Ming Li received Qing Ying’s voice transmission at the Star-Gazing Platform, saying that Dong Yeyun had overlapped with the Instrumentality Spirit Disc, completing the tongue creation, and could speak again.
She glanced at Xiang An’ge sitting opposite her and asked: “You let Qing Ying do the final engraving?”
Xiang An’ge examined the Divine Martial weapon in his hand and said, “If she made a mistake, we would start over.”
So it wasn’t really “only one chance” after all.
Ming Li told to Qing Ying, and Xiang An’ge soon received a voice transmission talisman from Qing Ying. Opening it, he saw it filled with question marks.
Xiang An’ge calmly put away the voice transmission talisman and handed the Divine Martial weapon back to Ming Li: “How many forms?”
“Four,” Ming Li reached out to take it—a thin rod the color of white bone, unremarkable at first glance.
After Ming Li infused star power to awaken it, the white bone bloomed, growing vines from which green filaments emerged and formed a bowstring.
“Blade, sword, bow, and flute,” Ming Li played with the Divine Martial weapon in her hand, watching it transform from bow form into the other three. “Time was limited, so this will have to suffice for now. I called you here to test its limits, how many spirit techniques it can use at once.”
Xiang An’ge glanced at Song Tianjiu, who was sitting quietly in the corner: “What’s he for?”
Ming Li: “He has another use.”
Song Tianjiu leaned against the chair back, silently gazing at the stars above, like a puppet spirit.
He now had psychological trauma regarding Ming Li.
Song Tianjiu sat in the chair, his peripheral vision following the two people as they stood and left, quickly drawn to the battle between the two Pilgrims.
The two had exercised some control; the pressure of their star power wasn’t directed at Song Tianjiu, but he still felt intense oppression.
He involuntarily sat up straight, alert.
The two figures, with Body Technique Meridians running at their peak, crossed paths so quickly that Song Tianjiu had to push his Heavy Eyes Meridian to its limit to barely see clearly.
Xiang An’ge’s Yin-Yang Dual Meridian Healing Technique could neutralize most damage, so Ming Li attacked without much reservation. When her power exceeded the tolerance range of Xiang An’ge’s healing technique, he would decisively call a halt.
“I don’t see any major issues,” Xiang An’ge returned to the table after stopping, telling Ming Li. “But I remember you saying the Wandering Soul Tribe’s power might be similar to yours.”
“The Wandering Soul Tribal Chief, Chang Yu Ye,” Ming Li withdrew her star power, watching as the Divine Martial weapon, flowing with phosphorescent light, transformed back into an ordinary white bone rod.
“Thinking carefully, this person’s goal seems different from the Calligraphy Sage’s.” Ming Li glanced at Song Tianjiu, startling him.
“Do you have any thoughts?” Ming Li asked Song Tianjiu.
Song Tianjiu shook his head: “I don’t have any thoughts at all.”
“For the Divine Oracle to destroy the life meridian, it needs to solve the problem at its source. Star meridians are nurtured by heaven and earth and cannot be destroyed, so the Wandering Soul Tribe is needed to maintain the Divine Oracle’s power to deprive those who awaken life meridians, oppressing life meridians and creating the existence of Earth Ghosts,” Xiang An’ge said. “The Divine Oracle modified people’s memories, corresponding to the power of the Spiritual Court Meridian, making the existence of life meridians invisible and imperceptible, corresponding to Heavy Eyes and Thunderous Roar.”
After listening, both Ming Li and Song Tianjiu looked at him.
Xiang An’ge frowned and asked: “What?”
Song Tianjiu said softly, “My brother said you’re a weird person who only likes puppet spirits, but I didn’t expect you to be so smart.”
Xiang An’ge’s frown deepened: “Someone without brains would be capable of researching puppet spirits?”
Song Tianjiu: “I’m not the one who said that!”
Ming Li rested her chin on one hand and said, “When did you start thinking about these things? Didn’t you care even if the world ended?”
Xiang An’ge leaned back in his chair and said: “Today, just now.”
Ming Li stared at the Divine Martial weapon in her hand without speaking.
Xiang An’ge continued: “You must have noticed, too, why the Wandering Soul Tribe and the Calligraphy Sage want to capture your junior brother. It’s because his life meridian is different. Perhaps his existence gives the Divine Oracle a chance to destroy the life meridian.”
Song Tianjiu thought the same, so he nodded along but didn’t dare speak.
Ming Li tapped the table with her fingers, looking up to ask the two: “Can star meridians have self-awareness?”
