Chapter 87: The Five Elements Spiritual Vein (Part Two)

When Ji Mo and her two companions arrived at Clear Phoenix Ridge, it was already dusk. In the blink of an eye, a silent night slipped away, and the territory of Clear Phoenix Ridge remained tranquil, with not a single unusual event occurring. Ten more days passed in utter calm. Apart from the environment here being different from the reddish sands of the Chiyu region, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Brother Bai, Brother Geng, why is this place called Clear Phoenix Ridge?” During this time, Ji Mo couldn’t help but ask Bai Ze and Geng Xiao out of curiosity. From the name, she imagined a ridge lush with parasol trees—wasn’t there a saying that phoenixes perch only on the parasol tree? Yet, aside from the lake and the oasis before them, there wasn’t a single parasol tree in sight.

Bai Ze and Geng Xiao shook their heads in unison. They, too, could not see any connection between the surroundings and the name Clear Phoenix Ridge, nor did they know the origin of the name. Ji Mo pressed her lips together and did not ask further. Instead, she took advantage of the environment to practice her Five Elements technique. Around the lakeshore, a faint aura of the five elements permeated the air—though not dense, it was better than nothing.

Ten days passed in a flash. During this period, dozens more people arrived. By now, nearly a hundred people had gathered around Clear Phoenix Ridge. On the morning after the tenth day, Ji Mo opened her eyes from cultivation, stood up, and stretched toward the first ray of sunlight peeking over the horizon.

Just then, the tranquil surface of the lake suddenly flared with brilliant light. A rainbow-hued mist shot into the sky, blending with the faint golden glow of dawn rising from the horizon. Immediately after, as if drawn by some invisible force, the waters of the lake parted rapidly to either side. A broad, glittering waterway leading straight to the lakebed appeared before them.

Gazing down, they saw the lakebed covered in rare flowers and exotic grasses, and amid the shimmering light, palaces seemed to sway in the depths. Stunned by this sudden spectacle, Ji Mo turned her head, her outstretched arms frozen in midair—transfixed like a wooden statue. Bai Ze and Geng Xiao reacted more swiftly; without waiting for Ji Mo to regain her senses, they shouted, “Go!”

As soon as the words left their lips, Bai Ze grabbed Ji Mo by the arm and dashed toward the waterway, Geng Xiao close behind. At the same time, countless figures around the lake rushed toward the same spot.

When Ji Mo, led by Bai Ze, stepped onto the waterway, she finally came to her senses. As soon as her feet touched the rippling surface, she felt herself pulled by an inexplicable force. Without exerting any effort, her body slid rapidly down the channel toward the lakebed. In just a couple of breaths, they traversed what seemed to be a hundred yards of passage and reached the bottom of the lake in an instant.

As soon as they arrived, the passage behind them vanished. Before her eyes appeared a world of rare flowers and exotic plants at the lake’s bottom. Bai Ze, who had been holding her arm, had released her at some point. Ji Mo instinctively turned to look, and seeing Bai Ze and Geng Xiao standing close by, she finally relaxed.

“So this is the so-called Clear Phoenix Ridge Secret Realm?” Ji Mo asked the two. Upon entering the lakebed, she immediately sensed that the five-element aura here was much richer than by the lakeshore. Yet it did not feel like the spiritual power emitted by a Five Elements Spirit Vein. She had never seen such a vein before, but she had read about it in books.

If it were a miniature Five Elements Vein, it would not be able to suffuse such a wide area with five-element energy. Only a major spirit vein could fill a radius of nearly a hundred kilometers with such power. If that were the case, the spiritual energy here would be far denser than it was now.

“That’s right, this is the Clear Phoenix Ridge Secret Realm. But the five-element energy here doesn’t seem to come from a spirit vein. Rather, it seems to be the result of the unique geography. Ji Mo, even if we don’t find a five-element spirit vein, we could find a way to linger here for two years. Cultivating here, the five-element aura may not compare to a true spirit vein, but after two years, you should be able to advance by at least one minor realm,” Bai Ze interjected. The issue Ji Mo noticed was clear to both him and Geng Xiao.

“The secret realm stays open for two years?” Ji Mo was surprised. This place was indeed most suitable for her cultivation. Bai Ze opened his mouth, wanting to say yes, but then he remembered that this was the Flame Domain, not his own cultivation world. He truly didn’t know how long secret realms here remained open. The words on his lips stuck in his throat.

“Let’s wait and see. Given the unique terrain, it wouldn’t be surprising if a miniature Five Elements Vein exists here,” Geng Xiao said after glancing around with a careful eye. While the three of them spoke, countless figures swept past them.

