One of my fairy-like friends

The tunnel was extremely deep, far exceeding Mingyan's original imagination. He had initially thought that since it was a tomb, it couldn't be that big, but as the exploration deepened, he realized that he had misjudged the situation.

The three of them had no idea how far they had gone underground. They continued to follow the spiraling tunnel downwards. The further they went, the wider and darker the tunnel became. The three of them continued to descend by the light of the spirit butterfly.

"This is too deep... Have we stumbled into some kind of formation and lost ourselves?" The boy gradually sensed something was wrong. At their speed, they had probably already descended dozens of miles underground. At such a depth, the air should be extremely thin. Although the air content was not high, it was not extremely thin either.

“Something does seem off… Perhaps we should stop and carefully check our surroundings.” Mingyan also sensed something was amiss, and he stopped. “And in such an empty space, there’s no echo when we speak. Isn’t that strange?”

The young man nodded, and the three of them checked the surroundings together before walking to the edge of the tunnel.

The tunnel was surrounded by cracks and folds, making it perfect for climbing. Mingyan reached out and tried to pry the rock wall, only to find that the protruding parts were extremely hard. Despite his great strength, Mingyan was unable to break the protruding parts. He was slightly surprised.

So, if something were to climb on it, it wouldn't fall off easily; it's very hidden and quiet.

"A corpse? Why is this corpse here?"

Suddenly, the boy made a discovery. Mingyan and the young master went over and saw the corpse they had found earlier lying there quietly, just as it had been when they left the location of the corpse.

“We are indeed trapped in the formation. Continuing down will only be a waste of time. We must break the formation.” The young master’s expression was solemn. “To break the formation, we need to find the core of the formation. Have either of you noticed anything special about this place?”

Both the boy and Mingyan shook their heads. Seeing this, the young master said, "Let's split up and search for anything unusual around us, but don't stray too far apart. If what you said is true, then there might be monsters that could take advantage of the time we're apart to attack. Right now, all we can do is break the formation. Losing even one person will make our situation even more dangerous. So I hope you two can put aside your other thoughts for now, help each other, and immediately notify the others if you encounter any danger."

The boy nodded. Although he had been arrogant before, he was not unduly conceited now. "If you are in danger, I will do my best to help."

“Me too.” Mingyan nodded.

The young man nodded, and the three of them separated temporarily to search for anything unusual in the tunnel.

Mingyan arrived at the side of the tunnel. There were many caves in the rock wall. Mingyan pondered for a moment.

The monster might not be restricted by the formation; could it use these caves to move through the tunnels?

However, these caves can only accommodate one person at a time. It is impossible for a person to walk upright inside the cave, and it would be very crowded for two people to walk together. There may be more than one monster. If there are other monsters living in the cave, entering these caves and restricting one's own movement is probably like walking into a trap, which is not much different from suicide.

However, being trapped inside the formation for too long would likely lead to death. The spiritual energy here is thin, and none of the three of them have reached the Qi Sea stage in their cultivation, so they cannot produce spiritual energy on their own. Once the spiritual energy is exhausted, they will probably be attacked. Staying here is not a good option either. Ming Yan's eyes flickered slightly as he pondered a solution.

Suddenly, Ming Yan's hair stood on end, and he immediately jumped back. By the light of the spirit butterfly, Ming Yan could vaguely see a dark red figure silently extending its cold claws from the cave. If Ming Yan hadn't reacted quickly, he would have almost had his throat torn apart by those claws.

"Fellow Daoist?" The young man heard the commotion and rushed over. "What happened?"

The boy also rushed over, looking puzzled.

"Something attacked me in these caves just now. It was too dark, I couldn't see clearly, but it seemed to be dark red all over." Ming Yan remained calm. He had been a hunter before and had been attacked by wild beasts. He knew that if he couldn't think calmly in this situation, he might lose his life. "There's probably more than one monster in these tunnels; quite a few probably live in there..."

"...Did you sense the monster's strength?" the young master asked, frowning.

