Heaven’s Shadow

By evening, the remains of Elder Xu Yunhe has been taken away by the Thousand Autumn Doors. However, the disciples of the Thousand Autumn Doors didn’t retreat just because of it. Rather, they continued to search through the village thoroughly. In the end, they were unable to find any suspicious figures. After all, most of the people here have multiple years of history in the village. Thus, they could only depart bitterly.

This isn’t a small matter, and it would surely generate billowing waves within Thousand Autumn Doors. This is the first time the low profile Three Realm Demonic Cult is operating against modus operandi in the span of the last ten years, revenging one of their own in such a savage matter. After the Thousand Autumn Doors informs the Immortal Alliance on the matter, the orthodox sects of the central continent could possibly start moving in the shadows.

However, to the villagers of the Clear Stream Village, who are just ordinary mortals, these matters are too far away from them. After the personnel from Thousand Autumn Doors retreats, Clear Stream Village quickly reverted to its past tranquil state. The only one who rages indignantly is the unlucky fellow who had the roof of his hut smashed. However, as he dares not to speak of it before the Thousand Autumn Doors, this incident can only end inconclusive.

Just that, in the eyes of a few people, it seems that a slight change has occurred in this peaceful village, and the tranquility it experienced before is slightly different from the current one.

Just like the many others, there isn’t any changes to Lu Chen’s daily life. He still strolls around the village daily with a harmless smile hanging on his face. He looks like a youngster who looks forward to cultivating, but is unwilling to toil, and thus, is prepared to idle his life away.

He treats others kindly and has a harmonious relationship with most people in the village. Everyone knows him and likes him, but if one were to look into it carefully, it seems that there isn’t a single one of them who is an intimate bosom of his.

Throughout the years, he has kept an amiable but distant relationship with most of the people as he quietly lives his life in the village.

When the sky darkens, he would always walk lonesomely back to the foot of the mountain, back to the forlorn-looking straw cottage.

For some inconceivable reasons, Lu Chen doesn’t feel averse to the dark, unlike most of the people. Rather, he seems to prefer the dark. The onset of the dark night, as he lies within the straw cottage, seems to be the moment when he feels the most carefree.

In the depths of the shadows, one’s thought would always end up wandering endlessly. One could reminisce their past, or conduct clandestine activities.

That night, from his dantian qihai, the reborn Five Element Divine Compass appears once again. Although this divine compass that was reforged by the final drops of water of vitality in the mysterious tree hollow is of exceedingly inferior quality, such that even a sect like Thousand Autumn Doors will shut his doors on him upon seeing such talent roots reflecting on the Immortal Discerning Mirror, Lu Chen is still delighted over it. That is, if only the Five Element Divine Compass didn’t have another side to it.

Dantian: Acupoint in the lower abdomen|Qihai: Spirit sea

Along with the silent rotation of the divine compass, the black side of it reveals itself. After a period of adaptation and experimentation, Lu Chen has verified that the Curse of Black Flames that had been plaguing him in his qihai has already completely vanished. It seems to have been extinguished along with the water of vitality during the clash between the two. However, for some inconceivable reason, bizarre changes occurred in the reborn Five Element Divine Compass in him.

On the normal side of the divine compass, in the four directions, north south east west which represents water, wood, metal and fire, the divine pillars of the four element doesn’t appear. In the center of the compass, which represents the earth element, an extremely short pillar with the lightest color can be seen.

This means that even though Lu Chen still possesses the physical body of a mortal, he has the roots suitable for cultivation once again. Just that, the talents of his roots are substandard, allowing him to only be able to cultivate earth element cultivation techniques. Furthermore, his progress in learning the mystical arts would be incredibly slow.

However, to Lu Chen, this isn’t something to get too depressed over. It is already a blessing for his divine compass to be reforged. However, what is unexpected is that there would be another side to the divine compass, a dark side.

In this world, at least based on Lu Chen’s memories, such an incident is unheard of since immemorial times. Firstly, there has never been the concept of inversion for the Five Element Divine Compass. Secondly, there has never been a black and barren Five Element Divine Compass before.

Sitting in the darkness, he silently stares at the black Five Element Divine Compass, as well as the familiar small spark of black flames burning at its direct center. Then, he holds his breath and slowly tries to stir the flames.

Using his shennian as a rope, he slowly edges it closer to the flames. In the surreptitious darkness, silence looms over the surroundings. At a certain moment, his eyes suddenly opens and there is no pain or emotions reflected in it. However, in his tranquil and stern eyes, two flickers of black flames seem to flash across.

Shennian -> Mental consciousness

In the seventh month, the weather becomes warmer and warmer. However, due to the presence of a clear stream, that seems as though it will never dry out, flowing through the village, the residents of Clear Stream Village still lived more comfortably than the others elsewhere.

On a day nearing the end of the month, someone suddenly knocks on the door of Lu Chen’s straw cottage. He opens it and sees Ding Dang standing outside.

Under the sunlight, she looks ever so beautiful, even with her flushed face and the beads of perspiration vaguely visible on her forehead. Upon seeing Lu Chen, she smiles and waves to him.

Lu Chen smiles as well and invites her in, “Why would you suddenly think of coming to find me, is there something up?”

“Un.” Ding Dang seems like she is in a good mood, as though something great has just happened to her. Facing Lu Chen, she asks, “Can you do me a favor?”

Lu Chen glances at her. Ding Dang suddenly flushes red, as though she is suddenly reminded of something. Slightly distressed, she smiles sheepishly, “Keng, I haven’t gathered sufficient Spirit Stones yet. Is it alright if I repay you after some time?”

Lu Chen shrugs casually and says, “Don’t worry too much about it, I am not in urgent need of money. So, what do you have for me today?”

Ding Dang replies, “Bring me to the Dragon Lake at the back of the mountain.”

“Dragon Lake?”

“Yes!” Ding Dang nods her head forcefully and smiles radiantly.

“Why would you want to go to the Dragon Lake?” Lu Chen is bewildered. “The road there is steep and long, and mountainous paths aren’t that easy to walk on. No one would be there on normal days, so why would you want to go there out of the blue?”

Ding Dang chuckles. She seems to be unable to suppress the joy that can be seen between her brows, and she seems as though a proud chicken who had just laid an egg and can’t wait to brag about it.

However, in the end, she pushes down the urge. Even so, the happiness continues to ripple in her eyes. To Lu Chen, she gently says, “I’ve heard that the scenery there is incredible, so I wanted to go over to take a look.”

She shrugs helplessly and continues, “I have been living in Clear Stream Village for a few years now, but I have never been to the tea mountain. I have heard that the mountainous paths are confusing, similar to a labyrinth. So, after thinking about it, you seem to be the only one who can help me.”

…