262 - Elasia Saga

As Fu Yan's voice trailed off, the trio wasted no time in sweeping the remaining spiritual herbs from the medicinal garden. Soon enough, footsteps could be heard from outside. Clearly, by this time, quite a few others had arrived, and considering the valuable herbs they had seized, it was inevitable that some would harbor ill intent if they were discovered. Fu Yan wasn't afraid, but she preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble. Quickly exchanging glances, the three of them moved in unison. In mere moments, they vanished from the medicinal garden as strangers approached. Beyond the garden, the view abruptly expanded, revealing what appeared to be a large martial stage, with stands on either side, filled with an array of weapons. Swords and knives were present, making it look little different from an ordinary martial hall. It was eerily quiet around them, and the three paused at the base of the stage. They looked around cautiously, reluctant to step onto the platform without consideration. "Palace Master, we're… cornered," Shui Liu Qing glanced back, her expression changing suddenly, her voice halting as if struggling to speak. Fu Yan and Ji Xian also turned to look, noticing that their path behind had become hazy and indistinct, as if even the roadway was unclear. The medicinal garden from moments ago seemed to have vanished without a trace. Unsurprisingly, the moment their feet entered this place, the space behind transformed, leaving them with no option but to move forward. Fu Yan was momentarily stunned but instantly regained clarity. The light in her eyes dimmed slightly before she decisively vaulted onto the stage in front of her. With no way to retreat, there was no point in dwelling. They would not sit idly and await doom. As she landed on the stage, Fu Yan felt a slight ripple, and within an instant, her surroundings shifted to a blinding white, with Shui Liu Qing and Ji Xian nowhere in sight. It seemed the entire world had reduced to this single martial stage, eerie in its isolation. Fu Yan remained composed, having sensed the surge of energy from the transformation—a high-level formation spell at work. Steadying herself, Fu Yan prepared to delve deeper into exploring her surroundings, just as a silhouette appeared on the other side of the stage. Looking up, she found another figure mirroring her gaze. It was a perfect replica of Fu Yan herself. A moment of bemusement passed as she and her double mirrored each other's movements. A second later, Fu Yan swiftly reached out, the hilt of her Star Sword firmly grasped in her hand with fluid ease. Opposite her, the replica repeated the action, the scene uncannily like an image in a mirror. "Interesting." Fu Yan chuckled softly, mumbling to herself. It became clear that she needed to overcome herself to leave this stage. Almost as soon as the thought completed, Fu Yan propelled herself forward, her Star Sword spinning fiercely, unleashing a formidable and terrifying sword intent. Her doppelgänger charged in kind, matching her movements in a perfectly mirrored attack. "Zing, buzz—" As the two Star Swords collided mid-air, a shrill sword scream pierced the air, causing the entire space to tremble. Fu Yan's gaze sharpened as she quickly withdrew her sword, pivoting with a light toe-tap against the void, creating a graceful arc in the air. Unleashing her primal energy, she seemed in no mood to give herself respite, the sword shadows around her multiplying into eight, circling rapidly in defense. Observing her reflection continue the deadly dance, Fu Yan wasted no time in hesitation, clenching her Star Sword and sweeping forward in a decisive strike. Her counterpart mirrored the assault, the deadly sharp blade advancing, yet Fu Yan barreled toward it with relentless simplicity. Two masses of equal strength clashed fiercely, the air currents swirling violently, space itself seeming to twist under pressure. Yet Fu Yan did not relent, amplifying her power anew. "Boom!" In an instant, the resounding crash of shattered sword intent echoed around, followed by a scene splitting the sky itself, the surrounding space contorting briefly. Settling back on solid ground, Fu Yan abruptly opened her eyes to find the martial stage as it was, now with Shui Liu Qing and Ji Xian's forms reappearing. It became apparent that the two had yet to surpass their reflective selves. Fu Yan sheathed her sword and didn't rush off. With