Chapter 353: Old Acquaintance

The Lotus Cave is situated amidst rolling mountain ranges, surrounded by lush, ancient trees, as if it were nature's most hidden treasure.

The cave entrance is covered by a massive lotus leaf, with crystalline water droplets rolling across its surface, refracting seven-colored light like a mysterious barrier guarding the cave dwelling.

"Sect Master, this is the Lotus Cave."

Great Elder Lv Hong leads Chen Che inside at a slow pace, "Ever since the incident with Zanpu Dunzhu, the Taiyi Sect has gone into seclusion, and we have learned our lesson, separating the Heavenly Book from the Stone Stele."

"Separating them?" Chen Che asks, puzzled.

Great Elder Lv Hong explains, "The old Sect Master once said that among the Heavenly Book Stele, the stele itself has nothing special about it; what is important are the characters carved upon it, while the stele merely served as a carrier."

"Therefore, to prevent this piece of the Heavenly Book Stele from being lost, we used an Artisan Technique to strip the Heavenly Book characters from the stele and sealed them inside a person's body."

"This is also the origin of the Taiyi Sect Saintess. The Saintess's duty is to guard the Heavenly Book well within this Lotus Cave."

"So that's how it is." Chen Che nods, then asks, "Then by what method is this Saintess chosen?"

The Great Elder replies, "The selection of the Saintess is personally overseen by us four elders, focusing not on Martial Dao aptitude, but on moral character and whether there is a determination to sacrifice oneself for the sake of guarding the Heavenly Book."

Chen Che nods and asks no more.

Entering the cave entrance, the first thing that comes into view is a fantastical world composed of stalactites and stalagmites.

These stone pillars and stalagmites, through thousands of years of dripping water erosion, have formed various strange shapes; some look like blooming lotuses, some like coiling dragons, and others like the hem of a fairy's skirt, vivid and lifelike.

On the cave ceiling, countless stalactites hang upside down like suspended crystal lamps, flickering with a faint blue light.

The air inside the cave is fresh and humid, carrying a faint scent of flowers and the smell of earth.

On the cave walls, natural fluorescent minerals emit a soft glow, illuminating everything in the cave as if it were broad daylight.

A small stream flows murmuringly through the cave, clear to the bottom, and occasionally a few colorful small fish can be seen in the stream, weaving through the water plants and adding a touch of vitality to this tranquil environment.

Deep in the cave, there is a natural Lotus Pond; the pond water is as green as jade, and in the center bloom a few pure white Crystal Lotus, swaying gently in the breeze and emitting a faint fragrance.

Surrounding the Lotus Pond are patches of emerald green grass, dotted with wild flowers of various colors, like embroidery needles dropped by a weaver girl, colorful and bright.

Chen Che walks forward slowly, squinting his eyes slightly; in this "blessed land of the cave heaven" that is as poetic and picturesque as a painting, he sees a beautiful figure looming by the Lotus Pond, as if she were one with this blessed land.

Chen Che guesses that she must be the Taiyi Sect Saintess.

"Yuanxiang."

The Great Elder stops by the Lotus Pond and calls out to the Saintess.

Inside the cave, the soft light of the fluorescent stones falls gently, outlining the Saintess's figure as if it were a dream.

She wears a long dress as white as snow, the hem swaying gently with the breeze in the cave, as if she were integrated with the surrounding natural scenery.

Her long hair is like a waterfall, draped over her shoulders, with a few strands brushing past her clear and refined face in the wind, adding a touch of liveliness.

The Saintess, called Yuanxiang, sits cross-legged by the Lotus Pond, her eyes slightly closed, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her eyelids.

She seems not to have heard the Great Elder's call, her expression serene and peaceful, as if all the clamor of the world had nothing to do with her.

The Great Elder wants to call out again, but is stopped by Chen Che; the two wait quietly for the Saintess to finish her cultivation.

One can see that the Saintess's hands are placed gently on her knees, her fingertips tapping lightly; with the rhythm of her breathing, a faint True Qi seems to circulate around her body, echoing the natural aura in the cave.

As her cultivation deepens, a faint halo begins to emerge in the air around the Saintess; this is the result of the True Qi within her body merging with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

The halo gradually becomes dense, wrapping her entire person within it, like a lotus about to bloom, full of vitality and mystery.

The Crystal Lotus in the cave seem to sense the Saintess's aura as well; they sway gently in the pond, as if paying tribute to her.