“Geng Xiao is right. Let’s look around first,” Bai Ze quickly agreed. The three said no more, choosing a direction and setting out. After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, an unusual fragrance wafted from ahead. Immediately, several figures rushed toward the source, followed by the sounds of fierce fighting.

Geng Xiao and Bai Ze barely glanced in that direction, not pausing at all, and led Ji Mo onward. Unable to restrain herself, Ji Mo asked, “Brother Bai, Brother Geng, aren’t you going to take a look?” Judging by the commotion, something extraordinary had appeared. With their strength, few in the Ten Realms of Cultivation could best them. If they went, they might even seize the treasure.

“Our main purpose here is to help you find a five-element spirit vein. As for other things, whether we get them or not is of no consequence to us,” Geng Xiao replied coolly.

Ji Mo was briefly stunned, her nose stinging with a sudden, inexplicable emotion. For a moment, she was speechless. Bai Ze glanced at her, reached out to pat her head, and smiled. “Little one, you’ve always been carefree—don’t start acting shy and sentimental. We’ve been together for over a year now, and as your elder brothers, we haven’t done much for you. Now that this opportunity has come, helping you find a five-element vein is nothing. As for those other things, which are of little use to us at the moment, there’s no need to fight others to the death over them.”

Suppressing her feelings, Ji Mo said nothing, only turned to smile at them. The three continued on for several more hours, encountering several groups fighting over various rare treasures. But Geng Xiao and Bai Ze merely scanned them with their spiritual sense, and finding nothing related to a five-element vein, passed by indifferently.

During this time, they encountered several people who had previously fought Geng Xiao and Bai Ze. At the sight of them, those people reacted as if facing formidable foes. But Bai Ze and Geng Xiao merely glanced indifferently at them, showing no interest in competing for treasures, and walked straight past. The group could only stare in bewilderment as their figures receded.

“Big brother, do you think those two might have discovered some unimaginable secret stash? Why else would they ignore the treasure we found?” Among the four, the youngest, a short youth, couldn’t help but voice his doubts as Bai Ze and Geng Xiao disappeared from sight.

“It’s hard to say. Let’s finish this quickly. As long as those two don’t interfere, the others won’t stop us. Once we have this thing, we’ll follow after them and see what they’re up to,” replied another, older, tall youth in black.

Ji Mo and her companions, of course, had no idea that their disinterest in fighting for treasures had aroused the suspicions of others. After another hour or so, a phantom of a palace suddenly appeared ahead, with the sounds of fierce combat echoing within. Geng Xiao and Bai Ze sent their spiritual senses probing inside, then stopped.

“Let’s go in and take a look,” Geng Xiao said.

“Yes. Little Ji Mo, the five-element aura inside is even denser; perhaps there’s a five-element vein. Be careful when you enter. There are many people in that palace. Even though you have a protective shield and warding robe, you should still be cautious not to get hurt by accident,” Bai Ze warned.

“I know. Don’t worry, brothers,” Ji Mo replied with a smile.

The moment they entered the palace gates, Ji Mo instantly felt the five-element energy was more than twice as dense as outside. Inside, more than twenty people were already locked in battle. When they saw Bai Ze, Geng Xiao, and Ji Mo arrive, countless hostile glares shot their way. Bai Ze and Geng Xiao ignored these looks, showing no intention of entering the main hall.

They stood for a moment, then led Ji Mo down an unobtrusive side corridor. But after just a few steps, two men sprang out to block their path. “Stop right there! While we’re risking our lives in here, you want to reap the rewards? Not so fast!”

Bai Ze and Geng Xiao’s eyes narrowed. Without a word, in a flash, a black blade and an iron staff crackling with thunder crashed down on the two assailants. These two were peak Core Formation cultivators, but had underestimated Bai Ze and Geng Xiao’s strength, thinking them unremarkable because they’d kept out of earlier fights. Sometimes, a single misjudgment can lead to disaster.

Such was the case now. Having underestimated their opponents and being caught off-guard, they could only muster eighty percent of their strength in defense. Bai Ze and Geng Xiao, however, struck with full force, and were stronger to begin with. In a single exchange, one was cleaved in two by Geng Xiao’s blade, the other swept aside by Bai Ze’s staff. With a thud, he crashed to the ground, twitched twice, then lay still—whether dead or alive was uncertain. The others, witnessing the pair’s overwhelming power, felt a chill in their hearts. Since the trio hadn’t entered the main hall, no one else dared block their way.

(To be continued...)