Bai Mofeng and Chu Hui and the others were not foolish people. Facing a formidable enemy, they would not seek a prolonged battle; they would, more likely than not, flee together with their fellow disciples to survive.
Considering the reverent look in the eyes of the Green Cloud Sect disciples toward her, Yun Xiao frowned slightly.
Sigh, so be it. After obtaining what the Dragon Egg desired, she would go with A’Luo to rendezvous with them.
The recovery speed of a demonic beast’s spiritual power is slower than that of a cultivator, and it was injured; they should have enough time.
Thinking thus, the cloud of worry in Yun Xiao’s heart dispersed. She and Fang Zhiluo passed through layer upon layer of array formations, finally arriving at the place indicated by the Dragon Egg three days later.
This was a cave dwelling. Judging from the array formations laid outside, the individual who set them up had considerable skill in the Dao of Arrays and was likely an Array Grandmaster of great renown.
She raised her hand and patted the Dragon Egg in her spiritual beast pouch: “You’re a Dragon Egg. What are you doing here?”
Boom! The stone door slammed shut.
Yun Xiao swiftly rushed to the entrance and tried every method she could think of, but she was unable to open the door.
Her heart sank. It’s over; they can’t get out.
The spiritual energy here was dense, making it a good place for cultivation. Unfortunately, A’Luo was worried about her fellow disciples and would certainly not stay here with her.
She was about to look for other exits when a rumbling sound came from her ear again.
As the stirred-up dust settled, four passages suddenly appeared before the two of them.
Yun Xiao walked forward, cautiously sticking her head out to examine the passages.
After looking for a while, she couldn’t discern anything. Retreating to the side, she said to Fang Zhiluo, “A’Luo, you specialize in the auxiliary study of arrays; you could be considered a colleague of this cave dwelling’s owner. Can you take a look and see what the differences are between these four passages?”
Fang Zhiluo had felt a sense of familiarity ever since the passages appeared.
Now, after stepping forward to inspect them, she understood the situation and explained everything she knew: “These four passages are situated in the four directions: East, West, South, and North. The characters on the passages are Ancient Script,” she pointed to the area between the passages. “Look, there are Ancient Script characters here as well.”
Yun Xiao looked up and indeed saw characters she couldn’t understand.
She grabbed Fang Zhiluo’s arm and shook it while saying, “My dear A’Luo, please tell me something I can understand, or just tell me directly which passage to take. I trust you.”
She had suffered too many setbacks in the arrays outside, leaving her with a kind of post-traumatic stress. Even if someone lent her ten times the courage she possessed, she wouldn’t dare rush into an array now.
Who knew if the array held a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, or indestructible stone golems?
Fang Zhiluo pulled her hand back and walked to the center of the four passages, carefully recalling the method for solving the Eight Trigrams Array.
Yun Xiao didn’t dare to approach rashly and interrupt Fang Zhiluo. Bored, she took out the Dragon Egg, intending to give this troublesome egg a good lecture. Who knew the Dragon Egg would roll into the stone wall behind her.
Her pair of peach blossom eyes widened. She pointed at the spot where the Dragon Egg disappeared and quietly asked, “A’Luo, what should we do?”
“Follow it.” With that, Fang Zhiluo had already started walking, heading directly toward the stone wall.
How could Yun Xiao bear to let Fang Zhiluo lead the way? She summoned Zishuang, gritted her teeth, and plunged into the stone wall.
It was pitch-black inside; nothing could be seen clearly.
She tore open a Fire-Summoning Talisman. Only then did she realize she was in a bottomless stone tunnel, where she didn’t find any immediate danger.
Seeing that Fang Zhiluo had also entered, she immediately followed the traces the Dragon Egg left on the ground.
It must be said that this was a wise decision. Along the way, they only encountered one instance of hidden arrows, which was child’s play compared to the methods used outside.
Looking at the endless tunnel ahead, annoyance filled Yun Xiao’s heart. She asked, “A’Luo, how much longer do you think we have to walk before we reach the end?”
Receiving no response, she quickly turned around.
Where is her A’Luo?
Where did her A’Luo, who was right there, go?
She called out a few times, but there was no reply, and she hadn’t heard any movement earlier.
Damn it! She must have fallen into the cave master’s array formation.
Yun Xiao tilted her head. No, that’s not right. Array formations were virtually useless against her. Even if she mistakenly entered one, she should have walked out after traveling for so long. How could the path still seem endless?
She took a handful of low-grade spiritual stones from her storage bag and threw them forward. They neither hit a wall nor made a sound upon landing.
Could this be an array formation specifically set up by the cave master to target her?
The question arose: How did the cave master know she would come? And how did he know that array formations were useless against her?
Question after question arose in Yun Xiao’s mind, making her increasingly agitated.