curiosity piqued, she began assessing the mirror formation on the martial stage. In cultivation, pushing oneself was vital for growth, and this formation aided in such breakthroughs. As the master of Shuanghua Palace, Fu Yan was profoundly interested in the formation. If she could bring it back to Shuanghua Palace, it could significantly enhance her disciples' potential. With little hesitation, Fu Yan crouched to locate the formation's core, intent on taking it back with her. However, Fu Yan's expertise in formations was yet lacking. The mirror formation was notably advanced, and after some time, she found herself at a loss. Pausing briefly, Fu Yan summoned Mo Ling from the storage space with a sweep of her hand. "Ha—" Mo Ling yawned involuntarily, its form appearing sleepy as it gazed at Fu Yan, a hint of confusion in its eyes. Fu Yan: "..." Fortunately, Mo Ling quickly regained focus, its demeanor sharpening: "What's going on? Weren’t you out training disciples? What is this place?" Fu Yan saw no need for explanations, standing and instructing Mo Ling, "There's a rather advanced formation on this stage. See if you can take it." Though unfamiliar with formations, Mo Ling was a being of natural essence, acutely attuned to the elements. After circling the stage, Mo Ling concluded, "The formation seems integrated with the stage. To take it, you’d need to take the entire stage." Fu Yan glanced skeptically at the large martial stage beneath her: "..." "Actually..." Mo Ling noted Fu Yan's hesitation, explaining, "This stage is practically a spiritual artifact in itself. You could try refining it." By refining the artifact, she could miniaturize and carry it at will. Fu Yan was somewhat surprised; she hadn't considered the stage a spiritual artifact. Reflecting, it made sense—merged with an ancient advanced formation, its integration over time indeed raised its spiritual status. As she deliberated, Ji Xian's eyelids fluttered, a sign of emerging consciousness. Just as Fu Yan moved to recall Mo Ling, a sudden thought crossed her mind. In the next moment, a golden glint flickered, and Mo Ling felt a faint stir of its governing essence, soon followed by calm. Deciding to keep Mo Ling visible, Fu Yan thought it wise for unforeseen circumstances, allowing for timely response. Yet Mo Ling's nature remained a secret, so she resolved to cast a veil of law over Mo Ling, ensuring its invisibility to others. Using the law's force, even the simplest distractions were imperceptible, likely obscured even from immortals. Finally, Ji Xian opened his eyes, prompting Fu Yan to withdraw the barrier. After a moment's pause, awareness returned to Ji Xian: "Was that just...?" Fu Yan nodded, affirming Ji Xian's suspicion. Saying little else, Fu Yan resumed her investigation of the martial stage, seemingly in search of something. Refining such a vast stage wasn't easy and would require abundant spiritual energy. Regardless, given the chance, Fu Yan was ready to try, hoping to relocate it to Shuanghua Palace. "Palace Master?" Ji Xian approached, curious about her intentions. Stopping in her tracks, Fu Yan looked up at Ji Xian with an unexpected smile, leaving him with an unsettling sense of foreboding. Sure enough, in the next moment, Ji Xian heard Fu Yan's voice reaching him: "Perfect timing, I need to borrow some of your spiritual energy." Ji Xian was caught off guard, "Hmm??" Fu Yan offered no further explanation as she moved to the center of the martial stage. With a concentrated look, she unleashed a powerful burst of spiritual energy, sending it surging downward through her palm into the stage. A low hum resonated as the immense energy flowed into the stage, causing it to tremble. A faint luminescence began emanating from its surface. However, the stage seemed like an insatiable abyss, greedily absorbing Fu Yan's spiritual energy, her aura visibly weakening. As the refining process steadied, Fu Yan glanced at Ji Xian, repeating, "Come over here and channel your energy to me." Ji Xian was momentarily speechless. Only then did Ji Xian grasp Fu Yan's intent—to refine the martial stage itself. It was risky to exhaust so much power suddenly. After all, no one knew what dangers lay ahead—they needed to maintain their peak strength at all times. "Palace Master?" By then, Shui Liu Qing had also emerged from her mirrored self-reflection. Ji Xian hesitated but quickly moved to Fu Yan's side, raising his hands to assist in