The two conversed as they walked. After emerging from underground, the outside scenery came into view. Long Yiran pointed at the dark clouds in the sky, somewhat excitedly saying, "See it?"
Wang Yu: "???"
Long Yiran regained her composure: "To learn Geomancy and Mystical Arts, one must possess excellent imagination. Do those dark clouds look like the horizontal bar of an inverted mountain to you?"
Wang Yu was surprised: "This is—"
If one viewed Yin Ghost Mountain and the dark clouds as a whole, the highest peak happened to be in the middle, with two slightly shorter peaks on the left and right.
Pieced together this way, it indeed resembled an inverted mountain character.
It was just that the dark clouds and the mountain peaks weren't connected; there was a break in the middle.
When Wang Yu pointed this out, Long Yiran explained:
"After so many years, the state of the Nether Tiger Prison-Suppressing Layout has definitely weakened. Differences in form are the result of power dissipation, making the layout here even more obscure."
She had triggered the layout's power; her words needed no doubt.
Wang Yu understood the true essence of Feng Shui arts: one must possess sufficiently abstract imagination; otherwise, it's difficult to connect terrain features with layout characteristics.
"Then how do we enter... fly directly into the dark clouds?"
"We need to go through the gate. The Heaven Soul Sect was a sect; it must have planned routes for disciples. We'll just follow this ancient path. Wait a moment, Brother Wang."
Long Yiran regained her confidence, taking out that small array disc to probe the orientation. In no time, she led him around to the "main gate."
"Let's go."
This time it wasn't as complicated as the Serpent Dwelling. Entering Yin Ghost Mountain from a path on the east side, Wang Yu was surprised to find the Soul-Shaking Yin Wind... couldn't be felt.
Or rather, it didn't blow against the two anymore. The Earth Array Master legacy was indeed profound.
After entering the mountain along the path, Long Yiran began twisting and turning as if walking an invisible road, finally plunging into the air and disappearing.
Wang Yu followed closely, feeling that in a single step, heaven and earth changed. The spatial fluctuation was much more pronounced than the Minor Teleportation Array!
"—A Secret Realm!
"The Archaic Heaven Soul Sect ruins are actually in a secret realm? But how is that possible?"
Due to the nature of a sect, it couldn't be built in a secret realm. The daily flow of people was too high; secret realms and external earth veins were difficult to connect.
Even capturing spirit veins would be hard to transfer inside.
Unfavorable for future development. Moreover, secret realms had limited space. Accommodating too many people diminished their inherent advantages.
Such as denser heaven-earth spiritual energy, environments more suitable for spiritual material growth, used for cultivating precious spiritual roots with long growth times... and so on.
But before them was indeed a secret realm.
Looking around, the two stood before a stretch of ruins. Faint red mist drifted in the air—blood mist formed from the vaporization of a sea of blood.
Looking up.
Above them, a massive jade memorial archway bore three ancient characters: Heaven Soul Sect. This proved the place wasn't wrong.
Long Yiran activated her Gazing at Qi Golden Pupils to observe the flow of qi, her voice grave:
"Brother Wang, I suspect that when the Heaven Soul Sect experienced the Archaic Blood Demon Cataclysm, the entire space collapsed. To prevent everything from being swept away by spatial turbulence,
"The Heaven Soul Sect's high-level array masters transferred the power of the Nether Tiger Prison-Suppressing Layout to seal and stabilize this space.
"So all those evil ghosts captured as consumables broke free, forming today's Yin Ghost Mountain, also severely damaging the power of this Earth Layout.
"Otherwise, even I wouldn't have been able to trigger the Nether Tiger's power."
Wang Yu looked around. From time to time, cracks appeared in the blood mist. The mist tried to seep through but was beaten back by black streams.
It indeed resembled some sealing method.
"The Heaven Soul Sect was exterminated by the Blood Demon. Legend says everyone was drained of blood and died miserably within the sect. Remnants of the Blood Demon's power might still be here. Let's find the Scripture Pavilion first."
"Alright."
Unified in opinion, Wang Yu was extremely wary of the blood mist, summoning the Glazed Soul Lantern. This thing was the matching artifact for the Ancient Soul Art, also the orthodox legacy of the Heaven Soul Sect.
He didn't have items like a disciple token; he only had this for peace of mind. The soul flame's temperature wasn't even as hot as ordinary fire.
But under its protection, it could burn the gradually encroaching blood mist. Long Yiran also used a protective method—a waist guard seemingly covered in dense array patterns.
The white fluorescent light it emitted protected her within.
Entering through the main gate, they saw a stretch of architectural ruins. Judging by the remnants, it should have been an ancient complex for receiving guests.
The Scripture Pavilion's location was a mystery. Surveying everything nearby,
Wang Yu rubbed his chin, saying, "Array Master Long, I think a building like the Scripture Pavilion shouldn't be too hidden nor too conspicuous. It should be..."
"I've found something!"
The excited voice made Wang Yu feel awkward about continuing. He moved closer to look.
The golden rings in Long Yiran's eyes were extremely brilliant, making him quite envious. Having obtained the *Earth Mother Scripture* for only a few months, he had only learned a few Feng Shui secret arts.
He was still far from the Gazing at Qi Golden Pupils. He could only wait eagerly for her to explain.
"This is a Super Spirit Vein!"
"What?"
Spirit vein grades corresponded to cultivator realms. Only a fifth-tier spirit vein could be called a Super Spirit Vein, capable of satisfying the cultivation needs of several Divine Transformation Venerables, truly rare.
