Chapter 199: Chapter Two Hundred

Ling Xiao's figure stalled, barely perceptibly. In the depths of those eyes, forever calm as an ancient well, it seemed a violently turbulent wave had risen, only to be forcibly suppressed. The intangible "Domain" around him also manifested an extremely subtle fluctuation.

Ming He keenly caught that sliver of fluctuation. He knew he had poked the deepest, most painful old scar in his Senior Brother's heart. He panted, continuing: "You think Master truly perished by accident in the 'Ancient Battlefield Ruins' back then? No! He discovered certain secrets that should not have been discovered — secrets about the shackles of heaven and earth, about the true purpose of the Patrol Heaven Division! He was silenced! And the one who struck... is hidden in... ugh!"

His words broke off abruptly.

Because Ling Xiao had already appeared before him, close at hand. Without employing any flying sword or magic treasure, he merely extended two fingers and lightly tapped the bronze mask on Ming He's forehead.

The movement appeared slow, yet in reality transcended the perception of time. Ming He didn't even have time to turn a thought before he was completely restrained.

"Silence." Ling Xiao's voice was cold, devoid of a shred of emotion. In those unfathomable eyes now surged a chill capable of freezing a soul — a chill Gu Yusheng and the others had never seen before — and... a thread of deep anguish. "Master once saved your life. He is not a bargaining chip for you to trade with and profane."

A faint light flashed at his fingertip.

Crack.

From the center of the brow, that bronze mask split open a fine crack, which then spread, shattering into countless fragments that fell rustling down, revealing the true face beneath the mask.

It was a rather gaunt middle-aged face; the handsome contours of his youth could still be faintly discerned, but now it was covered in wind-frost and sinister gloom. His left cheek bore a deep, old scar that seemed to carry an aura of netherworld erosion. Most striking were his eyes — weary, obsessive, mad, yet in their deepest depths hiding a trace of ineradicable sorrow and longing.

At this moment, those eyes stared fixedly at Ling Xiao, inches away. His lips moved, but he could no longer utter a sound. Not only his voice — he discovered even his divine sense had been completely sealed.

Ling Xiao's gaze fell on his face, on that scar, on those familiar yet strange eyes. He was silent for a moment. Then he withdrew his fingers, turned away, and looked at Ming He no more.

"Yusheng, seal his major acupoints, lock his Nascent Soul and soul with the 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Chain.' The wound on his shoulder was inflicted by the 'Netherworld Soul-Eroding Sword'; that sword is vicious, its sword intent has invaded his soul. Use the 'Clear-Heart Soul-Stabilizing Talisman' to temporarily stabilize it; we'll find a way to extract it after we return." Ling Xiao instructed Gu Yusheng. His tone had returned to its usual cold composure, as if that momentary emotional fluctuation had never occurred.

"Yes, Master!" Gu Yusheng did not dare delay. He immediately stepped forward, producing the Patrol Heaven Division's special 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Chain,' forged specifically to counter high-level evil fiends. This chain was refined from multiple spiritual materials that suppress yin evil, and had an extremely strong restraining effect on Nascent Souls. His technique was practiced; combining with Ling Xiao's residual suppressive power, he swiftly bound the now powerless Ming He, and affixed several deep-blue 'Clear-Heart Soul-Stabilizing Talismans.' Once the talismans were applied, the black corrupt qi constantly seeping from Ming He's shoulder wound was indeed suppressed considerably, and the mad look in his eyes calmed slightly, leaving only deep exhaustion and grayness.

Mei Ruoxue swiftly inspected the room inside and out, confirming no other ambush or spying remained, and collected the fallen bronze ancient mirror and a few scattered items.

Shi Ran walked to her Master's side, wanting to speak but stopping. She wanted to ask about their Grandmaster, wanted to ask about Ming He's unfinished words, but seeing that although her Master's expression was normal, the aura around him was even more coldly distant than usual, she pressed those questions back into her heart. If Master wished to speak, he would naturally tell her. Now was clearly not the time to pursue old matters.

Ling Xiao glanced at the bound Ming He, then looked out the window at the heavy night. In the distance, the lanterns of Red Lotus Market flickered uncertainly in the darkness, like the eyes of ghosts.

