Chapter 72: Shadows Stalk, the Deep Pavilion Takes Root
The north wind howled, stirring up piles of snow. Ye Li, controlling her evasion light, raced across the boundless icy plains. The world seemed to be reduced to a monotonous white and gray, and the biting cold was like countless fine needles, penetrating every pore. Even with the protection of spiritual power, she could still feel the chill that seemed to freeze her soul.
Half a month had passed since she left the Xuanyun Sect. She had completely strayed from the sect's core influence and entered the bitter cold of the borderlands. According to the map, her destination, Demon Suppression City in the North, was still about ten days' journey away.
For the past half month, she traveled by day and hid by night, avoiding densely populated markets and sect strongholds whenever possible, choosing instead to travel along remote routes. This was partly to conceal her whereabouts, and partly to adapt to the extreme environment. She discovered that the "Emperor's Scripture of the Netherworld" functioned like a fish in water in this extremely cold land. Its efficiency in absorbing and refining the icy spiritual energy of heaven and earth increased significantly, and her understanding of the "Ice Soul Sealing Heaven Finger" seemed to have deepened. The star core in her sea of consciousness slowly rotated, emitting a faint, yet continuously nourishing power from the star's essence, her meridians and soul, keeping her in peak condition.
One day, she found a natural ice cave in a snow-covered mountain range. After setting up a simple concealment formation, she decided to take a short break and tried to contact Youge remotely for the first time.
What she took out was not an ordinary communication talisman, but an ancient bronze mirror the size of a palm with slightly cracked edges. This was a projection of the fragment of the Samsara Mirror. Although it did not have much power, it could produce a weak resonance with the main fragment in her sea of consciousness beyond the distance. It was one of the uses she had initially figured out during her retreat. It was extremely secretive and almost impossible to be intercepted or tracked.
Ye Li sat cross-legged, his hands resting on the bronze mirror. His consciousness slowly sank into it, establishing a connection with the fragments of the Samsara Mirror within his sea of consciousness. A faint but distinct wave of spiritual thought followed a mysterious trajectory, traveling across thousands of mountains and rivers, and traveling towards the Xuanyun Sect.
…
Xuanyun Sect, Yundan Peak, Lin Feng’s residence.
Late at night, Lin Feng did not fall asleep. Instead, he carefully sorted out the intelligence summary that Sun Xiaohou had sent him today under the lamp. After Ye Li left, he felt a great sense of responsibility and acted more cautiously and calmly.
Suddenly, a seemingly ordinary jade pendant in his arms, which was engraved with Youge cloud patterns, became slightly hot, and an extremely subtle fluctuation came from it that only he could perceive.
Lin Feng's spirits lifted as he immediately put down the jade slip and cast a soundproof barrier. He then carefully inserted his spiritual sense into the jade pendant. This jade pendant was a sub-mirror that Ye Li had crafted before she left, using the power of the bronze mirror's projection. It could communicate with the main mirror over long distances, one-way (Ye Li could contact him, but he couldn't).
An encrypted message flowed into Lin Feng's mind:
"I have arrived safely at the outskirts of the northern border. Everything is fine. How is the situation inside the pavilion? Is there anything unusual?"
Lin Feng immediately focused his mind and replied through the sub-mirror, reporting in detail on the operation of Youge during this period:
"Master, everything is running smoothly in the pavilion, and all members are safe."
"Intelligence: Sun Xiaohou has confirmed through black market channels that the Red Flame Sect does have spies investigating your whereabouts, and they seem to have grasped your general direction to the northern border. Zhan Kuangfeng's Gao Sheng has been frequently contacting people outside the sect recently, and his whereabouts are mysterious, suggesting he has some ulterior motive. Within the sect, the rumors about your acquisition of the star core have gradually subsided, but Situ Kuang's faction has increased their obstruction of Yundanfeng, especially regarding resource allocation."
"Regarding development: As per your instructions before leaving, we have suspended large-scale expansion and shifted to intensive cultivation. Senior Sister Xia Zhihe has successfully refined a batch of high-quality 'Vein Condensing Pills' and 'Ice Heart Pills', which have been sold through secret channels with positive feedback, providing a stable source of income for Youge. Zhao Xiaoyi has initially established a relatively secure supply chain. I have examined two outer disciples with clean backgrounds and good abilities. After several trials, I believe they are trustworthy. Whether to recruit them is up to the Pavilion Master."
