I have almost no memory of the days or hours following my arrival at the Burial Mound. The first thing that comes to mind is waking up at the foot of a sword stuck in the ground.

How long had I been unconscious? I had no idea. I was alive! My body ached, every movement I made made me wince in pain. Every breath I took tore at my chest. I was in pain!

I straightened up and tried to stand up, but my right ankle wouldn't take any support. So I sat at the foot of the sword. In the halo of light it produced, I could no longer hear the voices from beyond the grave... unless I dreamed them! I looked around me.

I saw dead trees and black rocks as far as the eye could see. Above, I could see Mount Funeral. It had once had another name, but nobody remembered it! I least of all!

Dark energy was floating everywhere. It wrapped itself around the trees, made the dead grass fly away! Strange ... it had been centuries since all vegetation had died, so how was it possible that it had not turned to dust? The dead trees I could understand, but the grass? Was it possible that somewhere in the heart of this desolate place a little life remained? I turned to the sword.

It was the one I had found at Mount Muxi. Its guard was strange. On closer inspection, it emanated an energy similar to that of Iron Yin!

I couldn't believe it!

The hilt of this sword was forged with a piece of the cursed amulet! But just how many were there!!!

I grabbed the hilt to help myself up. Immediately I was assailed by voices coming from the mists of time! I tried to ignore them, but I could not. I let go of the handle and fell to my knees. Unable to get up, I walked on all fours to get out of the halo of light.

Immediately, the dark energy rushed at me, penetrating every part of my body and soul, making me feel their pain and hatred. My mind couldn't take it, I had to go back to the sword at all costs! I started to crawl towards it like the first time! When I was back in the light, the dark energy moved away.

What was going to happen to me? Was I going to die right there at the foot of that weapon in the ground?

If I moved away from it, the black energy of resentment from the spirits of the Burial Mound would cause me to lose my mind.

If I stayed near the sword, I would die of hunger and thirst!

And if I grabbed the sword and went to explore the place, voices from beyond the grave would once again urge me to take revenge!

I had to make a decision, survive or die. When this one was made, I would decide what to do next.

I put my hand to my chest. The little I had moved had torn my muscles, or so it seemed. I closed my eyes and lost consciousness again.

When my eyes laboriously opened, I was thirsty, hungry. I had to find something to eat! Unconsciously, I had made my decision, I had to survive! Between the dark energy of resentment that would make me lose my mind and the Yin Iron that threatened to take over my soul to exacerbate my spirit of revenge, which one was worse? But did it really matter in my situation?

A memory came back to me from the time, not so long ago, when I was studying at YunShen Buzhi under Lan Zhan. I had been punished because I had submitted the idea of using the energy of resentment! Here, surrounded by this force of darkness, I wondered if what I had suggested at the time was possible? Could this energy be "domesticated" like a pet that is cared for and protected? Could this energy of resentment help me master the energy of Iron Yin?

For that, I would have to find a way to control the spirits that produce resentment energy!

I sighed and laughed nervously! What was the point of all this thinking? If I didn't find something to eat and drink soon I was going to die before I could do anything!

Think about it Wei Ying! You are not stupid! You survived alone in the street when you were a child! You're used to eating anything, even garbage from the trash!

The burial mound had been Xue ChongHai's sanctuary, so there had to be some kind of shelter, some kind of temple! Maybe there would be something to drink if not to eat. But to explore the place, I had to leave the halo of light... or take it with me! If I grabbed the sword, his spirit of revenge would take hold of me... but maybe he could help me? The Iron Yin was born here, he had to remember that! Maybe once possessed by the spirit of the sword, I could convince him to help me?

Did I have a choice?

No !

I sat down, then leaning on the weapon I stood up. I gritted my teeth and concentrated to keep my thoughts under control. Revenge, I could only hear that word in my head. I focused my mind on the water. My legs began to move on their own. My ankle and chest hurt, but I endured the pain. I was not to show any weakness. The knuckles of my fingers were white as I gripped the handle of the weapon. I was moving forward, I didn't know where I was going, but I was sure it was the right direction. I had the same feeling as when I was sure that the sword would silence the voices! I kept moving forward. I couldn't see much of what was around me. It was as if I was in a second state, as if I was floating out of my body. Was I still alive?

I felt rocks under my steps, a shadow on my face, then the cold. I felt myself going forward. By reflex, I planted the sword in the ground and I lost consciousness once more.

Time no longer had any meaning for me. Anyway, in the heart of the Burial Mound, day did not exist, only night and darkness remained!

When I regained consciousness, I realized that I was in a cave. I looked around me... I could see a kind of table carved in a rock, old broken objects on the ground... The sword had guided me to the shrine of Xue ChongHai!

When I stood up, I saw that I was in the center of what must have been a protective talisman. Was it possible that I could fix it? I looked at it more closely. I had always been good at talismans and then this didn't require the use of spiritual energy! I could try something... I found a piece of broken porcelain within reach, in the halo of light. I cut my finger and set to work. I reconstructed the main protective symbols and added others, artistically they went well together, now I had to hope that they would also act correctly without interfering with each other!

The hunger was still nagging at me as well as the thirst. I decided to leave the halo of light. I hobbled... one step out... nothing .... two steps... still nothing. The talisman seemed to work. I decided to explore the cave I was in.

It was big. There were 3 staircases. The one in the center gave access to the entrance. This one was closed by a big door which I only noticed. The staircase on the right led to a sort of small altar and the one on the left gave access to an elevation with an opening that let the light in, as far as the light was able to penetrate the heart of darkness!

I turned back to the bottom of the cave. I could make out a passage. I entered it. It gave access to a small room in which was a kind of basin. I approached it. The liquid that was in it was red. I plunged my hand into it. Although it looked like blood, it was not. I moved my hand closer and sniffed it. Then I put my tongue on one of my fingers. The liquid had a slight iron taste. That was probably why it was red! I looked for the source of the water and finally found a trickle in a corner.

I held out my hand to let it fill up. The water was clear. I brought it to my lips ... it had no taste. This water must have come from the heart of the mountain and was not infected by the corpses that littered the Burial Mound. I took a big gulp and then another ... and another. I knew now that I would not die of thirst. There was only food to be found.

There was no game in this cursed place, no animal life could develop there. But maybe ... plants? I thought about the dead but not dusty grass. If there was drinkable water, perhaps somewhere on one of the mountain slopes, that water could feed plants. After all, the Lan clan members only ate vegetables, herbs and seaweed. I could do the same, but for that, I just had to find some, and for that I had to get out of this shelter.

Although I had no core, I wondered if meditation would help me build up my mental strength. Would I be able to face the vengeful spirit of the sword and the resentful energy of the damned souls? Would it also allow me to practice fasting, even momentarily? The only way to find out was to try. I didn't know how long I would have to stay here! I didn't know if I would ever be able to leave this cursed place, but I wasn't one to give up easily, if I could survive in this hell, nothing could bring me down!

I thought of Jiang Cheng, Shijie, but especially Lan Zhan! I missed him too. I wondered what he would do in my place? It was a stupid question! He would never be in such a situation. He had to be an idiot like me to give away his golden core!!!

I started to laugh hysterically!!! my nerves were gone, I was tired, I was hungry and I didn't know what tomorrow would bring. I was at the end of my rope and I wanted to sleep. My tears were flowing and I couldn't hold them back.

Here I should be safe, at least for a while. I lay down on the ground. Tomorrow ... yes, ... tomorrow I would look for food and maybe .....,

I fell asleep, carried away by the fatigue and stress of the last few days ... hours.

I didn't know, I didn't know anymore, time didn't exist anymore !             

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)