Bolt had already leapt up, his beautiful wings flickering for a moment before he swaggered over to the newcomer, scrutinizing him from head to toe, as if appraising merchandise.
After sizing him up for several minutes, Bolt finally coughed and spoke in an excruciatingly slow drawl, "You guessed right. I'm the boss here. What's your name? What brings you here?"
In truth, Bolt had stared for quite a while, though even he wasn't sure what he was looking for. All he knew was that the visitor was a rather striking young man in fine robes—nothing more.
The finely dressed cultivator seemed unfazed by Bolt's counter-question. Still smiling, he replied, "My name is Jason Flower. I’d like a room at your inn. Is that possible?"
Bolt sat down, leaning back and mimicking Joe Di’s manner as he said, "This tavern isn’t a place just anyone can stay. The guests inside are all top-tier powerhouses in the cosmos... Eh? You’re injured? So you’ve come here to seek refuge."
As Bolt spoke, he noticed the blood seeping from Jason Flower’s waist. In Bolt’s eyes, Jason Flower’s cultivation was no lower than the Unity Realm—perhaps even higher. For someone so powerful to be wounded and unable to heal himself, the injury must be extraordinary.
Yet Jing Xihua remained perfectly composed, smiling as he said, "It’s just a minor injury. I’m hoping to find a place to recover for a few days. If you agree, I’d like to borrow a room. If not, I’ll find somewhere else. Of course, if you’re worried about my enemies and won’t let me stay, I understand."
Bolt chuckled, "So tell me, who are your enemies? Why did you end up fighting them?"
Bolt rarely found anyone to chat with, so his interest was immediately piqued. Jason Flower’s attempt to provoke him was like casting pearls before swine.
Jing Xihua’s patience seemed boundless. He replied gently, "It’s a long story. Why don’t I tell you slowly?"
"Not so fast." Bolt sprang up again, eyeing him suspiciously. "You sly fox, you almost tricked your grand-uncle—no, your second grand-uncle into getting scolded. Tell me, how much do you know about the Mountainview Forbidden Zone? Spill everything you know—the more, the better."
When Bolt heard Jason Flower say it was a long story, he finally remembered his real purpose—his grand-uncle had sent him to find out about the Mountainview Forbidden Zone, not to gossip. If he wasted too much time and his grand-uncle came out to find he'd done nothing, there'd be trouble. According to his grand-uncle, there was once someone called Treebrother and another named Blackfire, both banished to a lower realm for incompetence. Bolt couldn't afford to repeat their mistakes.
Jason Flower let out a soft "uh" and asked Bolt, "So, Boss, do you want me to tell you how I got injured, or do you want to hear about the Mountainview Forbidden Zone? I probably only have the strength to tell one. After that, I’ll need to rest, or my wounds might worsen and I could die right here."
Bolt waved his hand. "Just tell me about the Mountainview Forbidden Zone. I promise you won’t die. Once you’re done, I’ll let you rest. As for other matters, you can talk to my second grand-uncle when you’ve recovered. If you tell it well, maybe my second grand-uncle will reward you with a cup of tea."
Jason Flower cupped his fists, ignoring Bolt’s offer of tea, and began, "The Mountainview Forbidden Zone didn’t always exist. Before the Creation War, this area was part of Jialiang Mountain. When the war broke out, Jialiang Mountain suffered massive collapses, and countless supreme cultivators fought here, leaving the mountain in ruins. Though Jialiang Mountain still stands, it’s nothing like it once was."
"Well said, well said!" Bolt praised Jason Flower while pouring him a cup of tea.
In truth, Jason Flower didn’t care about Bolt’s tea. But as soon as the tea was brewed, a serene cosmic Dao resonance wafted through the air. Even before tasting it, his mind was already enveloped in tranquility.
Jason Flower stared in amazement at the cup before him, unable to resist lifting it for a sip.
An even deeper sense of peace washed over him. For a moment, it felt as if he were in a world of perfect stillness, experiencing the calmest instant since he began cultivating.
Unable to resist, Jason Flower took another sip. The Dao resonance within the tea seeped into his consciousness, whether he tried to grasp it or not. Moreover, the tea carried a faint, innate vitality that seemed to flow from the very essence of life itself.
He couldn’t help but sigh, "There’s a starry sky in this tea, and a quiet universe within the soul! Excellent tea, truly remarkable."
Just two sips, and even the Dao resonance tearing at his wound eased considerably. While it couldn’t fully heal the injury, it brought him a rare sense of inner calm.
Bolt pretended to be unimpressed. "This is hardly good tea. The stuff I usually drink is ten thousand times better. This tea is just barely good enough for ordinary guests."
Jason Flower cupped his fists again. "May I ask, what kind of tea is this? Who could possibly refine such a brew?"
He didn’t take Bolt’s claim about superior tea seriously—he simply didn’t believe anything could surpass this. After a few words with Bolt, he realized the guy wasn’t exactly reliable. But since the real owner hadn’t appeared, he couldn’t demand to see him yet.
Anyone who could run a tavern in this place couldn’t possibly be an ordinary person.
Bolt grinned, adopting a teaching tone. "I drink this tea every day—half the time I toss it aside. But for you, it’s a rare treat. Let me teach you: it’s called Starry Sky Tea. As for who refined it, you’re not qualified to know. Now, get back to your story."
"Yes." Jason Flower’s tone grew a little less casual. "During the Creation War, the Gate of Creation was said to have opened, and countless powerhouses entered it. No one knows what was inside, not even me. After the war, the Gate closed, but many cultivators still came here. They had several goals: to comprehend the Dao resonance of those ancient battles, to search for lost supreme treasures, or simply to learn about the war itself."
"What exactly is the Creation War?" Bolt couldn’t help but ask.
Jason Flower spread his hands. "I have no idea."
Bolt snorted dismissively. "Then just tell me what you do know."
Jason Flower didn’t mind at all and continued, "As more people arrived, a temporary market sprang up here. The crowds grew, and the place became lively. Back then, anyone searching for treasures would always come to Mountainview."
"So why did it change?" Bolt was growing curious.
Jason Flower shook his head. "No one knows. At some point, something went wrong with Mountainview Market—its laws suddenly turned chaotic. Weaker cultivators were slaughtered outright, and even the stronger ones couldn’t last long. Few escaped. Later, Mountainview itself began to collapse, and soon no one dared come here. Anyone who did was swallowed up by the chaotic space and never returned."
The place became so terrifying that hardly any cultivators visited. With no one coming, the chaotic laws formed a natural barrier—you could enter, but no one had ever come out. Eventually, a powerful cultivator put up a sign outside: Mountainview Forbidden Zone, to warn those who came after.
Bolt wasn’t stupid. Hearing this, he eyed Jason Flower warily. "You came here, so maybe you’re planning to escape into the Mountainview Forbidden Zone. Looks like you’ve made some powerful enemies."