No, I can’t panic. A’Luo was skilled in array formations. If she realized Yun Xiao was missing, A’Luo would definitely come looking for her.
Thinking this, her heart gradually calmed down. She stopped walking forward, took out a prayer mat, sat down cross-legged, and began to cultivate.
On the other side of the passage, Fang Zhiluo had already passed the test set by the cave master and was currently receiving the cave master’s array inheritance.
The cave master was Yuxu Zi, an ancient powerful being whose achievements in the Dao of Arrays were once renowned throughout the entire Immortal Realm. However, due to his solitary nature and extremely high standards for disciples, he had never found a suitable successor.
Now, tens of thousands of years after Yuxu Zi’s demise, his remnant soul was about to dissipate. Seeing that Fang Zhiluo possessed some talent in array formations, he decided to take her as a disciple.
Five days later, Fang Zhiluo finally finished receiving Yuxu Zi’s inheritance. Looking at the increasingly transparent phantom figure before her, she knelt down: “Disciple will certainly pass on your array inheritance and strive to promote the Dao of Arrays.”
“In that case, I can rest in peace,” Yuxu Zi waved his hand, and the disappeared Dragon Egg reappeared before Fang Zhiluo. “This little thing has absorbed my Jade Marrow Fluid. Its deficiencies are now complete, and it will hatch soon.”
“You must remember your promise.” With that said, Yuxu Zi’s remnant soul completely vanished.
Fang Zhiluo kowtowed three times in the direction where Yuxu Zi dissipated. She then picked up the half-human-tall Dragon Egg and turned to leave.
The passages were complex and confusing. She didn’t immediately know where to find Yun Xiao. She looked down at the Dragon Egg in her arms: “Can you find Yun Xiao?”
The Dragon Egg shook, hopped out of Fang Zhiluo’s arms, and rolled toward the left passage.
Fang Zhiluo closely followed the Dragon Egg.
Three quarters of an hour later, she saw Yun Xiao cultivating cross-legged.
The Dragon Egg quickly rolled in front of Yun Xiao and jumped into her arms without waiting for Yun Xiao to finish her meditation.
Yun Xiao had already awakened from her meditative state the moment Fang Zhiluo appeared.
She raised her hand and smacked the overly familiar Dragon Egg: “Where did you roll off to? Why are you heavier again?”
Fang Zhiluo walked over and smiled, “Master said that its deficiencies are complete, and it will be able to hatch soon.”
Yun Xiao was utterly surprised: “You were handicapped before?” She slapped the Dragon Egg again. “I wasted so many good things on you! Spit them out!”
The Dragon Egg affectionately rubbed against Yun Xiao’s face, as if acting spoiled.
Fang Zhiluo, mindful of the Green Cloud Sect disciples, reminded her, “We should go meet up with our fellow disciples.”
Yun Xiao casually stuffed the Dragon Egg into her spiritual beast pouch, stood up, and clapped her hands: “Let’s go.”
She also wanted to know if the Black Sky Giant Python had succeeded.
She didn’t ask Fang Zhiluo about her gains in the cave dwelling, just as Fang Zhiluo never inquired about Yun Xiao’s fortuitous encounters.
Thinking of something, she took out the defensive spiritual treasure she had obtained from the Black Sky Giant Python and handed it to Fang Zhiluo: “Here.”
Fang Zhiluo recognized at a glance that the white silk sash before her was of a grade higher than extreme-grade. She took a step back: “This item is too valuable; I cannot accept it.”
Yun Xiao forcefully stuffed the white silk sash into Fang Zhiluo’s embrace, feigning anger: “If I give it to you, take it! Don’t treat me like a stranger.”
Fang Zhiluo looked down at the white silk sash in her hands, speechless for a long time.
Extreme-grade magical artifacts were rare, and the few existing ones were being used as foundational treasures by the Four Great Sects.
This white silk sash, being superior to an extreme-grade magical artifact, must be a Spiritual Treasure.
If others obtained such an item, they would wish to worship it daily. Yet, Yun Xiao was handing it over without hesitation.
Her heart was wrapped in a warm current, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened slightly. Her voice became hoarse: “I… I am not worth it.”
Not worth you treating me this well.
Yun Xiao took a step toward Fang Zhiluo, her eyes full of tenderness. She enunciated slowly, “You are wonderful. You are the best A’Luo in the entire world.”
In the instant their eyes met, time quietly froze. Their exhaled breaths slowly intertwined, and affection flowed within their gazes.
In this moment, Yun Xiao saw herself reflected in Fang Zhiluo’s eyes, which made her feel that Fang Zhiluo was not indifferent to her.
Her heart pounded wildly, and the love in her soul bloomed. She couldn’t help but open her arms, embracing the person tightly, and whispered lovingly, “A’Luo, I like you. I want to see you every day, I want us to advance hand-in-hand, I want to ascend to immortality together, and I want to grow old with you.”