Searching for an ancient cave dwelling within the Liúshā Small Secret Realm...
To put it bluntly, it was far more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.
When looking for a needle in a haystack, at least you know what a needle looks like and can recognize it when you see it.
But an ancient cave dwelling? That was something you couldn't see or touch. Some deeply hidden cave dwellings were difficult to detect even with divine sense, especially the truly ancient ones. If they were hidden within stable Greater or Lesser Thousand Worlds, that was one thing—the laws of those worlds were generally stable, so the cave dwellings wouldn't change.
But in a place like the Liúshā Small Secret Realm, it was hard to say. This kind of Small Hidden Realm was extremely unstable, and whether it even had a foundation was unknown. Whenever the Small Hidden Realm changed, its spatial laws would shift, and the cave dwellings opened within it would change accordingly. Some would manifest into the world, some would directly collapse and dissipate, and others would hide even deeper.
Gu Qingfeng was a lazy man—the kind who wouldn't sit if he could lie down, and wouldn't stand if he could sit.
Besides that,
he was also a person who drifted between Buddha and demon, good and evil. Whether he was Buddha or demon, good or evil, depended entirely on his mood.
When in a good mood, he might be Buddha, possessing a kind heart. If his mood soured, he could become an evil demon.
Although his mood was currently good, and he was happy to play the hero saving beauties,
actually exerting great effort to search for an ancient cave dwelling within the Liúshā Small Secret Realm was something he truly couldn't be bothered with.
Under normal circumstances, Gu Qingfeng definitely wouldn't trouble himself with such a troublesome matter, especially not for two unrelated people.
This time, however, was an exception.
He had come to the Liúshā Small Secret Realm precisely to figure out why he had undergone Nirvana Rebirth here, why this place felt familiar, what exactly had happened in the Liúshā Small Secret Realm ten thousand years ago, whether the 'madwoman' Old Ma spoke of was Jun Xuanji, and whether Gengwu Wuming had truly been here, among other things.
Gu Qingfeng reckoned that since the elders of Yunhua Cave had been here ten thousand years ago, finding them might shed light on what happened back then.
But,
how to search for an ancient cave dwelling in this vast Liúshā Small Secret Realm?
Send out his divine sense to probe?
Gu Qingfeng thought about it, then finally gave up.
After recuperating for twenty-three years in the Xiaoluo Secret Realm, his essence, energy, and spirit had finally shown some improvement. He didn't want to exhaust himself back into weakness.
If exhausting himself led to finding the people of Yunhua Cave, it might be worth it. What he feared was exerting all that effort, failing to find them, and only managing to wear himself out—that would be a losing proposition.
Suddenly,
Gu Qingfeng remembered the Old Monster that had abruptly appeared earlier, as if he had an idea. "That Old Monster just now has cultivated for quite some time. It should be very familiar with the Liúshā Small Secret Realm. Let's just go ask it."
"Go ask that Old Monster?"
Hearing Gu Qingfeng's idea, Zijin, Ziqing, and Ma Wangye were all stunned.
Ma Wangye choked out a question, "Great Old Master, are we really going to ask that Old Monster?"
"Of course."
"But...
where would we even look for that Old Monster?"
"Searching for an ancient cave dwelling in the Liúshā Small Secret Realm might be difficult, but finding an Old Monster? That's far too easy."
At that moment,
Immortal Zijin spoke up, "A few years ago, I ventured ahead. There's a demon mountain up front with many caves on it. The demonic aura on that mountain is very heavy—it's likely a gathering place for demons. I wonder if that Old Monster also lives on that mountain."
"Perfect. We'll know once we go take a look."
Gu Qingfeng snapped his fingers, signaling Ma Wangye to move forward.
"Wait!"
Immortal Zijin's voice rang out. Gu Qingfeng looked over and asked, "What is it?"
"Great Old Master, not only did you save us, your disciples, but you're also willing to help us find our master. We sisters don't know how to repay you..."
As Immortal Zijin was speaking, Gu Qingfeng had already lost patience and waved his hand. "If it's thanks, save them for after we find your Yunhua Cave people."
"No!
It's not that. We...
are worried about you, Great Old Master..." "Worried about me?
What is there about me to worry about?"
"The Liúshā Small Secret Realm is filled with dangers, and it's definitely not just a single Old Monster. We're worried that you, Great Old Master..."
Both Zijin and Ziqing had no idea what abilities this mortal Great Old Master Gu Qingfeng possessed. Although they desperately hoped he could help them find the Yunhua Cave elders, if helping them led to the Great Old Master's misfortune, they would never be able to forgive themselves.
Zijin said, "Just now, we acted on impulse when we begged for your help. Now that we've calmed down and thought it over, we were truly too selfish, and we asked too much. We shouldn't have you take such great risks for two unrelated people like us."
Zijin's heart was conflicted.
She both wanted Gu Qingfeng's help and didn't want it.
She wanted it because, over the years, in their search for the Yunhua Cave elders, they had tried every method possible. She had even pleaded with the senior experts from the Shuangji Heavenly Domain's immortal realms, but as soon as they heard the search was for an ancient cave dwelling in the Liúshā Small Secret Realm, none dared to enter. Other disciples of Yunhua Cave had died or been injured; the two of them had nearly lost their lives several times. By now, the two sisters had fallen into despair, and Gu Qingfeng's appearance had rekindled a sliver of hope in their desperate hearts.
She didn't want it because they were strangers to Gu Qingfeng. They didn't know who he was or what abilities he possessed. They truly feared that Gu Qingfeng might come to harm in the Liúshā Small Secret Realm while helping them search for the Yunhua Cave elders.
Gu Qingfeng smiled but said nothing. He patted Ma Wangye's shoulder. Ma Wangye nodded, then raised his Fire Cloud Whip and urged the nine-headed Fire Cloud Crimson Flame Tiger Grand Carriage to gallop deep into the marsh.
Seeing Gu Qingfeng remain silent,
Zijin and Ziqing exchanged a glance, unsure what to say.
The more they looked, the stranger things seemed.
This was true of the person, and even of the Fire Cloud Grand Carriage.
They hadn't noticed at first, but only when the Fire Cloud Grand Carriage began to run did they realize its incredibleness.
Yes.
Incredible.
As Seven-Yao Great Sun Golden Immortals, they naturally knew that while Fire Cloud Crimson Flame Tigers were fierce spirit beasts, no matter how fierce, they couldn't possibly traverse the Liúshā Small Secret Realm so fearlessly and freely.
What was even more incomprehensible to them was that this grand carriage seemed enveloped by a layer of mist. This mist completely blocked out the turbid qi within the Liúshā Small Secret Realm. At first, they thought it was some powerful formation, but upon closer inspection, they realized it wasn't a formation at all—just a layer of mist. No!
To be precise, it was a layer of alcohol mist.
What in the world was going on?
Neither of them could figure it out.