Chapter 552 - 328: Contingency Plan
Logically, the lake water should have been bone-chillingly cold.
But when Yang An entered the lake, he felt no cold at all.
On the contrary, there was a strange heat, like the transition from spring to summer, a silent, gradual rise in temperature.
The deeper he went, into the profound darkness, the higher the temperature became.
This warmth seemed to make one’s consciousness gradually drift away, like a frog in slowly boiling water, helpless to do anything about it.
But in the darkness below, Yang An discovered a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer of light, as well as a very familiar aura.
It was the aura of the Bow Lady.
She was like a treasure sunk at the bottom of the lake, quietly waiting for someone to come down and uncover it.
Yang An picked up speed, sinking rapidly through the water, and the temperature he felt grew higher and higher.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he was getting closer and closer to the Bow Lady’s aura... closer and closer...
The faint glimmer of light seemed to be right before his eyes.
CRACK~
A soft sound suddenly reached Yang An’s ears, like the cracking of an eggshell.
At the same time, a ripple silently spread out from the depths of the lake, passing through everything, including Yang An’s body.
Yang An didn’t resist or make any move. His consciousness was growing increasingly hazy, but he knew clearly that this was the way to get closer to the Bow Lady.
The ripple coming toward him posed no risk; it was more like a gentle spring breeze.
THUD—
In an instant, Yang An’s feet suddenly touched solid ground, and he appeared in a strange place.
The area was a vast expanse of white, with nothing visible.
A trace of confusion appeared on Yang An’s face, but he quickly understood.
This place was like a dream, full of illusion and unreality. ’I must have entered the Bow Lady’s Consciousness Realm.’
’So, what should I do next? Where is the Bow Lady?’
As Yang An thought this, he subconsciously lifted his foot.
As he took a step forward, the surrounding white void suddenly unfurled like a scroll painting, and the area began to be rendered in brilliant colors.
Everything was like a rippling ink wash painting. In the blink of an eye, Yang An found himself amidst magnificent jade pavilions.
’Where is this...?’
Yang An curiously looked around, but for some reason, he could only see things up close. The distance was hazy and blurred.
He was now standing before the doors of a magnificent grand hall.
Atop two tall phoenix pillars, it was as if eyes were gazing at him, watching him—the auspicious beasts carved upon them.
Just as Yang An was feeling puzzled, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura from within the grand hall, behind its tightly shut doors.
It was the Bow Lady, but not entirely her.
It was the aura of a stranger, with only a very faint trace of the Bow Lady’s.
It was as if among thousands of pearls, Yang An had detected the single one belonging to the Bow Lady. If he hadn’t spent so much time with her, he might not have noticed it so quickly.
’Is she inside?’
Yang An carefully sensed his surroundings. Here, his perception had also become hazy and illusory, but he didn’t detect any other extraneous auras.
In other words, he was like an individual separate from this place, unable to perceive anyone else’s aura, which was why he could so quickly detect the Bow Lady’s presence.
He was just an observer.
’Since I’m just an observer, that’s a relief. After all, this is just the Bow Lady’s consciousness and memories. No one should be able to detect my presence or harm me.’
He tried to push open the hall doors to take a look, but as soon as his hand touched them, it passed right through.
So, Yang An simply walked straight through the doors and entered the grand hall.
The lighting inside the grand hall was sparse. Lanterns hung on the walls, casting faint glimmers of light, causing light and shadow to intertwine. The hall was bright, yet filled with pockets of undulating darkness.
The moment Yang An entered, his attention was captured by a figure.
It was a woman with her back to him, sitting cross-legged and still on an ornate cattail mat. She wore a dress in black and white, like an ink wash painting. Opposite her was a mural on the wall.
’She must be cultivating.’
The Bow Lady’s aura that Yang An sensed was coming from this woman, but it was mostly overwhelmed by a stranger’s aura.
She was the Bow Lady, but it was also more likely that she wasn’t.
Time seemed to freeze in this moment. Filled with uncertainty, Yang An quietly watched the woman’s back.
He couldn’t see her face, but judging from her figure and attire, this woman was no ordinary person.
To have her own grand hall in a place like this, with such regal clothes and bearing, her status must be extraordinary.
TAP... TAP... TAP...
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
Soon, a woman in black robes pushed open the hall doors and entered, walking respectfully to stand behind the seated woman.
On the back of the black-robed woman’s clothes, the two words "Southern Dipper" were embroidered.
Yang An was standing right in front of her, but it was as if he were air; she looked right through him.
"Young Master, the Sect Leader has already gone to the Miaohua Celestial Sect. Our time... is running out."
The black-robed woman’s tone seemed to carry a hint of inexplicable despair and hesitation.
"I know."
The woman who had been sitting motionlessly finally spoke, her tone perfectly calm, without a single ripple of emotion.
But when Yang An heard this voice, he instantly perked up.
’That’s the Bow Lady’s voice, no doubt about it. It’s identical.’
But this voice lacked the Bow Lady’s usual agitation and irascibility. Instead, it had a faint coolness and a trace of youthfulness.