At a pond, a child-like figure dozed. A gust of wind stirred, waking the child. A glance into the pond sent a wave of panic, and the child scrambled back towards the house.
Inside, two elders were engrossed in a game of chess, their focus absolute. One had a white beard, the other black. Both exuded an aura of immortal grace and kindness.
The child burst into the room, collapsing at their feet. "Masters, disaster! Disaster!"
The white-bearded elder frowned, his gaze still fixed on the chessboard. "What's all the fuss? Speak plainly."
"The pond's water has dried up," the child gasped. "The stones inside are shifting, about to collide, and the fish are all dying."
The white-bearded elder's eyes sharpened. He rose, then sat back down, making a move. "What of it? Let it be. Clean the pond and get new fish."
The black-bearded elder squinted and chuckled. "Indeed, new fish will bring greater rewards. I was planning to change the stock in my own pond soon."
The child exhaled, stood, and retreated.
Zhu Yan had not lied. She led Mo Qi to a location, and following her instructions, Mo Qi activated his spatial arts, quickly entering a world of darkness.
The dark world wasn't entirely black; a faint luminescence permeated it. As they moved, they saw that these lights emanated from caves. These were natural caves, seemingly lit because they were traversable. Passing through one cave led to another expanse of darkness.
After traversing several caves, they arrived before a colossal cavern, bathed in blinding light, as if it were midday.
Zhu Yan stopped. "We're here!"
Mo Qi looked up. A crowd had gathered before the cave. Most sat cross-legged, eyes closed in cultivation. A few conversed in small groups.
The place seemed to be saturated with spiritual energy. A thick mist, visible to the naked eye, drifted lazily from the cave, spreading infinitely.
This explained the gathering. This place was ideal for cultivation!
As Mo Qi observed the cultivators, he was greatly shocked. Most were at the Saint King realm, with a few even reaching the Saint Emperor realm.
At this moment, Zhu Yan's calm voice broke the silence. "This cave leads to the outside world. The outside world... never mind. With our abilities, we cannot reach it. Using this cave, we can draw those star worlds closer, stabilizing the situation for now. However, if this attracts the attention of those outside, we will face utter annihilation. Are you certain you want to proceed?"
Mo Qi found this peculiar. "Isn't the outside world of our Silver River World simply the Gold River World?"
Zhu Yan's eyes filled with dread. "Certainly not. Let's not discuss this. We must first resolve our current predicament. As for the outside world, it's best you remain ignorant, for the world you know is already vast enough for you."
"You're being cryptic. I don't know what you're talking about," Mo Qi scoffed.
Just then, Chan'er materialized from nowhere and prostrated herself before Zhu Yan. "Greetings, Queen!"
Queen?
She was the queen of the dark world?
It seemed so.
If the legends were true, she was the queen who had once led an invasion of the Silver River World. After her demise, her subordinates returned here and established their power. Regardless of the current succession of rulers, she was the rightful queen, the most senior monarch.
The first time Zhu Yan and Chan'er met, they had communicated telepathically, though Mo Qi was unaware.
Zhu Yan waved her hand. "Rise. Who is in charge here now?"
"Queen Yan," Chan'er replied, standing up.
"Summon her to me," Zhu Yan commanded with an imposing aura.
"No, it's... it's not like that. She wants you to see her," Chan'er stammered.
"How audacious!" Zhu Yan roared, then took a deep breath. "Very well, lead me to her."
Mo Qi suppressed his growing irritation. "Let's attend to the main business first."
"To attend to business, everyone must be obedient. We must work together," Zhu Yan stated, meeting Mo Qi's gaze.
Seeing the anger in his eyes, Zhu Yan lowered her voice, speaking with great tenderness. "Don't worry, it won't take long."
Mo Qi reached out and gently stroked Zhu Yan's head. "You're so cute when you're docile."
A tempest raged within Zhu Yan. She took a deep breath. "You know, this is maintained by an agreement. Do you dare to break it?"
Mo Qi was not swayed by her provocation. "I dare not!"
Zhu Yan was speechless. "Let's go."
Under the watchful eyes of some, the three proceeded into the cave.
The cave was brightly lit, with passages branching out in all directions. A wide, straight avenue led directly forward, and the three walked along it.
Mo Qi suddenly asked, "If we keep walking like this, will we reach the outside world?"
"We cannot," Zhu Yan replied. "This path leads to the outside world, but we cannot go there. At a certain point, you'll think it's the end, but in reality..."
She trailed off, as if burdened by an unspoken difficulty. Mo Qi didn't press the issue.
However, Zhu Yan, fearing his further inquiries, changed the subject. "If she agrees later, fine. If not, we'll kill her."
So ruthless?
Mo Qi's heart skipped a beat.
Chan'er hesitated, unsure whether to lead Zhu Yan to the queen. After all, the queen was the one she spent her days with.
At that moment, a piercing scream echoed from within the cave.
The three sensed immediate danger. They instinctively unleashed their forms and sped inwards.
"Assassin!"
"The Queen is dead!" Chaos erupted within the cave.
Simultaneously, guards converged from all directions, rushing towards a single point.
Soon, the throne came into view. On it sat a figure, no longer human, but a desiccated corpse. Mo Qi had seen such corpses on the flying ship before.
At that time, Lian Xin had said her brother was responsible. Mo Qi had been skeptical, but now, for some reason, he believed Lian Min was alive, and present here.
The queen of this dark world should have been a Saint Emperor, yet being drained like this by Lian Min sent a chill of terror through him.
If it was indeed Lian Min, the effect of his cultivation advancement through draining others was truly astonishing.
He knew there would be a confrontation between them, but for some reason, a sliver of fear gnawed at him.
He was afraid of Lian Min? How cliché!
"Queen!" The surrounding soldiers and subordinates wept, kneeling in unison.
The scene was one of profound sorrow.
Zhu Yan spoke. "Cry, why are you crying? No matter how much you weep, she cannot be revived. Pull yourselves together, we have matters to attend to. The entire Silver River World is on the brink of collapse, and we must all contribute."
Though Zhu Yan was slight of build, she exuded an innate regal presence. People naturally looked to her, their hearts filled with reverence.
Unexpectedly, their sorrow subsided as quickly as it had begun.
Their tears dried in an instant.
Chan'er asked Zhu Yan, "What do we need to do?"