After finishing his meal, Ning Beichen extinguished the remaining embers, buried them, and continued forward.
All along the way, birds chirped incessantly in the jungle. The air was fresh, the trees provided ample shade, and the ground was littered with wild fruits and mushrooms, which was truly refreshing.
Compared to the steel and concrete of big cities, Ning Beichen preferred this kind of environment close to nature.
However, he was in no mood to enjoy it now. Mu Ye was still missing, and he had no idea how to return to their previous camp.
If Mu Ye was safe, and couldn't find him upon returning, would he come back to look for him? This was what Ning Beichen was most worried about.
Not long after, Ning Beichen passed through a patch of jungle and arrived at a place filled with desolate graves.
He didn't know who had built this desolate graveyard, but such places were not uncommon and could be found in various parts of the world.
Most of these desolate graveyards were not modern but remnants from the past, especially in areas like Europe, where places resembling mass graves were numerous.
For instance, during past wars or plagues, entire villages or even towns could be wiped out. Fearing the spread of disease, authorities would designate remote, sparsely populated areas for the burial of these bodies.
While such places were considered ill-omened by ordinary people, they were considered prime locations by sorcerers.
Ning Beichen walked into the desolate graveyard and immediately felt an uncomfortable, eerie sensation.
However, being a martial artist, Ning Beichen's blood was vigorous. This chilling aura only made him feel uncomfortable; it couldn't invade his body.
For an ordinary person, entering such a place and being affected by this yin energy could lead to severe illness, or even death.
"Caw caw caw..."
On a solitary pine tree in the graveyard stood a black-feathered crow, its red eyes fixed on Ning Beichen. It occasionally let out a caw.
After a while, the crow flapped its wings and flew away.
Ning Beichen paid it no mind. It was just a crow, common in the wilderness. He wasn't about to fuss over a feathered creature.
Little did Ning Beichen know, after leaving the graveyard, this crow flew north. It soon swooped down from the sky, flew through a window of a building, and landed on the shoulder of a man wearing a red robe.
After a moment, the man in the red robe waved at the crow, and the crow once again flew out of the window.
"Ning Beichen, you chose the hard way. I've been waiting for you."
This man in the red robe was none other than the Black Dragon King, whom Ning Beichen was searching for. Mu Ye, who had gone missing, was seen bruised and battered, imprisoned in an iron cage.
Four chains passed through Mu Ye's limbs, firmly securing him within the cage.
Mu Ye's disappearance was orchestrated by the Black Dragon King.
Although Mu Ye was a lone wolf and far more capable than most ordinary people, against the Black Dragon King's sorcery, this lone wolf was utterly powerless.
He was easily lured away and then imprisoned in this iron cage like a dead dog.
Ning Beichen had killed his disciple, with whom he shared a father-son bond. The Black Dragon King not only wanted Ning Beichen's life but also the lives of everyone connected to him as a sacrifice for his disciple.
A red-hot iron skewer pierced Mu Ye's skin, causing him to scream in agony within the cage.
"Don't blame me. Blame yourself for being Ning Beichen's man."
The Black Dragon King said with a ferocious expression.
"However, if you curse Ning Beichen, I might let you suffer a little less."
"Pah! My master will not let you go."
Mu Ye painfully lifted his head, blood trickling from his mouth, and said.
"Hmph, still defiant."
The Black Dragon King forcefully pushed the red-hot iron skewer deeper, piercing directly through Mu Ye's lung, causing him to convulse and twitch uncontrollably in pain.
But no matter how the Black Dragon King tortured him, Mu Ye remained like grass in the wind. Even though he was covered in wounds, his life hanging by a thread, and his consciousness clouded, he refused to bow down to the Black Dragon King or utter a single bad word about Ning Beichen.
Instead, the Black Dragon King appeared pathetic in his rage, constantly tormenting Mu Ye to vent his anger.
Meanwhile, Ning Beichen was still wandering in the desolate graveyard. It wasn't that he liked the place; it was because he realized he was lost.
Moreover, Ning Beichen couldn't tell if he was lost or trapped in a phantom maze, as he kept going in circles within the graveyard, unable to find a way out.
Just then, Ning Beichen suddenly saw a black crow ahead. The crow's two red eyes were fixed on him.
Ning Beichen intended to ignore it and walk past, but to his surprise, the black crow suddenly lunged towards his eyes.
Ning Beichen hadn't expected a crow to attack him. Though momentarily stunned, he quickly reacted and threw a punch at the crow.
However, the crow was extremely agile. Before Ning Beichen could hit it, it flapped its wings and soared into the sky from the left.
Ning Beichen missed, and he didn't pay much attention to the fleeing feathered creature.
But when the crow flew back to attack him a second time, Ning Beichen knew something was wrong.
Crows were often associated with sorcerers. An attack from a crow once might be a coincidence, but a second attack? If Ning Beichen still didn't realize something was amiss, he wouldn't deserve the title of Ning Yanwang.
This time, as the crow attacked again, Ning Beichen infused his fist with coiled force and lunged at the crow.
The crow instantly lost its balance in mid-air and was caught by Ning Beichen.
Just as Ning Beichen was about to examine the crow closely, it suddenly emitted a puff of black smoke. When the smoke dissipated, only a black crow feather remained in Ning Beichen's hand.
Ning Beichen frowned. This feather wasn't something he had plucked from the crow; rather, the crow itself had transformed into this feather.
This was no crow; it was sorcery.
Coupled with the presence of sorcery in this area, the identity of the one controlling the crow to attack him became clear.
"Very well. I was just wondering how to find you, and you've come out on your own."
Ning Beichen murmured softly.
However, Ning Beichen showed no sign of his realization. He feigned curiosity, pocketed the crow feather, lest the Black Dragon King couldn't find him, and continued to walk forward.
Strangely enough, after the crow transformed into a feather, Ning Beichen managed to find his way out of the desolate graveyard.