C890 A Temporary Crisis
"Damn those bastards from Dragon Lake!"
Qi Yunhong's face twisted with rage. Disturbed by the wandering remnant soul of Tianjing, he was on edge, spewing curses with a menacing aura.
"Qin, Tianjing's soul search just left this area; it won't be back anytime soon. I say we use a Shadowfruit and wipe out the Wen family and Wu Dong. The Dragon Lake crowd can't be far. I'll take care of them all."
He was struggling to contain himself.
He had noticed that the Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake were eyeing this merchant caravan, clearly not ready to give up. They would surely strike repeatedly.
This would put the merchants in the spotlight, likely drawing the continuous scrutiny of the Ethereal Void Sect.
Qi Yunhong, since leaving the Thunder Sect, had become unrestrained, always prioritizing his own safety. Anyone in his way would be swiftly dealt with.
"Don't be too impulsive. If the merchants and the Dragon Attendants are wiped out, we'll draw even more attention," Qin Yun chided, concerned that Qi Yunhong's impulsive nature might cause problems for their young master. "If it's just the three of us left, moving through this wilderness will be even more problematic."
"We should split up!" Qi Yunhong declared.
"Split up?" Qin Yun scoffed. "If we separate from the young master, our identities will be exposed. Facing either Chong Xiao or Tianjing, we'd be dead either way."
"The young master has the Crucible of Evil, with the Frost Queen inside, whose power rivals that of a Solar Spirit, and a host of Bane Devils in formation."
"With the young master by our side, we could hold out for a while if we're exposed. Mr. Yan might notice and manage to break through a spatial passageway to reach us."
Qin Yun reasoned, and Qi Yunhong slowly calmed down.
...
"I didn't say it."
Wen Lu was indignant. "He figured it out on his own. He even called me a half-breed..."
Inside the carriage, Wen Xin, leaning on her Dragon Head Staff, turned pale and glared at Yu Yuan as if facing a formidable foe. "You, young man, who are you really? A mere novice from the Sacred Hands, studying medicinal herbs, couldn't possibly know so much!"
"It seems that the news from your Crimson Sun Empire is quite outdated," Yu Yuan said with a light chuckle. "In our Silvermoon Empire, and even within the allied Songbird Empire, many hybrids have openly come forward. Since I've seen many hybrids appear within the empire, I'm aware of a few things."
His words seemed to come out of thin air.
Yet, Wen Xin found herself believing him, her voice tinged with surprise, "Is that really the case?"
With her heart shrouded in gloom, she had pinned her hopes on the Silvermoon Empire. She longed for someone to confirm that hybrids in the Silvermoon Empire were emerging in large numbers, living just like everyone else.
Only if that were true would her current endeavors have any meaning!
Yu Yuan gave a nod of confirmation.
"I had heard some rumors and was skeptical at first. But, driven to desperation, I decided to head for the Silvermoon Empire," Wen Xin said, her previously fierce demeanor now greatly softened as she faced Yu Yuan. "Our Crimson Sun Empire is stuck in its old ways, convinced that those of mixed blood harbor malicious intent and deserve to be imprisoned or taken away by the powerful sects."
She let out a sigh, "And yet, after this girl's bloodline awakened, she caught the attention of the green dragon's Dragon Soul..."
Wen Xin's account matched Yu Yuan's deductions almost exactly.
Wen Lu carried the Shadowkin bloodline, and even as a child, before her bloodline had fully manifested, she was exceptionally sensitive to souls. Given the Wen family's close ties with Dragon Lake, she became a Dragon Whisperer, just like Zhao Yafu.
Upon reaching the Veil Breaking Stage, her Shadowkin bloodline awakened, and she successfully performed the Dragon Devour.
The dragon she had raised didn't perish in the mishap; it sensed something and immediately sent a Dragon Attendant to investigate.
The Wen family, cautious not to antagonize Dragon Lake and fearing repercussions from the Crimson Sun Empire after discovering her mixed heritage, felt they had no choice but to reluctantly "expel" her.
Wen Xin, who had cherished her since childhood, had heard that in the Silvermoon Empire, hybrids were respected, not subjected to discrimination or imprisonment. With this in mind, she led a group of her loyal followers to stealthily transport her to the Silvermoon Empire, unbeknownst to the Crimson Sun Empire.
Dragon Lake intended to capture her alive and present her as an offering to the green dragon. Despite knowing she was of mixed heritage, they kept it a secret.
