Critical: Ages Below Critical - Chapter 6.1

Chapter 6: Grand Angel (Part 1)



The two large winged soul beasts take flight lightly,
after drawing two elegant white arches in the air,
they fly towards the distance in tandem,
white feathers cover the skies
scattering like shining snowflakes,
weaving white light illuminates the entire dim valley.

[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding waters of Rennes – Grave of the Souls]

When Qi Ling comes around, he feels a dull pain in his chest as if a large boulder had smashed against it, the moment he touches the statue chess piece, the air twists and turns as if trying to rip him into shreds, after the sudden attack of darkness, he has fallen harshly into this place.

Qi Ling struggles up and wipes away the blood at the corner of his mouth, swallowing the remnants of the metallic taste of blood in his throat. He narrows his eyes in fear and surveys the foreign world shrouded in darkness.
 

He stands on a small rock that juts out from a cliff, below him is the bottomless valley, across him in the far distance is a large mountainous rock that reaches high into the sky, his current location is as if a long and narrow cave within the grand valley. He lifts his head, a far way from the top of his head is a long and narrow bluish glow that changes constantly, looking as blue as the sky, he suddenly remembers Yin Chen telling him that the Grave of the Souls is located at the seabed in the surrounding waters of Rennes……unless that moving blue glow is sea water? “It won’t collapse and drown me right……” Qi Ling feels his bone chill at that thought.

After adjusting to the dim light of the surroundings, his eyes widen in surprise at the densely packed spots of light like an array of stars on the surrounding peaks. Situated in this vast space, he is as small as an ant. The flickering lights are as if the Milky Way surrounding him, every single spot of light is a soul weapon, when looking from a distance, weapons and tools of different shapes and sizes are plugged into the edge of the cliff. The magical thing is that, it’s as if these soul weapons are living and breathing, swaying gently like sea weed or corals being pushed by the waves deep in the ocean, they each appear and disappear……before appearing again like a plant growing from the cliff in another place, they interact with each other, emitting buzzing sounds, the entire valley is filled with the callings high and low……Qi Ling stares at this mystical dim world, dumbfounded. He turns to look at the soul weapon located nearest to him, a golden sharp partisan with an intricate pattern ingrained into the metal, he suddenly realizes that Yin Chen hasn’t had time to tell him which soul weapon he should take yet, unless he can take any one casually from all these soul weapons? Is it really all right if he takes the wrong one…… Qi Ling thinks about Yin Chen’s expressionless face like that of an ice sculpture and sighs in his heart, “If I took the wrong one I’d have to listen to his mockery again.” He scratches his head, completely disregarding the other life-threatening question: how should he leave this place?

Maybe for he has been thinking too intently, Qi Ling doesn’t detect a soundless ghoul-like shadow appearing faintly in the darkness through the fog.

[West of Aslan Empire – Port city of Rennes]

The aerolite falls to the ground at high speed. When the white light is dissipated by the wind, Yin Chen’s frosty appearance emerges from the light, his footsteps hasn’t paused since he landed as he speeds to the seventeen statues. He doesn’t turn back when he enters the tunnel, whipping his hand behind his back, a wall of ice pierces through the tiles of rock from the ground and seals the entrance of the tunnel shut instantly.

His face is pale as he stands wordlessly in front of the chess piece that leads to the Grave of the Souls. He raises his hand and strokes the rough surface of the rock statue gently but there is no reaction. He has already entered the Grave of the Souls many years ago when he was a disciple and had taken his soul weapon. Hence, when he touches this chess piece now, there is no longer any effect.

A sorrow beyond expression presses down on his chest. He stands there, not speaking, not leaving. No emotions can be detected on his face.

The wall of ice sealing the entrance of the tunnel shatters.

In the air full of ice shards, Tianshu Youhua takes her time walking over to Yin Chen, her footsteps light and arrogant with a hint of coolness like that of frost.

She raises her tender and lovely face only young girls have towards Yin Chen, her skin is as tender and beautiful as a petal covered with morning dew, yet her expression is filled with contempt of someone of high authority. She surveys Yin Chen before asking coldly: “Did someone enter this tunnel just now and then disappear through this statue?”

