Following An Miao, Lin Xiao arrived outside a secluded, shadowy island.
This entire island, spanning more than ten li in circumference, was An Miao’s residence.
On the island stood several pavilions and towers, all exquisitely elegant.
At the centre was a grand hall over twenty zhang in width. An Miao led Lin Xiao inside, opened the doors, and they entered the hall.
The spacious, brightly lit interior was almost completely empty, with hardly any furnishings.
Lin Xiao was puzzled. The room contained nothing at all. Did this place have some connection to where An Miao lived?
An Miao took out a key and placed it in the middle of the hall. With a surge of her spiritual power, the key emitted a beam of white light that shone onto the floor.
A mechanism activated. Two stone slabs on the ground suddenly slid apart to the sides, revealing an underground entrance in front of Lin Xiao.
“It’s underground too?”
Lin Xiao was surprised.
The underground space where the destructive spirit energy was located stretched for thousands of li. Could the place where Miao Ling resided be somehow related to that destructive spirit energy?
“Come in.”
An Miao said to Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao nodded, and together they leapt down, landing two hundred zhang below, a hundred zhang deeper than the location of the destructive spirit energy.
This underground space resembled the one with the destructive spirit energy. The surrounding stone walls glowed faintly, leaving no trace of darkness. The entire area spanned a hundred zhang, making it very spacious.
Unlike the other place, however, this wide underground chamber was furnished with many simple tables, chairs, tea sets, and similar items.
Lin Xiao’s gaze fixed on the area at the very front.
In the middle of the stone wall ahead was a small alcove, six or seven zhang wide and seven or eight zhang deep.
It appeared to be a room, decorated in an ancient, refined style. A woman sat at an old-fashioned table, quietly sipping tea.
She wore a white dress, her hair snow-white and flowing, her figure flawless beyond criticism. Sitting sideways in that antique room, she looked like an immortal maiden. A faint white radiance shimmered around her. Her slender, jade-like hands seemed almost translucent as they gently held a plain celadon cup. The whole scene resembled a painting, breathtakingly beautiful.
Most striking was her profile, exquisite and flawless, stunningly beautiful like jade. Even the greatest painter in the world could not capture the perfection of that side view.
The moment Lin Xiao saw her, his heart felt as though it might melt.
At that instant, the woman, whose beauty shook the mortal world, took a sip of tea. Her movement was completely natural, as if a painting had come to life, delighting anyone who watched.
“You have come. Come and sit.”
Without turning around, she set down her cup and spoke softly. Her voice was like heavenly music, pleasant and piercing straight to the heart.
“Mother, your daughter will take her leave now.”
An Miao bowed, then flew back upwards and left.
Lin Xiao walked forward slowly, entered the small room, approached Miao Ling’s side, bowed to her, and said, “Disciple Lin Xiao pays respects to Senior Miao Ling.”
“Sit.”
Miao Ling still did not turn.
Lin Xiao sat opposite her, looked up at her face, and was momentarily stunned.
Miao Ling’s features were almost identical to An Miao’s.
Yet she was even more beautiful, in a way that defied description.
No aura emanated from her, yet she seemed utterly pure and ethereal, like a true immortal.
Lin Xiao could not understand why, though the two women looked exactly alike, Miao Ling felt far more perfect.
Perhaps it was because of her strength.
“You just walked in like that?
Did Ximen Haoyue not warn you not to enter my spirit domain?”
Miao Ling suddenly smiled. That smile encompassed all the beauty in the world, making everything else lose its colour.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a special barrier appeared on the side wall. It was hazy, blocking all sight of the outside.
“Hm?”
Lin Xiao frowned. So the spirit domain was only this small room, not the entire underground space?
Miao Ling smiled faintly and said, “Outside the spirit domain, my power cannot reach. But once someone enters it, their life and death are mine to decide. Even Ximen Haoyue dares not take a single step inside, yet you dared to come in?”
