Chapter 235: Sikong Yan

Cao Zheng’s face carried a faint teasing smile as he said, “You and Zhu He—you two are actually quite suited. Your cultivation bases are similar, and you’re a handsome pair.”

Zhou Qing hurriedly replied, “Master Bo, don’t joke like that.”

Xuan You Xianzi’s impression of me has turned into [Potential Threat]. If it progresses further, I’ll become someone who needs to be eliminated.

Marry her?

Especially Zhu He—though he had no direct role in Luo Xue’s death, saving her was kindness, and not saving her was his duty—but he simply couldn’t get past this mental barrier.

Seeing Zhou Qing’s angry expression, Cao Zhengyang seemed to guess something.

After all, it was he who told this child the true cause of Luo Xue’s death.

“Don’t worry—I’ve already refused. After all, you’ll one day be the Sect Master of Taiqingmen. Even if you choose a Dao partner, it certainly won’t be from Qingyu Immortal Sect.”

Hearing this, Zhou Qing finally relaxed.

Then, after a moment’s hesitation, Cao Zhengyang’s eyes flickered with concern as he cautiously asked, “Zhou Qing, have you fallen for anyone yet?”

Zhou Qing looked at his Master Bo, smiled bitterly, and shook his head. “Why does everyone keep trying to set me up? Master Bo, I really don’t have time to think about this now.”

Cao Zhengyang’s worried expression vanished instantly, replaced by a relieved smile. “Good. You’re still young—thinking about this now is indeed too early.”

Recalling how he’d just seen off Xuan You Xianzi and was heading toward Xiao Ling Peak when he met his young disciple Lu Yaoyao.

The moment she heard Xuan You Xianzi wanted Zhu He as Zhou Qing’s Dao partner, she was the first to loudly protest.

As someone who’s been through it, if he hadn’t noticed Lu Yaoyao’s behavior toward Zhou Qing wasn’t romantic, he might have thought more than he should have.

“By the way, Master Bo, how’s Sikong Yan these days?” Zhou Qing suddenly changed the subject.

Cao Zhengyang frowned slightly and said slowly, “In the battle at Canglan Mountain, Cangyan Dao Palace secured ten Jiuyou Lotus Seeds. Though he’s already at the peak of Soul Transformation, it seems he hasn’t consumed any.”

“I even spotted him from afar half a year ago—I still can’t figure out what he’s thinking.”

The sect leaders of the Five Eastern Sects are nearly all late Soul Transformation.

And those at the peak of Soul Transformation? Usually only a handful of Elders within each sect.

Sikong Yan’s quiet breakthrough to peak Soul Transformation caught everyone completely off guard.

Logically, with so many Jiuyou Lotus Seeds, even if three were the maximum he could consume, he should’ve tried pushing to a higher realm.

What if he succeeded?

Hearing Sikong Yan hadn’t entered seclusion, Zhou Qing paused, then said, “Master Bo, I want to see him.”

Cao Zhengyang froze, immediately refusing: “No!”

Everyone has seen Zhou Qing’s potential—even Xuan You Xianzi came personally with her beloved disciple to discuss a marriage alliance.

Though the Five Sects War has ended, Zhou Qing is still the one who slew five of their top prodigies—the number one target on the Most Wanted List.

You don’t just walk into a tiger’s den like that.

Seeing Cao Zhengyang’s fierce resistance, Zhou Qing quickly explained: “Master Bo, I only need to see his appearance from afar—I won’t make direct contact.”

“Why?” Cao Zhengyang’s expression softened slightly, but he still didn’t understand.

Zhou Qing didn’t know how to explain.

After a moment’s hesitation, he changed the subject: “Do you have any clues about his whereabouts?”

Cao Zhengyang let out a bitter laugh. “Who can possibly track a peak Soul Transformation cultivator? If you want to see him, you’ll have to go to Cangyan Dao Palace.”

Zhou Qing scratched his head—it was tricky now.

