บท 2: Two of the Seven World Mysteries
[Updated, rewritten]
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As Rong Yuan hastened towards the Ying Bridge, his mind was consumed with the gravity of the situation at hand. The White Lotus Sect, his sect's longtime partner and ally, had inexplicably attacked his disciples. This act of aggression left him reeling with confusion and a gnawing sense of betrayal.
Despite the fact that his sect and the White Lotus Sect had always maintained a close relationship, their sudden attack on his disciples made him question everything he thought he knew. His mind swirled with questions, chief among them being why they would commit such a heinous act against their own allies.
"So why would they attack his disciples? Or was there some conspiracy behind this attack? Are his disciples ok?"
His mind was filled with these kinds of questions.
Also, the Sect Master of the White Lotus Sect was his not best but a close friend. He even helped her to win the position of Sect Master at that time. No matter how much he thought about the reason, he couldn't come up with at least one.
He recalled the Ying Bridge, a part of the Seven World Mysteries. It was made of black stones that repelled damage, only yielding to those with advanced cultivation or immense strength. Even Rong Yuan, a legendary figure with Spirit Emperor Stage cultivation, could only inflict a little damage on it. The bridge's name was derived from the color and nature of the stones.
The bridge was surrounded by a thick white fog, rendering the area treacherous even for seasoned cultivators, who had to exercise utmost caution. Spending even a brief period on the bridge meant that one's spirit power became nullified, leaving only physical strength to defend oneself.
This made it an ideal location for assassination or murder, where one could slay a powerful cultivator with relative ease, provided they had the means to do so.
Legends surrounding the Ying Bridge attributed the phenomenon to the white fog that shrouded the bridge, which many believed had the power to seal their spirit energy. However, this was purely speculative, and the true nature of the fog remained shrouded in mystery, adding to the enigma surrounding the bridge.
Another intriguing aspect of the bridge was its location atop the Yang River, itself one of the Seven World Mysteries. The convergence of two such mystical locations in a single place was a phenomenon that left many puzzled and only added to the sense of intrigue surrounding the Ying Bridge.
The Yang River was known for its frigid, black waters, deterring any sane individual from attempting to enter it, even Legendary Spirit Emperor Stage cultivators. This made falling off the Ying Bridge a fatal mistake, as there was no hope of survival in the treacherous waters below.
In light of these dangers, he instructed his youngest disciple to fetch pills and antidotes, as the former could be used on the bridge, while the latter may prove vital in the event of poisoning.
The requirements to use pills on the Ying Bridge were exceedingly stringent - a single pill could only sustain an individual for a mere three minutes, and it had to be of at least fifth-grade perfect quality or sixth-grade standard. Crafting such pills was a skill reserved for only the most accomplished alchemists, known as grandmaster alchemists, of at least sixth-grade proficiency.
Fortunately, his fiance Rouer was a top-tier grandmaster alchemist of the sixth grade, rendering the need for concern over acquiring the necessary pills unnecessary.
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After flying for hours, he finally caught sight of the Ying Bridge, using his unique Spirit Emperor Eyes technique, an invention of his own making. With this technique, he could clearly survey an area up to four miles in length, provided he had enough spirit power to sustain it.
As he approached the bridge, he ceased his flight, instead searching through his spirit artifact, a grade 3 middle artifact known as a storage ring. Despite its small size, with a capacity of only a 100x100 meter cube, it was a rare artifact in his world, and he hoped to find some Spirit Supporting pills among its contents.
Rummaging through his storage ring, he came upon a mere seven Spirit Supporting Pills, which he knew would only sustain him for a paltry 20 minutes. Nevertheless, it would have to suffice until his fiance and reinforcements arrived.
Setting out into the mist, he soon heard the clamor of voices and hastened his pace toward the source. Upon arrival, he was greeted by the sight of his two disciples, barely clinging to their consciousness, standing perilously close to the edge of the bridge. The ground around them was littered with lifeless bodies, a grim testament to the danger that lurked in this place.
The condition of his two disciples was far grimmer than that of his third. Their bodies were riddled with severe injuries, their tattered clothes replaced by bloodstains - evidence of a fierce and protracted battle with multiple opponents.
Rushing to their aid, he approached them gently and spoke in a soothing tone:
"Hey, Yuer, Naer. It's me, your master. Are you okay?"
He then fed them healing pills and one Spirit Supporting pill to each of them so they could heal at least a little faster.
"Master, is that you? I...I knew you would come..." murmured his first and eldest disciple, Yuer, slowly regaining consciousness.
"I had faith in you, Master," groaned Naer, writhing in pain.
"Stop talking and heal your injuries take these healing pills, it may help you ease the pain a little bit. And yes I came, of course, I would come even if it puts my life in danger." Yuan instructed, offering them the pills.
After hearing him they started to cry after one another.
"Master we disappointed you. We didn't do as you said. Master, we are fools. Please, please forgive us master.. sob-sob.."
"Yes master, we were wrong. Please..-sob-sob.. forgive us" – said his disciples while crying
"What happened? Why are you wrong? Tell me, explain the situation, why are you like this?" Yuan questioned them.
"Master, we didn't do as you said. We believed him... hick... sob... sob..."
"Who did you believe?" Yuan asked, as their answer was vague.
"We believed him. He wanted to meet all of us. And we believed him and came here. But… but.."
His disciples' eyes filled with sadness and regret.
"Who are they talking about", he thought.
"Who is responsible for this?" Yuan demanded, his fury simmering beneath the surface.
"It's...him," they began, but before they could reveal the culprit's identity, both lapsed into unconsciousness.
Sensing their exhaustion, Yuan allowed them to rest, but his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden voice.
"Of course, it's me," the voice declared.
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