Chapter 13.1 (2/2)

Nether and Thalia’s appearance fades into the grey-black of the setting sun as the sky gradually darkens. The entire black ocean rises and falls violently and slowly, as if it is going to engulf the skies and ground.

The black island beneath their feet lets out continuous tragic breathing and sorrowful callings like a weak animal struggling in the ocean.

[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding Waters of Rennes]

In the dusty cyan of the sky, a large ball of white light seems to be free falling onto the black island with the howls of a shooting star. Countless elongated white glow seem to be like tens of thousands of wandering ghouls trailing behind this group of meteors. They blur into countless s.h.i.+ning sparks in the sky.

The sharp wind howls as the large group of star dust-like glow falls towards the island and slams onto the black ground like a meteorite. The entire white ball of light breaks apart and spreads. Countless while tendrils of light rotate to reveal a white-winged bird amongst the light. An Chi’s large body is like a small hill. In the moment it appeared, it morphs into tens upon thousands of s.h.i.+ning feathers. As if being sucked into the eye of a cyclone, they surge and roll into the lord’s seal beneath Lianquan’s ear.

The light from the explosion disappears immediately, leaving only the shadows of Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan perched against the wind among the vast darkness of the sky and ocean. Everything between the heavens and earth is sorrowfully silent. Beneath the dark starry night sky is the endless ocean. Lianquan knows in her heart that she is insignificant. As a n.o.ble disciple, what is she in comparison to the grandness of the skies and earth?

Guishan Fenghun’s Ares-like armour glows green in the twilight. Guishan Lianquan’s dress robes are rustled by the wind from the ocean. The blazing rigidity and luxurious soft beauty compliments each other strangely.

“We’re here?” Guishan Lianquan asks.

“We’re here.” Guishan Fenghun’s face has firmness to it as if carved from weathering the wind and snow.

“The Sixth Lord, Xiliuer, is on this island?” Guishan Lianquan closes her eyes and tries her best to detect the changes in soul powers on this island. Her brows furrow slightly as if she is filled with confusion at what she has detected.

Guishan Fenghun asks, “What did you sense?”

Guishan Lianquan opens eyes. Her face is filled with confusion and even a tinge of fear. She opens her mouth as if to say something but then pauses, as if her words seem absurd even to herself.

As if knowing what she is about to say, Guishan Fenghun nods with a tense expression on his face, “It’s alright, just tell me what you sensed.”

Guishan Lianquan takes in a deep breath and says, “Although I am not an expert in sensing soul powers, yet from what I can feel, although the soul powers on this island is obviously grand and is definitely close to the level of a n.o.ble Lord. It may even be greater. However, the strange thing is that I am unable to detect where the source of the soul powers are from at all. It is as if we are surrounding by it, that we are smack centre. If that is the case, then Lord Xiliuer should be standing right before us……yet……” Guishan Lianquan surveys the environment. There is not a single soul to be seen between the boundless lands. She says nothing more because a bone-chilling fear rises up her throat.

As if knowing what is going through her mind at the moment, Guishan Fenghun tells her, “Your feeling is accurate. Because at this moment, we are standing on the body of the Immortal Lord. This entire island is his body.”

“What?” Guishan Lianquan is unable to believe what she has just heard.

Guishan Fenghun says no more but raises his hand lightly. He draws an arch in the air directed towards the ground. As if being cut by a formless blade, a crack explodes on the surface of the ground. Black rocks spray everywhere.

“Look deep into the crack of the ground.” Guishan Fenghun points to the crack that just appeared.

A deep red liquid is currently gurgling from the crack. The blood is as if spring water from underneath the ground, flowing slowly. At the same time, the blood is rapidly congealing as the broken rocks slowly gather back in their original places, healing like a wound on a person’s skin.

Guishan Lianquan stares at the creepy and unbelievable scene before questioning, “How can this be?”

Guishan Fenghun raises his head. The surging ocean seems to be reflected in his gaze. “Seventeen years ago, Xiliuer received the command of the Silver Priests and headed to this island. The content of this order is for him to try his hardest to fuse himself together with this island in order to protect it.”

“This island is really ordinary. There are countless islands like this in the surrounding waters of Rennes. Why sacrifice a lord to protect it?”

“Of course it is not ordinary, if not, why would Xiliuer willingly imprison himself here and fuse his blood and flesh to the rocks of this island? ‘That’ Silver Priest only told me to come here in search of Xiliuer, yet he died before he told me why or what secret this island harbours……”

“The Silver Priest you’re talking about is the young child you rescued from the Abyss Corridor?” Guishan Lianquan enquires.

