Chapter 524: With Young Master as Companion, This Journey Shall Be Without Peril

Chen Mu's eyes flickered slightly as he raised a hand in invitation: "Master Zhuying, please sit."

Master Zhuying sat across from them, placing the bamboo basket lightly beside the table, his movements natural and casual, as if meeting an old friend after a long separation.

"You've both traveled far—your journey to Yan Zhuo Mountain seems to have yielded rich rewards."

Her gaze lingered briefly on Ning Zhixi, then moved away, her expression still calm.

Ning Zhixi was inwardly startled—this woman not only knew their identities, but seemed to know they had just emerged from Yan Zhuo Mountain and had gained something?

She looked at Chen Mu, who showed no change in expression, only asked coolly: "Master, you mentioned 'Spring News' in your message—what advice do you offer?"

Master Zhuying smiled faintly, but did not answer directly: "Have you ever heard of 'Tianxin Guan'?"

Tianxin Guan?

Chen Mu and Ning Zhixi exchanged glances.

Ning Zhixi slowly shook her head; though well-read and familiar with sects across the land, she had never heard the name "Tianxin Guan."

Chen Mu had also never encountered the name in the Wusijuan Sect's archives.

"Our observatory's lineage is ancient, hidden beyond the world, with few disciples, and we have always avoided worldly affairs—hence our obscurity."

Master Zhuying explained, voice tranquil: "Our Daoist tradition stems from the primordial 'Dao of Nature'—observing Heaven's Dao, adhering to Heaven's actions. We have made modest studies of seasonal cycles and the shifts of cosmic qi."

Dao of Nature? Seasonal cycles?

Chen Mu understood at once—this "Tianxin Guan" was likely deeply connected to the "Four Seasons Secret Treasury," or at least possessed profound knowledge of it.

"Master, did you come for the 'Four Seasons Keys'?" Chen Mu asked directly.

Master Zhuying nodded slightly, then shook her head: "Yes and no. Our observatory does indeed monitor the secrets of the 'Four Seasons Cycles,' but we have little attachment to collecting all the keys or opening the treasury itself."

"I descended the mountain for two reasons: one, to undergo trial; two, because I detected unusual convergence and fluctuations in the 'Wood' and 'Growth' qi of late, resonating with the 'Four Seasons' marks—I infer the 'Spring Key' may soon appear."

"At the same time, I learned that the Blood Refining, Ten Thousand Toxins, and Nine Nether factions are all secretly searching for 'Four Seasons' clues, fearing they will disrupt Heaven's order and bring disaster. Thus, I seek a few kindred souls to jointly safeguard the 'Spring Key's emergence, preventing it from falling into evil hands."

She looked at Ning Zhixi, her gaze clear: "Miss Ning, you carry both the 'Summer' and 'Winter' Keys, and possess the 'Summer' fragment—you are already one of the chosen heirs of the 'Four Seasons' legacy, favored by fortune. Your involvement in the matter of the 'Spring Key' is most fitting. And as for you, Master Chen…"

Her gaze turned to Chen Mu, a trace of barely perceptible reverence and inquiry flickering deep in her eyes.

"The Dao follows Nature; those with ability bear greater responsibility. With Young Master accompanying us, this journey shall be without peril."

Her words were open and direct—revealing her intent, explaining why she had chosen them, and confirming that the 'Spring Key' was about to emerge, with multiple Mo Sects already watching.

Chen Mu remained impassive: "How did you learn of our whereabouts and our gains? How can you confirm the time and place of the 'Spring Key''s appearance?"

Master Zhuying withdrew an object from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

It was a palm-sized tortoise shell, dark yellow in hue, covered in natural, mysterious patterns. At its center was embedded a jade shaped like a leaf, emerald green and dripping with vitality; within the jade, faint green specks drifted slowly, like stars.

"This is our observatory's heirloom, the 'Jia Mu Ling Xin'—it can faintly sense related 'Four Seasons' qi and anomalous Wood elemental movements in Heaven and Earth."

Master Zhuying explained: "When the 'Winter Key' appeared at Yan Zhuo Mountain, Yin and Yang clashed violently, sending a pillar of light skyward with a unique aura—the 'Jia Mu Ling Xin' sensed it, and I traced the direction accordingly."

"Along the way, I sensed the combined qi of the 'Summer' and 'Winter' Keys, allowing me to find you both. As for the 'Spring Key'…"

She lightly tapped the tortoise shell; the emerald jade flickered faintly, projecting a hazy, ever-shifting shadow—faint outlines of endless mountains and forests, with one spot pulsing intensely with a bright green light.

"According to the 'Jia Mu Ling Xin''s sensing, combined with our observatory's calculations of celestial timing and terrestrial qi, the 'Spring Key' is most likely to appear around Jingzhe, within the 'Donglin Ancient Ruins.'"

"Donglin Ancient Ruins?"

Ning Zhixi froze. She had heard the name: "The ancient forest mystery land at the border of Jiannan Dao and Jiang Nan Dao?"

"It's said the Wood elemental energy there is dense, filled with rare flowers and herbs, and home to many Wood-affinity strange beasts—even ancient variants. But its entrance is erratic, and within lie natural labyrinthine arrays—hard for ordinary people to enter."

"Precisely."

Master Zhuying nodded: "The Donglin Ancient Ruins formed from an ancient Wood elemental spiritual vein, evolving over millennia into its own space, saturated with pure, immense Wood qi and growth energy—perfectly matching the 'Spring' essence and the condition of 'Wood qi convergence.'"

"Though its entrance is unstable, around Jingzhe, when Heaven's thunder stirs and growth qi peaks, the barrier between the ruins and the mortal world thins most greatly—perhaps even forming a brief stable entrance. This is what I know of 'Heaven's Timing' and 'Earth's Advantage.'"

She looked at Chen Mu: "As for 'Human Harmony,' one must possess a relevant relic and activate it with a specific method. I am not skilled, but I know the technique to open the ruins' gate—yet I require at least one 'Four Seasons Key' or related artifact as a catalyst, and must perform it at the correct time and place."

The information was detailed and logically consistent.

Master Zhuying appeared sincere, and her clues corroborated the fragments on the stone tablet.

But Chen Mu did not fully believe her.

A hidden-world sect approaching them for cooperation, though framed in the noble cause of "protecting the keys and blocking the Demonic Sects," might harbor hidden motives—unknown for now.

"Master, you mentioned the Blood Refining Sect and others have already targeted the 'Spring Key'—will they rush into the Donglin Ancient Ruins first?" Chen Mu asked.

Master Zhuying's expression grew grave: "Highly likely. The Mo Sects also have gifted individuals who can deduce the general timing. And they spare no means—they may attempt brute force or dark arts to forcibly breach the ruins' barrier while it's weak, or follow us inside. When that happens, fierce competition within the ruins is inevitable."

"This is one reason I invited you both to accompany me—the more strength, the greater the security."

She paused, then added: "Moreover, recent sensing by the 'Jia Mu Ling Xin' suggests that, besides Mo Sect qi, another peculiar aura flickers faintly in the Donglin Ancient Ruins region—neither orthodox nor demonic, ancient and obscure. I cannot determine its origin—exercise caution."

A third party?

Chen Mu's eyes flickered.

The forces entangled in the "Four Seasons Secret Treasury" were growing ever more numerous.

"When do you plan to depart for the Donglin Ancient Ruins?" Ning Zhixi asked.

"Jingzhe falls on the second day of the second month—still over twenty days away. But we must arrive early at the area where the entrance may appear, to locate and lock onto its fluctuations. Best to depart within three days."

Master Zhuying looked at Chen Mu, clearly awaiting his decision.