The Portal of Wonderland

Yan Luo started to crawl with the support of its right arm. Many cracks had appeared in its thoracic cavity and rib while fighting in the war. But, its skull, right arm and the joint between the shoulder and the right arm didn’t have any crack.

It crawled around for a moment. It then collected all kinds of bones from the remains of the other skeletons in order to assemble its own body. It had put together the bones of its body in a proficient manner in a short while.

Yan Luo moved its hands and feet. It then stood-up and started to walk around in the battlefield. It then arrived beside a grey human skeleton that had been chopped into two sections.

The mild-green soul flame hadn’t completely extinguished from the eye-sockets of the grey human skull. Yan Lou raised its foot and stepped on to the grey skull.

‘Kacha!’ A cracking sound was heard.

The grey skull broke and split open. A mist of green light floated out of it, and Yan Luo sucked it into its mouth.

Several skeletons with extinguishing soul flames could be seen lying in the battlefield. Yan Luo ran around, and swallowed the soul flames of more than ten human skulls. The color of its soul flame became bright-green from faint-green as a result. Its strength was also increased by a great margin. Now, its eye-sockets had transformed into two bright-green torches.

Suddenly, the cracks on its body began to heal. The cracks continued to become fainter until they completely disappeared.

Yan Luo stood firm after a short while. The green flame in its eye-sockets throbbed twice.

Suddenly, it got a sense of understanding. It quickly came near a silver-white human skeleton that hadn’t yet died. Yan Luo quietly looked at it. The green soul flames flickered several times in its eyes. It seemed as if Yan Luo was pondering over something.

The silver-white skeleton looked at the broken skeletons beside it. The faint-green flames in its eye-sockets trembled a little. It seemed that it was afraid.

Suddenly, Yan Luo bent down. It then picked-up the silver-white skull, and opened its mouth to inhale.

A green light floated out of the silver-white skull, and went into Yan Luo’s mouth.

The soul flame in Yan Luo’s eye-sockets changed, and started to roll-up like a fountain.

It opened its mouth a moment later, and spat out a little green flame. Then, the light got submerged into the silver-white skull in Yan Luo’s hand.

A ray of light flashed in the silver skull. Then, two green flames appeared.

The soul flame in Yan Luo’s eyes throbbed once again. Yan Luo then placed the silver skull on its headless body.

A loud creaking sound was heard.

The silver-white human skeleton stood-up; it was swaying and shaking. Its body was much bigger than that of Yan Luo’s. It crawled and knelt near Yan Luo’s feet.

Yan Luo raised its head and issued a gentle whistling sound. Then, it turned around and started to walk towards another place. The silver-white skeleton stood-up, and started to walk behind Yan Luo.

Half a day later…

Yan Luo departed from the battlefield. Two human skeletons were following it. They were walking into the distance as they shook and swayed…

*** ***

One month later… somewhere in the north-west direction of the barbarian wasteland…

The barbarian wasteland was no more a desolate barren land. Red flowers and green grasses were seen as far as one could see. In fact, a dense forest and a flowing river could be seen in place of the previously barren land.

The river was flowing rapidly. Its water was so clear that the bottom of the river was visible. A tall mountain stood at the end of that river; it was several thousand feet high.

The entire mountain was white in color. It seemed to be made-up of a strange bony rock. It seemed like a huge foot of a horse from afar. It was raised upward like a white horse. Therefore, the barbarian clansmen used to call it the White Horse Mountain.

The White Horse Mountain held an unusual significance in the eyes of the barbarians; it was said that the ancient giants were born within the radius of hundred kilometers from this mountain. Therefore, the area was known as the holy land, and the White Horse Mountain was known as the Holy Mountain.

A snow-white palace had been built on an extremely tall peak of the White Horse Mountain. It was a place of pilgrimage for the barbarian race. The High Priest also lived there. It was known as the Holy Snow Palace.

A man and a woman stood side-by-side on the top of a small hill near the mountain peak. They were looking into the distance towards the White Horse Mountain.

The man was wearing a grey wolf-furred cloak, and was riding a David’s Deer. The woman was wearing a fox-furred cloak, and was riding a brown barbarian horse.

These two people had arrived there trudging all the way. They were none other than Shi Mu and Princess Huo Wu.

These two people had changed their appearances several times along the journey to avoid the vicious barbarians. This had worked for them throughout the journey.

Now, they had finally arrived near the holy mountain. So, the two of them had changed back to their original appearances a day before. But, they were still dressed as barbarian people.

Shi Mu drew his gaze back to the hilltop. Several barbarian barracks could be seen on a piece of land behind the foot of the White Horse Mountain.

All the houses in the barracks were made-up of white rock. The barrack wasn’t too big; only two or three hundred men were stationed there to guard the only entrance of the mountain.

“Brother Shi, let’s go.”

A trace of excitement flashed through Princess Huo Wu’s eyes as she saw the Holy Snow Palace. She then exhaled a long breath and said.

She then straddled on the barbarian horse, and started to lead the way towards the barbarian barrack in a fast speed.

Shi Mu pressed his legs gently into his David’s Deer, and started to follow her.

“Stop! This isn’t the time for pilgrimage. Those who enter the Holy Mountain without permission will be killed mercilessly.”

Suddenly, two people appeared in front of the barrack. A guard from the small group of barbarian soldiers moved the weapon in his hand to block Shi Mu and the Princess even though they had already dismounted from their animals.

“I’m Princess Huo Wu of the Da Qi Kingdom. I’ve come to discuss an important matter with the High Priest on behalf of the seven Sects of the human race,” Princess Huo Wu’s elegant eyebrows wrinkled as she introduced herself.