Yin Chen does not reply. He does not even move, as if Tianshu Youhua hasn’t appeared. He only maintains that slightly sorrowful expression as he stares deeply at that statue.

Tianshu Youhua has been pampered since young and she has gotten used to people responding to her every call, there has never been someone who dares ignore her, hence he expression hardens into that of anger, “I’m asking you a question!” After saying that, she lifts her hand, a sharp gust of wind filled with pointed ice shards spray from her hand and whips towards Yin Chen’s face. Before this energy even touches Yin Chen’s body, as if met with an invisible barrier, it convulses and Tianshu Youhua’s body is pushed back many steps form the force of the rebound of the tremendous energy.

Yin Chen turns slowly to face the girl whose gaze is full of unwillingness and enmity, his lips as cold as daggers moves, asking: “You are a disciple?”

Tianshu Youhua clenches her teeth, a gush of wronged feeling rise in her heart, she squeezes out a few words: “None of your business.” Although she sounds stubborn, but the tremendous wave of soul powers Yin Chen had released a short while before when he barely moved allowed her to understand that, the person standing before her, his level is many times higher than hers.

“Hasn’t your lord ever taught you about basic courtesy? When a disciple meets another lord, although the disciple doesn’t have to obey every word, but at least they should greet and pay their respects.”

Tianshu Youhua huffs as she stands her ground.

Yin Chen narrows his eyes that are as sharp as frost before his expression softens slightly. He thinks that, maybe this little girl has never met him before, “I am ‘Lord to the Seventh Degree’, Yin Chen.”

“You’re just a lowly lord, what’s so good about you, a few years later, when I become a lord, you’re just someone ranked beneath me! You can only remain arrogant for the next few years so enjoy it while you still can.” Tianshu Youhua smirks in pride.

Two sharp crackling sounds can be heard as Yin Chen’s eyes locked tightly, Tianshu Youhua who has been standing before him drops to her knees, her kneecaps are now covered with hard ice, her numb knees bend and she drops to her knees on the ground heavily.

At this moment, as if remembering something, Yin Chen moves towards her quickly.

He rushes before her and bends down on one knee, he presses down on his shoulder, his face glows as if he has discovered a hefty amount of treasure, the excitement on his face is hard to conceal, solemnly, he asks he: “Have you ever entered the Grave of the Souls to retrieve our soul weapon before?”

Tianshu Youhua clenches her teeth, her large amber-like eyes full of hatred. She doesn’t understand why Yin Chen would suddenly ask her a question like that.

Yin Chen waves his hand and the ice on her knees breaks apart. Tianshu Youhua stands abruptly and skimmed towards the back, at the same time, her hands lash out and a large curtain of rain suddenly appear in thin air, sizzling as it shoots towards Yin Chen. Yin Chen raises his sleeve and waves, all the droplets of rain changes direction and hits the wall, corroding into it and leaving behind countless dents, a white sour smoke rises.

Yin Chen furrows his brows in disgust; he hasn’t expected such a youthful and beautiful girl to be so vicious.

Yet Yin Chen does not have the time to ponder over this, he reaches out and spreads his fingers towards the mouth of the tunnel where Tianshu Youhua is escaping to, a large wall of ice emerges from the ground before her, as if a thick terrain blocking her path, the solid wall of ice expands quickly in the tunnel, the sound loud as it scrapes the side of the walls.

Her face ashen as she looks at Yin Chen, “What do you want to do? I am the princess of the imperial capital! I am also the disciple of the ‘Lord to the Sixth Degree’, if you dare harm me, you will be shredded into pieces by the Sixth Lord!”

Yin Chen looks at the young girl who is trying and failing to mask the fear on her face and sighs in his heart. As the only disciple of royal descent, it’s no wonder that she has a domineering personality and doesn’t think highly of anyone. Maybe because she grew up being mollycoddled in a greenhouse-like cradle in the royal household, she doesn’t seem to know how deep and dense the world of soul bending is, she also doesn’t know of the evil on this earth.

