Outside Lingxi Market, in the Red Leaf Wild Forest.

A group of Cultivators were already waiting there, some conversing, others closing their eyes to meditate.

The person among them wore an exquisite bronze mask, and the others present subtly deferred to him as their leader.

Song Yan and the two others arrived.

The few who had been meditating also opened their eyes.

"Everyone is here."

One of them spoke, seemingly to the masked Cultivator.

The masked Cultivator looked up at Song Yan and the two others, his gaze pausing for a moment.

Then his eyes narrowed slightly.

Song Yesheng? Why is it him... A coincidence?

Song Yan secretly assessed the people in the field.

No one here seemed to be hiding their Realm; a quick sweep with Divine Sense revealed that, apart from the Level 8 Qi Refining Cultivator in the center, everyone else, including himself, consisted of five Cultivators at Qi Refining Stage 6 and three at Qi Refining Stage 5.

What surprised Song Yan was that the mysterious Cultivator in the center, wearing a bronze mask, was directly clad in the Daoist robe of a Cave Abyss Sect Inner Sect Disciple.

Though his face was concealed, his identity was not.

"An Inner Sect Senior Brother?"

Song Yan pondered the identity of this person, who was also observing him.

"I wondered who the relatives of the two Fellow Daoists were; it turns out to be a Junior Brother of my Sect."

The masked Cultivator laughed, "I am Che Ning."

He had not heard that name before.

Song Yan bowed, "Senior Brother Che Ning."

He didn’t need to ask Wu Huaguo; he knew that this name was, in all likelihood, false.

He was already accustomed to it.

Besides Che Ning, there were two other Cave Abyss Sect Disciples.

The two were of similar age, middle-aged, appearing to be around thirty or forty years old.

At this age, not having reached the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Level, even if they were to Breakthrough later and enter the Inner Sect, Foundation Establishment would largely be out of reach.

Song Yan had some impression of one of them.

His name was Wu Zheng, a well-known good-natured person among the Outer Sect Disciples.

Even an aloof Cultivator like Song Yan had once received his kindness.

Because of his age and seniority, any Disciples he knew who were promoted to the Inner Sect would show him some care.

Over time, the miscellaneous tasks he was required to do were usually the easy ones, those with a bit of minor authority.

He was a kind person and used his "positional convenience" to help many Outer Sect Disciples, even those he didn’t know.

Without breaking Sect rules, he provided convenience to many Disciples.

He was quite reputable among the Outer Sect Disciples.

"Fellow Daoists, this journey is to Hu Jiang County, Fu Yun Peak."

Che Ning’s fingertip gently twirled with Spiritual Qi, and a meditation cushion formed from wood vines slowly expanded.

"If you have a Flying Spiritual Artifact, you may go on your own; my withered wood meditation cushion can only accommodate five people."

"Senior Brother Che Ning, you needn’t worry."

Wu Zheng smiled freely, "Lao Wei and I have our own methods."

The Cultivator referred to as Lao Wei nodded, and the two left on their own.

The remaining three seemed to be a small group of Loose Cultivators, and they also nodded upon hearing this.

Only Song Yan was incredibly surprised.

These were all Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators, how was it that he seemed to be the only one without a Flying Spiritual Artifact?

Where did they get the Spirit Stones to buy such external items?

"..."

Speechless in his heart, but his body enjoyed it.

He sat comfortably on Senior Brother Che Ning’s withered wood meditation cushion, and as Che Ning performed the Daoist Magic, it transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky.

This meditation cushion offered an expansive view, providing more transparency compared to the Spirit Boat he took to Jiran Valley previously.

And compared to Senior Sister Qin’s Flying Sword, it offered more comfort.

Che Ning’s voice also seemed to have been altered; it sounded muffled, not like his real voice.

However, he seemed quite talkative, and Song Yan, who had intended to close his eyes and meditate, was drawn into the casual conversation.

Che Ning casually asked, "Junior Brother Tong, in what year and month did you join the Sect?"

Song Yan thought for a moment, "It was about three years ago."

"Oh..."

He wasn’t sure if it was a misconception, but he always felt that this Senior Brother named Che Ning gave him a familiar feeling.

