When I opened my eyes again, a faint medicinal fragrance lingered in the air, and I was lying on a soft silk quilt. I moved my fingers and felt that my whole body was sore. The slightest exertion caused my wounds to ache—it seemed that forcibly activating " Heaven Burning Radiance " last time had taken a heavier toll on my body than I had expected.
"You're awake?"
A familiar voice sounded beside me. Turning my head, I saw the Grand Elder sitting on a stone bench by the bed, holding an ancient book in his hands, looking at me with gentle eyes. On the low table in front of him was a bowl of steaming medicinal soup, and the aroma of the medicine was coming from there.
"Elder." I struggled to sit up, but he pressed my shoulder down.
"Lie down. I just used 'Spiritual Marrow Liquid' to cleanse your meridians. Don't move around." The Grand Elder placed the ancient book on the table, picked up the medicinal soup, and handed it to you. "Drink it while it's hot. It's made with 'Ice Heart Grass' and 'Warm Sun Flower,' which can harmonize the disordered fire energy in your body."
The medicine tasted slightly bitter at first, then transformed into a warm, soothing current that slid down my throat and into my lower abdomen. Wherever it passed, my tense muscles seemed to relax. Looking at his wrinkled hands, and recalling the voice I'd heard in the sacrificial chamber, I couldn't help but ask, " The Void Envoy... is he really dead?"
The Grand Elder was silent for a moment, then nodded. "With the fel core shattered, he, being symbiotic with it, naturally couldn't survive. But remember, he's merely a vanguard for the Shadow Clan; the truly powerful figures haven't yet appeared." He paused, his gaze turning to the window. "This time, you destroyed the mothership, disrupting their plans, but you also thoroughly enraged the Shadow Clan. The days ahead won't be peaceful."
I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. Indeed, the death of the Void Envoy was just the beginning; those demons lurking in the darkness would not let it go so easily.
For the next few days, I recuperated in the guest room at the Stargazing Platform. Every day, besides taking medicine and practicing internal energy cultivation, I would lean against the window and look at the All-Heavens Mirror. The images in the mirror kept changing. Sometimes it was the scene of the demon army gathering in the distant Star Domain, sometimes it was the busy figures of cultivators in various Star Domain reinforcing the defense, and occasionally I would see Blazing Sun and the others leading the Heaven Battalion team to patrol the border.
" Brother Xiao Yan, look what I brought!"
On the afternoon of the fifth day, a clear shout came from outside the door, followed by a little girl in a pink dress skipping in. It was Blazing Sun's younger sister, nicknamed A Yao, who had just broken through to the Realm Lord Realm this year and was very lively. She was carrying a food box, which she opened to reveal crystal-clear fruits inside. "These are 'Soul-Gathering Fruits.' My brother said they're good for your soul recovery, so he specially asked me to pick them from the herb garden."
I picked up a fruit and took a bite. The sweet juice melted on my tongue, and I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. "Thank Blazing Sun for me."
"You're welcome!" A Yao waved her hand, her big eyes curiously looking me up and down. "Brother said you destroyed the Demon Mothership all by yourself, is that true? His eyes were shining when he said it!"
I chuckled at her words and was about to speak when footsteps sounded outside the door again. Blazing Sun pushed the door open and entered. Seeing A Yao, he sighed helplessly, "I told you not to disturb Xiao Yan's rest."
"I didn't disturb you!" A Yao pouted, unconvinced. "I came to deliver fruit!"
Blazing Sun ignored her and walked to the bedside. He said to me with a serious expression, "I just received news that there's been unusual activity in the ' Mist Star Domain ' to the west. Some cultivators have seen figures that resemble envoys from the Shadow Clan. The Grand Elder asked me to ask you how your injuries are healing and whether you could come with me to take a look."
I tried to move my wrists a bit; although I couldn't use my full strength yet, it should be fine for normal combat. "No problem, when do we set off?"
"Tomorrow morning," Blazing Sun nodded, "Three elders will be accompanying us this time. Don't force yourself; their main task is to scout out the situation."
