Top-class Bodyguard

Chapter 682 661: The Eerie Ancient Village

"We have arrived, just ahead is Thunder Mountain."

Mr. Wu said, pulling on the reins of his horse.

Ren Feng looked up, and at that moment, he couldn't help but be a bit astonished internally.

This Thunder Mountain was not what he had imagined. In his imagination, Thunder Mountain should at least be towering into the clouds, deserving of the name holy mountain, but the Thunder Mountain in front of him was obviously different.

It looked very ordinary, not very high, just over a thousand meters, but from a distance, it seemed to be set off by the surrounding peaks. A closer look revealed an aura of swallowing the sky and earth.

Ren Feng stared at it for a moment, suddenly feeling as if the mountain was shrouded in a faint layer of mist, making it completely unclear.

Strange indeed, this Thunder Mountain is somewhat eerie.

"Is this really Thunder Mountain?"

Liang Keqing's words carried a hint of disappointment.

"Haha, don't underestimate Thunder Mountain. In the past, there have been many upheavals in Miaojiang, with various Miao Villages attacking each other, but Thunder Mountain's status remained stable. Some tried to attack Thunder Mountain, but without exception, they all failed."

As they talked, they walked, and soon they reached the foot of Thunder Mountain. There, a man dressed in Miao Race attire stood, his body exuding the power of a heavenly realm.

Mr. Wu and the others dismounted from their horses. He approached the man, performed a salute, and said, "The patriarch of the new branch of Gelai Sect comes to pay homage to Thunder Mountain."

With that, he handed over a scroll of parchment.

Ren Feng observed from behind. The defense of Thunder Mountain was extremely simple, with a roadway at the foot of the mountain leading upward.

The man checked the scroll of parchment, nodded, and said, "Follow me."

Under his guidance, they followed the road up, and on Thunder Mountain, a faintly visible ancient village came into view. This was a genuine ancient village, with buildings that seemed very old. Around it stood poles made of animal bones.

Ahead on the road, there was a stone gate, adorned with an ox bone, which looked somewhat eerie.

This ancient village exuded an aura of witchcraft everywhere.

As Ren Feng passed through the stone gate, he suddenly felt something like a shiver throughout his body, as if an inexplicable force swept over him.

At that moment, he felt his mind become fuzzy. From the stone gate radiated a massive force seemingly intent on repelling him, and what his eyes beheld seemed as if an invisible power enshrouded Thunder Mountain, protecting this ancient village.

This sensation lasted only for a brief moment before vanishing. As he passed through the stone gate, everything returned to normal.

Ren Feng exhaled deeply, looking at this ancient village with increasing gravity.

This village, without a doubt, is not simple!

The aura just experienced resembled that of the Spiritual Realm, yet was distinct.

It's no wonder others can't enter; the entire village holds a peculiar energy such that without sufficient strength and without permission from those here, how could one enter?

Ren Feng examined the village. There were a few people, all Miao Race, both men and women. Their presence was imposing, some even playing with gu insects.

"Wait here," the initial guide said, then took Mr. Wu to the upper wooden cabins of the ancient village.

There, twelve large wooden cabins stood, with strange statues in front of them.

One statue depicted a creature with the body of a bird and a human face, riding two dragons, while another depicted a human-faced snake figure, its eyes carved with extraordinary vividness.

These statues are of the twelve ancestral witches from legend, likely symbolic much as totem worship.

Ren Feng glanced over again and saw a rope ladder descending from the mountain top in the rear.

Liang Keqing observed the others in the ancient village as they waited.

"It seems like there is nothing different in the Origin Ancient Village," Liang Keqing whispered.

"This is not the Origin Ancient Village,"

Suddenly, a man spoke.

Liang Keqing was startled. His voice so low, yet the other heard it?

Ren Feng was slightly surprised. This is not the Origin Ancient Village?

"Is this not Thunder Mountain? Isn't the Origin Ancient Village on Thunder Mountain?" Wu Meng questioned, puzzled.

"The true Origin Ancient Village is on the mountain top. We aren't it," he replied, "we can only be considered the guardians of the Origin Ancient Village."

Ren Feng looked in the direction he indicated, where a rope ladder descended from the mountain top.

"Is there any difference?" Ren Feng asked, confused.

"Worlds apart," the man responded indifferently.

With that, he stopped paying attention to Ren Feng and the others, moving aside.

Ren Feng examined the rope ladder more closely, not far from the summit. Why did he say such?

They waited quietly, and before long, Mr. Wu returned, and in his hand, was a pendant representing the patriarch, alongside two new parchment scrolls.

One scroll contained details of all the Miao Villages under the Gelai Sect branch, and the other was a method of nurturing gu insects.

"Young man, your matter has been discussed with the elders. Go now to find the elder."

"Okay."

Ren Feng took a deep breath, internally skeptical. This ancient village didn't seem to contain the Yin Spirit Essence Fruit. The Spirit Medicine was said to require a place of yin dominance and Spiritual Qi to thrive, according to the information given by the old man.

This village doesn't match that description.

Filled with doubt, Ren Feng walked to the center of the twelve wooden cabins. Inside the one directly ahead, a soft voice sounded.

"Come in."

Ren Feng entered. The room was filled with strange glyphs carved everywhere. In the center seemed to be an array, with an elder wearing a skull headpiece.

Around his neck was a long string of teeth ornaments, and a bell in front of him.

Ren Feng looked puzzled, but he sat down in front of him.

"Hello, outsider,"

The elder's voice was raspy.

"Hello."

"Your purpose has been conveyed to me by Mr. Wu, but I must verify whether what you've said is true or false."

"How will you verify?"

"If Cuo Damu's medical records passed through Mr. Wu to me are accurate, it can be easily verified."

The elder rasped, already taking up the bell, beginning to shake it slowly.

Ren Feng sat still, maintaining an expression of skepticism. He couldn't sense any True Qi fluctuation from this elder. Did he really have the capability?

However, as the elder shook the bell, others hung on strings in mid-air began to ring. Ren Feng noticed strange misty energy appearing around the array. Then, from the elder's body, an aura belonging to the Spiritual Realm emerged!