Chapter 103: If It Were Me, How Could I Let Go of Junior Brother’s Hand?
Yue Qingying’s face was filled with a hint of self-reproach. Mingyan, seeing this, felt a pang in his heart. “You don’t need to blame yourself, Senior Sister. I also encountered an illusion of you earlier and doubted if you were real.”
“Is that so? Then how did you see through it?” Yue Qingying asked, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
“I wanted to hold your hand, worried we might get separated in the mist again. But the illusion pulled her hand away, not letting me hold it. That’s how I knew.” Mingyan explained. If it were his Senior Sister, she would never have pulled her hand away. In fact, she would have held his hand tightly and not let go.
Yue Qingying was slightly taken aback, then chuckled, squeezing Mingyan’s hand tightly, her smile radiant. “You’re right. If it were me, how could I let go of my junior brother’s hand?”
“So that’s how I figured it out. How about you, Senior Sister? Did you encounter a fake me?”
“Yes, I did. But I saw through it easily. That fake had an air of unfamiliarity, everything about it was off.” Yue Qingying nodded. It had disgusted her. Fortunately, she had seen through it early and, before it could get close, had struck it with her sword, causing it to dissolve into mist.
“You know me too well, Senior Sister. The mist couldn’t fool you,” Mingyan smiled.
Huang Feiyan glanced at Mingyan, then at their intertwined hands, not knowing what to say. Were they just senior and junior siblings, or was there something more?
Ning Feixuan also saw their intimacy. She felt a strange sense of unease, not because she was concerned about their relationship, but because she simply felt they were being a bit too close for a senior and junior sibling.
Mingyan also explained his own discovery. The four of them discussed it and decided to enter the center of the whirlwind together. Perhaps the inheritance was inside.
Mingyan’s Wind Spirit Scripture was most sensitive to airflow, so he led the way. Huang Feiyan’s presence could ensure the others wouldn’t be deceived by illusions. The other two just needed to be wary of their surroundings. After all, who knew what other dangers lurked within the mist, besides the deceptive illusions?
As they moved forward, the airflow intensified, the cold wind feeling like blades against their skin. Mingyan’s physique was strong, so he didn’t feel it, but the other three, especially Huang Feiyan, with her delicate skin, were not so fortunate. Although her Huang family bloodline granted her strong regenerative abilities, her physique wasn’t particularly powerful. Several cuts appeared on her fair face, healing and disappearing in an instant, only to be replaced by new ones.
She showed no sign of discomfort, as if the wounds weren’t hers.
Mingyan, leading the way, didn’t feel a thing. His physique was too strong. The wind didn’t even faze him, though his clothes were torn to shreds. Yue Qingying, Ning Feixuan, and Huang Feiyan’s clothes were treasures and remained undamaged, but his were just ordinary clothes, which were now in tatters.
The wind grew stronger. Mingyan turned and saw that not just Huang Feiyan, but Yue Qingying and Ning Feixuan were also covered in small cuts. He stopped. “Are you alright?”
“Just minor cuts. They’ll heal quickly,” Huang Feiyan shook her head.
Ning Feixuan touched a cut on her face, and a faint, warm light emanated from her hand, healing it. She then helped Yue Qingying heal as well. The “Western Emperor Scripture” was unparalleled in healing, the strongest in the world.
“Let’s continue,” Yue Qingying said, feeling her wounds heal.
Seeing they were all fine, Mingyan continued forward.
The wind became even more ferocious. Even Mingyan felt a stinging sensation on his skin. The wind grew stronger. Mingyan held Yue Qingying’s hand, who held Huang Feiyan’s, who in turn held Ning Feixuan’s. The four of them, linked together, were less likely to be blown away. This whirlwind was an outward burst, not a vortex that would pull them into the center. If they were caught in it, who knew where they would end up.
Mingyan circulated the Wind Spirit Scripture, which had an affinity for wind. He enveloped the four of them in its green spiritual energy, and the pressure lessened. They continued forward.
“How long will it take to reach the center?” Huang Feiyan frowned. Her eyes glowed, as hot as two suns. She looked ahead but couldn’t see the end. The mist stretched on, seemingly endless.
The mist seemed to have no end, but the size of each region in the Supreme Dao Hall was limited. It must be under the influence of something. If it was truly an inheritance, it likely involved the laws of space.
“I don’t know,” Mingyan shook his head. “But since we’ve come this far, we can’t turn back now. It would be a waste of effort.”
Yue Qingying smiled faintly. “Junior Brother is right. The culprit behind this misty illusion must be at the center of the whirlwind. If we don’t obtain it, our efforts will be in vain.”
Ning Feixuan nodded. “Let’s continue.”
Mingyan no longer hesitated and moved forward.
Under the protection of the Wind Spirit Scripture’s spiritual energy, the violent airflow became more manageable, less harmful. But as they neared the center, even holding hands, they struggled to maintain their footing.
The lotus mark on Ning Feixuan’s forehead bloomed, emitting a soft glow, enveloping the four of them within the Wind Spirit Scripture’s energy shield. Yue Qingying and Huang Feiyan also released their own spiritual energy, and with the combined power of the four, they were able to continue forward.
“We should be close to the eye of the storm now,” Mingyan said. He could feel the airflow intensifying, the wind growing stronger. He released his bright moon phenomenon, which hovered in the air, unaffected by the wind, its Taiyin power flowing into his body, strengthening his spiritual energy. They all continued to amplify their own power, ensuring they could reach the center of the whirlwind.
“I can see something!” Huang Feiyan’s eyes were crimson, as hot as the sun. Her gaze finally pierced through the mist, and she saw the center. She looked puzzled. “But there’s nothing there. It’s calm.”
“We’ll have to see for ourselves,” Mingyan shook his head.
“You’re right. It’s not far now.” Huang Feiyan nodded, and they continued forward. After a while, they finally reached the center.
It was calm, without any airflow. It was a grassy clearing, empty. Seeing the danger was gone, Mingyan dissipated the energy shield.
“Hiss… So cold…” Yue Qingying shivered, and even Ning Feixuan couldn’t help but tremble.
The air here was frigid, as if their bones were being soaked in ice. Yue Qingying and Ning Feixuan couldn’t bear it. Huang Feiyan’s spiritual energy was naturally fiery, so she wasn’t as affected. And Mingyan’s Human King blood, with its potent Yang energy, made him immune to the cold.
Huang Feiyan held Yue Qingying and Ning Feixuan’s hands, transferring her spiritual energy to them to warm them up.
Mingyan observed his surroundings but found nothing.
It was a grassy clearing. Before the mist appeared, it must have been a grassland.
Strange, how could there be nothing? Mingyan walked to the center of the clearing and looked at the ground. He saw a small symbol, a “#” sign, similar to his “*” symbol. He squatted down, touched it, and his vision went black. He collapsed to the ground.
The others also collapsed. The violent wind dissipated, leaving only the endless mist.
Mingyan’s eyes snapped open. He sat up and found himself in a different place.
This was no longer the eye of the storm, but a magnificent palace. He was alone.
The palace was carved with various strange and precious beasts: a phoenix, a Kun Peng, a Shengyu…
There were also carvings of humans, gathered with the beasts, as if attending a banquet. And above the banquet, a long sword hung, as if about to fall.
What was this story?
Mingyan was puzzled. He looked towards the front of the palace. There was a throne, but it was empty.
He hesitated, then walked towards it. On the throne, he saw a “#” symbol, identical to the one in the center of the whirlwind.
What was this? Could it also be some kind of secret technique?
