422: Chapter 416: Change 422: Chapter 416: Change The buildings of the Snow Mountain Sect’s headquarters were usually bustling with some people moving around.
However, at this moment, the surroundings were eerily silent.
Not only were there no Onmyoji in sight, but even the servants and vassals had completely disappeared.
Yukizo Hayato, who had come out of the Four-direction Pavilion, twitched his mouth when he saw this scene, and a few traces of pain flashed across his face.
“True Man, that beast Murakami Taro is cruel and reckless,” he said.
“Years ago, I felt that he was a great calamity.
Considering his strength was utterly wasted, and he left the sect on his own, I did not expel him from our Snow Mountain Sect.”
“This time, when he suddenly returned, I knew he must have harbored ill intentions.”
“Here on the Great Snow Mountain, I have kept him imprisoned in a dark cave near the peak!”
…
Unintentionally, a few traces of resentment flashed across Yukizo Hayato’s face.
When he turned around to explain all this to Chen Hai, he put on a different face again.
His smile, tinged with a bit of bitterness and sadness, showed no trace of resentment.
“Is that so?” Chen Hai smiled indifferently, “It is said that Murakami Taro was once the most valued disciple of your Snow Mountain Sect.”
“This time, when he returned to the mountain, I thought he had come to bring reinforcements!”
“It’s not easy that you, out of righteousness, locked him up directly!”
Though he spoke like this, his face bore a meaningful smile.
It seemed he didn’t quite believe Yukizo Hayato’s words.
However, since the other party had said so and seemed to cooperate with his own requirements, no matter what Chen Hai thought privately, he definitely had to show some response on the surface.
Yukizo Hayato was also an old cunning person.
He could naturally hear the implications in Chen Hai’s words, but he did not explain much!
Respectfully bowing to Chen Hai, he signaled for him to follow him.
Then, he took the lead and walked briskly towards the peak of the mountain.
The Snow Mountain Sect’s site on this snowy peak was surrounded by vast whiteness, covered in snow everywhere.
The higher they ascended, the colder it became; towards the upper part, the accumulated snow was no longer visible, replaced by icy glaciers, which had not melted for many years.
Although his hair and beard had turned white, Yukizo Hayato, no longer young, had a strong resistance to the cold from living on the peaks for years.
He moved swiftly, walking through the icy and snowy terrain, astonishingly fast.
Even Chen Hai felt it was slightly strenuous to keep up with his pace.
Under Yukizo Hayato’s lead, the two moved forward one after the other for at least thirty to forty minutes.
When they were about one or two hundred meters from the peak, at a position sheltered by the mountain, Yukizo Hayato finally stopped.
“True Man, the cave where Murakami Taro is imprisoned is right here!” pointing to a spot not far ahead that seemed to be recessed into the ground, Yukizo Hayato spoke.
“Hmm,” Chen Hai nodded slightly and stepped forward a few paces.
The recessed area, upon closer inspection, looked like a giant maw.
Whether above or below, sharp chaotic rocks jutted out like dog teeth.
Gusts of yin wind blew through the gaps between the rocks, shattering the nearby solid ice into fragments and turning it into meltwater, flowing elsewhere!
It was because of this that the area had not been icebound.
The grayish-brown amidst the occasional dark red chaotic rocks, in this vast white snowy world, appeared so unique and conspicuous.
Above and below, the chaotic rocks stood like dog teeth, the gaps between them existed, the smaller ones were just enough for an adult to stretch an arm into.
As for the larger cracks, an ordinary person could easily crawl inside.
“Sect Master of the Snow Mountain, since you said that there’s a cave inside and Murakami Taro is imprisoned there.”
“Then, you lead the way, and I’ll follow you inside!”
Chen Hai glanced over the area a few times and slightly furrowed his brows, then turned to Yukizo Hayato and instructed.
After leading him here, Yukizo Hayato stopped and did not advance further.
It seemed that he only intended to bring Chen Hai here and let him handle the rest himself.
“True Man, go through those dog-tooth-like rocky gaps, and you’ll find the cave!”
“Just go forward for about thirty to fifty meters, and you will definitely meet Murakami Taro.”
“In any case, he was once my disciple.
Knowing that you are here to kill him, it’s quite troubling for me to even bring you here.”
“If I were to enter the cave and lead you directly to him, that would be somewhat inappropriate…”
Before Chen Hai, Yukizo Hayato, who had always been cooperative, hesitated unexpectedly at this moment.