If Er Dadie were here, I could ask him for a wooden puppet with Nascent Soul enhancement.

But Third Senior Brother and Lei Luo once went inside Cangyan Dao Palace and even urinated on a pillar in the square—maybe I should ask them.

“Master! Master!”

At that moment, a familiar voice called from afar. He saw He Han flying toward them on his sword.

Behind him trailed several enforcers from Xiao Ling Peak, chasing after him.

Seeing the Sect Master present, the enforcers immediately stopped, bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

Seeing He Han, both men froze.

Isn’t he at Linggu Mountain? Why did he suddenly return?

And why did he break into Xiao Ling Peak?

“What’s going on?” Seeing He Han’s frantic state, Cao Zhengyang instantly appeared before him.

He Han wiped sweat from his brow and quickly pulled out an image stone.

“Master! The abyss’s depths—there’s really a secret realm entrance now! The situation is urgent—I had to come back myself to report!”

Cao Zhengyang frowned and immediately activated the image stone.

Zhou Qing’s heart stirred—he hurried over.

After all, he was the one who caused the Linggu Mountain incident. Now such a strange change had occurred—he was curious.

Soon, an image projected into the air.

The scene was pitch black, with grayish-white mist slowly drifting around.

In the hazy mist ahead, several indistinct dark figures wandered, their movements stiff and unnatural.

Clearly, they were transformed tomb guardians.

As the image rapidly shook, the recorder seemed to be leaving—but the next second, ripples suddenly appeared in the mist ahead.

Faintly, a red tower emerged from the mist.

The recorder, clearly excited, immediately turned back and moved closer.

Indeed—it was a red tower, entirely built from crimson stone.

Above the tower hung a rusted bronze plaque, slanting precariously, as if about to fall.

On it, three ancient characters seemed to be written: “Hongta Mountain!”

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s pupils shrank sharply—he couldn’t believe it.

“Impossible!” Zhou Qing exclaimed involuntarily.

Hearing his cry, Cao Zhengyang, still studying the image, turned sharply and asked, “You’ve seen this before?”

Zhou Qing instinctively wanted to deny it—but the words died on his lips. This matter was too critical to be careless.

After a moment’s hesitation, he reached out and took the image stone, studying it closely.

But soon, the ripple image grew unstable, flickered twice, then vanished—everything returned to stillness.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s brow furrowed deeper—a sense of foreboding rose in his chest.

Cao Zhengyang immediately told He Han, “Go rest for now.”

He Han understood—he bowed and left.

After a brief pause, Zhou Qing looked at Cao Zhengyang with a grave expression.

“Master Bo, I won’t hide it—I once went to the Cave Heaven with Er Dadie. The footage in the image stone… it looks exactly like the scene inside the first coffin.”

Cao Zhengyang’s face turned pale—he couldn’t believe it.

“You’re sure?” he asked urgently.

Zhou Qing nodded solemnly. “Er Dadie and I attacked Hongta Mountain. It was filled with countless chang ghosts, and the entire place was sealed under a three-color restriction.”

Cao Zhengyang rushed to say, “That’s not what I meant. I mean—the coffin didn’t contain a corpse, but something like a miniature world?”

Zhou Qing was stunned.

Only now did he realize: throughout Taiqingmen’s history, no ancestor had ever found a safe way to cross the river of blood and dead crows.

Much less had anyone ever opened a coffin to see what lay inside.

Only Er Dadie, who never followed convention, placed three dead crows on his forehead and shoulders, delaying the attack of the three corpse-wax crows, allowing him to enter the coffin.

Now, seeing his Master Bo’s curious gaze, Zhou Qing felt a pang of sorrow.

He nodded slowly. “Yes. Er Dadie first took me to the third coffin—inside was a Flame Crocodile of Zhanling realm. The image just shown was from the first coffin.”

“As for the other coffins—I haven’t been to them—but Er Dadie suspects each contains something like the Flame Crocodile King.”

