Chapter 197: Youchen Nine Domains Orchid
Chapter 197: Youchen Nine Domains Orchid
“Let’s go check on her.”
After sharing a warm moment, Cheng Lingyu followed Lan Xiaozhu to a remote area where Fang Ruohua lay.
Observing her condition carefully, Cheng Lingyu smiled. “She’s doing well. The merging should complete by tomorrow. We’ll collect souls first, then leave once she wakes.”
Lan Xiaozhu clung to Cheng Lingyu like a small bird during their private moments, obeying his every word.
After lingering briefly, the pair departed.
Cheng Lingyu summoned the Soul Guide Banner to gather souls from Soul Gathering Valley.
The valley on Yunjir Ridge held few souls. Only eight types listed in long-term tasks remained, totaling around two thousand. To avoid rousing the Soul Gathering Coffin, Cheng Lingyu collected just six hundred souls—less than a third.
Though the banner caused minor disturbances in the valley, it attracted no coffin. Still, some disciples noticed.
“Strange. Why did the soul count drop so suddenly here?”
Cheng Lingyu had already stored the banner when he overheard this. Pausing, he approached the puzzled disciple.
“Senior mentioned the valley ‘again’ losing souls. Does this happen often?” Cheng Lingyu asked with a mesmerizing smile.
The twenty-something disciple gaped. “You’re Cheng Lingyu from Fallen God Ridge! I saw you at the friendly match!”
After Cheng Lingyu repeated his question, the disciple explained: “I’m from Yunjir Ridge. Before you joined Lou Ri City, this valley held over thirty thousand souls—the lowest among Western Fallen Nine Ridges, yet double current numbers. But these past three months saw sharp decline to one-third.”
Lan Xiaozhu gasped. “From thirty thousand to ten thousand? No investigations?”
“Fluctuations are normal. Previous drops were mere hundreds, causing little alarm.”
Cheng Lingyu’s brow furrowed briefly but stayed silent. After gathering more details, they parted.
Next morning, Fang Ruohua awoke transformed—sharper in bearing, with heroic air and eyes shimmering peculiar light waves.
“Elder brother, I succeeded! Now I’ll advance to Soul Martial’s Sixth Layer Soul Domain stage—the critical breakthrough.” Her smile bloomed, bright eyes softened by tenderness.
Cheng Lingyu praised her before leading both women from the valley.
Originally aiming for Youxing Ridge to hunt Immortal Soul, Cheng Lingyu detoured to Lou Ri Square instead, needing time to exchange his large soul haul.
“Did you hear? Xingyun Ridge’s divine light valley got breached! Unleashed unparalleled evil—dozens of experts died!”
“When? I heard nothing!”
“Fresh news! Absolutely true!”
The square buzzed with chatter. Cheng Lingyu’s group exchanged glances, traded two hundred souls each, then eavesdropped for details.
On Xingyun Ridge, in the valley of the primordial forest, the formation left by Cheng Lingyu had been broken through after many days. No one could’ve imagined this barren valley concealed unparalleled deadly forces – a discovery that shocked everyone.
“Did you foresee this, elder brother?”
Cheng Lingyu shook his head, his face grave.
“When setting the formation, I faintly sensed an eerie presence, but it kept slipping away. The Xiyun Divine Mountain holds too many secrets. We merely stumbled upon one by chance.”
Lan Xiaozhu remarked, “After this incident, experts from the Western Fallen Nine Ridges will focus on Xingyun Ridge. We should seize this opening to finish our task in Soul Gathering Valley.”
After quick discussions, the trio hurried to Youxing Ridge, Lan Xiaozhu’s branch territory she knew well.
Soul Gathering Valley lay between the Seventh Palace and Eighth Palace within Youxing Ridge’s dense forests. Over three hundred people crowded the valley when they arrived.
As a renowned figure from Lou Ri City, Cheng Lingyu’s presence caused murmurs of surprise. Scanning the crowd, his eyes narrowed upon spotting Hong Xiu Tian Xiang – her appearance here was unexpected.
Several admirers flanked Hong Xiu Tian Xiang, blocking others from approaching. She smiled coyly at Cheng Lingyu, eyes gleaming with unspoken understanding.
