While cursing her inwardly, Chen Xuan descended and landed beside the flowing river.

The body of water stretched nearly a hundred feet wide, its source a massive, violent waterfall plunging from a nearby hill.

The river’s surface shimmered, reflecting the seven colors of a rainbow and looking particularly vibrant under the rays of the morning sun.

Coupled with the lush trees, the singing birds, and the fluttering butterflies, the place looked like a hidden paradise.

It was exactly this picturesque scenery that had led Chen Xuan here in the past.

Having heard rumors that this was the gate of an immortal sect where "flying people" had been spotted, he had rushed here in a desperate search for immortals.

Unfortunately, what he had found wasn’t a sect or a hermit cultivator, but an "evil" demoness.

Suppressing the impulse to raze the area to the ground out of spite, Chen Xuan leaned down and scooped up a handful of water.

As the liquid slipped through his fingers, a few colorful pebbles remained in his palm.

They were shiny and radiant, exactly like the one Mu Xuanyin had left for him.

’These Rainbow Stones are the true reason behind the strange phenomena here. There are no immortals. This river by itself is ordinary,’ Chen Xuan thought as his divine sense swept outward.

He investigated the river inch by inch, not because he felt that he had missed something, but because of his Master’s deliberate hint.

’That woman must have had a purpose for leaving me that stone. Since she told Qian Lingxue to give it to me when I was in danger, she must have hidden something here.’

As for why Mu Xuanyin hadn’t simply handed that "something" to Qian Lingxue or left it at the Jade Pure Sect?

Chen Xuan couldn’t be sure, though he suspected it had everything to do with that shameless woman’s terrible taste.

In his eyes, she had always been irresponsible and troublesome. Tricking her disciple into a treasure hunt was perfectly in character for her.

With that thought, he expanded his perception across the entire area.

Fortunately, his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm had greatly strengthened his divine sense. Otherwise, investigating the entire river would have taken him far more time and effort.

Unfortunately...

’There’s nothing,’ Chen Xuan soon discovered, his expression darkening.

He found nothing in the water. Even after a meticulous search of the surrounding forest, the result remained the same.

Rubbing his chin, he began to pace back and forth.

’Could that old hag be playing tricks again? Did she leave me nothing and merely sent me here as a joke?’ he wondered.

He was prepared to conduct a second sweep with his divine sense when the weak cry of a bird suddenly reached his ears.

Looking up, Chen Xuan saw a small blue-feathered bird being chased by a giant eagle.

Just as the predator’s talons were about to tear it apart, the small bird flapped its wings and dove away.

Such a sight merely caused Chen Xuan to shake his head, but a moment later, his eyes lit up.

The blue bird flew straight into the waterfall. The heavy waves, which smashed down with enough force to crush rocks, failed to hinder it in the slightest.

The bird and the water seemed to exist in different dimensions. The water turned translucent, allowing the bird to pass through the torrent with ease.

"Huh?" Chen Xuan exclaimed, "An illusion?"

He immediately gave chase, appearing before the waterfall in an instant.

Given his current cultivation, he was in no danger even if the previous scene was an illusion.

But soon, he found it was exactly as he suspected.

No water fell on him.

Just like the bird, he passed through the cascade effortlessly and landed in a hidden cave behind it.

The sound of flapping wings and sharp chirps echoed around him.

A large flock of blue birds nearly engulfed him, their peace shattered by his sudden arrival.

They chirped frantically and fled their nests, seemingly sensing the threat he posed.

Soon, he was the only one left in the cave.

Only a few puddles remained on the ground, along with a stone gate carved into the wall opposite him.

Instantly, he knew he had found his goal.

Not just because of the obvious human interference, but because of the cave’s very existence.

Chen Xuan had paid special attention to this landmark and had conducted a carpet search.

Yet, he had failed to sense anything unusual about it.

’As expected of that old woman,’ Chen Xuan sighed, ’No wonder her reputation is so fierce. If not for that little bird, I would have spent hours, if not days, looking for this place.’

’If I were just a passing cultivator, I would have never found this cave.’

Chen Xuan approached the stone gate.

He originally expected he might need to display a specific technique or his aura to open it.

However, the moment he drew near, the stone gate swung open as if inviting him inside.

He didn’t hesitate.

Stepping through, he found himself in a smaller chamber carved entirely from pure Rainbow Stone.

The prismatic colors nearly blinded him.

Just as he rubbed his eyes and prepared to survey his surroundings, a faint sigh reached his ears, followed by a familiar female voice.

"You’re finally here..."

A white-haired woman materialized from thin air. She looked at him and shook her head.

"My disciple... it seems that you’ve truly missed me. Sure enough, only separation reveals a person’s true feelings."

She lowered her head, looking at the floor as if she could see the scene of Chen Xuan kneeling and tearfully calling her Master.

The reality, however, was quite different.

Bang!

Chen Xuan’s fist lashed out, driving straight toward her abdomen with enough force to make the chamber tremble.

Surprisingly, though, the blow failed to make contact.

Chen Xuan’s Nascent Soul strength seemed to be nullified as his hand passed straight through Mu Xuanyin’s body.

Her figure flickered briefly before stabilizing a moment later.

She didn’t seem to notice his attack. Still staring at the "kneeling" Chen Xuan, she reached out and patted the empty space where his shoulders would have been. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"I know... I know... You don’t have to cry like that. It’s all your Master’s fault for leaving you alone. It’s all my fault..."

Watching this scene unfold and hearing her mournful yet undeniably smug tone, Chen Xuan was left utterly speechless.