22 going back

He stepped forward and dashed towards the entrance of the underground cave, following the familiar path from his memory.

It didn't take long.

Liu Ping re-entered the underground cave, diving deep into its depths along the route Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi had traversed with him.

After some time, he finally arrived at a secluded and empty chamber.

The space was sizable, serving as a refuge for the Cultivators where the campfires were and the site where Liu Ping conversed with Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi.

Liuping surveyed the area and soon noticed several broken Formations etched on the ground.

Squatting at the edge of one Formations, he murmured to himself "The old man liked using the twelve-fold overlap method to construct large-scale arrays in these underground refuges. There should be three concealed arrays, three isolation arrays, and three defensive arrays, along with an attacking array, a teleportation array, and an observation array..."

As he recalled, he realized there were only eleven formation arrays present, with the observation array missing for some reason.

Liuping pondered for a moment, then stood up and began to explore the cave. Suddenly, he stopped before a rock wall.

"Why conceal the observation array?" he muttered to himself, reaching out to pull at the rock wall.

With a resounding thud, a large chunk of mud dislodged from the wall, sending clouds of dust swirling through the air.

Behind the mud, indeed, lay the observation array, although somewhat weathered and worn.

After some consideration, Liuping retrieved a few pieces of spiritual stones, crushing them into powder before applying them to the incomplete areas of the circle.

Once the task was completed, Liuping placed his hand on the edge of the circle and uttered softly "Enlighten!"

This method temporarily activated the observation array but would make the array unusable.

It was a secret technique used for discerning the last scene observed before the array's destruction.

With Liuping's command, the circle emitted a faint aura, and spiritual light ascended into the air, gathering into a shadowy image.

In the projection, the Cultivators were still in the cave, observing a creature below.

However, Liuping was notably absent from the scene.

Subsequently, several individuals assisted a bloodied cultivator into the refuge, where a Saint Beast made its appearance, captivating the attention of the practitioners and their companions.

As the scene unfolded, the Saint Beast transformed into a portal, calling the two cultivators to join its ranks before departing the cave.

Meanwhile, the remaining individuals deliberated over recent events, with only two low-powered practitioners, Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi, sitting in solemn silence.

After a moment of silence, Hong Tao rose up and faced Zhao Chanyi.

"Fairy Zhao, I know of a place where treasures Fall from the sky, would you be willing to come with me to gain some spiritual stones?"

"I would be happy to" Zhao Chanyi replied, her gaze shifting inexplicably to the rock wall. She lightly pressed her hand against the ground beneath her before rising to her feet.

The two left the cave, disregarding the warnings of the Cultivators guarding the entrance.

"The situation on the surface is dangerous, and your strength is limited. going out now is risky" the guard cautioned.

"It's alright. We're simply scavenging in the aftermath and collecting some spirit stones to sustain ourselves" Zhao Chanyi reassured with a smile, prompting the guard to relent.

Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi exited the cave one after the other.

Shortly after their departure, the aura within the cave surged, and suddenly, the space shattered completely. The twelve-fold formation array disintegrated like paper, reduced to ashes in an instant.

A massive black hand extended from the depths of the cave, seizing everyone within its grasp before retracting swiftly and vanishing.

With a soft snap, the observation array fractured irreparably, and all semblance of light and shadow dissipated.

The scene ended abruptly.

Liuping remained rooted in place for a while, processing the unexpected outcome of those cultivators' final moments within the cave.

Approaching the cave entrance, he examined the surrounding rock walls, noting the intricate web of fine cracks.

Though he remained unaware of the events preceding his arrival, it became evident that these fractures had manifested when the colossal black hand intruded into the cave.

Liuping extended his hand to examine the fractured rock.

Looking closer, he detected a faint sulfur-like scent, upon further observation, it seemed somewhat altered.

Exiting the cave, Liuping surveyed the intact underground passage, noting the the rock walls had no damage.

Realizing something.

In such a small space, a body the size of the black giant hand couldn't squeeze in. Furthermore, the marks on the rock wall showed that the assailant was hiding outside the cave, orchestrating the ambush.

But why target them? And how did Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi evade the attack?

Puzzled, Liuping re-entered the cave, reflecting on Zhao Chanyi's subtle actions. Her glance towards the rock wall, followed by her touch, indicated a hidden meaning.

As he approached the marked ground, Liuping muttered softly "Zhao Chanyi, what are you trying to tell me?"

Examining the scribbled markings, he deciphered the two words: "Nine Serenities."

Liuping smoothed out the marks, erasing the evidence while also signaling to Zhao Chanyi that he found her message.

"Nine Serenities" and "Supreme" represented distinct paths of cultivation: one aligned with evil, the other with righteous forces.

Liuping pondered the significance of Zhao Chanyi leaving the word "Nine Serenities." What message was she trying to convey?

Recalling their previous interactions, Liuping noted Zhao Chanyi's reserved demeanor. The saying held true: a single action by an expert could reveal so much.

With determination, Liuping resolved to discern the nature of Zhao Chanyi's Cultivation technique with a keen eye.