Hearing this, Cao Zhengyang sucked in a sharp breath—his heart surged with overwhelming shock.

Across the entire fourth-tier spiritual nation—with its eight prefectures and seventy-two districts, boundless territories—there were only a dozen or so Zhanling cultivators.

And yet, his tiny Taiqingmen held six terrifying Zhanling beings. No one would believe it if they heard.

Was this the legacy left by past ancestors?

Seeing Cao Zhengyang’s eyes gleaming, Zhou Qing quickly said, “Master Bo, don’t get the wrong idea—we can’t control any of those Zhanling beings. They must have evolved later.”

“They won’t be our strength. If they break free from the coffins, they might bring disaster to Taiqingmen.”

Cao Zhengyang snapped back to reality, nodding vigorously.

He knew this well—he dared not even dream of controlling a Zhanling being.

That would be even more dangerous than bargaining with a tiger.

One misstep, and it would mean utter ruin.

“Wait—so the abyss beneath Linggu Mountain, for some unknown reason, has somehow connected to the first coffin?” Cao Zhengyang asked urgently.

Zhou Qing nodded gravely. “It seems so.”

“Then we’re doomed—if these people go in, will they come out from the Cave Heaven?” Cao Zhengyang looked terrified.

Zhou Qing’s brow tightened.

He recalled his last trip with Er Dadie—though they’d used [Invisibility Talismans] the whole time, Er Dadie had always felt watched, as if someone had been observing them from the shadows.

That watching gaze—likely belonged to the ruler of that strange world: a true Zhanling being.

But he seemed to possess his own thoughts, far more rational than the Flame Crocodile King.

Otherwise, he would’ve already commanded the wandering souls to attack them.

More importantly—the wandering souls in the gravity zone.

Those who enter different realms will encounter corresponding wandering spirits to test them.

It’s most likely also under their control.

I just don’t know if there’s a being like a Ghost King inside this first coffin.

Then, Zhou Qing voiced his suspicions aloud.

Cao Zhengyang was stunned—he now realized the wandering spirits originated from the first coffin.

The reason even the Supreme Elders cannot enter the cavern realm is because of these wandering spirits.

Wait, what else did that Second Uncle make you do?

What other things haven’t you told us?

But none of this matters now.

According to Zhou Qing, the first coffin contains a world even Second Uncle never explored, filled with untold treasures.

The good news is, there’s a restriction every three steps—only a talisman master can open them.

The bad news is, countless people have gathered at Spirit Skull Mountain; they could simply blast through those barriers with brute force, but then the treasures inside might be destroyed along with them.

“No, these are relics left by our Taiqingmen ancestors—why should we give them to outsiders? Where’s Second Uncle? Didn’t he come back with you?”

Cao Zhengyang grew anxious—he felt as if his own family’s back garden were being watched by a horde of greedy bandits, ready to plunder it clean at any moment.

Zhou Qing sighed helplessly.

“Master Bo, what I mean is, the secret realm’s entrance has begun to manifest, but our Taiqingmen people should still stay out—it’s far too dangerous inside!”

Cao Zhengyang understood Zhou Qing’s meaning, but the thought of his ancestors’ legacy being tainted by outsiders made him feel utterly uneasy.

Yet for now, he had no way to stop it.

After a moment of silence, Cao Zhengyang picked up the image stone again and examined it closely.

“The image seems unstable, but it’ll surely solidify completely soon. Others have seen similar sights deep in the abyss before, but everyone dismissed them as illusions.”

Cao Zhengyang muttered under his brow.

“Now it seems real. But Spirit Skull Mountain is days away from our Taiqingmen—let alone that the coffins form their own wandering spirit realm—how could they possibly connect to this place?”

Then he turned to Zhou Qing, a hint of suspicion in his eyes: “Could this be the work of your so-called Zhan Ling realm? He lures them in, kills them all, and then uses some method to turn them into wandering spirits?”

