Soul-Slaying Maiden: Master Of Ancient Divine Weapons

One year passes, and another begins anew.

The New Year marks a fresh start.

However, the New Year in the Northern Region lacked the usual hustle and bustle. Due to CanShang Company, the entire Northern Region lost its energy supply for the power system. The satellite network and signal coverage were also shut down.

The ancient formation could only maintain the climate, fend off external invasions, and enhance spiritual energy gathering—it did not provide power or any cutting-edge technology.

Thus, every night in the Northern Region was pitch black, with nothing visible.

"Ah!" A scream, as sharp as a marmot's cry, rang out from a room.

Han Zhen and the others, carrying candles as they rushed in, saw Li Lingzhen crouched on a chair, her face filled with despair as she stared blankly ahead. There stood a computer that had powered off due to a drained battery.

"I wrote 5,000 words of manuscript, but I didn't save it. The computer shut down automatically because it ran out of power..." Li Lingzhen lamented, her face contorted.

"It's fine, it's fine, just 5,000 words," Han Zhen consoled her.

"But those 5,000 words were the essence I had accumulated in my mind!" Li Lingzhen retorted, struggling against despair.

Essence? Well, then it's even less of a problem.

If those 5,000 words were truly spread around, who knows how many people's brains would be stained yellow. Amitabha.

"Damn CanShang company, truly damnable! The power outage has caused us so much trouble. My readers have already cursed me in the comments for going silent for more than ten days. I told them I was fighting the Zerg, and they mocked me for bragging."

Li Lingzhen's phone still had a tiny bit of power. With just one bar of signal remaining, she barely managed to surf the internet.

Sure enough, the most liked comments on her phone were all urging her to update, some even cursing her for being a "dead eunuch" who left stories unfinished.

Han Zhen glanced at Li Lingzhen. Eunuch wasn't entirely inaccurate—though it lacked much impact.

In the pinned comment section, Li Lingzhen had indeed explained her silence, but the comments below were overwhelmingly hostile.

—"You? A banned writer fighting the Zerg? Why not say you're an SSS-level spiritual contract master?"

—"Is the author in Deep Blue City? I heard there was a Zerg outbreak there. Condolences."

—"I call bullshit. No updates mean no excuses. If you have no inspiration, get some! I want updates today, or I'll chop off my head to show you."

—"Drop your address. I'll send you some local specialties."

The flood of comments revealed that Li Lingzhen was skilled in her trade and had developed a sizable following.

Most of these commenters were Daxia citizens. However, the vast territories they now inhabited had already changed hands.

For ordinary people, a change in rulers meant little—it was merely swapping one governing power for another.

Such thoughts were common among many.

Looking at the snarky comments, Li Lingzhen gritted her teeth and began furiously typing on her keyboard. Her fingers flew so fast they seemed to leave afterimages as she hammered away.

Xia Youwei had to cough lightly, reminding her, "Lingzhen, we've got new material and fresh inspiration today. Are you planning to keep arguing with these people until dawn?"

"I'll argue with them till the end... New material and inspiration?" At these words, Li Lingzhen suddenly raised her head, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Han Zhen and the stunningly beautiful, tall Gongyang Jin standing beside him.

She came to a sudden realization.

Ever since Gongyang Jin had awakened, they'd been on the move constantly, finally finding some stability in the Northern Region.

As the newest contracted spirit of the Xuanyuan Sword, Gongyang Jin still hadn't grasped the situation when Xia Youwei and Li Lingzhen eagerly pulled her aside to whisper among themselves.

Xia Youwei: "Murmur murmur murmur."

Li Lingzhen: "Chatter chatter chatter."

Gongyang Jin: "Mumble mumble mumble!"

Han Zhen's face darkened as he watched the three of them use cryptic language right in front of him.

After some time, whatever they had been discussing came to an end. They raised their heads simultaneously, looking at Han Zhen with an unnerving gleam in their eyes.

This gaze made Han Zhen's heart skip a beat.

The three of them stepped forward, surrounding Han Zhen. Under their relentless "interrogation," he could only confess everything.

———

Later that night, Gongyang Jin woke from her sleep.

Beside her, Xia Youwei and Li Lingzhen were sound asleep.

On the surface, these two appeared carefree, but their earlier discussion with her was all about ways to help Han Zhen relax. They didn't want him to keep such a heavy burden on his shoulders every day.

In the end, Gongyang Jin had reluctantly agreed to their outrageous proposal.

Unlike Xia Youwei and Li Lingzhen, she wasn't a Daxia native and didn't share the depth of their sorrow. For now, she simply tried her best to support the other three.

When she noticed Han Zhen's absence, Gongyang Jin put on a coat and stepped outside, finding him alone, lost in thought on the balcony.

"It's so late. Why aren't you asleep, little brother?" Gongyang Jin teased in a playful tone.

Hearing her, Han Zhen turned his head, his gaze lingering on her slender figure draped in only a coat. His eyes flashed with a hint of warmth. "Woman, are you provoking me? Don't you already know whether I'm little or not?"

"Giggle." Gongyang Jin chuckled softly, accepting his comeback without argument.

After a brief exchange, they got to the main topic.

Looking out into the distance, Han Zhen felt the faint chill in the wind.

"The ancient formations are just emergency measures left behind by my teacher. They'll only work for a while, not forever."

"Why do you say that?"

"You must have felt it too. For example, the 'Ever-Spring Formation.' Its power is waning. The chill in the air comes from the outside world—the formation's energy is weakening. This decline might not be obvious now, but it will continue over time."

"I've heard of this before." Gongyang Jin grew serious, sharing her own judgment. "Ancient formations are nothing new. They all originate from ruins."

"But since they date back to ancient times, no one has been able to fully understand their principles for centuries. People can only watch as their energy gradually diminishes until the core is exhausted, rendering the formation useless."

"Short-sightedness invites trouble. I'm worried about this happening," Han Zhen admitted with a sigh.

Gongyang Jin stepped closer, gently pressing her hand to his furrowed brow. "You've quickly slipped into your role, haven't you? Worrying about the nation and its people so soon."

"Don't worry, there will be a way. Don't forget—you've got your senior brothers. Their knowledge far surpasses yours, and they'll surely find a solution."

"Unfortunately, my current strength has been greatly diminished, and I can barely be of any help," Gongyang Jin lamented.

Han Zhen took her soft hand, his voice light yet firm. "Everything will get better."

"I know a way to quickly improve your cultivation. Want to try it?" Gongyang Jin awkwardly changed the subject, her tone as clumsy as saying, "My cat can do backflips."

Han Zhen, however, nodded with interest. "Let's try it."

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/ZenonTL

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.