CHAPTER 646: CHAPTER 641: A CHANCE MEETING IN THE VOID_2

With a soft "click," the lines on Yun Shu’s shoulders opened to reveal semi-transparent "wings" which extended to absorb the powerful energy contained within the strong light.

Last time at the fusion of the key to the Jiao Long Tomb, she had already charged full, and in the past few days, she hadn’t consumed much. Thus, as soon as she stretched out her wings, a "beep beep beep" sounded, and the wings swiftly folded back in.

"Wonderful! I’m practically made for the void!" Yun Shu was overjoyed, dancing amid the brilliant light. This journey proved that the strong light in the void could replenish her energy, meaning she could explore infinitely as long as there were enough supply points!

Looking back, she thought that using this strong beam as a coordinate, she could delve further into exploration. Perhaps she could find world fragments like the Void Hunter talked about by the teacher, searching for Spirit Medicine and the like.

With that in mind, Yun Shu looked around, chose a direction that seemed to have world fragments, and flew over.

.........

"Martial Uncle, should we still pray to the Founder?" Su Yingmeng hesitantly asked the only remaining elder of the sect, cautiously.

The Haoyue Sect Disciple’s sect clothing was filthy and torn; they had to maintain the array daily against the harsh wind. Whether it’s Grain Avoidance Pill, Spirit Core Pill, or Blood Replenishing Pill, all were extremely precious. Whoever took them hoped to contribute more, so no one wasted extra Magic to maintain their cleanliness.

The mortals they protected had ample water and food. With the array blocking the harsh wind, they weren’t too miserable. In fact, a few children even gained some weight.

"Pray! Of course, we must pray." As the most senior elder in the sect, Qin Yunfan, with the highest Realm, exerted the most effort. He didn’t even know how long they had been drifting; exhaustion permeated him inside and out.

He knew ever since that statue manifested and responded to all prayers, their miraculous survival on the obtained Elixirs, food, and water was inexplicable, inviting countless speculations.

"We’ve ended up like this; why overthink it?" Qin Yunfan sighed, looking at the increasingly gaunt young girl. He sighed again, "Even if it’s an Evil God, as long as the prayers are answered, that’s great."

"Even if we aren’t afraid to die, those mortals are. Besides, they have elders and children; they can’t dismiss life and death like we cultivators. To them, who wouldn’t want to survive if barely possible?"

He paused to comfort, "Reassure your junior brothers and sisters. I will pray to the Founder statue, and even if the deity isn’t just, any future sins will be on me. You’re still young; obeying elders isn’t wrong. Don’t overthink it, let things flow naturally."

Su Yingmeng bit her lip, saying softly, "We are indeed worried about you, Martial Uncle, and thought to discuss that in future prayers, everyone will take turns. Even if responsibility falls, sharing it amongst us is better than you bearing it alone.

Since joining Haoyue Sect, fellow sect members are closest; we should share blessings and endure hardships together."

Qin Yunfan chuckled, "Who told you about sharing blessings and hardships?"

"I am the sect’s Elder, receiving your respects and the sect’s benefits. How can I not step up in times of trouble and let you young ones bear it? Obey, go rest. Once the batch of Elixirs from prayers comes, we can hold out a while longer."

Before they could retort, he interrupted, "How are those mortals doing now?"

"At first, a few elders caused trouble with dominance, but after facing immediate exile, resulting in death, they calmed down, mostly behaving now."

Su Yingmeng reported, "Last guard rotation, a young guy, seeing us not needing food or drink after consuming Elixirs, thought they were Immortal Pills and tried to steal big senior brother’s Elixir from the array.

Then he got a beating and was exiled, swept away by the wind as a warning. Now, no one dares approach our sect Disciples. You stayed at the array hub so tirelessly, we didn’t report these trivial matters."

"Hmm, those cultivating should have bodhisattva hearts with thunderous hands. Well-handled." Qin Yunfan nodded approvingly, "Now, in these circumstances, indulging greedy ones is unfair to honest rule keepers.

Keep enduring; strive a bit more.

Each time I pray for Elixirs and food, I ask the Founder to manifest. Even for just finding a better resting place, as it grants all wishes, there’s hope yet from desperation."

Su Yingmeng, hearing this, beamed a bright smile, bowing to the ordinary material statue, saying, "Pray for the Founder to manifest, send an envoy for crossing, if only from desperate..."

Before she could finish, she stood startled mid-bow.

Rubbing her eyes firmly, Su Yingmeng confirmed she wasn’t seeing things – a Celestial Fairy descended from the black void, gracefully flying over!

"Ma-Ma-Marshal Uncle..." Shaken, she stuttered, pointing behind him, shouting, "Fairy! Did we drift to the Celestial Realm? There’s really a Fairy!"

Upon her screams, the resting Haoyue Sect Disciples perked up, cheers, and discussions erupted.

"Celestial Realm? Where’s the Celestial Realm?"

"So beautiful! Just like the ancient paintings!"

"Fairy! Have you come to rescue us?"

"Blessings from the Goddess, a Celestial Immortal descends; we’re saved..."

...

As chattering cultivators were, the dozens of mortals, men, women, and children, protected by the array, heard the commotion, crowding at the edge to watch. They couldn’t withstand the wind, so none dared step out of the protective shield.

Initially thinking she found a world fragment, Yun Shu realized upon closing in, it was extremely distant, an enormous star shrouded in a vast halo, looking like a huge landmass.

With lost objectives, she intended returning for reporting the energy replenishing news, then noticed what seemed like floating world debris far away.

After hesitating a moment, Yun Shu flew to catch it. The closer she got, she found people alive on nearly disappearing fragments!

Qin Yunfan, in shock, glanced between the Founder statue and the approaching Fairy, mind blank yet quickly assessing the situation.

Either the Founder manifested, genuinely dispatching an envoy;

Or it coincidently encountering other roaming cultivators.

Regardless, fearless flight in the void isn’t ordinary! It means, unless a killing maniac or Evil Cultivator, they’re likely saved!

"Fairy! Fairy, please stay!" Fearing disregard, Qin Yunfan waved his arms and called, "Beg of your esteemed self!"

Yun Shu, equally astounded, aimlessly drifting in vast void thusly, encountered a world fragment and living people.

Not daring much closer, she fumbled out a Communication Stone and cried, "Sir! Sir, I’m wandering the void, found a small world fragment with many people on it! What should I do? Could they be odd?"

[Binding Puppet exploration discovered no-man’s land, an option to fuse with Riverfront Village instance, welcoming survivors from the no-man’s land, proceed with fusion and devour?]

"W-Wait a moment!" Jiang Yuan hastily accepted Communication Stone, hearing Yun Shu’s cry, a huge striking prompt appearing in sight.

Momentarily stupefied, he realized the system’s identifying the drifting void world fragment as no-man’s land, and selecting fusion with instance permits welcoming survivors into the instance for living!

My gosh! This is tremendous!

Especially where Riverfront Village instance requires frequent gathering of culinary ingredients, a large environment suits mortal living. Exchanging raw materials for regular agricultural grains could make for a nice life.

At least far beyond drifting void awaiting death!

"I don’t dare approach them." Yun Shu cautiously conveyed, "From afar they seem dressed uniformly in sect clothing with slight Spiritual Power fluctuation, likely some cultivators, some mortals. Sir, what should I do?"

Cultivators too?

Jiang Yuan eyed the blinking system prompt, recalling the saying saving a life surpasses Level Seven pagoda, deciding to receive the survivors regardless, considering placement post-fusion.