NOVEL NEXT Chapter 701: Synchronous Advancement
Translated by Yan of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
One month later, an enormous stretch of dark clouds gathered in the sky above Ghost Tomb Mountain Range. Several flashes of lightning would occasionally flash through the dark clouds, and the thunder made it seem as if a heavy rain was about to fall. The people of White Bone Town were already used to seeing this.
Within this past year, they had already witnessed the dark thunderclouds at least ten times before. Every time it was extremely impressive and they could essentially see it and hear it even from the very edge of the Ghost Tomb Mountain Range. At the beginning, everyone made a huge fuss about it and almost believed that the world was ending, but after it appeared two or three times in a single month, they all calmed down.
If some outsider grew alarmed over it, the citizens of White Bone Town would even look down on them. After that, many people knew that the people of White Bone Town all liked to look down on outsiders’ panic. As a result, when more outsiders came across this kind of situation, they didn’t dare to make it too obvious. Right now, when they saw the dark clouds again, everyone merely glanced at it before continuing whatever they were busy with. Very few people cared enough to take a second glance.
However, the other people weren’t calm. From the moment the dark clouds started to gather above Ghost Tomb Mountain Range, Lin Ming was so startled that he jumped, his expression both shocked and happy, but still a little worried.
“This aura, could it be that Xiao-er is about to advance?” Lin Gu stood up with surprise. Even though he had never experienced this kind of situation when advancing, he could still tell that it was definitely someone strong who was about to advance. Furthermore, this aura was much more powerful than he had imagined, powerful to the point of being beyond reasonable limits.
Lin Ming frowned. “It seems so, but it feels as if there’s something extra.”
Lin Gu looked worried. “What’s extra? Haven’t you already experienced it before? Will something happen to Xiao-er this time while advancing? Aren’t these dark clouds a little bit too excessive?”
“I also think it’s strange. Back then, when I advanced into seven stars, it wasn’t this odd. I keep feeling as if there’s something extra in the dark clouds above us!” Lin Ming also remained perplexed.
When Lin Gu saw that he couldn’t pinpoint why, he simply turned and left.
Lin Ming hastily pulled him to a stop. “Where are you going?”
Lin Gu didn’t even look back when he responded, “I’m going over to the palace to take a look, or else I won’t feel at ease.” Last time when Lin Ming’s son was in secluded cultivation, it was almost fatal. This time, no matter what he couldn’t just sit and do nothing.
“You can’t!” Lin Ming forcefully rejected him.
“Why not?” Lin Gu looked back and stared at him, a trace of stubbornness and obstinate appearing on his refined face.
Lin Ming felt his heartstrings tug with his stare. It had been a very long time since he had last seen Lin Gu look like this, and it made his heart itch. The lines of his face immediately relaxed, and he chuckled. “A-Gu, I know that you’re very worried about Xiao-er. I’m also worried about him, but you also know that in these circumstances, you can’t transport anything. Even if you don’t use a transport circle, by the time you hurry over there, it’ll have ended.”
Lin Gu knew that what he was saying was very logical, but he was still worried.
Lin Ming quickly said, “A-Gu, you have to believe in that damn brat. He isn’t an impulsive person. I imagine that he’s been preparing for this for a long time already, or else he wouldn’t have chosen now to do it. Also, his wife is still at his side. With him there, there shouldn’t be too many problems.”
If something happened to Ling Xiao, You XiaoMo definitely wouldn’t just sit and watch.
Finally, Lin Gu was still persuaded to stop.
“Actually, this brat chose just the right time to advance. By the time he comes out, he should be able to help us. Let’s first go and discuss a little. That person already gave me the information; next I’ll notify the Demon Phoenix Clan and the rest…” Lin Ming led Lin Gu back as he slowly started to speak with his deep and low voice, as if comforting Lin Gu’s heart.
Meanwhile, in the palace’s secret room.
You XiaoMo was currently sitting in lotus position on the stone bed, both of his eyes closed. The spiritual energy around his body fluctuated extremely violently, as if it was about to explode at any second.
In the secret room next door, the same thing was happening to Ling Xiao.
Unlike what Lin Gu and Lin Ming were imagining, You XiaoMo wasn’t actually keeping watch next to Ling Xiao. On the contrary, he was also advancing, but his situation wasn’t any better than Ling Xiao’s. Lin Gu and Lin Ming’s suspicions had been correct: the reason why the dark clouds were so large, and the thunder and sound were much greater than before, was because both of them were essentially advancing simultaneously.
It was the first time that they had melded their minds and were undergoing synchronous advancement. If Lin Ming knew, he definitely wouldn’t have stopped Lin Gu. Instead, he would’ve come over with him, but unfortunately he didn’t have the ability to foresee that.
However, in between the two secret chambers was You XiaoMo’s Five Blessing Spirit Eye. At that moment, this Spirit Eye’s rainbow spiritual energy was swiftly being absorbed by two attractions – You XiaoMo’s and Ling Xiao’s secret chambers. The rainbow liquid was currently diminishing at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Two days later, the two of them finally stopped absorbing the rainbow spiritual energy. However, there was less than a tenth of the rainbow liquid left.
Immediately after, the dark clouds in the sky changed, and it sounded as if the explosive thunder was resounding right next to their ears. The people in the distant White Bone Town all felt as if their ears were ringing, as thick lightning continuously smashed towards the palace, landing on the barrier, causing it to shake a few times.
This was the strongest Lightning Tribulation that the people of White Bone Town had ever seen, because the Lightning Tribulation was made up entirely of Ninth Heaven Purple Lightning.
