บท 31: AZI Volume 1 Chapter 30
Everlasting Spirit Realm, one of the many star regions that exists within the great voids of the outer heavens.
This universe is made up of over 50,000 planets with its center occupied by a colossal landmass of great scale.
Circling around this landmass—that a mortal wouldn't be able to walk from one end to the other in their entire lifetime—are three suns and three moons, with each of them giving off a resplendent shine that wouldn't lose to the other.
Within this colossal landmass is a territory that belongs exclusively to an ancient family called Ling Yuan.
The territory of this family spans for many miles; so vast is the Ling Yuan family's domain that many teleportation magic arrays are setup throughout the various parts of their estate to make moving from one location to the other easier.
The further inward one moves into the Ling Yuan family's territory, the older the buildings become while the newer buildings tend to be located in the outermost area. That means to say that the deeper one lives within this territory, the higher their standings are within the entire household.
Encompassing the entirety of the Ling Yuan family's territory is a powerful defensive barrier, which takes on the form of three rings that surround the skies of this household's estate.
This grand barrier that has protected this household for numerous generations is held up by a total of nine stone pillars—each of which, are inscribed with archaic runes of a lost tongue.
With how large these pillars are, they can easily be mistaken for stone towers at a distance.
Due to the presence of this barrier, a large amount of spirit Qi is constantly being siphoned from the air, making the lands surrounding the Ling Yuan family's domain not as abundant in this energy compared to the average cultivation households' domains.
But with this barrier serving to both siphon and to trap spirit Qi within, the Ling Yuan family's estate is turned into an ideal cultivation environment for the clansmen of this ancient household.
At the center of the estate is the Ling Yuan family's oldest building, a large temple built out of precious wood and decorated in an extravagant manner with precisely cut shards of immortal jade, one of the two main forms of currency within this realm.
Fireworks dazzle the night skies, for today is considered a festive day for the Ling Yuan family.
Once every 50 years, a celebration would be held to worship the family's founding ancestor, who came to be known to the masses of this world as the Ling Yuan Ancestor—originally, one of the suns that circled around this vast continent.
That means to say, each sun and moon that resides in the skies are meant to represent an individual of great strength.
A myriad number of tables and chairs are setup throughout the various paths of the family's estate with guests from afar invited to attend the celebration that is accompanied by wine and meals made from exotic ingredients.
(As expected of a family that belongs to one of the suns of our world. Even though that ancestor of theirs is already gone, they still have a powerful foundation to stand on. I doubt this foundation can be shaken by other cultivation households for the next ten centuries.)
Standing at a less crowded corner is a young girl who looks to be 16 years of age with pink hair and pale purple eyes. If one looks closely, there are a few strands of silver hair hidden away by the dominant pink colors.
Her attire consists of a crane patterned set of white robes over a black layer. Wrapped around her waist is a red sash.
And to the young girl's side are three individuals dressed in black robes of lesser quality, who serve as her bodyguards.
The young girl's name is Chén Shì Yào Yīng, a descendant of the Chen Shi family and the current clan chief's second daughter.
"…Oh?"
Taking a sip of the juice from her bronze cup, Yao Ying smiles in reaction to the sweet taste.
"Lady Yao Ying, may I ask that you not drink too much? As it's a festive day for the Ling Yuan family, all the drinks contain a bit of alcohol in them."
Seeing the young girl having taken a liking to the flavor of the drink, one of the bodyguards spoke up.
"Ai, this lady rarely gets to come out of the family estate. Shouldn't I at least enjoy myself when I get the chance?"
Considered to be Chen Shi family's greatest prodigy seen in the past 200 years, Yao Ying has always been pampered by her family's older generation clansmen.
But this pampering comes at the cost of her being made to stay within her family's domain and cultivate in diligence.
Had her elder brother and elder sister not begged their father to let her come out and gain some experience on how to dutifully present herself to others as a member of their family in the future, she would have surely continued to stay cooped up within the Chen Shi family's territory.
"Your maternal grandfather has instructed us to protect you, so-"
"Two cups. At least grant me that much."
"Very well."
Finishing off the bronze cup's remaining content, Yao Ying thought to head for a nearby table to grab another drink, but—
"Lady Yao Ying, I'm afraid I've come bearing you bad news."
A servant of the Ling Yuan family with sweat covering his forehead runs up to Yao Ying with an expression of great urgency.
"What happened?"
Towards the servant, Yao Ying can't help but frown.
"Your maternal grandfather, Mò Tóngzǐ was on his way here, but on the road a group of assassins attacked him."
Handing the bronze cup to one of her bodyguards, Yao Ying asks—
"Did he get injured?"
"The person who came to deliver the news fainted right after, so I wouldn't kno-"
"Where is he right now?"
"He's coming in from the northern entrance s-"
"We're leaving."
Without waiting for the servant to finish, Yao Ying calls for her bodyguards to leave.
"…"
As both Yao Ying and her bodyguards vanish from sight, the servant's eyes give off an unusual gleam of sinister intent.
(Ai, young girl is far too inexperienced. Old man Mo Tongzi isn't someone that just any ordinary group of assassins can hope to injure, much less kill.)
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