After Priest Chongxu entered the cave, Fairy Baihua followed without hesitation, rushing in quickly.
Lüluo, as Fairy Baihua’s maid, naturally had to follow her mistress.
“You two go in first. I’ll bring up the rear with the little rascal,” Master Longbrow instructed Hu Zi. “Your cultivation is strong, look after Xiao Zhan.”
“Mm,” Hu Zi grunted, leading Xiao Zhan into the cave.
Ye Qiu was about to step forward when Master Longbrow grabbed him.
“What?” Ye Qiu asked, puzzled.
Master Longbrow said, “Little rascal, I closely observed earlier. These two bronze giants are ancient, definitely national treasures. Use the Qiankun Bag to take them, and we’ll split the profits when we sell them.”
Suppressing his anger, Ye Qiu asked, “Old man, are you short of money?”
“Not at all,” Master Longbrow grinned. “Money is a bastard, the more you earn, the more you want.”
“I’m not interested in them,” Ye Qiu said, shaking off Master Longbrow’s hand and preparing to enter the cave.
“Wait!”
Master Longbrow stopped Ye Qiu and said, “Since you don’t want these bronze giants, I won’t force you. Let me tell you something else.”
“What is it?” Ye Qiu asked.
Master Longbrow said, “Don’t you think Fairy Baihua is acting a bit off?”
“In what way?”
“She seems desperate to get the Dragon Vein.”
“Is that it?” Ye Qiu said. “Fairy Baihua wants the Dragon Vein because obtaining it will restore her cultivation, allowing her to return to the cultivation world sooner to avenge her master.”
Master Longbrow laughed, “I was worried you were blinded by her charm, but it seems you’ve already noticed. I was overthinking.”
“But little rascal, the Dragon Vein of Kunlun Mountain must not fall into Fairy Baihua’s hands.”
“Secular treasures shouldn’t be touched by people from the cultivation world.”
“I’m warning you, if you dare help Fairy Baihua seize the Dragon Vein, don’t blame me for turning against you.”
Ah—
Suddenly, a scream from Lüluo echoed through the cave.
“Not good!” Ye Qiu’s expression changed, and he rushed into the cave.
Master Longbrow followed closely behind.
Soon, they caught up with Xiao Zhan and the others. Lüluo was among them, her face pale.
“Lüluo, are you alright?” Ye Qiu asked.
Lüluo shook her head and said, “I’m fine.”
Priest Chongxu explained, “Miss Lüluo accidentally stepped in wolf blood and got scared.”
Ye Qiu turned and noticed several dead grey wolves on the ground nearby, blood pooling around them.
Master Longbrow said, “Speaking of which, we’ve been walking for so long and still haven’t seen that white wolf. Who knows where that beast went?”
Priest Chongxu said, “Where else? That beast must be chasing the Dragon Vein.”
Master Longbrow said, “Let’s pick up the pace, don’t let that beast snatch the Dragon Vein.”
Then, the group continued deeper into the cave.
As they walked, a faint floral fragrance wafted towards them.
“It smells like plum blossoms?” Xiao Zhan said curiously. “Could there be plum blossoms in the cave at this time of year?”
Priest Chongxu said, “Kunlun Mountain is perpetually covered in ice and snow. Plum blossoms aren’t unusual here.”
Xiao Zhan smiled, “I see, I overlooked the climate here.”
Gradually, the scent of plum blossoms grew stronger.
After a few minutes, they emerged from the cave.
Before them stretched a plum grove, with at least a few hundred plum trees.
Though not tall, each tree’s trunk was thicker than a round table, their branches lush, having grown here for over a thousand years.
At this moment, the plum blossoms were in bloom.
Tiny buds, like glistening pearls, adorned the branches, swaying gently in the breeze. Wisps of fragrance rose from the open flowers, quietly dispersing into the cold air.
In the middle of the plum grove was a bluestone staircase.
The group walked along the staircase, weaving through the grove.
Suddenly, Priest Chongxu pointed ahead and said, “Look over there.”
Everyone looked up and saw dozens of snow sculptures standing about ten metres away.
Master Longbrow stepped forward, examined them, and said, “Strange, why are there so many snow sculptures here, and they look a bit like wolves.”
“Not just like wolves, these sculptures are wolves,” Ye Qiu said, having already seen through them with his Heavenly Eye. With a punch, he shattered a snow sculpture, revealing a wolf inside.
“It’s the pack of grey wolves from before,” Xiao Zhan said.
Ye Qiu glanced at them and said, “They were frozen to death.”
Master Longbrow frowned and said, “How could these wolves be frozen to death for no reason? There’s something strange about this place!”
Priest Chongxu said gravely, “This place seems peaceful but hides danger. Everyone, be extra cautious…”
Before he could finish, the plum trees began to shake violently, and waves of chilling air spread out.
Instantly, it felt as if they were in an eternal ice cave, a bone-piercing cold enveloping them. Even someone with Hu Zi’s cultivation shivered, and Xiao Zhan, the weakest, was frozen stiff, his body encased in ice and snow in the blink of an eye.
“Move!”
Ye Qiu shouted, shattering the ice around Xiao Zhan with a palm strike, then grabbing him and dashing forward.
The others used their full speed, quickly escaping the plum grove.
Soon after they left, the plum trees stopped shaking and returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.
“What the hell is this place?” Master Longbrow exclaimed.
Priest Chongxu, standing beside him, looked ahead and saw they were at the edge of a sheer cliff, with a bottomless abyss before them.
Opposite them was another cliff, about a hundred metres away, connected by an iron chain bridge.
The bridge was old and dilapidated, its wooden planks mostly rotted away, leaving only a few. The iron chains were covered in green rust, swaying in the wind with a clanging sound, like a death knell.
Though perilous, it was no challenge for Ye Qiu.
“Prepare to cross,” Master Longbrow said.
“I, I’m afraid of heights,” Lüluo said softly.
“I’ll take you,” Fairy Baihua said, wrapping an arm around Lüluo’s waist. With a leap, she glided dozens of metres across the bridge, her toes lightly touching the chains.
Priest Chongxu and Master Longbrow followed, soaring across.
“Hu Zi, you go first,” Ye Qiu said.
Hu Zi nodded and vanished in a flash.
Ye Qiu said to Xiao Zhan, “Use Wudang’s Cloud Ladder Technique. I’ll cover you from behind.”
Xiao Zhan knew Ye Qiu was training him. Taking a deep breath, he used the Cloud Ladder Technique and darted forward.
Soon, they reached the opposite cliff. Looking up, they saw a massive bronze gate ahead.
The gate was about ten zhang high and three zhang wide, adorned with carvings of various divine beasts, ancient and weathered.
Above the gate hung a bronze plaque with four vigorous seal characters: Kunlun Divine Palace!
