Jingu Ruins (Part 4)
Seeing the two of them on guard, Qingluan huddled in the tree, feeling somewhat unhappy. She turned her head, plucked a tail feather, and threw it under the tree.
"Let's go inside and take a look. There's a barrier, and you can't get in with your mortal bodies now." After saying that, she shrank her neck, buried her head under her wings, and didn't want to speak anymore.
Xie Zhitiao helped Lin Zhuo stand up and picked up the tail feather. He held Lin Zhuo's arm and asked worriedly, "Senior Sister, are you okay?"
Lin Zhuo nodded, indicating that she could leave. Xie Zhitiao stubbornly supported her, his lips pursed, looking unhappy.
The two of them supported each other and walked into the palace.
"What's wrong? You look so sad." Lin Zhuo looked at him sideways and asked softly.
Xie Zhitiao was originally trying to suppress his emotions, but when he heard her question, his eyes turned red and he muttered, "Senior Sister, you scared me to death just now. I was scared to death. Fortunately, you are okay."
Lin Zhuo's eyes curled up slightly as he smiled, "Alright, I'm fine. It's just a spiritual power riot. I'll ask Master to take a look when we get out."
"You still keep talking! I'll go out and complain to my senior brother!" Xie Zhitiao yelled.
Lin Zhuo was at a loss for words: "Why are you complaining? It's not a big deal. Besides, I didn't expect it."
Xie Zhitiao was speechless: "...I don't care. Anyway, if you get hurt in the future, you are not allowed to hide it from us."
"Okay, okay." Lin Zhuo responded.
Holding the tail feathers, the two of them successfully entered the shrine. The moment they entered the shrine, the candles on the wall suddenly ignited.
The corridor was deep and dark, and the two walked slowly forward. Stone murals were carved on the walls. Lin Zhao moved closer, examining them frame by frame. Xie Zhitiao stroked his chin, staring thoughtfully at the figures depicted in the murals.
A thin sycamore sapling appeared on the stone wall. Lin Zhuo raised his hand and touched the branches of the stone tree. Scene after scene flashed by, and the sycamore tree grew little by little until it finally blocked out the sky and the sun.
In this scene, a bird appeared on the sycamore tree. Lin Zhuo stopped and looked at the stone bird.
"This divine bird doesn't look like a blue phoenix," she said softly.
That is the legendary phoenix.
Xie Zhitiao also looked over. The two stood in front of this scene for a long time, and finally continued to move forward.
The stone mural came to an abrupt end shortly after Qingluan appeared. As the long corridor neared its end, Lin Zhuo saw the vast hall ahead.
She stepped in and saw the throne above the hall at a glance.
Xie Zhitiao followed her in and saw her staring at the throne in a daze. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Lin Zhuo shook her head. She felt that this place was somewhat familiar. Xie Zhitiao did not ask any more questions. His brows furrowed slightly as he pulled Lin Zhuo to the side and into the side hall.
Lin Zhuo suddenly asked him, "How did you know to go this way?"
"...I guessed." Xie Zhitiao made up a story, then seeing her serious expression, he changed his words awkwardly, "...Isn't this the only way?"
Lin Zhuo didn't ask any more questions, but just followed his footsteps in silence. The two of them stopped at a side hall.
The side hall was filled with the smell of old books and ink, as if someone was deliberately maintaining it and didn't want it to dissipate.
Xie Zhitiao released Lin Zhuo's wrist and said, "Sister, these are all books. Let's take a look. Maybe there's something useful here."
He walked in with ease and glanced at the books on the shelf one by one.
Lin Zhuo watched his movements with a sullen look in his eyes. She followed his instructions and walked in without hesitation, picking up the book and stuffing it into her storage bag.
Seeing her move, Xie Zhitiao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized. This is the ruins of the Divine Palace. Qingluan let them in, which means they have tacitly allowed them to take things. So why not take more? Of course, you should take advantage of any opportunity.
He also took out his storage bag, walked to the other side, and put the artifact in. It would be a waste if he didn't take it. Even if he went back and distributed it to his senior brothers and sisters and inner disciples, it would be better than just letting it sit here and collect dust, right?
After all, this is just a secret place created by spiritual power in ancient times, and there are not many things here. The two pretended for a while, and finally stopped.
Lin Numa's attention was attracted by the painting on the pillar.
It was a portrait of a goddess, but her face was blurred. Beside her, the phoenix was flying.
Xie Zhitiao touched his chin and suddenly asked, "Hey, Senior Sister, who is the god who lives in the Divine Palace?"
Lin Zhuo was a little speechless, but still answered him patiently: "There are countless gods, but the one who can live in the temple and sit firmly on the throne of the Lord God is naturally the way of heaven."
She continued to stare at the painting on the pillar. So, was He the Way of Heaven? Perhaps Phoenix wouldn't believe in any other gods besides the Way of Heaven.
Seeing that she was still looking at the painting, Xie Zhitiao began to wander around the hall on his own. After a while, he felt a little bored and sat down on the small couch beside him.
Lin Zhuo finally paid him a glance: "What's wrong?"
Xie Zhitiao curled his lips: "Senior Sister, what did you see?"
Sensing his boredom, Lin Zhuo took one last look at Zhu Hua before waving at him: "Nothing. Let's go, get out."
There weren't actually that many things in the temple that were useful to them. Besides, taking so many books and treasures from the side hall was also a considerable gain.
After leaving the inner hall of the shrine, the two of them were stunned.
The sacred tree, the paulownia, has withered.
Qingluan was still perched on the branch. When she saw the two people coming out, she flapped her wings, flew down from the branch, and hung in front of them.
"I don't have much time left." Qingluan spoke, and Lin Zhuo inexplicably heard a hint of grievance in her voice.
