Conspiracy 1

Morning mist shrouded the Back Mountain like a thin veil. Dewdrops fell from pine needles onto Yang Jun's shoulders, and the chill spread down his neck. Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes narrowed slightly in the fog, her fingers unconsciously brushing the Silk Soul Crystal at her waist—the pale purple crystal was giving off faint ripples, as if warning of something.

"Yang Jun," she suddenly said, keeping her voice low, "do you smell... blood?"

A trace of gravity flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. He reached out and pulled Bibi Dong behind him, the Ice Soul Heart giving off a deep blue glow in his palm. A rustling sound came from the mist, like someone stepping on dry branches.

"Don't be nervous. It's me." A hoarse voice came from the fog. Then, a man in a tattered Blue-white Research Coat staggered out. His hair was as messy as a bird's nest, his glasses were covered in cracks, his nose was red from the cold, and he clutched a Soul Guidance Book soaked through by the mist.

"Yu Xiaogang?" Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes suddenly contracted. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's castoff?"

The man froze for a moment, then gave a weary smile. "I didn't expect Spirit Hall's little monster to still remember me." He wiped the mist from his face and pulled a bloodstained handkerchief from his clothes. "I was tracking clues about the Abyss's remaining forces when I was hunted by a group of Mutant Soul Beasts... I nearly lost my life."

Yang Jun's blue eyes swept over the bloodstains on his cuff—the color was too dark, as if it had congealed long ago. It did not look like a fresh wound from a Soul Beast. Without giving anything away, he tucked the Ice Soul Heart into his sleeve and reached out to support the swaying Yu Xiaogang. "Senior, we'll take you to Spirit Hall's infirmary."

Bibi Dong suddenly grabbed Yang Jun's wrist, her nails nearly digging into his flesh. Her Violet Eyes fixed on Yu Xiaogang's chest—an inconspicuous Blue-silver Ring hung there, its surface engraved with a hair-thin pattern: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's emblem.

"No need." Yu Xiaogang smiled and pushed Yang Jun's hand away. "I still have research to do. Can you... help me investigate something?" He took out a yellowed Map and pressed one finger heavily against a location on it. "The Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan Forbidden Ground. It may hold the secret of the Abyssal Tide."

Confusion flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. "Senior, why don't you investigate it yourself?"

Pain flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes. "I was expelled by the clan. I simply can't enter the Forbidden Ground." He looked up at Yang Jun, and his gaze suddenly became fervent. "Yang Jun, your Ice Soul Heart can Purify Abyssal Power, and Bibi Dong's Silk Soul Crystal can sense the Abyss's aura—only the two of you can uncover this secret!"

A cold glint flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. She suddenly leaned close to Yu Xiaogang's ear, her voice as light as a feather. "Senior, the blood on your cuff is from yesterday, isn't it?"

Yu Xiaogang's smile froze. He instinctively tugged at his cuff, forgetting that there was no wound there at all.

Yu Xiaogang's "Secret Research Base" · Abandoned Alchemy Lab

As they pushed open the rusted iron door, a pungent medicinal smell rushed at them. The laboratory was filled with all kinds of Soul Tool Instruments. Dozens of yellowed draft papers were pinned to the walls, covered in intricate Runes and structural diagrams of Abyssal creatures. Yu Xiaogang carried three chairs over from a corner and handed Bibi Dong a steaming cup of tea. "Try it. I specially added Spirit Hall's Jasmine Tea."

Bibi Dong stared at the jasmine flowers floating in the cup, vigilance flashing through her Violet Eyes. She noticed Yu Xiaogang lightly tap the rim of his cup three times with his right index finger—a secret code of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, meaning, "Target locked."

"Senior," she suddenly said, pushing the cup aside, "you said the Forbidden Ground holds the secret of the Abyssal Tide. Then why wasn't it mentioned in Yang Zhen's notes?"

Yu Xiaogang's hand paused, but he quickly smiled. "Yang Zhen was a cautious man. Perhaps he feared his notes would fall into the hands of bad people." He took an old notebook from a drawer and opened it to a page. "Look, this is a passage from Yang Zhen's notes that I secretly copied back then—'Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the key to the Abyssal Gate.'"

Shock flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. He took the notebook and found a tiny scratch in the corner of the page—a downward-pointing triangle, the mark of the Abyssal Mother Nest.

"Senior," he said, looking up at Yu Xiaogang, "how did you get Yang Zhen's notes?"

