"You five, seal off your senses now and sit on this cloud," Dongyang Bo rose to his feet and suddenly summoned a purple cloud, addressing Qin Sang and the others. The five of them were startled and exchanged glances. They dared not disobey Dongyang Bo’s command, nor did they ask questions. Silently, they flew onto the purple cloud and took the initiative to shut down all five senses. The world sank into darkness. They became completely unaware of their surroundings. Chenyan glanced sideways at them and said mildly, "Daoist Dongyang, you’re really quite cautious. Do you not even trust your own disciples?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novèlfire.net "It’s not about distrust. It’s merely a precaution." Dongyang Bo lifted his hand, and the purple cloud carried Qin Sang and the others, trailing obediently behind him. "The entrance to this secret passage constantly shifts across the heavenly mountain. This time it happens to be beneath the lake; next time, it might appear under an ancient tree. Only I know how to find it." "However, the exit of the secret passage never changes." "I have no wish to be ambushed the next time I step out of it." "That old red-haired bastard has coveted this passage for a long time. Back when the previous sect leader of Cunyang Sect and my own master were still alive, they openly and secretly fought over this passage and the key in my possession. Fortunately, this passage doesn’t lead to the core. It merely bypasses the arrays. Otherwise, someone like me, an unworthy descendant, would’ve lost it long ago." "That old man is a strange one, straddling the line between good and evil. If they happen to leak something after getting out, and they get caught and soul-searched in Cunyang Cave, it wouldn’t be surprising." "Letting them know nothing is actually for their own good." Chenyan replied calmly, "So by that logic, when we exit the passage later, I’ll need to seal my senses too before you’re at ease?" Dongyang Bo chuckled and shook his head. "If you didn’t know the way out, would you be at ease, Lady Chenyan? I wouldn’t force anyone into something unreasonable. You and your master are not cultivators of the Small Cold Domain. Your presence here was a coincidence. With your strength and background, once you rescue your master, there shouldn’t be anything worth clinging to in this little domain, should there? Over the past two hundred years, since you’ve taken up residence at Shaohua Mountain, I’ve never mistreated you. I’ve not only provided you with cultivation resources, but also assisted in searching for your master. What reason would you have to betray me?" Chenyan fell silent for a moment, then said, "Once I leave Ziwei Palace, I will swear an oath upon my heart devils never to reveal anything about this secret passage to anyone, including my master." "That would be best." Dongyang Bo nodded in approval. With the purple cloud in tow, he darted deeper into the passage. Chenyan quickly followed. The journey was smooth. No barriers or combats stood in their way. The five seated atop the cloud remained steady as they were carried forward. The passage had already been thoroughly cleared, with no clutter remaining. After several sharp turns, a wall of azure bricks appeared ahead, completely sealing off the path. Dongyang Bo cast a glance at Chenyan, then formed a few hand seals before her eyes, pressing them into the wall. At once, the surface rippled like water, glowing faintly until it became nearly transparent, transforming into a wall of water. Beyond the water wall lay a crumbling great hall. The space was silent and empty. Chenyan and Dongyang Bo passed through the wall and emerged inside the hall. Glancing back, the water vanished and the azure brick wall returned, making it seem faded and ancient. It looked utterly ordinary. No one would ever suspect that a secret passage was hidden behind it. They stepped out of the hall. Thick clouds blotted out the sun. Their vision extended only a short distance. It seemed they had arrived at the summit of the heavenly mountain, deep within a sea of clouds. Yet the area around them was incredibly calm, with no signs of turbulent airflow. It was very different from the rest of Ziwei Palace. Surrounding them were buildings identical to the hall they had just exited, all lined up in an orderly fashion. Rows upon rows of ancient palaces stood close together. In such a place, no one would think to examine a single wall too closely. Deep within the sea of clouds, vague silhouettes shifted faintly, shrouded in mystery. Dongyang Bo and Chenyan showed no interest in the surroundings. After a brief scan, they moved upward with clear intent. Some places were too dangerous even for them to pass through directly, forcing them to take detours. The higher they ascended, the grander the palace structures became. Though the ornate decorations had long since withered, the buildings themselves remained intact, exuding a formidable presence. Dongyang Bo raised his hand and pointed ahead. From within the depths of the dense clouds, a pool of water came into view. Around the pool’s edge, there had once been pavilions and walkways, but they had been almost completely destroyed. Broken stones scattered everywhere, the devastation unbearable to look at. Across the pool stood a tall, little tower. This tower reached a height of a hundred zhang. Its entire structure was pitch black, with faint wisps of dark qi drifting across its surface, as if even one’s gaze could be drawn into it, making it extremely eerie. At the four corners of the black tower, four massive iron chains extended from the top of the tower all the way to the ground, seemingly used to anchor the tower in place. All four chains were rusted and weather-worn, bearing the marks of countless years, with incomprehensible runes etched upon them. There was not a single ancient hall surrounding the tower. It stood alone in that place, isolated and imposing. At the sight of the black tower, Chenyan, who had remained calm as still water until now, suddenly showed a surge of intense emotion in her usually placid eyes. Dongyang Bo and Chenyan swept across the pool in a flash and landed before the tower’s entrance. Chenyan stepped forward alone, gently placing her hand against the door, feeling the coldness radiating from its surface. Then she lifted her gaze, looking past layer upon layer of the tower to the very top. Dongyang Bo watched her quietly for a while, then finally spoke. "Lady Chenyan, now you see for yourself how formidable the barrier on this door is. I wasn’t lying to you, was I?" "The higher you go, the stronger the barrier becomes, each level surpassing the last. "Your master was an anomaly. In the entire Small Cold Domain and the Tianxing Alliance combined, not a single late-stage Spiritual Infant cultivator exists anymore. Only he had the strength to ascend the tower alone." "As for us, even using the five-elemental beast seal to take a shortcut, we’d still need at least two Spiritual Infant cultivators just to open this door. So, if you want to go in and save him, you’ll have to break through to the Spiritual Infant Realm yourself." "You don’t resent me for forcing you back then, do you?" As he spoke, Dongyang Bo's gaze casually swept across Qin Sang, a strange smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the purple cloud, still sealed off from his senses, unaware of everything happening around him. But Chenyan clearly caught the hidden meaning in Dongyang Bo’s words. She abruptly turned, her expression darkening as she fixed her gaze on him. "I take responsibility for my own actions! The choices I made were mine alone. I neither will nor should blame others. What exactly are you trying to say?" "It’s enough that you don’t blame me, Lady Chenyan. I was only afraid you wouldn’t be able to let go of the knot in your heart, and that it might turn into heart devils. That would’ve been my fault. I misspoke." Dongyang Bo chuckled dryly and said no more. With a flick of his finger, he released a surge of true essence, dispersing the purple cloud and forcefully restoring Qin Sang and the others’ senses. The five of them fell to the ground. As their senses returned, they quickly steadied themselves and couldn’t help but look around eagerly. Whether it was the ancient halls shrouded within the sea of mist or the black tower before them, both radiated an overwhelming allure.