Nine Heavens

九霄

nine-heavens

Chapter 52

After leaving the private room, Mu Jie was still furious: "He wanted to kill someone over a disagreement, this young master of Benyun Island is really too arrogant!"
In fact, if she were to dress as a woman, with her looks and temperament, she would likely be fawned over wherever she went, including by that young master of Benyun Island. Of course, along with that would come all sorts of dangers that female cultivators might encounter.
"Is this the first time you've seen something like this?" Zhou Yin's single sentence made her shut her mouth.
Although Benyun Island was just one of the many islands in the South Sea, that young master himself was already a Core Formation cultivator. Plus, with his status, there were naturally a large group of people surrounding him, flattering and fawning, eager to gain even a small benefit from him, just like the two Foundation Establishment cultivators following him.
So in that young master's eyes, for Mu Jie, with her cultivation level and status, to dare contradict him to his face, it was already not bad that he didn't personally make a move to kill her.
Mu Jie was not an impetuous person to begin with, it's just that her experience out in the world was still a bit lacking after all. Encountering this kind of situation, it was hard for her not to get angry. Now that she had calmed down, she couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.
"I was too impulsive just now, thank you Brother Zhou for the rescue." She sincerely thanked Zhou Yin, and sighed, "It's been three years, Brother Zhou is already at late Foundation Establishment, while I'm still stuck at early Foundation Establishment, I'm really ashamed."
Zhou Yin said: "Your foundation is not bad, as long as you cultivate diligently, your progress will not be slow."
"Really?" Mu Jie was very happy, and pulled him aside to ask many questions about cultivation.
Although Zhou Yin and Yun Zong both seemed to dislike interacting with others, in comparison, Mu Jie unconsciously felt that Zhou Yin was a bit more approachable, so she intentionally or unintentionally spoke more with him.
Walking behind them, Yun Zong suddenly asked: "You are from Xianhu Island in the South Sea, how much do you know about Lianyin Immortal Residence?"
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by him. Mu Jie came back to her senses and said embarrassedly: "I almost forgot, I was just about to tell you, why don't we find a place to discuss in more detail."
There were no more empty private rooms on the second floor, so the three simply went to the room they had originally reserved in the back courtyard of the inn.
After everyone entered and sat down, Mu Jie said: "Although I was born into a branch of the Mu family, I was raised in the main family since childhood and have read many of the stored texts, one of which was a miscellaneous record that spoke of Lianyin Immortal Residence. However, it did not record the owner of the immortal mansion.
"In the past thousand years, the immortal residence has opened a total of ten times. But I heard the elders in the family say that a hundred years ago, which was the last time the immortal residence opened, the number of people who were able to come out in the end could almost be counted on one hand."
Yun Zong frowned: "Did anyone come out from inside?"
Mu Jie shook her head: "That I don't know, I expect even if they brought treasures out, they would be eager not to let others know. However, I heard that the entrance to this Lianyin Immortal Residence is set up according to the Eight Gates from the art of Qimen Dunjia. In other words, when we enter, it's very likely we will be randomly teleported to any one of the gates - Open, Rest, Life, Death, Shock, Harm, Obstruct, or View.
"I think this may be one of the reasons why many people are ultimately unable to escape unscathed. The Mu family ancestors also had someone enter this residence before. After coming out, he wrote a book of insights recording what he saw inside. I've read it before, perhaps it will be of some help to us."
Zhou Yin asked: "How do we enter?"
Mu Jie said: "Five days from now, at the hour of the Rat on June 18th, legend has it that a lotus flower will appear on the South Sea. As long as we find the location of that lotus flower and enter the sea, following the direction, we can enter the immortal residence.
"The Life Gate of the immortal residence will reopen one year later. At that time, it can only be used to exit, not enter. So we will have one year inside. If we can't find the Life Gate at that time, or if we get trapped and can't get out, then we can only wait another hundred years."
Zhou Yin: "Where in the South Sea will the lotus flower appear?"
Mu Jie smiled bitterly: "The location where the lotus appears is different every hundred years. Only those with fate can find it, and it can only be entered while it is blooming. Once the bud closes, one can only sigh in vain admiration."
Yun Zong: "Is it possible for the lotus to land on an island?"
Mu Jie: "It shouldn't be possible. The lotus always blooms in the water. The South Sea is so vast, there will certainly be many people looking for it at that time. We definitely won't be able to stay together the whole time, so it's best if each of us carries a Sound Transmission Talisman. Whoever finds it first can notify the others."
Zhou Yin: "Okay."
