When I heard the thunderous voice, I realized that I had overstayed my welcome. I looked around, searching for a place to hide. To my dismay, there were none. Other than the bronze sconces filled with green flames and the array, there was very little in this stone chamber. I doubted I would have enough time to set up an obfuscation array. With a sigh, I braced myself. This wasn’t going to end well.

  A few seconds later, a figure entered the chamber. They appeared in the blink of an eye, moving so fast that I couldn’t see them. My heart sank. Whoever this figure was, they were either at peak Golden Core, or they were at Nascent Soul. I couldn’t tell for sure, since this stone chamber restricted my spirit sense. Either way, they were far more powerful than me.

  When I caught my first clear glimpse of the figure, a chill ran down my spine. It was a skeleton, one wearing the black and gray robes of Restless Grave Hall. Its bones were glossy and healthy looking. A part of me found this odd. I expected a skeleton of Restless Grave Hall to look old and decrepit. This one looked like it had just died.

  As the skeleton moved, the sound of clacking bones filled the air. Orbs made of gray fire burned within its eye sockets. The sight of them filled me with dread. The skeleton gave me a malevolent glare. I froze, rooted to the spot and unable to move. This wasn’t out of fear, though I was plenty afraid. No. Some kind of external force bound me in place. I couldn’t even open my mouth to speak.

  “You!” the skeleton yelled, pointing a bony finger at me. Somehow it could speak without lips or a tongue. “How dare you enter this chamber? You have committed a grave sin! I shall rip your soul from your body and torture you for a thousand years!” It looked me up and down. “However, you do have a fine physique. Yes. You shall make for an excellent corpse puppet.”

  The skeleton walked in my direction, reaching towards me with one of its bony hands.

  “Grandfather, no!” The woman said. “Don’t hurt him!”

  In wake of the skeleton’s arrival, I had almost forgotten about her. The skeleton glanced in her direction, before stopping in place. Its jaw dropped. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, I would’ve found the sight comical. Despite the lack of a face, the skeleton managed to convey shock quite well.

  “Ryana?” The skeleton asked.

  The woman nodded.

  “Yes, Grandfather.” She said with a smile.

  The skeleton reached for her, before hesitating, as if afraid.

  “You look…” It looked her up and down. “You’re healed.”

  As the skeleton spoke that last sentence, it choked up. I still didn’t know how it managed that, since it didn’t have a throat. Could an undead skeleton even choke? I doubted it even needed to breathe.

  “I’m… Better.” The woman, Ryana, said after some hesitation. “I wouldn’t say I’m healed all the way. However, I’m healed enough to retain my sanity.” She gestured towards me. “It’s all thanks to this man.” She put her hands on her hips and gave the skeleton a stern look. “You should be thanking him, Grandfather. Not threatening him.”

  The skeleton, who was apparently Ryana’s grandfather, glanced at me. I could feel its skepticism.

  “Him?” He asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, him.” Ryana said. “So release him and give him a Vital Warmth Pill. Otherwise, he might perish from all the ghost qi in this place.”

  I checked my body and realized that she spoke the truth. The ghost qi in this chamber continued to drain my warmth and vitality. If this continued, I would die.

  “Very well.” The skeleton said.

  The force binding me in place disappeared. I fell to my hands and knees, panting and unable to remain standing. A skeletal hand appeared right in front of my face. It held a reddish-pink pill.

  “Take this.” The skeleton said. “This Vital Warmth Pill will restore your vitality and counteract the effects of the ghost qi.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, I reached for the pill and popped it into my mouth. If the skeleton had wanted to kill me, it would have done so already. It didn’t need to resort to trickery. The pill tasted like… Life. There was no other way to describe it. Warmth filled my body, driving away the chill. Soon, the cold and physical exhaustion disappeared. I stood up and gave the skeleton a martial salute.

  “Thank you, senior.” I said.

  The skeleton snorted.

  “No need to thank me.” He said. “I am helping you because you apparently helped heal my granddaughter. No more, no less.”

  “Regardless, I am grateful.” I said.

  The skeleton looked me up and down.

