About half an hour later.
The group finally emerged from that oppressive canyon.
As the final step carried them out of the suffocating grey mist and the long-lost light hit their eyes, everyone subconsciously squinted, feeling as if they had suddenly awakened from a protracted nightmare.
The mist before them gradually thinned, and their field of vision opened up.
There was no sound of birds or fragrance of flowers, nor was there any immortal paradise overflowing with Spirit Chi.
What met their eyes was a vast, desolate, and tragic expanse of wasteland ruins.
The air here was dry and coarse, the wind whipping sand and grit against their faces.
Colossal ruins of broken walls lay scattered across the grey-brown earth like the bleached bones of prehistoric giants.
Some stone pillars towered into the clouds; though their surfaces had long been weathered and eroded by time, one could still vaguely discern the ancient cloud patterns and auspicious beasts carved upon them, speaking of the glory of the primordial era.
Other palaces were reduced to mere foundations, buried under withered yellow weeds and thorny brambles, with the occasional bird perching upon them to let out a hoarse cry.
A massive, strangely blood-red setting sun hung on the horizon.
The dark red afterglow spilled over this deathly silent ruin, stretching shadows long and thin, exuding an indescribable sense of desolation and vicissitude.
Clearly, countless years ago, this had been the grand site of a sect. Perhaps tens of thousands of immortals had once come to pay their respects, but now, only the sound of the wind whistling through the holes remained, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves.
“Phew…”
Gu Jian exhaled a long breath of turbid air. The giant sword in his hand finally lowered, its tip propped against the ground to support his somewhat exhausted body. “We’re finally out. That canyon… it’s simply not a place for humans.”
The other two Outer Sect Disciples collapsed directly onto the ground, panting heavily. Their foreheads were covered in cold sweat, looking like survivors of a great catastrophe.
Today, whether it was the ambush of those Demonic Cultivators or the encounter within that canyon, they were left with lingering fears.
“Speaking of which, weren’t we supposed to be pursuing the Demonic Cultivators? Where are they?”
By now, Gu Jian suddenly remembered why they had charged into that canyon in the first place.
“They are already dead. I burned the bodies,” Yu Qingyao replied, her left thumb subconsciously rubbing the Storage Ring on her index finger.
While searching for the Soul Governance Art, Yu Qingyao had seen the pathetic corpses of a group of Demonic Cultivators. To prevent any of them from faking death, she had immediately used her flames to incinerate all the Demonic Cultivators into ash.
Wu Yan stood silently by a fractured stone monument, her plain white Daoist robe dyed with a layer of warmth by the dim sunset.
Her gaze swept over the surroundings as her powerful Divine Sense spread out like flowing mercury. After confirming that there were no threats from high-level demonic beasts or Demonic Cultivators within a few miles—save for a few low-level Wasteland Wolves—she finally nodded slightly.
“Everyone fought the Demonic Cultivators today and exhausted their mental energy in the Illusion Array. If we force ourselves to travel now, it will be difficult to hold our ground if we encounter danger.”
Wu Yan turned around. Though her voice remained cool, it carried a trace of nearly imperceptible concern.
“We will rest and recuperate here tonight.”
Wu Yan looked toward Bai Zhiqiu and Yu Qingyao. Before she could speak, a red figure floated down from a crossbeam in mid-air like a deflated ball.
Wu Yan (Inner) hung upside down from the stone pillar in front of Wu Yan, her waterfall of black hair cascading down.
She crossed her arms, looking at Wu Yan with a face full of misery, her captivating red eyes filled with unhappiness.
“Ahhh, it’s so dirty, so ugly, so boring—”
Wu Yan (Inner) reached out a slender finger and poked Wu Yan’s forehead, drawling her words and complaining like a child who hadn’t grown up.
“Little Wu Yan, look at this wretched place. There isn’t even a decent-looking tree. This Seat was about to suffocate in that trashy canyon, and now I have to come out and see this rubbish scenery? I want to bathe! I want to eat! I want to look at pretty clothes! I want to wring those two dead brats’ heads off and kick them around like balls!”