Yun Zong also said: "I have no objections."
Mu Jie stood up with a smile and stretched: "Then it's settled. I'm going to bathe and change clothes first. If there's anything, we can talk more in the evening. Brother Zhou, Senior Yun, I'll take my leave first."
Girls love to be beautiful, and she was no exception. When they weren't very familiar before, she was also very cautious and apprehensive. Now that they had interacted for a long time, perhaps seeing that both men were too proud to use underhanded means, she actually became much more relaxed.
After she left, Yun Zong asked Zhou Yin: "What do you think?"
Zhou Yin said: "There's no major issues, it just feels a bit strange."
Yun Zong raised an eyebrow: "What's strange?"
Zhou Yin said: "Since so many people have come to this place and it has opened so many times, it's impossible that no one knows who the owner is."
Yun Zong nodded: "I was thinking the same thing. A place that can trap even Nascent Soul cultivators, its owner is definitely not a nobody. If so, how could he allow his residence to be known by so many people?
"Moreover, even if it was the first person to know, by chance encountering success, he would definitely be afraid of people coming to fight him for the treasures. How could he spread the news until the whole world knows, and there are even records of it in books. Perhaps, someone is deliberately misleading us to go there."
Zhou Yin: "What's the purpose of misleading us?"
Yun Zong: "Maybe I'm overthinking it. I've checked, Mu Jie is indeed from the Mu family and has always been overlooked. She shouldn't be deceiving us. However, this journey will undoubtedly be extremely dangerous, and it's not even certain we can come out."
Zhou Yin: "Since that's the case, are we still going?"
Yun Zong: "Of course, we have nothing else to do anyway. What about you?"
Zhou Yin: "Mm."
Yun Zong laughed.
While others were racking their brains to enter the immortal residence for the treasures, these two were actually going in to court danger purely for the spectacle.
Yun Zong felt that as a cultivator, one needed to be prepared to face danger at any time. Cultivation and state of mind were both tempered through danger. Those who relied on miraculous elixirs to forcibly increase their cultivation might gain temporary benefits, but would not remain safe forever. Only those who had experienced countless dangers were truly powerful.
Clearly, he and Zhou Yin shared the same view on this matter.
After chatting a bit more, Zhou Yin got up to leave.
This room originally belonged to Yun Zong, with Zhou Yin's room next door.
Having just emerged from a three-year seclusion and immediately rushed to Haisha City without rest along the way, Zhou Yin was about to return to his room to bathe and change clothes.
However, he had just stepped out the door and closed Yun Zong's door behind him when he saw a white-robed figure walking towards him.
Generally speaking, once cultivators reached the stage of maintaining eternal youth, few were ugly. Although their bone structure and features were already set, as their cultivation deepened, they could change their bearing to a certain extent.
But this white-robed man's appearance surpassed that of ordinary cultivators, flawlessly handsome, his sleeves fluttering as if he were a banished immortal.
However, this bewitching facade obviously had no effect on a certain someone.
Zhou Yin passed by as if he hadn't seen him.
"Please wait a moment, fellow Daoist." The other party spoke first.
Zhou Yin stopped and looked at him.
The white-robed man smiled warmly. "My surname is Yang, Yang Qing. May I ask how to address you, fellow Daoist?"
Zhou Yin said, "You're really rich."
Yang Qing: "???"
Zhou Yin: "There are three things in the world that can conceal cultivation - Tears of Nüwa, Moongazing Agate, and the Water Coral. Each is worth a fortune. That you could obtain one means you're rich, no?"
Yang Qing laughed. "Fellow Daoist is indeed knowledgeable. The young lord of Benyun Island merely thought I had some secret technique, not expecting you to see through it at a glance. If you're interested, why don't we find a place to sit and chat?"
Zhou Yin: "No need, I'll keep it brief. I'm in a hurry to bathe."
Although he didn't know why the other party was concealing his cultivation, judging from his bearing, he was at least a high-level cultivator. However, Zhou Yin had no interest in probing further.
"In that case, I'll speak plainly." Yang Qing looked at Zhou Yin, his expression profound and inscrutable, a faint smile on his face. "Lianyin Immortal Residence is not a place ordinary people can enter. The dangers inside cannot be described in a few words. For someone of your low cultivation like you, I advise you not to go, lest you lose your life in vain. It's not worth it."
Zhou Yin: "Okay, I'm going to bathe now."
Yang Qing paused, then slowly leaned in and chuckled softly, "Do you think that Core Formation cultivator with you is trustworthy?"
Zhou Yin: "?"
Yang Qing said, "He's not some wandering cultivator at all. He just wants to use you as a travel companion. Once danger arises, he'll use you as a shield. Only a fool like you would believe his words and cooperate with him."
Zhou Yin nodded and said, "Oh. I'm going to bathe now."
"..." Yang Qing was rendered speechless, helplessly watching him leave.

Nine Heavens

Nine Heavens

Chapter 52 - Chapter 52

Echo