Maiden Galaxy

"Don't you feel that something is very strange?"

Chen Mo, Qin Shaoxu, and Ting Nanyuan continued deeper into the cave. After walking for a while, Qin Shaoxu suddenly blurted this out. The Wuyang Princess nervously tugged his clothes, "What, Shaoxu, is something wrong?"

Chen Mo scanned the area ahead, sensing the atmosphere was very abnormal.

Too quiet.

It could be said that the Corpse Hand Centipedes' surprise attack from before was a chilling hell, but after having walked through hell, to surprisingly not encounter any further Demon Bugs or Worms was honestly counterintuitive.

In such a sinister place, the more deathly still and tomblike the atmosphere, the more uneasy one would become.

"Be on alert." Chen Mo said.

Everyone continued on. All of a sudden, a soft noise came from the front. Chen Mo and Qin Shaoxu immediately halted. A wide, open space was in front of them, and a monstrous, gigantic spider with a completely black as charcoal body etched with seemingly blazing red patterns now appeared before their eyes. This was a Rank Five "Blood Charcoal Spider." Its hairy limbs could be used as charcoal, thus earning it the name. The air that a Blood Charcoal Spider breathed out contained intense high temperatures that were more scathing than fire. As a result, it was named Blood Charcoal Spider.

Right now, there was a man and woman in the middle of trading blows against the spider.

The man was tall and straight, wielding a sword with a jet-black edge. The swordsmanship he displayed was demonic, constantly entangling the Blood Charcoal Spider's attacks. The sword swirled with a black qi that stopped every breath of the Blood Charcoal Spider.

The woman in black clothes and a veil standing to the side, like a wooden carving, immovable as a mountain.

Could these two be the warriors that massacred the Demon Beasts along the way?

The man was Three Flowers Gathered Overhead, clearly reaching Saint Of War cultivation. His sword had three stars, and his technique was profound, full of explosive power. At the same time, his body techniques were monstrous. Combined with his swordplay, there was the feeling he was untraceable.

But the Rank Five Blood Charcoal Spider was very strong. Such a Demon Beast dwelled within the leyline's depths, using earthly fire as sustenance. Even a Saint Of War would have to make a detour upon seeing it. Though the man's swordsmanship was very ferocious, he was unable to bring harm to the Blood Charcoal Spider's vital points.

"Wuii,¹ hurry. I won't last much longer." The man shouted.

The woman named Wuyi revealed keen phoenix eyes that were as pitch-black as an abyss. She made strange hand gestures, all the while staring at the Blood Charcoal Spider. For some reason, the Blood Charcoal Spider became even more violent. It apparently knew that the woman was charging some dangerous technique, and it launched an even more terrible assault.

Its eight spider legs were like razors, attacking the man ruthlessly.

The man's pitch-black sword was very profound, firmly blocking the Blood Charcoal Spider's advance. The spider spat out a formless breath, and space was suddenly warped by terribly high temperatures.

This breath that was comparable to Earthly Fire could not be blocked, even by a Saint Of War whose spirit and flesh were one. The man was but touched by a speck of the breath, but immediately, the sizzle of his flesh was heard.

"Gravedigger Sword: Beheading Swordstroke!"

The man roared. His body that had been overwhelmed by the spider suddenly burst out with boundless potential. This guy was obviously a Three Flowers Gathered Overhead Peak Saint Of War. With this roar, his qi circulated throughout his whole body, and he began a fierce counterattack.

His body bounced back as he pushed the Blood Charcoal Spider away.

The Blood Charcoal Spider spat once again. This time, it unleashed high temperature spider silk. This silk was sharper than a blade, becoming a large net enclosing him. The man's sword-qi rose, steep as a mountain piercing the blue heavens.

Deadlocked like this for several bouts, the man's Qi-blood once again slowly dissipated. Just as he was about to falter, the woman finally read an incantation at this moment. "The mind is principle, conveying conscience, knowledge and action are one!!"²

These words were like a spell once uttered.

Without warning, that berserk Blood Charcoal Spider immediately became motionless, its breathing returning to a deathly stillness, leaving itself wide open.