Xiang An’ge: “No.”
Song Tianjiu: “That’s impossible, right?”
If star meridians had self-awareness, that news would undoubtedly be more terrifying than the Divine Oracle and the like.
Ming Li fell into silent contemplation.
*
The medicinal smell in the room was both strong and bitter. As Chen Zhou ladled out another bowl of medicine, the bitterness nearly covered the entire Yu Heng Court.
Sitting on the bed wrapped in a fox fur coat, Liang Junxia coughed twice, grimacing at the medicine bowl Chen Zhou handed over. He tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and said: “Ah—”
Chen Zhou looked at him expressionlessly: “Are you asking to die?”
Liang Junxia obediently took the medicine bowl and downed it in one gulp. The bitterness turned his face green, only to see two puppet spirits guarding the medicine stove beginning to fill a second bowl.
“What does this mean?” Liang Junxia widened his eyes, finding it incomprehensible. “Are they trying to kill me with bitterness?”
Chen Zhou said, “Drink what you’re supposed to drink, not one bowl less.”
Liang Junxia set the bowl aside and reached for preserved fruits to put in his mouth. With one cheek bulging, he looked at Chen Zhou: “How fresh! I never thought I’d see the day when someone watched me take medicine. By the way, this is medicine prescribed by the Pilgrim Stateless Lord—”
Chen Zhou mercilessly said, “No, he only lent you puppet spirits to brew medicine. The prescription is from Academy Head Tian Quan.”
Liang Junxia: “…”
He swallowed the preserved fruit, savoring the sweetness in his mouth, and said: “When do you plan to go to the Wandering Soul Tribe?”
“Fu Yuan and the others, along with the Ice Wastes Earth Ghosts, have already gone ahead. I’m waiting for Ming Li,” Chen Zhou walked to the window and opened it, smelling the cold fragrance outside. “The Academy Heads will all remain at Bei Dou. You stay at Yu Heng, and when you have time, teach Wen Su some calligraphy.”
Liang Junxia turned his head to look at the night scenery outside the window, where the cold floral fragrance neutralized the medicinal smell in the room.
He said: “The combination of Yin-Yang curse techniques and Earth Ghost abilities is not to be underestimated. Be careful.”
Just as Chen Zhou was about to turn his head back, he heard Qing Ying’s voice calling happily: “Senior Brother! Senior Brother, look!”
Qing Ying pulled Dong Yeyun as she ran toward them, her previously gloomy expression replaced with excitement in her eyes. Dong Yeyun stumbled as she dragged him, taking some effort to steady himself when they reached the doorway.
“He can speak again!” Qing Ying shouted to the two in the room, then wrinkled her nose at the bitter medicinal smell and backed away. “This smells too awful. Let’s go find Senior Sister first!”
Chen Zhou and Liang Junxia watched as Qing Ying, who had just arrived, dragged Dong Yeyun away again.
*
Northern Border Ghost Plains.
Spring came earlier here than in the inner cities. The vast plains were lush and green, with deep, unfathomable swamps hidden among the reed marshes. Green snakes silently glided through the thickets, pursuing their prey.
Standing on a hillside, Cheng Jingbai observed the distance using his Heavy Eyes Meridian. Beside him stood Fu Yuan, holding his sword.
Fu Yuan gazed toward the end of the night, saying softly: “Going further ahead, after crossing the Three Raven River, we’ll enter the Wandering Soul State territory.”
Cheng Jingbai asked: “Does the Wandering Soul Tribe have states like the inner cities?”
“Yes,” Fu Yuan said. “After crossing the Three Raven River, we’re likely to encounter Wandering Soul Tribe warriors on patrol. Let’s go via the river’s end and try not to use star power to reduce the probability of being discovered.”
Cheng Jingbai asked in surprise: “Is this a probability issue?”
Fu Yuan said, “It can be.”
Cheng Jingbai asked again: “Aren’t we disguised as a southern merchant caravan with business dealings in the Northern Border Ghost Plains? Can’t we enter openly?”
Fu Yuan: “Since the Wandering Soul Tribe wants to use Zixi for their purposes, and the Calligraphy Sage has been forced to retreat to Wandering Soul State by my Junior Sister, this is a special period for them. Just to be safe, let’s not be discovered before we get in.”
Cheng Jingbai found this reasonable, so the two returned to their group, confirmed there were no obstacles ahead, and continued forward.
