Chen Jinshu immediately grew wary, her hands hovering over the zither strings to avoid triggering any reaction.
"Master, this illusion is resonating with my bloodline," said Xiao Yin, her bloodline stirred, revealing her true form. Now, her size had greatly expanded, only slightly smaller than the spiritual illusion of the luminous blue bird before her.
"Was it this illusion that drew you here?"
"No," Xiao Yin shook her head slightly.
She could sense clearly that whatever had drawn her here was far more powerful—it caused a faint suppression of her bloodline. In contrast, the illusionary bird merely gave her a feeling of kinship.
A familiarity shared between kindred.
"It seems the force that drew you here is even more powerful than this illusion."
Moments later, the glowing blue bird's form grew more solid as more blue light gathered, taking on a presence, almost as if gaining sentience. Its eyes met Xiao Yin's as it let out a series of melodious cries. She replied in kind, matching the tone of its call.
Chen Jinshu didn't interrupt, allowing them to continue their exchange. Soon after, the glowing blue bird slowly dissipated.
"Master! That spirit bird was the ancestor of the Yinluan species. A thousand years ago, their clan suffered persecution. What remains now are all impure-blooded descendants."
"What did it tell you?"
"It urged us to leave quickly. The formations and restrictions here are unstable and could pose a threat to our lives!"
"Did you ask how to get out?"
Chen Jinshu wasn't surprised. The illusion bore too close a resemblance to Xiao Yin—it was impossible there was no connection. As she had suspected, this place—Tianyin Valley—was once the refuge of the fleeing Yinluan clan. For unknown reasons, the valley was sealed with formations.
Perhaps the Yinluan, in their final moments, had laid down protective wards to guard their remains. Their bloodline contained traces of the mighty Qingluan (Azure Luan), and under certain conditions, these lingering energies had created the valley's bizarre soundscape.
"Returning the way we came is impossible. But there is another exit, though it seems access is only granted by earning the recognition of a certain object. The bird doesn't know what it is either," said Xiao Yin, her voice dropping, mood visibly dimmed.
"This is your first time here too. It's not your fault. For now, our priority is to find that object."
"Can you sense the thing pulling at your bloodline?"
"It's getting clearer!" Xiao Yin suddenly perked up, lifting her head. At that moment, the ground beneath Chen Jinshu began to tremble faintly. Loose stones and scattered bones trembled with the vibration. Chen Jinshu grew anxious, but worry would do no good now.
"Don't be afraid, Master. Something is awakening—but it won't harm us," XIao Yin reassured her, sensing the stirring force behind them.
"Is it that object?"
"Yes! It just woke up and made a bit of noise!"
Thump, thump—
The scattered stones on the ground began to strike the earth rhythmically, like musical notes. Each stone produced a different pitch depending on its size, but together they formed a coherent melody. Chen Jinshu gradually understood: this entity was testing her—its final trial before revealing itself.
"What a prideful thing!"
She swiftly plucked the zither strings. In a heartbeat, the vibrations ceased. The stones fell still, and their music faded. In its place, a new melody formed—one that Chen Jinshu shaped from the tones she had just heard. It was a sorrowful, winding tune, as if recalling some past trauma. It stirred a melancholy in her heart and deepened her sense of connection with whatever lay beneath.
"Is this the story behind that object?"
She had heard such mournful music several times already in Tianyin Valley. When the tune ended, a sea of glowing blue lights rose from the earth, circling her and Xiao Yin before surging toward the central area—a massive bird skull.
At the skull's center, a crack formed, from which a faint blue-green glow emerged. Under Chen Jinshu's watchful gaze, a jade pendant shaped like a Luan bird flew out from the crack, shimmering with a radiant greenish-blue light.
"Master, that's the object!" Xiao Yin said quickly, sensing a surge in her bloodline.
"A jade pendant bearing a Luan bird… This isn't ordinary at all!"
Chen Jinshu had a strong feeling that this pendant was the most valuable object in all of Tianyin Valley—everything else seemed to revolve around it. The surrounding blue light began to converge into the pendant, causing it to glow even brighter with blue-green radiance.
"Master, that glow carries a kind of pressure… It makes me uneasy!"
"It must be from a true Qingluan. Far purer than your bloodline, hence the pressure."
Just as she spoke, the pendant flew straight toward Xiao Yin circling her once before drifting over to Chen Jinshu.
She muttered, "Does this thing have a spirit of its own… an artifact spirit?"
The pendant hovered before her, swaying gently, as if urging her to accept it. Chen Jinshu hesitated, uneasy at the idea of accepting something born from a massive bird skull. But the pendant radiated a gentle warmth—it meant no harm.
"Master! The pendant holds a remnant soul of a true Luan bird. It seems to have acknowledged you!" said Xiao Yin.
Chen Jinshu didn't doubt her. She just hadn't expected the pendant to accept her so easily—she'd only played a song.
"Did I… pass its test?"
As she took the pendant, a stream of information surged into her mind.
[Qingluan Mingpei (Resonance Pendant) – Can emit the Qingluan's call, commanding lesser avian-type spirit beasts.]
Chen Jinshu was surprised by the pendant's power. Being able to command spirit beasts made it a formidable weapon. And it wasn't just that—the pendant also seemed to influence Xiao Yin's bloodline on a deeper level.
"This pendant was found because of you. Since you'll be staying by my side, it will surely affect your bloodline too. But can the remnant soul inside it be awakened?"
"I can only sense its presence," said Xiao Yin, slightly embarrassed.
"No matter. When the time is right, it may awaken."
For a soul to survive for millions of years in an artifact was already rare. Most remnant souls concealed themselves to avoid further depletion—waiting either for the right time or the right material to replenish their energy.
Such materials were rare and often stumbled upon by chance.
"Where is the exit to Tianyin Valley?" she asked the pendant.
The valley made her uneasy—there might be more dangers lurking within.
Sensing her thought, the pendant soared into the sky, shooting toward the front. In a flash, a hidden tunnel entrance appeared before her.
Without hesitation, Chen Jinshu stepped toward it.