  “A polite disciple from Flame Fiend Hall.” He said. “Unusual.” The flames in its eyes grew brighter. “Tell me. Who are you? And how did you find yourself in this chamber?”

  The skeleton spoke in a polite tone, but my intuition warned me that saying the wrong thing would not end well for me.

  “My name is Darian Wind Dance.” I said. “As for how I ended up here, well, that’s a bit of a story.”

  I told him about my meeting with the two disciples from Restless Grave Hall, the supposed test that I needed to pass, and how they told me to deal with the ghost inside this chamber.

  “I see.” The skeleton said in an icy tone. “Well, I was in need of some new corpse puppets. Those two idiots just volunteered themselves.”

  I swallowed.

  “Forgive me for my ignorance, senior,” I said, “Is it necessary to go that far?”

  “Yes.” The skeleton gestured to the chamber around us. “Every disciple of Restless Grave Hall knows that entering this chamber without my explicit permission is forbidden on pain of death. Those two idiots just tried to get you killed.” He shook his head, or skull rather. “I knew they were malicious, but not to this degree. I would be doing the world a favor by killing them.” He snorted. “However, you bear some responsibility for falling for their lies in the first place. A test to visit the Valley of the Misty Grave? Only an idiot would believe that.”

  I scratched my neck and let out a weak chuckle.

  “Well, I knew the test wasn’t real,” I said, “However, I was curious.”

  “Intentional foolishness is still foolishness.” The skeleton said in a flat voice. “You almost died today. Or were you expecting your mother’s status to protect you?”

  I blinked at him.

  “You know my mother?” I asked.

  The skeleton scoffed.

  “Of course.” He said. “You’re Nova’s youngest. While I distance myself from sect affairs, I know that much at least.” He leaned forward. “Let me warn you right now, Darian Wind Dance. I do not fear your mother or your sisters. The only reason why you’re still alive is because of my granddaughter.”

  I swallowed when I heard this. Perhaps I should be less cavalier in the future.

  “Grandfather!” Ryana said. “Stop that!”

  The skeleton glanced at her, before he cleared his… Throat?

  “However,” he said, “You helped Ryana, and for that I owe you a debt of gratitude. So, in lieu of a punishment, I shall give you a reward instead. What do you want? As long as it is within my power, I shall grant it to you.”

  I frowned.

  “I didn’t help Ryana for a reward.” I said. “I helped her because I wanted to ease her suffering, if only a little bit.”

  Ryana beamed at me. The skeleton, on the other hand, stared at me for several long seconds before letting out an exasperated sigh.

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  “Young man,” he said, “When an old monster such as myself offers to give you a reward, you should accept it. Opportunities like this don’t come every day.”

  “I never said I would turn down the reward,” I said. “I just pointed out that wasn’t the reason why I helped your granddaughter.”

  “Just tell me what you want!” The skeleton snapped. “Before I give into temptation and refine you into a corpse puppet.”

  “Yes, senior.” I said, before taking a moment to think about it.

  What reward should I ask for? It was clear that this skeleton was a powerful figure within Restless Grave Hall, and maybe even the Dawn and Dusk Sect as a whole. He must be at least an elder. There were a lot of things I could get from him. Cultivation resources, techniques, magic treasures, and so on. However, rather than take this opportunity for myself, I decided to use it for someone else’s benefit.

  “A friend of mine just joined the Dawn and Dusk Sect as an inner disciple of Restless Grave Hall.” I said. “I would like for you to become her backer.”

  The skeleton rubbed his temples.

  “I don’t even have a brain anymore and you’re giving me a headache.” He muttered under his breath. “Are you sure you’re Nova’s child? You just gave away a priceless opportunity to someone else. She would never do something like that.”

  I nodded.

  “I know,” I said, “However, my friend is important to me.”

  Ryana seemed put out by this, though I didn’t know why. She crossed her arms and looked away from me with a pout on her face.

  “If your friend became an inner disciple right away after going through the entrance exam, then she must have some talent.” The skeleton said. “However, that isn’t enough for me to take her in as a disciple.”

  I shook my head.

  “I didn’t ask you to take her in as your disciple.” I said. “I don’t think she would want that, at least not like this. I’m asking you to support and protect her. Those with backing are treated better than those without. I have personal experience in this matter.”

