C570 Dragon Whisperer
The sedan, intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes, was a masterpiece that radiated a soft, treasure-like glow. It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary Sky Chariot.
Inside the sedan, a woman's voice, soft and gentle, washed over one like a warm spring breeze, making their bones feel as if they had softened.
Yet, when this melodious voice reached Yu Yuan's ears, it was like a cacophony capable of bursting his eardrums, thundering so loudly that his head throbbed with pain. The unopened mud pellet acupoint in his upper elixir field felt as if it might burst prematurely.
Yu Yuan's face paled, and just as he was about to flee, a figure appeared abruptly.
The newcomer was a Lunar Spirit realm elder with white hair, signifying his advanced age. He wore a yellow vest, a sign of his stature.
Yu Yuan couldn't discern the elder's exact rank within the Lunar Spirit realm, but he knew that in any empire across Aetherius, those of the Lunar Spirit realm were formidable, the very backbone of a nation. They were the cornerstone of the Shadowlight Empire.
Thus, this elderly Lunar Spirit from the Empire of Dawn likely held significant status.
Clutching a smoke tube, the old man hunched over, his yellow teeth bared in a grin as he said to Yu Yuan, "Young man, there's no need to rush off."
Sparks burst from the smoke tube, showering down like a gentle rain around the space Yu Yuan occupied.
Yet, not a single spark touched him, leaving his flesh unscathed.
The sparks hovered, twinkling like fireflies, casting their light around him.
Yu Yuan, standing at the center, gave a wry smile and drew himself in, careful not to let his skin come into contact with the sparks. He spoke with resignation, "Why have you detained me, elder? I was merely passing by and came to see what the commotion was about."
The fiery brilliance of the sparks was far less intimidating to Yu Yuan than he let on, given his mastery of the sunfire and his cultivation of the Nine Glories Wheel.
He simply didn't want to arouse the old man's suspicions.
"Curiosity can be deadly," the old man remarked, puffing on his smoke tube. He scrutinized Yu Yuan from head to toe, then turned to the Sky Chariot behind him and called out, "This young cultivator at the Veil Breaking stage is of no concern."
Beside the hovering Sky Chariot, there were dozens of cultivators adorned in the attire of the Empire of Dawn, each with a luminous silver shield emblem emblazoned on their backs.
Disciples from the Empire of Dawn's prominent families and other cultivators, when venturing through the renowned mountains and marshes of Aetherius, often wore such distinctive garments to assert their identity.
This practice helped them sidestep a great deal of trouble and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
The gleaming, silver, shield-shaped emblem was the distinctive mark of the Empire of Dawn.
Only those acknowledged by the Empire of Dawn, members of its great families, had the privilege to traverse the world in such a manner.
The Empire of Dawn and the Sunblessed Empire both bordered the Godsblight Marsh. Rumor had it that they both curried favor with the Untamed, fearful of causing offense.
Yet, the individuals from the Empire of Dawn were supposed to enter the Godsblight Marsh from an entirely different area. What was the situation with this particular group?
Yu Yuan was inwardly astonished.
He had stepped into the Empire of Dawn from the Sunblessed Empire. It was unusual for people from the Empire of Dawn to enter from this direction.
Unless, of course, this group from the Empire of Dawn had previously been in the Sunblessed Empire...
With this thought, Yu Yuan's interest was piqued, and he was in no rush to leave.
"Let's inquire about their origins," came the sultry voice from within the Sky Chariot once more.
"Originating from the Shadowlight Empire, my surname is Lee, and I am called Lee Qi," Yu Yuan offered his name promptly, not waiting for the elder to press him, "Unable to remain there, I ventured to the Godsblight Marsh to try my fortune. I've heard that the head of my Lee family is well-acquainted with Commander Shen, who, I believe, is stationed in this marsh."
The old man puffing on his smoke tube paused, "A scion of the Lee family?"