His demeanor... his speech... his temperament... Every time he had this feeling before, it never led to anything.

He thought this time would be the same.

However, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him, and he actually managed to grasp this baseless hunch.

How is he so similar to... Senior Brother Lin Qing?

But then, he dismissed the thought himself.

Because Senior Brother Lin Qing had not yet joined the Inner Sect, and this person was wearing a genuine Inner Sect Disciple Daoist robe.

It must just be a resemblance.

Besides Song Yan, Wu Huaguo, Rong Xiaofeng, and Che Ning, there was also a scar-faced Cultivator on the meditation cushion, but that person remained silent and did not participate in their discussion.

Hu Jiang County was not very far from the Cave Abyss Sect’s mountain gate, and the group arrived at Fu Yun Peak shortly after.

Mist enveloped the mountains, and clouds swirled downwards.

Fu Yun Peak in Hu Jiang County could be considered a somewhat famous Spiritual Mountain in a Spirit Qi-barren frontier region like Chu State.

There were only a few small Sects nearby, whose Disciples were all Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators.

Song Yan had heard, when he was first learning Formations, that this place was rich in a type of ganoderma called Cloud Barrier Ganoderma.

It could primarily be ground into powder and used in the refinement of some illusion Formation beads and Formation Plates.

Everyone had arrived.

"Everyone, I’ll keep the pleasantries short."

"This Foundation Establishment Realm Loose Cultivator Senior had some connection with me. If not for the dire circumstances, I would naturally want to obtain the Immortal Cave’s treasures by myself."

Song Yan and Rong Xiaofeng subtly glanced at Wu Huaguo.

It was true.

"Let’s be clear, within this Senior’s Immortal Cave, there are only two pieces of calligraphic work that I, Che, am determined to obtain."

It was true.

"As for the other spiritual treasures and relics, you may help yourselves."

It was still true.

The three of them secretly wondered, was this "Che Ning" truly so magnanimous?

Ever since arriving at Fu Yun Peak, Wu Zheng had been looking around, as if discerning some insight.

He hesitated for a moment but still spoke, "This Senior, did he perhaps choose this place knowing his time was short?"

"Fu Yun Peak’s mountain terrain combines the forces of ’Azure Dragon’ and ’Black Tortoise.’ The Azure Dragon opens its palm, and the Black Tortoise bows its head, both being auspicious Formations for burial sites."

"The two embracing each other can further protect the tomb from the invasion of Yin winds."

Che Ning nodded and said, "Indeed..."

"This Senior, named Lin Qinglong, primarily cultivated Daoist Magic and Daoist Arts. In his later years, knowing that a Breakthrough was hopeless, he established an Immortal Cave here."

Everyone couldn’t help but look at Wu Zheng a few more times.

Song Yan recalled that there was also a geomancer in Shiliang Town who understood feng shui; his grandfather’s burial arrangements were made by consulting his opinion.

However, that was a young Daoist priest who had changed professions after coming from some dilapidated Daoist temple, and his words didn’t sound as professional as Wu Zheng’s.

Everyone followed Che Ning, making their way up to the mountainside.

The mountain mist was extremely thick, perhaps this was why such a scene of cloud waterfalls shrouding the mountain was formed.

At a certain spot on the mountainside, there was a stone wall waterfall.

"This is the place..."

Che Ning stopped, conjuring a cyan jade tablet, which floated in his palm.

He channeled his Spiritual Qi, and the jade tablet flew towards the bottom of the waterfall pool.

Some sound seemed to emanate from within, but it was drowned out by the sound of the falling water from the waterfall.

"Hm?"

Song Yan suddenly felt something and looked up; after the jade tablet flew into the bottom of the pool, the torrent of the waterfall seemed to gradually diminish.

"Whoosh..."

The water flow gradually decreased until it completely disappeared, but what was revealed before everyone was still a bare cliff, with nothing there.

Buzz—

The jade tablet flew out from the bottom of the pool, returning to Che Ning’s hand.

Unlike before, the jade tablet now emitted waves of Spiritual Qi patterns, like ripples, in all directions.

"Everyone, please follow me."

Everyone followed Che Ning, walking on water towards the cliff.

When they were less than a zhang from the mountain wall, the scene before them finally changed.