"They haven't returned to the Tianyuan Academy yet?"
After hearing Zheng Muyao's reply, Su Yi couldn't help but furrow his brows.
Did something delay Ling Xue and the others on their way, or did something unexpected happen?
"Go back and tell your father to use the power of the Zheng family to help me investigate a ship," Su Yi said, briefly describing the characteristics of the passenger ship that departed from Yunhe County six days ago and the time of departure.
Zheng Muyao had just entered the Shushi Residence, her seat still warm, and she felt a bit reluctant. But when she saw Su Yi's serious expression, she couldn't delay any longer and quickly left.
"Master, Ling Xue has Master Zhuguqing accompanying her. There shouldn't be any problems," Tea Jin said softly.
Su Yi responded indifferently, "Zhuguqing's martial arts attainments are inferior even to ordinary travelers. I can't completely rely on her."
Tea Jin said, "But in this mundane world, Zhuguqing's strength is already top-notch. Unless she encounters a formidable martial arts master of the same level, she should be able to protect Miss Ling Xue."
Su Yi nodded and said, "Let's wait for news. I hope I'm just being overly concerned."
Just as he said that, there was a sudden knock on the door.
"I'll go and open the door," Tea Jin hurriedly said.
Not long after, Tea Jin returned with a petite figure, a girl dressed in a plain cloud-patterned long dress, and a youthful appearance.
"Master..." Tea Jin was about to say something, but Su Yi raised an eyebrow and said, "It's not your concern, you can leave."
Tea Jin nodded and quietly left the room.
Just now, when she saw the sudden arrival of the unfamiliar woman, an indescribable sense of fear arose within her, shaking her mind. She didn't even have time to ask anything before the other party stepped into the Shushi Residence.
"Who is this again?" Tea Jin's beautiful eyes flickered, could it be a transcendent being?
The thought startled her.
"In Gunzhou City, it's impossible to have a transcendent being. Maybe the woman who just came is an extremely formidable martial arts master," Tea Jin thought to herself, but she leaned her ear and listened attentively.
"I just left the Tianyuan Academy at noon, and you suddenly came to find me in the evening. What do you want?" Su Yi calmly sat there in the room, looking at the girl with a youthful appearance.
"Fellow Daoist must have noticed the mysterious phenomenon that occurred this evening, right?" Ning Xianhu casually sat on the side and spoke softly.
Her temperament was unique, with an otherworldly aura and a youthful innocence, creating a charming charm like that of a bewitching beauty.
"A phenomenon?" Su Yi seemed to realize something and said in surprise, "I noticed it. Are you suspecting that I caused it?"
Ning Xianhu shook her head and smiled, "How could I be so ignorant? Such a rare phenomenon that occurs only once in thousands of years, even if it were a cultivator at your level, it would be impossible to achieve."
Su Yi also smiled, "Is that so? It may not be the case."
"Fellow Daoist seems to have discerned something?" Ning Xianhu asked with interest.
Su Yi responded calmly, "Are you seeking advice from me?"
Ning Xianhu, as the head of the Tianyuan Academy, would have disregarded such remarks from anyone else and might have even taught them a lesson in manners.
But in the face of Su Yi, she didn't feel offended at all because from the moment she saw Su Yi, she considered him a "kindred spirit."
Ning Xianhu's voice was melodious like a heavenly sound as she said, "I came here precisely because I have doubts about the recent phenomenon. If fellow Daoist would be so kind as to enlighten me, I would be all ears."
Su Yi picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "But why should I enlighten you?"
Ning Xianhu was taken aback for a moment, blinked her eyes, and said, "Even if... I owe fellow Daoist a favor, how about that?"
Su Yi smiled and said, "Do you remember what I said when I left the Tianyuan Academy today?"
Ning Xianhu looked puzzled and said, "Are you still bothered by today's move during our exchange?"
Su Yi looked deeply at her and said, "That move made you realize that even if you go all out, you might not be able to keep me. Such intentions can hardly be considered goodwill. What do you think? Should I hold a grudge?"
Ning Xianhu took a deep breath and slightly clasped her hands, saying, "I did indeed offend today. I hope fellow Daoist can forgive me."
Su Yi smiled and said, "As the esteemed head of the Tianyuan Academy, there's no need for you to be like this. When there's an opportunity, you can also make a move against me."
Ning Xianhu couldn't help but cry and laugh. She hadn't expected Su Yi, such an extraordinary person, to care so much about this matter.
But when she thought about her actions today, she realized that they were indeed improper, and it was difficult to argue for herself.
"Well, from now on, whenever fellow Daoist wants to spar, I'll accompany you to the end. At worst, I'll just end up being beaten by fellow Daoist," Ning Xianhu said with a weak smile.
Su Yi accepted the offer and said, "Alright, let's not discuss this matter further. Regarding the phenomenon, I do have some understanding, but I cannot reveal the secrets behind it to you."
"Why is that?" Ning Xianhu's eyebrows furrowed.
Su Yi casually said, "In this world, things aren't so easily explained. But can you tell me whether you're an old monster who has lived for countless years or if there's something special about your bloodline and innate talent?"
