Chapter 223: The unknown Mist [1]

Chapter 223: 223: The unknown Mist [1]

In Yew Wood, hundreds of casualties had been reported within the last twenty-four hours.

After the report about the unidentified mist was shared, the Lin Family immediately restricted entry into the forest and sent people out to retrieve those who had already entered.

However, human greed was difficult to control. Taking the curfew as nothing more than a restriction meant to be broken, a few cultivators secretly entered the forest anyway, only to meet their fate at the hands of beasts they would normally have been capable of defeating alone.

Lin Xuan stared at the reports in his hands and could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Patriarch Lin, is there anything I can help you with?" Mu Qingya asked. She was sitting in the corner, gently rocking Lin Zhaoxi in her arms as she tried to put the child to sleep.

Lin Xuan looked at her and, for a moment, was about to say no. However, remembering that she was from the Tianhe Empire, he decided to share the matter with her.

"Senior Sister, recently, a fracture was discovered within the forest, and the mist it is releasing appears to be enhancing the spirit beasts inside. If this continues, this year’s Winter Harvest may as well be considered a failure."

He paused before looking at her seriously.

"Is there any way to counter this? Perhaps the empire has some insight into something like this?"

"A mist that enhances spirit beasts?" Mu Qingya repeated, her expression becoming slightly more serious. After a moment, she nodded. "The empire actually has an area where something similar exists."

"Really?" Lin Xuan immediately looked up. "Can you tell me about it, Senior Sister?"

"Ahem." Mu Qingya adjusted Lin Zhaoxi in her arms before continuing. "Patriarch Lin, in the eastern region of the empire, there is a vast area that has been covered by a strange mist all year round."

"The mist remains contained within a fixed region. There are several areas surrounding it where the mist simply stops spreading, and despite all the empire’s attempts to determine why, no one has managed to discover the reason."

Lin Xuan’s expression became more focused.

"Even the empire hasn’t figured out what formed it?"

"Not yet." Mu Qingya shook her head. "The nature of that mist is extremely difficult to study. Spiritual sense behaves strangely inside it, and ordinary methods of examining its composition have produced inconsistent results. Even after all these years, the empire has not discovered its origin."

She paused before adding, "But don’t be too quick to come to a conclusion. That mist isn’t merely a disaster. It is also a boon."

"A boon?"

"Yes." Mu Qingya nodded. "As you have already discovered, the mist affects spirit beasts. But calling it an enhancement would be too simple. Prolonged exposure causes changes to their bodies and bloodlines, essentially mutating them."

"Mutating them?"

"Exactly. Some mutations are harmful, but others produce extremely valuable traits. Because of that, mutated spirit beasts from that region can fetch astonishing prices."

Lin Xuan frowned slightly.

"Why would their prices soar just because they mutated?"

Mu Qingya gave him a look that suggested the answer should have been obvious.

"Because of their beast cores."

She shifted Lin Zhaoxi slightly as the child stirred in her arms.

"Mutated beast cores are far more flexible than ordinary beast cores. Alchemists can use them in a much wider range of pills and formations because their spiritual properties tend to adapt to different kinds of spiritual energy."

"The meat is even more valuable in certain circumstances." Mu Qingya’s tone remained matter-of-fact. "After being properly processed, it can assist cultivators in converting natural qi into spiritual qi. The effect isn’t enough to replace cultivation, of course, but for cultivators who are accumulating spiritual qi over long periods, it can significantly improve the efficiency of the process."

She glanced toward the reports in Lin Xuan’s hands.

"So if the mist in Yew Wood possesses similar properties, you shouldn’t immediately assume that it is only a disaster."

Lin Xuan lowered his gaze toward the reports again.

Mu Qingya continued calmly, "The problem is determining whether the similarities end there. The imperial records make one thing very clear. Whenever a phenomenon capable of altering spirit beasts appears, the changes can become increasingly unpredictable the longer the beasts remain exposed."

Her eyes settled on Lin Xuan.

"If the mist in Yew Wood is truly the same kind of phenomenon, then the beasts inside that forest may be only the beginning."

"On that note, what we should really be focusing on is the fracture that appeared," Mu Qingya said.

Lin Xuan nodded, but after a moment, he glanced toward the little girl in her arms.

"Hmm. Uh, just curious, but aren’t you a little too passionate about Zhaoxi?"

The little girl was already fast asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling peacefully.

Mu Qingya immediately turned her head toward him and stared.

Then, lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "Speak softly, commoner. This child is the next Empress."

Lin Xuan blinked.

What about your daughter, then?

He swallowed the thought before it could leave his mouth.

Since he had returned to his chamber last night, Lin Zhaoxi and Mu Qingya had been practically inseparable. For some unknown reason, the Empress seemed unusually infatuated with the child.

Lin Xuan’s gaze lingered on the sleeping Zhaoxi.

Could she perhaps be her hidden child?

Considering how familiar she is with Nanny Liu, that would actually make some sense.

Before he could think any further, Mu Qingya asked, "Patriarch Lin, are you perhaps going to inspect the mist yourself?"

Lin Xuan stared at her for a moment.

First, you called me Junior Brother and made me call you Senior Sister. Then you suddenly started addressing me as Patriarch Lin, and just now you called me a commoner.

Can you stick to one title, please?

He sighed inwardly before answering.

"Yes, Empress. I’m considering paying a visit to the forest and taking a proper look at it myself."