The reeds on both sides were about half a person’s height, with some individual ones taller than a person. They swayed with the night breeze, and the green leaves made rustling sounds as they rubbed against each other.
There were no stars in the sky, but the moonlight was abundant. Cheng Jingbai used his Yin Meridian to shrink himself and lead the way. Because of the Earth Ghosts’ life meridian’s death-defying ability, the dangerous task of scouting was taken up by Cheng Jingbai.
A shadow with a hint of red light moved quickly on the ground. The grasshoppers, sticking to the green leaves, silently watched the red shadow pass by. Following the direction guided by moonlight, Cheng Jingbai heard flowing water. At the moment he burst out of the reed marsh, there was a red shadow and a round shadow on the moonlit riverbank.
The two shadows faced each other.
Cheng Jingbai was speechless at this familiar scene.
As rustling sounds approached, companions from both sides rushed to the riverbank. The round shadow and the red shadow both released their Yin Meridian shrinking technique, revealing their true forms.
Cheng Jingbai and Qiu Hong looked at each other and said in unison: “So it’s you.”
Fu Yuan and Black Fox Mask, who emerged a step later, fell into contemplation as they looked at the southern Earth Ghosts across from them. With tacit understanding, they looked toward Lin Xiao, who explained in a lowered voice: “Southern Earth Ghost, Qiu Hong, works for Sui Qiu San. No conflict for now.”
Fu Yuan and Black Fox Mask understood. They had heard of the southern Earth Ghosts, so they restrained their hostility.
Qiu Hong turned his head to explain to Xue Yin and others behind him, and they also withdrew their killing intent.
Cheng Jingbai asked: “What are you doing here?”
Qiu Hong: “You first.”
So Cheng Jingbai pointed: “Crossing the river.”
Qiu Hong nodded: “So are we.”
“Alright then, let’s each cross our way,” Cheng Jingbai looked back at the others, gesturing for their opinion.
No one objected; clearly, the southern Earth Ghosts were not enemies at the moment.
Qiu Hong and his group crossed the Three Raven River first. The riverbed was wide, but the water was only ankle-deep. After the southern Earth Ghosts crossed, they stood on the bank looking back at the Ice Wastes Earth Ghosts still in the reed marsh, as if silently telling them after scouting: Come over, no problem.
To avoid Wandering Soul Tribe warriors, they needed to use fewer spirit techniques and star power before entering the Wandering Soul State to prevent detection. So when crossing the river, they didn’t use Flash Shadow but walked over step by step.
While still in the water, Cheng Jingbai looked up at Qiu Hong, waiting for him on the bank, and asked: “Are you also disguised as a southern merchant caravan?”
Qiu Hong squatted on the bank, still with his wine gourd at his waist. He said, “There’s a merchant guild in the south that has maintained secret business relationships with the Northern Border Ghost Plains. We happen to be borrowing their identity to take hidden routes, avoiding the risks on the Ghost Plains to get here.”
Cheng Jingbai: “That makes sense. You’re more familiar with the southern forces.”
Bei Dou only learned about the cooperation between the Wandering Soul Tribe and southern merchant guilds during the battle five years ago.
“Ming Li didn’t come?” Qiu Hong asked.
“When she comes—” Cheng Jingbai had only spoken half his sentence when Black Fox Mask, walking at the very back, suddenly drew his sword and slashed at the reed marsh. Instantly, everyone sensed something was wrong.
The sword energy collided with the star threads in front of the reed marsh, emitting a piercing sound. A light array rising from the ground surrounded the entire river.
Star power pressure descended from the sky. Qiu Hong on the riverbank changed expression slightly, turning his head to meet a palm strike from a falling black shadow that knocked him back into the Three Raven River.
All the Earth Ghosts on the bank were swept into the river water by the whirlwind caused by star power. The light array that stretched across the sky trapped them inside. Several black shadows landed beyond the thin layer of light source.
The three surviving Nan Que Academy Heads—Gui Su, Zhang Su, and Xing Su—and two white-robed Earth Ghosts wearing golden cracked masks stood on the bank.
“The Full Moon Sealing Formation looks familiar, doesn’t it?” A lazy voice came from behind the three Nan Que Academy Heads as a youth in blue clothes walked leisurely in the moonlight. “You should have changed your infiltration method after using it once. Unfortunately, the one most familiar with southern forces now isn’t you, Earth Ghosts, but me.”
Qian Li stepped past the three Nan Que Academy Heads, walking to the front, looking at the people in the river with smiling eyes.