But Zhao Chanyi had not shown anything strange.

...This is troublesome.

After pondering for a while, Liuping suddenly recalled another detail.

'Of course!'

Zhao Chanyi didn't do anything weird, but she had entrusted him with a fan.

'—The Fan!'

Patting his storage bag, Liuping retrieved the fan and examined it carefully.

After briefly examining, he softly invoked the command: "Unfold!"

Instantly, the fan levitated in the air, emanating a black-red flame.

"So, it's this type of refining technique, albeit quite rudimentary. I can dismantle this fan easily. Maybe the one who crafted it did so deliberately, rough and unrefined?" Liuping mused, his brows furrowing.

As a master of refining Artifacts, Liuping possessed unparalleled insight, capable of discerning fine details with ease.

The Six Arts — divination, formation, pills, smithing, talisman, and cooking—represented the pinnacle of civilization in the realm of cultivation, refined over countless years.

Trained by the esteemed Gua saint, Liuping had mastered each art to perfection.

Gua Saint had warned him before his death "Our knowledge is our greatest liability. Not only do demons want to end us, but even the prominent sects of the human race regard us with a mixture of reverence and suspicion."

With his suspicion now aroused, Liuping enacted the technique once more, systematically disassembling the fan for closer examination.

Imprinted on the fan's surface were two lines of small characters:

"Descend to the Thirty-ninth floor with caution."

"Additionally, there's something near the campfire. You might want to check it out."

Liuping read the words with a sense of relief.

The thirty-ninth underground floor served as a sanctuary for high-ranking cultivators, accessible only to those in the Rejuvenation Realm or higher, ordinary practitioners were barred from entry.

Perhaps Zhao Chanyi and Hong Tao had hidden their cultivation?

What could their intentions be?

Liuping's curiosity piqued further.

Then... he decided to investigate something first.

Setting aside the fan, Liuping surveyed the cave, contemplating the purpose behind this trial.

Was it to gauge his strength? Test his eligibility to uncover hidden secrets?

His gaze settled on a particular spot—the remnants of the bonfire where he had conversed with Hong Tao and Zhao Chanyi.

While the surrounding areas were blackened with soot, this particular spot appeared notably lighter, hinting at a recent disturbance.

Approaching cautiously, Liuping placed his hand on the pale-gray ground, channeling his spiritual power.

Click!

A mechanism activated, causing the ground to split open.

From the crevice emerged a vertical coffin, its lid crashing onto the ground.

Liuping gazed intently, his voice laced with astonishment "Hong Tao—no, this is.....corpse refinement!"

In the coffin lay a figure with closed eyes, appearing serene as if in a deep slumber.

It was Hong Tao!

Liuping approached cautiously, forming a hand seal and pressing his fingers firmly against Hong Tao's forehead.

Suddenly, Hong Tao's eyes snapped open, meeting Liuping's gaze.

"Liu my Friend, it's good to see you again" greeted Hong Tao with a courteous fist.

"My Friend, who imprisoned your soul using corpse refinement? do you need my help in breaking free from it?" inquired Liuping, his fist raised in solidarity.

Hong Tao smiled knowingly "The Technique you just used is top-notch corpse manipulation right?"

"Yes" Liuping acknowledged.

"The evil art of corpse refinement, with the proficiency you have, it seems like you're like us" observed Hong Tao.

"So, your presence here was a test to discern whether I am aligned with righteous principles?" Liuping conjectured.

"Indeed, those of the righteous path would destroy the corpse to prevent the spread of its evil influence in the world" confirmed Hong Tao.

"Why test me like this?" questioned Liuping.

"I can't tell you that yet, the matter is highly sensitive. However, I can assure you that you've passed. The true secret is in the earthquake location on the 39th underground floor, not the Xun location" elucidated Hong Tao.

"What is at the Xun location?" queried Liuping.

"Death" replied Hong Tao bluntly.

Liuping sighed, shaking his head in mild frustration. "You're overly cautious."

"It's a necessity, too many Cultivators are under those things controls. We cannot risk trusting someone who might be controlled" Hong Tao explained.

"But i'm only a Qi-refining cultivator, what will I be able to do? Am I not simply a novice in the cultivation path?" Liuping queried.

"Monsters would track you down upon your awakening. Such precautions are usually reserved for the reincarnation of powerful cultivators" Hong Tao clarified.

"I see" Liuping nodded in understanding.

Hong Tao continued "To access the 39th underground floor, Rejuvenation cultivation base in necissary, Daoist Liu. You must hasten your cultivation."

"Indeed," Liuping acknowledged.

With a nod towards Liuping, Hong Tao's form was enveloped in flames, consuming his corporeal vessel.

Liuping stepped back, observing the pyre with a detached demeanor.

As the flames consumed the body, Hong Tao's soul departed, returning to the one who had manipulated the corpse.

This way, the orchestrator would discern the events that transpired here.

The corpse reduced to ash.

"Hong Tao..." Liuping murmured softly, lamenting his misjudgment.

"to tell the truth... I am well-versed in all the arts."