A heavy pressure fell from the cloaked figure's palm.
The heavy downpour of rain was disturbed by a soft wind. First, like a bellowing gale, carrying the rain and rustling the crowns of trees.
Then, it roared like a dragon, bursting the water droplets and pushing forth the mist.
Wind surged into the ground, uplifting the crimson soil and stones, pulling on trees and tearing up their roots.
A violent force smashed into the Settlement below.
Wood creaked as houses ruptured, and the countless tiles of the stone-paved streets were lifted and blown apart.
The sturdy complex shook before shattering into splinters of wood and ceramic tiles.
In a few breaths' time, the Settlement was in ruin. A picture of raw destruction was painted, and the winds continued to blow.
Soil. Rock. Stones.
Trees. Bushes. Foliage.
Beasts. Snow. Fields.
Houses. Roads. Complexes.
Everything was being destroyed as the force of a hurricane crashed into the Corpse Mountain.
"How long... until you are done...?"
"By Early Hour, I will have this whole mountain blown apart."
"Be careful of the corpse."
"I know. Make sure you prepare the other tributes to the Bone Devouring Dragon."
"Understood."
"..."
"...'
"...!"
While the two figures stood in silence, a subtle pressure could be felt from afar.
Looking in the northeastern direction, a jade light flew towards them.
"Ah... a Jade Slip."
The sickly figure stood to receive the Jade Slip, its verdant green lustre cast a gentle glow upon his pale skin.
Qi flowed from his hands and into the Jade Slip. The information within the slip was a simple report about wares and trade, but there were subtle clues that the sickly figure noticed.
Qi was instilled once again, and the information began to change.
The verdant green of the slip was dyed as white as the figure's hands.
Receiving the information once again, the sickly figure nodded with a low grunt.
"What does it say?"
"The Insatiable Vessel that we assigned to Open Roof Spirit Spring was killed..."
"Is that so? How was its progress?"
"It had devoured five other Spirit Springs, and was in the process of devouring its sixth, the Open Roof Spirit Spring."
"Five Spirit Springs and then some... then there are no worries. It had served its purpose for quite some time. Its service was well appreciated."
"It is said... that a group of Cultivators took it down... The Immortal Seeds of Immortal Adamant... and a Cultivator of unknown origin, named Dawn... What are your thoughts on this?"
The other cloaked figure placed his other hand on his chin.
"Do we know the reason as to why these people encountered this Insatiable Vessel?"
"It is most likely a coincidence... but they seem to be searching for something... Jia Shu had observed them for quite some time, but did not find what they could have been searching for..."
"I see. Let Jia Shu keep an eye on them for now; we will report on them later."
"Actually... This Dawn had separated from her group... that is, they do not seem to be so intimately linked to Adamant's Heirs."
"Is that so...? Where did she come from?"
"Iron Mountain Quarry Settlement, it seems."
"Ah. So she may be a Cultivator from that Mortal Settlement, but her connection to Adamant's Heirs implies that she is not from Iron Mountain Quarry Settlement but Union Settlement."
"That may be true... Union and Adamant shared a friendly relationship... However, she could be from that other ruined Settlement."
"Immortal Defiance... huh... Forget about it for now. We can not be so sure."
Hearing those words, the sickly figure had rewritten the information in the white Jade Slip.
Soon, it returned to its usual green appearance and flew off to the northeast.
The sickly figure watched the Jade Slip fly away, then turned to the northern direction.
"Are you sure... that letting that Envoy go free is a safe idea?"
"Yes. The method they should be using will keep them hidden, unless an Immortal decides to inspect and intervene. But considering the state of Union Settlement and the subsidiary Mortal Settlements, as well as the fact that we draw near the Period's end, that is not a worry."
"Indeed."
As their conversation drew to an end, the sickly figure sat upon the dragon's head once more.
Winds continued to howl and roar as the crimson mountain was stripped of its surface.
After a few hours of shaving away, the first hints of bone were revealed through the bloody soil.
"Ooh... The corpse is finally revealing itself...! Slow down, do not harm the bone...!"
"I know, quiet down, will you?"
The sickly figure withdrew his hood and peered down at the carved mountain. Intertwined with crimson soil and crimson rock, sharp bones protruded through the surface.
"Rib bones... dauntless and still radiating with stable structure...! Ah. How wonderful... the bones have been preserved in a near flawless state... no... how could this state not be flawless?"
Cackling happily, greed filled the sickly figure's eyes as his breathing turned heavy.
The other cloaked figure also spared some praise.
"Of course. Such a beast is worthy of standing on an Immortal's level. Even if I were to strike with all my power... I would not be able to harm even the bones, let alone its scales."
"Still... do be careful... the better the quality, the more significant its purpose..."
"Yes. Yes... I know already."
Hours upon hours flew by.
The roaring winds quietened to bellows, then faded entirely.
Soil and mountain rock were shaved away, and even the bedrock was dug into.
The land was flattened, and the famous Corpse Mountain, as well as the agricultural Settlement, were no more.
Its spine was limp and splayed along the ground, bearing its ribcage to the sky. The large skull rested on its side with its jaw hanging open.
A single horn was crowned upon its head, stretching like a dead tree branch.
What could only be identified as dead hair loosely hung from the beast's skull.
Powerful legs lazed across the bedrock; the remnant muscles and tissue scattered about its columns were a far cry from the power within such limbs.
"Ah... Look at it...! Look at it! How incredible is this skeleton? I could not tell you! Hahaha!"
Laughing madly with joy, the sickly figure threw his head back with a palm over her face.
The other figure lowered his hand and looked upon this spectacle.
"We finally lay our hands upon the corpse of this great beast... Dispeller of Advents, Qilin of the Silent Hills...!"