Blood God Stone Jade Pendant

Seeing the surroundings change without a sound, Li Qingyan drew the saber at her waist in an instant. Sweeping her gaze about, the fiery light trailing from her blade illuminated their vicinity. Her intent-soul was completely suppressed and sluggish. The insoluble crimson mist was thick as a physical substance, churning with faint, indistinct silhouettes as if unknown entities were moving within. Lit by the blade's firelight, it cast a gory scarlet glow across the cavern, turning the entire karst cave into an earthly purgatory. Li Qingyan kept her voice very low, laced with vigilance: "What is an Inter-Abyss?" Xu Yuan quietly stepped back between the two women, lightly rubbing the Sumeru ring on his finger. Thinking things through, he explained softly, "A gathering of yin ghosts spawns ghost mist. An Inter-Abyss is an aberrant ghost's ghost mist." "..." Hearing this, Li Qingyan narrowed her red crystal-like eyes as she scanned the area, tightening her grip slightly on the hilt of her saber. Having spent years on campaign, she was naturally familiar with ghost mist. After a battle, tens of thousands of corpses would be left behind. If abandoned, the piles of rotting flesh would spawn yin ghosts over time. When too many yin ghosts gathered, they would gradually coalesce into a black mist capable of swallowing all light. Within that black mist, certain natural laws could even warp. Bizarre phenomena such as light without shadow, or shadow without substance, remained unexplained even with the modern evolution of formation arrays. This Inter-Abyss of the aberrant ghosts... As she pondered, Li Qingyan parted her red lips, her tone austere and solemn: "Does your Underground City have any information on this Inter-Abyss?" The Blood God Stone jade pendant at Bai Muxi's chest shone with a glaring crimson light beneath her thin purple blouse. "Every year at the spring equinox, this Inter-Abyss continuously expands outward from the depths of the Blood Nest. Left unchecked, it will spread all the way to the Underground City. But as long as roughly a thousand living humans are offered into this blood mist, it disperses and recedes on its own after several days." "This Palace asked what is inside this Inter-Abyss." "..." The air abruptly fell silent. Seeing Bai Muxi go quiet, Li Qingyan slightly knitted her willow brows, maintaining her vigil of the surroundings as she pressed, "Has your Underground City never explored this Inter-Abyss in all these years?" "We have..." Bai Muxi lacked confidence, her gentle voice edged with nervous unease. "Before reaching the end of their lifespans, the experts of our Underground City would enter this Inter-Abyss to explore. But... but no one who went deep ever returned alive." "Phew..." Li Qingyan exhaled a long breath, not placing any blame on Bai Muxi. She had already witnessed what the Underground City was like; its absolute strongest was Bai Muxi, a pseudo-second-rank. Cultivation of that level could not even pass through the Blood Demon Cave, let alone reach the Blood Nest where the Inter-Abyss originated. Sitting idly by waiting for death was not Li Qingyan's style. After a moment's silence, she commanded Bai Muxi in a low voice, "This Palace will first attempt to disperse this mist. Protect Changtian well..." Midway through her sentence, Li Qingyan seemed to recall something. She whipped around to look at Xu Yuan, who stood with downcast eyes in contemplation, a flicker of realization in her gaze. "Changtian, do you... know about this Inter-Abyss?" "Of course I do," Xu Yuan answered offhandedly. Raising his eyes from his thoughts, he chuckled naturally. "An Inter-Abyss is simply an aberrant ghost's Dao domain." "..." Hearing his casual reply, the look in Li Qingyan's phoenix eyes could kill. Such crucial information, and this infuriating man hadn't volunteered a word, waiting instead for her to ask? Sizing up the surrounding scarlet mist, Xu Yuan continued to explain casually, "Though an Inter-Abyss is somewhat different from the Dao domains of us humans. It can link with other aberrant ghosts and the black death creep, resonating with them to continuously spread." At this point, Xu Yuan paused briefly, smiling slightly. "However, aberrant ghosts lacking intelligence cannot deploy a Dao domain. In other words, the aberrant ghost from the deepest part of the Blood Nest must be hurrying over right now." "..." Watching his nonchalant expression as he spoke, Li Qingyan's agitation gradually subsided. She let out a soft huff. "And here This Palace thought you only knew how to turn trust into worry." Xu Yuan raised a hand to tousle his long hair draped over his back, grinning easily. "Right now, I am Your Highness's commander-in-chief, so naturally I must keep a cool head." "So, do you have a way to deal with this?" "Nope." "..." Li Qingyan squeezed the hilt of her saber until it creaked. "Haha, just kidding. Of course I do." With those words, *Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!