Chapter 2: Black Jade Tablet

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Mu Linghan didn’t seem surprised at all and replied in an equally lazy manner, “Others are going upwards in their breakthroughs, and I’m the only one falling downwards instead. In only three months, I’ve fallen from Rank 9 to Rank 5. If it was anyone else, they’d probably have died from embarrassment, yet you’re still complaining that it’s too slow?” 

If anyone else were to hear this conversation, their jaws would drop in shock. Normal people would be complaining about not being able to breakthrough to climb to higher peaks, when would someone complain about not being able to get weaker?!

“That’s why they’re not you, nor will they be able to become you.” 

The voice that spoke was slightly distorted, and it was hard to tell how near or far it was, or whether it was male or female. But, the voice itself was very alluring, and it made the mind intoxicated when one heard it.

“As long as you reach Rank 1 and start over, forget about a small city like Luo Xi here, even in the entire Holy Yuan Empire, there are not many who can be stronger than you.” 

Mu Linghan raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“My meridians was destroyed, and even the energy in my sea of consciousness has been depleted. I almost died, and I was also expelled from the Mu family. Yet, according to you, this was all a great opportunity?” 

“Of course.” 

The voice seemed to be laughing with an unconcealed arrogance underneath its tone.

“Countless people in the continent have fought for it, and many top-tier cultivators have lost their lives yet still failed to obtain this thing. As for you, you only had your meridians destroyed and were able to obtain it with little effort, so naturally it’s a great chance bestowed to you by the heavens. Girl, you really are fortunate.” 

“Fortunate? I’ll only be fortunate if I have a life to enjoy.” 

If she hadn’t fought to death to escape, probably even her soul would have been scattered into nothing right now. How could she be considered to be fortunate?

“As for the Mu family… Those old men have not seen anything, so they deserve to lose out! There’ll be plenty of time for them to beg you when the time comes!” 

Mu Linghan thought about it silently for a moment, then shook her head and smiled. 

“The three elders are still alright in the end, and as for the patriarch… if it weren’t for him, I’m afraid that I might have been beheaded while I was still in a coma.” 

“Didn’t he just get you to take your brother’s place and name? He didn’t even think about how you would live here in this little branch.” 

Apart from Mu Zhongtian, no one knew that the one who had died in the Zhongyuan Secret Realm back then was not Mu Qinglan, but Mu Linghan instead!

In order to save her life, the old man had not hesitated to hide this fact from the world!

Mu Qinglan was deep in thought, seemingly caught up in some memories, then she said, “My brother and I have long since been one, so it doesn’t matter what I’m called. ”

Since he was dead, she would live his part too.

In her previous life, she had been a lonely bounty hunter who had always been caught up in fights. And in this life, she managed to get a family after going through much difficulty, only to have it shattered overnight.

Mu Qinglan shook her head, pushing the memories away as she looked into her sea of consciousness. 

“But, what exactly is this thing?”

Within her sea of consciousness that seemed to be all but depleted, a broken black jade tablet lay there quietly. 

The end of the jade seemed to have been burned by something before, and there was some distortion on it. One could vaguely see some ancient and complicated patterns on it, but it was impossible to make out what it was.

And within the gap of the jade tablet, there were traces of blood which looked to be from a long time ago and had dried up into a dark hue of red.

“And you, who have been hiding inside this jade tablet since I woke up, who are you again?” 

The voice came from the traces of blood on the jade.

When Mu Qinglan woke up from her coma, she found that her Yuan Energy had suffered great damage, and that her meridians had all been destroyed. Then, there was a voice that rang in her ears, but when she pressed for answers, the voice had not replied to her.

Today was the second time it spoke up, and Mu Qinglan still wanted to know the answer.

After all, with such a bizarre thing left in one’s body, anyone would feel uneasy with it.

“You’ll naturally find out my identity at a later date.” 

Mu Qinglan raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh? Perhaps you’re some powerful person’s primordial spirit?” 

“You’re half right, yet also half wrong about that.” 

“Perhaps you have an identity that you can’t tell anyone else? If I recall correctly, a powerful person who can cultivate a primordial spirit can be resurrected from the dead, and you look a little like that. But, even primordial spirits should be able to manifest their original appearances, right? You only showed your voice and not your face, maybe it’s because… you’re too ugly?” 

At that, the voice raised slightly and said, “Ugly?! This… How can I be ugly?! You’re the one who’s ugly, girl!” 

A dark look crossed Mu Qinglan’s face. 

This… ? What title was the voice about to use before it cut itself off?

But then the voice had stopped, then snorted lightly. 

“You were trying to bait me? You’re still too young to get the better of me, girl.” 

Since the voice didn’t want to say it, Mu Qinglan also did not continue to press and just stared at the jade.

Her Yuan Core had also been destroyed, and it seemed that her meridians had been burnt by something as it was curled and shrunken, it was terrifying to look at!

In this condition, she really was no different than a cripple!

However, she had already accustomed herself to looking at it over the past three months, and now she didn’t really mind it at all.

‘Don’t worry. This jade tablet may be overbearing to the extreme and wants to devour all the Yuan Energy in your body before you can start cultivating, but when the time comes, you won’t even be able to compare your past self to your current self.” 

When Mu Qinglan heard this, she was moved. 

Although she didn’t know if it was true or not, this jade tablet was indeed extremely overbearing.

Generally, when people cultivate, they rely on their meridians to absorb the Yuan Energy from their lower dantian, which would then turn it into their own power and enhance their cultivation. But, since she exited the Zhongyuan Secret Realm and found this thing inside her body, it was difficult for her to absorb the Yuan Energy as it was hard for her meridians to reach her dantian. The majority of Yuan Energy was directly devoured by this jade tablet instead!

It was like throwing it into a bottomless pit, quietly sweeping away all the Yuan Energy in one breath!

This was also the reason why in a short period of time, she had fallen from the Primary Yuan Realm down to Rank 5, along with her broken Yuan Core!

“If this thing is so powerful, why don’t you cultivate it yourself?” Mu Qinglan asked casually.

The voice stalled for what seemed like half a day before it seemed to say with some shame, “Can’t you tell that I’m also trapped here?!”

If it wasn’t for its powerful strength, the voice would have already been killed a long time ago!

Mu Qinglan shrugged her shoulders exasperatedly. “Then, you should have a name at least, right?” 

After a long while, the voice finally slowly replied with a hint of laziness, “Xue You.” 

She didn’t know if it was an illusion, but when Mu Qinglan heard the voice speak its name, it felt as though there was a strong and unparalleled pressure for that moment, coming from a far away space!

“This is the place! Search it thoroughly! I want to see how bold this kid is to actually steal Brother Mu Ye’s things!” 

Suddenly, voices came from outside and a scramble of footsteps followed.

Mu Qinglan raised her head abruptly, but the person had already kicked in the door!

A youth stood in front of her and sneered disdainfully once he took in the shabby room. Then, he waved his hand with a snort and said, “Search the place!” 

Bang, bang, bang!

Numerous things were viciously thrown to the ground!