The man finally seized his chance when he saw it. He lifted his greatsword, leaping forth and swing the sword down.

Gravedigger Sword: Open-eyed Death.³

The greatsword chopped into the small crack between the Blood Charcoal Spider's mandibles, its weakest point. The sword stopped for a moment, and the spider suddenly quivered, taking a step back. With a crash, the greatsword suddenly slayed it with a single unstoppable strike.

Chen Mo and Qin Shaoxu were both shocked.

Was this Rank Five Demon Beast's death not too unreasonable?

However, while the man killed the Blood Charcoal Spider, a Corpse Hand Centipede crawled out behind that Wuyi woman.

Whoosh!!

A Black Python Throwing Knife flashed.

Before the woman could react, she felt a sharp blade brush past her cheek. By the time her eyes widened, a throwing knife was already embedded in the rocks. On the throwing knife was a terrible centipede.

The man was also startled, immediately retreating to the woman's side. "Wuyi, are you alright."

Wuyi was silent, watching the dark entrance.

Chen Mo, Qin Shaoxu, and Ting Nanyuan walked out.

The one who attacked was none other than Chen Mo, "Your Servant wonders what powers the Lady wields, to surprisingly be capable of suppressing the Blood Charcoal Spider. We spotted the Corpse Hand Centipede just now. Worried for the moment, Your Servant thus took action. We hope we did not offend you."

Chen Mo said.

Wuyi's phoenix eyes sank, and she glanced at the throwing knife. This Black Python Throwing Knife then flew out of the cliff face just like this, hovering in front of her.

Divine Intent control over an object?⁴

Although a warrior's Spirit Flower cultivated Divine Intent, to propel an object through thought alone was not so simple to do. It required special training and a Spirit Flower that had undergone the tempering of Thunder Tribulation.

This woman had Thunder Tribulation cultivation? But he was completely unable to see it just a moment ago.

As if answering Chen Mo's suspicions and following Wuyi's Divine Intent, the Black Python Throwing Knife let out an air-splitting crack as it flew towards Chen Mo.

The throwing knife's speed was very fast, practically different from when it was thrown. Clearly, the woman's Divine Intent appeared to already have reached a level of unfettered usage. This kind of Divine Intent skill was simply unbelievable.

Chen Mo grabbed the throwing knife. The throwing knife still released surplus power. The strength she put into it was not lacking.

"Chen Mo but saved you. Is this considered your repayment?" Ting Nanyuan could not stand to watch.

The woman veiled her face and readjusted her black clothes. Her slender and elegant figure and her ice-cold eyes seemed to say, "That I did not kill him is already considered repayment enough."

"Many thanks." That man said in gratitude.

Chen Mo actually did not mind these details. He was full of intrigue towards that incantation the woman uttered just now, as if he remembered it from somewhere.

"The Demon Beasts outside from before were all slayed by you two?" Qin Shaoxu asked.

"Indeed, they were slain by Your Servant." The man acknowledged.

"You aren't people from the Tail Fire Star Field, are you."

"Good eye. We come from the Distressed Yin Star Field. However, we did not think we would see other warriors in this place." The man smiled.

"Mu, you talk too much." The woman finally spoke.

"Apologies."

Seeing that their counterparts had no hostility, Chen Mo and Qin Shaoxu stepped forward, full of interest towards the dead Blood Charcoal Spider. They studied it for a long time, unable to discern what method the woman had used to manipulate the spider.

Divine Intent suppression?

But the Blood Charcoal Spider took earthly fire as food, which cultivators used Divine Intent to thoroughly suppress.

Chen Mo suddenly recalled those words this Wuyi woman uttered, "The mind is principle, conveying conscience, knowledge and action are one!!"

He really seemed to recall hearing this somewhere before.

"Your Servant is Chen Mo."

"This is Qin Shaoxu."

"Ting Nanyuan."

They introduced themselves.

"Call me ‘Mu.'"⁵ The man held his greatsword. Upon closer inspection, he had a slightly demonic handsomeness, as if the cultivation method he practiced utilized some demonic qi. This was no ordinary path.