Zhou Qing listened to Cao Zhengyang’s words, unsure how to respond.

It was a wild theory—but not entirely impossible.

“Master Bo, what’s the history of Spirit Skull Mountain?” Zhou Qing asked after a moment’s thought.

Cao Zhengyang shook his head: “I never paid much attention. There’s just a lot of white bone—many beasts gather there when dying.”

“But every previous Sect Master of our Five Sects has investigated it and found nothing unusual. Of course, I went there myself with your Master when I was young.”

Zhou Qing fell into deep thought.

It seemed only he knew about the Su Ni bone and Master Xuan Qing’s affair.

No—there was also Lu Yaoyao. She dragged him there herself and seemed certain the place held not only the Su Ni bone but also the legacy of talisman masters.

Though he’d asked before, she’d stammered—clearly hiding something.

He hadn’t pressed further, but now he realized: this girl definitely had secrets.

“This matter is too grave—I must inform several of my Senior Uncles!” Cao Zhengyang said, then hurried off.

After all, the Supreme Elders were currently guarding the cavern realm.

Zhou Qing watched the Sect Master’s retreating figure, gritted his teeth, greeted his Master, and set off straight for Spirit Skull Mountain.

On one hand, if the entrance reappeared, perhaps he could try his [Daily Appraisal].

See what exactly was going on?

If the cavern realm had truly spiraled out of control, he’d need to prepare early.

Also, Sikong Yan might show up—then he could bind him directly.

Several days later, when Zhou Qing returned to Spirit Skull Mountain, the crowd had swelled even more—a sea of people.

Clearly, news of the secret realm had spread far and wide.

But he didn’t head for the Taiqingmen camp; instead, he found a corner, changed into a black robe, and waited quietly.

Three days later, Zhou Qing suddenly opened his eyes, gaze sharp as fire.

Two familiar airships were speeding toward them across the sky.

“Didn’t expect them to come too!” Zhou Qing’s face darkened.

Back when the Prefect of Longyuan Commandery, Zhong Yao, brought them into the borderlands, they’d seen these two space vessels from above.

They belonged to the two famed third-rank talisman masters of the Holy Wu Empire—Wu Tiangang and Su Lishan.

After they abandoned their mess and fled in shame, now that they’ve learned Lin Shi and I fixed the border array, what will they think?

Hypocrites!

The sudden arrival of the two ships instantly drew countless eyes.

Whispering spread through the crowd.

“Didn’t expect Master Wu and Master Su were actually invited by the two Prefects.”

“They had foresight—when the secret realm first appeared months ago, they left immediately to prepare. Look how perfect it is now.”

“Of course—why aren’t you a Prefect then?”

…

As the murmurs grew louder, Zhou Qing realized: these two had been specially summoned by Prefect Xiao Ji of Lingyun Prefecture and Prefect Ke Zhenxiong of Haomiao Prefecture.

The death of the Zhan Ling cultivator here had passed many years. At first, many came to investigate.

After all, even Xuan Yuan Shuo, the younger brother of the old Emperor, had appeared and declared it was the death of the Peng Emperor of Taiyao Mountain, urging everyone not to worry—and tacitly admitted he’d done it.

After that, not just Prefects—even five Commandery Governors had come.

But they found nothing substantial, and with daily duties demanding their attention, they eventually left.

Now, besides the Eight Commanderies and Seventy-Two Prefectures’ major sects, only four Prefects still kept close watch here.

His own Lingyun Prefecture, plus three neighbors: Haomiao, Qingming, and Xinghan Prefectures.

Speaking of Qingming Prefecture, Lu Yuanzhi had gone there to find the Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower Zhou Qing told her about—wonder how she’s doing now?

Shiiii!

Two figures suddenly rose from a nearby flatland and vanished into the two space vessels.

They were the Prefects of Qingming and Xinghan Prefectures.

It seemed they’d formed an alliance and planned to explore together.

