Chapter 1

  "Stop! Your father is asking you to stop! You can't run away, surnamed Miao!"

  

  Three youths, each holding a knife, running in the dark, into the strange anomalies between the mountains while brandishing their knives and threatening the person in front to stop.

  Intimidation was useless. Instead of stopping, the person in front ran faster.

 

  The youth, holding a butcher knife, ignored them and turned his head around while running, and he growled," Mad Dogs, why don't you check what place this is, ** is wrong with your brains?”

  It would be strange if he had stopped, as it would cause his little life to be thrown away. He continued running, and the sound below his foot, 'kacha', continued, the black grass which he stepped on turned in ashes.

  Around, all the plants are black.

  The plants are not dyed or naturally black, but carbonized. It remained the same, 100 000 years ago and currently, as if here, time has stopped. The plants are like black sculptures, shrouded in white mist.

  This place is like the netherworld, and is known as the 'bottomless red mountain'. A legend stated that 100 000 years ago, a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers crossed the vast sky, pursuing the Great Demon, but, the Great Demon was too powerful. To kill it, the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers laid a large sealing array, and died together with the Great Demon.

  From 100 000 years ago till today, the white mist is mostly a terrifying blood red. The red mist seemed to be able to swallow everything. Whether it’s a human, ghost, or god, none dares to take a step into it, making all creatures afraid of it.

  However, once every thousand years, the sealing array will open. When the red mist becomes white, mortals will be able to go inside and have a glimpse of the mountain's mystery, but demons, ghosts and other creatures are not able to take a step into it, otherwise, be eroded, and it seems like no matter how strong the monks are, they can't stand the erosion of the mist. As for the reason, no one could find out.

  As this was the place the Great demon met his end, his belongings would have been buried together with him. Who knows how many people are attracted and coveted his belongings.

  Also, there is a rich amount of immortal grass called 'starlight' which practitioners need to create the precious healing pills.   

  Whenever the bottomless red mountain is opening, the human practitioners will gather. Being unable to enter, they lure mortals to go, regardless who that person is, so long as they could find the Great Demon's belongings and Starlight, the door to become an immortal would be opened to them.

  However, there are monsters living inside, which is believed to protect the remains of the Great Demon. It's bloodthirsty, and kills people as if they are grass.

  Therefore, other than who have nothing much left to lose, and those who have their life targeted and are desperate, who else would come and take the risk? Mortals still have a life to enjoy!

  Miao Yi is neither desperate nor someone with nothing much left to lose. He is only seventeen years old--- not too old, not too young, and it is normal for people at his age to get married.

  Miao Yi, who owns a butcher stall, took a liking to the tofu shop owner's beautiful daughter. He went to find a matchmaker to propose a marriage with Old Li's daughter. When Old Li understood the situation, he directly drove the matchmaker out. As both families live just across the street, both sides are familiar with one another. A butcher who has no money and position, and with two small burdens to raise, yet he still wants to marry his daughter? 

  Even if the matchmaker is able to give life to the dead, she was however unable to change his mind. For half a day along the street, Old Li's wife criticized Miao Yi, describing him as a toad that wants to eat swan meat. (TL: it’s an almost direct translation of a Chinese phrase, which means impossible)    

  The relationship between both families were fine before Miao Yi mention about marriage. Once he did, old Li immediately treated him as a thief, not allowing the two childhood friends who played together butt-naked in the past to meet as he was afraid that Miao Yi might abduct her. Just like this, the two families broke off all relationship with each other, thus shows how simple it is for two families to have dispute.

  Miao Li is unable to bring up how deep in love he is with Old Li's daughter as his family's situation isn't well off enough to discuss about love and marriage, following the local custom regarding marriage, being unsuccessful is not taken too seriously, however, it allowed him to understand a truth.

  His adoptive parents were long dead, leaving a son and daughter behind. Not wanting his siblings to follow their parents’ footstep, and with the bottomless red mountain opening, he decided to enter the mountain to allow his siblings to have a better future.

 Who would think that after running for a while, he would be targeted by his old enemy Huang Cheng and his two henchmen, the Zhao brothers?

 The mist in the surroundings were light, and there, gathered many people who wanted to take the risk. They turned around and saw a youngster running away from three others. Many were shock as they did not expect some kids who had not grown their pubic hair to come to such a dangerous place and make a ruckus.

   "Boss, this type of dog can really run. Let’s rest for a while. I can't run anymore!"

   The second of the Zhao brothers panted loudly.

  His brother shouted to Huang Cheng in response to what was said "Yes Boss, lets rest."

  Huang Cheng was also out of stamina, gasping for air while reaching out to a stone.

  Miao Yi was extremely tired too. Seeing the people not chasing after him anymore, he reached out to a large stone, and twisted his body before sitting down. Panting, Miao Yi pointed at the other three while shaking his head and said" Huang Cheng, what is your problem? If you want to bother me, please check where we are first. Are you tired of living?"

  Huang Cheng hit his knife on the stone, and pointed it at Miao Yi. "If you want to blame someone, please blame yourself for being a toad that wants to eat swan meat*. You, being a butcher, want to become an immortal? Want to step on my Huang family's head, do you? Your Grandfather will get rid of his trouble!"