Yu Xiaogang's smile suddenly stiffened. "I... I stole them from Spirit Hall's library." He stood and walked over to a Soul Tool Instrument. "Look, this instrument can detect the concentration of Abyssal aura—if the Forbidden Ground contains the source of the Abyssal Tide, this instrument will glow red."

Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes fixed on the instrument—a blue thread was wrapped around its power cord, the symbol of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. She quietly told Yang Jun, and killing intent flashed through his blue eyes.

"Senior," he suddenly said, "could you help us examine Bibi Dong's Silk Soul Crystal?"

Yu Xiaogang's hand trembled. He turned to Bibi Dong, greed in his eyes. "Of course." He took out a glass tube from the drawer and gestured for Bibi Dong to place the Silk Soul Crystal inside.

A cold glint flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. She suddenly reached out and grabbed Yu Xiaogang's wrist. "Senior, do you know? The Silk Soul Crystal has a trait—if someone tries to forcibly extract its power, it will backlash against them."

Yu Xiaogang's face suddenly went pale. He tried to pull free from Bibi Dong's grip, only to find her strength astonishing. "Bibi Dong, what are you talking about?"

The Ice Soul Heart suddenly shone blue in Yang Jun's hand. He looked coldly at Yu Xiaogang. "Senior, the blood on your cuff belongs to your mother, doesn't it?"

Yu Xiaogang's smile vanished completely. He pulled out a Soul Tool Gun and aimed it at Yang Jun. "How did you know?"

Bibi Dong's Eight Spider Lances suddenly extended from her waist and stabbed toward Yu Xiaogang's shoulder. "Because when you said, 'I still have research to do,' your eyes drifted southeast—that's the territory of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

Yu Xiaogang screamed, and the Soul Tool Gun fell to the ground. Clutching his shoulder, despair filled his eyes. "You're wrong! I'm not a bad person! The clan forced me! They captured my mother and made me approach Bibi Dong to obtain the power of the Silk Soul Crystal!"

Pity flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. He crouched down and grabbed Yu Xiaogang's hand. "Senior Yu, we can help you save your mother, but you have to tell us the truth."

Tears streamed down Yu Xiaogang's face. He took out a Blue-silver Ring from his clothes. "My father gave me this. He told me that after obtaining the Silk Soul Crystal, I was to press the button on the ring—there's a ritual array of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan there that can convert the Silk Soul Crystal's power into Abyssal Power."

Anger flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. "So you approached us for this?"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head in agony. "I didn't want to do it either, but they threatened me. If I didn't obey, they would kill my mother!"

Determination flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. "Senior Yu, we'll help you."

Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan Forbidden Ground · Abyssal Altar

Inside the Forbidden Ground's cave, Abyssal aura surged in like a tide. Yu Xiaogang walked in front, holding the Soul Tool Instrument. "Look, the concentration of Abyssal aura here is ten times higher than outside!"

Yang Jun's blue eyes fixed on the Runes covering the cave walls—those Runes formed a massive array, with a black stone platform at its center. The platform was engraved with images of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and the Abyssal Mother Nest.

"Senior Yu," he suddenly asked, "what is this array for?"

Yu Xiaogang's steps paused, then he smiled. "This is the clan's Sacrificial Array, used to pray for our ancestors' protection."

A cold glint flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. She noticed a hidden button beside the stone platform, engraved with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's emblem. "Senior, why don't you press that button?"

Yu Xiaogang's face suddenly went pale, and he took a step back. "Bibi Dong, what are you talking about?"

The Ice Soul Heart suddenly blazed blue in Yang Jun's hand. He grabbed Yu Xiaogang's wrist. "Senior Yu, you lied to us."

Despair flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes. He suddenly pressed the button on his ring. The Runes on the stone platform lit up at once, black and blue light intertwining. Pain flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes as she felt the power of her Silk Soul Crystal being extracted. "Yang Jun, stop him!"

The Ice Soul Heart suddenly erupted with an intense blue radiance. Yang Jun rushed to the stone platform and pressed the Ice Soul Heart against its center. The Runes on the platform suddenly cracked with a sharp sound. The black light was suppressed by the blue light, and Yu Xiaogang's ring suddenly shattered into powder.

"No!" Yu Xiaogang cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his head. "My mother... what will happen to my mother?"

Pity filled Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. She crouched down and took Yu Xiaogang's hand. "Senior Yu, we'll help you save your mother."

Determination flashed through Yang Jun's blue eyes. "Senior Yu, take us to your mother."