[Ignore Point +1]

As Zhou Qing pondered the current situation, a sudden alert chimed in his mind.

He froze, then glanced around.

He’d been here three days—and only now had one point refreshed.

Of course—this tense, crowded environment had plenty of people, and who knew how many Soul Transformation cultivators lurked unseen—but it wasn’t thrilling enough. Some were even chatting and schmoozing.

Getting one point was already good—if he could get down into the abyss, the effect might be better.

Finally, Zhou Qing casually glanced at the Shenxu Tian Gong token—the purple dot on slot seven was still there.

As newcomers, everyone starts curious and excited—he’d been the same. But each use required thirty mid-grade spirit stones, which severely limited him.

He scanned the crowd—no sign of Sikong Yan.

Was it really him?

Zhou Qing frowned deeply.

…

Ten days passed in a flash. He Han had arrived long ago, along with three Peak Masters.

The Sect Masters of Qingyu Immortal Sect, Jin Leizong, and Tianji Gate had come in person to oversee.

Almost daily, someone descended into the abyss. Rumor had it the tombkeeper in the core zone had devoured others and evolved into a Soul Transformation cultivator—extremely dangerous.

Once this news spread, many who dared not risk going alone were filtered out—no one wanted to die pointlessly.

And today, the Master of Cangyan Dao Palace, Sikong Yan, finally arrived.

The moment he saw the man, Zhou Qing locked his gaze on him.

“Bind Sikong Yan!” Zhou Qing thought to himself.

Soon, the [???] above his head slowly transformed into a golden annotation—[Fish].

Seeing that simple word, Zhou Qing froze, stunned for a long moment.

What did it mean?

He immediately checked the token—his eyes lit up.

Slot seven: offline.

At that moment, he stirred, pulling out his identity token.

The message was from his Master—asking where he was.

Zhou Qing blinked, instinctively scanning the surroundings—then saw Cao Zhengyang, the Sect Master, had arrived at the Taiqingmen camp, accompanied by his Master, Mo Xingjian.

Both scanned the crowd anxiously, as if searching for someone.

Zhou Qing sighed and walked over.

Seeing Zhou Qing hadn’t descended into the abyss, both exhaled in relief.

“Why aren’t you staying at the sect? What are you doing here?” Cao Zhengyang pulled Zhou Qing into the tent.

“Senior Uncle Ruan, Senior Uncle Ling, Senior Uncle Tong!”

Looking at the three Peak Masters inside, Zhou Qing could only bow to them first.

Ling Yuexiao, Peak Master of Bai Zhan Peak; Ruan Mingxiu, Peak Master of Yun Yin Peak; and Tong Min, Peak Master of Yu Qing Peak, all gave slight nods.

If not for the Sect Master just now asking if they had seen Zhou Qing, they would not have known this boy had arrived here even before them.

“I just came to take a look!” Zhou Qing said awkwardly after bowing.

Cao Zhengyang said sternly: “Now that you’ve seen it, go back immediately. If you absolutely must stay, Mo Xingjian can accompany you.”

This place is fraught with danger; he would rather die here himself than let Zhou Qing suffer any harm.

With no other choice, Zhou Qing changed the subject: “Uncle, what did the Supreme Elder say?”

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengyang waved his hand, instantly forming a soundproofing barrier that sealed off the tent from the outside.

As he sat down, he sighed deeply: “No solution—only take one step at a time...”

Just as Cao Zhengyang spoke these words, he fell silent, as if realizing something, then instinctively glanced at Tong Min and the other three.

The fact that this place connects to the Cave Heaven Coffin is of immense importance; very few know of it.

Seeing the Sect Master’s gaze turn toward them, the three understood at once and were about to take their leave, when Cao Zhengyang waved them off.

“This doesn’t concern you. Any words spoken here must be chosen with care—someone’s Nascent Soul enhancement or Soul Transformation realm might already ignore these barriers!”

(End of Chapter)