  Huang Cheng’s father is one of Chang Feng San Lord’s security chief, known as Huang security chief, and is famous in the district. He is in charge of an area which includes Miao Yi's home. Since young, Miao Yi and Huang Cheng do not have a good relationship with each other, and Huang Cheng always suffered in the hands of Miao Yi. As it was only a fight between kids, his father could not intervene as the neighbors’ complaints would drown him.

  When informed that Miao Yi wanted to go to the bottomless red mountain, Huang Cheng received a shock. Even with the backing he has, he still could not win against Miao Yi, but what would happen if he became an Immortal?

  Even if he would be beaten to death, he would not let Miao Yi step on his head. Thus, he called his two henchman, and decided to show his vicious hand!

  Miao Yi, seeing the knives of the three people, asked while breathing heavily “Do you really want to murder me?"

  The three of them let out a sly laugh. Huang Cheng looked around at the surrounding and said cynically, "It is not like we are in the city anyway, and no one would really care if a normal person dies, I mean, who would know it was me?"

  Miao Yi was shocked. Both sides had fought since they were still a child, at most till they’re badly battered, but never had they tried to kill each other as the law is not up just for decoration.

  "** got a problem? Coming here hurriedly to kill me, and use an excuse of being afraid that I will become an immortal?" Miao Yi pointed at the surroundings confidently.

  It implicated something very simple, if you all dared to come here and take the risk, why not find the treasures yourself and exchange with an immortal to become one? Why need be afraid of him?

  "Cut!" Huang Cheng let out a distain cry and took a look at the surroundings, seemingly unwilling.

  Not knowing how high the heavens are, he’d like to brag, but his sister, who was sent to an immortal's side as a maid through his father’s connections, warned him not to trip on the water, but the reason for that was not disclosed.

  It was because his sister was an immortal's maid that his father was able to become a security chief.

  "Good! Stop making a fuss and hurry home." Miao Yi waved his hand. He then stood up with his butcher knife before turning around and walked. 

  Huang Cheng got startled, enraged that he was being treated as a kid, and brandished his knife " Stop right there!"

  "If you are not afraid of death, try catching up if you can. You do know that it is very dangerous in here."

  Miao Yi said his piece and continued walking, being too lazy to continue.

Huang Cheng looked around, and realized that they had already went quite deep inside, and it looks too dangerous to go even further.

  The three of them actually came here to sneak attack Miao Yi, but in this place, the grass were carbonized, and a 'kacha' sound is made with each step, therefore, without even getting close to him, they were spotted, and in a moment of carelessness, ran this far.

   "Fine, run, surnamed Miao, no matter where you run, it makes no difference, as when a monk runs away, the temple still stays. Anyway, your home still live two little kids. I going back to deal with them is also the same as dealing with you.

   Huang Cheng did not dare to continue moving forward, but made a rogue-like face and threaten him.

   Hearing his words, Miao Yi's pace stopped and turned around slowly. The other party did make sense, and also gave him a reminder, “if he were to be unable to return, the three youngsters will go and bully his two younger siblings.”

   Seeing that the threat worked, Zhao Xing Kui immediately added oil to the fire, "His little sister is like a beautiful fetus, such supple flesh, her naked......"

   "Shut up!"

  

   His words got more and more obscene, while slightly accompanying it with gestures. Miao Yi became enraged. He brandished his knife and pointed it towards them, gritted his teeth and yelled" Courting death!"

   Huang Cheng playfully waved his hands to Miao Yi," Don't be a coward! Come! I'll stand here and wait for you. I've indeed came here to die, come, come and kill me!"

   Miao Yi choked with anger, staring blankly at the three. However, he did not rush up towards them, but taut his lips.

   Normally, with his strength from killing pigs, he would be able to defeat the three of them alone. However, with the three of them holding a knife, and with himself not being invulnerable when holding a knife, he decided that staking his life with the three animals would not be worth it.

   Seeing no reaction from him, the three of them repeatedly 'booed', cursed him for being a wimp, and said stuffs to scare him.

   Miao Yi eyes did not stop at the three of them but at the other risk-takers behind. There, a man was holding a long sword with a frame like a bear, eyes like an eagle and had a vicious look of a wolf. One would know that he is not somebody who should be messed with.

   Miao Yi's mouth hooked a smile and sneered. When those people are near, he shouted," take out your immortal grass now!"

  The trio were surprised for a moment, thinking that Miao Yi ate a wrong medicine, but felt that something was amiss, and saw that the people that were coming quickly stopped, eyes staring at the three, which caused them to shudder.

   Seeing three young feather boys, the group of people started to move steadily towards the three. Whether it’s true or false, they wanted to understand the situation first.

  “Don’t listen to his nonsense. We do not have any immortal grass and we only came here to settle our old grudges, not to pick any immortal grass." Huang Cheng explained quickly.

  However, words are of no use if no one believe. Running to such a dangerous place to settle grudges, what kind of joke is this? It seems like they are a bunch of kids who thinks everyone as idiots.