Chapter 161: The Weak River

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Several days later.

Under Chang’s care, Qi Lin’s depleted magical energy finally attained a certain degree of recovery. At the same time, the pervasive mist had gradually abated over the last few days of waiting, and Gan Man had at last found the path to Jade Void Peak. 

The path through the mountain forest became increasingly rugged, and they all advanced cautiously.

Having gotten to know each other during this time, Qi Lin more or less understood their situation from his indirect questioning. However, the person Qi Lin was mindful of most was Xuanxuzi. As it turned out, he came from the Eastern Sea to reach the Western Continent, then proceeded to the Western Sea before finally reaching Western Kunlun after finding the edge of the Western Sea.

This period of time had cost Xuanxuzi several decades. Qi Lin was dumbstruck and could not help but be impressed with his perseverance.

Qi Lin learned from him a few matters regarding the Great Primordial Eastern Continent. After the Register Of Deities activated, Divine Names made their appearances in the Great Primordial Eastern Province, causing quite a stir. In particular, Confucius was forced to flee the renowned Jixia Academy and travel to various states.

However, this was not what was most interesting. A Divine Name named Tang Sanzang had become the target of numerous cultivators and Divine Generals. Reportedly, it was said that this Tang Sanzang’s Destiny was immortality. So long as one killed her, they could enjoy endless longevity and infinite magical energy.

“Have you never thought of killing her?” Qi Lin asked.

Xuanxuzi stared at Qi Lin as if he was a fool: “Of course I have, but is this Destiny so easily consumed? You do not even need to think about it to realize that even the Three Immortal Crones are searching for her.”

Qi Lin looked at Qi Qi. He noticed that the Great Sage Equal Of Heaven was aloof. The name Tang Sanzang did not stir her at all.

“I never imagined there  would actually be a Divine Name with the Destiny of immortality, that really is great.” Chang enviously said.

Xuanxuzi disagreed. Immortality and longevity were the privileges of saints. Generally speaking, those who reached this Realm were exceptionally powerful, but this Tang Sanzang was contrarily very weak. It was said that she was merely the equivalent Primordial Infant.

After roaming the mountain for several more days, they arrived at a magnificent palace.

This palace was constructed in the forest, made of jade and colored glass, crystalline and magnificent. However, the palace was somewhat a shambles. It appeared to have been destroyed.

There was nothing of value in the palace, other than ruins.

Gorgeous and magnificent grasses and flowers had grown over both sides of the path.

From the shabby board, they could see the words “Mother-worshipping Hall.” This characters were written vigorously, very beautifully.

“Why would there be a palace here? Is this inside the Kunlun Palace?” Chang asked.

Hou Yi and Shi Xuan walked into the palace and carefully looked around. They were not very sure. Logically speaking, there should be no palace here, and even if there were, it would not be in such disrepair.

“This place must have been constructed by other visiting cultivator. They must have prayed here daily in order to meet the Queen Mother Of The West.” Qi Lin stroked the wall and brushed away the grass, his nail touching a sculpture. His abundant experience told him that he could sense this statue’s construction.

“How do you know?” Xuanxuzi asked.

“There is some prayer text written here.” Qi Lin indicated. Some characters were recorded on a tablet that had snapped in two. These were Primordial World’s bird script, which was said to be a script used to communicate with Divine Names. They were very commonly used when cultivators prayed to Divine Names.

Although the characters were already faded, some words could still be discerned. They were roughly related to prayers and the Queen Mother Of The West.

“Look over there!” Shi Xuan suddenly shouted in alarm.

Everyone looked in the direction she pointed. At a distant mountain range covered in white mist, silhouette after enormous silhouette appeared in the forest. These figures were like giants, yet they were also like goddesses or warriors, full of various postures and temperaments.

Qi Lin grunted. He wanted to use the Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape to rush over, but he suddenly found himself very heavy, as if gravity had become stronger by a hundredfold, each breath very difficult.

Not only him, but even Xuanxuzi, a Primordial Infant cultivator, felt strained. To maintain flight required expending enormous amounts of magical energy, leaving him no choice but to land.

“Let us go over there and see what is going on. Careful.” Shi Xuan said. She ran over with the others following behind.

Qi Lin noticed that even ordinary escape techniques had become a bit challenged. Chang’s cultivation was the weakest, and she very quickly fell behind, gasping for breath. The others’ attention was on these silhouettes, and there was basically no one left to pay attention to her.

Qi Lin stepped over and picked her up.

The girl gasped, her face a bashful red as she whispered: “Big Brother Qi Lin, put me down, no need to mind Chang.”

“Nope, this place is a bit odd. You had best stay by me, this is safer.” Qi Lin sternly said.

Chang grunted and no longer resisted.

However, this was the first time Chang had been carried by a man. Her soft and supple skin was shrouded in a manly qi. It was like a peculiar flame was burning in her heart, making her very uncomfortable.

“Big Brother Qi Lin, just what is going on, are we about to see the Queen Mother Of The West.” Chang shifted her attention.

“Don’t overthink things. I fear it may be the opposite, that we may not be able to see the Queen Mother.” Qi Lin pursed her lips.

Chang gasped.

The group very quickly reached an open space. In the surroundings, the figures grew increasingly massive, faintly discernible in the mist.

Qi Lin set Chang down.

“Not a bad escape technique.”

Xuanxuzi also rushed over at this time. Seeing that Qi Lin had unexpectedly beat him by a step, his expression was a bit unsightly.

Gan Man and Shi Xuan also followed. They vigilantly watched these shadows in the mist. Due to their fear of a trick, no one dared to approach; they could only wait for the fog to dissipate.

“This truly is troublesome.” Shi Xuan frowned. To be stalled like this was no solution.

At this time, Hou Yi suddenly produced an extremely beautiful longbow, half of it made of jujube wood and red as a gem. The bowstring glowed as Hou Yi aimed an arrow into the mist and shot.

This arrow was like a blazing sun radiant in the sky. The searing fire immediately evaporated the mist, revealing everything as the mountain forest showed its original appearance.

This archery ability was incomparably magnificent.

Qi Lin was in awe.

Xuanxuzi and the rest were already accustomed to this. Their attention was focused on the shadows in the forest. As the mist receded, those enormous shadows were exposed to be uniquely shaped but very devout, impressive, and spectacular palaces.

These palaces were now stood here like stone steles.

“Just what is this.” Shi Xuan could not make sense of this. This was the first time she had seen so many abandoned palace halls.

Qi Lin went from palace to abandoned palace, “I fear they’re the same as before. These were all constructed by other cultivators in order to see the Queen Mother Of The West. For some reason, they prayed here in hopes of seeing the Queen Mother Of The West.” Qi Lin’s experience told him that whatever came next would be troublesome.

But what that thing was, no one could guess. These abandoned palaces all had history, centuries or even a millennium. Qi Lin noticed that they were not only also in the nearby forest, but that these palaces were all oriented in the same direction: towards the Kunlun Void.

A puzzling answer very quickly presented itself in the form of an immense black river that spanned the two locations.

This river was black as ink, deathly and still. Not even the sound of its running water was audible, but that pressure became increasingly heavy as they drew closer.

It was said that there was a river as black as ink outside the Kunlun Palace. Feathers could not float in it, and it was impossible to cross. Its name was the Weak River.¹

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