To his knowledge, even at the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's mountain gate,
There were only several fourth-tier peak spirit veins. Advancing to fifth-tier would require nurturing for thousands of years more, not guaranteed.
The Reverse Spirit Blood Sect was established on ruins after the Archaic Era's demise ten thousand years ago; its底蕴不容小觑 (foundation cannot be underestimated).
And the Heaven Soul Sect's reputation as an Archaic Era hegemon was well-deserved.
"With such abundant heaven-earth spiritual energy, even Core Formation cultivators cultivating here could progress much faster than outside.
"Unfortunately... I've reached Foundation Establishment peak; my cultivation can advance no further."
After her excitement, Long Yiran seemed somewhat dejected.
Then she became excited again, like a master of changing expressions. She couldn't help but grab Wang Yu's hand, quickly retracting it when he looked about to hit someone.
She said:
"Wang Yu, known Super Spirit Veins exist only in three places: the Heavenly Void Sword Sect, the Refining Heaven Demonic Sect, and the Sea Dragon Abyss. And do you know what these three places have in common?!"
He certainly knew: all had Divine Transformation Venerables in existence.
But obviously, it wasn't that simple an answer. Before he could ponder deeply, she impatiently revealed it:
"—Dragon Veins!"
"All three places have dragon veins. Their descendants, after receiving the dragon vein's blessing, have their potential greatly enhanced, foundations surpassing peers by over tenfold, with over an eighty percent probability of breaking through to Nascent Soul!"
Taking a deep breath to calm his wildly beating heart, he truly hadn't expected that something discussed earlier—dragon veins, heavenly retribution—was now encountered.
"You're saying this place has a dragon vein?"
"Very likely. Probably a young type, not exceeding fifth-tier."
Dragon Vein Blessing, Dragon Vein Treasures.
Both were extremely rare opportunities, but not unique spiritual materials. He didn't believe receiving a blessing could so simply lead to Nascent Soul breakthrough.
It was more determined by their background, resources, effort, talent, and other aspects.
The dragon vein was just one form of assistance.
But with an opportunity right before him, he couldn't refuse. Completing the legacy could be placed after the dragon vein matter. Wang Yu's voice turned low: "How to find it?"
Long Yiran was taken aback, hesitantly saying:
"Using the Capturing Dragons and Stabilizing Veins method is fastest, can determine within days. Consequences unknown.
"Using Gazing at Qi Golden Pupils is also possible, but the viewing range is short, requires searching inch by inch, takes a lot of time."
"No rush. This place is sufficiently hidden; we have plenty of time."
Long Yiran breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest:
"Leave it to me!"
Next, Wang Yu was responsible for vigilance, Long Yiran for searching. Working together wasn't too tiring.
After half a month, the two circled the periphery of the Heaven Soul Sect secret realm, finding nothing. So they proceeded towards the interior.
During the search, Wang Yu also memorized the terrain here.
The entire area was a large plain with little elevation change. Due to the blood mist, visibility wasn't high, and divine sense was affected by the mist.
It could only exert ten to twenty percent effectiveness,不如他用太阴幽瞳强化的视力观察 (not as good as his vision enhanced by Grand Yin Ghost Pupils). Searching for the dragon vein was also the process of finding the Scripture Pavilion.
They stopped every half day to recover.
After returning to peak condition, they repeated the work.
As time passed.
On the thirty-eighth day, an anomaly quietly occurred.
"—Wait."
"What's wrong?"
On the broken street, Wang Yu stopped Long Yiran, his expression serious: "There's a corpse ahead."
"A corpse? How? Even with dense spiritual energy here and a sealed state, it shouldn't be preserved for so long."
"Let's check."
Advancing a hundred meters, beneath a collapsed pillar lay a desiccated corpse, its skin dried and blackened, but its mouth full of sharp fangs.
Its hands were melted, unrecognizable as palms or fingers, taking on a shape like bone spikes. It looked less like a human corpse and more like some monster's remains.
"What is this?"
"Don't know."
This time they encountered something outside Wang Yu's knowledge. He hadn't seen it before, nor read about it in the Scripture Exposition Hall's典籍. Likely a remnant from the Blood Demon Cataclysm.
Wang Yu employed the Grand Yin Ghost Pupils' Moon-Gazing perspective.
He was startled.
"Step back quickly. It's still alive."
The next moment, a bit of red mist drilled into that gaping mouth. The monstrous corpse suddenly sat up, crimson eyes fixed on the two.
It let out a shriek that shook the heavens!
This action seemed to trigger an avalanche. Throughout the Heaven Soul Sect ruins, similar shrieks arose from all directions.
The two were immediately dumbfounded.
Wang Yu pointed and slashed out a frost sword aura, splitting the monster corpse in two. It was unexpectedly weak. But after the corpse fell again, a drop of blood appeared in the middle.
The blood suddenly shot into the mist and disappeared.
"Trouble.
"Looks like it's a remnant of the Blood Demon's power. That blood preserved these corpses until now and mutated them into monsters.
"Array Master Long, do you have a way to avoid these blood corpses' detection?"
Long Yiran thought for a moment:
"This is the Heaven Soul Sect ruins; there should be remnant arrays. Finding a suitable one and repairing it shouldn't be a problem."
But Wang Yu frowned:
"You don't have a ready-made one on hand?"
"Huh... I do... but I'm a wandering cultivator. Resources have always been tight. The effect might not be that good."
Long Yiran seemed somewhat embarrassed.
But this was indeed a practical issue.
"I understand. Let's assess the situation first."
"Alright."
**(End of Chapter)**