102: Chapter 102 Gale Rift

Lin Muchen flickered out of the Post Station, blending into the night.

The wind at Fengming Pass was even stronger at night than during the day, howling like the wailing of ghosts.

He walked along the base of the walls, avoiding the occasional patrolling guards.

System, guide the way.

[Navigation activated.]

[Target: Astral Wind Fissure.]

[Linear distance: Three li.]

[Suggested route: Head north along the main street to the end of the pass, turn left into the abandoned Mine Tunnel, travel approximately one li, then arrive at the narrow valley.]

Lin Muchen followed the route provided by the System.

There were still scattered lights on the main street, and the sounds of drinking games drifted out from the taverns.

He walked very quickly, using a bit of spiritual power in his steps to move silently.

At the end of the pass, there was indeed a pitch-black mine entrance on the left; the wooden supports were half-rotted, looking long-abandoned.

He slipped inside.

The Mine Tunnel smelled of mold, and the ground was pitted and uneven.

After walking for about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, a faint light appeared ahead.

He had reached the exit.

Lin Muchen slowed his pace and crept to the edge of the exit to look out.

Outside was a narrow valley with steep stone walls on both sides and only a single crack in the middle.

The wind poured out of this crack with a particularly shrill sound.

[Target energy source detected.]

[Fifty zhang ahead, at the end of the valley.]

Lin Muchen took a deep breath and circulated his Five Elements Body Protection Aura.

A faint five-colored halo covered his entire body.

Only then did he step out.

The further in he went, the stronger the wind became.

It made his clothes flap loudly and felt like knives cutting against his face.

If not for the protection of his Protective Aura, he likely would have had a layer of skin scraped off.

Reaching the end of the valley, he saw it.

A crack had split open in the stone wall; it wasn't large, only about the thickness of an arm.

However, a bluish-white airflow was whistling out of it, looking quite terrifying.

As the airflow sprayed out, it carved white gashes into the surrounding stones.

[Target confirmed: Astral Wind Fissure.]

[Analysis: Naturally formed; internal wind-attribute energy is highly compressed and violent in nature.]

[Eruption cycle: Approximately once every thirty breaths, lasting five breaths each time.]

[Stability window: Eruption interval, approximately twenty-five breaths.]

[Suggestion: Approach immediately after the next eruption ends and collect a sample within the window period.]

Lin Muchen hid behind a large rock, staring at the crack.

He counted silently in his head.

...Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.

Whoosh—!

The bluish-white airflow erupted violently with an ear-piercing sound.

He felt his Body Protection Aura tremble from the force of the wind.

Five breaths later, the eruption stopped.

Now!

Lin Muchen lunged out, rushing to the fissure in a few strides.

He pulled a pre-prepared jade bottle from his robes and aimed the mouth at the fissure.

Spiritual power circulated within him, forming a small suction vortex at the bottle's mouth.

A wisp of bluish-white airflow was sucked out and entered the bottle.

As soon as the airflow entered, a layer of white frost immediately formed on the surface of the jade bottle.

Lin Muchen quickly capped the bottle and applied a Spirit Sealing Talisman.

Done.

He turned and ran.

He had only run a dozen paces when the whistling sound returned from behind him.

The next eruption had begun.

That was close.

Lin Muchen breathed a sigh of relief and carefully tucked the jade bottle into his robes.

System, this thing is useful for the Origin Star, right?

[Analysis complete.]

[Astral Wind Sample: Pure wind-attribute energy, violent in nature but extremely high in purity.]

[Estimated effect: After being introduced to the Origin Star, it can significantly accelerate wind-attribute derivation; wind spirit grass growth speed will increase by over 300%, and the wind-attribute derivation cycle is expected to shorten to within 15 days.]

[Expected Feedback Efficiency increase: Exceeding 12%.]

Lin Muchen's eyes lit up.

This trip was a massive profit.

He retraced his steps, his pace light.

Passing through the abandoned Mine Tunnel, he returned to the main street.

The street was deserted now, with only a few lanterns swaying in the wind.

Lin Muchen walked through the shadows, but as he neared the Post Station, he suddenly paused.

Something's wrong.

Someone's here.

He sensed a very faint sound of breathing about twenty zhang behind him.

It wasn't a patrol guard; their breathing wasn't this light, and they wouldn't follow him the whole way.

He was being followed.

Lin Muchen's heart sank, but he kept his expression neutral and continued forward.

