Chapter 525: Departure into the Mist

Chen Mu paused in thought.

Collaborating with this Zhinqing Daoist of Tianxin Temple has advantages: she can provide more precise information on the entrance and its activation method, and at present, our goals appear aligned.

The drawback is that we do not fully understand her background or true intentions, and must remain cautious.

But with the "Spring Key" clue at hand and the Mo Sect lurking nearby, temporarily allying with this Tianxin Temple, which seems well-versed in the Dao of the Four Seasons, offers greater benefit than risk.

"Agreed."

Chen Mu finally nodded. "Three days from now, meet here, then proceed together to the Donglin Ruins."

A faint smile touched Zhinqing Daoist's clear face, like a spring breeze brushing through bamboo groves: "Good. Then it is settled. In these three days, I too must make preparations. At this same time, three days hence, we meet here again."

With that, she rose, picked up her bamboo basket, bowed once more to the two, then floated down the stairs, her figure swiftly vanishing into the twilight alleys of Qingyun Town, her aura fading as if she had never appeared.

Ning Zhixi looked out the window and whispered, "Senior Brother Chen, can we trust this Tianxin Temple and this Zhinqing Daoist?"

"Temporary cooperation, mutual gain."

Chen Mu lifted his teacup, sipped, and said, "The information she gave about the 'Spring Key' matches what we know, and her ability to find us and sense the dual keys indicates her lineage indeed possesses unique insights. As for her true purpose… we will know once we enter the ruins. For now, we need the entrance information and method she provides."

He set down the teacup, his gaze deep: "Still, we must prepare two contingencies. In these three days, we must also investigate the Donglin Ruins and any Mo Sect movements, especially that peculiar aura she mentioned."

"Also, try using the 'Summer' and 'Winter' keys to communicate more deeply with the stone fragment—see if you can glean further hints about the 'Spring' or the secret realm."

"Understood."

Ning Zhixi agreed.

…

The three-day period passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, Chen Mu and Ning Zhixi did not remain in Qingyun Town the entire time.

Chen Mu used the Town Martial Office's covert channels to review scattered Juan Sect records on the "Donglin Ruins," while Ning Zhixi leveraged her connections in the Medicine King Valley to probe for anomalies along the eastern border.

Information was consolidated.

The Donglin Ruins were confirmed to exist, deep within the Misty Lin Hai, at the border of Jiannan Dao and Jiang Nan Dao—a fragment of ancient, mysterious space, internally self-contained, where wood-element energy was so dense it had liquefied, nurturing countless rare spiritual herbs.

But it was also filled with natural labyrinthine arrays and temporal rifts, danger and opportunity coexisting.

The entrance to the secret realm was indeed erratic, often hidden within mist and spatial folds, appearing stably only briefly every few decades during specific seasons, and never at the same location twice.

The most recent recorded opening was forty-five years ago.

Recent unrest stirred along the eastern border. The Blood Refining Sect and the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult had both made unusual troop movements, infiltrating toward the Misty Lin Hai, their actions secretive, as if searching for or setting up something.

After suffering losses of two Earth Altar Executives at Yan Zhuo Mountain, the Jiuyou Sect had not launched any large-scale retaliation, but rumors persisted of small bands of chilling energy appearing in the east.

It was certain: the Mo Sect had indeed set its sights on the Donglin Ruins—or more precisely, on the "Spring Key" that might emerge within.

Regarding the "neither orthodox nor demonic, ancient and obscure" aura mentioned by Zhinqing Daoist, neither the Town Martial Office nor the Medicine King Valley's intelligence network had any clear records.

Only vague rumors spoke of occasional ancient roars, unlike human or any known beast, echoing from deep within the Misty Lin Hai, or of woodcutters and herb gatherers vanishing mysteriously, their corpses found with all essence drained, as if dried for decades, yet showing no wounds or signs of poisoning—deeply sinister.

Chen Mu turned his gaze to Ning Zhixi: "Any new insights from your communication with the fragment using the dual keys?"

