “I was just looking for my token…” As predicted, the disciples of Jianfeng were known for making a fuss over the smallest issues. This situation wasn’t going to end well. Why did Xia Wu Yin have to pick the middle of the night to come here? “I…” “A-Ze.” A soft voice from a girl interrupted. “I wasn’t aware that fetching water could lead one to the rear mountain.” The boy looked up and suddenly felt a lump in his throat, bowing his head, stammering, “Se-Senior Sister.” The eyes of the boy in blue narrowed slightly, and then he sneered. “Are you not afraid of the sect master’s punishment for gathering in the rear mountain, you Danfeng folks?” The girl wore a soft white robe, with intricate red maple designs embroidered around the sleeves and hem. Her red belt highlighted her slender waist, and her long hair, tied lazily with a red ribbon at the end, cascaded down like a waterfall. Her delicate features, with eyes slightly upturned and a hint of chill in her dark pupils, made her look captivating. “If a disciple from Danfeng commits a mistake, it's up to Danfeng to handle the punishment.” The mountain wind howled at night, making the girl’s wide sleeves flutter. She looked calm, but her eyes showed traces of killing intent. “The rear mountain is certainly a forbidden zone, but how come the disciples of Jianfeng treat it as a backyard garden and behave so arrogantly?” With a flick of her sleeve, a powerful aura surged out, pushing back the boy in blue by three steps. He widened his eyes. “You are Danfeng’s top disciple, Gu Pei Jiu!” The girl spoke coldly, “Precisely.” “Hmph, what’s the big deal.” The boy in blue, clutching his chest, retreated begrudgingly. A top disciple from any peak wasn’t someone he could provoke easily. Watching the boy in blue retreat, Gu Pei Jiu turned to the boy in hemp. “Ye Ze, do you realize your mistake?” The boy immediately knelt, his voice panicked. “Disciple knows his wrongdoings. I shouldn’t have wandered around the rear mountain at night. I seek Senior Sister’s punishment!” “Copy the Dan teachings three hundred times.” Gu Pei Jiu’s voice was indifferent. “Your identity token is not in the rear mountain, it’s in the Alchemy Hall.” Ye Ze turned red with shame. “Th-Thank you, Senior Sister, for the guidance.” “The rear mountain is not a safe place, return with me.” Gu Pei Jiu turned, her wide sleeves embroidered with red maple forming a cold arc in the moonlight. Ye Ze followed closely, feeling both nervous and relieved. As he walked behind Gu Pei Jiu, he couldn’t help but glance back— Why did Xia Wu Yin go to the rear mountain? “What are you looking at?” The sudden voice startled Ye Ze. He hastily turned his head back, “Nothing, nothing, I…” Gu Pei Jiu slightly frowned, as if she had sensed something. “The wind…” The demonic qi in the rear mountain had grown stronger. Suddenly, Gu Pei Jiu’s eyes widened sharply. “You return; there’s a change in the rear mountain!” Ye Ze felt a sinking feeling. “Senior Sister!” “Three hundred repetitions of the Dan teachings, deliver them to me in three days.” With that, she disappeared in a flash. “Senior Sister!!” This time, it sounded almost like a scream, startling a flock of birds in the middle of the night. On the other side, though worried by the commotion behind, Xia Wu Yin continued deeper into the rear mountain without looking back. 【System Primary Task: Find the Glazed Wood in the Rear Mountain】 【Task Progress: In Progress】 Xia Wu Yin, or rather Xia Ge, felt an overwhelming sense of complexity. She didn’t enjoy these sneaky missions, but having gotten used to them, it was just too damn hard to stop. It was addictive. Following the system’s guidance, she brushed aside some wild grass and indeed found a tiny irregularly shaped plant, shimmering under the moonlight. The plant had two tufts of leaves supporting the translucent Glazed Wood. Xia Wu Yin felt a surge of joy. She carefully squatted down, took out a small sickle specifically for gathering medicinal herbs from her sleeve, and skillfully cut the Glazed Wood from the base. 【Ding! Item Acquired: Glazed Wood】 【Task Completed】 With the Glazed Wood successfully in hand, Xia Wu Yin had barely sighed in relief when she turned around and was scared stiff. “Se-Se-Senior Sister?!” The next second, she realized the dire situation she was in. Dressed all in black like a thief, it would be strange if she wasn’t immediately taken for a spy in Lingxi Mountain! Gu Pei Jiu merely stared at her, saying nothing, with an unreadable expression. Xia Wu Yin wanted to slap herself repeatedly. Damn, she had still worn the black mask. Calling out “Senior Sister” was a huge giveaway! She was a disgrace to the thieves’ world! “Well, the mountains are high and waters long, until we meet again!” Clutching the Glazed Wood, Xia Wu Yin leapt into the trees, activating her system’s built-in light movement technique. “Ghostly Steps!” The system’s built-in light movement technique, 【Ghostly Steps】. In an instant, Xia Wu Yin felt her body lighten. Glancing back, she saw her Senior Sister frozen in place as if enchanted, with a sense of slapdash triumph and confusion. What was wrong with Senior Sister? Given her Senior Sister’s strict disposition, discovering Xia Wu Yin sneaking around the rear mountain at night would usually mean a severe punishment, possibly even expulsion from the sect. But now, she just stood there unmoving. What was going on? With Ghostly Steps activated, Xia Wu Yin’s figure split into three or four shadows, moving swiftly. In a blink, she seemed about to disappear. Regardless, the best strategy was to escape now! The night grew deeper. Gu Pei Jiu, standing still, seemed to come back to her senses. She raised her sleeve, summoning a red ribbon from within. The crimson ribbon, incredibly fast and striking with precision, pierced through branches and hit one of the fleeing shadows on the leg. Gu Pei Jiu muttered, her black pupils reflecting traces of demonic energy, “Caught… you.” If Ye Ze were present, he would have noticed something amiss with his Senior Sister. The upright and proud Gu Pei Jiu would never have shown such a dark and terrifying look in her eyes! Feeling a sharp pain in her right leg, Xia Wu Yin realized that something had suddenly tightened around it, causing her steps to falter. Stumbling on the tree branch, she awkwardly flipped over, managing to grab a thick branch with one hand, leaving herself half-hanging in mid-air. Looking down, she was astonished to find her right leg tightly bound by a red ribbon, which extended through the endless forest, from her leg all the way to… Senior Sister’s hand! “Seriously…?” Xia Wu Yin wasn’t dim-witted. She quickly pulled out the small sickle she had used to harvest the spiritual wood and slashed at the ribbon. However, the seemingly soft ribbon was extraordinarily tough, impervious to both water and fire, and unbreakable with steel. She had barely made a couple of cuts when the ribbon suddenly tightened! Distracted by her attempt to cut the ribbon, Xia Wu Yin’s grip on the tree branch slipped, and she fell from the towering tree! In that moment, Xia Wu Yin’s first reaction was to cover her face. Her head might break, and she could bleed, but she absolutely could not lose her dignity!!