Chapter 298

Chapter 297

The group walked toward the Bone Mountain.

Upon reaching the foot of the Bone Mountain, the patrolling skeleton soldiers had already noticed them but remained in their usual lax and casual manner.

However, they had dealt with skeletons for quite some time. Seeing the blood-red glow in the skeletons' eyes, they knew that these skeletons were actually on guard, just not taking any rash actions to avoid misunderstandings.

Though they didn't know what the world of skeletons was like, at least they couldn't discern the expressions of these bone structures; they could only judge certain reactions from the blood-red glow in their eyes.

When the group reached the cave entrance halfway up the mountain, they were stopped by a few lax skeletons.

A series of clattering sounds echoed, and the group fell silent, all looking at Baili Chi.

This was when Baili Chi's role became evident.

Baili Chi bravely ran over and negotiated with the skeletons. Then he ran back to tell them, "These skeletons say that if we want to find a boat to cross Corpse Lake, we can look for the Sturdy Bone Clan. They have boats that can cross the lake."

"The Sturdy Bone Clan?" The group looked at him.

Baili Chi nodded, "The Sturdy Bone Clan is inside this Bone Mountain, easy to find. We can just go in."

The group nodded hesitantly, preparing to follow him in, but they were stopped again.

The skeleton soldiers indicated that they needed to pay an entry fee.

Then Liu Qingyun and the others very perceptively took out a bone and handed it to the skeletons.

It turned out that bones were indeed the main currency here!

Ning Yuzhou also took out several large bones and threw them to the skeleton, as their entry fee.

The skeletons, receiving the bones, made continuous clattering sounds. Baili Chi kindly came over to inform them, "They say your bones are very unique, a style they've never seen before, and they really like them."

Sang Yufei and the Ge brothers stared at the bone in the skeleton soldier's hand, unable to see anything special about it. Weren't they all just bones?

One could only say that the difference in species made it impossible for them to understand the skeletons' aesthetic.

The environment inside the cave was no different from other parts of the Bone Mountain. Along the way were bone houses built from bones, where skeletons lived. The skeletons even ran shops, mostly selling bone items.

Human cultivators would never be interested in their merchandise.

The group walked through the streets, heading toward the territory of the Sturdy Bone Clan.

The Sturdy Bone Clan lived deeper in, and this location was the best in the Bone Mountain. Even when it rained or stormed outside, it wouldn't affect this place, making the skeletons comfortable, with no worry about their bones getting wet.

They arrived at a bone house, and Baili Chi knocked on the half-open bone door.

Clatter!

Clattering sounds came from inside, seemingly inviting them in.

Baili Chi pushed open the door and led the group inside.

The space inside the bone house wasn't large. With nine more people squeezing in, it became quite crowded. A skeleton sat inside, perched on a bone stool, polishing a bone tool.

If one ignored the bone structure, it almost seemed like a living person sitting there.

When Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao went to the Thirty-Three Alleys to seek information from One-Eye, One-Eye's appearance while polishing a bone tool was very similar to this skeleton.

Baili Chi had already started communicating with the skeleton, while the others stood quietly to the side, listening. Throughout the conversation, Baili Chi spoke normally, and the skeleton responded with clattering sounds, back and forth, making it seem quite genuine.

Wen Qiao whispered to Su Molan and Ning Yuzhou, "Can they understand our language? Perhaps they don't have a language barrier with us, but rather, we can't understand their speech?"

Her voice wasn't concealed, and Liu Qingyun and the others heard her clearly.

Sang Yufei awkwardly said, "I guess so. I've always seen Junior Brother Baili talking to them like this, and they haven't shown any reaction."

It couldn't be that Baili Chi was pretending to understand the skeletons to deceive them, right?

Baili Chi wasn't that smart.

Finally, Baili Chi finished his communication with the skeleton. Then they saw the skeleton stand up and lead them out of the bone house.

"Junior Brother Baili, where are we going?" Ge Ruping asked, his injury still unhealed, his face somewhat pale.

Baili Chi replied, "This Long Bone Lady just said that there is a boat for crossing the lake, but it's fully booked recently. If we want to cross the lake, we'll have to wait for the next boat. Boats cross the lake at the beginning and middle of each month. If we miss this one, we'll have to wait half a month. I asked it to help us secure a few spots, and it said it needs to consult with the clan leader."

The group finally understood and followed the leading skeleton.

They arrived at a larger bone house and met the leader of the Sturdy Bone Clan.

How to put it, the clan leader, in their eyes, was just a skeleton, indistinguishable from the nearby Long Bone Lady.

Oh, the only difference was that there were some distinctions between male and female skeletons.

The clan leader of the Sturdy Bone Clan sat with its legs crossed at a long table, making loud and rapid clattering sounds. If it were a normal person, it would probably have a loud voice.