Of course, her lord should teach these to her, or, to put it in another way, there will be the day that she suffers, so Yin Chen doesn’t have to worry about that.

“I will not harm you, I am only asking you,” Yin Chen nears her and stares at her face, Tianshu Youhua seems extremely uncomfortable under Yin Chen’s direct and urgent gaze, “Have you entered the Grave of the Souls before? Can you go in again?”

Tianshu Youhua bites her lips and doesn’t reply.

“Can you go in again?” On Yin Chen’s frost-like handsome face, his gaze is searing, as if two stars shining in the bitter cold night sky.

[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding waters of Rennes – Grave of the Souls]

Qi Ling walks around as he surveys the different types of soul weapons covering the cliff, he really doesn’t know where to start. Just as he is staring at a thin blade of the sword that’s as smooth as mercury, a hidden gush of soul powers suddenly emerges behind him, he turns immediately and sees a shadow flash before him, before he has the chance to respond, a large sword hacks towards him.

Qi Ling yelled before recalling abruptly, yet he has forgotten that behind him is an abyss, resulting in him missing his step and his entire person falls towards the bottomless darkness.

Cang Xue Zhi Ya explodes from the air, its large snow white wings twirl in the air before gently pushing Qi Ling onto its back and soaring up, once again landing on the protruding cliff.

Qi Ling sees a young woman holding a large sword standing before him, suddenly remembering that this is a place only disciples can enter, he tells the other loudly: “Don’t harm me, I am also a disciple, I’m not an enemy!”

Her face remains shrouded in seriousness with a murderous air, but she has lowered her sword gently.

Qi Ling lets out a sign of relief and sprawls face down on Cang Xue Zhi Ya’s large back, still suffering from the shock, he says: “My name is Qi Ling, I’m the disciple of the Seventh Lord, Yin Chen. Really! I have a lord’s seal! But……it’s not very convenient for me to show it to you……” Qi Ling suddenly remembers the location of his seal and flushes red.

She doesn’t reply.

Qi Ling scratches his head slightly awkwardly and asks: “I really don’t mean any harm, I came in accidentally, I’m quite frustrated about that right now.”

She moves slowly towards him from the darkness, the glow from Cang Xue Zhi Ya’s body bounces off her face, her face can then be seen clearly, it’s a very beautiful and exquisite face but, her delicate features seem to be set in a face far too serious and cold, giving off an impassable distant feeling, a good description will be, a lotus flower blooming at the peak of a snow mountain, a beauty that is untouchable.

“You don’t have to show me your lord’s seal, I know you’re a disciple, if not you won’t be able to come in. I am Guishan Lianquan, the disciple of the ‘Lord to the Fifth Degree’.” Speckles of blood can be seen on her noble and exquisite armour and cape.

“Are you hurt?” Qi Ling gets off Cang Xue Zhi Ya and asks her.

“The concentration of soul mist is very high here, I’m almost healed.” Lianquan replies.

“Woah, you know about the golden soul mist as well? Awesome!” Qi Ling says sincerely, not realizing that he just asked a question similar to “Woah, you know the sun rises from the east as well”. Lianquan looks at the handsome boy before her and how he doesn’t realize how dumb of a sentence he just said; Lianquan cannot help but smile bitterly, gradually letting her guard down.

Perhaps even Qi Ling hasn’t realized that, he has an aura that makes him noble but cordial at the same time, like a scent that is sweet yet light, making him very approachable.

“You said you came in accidentally just now, what do you mean by that?” Lianquan asks him.

“Originally Yin Chen had said, oh, my lord, his name is Yin Chen, he told me to not enter the Grave of the Souls first because he still had a lot of things to instruct me. But I was chased by a very fierce looking girl and when I escaped to the chess piece, I touched it accidentally……and then here I am. Ugh, I don’t even know what soul weapon I’m supposed to get.” Qi Ling seems down as he pets Cang Xue Zhi Ya’s long mane around its neck, as if suddenly remembering something, he asks, “Oh yeah, did your lord tell you know soul weapon you’re supposed to take? Or can disciples just choose themselves? If it’s like that, then even if I chose the wrong one I won’t be scolded by Yin Chen.”

