The Enigmatic Barrier

Everything around him underwent a dramatic transformation. Ling Yun suddenly realized that he had stepped into an unfamiliar realm. 

There was no sky, no earth, and no discernible scenery—only an endless expanse of soft yellow light stretching infinitely in all directions. It was as if he had wandered into a boundless desert, yet beneath his feet, he felt neither solid ground nor the sensation of sinking. It was a peculiar feeling, as though he were floating in the void, yet inexplicably anchored in place. 

Ling Yun took a few tentative steps forward, but the scenery remained unchanged, making it seem as if he were merely treading in place. 

He attempted to use his telekinetic powers to probe the yellow-hued space, yet his mental energy failed to take effect. It neither penetrated the barrier of this strange dimension nor allowed him to perceive anything within it. Instead, his consciousness extended endlessly, as if lost in an infinite abyss. 

Just then, a mysterious voice echoed through the space. 

"Your mental energy is rather weak, young man." 

Startled, Ling Yun spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but found nothing. 

"You won't be able to see me," the voice continued, carrying a hint of loneliness. "Ah… after so many years, someone has finally stepped into my domain." 

"Who are you? What is this place?" Ling Yun asked steadily, sensing no hostility from the mysterious presence. 

"Who am I?" The voice let out a low chuckle. "A good question. It has been far too long since anyone last asked me that." 

"I should be thanking you, young one. Had you not triggered my domain with your mental energy, I might have remained in slumber indefinitely. However, even with minimal energy consumption, this barrier won't last much longer." 

"You've existed here for a long time?" Ling Yun asked curiously. "Is this yellow book your domain? I discovered it inside an ancient tomb, resting within a coffin. Had I not been drawn by some unseen force, I might never have found it." 

"Heh," the voice chuckled again, tinged with amusement. "That was an automatic detection mechanism, designed to sense individuals with telekinetic abilities. If you were an ordinary person, you would never have felt the call. By the way, young man, what is your name?" 

"My name is Ling Yun," he replied respectfully. "And may I ask how I should address you? Are you also an esper?" 

The voice let out a deep laugh. "Ling Yun—what a grand name. I am Yu Xiujie. I am certain I am far older than you, so you may call me Elder Yu. You are correct—I, too, am an esper. Since you are the one who activated my domain, it seems fate has brought us together. It has been so long… I know nothing of the world outside." 

Ling Yun felt slightly embarrassed. His name was exceedingly common—there were at least three or four students at his school named the same. Yet, the mysterious voice spoke of it as if it carried great weight. 

Out of curiosity, he asked, "Elder Yu, why are you trapped within this domain? Can you not leave?" 

"Ah… that is a long story," Yu Xiujie sighed. "It seems you know little about espers, not even about domains themselves." 

As his words fell, ripples spread through the golden space, and before Ling Yun's eyes, a tall figure gradually took shape. From indistinct light, the figure grew clearer until it became that of an elderly man with flowing white hair. He wore an ancient-style purple robe, his posture upright and unshakable like a mountain. His face carried an air of authority and wisdom, commanding respect without effort. 

With a sweep of his sleeve, Yu Xiujie conjured a mahogany eight-immortal table and two ornate grandmaster chairs. Upon the table sat a purple wooden lotus tray, holding a delicate Yixing teapot and two teacups. Wisps of steam curled from the spout as the teapot floated gently into the air, tilting to fill both cups before returning to its place. 

"Sit, Ling Yun," Yu Xiujie said with a slight smile, settling himself into one of the grandmaster chairs. He lifted his cup and took a slow, appreciative sip, satisfaction evident on his face. 

"Yes, Elder Yu," Ling Yun responded, still awestruck by the sheer wonder of it all. He carefully took his seat, heart pounding with excitement. Before he even reached for the teacup, a faint yet intoxicating fragrance filled his nose. 

"Do not be deceived," Yu Xiujie said with a chuckle. "Everything you see is merely an illusion. Within my domain, I can create anything at will." 

"This… is all fake?" Ling Yun picked up the teacup and took a small sip. The tea was neither too hot nor too cold, its exquisite flavor sending a shiver of delight through his entire being. It was better than anything he had ever tasted. The warmth in his palm and the weight of the porcelain felt entirely real. If not for Yu Xiujie's words, he would never have believed this was merely an illusion. 

Yu Xiujie studied him, the amusement in his gaze deepening. "I see now—I was mistaken. Ling Yun, you are a late-awakened esper, not one born with your abilities. No wonder you know so little." 

"Are espers always born with their powers?" Ling Yun asked in surprise. "Elder Yu, I don't even know how I became one. There's so much I wish to learn from you." 