"Not by direct lineage," Yu Yuan sighed, "That's precisely why I survived the purge. I was in the Forgotten Ruins before spending some time in Thealone of the Sunblessed Empire. Lately, I've heard strange things about the Godsblight Marsh and decided to come and see for myself."
"The Lee family," the old man muttered, stroking his chin skeptically.
"Bring one along; they might prove useful on the journey," instructed the unseen woman inside the Sky Chariot, before adding, "Very well, let's proceed."
The last few bloodstained bones were tossed from beneath the palanquin.
Inhaling deeply from his smoke tube, the old man exhaled a swirling cloud of smoke with evident pleasure. He then tapped Yu Yuan's shoulder with the tube, saying, "Be a good lad and do as you're told."
The bronze smoke tube felt as heavy as a mountain when it struck Yu Yuan's shoulder. Yet, having recently undergone the Evil Body Refining, Yu Yuan's fortified physique could bear the blow.
Cleverly, he grunted and bent his knees as if about to collapse, hastily assuring, "Oh, understood!"
Pleased, the old man nodded, pocketed the smoke tube, and drew another long breath. The sparks were all drawn into the tube, and he no longer glared at Yu Yuan with a predatory gaze. "Follow me," he commanded.
He was confident that Yu Yuan, even at the Veil Breaking Stage, couldn't slip from his grasp. Holding the smoke tube, he strolled leisurely towards the main group through the waist-high grass.
Yu Yuan, previously concealed in the grass, straightened up and let out a wry chuckle, dutifully trailing behind.
Had he unleashed the Crucible of Evil and called forth the Frost Queen, he wouldn't have feared this band of people. However, doing so would surely alert the Untamed.
The consequences of disturbing the Untamed were unpredictable.
Moreover, considering Shen Feiqing's deep connection with the Godsblight Marsh and the herb slave from his past life likely lurking there, he opted for caution.
He resolved to observe and discern the intentions of these individuals from the Empire of Dawn at this juncture and their destination within the Godsblight Marsh.
Over the next two days, Yu Yuan remained mostly quiet and compliant.
He learned that the old man, perpetually puffing on his smoke tube, was named Qiao Xu, a cultivator in the middle period of the Lunar Spirit. The Qiao family ranked among the top in the Empire of Dawn.
The woman in the Sky Chariot seldom spoke, instead directing her attendants to dispatch fourth and fifth level Fellbeasts. Once slain, the creatures were to be delivered into the chariot.
After two days of observation, Yu Yuan had pieced together some insights. The Sky Chariot was no ordinary artifact. Unable to detect any activity inside with his vitality, he couldn't ascertain the number of occupants or their nature.
There were five men clad in the regalia of the Empire of Dawn, each with a silver, diamond-shaped shield upon their backs. However, they were not members of the Qiao family.
A faint dragon's breath emanated from them.
Human cultivators possessing dragon's breath were typically Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake.
These five Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake had concealed their identities, blending in with the members of the Qiao family within the Empire of Dawn, all the while showing great respect to the enigmatic woman in the hovering Sky Chariot.
As countless Fellbeasts were slain, their bodies were brought into the Sky Chariot. Strangely, only their bones were discarded, their flesh and blood nowhere to be seen.
Yu Yuan allowed himself a soft chuckle, a theory forming in his mind.
The mysterious woman in the Sky Chariot was likely akin to Zhao Yafu, chosen by Dragon Lake and tasked with nurturing a dragon whelp within her.
She must have been of a higher realm than Zhao Yafu, having spent a longer time nurturing the dragon whelp.
Numerous Fellbeasts were offered up, leaving one to wonder if they were devoured by the dragon whelp or assimilated by her.
"The Untamed never concerns itself with the affairs of Shadow's Keep, and the Nagas, once rulers of the vast Everlands, are also at odds with Shadow's Keep," Yu Yuan mused. "Is the dragon whelp dormant within the Dragon Soul, or is it the Dragon Soul and body together? Have they come to the Godsblight Marsh in search of the Untamed, or is their intent to nurture the dragon with the power of the Untamed?"