  Without my family’s support, I would have had a much more difficult time in the Dawn and Dusk Sect. In fact, I might not have been able to join at all. Astra was the one who rescued me from Mt. Wind Dance and started me on the path to cultivation.

  “Hmm, very well.” The skeleton said in a resigned voice. “I think it’s a waste, but I shall abide by your wishes. Looking after a single disciple isn’t difficult for someone like me.”

  I refrained from sighing with relief.

  “Thank you, senior…” I trailed off as I realized that I didn’t know the skeleton’s name. “I know this is a bit late, but may I know your name?”

  The skeleton snorted.

  “Bonefire,” he said, “I am Bonefire. The reason should be obvious.”

  Bonefire? For some reason, that name sounded familiar, though I couldn’t quite recall where I heard it.

  “Thank you, Senior Bonefire.” I said, giving him another martial salute. “I’m sure you wish to spend time with your granddaughter, and I don’t wish to intrude, so I shall take my leave.”

  “At least you have some tact.” Senior Bonefire said in a dry voice. “You may go.”

  I nodded, before I walked towards the staircase leading to the surface. However, Ryana called out to me before I took more than a few steps.

  “Wait!”

  I stopped and looked at her.

  “Thank you for helping me.” She said, giving me a smile. “I will repay you myself when I can.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but she held up a hand to forestall me.

  “I know you didn’t help me to get something,” Ryana said, “However, I insist. It is the least I can do for my savior.”

  Rather than continue to argue about it, I figured it was better to give in and move.

  “Very well, Ryana.” I said. “May we meet again, if fate wills it.”

  With that, I left the chamber.

  Interlude: Bonefire

  Bonefire waited until Darian Wind Dance reached the top of the stairs and left the cave before speaking again.

  “That boy is too nice for his own good.” He said. “With an attitude like that, he won’t last long in the world of cultivation.”

  “Is that why you sent him down here?” Ryana asked in a cold voice.

  Bonefire looked at his granddaughter. The smiling young woman from earlier had disappeared. Instead, she regarded him with a harsh expression on her face.

  “Don’t even try to deny it, Grandfather.” Ryana said. “Your performance earlier didn’t fool me. There is no way that any disciple of Restless Grave Hall would trick someone into coming down here, no matter how malicious they were. You were behind Brother Darian coming down here, weren’t you, Hall Master Bonefire?”

  Brother Darian? Oh dear. Bonefire resisted the urge to groan. It appeared that his granddaughter had gotten more attached to Darian Wind Dance than he expected. Then again, he couldn’t blame her. That boy did save her from herself.

  “Why did you do it, Grandfather?” Ryana asked. “Was he supposed to be some kind of sacrifice? Or did you intend for him to be my eternal companion in death?”

  Bonefire sighed.

  “I thought he might be able to help you.” He said. “His mother always had phenomenal luck, finding opportunities even in the midst of great danger. I thought he would be the same.” He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “It was a desperate gamble by an old man at the end of his rope.”

  And it had been a desperate gamble. Ryana’s condition had been self-inflicted. After her lover betrayed and killed her, she deliberately drowned herself in sorrow and madness to avoid facing reality. Bonefire had tried everything he could think of in order to heal her. However, nothing worked, not for long at least. She refused to be healed.

  As a last resort, Bonefire tricked Darian Wind Dance in the hopes that the young man would be able to do something, anything, to help Ryana. If the young man hadn’t visited the Valley of the Misty Grave of his own accord, Bonefire would’ve found a way to bring him here.

  It worked. Against all odds, Bonefire’s gamble paid off.

  “How did he do it?” Bonefire asked his granddaughter. “How did he help you when I couldn’t?”

  Bonefire felt gratitude towards the young man, but also some resentment. He spent centuries trying to help Ryana, yet nothing worked. However, in the span of an hour, Darian Wind Dance succeeded where Bonefire failed. It bruised his ego, he had to admit.

  “He gave me hope.” Ryana said, a soft expression on her face. “I don’t know how else to explain it. For the first time since I died, I felt hope.”