Draining his cup, he instinctively reached for the teapot—only to see it lift itself, pouring another serving before returning gracefully to its place. 

Yu Xiujie nodded slightly. "All espers are born with their abilities. You are the first awakened one I have ever encountered. Though there have been others who gained powers later in life, without exception… they all perished." 

"What?!" Ling Yun's heart lurched in alarm, a cold sweat breaking out over his skin. "Does that mean… I'm going to die too?"

"You will not. I can sense that your psychic field is remarkably stable, which is precisely what perplexes me. Typically, those who undergo acquired mutations, even if they develop supernatural abilities, remain at constant risk of collapse. Of course, this is largely due to the reckless methods they employ in pursuit of mutation," Yu Xiujie affirmed. 

"Oh, Elder Yu, you nearly scared me to death," Ling Yun exhaled in relief. 

"However," Yu Xiujie continued, "I cannot say for certain. After all, I have never encountered an acquired mutant before—you are the first." His words instantly rekindled Ling Yun's unease. 

"By the way, Elder Yu, you still haven't told me why you are confined within this barrier," Ling Yun suddenly recalled. 

"You mentioned discovering me in a tomb, didn't you? Did you examine the burial site closely? Did you notice anything unusual? More importantly—did you see the lotus-shaped lampstand within the coffin?" Instead of answering, Yu Xiujie responded with a question, his tone carrying a hint of intrigue. 

"Yes, I saw it. In fact, I accidentally kicked it over," Ling Yun admitted honestly. He then proceeded to recount the events of the previous night in meticulous detail. Thanks to his exceptional memory, his narration was nearly identical to what had transpired. 

At first, Yu Xiujie listened with a faint smile, but when Ling Yun mentioned the shadowy entity, his expression grew solemn. By the time Ling Yun had finished, Yu Xiujie's face bore an incredulous look. "A Yin Spirit has manifested? Impossible! Could so much time truly have passed? And yet… my barrier should not have been able to endure until now. No, something must have happened!" His brows furrowed in deep contemplation. 

"Elder Yu, was that shadow truly a Yin Spirit? It certainly didn't seem like anything benevolent to me, and it even abducted people in the city! Worse still, it entered my classmate's body—could something terrible happen to him?" Ling Yun asked anxiously. Judging from Yu Xiujie's reaction, he seemed to possess great knowledge of these matters. The enigmatic tomb and the sinister shadow both appeared to be closely tied to him. Placing his hopes entirely in Yu Xiujie, Ling Yun could only wait for answers. 

Breaking from his reverie, Yu Xiujie explained, "A Yin Spirit is not inherently malevolent. It is merely a spectral entity formed under specific conditions, much like mountain specters or water sprites. It possesses a certain level of awareness but lacks true intelligence or independent thought. In essence, it is nothing more than a mass of cold, yin-infused energy. How could such a being possibly abduct young women to drain their vital essence? Furthermore, the Yin Spirit Formation—the burial ground you described—was personally constructed by me. While it does gather yin energy, the formation alone would take an exceptionally long time to birth a Yin Spirit. Based on the rate at which my barrier has been depleting its energy, only about a century should have passed. Such a short span could not have produced a fully-formed Yin Spirit." 

"A century? Elder Yu… you've lived for over a hundred years?" Ling Yun's eyes widened in disbelief. 

"More or less," Yu Xiujie said calmly. "In truth, my physical body perished long ago. What stands before you now is merely an illusion—an extension of my psychic field. The barrier exists to sustain my consciousness. For the past century, I have remained in a dormant state, allowing the barrier's energy consumption to remain minimal. Otherwise, you would never have been able to see me." 

Ling Yun only half-understood the explanation, but he couldn't help marveling at the sheer impossibility of it all. "Elder Yu, if Yin Spirits are not supposed to attack humans, then what exactly did I encounter? And if the Yin Spirit already has an entire formation supplying it with energy, why would it need to drain the life force of young women?" 

Yu Xiujie's gaze sharpened. "Think carefully. Before you reached the Yin Spirit Formation—or rather, before you personally encountered the entity—was there anything else unusual? A strange event, an inexplicable occurrence? Yin Spirits should not have formed so quickly, nor should they have left the formation without external interference. Something else must have transpired." 

Ling Yun let out a startled cry as a sudden realization struck him. Without hesitation, he recounted his earlier encounter with the corpse that had been inexplicably driving a taxi—a memory that now seemed more sinister than ever. 

Yu Xiujie's expression darkened instantly. "Corpse puppetry… Someone is using necromantic arts!"