"What is this?"
A strange light flashed in Queen Medusa's long, narrow eyes.
Nothing in the clan's ancient records mentioned such an anomaly.
Before she could unravel the mystery, the ancient book transformed into a streak of light and shot between her brows.
With her cultivation at peak Dou Emperor, and with a basic grasp of spatial power, she couldn't even raise the thought of resistance in time.
The next moment, countless strands of information surfaced in her mind.
[The Great Dao Journal is of the Great Dao, a shadow of one part in billions of one part in billions of its projection.]
[The recorder of this journal's shadow in this world is Xiao Ting, who will record what he sees, hears, and thinks in this great world (all must be true) as a World Observer.]
[If his records are excellent enough, he will be eligible to transcend this great world in the future.]
[Observer-copy holders are those who possess a copy of this world's journal shadow. They may read what the World Observer records.]
[As an observer-copy holder, if you are observed and recorded by the World Observer, you may randomly receive planar blessings or even world-level blessings.]
[Blessings include but are not limited to: various levels of heaven and earth energy infusion, falling opportunities and fortune/misfortune warnings, sudden comprehension of cultivation methods and battle skills…]
After fully absorbing this information, Queen Medusa's willowy brows knitted together slightly.
She did not truly understand what the so-called Great Dao was, nor did she grasp the level implied by "great world," so she couldn't fully comprehend the origin of this journal.
But just from the fact that the journal could force itself into her soul with no resistance from her—a peak Dou Emperor who had touched spatial power—she knew it was no ordinary heaven-and-earth treasure.
"Xiao Ting. World Observer."
"Great World… could that refer to the entire Dou Qi Continent? And 'plane' refer to the Northwest Continent?"
"Eligible to transcend this great world—does that mean stepping beyond the Dou Qi Continent, becoming the legendary Dou God?"
After a bout of wild speculation, Queen Medusa's attention shifted to the so-called blessings.
Planar blessing… could that mean a gift from the Northwest Continent itself?
As she pondered, a strand of information suddenly appeared in her mind.
[At the southernmost edge of Black Swamp, in the Northwest Continent, a sixth-rank Quiet Purple Flame Serpent once failed to transcend its tribulation and evolve into a Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python. It left behind a shattered demon core of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python and a remnant of its soul.]
As this information emerged, a slew of images followed.
A Quiet Purple Flame Serpent over a hundred zhang long hovered above a gigantic canyon fissure. The sky above was covered in dark clouds spanning a thousand li, thunder rumbling with heaven's might, like the wrath of the Thunder Lord.
After several terrifying bolts of lightning struck, the Quiet Purple Flame Serpent's body was shattered and mangled. A seven-colored glow had begun to appear across its scales—the evolution nearly complete—but in the end, it perished, and its corpse fell deep into the ravine.
"Hiss—"
Queen Medusa's pupils shrank sharply, and her breathing quickened.
In the Snake-People Tribe, shortly after birth, a soul of a serpentine magic beast was infused into each child's body by secret art.
As their age and cultivation grew, that beast soul would gradually fuse with them until there was no distinction between the two. At that point, they could summon the beast's true form to fight—a major trump card for the snake-people.
For Queen Medusa herself, the implanted beast soul had been that of a sixth-rank Quiet Purple Flame Serpent.
If she could obtain the shattered demon core of that Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python and the remaining soul fragment…
Her plan to use a heavenly flame to induce evolution would have at least thirty percent greater chance of success.
So this is "opportunity." Queen Medusa's heart surged.
The journal's projected shadow had only just made a casual demonstration, and it was enough for her to grasp how terrifying this thing was.
Since that was the case, it was worth seeking out this recorder named Xiao Ting and building a good relationship—only then could she be observed by him and recorded in his journal, thus obtaining more opportunities.
With that thought, Queen Medusa manifested the observer's copy of the journal and opened it to read.
With just a name, there was no way for her to find Xiao Ting directly. She'd have to analyze the contents he recorded.
