The tea in the cup was warm, but the hall carried a sense of emptiness and coolness.
Zanxing asked, “Master Mingjing, is what you said true?”
“Hasn’t the Young Princess already visited Yue Mountain?” Mingjing spoke softly. “While at the Five-Wheel Pagoda, the Young Princess should have noticed that the spiritual energy at Yue Mountain is thin, but it wasn’t always like this in the past.”
Zanxing frowned, “I thought it was because the Two-Life Buddha Wheel needs to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy to rotate.”
Mingjing shook his head. “No, it isn’t. The Buddha Wheel didn’t start rotating until Gui Yansheng entered the pagoda, and the depletion of spiritual energy didn’t begin with the Five-Wheel Pagoda. Moreover,” he paused briefly, “in recent years, the cultivators who have come to the Five-Wheel Pagoda to train, many of whom are prominent figures from sects, have mentioned that the spiritual veins in their sects have greatly deteriorated compared to before. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but after numerous similar cases, I realized it wasn’t limited to a single sect—many sects are facing the same issue. However, since the matter of spiritual veins is significant, ordinary people rarely talk about it.”
“But when I was on Gufeng Mountain, I never heard my master or the others mention it.”
Mingjing replied, “Young Princess, the disciples newly emerging from sects in recent years rarely have as much spiritual root talent as before.”
Zanxing swallowed her words.
This was indeed true. Just look at the Demon Extermination Army led by Gu Baiying. Aside from a few who were capable, the rest were all useless. Although Men Dong said that Daoist Lingxin had set up a trap for Gu Baiying, Zanxing felt that even the disciples of the Chihua Sect she had encountered in Li’er Country weren’t much better than those in the Demon Extermination Army. Perhaps this was because, in today’s cultivation world, there were hardly any outstanding talents left to choose from. Once the spiritual veins deteriorate and the spiritual energy depletes, it would naturally hinder the cultivation of sect disciples.
“Nowadays, on the Douzhou Continent, both the human race and the demon race are facing the gradual depletion of spiritual veins. Forget about ascension—within a few years, when the spiritual veins are completely exhausted, both demon cultivators and sect disciples will become ordinary people. If everything remains peaceful, that would be ideal. But if a natural disaster or a man-made catastrophe occurs, or fierce beasts and demons appear, it could lead to a major catastrophe.” Mingjing lowered his gaze, his tone filled with concern.
Bu Jiang’s brow furrowed with worry.
First, the spiritual veins were depleting, and who knew what would come next? Not to mention that there was still Gui Yansheng, who was intent on destroying the Three Realms. If he made a comeback now, it would truly be adding fuel to the fire.
Zanxing said, “Mother…”
Bu Jiang raised her eyes, showing a relaxed smile again, and reassured the two of them, “It’s nothing. Our demon race, even in its weakest state, is still stronger than the humans, at least in terms of lifespan. Unlike the human race, we aren’t so powerless. I imagine that someone is more anxious than we are right now. Just wait. Soon enough, someone from the sects will start to panic.”
“We’ll just take things one step at a time.”
Perhaps it was because of her conversation with Bu Jiang and Mingjing earlier in the day, but that night, Zanxing didn’t sleep well.
In her dreams, countless fragmented images intertwined, wrapping around her mind bit by bit. Amidst a blanket of white mist, she seemed to be drifting in tumultuous waves. The relentless tides crashed against her, pulling her deeper into a whirlpool. She struggled desperately to lift her head, but there wasn’t a single person in sight. The world suddenly became vast and empty, and the current swept her away toward an unknown destination, as heavy and grand as fate itself.
Whoosh—
She suddenly opened her eyes and sat up from the dream, cold sweat dripping from her forehead.
Mimi was sound asleep at the foot of her bed. The ghostly lamps in the hall emitted a quiet blue glow, and the faint light seemed to have a calming effect, gradually soothing her wildly beating heart.
Xiao Shuang had dismissed Lantern Ghost and the others. Ever since Gu Baiying arrived, Zanxing told them not to serve in the hall for the time being to avoid any misunderstandings. Gu Baiying, Tian Fangfang, and the others were still staying in the demon cave that Bu Jiang had arranged, perhaps intentionally so. The once lively long hall, which used to feel far from lonely, now felt unusually empty with only her remaining.
Zanxing raised her eyes and looked outside the window.
It was still pitch black outside, and there was a long time until dawn. At this hour, everyone else had already gone to sleep.
Zanxing, however, couldn’t sleep anymore. She put on her shoes, got out of bed, and took a sip of the cold tea on the table. After sitting idly in the hall for a while, feeling more and more restless, she decided to throw on some clothes and head outside.
At some point, a light drizzle had started to fall again.
There was a paper umbrella left at the door by Xiao Shuang—he was always so considerate. Zanxing bent down, picked up the umbrella, and opened it as she stepped out of the hall.
The night was deep, and everyone had already gone to bed. Only the glowing statues at the entrance of the demon cave cast a radiant, dazzling light. She, holding a paper umbrella in one hand and carrying a blue lantern in the other, walked through the drizzle. If anyone were to pass by in the middle of the night, they would likely be scared out of their wits.
The streets were empty as Zanxing walked to the gates of Heishi City.
The black currents of the Mingming River surged just at her feet, as if taking one more step forward would swallow her whole. The dark night was vast, with countless raindrops falling into the churning waves, unable to stir even the smallest ripple. Zanxing stood by the river for a long while, before suddenly reaching to untie the Qiankun Bag from her waist. She pulled out a handful of magic pellets from inside.
She found a relatively dry stone to sit on and began tossing the pellets into the river like skipping stones. The river waves quickly engulfed the magic cores, and soon, a huge splash erupted in the middle of the Mingming River. From the whirlpool, a small, mountain-like fish spine gradually emerged.
The Black Dragon Fish had arrived.
Upon seeing it again, Zanxing was no longer as frightened as she had been at their first meeting. She sat by the river and threw another handful of magic pellets into the water.
The water was violently churned by the giant beast, roaring as it surged toward the shore. Yet, just as it was about to reach the shore, it stopped and slowly retreated.
After an unknown amount of time, the river calmed down. A large fish swam from afar and surfaced near the water, revealing two enormous eyes that stared quietly at Zanxing.
“I’m not crossing the river today,” Zanxing said with a smile, “I came specially to feed you.”
The Black Dragon Fish gently swished its massive tail, sending splashes of water from afar, with a few droplets landing on Zanxing.
It waited quietly by the shore, like a massive, anchored black ship waiting for an incoming traveler. Zanxing gazed at the dark silhouette of the giant beast and sighed, speaking softly, “Xiao Shuang said that you are a carp that leaped over the Dragon Gate from the Immortal Mountain. Since you have already leaped over the Dragon Gate, why haven’t you transformed into a dragon?” She seemed to drift into thought, her gaze becoming distant, “What is the Immortal Mountain really like?”
The predecessors who ascended to immortality had disappeared from the Douzhou Continent, and the remaining people could only catch glimpses of the immortal realm from ancient texts.
Countless threads of confusion, endless anticipation.
The Black Dragon Fish remained silent, watching her quietly.
A familiar voice came from behind, tinged with some confusion: “Yang Zanxing, are you awake in the middle of the night just to come to the river to feed fish?”