"The matter of Weeping Blood Valley — he has revealed part of it. Truth and falsehood remain to be verified, but we cannot be unprepared. On the night of the new moon seven days from now..." Ling Xiao pondered briefly. "Yusheng, report today's intelligence to the Patrol Heaven Division's Head Pavilion with highest priority — especially the coordinates and layout of Weeping Blood Valley — and request coordination of nearby forces in the Southern Wasteland to closely monitor Weeping Blood Valley's movements. At the same time, notify the Seven Sects to dispatch reliable personnel to secretly take over the five nodes of Falling Rosy Clouds Creek, especially the Xiqiao Market node. We must completely uproot or reverse-control them before the new moon night, severing their transport of yin-sha to Weeping Blood Valley."

"Disciple obeys!" Gu Yusheng answered solemnly.

"Ruoxue."

"Disciple is here."

"Take my Sword Talisman, return overnight to Floating Dream, summon your Eldest Senior Brother, open the 'Silent Contemplation Grotto-Heaven,' and place him there temporarily." Ling Xiao took out a small sword talisman — neither gold nor jade, etched with fine sword patterns — and handed it to Mei Ruoxue. "This man... was ultimately once a disciple of my Floating Dream Gate, and carries a major secret. He must be jointly tried by the Seven Sects and the Patrol Heaven Division. Be careful on the road; I will leave a strand of sword intent on you for protection."

"Yes, Master, rest assured." Mei Ruoxue accepted the sword talisman with both hands. Feeling the vast yet gentle sword intent contained within, her heart settled.

Finally, Ling Xiao's gaze landed on Shi Ran. His stern brows and eyes softened slightly: "Ranran."

"Master." Shi Ran raised her head.

"You have already sensed the anomaly of the Patrol Heaven Token. Though much of what Ming He said was fallacious, the matter of the token absorbing fragments of an 'Ancient God's Residual Will' should be true. This object is of great consequence; fortune or disaster is unpredictable. From today, you will suspend other affairs and stay by my side. I will personally stand guard for you, helping you gradually refine and master the newly added power within the token, discern its nature, so you are not invaded by external evil, nor suffer its backlash. As for the 'primer' the 'Earth Erosion' seeks — you need not worry. With your Master here, no one can force you to do anything unwilling with the Patrol Heaven Token." Ling Xiao's tone was gentle but brooked no refusal.

"Thank you, Master!" Warmth surged in Shi Ran's heart. She nodded vigorously. With Master's words, she feared nothing.

Ling Xiao nodded slightly. With a sweep of his sleeve, a gentle spiritual light lifted the imprisoned Ming He. He then said to Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue: "This place is not suitable for a long stay. Yusheng, you escort Ming He with me; we'll return to Xiqiao Market first to make arrangements. Ruoxue, you depart immediately. We move separately."

"Yes!"

Moments later, Room Three Heaven of the Drunken Dream Pavilion was empty of people, leaving only shattered formation traces and a faint bloody scent, which the night wind soon scattered — as if nothing had ever happened. Only in some dark corners deep within Red Lotus Market, a few pairs of prying eyes quietly withdrew, transmitting the horrifying scenes they had witnessed tonight, each in their own way, toward unknown distances.

Over the next two days, the Falling Rosy Clouds Creek region appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents surged beneath the water.

After Gu Yusheng reported the intelligence, the Patrol Heaven Division reacted swiftly; its upper echelons shook. The Weeping Blood Valley intelligence was classified top secret. Elite forces were urgently mobilized to the Southern Wasteland border for deployment and verification. Simultaneously, a secret team composed of formation grandmasters and combat cultivators, led by Gu Yusheng and high-level experts from Floating Dream and the Patrol Heaven Division who had arrived covertly, began precise and silent uprooting and cleansing of the five nodes of Falling Rosy Clouds Creek — especially the 'Human Sha' node hidden extremely deep beneath Xiqiao Market.

Ling Xiao, bringing Shi Ran, did not directly participate in these concrete actions. Instead, he held the fort at the small courtyard they rented in Xiqiao Market, ignoring the outside world, as if merely a common master guiding his disciple's cultivation.

Inside the quiet room, layers of formations opened, isolating inside from outside.

Shi Ran sat cross-legged. The Patrol Heaven Token hovered before her chest, emitting a gentle dark-gold halo. Ling Xiao sat on the meditation cushion opposite her, eyes slightly closed, yet his fingertips condensed a strand of pale silver sword qi — finer than a hair, yet seemingly containing the intent to cleave chaos — slowly pointing toward the Patrol Heaven Token.