A red cloth was tied on the head of the guard. He seemed to be the leader of the group. He stared at them blankly for a while. He hesitated for a moment, and whispered a few words in the other barbarian’s ear. He then lifted his head, but didn’t speak. After that, he looked more carefully at these two humans who looked like barbarians.

The barbarian soldier ran towards the barrack as soon as he received the command.

A middle-aged gloomy barbarian man with three fiery-red feathers inserted in his head-band arrived on a horse from inside the barrack after a short while. The small group of barbarian soldiers on the entrance made way for him as they saw him coming. The leader was still watching Shi Mu and the Princess with vigilant eyes.

“I’m Agu Na – the leader of the guards of this barrack. You two are claiming to be the emissaries of the seven big Sects of the human race. Can you show me some proof?” The middle-aged barbarian man shot a doubtful glance at the two humans. He then spoke with a cold expression on his face.

“This is my emissary order-token given by the seven big Sects under their own administration. There’s no way to fake it. High Priest will easily distinguish it when he sees this.” Princess Huo Wu’s expression didn’t change. She took out a white jade order-token from her bosom and said.

This white jade order-token looked like a simple jade in appearance. But, several charms characters were carved on its surface, and they made it look rather mysterious. One could easily tell that it wasn’t an ordinary jade.

“Hehe… do you know the status of the High Priest? How did you think that I’ll allow you to see him? I’ll take this token for inspection. If it’s real… then I’ll report to the High Priest myself,” Agu Na spoke-up with a mischievous laughter.

Princess Huo Wu hesitated and looked at Shi Mu.

Shi Mu whispered something to the Princess. Then, Princess Huo Wu thought for a while, and threw the token towards Agu Na.

Agu Na caught the white jade token, and put in his bosom without looking at it.

“Come on people… arrest these human spies.” Agu Na’s complexion sank. He then turned his head and said.

Suddenly, a hundred or more barbarian soldiers rushed out from the barracks. There were more than ten totem warriors among these people. They quickly surrounded Shi Mu and Princess Huo Wu. It seemed as if they were already prepared for this.

The front row of pikes had already set their levels. The pikes in their hands were ready to take-off. More than ten totem warriors began to activate their totem power, and their bodies started to swell-up.

Princess Huo Wu’s complexion changed. Suddenly, a white light flashed in her waist. Then, a white flexible sword appeared in her hand. A bright and magnificent drizzle of snow rose-up in a flash. She seemed to be ready for a battle.

Shi Mu’s expression didn’t change. He kept his hand on the hilt of his black blade. The red charm characters on the surface of the blade brightened-up. He then stared at Agu Na with ice-cold expression in his eyes. It seemed as if he was looking at a dead person. Then, a curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“What’s wrong? Do you still think that you can resist us? Don’t you know what place this is?” Agu Na felt a little scared as he saw Shi Mu’s ice-cold eyes. But, he still bore a calm expression on his face.

He had just lifted his hand in order to give orders when a deep dignified voice fell into his ear.

“This is the place for calm cultivation of the High Priest. Agu Na, do you think that this is your Fierce Snake Tribe?” A tall barbarian man walked out from the barracks. He was wearing a blue leather gown.

A strand of fierce blue teeth was hung around his neck as a necklace. He was carrying a gigantic hammer made-up of bluestone on his shoulder. It seemed to be five-hundred kilograms in weight.

Shi Mu looked at Agu Na’s chest as soon as he heard these words. He then narrowed his eyes to look at his totem.

“Lord Wu Lan, I’ve just discovered that these two people are human spies. There’s nothing inappropriate in arresting them.” Agu Na’s complexion changed. He spoke-up without lowering his raised arm.

“Lord Wu Lan, I’m Princess Huo Wu of the Da Qi Kingdom. I’m a representative of the seven big Sects of human race. I’ve important matters to discuss with the High Priest. Agu Na has kept my emissary order-token in his bosom. I request Lord Wu Lan to see it.” A happy expression flashed in Princess Huo Wu’s eyes as she took a glance at the necklace in the tall barbarian’s neck.

“Agu Na, give me her order-token. I wish to see it.” The big barbarian in the blue leather gown turned his head and stared at Agu Na. He then said.

Agu Na’s complexion changed. He took out the white jade order-token of Princess Huo Wu from his bosom, and handed it over to Wu Lan.

Wu Lan held the token in his hand, and looked at it with an expressionless face. Then, he placed it on his forehead.

He put down the white jade token after a while. Then, a smile appeared on his face.

“These two people are emissaries of the human race. All of you… back off!” Wu Lan waved his hand to indicate the barbarians surrounding Shi Mu.

The barbarians quickly returned to the barrack as they heard this.

“Agu Na, do you also wish to examine this emissary order-token?” Wu Lan swayed the white jade order-token in his hand. He then looked towards Agu Na and asked.

“Sure…” Agu Na stretched his hand to receive the white jade order-token.

He took it, but soon returned it resentfully. He then stood there without speaking a single word.

“Agu Na, don’t forget that you’re now the leader of the guards of the Holy Snow Palace. You must pay attention to your duties and responsibilities.” Wu Lan looked at Agu Na with ice-cold expression in his eyes. A wisp of the tyrannical and imposing aura of a Xian Tian level powerhouse was unleashed from his body at this time.

Agu Na sensed the powerful and intangible aura rushing around Wu Lan’s body. He couldn’t help but draw a few steps backwards. His face turned red. He then issued a regretting sound, and hurriedly backed away.