channeling energy. Despite his stern gaze, Fu Yan found amusement in the situation. Had she been present in her true form, Fu Yan’s vast essence of primal energy from her sea of qi could have refined the stage alone. Her puppet form, however, lacked sufficient energy. Even without Ji Xian and Shui Liu Qing, Fu Yan wouldn’t have panicked, as her supplies of spiritual herbs and pills were ample enough. Shui Liu Qing, perceiving Fu Yan's intentions, wasted no time in stepping up to aid the refining process. Together, under their concentrated efforts, the glow around the martial stage intensified. Within less than half an hour, Fu Yan sensed the core of the stage. *Swish! Swish!* In an instant, the three of them dismounted the stage. Fu Yan flicked her wrist, and the martial stage began to shrink rapidly. The refining process succeeded! In just a few breaths, the once-massive stage had diminished to the size of a palm, lying securely in Fu Yan's hand. With a swift gesture, she stored it away and breathed a sigh of relief. The cost, however, was significant—Fu Yan and her companions were drained of spiritual energy, as if they'd just endured an arduous battle. Fu Yan regarded the other two without abandoning them. She retrieved three Yin-Yang Pills from her storage ring, consuming one herself and tossing one each to Shui Liu Qing and Ji Xian. "This is... a Yin-Yang Pill?" Ji Xian exclaimed, holding the pill, his brown eyes wide in surprise. It seemed almost too good to be true. These Yin-Yang Pills were crafted by Fu Yan from Yin-Yang Flowers, capable of rapidly restoring up to eighty percent of one's strength. Despite their rarity, Fu Yan had quite a supply. "Recover quickly—we need to leave here soon," Fu Yan advised, glancing at Ji Xian before addressing Shui Liu Qing. Shui Liu Qing nodded in agreement. Reluctantly, Ji Xian consumed the pill, pondering the extravagant use of such a valuable item. Though he had other replenishing pills, they required more time. After taking the Yin-Yang Pills, the trio almost instantly regained their prior state of vigor. "Let's go," Fu Yan said simply, moving forward without further ado. Leaving the platform, they encountered a narrow teleportation array. With no other routes available, they stepped onto the platform together. A wave of energy surrounded them, and when stability returned, they found themselves in a new location. Stepping out of the teleportation array, Fu Yan surveyed her surroundings. Before them lay a grand hall, unexpectedly opulent and bright, quite unlike the shadowy exterior. The ceiling was adorned with jewels, suggesting the hall had remained sealed for thousands of years, yet its pristine state showed no sign of dust. Five imposing bronze statues stood before them, clad in thick armor with eyes that were eerily dark and devoid of any energy, appearing as mere statues. But as they stepped forward, a sudden loud noise echoed through the hall. The statues' eyes glowed a deep red. "Not good, they're coming to life," Ji Xian announced, focusing intently on the statues. The hall seemed to form an enclosed space. Fu Yan quickly drew her sword, launching an assault on the advancing statues. Instantly, the five statues wielded their spears, charging at the trio. Shui Liu Qing responded by deploying her palace's puppet, and they were soon engaged in combat. Sword light flared throughout the expansive hall. Mo Ling floated above, unfazed, casually remarking, "The spatial fabric here seems unstable." Fu Yan realized this upon entering, but the teleportation array was clearly one-way with no return. Fortunately, they had restored their strength just in time. The statues possessed power roughly at mid-Transformation Realm, offering a manageable challenge to the trio. However, their armor was stubbornly resilient. "What kind of armor can withstand the power of the Incarnation Realm?" Ji Xian pondered, eyeing the statues' silvery armor with growing concern. The trio stepped back awhile, Fu Yan frowning at the resilience they'd underestimated, for what seemed a straightforward victory now grappled against near-impenetrable armor. The five statues, eyes gleaming red, rallied like predators, forcing the trio back against a wall. It was then that Fu Yan noticed it—the statues were directing them toward something. Realization hit as she widened her eyes, but it was too late. Portals appeared on the wall behind them, and they were involuntarily pulled into the