Transcending Dreams

B2 End - Yu Yanhua

Yu Yanhua peered at the border with a blank expression.

The Dazhou Kingdom lay just beyond, and with a disciple of the sect already insulting them by running away from her station, it would take time to get what she wanted from the royal family.

The kingdom was unique compared to most others, choosing to specialize in the arts instead of one of the orthodox cultivation paths. They shunned alchemy and combat-focused cultivation for ones incorporating musical instruments, calligraphy, and painting.

Those were the most common specialties within Dazhou Kingdoms border. Yu Yanhua knew there were many she couldnt ever hope to recognize.

However, she didnt look down on the kingdom because of this unorthodox path. Plenty of powerhouse cultivators rose from Dazhou Kingdom. In fact, they were only second to the Tianxia Empire in the number of Spirit Severing Realm cultivators they produced.

It was doubly impressive since Dazhou Kingdom was the smallest of the independent kingdoms that bordered the Tianxia Empire.

There were hardliners in the Empire that often brought up the idea of annexing Dazhou Kingdom every few decades, but they only represented the extremes of the Empire. The cost to do so would be extreme, and those hardliners were treated as annoying flies before being ignored.

Yu Yanhua wasnt here at the Empire's request. She was here to purchase a drum that created a bubble of protection by separating spacea necessary item for visiting the Desolate Land below Nascent Soul Realm.

Her goal would have been easier to accomplish if Disciple Su Rou hadnt treated Dazhou Kingdom with disdain.

She sighed and continued to wait in place.

Yu Yanhua had received word that Wei Liang and another disciple had been on a routine level two mission when the Abyss malfunctioned, blocking anyone from entering or exiting. She had never heard of such a thing happening in recent memory or in the past records since the Abyss was opened for disciples.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

She remembered how Wei Liang had somehow found himself pulled into the Shard on another routine mission and wondered if this was another case similar to that.

This news arrived nearly a day ago when Yu Yanhua was still far from the Empires border. She didnt think much of it since this was within the sect's borders.

When she reached the border without any further news, she realized that this was a massive issue.

Yu Yanhua didnt deal with the Abyss but knew the formations that supported the dimension gave complete control to the Elders in charge. Nothing could happen in the Abyss without them knowing about it.

There were fail-safes that created multiple passages to the Abyss to prevent anyone from getting trapped, and the amount of time without an update implied all of that had failed.

She now knew there was a real chance that Wei Liang was lost.

Yu Yanhua saw no need to enter Dazhou Kingdom until he was confirmed to be alive. Geniuses were lost all the time, and their deaths usually brought down the sect behind them.

Thankfully, she hadnt spent any of the allocated resources. It wouldnt have been ruinous, but it would have damaged the sects finances for a few decades.

Yu Yanhua straightened when a crack formed in front of her, splitting open slightly before a jade token was expelled.

She caught it with a frown. Such a method of passing on messages wouldnt done unless it was of grave importance.

She rubbed her thumb over the smooth surface and pushed her Qi into it. The Sect Masters voice was transmitted into her mind.

Wei Liang has been retrieved. He has experienced significant cultivation growth and is on the cusp of the late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm. His companion, Disciple Kae, is still unconscious but expected to fully recover.

That was the good news. This is the bad.

Yu Yanhua, Wei Liang has gained the eye of Empress Sophias guardian beast. I have been able to hide this from the other Elders for now, but he will need instruction on deactivating it. The boy is also lying about what happened in the Abyss, or at least telling half-truths.

The Jade Tree Forest is dying. It started showing signs immediately after the Abyss returned to normal. I suspect the same is happening with the forest the Imperial Family controls. The Soul Lotus will no longer exist in a few decades. The Imperial Familys demands on our resources will increase soon.

Return to the sect. Teach We Liang to hide the eye. Talk to him and find out what happened. You might have better luck.

Yu Yanhua flared her Qi, disintegrating the jade token into nonexistence with a large frown on her face.

She glanced at the border before turning around. She would return later.