Chapter 253: Shadow of the Ancient Realm

When Ye Tinglan "left," she actually hadn't gone.

She hovered high above with her hands behind her back, quietly watching Lu Xingzhou happily humming a little tune as he went to find the medicine, slightly pouting with a rather grumpy expression.

She knew why the man was happy.

It was just a hug, she didn't know what he was so happy about, even humming a song... as if they hadn't hugged before.

Inside the secret realm, hugging while rolling around, hugging while entering a snake's belly, hugging while fighting and hugging while coming out, even hugging on a wheelchair with endless romance, her own exposed shoulder had been kissed by him. Even when finally leaving the secret realm, wasn't it her who hugged him to drill out of the spatial rift?

Compared to this simple hug, where was the difference?

What's there to be happy about, such a small amount of ambition.

But why did even she feel a bit flustered and wanted to run away?

Because no matter how much they hugged before, it was an emergency measure, not involving men and women, after all, not doing so would mean death, and she had no ambiguous feelings in her heart.

And this time, no matter how much she added the psychological suggestion of "Mr. hugging a disciple," she knew it wasn't necessary. Especially since in the other party's heart, "Mr" was nonsense; he just wanted to take advantage, yet her heart softened, and she actually fulfilled his wish.

Ye Tinglan really didn't know how to face it, so she simply hid far away to be quiet.

Even more, she didn't understand why she was willing.

Was it really just to anger Yuan Muyu?

Come to think of it, this fellow's submitted answer in the Alchemist Trial was quite perfect too. Such a huge mountain, a pitch-black night, he drilled inside alone and actually managed to find something; that Zhu Zi fruit was hidden so tightly, yet he actually discovered it.

This wasn't with A Nuo cheating for him... showing that even if he had A Nuo before, he actually didn't rely much on A Nuo to cheat, and his own training hadn't been neglected.

If calculated strictly by the Alchemist Trial, he could get a reward... Pfft, who said anything about giving a reward?

That Yin Ying grass... no, why would there be Yin Ying grass here?

Ye Tinglan frowned and calculated for a moment; this mountain's earth veins leaned towards Yin, the Fire attribute was very slight, the Water attribute was dense, so by common sense, such a thing shouldn't grow here.

And this place is in the near suburbs of the Yingyue Royal City, separated from the Yingyue Sect by Yingyue City, roughly belonging to the place with the strongest Qi veins in the entire Tian Shuang Kingdom, with dense Royal Qi permeating above it. Ye Tinglan's choice to support Si Han actually had some relation to this "observing Qi" result; although Qi veins don't represent everything, they are at least a reference.

Although the cultivation of the entire Tian Shuang Kingdom people leans towards cold, and the Yingyue Sect, calling itself "Shadow," must be very prominent in the Yin attribute. But regardless of the Ice attribute cold cultivation of Tingxue Pavilion or the Shadow-type cultivation of the Yingyue Sect, this kind of Yin evil has differences; moreover, the Qi veins here are so dense that they can suppress Yin evil, so Yin Ying grass, a Yin-Fire attribute thing, shouldn't grow here even more.

Ye Tinglan suddenly remembered Si Han's bone dragon.

Si Han likely cultivated a demonic Yin evil technique in addition, which allowed him to control the bone dragon.

His cultivation might have affected the changes in the local Qi veins, breeding shadow Yin evil.

Originally, this matter was between Si Han and the Yingyue Sect; whatever they loved to cultivate or whatever form they loved to become had nothing to do with outsiders. But Ye Tinglan, as a Dao cultivator proficient in observing Qi, knew this would give birth to some bad things.

Roughly, there was a feeling that the majestic Royal Qi had been polluted and eroded; to make an analogy, it was like a human emperor turning into a King of Hell.

It was absolutely not to criticize Yuan Muyu.

This kind of pollution and erosion, if no one interfered, would require a long time to make the Royal Qi dim, at least ten years or more. But if someone utilized this change, there could be many ways to play.

Ye Tinglan herself could, based on this change, pry open the Qi veins to shift them, forcibly transplanting the Royal Qi of Yingyue City to another place.

What if there were other demonic cultivators... perhaps they could play Qi vein devouring.

Ye Tinglan calculated with her fingers, her gaze falling on the dark mountains further away.

Someone really was prying open the Qi veins, conducting devouring.

It wasn't completed yet; rather, it was because Si Han lost his bone dragon, so the evil technique didn't continue deeper.

From this, it can be known that the method Si Han used to take the bone dragon was taught by someone else; the person who taught him was using him to shake the Royal Qi to facilitate devouring. Once devoured, at least the prosperous Yingyue City below would turn into wasteland within a few years.

Someone with such means... is most likely Hui Yang.

Truly unexpected, just told Lu Xingzhou that one generally wouldn't meet such opponents, and then turned around and met one. Although not a familiar enemy... but encountering such an event, the Tian Yao Holy Land bears the responsibility.

Ye Tinglan glanced at Lu Xingzhou who was still looking for things, pondered for a moment, and suddenly waved her jade hand lightly, setting up a set of formation flags in the mountains.

Once conflicting with an enemy from Hui Yang, the opponent would easily discover there was a fourth-grade noob here, which might be detrimental to Lu Xingzhou, so it was better to hide him. Besides, this little man always acted like he was the head of the family every day, taking the main force even against the Black Python; if he recklessly wanted to join the battle, it wouldn't be good, so it was better to let him stay inside.

After setting up the formation, Ye Tinglan's figure shot like lightning, following the tracks to find him. Between the mountains, a valley was surrounded, like a deep abyss formed naturally.

