19: Chapter 19 Moonlight's Protection

Shen Xun'er placed her hands on the main altar and closed her eyes.

The Moonlight Priestess's spiritual energy poured from her palms into the Spirit Rune stones, and silver-blue light slowly rose around her.

Her long, black hair floated gently in the still air, as if lifted by moonlight.

Her spirit silk ceremonial robe rippled with silver light under the surge of spiritual energy, shrouding her figure in a dreamlike moonlight.

"Moonlight · Activate!"

Shen Xun'er's voice was as clear as silver bells, echoing over the camp.

Silver-blue light erupted from the main altar, surging along the spiritual energy circuits of the hexagram array. Thirty-six base stones bloomed with silver-blue radiance simultaneously.

The Spirit Runes moved like living things, and the entire formation was thoroughly activated in an instant!

Light shot into the sky!

A silver-blue pillar of light pierced the heavens from the main altar, rising over ten zhang high, like a spine of light connecting heaven and earth.

Wherever the pillar of light passed, the mist on the Lingxi River was reflected into a silver-blue hue, and the entire Mist Valley was shrouded in a layer of soft radiance.

It was not a blindingly intense light, but a gentle, flowing light of spiritual energy, like moonlight, like ripples of water.

Wang Sheng stood at the edge of the formation and could clearly feel the Holy Light Warriors' spiritual energy accelerating under the influence of the light pillar.

His Moonlight Affinity talent automatically activated; the effect of doubling nighttime cultivation speed could now function at a lower efficiency during the day, and his spiritual energy recovery speed noticeably accelerated.

[System Prompt: Ancestral Spirit Altar activated!]

[Tribe Sanctuary Domain opened,

Range: 300 paces radius from the altar.

Effect: Tribe members' cultivation speed +20%,

Automatic warning triggered when Savage Beasts invade.]

[High Priestess: Shen Xun'er (Moonlight Priestess · SS Rank),

Moonlight Blessing range ×3, effect +50%.

Moonlight Shield can cover the entire Sanctuary Domain.]

The information on the system panel floated by line by line. Wang Sheng scanned it quickly, shocked in his heart.

The Sanctuary Domain's 300-pace radius basically covered the entire core area of the camp.

The cultivation speed bonus, combined with Moonlight Affinity, meant his nighttime cultivation efficiency would be more than double that of the daytime.

And Shen Xun'er's Moonlight Blessing range being tripled with a 50% increase in effect meant that her healing ability in future battles would see a qualitative leap.

The silver-blue pillar of light slowly receded, forming a soft dome of light over the camp, like a huge umbrella woven from moonlight.

Standing under the dome of light, everyone felt the gentle nourishment of spiritual energy, as if soaking in a hot spring or being caressed by a spring breeze; every pore on their bodies was greedily absorbing the spiritual energy.

"So comfortable..." Zhao Linger squinted her eyes like a cat basking in the sun, "I can feel the spiritual energy running around in my body, it's warm."

Xiao Yuqing moved her arms, surprise appearing on her face beneath her neat short hair: "My spiritual energy recovery speed has noticeably increased, at least by thirty percent."

Qin Luoxi stood quietly to the side, her classical beauty's profile as exquisite as a fine-line painting under the dome of light.

She looked down at the flow of spiritual energy in her palm, the corners of her mouth curving slightly: "The spiritual energy conduction efficiency of the runes has also improved. If I set up formations within the Sanctuary Domain, the formation's power will increase by at least twenty percent."

Hua Jieyu squatted by the medicine garden, smiling with her almond-shaped eyes curved. The spiritual plants in the garden were visibly more vibrant under the nourishment of the Sanctuary Domain's spiritual energy.

The golden veins on the leaves of the jade heart herb flowed more brightly, and the leaves of the purple continuation grass stretched out as if they had just been watered with spiritual liquid.

"The effect of the Ancestral Spirit Altar is even better than I expected." Shen Xun'er turned from the main altar.

Her almond eyes swept over the face of everyone in the camp, her voice clear and gentle,

"From now on, the Sanctuary Domain will run continuously. The spiritual energy is relatively gentle during the day, suitable for cultivation and labor; at night, the moonlight is strongest, suitable for meditation and breakthroughs.

When Savage Beasts invade the domain, the altar will automatically issue a warning and simultaneously apply a Moonlight Shield to everyone within the domain.

Although the shield can only block attacks below the third rank of Barbarian Warrior, it can at least buy us time to react."

After she finished speaking, her gaze fell on Wang Sheng, with a flash of pride and sweetness in her almond eyes; that was the satisfaction of "I did this for you."

Wang Sheng walked over and took her hand in front of everyone.

He didn't say much, just gently squeezed her fingertips.

Shen Xun'er's earlobes turned slightly red, but she didn't pull her hand back. She stood in front of the main altar, her long black hair floating gently in the aftermath of the spiritual energy.

Her spirit silk ceremonial robe clung to her slender, voluptuous figure, glowing softly under the silver-blue dome. Her skin was like coagulated fat, her face like a peach blossom, and her pair of almond eyes were brimming like water.

At this moment, Shen Xun'er was not just a beautiful woman; she was the spiritual core of the Bright Tribe, the spokesperson of the Moon God, and the firmest reliance in the hearts of the sixty-two people.

"The High Priestess is mighty!" Zhao Linger cheered first, spinning her bamboo flute in her hand.