Cheng Lingyu returned a slight nod with his mesmerizing smile, thoughts racing. Lan Xiaozhu’s expression chilled while Fang Ruohua bloomed radiantly beside him, their proximity drawing envious glares.
Feeling exposed under hundreds of stares at the entrance, Cheng Lingyu hesitated. Entering the crowd risked unwanted greetings and potential conflicts.
Noticing his unease, Lan Xiaozhu and Fang Ruohua exchanged glances. Grabbing his hands, they soared over the crowd toward the valley’s depths. The bold move shocked onlookers but saved trouble.
Cheng Lingyu later commended their tactic – beautiful women acting decisively left critics speechless.
“Three Immortal Beast Souls and one peculiar Immortal Flower Soul dwell here.”
Having merged with the Eternal Flower of the Sun, Fang Ruohua sensed the flower soul acutely. Lan Xiaozhu’s Cold Crystal Illusion Flower issued warnings while Cheng Lingyu’s Dreamy Thousand Tear Bamboo resonated strangely.
“Let’s investigate.”
They sped forward, outracing pursuing disciples. Though powerful souls roamed Youxing Ridge’s valley, Cheng Lingyu ignored them.
After an hour’s flight, mist appeared – common here, yet Cheng Lingyu halted abruptly.
“Have we arrived?”
Fang Ruohua and Lan Xiaozhu stopped beside him, exchanging looks.
“We’re here. The view ahead… it’s unusual.”
Starlight leaked through the mist like an endless night sky. Advancing ten kilometers through the haze, the scenery shifted abruptly to reveal a shimmering Star Domain.
“What’s this?”
Fang Ruohua stood frozen. The Star Domain before her looked unusually vast. Though not truly infinite and only displaying a single surface, the dazzling stars and boundless void concept shocked her deeply.
Lan Xiaozhu also showed surprise but proved more attentive.
“There’s more than one section of the Star Domain.”
Cheng Lingyu stated, “Nine in total. One central, eight surrounding. This is Soul Gathering Valley’s greatest wonder – the Youchen Nine Domains Orchid. Where starry skies fold into rings.”
The mysterious grass had told him this name, for it knew much about the world’s rare wonders.
Fang Ruohua frowned. “Youchen Nine Domains Orchid… The name suggests a flower-type Immortal Flower Soul. Why does it feel so unstable and mysterious?”
Lan Xiaozhu glanced around, whispering, “Other disciples nearby want it too, but none succeeded.”
Cheng Lingyu explained, “Immortal Flower Souls differ from Immortal Beast Souls. Beast Souls resist fiercely, requiring force to subdue. Flower Souls act more eerily, needing special techniques. These disciples have high cultivation levels but failed because they used wrong methods or lacked chance.”
“So we can’t force it? Need proper chance and method?”
“Exactly.”
Lan Xiaozhu pressed, “What’re our odds?”
Cheng Lingyu paused. “Unclear. The Youchen Nine Domains Orchid’s starry sky keeps expanding endlessly. Forcing it could bring terrible consequences.”
Fang Ruohua asked, “How should we subdue it then?”
After thinking, Cheng Lingyu murmured, “Contain the infinite within finite space.”
Lan Xiaozhu blinked. “Subdue? You’re certain?”
Cheng Lingyu shrugged. “We can’t leave empty-handed.”
Fang Ruohua eyed their surroundings. “Will these people interfere?”
Cheng Lingyu shook his head, pointing backward.
“Pursuers approach. Go stall them.”
Understanding flashed in Lan Xiaozhu’s eyes. “Leave it to us.”
With a nod, Cheng Lingyu vanished into the Mist.
Lan Xiaozhu tugged Fang Ruohua back. Before exiting the mist, dozens of disciples flew toward them.
Lan Xiaozhu halted, her Gaze locking onto Hong Xiu Tian Xiang.
Fang Ruohua studied the group, her handsome face radiating mesmerizing confidence.
“Where’s Cheng Lingyu?”
A striking youth beside Hong Xiu Tian Xiang demanded rudely.