A bald Monk sat cross-legged in the center of the valley; invisible dark Qi veins silently converged towards him, and the surrounding shadows condensed into a dark ring behind his head.

"Heavenly Yao Holy Master," he spoke in a low voice, as if talking to himself: "This matter has nothing to do with you, why meddle in other people's business?"

Ye Tinglan hovered above him, looking down at him: "People from the Ancient Realm are not allowed to roam freely in the human world. You also recklessly moved the Qi veins and devoured a city, already violating heavenly rules."

"Heavenly rules? Who is Heaven? Where do rules come from?" the Monk smiled slightly: "To us, the human world is no different from finding a secret realm; how to deal with a secret realm is our own business. Just as you fled to the side of the Black Python, you wouldn't think the Black Python is the master and you are the intruder."

Ye Tinglan had long been used to such twisted logic, showing no reaction, only asking: "How do you know I entered the Black Python secret realm?"

"I didn't know originally," the Monk laughed: "But you still have the aura of Black Python blood on you; I calculated and looked back, so naturally I knew."

Ye Tinglan felt somewhat grave in her heart; this Monk's strength was stronger than imagined. She said: "If I am on good terms with the Black Python, the Black Python will also eat me. But if you are on good terms with the human world, the human world won't eat you. You are cultivating Yin evil shadows anyway, why find excuses for yourself."

The Monk still smiled: "Are you sure the human world won't eat me?"

Ye Tinglan was too lazy to answer. A dignified Hui Yang, a Super-grade cultivator, wanting extreme respect in the human world would be no problem at all; people would only worship and bow, who would dare to eat you.

"The human world won't eat me, but my lifespan will swallow me," the Monk sighed: "I need to break through, so I can't care about much. If the Shanhe is beneficial, I will sacrifice this Shanhe; anyone blocking me is an enemy."

This was the root cause.

Ye Tinglan had seen such situations many times in her life, including Gu Shaoli.

The Monk added: "I observe your cultivation is also above the threshold. Supporting Great Qian, there might be a reason to borrow its Qi veins. If you don't ruin my good deed, I can give a part of the Tian Shuang Qi veins to you, everyone happy, how about it?"

Ye Tinglan said indifferently: "No need. You should go back to where you belong."

"Why bother?" the Monk sighed: "The Holy Master's Red Phoenix star is moving; it is exactly the time to be intimate with your husband and improve feelings, why come to wade into such muddy water. It is no different from a human general abandoning his bride on the wedding day to fight on the battlefield; if he breaks his halberd, the blood and tears in the deep boudoir are sigh-worthy and tragic."

Ye Tinglan: "?"

Leaving other things aside, this Monk's ability to observe Qi was absolutely not inferior to hers; what did he see?

No, what nonsense are you talking?

Whose Red Phoenix star is moving? Whose wedding day?

Just as her mind was in turmoil, the surrounding gloomy shadows, like living snakes, silently rolled towards her back. The Monk seemed to be conversing but had already secretly attacked.

Ye Tinglan suddenly disappeared.

The shadows rolled empty, and Ye Tinglan was already holding a divine sword, striking the Monk's forehead.

The dark halo floating behind the Monk's forehead also came to life, sliding directly across the top of his head to block the sword strike. "Clang!" A crisp sound of metal striking metal rang out. Qi energy exploded outward, scattering the surrounding shadows, which then recoiled like a retreating tide before surging back again.

The battle officially began.

Over in the mountains, Lu Xingzhou was attempting to break the formation when he felt the tremors coming from afar, his heart giving a sudden jolt.

The opponent was indeed a cultivator on par with Ye Tinglan; this kind of battle was not one he could participate in.

During the battle with the Black Serpent, he had pretended to be the main force, yet before it could swallow him, he had stayed far away. Every strike of the Black Serpent had been blocked by Ye Tinglan. If he had truly faced it head-on, he would have been crushed into minced meat long ago.

Rashly joining such a battle would only be a hindrance to Mr.

But how could he do nothing and just wait here?

Regardless, he must break the formation and get out first. Did that stupid woman really think he would charge over blindly? Why set up a formation to restrict him?

Lu Xingzhou's knowledge of formations was inherited from Yuan Muyu. The formations Yuan Muyu learned were exactly the same as Ye Tinglan's; this was essentially a test between fellow disciples. The main purpose of Ye Tinglan's formation was to prevent enemies from finding Lu Xingzhou, not to target Lu Xingzhou himself. Breaking out from the inside was indeed not difficult. He quickly found the weak point and, with a "whoosh," burst out of the mountains.

Turning to look in the direction of the tremors, Lu Xingzhou pondered for a moment, then headed straight for the Yingyue Sect.

Lu Xingzhou had previously learned the changes in Qi meridians from Ye Tinglan, and had even studied methods to twist fate. When the changes in the Qi meridians were unclear before, he could not perceive them, but now, during this battle, as the opponent drew heavily on the flow of Qi meridians, Lu Xingzhou sensed it. After a brief thought, he reached a conclusion similar to Ye Tinglan's earlier judgment.

"Lu has urgent business to see the Lord of the State! Everyone, get out of my way!" Lu Xingzhou rushed into the gates of the Yingyue Sect, shaking the gate-keeping disciples aside, and headed straight for the main hall.

The main hall was brightly lit. Si Han, having encountered an incident today, was holding a small meeting with a group of elders. Lu Xingzhou burst through the hall doors with a "Bang!" Si Han was stunned: "Young Master Lu, what is this...?"

"Lord of the State, who taught you the method to control the Bone Dragon earlier?"

(End of this chapter)