Lin Mu's POV:
Centuries continued their silent passage within the Verdant Heaven. My cultivation had reached the middle stages of Core Formation, my control over the primordial energies growing more refined. The miniature world around me seemed to respond in kind, the ancient ruins yielding more secrets, the flow of spiritual energy exhibiting even more complex patterns.
My ability to perceive Ling Yue's present moment had become more stable, allowing me to observe her for slightly longer durations with less mental strain. These glimpses into her life in Willow Creek filled me with a quiet warmth. I saw her dedication to her craft, her gentle interactions with the villagers, and the subtle strength she possessed despite her unassuming nature.
However, these glimpses also brought a growing unease. The whispers of strange occurrences in the surrounding regions had not abated. If anything, they had become more frequent and more disturbing. Tales of entire villages falling silent overnight, of cultivators being found drained of their life force, painted a grim picture of a growing darkness in the Xuanling Continent.
During one of my focused perceptions, I saw Ling Yue tending to a villager who had fallen ill with a similar draining sickness that had plagued the neighboring village. Her brow was furrowed with worry, and even her innate sensitivity to vital energies seemed unable to fully comprehend the affliction. A cold dread washed over me. The malevolent influence I had briefly encountered was clearly spreading.
The Verdant Heaven itself seemed to reflect this growing darkness. The fluctuations in spiritual energy had become more pronounced, and I had encountered more of the corrupted creatures, their forms twisted and their aggression intensified. I even sensed a faint, shadowy presence lurking at the edges of my perception within the Verdant Heaven, a chilling echo of the malevolence I had purged from the ancient tree.
My centuries of secluded cultivation had instilled in me a deep desire for peace and quiet growth. But the tendrils of darkness reaching into both my sanctuary and the mortal realm I occasionally visited were forcing my hand. I could no longer remain entirely detached.
My connection with Ling Yue, the budding trust and the faint stirrings of something deeper, had become a tether to the outside world, a reason to care about its fate. The thought of her being harmed by this encroaching darkness stirred a protective fury within me.
I decided it was time for a more direct intervention, albeit one that still preserved my anonymity as much as possible. I couldn't reveal the Verdant Heaven or the true extent of my power. But perhaps I could guide Ling Yue, subtly arm her with knowledge and tools to protect herself and those around her.
On my next visit to Willow Creek, I sought out Ling Yue. She looked tired, the weight of the spreading sickness evident in her eyes.
"The affliction is worsening, Brother Lin," she said, her voice filled with worry. "Master Qin is doing his best, but many are growing weaker."
I nodded, my gaze thoughtful. "Ling Yue, you have a remarkable talent for understanding herbs and their properties. Have you considered… looking beyond the common remedies? Perhaps there are more ancient texts, forgotten knowledge that might hold a clue?"
She looked at me, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Master Qin has shown me many texts, but… perhaps there are others in the village archives I haven't seen."
"It might be worth looking," I suggested gently. "Sometimes, the answers lie hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right eyes to find them."
My suggestion was vague, but it was a nudge in the right direction. I knew there were a few ancient scrolls in the village archives, overlooked and gathering dust, that contained information about spiritual ailments and countermeasures. I had stumbled upon them during my earlier, less focused visits.
Over the next few days, I subtly guided Ling Yue's search, offering vague hints about where she might find these forgotten texts. I couldn't directly lead her, but I could steer her towards the right path without arousing suspicion.
As she delved into the ancient scrolls, a new unease settled upon her. The texts spoke of malevolent energies, of beings that fed on life force, and of rituals used to ward them off. The descriptions eerily mirrored the sickness plaguing the region and the shadowy presence she had felt near the ancient tree.
The more she read, the more troubled she became. The simple world she knew was beginning to reveal a darker, more dangerous underbelly. The quiet burden of healing the sick was now compounded by the chilling realization that they might be facing something far more sinister than a natural disease.
Unbeknownst to both of us, the whispers of the abyss were growing louder, their echoes reaching both the tranquil haven of the Verdant Heaven and the unsuspecting mortal world. The Eternal Earthling's long seclusion was about to be tested, and the budding connection with Ling Yue was drawing them both into a conflict far greater than they could currently imagine. The seeds of doubt she had felt about my true nature were now being overshadowed by a growing fear of the darkness that was spreading across the land.