"Also, three days ago, Fairy Qin Yixuan of the Bishui Pavilion sent someone to deliver a jade slip, saying it was a token of gratitude for the insights you shared about the operation of ice-type spiritual energy in the secret realm last time. (Before Ye Li left the sect, he anonymously sent some of his cultivation insights that did not affect his core to the Bishui Pavilion as a reward for Qin Yixuan's help.) I have not dared to examine the contents of the jade slip."
After the message was sent, Lin Feng waited quietly.
Ye Li, far away in the ice cave in the northern border, quickly received a reply. She carefully read the message from Lin Feng with a calm look in her eyes.
The situation was largely as she expected. The Chiyan Sect and Zhan Kuangfeng were indeed ruthless, and internal sect suppression was commonplace. It was a rare achievement for Youge to maintain its position and develop.
She pondered for a moment, and once again transmitted her divine thoughts through the bronze mirror:
"Understood. This is as expected. You have done well."
"Regarding recruiting new members, we must be extremely cautious. It's better to have fewer than the wrong ones. We can include those two as external candidates for investigation. We can observe their character and behavior for at least six months before making a decision."
"Please make a copy of the jade slip given by Fairy Qin and send it to me. Keep the original in a safe place."
"Next instructions: 1. Shift intelligence focus to the North. Gather information regarding the Northern Icefield, Demon Suppression City, the Black Demons, and any suspicious forces that may be operating in the area, such as the Red Flame Sect, War Peak, or others, and submit a summary to me regularly. 2. Shift resources toward improving individual strength. Lin Feng and Zhi He, your primary goal should be to break through the Spiritual Mansion Realm. The resources needed will be allocated first. 3. Maintain absolute silence. Do not initiate any conflict unless it is a matter of life and death."
"Safety is paramount. Wait for me to return."
The instructions were delivered clearly and unambiguously.
Lin Feng received the message, and his mind suddenly became clear, as if he had found a new backbone. He immediately replied, "I understand! I will follow the Pavilion Master's instructions!"
The communication ended. The jade pendant returned to its coldness. Lin Feng stepped out of the barrier and gazed out the window at the dark night, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit. Though the Pavilion Master was thousands of miles away, he was still able to orchestrate and guide the team. He would have to work even harder to live up to this trust.
In the following days, under the leadership of Lin Feng, Youge operated more secretly and efficiently, like a spider web in the dark night.
Sun Xiaohou shifted his focus to the north. Using various channels, he gathered information on the geography, climate, and distribution of demonic beasts in the northern glaciers. He also sought information on the power structure of Demon Suppression City, the character of its commander, Zhao Gan, and past records of the Black Demon. He even began to monitor for any signs of members of the Red Flame Sect or War of Madness Peak in the markets surrounding the northern border. This information was categorized and compiled by Lin Feng into a book, which he regularly transmitted to Ye Li via Zijing.
Xia Zhihe spent most of her time in the alchemy room, utilizing the resources provided by Youge to furiously improve her alchemy skills. The quality of the pills she refined became increasingly higher, not only meeting internal needs but also earning her more and more resources in exchange. She also secretly kept an eye out for recipes and materials related to ice and spirits, preparing for Ye Li's possible needs.
Zhao Xiaoyi managed the internal affairs in an orderly manner, ensuring smooth and safe transmission of information and flow of materials.
After Ye Li's departure, the entire Youge Pavilion, far from becoming silent, actually became more cohesive and resilient under pressure. They were like seeds buried deep underground, quietly absorbing nutrients and waiting for the day to break through the ground.
Ye Li, far away in the northern border, would use the bronze mirror during each break to learn about the progress within the pavilion and intelligence from the northern border, and would issue corresponding instructions. Although the communication frequency was low and each time was short, it effectively allowed her to control the development direction of Youge, avoiding a situation of being leaderless.
This remote control, transcending distance, was achieved thanks to the magical power of the Samsara Mirror and also demonstrated the control Ye Li possessed as a supreme being in her previous life. The flames of the Secluded Pavilion, sown by her own hands, burned silently, gathering strength, out of her sight.
That day, based on the latest intelligence, Ye Li adjusted her route to Demon Suppression City, choosing a more hidden, yet also more dangerous, path to avoid possible ambushes. Standing atop an ice cliff, she gazed at the faintly visible black outline of a city, crouching like a giant beast across the icy plains. Demon Suppression City lay just ahead.
Her journey to the North was about to begin. And the network of the Secluded Pavilion, following her footsteps, quietly extended into this bitterly cold land. The road ahead was unknown, but behind her, a glimmer of light loomed. Though faint, it was enough to sustain her as she steadfastly advanced through the endless ice, snow, and darkness.
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