"Relax your mind, draw forth the resonance of that 'Will' within the token. Do not resist, do not force it. Follow my sword intent's guidance — like watching flowing water, like sensing a faint breeze." Ling Xiao's voice rang directly in Shi Ran's heart-lake, clear and steady.

Shi Ran complied, discarding distracting thoughts, focusing all her attention on that warm, ancient "Will" sensation at the center of the Patrol Heaven Token. Soon, that "Will" seemed awakened by Ling Xiao's sword intent, growing active. Wisps of ancient, pure qi seeped from the token — not violent, but bearing a complex aura of vastness, immensity, compassion, and detachment.

Under the exquisite guidance of Ling Xiao's sword intent, this "Will" power slowly flowed through Shi Ran's meridians, permeating her soul. She "saw" more vague fragments of light and shadow: ancient palaces towering like the heavens collapsing, stars perishing in silence, countless grand wills roaring, sighing, finally returning to stillness... and a boundless "Barrier" phantom, seemingly woven from countless chains of rules, piercing through innumerable spacetimes...

These fragments carried an immense volume of information, filled with incomprehensible ancient Dao rhymes. With Shi Ran's current cultivation and knowledge, she fundamentally could not bear and parse them. But Ling Xiao's sword intent acted as both the most resilient dam and the most precise conduit — protecting her soul from being overwhelmed by this chaotic information, while guiding the most core, most gentle strand of "Will" origin to slowly fuse into her divine sense, merging with her own thoughts.

This was a slow process requiring extremely fine control. Ling Xiao concentrated fully; even his temples seeped extremely fine beads of sweat, showing the consumption and focus involved.

Time passed bit by bit.

Not until the evening of the third day did Ling Xiao slowly withdraw that strand of pale silver sword qi, exhaling a long breath of turbid air. Shi Ran simultaneously awoke from that wondrous resonance state, feeling only clear-headed and refreshed. Her soul power had risen significantly, and her control over the Patrol Heaven Token had reached an unprecedented level. The dark-gold patterns on the token seemed more lively and profound, forming a close connection with her as if linked by blood.

Most importantly, she clearly perceived that deep within the token, that "ancient pure Will" was no longer merely an external lodger. A strand of its origin had preliminarily fused with her heart-mind imprint, as if becoming an extended part of her perception. She could to a limited degree mobilize its power, and more clearly discern its core nature — "upright, bright, guarding and monitoring" — utterly different from the "confinement and delusion" Ming He spoke of. It was more like a silent observer, a recorder, and... under specific rules, a maintainer of heaven and earth's order.

"How does it feel?" Ling Xiao opened his eyes, a trace of faint weariness in them, but more relief.

"It feels very good." Shi Ran carefully described her sensations, especially her understanding of that "Will's" nature.

Ling Xiao nodded: "Your perception is correct. This 'Will' is indeed the remnant of an ancient existence from antiquity who held the authority of monitoring. Its core is 'recording' and 'balance,' not simply 'confinement.' Ming He, and even the 'Earth Erosion' behind him, either misunderstood or deliberately distorted it to achieve their aims. You have now preliminarily refined a strand of its origin, and can borrow its power to more clearly sense abnormal spiritual qi fluctuations and spatial disturbances in heaven and earth — especially traces related to 'Netherworld' and 'Evil Sha.' This will help us when we head to Weeping Blood Valley next."

"Master, are we really going to Weeping Blood Valley?" Shi Ran asked.

"We must go." Ling Xiao's tone was decisive. "Ming He's intelligence, after multi-party verification by the Patrol Heaven Division, confirms Weeping Blood Valley indeed shows signs of large-scale abnormal yin-sha gathering and personnel activity, matching the characteristics of preparation for a blood sacrifice ritual. Such heaven-defying, foundation-shaking evil deeds must be stopped. Moreover..."

A cold light flashed in his eyes: "The masterminds behind those 'Shadow Kill' assassins must also be eliminated. Daring to strike at my disciple — they must pay the price."

Shi Ran's heart warmed. She asked again: "Then... Martial Uncle Ming He... what he said about Grandmaster..."

Ling Xiao fell silent for a moment. The air in the quiet room seemed to grow several degrees heavier. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his voice carrying a distant reminiscence and deep anguish: "Your Grandmaster, once during a journey down the mountain, saved Ming He when he was still a beggar!"