“Yes……”

“……But didn’t you say that, when he died……such a method of dying……is he really the Silver Priest?” Guishan Lianquan masters the courage to ask softly.

Guishan Fenghun closes his eyes as the scene of the Silver Priest pa.s.sing on in the Abyss Corridor flashes in his mind like lightning. The dark h.e.l.l-like image seems to be imprinted in his mind like ink. Indelible. Every single time he remembers it, an undeniable fear grips Guishan Fenghun, as if the hand of a ghoul reached into his chest and clenched its icy-cold fingers around his heart.

On that very day, together with Yin Chen, he witnessed the death of the Silver Priest, that pallid youth who seems as if he has been carved out from crystals. Originally, when the young boy’s amber-like irises lost their glow and his eyes closed slowly, sorrow filled Yin Chen and Fenghun’s hearts. However the next moment was when the horrifying shadow fell upon them.

The boy’s eyelids that have closed suddenly melt away like ice, leaving behind two black eye sockets, resembling that from a rotting corpse. What is more horrifying is that countless thick black liquid surge and fill the sockets. These liquid struggle and twist like soft black creatures with a life of their own, emitting shrill shrieks. This thick and sticky liquid ooze out from the boy’s eyes. The black gelatinous substance flow down the boy’s face, neck, chest……all the way to the ground. The black liquid struggles to form the shapes of limbs. On a wart of flesh that suddenly rose, there are two snow-white eyeb.a.l.l.s the size of fists. Countless broken blood vessels decorate it. A mouth-like dark hole is emitting hoa.r.s.e and terrifying howls……a large lump of black jelly-like substance releases the odor of rotten flesh. Hands and feet that resemble dried branches reaches out from it continuously, looking like charred limps from a black body after a heavy struggle. It also seems like a black swamp has engulfed rotten corpses……when the last of the black substance is supplanted from the boy’s body, this lump of wriggling and shrieking black liquid weakens gradually before turning into black gas that evaporates into the sky and dissipates with the wind. Leaving behind the crystal-like empty sh.e.l.l of the young boy with his empty sockets releasing white smoke……

Both Yin Chen and Guishan Fenghun find it hard to believe their eyes. Unless this unspeakable monstrous black liquid is the G.o.d-like Silver Priest they have trusted and wors.h.i.+ped? Unless the flawless, crystal carved, G.o.d-like body is only their sh.e.l.l? What about the Silver Priests in deep slumber underneath the crystal ground of the Heart? Does this mean that their handsomely beautiful bodies that resemble deities are also lumps of black, stinking mucus?

“It is not our place to think about it. We are just lords and disciples. Accepting and completing tasks is our fate.” Guishan Fenghun’s fringe is blown apart by the sea breeze in the dimming light, revealing his masculine features. Since when did the n.o.ble Lords and disciples that dominate the entire mainland become such a melancholic presence?

How many monstrously terrifying secrets are still present on this mainland?

“The physical body of the Immortal Lord, Xiliuer, no longer exists. He spent over a decade to fuse himself to this island. This is something that only Xiliuer can do in all the territories of Aslan. It is as if his soul’s return circuit is born for this. His ability to regenerate to the maximum is what allows him to shatter his blood, nerves, muscles and bones to cover the entire island. As along as there is a single bit that holds his flesh together, or even if there is blood pumping and flowing, then he lives on. It is difficult for us to imagine how dreadful and grand the process is. Only after over a decade does he finally turn himself into the……island beneath out feet. The hards.h.i.+p in the making of this isn’t something we can ever think of understanding.”

“What about himself? Since his physical body has been destroyed, then is he still considered to be alive?” Guishan Lianquan suddenly feels sorrow.

“Of course he is. It’s just that he’s in a state of deep slumber, or we can say that he has been in a chaotic consciously for a very long time and maintains it that way. If I guessed correctly, after fusing his entire physical body with this island, he must have pulled his soul and consciousness out and gathered them in a secretive place deep within this island, equivalent to our heart or brain……if we find this place, it would mean that we found Xiliuer.”

“After finding him, our task is……” Guishan Lianquan asks.

“Our task is……” Guishan Fenghun closes his eyes. The wind blows at the robe beneath his armour. “We gather his murky consciousness and then……we wake him up.”

Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan move slowly around the island. On their entire journey, they sense the strength and change in soul powers. When they reach a canyon-like crevice, they pause.

“The surging of soul powers is especially strong here. This should be an entrance to Xiliuer’s heart.” Guishan Fenghun states.

Lianquan stops as if remembering something. “I want to try to use the Resurrection Chain to pierce deep into the walls of the rocks. My soul powers will be able to extend deep into the island through the chain and it will be easier for us to detect……”

<script>