Wu Yan ignored the red-clothed silhouette before her with an expressionless face. Not even a flicker of emotion appeared in her eyes as she spoke directly to Yu Qingyao and Bai Zhiqiu. “Take a rest. Qingyao, start a fire.”
***
As night fell, the temperature on the wasteland fluctuated wildly. The cold wind howled, carrying a bone-chilling frost.
Yu Qingyao truly lived up to her reputation as a fire-attribute cultivator. With a flick of her fingers, several strands of precisely controlled spiritual fire ignited the withered wood, the orange-red flames dispelling the surrounding chill.
She skillfully retrieved several pieces of high-level spiritual beast meat from her Storage Ring—it was Blaze Rabbit meat, known for being tender and full of Spirit Chi.
She skewered the meat onto specialized spiritual wooden sticks and placed them over the fire to roast.
Before long, golden fat dripped into the fire with a sizzling sound. A rich aroma of meat mixed with special spices instantly permeated the air.
“It smells so good…”
Bai Zhiqiu had originally been using a jade slip to record the journey’s experiences. Upon smelling the fragrance, she immediately sniffed without any regard for her image and leaned in.
The eldest young lady of the Tianyan Sect showed none of her previous distress, having regained her shrewd yet slightly playful demeanor.
She glanced at the sizzling, oily roasted meat in Yu Qingyao’s hand, her eyes darting around. She then pulled an exquisite purple sandalwood food box from her own Storage Ring.
“Eating only meat is so greasy, and it easily causes internal heat.”
As if presenting a treasure, Bai Zhiqiu opened the food box and held it out to Wu Yan.
Inside were several pieces of crystal-clear, jade-like pastries arranged neatly, garnished with a few pink flower petals, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance.
“Here, Fellow Daoist Wu, try this! Before I left the sect, I specifically went to the famous Babaozhai in the Tianyan Sect’s market and waited in line to buy this Cloud Mist Pine Cake. It’s made with Mount Tian spiritual spring water and pine pollen. It melts in your mouth—not only is it delicious, but it also relieves fatigue!”
As she spoke, she pinched a piece of the cake and prepared to bring it to Wu Yan’s lips. “Ah—open up.”
Wu Yan blinked, just about to reach out and take it.
“Snap.”
A slender but powerful hand cut in, accurately blocking Bai Zhiqiu’s wrist.
Yu Qingyao held a skewer of freshly roasted Blaze Rabbit meat, steaming and dripping with golden oil, as she forced herself between the two of them.
She looked at Bai Zhiqiu with a fake smile, her tone carrying an undisguised hostility:
“Fellow Taoist Wu, in this desolate wilderness, what’s the point of eating those cold, cloying pastries? Senior Sister’s body is currently depleted; she needs to replenish her blood and chi. It’s better to eat some hot meat to nourish the body.”
Having said that, she held the meat skewer to Wu Yan’s lips. “Senior Sister, this is Blaze Rabbit meat. I specifically sprinkled cumin and a little bit of chili powder on it. The heat is just right; eat it while it’s hot.”
Bai Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow, refusing to be outdone. With a flick of her wrist, she bypassed Yu Qingyao’s obstruction and pushed the pastry forward again:
“Meat is too oily. Eating it at night causes indigestion, which is bad for cultivation. It’s better for Fellow Daoist Wu to eat something light and elegant. Come on, just one bite~”
“Eat the meat! This is a second-order spiritual beast, very nourishing!” Yu Qingyao wouldn’t yield an inch.
“Eat the cake! This is a Tianbao Pavilion special supply, it’s good for your complexion!” Bai Zhiqiu argued her case.
The two women stood on either side, neither willing to back down. Sandwiched in the middle were a skewer of meat and a piece of cake, both only half an inch away from Wu Yan’s lips.
The air seemed to crackle with electric sparks.
What made it even more of a headache for her was—
“I want to eat that cake! That looks so delicious! So soft!!”
Wu Yan (Inner) floated by Wu Yan’s shoulder, her eyes fixed on the Cloud Mist Pine Cake, saliva nearly dripping.
She reached out with a translucent hand to grab it, only to grasp at empty air. Furious, she wailed and blew air into Wu Yan’s ear:
“I want to eat something sweet!”