Mingyan shook his head. "I didn't sense anything. Besides, these monsters don't seem to be trapped by the formation. I suspect that these caves in the tunnel can bypass the formation and leave this area, but these caves are too small, only big enough for us to climb through. Going inside would actually limit our strength, and besides, the caves are the monsters' stronghold..."

“Going in is not a wise move,” the young master pondered. “But being trapped here indefinitely is not a solution either… Neither Zeng Qi nor I are Qi Sea Realm cultivators. The spiritual energy here is thin, and we cannot effectively replenish it. If we drag this out, the spiritual energy will gradually run out, and we will die sooner or later.”

It turned out that the boy's name was Zeng Qi.

"Why not take advantage of the current abundance of spiritual energy and try to break out of these caves?" Zeng Qi's eyes flashed like lightning. "Since these monsters only dare to ambush, their strength is definitely inferior to ours."

“But these caves must have been built by monsters. They’re all interconnected, and even if we get in, we might not be able to find our way out.” Mingyan shook his head. “Going in rashly is too risky. I suggest we look for other ways to get out of the formation. If there really is no other way, then we can consider the feasibility of this method.”

The young man nodded. “That’s what I think too. Please try not to consume your spiritual energy. My spirit butterfly was made using special techniques. It only serves to provide light and doesn’t consume much spiritual energy, so you don’t need to worry. Just conserve your strength in case of any accidents.”

Because of the attack on Mingyan, the three of them started working together to search for traces of the formation.

The three of them searched for a while but couldn't find any clues. The tunnel was dark and damp, and apart from a few fluorescent plants growing on the walls and some caves that led to unknown places, there was nothing else.

Mingyan had been observing his surroundings. After practicing the Wind Spirit Scripture, his sensitivity to the surrounding airflow became exceptionally strong.

The tunnel had airflow, which is why the boy could smell the blood. The air clearly had a direction, and Mingyan started to go against the flow. Although the other two did not know what Mingyan had discovered, they followed in his footsteps.

The airflow was extremely strange; despite being in a large, open space, it inexplicably curved and twisted, as if something invisible was blocking it, forcing the airflow to flow only through certain gaps...

Mingyan opened his eyes and found that the airflow was not coming from the caves in the wall. To verify this, he stood at the entrance of those caves and felt it. He found that there was no airflow coming out. These caves were probably built inside tunnels and had no connection to the outside world. If he rashly entered, he would only end up going around in circles in the tunnel. If he was not careful, he might lose his life.

Where does this airflow come from? Mingyan thought for a moment and concluded that it either connects to the outside world somewhere, or it flows in from where they entered.

With that thought in mind, Mingyan told the other two about his discovery.

"Is that so? I've heard that if you follow certain paths within the formation, you can indeed exit without breaking the formation's core." The young master nodded. "It's worth a try."

"Don't hesitate, let's go." Zeng Qi couldn't wait to leave either; being trapped here was no good.

Seeing that the two agreed with his idea, Mingyan began to look for the trajectory of the airflow, while the other two followed behind Mingyan, carefully guarding their surroundings.

The airflow suddenly changed direction, as if it had hit some kind of invisible wall. Mingyan followed the direction of the airflow, leading the remaining two people to spin around in place. They seemed to be spinning around aimlessly like headless flies, but if you looked closely, you would find that there was a certain pattern to it.

Mingyan discovered that there seemed to be a hidden maze here, and the airflow was coming from the entrance of the hidden maze. With this, Mingyan became more determined and quickened his pace. After about half an incense stick's time, Mingyan opened his eyes and clearly felt that the surrounding situation had changed. The spiritual energy suddenly became richer. He looked around in surprise and found that the surrounding environment had completely changed.

"What is this...? Weren't we just in the tunnel? How did we suddenly end up here?" Zeng Qi, the boy who had been following Ming Yan, also noticed the anomaly and was very puzzled.

“This means we’ve broken out of the formation…this place might be the real secret realm,” the young master said.

The three found themselves in a bright and open space, as if they had entered an underground tomb. The surroundings gradually brightened, but there was no visible light source, which was quite magical. A faint medicinal fragrance wafted from the tomb, and the spiritual energy was abundant, which was completely different from the feeling in the tunnel.