Occasionally, a petal drifts down with the wind, landing lightly in the Saintess's hair, adding a touch of celestial aura.

In this quiet and sacred space, the Saintess's beauty is not only external but also a manifestation of her inner temperament and cultivation.

Her presence makes the entire Lotus Cave filled with a kind of otherworldly beauty, making one involuntarily feel respect and yearning.

Chen Che examines this "fairy" who is so refined and peerless, and suddenly frowns, feeling that she looks somewhat familiar.

Saintess Yuanxiang finishes her cultivation at this moment, exhales a breath of fragrance, and slowly stands up, turning to face them: "Great Elder."

Saintess Yuanxiang nods to the Great Elder and calls out in an ethereal voice.

Great Elder Lv Hong nods and says, "Yuanxiang, let me introduce you; this is the beloved disciple of our Taiyi Sect's old Sect Master, our new Sect Master."

Following the Great Elder's words, Saintess Yuanxiang turns her head slightly to look over, but her calm and composed pretty face suddenly freezes, her expression paling in shock.

Looking at Chen Che again, he had already been stunned and dumbfounded the moment he saw the Saintess's face clearly, his face full of disbelief.

Amidst the Great Elder's puzzled expression, the two speak in unison: "It's you?!"

………

Adili grinds the ink and places it by his master's side; Second Elder Shi Ning smiles kindly, writing stroke by stroke on the paper, his brushwork bold and vigorous.

"Master, why do you practice calligraphy every day?" Adili asks curiously.

Second Elder Shi Ning patiently explains, "Practicing calligraphy is also cultivating the heart; Martial Dao cultivation is not just about cultivating the external, but also the internal."

"Alright."

The Second Elder sets down his brush, and a large character appears on the paper—"Heart".

"Adili, I give this to you. You have rendered meritorious service in finding the Sect Master and have also gained the Sect Master's appreciation; your status in the sect has also risen invisibly. I give you this calligraphy in the hope that you will curb your arrogance and impatience, hold fast to your original heart, and not let down the expectations of me and the Sect Master."

Adili receives it with both hands; beyond his joy, he feels his master's care and expectations even more. He nods solemnly: "Master, please rest assured, I will definitely not let you and the Sect Master down."

The Second Elder smiles with gratification: "I believe in you."

Adili smiles brightly and asks casually: "Master, the Sect Master and the Great Elder went to the back mountain; what did they go to do?"

Adili has regained the Sect Master and is infinitely glorious in the sect; the Second Elder also has a lot of face among his fellow disciples, and for a time, his love for this disciple is beyond measure.

Facing this question from Adili involving the sect's secrets, he does not cover it up and says, "The Saintess is in the Lotus Cave in the back mountain; the Sect Master wants to see the Heavenly Book, so he went to find the Saintess."

"The Heavenly Book? Is that the secret that only you, the elders, and the senior brothers know about?"

Adili is curious and asks in a low voice: "Is the Saintess guarding the Heavenly Book?"

"The Heavenly Book is inside the Saintess's body."

The Second Elder looks up and instructs, "This is a secret of the sect; originally I could not tell you, but from today on you will follow me, so it is fine to tell you. But remember not to speak of it, do you understand?"

"Rest assured, Master, my mouth is very tight!" Adili nods solemnly to guarantee.

The Second Elder smiled and waved his hand: "Alright, go find your Senior Martial Brother quickly, I need to rest."

Adili held the calligraphy with great devotion, backed out of the room, stood in the courtyard and unfolded the paper, looking at it left and right, grinning from ear to ear.

"I must show this off to Senior Martial Brother in a while!"

Adili put the calligraphy away and skipped toward his living quarters; by now the sky had already darkened, and a silvery-white crescent moon hung on the horizon, illuminating the youth's smiling face.

Thump!

His heart suddenly skipped a beat, and Adili fell face-first to the ground with a thud.

"Leiji... Leiji... my child..."

Ghost-blue True Qi flames, the Cult Leader's deathly pale face, fingers reaching into a skull, a hand-blade slicing open a cranium, the Cult Leader's muttering mouth...

"Hummmm~~~"

Countless terrifying images flashed through his mind, and amidst the intense ringing in his ears, whispers and calls that sounded like they came from hell reached him.

Adili clutched his head with both hands, pulling desperately at his hair, his face twisted in agony, his mouth wide open, letting out a heart-rending scream:

"Argh!!!!!!"

…………