Qingluan did not transform. She stood on the ground and looked up at the two of them.
"I think you all know this isn't the real Divine Palace." Qingluan hung his head, feeling somewhat dejected. "I've been trapped here for too long, and I don't know what the outside world is like..."
She raised her head again and looked at the two of them: "I don't have anything to give you, only this spiritual power. Since you two have each other, I won't favor one over the other. But, can you take me out?"
She wanted to see the outside world so much and missed her old friends so much.
"...Okay." This time, it was Xie Zhitiao who responded first. He squatted down, reached out his hand, and touched Qingluan's drooping head.
Qingluan instantly raised her head and looked directly into his eyes. Inexplicably, Lin Zhuo felt as if tears were gleaming in those eyes. She shook her head, thinking she must have seen it wrong.
The original sycamore tree had long since withered and died, and it was Qingluan who had been expending her own spiritual energy to maintain its apparent prosperity. Now, she withdrew that spiritual energy, transformed herself into two balls of light, and flew into the dantian of the two men.
She only had a trace of consciousness left, and after hesitating for a long time, she entered the sea of consciousness in the swamp.
The meridians of both of them were filled with warm spiritual energy, majestic and vigorous.
This trip to the shrine was incredibly confusing, yet Xie Zhitiao never expressed a single ounce of doubt from beginning to end. Lin Zhuo opened his palm, took a look, then clenched it.
Whether it's a bridge or a road, you have to go through it. Since they have kept it a secret from her, who knows, everything now may be because of what they have concealed.
What could it be? Lin Zhuo glanced at Xie Zhitiao, who had his eyes closed, and smiled. It was truly exciting.
Xie Zhitiao had recalled the relevant memories before entering the shrine.
In the previous life, Lin Zhuo was seriously injured, and the man wanted to enter the palace, but the palace had already been closed because of the slumber of the Heavenly Dao.
The man said that he could get in, and if he did, he would give Lin Zhuo a way to survive.
What could Xie Zhitiao do? His senior sister was dying, his master and brother were seriously injured. He didn't dare to gamble with that man. What did the lives of the people in the world have to do with him? He just wanted to save his senior sister, his master and brother, and his angry second senior sister.
You Jingjia accompanied him to the shrine, which was not a secret place, but an extremely cold place at the southern end of the continent, where the shrine was said to be buried.
He couldn't remember what happened after entering the shrine, he only remembered that he had stepped inside, alone. Second Senior Sister couldn't hold on any longer.
After absorbing the spiritual power from Qingluan, Xie Zhitiao opened his eyes and saw Lin Zhuo still breathing with his eyes closed. He didn't say anything, just scanning the familiar eyebrows and eyes inch by inch, and a familiar pain rose in his heart.
No matter what, no matter what that person's purpose was, since they had a chance to do it again, they would not end up like that again. After all, he lowered his eyes. He wasn't the only one who came back, was he?
————
Cang He had been closely watching the image projected from the secret realm, but since the few of them arrived at the secret realm's shrine, the image began to become unstable. The four people's movements were intermittent, until the shrine's gate opened, and the image completely disconnected.
Canghe couldn't sit still anymore, he suddenly stood up.
Wan Wuji's brows knitted together, and he couldn't even fan himself. He glanced at Rong Si, who was sitting next to him, and pleaded, "Alliance Leader, could you please open the secret realm and allow our sect leader to enter?"
He couldn't leave, as the other disciples needed someone to keep an eye on their safety. Besides, Cang He was so anxious, how could he feel at ease if he didn't let him in to see for himself?
Rong Si knew this was no joke, so he opened the secret realm without hesitation. Cang He didn't dare to delay for a moment, and once inside the secret realm, he flew on his sword and headed straight south.
When he arrived, Ling Qingqiu and You Jingjia were sitting there, regulating their breathing and meditating. The door to the shrine was still locked, and he couldn't see what was inside.
The moment Cang He landed, the two of them opened their eyes alertly. Seeing that it was their master, they were both a little confused.
"Master... ? Why are you here?" Ling Qingqiu stood up and saluted.
Cang He held the sword, his gaze directed towards the Divine Palace: "How long have they been in there?"
"About an hour." You Jingjia replied.
"Is there anything unusual?"
"That... is not the case." Ling Qingqiu stood up straight. "Jingjia and I have been guarding here the entire time. There has been no movement from inside, and A'tiao and Zhaozhao haven't sent any messages out either."
Cang He's clenched fists finally loosened a little. He sheathed his sword, stood there with his hands behind his back, and waited for the two men to come out.
In the distance, someone was leaving.
"That person actually also inherited the legacy from that guy Cen Jiming?" He laughed sinisterly, and the black mass on his shoulder shrank.
"So what? A dead man taught two mortals, how could he be a match for me?"
————
Shortly after Cang He arrived, the gates of the shrine finally opened. Lin Zhuo was the first to come out, and was a little surprised to see him. "...Master? Why are you here?"
Xie Zhitiao, who was following behind him, quickly stuck his head out: "Master? Is Master here?"
Cang He went up to them, looked them over, and after confirming they had no injuries, he asked, "How is it? What did you harvest?"
Lin Zhuo squinted his eyes and said, "We must have gained a lot. Master, don't worry, we are not hurt."
Cang He nodded, and then he heard Xie Zhitiao yelling, "Master! Hurry up and show Senior Sister! Her spiritual power went wild when she went in just now!"
His expression changed slightly, and he was about to raise his hand to feel Lin Zhuo's meridians, but then he remembered something and withdrew his hand.
"...It's nothing, don't panic."
What he didn't say was that when encountering spiritual power from the same source, how could they not riot?
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