“Of course you can’t just choose anyhow, I received a ‘White Alarm’ telling me to enter the Grave of the Souls to retrieve the ‘Resurrection Chain’.” Lianquan says.

“What is a…..white alarm?” Qi Ling asked, slightly embarrassed.

Lianquan looks at the tall and upright young boy standing before her, he looks like an average citizen who has no knowledge of the world of soul bending at all.

“There are all kinds of messages, alarms or alerts in the territory or the Aslan Empire and they are all announced by the Silver Priests, things like when and where a high leveled soul beast will appear, or which area has upheavals by soul beasts. Each message will be delivered to the entire county through the ‘Lord to the Fourth Degree’, and the Fourth Lord has constructed a system of locations and messengers known as the Tiange, these large and small places are scattered across the Aslan territory for lords, disciples or the soul masters of the royal family to send and receive information. Among those messages delivered to the entire country, the most basic is known as the ‘Green Message’, it’s something that all the soul masters in the county can know of; the messages with colours of massacre, such as which ancient soul bending family rebelled, or which foreign soul master is in our territory and must be hunted down, these are known as ‘Red Alarm’; and those messages of the highest status that are only passed among lords and disciples are known as the ‘White Alarm’. My lord, Guishan Fenghun, received a white alarm that told us to come to the Grave of the Souls and retrieve the strong soul weapon Resurrection Chain that had just been created.” Speaking until here, Lianquan pauses and frowns, as if sorting out her thoughts, “Then again, the messages that the Fourth Lord have been delivering are slightly confusing, often when we receive a message, in a short time, there’s a new and completely contrasting message that comes. Or sometimes after a message is delivered, we’d suddenly be told that this message is no longer valid. We’re also not sure what has been going on recently……”

Qi Ling nods as if he somewhat understands, “Oh……I understand, ugh, it must be that Yin Chen hasn’t had the time to tell me about the white alarm before I crashed in myself……I’m doomed now. I have no idea what soul weapon I should take.”

Lianquan looks at the depressed Qi Ling before him and her expression softens. She says: “Do you have the Sishya fruit on you?”

“Yes!” Qi Ling’s eyes brighten.

“Then use a bit of the juice and look around to see which soul weapon has the most golden soul mist concentrated around it, choose that. Since you don’t know which one you should take now, at least choose a powerful one.

“This is a good idea! Haha!” Qi Ling’s depressed expression morphs into an excited one.

“Then get on your soul beast and follow me.” An explosion occurs in the form of a large white shadow behind Lianquan, feathers appear in the air and covers the skies and earth, the soul beast An Chi stands tall behind her, as if a pair of large wings that suddenly sprouted from her back, “It’s good that your soul beast flies too, if not it’d really be hard moving around.”

Qi Ling jumps onto Cang Xue Zhi Ya’s back and embraces its neck before calling for it to take flight.

The two winged soul beasts take flight lightly, after drawing two elegant white arches in the air, they fly towards the distance in tandem, white feathers cover the skies and scatter like shining snowflakes, weaving white light illuminates the entire dim valley.

The empty dark space is too vast; the two large soul beasts emitting white glow and resembles two floating white lanterns in the darkness, gradually sliding ahead.

[West of Aslan Empire – Port city of Rennes]

Only Yin Chen remains in the empty and long tunnel.

He moves step by step towards the outside slowly.

Although he has done the most humiliating of his life, but in exchange for Tianshu Youhua entering the Grave of the Souls to tell Qi Ling the right way to leave the place, Yin Chen has been perfectly happy to do so. And so, there is no anger on his face, only a joy of a person who has hope again, an expression like this on his frostily handsome face is like a snow mountain being illuminated by sunshine, giving off a touching strength that can make’s eyes rim red. He even clenches his fists lightly with a smile on his face.

