The Song Family's "Curse"

In truth, just as the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster began to show signs of its coming—or even before Old Man Yu noticed anything—the tightly shut doors of the hall atop Moon Gazing Peak had already opened without a sound. An old man with white hair and a youthful face slowly walked out.

His appearance stirred the softly glowing leaves of the Moon Gazing Vine around him, and they swayed gently, as though greeting him.

"You feel it too?"

The old man spoke softly.

He looked full of vigor, his complexion ruddy, as if he could live for many more years. Yet his voice was incredibly old, heavy with exhaustion.

He was Song Wujiu, the ancestor of the New Moon Song Family.

The Song Family's only Foundation Establishment cultivator.

And the only mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in the entire New Moon Blessed Land.

Not long after he had broken through to Foundation Establishment, he had been lucky enough to find a newly evolved Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root.

Relying on that Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, he led his family and invited three other Foundation Building Families, along with numerous Qi Refining families, to open up the New Moon Blessed Land together.

One could say that just as glorious and ambitious as he had been back then, that was how unwilling he felt now.

He had once dreamed of using this New Moon Blessed Land to break through to the Golden Core Realm, or even the Nascent Soul Realm; of developing his family into a Nascent Soul family single-handedly, laying claim to a vast Blessed Land, and stirring up the winds and clouds of the entire East Domain.

But reality had left him constrained by his aptitude. And since the Moon Gazing Vine was not a resource-type Spiritual Root, without sufficient resources he had ultimately been forced to stop at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, unable to advance any further.

All he could do was sit atop Moon Gazing Peak, watching his life ebb away year after year.

Later, he began to focus on the family's continuation, hoping to nurture a second Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But things had not gone as he wished. He did not know if finding the Moon Gazing Vine had used up the fortune of his entire family, but after all these years, no second Foundation Establishment cultivator had emerged from the family.

Otherwise, with so many resources and his guidance, the family should not have been unable to produce even one more Foundation Establishment cultivator.

There was even something abnormal about it.

After all, even the other three Foundation Building Families had managed to pass on their Foundation Establishment lineages over the past three hundred years.

Yet the Song Family, Lord of the Blessed Land, had not had a single member successfully advance.

He had even suspected the other three Foundation Building Families in the Blessed Land. But after secretly investigating them, he had never uncovered the slightest trace of anything suspicious.

Fortunately, the appearance of Song Zhixing had given him some hope. To keep him from meeting the same fate, Song Wujiu rarely offered him guidance, lest he be influenced by him.

And Song Zhixing had lived up to expectations; he had reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining long ago.

Later, when Song Zhixing chose to become the family head and temper himself, Song Wujiu had not interfered either.

Just as he had been eagerly awaiting the family's second Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had never expected the wait to last eight years.

Throughout those eight years, Song Zhixing had shown no signs of breaking through, leaving him anxious once more.

Because he was out of time.

His allotted lifespan would run out far sooner than outsiders imagined.

Even if he did not die this year, within two or three years at most, he would have drained the last trace of his life. And by then, he would not even have the strength to act.

As for Spirit Medicine that could extend his lifespan, it no longer worked on him. Only a higher-grade treasure medicine might still help—but even Golden Core True Persons fought over such treasures. How could he ever get his hands on one?

So he had no choice.

According to his plan, this year's Black Annihilation Wind Disaster would be the Song Family's only hope—and his last.

As Song Wujiu spoke, a finger-thick vine slithered to his side like a spirit snake, sending him waves of agitation and unease.

In this world, even Rare Species had a faint consciousness. By the time they reached the level of a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, they were practically sentient. However, perhaps constrained by the heavens and earth, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots of these small Blessed Lands had intelligence no greater than that of a three- or four-year-old child.

They could express their feelings and even manage some simple thoughts. But when faced with anything more complex, they acted entirely on instinct.

Only after these Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots advanced further, reaching the equivalent of the Golden Core Realm or Nascent Soul Realm, would their intelligence improve.

It was said that Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots capable of opening a pocket dimension had intelligence no different from humans. Their long lives even made them seem like wise sages.

That was one of the advantages of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots.

"Don't be afraid. Once the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrives, raise your domain and protect the Blessed Land's inhabitants. As for those bugs, someone will take care of them."

Song Wujiu softly comforted the Moon Gazing Vine.

Ever since the Moon Gazing Vine had evolved into a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root and formed a contract with him, it had been his constant companion for hundreds of years.

Such a long time had long since given him the same affection for the Moon Gazing Vine that he felt for family.

It would not be an exaggeration to say they were bound together in life and death.

In his heart, the Moon Gazing Vine meant far more to him than his own children.

After Song Wujiu comforted it, the Moon Gazing Vine's unease faded somewhat. Then the vine began to glow, and a tiny glimmer slowly gathered at the tip of its highest leaf.

At the sight, Song Wujiu parted his lips, but in the end, he did not voice his refusal.

"This plan is important, so I won't stand on ceremony with you. Don't worry. Once the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster is over, whether I survive or not, I'll make sure the Song Family repays you properly."

After he finished speaking, Song Wujiu watched as the glimmer finally coalesced. He beckoned, and the glimmer, like a dewdrop, fell into his palm. Then he put it away.

That tiny glimmer was the Moon Gazing Vine's life essence. For someone in the Qi Refining Realm, it could extend their lifespan by at least thirty years.

But it no longer had any effect on him.

Its only use was to let him unleash his full strength for one final battle.

Gathering that drop of essence had clearly hurt the Moon Gazing Vine's vitality. The slender vine immediately looked somewhat listless.

That was why, even though it had this ability, it could not sell its essence and become a resource-type Spiritual Root. Every time it condensed a drop, the Song Family had to give it a great many resources to recover.

So unless the situation was critical or there was no other choice, Song Wujiu would never let it do this.

Though the Song Family was Lord of the New Moon Blessed Land, at least sixty percent of the resources it obtained went to the Moon Gazing Vine.

Of course, even the remaining forty percent far exceeded what the other three Foundation Building Families received.

As Song Wujiu spoke with the Moon Gazing Vine, the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the New Moon Blessed Land all looked up at the sky. But most of their attention was actually fixed on Moon Gazing Peak.

At last, the thunder that left people speechless gathered and exploded not only above the settlement, but also over the New Moon Blessed Land, the entire East Domain, and the whole world.

Countless Blessed Lands were "awakened" at the same moment.

"Raise your domain."

On Moon Gazing Peak, Song Wujiu called out with a grave expression.

Almost at the same moment, the Moon Gazing Vine coiled around the entire peak and rose with him.

In that instant, light blazed across Moon Gazing Peak. The whole mountain seemed to glow as it surged into the sky.