Before she finished venting, she turned to look at the meat skewer in Yu Qingyao’s hand. Her nostrils flared as the scent of cumin-roasted meat pierced through to her very soul:
“Ooh—that meat seems good too. Little Wu Yan! Quick! Take them both! Faster, faster! This Seat commands you to take them all!”
Wu Yan sighed.
She reached out both hands, her left taking Yu Qingyao’s skewer and her right taking Bai Zhiqiu’s pastry.
“I will eat both.”
Wu Yan first took a bite of the meat skewer. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with juices; the aroma of cumin instantly woke up her taste buds.
Immediately after, she took a bite of the pastry. It was cool, sweet, and melted on the tongue, indeed having a soul-soothing effect.
That bizarre combination of sweet and salty exploded in her mouth, but her face remained calm and composed.
“Both taste good. Thank you,” Wu Yan evaluated flatly.
“Hmph.”
Seeing that her Senior Sister had eaten the meat first, Yu Qingyao felt she had won by half a step even though the cake was eaten eventually. Only then did she withdraw her protective stance and sit back down to continue roasting meat, though the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
Bai Zhiqiu sat with her chin in her hands, smiling as she watched Wu Yan eat. her eyes were sparkling. “The way Fellow Taoist Wu eats is so refined. Unlike some people who roast meat like they’re starting a forest fire—aren’t you afraid of singeing your eyebrows?”
“Who are you saying is starting a forest fire?” Yu Qingyao shot her a cold glance. “If you don’t want to eat, you don’t have to.”
“Oh, my greatest virtue is that I’m not a picky eater.”
As Bai Zhiqiu spoke, she deftly snatched the largest skewer of meat from the fire rack.
As for Gu Jian and the others, they didn’t dare participate in the conversation between the women. They could only take meat skewers from the rack and eat in silence.
***
Late at night, the wind blew across the wasteland, and the campfire swayed with it.
Yu Qingyao and Bai Zhiqiu had already fallen asleep. Gu Jian and the other two disciples were also slumped against the ruined walls, overcome by exhaustion.
Only Wu Yan remained on watch.
Recalling the lively scene during dinner, Wu Yan fell silent for a moment.
She looked up at Wu Yan (Inner), who was floating above the campfire, boredly poking the flames with her finger in an attempt to feel the heat.
The firelight reflected on Wu Yan (Inner)’s stunning but pale face, making her look less aggressive and more ethereal and fragile.
Wu Yan’s gaze pierced through the dancing flames as if traveling through time and space to see that figure huddled on the throne of white bones.
“Do you ever feel lonely?”
Unexpectedly, Wu Yan asked Wu Yan (Inner) in a soft voice.
“Lonely?” Wu Yan (Inner)’s blood-colored eyes suddenly brightened upon hearing the question. She floated directly in front of Wu Yan, crossing her arms over her chest. “Little Wu Yan, you understand This Seat too little! Let me put it this way: even if I were the only person left in the entire world, I would not be lonely!”
“Is that so…”
Wu Yan did not speak further.
In her view, perhaps the one who didn’t understand Wu Yan (Inner) was someone else entirely.
“Furthermore—”
Wu Yan (Inner) sat down gently beside Wu Yan, her blood-red eyes staring at Wu Yan’s profile.
Those ink-black eyes were as indifferent as ever, yet they possessed a strangely attractive quality.
The cynical, disdainful expression on Wu Yan (Inner)’s face gradually faded, replaced by a complex, somewhat awkward look.
“Before This Seat takes back my body, don’t I still have you?”
Her voice was very soft, so soft that even Wu Yan, sitting right next to her, didn’t hear it clearly.
A nearly imperceptible ripple flashed through Wu Yan (Inner)’s bewitching red pupils.
“Forget it! You’re a blockhead. Talking to you is a waste of breath.”
Though she said that, she didn’t cause any more trouble. Instead, she gently leaned her head against Wu Yan’s shoulder.
Although there was no physical touch, and although Wu Yan could not feel her weight.
In this moment, the two souls seemed to find a spark of resonance across the boundary of reality and illusion.
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