The immortal abode was vast and boundless.
All around, silence reigned; not a soul was in sight.
A vortex surfaced upon the black stone stele, deepening until a woman dressed in palace robes stepped out from it. It was none other than Sikong Muyue.
Stepping out of the vortex, she turned to glance at the stone stele, then cast her gaze from near to far, taking in all the scenery in sight. Aside from herself, there was no one else.
She appeared to be the first to enter the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode.
Sikong Muyue retracted her gaze, a pensive look on her face. Then, a sudden flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes. She extended her right hand forward, palm opened, and a cluster of light gathered in her hand before turning into a multicolored butterfly.
The butterfly fluttered into dance, circling around her once before flying toward the towering mountains to the west of the stone stele.
The butterfly flew faster and faster, spanning hundreds of zhang in the blink of an eye. Sikong Muyue's eyes glinted, and her figure vanished from the spot, easily keeping pace with it.
Crossing several mountain ridges, the butterfly finally circled above an inconspicuous mountain peak.
Primitive stone halls stood clustered across the mountain, exuding an air of great mystery. Unfortunately, these halls were already severely dilapidated, reduced to broken walls and ruined foundations. Inside lay only shattered stones and debris, as though the place had long since been picked clean.
The butterfly flew into one of the stone halls and vanished.
Sikong Muyue arrived right on its heels, her figure drifting lightly down before the hall. Immediately afterward, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded from within, and Yunyouzi hastily walked out, bowing to Sikong Muyue.
"Disciple Yunyouzi pays his respects to Martial Aunt Sikong!"
To ordinary mortals, the sight of a white-haired elder bowing so respectfully to a woman who appeared to be in her twenties or thirties might seem rather bizarre.
In the cultivation world, however, it was the most common thing imaginable.
"To think you were able to pass the trial of the abandoned abode so quickly—it is truly beyond my expectations!"
Sikong Muyue's gaze carried a hint of scrutiny as she took a deep look at Yunyouzi, saying flatly, "The rumors circulating through the sect claim that Senior Brother Piaoya regarded only you as his true disciple, and that before passing away, he bequeathed his mantle to you. It seems there is indeed no smoke without fire."
Yunyouzi did not argue, merely replying with utmost respect, "Reporting to Martial Aunt, this disciple merely feared keeping Martial Aunt waiting for too long and delaying your important affairs."
"What great use could an abandoned place have when it has already been ransacked who knows how many times?"
Sikong Muyue swept her gaze over the ruins and chuckled disdainfully. Then, looking at Yunyouzi, she pondered aloud, "Before Senior Brother Piaoya passed away, he exchanged a favor with me for a promise—that I would assist you once with all my strength in the future. When breaking through to Foundation Establishment, you chose to participate in sect trials rather than come beg me for a Foundation Establishment Pill, which made me see you in a new light. I did not expect you to use that promise on such a bizarre place... You have only one chance. Have you thought this through carefully?"
Pausing, Sikong Muyue recalled the care Senior Brother Piaoya had shown her during his lifetime. Her heart softened, and she added, "If you hold onto this promise until you seek to form your core in the future, as long as you come and ask me, I can help you obtain the two most precious spiritual herbs, the snow spirit lotus and the iris flower. I will not go back on my word."
Yunyouzi took a deep breath and said resolutely, "Thank you for your care, Martial Aunt. This disciple has already made up his mind. I ask Martial Aunt to aid me this once."
Sikong Muyue's gaze turned cold, and she gave a slight nod.
"Follow me, then."
With that, Sikong Muyue flew toward the depths of the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode.
Yunyouzi hurried after her.
***
"So you mean the Golden-Armored Divine Generals in the passageway adjust their strength according to the intruder's cultivation?"
Listening to Yunqiong Sanren recount her ordeal, Qin Sang thought to himself that it was no wonder.
Yunqiong Sanren's cultivation was somewhat more profound than his own. A Golden-Armored Divine General that Qin Sang had found rather troublesome should have been easily handled by her.
It turned out the strength of the Golden-Armored Divine Generals was not fixed.
"I mismanaged the fight in the passageway and was no match for the Golden-Armored Divine General, suffering injuries as a result. After reaching the stone platform, I was not cautious enough and startled those strange birds. I didn't even have a chance to heal and could only flee for my life. Blundering through one chaotic mess after another along the way, I am truly ashamed. I must have made a laughingstock of myself before you, Fellow Daoist Qin..."
Yunqiong Sanren blushed deeply, feeling utterly humiliated.
With her cultivation, she should never have been reduced to such a sorry state. It could only be said that she had been too careless, failing to handle the crisis in time, which subsequently triggered a chain reaction that nearly cost her life.
Qin Sang shook his head dismissively, his eyes flickering as he shifted the topic. "Fellow Daoist Yunqiong, have you resolved not to proceed any further and leave the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode?"
He had rescued Yunqiong Sanren originally with the intention of making her an ally. To his surprise, after tending to her wounds and contemplating for a long while, she actually told him she would not be going forward, deciding instead to retrace her steps and leave through the stone stele.
There was no stone stele on the stone platform where they now stood. To leave the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode, one either had to press on or turn back.
This left Qin Sang deeply dissatisfied, though he showed none of it on his face.
Yunqiong Sanren hummed in agreement, smiling wryly. "The repeated perils just now have unsettled my mind, and I cannot calm my state of mind at present. If I proceed further, I will surely jump at every shadow. In a place fraught with danger like this, that is equally bad—not only would I plunge myself into peril, but I would also drag you down, Fellow Daoist Qin. I truly dare not continue. Fortunately, I have gained quite a bit from this excursion. Once I return and reflect upon it carefully, it will not have been a wasted trip."
That Yunqiong Sanren could resist the temptation of treasures within the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode and make such a choice was outside Qin Sang's expectations, yet entirely reasonable.
Qin Sang nodded without saying much. Forced melons were never sweet; since Yunqiong Sanren's mind was made up, he could hardly force her to stay.
Just then, Yunqiong Sanren's expression turned serious. "I shall surely etch your life-saving grace into my heart, Fellow Daoist Qin. By retreating now, I cannot repay your kindness. Feeling uneasy about this, all I can do is offer a modest bit of assistance by using the Five-Colored Glaze to aid you, wishing you a bountiful return..."
Listening to Yunqiong Sanren's explanation, Qin Sang learned that her Five-Colored Glaze could divide out a portion of its might, transforming into a patch of colored clouds to be handed over for another to control.
Furthermore, this portion of power could exist separated from the main body for a period of time.
When the time came, Qin Sang would only need a thought to easily activate this cloud to shield himself, without expending any of his own spiritual power.
However, this divided power came from the intrinsic origin of the magic tool. Once separated, Yunqiong Sanren would need to nourish it for two full years to restore it.
"If you damage the Five-Colored Glaze, Fellow Daoist, how will you deal with those firebirds on your way back?"
Qin Sang knew that the Five-Colored Glaze was Yunqiong Sanren's strongest magic tool. Damaging it would severely impact her overall strength.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Qin!"
Yunqiong Sanren said confidently, "Now that I know the habits of those strange birds, I will not be caught flustered like before. Getting away will pose no problem; otherwise, I would have lived this life in vain."
Chapter 236