The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 826: Where Are the Fish?

Where Are the Fish? . . .

Cold Moon Palace was renowned for its mastery of controlling beasts, a distinctive hallmark of the sect. Practitioners not only cultivated their martial skills but also nurtured their spiritual beasts. In this sanctuary, it was common for individuals to raise more than one pet beast. Consequently, the sect was teeming with diverse creatures, inhabiting the sky, the earth, and the waters within the hallowed confines of the sect.

Prime Master Yue Changtian held a particular fondness for fish. He had meticulously selected rare species of spiritual fish, each possessing remarkable and potent properties. For example, the Silver-scaled Spiritual Fish could restore white hair to its youthful black hue, while the Colorful Saint Fish had the ability to enhance one's cultivation. Then there was the highly sought-after Boneless Fish, celebrated for its exquisite taste.

Yue Changtian went to great lengths to construct ponds that could house and nourish his beloved fish. Drawing water from the mountaintop of Cold Moon Mountain, a restricted area within the sect, he established these carefully tended ponds. This was a significant undertaking, demonstrating his deep commitment to his piscine companions.

To Yue Changtian, watching the fish glide gracefully through the water was more than just an idle pastime. It was a means of finding solace, regardless of his emotional state. Whether he was experiencing sadness, happiness, or concern, gazing at the fish provided a form of meditative tranquility. It was a source of immense satisfaction and a practice that helped him make clear, level-headed decisions.

These nine ponds weren't vast expanses, each covering an area of approximately three thousand square meters. Yet collectively, they formed a striking constellation, much like the stars in the night sky. Centered amidst the nine ponds lay a verdant grassland adorned with trees and vibrant flowers, intersected by a footpath. The ponds, though deep, boasted crystalline, transparent water, making their depths visible to the naked eye.

Cold Moon Mountain and the nearby Spiritual Spring were forbidden territories within Cold Moon Palace. The Spirit Spring Ponds were an even more restricted enclave, reserved solely for Yue Changtian. The fish dwelling in these ponds belonged exclusively to him, and access was denied to anyone else, including his wife, unless necessitated by compelling circumstances.

Encircling these ponds was a protective wall, demarcating the sanctity of this secluded space. In close proximity to the wall, there existed an area designated for meetings and discussions. It was here that significant deliberations took place and pivotal decisions affecting Cold Moon Palace's future were formulated. Yue Changtian often sought inspiration as he strolled along the ponds, giving rise to pivotal strategies and visions that held great implications for the sect.

Thus, when Zhan Yunfei brought back news that perturbed the tranquility of the sect, Yue Changtian was shaken. For days, he had sat beside the pond, deep in contemplation, pondering how to handle a secretive organization that posed a profound threat. This matter was of paramount importance, and he had deployed four elders and six disciples for an external investigation.

Zhan Yunfei, however, remained behind. His conspicuous presence could jeopardize their covert efforts, even with a clever disguise.

Should he venture outside, there existed an alarming probability of him not returning alive. Cold Moon Palace could ill afford such a loss, and the risk was simply too great.

Yue Changtian maintained a silent vigil during this time, patiently awaiting the reports of those sent on the investigative mission. He yearned for even a modicum of information from the field that could aid him in devising a strategy based on their findings. Yet, the days slipped away, and the much-anticipated reports failed to materialize.

The ten individuals dispatched outside maintained daily contact with the sect. A failure to communicate for two consecutive days would trigger the sect to dispatch several high-level cultivators as a safeguard. Thus, if any individual ceased contact, it implied that they had inadvertently stumbled upon something the clandestine organization preferred to keep hidden.

"How could this happen within the martial world? When was this secretive organization established? This is no minor development..." Yue Changtian mused, his thoughts a whirlwind. "This secret society might be even more menacing than Xiao Monarch in days of yore. In the event of a conflict, will they..."

He paused, deliberating the implications. "This organization has operated with remarkable circumspection and unpredictability. I wonder, upon their return, how can I ensure they are the same individuals I dispatched for the mission? Is it conceivable that they have been replaced?"

Yue Changtian swiftly acted on his concern, ordering a covert inspection to verify the well-being of his agents. Nevertheless, when he returned to the serene environs of his ponds, he detected something amiss.

He couldn't pinpoint a visible absence, yet he sensed a discrepancy. Mystified, he allowed his thoughts to return to the pressing matters at hand, reluctant to squander time on trivialities.

Several days passed before he had an epiphany. "Wait a moment," he pondered. "Could it be that the fish in my ponds... have gone missing?"

He embarked on a careful examination of the fish, treasures beyond compare, that he had so diligently nurtured. The task of rearing them was no mean feat, but with age, the fish could endure for an extended duration. The pond teemed with diverse specimens, from natural-born to larger, more mature fish, some exceeding two dozen kilograms in weight. Their graceful movements created a mesmerizing spectacle under the brilliant sunlight.

However, Yue Changtian noticed a conspicuous absence among the largest fish. What was once a full complement had now dwindled by half.

Moreover, he observed an unsettling shift in the fish's behavior. They should have displayed a nonchalant disposition in his presence, given their familiarity with him. Yet, as he approached the pond, the fish scattered hastily, their movements betraying an unusual disquiet.

Several of the most sizeable fish, which possessed a measure of sentience, demonstrated an unusual tendency. Each time he neared the pond, these fish swam toward him as if attempting to communicate.

Therein lay the puzzle: three of the four largest fish were conspicuously absent.

It was far from a routine occurrence, signaling an issue of grave concern. "Have they truly vanished?" Yue Changtian's alarm grew. "Where could they have gone?"