Heaven’s Shadow

Yun Xiao Qing pouts. Suddenly, a look of unease appears on her face and sighs lightly. She mutters soft, “If he were to know of that matter, what would he think of it? Will he be repulsed by it?”

After saying that, she bit her lips and she unintentionally placed her hands on her womb.

Yun Jian smiles and replies, “Silly sister, just rest easy. Hei Lang will definitely like it.”

Yun Xiao Qing looks unsure as she stares at Yun Jian. She questions, “Big brother, how would you know?”

Yun Jian bursts into laughter. He shakes his head and he consoles her, “You are his childhood friend and the both of you grew up together. Other people might not understand of your relationship, but don’t you trust him? Besides, as a Cultivator, the price to pay for stealing from the heavens to attain supreme power is that it is hard for us to have descendants. The higher realm that a person reaches, the even harder it is for them. To have his child so early on, this is something to celebraye about. Do you think Hei Lang will be mad about it?”

A sparkle twinkles in Yun Xiao Qing’s eyes. A ripple seems to appear in her jewel-like eyes, making it look bright but with a hint of depth to it. After a short moment, she finally nods her head and a hint of a smile resurfaces on her face. She replies, “Big brother, what you said makes sense.”

Yun Jian smiles as she pats Yun Xiao Qing’s head dotingly. He says, “In any case, I am looking forward to the birth of my nephew. Right, I forgot to tell you. Father also knows about this.”

“Ah!” Yun Xiao Qing instantly jumps in fright as her face turns red from embarrassment and anger. She complains furiously, “Big brother, why did you go and spread it around? Now, I will be severely reprimanded by father.”

Yun Jian laughs, “Why would father scold you over nothing? I will tell you straightforwardly, father is very happy over this!”

Yun Xiao Qing’s eyes widen in disbelief, “Are you sure?”

Yun Jian replies, “Of course. Otherwise, why do you think Hei Lang would be able to enter the forbidden valley and even join in the Fallen God Curse ceremony? Even if he possesses the secret art to gather the Blood Soul Crystal, but at this final crucial period, it is also equally possible to exclude him from it.”

Yun Xiao Qing mumbles softly, “You mean, father intends to…”

Yun Jian smiles and continues to speak, “Naturally, it is because he knows he is going to have a grandson, so he is finally truly viewing Hei Lang as a member of his family. As our cultivation skill clashes with the Fallen God Curse, we cannot approach the valley. However, Hei Lang is of the bloodline of the Blood-burning Crystal, which makes it suitable for him to approach the God Curse. If he doesn’t take this opportunity to raise the status of his future son-in-law, who would do it?”

A look of relief and happiness appears on Yun Xiao Qing’s face and she nods her head continuously. She sets her gaze towards the dark valley as her hands come together at her chest. She mutters a prayer, “May everything go well so that everyone can return safely.”

After finishing those words, she scan the surroundings with her peripheral vision and after catches sight in something, she lets out a ‘ah’, as though pleasantly surprised by something.

Yun Jian turns to look at her, only to see Yun Xiao Qing walking to one corner and picking something up from the wild grass.

Yun Jian looks carefully at it and sees a red flower. He hears Yun Xiao Qing laughs delightfully and she says, “Big brother, look, the acacia flowers have bloomed.”

Yun Jian shrugs. This acacia flower is a common flower that can could seen all over the wilderness. There is no Spirit Mark on it and it isn’t a spiritual medicine either. It is completely useless to cultivators. So, he replies snappily, “Isn’t it just a stalk of wild flower, why are you making such a big fuss for?”

Yun Xiao Qing ignores him. She happily places the stalk of red acacia flower into her hands to looks at it. Then, she replies, “This flower bloomed so beautifully, this must be a good omen.”

The night breeze blows by. The bright red acacia flower trembles slightly in her snow white palms, as though whispering silently.

※※※

Hei Lang walks into the Mist Barren Lost Valley. Initially, the path is a narrow road in between 2 mountainous cliffs. But, as he venture deeper, the path gradually became wider. What is weird is that there isn’t a single speckle of light to guide him throughout the way and his entire surroundings were completely dark but he didn’t even stray off from the path in the slightest, as though he has remembered the entire geography of this area in his mind.

After walking past the small path leading into the valley, although the path ahead of him is completely dark, Hei Lang seemed as though he is adapted to the darkness. As his footsteps became even more stable, he knows that he is already in the valley. Due to some mysterious reasons, not a single spiritual grass can grow on this ordinary-looking valley. Most of them are the commonest and most ordinary wild grass and trees. Wild flowers such as the acacia flower is commonly seen here.

Perhaps, that is the reason why this valley seems even more barren to the cultivators of the world. This is also where the name of the barren valley came from.

Hei Lang looks forwards. In the far distance, at the center of the valley, he sees a ball of fire burning! This scene, when placed against the pitch dark valley, makes the ball of fire even more striking.

He takes a deep breath. In this instant, when no one is around, he looks a little nervous and stares fixedly there. After a moment, he lightly exhales turbid gas and his face swiftly regains its calmness. Then, he walks with big steps towards the source of the light.

Under the night sky, there is a bizarre atmosphere floating in the valley. It is intangible and colorless and yet, it is omnipresent. Those who are engulfed in it can’t help but feel their heart beat faster. This seems to be like the emotion of respect and fear towards the fearsome and powerful unknown.

The flame originates from a bonfire burning somewhere in the valley. But, the one fueling it isn’t wooden logs but some bizarre objects. Bones, fur, stones, medicinal plants of weird shapes and the most bizarre of them all, chunks and chunks of bloody flesh. All of it, burning like that silently.

If one were to walk closer, they would realise that on those bizarre fuel, during the intervals between the flame’s consuming and expelling of it, mystical Spirit Mark pictures will appear on it, glowing one after another, emitting formless but powerful ripples.

A 3-meter tall huge wooden token is stabbed into the outer perimeter of the bonfire. Just like the one Hei Lang saw before, there is a picture of a giant tree with gods and vengeful spirits on it.

There are 3 old men sitting by the bonfire. Sitting in the main position is a one with a pure and ordinary-looking face that gives the fleeting feeling of an immortal when looking at it. Vaguely, his face bears to resemblance to Yun Jian that he just met. On his left is a bald and fat old man. His white eyebrows extend all the way down the contours of his face. On his right is a dark-skinned withered-looking old man. His face feels as though it only has a sheet of skin over it, making the visuals quite frightening.

Hei Lang walks to the front of the bonfire and bows to the three old men, “Paying respect to the three elders.”

The three of them turn around at the same time. The ordinary-looking old man and the fat old man nods their head. Only the face of the dark-skinned withered old man darkens as he sneers, “Yun Yang Shou, what right does this brat of yours has to be seated in the God Formation?”

Bloodline of Blood-burning Crystal: Not very sure whether he is just describing the attribute of his blood or it is the name of his bloodline.

Acacia flowers: Albizia julibrissin

Footsteps became more stable -> The ground is flat (Showing the transition between mountainous terrain and the valley)

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