The mountains were majestic, rolling endlessly. After several days of heavy snow, the towering ranges were draped in white; between heaven and earth, it seemed all extraneous color had vanished. The vast, pristine snow resembled a layer of crystalline jade screen, continuously radiating a dazzling, pervasive radiance that was both dizzying and enchanting.

“Oh!” The towering peaks and the silent void suddenly rippled faintly. Immediately after, that nothingness seemed to be torn open by a long, narrow fissure, and two figures shot out like lightning. One was a young man of medium height; the other, a woman in black with an impassive face.

They were none other than Nie Kong and Mu Lengxing, just having left the Yin Ruins.

Twenty years prior, following the upheaval in the Yin Ruins, Patriarch Mu sealed the entire area to sever the connection between the 'Great Expansion Spirit Venerable's' spiritual thoughts and its main body. However, while sealing it, Patriarch Mu had quietly left behind an exit passage, one that required the simultaneous exertion of four Heavenly Spirit experts to open.

For twenty years, Mu Lengxing and the others had also been controlled by those spiritual thoughts, and Patriarch Mu had never mentioned this passage to anyone. Twenty years later, because of Nie Kong's sudden appearance, the wisp of spiritual thought within Mu Qingyi was expelled and annihilated. With the greatest worry removed, Patriarch Mu, before falling into slumber, revealed this matter to Mu Xueyi.

Otherwise, before the three 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' in Patriarch Mu’s heart could be purged, no one could have left the sealed Yin Ruins—not even Nie Kong. This was because the spiritual vein leading to Lingyu City was one-way: entry only, no exit. Nie Kong could not easily return the way he came.

Conversely, the passage left by Patriarch Mu was strictly for exiting, not for re-entry. This arrangement prevented the 'Great Expansion Spirit Venerable,' who had fallen deep below, from penetrating its spiritual essence back into the Yin Ruins.

In the future, should Nie Kong wish to return to the Yin Ruins, he would still have to enter via that spiritual vein.

This time, when Nie Kong returned to Lingyu City, Mu Xueyi was reluctant to see her son depart alone and had initially intended to accompany him. However, she had been sealed within the 'Wood Spirit Hall' for too long. Although she had awakened now, her cultivation had not fully recovered, and staying outside was far less conducive to a swift restoration than remaining within the Yin Ruins.

Thus, Mu Lengxing accompanied Nie Kong instead.

Mu Lengxing traveling to Lingyu City carried another exceedingly important mission: to relieve Xu Ba and suppress the spiritual vein. Nie Kong only learned the method his mother and the others used to resolve the spiritual vein crisis—taking turns suppressing it—just before leaving the Yin Ruins. The Heavenly Spirit experts in Lingyu City required the aid of 'Spirit Apex Sacred Water' to contain the vein. But Mu Lengxing and the others were different; they were Half-Spirits descended from the bloodline of Patriarch Mu, and since the Yin Ruins spiritual vein originated from Patriarch Mu’s roots, they could suppress the vein without the 'Spirit Apex Sacred Water.'

“Third Aunt, where is this place?”

Nie Kong surveyed the world of ice and snow, inhaling a deep breath of cold air, yet feeling a strange sense of novelty inside.

The area accessible after this passage opened was inherently uncertain; it could be south of the Tianlang Mountain Range, or perhaps to the north. Nie Kong had been in the Yin Ruins for several months. Judging by the time elapsed, it was already April outside.

This suggested the passage had deposited them in the northern part of the Tianlang Mountain Range. At this season, only north of the mountains would snow still linger. This contrasted sharply with the outside world, as the Yin Ruins remained perpetually warm, like spring, even during the first two months of the year.

“This is Shatu Difeng.” Mu Lengxing gazed into the distance for a moment, frowning slightly, and pointed to a peak in the sky shaped like a voluptuous woman. “I passed by here several decades ago and even ascended that mountain for a look. A few dozen li north from here should be a town belonging to the Shatu Empire. Let’s go!”

As her voice trailed off, the 'Thousand Needle Ink Dragon Whip' imprint on Mu Lengxing’s brow faintly shimmered with black light. Immediately, a powerful force lifted Nie Kong’s body, carrying him directly through the air. Their figures shot forward like meteors, vanishing a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.

Nie Kong felt the wind roaring past his ears as the mountains below rapidly receded.

Turning his head, he saw Mu Xueyi moving with an air of casual grace. Nie Kong felt a pang of envy for such an ability. Aerial flight was near impossible for ordinary Spirit Masters, but for those at the Grand Heaven Spirit realm, it was effortless, especially so for the Spirit Race or Half-Spirit kin.

The bodies of the Spirit Race and Half-Spirits could merge with their Inner Manifestation, and the Inner Manifestation could also be dispersed throughout the body. If one’s power reached a sufficient level, not only could the merged Inner Manifestation move freely through the heavens and earth, but the dispersed portion could achieve the same liberty.

“We’re here!”

Not long after, Mu Lengxing’s figure suddenly descended to the ground, releasing Nie Kong.

Nie Kong looked up, and a magnificent, towering city immediately entered his sight. On the high walls of the city gate, he could even vaguely discern the three characters, "Luoyan City," inscribed in blood-red.

“Luoyan City?”

Nie Kong’s heart stirred.

He had heard the name of this city from Tai Ji.

The Tianlang Mountain Range, where Lingyu City was situated, lay between the states of Shatu, Cheng, and Chang. Luoyan City was located northeast of the Tianlang Mountain Range. Moreover, within the entire region encircling the Tianlang Range, Luoyan City was an extremely bustling settlement, housing hundreds of thousands of people—its scale comparable to Jiyang City in Cheng State.

Mu Lengxing ceased using her Inner Manifestation and walked into the city with Nie Kong on foot.

It was noon. Although the wind was biting cold, the streets were still lined with countless vendors, and the thoroughfare was teeming with people. Mu Lengxing had not visited this place for decades, and seeing it again now, an imperceptible wistfulness flickered in her eyes.

“Huh?”

Nie Kong suddenly let out a surprised gasp.

“What is it?”

Mu Lengxing, who had been silently observing, was startled back to attention and glanced at Nie Kong.

Nie Kong pointed at some pedestrians on the street, a look of confusion crossing his eyes. “Third Aunt, look at the shape of their bundles; eight out of ten likely contain medicine cauldrons. This suggests these people are very possibly Spirit Apothecaries. Along the way, I’ve already seen over a hundred Spirit Apothecaries. What are they all doing flocking to this ‘Luoyan City’?”

“Oh?”

Mu Lengxing observed for a moment and realized it was indeed as Nie Kong described. Many people walking the streets carried large packs containing round or square objects, highly likely medicine cauldrons. Furthermore, these individuals—men and women, old and young—were indeed of all sorts.

Could something be happening in Luoyan City?

Harboring this doubt, Nie Kong and Mu Lengxing entered a three-story tavern that appeared to be of decent standing. It was lunchtime, and the first floor was already packed with patrons, most likely ordinary citizens of Luoyan City. Guided by a waiter, the pair proceeded directly to the second floor. The clientele upstairs was sparser. Among those dining, Nie Kong spotted several more figures of Spirit Apothecaries, whispering amongst themselves about something unknown.

PS: Yesterday’s second update; this first chapter of Volume Nine is proving incredibly difficult to write; I’ve deleted and rewritten it several times since the afternoon. That will be all for today. This chapter is only two thousand characters long. Including today, I am now behind by over four chapters. Rest assured, I will catch up slowly. ~