"Watch out!" Suddenly, Zeng Qi shoved Ming Yan, who fell forward uncontrollably. He quickly regained his balance and turned around to see a strange, dark red monster being trampled under the feet of the young master. Its head was crushed, and its brains were spilling everywhere.

The monster was covered in red fur, and its blood and brain matter mixed together, emitting a strong stench. Its body was about the size of a monkey, and its claws were not long, but were jet black and looked quite sharp.

"Hmph, this despicable monster actually tried to launch a sneak attack while we were distracted," Zeng Qi sneered.

"Thank you," Mingyan said. This surprised Mingyan somewhat. His first impression of this man wasn't good; he seemed arrogant and domineering, with a very haughty and disdainful personality. Moreover, after leaving the formation, he no longer needed Mingyan's help to escape, yet Mingyan still extended a helping hand to save him...

"It was just a casual push, no need to thank me." Zeng Qi shook his head. "Besides, even though we've left the formation, we might still encounter some dangers... Having one more person always means more confidence. Compared to the treasure, our lives are more important."

“That’s the right way to think.” The young master lifted his foot. His boots were not stained with blood and brains and still looked quite elegant. He chuckled. “There’s no need to fight to the death. Opportunities are something that will come to whoever is lucky in time… No need to fight to the death.”

Mingyan turned his head to observe the situation ahead. The spiritual energy inside the tomb was dense, but he could still see small caves on the walls, just wide enough for one person to crawl through. These monsters could also access these caves...

"This monster isn't particularly strong, probably only around the Taixi Realm. If it were to launch a sudden attack, even a cultivator at the Zhaohai Realm might be in danger, let alone our current strength which is still suppressed... We still need to be careful." The young master bent down to examine the red-haired monster's dark blue claws, flicked them with his finger, and they produced a metallic sound.

“Let’s keep going. There must be some medicinal herbs growing in this tomb. It seems the three of us should be the fastest. Let’s pick them first to prevent others from getting them,” Zeng Qi said.

Chapter Nine: Guests of Yaochi

After leaving Wang Qingchu's Qi Sea World, Ming Yan came to his senses and forgot to ask why the Human King Body could not become an emperor.

Mingyan shook his head and left the place.

He had originally intended to visit An Ran and Shui Ruyan, but after thinking about it, he decided to give up for the time being.

Just as he liked Ning Feixuan, he also knew that An Ran liked him.

Mingyan felt that his sister's words might not be the best choice for him.

If I can't give Anran what she wants, then I shouldn't hold her back.

Since that's the case, let's not meet.

As Mingyan walked through Yaochi, he felt a little sentimental. He and Ning Feixuan, An Ran and himself, were like mirror images... Did Ning Feixuan think the same way before?

After realizing this, Mingyan suddenly became lost in thought. If it really was a mirror image, would his and Anran's fates be the same?

He couldn't win over Ning Feixuan, just like An Ran couldn't enter his heart.

Mingyan shook his head, banishing these distracting thoughts. He looked around and saw that Yaochi Holy Land seemed to be spring-like all year round. Every time he came to Yaochi Holy Land, the peach trees and peach blossoms were always in full bloom.

Perhaps it was influenced by the Immortal Peach Tree?

Mingyan stood under the peach tree, watching the peach blossoms and leaves fall gracefully in the air before slowly descending.

"If you like, you can take one back and plant it in Fenglingyueying."

Ming Yan heard Ning Mengru's voice behind him. He turned around and saw Ning Mengru standing not far away, smiling at him.

Ning Mengru wore a light blue palace dress and a hair crown adorned with jade, which made her look dignified and elegant, giving her a sense of imperial grace.

"Aunt Ning," Ming Yan greeted her.

"Well? Do you have this idea?" Ning Mengru moved gracefully to Ming Yan's side, looked up at the brightly blooming flowers on the tree, reached out and picked up a peach blossom. The peach blossom bloomed even more beautifully, delicate and lovely, as if it liked Ning Mengru's touch.

