novelraw Chapter 442: When in Doubt, Ask the Mystics
Chapter 442: When in Doubt, Ask the Mystics
Ancestor Sui Bian scrutinized the ever-smiling Yu Zhao, an inexplicable sense of peculiarity washing over him.
“Little Yu Zhao…”
He barely uttered three words before abruptly clamping a hand over his mouth. A moment later, horror dawned upon him—his large, powerful hands had shrunk into chubby little fingers.
A childish voice escaped his lips, and the world seemed unnaturally large from his perspective.
At last, he understood what was wrong.
He looked down.
Sure enough, he had been transformed into his three-year-old self.
His old face flushed crimson as he violently shook his head, immediately breaking free from the illusion and restoring his original form.
“Yu Zhao, you little trickster! How dare you tease this old man!”
Feigning indignation, he glared at her, but before Yu Zhao could even offer an apology, Ancestor Sui Bian erupted into hearty laughter, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.“The Five Elements Dao Sect is truly fortunate to have you, Yu Zhao! Hahaha!”
“Old Ancestor…”
“No need to fret, I was merely overwhelmed with joy.” Ancestor Sui Bian wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes. “For the longest time, I thought restoring the Transmission Passage was an impossible dream, but after seeing you, I finally glimpse hope.”
“It has always been my lifelong aspiration to rebuild the Heavenly Ladder.”
“Well said! I came to the God-Abandoned Land this time to collect Starry Sky Stones, the most crucial material for constructing the Transmission Passage. Now that I have met you, let’s team up. Once we’ve gathered enough Starry Sky Stones, I’ll take you to the Seven Mist Realm and introduce you to some of the other elders.”
“Agreed.”
Originally, Yu Zhao had planned to search for the coordinates of the Cultivation World. However, encountering Ancestor Sui Bian, who shared her goal, made her adjust her plans and join forces with him.
“Now, listen carefully. This old man has cultivated in the Medium Thousand World for over a thousand years and has barely reached the Fusion Stage. In this God-Abandoned Land, I can barely protect myself, but if we encounter a truly formidable opponent, my only option is to run with my tail between my legs.
“Stay close, and I will do my utmost to shield you, but if I tell you to flee, you must obey immediately—no hesitation. Otherwise, we’ll both perish.”
Ancestor Sui Bian rattled off numerous precautions, which all boiled down to two simple words:
Obey orders.
Yu Zhao solemnly nodded, then removed her bracelet before Ancestor Sui Bian’s eyes, revealing her true appearance.
As she swiftly put the bracelet back on and altered her features once more, Ancestor Sui Bian clicked his tongue in astonishment.
“No wonder those aristocratic families nearly tore each other apart fighting over you. If you didn’t have that bracelet, even this old man wouldn’t be able to protect you.”
Yu Zhao humbly inquired, “Old Ancestor, do you know a way to remove this Jade Ruyi?”
“Not I, but I know someone who might. Once we leave the God-Abandoned Land, I’ll take you to him.”
“Understood.”
After exchanging all the information they had, they did not rush to depart. Yu Zhao needed time to consolidate her cultivation, so Ancestor Sui Bian stood guard for her.
During this period, several passing cultivators attempted to investigate the Abandoned Cave Abode, only to be driven away by Ancestor Sui Bian.
Half a month later, Yu Zhao and Ancestor Sui Bian soared out of the cave abode.
“The God-Abandoned Land is comprised of countless Land Fragments, making its spatial structure unstable. Spatial Rifts often appear unexpectedly, and careless cultivators may get swallowed whole. However, these Spatial Rifts do not form without warning—before one emerges, there will always be strange fluctuations in the surrounding space…”
Traveling alongside Ancestor Sui Bian, Yu Zhao increasingly realized the invaluable presence of a senior’s guidance.
The old ancestor imparted his knowledge without reservation, as though eager to pass down every fragment of wisdom he had accumulated.
Her understanding of Spatial Power advanced by leaps and bounds. If she were to learn formations related to space now, they would no longer feel obscure or unfathomable.
Alas, she could no longer learn more formations from Tu Xiao.
She could only focus on gathering Formation Disks and Formation Diagrams related to Spatial Power, hoping to comprehend them through study.
One day, they arrived at the edge of the Land Fragment they stood upon. Before them stretched an abyss of utter darkness, intermittently pierced by sharp howling winds.
“The boundary of the God-Abandoned Land is also known as the Death Rift. The terrifying Violent Winds that terrorize cultivators originate from here. If you wish to cross to another Land Fragment, there is only one method.”
“What method?”
“Wait.”
“Wait?”
“Every three days, the Violent Winds cease for exactly three hours. That window is the only chance to traverse the Death Rift. However, one cannot navigate within the Death Rift—it is impossible to determine direction. If you fail to reach another Land Fragment before the winds return, you will be shredded into oblivion.”
Yu Zhao drew a sharp breath.
She had encountered Spatial Rifts and Nascent Soul-consuming Beasts in the God-Abandoned Land, yet she had never encountered the infamous Violent Winds.
Now, she understood—the Violent Winds lay within the Death Rift, an unavoidable trial for all who dared to leave.
“Old Ancestor, do you have a method to find another Land Fragment while in the Death Rift?”
“No methods, only intuition.”
“Intuition?”
Ancestor Sui Bian chuckled. “Surely, as a disciple of the Five Elements Dao Sect, you’ve heard my legend?”
Yu Zhao pondered for a moment and recalled the widely circulated stories about him.
Ancestor Sui Bian had earned his name due to his peculiar decision-making approach—whenever faced with a choice, he would simply say “whatever” and leave it to fate.
Be it drawing lots or rolling dice, his choices were eerily accurate, boasting an almost miraculous success rate.
Thus, “Sui Bian”—meaning “whatever”—became both his nickname and later, his Daoist title.
“Follow me, and I guarantee we’ll find a way across.” Ancestor Sui Bian exuded unwavering confidence.
A sudden thought struck Yu Zhao—if her Heavenly Divination Shell could reveal Ancient Formations, could Ancestor Sui Bian use his unique ability to divine the coordinates of the Cultivation World?
Her heart surged with excitement, only for Ancestor Sui Bian to douse it immediately.
“Don’t even think about it. We’ve already tried—countless times. It doesn’t work.”
Over the past thousand years, he and the other elders had exhausted every possible method. Ancestor Sui Bian alone had drawn over a thousand lots.
Yet, every result led them astray.
“Aside from coordinates, does your ability still maintain its high accuracy?”
“Absolutely.”
Yu Zhao arched a brow, lost in thought.
Why did Ancestor Sui Bian’s extraordinary talent fail when it came to the Cultivation World’s Coordinates? Was it due to flawed methodology, or was something deliberately obscuring the truth?
She favored the latter.
Yu Zhao resolved to have him try again once they left the God-Abandoned Land—perhaps new clues would emerge.
She tucked the thought away and continued waiting at the Land Fragment’s edge with Ancestor Sui Bian.
The howling from the Death Rift gradually diminished.
Ancestor Sui Bian’s expression turned solemn.
“The Violent Winds are about to stop. Once I enter, follow immediately after me.”