As thunder suddenly split the dark clouds, gale-force winds swept across the land. In an instant, sand and dust filled the air.
At the same time, the dark clouds overhead seemed to be spreading like thick ink. Even the streaks of lightning dancing through them couldn't drive the darkness away.
The sky had gone black.
The sudden change left Old Man Yu and Tiezhu aghast.
"Get home and hide!"
Old Man Yu shouted at Tiezhu, then paid him no further heed and turned to sprint home.
Tiezhu had stopped thinking about wild beasts. Gripping his spear, he too raced home as fast as he could.
His mother was waiting for him there.
The moment the thunderbolt struck, Yu An awoke as well.
His mind had only just sensed that faint rhythm when the lightning knocked him out of it. Fortunately, he had only just begun, and his mind hadn't fully immersed itself, so he hadn't suffered any serious injury.
Even so, it took several breaths for him to gather his awareness again.
Standing in the little room, Yu An looked at the violently shifting sky above and felt the extreme danger looming in the depths of his being. He understood.
The Black Annihilation Wind Disaster had arrived.
For Yu An, this was certainly no good news.
His vitality was currently flourishing, and he hadn't had time to transform and rein it in. Fortunately, the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster grew from weak to strong.
For now, the disaster had only just arrived and was nowhere near its most terrifying.
Besides, the Insect Race wouldn't appear immediately.
So Yu An still had a chance.
What truly worried him was whether he would still be able to cultivate after the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrived.
And when would the silver serpents dancing overhead finally disappear?
As long as those things were there, he wouldn't dare cultivate again. One careless move might draw down a streak of lightning and strike him dead.
Braving the gale, Old Man Yu took a few quick steps and climbed onto the wall. Without a word, he began hauling over wooden planks, covering the little tree with them.
To keep the wind from blowing the planks away, he piled two layers of stones on top.
Only then did he retreat inside.
He faintly sensed an invisible fluctuation descending upon him, making his whole body shudder.
No matter how much he had tried to reassure himself or how thoroughly he had prepared, once the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster truly arrived, the fear rising from his most basic instincts still showed uncontrollably on his face.
The windows had already been sealed with stones. He shut the door, plunging the room into pitch darkness, then groped for the oil lamp and lit it.
The small light drove back the darkness around him.
It also eased his heart a little.
Then he couldn't help glancing toward the corner of the courtyard where the little tree stood. His expression grew resolute once more.
No matter what, he had to survive. Only if he lived could he protect the little tree.
In the little room by the corner of the courtyard, Yu An was also experiencing the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster's ability to strip away lifespan. The thick stone walls around him offered no real sense of safety; at most, they comforted him and shielded him from the gale itself.
The power that robbed him of lifespan seemed to appear inside him from nowhere. He could clearly feel something like his very "existence" being drawn away, bit by bit.
That something akin to existence was his lifespan.
For him, the process was slow, but unceasing.
Yu An couldn't help summoning his panel.
Name: Yu An Race: Elm Tree (Rare Species) Age: 1/300 (continuously decreasing) Realm: Juvenile Stage Two (Fetal Movement) Divine Ability: Town Protection (With an elm in the household, there will be surplus every year. It can slightly improve the fortune of the homestead and shelter future generations.) Destined Bond: (Every ten years, or by consuming an equal amount of lifespan, you can produce one Natal Elm Seed. It can aid one in the Fetal Movement Realm in stepping into the Qi Refining Realm. This bond is an Immortal Destiny! The Elm Seed is the cause, and the bond's fruition is the effect. After a bonded living being dies, it will nourish you in return and accelerate your growth.)
At a glance, Yu An spotted the problem: a status indicating continuous decline had appeared after his age.
Clearly, this was the effect of the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster.
If that were all, he wouldn't be too worried. Even an ordinary person who had never cultivated and hadn't even entered the Fetal Movement Realm would lose only about a year of lifespan per day, on average, over the entire disaster season.
With cultivation—especially after entering the Fetal Movement Realm—the life force grew thicker and more firmly rooted, greatly reducing the damage.
Yu An estimated that he was currently at about the Fetal Movement Minor Accomplishment stage. He also had a full three hundred years of lifespan, so a single Black Annihilation Wind Disaster wouldn't inflict any irreparable harm.
Even if he lost thirty years, his lifespan would rise significantly once he broke through.
One reason he had emerged from the Returning to Hidden state this time was that he didn't want to sink completely into sleep, unaware even of whether he lived or died. Another was to see if he could cultivate while the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster was underway.
If he could reach the equivalent of Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment—or even perfection—during this time, the disaster would do even less damage to him.
The faster he grew, the less lifespan he would ultimately lose.
But right now...
Yu An thought of the countless silver serpents he had just seen winding across the sky, and shivered.
He could only hope the lightning would disappear soon. Then he would be able to cultivate again.
For now, although he couldn't continue cultivating, he could transform the abundant vitality within his trunk and strengthen it.
Since he couldn't move, when facing danger he had only two options: kill his opponent outright—which he was already practicing constantly, hoping to master Flying Flower Plucking Leaf as soon as possible—or defend himself. If he were so tough that no one could hurt him, then naturally no one could harm him.
Yu An intended to do both.
He wanted offense and defense alike.
So all this time, while practicing Flying Flower Plucking Leaf, he had never stopped strengthening his trunk.
With the Insect Race yet to appear, the best thing he could do was quickly suppress his vitality to the lowest possible level.
After all, the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster's lifespan-draining power was nowhere near enough to threaten his life anytime soon.
But the Insect Race, which devoured all life force, was another matter.
Even if Old Man Yu swore to protect him, the man had only reached Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment. How many insects could he possibly hold back?
In the end, Yu An would have to rely on himself.
And as long as he didn't attract the Insect Race, both he and Old Man Yu could stay safe.
After these days of contact, Yu An had grown somewhat closer to the old man who devoted himself wholeheartedly to his son.
If he didn't enter a Blessed Land, then when he evolved into a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root and sought to open a Blessed Land someday, the Yu Family might not be a bad choice.
At least they all shared the surname Yu. They could more or less call themselves one family.
At the same time, the sky above the Blessed Land also turned pitch-black. Just then, a brilliant light suddenly blazed from Moon Gazing Peak.
A note on the plot: this book follows an ensemble cast and has quite a few setting details, so I can only introduce them gradually through the story and its characters.
Whether it's New Moon Blessed Land or Ox Ridge, the Yu Family or the protagonist himself, each needs equal attention. As a result, the plot may feel a little slow.
So I hope you'll be patient with this book. I'll put all my effort into making the story even more exciting.
Finally, thank you all for your support.
Before you continue