When Things Reach an Extreme, They Reverse; Within Lies a World of Its Own
What is that?
Looking at those red threads, Tao Ying felt puzzled. Then her heart trembled slightly, and her mind and consciousness were drawn to the shadow of the red threads, feeling a sense of concern for them.
He wasn't the only one who felt the same way. Many of the people on the two Red Horse Boat were also drawn to the red thread, and those with weaker wills were even more captivated by it.
If this happened in the Mortal Realm, and one's consciousness were hooked like this for a long time, their soul would separate—a phenomenon commonly known as "soul-hooking." Fortunately, the people here are already souls, and being held in place by the boat prevents them from being pulled away.
Just as their minds were captivated, the silk threads flying in the air suddenly gathered and dispersed, becoming several strands, which quickly twisted into dozens of red ropes, then crossed and intertwined, surrounding the enormous black mist Trial Beast.
From a distance, it looks like several red fluorescent lights surrounding a black mist!
Tie! Tie! Tie!
In an instant, the red ropes intertwined into knots, the knots intricate and complex, guided by a single thought, slowly taking shape, forming a series of interlocking patterns, and quickly settling into place!
In Qiu Yan's previous life, this knot was called the Chinese Knot.
With a knot tied, dozens of red ropes, like a fishing net, covered the area and tightened instantly, constricting the black mist!
Tighten!
The red rope pierced the fog, and the power within it exploded, dispelling the layers of black mist and reaching right into it!
Roar!!!
The Trial Beast roared again, struggling to break free of the red rope binding it. However, it was already suppressed by the six Literary Heart and will, putting it at a disadvantage, which was why the red rope had succeeded in binding it. Now that it was deeply trapped, how could it possibly escape?
Therefore, no matter how much it struggled, it still couldn't escape; instead, the red rope binding it kept tightening, gradually getting closer to the core!
Shrink!
This enormous black mist was forcibly constricted and shrunk by the red rope network!
The swirling dust gradually subsided, and the pervasive atmosphere began to dissipate, making the people on the boat feel much better. Those who had been terrified felt their fear lessen on its own.
"Be prepared and stay alert. Once the Trial Beast are completely subdued, we must descend into the Book Mine immediately. Even if we don't get the Ore Mother, we must at least obtain the most valuable ores."
Sun Yong's Literary Thought surged forth, radiating a dazzling array of colors. He seemed unaffected by the aura emanating from the Trial Beast, his eyes fixed on the battleground as he issued commands.
Around him, three or four scholars gathered, seemingly following his lead. Not far away, the three Zhan brothers were also on guard and Zhan Household.
The atmosphere on the boat suddenly became heavy.
Amidst the yellow sand, Qiu Yan wielded his mental spear, suppressing the Trial Beast, but his senses spread out, focusing on the woman.
The woman's fingers were gently flicking, her fingertips wrapped with red thread. She lightly picked and pressed, one stroke at a time, in a rhythmic motion, causing the silk thread to swirl and the red rope wrapped around the Trial Beast to move rapidly.
"This woman's soul is not Living Soul, but Divine Soul. She possesses cultivation and inner beauty. Her move subtly aligns with the rules of poetry. Now I finally understand why Bei Xuan gathered so many people. What she seeks is not merely a mine, but also the capture of the Trial Beast alive!"
As Qiu Yan pondered, the Trial Beast suddenly rolled rapidly and howled! It seemed to be in a state of panic, and then the black mist began to converge in one direction!
"We must escape this 'difficulty'!" Zhou Meng and Huang Xun instinctively communicated.
"Can you escape?" The woman chuckled softly, her ten slender fingers moving rapidly, as if gently caressing the strings of a zither.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The red rope, which had been embedded in the black mist, suddenly jerked, making a rustling sound, like hundreds or thousands of birds flapping their wings, and even the call of a cuckoo.
The black mist suddenly churned and shrank by a third, its already precarious state plummeting and revealing a sense of weakness.
"A mere ten thousand people, acting only on instinct, and having been tricked by my cousin and suppressed by several wise men, how could they possibly be a match for me, Tang Qing!" The woman laughed triumphantly.
But Bei Xuan shook his head and sighed, "A cornered dog will jump over the wall, a trapped beast will fight back. It is precisely because they act solely on instinct that they need to be carefully planned and tamed. Forcing them like this will only provoke a reaction and backfire."
As soon as he finished speaking, a series of booming sounds suddenly arose from below.
Rumble!
Flames suddenly burst forth from the black mist, breaking through the red rope knot and shooting into the sky!
The moment it hit the ground, a burnt smell immediately filled the air!
"That Trial Beast actually burned its thoughts? It extracted the sparks from its mind! It's fighting to the death!" Qiu Yan immediately discerned the reason!
This burning thought is different from the exploding thought.
The explosion merely shatters a few thoughts, releasing the essence of the conception without reservation;
Burning, on the other hand, involves igniting thoughts, along with the consciousness, ideas, and emotions within them, releasing power far Fleeting Brilliance normal levels. This is a form of self-harm, and if one is not careful, it can even trigger a chain reaction, causing all thoughts and ideas to be involved and burned away.
If a living being's soul burns with thoughts, it's tantamount to setting one's own hands and feet on fire, causing a loss of memory and emotions. In severe cases, it can completely burn away the soul, leaving the physical body as an empty shell, which is commonly known as being insane.
