150 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 150: The Figure "Senior?" Seeing Yu Qi stop mid-sentence, Xiang Shi Yan called out in confusion. The slightly plump woman came back to her senses, dabbing her forehead with a handkerchief. "Oh, nothing. I'm naturally timid, and the thought of being alone on that mass grave amidst the chaotic battlefield makes me break out in a cold sweat." Before it was cleaved by an immortal ascending with a single sword stroke, the Wraith Valley was indeed an ancient battlefield and a mass grave. The war was intense and prolonged; many cultivators’ bodies still held the items they had in life, left unclaimed. Cultivators' bodies, gold and jade-like, do not decay easily after death. Though relics of a primordial era, it's not surprising that some bones remain intertwined with resentful and ghostly auras. Xiang Shi Yan could imagine that scene and didn't react too much to Yu Qi's expression. Yu Qi continued, "I left talismans that, if they detect the breath of the living, would feed back to the master talisman in my possession. On the third day of my initial exploration of the Celestial Rift, one talisman was triggered." Indeed, countless demonic beasts live in the dense green forest, but their instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm is stronger than that of cultivators. Even Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn't dare to tread the Wraith Valley lightly, let alone sensitive beasts. They would flee upon sensing the thick aura of vengeful ghosts, failing to approach within ten miles of the Valley. It's not impossible that a beast might trigger a talisman, but if it could withstand the unbearable aura and get so close, it would have to be either incredibly powerful or consciously acting with intent. Regardless of which, a triggered talisman was no good for them. "I kept watch at the periphery for half a month and awaited my junior sister to join me. Thereafter, we took turns organizing repair work and monitoring any anomalies in the Celestial Rift. Seven or eight days ago, while my junior sister was guarding near the Rift, she suddenly found traces of activity, but no sign of the person. We assumed it was probably a rogue beast clan member forced into the woods." "Rogues wouldn't venture so close to the Rift," Xiang Shi Yan interjected. She seriously doubted such remnants could cross the beast throngs and reach the forest's heart. "After my junior sister informed me, we immediately went together to the central area again. The seal on the Wraith Valley was intact, but as we were about to leave, she was injured by the encroaching ghost aura..." Before she could finish her sentence, a weak yet stubborn female voice came from the doorway: "I told you, it wasn’t an accident. It was definitely an attack." Xiang Shi Yan turned to see a sharp-faced woman lifting the curtain to walk in. The Fourth Elder of Tianji Sect, Lian Zhi, was drastically different from her senior, despite being of a similar age. These two were wholly distinct in appearance: one short and stout, the other tall and thin. She appeared much younger than Yu Qi, likely because Yu Qi began cultivating near the age of twenty, struggling with practice, naturally delaying her formation of a core and preservation of youth. With ghostly qi invading her body, Lian Zhi’s pallor suggested complete recovery was still distant. She walked up to them and nodded gracefully at Xiang Shi Yan, then looked at her senior with displeasure and anger. "You failed to notice it yourself, so you dismiss it as my carelessness?" "Without certainty, how could I casually speak and confuse Moonlight Lord? Are you so confident it was an attack?" Yu Qi, unfazed by being chided in front of outsiders, explained calmly, "The art of manipulating ghosts and commanding specters has long been lost. No matter how certain you are, it's reasonable to question it." Lian Zhi snorted and folded her arms, sitting down without acknowledging her further, turning to Xiang Shi Yan, "Does Elder Xiang wish to see for herself?" Indeed, Xiang Shi Yan had that intention. She felt uneasy without verifying the situation firsthand, and perhaps the system could scan for more information. However, given the meticulous investigation by Tianji Sect's elders, Xiang Shi Yan visiting without notice might seem disrespectful, implying doubt in their diligence. Seeing her nod, Yu Qi’s expression grew solemn. "If you wish to inspect personally, I won't stop you, but please accompany me for safety..." She left the sentence unfinished, but it was clear that while Yu Qi publicly disagreed, he somewhat shared his junior sister's suspicion of presence near the Rift. Xiang Shi Yan pondered briefly and was about to agree when Fu Xiao burst into the tent anxiously. The young girl entered nervously, calling out, "Third Uncle Master, Little