C19 The Revival of the Shadow Clan

Ling Ya's patience was wearing thin when her question went unanswered. She was about to press for a response when suddenly, a golden light erupted from the southern part of the city. Visible for miles, it radiated a terrifyingly sharp energy that set all the cultivators in the city abuzz. They shouted in unison, "A treasure has emerged!"

Feng Yimo stood frozen for a moment. Could it be that a real treasure had appeared? Was the mythical secret cave they spoke of actually real? Cultivators surged past in a frenzy, jostling Ling Ya aside, nearly causing her to stumble. Yimo quickly steadied her with a helping hand.

Ling Ya, however, was more concerned about the flowers that had been knocked from their racks by the rushing cultivators. She knelt down, tenderly lifting each pot and restoring it to its rightful place on the rack. The once bustling street had fallen eerily silent as the residents of Hundred Flowers City had all gone to catch a glimpse of the treasure. Alas, as the immortals departed the city, they soared into the sky with their magic, leaving the onlookers far behind.

Zhou Guangyuan had intended to wait for his master, but the sight of the dazzling golden light captured his attention. To a Foundation Establishment Cultivator like himself, it was clearly a formidable magical treasure. Greed ignited within him, and he joined the throng of cultivators streaming out of Hundred Flowers City.

Lan Tian Yu knew Zhou Guangyuan's whereabouts from the day before and was puzzled by his restraint—he hadn't retaliated against the spying Lai San, thwarting Tian Yu's plan. But today presented a new opportunity. Seeing Zhou Guangyuan rush out with the other cultivators, he led Lan Fan and another companion to follow suit.

"Senior Brother, the treasure has appeared. Shouldn't we go have a look?" Lan Fan asked, pointing towards the distant golden light, his eyes alight with excitement. After all, who didn't covet a treasure?

Lan Tian Yu paused, his mind wrestling with priorities. Avenging his brothers and completing his mission was paramount. "Let's follow for now. With so many eyes around, we can't afford to make a move here. We'll find a secluded spot to take him down quietly."

"Oh," Lan Fan replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice. But he knew better than to ignore Senior Brother Tian Yu's command. Together, the trio hastened their pursuit of Zhou Guangyuan.

"Miss, look! It's the princess!" Qiu Ju excitedly tugged at Ling Ya's sleeve, pointing into the distance. Ling Ya's gaze followed swiftly, catching sight of a carriage barreling towards them, adorned with a riot of flowers and silks. A pink gauze curtain fluttered in the breeze, briefly revealing the lovely face of Chu Ling'er.

"Ling'er, where are you headed?" Ling Ya called out, rising to her feet and waving. But Chu Ling'er, seated in the carriage, seemed oblivious to her calls, speeding past the trio without a glance.

"Ling'er, Ling'er!" Ling Ya's voice grew more urgent, but as the carriage whizzed by, she noticed Chu Ling'er's vacant stare, as if her soul had been snatched away, unresponsive to Ling Ya's cries.

Feng Yimo saw it all too clearly: the carriage had no driver, Chu Ling'er's body was rigid, her wits seemingly stripped away by some arcane spell, casting an eerie pall over the scene. And the carriage's path was leading straight to the enigmatic cave—was this mere happenstance or something more sinister?

"Qiu Ju, we must hurry, something's wrong with Ling'er!" Ling Ya pulled at Qiu Ju, dashing after the carriage and calling back to Feng Yimo.

Feng Yimo had intended to restrain Ling Ya, but she was already far ahead, her swift movements leaving him no choice but to follow. His curiosity about the mysterious cave was piqued as well.

The three of them joined the throng, racing after the carriage in a frantic pursuit.

At the Feng Family's grand estate in the southern district of Hundred Flowers City, Feng Jihui cast a grave look at the elder beside him. "Elder Guo, send word for all Feng disciples to return immediately. We will have no part in this blood sacrifice."

"Master, are we abandoning the quest for the Soul Seizing Pill recipe?" Elder Guo, known as Feng Guo, was one of the two esteemed Golden Core Cultivators of the Feng Family, in the early stages of his cultivation.

Feng Jihui shook his head with a heavy sigh, "I never wanted to be involved in such a vile act as the blood sacrifice. I was compelled at the time, and now, I deeply regret it. Moreover, I have this ominous premonition that things are not as favorable as Patriarch Chu has made them out to be. Caution is paramount. As for the Soul Seizing Pill recipe, if the Chu Family is willing to part with it, so be it."

"Yes, Patriarch Chu is a man of great compassion and generosity!" Old Guo exclaimed with heartfelt admiration. The patriarch's kindness was well-known; 15 years ago, when the young mistress had an illicit affair with an outsider and became pregnant, clan law dictated her execution. Yet, the patriarch secretly spared her life. Only he understood the depth of his own reluctance at the time.

Old Guo dispatched several messages, summoning all the disciples of the Feng Family back home.

After a moment's thought, Feng Jihui took out a messenger flying sword, inscribed a few words upon it, and cast it into the air.

Meanwhile, in the Northern Imperial Palace, Patriarch Chu stood shoulder to shoulder with Chu Yi Lun, the monarch of Chu Country. He regarded his grandson, the most distinguished among his peers, with a tender gaze. "Is everything prepared?"

"Everything is ready, Ancestor," Chu Yi Lun responded with due reverence, showing no signs of a man facing his end.

"It's a heavy burden you bear, not only serving as the blood catalyst but also offering your daughter. Do you harbor resentment towards your grandfather?" Patriarch Chu's voice was heavy with grief. Given the choice, he would have preferred not to be born into the Chu Family, sparing his descendants from the weight of a millennia-old duty.

"It is Ling'er's fortune to be chosen as the vessel for the Upper Realm's Immortal Envoy. For the Shadow Clan's resurgence, any sacrifice is justified," Chu Yi Lun declared, his eyes ablaze with fervor.

With a heavy sigh, Patriarch Chu turned and retreated to the palace, his demeanor aged, as though he had aged a decade in moments.

"Understood!" Chu Yi Lun affirmed, his expression steely as he departed the Imperial Palace without a second's hesitation, heading directly south.

...

Lei Qiao Yan's heart raced as she received a flying sword message from Feng Jihui. Could it be that after all these years, he finally understood her feelings? Brimming with anticipation, she read the message, only to be met with crushing disappointment: "Qiao Yan, call your people back. I suspect that cave holds ill fortune. Caution is advised."

Bitterness filled her mouth as memories of Feng Jihui flooded her thoughts. Once, he was the dashing talent of Black Wood City, and she, the Lei Family's prized beauty. Their mutual admiration had everyone convinced they were destined for each other. But her dreams shattered when Feng Jihui returned with another woman, plunging her from bliss to despair. Her love turned to hate, yet she could not erase him from her heart. Despite the years, she remained alone, her affection for Feng Jihui an unextinguished flame.

Upon learning of Feng Jihui's wife's passing from illness, Ling Ya felt a stir of excitement and anticipation, thinking her moment had finally arrived. She primped and preened, her spirits lifting, only to be met with disappointment as time passed and Feng Jihui never sought her out, choosing instead to marry another woman.

From that point forward, the Lei Family found themselves at odds with the Feng Family, driven not by mere rivalry but by the deep-seated resentment smoldering in Ling Ya's heart. When she unexpectedly received a flying sword message from Feng Jihui, her heart raced with excitement, but the message's contents left her feeling cold and irrelevant. So disheartened was she that she failed to register Lei Bao speaking to her. Seeing the family leader so forlorn, Lei Bao held his tongue, leading his disciples in a swift departure toward the mystical cave, his resolve set on securing the Soul Seizing Pill.