* Four heavy, specially reinforced iron crates landed with dull thumps, kicking up puffs of dust from the gravel-strewn curved floor. Seeing these four iron chests, Li Qingyan's pupils contracted slightly. "Changtian, this is..." "Just four crates of Source Crystal bombs." Xu Yuan turned back to her and winked. "As the commander of an army, surely you've seen a meager bit of supplies like this before?" Li Qingyan's brows drew together tightly as her gaze swept over their surroundings. "You should know full well the power of these four crates." Earlier, just one crate had instantly stripped that mighty Transcendent Black Serpent of its combat capability. If four crates were combined... Meeting her gaze, Xu Yuan smiled calmly. "When it comes to negotiations, you always have to lay out your mutual-destruction chips first." With that, Xu Yuan turned to Bai Muxi and asked with a beaming smile, "Little Bai, let me ask you a question. Since you didn't know what an Inter-Abyss was, why did you overthrow the sacrifices and abandon the live offerings?" Li Qingyan interrupted him, "Now is hardly the time for this..." "Don't interrupt me." Xu Yuan glanced at Li Qingyan, his gaze brooking no dissent. Yet he still offered an explanation to this strong-willed Princess Wuyuan: "I know that aberrant ghost will arrive here shortly. After such a fierce battle took place here, any intelligent creature would come to investigate. I'm waiting for it." "..." After a brief silence, Li Qingyan's phoenix eyes flickered. "Using these Source Crystal bombs can indeed serve as a trump card, but what if that intelligent aberrant ghost summons the other Transcendents to throw away their lives? We..." "Are you quite finished?" "..." Li Qingyan was stunned for a second. "What did you say?" Xu Yuan stared into her dashing, strikingly gorgeous face, enunciating each word: "I, Xu Changtian, am asking you: are you quite finished? You did fine earlier, but the moment things get slightly urgent, your old habits relapse, don't they?" "..." Li Qingyan fell quiet for a heartbeat, her voice softening slightly. "Changtian, This Palace is merely offering you advice..." "Are you fucking finished or what?!" Xu Yuan lost his temper, his voice rising sharply: "Every word I say, you talk back—do you find this amusing? Things have gone beyond the plan. Since you know the situation is critical, stop second-guessing me! I'd love to explain every decision I make, but do we have the time right now? If you think I'm making a mistake, you can leave immediately and do whatever you think will keep you alive!" "..." His words left only silence, his sharp reprimand echoing through the quiet cavern. Bai Muxi looked at Xu Yuan, then glanced at the woman in red whose eyes flickered with emotion, wisely keeping her mouth shut rather than attempting to mediate. After trading gazes for several breaths, Li Qingyan silently lowered her eyes, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "This... This Palace understands. I apologize." "..." Xu Yuan ignored her apology, leaving her standing there, and turned to Bai Muxi, his tone instantly turning gentle. "Muxi, answer my question from earlier." "Hm?" Bai Muxi snapped out of her daze. Xu Yuan smiled softly. "Why abandon the live sacrifices?" Living sacrifice was brutal, but for this despairing Underground City, it was the sole hope for survival. He refused to believe that the seemingly sweet yet dark-hearted Bai Muxi was some bleeding heart. "Because... in a few years, a sacrificial offering of a thousand people will no longer satisfy the Blood Nest. When that time comes, the Inter-Abyss's expansion will become uncontrollable. Rather than continuing the live sacrifices and slowly draining the Underground City's strength, it seemed better to wage a desperate struggle." Bai Muxi's eyes grew somewhat lonely. "Though... looking at it now, it was all merely Muxi's wishful thinking." Xu Yuan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Didn't you say you couldn't venture deep into the Blood Nest? How did you learn of what was to come?" Bai Muxi's eyes flickered. Reaching inside her lapel, she drew out the Blood God Stone jade pendant glowing with blood-red light and murmured, "To answer the young master: it was through this Blood God Stone jade pendant." Staring at the jade pendant, Xu Yuan nodded. "Just as I thought. I take it this pendant isn't an ancestral heirloom of your Underground City?" Bai Muxi's gentle voice answered promptly: "Correct. Seven years ago, when Muxi accompanied the 'High Priest' to escort the live sacrifices, I stumbled across it in a hidden chamber. It was also then, through it, that I discovered the Inter-Abyss had reached a critical threshold." "A critical threshold?" Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes. "Has this Inter-Abyss passed that threshold yet?" Bai Muxi shook her head. "Not yet, but it should be within the next year or two." Under Li Qingyan's watchful eye, Xu Yuan raised a hand and intimately caressed Bai Muxi's supple hair. "Very good, I have a rough idea now. Give me the jade pendant." "Alright." Without a second thought, Bai Muxi took off the jade pendant and handed it to Xu Yuan. Taking it, Xu Yuan casually passed it to the chest-bound princess beside him. "Hold onto this." "..." Li Qingyan took it in silence, asking neither its purpose nor its reason. Her scarlet eyes simply stared at Xu Yuan, waiting for him to speak. Seeing her expression, Xu Yuan chuckled softly. "Didn't you ask just now what we'd do if that intelligent aberrant ghost summons the other Transcendents to throw away their lives?" "..." Li Qingyan still said nothing, making no reply. She merely stared at him gloomily, as if she had shut herself off. Xu Yuan clicked his tongue, amused. "Hey, give me some reaction." Li Qingyan drew a breath, her voice very quiet: "What