Chapter 14 - SILENT NIGHT

After leaving River territory, Ashu pondered about his next destination and he remembered 'Eastern Yin Creek Region', where Tara had went, in search of 'Sunshine Fruit'. He closed his eyes and entered 'Star Domain', while floating in starry sky, he ordered Astral spirit of planet 'Yan', on which he was living to show Astral map of that location; Astral spirit of planet of Yan, soon showed astral map of 'Eastern Yin Creek Region', where it showed location of that area. As an Ancestral Star God, Ashu could easily communicate with Astral spirits and command them, even after losing his powers due to his Astral Sphere, which was basis of his existence and Divine Sphere, where his divine seed was fundamentally an ancient seed, but they needed to regrow once again, because they were injured, during his fight with Celestial God Clan; their regrowth would depend on his rise, in cultivation.

Ashu immediately used 'Ghost Cloud Technique', while floating in air, as cloud; he floated deep into the forest at very fast pace, because he wanted to save Tara, as soon as possible, he completed 3 days of journey in 3 hours and reached near 'Eastern Yin Creek Region'. It was a very cold region, where coldness emitted from Yin energy; this yin energy permeated in the bones and gave shivering to the body. There were mountains near the 'Eastern Yin Creek Region' and he soon found a cave near Creek; there was a dense vegetation of shrubs and herbs at the bank of creek, but those plants were all frozen, glittering in the moonlight, beautifully. Cold air was coming from the mouth of cave, it meant there was a source of cold air, inside the cave.

Ashu glanced over the creek, which was shining due to moonlight and fumes were emerging on the surface of creek, which gave it a mesmerising appearance. Ashu, observed this silent night with mesmerising effect and imagined, if Tara would have been here with him to share this beauty, it would have been great, but now, she was facing a huge trial alone; Ashu closed his eyes and reconfirmed with Astral spirit of planet Yan, about Tara's location and he found, Tara's condition was critical and she was in danger; Astral map showed the path of cave, to move forward in the creek area.

As soon as Ashu entered the cave, every inch and pore of cave emitted coldness from all around; blue light was emitting from inside cave, due to moonlight entering from the cracks, inside cave and being reflected on the icy walls of cave; In the cave, as Ashu moved forward, coldness increased step by step, as he went deeper inside the cave. As Ashu's body was tempered in the 'Heavenly Infinity Grinder', this kind of coldness, didn't have any effect on him; Ashu, soon remembered from Ma Tulinga's memories that, higher the cultivation level, then greater coldness will attack and lower the cultivation level, then lesser coldness will attack. Ashu immediately lowered his cultivation to 1st stage of 'Tempered Body Realm' i.e., Ashu immediately blocked his both meridian channel system to maximum, therefore very less amount of essence qi was circulated from in and out of the body. Soon, Ashu found this coldness very pleasing, he increased his pace with 'Ghost Cloud Technique' and entered deeper region of the cave; after floating for several minutes, Ashu reached a intersection point, inside the cave i.e., he found a central point inside cave, from where 20 tunnels were leading to 20 different paths of mountain range and were interconnected with each other; that means, all the mountains were connected to each other, through tunnel pathways, like a maze. Astral map was imprinted inside gem, in between his eyes; Ashu closed his eyes to distinguish the correct path from these 20 tunnels. Soon, Ashu's gem shone brilliantly with huge radiance, directing him towards the correct tunnel; it helped Ashu greatly and he entered 11th tunnel.

As Ashu entered 11th tunnel, he soon found frozen skeletons, lying on the path and whole area was covered in negative energy; sound of 'char' 'char' was produced, beneath from his foot, while walking on the way, therefore Ashu floated with 'Ghost Cloud Technique', to invite less troubles from unknown dangers in the area. While floating on the path, Ashu found in his surrounding that, the frozen skeletons were not only of humans, but also of other races like beasts, birds, etc; he also discovered that, if he could absorb these available Ghost qi, then he could have another breakthrough in his 'Ghost Plantlet'.

Ashu found this opportunity as a golden chance, but Tara was also in danger, therefore Ashu persuaded his heart that, during in his return, he will definitely absorb all the available 'Ghost qi' in the tunnel. Ashu immediately increased his pace and crossed that tunnel and found himself near the end of tunnel and saw green light from distance; after entering, he appeared in an open area and there was a pond at the centre of area, where poisonous miasma was emerging, with cold wind. The colour of pond was jade blue and it was called Yin Poison; it was a cold poison, which will seep into the bones of the organism and start to corrode bones. The damage produced by this poison was very terrifying, because it was a spiritual poison, which will feed on living organisms and reproduce itself, while increasing it's quality and quantity.

As Ashu entered that area, he found himself surrounded by blue green fog, but as he was in his ghost form, poison was unable to affect him; he immediately floated forward and found in the centre of pond was a piece of land, which was very beautiful and had numerous medicinal plants. As Ashu was floating in the air, he analysed his surroundings and soon understood what was going on ? Ashu moved towards the centre of pond, where land mass was located; On the land mass, medicinal plants covered the whole piece of land, while in the centre of land was a giant tree, which showed illusionary characteristics and it was fully covered in ice. There were icicles surrounding whole tree, such as leaves, branches, stem, aerial roots and underground roots; all parts of plants were crystallised in blue green yin poison, it showed ghostly appearance. Ashu's body was emitting black cloudy smoke due to the 'Ghost Technique' and 'Ghost Sphere', during his ghost form; Suddenly, as Ashu came near that tree, a beautiful girl came in front of him, floating in air and turned into a blue green fog. A huge giant cruel face, made from fog, appeared in front of him, trying to engulf Ashu; she mercilessly attacked at Ashu, trying to insert her yin poison, inside of Ashu's body and trying to corrode his body. She literally wanted to eat Ashu, as nourishment for herself.

Ashu had already seen through, of this girl's identity, therefore he didn't attacked her, just only stood in air and her attack passed through his body, like empty air; she was shocked and panicked, that huge faced monster of fog, showed expression of confusion and fear. Ashu laughed in an intimidating manner and said, '' little girl, you are seriously entertaining, attacking this God, without knowing who I am ? Are you really so much eager to die ?'' Ashu asked. Soon, Ashu came out of his disguise and appeared in his original form, which was very dashing and domineering

Ashu immediately used a Ghost technique, called 'Ghost hand' and a suction force emerged from his hand, which scattered Ghost Face Monster's fog and a innocent, white face girl with blue green hair and slim body appeared from it; she wore pink top with purple flowers on it and a black skirt with golden embroidery. She was pulled by the suction force of 'Ghost hand technique' and his hands grabbed her neck; she immediately felt pain, suffocation, while her body started twisting and turning, in air. After seeing her condition, Ashu let go of her neck and she finally relaxed; she immediately started to take deep breaths, while maintaining her distance far away from Ashu.

It was an interesting meeting of two unknown individuals, both were unaware of future and were facing each other with blaze in their eyes.