…
At the same time, in a range of mountains near Qingshan Town—
A girl in a purple dress was bent over picking an herb at the edge of a cliff.
"Hm?"
After putting the herb into the basket on her back, the girl gently patted her slender waist and glanced down. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a distinct protruding rock on the cliff wall below.
On the rock face before it, a great crack had appeared out of nowhere. A breeze blew out from within, making the surrounding vines sway.
This made the girl think of the strange tales she'd once read, and that oft-repeated saying:
If one day you fall from a cliff and into a cave, don't panic. Take a few steps forward—you might become a powerhouse!
"Could it be a cave mansion left behind by some expert senior?" Her heart began to race.
But remembering that her herb-gathering trip was almost over, she decided not to explore it this time.
She'd return to Qingshan Town first, then come back with a rope and tools to excavate the cliff.
She couldn't possibly jump down and gamble with her life.
"Huh!?"
Suppressing her excitement and turning to leave, she suddenly saw an ancient-looking book suspended in midair.
"W-What is this?"
Any book that could float in the air clearly wasn't ordinary.
The girl instinctively stepped closer to take a look and saw a line of characters written on the cover:
[Great Dao Journal of Xiao Ting (Little Fairy Doctor's Observer Copy)]
…
At the same time, still in the Tager Desert, within Stone Desert City—
A baby-faced, voluptuous girl dragged her exhausted body back to a dilapidated, remote, and chilly dwelling after finishing both the tasks that were hers and those that weren't.
Pushing the door open, she saw that her bed sheets and blanket had been thrown onto the floor—stained with muddy footprints.
"Uu…"
Her eyes stung, tears welling at the rims.
She rolled up her sleeves and scrubbed the blue scales on her arms hard, only stopping when she drew blood.
Just as she crouched down, ready to burst into sobs, an ancient book suddenly appeared in front of her.
"U-wah…" The girl was so startled she hiccupped.
[Great Dao Journal of Xiao Ting (Qing Lin's Observer Copy)]
…
At the same moment—
At the top of Misty Cloud Mountain in northern Jia Ma Empire, in the main hall of the Misty Cloud Sect—
A mature beauty, dressed in a tight golden robe with purple trim, her ink-black hair styled into a phoenix-like crown, her demeanor serene and noble like a clear spring deep in a secluded mountain, lightly rubbed her brow.
The marriage alliance between the Xiao Clan and the Nalan Clan had been a bond of mutual benefit, a political alliance—and a way for Nalan Jie of the Nalan Clan to repay an old favor to Xiao Lin.
But now that Nalan Yanran had become her only personal disciple as sect master of Misty Cloud Sect, the matter of marriage naturally could not be decided so carelessly—least of all to a man who'd lost his cultivation talent.
From the bottom of her heart, she agreed with Nalan Yanran's desire to break off the engagement and ultimately chose to support her.
In her plan, Misty Cloud Sect would send someone to accompany Nalan Yanran in personally visiting the Xiao Clan to explain the situation and offer compensation. So long as the Xiao Clan understood, the matter could be resolved peacefully.
But Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye's actions had somehow turned it into a "three-year agreement."
Not long ago, she received news that Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan had raised his Battle Qi by four stages in one year, surpassing his former talent.
"No matter what, in three years' time, Yanran cannot lose."
She decided to speak with the sect's guest elder, Gu He, and have him refine several pills that could rapidly boost one's cultivation without damaging the foundation.
Yet just as she rose, an ancient book appeared before her.
[Great Dao Journal of Xiao Ting (Yun Yun's Observer Copy)]
"What is this?"
…
At the same time, in the Xiao Clan of Wu Tan City—
In a steaming bath barrel, Xun'er—who was about to change clothes and go dine with Xiao Ting—opened her eyes and stared at the ancient book that appeared out of thin air, her expression strange.
Is someone playing ghost tricks?
[Great Dao Journal of Xiao Ting (Gu Xun'er's Observer Copy)]
Seeing the name on the cover, a cold gleam of killing intent flashed in Xun'er's eyes.
"Hm!?"
…