The Distressed Yin Star Fields were rumored to have very bizarre cultivation methods. For the famous "Devil Cult Star Field," this was not strange, however.

"Why did you two come to this place?" Ting Nanyuan was perplexed.

"Mu, we are leaving." The woman turned around, not wishing to answer.

"We just came to train." Mu slightly grinned, evidently unwilling to divulge anything further. "If you have nothing else, then we shall leave for the next floor first."

"We actually don't have anything else, but I actually want to go down to the next floor as well. Why not proceed together, look after each other along the way.

Mu said nothing, and that Wuyi woman also remained silent.

After a while, Chen Mo suddenly had a revelation. "The mind is principle, conveying conscience, knowledge and action are one. Lady Wuyi, those words you said just now come from the ‘School Of Mind,'⁶ don't they."

The silent Wuyi stiffened. She turned around and stared, her abyssal pupils full of amazement. "How do you know?"

"School Of Mind, what is that?" Ting Nanyuan asked on confusion.

"I've heard of it before." Chen Mo said.

"How can you have heard of it, it is impossible for you to have heard of it." Wuyi's tone was grave.

Chen Mo was very confused as to how it was impossible for him to have heard of it. Those were just a few words, nothing more. He had even heard of even more things, and he even knew a thing or two of the School of Mind's origins.

Wuyi's pupils were suddenly as quiet as dead water, mysterious as an unfathomable abyss. In an instant, Chen Mo felt the surroundings lights all vanish as he sunk into endless darkness.

Chen Mo had a kind of sensation as if he was opening his eyes, and he heard an apparently familiar phrase.

"Don't you feel that something is very strange"

Huh?

This sentence?

Chen Mo then opened his eyes, seeing Qin Shaoxu throw him a cautious glance.

Looking carefully, Wuyi, Mu, and the Blood Charcoal Spider a moment ago were all illusions, already completely gone, as if he had been dreaming. Chen Mo was taken aback, pinching his cheek as hard as he could until it hurt.

"What are you doing?" Ting Nanguan was startled.

"Where's Wuyi?" Chen Mo asked.

"What black clothes?" Ting Nanyuan was baffled. "Shaoxu, was he hit with venom and hasn't woken up yet."

Qin Shaoxu walked over and carefully examined him.

Venom?

But everything that happened before seemed so real. Chen Mo felt it impossible that he was hit with venom. Could it be that woman used some sort of trick just now like she did with the Blood Charcoal Spider. But no matter how he looked at it, this seemed completely flawless.

Chen Mo was a bit stumped.

"Let's quickly go down."

Qin Shaoxu urged.

Blankly walking for a while, he suddenly heard the sounds of battle up ahead. Chen Mo's chest tightened. He looked and suddenly felt chills from head to toe.

No mistake.

The scene before his eyes right now was none other than that scene from the illusion a moment ago.

Mu wielded his Graverobber Greatsword in a struggle against the Blood Corpse Spider.

The woman called Wuyi was still nearby concentrating.

"Wuyi, hurry. I won't last much longer."

"The mind is principle, conveying conscience, knowledge and action are one!"

The dialogue was all precisely the same, not a single bit different.

He saw the Blood Corpse Spider's entire body stiffen, showing an opening. Mu brandished the greatsword and slayed the spider. Everything happening was like a rerun.

Fuck.

What is going on??

Looking at that taciturn and ice-cold Wuyi woman, Chen Mo's mouth hung agape, unable to make sense of the repeat scene unfolding in front of him. This seriously proved that verse of Wen Tingyu's – I happened upon Black Clothes Alley, feeling even more frustrated with emotions unexpressed.⁷

1. 烏衣, lit. "black clothes" ↩
2. 心即理，致良知，知行合一 ↩
3. 掘墓劍·死不瞑目 ↩
4. Meaning she is way stronger than Chen Mo. ↩
5. 暮, lit. "sunset" ↩
6. 心學, "teaching of the mind," otherwise known as Yangmingism. This is from a certain school of neo-Confucianism. ↩
7. 偶到烏衣巷，含情更惘然, from the poem "題豐安裏王相林亭二首" ↩

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