Lin Xiao’s expression darkened. Inwardly, he cursed Ximen Haoyue.
Ximen Haoyue had warned him to be careful around Miao Ling, but he had never said not to enter this small room.
Lin Xiao had heard from An Miao that her mother, Miao Ling, could only remain within a spirit domain for certain reasons.
But how could he have known the spirit domain was merely this small room? Had he known, he would have stayed outside. Then, no matter what he accidentally revealed, Miao Ling could not have touched him.
“Senior Miao jests. If Senior wished me dead, I would not survive even without entering the spirit domain.”
Lin Xiao forced himself to stay calm and spoke respectfully, “Besides, Senior is my master’s wife, which makes you my master’s wife. How could a disciple remain outside when meeting his master’s wife? That would be disrespectful.”
In truth, the Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor and Miao Ling might never have formally married, but they had a daughter. By addressing her this way, Lin Xiao hoped to draw them closer.
“Everything I have today is thanks to my master’s inheritance. A drop of kindness must be repaid with a fountain. If Master’s Wife needs any help, this disciple will do everything in his power.”
Lin Xiao added.
“Heh.”
Miao Ling gave an elegant smile and said, “You certainly know how to talk. But if I used mind control on you, I would know your true thoughts even more clearly.”
Lin Xiao’s heart tightened.
“It seems Ximen Haoyue is quite curious to see whether I can enslave someone who possesses spirit energy.”
Miao Ling continued.
Lin Xiao frowned. Could Ximen Haoyue have deliberately not warned him because of this intention?
“Master’s Wife, would you really act against me?”
Lin Xiao asked with some worry.
“Hehe. I was only teasing you. Since you have called me Master’s Wife, how could I harm you?”
Miao Ling laughed, seemingly pleased with the title.
Lin Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He could not gauge at all how terrifying Miao Ling’s strength truly was.
Even Ximen Haoyue dared not take half a step inside. That alone proved her power was at least equal to his, and possibly far greater.
After all, Miao Ling had existed as a spirit body for over a thousand years, even if her lifespan was sustained by the spirit domain.
“May I see your spirit energy?”
Miao Ling asked.
“Please look, Master’s Wife.”
Lin Xiao turned his head. A surge of cyan flame spirit energy appeared, floating in the air beside them, radiating powerful burning force.
Next, he summoned the Nine Heavens Thunder Dragon spirit energy. A miniature thunder dragon emerged at their side.
Then he released the devouring spirit energy. A mass of black devouring energy, shaped like a clawed figure, danced in the void, exuding strong devouring power.
When Miao Ling saw this devouring energy, her expression changed. Her eyes became vacant, and she seemed lost in deep recollection.
Finally, Lin Xiao summoned the fused spirit energy containing all three attributes.
Seeing this triple-fused spirit energy, Miao Ling took a deep breath. After a long silence, she sighed and said, “I never thought someone else could achieve this. Even he could not do it.”
Her voice carried deep sorrow.
“This disciple only managed it by fortunate coincidence…” Lin Xiao began, intending to explain. He truly did not know whether he should tell Miao Ling about the Eternal Heavenly Spirit Art.
After all, it was a grave matter. The Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor had taken it from the God-Demon Tomb. If Miao Ling learned of it, he did not know what consequences might follow.
“You need not hide it. It must be something he obtained in the God-Demon Tomb. Otherwise, you could never fuse spirit energies. Back then, even he could not do it.”
Miao Ling interrupted him directly.
Lin Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. Worthy of being the woman of the Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor. As expected, he could hide nothing from her.
“Yes. It is the highest-grade technique Master obtained from the God-Demon Tomb. It allows me to refine and fuse spirit energies.”
Lin Xiao could only answer truthfully.
Miao Ling took another deep breath, asked no further about it, and instead said, “How did you obtain his inheritance?”
Lin Xiao’s heart tightened. The most critical question had finally arrived.