  Bonefire chuckled in disbelief. That was it? That was all it took? Something as fragile and flimsy as hope? Frustration welled up in Bonefire’s chest. However, after a moment, he let it go. It didn’t matter. His granddaughter was herself again. That was all that mattered to him.

  “Besides, he was rather cute.” Ryana continued. “So kind and endearing.” She frowned. “And easily taken advantage of. What if someone else tricks him and he ends up hurt because of it? There are countless wicked people in this world. Someone needs to watch over and protect him from them. Someone like me.” She clapped her hands together. “Yes, that is how I shall repay him.”

  Bonefire froze when he heard this.

  “Ryana-” He started to say, but his granddaughter cut him off.

  “You won’t object, will you?” She asked in a small voice. “Grandfather?”

  Ryana gave him such a pitiful look, that Bonefire couldn’t find it in his heart to say no.

  “Do what you will,” he said in a resigned tone, “Just be careful. I don’t want you to repeat the same mistakes as before.”

  Ryana shook her head.

  “Don’t worry, Grandfather,” she said, “Brother Darian wouldn’t do that to me.” Her expression turned sinister. “And if he does end up betraying me, I will devour his soul.”

  Bonefire almost felt sorry for the young man. Almost.

  “In the meantime, you should focus on your cultivation.” He said, changing the subject. “Now that you're a ghost, you’ll have to use a different cultivation technique.”

  Ryana let out a delighted laugh.

  “Well, it’s a good thing that my grandfather is the hall master of Restless Grave Hall,” she said.

  Bonefire chuckled.

  “Indeed.”

  After leaving Senior Bonefire and Ryana, it took me a while to find Cultivator Jasmine’s abode. A part of me cursed myself for not asking for directions when I had the chance. Though, I didn’t know if they would’ve helped. The fog that pervaded the Valley of the Misty Grave made it difficult to navigate through the place, especially for an outsider like me. It didn’t help that I had to go everywhere on foot. However, I got lucky.

  I ended up meeting with Cultivator Thurstan, a disciple of Restless Grave Hall and one of the people who presided over the entrance exam I participated in. He was as cheerful as I remembered. When I told him why I was in the Valley of the Misty Grave, he offered to guide me.

  “As the senior inner disciple of Restless Grave Hall,” Cultivator Thurstan said, “It’s my responsibility to look after my juniors. This includes overseeing the living arrangements. I can bring you to Junior Sister Jasmine.”

  I accepted his offer. Together, the two of us walked towards Cultivator Jasmine’s abode. Along the way, we chatted about a variety of topics. Now that we were in the same large realm, I felt more comfortable around him than before. At peak Foundation Establishment, he was still more powerful than me but the difference between us wasn’t so vast anymore. I enjoyed Cultivator Thurstan’s company, though I felt that he talked too much.

  After a while, we arrived at the area where the inner disciples of Restless Grave Hall resided. They all lived inside cave abodes that were carved into one of the cliffs that surrounded the Valley of the Mist Grave. While there were some at the bottom, most were located above the ground. Since cultivators at Foundation Establishment and above could fly, this wasn’t a problem most of the time.

  “She should be in that one over there.” Cultivator Thurstan said, pointing to one of the cave abodes at the bottom of the cliff.

  I gave him a martial salute.

  “Thank you.” I said. “If you hadn’t helped me, I still would’ve been wandering around in the fog.”

  “Think nothing of it.” He said with a laugh, thumping me on the shoulder. “I have to return to my duties, but it was good to see you again, Junior Brother Darian.”

  I nodded.

  “The same with you, Senior Brother Thurstan.” I said.

  With that, he headed off. Once he was out of sight, which didn’t take long because of the fog, I headed towards Cultivator Jasmine’s cave abode. The entrance was sealed shut and there were defensive arrays active. It appeared that Cultivator Jasmine was in seclusion at the moment. Perhaps this whole trip had been a waste of time. Well, I wouldn’t say so. If nothing else, I met Ryana and Senior Bonefire.

  I knocked on the entrance to the cave abode and waited. Nothing happened for several minutes. However, just as I reached over to knock again, the entrance opened and Cultivator Jasmine appeared.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7