Chapter 14: Yin Soul Divine Wandering

This time the Azure Cloud Goddess never summoned the Azure Bird again.

Because the Azure Bird was too conspicuous.

Zhang Jian's ancestral sacrifices were too frequent, so the Azure Cloud Goddess had to keep a low profile.

Through several more channels, grant the Golden Lotus Seed.

……

At the county office, in the magistrate's inner quarters, Yang Qing and his son were discussing when Zhao Xing hurried in shortly after.

"The host is in trouble!"

Zhao Xing looked somewhat fatigued at this moment; ever since Duanmu Yan and Gu Xiu'er had not returned for a day and a night, he had been inquiring around the Zhang family, and through the rumors emanating from the Zhang household he finally learned this bad news.

"What, Xiu'er has fallen into the Zhang family's hands?"

Yang Qing had not yet reacted, but Yang Zhonghuai could not sit still; seeing Yang Qing's unpleasant expression, Yang Zhonghuai's face twitched slightly, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Father, what should we do now?"

Yang Qing's expression was grim; Yang Zhonghuai's feelings for Gu Xiu'er were obvious to him without even thinking.

But a lady of Gu Xiu'er's noble standing is not something the Yang family could aspire to; moreover, Yang Zhonghuai had already married long ago, and to still harbor thoughts about another at this point is purely self-inflicted humiliation.

"Look at what you're thinking now—you ignore your proper wife in the inner quarters and spend all day fooling around outside!"

Yang Qing gave Yang Zhonghuai a fierce glare, feeling somewhat helpless as well.

Duanmu Yan and Gu Xiu'er were honored guests of the Yang family; Gu Xiu'er was also the niece of his wife's natal family. Originally just passing through, upon hearing his troubles, she volunteered to spy on the Zhang family's situation.

Who would have thought such an accident would occur?

"I will go see the lady; do not spread word of this!"

Yang Qing hurried to the inner quarters.

Although Yang Qing was greedy and cunning, he unusually 'respected' his wife—not only because Lady Gu came from the prestigious Gu clan of Fengyang Commandery, but also because Lady Gu's forceful personality surpassed his own in ruthlessness.

He is very difficult to get along with.

He Yang Qing has had no concubine survive to New Year's Eve all these years, showing Lady Gu's viciousness.

Within the inner quarters, a beautiful noble lady was reading in the morning light; her bearing was outstanding, her skin in the sunlight like white jade, and her brows and eyes tranquil—not like a noblewoman who had raised several children, but rather like a serene maiden.

When Yang Qing arrived in haste and heard the news, Lady Gu's expression sank slightly into contemplation.

"It seems the Zhang family's hidden strength exceeds our expectations; the situation may be unfavorable!"

Lady Gu rose to her feet, but immediately sensed the danger therein.

She was uncertain whether the Zhang family had sensed Yang Qing's hostile intent; if the plan leaked, the Yang family would face great peril.

"Master, can we still contact the Northern Land Five Heroes? Tell them to stop at once!"

Although Lady Gu was vicious, she was certainly no fool; otherwise she could not have kept Yang Qing firmly under control.

Yang Qing's expression grim, he shook his head: "Those five have their own ways; they are not under our control, nor do they trust us, so it will likely be hard to find their trail."

Yang Qing drew a deep breath.

The sword has already been thrust out, but it is not so easily retracted.

Lady Gu's eyes flashed angrily at Yang Qing as she rebuked: "Every time I tell you to consult me a bit more, you insist on showing off; otherwise how could we be in today's predicament of advancing and retreating with difficulty?"

Yang Qing, accustomed to such scolding, gave an embarrassed laugh: "Lady, for now we can only ask Old Taishan for help..."

Lady Gu's expression turned solemn, and she sighed:

"The Gu family now faces oppression from the Yu clan of the commandery city; that Yu intends to suppress all the clans of the commandery and seize the power of a feudal lord—my father has no energy to aid you!"