Normal Soul Dao cultivators would not make such a choice unless they were forced to, which is why the woman named Tang Qing dared to suppress him so relentlessly. However, she did not expect that she was facing an opponent who did not play by the rules.
The burning thought burst into flames, soaring into the sky and almost burning through the red rope wrapped around it!
Tang Qing gasped in surprise in a low voice. Her rapidly moving fingers, which were originally in rhythm, were now in disarray.
"This beast can be released, but the Realm Stone cannot be lost. Brother Qiu's help this time should be reciprocated, otherwise it would be against etiquette."
Noticing Tang Qing's expression, Bei Xuan shook his head, sighed, and said this before flicking his sleeves.
Whew~
A gust of wind rose around him, and the sleeves extended outwards, rapidly expanding. With a forward thrust, a gale erupted from the cuffs, drawing in the burning thoughts within!
The ocean embraces all rivers!
At this moment, Qiu Yan clearly felt a kind of artistic conception from Bei Xuan. Although it was not strong, it was extremely profound. It was as if a vast ocean had sprung up out of thin air, containing all things. Even the thoughts after burning could not escape. Once they entered his sleeve, they were like mud and stones entering the sea, without the slightest ripple.
In an instant, the flames that shot into the sky were gathered by Bei Xuan's sleeve. However, as the flames burned, the black mist on the Trial Beast's body flowed out and, after swirling in the air, broke free from the sleeve's pull and sank down into a cave entrance on the mountainside.
Upon witnessing this scene, Qiu Yan immediately noticed something amiss—
"This wisp of black mist is filled with fear of difficulties and a desire to escape, which is why Bei Xuan finds it difficult to control. After all, it contradicts his own will, and the black mist's essence is adept at escaping, making it even more difficult to capture..."
Just as he was pondering, Bei Xuan had already withdrawn his sleeves, his expression unchanged. He exhaled a long breath, his face revealing a thoughtful look, as if he were comprehending something.
On the other side, as the firelight and black mist dissipated, the thing inside emerged, which was a cloud of mist, only one-tenth the size of the original, still bound by red rope, but exuding an aura of courage and fearlessness, as if courage had come together.
"What is this?" Qiu Yan asked, looking at the clouds and mist with a puzzled expression.
At this moment, Bei Xuan's voice came from the side. "The Trial Beast can induce negative emotions in people's hearts. It is itself composed of the fear of difficulties of all living beings. For every bit of fear that grows in people's hearts, a bit of courage is lost. This lost courage is absorbed by the Trial Beast, which is the basis for its growth."
As he spoke, his figure rapidly descended and landed on the ground.
Qiu Yan nodded. "I see. Extremes meet, and it is indeed a balance of Yin-Yang." As he spoke, he also landed.
Beside them, the old man, Tang Qing, Zhou Meng, and Huang Xun also flew down.
As soon as Tang Qing landed, she ran towards Bei Xuan: "This time it was my carelessness, I didn't think things through and let that Trial Beast escape. But I'll learn from this experience. In a few days, when my cousin finds another mine, I'll know what to do and won't let the Trial Beast escape again."
Bei Xuan didn't say much, only saying, "Let's put away the Thousand-Thousand Knot. It Trial Beast, but it's okay if it escapes."
Tang Qing paused slightly, nodded, raised her hand and grabbed, the red rope that had been separated scattered, turned back into silk thread, was gathered back, and disappeared from her hand.
"These few threads are not simply visualized." Qiu Yan stood aside, observing silently. He came along not primarily to help, but mainly to understand the characteristics of Scholar Forest Book Mountain and the methods of others.
In his view, everyone present, regardless of age or gender, was extraordinary. Although he himself was a Literary Path Creation, he mostly worked in isolation. Now that he had the opportunity to meet other people who shared a common Literary Heart, he certainly couldn't let it slip by. He should speak less and learn more, taking the best from others to make up for his own shortcomings.
Now, he is not here to search for treasure, but to seek knowledge.
"Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me."
The others, unaware of Qiu Yan 'Zhou Meng intentions and daring not to claim the title of Huang Xun, immediately came over to pay their respects upon landing, displaying impeccable manners.
Qiu Yan didn't do much just now, but he shattered a pillar of qi with a single palm strike, and then his will was like a spear. To onlookers, it was clear that he was no ordinary person. His current lack of fame was because he had not yet made a name for himself. Making friends with him at this time was of course the most ideal. It would be too late once Qiu Yan became famous throughout the world.
However, despite their conversation, the three did not forget their business, their eyes frequently falling on the cloud.
At this moment, Bei Xuan stepped forward, flicked his sleeve, and a gust of wind rose from the ground. The white mist dispersed and was swept up by the airflow, gathering in the air and quickly forming a cloud the size of a fist.
As the clouds and mist dissipated, the things that had been hidden inside were revealed.
They turned out to be three round, white stones, which didn't seem particularly unusual at first glance. However, upon seeing these three white stones, the group of people all showed delight.
ps:
Thank you to "Little Strawberry Jam" and "Chimei-Ghost" for the monthly votes!
Thank you to "Longtian Aoren" and "Blasphemer of the Clouds" for the generous donations!