Ning Xianhu fell silent for a moment and smiled as she counter-questioned, "And what about you, fellow Daoist? Are you an old demon who has possessed someone's body or a banished immortal who fell from the sky?"
Without waiting for Su Yi's answer, Ning Xianhu continued, "These kinds of personal secrets, I won't divulge, and neither will you. But when we met for the first time, we could sense something about each other. That's why I consider you a 'kindred spirit.'"
She looked at Su Yi and said, "I also hope that fellow Daoist can see some goodwill in me. After all, in this mundane world, people like us are extremely rare. I won't hide it from you. In the past thirty years, I have been traveling within the Great Zhou Empire, searching far and wide, but only today did I encounter you as a fellow Daoist."
Su Yi was taken aback and asked, "You've been searching for 'kindred spirits'? Why is that?"
Ning Xianhu sighed lightly and said, "To prepare for the future, as far as I know, although the Cyan Continent may appear barren and devoid of a true supreme heritage, it is far from being as simple as it seems."
Speaking of this, she looked at Su Yi and continued, "Each of the Eight Great Demon Mountains within the Great Zhou Empire holds great mysteries. So far, I have explored three of them, and without exception, I encountered some unusual and dangerous phenomena that forced me to retreat."
Su Yi raised an eyebrow, hearing about these matters for the first time, and asked, "What kind of unusual phenomena?"
"For example, in the Wangu Demon Mountain in the western border of the Great Zhou Empire, there is a blood-red swamp with floating bones, a convergence of evil mist and thunder. I once ventured into it and chanced upon an altar adorned with peculiar bird and beast totems. On top of the altar, there was a snow-white skull," Ning Xianhu said.
At this point, Ning Xianhu's eyes shimmered with a strange light. "Just by glimpsing at it from a distance, my mind was almost overwhelmed by an intangible and eerie force. It was only through some secret technique that I managed to barely stay conscious and retreat immediately."
"In my opinion, even a Transcendent Master would be helpless against such invisible and eerie forces. I even suspect that an Origin Dao cultivator would have a slim chance of survival," she added.
Hearing this, Su Yi couldn't help but show interest and said, "That's intriguing. It's quite unusual for such a desolate place with scarce spiritual energy to harbor such dangerous locations."
Ning Xianhu smiled and said, "If fellow Daoist is interested, we can find some time to explore them together."
However, Su Yi shook his head and replied, "Perhaps when I can no longer make further progress in my cultivation, then I might consider going."
After a pause, he asked, "What about the other two demon mountains? Are there any peculiarities?"
Ning Xianhu didn't conceal anything and proceeded to describe them one by one.
Deep within the frigid lands of the northern border of the Great Zhou Empire, there lies a vast and perpetual sea enveloped in ice and snow storms—a boundless expanse.
Within this sea, there is a floating mountain known as the 'Silver Flame Demon Mountain.' The mountain itself is not large, but it contains an unfathomable underground cavern that seems to lead to the abyssal depths of the earth.
Ning Xianhu once delved three thousand zhang into it and discovered a gigantic underground labyrinth, resembling a honeycomb with countless pathways extending within.
As she attempted to unravel the mysteries of the underground maze, in less than half an hour, she encountered a group of ancient corpses clad in bronze armor. Each one exuded a sinister and eerie aura, capable of easily killing even Grandmaster-level figures.
At that time, Ning Xianhu didn't hesitate to escape—not out of fear but because she realized that even if she killed those eerie ancient corpses, there would be even more dangers awaiting her along the way.
She referred to this place as the "Underground Corpse Labyrinth."
In the northwest region of the Great Zhou Empire, there lies a notorious place of great danger—the "Treasure Shrine Demon Mountain."
This mountain is mighty and stretches for thousands of miles, with demons and beasts roaming throughout its territory.
Ning Xianhu had ventured deep into it and encountered a dilapidated ruin that seemed to be an abandoned Buddhist monastery.
Every night, when darkness fell, the ruins would be filled with eerie black lotus shadows, hundreds and thousands of them, accompanied by faint chanting sounds that sent shivers down the spine, reminiscent of ghostly wails and howls.
Ning Xianhu had observed from afar and witnessed the eerie aura emanating from the ruins in the darkness of the night. Occasionally, vague figures would move through the darkness, resembling a procession of countless ghosts, incredibly eerie.
After hearing all of this, Su Yi couldn't help but be entranced by the descriptions.
The Wangu Demon Mountain with its blood-red swamp, the peculiar altar adorned with a fragmented eerie skull...
The Silver Flame Demon Mountain with its underground corpse labyrinth, a maze-like network of paths where eerie ancient corpses are dispersed...
And within the Treasure Shrine Demon Mountain, the peculiar ruins where black demonic lotuses bloom and chanting can be heard...
All of these sounded incredibly mysterious.
If this were in the vast wilderness of the Nine Provinces, it wouldn't be particularly strange since it is a vast world of cultivation, teeming with countless dangerous and eerie places.
However, the fact that similar dangerous locations exist on the secular continent of the Cyan Continent is rather unusual!