Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Chapter 542 Stargazing Party

Shen Mo stood there, gazing in the direction where Tantai Mingyue had disappeared, his brows slightly furrowed. Was that last line, "The abyss is deep, the starry canyon unpredictable," a reminder? A warning? Or something else entirely?

Zhao Qingyan walked to his side and whispered, "Sect Leader, this Fairy Tantai—she's unfathomable. She seems to have a real connection to our techniques. That 'Moonlight Dew'—"

Shen Mo picked up the cold jade bottle. It was cool to the touch. He probed it slightly with his divine sense and found that the essence of moonlight and the tranquil Daoist charm contained within were genuine. It was indeed a rare and high-grade spiritual item, and its value was considerable.

"The item is genuine, but it might not be malicious." Shen Mo put away the jade bottle, his gaze deep and unfathomable. "But her statement about being familiar with Daoist principles," and that last sentence, warrant caution. The Tantai Clan—it seems we've inadvertently stumbled upon another ancient secret. Su Xiao."

Su Xiao quietly appeared from the shadows.

"The Tantai clan is a top priority, but we must not actively investigate them, especially not near the Yunmengze encampment. Also, inform everyone that unless absolutely necessary, they should not leave Yunqi Garden in the coming days. The team battle is imminent, and the second round of the individual battle will also begin. We cannot afford to be disrupted by any unexpected events at this time."

"yes!"

Shen Mo walked back to the main house and sat down on the futon. The image of Tantai Mingyue's cool, moon-like face flashed through his mind, along with her pointed words. Qingyun Sect, like a chess piece thrown into the mist, seemed to be unintentionally stirring up some long-forgotten chessboard and threads.

Undercurrents surge, the bright moon hangs high.

This trip to Tianyuan City is becoming increasingly complicated.

The mystery and pressure brought by Tantai Mingyue's late-night visit were like an ice stone thrown into a lake of the heart, stirring up ripples before sinking into the depths, leaving behind a lingering chill and vigilance.

Shen Mo returned to the quiet room and carefully put away the "Moonlight Dew" without using it immediately.

He sat cross-legged on the futon, trying to enter a meditative state, but in his mind, Tantai Mingyue's cold words, the spying of the Heavenly Sword Sect and that mysterious third party, and the dangerous images of "Starfall Gorge" flashed alternately, making it difficult to completely calm his mind.

Just as his mind was slightly disturbed and he was about to forcefully circulate the "Source Sea Dao Scripture" to calm his emotions, an extremely faint yet incredibly clear divine thought transmission, carrying a unique sense of freedom and unbridled spirit that he could never forget, suddenly rang out from the depths of his consciousness without warning: "Tomorrow at 3:45 AM, at the Star Observatory in the west of the city, an old friend will be brewing tea. You may come and have a chat."

The voice was calm, like a casual agreement between old friends, leaving no room for response and revealing no identity. But Shen Mo instantly recognized the sender.

Li Xiaoyao!

This mysterious and unpredictable swordsman in green robes, whose cultivation was unfathomable and who had appeared at several key moments in his life, leaving behind mysteries and warnings, was actually in Tianyuan City! Moreover, he had once again taken the initiative to seek him out!

Shen Mo suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing deep within his pupils. He instinctively reached for the storage ring in his robes, that ancient-looking...

The jade talisman, neither gold nor wood, lay quietly in the corner, its cool touch emanating from the space, as if echoing the telepathic message from earlier.

Old friends? Brewing tea? Reminiscing?

A faint, almost icy smile appeared on Shen Mo's lips. What kind of "old friend" was he to Li Xiaoyao?

It might be more accurate to describe their relationship as that of "savior" and "rescued," or "mysterious mastermind" and "pawn."

Each appearance of the other party is accompanied by a huge crisis and turning point. He gave him a jade talisman to remind him to be careful of the Netherworld and also to be careful of himself. Now, in Tianyuan City, where various forces are eyeing him covetously and undercurrents are surging, what "old stories" is he going to "reminisce" about?