“If we take them back, they will lose their spiritual energy, won’t they?” Mingyan shook his head. “They have all been tainted by the immortal energy of the Peach Tree. Taking them away would not be a good thing.”

“Although they have been imbued with the aura of the Immortal Peach Tree, they are still not the Immortal Peach Tree, and they will eventually grow old.” Ning Mengru gently shook her head. “As long as you don’t use them to do anything strange, it doesn’t matter.”

Mingyan suddenly remembered that he had once thought of using the trunk of the Immortal Peach Tree to make the bow. He remained calm, wondering what kind of expression Aunt Ning would have if she found out.

Mingyan shook his head. "Forget it, I don't think I can take good care of it."

Seeing this, Ning Mengru chuckled, "This morning, a guest came to the Holy Land. Do you know who it was?"

"Guests?" Ming Yan shook his head. He had just come from Wang Qingchu's place and knew nothing about it.

“Gu Hanshuang,” Ning Mengru uttered a name.

"Gu Hanshuang? What's she doing here?" Ming Yan was puzzled. Weren't all the teleportation portals broken now? From the Southern Continent to the Eastern Continent, let alone her being only at the full level of the Divine Palace, even a powerful cultivator at the Human Welcome Realm would probably find it difficult to cross the distance in a short time.

It should be noted that even with Huang Jun's cultivation level of Ruren Yingjing, it took him a month to travel from the Huang family to the Yaochi Holy Land.

“After leaving the Supreme Dao Palace, Gu Hanshuang did not return to the Southern Continent, but instead traveled around the Eastern Continent.” Ning Mengru smiled calmly, her every move exuding a dignified and elegant air. “I guess she is looking for something.”

“As far as I know, she has quite a few enemies.” Ming Yan recalled encountering people who wanted to kill Gu Han Shuang in the secret realm. “Aren’t you afraid of encountering danger?”

Gu Hanshuang doesn't seem to be very good at making friends. At least among the people Mingyan knows who know Gu Hanshuang, they are either afraid of her or stand against her.

For example, when the Extreme Dao Palace descended upon Lijian Peak, those cultivators from the Southern Continent, such as Yu Mudan, were there.

"Unless the older generation intervenes, how many people can be her match?" Ning Mengru shook her head slightly. "Among the younger generation, I'm afraid few can rival her. Do you want to meet her?"

“It doesn’t seem necessary.” Mingyan shook his head.

“If nothing unexpected happens, you will eventually become comrades-in-arms.” Ning Mengru said with a light laugh, “And becoming friends with her is more advantageous for you than becoming enemies with her.”

"But Gu Hanshuang has a grudge against the number one Jade Peony of the demon race, and I don't want to get involved with them."

If the feud between Mingyan and one of them had occurred after Mingyan became friends with one of them, Mingyan would naturally not mind helping one of them. But once the feud was established, no matter which side he befriended, he would probably inevitably be dragged into it. Knowing that there would be trouble, Mingyan would not allow himself to get involved.

Ning Mengru nodded and did not insist on this matter. "The Great Dao is repairing the teleportation gate faster than I expected. If you want to return to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, you can set off now. Short-distance teleportation is already possible, but you may need to travel through many places to return to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land."

Ning Mengru gave a brief explanation, which was that Mingyan would need to make multiple short-distance teleportations and transfer several times to reach his destination.

These short-distance teleportation arrays were used before the large teleportation gate was built. However, after the large teleportation gate was built, many of the small teleportation arrays along the way were abandoned. Therefore, teleportation may be one-way. If that is the case, he will need to find the nearest other usable small teleportation array.

In any case, no one can be sure of the exact time when they will return to Fenglingyueying.

But he should go back eventually. Although his sister is in the Yaochi Holy Land, Fenglingyueying is his holy land, where his senior sister and master are.

Mingyan nodded. "Then I'll make my preparations and take my leave."

"Take care on your journey." Ning Mengru nodded gently.

Mingyan packed up and said goodbye to Wang Qingchu before leaving. Wang Qingchu did not try to stop Mingyan, but stood on the beach with his hands behind his back, smiling at him, "Come back soon."