She set down the book in her hand, pondered a moment, then said:

"Xiu'er is indeed a disciple of the Shangyuan Sect; I am now drafting a letter to be sent by express horse to the Shangyuan Sect, asking Yuanlang Wang to intervene—Duanmu Yan and Xiu'er are both disciples of the Shangyuan Sect, having fallen into the Zhang family's hands, so it is more fitting for the sect to step in; I will also write to my father, perhaps this is an opportunity to help you eradicate the Zhang family!"

"Hmph, a petty local clan dares to detain my Gu family's people!"

"Furthermore, you should investigate further; ideally find out exactly how Xiu'er and the others fell into the Zhang family's clutches—they are skilled practitioners of the Nurturing Yuan Stage, trained by renowned masters, not lacking experience; how could a mere backwater place hold them?"

Lady Gu's expression held some doubt.

The Zhang family is merely a local clan; at best they are somewhat stronger than ordinary local magnates, but they should not be able to detain two Nurturing Yuan Stage internal cultivation martial artists.

Besides, upon mentioning Yuanlang Wang, Yang Qing felt uneasy, his face growing grim.

Lady Gu also noticed, but she did not pay much heed.

Given her limited ability, any grievance must be swallowed.

Enough; she directly wrote the letter, then had Yang Qing send someone by express horse to Fengyang Commandery City.

……

Zhang Manor, the night cool as water.

In the dream, Zhang Jian was somewhat clearer this time; he felt his spirit momentarily leave his body, his soul naturally drifting into an area thick with incense, where in the distance he saw a towering stone mirror, and around it figures emerged one by one from the spirit tablets, smiling at him, then vanished one after another.

"It seems like an ancestral hall—could this be Yin Soul Divine Wandering?"

At this moment Zhang Jian's thoughts turned, his eyes showing some tremor; he had seen such descriptions in miscellaneous notes, which were quite strange.

Light shifted; before him only that majestic female golden form remained, which gradually transformed into a supremely exquisite figure, after which a golden light flew down from it and merged into his body.

He faintly saw a golden lotus seed, its fragrance pervasive; upon entering his body it refreshed heart and mind, as if his soul had acquired warmth.

At the same time a message fell into his mind.

"This is a Yaochi Golden Lotus Seed; it nourishes the body, enhances spiritual wisdom, nurtures the soul, and has a certain chance to fuse with the 'Dao Rhythm Fragment' naturally born from the Golden Lotus Seed, imprinting the soul—thus a one-in-a-thousand chance to obtain one of these innate divine abilities!"

He faintly saw that supremely exquisite figure faintly reveal a hazy smile toward him, her eyes like stars, imprinted in his heart's lake.

In the luo bed, Zhang Jian seemed to sit naturally; at this moment his inner Heavenly Gang Infant Technique operated on its own, and he faintly sensed within him a continual trickle of spring bursting forth, enhancing his five senses.

In a moment his spirit trembled, yet he felt his "soul" break free from the bodily shackles, as if gaining a pair of movable eyes, his horizontal field of view expanding from 180 degrees to gradually becoming a full 360-degree three-dimensional vision.

Through this ability, even in darkness, objects within several meters around him became extraordinarily clear.

Warmth, a red‑trimmed blanket, a white mosquito net, and a luo bed emitting a fresh fragrance.

The tall crane‑spout candlesticks on both sides of the gauze bed were also exceptionally clear.

This feeling is very much like the feeling Zhang Yi described of having pierced the Heaven‑Earth Second Bridge, enabling one to sense the subtle spiritual mechanisms of heaven and earth through the five senses' spiritual awareness and to recognize the might of heaven and earth.

In the Internal Refinement Nurturing Origin stage, one must continually nurture essence, qi, and spirit, achieve a balance, ultimately comprehend the might of heaven and earth, pierce the Heaven‑Earth Bridge, and draw on the innate to nurture one's three treasures.

"It must be that the innate breakthrough has occurred!"

"But according to what Uncle Yi said, even if one breaks through to the innate stage, it's merely a bit sharper in the five senses; it's impossible to perceive every detail of one's surroundings completely."

"Mine seems different!"

In the darkness, Zhang Jian opened his eyes, he faintly felt as if half a foot had stepped into a brand‑new heaven and earth.

However, the innate divine ability spoken of by that 'ancestor' was not felt by him!