Uncle Master is again—" Halfway through her words, she noticed Xiang Shi Yan there and hesitated, speaking more softly, "Please bring the medicine quickly." Xiang Shi Yan frowned slightly. It sounded like something happened to Fu Zhi. This might also explain Mu Hua’s whispered conversation earlier. She wanted to inquire but sensed from Fu Xiao's demeanor that Tianji Sect wasn’t inclined to divulge details to her. Fu Xiao didn't specify the medicine, yet her words seemed to imply Yu Qi would know instinctively, indicating Fu Zhi had been relying on this medication for some time. Xiang Shi Yan could only guess it related to the spell Fu Zhi previously used to control "Qian Da Ni's" body, likely leaving some after-effects. The beautiful woman hesitated, glancing between Xiang Shi Yan and her still weak junior sister. Fu Zhi's condition couldn't be neglected; she's been bedridden in a Pool of Transformation for over two years, her life essence dwindling day by day. Frail from the outset, recovery post-formation departure is slow, for years relying on rare high-tier elixirs to sustain life, along with slow nurturing. Though Fu Zhi's condition had improved over this period, managing the medication effect still required one or two days. With Fu Xiao visibly anxious, Yu Qi dared not delay, and Xiang Shi Yan had explained she needed to reach the border market by tomorrow for the rejuvenation elixir auction. There was no time to waste. But her junior sister hadn’t fully recovered... Noticing Yu Qi’s dilemma, Xiang Shi Yan said, "Feel free to go, Senior. I'll take a disciple with me, just for a distant observation without approaching the Celestial Rift." Despite saying so, when Fu Xiao left, Yu Qi couldn’t help but glance back at Xiang Shi Yan's silhouette. Daring to attack Great Ascension and Nascent Soul cultivators moving together, whoever or whatever lurked near the Wraith Valley were surely no mere adversaries. When Xiang Shi Yan found Huai Ye, the young girl was squatting in front of a mat set up by a Tianji Sect disciple during a break, solemnly watching the meditative, inscrutable-looking 'vendor.' That disciple was also in the core formation realm, with a somewhat charlatan vibe. Beside him were a pile of defense talisman papers, likely part of the group managing the construction tasks from Tianji Sect, sneaking some leisure to gull the Master Sister of Yu Cang Main Peak. Break time was scarce; Tianji Sect disciples didn’t even have time to set up a proper table. Yet on a mat made from their outer robe carelessly spread on the ground lay a bag of spirit stones. Who knew how much of a sucker Huai Ye had been in contributing? They even lit an incense burner. Xiang Shi Yan walked over helplessly, waving her hand through the atmospheric smoke, lifting Huai Ye off the ground. "Stop playing around here. Come with me to patrol the forest." Huai Ye widened her eyes, her hand still outstretched to the person, murmuring to Xiang Shi Yan, "Wait, I paid... paid... I'm about to get the answer!" Afraid of mentioning the amount, Huai Ye feared Xiang Shi Yan would ridicule her, also wary of Xiang Shi Yan's curiosity about her inquiry. "We can listen when we return. With all the sect disciples here, she can't just run off." Xiang Shi Yan mercilessly used a burst of spiritual power to launch Huai Ye in the opposite direction, sending her flying ten meters away. However, Huai Ye worried those crafty Tianji Sect disciples might vanish without a trace upon returning, leaving her empty-handed, people and money gone. But if she let Xiang Shi Yan wait on the side, she'd undoubtedly overhear the answer, forcing Huai Ye reluctantly to follow. The two rode their swords into the sky, cutting through the clouds, leaving trails that seemed to be swirled by the air currents. Xiang Shi Yan was not far from Huai Ye, and she transmitted her voice across the air, asking, "What did you want to ask earlier?" "Just... just about my path as an immortal," Huai Ye responded, her voice vague. The forest overhead was heavily influenced by the Celestial Rift's rich spiritual energy, occasionally disrupted by wavering streams of spiritual energy. Hence, Xiang Shi Yan didn’t note the peculiarity in Huai Ye’s tone, assuming it was due to the nervousness of flying and talking amidst turbulent airstreams. She didn’t press further, allowing her to focus. But were there genuinely no suspicions in her heart? Xiang Shi Yan might not be unaware of what Huai Ye asked, yet both silently chose to ignore the elephant in the room. Tree canopies connected, shrouding the vast forest like a green carpet laid flat across every visible corner. Xiang Shi Yan had explored several border Celestial Rifts. She once infiltrated the Yu Fox Du clan through a barely passable route, slipping unnoticed into the demonic territories. So she knew that this