Chapter 32 New Trailer
For a period of time, Sanyin Island entered a period of peace and development.
Chen Huaigu and Chen Qiuluo led the tribesmen in tending the fields in the mountains. Thanks to the Zhou-day ritual, which controlled the climate, and the island's spiritual energy
, the crops in the fields flourished, blanketing the mountain with greenery, a stark contrast to the desolate landscape of two months prior.
A good portion of the first crop had already been harvested, and every household was regularly receiving fresh vegetables.
Perhaps due to improved nutrition, the residents of Sanyin Island were no longer as sallow and thin, their complexions appearing more rosy.
Chen Gan'er spent his days in the lava cave, living and eating there.
The spiritual energy emanating from the lava was extremely pure, even rivaling that of the fire-type spirit stone found on the floating corpse. Taking advantage of this abundant spiritual energy, Chen Gan'er cultivated day and night.
For this reason, Chen Xuanlin had to send someone to remind Chen Gan'er to relax and avoid becoming obsessed with his practice.
As for Chen Xuanlin, he often stayed in a small hut not far from the altar.
That hut was also where the Chen family's collection of books on Sanyin Island was kept, including important collections such as the Chen Family Chronicle and the Family Tree.
Originally, the Chen family's collection was far greater, but during the repeated land crossings, many of the books left behind were destroyed, and the remaining books are only a small fraction.
Even so, among the many mortal islands that once connected to Sanyin Island, no other island has as many books as Sanyin Island, and many islands lack even a single literate person.
Chen Xuanlin had read these books left behind by the Chen family many times, but he would still flip through them in his free time.
Lately, he had stopped reading the books, instead busying himself with writing.
The ink Chen Xuanlin used was a homemade ink made from cigarette ash, and the words he wrote looked a little dim.
The pens and paper were old items that had been stored in the warehouse for who knows how long, and there wasn't much left.
So, to avoid wasting paper, Chen Xuanlin wrote in very small characters.
Bored Zhou Yi had also observed it with his god's-eye view. Chen Xuanlin's descriptions were numerous and varied, yet detailed.
Chen Xuanlin not only recorded the details of the two landings, the joy of the sacrificial spirit's return, and the changes to Sanyin Island, but also captured them on paper. He
even included the patterns representing the eerie presences in the gray fog.
These naturally included the pattern of corpses he had witnessed on the uninhabited island, and the pattern on the wooden token Liu Miao carried, as described by Chen Gan'er.
Zhou Yi finally saw the true nature of these patterns.
The pattern, formed from the corpses of the two-headed monster on the uninhabited island, resembled a monstrous fish with its mouth agape. The mere sight of it was enough to give Zhou Yi a stench.
The pattern on the wooden token Liu Miao held resembled a bloody letter, like blood dripping onto the ground. Just looking at it gave Zhou Yi the feeling of witnessing a sea of blood.
The pattern on the medium's wooden token held by Chen Xuanlin, its intricate lines forming a strange, indeterminate pattern. At first glance, it resembled a tangle of black shadows.
The ink and brushwork distorted the patterns somewhat, but Zhou Yi's first glance revealed their extraordinary significance.
Chen Xuanlin's recent records could be considered the beginning of a new chapter in the Chen clan's history on Sanyin Island.
Chen Xuanlin kept a careful record, and Zhou Yi had no intention of interfering.
During this period of hustle and bustle, three individuals on Sanyin Island remained relatively unhurried.
One was Zhou Yi, the ritual spirit; the other was Chen Xingye, the son of the Chen clan leader, and his black dog, Xiao Hei.
Zhou Yi's daily routine involved studying the techniques and spells within the ritual space, checking in on what Chen Xuanlin was writing, and teasing Chen Xingye.
Their connection began one morning
when Chen Xuanlin brought Chen Xingye to the altar for his usual morning worship of Chen Xuan's ritual spirit, Zhou Yi.
After paying respects to the sacrificial spirit, the quirky Chen Xingye drooled over the offerings before Zhou Yi's altar. Pointing at them, he asked Chen Xuanlin if he could eat them.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xuanlin, usually lenient with Chen Xingye, couldn't help but give him a slap on the head and demanded an immediate apology from the sacrificial spirit. He stopped short of disrespecting the sacrificial spirit.
Chen Xingye bowed and apologized, mumbling, "I just felt bad that the offerings had spoiled. I wasn't being disrespectful to the sacrificial spirit."
Just as Chen Xuanlin was about to lecture him further, the Sea of Death message tablet suddenly shone with golden light, revealing a line of golden calligraphy.
"It's a pity to spoil them. It's better to give them to young Chen
." Chen Xuanlin and the other Chen clan members were astonished that the sacrificial spirit could convey such a message.
Only Chen Xingye remained fearless. After thanking the sacrificial spirit, he began to devour the offerings.
Seeing the sacrificial spirit's remark, the other clan members were reluctant to intervene. I could only think to myself, worthy of being the Chen clan's sacrificial spirit, he was so caring towards the young Chen clan members. And the sacrificial spirit wasn't as the ancient legends said, "all divine, no human."
From then on, Chen Xingye would often come to the altar to eat and drink for free. He brought along the few other children his age on the island.
Recently, with his friends forced to work, Chen Xingye had even brought his large black dog to eat and drink for free.
If Chen Xuanlin found out, he'd be scolded.
Zhou Yi, however, didn't mind at all; he was simply bored.
Chen Xingye unceremoniously took a piece of the tribute fruit and ate it, saying,
"Master Jiling, I've eaten quite a bit of your tribute. When I grow up, I'll definitely grab even more to honor you. Everyone's been so busy lately. If I weren't a quick runner, I'd either be forced to water the fields or confined to the academy to study and write."
Zhou Yi knew that Chen Xingye's seemingly carefree behavior was simply because Chen Huaigu, the teacher, had recently been leading the tribe in the fields.
Zhou Yi, however, didn't mind. He was bored anyway, so he figured listening to Chen Xingye's random chatter would be a welcome relief.
Chen Xingye tossed the last bite of fruit into the air. The remnant traced a perfect arc, landing in Xiao Hei's mouth.
Chen Xingye burst into laughter, and Xiao Hei barked back.
As the laughter and barking of dogs echoed, a red light flashed from the Dead Sea Message Monument. A
line of red writing appeared.
[Territory: Sanyin Island, Number of Cultivators: Two.
Island Power Index Ranking: 2,966,965.
Island to be reached after the fog clears in ten days: Carrion Island.
Number of Cultivators: Three.
Island Power Index Ranking: 47,538.
Note: This island has been contaminated.]
Chen Xingye, who could already read, was startled when he saw the words revealed on the stone tablet. His face changed, and he cried out in panic.
"Dad!"
Chen Xuanlin, who was called by Chen Xingye, looked at the flashing red words on the Dead Sea Message Monument and couldn't help but shrink his eyes. He muttered to himself:
"Forty-seven thousand five hundred and thirty-eight