There were nine levels total for Lightning Tribulation. The higher the level, the stronger the power of the Lightning Tribulation. The Ninth Heaven Purple Lightning was the most formidable of the ninth level Lightning Tribulation, besides black lightning.
“Look, you guys, there’s a human figure up above!”
A cultivator’s surprised cry suddenly sounded, but it was quickly muffled by the sound of thunder. However, even without his warning, everyone had already noticed it.
Under the enormous thundercloud, there was a white figure wavering like a dancing mirage, its attitude leisurely and content. Every time a Ninth Heaven Purple Lightning attacked towards him, he would accept it gracefully, making everyone unable to take their eyes off of him.
About three hours later, everyone finally felt their necks grow sore from looking up, and the thunderclouds weakened at last. By the time everyone let out a sigh of relief, there was another sudden huge rumble in the sky, and a silver-colored lightning sliced through the atmosphere, illuminating everyone’s faces.
In the next second, a bolt of black lightning struck!
In Qilin Clan, ever since half a month prior, the sunny and cloudless sky had become heavy and dark, as if a gray fog had blocked the sunlight. Ever since that day, the atmosphere in the clan had become extremely stifling, and basically nobody talked.
Zu Ma stood at the front of the main palace, staring at the tightly closed gates, her expression calm.
At that moment, a subordinate suddenly walked out swiftly and said a few words quietly next to Zu Ma’s ear. Her face quickly darkened.
“You’ve confirmed the news?”
“Yes. It won’t take long before they should start to make their move.”
Zu Ma’s expression immediately grew unreadable. “At this exact moment. It can’t be that someone’s leaking information from our end?”
The underling didn’t have an answer. He didn’t have the qualifications to discuss this kind of classified information.
Zu Ma didn’t expect him to give her a correct answer either. She mumbled to herself for a little before saying, “It doesn’t matter when they’re going to act. Pass on my orders: tell them to prepare immediately. In addition, send out some spies to go investigate. If it’s true, notify me immediately.”
“Yes, Holy Maiden!” After speaking, the subordinate immediately turned And left the peak with the main hall.
Zu Ma’s gaze transferred back to the tightly sealed main hall again. After a while, she said in a voice so quiet nobody else could hear, “ShaoYi, you must come out soon.”
Two days later, after investigating, the Black Spider discovered that the Demon Phoenix Clan, True Dragon Clan, and Black Turtle Clan were indeed gathering experts. Furthermore, they would attack the Qilin Clan shortly. TianGou’s members were also involved.
The worry in Zu Ma’s heart grew even stronger. If TianGou was also involved, she knew that a certain man would most likely appear: Ling Xiao’s father, Lin Ming. If he also acted, the situation would be disadvantageous for them.
“The news about ShaoYi being in secluded cultivation is concealed very well. Most people shouldn’t know about it, yet the information was actually spread. There’s definitely someone leaking it.” Zu Ma’s expression was dark as her gaze swept over the people present. Only the people here knew about ShaoYi’s secluded cultivation.
“Is the Holy Maiden implying that she suspects someone among us leaked out the information about Master being in secluded cultivation?” Dong ChengTian, who was sitting at the second place to Zu Ma’s right, felt his face grow slightly gloomy. He clearly extremely disliked that Zu Ma was suspecting them.
The other people’s faces were similarly unpleasant.
Nobody would look happy about being suspected as a spy, because as long as the accusation was ‘proven,’ they would meet an extremely tragic ending. Traitors had also appeared in the Black Spider before. In the end, that traitor had died very miserably, because their master hadn’t let him die easily.
Zu Ma swept her gaze over them coolly and said, “If we can’t find an answer, this is the only conclusion. You all had better pray that there isn’t a spy, or you should quickly find the mole. Or else when Master comes out from secluded cultivation and learns about this, you will all be suspected.”
Dong ChengTian said, “Holy Maiden, you’re the only one suspecting the existence of a spy. Who here was not personally appointed and trusted by Master? Now that you’re doubting us without good cause, if Master learns that you’re suspecting us while we’re facing a great danger, what will he think?”
Zu Ma’s face darkened slightly. “It’s not that I want to suspect you all. It’s only that, coincidentally, I have no choice but to suspect you guys. I don’t want this problem to remain unresolved by the time Master comes out of secluded cultivation. When that time comes, when Master lays blame, who among you dares to shoulder that responsibility?”
“Enough.” Diao Xiong stopped them coldly. When everyone’s gaze focused on him, he continued, “Right now, it isn’t the time to investigate whose responsibility it is. What’s more important is to think of how to deal with the Demon Phoenix Clan and the other major powerhouses. According to the intelligence report, they’ll reach Qilin Clan within a few days. Master is in seclusion, we have no way of retreating. We can only use Qilin Clan’s terrain to defend ourselves.”
“Blind defense most likely won’t succeed. From what I’m thinking, we should select a cavalry to cut them off and buy Master some time to win.” Tao WenLiang spoke calmly from next to Diao Xiong. His appearance was scholarly, and he was the type who was extremely cautious.
The ones sitting there were all the upper crust of the Black Spider. The least powerful was still at the one star Sacred Realm level. Even though Fang Yang, who had already been killed by Ling Xiao, wasn’t the lowest one of this group, he was pretty much the bottom.
Their words made Zu Ma and Dong ChengTian calm down. The presence of a spy was merely a suspicion; in reality, they had no proof at all. If they started to fight over the groundless rumor of a spy and recklessly suspected their own people, Master would definitely be furious when he found out.
Finally, they decided to listen to Tao WenLiang’s idea and first send out some people to intercept them, buying their master some time. If they couldn’t block them, then they would withdraw. In any case, they still had the Qilin Clan. There were quite a few experts in it.
However, their plans changed far more quickly than expected.