He paused, then added, "By the way, the team members who infiltrated the mothership with you last time, except for two who were seriously injured, have almost fully recovered. They said they'd like to have a drink with you when you're better."
Thinking of those figures who fought side by side in the passage, my heart warmed. "Alright, when we return from the Mist Star Domain, I'll treat everyone."
Listening from the side, A Yao suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I want to go too! I want to see what the Shadow Clan Chief looks like!"
Blazing Sun tapped her forehead. "What are you doing getting involved, little one? Stay in the herb garden and cultivate properly."
A Yao covered her forehead, lowered her head in grievance, but secretly winked at me.
The next morning, I met up with Blazing Sun, where three white-haired elders were already waiting by the teleportation array. They were all cultivators at the peak of the Realm Lord Realm, with calm auras, and their gazes toward me carried a hint of approval.
"Young friend Xiao Yan, it's an honor to meet you." The white-bearded elder at the head of the group cupped his hands and smiled. "We've all heard about the heroic feat of Heaven Burning Radiance in destroying the Ten Thousand Souls Gate. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."
"You flatter me, Elder," I quickly returned the greeting.
The teleportation array lit up, and the group stepped onto the teleportation platform. In the instant the light flashed, I subconsciously touched the Heaven Burning Sword at my waist—the blade gleamed with a faint golden light in the morning glow, as if it too was anticipating the upcoming battle.
As its name suggests, Star Domain Mist Star Domain is shrouded in a thick layer of gray mist, which greatly suppresses divine sense. As soon as we stepped out of the teleportation array, we felt a faint, chilling aura creeping into our bones through our pores.
"Be careful, this mist has a bone-corroding effect." The white-bearded elder summoned a defensive light barrier, shutting out the mist. "According to the information, the Shadow Clan envoy Last has appeared at the ' Soul-Severing Cliff ' ahead."
The group continued along the rugged mountain path, eerie wailing sounds echoing from the mist, like the weeping of countless wronged souls. Blazing Sun gripped the long sword at his waist, warily surveying his surroundings. "This place is too eerie; even the fluctuations of the laws of nature are intermittent."
I channeled my fire power, forming a thin cocoon around myself, and sure enough, I felt the chilling aura within the mist being blocked. "Everyone, try to avoid letting the mist touch your skin to prevent poisoning."
Upon reaching the edge of the Soul-Severing Cliff, the fog thinned out, revealing a bottomless abyss below. Dark purple vines grew on the cliff face, bearing black fruits that emitted an aura similar to that of the Fel Core.
"Look there," an elder pointed to a dent in the cliff face, "There are signs of a struggle."
As we approached for a closer look, we saw several deep claw marks on the rock in the depression, revealing bone beneath. The rock around the claw marks was an unnatural black, clearly corroded by fel energy. Blazing Sun crouched down, picked up a bit of black powder with the tip of his knife, and smelled it. "It's left by the Shadow Clan's ' Bone-Corroding Claw,' and this scent... is even stronger than that of the Void Envoy."
A chill ran through me. "Could it be an existence of a higher level than the Void Envoy?"
The white-bearded elder's expression was grave. "Very likely. The Shadow Clan has a strict hierarchy; above the envoy are 'priests' and 'kings.' If a priest-level figure appears here, it will be a huge problem."
Just then, the fog suddenly churned violently, and an aura a hundred times colder than before emanated from below the cliff. I instinctively gripped the Heaven Burning Sword tighter, and saw a dark figure slowly rise from the fog. The figure hovered in mid-air, much taller than an ordinary human, and was surrounded by thick black fog, obscuring its face. Only a pair of blood-red eyes, like two lanterns, stared intently at us.
"Found you." The shadowy figure spoke, its voice like countless grains of sand grinding together. "You killed my messenger and destroyed the mothership... Today, I will use your souls to pay tribute to Lord Shadow."
Before he finished speaking, the black mist surrounding him suddenly transformed into countless black spears, shooting towards us with a sharp whistling sound!