TY Chapter 2: Blood-colored Acacia

Yun Xiao Qing pouted. Suddenly, a look of unease appeared on her face and she sighed lightly, muttering softly, “If he were to know, what would he think? Will he be repulsed?”

She bit her lips and placed her hands unconsciously on her womb.

Yun Jian smiled, “Silly sister, just rest easy. Hei Lang will certainly be delighted.”

Yun Xiao Qing looked worried as she gazed towards Yun Jian. She questioned, “Big brother, how would you know?”

Yun Jian burst into laughter. He shook his head and consoled her, “You are his childhood friend and the both of you grew up together. Other people might not understand your relationship, but don’t you trust him? Besides, as a Cultivator, the price to pay for stealing from the heavens to attain supreme power is that it is hard for us to conceive descendants. The higher the realm that the person reaches, the even harder it is for him. To have his child so early on, this is something to celebrate. Do you think Hei Lang will be mad about this?”

A sparkle twinkled in Yun Xiao Qing’s eyes. It was as if a ripple was set off in her crystal clear eyes, brightening her eyes but yet with a hint of depth within. Moments later, she finally nodded her head and a slight smile resurfaced. She replies, “Big brother, what you said makes sense.”

Yun Jian smiled as he patted Yun Xiao Qing’s head dotingly. He stated, “In any case, I am looking forward to the birth of my nephew. Right, I forgot to tell you. Father also knows about this.”

“AH!” Yun Xiao Qing was shocked at the news as her face turned red from embarrassment and anger. She questioned furiously, “Big brother, why did you go and spread it around? Now, I will be severely reprimanded by father.”

Yun Jian chuckled, “Why would father scold you? I will tell you straightforwardly, father is very happy over this!”

Yun Xiao Qing’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Are you sure?”

Yun Jian replied, “Of course. Otherwise, why do you think Hei Lang would be able to enter the forbidden valley and even join in the God Descension Incantation ceremony? Even if he possesses the secret art to gather the Blood Soul Crystal, even at this final crucial period, it is also possible to exclude him from it.”

Yun Xiao Qing mumbled softly, “You mean, father intends to…”

Yun Jian smiled and continued to speak, “Naturally, it is because he knows he is going to have a grandson, so he is finally truly viewing Hei Lang as a member of his family. As our cultivation skill clashes with the God Descension Incantation, we cannot approach the valley. However, Hei Lang is of the bloodline of the Blood-blazing Crystal, which makes it suitable for him to approach the God Incantation. If Dad doesn’t take this opportunity to raise the status of his future son-in-law, who else would he choose?”

A look of relief and joy surfaced on Yun Xiao Qing’s face and she nodded her head continuously. She set her gaze towards the dark valley as her hands came together at her chest. She muttered a prayer, “May everything go well so that everyone can return safely.”

Immediately after the short prayer, she scanned the surroundings with her peripheral vision. Catching sight of something, she let out an ‘AH’, as though pleasantly surprised.

Yun Jian turned to look at her, only to see Yun Xiao Qing walking to the side to pick something up from the grass.

Upon careful inspection, Yun Jian realised that it was a red flower. Yun Xiao Qing laughed delightedly and she said, “Big brother, look, the acacia flowers have bloomed.”

Yun Jian shrugged. The acacia flower was a common flower that can could seen everywhere in the wilderness. There was no Spirit Mark on it and it wasn’t a spiritual medicine either. It was completely useless to cultivators. So, he replied snappily, “Isn’t it just a stalk of wild flower, why are you making such a big fuss?”

Yun Xiao Qing ignored him. She happily placed the stalk of red acacia flower into the center of her palm to examine it. She then replies, “This flower bloomed so beautifully. This must be a good omen.”

The night breeze blew gently. The bright red acacia flower trembled slightly in her snow white palms, as though whispering silently.

※※※

Hei Lang walked into the Mist Barren Lost Valley. Initially, the path is a narrow road in between 2 mountainous cliffs. However, as he ventured deeper, the path gradually became wider. What was amazing was that there wasn’t a single ray of light and his entire surrounding was pitch dark but he didn’t even stray off from the path in the slightest, as though he had the entire landscape clearly in his mind.

Getting past the small path leading into the valley, although the path ahead remains completely dark, Hei Lang seemed to have adapted to the darkness, as his footsteps became more stable compared to before. He knows that he is already in the valley. Due to some mysterious reasons, not a single blade of spiritual grass could grow on this ordinary-looking valley. Most of them are the commonest and most ordinary wild grass and trees. Wild flowers such as the acacia flower is commonly seen here.

Perhaps, that was the reason why this valley seemed even more barren to the cultivators of the world. This is also where the name of the barren valley came from.

Hei Lang looked forward. In the far distance, at the center of the valley, he noticed a group of fires! The scene, in contrast against the pitch dark valley, made the fires even more prominent.

He took a deep breath. For brief seconds, with no one around, Hei Lang looked somewhat nervous and he stared fixedly at the fires. Instances later, he lightly exhaled a breath of turbid gas and his face swiftly regained its calm expression. Thereafter, he walked with big steps towards the source of the light.

In darkness, the valley emanated a bizarre atmosphere. It is intangible and colorless and yet, it is omnipresent. Those who are engulfed in it can’t help but feel their heart beat faster. This seemed to be an emotion of respect and terror towards the fearsome and powerful unknown.

The flame originated from a bonfire burning somewhere within the valley. But, it wasn’t wooden logs that were used as fuel, but instead, bones, fur, stones, medicinal plants of weird shapes and the most bizarre of them all, chunks and chunks of bloody flesh. All of that, burning just silently.

If one were to walk closer, they would realize that on those bizarre fuel, as the flames danced, mystical Spirit Mark pictures would appear, glowing one after another, emitting formless but powerful ripples.

A 3-meter tall huge wooden token was impaled along the outer perimeter of the bonfire. Similar to the one Hei Lang saw before,  a giant tree with gods and vengeful spirits were depicted.

There were 3 old men sitting by the bonfire. The one in the central position had a pure and yet ordinary-looking face that possessed the grace of an immortal. His face bears some to resemblance to Yun Jian whom Hei Lang had just met. On the man’s left was a bald and fat old man. His white, flowing eyebrows extended all the way down along the contours of his face. On the right was a dark-skinned withered-looking old man. His face looked as if there were only a sheet of skin over it, causing him to appear quite frightening.

Hei Lang walked towards the bonfire and bowed to the three old men, “Paying respect to the three elders.”

The three of them turned around at the same time. The ordinary-looking old man and the fat old man nodded their head. Only the face of the dark-skinned withered old man darkened as he sneered, “Yun Yang Shou, what right does this brat of yours have to be seated in the God Formation?”

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Bloodline of Blood-burning Crystal: Not very sure whether he is just describing the attribute of his blood or it is the name of his bloodline.
Acacia flowers: Albizia julibrissin
Footsteps became more stable -> The ground is flat (Showing the transition between mountainous terrain and the valley)