portals. Mo Ling swiftly followed Fu Yan through her portal. The light scattered, and soon the doorway vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the hall eerily tranquil once more. Forcibly drawn through, Fu Yan was disoriented, feeling herself teetering, but she managed to regain her posture with a nimble pivot, steadying herself before she could fall. "Thud!" Mo Ling floated in, bumping its head on the low ceiling with a surprised exclamation, "What in the world, why is it so cramped in here?" It was then Fu Yan took note of her surroundings. As Mo Ling noted, they found themselves in a small, completely enclosed chamber—barely tall enough for Fu Yan to stand upright. Dimly lit, the only feature in the room was a solitary black coffin sitting in the center, with nothing else in sight. Mo Ling descended, hovering over the coffin, and curiously tapped on it. After a brief scan of her surroundings, Fu Yan approached the coffin. With no other way out visible, she focused on it. As she prepared to lift the lid, it suddenly flew open of its own accord, revealing a black tail that shot out. Caught off guard, Fu Yan was yanked into the coffin by the tail, prompting her to strike out with her full strength. Yet something within the coffin latched onto her arm and bit down. In an instant, Fu Yan lost all sensation in her hand, as if it had dissolved into a pool of decay... In a flash, Fu Yan gritted her teeth and severed her bitten arm, forcefully tearing it off. … Ji Qing Jue, having entered the tomb estate not long ago, had already separated from the disciples of Hua Ling Valley. Unlike others, she preferred to journey alone, not needing to share any of the fortunes she might find. Despite only being there briefly, she had already gained much, notably acquiring a powerful artifact from inside a puppet frog. Yet, she hadn't anticipated that upon turning with her new possession, she’d encounter two figures straight ahead. Both cultivators were at the late Transformation Realm, immediately eyeing her artifact with murderous intent. Ji Qing Jue remained unfazed, casting them a beguiling smile. Momentarily bewildered, both men fell under her alluring spell. Supported by her master, Ji Qing Jue’s charm had reached its zenith. Those with even slightly lacking resolve couldn't withstand her allure, as evidenced clearly now. These two cultivators, having obtained various resources after entering, were essentially delivering them to Ji Qing Jue on a silver platter. Generally speaking, she didn’t entertain the notion of taking others' possessions, but since they attempted to seize her artifact, she had no intention of letting them off easily. Ji Qing Jue gleefully accepted the resources, then turned away without a second glance, departing from the scene with grace. After navigating over a small earthen mound, she inexplicably fell into a teleportation array, transporting her to another hall. Within this new hall, two bronze statues abruptly animated, prompting Ji Qing Jue to defend herself. Despite her best efforts, she found herself unable to penetrate the armor protecting them, eventually being forced into yet another portal. With a flicker, she found herself in an armory chamber. Taken aback for a moment, she observed that the weapons there were mostly mundane—some even showing signs of rust. She picked up two that held some measure of value before proceeding. Opposite the chamber stood an immense stone door, resembling a revolving gateway that could rotate open at either end. Ji Qing Jue stepped forward to inspect it. Reaching out, she pressed firmly on the right side of the stone door. Meanwhile, Shui Liu Qing, having picked herself up from the dusty floor, quickly cast a cleansing spell over herself before surveying her surroundings. It was clear that during the chaos in the hall, she, Fu Yan, and Ji Xian had been forcibly separated, each passing through different portals. Realizing this, she pulled out a puppet paper charm, noting that Fu Yan wasn't too far from her location. Relieved, Shui Liu Qing took a moment to gather herself before examining the room she was in. The room was utterly bare, devoid of any features. After double-checking, she approached the only visible exit—a giant stone door. Unsure if it could be opened, she focused her energy, extending her hand calmly to the right side of the stone door. "Rumble—" The stone door groaned as it swung open, revealing what lay beyond.