He showed some resistance to Chen Hai’s request.
“Sect Master of the Snow Mountain, just leading me here hardly seems sufficient to demonstrate your sincerity.”
“It’s only your word that Murakami Taro is imprisoned here in this cave.”
“Who knows what place lies beyond these rock crevices?
And whether there might be peril?”
“Upon coming here, you immediately stop moving forward.
Do you think I might suspect that your actions are ulterior?”
Chen Hai gazed coldly at Yukizo Hayato, evidently dissatisfied, and let out a slight snort.
At the same time, rings of fire spontaneously appeared and began to encircle him.
This action, apart from dispelling the chill for himself, clearly carried a strong threat.
Perhaps, if Yukizo Hayato said one word of denial, those flames would instantly fall upon him and begin to fiercely burn.
“Fine, True Man, I will lead the way.
Just follow me!”
With a complicated expression, hesitating for a while, Yukizo Hayato finally nodded helplessly.
In the face of the threat of death, if he were truly fearless, he would not have submitted in front of Chen Hai earlier but would have fought to the death.
When threatened, Yukizo Hayato exhibiting such a reaction was, in Chen Hai’s view, quite within reason.
Seeing that Yukizo Hayato had started walking towards the deepest part of the concave ground ahead, through the largest crack in the rocks, he swiftly followed.
Passing through the rock crevice, after advancing only about a dozen meters, the space inside opened up suddenly.
Several red, strange boulders were embedded in the top of the cave.
Eerie Blood Light bloomed from those strange boulders, making the cave overtly scarlet throughout.
Various bizarre statues—some with dog heads, some with dog tails, others with gaping mouths revealing sharp, gleaming dog teeth—
were scattered haphazardly around the cave.
Under the reflection of the Blood Light within the cave, these already weird statues felt inexplicably sinister.
With nowhere else to go, this cave of one or two hundred square meters was essentially a dead end.
Following closely behind Yukizo Hayato and stepping into this area, Chen Hai immediately spotted Murakami Taro.
The man was naked, wearing a dog collar around his neck.
Originally human, he now resembled a dog, with his tongue drooping out, moving on all fours, circling around inside the cave.
When passing those strange statues, the guy would stretch out his tongue, meticulously licking all over them.
Afterward, he would mimic a yellow dog urinating, leaving his own unique mark near those statues.
Among the legends from Japan’s Eight Million Deities, there were innumerable deities related to dogs.
The Dog Ghost heritage of the Snow Mountain Sect also originated from such a deity.
Ever since a great change took place at the Dog Cave, it seemed to be regarded as a forbidden zone by a terrifying existence related to dogs.
Using Dog Cave to communicate with that terrifying being caused the Snow Mountain Sect to suffer great losses, leading them to their current decline.
However, it is undeniable that the unknown canine deity is extremely powerful.
When it comes to pleasing the Dog God, the Snow Mountain Sect does have some understanding!
Murakami Taro, forsaking his former humanity, now acted like a mere dog.
His sole purpose was to attempt communication with that Dog God to gain its favor.
Outside, it was freezing cold, and inside the cave, it was slightly warmer but still chillingly damp.
Murakami Taro, naked in the Dog Cave, hadn’t been there for very long.
Despite maintaining sufficient activity, he was still shivering with cold.
Perhaps because some unknown force had begun influencing him, his eyes, shimmering with crimson light, seemed almost devoid of humanity.
Upon suddenly seeing Chen Hai, he let out a slight pause before barking fiercely, “Woof, woof, woof,” and, with a violent intent, lunged directly at Chen Hai.
“Boom boom…
boom boom…”
Just as Chen Hai was about to utilize the Flame Power to annihilate Murakami Taro, a thunderous roar echoed, and the entire cave seemed to shake.
“Not good…” Chen Hai’s expression changed and he looked back.
A massive stone had fallen from the sky, completely blocking the narrow passage leading to the cave from the rock crevice.
Originally, just a few steps in front of Chen Hai, Yukizo Hayato, seizing the moment when Chen Hai’s attention was diverted by Murakami Taro, had already taken several steps toward a spot near the cave wall.
At this moment, he had turned around, his face bearing a sinister expression, looking toward Chen Hai.
From his demeanor, it was clear without a doubt that he was responsible for blocking the passage.