harmonious, magnificent scene might conceal dangers they'd struggle to confront. With focused attention, even at such heights, one could sense the "natural sounds" rising from the forest, although their sources were far from as enchanting as the passersby might imagine. Distant cries of apes and birds echoed, possibly from beasts whose cultivation could rival that of Great Ascension cultivators. Hence, Xiang Shi Yan and Huai Ye flew higher than usual to avoid detection by forest beasts and to prevent sudden attacks. Riding the spiritual currents in the sky, they effortlessly glided close to the forest's center, fortunately avoiding trouble from bird demons gliding along the same streams. Finally, they exited the flow near the Celestial Rift at Wraith Valley. Going further, the spiritual energy in the sky plunged directly into the chasm, creating a massive spiritual vortex in Xiang Shi Yan's spiritual sight. The outer ring seemed to draw everything near it inward, while chaotic and dark spiritual energy surged from within. The cold aura, perceptible even from here, was the lingering resentment from the primordial era, a legacy of the Celestial Rift. Above the fissure, a thin layer of purple mist drifted slowly. Though the wraiths had long dissipated through the ages, the resentment at death had not, accumulating into what it was today. Even without spiritual sight, one could sense the solid disturbances in spiritual energy. Watching the quiet flow of spiritual energy at the fissure from afar, Xiang Shi Yan turned to glance at Huai Ye, unsurprised to find the young girl spellbound. For Huai Ye, it was her first time here, her first encounter with such a distinctive landmark as the Celestial Rift. These marks on the earth, not truly the work of the heavens, were nonetheless awe-inspiring, inviting speculation about the magnificence of the cultivation world a millennium ago. As she overlooked the purple-glimmering Wraith Valley, Xiang Shi Yan remained on guard. Despite their altitude and distance, safety was not guaranteed. She recalled the story from the two Tianji Sect elders about their ambush here, wary of an unseen attack at any moment. She had come here once before when the Green Striped Forest was calm, just over a century old, traveling with her master to the demon realm—unbeknownst to the demon clan. Her master had pointed out the Rift's seal, leaving a lasting impression in her mind. From this aerial perspective, the seal seemed intact. Though somewhat loose due to age, it hadn't significantly impacted the surroundings. Xiang Shi Yan selected the emergency button in her mind, hoping for external observations to reveal what her senses could not. After some static, the system's vague voice came through: "Host, what happened?" Xiang Shi Yan explained the crucial details. Though unplanned events outside the storyline were not overly alarming, the Temporal Management Bureau took such matters seriously, having instructed her to report unexpected issues. She hadn't dared to report when the antagonist proposed dual cultivation, but now was a moment to seek their help. "…The original work indeed didn't describe much about the Green Striped Forest. If the seal wasn't breached in the text, there shouldn't be an issue without interference." Suspecting foul play, the system advised, "Can you get closer for a scan of Wraith Valley? We might glean something from the analysis." Xiang Shi Yan turned to Huai Ye, instructing her to stay at optimum distance for support, ensuring she doesn’t recklessly approach and end up like the Tianji Sect's Fourth Elder, unsure of an attack. Cautiously, she flew towards the chasm, stopping at the edge of a pulling sensation. In her mind, she called out, "Is this close enough?" "It's still too far. Can you get a bit closer?" Yu Qi had warned her to be cautious, but she couldn't let the opportunity slip away. She moved a little closer, a line appearing in her vision: [Detecting Energy Waves—] When her thigh started to burn, her overstretched nerves realized the jade pendant at her waist had been heating since she'd approached Wraith Valley. The pendant, a token and storage device, had temporarily housed a water ghost of a level akin to a ghost general since her confrontation with Xuan Jiu at Jiu An Peak. That ghost, He He's sister Lin Zhao Di, had been inert for nearly five years, leading Xiang Shi Yan to think she'd remain in perpetual slumber, until the sudden activity. Perhaps the dense ghostly aura here had stirred her. Xiang Shi Yan gently brushed the pendant, watching as a transparent burst of blue spiritual energy streamed out, forming a directional mark. Following its guidance, Xiang Shi Yan glimpsed a flash of movement among the distant trees. Author's Note: No updates the day after tomorrow! OWO No pop-up ads, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)