"The High Priestess is mighty!" The other girls responded one after another, and the cheers echoed in the Mist Valley.

Shen Xun'er smiled, her almond eyes curving into crescents. Then she did something that no one expected.

She held Wang Sheng's hand, turned to face the crowd, her voice clear and firm:

"The construction of the Ancestral Spirit Altar is everyone's credit.

Shi Gen led the people to mine the Spirit Rune stones, Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan carved the runes, Pei Yanzhi wove the ceremonial robe,

Su Mengyao cultivated the spiritual plants, Hua Jieyu tended the medicinal herbs. It is because of everyone's contribution that we have today's altar."

She paused, her almond eyes sweeping over everyone's face, and finally landed on Wang Sheng.

"But most importantly, we have a Chieftain worth following."

Her voice deepened slightly when she said the word "Chieftain," her almond eyes reflecting the silver-blue dome and the light of his golden Holy Light, like crushed gold sinking into the deep sea.

"It was he who led us through the Beast Tide to survive, it was he who established the camp so we had a home to return to, it was he who led the team to explore the Savage Beast Forest to obtain resources.

There is a reason why the system chose him as the Chieftain."

As Shen Xun'er's voice fell, the camp was quiet for a moment, and then Murong Xue took the lead in applauding.

Her silver armor reflected a cold light under the dome, her brown ponytail swaying gently behind her, and she said loudly:

"The High Priestess is right. Chieftain, I submit to you."

Xiao Yuqing nodded along, her face beneath her neat short hair wearing a hearty smile.

Qin Luoxi smiled quietly, soft light flowing in the classical beauty's eyes.

Hua Jieyu clapped gently, her almond eyes curved, dimples deep.

Even the usually indifferent Frost Mage Lin Shiyun nodded slightly.

Her ice-blue pupils were like two cold stars under the silver-blue dome, her silvery-white hair blown gently by the spiritual energy aftermath.

Her tall, slender figure under the mage's robe looked exceptionally cold and ethereal in the soft light of the dome, but her nod carried more weight than anyone else's cheers.

Wang Sheng stood in front of the main altar, holding Shen Xun'er's hand, looking at the faces of the sixty-plus girls in front of him.

Some were smiling, some expectant, some quiet, some shy, but every pair of eyes was written with the same word: conviction.

The system's thirty percent attraction bonus made them willing to get close, but what really convinced them was not the system,

but what this man had proven with his actions every day since they crossed over: courage, responsibility, and the determination not to give up on anyone.

The silver-blue dome of the Ancestral Spirit Altar swirled overhead like a galaxy, and the murmuring sound of the Lingxi River reached their ears. Wang Sheng took a deep breath, his voice steady:

"The Bright Tribe, from today, has a true foundation. With the altar, there is protection; with the High Priestess, there is faith.

We no longer need to worry about Savage Beast sneak attacks, no longer need to worry about insufficient spiritual energy.

Next, what we should consider is how to become stronger, how to expand, how to survive in this savage world and live well."

His gaze swept over everyone and finally fell on Shen Xun'er.

"High Priestess, for the altar's first divination, check the direction of the beast path—what is there?"

Shen Xun'er's almond eyes lit up. She turned to face the main altar and pressed her hands onto the Spirit Rune stone.

The silver-blue light shone again, her long black hair floating like a black waterfall in the surge of spiritual energy, and her spirit silk ceremonial robe clung to her slender figure, rippling with silver waves in the flowing moonlight.

The Moonlight Priestess activated the Star Divination. As the altar operated formally for the first time, the silver-blue dome suddenly brightened a few degrees.

A moment later, Shen Xun'er opened her eyes, the smile in her almond eyes receding, replaced by gravity.

"The spiritual energy fluctuations in the direction of the beast path are very chaotic. Someone is using a shielding formation to hide their tracks."

She turned to look at Wang Sheng, "But I captured a trace of residual aura. It's not a Savage Beast, nor is it the spiritual energy of ordinary humans."

"What is it?"

Shen Xun'er bit her lower lip, her voice very low:

"Dark attribute spiritual energy. The concentration is extremely high, at least a Barbarian General level user of dark attributes."

Barbarian General level—that was an existence higher than a fifth-rank Barbarian Warrior.

The camp was silent for a moment.

Wang Sheng clenched his fists, then released them, his voice calm:

"Understood. We will face whatever comes. The altar has been built, let's stabilize the Sanctuary Domain first, and take the rest one step at a time."

Shen Xun'er looked at his steady face, and a sense of peace surged in her heart.

She knew this was the man she had waited four years for—not because he was omnipotent, but because he would not be controlled by fear at any time.

The silver-blue dome swirled in the twilight like a galaxy, and the murmuring sound of the Lingxi River reached their ears.

The Ancestral Spirit Altar, the second core building of the Bright Tribe, was officially completed before sunset on the fourth day.

The Sanctuary Domain shrouded the entire camp, the Moonlight Priestess stood in front of the main altar like the Moon God descending, and the sixty-two girls looked up at their Chieftain under the dome of light.

The savage world was vast, with many dangers, and where the Shadow Clan's beast path led was still unknown.

But at this moment, the Bright Tribe had an altar, a High Priestess, and a Chieftain worth following.

The seed had been planted, and it would eventually grow into a towering tree.