Chapter 23 - Astral Projection (2/2)

‘Astral projection? Of all of the chi-cultivation systems I’ve known about, there was never anything about gaining the ability to astral project in any level of Celestial Chi cultivation.’

“I’ve measured it already, ma’am. Sixty pounds in total!”

“The meat’s not enough. Get me some more!”

Ye Chen’s astral body continued to drift until he found himself hovering above Ye Castle’s cookhouse, where the cooking maids and chefs were chattering about their upcoming meals over the din of chopping, dicing and other miscellaneous typical clatters in a kitchen. Surprisingly, every single sound was clear to Ye Chen’s ears.

He looked up and glanced at the direction of the Patriarch Residency. There, his father, grand-uncle and others focused on their training, entirely oblivious to Ye Chen spying from above.

‘Is there anything else you could do when you project your astral body, other than invading everyone else’s privacy?’ Ye Chen wondered.

He looked at the horizon. Instead of the usual scenery, there was only a thick shroud of murky fog beyond one-third of a mile from where he hovered.

It seemed that there was a limit to the distance he could see while he was in the form of his astral body, yet it was already enough to please Ye Chen. He was basking in the joy of his newfound ability when a sudden glimmer of stinging scarlet light flashed brightly from the north outside the Ye Castle.

What’s more, a sudden torrent of unknown power was hurling itself at full force towards Ye Chen!

He could feel violent unrest in his astral body stirring before he was suddenly snapped back to his body in a quick “whoosh!”

Ye Chen had to suppress the urge to spit out blood from his mouth, trying to calm himself as he gasped with his face unnaturally white from that unsolicited experience. ‘Looks like astral projection is way more dangerous than I’d thought. I could have been gravely injured if I wasn’t careful!’

He wasn’t sure what that flash of red light could be as it was too far in the distant for him to see. His best estimate was that the red light had come from the deep, mountainous woods at the north of the Ye Castle which meant that it came from a restricted area where Ninth Stage or even Tenth Stage mystical beasts lurked. A place where Ye Chen would not dare visit with the current power he had.

He had to circulate the Celestial Chi within his body for about half an hour before he recovered from his injury. Apparently, the damage inflicted on one’s astral body was more harmful than a physical injury on the flesh; a good reason why it would be better for him to not to do it often.

He triggered the Flying Dagger in his mind for more Celestial Chi so that he may resume training. Alas by evening, he had fully mastered First Grade Wind Grace Technique and advanced his Celestial Chi to somewhere around the mid-Sixth Stage. From then onwards, Ye Chen began to train with the new, upcoming cultivation system, the Ice Mystic Technique.

Ye Chen stood and walked into his room for a refreshing cup of water before heading to the canteen for dinner. It was then when he sensed a foreign presence in his room; something was different.

“Who’s there?” Ye Chen huffed warily, his Celestial Chi revolved as he prepared for a fight.

There was no response.

Ye Chen heightened his senses and pinpointed the foreign presence’s location. It was coming from his bed.

He crept towards it, his whole body remained at high alert. ‘What kind of formidable master would be able to hide their presence to such a subtle degree?’

A soft murmur escaped from the bed.

Ye Chen lunged, his hand swung and froze in midair. There was no one there.

However, there was an unmistakable smell of blood. That was when he noticed bloodstain on his sheet.

He turned his eyes to the corner of his bedsheet and saw that a white furball was backing into the corner frantically yet carefully.

He gave into a fit of chuckles. It was just a tanuki! It had three tails and fur so completely white that there was not a single spot. It was so adorable, his affection towards it rose. Ye Chen was not sure just what kind of mystical beast this particular tanuki was but he was pretty sure it was not aggressive in any way.

One of the little critter’s legs was covered in thick crimson blood. It must have fled to Ye Castle after being wounded like this.

‘I should save this little thing’s life,’ Ye Chen said to himself as he nipped the tanuki’s neck with his right hand, lifting it up.