“Hey, Divine Dragon, are you sure you’re not pointing the wrong way?”
“Hmph! Human brat! If you doubt me, then stop walking!”
“Haha, don’t be like that, old-timer. Don’t get mad, I was just saying.”
Qin Mu looked at the blood-red walls around him, wondering where this navigation had taken him.
Originally, following the Divine Dragon’s guidance, Qin Mu had been walking along, and the scenery was fairly normal—just palace corridors—until he squeezed into a small passageway.
First, he fell flat on his butt, kissing the ground with a solid thud, the pain making him feel like his rear was about to split in two.
Then the Divine Dragon kept saying, go straight ahead, go straight ahead, then turn left, then turn right.
At least it wasn’t like some navigation apps; there was a path, and he could walk it.
But all that turning left and right had him completely disoriented, and in his daze, he ended up in this place he didn’t recognize, with blood-red walls and an uncomfortable feeling in the air.
Actually, the Divine Dragon was also a bit uncertain in his heart, but that shouldn’t be.
With this formation, he could see the trick of it at a glance.
Guiding this human brat shouldn’t be a problem.
But as they walked, the Divine Dragon noticed that the surrounding Demonic Qi was growing denser and denser.
“Whew!”
Qin Mu climbed over a step and reached a platform.
Before him was an unusually vast space, with over a dozen large pillars standing erect.
“Whoa! It seems the master of this cave abode really went all out!”
Qin Mu couldn’t help but exclaim.
However, the Divine Dragon snorted disdainfully.
“Hmph! Human brat, you call this going all out? In my opinion, the master of this cave abode was lazy. A Heavenly Unity Stage cultivator couldn’t have created such a small space.”
“So, Divine Dragon, you mean there’s something strange here?”
“You could say that. Anyway, kid, stay alert. If you die here, this old man will have no hope of seeing the light of day again in this lifetime.”
Qin Mu said he’d do his best.
After all, for a minor Qi Refining Stage cultivator, just keeping his sorry hide alive was already the limit.
The platform was huge.
Qin Mu scanned his surroundings and decided to just head straight forward.
After walking for about twenty minutes, he finally saw the end of the platform—a cave entrance, very small.
Qin Mu squeezed inside.
The feeling…
The great Tao Yuanming would have had a lot to say about it.
At first, it was extremely narrow, barely allowing a person through.
After walking several dozen more steps, it suddenly opened up into brightness.
Unfortunately, there were no so-called NPCs with yellow hair and hanging locks, just an empty, vast cavern.
After walking a dozen or so steps, Qin Mu saw a large pool, but the water inside was blood-red.
“A Blood Pool! Not good! Human brat! We’ve entered Demonic Territory!”
The Divine Dragon’s voice suddenly rang out in Qin Mu’s mind.
“Nani! Divine Dragon, are you sure you’re not mistaken?!”
Now Qin Mu felt a tiny bit panicked.
He was trying to avoid the Demon Clan, and here he was, walking right into their den.
“Kid, this old man would never lie to you. Hurry up and leave! It won’t be good if the Demon Clan discovers us!”
Hearing the Divine Dragon’s serious tone, Qin Mu quickly prepared to turn back the way he came.
The Divine Dragon was also filled with regret in his heart.
He really was getting old.
For so long, he hadn’t realized that everything along the way hinted at connections to the Demon Clan.
“Wait! Human brat, Demons are approaching! Hide quickly!”
Qin Mu wanted to hide, but the area was open and empty, with no cover at all—except for this Blood Pool.
The Blood Pool!
Fortunately, Qin Mu had practiced the Turtle Breathing Technique.
He hurriedly plunged headfirst into the Blood Pool.
Not long after, two blood-red figures walked over.
The two figures searched around, and one of them spoke: “Strange, I clearly sensed an unfamiliar aura here. How did it disappear?”
The other figure said: “Maybe the sensing was wrong. That aura just now was at the Qi Refining Stage, but what Qi Refining Stage cultivator would dare enter a cave abode designed by our Master for the Heavenly Unity Stage?”
“That’s true. Let’s go.”
“Mhm, let’s finish the patrol and get off work.”
Qin Mu, hiding in the Blood Pool, heard every word of their conversation.
So this Heavenly Unity Stage cave abode was a Demon Clan trap!
Qin Mu panicked.
Miss Ruoshuang and Miss Mengyu!
Just as Qin Mu was about to emerge from the Blood Pool, the Divine Dragon’s voice rang in his mind again.
“Don’t move! Human brat, those two haven’t gone far yet. Besides, this Blood Pool seems to be able to conceal your aura.”
Qin Mu had no choice but to continue holding his breath.
Although he had the Turtle Breathing Technique and could hold his breath for hours without a problem, the urgent task now was to get out and inform Miss Ruoshuang and Miss Mengyu.
“Human brat, this old man senses the flow of the water in the Blood Pool changing. Follow my guidance; we’re sure to find a way out.”
“Uh… Divine Dragon, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but… are you really sure this time?”
Qin Mu was afraid the Divine Dragon might lead him into another dragon’s den or tiger’s lair.
“Hah! Human brat! That was just a momentary lapse on my part! This time, I can definitely lead you out!”
“Divine Dragon, don’t be angry. I believe you, alright?”
Following the Divine Dragon’s guidance, Qin Mu swam along with the water flow.
“Alright, human brat, come out now.”
Qin Mu exerted himself and, with a splash, broke the surface.
“Pwah, finally out.”
Qin Mu spat out a mouthful of water and wiped his face with his hand.
When his vision cleared, his expression instantly froze.
Before him were two people.
One was a youth—an old acquaintance, Jing Kun.
The other was a person with an eerie, androgynous appearance, somewhat like a man, yet also somewhat like a woman.
Faced with this scene, both sides stood frozen in place.
The corner of Qin Mu’s mouth twitched as he roared inwardly, ‘Divine Dragon! What is this?!’
“Ahaha, human brat, the water of this Blood Pool blocks auras. This old man didn’t sense anyone here just now either.”
Jing Kun looked at Qin Mu with astonishment, and Qin Mu looked back at Jing Kun with equal astonishment.
Involuntarily, a line from a song echoed in both their minds—
This is fate! Also the most beautiful meeting in life!
Don’t blame heaven! A smile is more fitting…
Ahem! Okay, enough of that.
Taking advantage of the other side not having reacted yet, Qin Mu hurriedly plunged headfirst back into the water.
The first to react was the Ninth Venerable.
“How could there be a human here?!”
You must know, this was a space personally created by the Master, layered with spatial folds.
Ordinary people couldn’t find this place.
Even a Heavenly Unity Stage expert would have a hard time locating it without considerable effort.
“Damn it! Can’t let that human brat escape!”
The Ninth Venerable then also plunged into the water.
As for why he didn’t attack—with the Ninth Venerable’s power, one strike would surely destroy the Blood Pool, and they couldn’t allow the Blood Pool to be destroyed.
On the scene, only Jing Kun was left.
By the time he came to his senses, both Qin Mu and the Ninth Venerable had already vanished without a trace.
The Ninth Venerable was ostensibly assigned to protect Jing Kun, but in reality, he was there to monitor him.
If Jing Kun ran away, it would be a great loss for the Demon Clan.
However, now that the Ninth Venerable wasn’t by his side, a plan suddenly sprouted in Jing Kun’s heart.
He glanced at the Blood Pool, then turned and walked in a certain direction.