What do you want from him? Or—what do you want to tell him?

Countless thoughts flashed through Shen Mo's mind. Finally, he slowly exhaled, his gaze returning to calm. Whatever Li Xiaoyao's intentions, this appointment must be kept.

This person may hold crucial clues about Qingyunzi, the Netherworld Path, and many other secrets about this world, and may even be related to the mystery of his own "time travel".

This could be an opportunity to unveil the mysteries, though it could also be an even more dangerous trap.

"Su Xiao," Shen Mo transmitted his voice through divine sense.

From the shadows, Su Xiao's cool reply immediately came: "Sect Leader?"

"Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), I need to go out alone to keep an appointment. The location is the Star Observatory in the west of the city. You will stay in the courtyard to oversee the security and ensure the safety of everyone else. Do not follow me secretly; my opponent's cultivation is unfathomable, and you might not be able to keep up, which could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings."

Su Xiao paused for a moment, clearly surprised and worried by the sudden arrangement that the sect leader would be going to meet an "old friend" alone, but she didn't ask any further questions, simply replying, "Yes. Sect leader, please be careful."

"Hmm." Shen Mo said no more and closed his eyes again.

This time, he no longer tried to dispel distracting thoughts, but let Li Xiaoyao's telepathic messages, Tantai Mingyue's words, and the undercurrents of Tianyuan City slowly flow and settle in his mind.

The mental cultivation method of the "Source Sea Dao Scripture" operated naturally, and the nascent soul radiated a warm light, nourishing his spirit and keeping him absolutely clear-headed and calm.

Whether tomorrow's meeting will bring good fortune or misfortune, we'll only know after we meet.

The next day, as dawn broke, before the hour of Chen (7-9 AM).

Shen Mo changed into a clean blue Taoist robe, briefly told Zhao Qingyan and the others, "I'm going out to visit a friend. I'll be back before noon," and then left Yunqi Garden alone. He didn't use any escape techniques; he simply walked along the street, unhurriedly, towards the west of the city, just like an ordinary cultivator.

The Star Gazing Platform is located on the westernmost side of Tianyuan City, near the edge of that heart-stopping bottomless abyss.

This is an extremely tall cylindrical platform, entirely constructed of a strange, pure white stone, only a few dozen feet in diameter, yet over a thousand feet high. It resembles a sharp sword piercing the sky, or a giant pillar connecting the abyss and the "sky".

At the top of the platform, it is said that a powerful array protects it, from which one can clearly observe the vast "sea of ​​stars" above Tianyuan City, which is simulated by the array but seems to exist in reality, as well as the unpredictable scene of Tianyuan below. It is a famous place in Tianyuan City for viewing and comprehending celestial phenomena, and it is not usually open to ordinary cultivators.

When Shen Mo arrived at the foot of the observatory, it was exactly 3:45 AM. In front of the massive platform base, there was no one, only a winding jade staircase leading straight to the top.

There were no guards at the entrance to the stairs, but Shen Mo could sense that it was shrouded in an extremely powerful yet subtle restriction. After a moment's hesitation, he stepped onto the stairs.

The moment his foot touched the ground, the space at the entrance to the stairs ahead rippled slightly, and the powerful barrier silently opened a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through. Clearly, Li Xiaoyao had already opened a passage for him.

Shen Mo remained expressionless as he walked step by step up the seemingly endless spiral staircase.

On both sides of the steps are white stone walls, with occasional open windows offering glimpses of the rapidly passing sea of ​​clouds and the increasingly tiny buildings of Tianyuan City.

The higher you go, the purer and thinner the spiritual energy becomes, carrying a sense of chill and solitude, and a feeling of being in the starry sky.

A strange and profound feeling from looking down upon the human world.

After walking for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view suddenly opened up before him. He had finally reached the top of the observatory.

The top of the platform is a circular platform about thirty feet in diameter, with a smooth, mirror-like surface engraved with intricate and mysterious star trails. The platform's edge is lined with low jade railings.