Chapter 228: Tracing the Spirit Veins
Chapter 228: Tracing the Spirit Veins
Fu Young waved his hand, causing the suspended mountain peak to descend into a distant valley.
Then he said, "Master, you mentioned seeing two similar formations before, one called the Fate Bestowing Array and the other the Fate Devouring Array. Since this formation uses the Cycle of Cause and End Relics as its core, I will give it a temporary name, the Fate Devouring Array."
"This Fate Devouring Array covers a vast area. It was formed by artificially altering the spirit veins and locking them into the formation."
"Although I could not deduce the exact effect of this Fate Devouring Array, judging from the current situation and the Cycle of Cause and End Relics, I can roughly guess that its function is to seal the karmic sins caused by certain people or events here. That was my initial thought. However, after hearing what you said about the evil cultivator massacring the village and the mother of the surviving siblings possibly knowing something, my thinking changed."
Fu Young paused slightly, then asked, "Master, let me ask you something. Did you ever see that evil cultivator?"
"No," Xiao Shou shook his head. "That day, Xiao Yi, Xiao Ran, and I had gone out to gather pig grass. Later, we were found and rescued by Liang Yongqi from the Heavenly Void Sect."
He corrected himself, "Ah, at that time he was only at the Golden Core stage. Now he has already reached the Nascent Soul stage and is known as Master Liang Yongqi."
He continued, "According to him, he was traveling through the Sunfall Domain when he received a distress message from an outer sect disciple, along with a mission issued by the Imperial Court to investigate the massacre here where blood had flowed like a river."
"After arriving and confirming that it was the work of an evil cultivator, he executed the culprit on the spot and brought the three of us back to the sect’s marketplace. What is it, Young’er?"
Even though Tushan Qiqi had taken away the original memories that belong to him, Xiao Shou could still piece together the events based on the original story and the impressions he once had.
He looked at Fu Young, confused by the sudden change in his expression.
Fu Young curled his lips into a mocking smile. "As expected, it is just as I thought. If Master wants to know the truth, perhaps you should ask that Liang Yongqi directly."
"You mean Liang Yongqi is suspicious?"
Having seen many stories where the culprit pretends to be the savior, Xiao Shou did not find the idea hard to believe.
Instead, the more he thought about it, the more the pieces seemed to fit.
"No wonder he arrived so quickly and found us on the same day."
"If my guess is correct, it is more than just suspicion," Fu Young said.
However, he did not reveal his full speculation.
Instead, he asked, "Master, after returning, did Liang Yongqi advance in cultivation shortly afterward?"
"I am not sure. Wait..."
Without the original owner’s full memories, Xiao Shou did not know the exact details.
The reason he knew Liang Yongqi had reached the Nascent Soul stage was because the original story had mentioned it.
Liang Yongqi had often helped Xiao Ran, solving her problems like timely rain, yet there was never any romantic involvement between them.
Sometimes their conversations felt strange as if something had been hidden.
At the time, Xiao Shou had thought it was simply foreshadowing by the author.
But even until Liang Yongqi died protecting Xiao Ran, those hints were never explained.
Now, thinking back, he realized how naive he had been.
As he taking out his note jade slip, Xiao Shou checked it and said, "I only know that he was already a Nascent Soul cultivator when I was sixteen. As for when he broke through, I have no idea."
When Xiao Ran was reborn, Liang Yongqi was one of the first characters to appear.
Xiao Shou had originally thought he would be an important figure.
Only later did he realize that he was merely a minor character destined to die.
At least, that was what he had believed until now.
Fu Young’s gaze lingered briefly on the jade slip Xiao Shou had just put away.
He was quite curious about its contents, but his expression remained calm as he asked, "Master, have you never found the Sunfall Domain strange?"
"Strange? What is strange about it?"
Xiao Shou was puzzled and could not see how this question was related to the current situation.
When he looked down at the depleted spirit stones beside the Cycle of Cause and End Relics, Fu Young said, "In the entire Heaven Origin Realm, whether it is the Endless Sea or the wilderness, no matter how barren a place is, there is never a region completely devoid of spiritual energy. Except for the Sunfall Domain."
"You mean..." Xiao Shou’s eyes widened in shock.
Fu Young nodded silently, his handsome face turning serious. "I originally thought this place was naturally a land without spiritual energy. But now, seeing these spirit stones that have been drained dry from the spirit veins, I realize that the Sunfall Domain may not have been like this from the beginning. Master, do you want to come with me and see what really happened to the spirit veins here?"
"Alright."
Xiao Shou did not hesitate.
Facing Fu Young’s outstretched hand, he placed his own in it and let his disciple hold it as he nodded.
Fu Young smiled faintly and tightened his grip. He waved his hand to seal away the black and white Cycle of Cause and End Relics before storing them.
Then he activated earth attribute spiritual power and used an earth movement technique, bringing Xiao Shou along as they traveled rapidly through the ground following the depleted spirit veins.
At such close range, they could clearly see the details.
Both of them noticed that beside every depleted spirit vein lay piles of bones, from both humans and animals.
However, as they moved farther away from Bottle Gourd Mountain, they discovered something unexpected.