Chapter 359: The Water Element Candidate

The youth led them along a winding flagstone path to an ancient courtyard in the center of the village. The courtyard gate was open, and an old man wearing a white Daoist Robe was sipping tea by a stone table in the yard, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

The old man's beard and hair were completely white, yet his face was ruddy and glowing, and his eyes shone with a brilliant light; one could tell at a glance that his cultivation was extraordinary. Most striking was the water-blue jade ring on the index finger of his right hand, which emitted a faint but pure Qi Luck fluctuation.

"Miss Ling Bo, Fellow Daoist Mo Yun, this poor Daoist has been waiting for you for a long time." The old man wore a warm smile and gestured for the two to be seated.

Ling Bo was slightly surprised: "Senior knows our names?"

The old man stroked his long beard: "The secrets of the Heaven Origin Instrument have begun to manifest. As descendants of the 'Water Element Guardians,' I naturally can sense the movements of every Houxuanzhe."

"Water Element Guardian?" A flash of surprise crossed Mo Yun's eyes, "Are you a successor of the Guardians?"

The old man nodded: "Indeed. In the ancient era, the Heaven Origin Instrument was divided into five components, each kept by one of five Guardians. My ancestors were responsible for protecting the Water Element Component and searching for suitable Water Element Houxuanzhe, passing this duty down through the generations to this day."

He poured tea for the two and continued: "For thousands of years, our lineage has lived in seclusion here, using a Qi Luck Barrier to isolate ourselves from the disturbances of the outside world, patiently waiting for the day the Heaven Origin Instrument would be restarted. Now, with the invasion of the extraterrestrial civilization and the defense network on the verge of collapse, it is time for the Heaven Origin Instrument to play its part."

Ling Bo respectfully took the teacup: "Please, Senior, enlighten us: what exactly is the function of the Heaven Origin Instrument? How can it help us resist the extraterrestrial civilization?"

The old man's expression became serious: "The Heaven Origin Instrument has two main functions. First, as you know, it can reorganize the fourth Qi Luck Power to enhance the strength of the Houxuanzhe. Second, and more importantly, it can perform Zhuanghua on extraterrestrial energy into Diqiu energy, thereby eliminating the influence of the Yi Hua Qu."

"Zhuanghua extraterrestrial energy?" Ling Bo was astonished, "Does this mean we can reverse the invasion of the extraterrestrial civilization?"

The old man nodded slowly: "Theoretically, yes. But to achieve this function, two conditions must be met: first, the five Heaven Origin components must be complete; second, the five Elemental Houxuanzhe must be present simultaneously to jointly activate the Heaven Origin Instrument."

"Five Elemental Houxuanzhe?" Mo Yun asked.

"Correct." The old man explained, "The Heaven Origin Instrument corresponds to the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each element requires a specific Houxuanzhe to guide and control it. Currently, the Fire Element is already guarded by Li Yan, and the Water Element..." The old man looked at Ling Bo, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Ling Bo suddenly understood: "You mean, I am the Water Element Houxuanzhe?"

The old man smiled and nodded: "Exactly. The Qi Luck Power within you is highly compatible with the Water Element, which is why your Bond Ability is so powerful—water is adept at connecting and encompassing. I have been searching for a suitable candidate through Qi Luck sensing, and I have finally waited for your appearance."

As he spoke, the old man removed the jade ring from his hand and solemnly placed it into Ling Bo's hand: "This ring is the key to guiding the Water Element Component. Now, it is time to entrust the Water Element Component to you as well."

He turned and walked into an inner room, returning a moment later with an ancient jade box. The box was about the size of a palm, crystal clear throughout, and carved with intricate water-wave patterns. The old man carefully opened the jade box, revealing the Water Element Component inside—a water-blue crystal shaped like a falling water droplet, with countless precise Rune and mechanisms inside.

"Bring the jade ring into contact with the Water Element Component," the old man instructed.

Ling Bo followed his instructions and gently pressed the jade ring against the Water Element Component. In an instant, the ring and the component lit up with a dazzling blue light, and a stream of cool energy flowed through Ling Bo's entire body; she felt her Bond Ability surge instantly, and the water elements around her responded with abnormal sensitivity.

"The Water Element has recognized you." The old man smiled with satisfaction, "From now on, you shall be the one to guard this component. At the same time, you also shoulder the mission of finding the other Elemental Houxuanzhe."

"Li Yan has already obtained the Fire Element Component," Ling Bo said, "There are still the Metal, Wood, and Earth Houxuanzhe left to find."

The old man nodded: "Fire governs movement, water governs stillness. With water and fire aiding each other, and Yin and Yang complementing one another, the return of these two components is a good start. As for the other three Houxuanzhe, you should be able to find them through your Bond Ability."

"Does Senior have any clues to guide us?" Mo Yun asked.

The old man pondered for a moment: "The Metal Element Component is said to be hidden in an ancient city in the Western Regions, guarded by a family skilled in mechanism arts; the Wood Element Component is deep in the primeval forests of the south, and the Earth Element Component may be related to ancient earth veins. As for the Houxuanzhe..." He looked at Ling Bo, "Trust that your Bond Ability will give you the answer."

Ling Bo carefully put away the Water Element Component and the jade ring, and bowed deeply to the old man: "Many thanks for your guidance, Senior. We will certainly gather all the components and Houxuanzhe as soon as possible to fight against the extraterrestrial civilization together."

The old man stood up and saw the two to the courtyard gate: "Remember, time is running out. The defense network is on the verge of total collapse, and the influence of the extraterrestrial civilization is accelerating its expansion. You must complete all preparations before the last Fangyu Jiedian collapses."

After leaving the village, Ling Bo immediately used her Bond Ability to convey this important discovery to Lin Xuan and Li Yan simultaneously. She described the situation regarding the Water Element Component and the important information the old man provided about the functions of the Heaven Origin Instrument.

"We need to speed up our actions and find the remaining Metal, Wood, and Earth components and their corresponding Houxuanzhe as soon as possible," Ling Bo said through the bond, "According to the Water Element Guardian, the Heaven Origin Instrument can not only enhance our strength but also reverse the influence of extraterrestrial energy and eliminate the Yi Hua Qu."

Lin Xuan responded through the bond: "I have a new discovery on my end—the collapse of the defense network might be part of the Guardians' plan; the energy it releases will become the power source to start the Heaven Origin Instrument. But the situation is urgent now; a second extraterrestrial envoy has appeared and is attacking the last Fangyu Jiedian."

Li Yan also joined the conversation: "The Fire Element Component has been obtained. I speculate that the activation of the Heaven Origin Instrument may require all five of us Houxuanzhe to be present, with each of us responsible for guiding one type of Elemental Power. Now that we have confirmed the Fire and Water elements, we need to find the remaining three as soon as possible."

The three quickly reached a consensus: Lin Xuan would continue to do his best to maintain the last Fangyu Jiedian to buy time for everyone; Li Yan would be responsible for finding the Metal Element Component and its Houxuanzhe; and Ling Bo would use her Bond Ability to try to locate the Wood and Earth Houxuanzhe.

"Remember, we are not fighting alone," Lin Xuan conveyed his firm belief through the bond, "The major sects, the Green-Robed Person organization, and the hidden families are all our allies. Only by uniting all forces that can be united will we have a chance of victory."