Ning Zhixi, having spent these days in quiet practice, now frowned slightly: "Yes, but faint. When the true qi of the 'Summer' and 'Winter' keys reaches a certain balance, fleeting fragments of imagery occasionally flash across the fragment."

"An endless, ancient forest shrouded in pale green mist; at its center, a tree of unimaginable size, its shadow looming, beneath which seems to be an altar formed entirely of natural green vines and ancient wood?"

"The imagery is too blurred, vanishing instantly—cannot determine exact location—but that vast, ancient wood-spirit aura closely resembles the descriptions of the Donglin Ruins."

"Also, the fragment occasionally emits a pulse of vibrant life, as if responding to some distant, same-origin presence—its direction roughly toward the east."

Chen Mu nodded.

These fragmented details largely matched Zhinqing Daoist's account, increasing her credibility.

…

At You Hour, Guanyu Pavilion.

Zhinqing Daoist arrived punctually, still clad in her moon-white robe, the bamboo basket gone, only the wooden-sheathed longsword on her back—her aura now colder and more ethereal, as if merged with the surroundings.

"You've waited long." She bowed slightly.

"Daoist, you're too kind. Are you prepared?" Chen Mu asked.

Zhinqing Daoist nodded, producing a scroll that appeared ordinary but was in fact made from the tanned bark of a spiritual tree, unfolding it on the table.

The map depicted the general terrain of the Misty Lin Hai and its surroundings, with three faintly marked circles in pale green pigment deep within the forest.

"Based on the resonance of the 'Jia Mu Ling Xin' and our temple's calculations, during the three days before and after Jingzhe, the barrier between the Donglin Ruins and the mortal world is thinnest—the most likely locations for a stable entrance are these three."

Zhinqing Daoist pointed at the map. "Respectively: the southeastern edge of the Red Dragon Valley, the ancient tree zone northwest of the Azure Wave Pond, and the deep ravine beneath Listening Thunder Cliff."

"All three are places of unusually dense and ancient wood-spirit energy. We must investigate each one. To prevent the Mo Sect from reaching them first or setting ambushes, we should split up—but maintain contact. If one finds anything, notify the other two immediately."

She produced two emerald jade talismans similar to the heart bamboo pieces and handed one each to Chen Mu and Ning Zhixi.

"These are 'Qing Ling Transmission Talismans.' Within a hundred li, they transmit clear voice, and carry our temple's unique concealment method, making them hard to intercept by ordinary means. Each of us holds one—use them to communicate."

Chen Mu took the talisman, scanned it with his spiritual sense, confirmed it was a single-use communication talisman with no hidden traps, and stored it away.

"Agreed. I and Miss Ning will investigate the Red Dragon Valley and Azure Wave Pond; Daoist, you take Listening Thunder Cliff—how?"

Zhinqing Daoist considered briefly: "Agreed. I am somewhat familiar with the terrain around Listening Thunder Cliff. No time to waste—let us depart now, and discuss details en route."

The three wasted no more time, left silver coins on the table, slipped quietly out of Guanyu Pavilion, left Qingyun Town, and each transformed into a swift aura, racing toward the Misty Lin Hai.

Chen Mu led Ning Zhixi toward the Red Dragon Valley first.

Along the way, he copied the bark map for Ning Zhixi and transmitted a voice message: "Zhinqing Daoist's plan to split up seems reasonable, but it also risks dispersing us. Once inside the secret realm, watch her closely. The 'Qing Ling Transmission Talismans' are usable, but do not fully trust them."

Ning Zhixi nodded with Grave Demeanor: "I understand. Senior Brother Chen, of these three locations, which do you think most likely?"

"From the perspective of wood-spirit energy and the 'birth and growth' resonance, the ravine beneath Listening Thunder Cliff—the name 'Listening Thunder' subtly aligns with Jingzhe's 'thunder stirring'—its probability may be highest."

Chen Mu analyzed, "Zhinqing's choice of that location may reflect the same reasoning. But the Mo Sect may think likewise. We'll investigate the other two first—if we find nothing, we can still reach Listening Thunder Cliff in time."