No matter how bold its posture, in the eyes of these human cultivators, it was just a skeleton with its legs crossed.

There was nothing appreciable about it.

The group looked indifferent.

After hearing the clan leader of the Sturdy Bone Clan, Baili Chi told them, "The clan leader of the Sturdy Bone Clan agrees to give us a few spots, but we need to offer something that satisfies it."

The other eight people were stunned. Did skeletons always speak so directly?

Sang Yufei asked suspiciously, "Junior Brother Baili, did it really say that?"

"It means the same thing, no difference," the young Baili Chi said with an honest face.

Upon hearing this, everyone understood that Baili Chi had simply and concisely conveyed the words of the Hard Bone Clan's chief, without the need for too much tact.

The skeletons desired nothing but bones; cultivation elixirs and spirit artifacts held little allure for them.

Liu Qingyun and her companions were prepared, each taking out bones and pushing them toward the chief.

However, after inspecting them, the chief shook its head, cackling to indicate that these bones did not satisfy it, and thus it could not give them any special treatment.

Before coming to Bone Town, Liu Qingyun and her group had made preparations, gathering plenty of ordinary bones for the entry fee to the Thirteen Palaces of Dry Bones. However, they only prepared common bones needed for entry, not the powerful bones, which were rare and valuable, often reserved for their own use in crafting artifacts.

Powerful bones were not only needed by skeletons but also by human cultivators.

Seeing the chief reject the bones, Liu Qingyun and her companions frowned, wondering if they would have to wait for the next month's boat.

Baili Chi informed them, "Senior Sister Liu, I secretly asked Lady Longbone earlier. She said that many skeletons cross the lake each time, and Hard Bone Clan’s boat tickets are hard to come by. They usually prioritize the most generous and nearby skeletons, while those from other places have to queue for tickets."

Hearing this, everyone looked at the Hard Bone Clan's chief with mixed feelings.

No wonder the Hard Bone Clan could live in the best area of the Bone Cave; their ability to amass wealth was evident. The boat fees alone allowed them to live comfortably, so they naturally found ordinary bones unimpressive.

Ning Yuzhou said, "I happen to have a set of bones." He stepped forward, took a long bone from his storage bag, and tossed it before the chief.

A thud echoed as the Hard Bone Clan's chief was startled, and the others quickly backed away.

The bone Ning Yuzhou produced was exceptionally large and easily recognizable, clearly the demon bone of some sea creature.

To be precise, they had obtained this sea creature bone during their time in the Endless Sea, exchanging elixirs with the sea creatures of Star Crossing Gorge. Ning Yuzhou had quite a few such sea creature demon bones.

Though the Hard Bone Clan's chief was initially startled, it soon leaped up, pouncing on the sea creature bone. The red light in its eye sockets flickered intensely, and its cackling continued unabated.

Baili Chi exclaimed, "Lord Ning, the Hard Bone Clan's chief is very pleased."

Without needing further explanation, they could see that the chief's entire skeletal frame clung to the sea creature bone, its bony fingers, resembling chicken claws, caressing the bone with an almost obsessive fervor, making everyone feel uneasy.

"Looks like something's wrong with it," Sang Yufei muttered.

Indeed, the sight of a skeleton obsessed with a sea creature skeleton was rather unsettling.

The Hard Bone Clan's chief was highly satisfied with the sea creature bone and immediately agreed to make room for them. It also promised that if they came again, it would reserve spots for them, of course, provided they brought more such bones...

While they had sea creature bones, whether there would be future cooperation remained to be seen.

After reaching an agreement, the Hard Bone Clan's chief personally escorted them to the boat.

On the way, it stayed close to Ning Yuzhou, its cackling loud and clear. Without needing Baili Chi to translate, everyone could see the chief's fawning intent, hoping to obtain another sea creature bone from Ning Yuzhou.

Ning Yuzhou maintained a mysterious smile throughout.

After all, he couldn't understand their language.

Baili Chi understood but, seeing the chief's relentless pursuit of Ning Yuzhou, decided there was no need for translation and kept quiet.

Skeletons were indeed better than humans; they could talk endlessly without getting thirsty or tired.

Climbing over the bone mountain, they saw Corpse Lake.

The lake's surface was dark blue and eerily still, with a full moon reflected on its calm waters, creating a serene atmosphere. However, the bone mountains along the shore instantly turned the scene into a chilling one.

Despite the lake's tranquil appearance, everyone wondered why it was called Corpse Lake.

Was it due to the skeletons' unique aesthetic?

A massive bone ship was docked at the lakeside.

The bone ship was three stories high, constructed entirely of bones. From Ning Yuzhou's perspective as a Tier 1 Artisan, the ship's structure, aside from its shape, was quite sturdy, explaining its ability to navigate Corpse Lake.