They wanted to keep her all to themselves.
"I figured as much," Yu Yuan responded without surprise after hearing the details. "Don't make any stops at Flamehold. Head for the Serpent Spine Mountains as quickly as possible. Believe me, once you leave the Crimson Sun Empire and reach the Serpent Spine Mountains, you'll be safe."
Yan Qiling was likely in the Serpent Spine Mountains. As soon as he entered the forest and unleashed the Crucible of Evil, Yan Qiling would be instantly aware.
He was confident that meeting Yan Qiling would put an end to the Ethereal Void Sect's pursuit.
"Serpent Spine Mountains?" Wen Xin pondered briefly before nodding, "Okay."
...
Thirty miles away, near a hill close to Flamehold.
A Subtlety master from the Wu family awaited the arrival of a disheartened Dragon Attendant from Dragon Lake. "What happened, another failure?" he inquired.
The Dragon Attendant, with a green dragon tattoo on his neck, spoke anxiously, "Halfway through, we were enveloped by the thought projection of a Solar Spirit Sage. Uncertain of their intentions and fearing they might be allies of the Wen family, we were forced to withdraw."
"A thought projection from a Solar Spirit Sage?" The Wu family Sage paused, then slapped his forehead, exclaiming, "It must have been one of the Ethereal Void Sect's venerable sages! I forgot to mention that we had news of two Sages from the Ethereal Void Sect searching for that Yu Yuan fellow in Asvetaesi."
"It was probably one of those sages who was drawn by the noise of your skirmish, prompting him to extend his remnant soul."
"Don't worry, they have their own quarry. As long as Yu Yuan isn't with that caravan, they won't bother with what you're doing."
"Ethereal Void Sect, two Sages?" The Dragon Attendant from Dragon Lake was taken aback.
"After his remnant soul arrived, did anyone perish?" the Wu family's envoy asked with curiosity.
"No," the Dragon Attendant replied.
"That means Yu Yuan from Asvetaesi isn't with that caravan!"
"I know what to do next!"
...
Outside Flamehold, the River of Whispers churned with muddy yellow waters, rushing as if a flood dragon were stirring beneath the surface.
The merchant group led by Wu Dong had skirted Flamehold, pressing on relentlessly along the River of Whispers.
Oddly, the Dragon Attendant from Dragon Lake had not reappeared for half a day.
"Alas, Yang Chuhe will eventually cause countless mortals of the Crimson Sun Empire to perish from drought."
Wen Lu leaned against the carriage, triggering a hidden mechanism that opened a palm-sized window in the sealed compartment. She gazed out pensively at the river landscape. "Along the way, the vegetation withers, and even I... can't change much."
Her comment reminded Yu Yuan of the dead trees lining the banks of the River of Whispers.
"The spiritual energy of the River of Whispers has been absorbed into the meridians of Yang Chuhe, the current sect master of the Midnightshields."
Thinking Yu Yuan might not understand, Wen Lu elaborated, "There are already signs. Soon, the crops in the surrounding areas will suffer. Many in the empire are aware of the issue but are too afraid to speak out. I really miss the state preceptor. During his time, the empire saw its fastest development and its people were most secure."
Zhou Cangmin of the Ruby Hand remained revered even after exposing his identity and leaving the Crimson Sun Empire.
"Does your cultivation of secret spells relate to plants?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"Yes, as a child, someone from Dragon Lake specifically assessed my aptitude and even brought a unique instrument for a thorough examination," Wen Lu confirmed with a nod. "I have an affinity with plants, so the spells Dragon Lake has me practice align with that attribute. That eighth-level dragon lord is also a green dragon that roams the forests."
Mentioning the "Lord Dragon," Wen Lu's unease was evident, her voice dropping to a whisper.
It was clear she harbored a deep-seated fear.
"An eighth-level green dragon has combat power on par with a Solar Spirit, which is indeed troublesome," Yu Yuan acknowledged, visibly concerned. "After consuming his Dragon Soul, can you sense his approximate whereabouts?"
"No, he must be the one to seek me out. He must learn everything about me on his own; I'm unable to sense him," Wen Lu said, shaking her head.
An hour later.
As Wen Lu chatted idly with Yu Yuan, gazing out the window, she was suddenly drenched in sweat, trembling with terror. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Yu Yuan's expression grew increasingly grim.
