[Vol. 6] Chapter 172: Dark Star
Yanzi raised her eyebrows slightly, but Mu Ze didn’t seem to care about her reaction. He continued speaking in a steady tone.
“Because of that operation, we re-encountered those individuals we had briefly crossed paths with on the official road. This ti, we established a temporary cooperative agreent and entered this [Endless Wasteland Sea] together.”
“After Miss Violet rescued your group, you imdiately went to see her alone, claiming you wanted to thank her in person. That made perfect sense, so much so that it struck as unusual.”
“Afterwards, I questioned everyone about what happened in the tomb. I learned that the entire route was planned by you. While you fought valiantly during the operation and even suffered a fatal mishap yourself, with your level of ability, would you really fail to detect a threat that was practically under your nose?”
Mu Ze’s eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp gleam flashing in his gaze.
“There’s only one explanation, you did it on purpose. Entering the tomb, encountering enemies, and even being struck by that strange force. All of it was part of a plan you orchestrated from behind the scenes. While I still don’t fully understand what you were aiming for, it’s clear that it ties back to Miss Violet. Am I correct?”
The black-haired girl with dark eyes lifted her head, her expression calm as she gave a small nod.
“Please, go on.”
“…Once I realized this, I started quietly observing Miss Violet during our interactions. I noticed sothing interesting. Not only does she have the sa black hair as you, but also, unlike when we first t her by the roadside, she now wears a jade pendant at her waist.”
“You know that in my youth, I passed the [Four Saints’ Immortal Selection Ceremony] and trained for a ti on the Spirit Veil Immortal Island. During my stay in that sacred place, I beca sowhat familiar with the legendary Spirit Veil Tribe. Because of that, I could tell that the jade pendant was sothing closely tied to Immortal Island.”
“Even with my experience, I couldn’t discern its exact significance. So, I secretly sketched it and sent the design back to the sect, asking for their help in identifying it…”
At this point, Mu Ze paused and smiled faintly.
“Can you guess what astonishing reply I received from the sect master?” Mu Ze asked with a faint smile. “Or, let put it another way. The [Heaven-Opening Sect] place, sealed for over a century since its destruction, suddenly opens within the [Endless Wasteland Sea], accompanied by phenona that seem linked to the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden]. Do you really think this is re coincidence?”
“If not… then who is responsible?”
“……”
Yanzi remained silent for a long ti, eventually responding with an ambiguous question of her own.
“Is this your opinion, or the sect master’s?”
“It’s the Holy Sect’s view,” Mu Ze replied. “You know, many people are looking for her. In these turbulent tis, the [Ancient Spirit Realm] desperately needs her power. Even if she is nothing more than a distant beacon, a lighthouse, or an unattainable moon, the re fact that people can see her would change so much.”
“The [Eastern Origin Holy Sect]…” Yanzi murmured, her expression thoughtful.
It seed she had co to a decision. The braided-haired girl gave a small nod.
“You’re not wrong, Teacher Mu. Miss Violet indeed shares a deep connection with the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden]. She hasn’t deliberately hidden this fact. Otherwise, she wouldn’t openly wear that jade pendant.”
“I know so of the truth about this matter, though only a part of it, and it’s not sothing I can disclose freely. However, if you’re willing to assist Miss Violet, I can, upon our return, share selective information about her. I assure you, it would satisfy the high-ranking figures in your circles. What do you think?”
The two, ostensibly teacher and student, locked eyes for a mont. Mu Ze’s face showed mild surprise before he appeared to grasp her intent.
“I see. So, is this an offer from you personally, or… from Spirit Veil Immortal Island?”
Yanzi shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“Consider it a collaboration between the [Seven Hidden Stars], specifically, Xuan Ji and the [Eastern Origin Holy Sect].”
………………………….
“Be careful, The space here seems to be growing increasingly unstable.”
Three figures descended from the slightly dim rainstorm, and as soon as they landed, the cat-eared girl quickly alerted her companions.
“Hmm… It seems the environnt inside is very different from the outside. What on earth did the people from [Heaven-Opening Sect] do back then? How did things end up like this?”
Grumbling softly, the priestess took another look around.
The once-bustling streets were now in ruins, with collapsed buildings reduced to rubble. There wasn’t a trace of vegetation or life to be seen, only the relentless, pervasive rain connecting this desolate place to the world they had just left.
The bleakness of it all was overwhelming. Violet activated the [Light Protection] shield, creating a basic barrier to fend off external threats.
This ancient town, or rather the collapsed remnants of the [Heaven-Opening Sect] ruin, was steeped in chaotic energy. At its center seed to be an object emitting an imnse, decayed power. Over the years, this energy had spread like a kind of radiation, making the area entirely unsuitable for any living beings.
It was likely this sa energy that had given rise to the countless earthbound spirits haunting the ruins. Whatever was at the core of this ruin seed to hold the key to its mystery.
Violet initially planned to fly straight to the heart of the collapse to uncover its secrets. However, as she had observed earlier from above, the center was shrouded in a mysterious force, dark and star-like, which completely concealed whatever lay within.
If she were alone, she could have relied on her formidable defenses to force her way through. But given the current situation, she had to consider the safety of her companions.
Thus, Violet opted for a more cautious approach, landing near the core area and advancing step by step, thodically exploring the ruins.
Her caution was quickly validated.
“Ah!”
A dark fissure suddenly appeared beside the silver-haired girl without warning. Before she could react, Xiao Kong, whose sensitivity to spatial changes was unmatched, instinctively raised her hand, catching the fissure with her cat-paw-shaped claw.
A silvery sheen lingered on Xiao Kong’s claw, freezing the normally fleeting spatial fissure in place as if it were a specin. The three girls examined it closely.
“What is this thing?” Violet asked curiously.
“It’s a spatial fissure, of course. Haven’t you seen plenty of spatial magic before?” Xiao Kong replied nonchalantly.
“I an, I’ve seen it, sure…” Violet scratched her head sheepishly, laughing. “But aren’t spatial fissures supposed to occur only when imnse energy clashes or when spatial magic tears through the fabric of space? Why are these ones just appearing randomly? Could it be caused by so kind of magic formation or barrier?”
“You really don’t know anything, do you…” Xiao Kong sighed, launching into an explanation.
“What you’re talking about are just the triggers for spatial fissures, not their essence. Think of space as a dium, like a substance. When large aggregations of this dium co together, they form what we call a ‘world.’ Within this dium, there are naturally emptier voids, which we refer to as subspace or the interstices of worlds.”
“When the spatial dium is disrupted by external forces, subspace takes the opportunity to invade.”
She playfully tapped the frozen fissure with her claw, treating the frightening anomaly like a harmless toy.
“See? This thing right here.”
“Normally, the spatial dium doesn’t break easily. Even when it does, it works like air or water, naturally flowing to repair itself. But if there isn’t enough spatial dium to fill the area, you get chaotic fluctuations like this.”
“That’s what’s called spatial instability. Got it?”
“Ohhh! You’re amazing, Teacher Xiao Kong!”
Violet quickly applauded the expert lady’s logically thorough explanation and then raised a critically important question.
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