Just as he reaches the mouth of the tunnel, as if a few tendrils of black ink is spreading on the blue vault of heaven behind him, the black fog morphs into rolling wind, spinning as it touches down, and then a tall figure wrapped in a black cloak lands behind him.

“You need not have done that just now. To a lord, that is disgraceful.” The black silhouette tells him, his voice giving off the colour of rich metal.

Yin Chen turns and looks at the tall and strong figure behind him, looking as if he has the powerful physique of an ancient Lord of War. The person takes off his black hood gently and reveals a firm face as if it has been moved by the wind and snow for thousands of years, majestic power fills his body. Yet his pale complexion seems inharmonious with the rest of his appearance.

“I am ‘Lord to the Fifth Degree’, Guishan Fenghun, my disciple, Guishan Lianquan, is in the Grave of the Souls as well. If luck is on his side, your disciple, Qi Ling, should be able to meet her. Lianquan is a kind soul, she will help him.”

Yin Che nods but doesn’t take it to heart, saying: “If they can meet then it will be even better.”

Guishan Fenghun says: “Which is why there is no need for your action just now.”

Yin Chen smiles lightly, his face like a lake with ripples on the surface under the sun, “If it’s your disciple, you will do the same.”

“It is true,” Guishan Fenghun nods, “But that is because, my disciple is my biological younger sister, we are related by blood.”

“I don’t care whether Qi Ling is related to me by blood or not, or how long I’ve known him for,” Yin Chen’s expression is serious, “As long as he is my disciple and I am his lord, then I am willing to do anything for him.” Yin Chen looks over at Guishan Fenghun, “You are also a lord, don’t you understand the emotional attachment between a lord and a disciple?” After saying that, Yin Chen turns to leave. He has always been that way, never interacting more than necessary with others and unwilling to travel with them.

“Are you heading to the Abyss Corridor?” Guishan Fenghun enquires.

“Yes, to wait for Qi Ling to exit the Grave of the Souls.” Yin Chen pauses but does not look back.

“Have you told him what soul weapon he’s supposed to retrieve?” Guishan Fenghun questions.

“I did not have the time to.”

“So, he doesn’t know that he’s supposed to retrieve the Resurrection Chain?”

Under the sunlight, Yin Chen is motionless, only after a long period of time did he turn around, his movement so slow that it seems strange, the light shines on the sharp blades on the edges of his white cape, the glare seeming dangerous, ‘How do you know that the soul weapon for Qi Ling is the Resurrection Chain?” Yin Chen narrows his eyes and spits out the question, a faint golden gleam follows the return circuit patterns on his body and creeps up to his neck.”

“Put away your hostility. I’m not here to be an enemy. I’ll bring you to someone and you’d understand the truth then.”

“What truth?” Yin Chen asks.

“The truth of why a white alarm such as ‘retrieve the Resurrection Chain’ is delivered to different lords and disciples at the same time,” Guishan Fenghun look fixedly at Yin Chen, “And the truth to why my disciple and I are being hunted down by the Nether the Killing Lord.”

“Nether?” Yin Chen nods imposingly, “if Nether wants to kill you, how can you still be alive?”

“Of course I can’t be, I believe that you can tell from my complexion that my physical condition is not well, I’ve lost too much blood and I’ve spent most of my soul powers, of course these were gifted to me by Nether, if Nether didn’t meet another person that is more powerful than him, I’d be a dead person by now.”

“Stop joking, “Yin Chen’s eyes narrow further, “The only person more powerful than Nether is the current ‘Lord to the First Degree’, and we all know that from the moment he became the Top Lord, he hasn’t left the Source of Prophecies or the Silver Priests, not even one step.”

“Which is why I’m asking you to come with me to see a person, when you see him, you will understand. This person is at the Abyss Corridor as well. Aren’t you going there anyway? Just take it as something on the way, you will not. Whether you come or not is really up to you.” After saying that, Guishan Fenghun skims to the sky.

Yin Chen lowers his head and ponders for a moment before stepping onto the sides of the tall walls with force, white light howls as it chases the tendrils of black in the air.