The Saintess's words were enough to catch Lin Mu's full attention.
"The Dao of formations is a special one. It allows one to grasp the very will of the qi that allows it to transform into runes that can bring forth formations. The Heavens too exert their will using formations.
Thus, the Dao of formations is looking into the workings of the heavens and its will." The Saintess stated, her voice holding a magnetic power.
Lin Mu was entranced as a scene formed in his mind. He could see himself standing on a great mountain while a hundred worlds floated around him. Each world was composed of runes and the worlds formed a moving array.
They shifted and transformed under Lin Mu's commands and brought forth a multitude of phenomena.
It was at this time that Lin Mu muttered.
"Runes as the world, formations as the universe, dictate the will of the heavens…" Lin Mu's voice was but a whisper.
~RUMBLE~
And yet, it brought forth a thunderous response.
The qi in the air crackled like thunder, while a profound aura surrounded him.
The Saintess watched this as a smile blossomed under her veil.
"Just as I thought… You are born for this." She said before waving her hand.
Clouds appeared in the courtyard and surrounded its periphery. It now looked like they were doused in a sea of clouds, making it impossible to see inside.
Lin Mu was in a trance and didn't register any change that had happened around him. His eyes were closed while his face was still. The profound aura continued to surround him as Little Shrubby watched him carefully.
"He'll be fine. It'll take him some time to get out of the state of enlightenment though. A deeper one this time." The Saintess spoke to Little Shrubby.
~MEOW~
Little Shrubby responded with a cry before going back to his cultivation. He too had a breakthrough approaching and needed to prepare himself for it.
While the beast did that though, the air within the courtyard flickered. The Saintess stared at a particular spot and narrowed her eyes. Her smile disappeared and a serious expression appeared under her veil.
~CRACK~
A very small crack appeared in the air some distance from Lin Mu. It was barely a centimeter in size, but it was very stable. There were no spatial fluctuations coming from it and thus it didn't affect Lin Mu.
~rustle~
But a moment later, the Saintess suddenly acted.
~CLAP~
Bringing her hands in a salute, she bowed her head.
"Junior greets the Great Senior." She spoke.
Gone was her dignified and composed demeanor. Now she looked a bit flustered and anxious.
"Seems like my disciple now owes you a favor." An imposing voice drifted over from the spatial crack.
"Not at all senior! It is merely his own talent that allowed him to gain this. My words were mere suggestions." The Saintess hurriedly responded.
"Hmm… At least you are not greedy." The imposing voice spoke again, this time with a hint of satisfaction. "Still… I cannot let this go unrewarded. Lin Mu is after all, my disciple."
The Saintess didn't respond and simply stayed in her bowing pose.
"Speak... What do you wish for?" Xukong finally asked.
"This junior cannot be so audacious as to ask something like that to a great senior." The Saintess responded.
"You don't have to be reserved. I've been watching you… You've been trying to gain my attention, haven't you?" Xukong replied.
"I… This junior has." The Saintess acknowledged.
"Then this is your chance," Xukong said in a colder tone. "Ask…"
"Pardon this junior for her rudeness." The Saintess said before taking a deep breath. "I… My sect, the Serpent Moon Sect, needs your help."
"Mmm? What does the Great Serpent Moon Sect need from me? With your capabilities, there isn't much that is needed." Xukong replied.
"As you should have seen, my sect has been looking for our Seven Ancestral Serpents for a long time. This was a directive that was given to us since the foundation of our sect, and we've been striving for it.
I sought out Lin Mu for the same reason, but there is more to it." The Saintess spoke, her voice carrying a certain heaviness.
"The Seven Ancestral Serpents, there is a reason for their gathering right?' Xukong easily guessed.
"Indeed. That is also why I've been seeking your assistance." The Saintess replied. "The directive to find the Seven Ancestral Serpents wasn't the only one that was left for us. There was actually a second one." She added.
"And what is that?" Xukong questioned.
"It was stated that if we are not able to find all the Seven Ancestral Serpents by a stipulated time, we are supposed to follow a secondary order. That order was to seek out a certain being… The Void Weaver Spider." The Saintess finally revealed.
Xukong didn't reply right away and stayed silent for five minutes. This made the Saintess nervous but she didn't dare to move.
"These directives, who gave them?" Xukong questioned.
"They came from the founder of our sect… My mother." The Saintess answered.
"And what do they ask of me?" Xukong replied. "Or rather… what makes them think that someone can ask me for help?" he asked next.
"My mother is the one that needs help. She is… in a strange state. Before she entered it she said that you are the only one that can help." The Saintess said with sorrow in her voice.
~SHUA~
A flicker of aura appeared from the spatial crack but stopped before it reached the Saintess.
"Who is your mother?" Xukong questioned, his voice eerily sharp.
"My mother is… The Eternal Serpent Deity, She Yue." The Saintess revealed.
As soon as the name was revealed the clouds covering the courtyard shook and started to collapsed. But then a wave of energy came from the spatial crack and stabilized everything.
"Her… So it's her." Xukong muttered a mix of emotions in his voice. "Very well. Seems like there is old debt that needs to be repaid."