When he reached the entrance of the small alley beside the Post Station, he suddenly ducked inside.

Then he held his breath and pressed himself against the wall.

The footsteps followed.

They were very light, but they were definitely there.

A figure appeared at the alley entrance, peering inside.

Moonlight illuminated the person's face.

Lin Muchen saw clearly.

It was Chen Qingxue.

Why did she follow him?

Chen Qingxue stood at the alley entrance without entering, her voice clear and cold.

“Come out, Guard Lin.”

Lin Muchen stepped out from the shadows.

“Second Miss, it's so late. Is something the matter?”

Chen Qingxue looked at him, her gaze calm.

“Where did you just go?”

“I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk.”

“A walk that led into an abandoned Mine Tunnel?”

Lin Muchen's heart skipped a beat.

She really had followed him the whole way.

“Second Miss was tracking me?”

“I simply noticed abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations in your room and came out to check,” Chen Qingxue said. “And then I saw you sneaking out suspiciously.”

She took two steps forward, closing the distance to Lin Muchen.

“Fengming Pass is not peaceful at night. You are a guard who left the team without permission. If something happened, who would be responsible?”

Lin Muchen said nothing.

Chen Qingxue stared at him for a few seconds.

“You have a very pure wind-attribute aura on you, recently acquired,” she said suddenly. “Did you go to collect astral wind?”

Lin Muchen was startled.

This woman... her perception was this sharp?

“Yes,” he admitted straightforwardly. “I need wind-attribute resources for my cultivation.”

Chen Qingxue raised an eyebrow.

“The Astral Wind Fissure is deep within the pass. Even those at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment wouldn't dare approach it lightly. You just went there and came back alive?”

“I was lucky.”

“Luck?” Chen Qingxue gave a faint smile. “When you dealt with the Red-Eyed Jackals today, that water-attribute Cultivation Technique of yours didn't look like mere luck.”

She paused.

“I have no interest in your secrets.”

Lin Muchen looked at her.

“But you are currently my guard. I don't want you to have an accident during the mission, or... cause any trouble.”

“I won't cause trouble,” Lin Muchen said.

“It better be so.” Chen Qingxue turned around. “I won't speak of tonight's matter. I don't care why you collected the astral wind, but don't let it interfere with our business.”

She took two steps, then stopped and looked back at Lin Muchen.

“We depart at the hour of chen tomorrow. Don't be late.”

With that, her figure flashed and disappeared at the other end of the alley.

Lin Muchen stood in place, looking at the empty alley entrance.

This Chen Qingxue was more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

But it seemed she had no intention of digging deeper for now.

He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly slipped back to his room in the Post Station.

He closed the door and slid the bolt shut.

Lin Muchen sat on the bed and took out the jade bottle from his robes.

The bottle was still ice-cold.

His consciousness sank into his Dantian, connecting to the Origin Star.

The scene unfolded.

The green expanse of the wind spirit grass slope shimmered slightly under the moonlight.

Lin Muchen focused his consciousness on the jade bottle.

“System, introduce the astral wind sample.”

[Executing.]

[Astral wind sample introduced to Origin Star...]

The wisp of bluish-white airflow in the jade bottle was drawn out, turning into a streak of light that vanished into the sky of the Origin Star.

The next second.

A great wind suddenly rose over the Origin Star.

It wasn't a breeze; it was a gale.

The green of the wind spirit grass slope spread outward at a speed visible to the naked eye, the leaves swaying frantically.

On the thunderstruck wood by the altar, the frequency of the blue light flickering on the charred trunk significantly increased.

[Introduction complete.]

[Origin Star wind-attribute derivation strongly catalyzed!]

[Wind-attribute derivation cycle updated: 15 days.]

[wind spirit grass growth speed increased by 320%.]

[Feedback Efficiency Breakthrough: 12.1%.]

It worked.

Lin Muchen could feel that the warm current in his Dantian was a sliver thicker than before.

Though it wasn't much, it was definitely growing.

He withdrew his consciousness and put away the empty jade bottle.

Outside the window, the sky was still dark.

There was still some time before dawn.

Lin Muchen lay on the bed with his hands behind his head.

He replayed what had just happened in his mind.

Regarding Chen Qingxue, there shouldn't be any issues for the time being.

With the astral wind sample in hand, the Origin Star's wind attribute had made great progress.

This northern journey had a good start.

He closed his eyes.

He would rest for a bit; he still had to travel at daybreak.