This ship was crafted by the Hard Bone Clan, and their use of "Hard" in their name suddenly made sense—simple and straightforward, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

The Hard Bone Clan's chief led them onto the ship, seating them on the third deck.

The third deck, being the highest, was the safest and offered the best view, typically reserved for distinguished guests.

Apart from them, some skeletons also occupied the third deck, undoubtedly of high status. However, Wen Qiao and the others found it difficult to distinguish between the skeletons, as they all looked similar.

The ship soon set sail.

Wen Qiao and his companions felt somewhat uncomfortable sitting alongside the skeletons, trying their best to ignore them.

Only Baili Chi adapted quickly, engaging in conversation with the skeletons and offering small bones as gifts, soon striking up a friendly chat with one of them.

Wen Qiao watched for a moment and then asked Sang Yufei beside him, "Is Lord Baili always this good at making friends?"

Sang Yufei's face twitched slightly, responding tactfully, "Junior Brother Baili is an open and sincere person. As long as he deems someone good, they can become his friend."

Not just humans, but even skeletons could be his friends.

Although they had initially suspected that Wen Qiao and the others might have given Baili Chi some kind of love potion, seeing him now befriending skeletons, Sang Yufei and the others felt embarrassed about their suspicions.

It was just their junior brother's nature.

After chatting with the skeletons for a while, Baili Chi returned and shared what he had learned.

"These skeletons say that the other side of the lake is the Ten Thousand Bone Inferno Land, near the Burning Hell Heavenly Capital, ruled by the chief of the Hell Sky Bone Clan. This clan is known for extreme behavior and enjoys capturing outsiders, including human cultivators..."

Wen Qiao and the others were intrigued by this information.

"What do the Juyu Bone Clan capture human cultivators for?" Ning Yuzhou asked.

Baili Chi shook his head, "These skeletons don't know either. They were going to the Ten Thousand Bone Flame Land to find Fire Flame Bones, which is why they risked crossing the river. They said that if it's not necessary, they absolutely wouldn't go to the Burning Heaven Prison Prefecture."

It seems these skeletons have limited knowledge as well.

Wen Qiao reached out to pat Wen Qiuqiu beside her. When boarding the boat earlier, she had secretly asked Wen Qiuqiu, who sensed that the Immortal Bone might be in Corpse Lake.

Seeing this, it seemed they would need to enter the lake.

As for Baili Chi and his companions' destination...

Ning Yuzhou asked casually, "Young Master Baili, are you all heading to the Burning Prison Heavenly Prefecture?"

Baili Chi first shook his head, then nodded, saying, "We'll all take a look."

Sang Yufei and the Ge Rusong brothers, who had been on tenterhooks nearby, immediately relaxed upon hearing his answer, glad that Baili Chi wasn't foolish enough to reveal their true purpose.

The bone boat moved forward on the lake.

The moon hung high in the sky, the lake surface calm, with only the sound of the bone boat pushing through the water.

Wen Qiao sat by the window, admiring the beautiful moonlight on the lake, and keenly noticed a corpse floating on the surface.

"Quick, look, there's a corpse over there!" She hurriedly called to those around her.

Everyone followed her gaze, and just as the boat approached the corpse, they could see it clearly.

The corpse was that of a woman, floating quietly in the water, her long black hair spread out, wearing a pale white dress. Her deathly pale face, seen through the cold lake water, seemed somewhat unreal, as if she might open her eyes and look at them at any moment.

Despite the lack of any life force, the corpse was remarkably well-preserved, with no signs of decay on her clothes.

After entering the Thirteen Palaces of Dry Bones, all they had seen were skeletons and bones; this was the first time they encountered a flesh-and-blood person—though only a corpse—which left them greatly astonished.

As the boat neared the corpse, no one acted rashly.

This was Corpse Lake, deemed dangerous by the skeletons. It was best not to do anything unnecessary until the situation was clear.

When the bone boat passed by, the corpse remained still, showing no movement.

Baili Chi turned to ask a skeleton beside him, "There's a corpse there. Do you know what's going on?"

The skeleton turned to look outside the boat, making a series of clacking sounds.

After listening to it, Baili Chi looked somewhat surprised. Only after the boat had passed the corpse and left it far behind did he say, "That skeleton said this is Corpse Lake, filled with many vicious corpses, so we shouldn't worry about it."

Everyone was taken aback but quickly understood.

Pei Qiyu smiled, "So, you mean there are many such corpses in this lake?"

"Probably."

"Could it be that they might come back to life and attack people on the boat, which is why they're called vicious corpses?" Pei Qiyu speculated.

Baili Chi nodded, "Probably."

"That's interesting."

What's interesting? Liu Qingyun and her companions looked at Pei Qiyu, recalling how he used a demon bell during the battle with the giant bone clan. That was something used by demon cultivators; how could a righteous spirit cultivator use a demon cultivator's weapon?