would we do?" Xu Yuan pointed at the Blood God Stone jade pendant in her hand and said coldly, "Threaten to destroy it outright." "Oh." Li Qingyan nodded, still not asking why. Seeing this, Xu Yuan walked up to Li Qingyan. Tilting his head, he inspected her aloof, flawless features from up close, then reached out and poked her slender waist, asking with a grin, "Hey, don't tell me you've never been scolded once in your life? You get chewed out a little and you're sulking?" Li Qingyan ignored him, keeping her phoenix eyes lowered as she replied in a businesslike tone, "This Palace was in the wrong; why would I be angry?" Xu Yuan took on a look of sudden comprehension and teased, "If you're not angry... does that mean being yelled at felt good?" Li Qingyan's grip tightened slightly around the Blood God Stone. She looked up, narrowing her eyes. "What did you say?" "Don't get agitated..." Xu Yuan immediately threw up both hands in a mock French salute from his past life. Li Qingyan let out a soft snort at the sight, but the next moment, the smiling voice of the man before her rang out: "After all, you didn't react to anything I said earlier. If you get all worked up over this, wouldn't that just prove I'm right?" "..." Bai Muxi's gaze toward Li Qingyan grew rather strange. Li Qingyan's expression actually turned calm. The blade in her hand flashed with cold light as she sheathed it, and she looked at him indifferently. "Your teasing of This Palace is thoroughly unamusing." Xu Yuan crossed his arms and stroked his chin, eyeing her up and down. "Qingyan, do you know? People who get hit where it hurts always feign calm to cover it up, and they'll do unconscious little gestures. Like drinking water, picking something up, or, say..." "Sheathing a blade?" Standing quietly to the side, Bai Muxi's lovely eyes flickered as she chimed in at just the right moment. In the very next instant, under Li Qingyan's chilly glare, she bowed her head: "Muxi spoke out of turn." Xu Yuan was momentarily at a loss, secretly giving Little Bai a thumbs-up in his mind before scolding playfully, "You certainly did speak out of turn. My princess would never do such little gestures—especially sheathing her saber right when a Transcendent aberrant ghost is about to arrive..." *Clang!* The crimson blade cleared its scabbard once more. Holding her saber, Li Qingyan glared at Xu Yuan with an unfriendly look in her eyes. As if completely oblivious, Xu Yuan raised a hand and gently caressed her cheek, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, chuckling softly: "Why so serious? It's not like outsiders will know. Even if people don't realize this now, it won't stay hidden forever in the future..." Midway through his sentence— "Changtian." The slight tremble in Li Qingyan's frame ceased. Looking right at him, the corner of her lips curled up. "This Palace has certainly had a taste of your methods with women. Since it won't stay hidden in the future anyway, why don't we address business first?" "..." Meeting her clear, smiling gaze, Xu Yuan also curled his lips. This woman was indeed difficult to handle. Thinking so, Xu Yuan nodded and pointed to the Blood God Stone jade pendant. "The reason I told you to destroy the pendant is because that Transcendent beast needs it to break free as quickly as possible." "Break free?" Li Qingyan's eyes flashed. "Are you saying that aberrant ghost is trapped by a formation array?" Xu Yuan nodded with a smile. "This underground palace was established ten thousand years ago by those major sects to research aberrant ghosts. Naturally, they put a leash on them. "Unfortunately, just as our plans are always one step behind changes, many shifts must have occurred within this underground palace over the past ten thousand years. The underground palace meant for studying aberrant ghosts has now become a pen where aberrant ghosts raise human cattle. "And now that leash is about to snap, meaning to that intelligent aberrant ghost, there is no longer any need for the Underground City to exist." "Raise us in captivity?" Bai Muxi's gaze grew dazed. Xu Yuan kept his eyes cast downward, combining the knowledge from his past life with the intelligence of this world as he spoke softly: "Perhaps ever since your last so-called Blood Nest calamity, your Underground City has been farmed by that aberrant ghost. Controlling your minds with religious aberrant ghost worship, burning every cultivation manual that could pose a threat to it—what is that if not raising cattle?" Bai Muxi's gaze drifted, murmuring under her breath, "But why would it... raise us in captivity?" Xu Yuan glanced at her and said, "Breaking the leash that the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion placed on it all those years ago takes time, but if creatures like aberrant ghosts go too long without feeding on living beings, they lose their intelligence. You are its food." Bai Muxi's body shuddered. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Then... then could this Blood God Stone jade pendant be used to activate that 'leash'?" "Forget it." Xu Yuan shook his head. Staring at the jade pendant, he chuckled, "There are two of these things. Presumably both must be used together to activate the array, and the other one is on that aberrant ghost—" Before his voice could fade, a cold, seductive woman's voice drifted out from the blood mist: "Human, you... seem to understand this seat quite well?"