In the end, Su Zhiyu didn't show up and only followed Ding Yuan and Ah Niu to Heng City. Even with her cultivation, Ding Yuan and Ah Niu did not realize that there was a person following behind them. If it wasn't for the fact that she saw Ding Yuan in a critical situation, perhaps Su Zhiyu would not have shown up until now.
Now that she heard that Ding Yuan didn't believe her, Su Zhiyu only smiled and didn't argue. Otherwise, how could she tell him everything about her?
Suddenly, Big Hong ran in with a face full of joy. He grinned and said,"Young Master Ding, Miss Su, my Chief Escort has woken up!”
The three of them came to Qin Tieshan's room. Qin Rou was sitting by the bed and said,"Father, Young Master Ding and Miss Su are here to see you!”
Qin Tieshan was lying on the bed. Although he was awake, he looked haggard. Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu struggled to sit up, but they couldn't do it and were panting. "Chief Escort Qin, you should lie down first." Su Zhiyu said hurriedly.”
"I didn't expect that I, Qin Tieshan, would be unable to move even though I've roamed the Northern Lands for decades," Qin Tieshan said with a wry smile. Young heroes, you have drawn your swords to help us and saved our Bodyguard Agency from the fire and water. I am deeply grateful!”
"Chief Escort Qin, you don't have to be so polite. Let's take care of our bodies first."”
Qin Rou moved two chairs over and invited Ding and Su to sit down. Su Zhiyu reached out and gently felt Qin Tieshan's pulse. She closed her eyes and observed for a moment before saying,"Chief Escort Qin's injuries are no longer a problem. It's just that he's exhausted a lot of Yuan Qi and needs some time to recuperate. However, we can't stay in the Escort Agency for long. Although the people from the Thunder Mountain Villa have retreated, I think they won't be satisfied and will definitely make a comeback. Chief Escort Qin, it would be best for you to rest in the Escort Agency and hide outside for a while.”
Qin Tieshan nodded with difficulty." Thank you for your reminder, Young Lady. This one is very knowledgeable."”
"Chief Escort Qin, do you know where that man surnamed Sheng is now?" Ding Yuan asked.”
Qin Tieshan's eyes suddenly became alert. He hesitated and said,""This one does not know either. I wonder why Young Master Ding asked about him?”
Ding Yuan observed his expression and guessed that Qin Tieshan most likely knew Sheng Nian's whereabouts, but he was tight-lipped and refused to tell him. He thought to himself, This old man is so stubborn. Does he think I have bad intentions?”"To tell you the truth, this man surnamed Sheng is my Senior Brother Sheng Nian." This time, Ah Niu and I went down the mountain to find his whereabouts. Senior Brother Sheng must have had his reasons for hiding his whereabouts for so many years. Fortunately, everyone in the room was not an outsider, so they would not spread this matter.”
Qin Rou was slightly startled when she heard this. She lowered her head and pondered."So Young Master Ding, Young Master Luo, and Uncle Sheng are fellow disciples. Does that mean I have to call them 'uncle'? No wonder they were so interested in Uncle Sheng and kept asking me.”Her heart felt like it was beating wildly. Fortunately, everyone was listening attentively and did not notice her abnormality.
" So Brother Sheng is the Senior Brother of Young Master Ding and Young Master Luo?" Qin Tieshan asked in surprise." Does that mean he's also a disciple of Emerald Clouds Sect?"”
Seeing that he was skeptical, Ding Yuan could not help but be a little annoyed and said,"Don't tell me Chief Escort Qin doesn't trust me?”
Qin Tieshan smiled bitterly." It's not that I don't trust you, Young Master Ding. It's just that I promised Brother Sheng that I would never tell a third person about his whereabouts. Please forgive me, Young Master Ding."”
"But Young Master Ding is Big Brother Sheng's Junior Brother. Can't Chief Escort Qin tell him?" Su Zhiyu smiled.”
Qin Tieshan was silent for a long time before he finally shook his head."Since I have promised Brother Sheng, I must keep my promise. Young Master Ding risked his life for Guan Luo Bodyguard Agency. Even if you have to take my head, I will not frown. Only this matter won't do."
His tone was firm and there was no room for negotiation. Ding Yuan had a good impression of him and felt that he was a man who kept his word. If Qin Tieshan had given in that day and told the Thunder Manor about Sheng Nian's whereabouts, none of this would have happened.
In this world, there weren't too many people like Qin Tieshan, but too few.
" Chief Escort Qin, you may not know," Ding Yuan said." But I must find Senior Brother Sheng." Recently, he had been involved in a case. The East Sea's Flat Sand Island and the Supreme Purity Palace had joined forces to go to the Emerald Cloud Mountain to ask for someone. If he did not show up, the matter would probably get bigger and bigger.”
After that, he briefly recounted the entire story. Qin Tieshan let out a long sigh after listening to it and said,""I see. But I don't think Brother Sheng is a person with bad character. On the contrary, he is a hero who is indomitable, generous, and righteous. There must be a misunderstanding."
Qin Rou said,"But this person must be Uncle Sheng without a doubt. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so coincidentally looking for the Pearl Immortal Grass."”
"Chief Escort Qin is right. I also believe that there must be some misunderstanding." But if Senior Brother Sheng and Miss Mo could not be found to confront each other, it would be useless no matter what others said.”
" Brother Sheng was also afraid that the Heavenly Thunder Manor would seek revenge on me when he left that day," Qin Tieshan said in a deep voice." That's why he left me an address. He asked me to send someone there to deliver a letter to him in an emergency."”
"What place is Senior Brother Sheng talking about?" Ding Yuan asked with a jolt of spirit.”
"In the Phoenix Valley of Qionglang Ridge, Tianchi Mountain, Liao Prefecture," Qin Tieshan replied in a low voice.”
"Perched Phoenix Valley?" This was the first time Ding Yuanshang had heard of this name. Fortunately, he was no stranger to Tianchi Mountain and its main peak, Qionglang Ridge. At the very least, he had seen it in books he had read before.
" Brother Sheng said that the Heavenly Lake Mountain is located at the northernmost border of Liao Province," Qin Tieshan explained." It stretches for thousands of miles and is covered with ice peaks and snow cliffs. Only the Phoenix Perching Valley was green all year round and picturesque. Legend has it that even phoenixes would land there and linger, hence the name Fallen Phoenix.”
At this moment, Ah Niu finished expelling the poison and changed into a new set of clothes. He heard Qin Tieshan's voice and said happily,""Chief Escort Qin has woken up. Miss Su is really amazing. She's about to become a divine doctor.”His face was much rosier than before, and he had more strength to speak.
" Ah Niu, you came at the right time," Ding Yuan said." Chief Escort Qin has just told us about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts."”
Ah Niu's eyes lit up, and he said happily,"That's great!" Little Brother Ding, we'll go find Senior Brother Sheng and Master tomorrow morning!”
"Young Master Luo, your injuries haven't healed yet. I'm afraid you can't leave yet." Qin Rou said softly.”
A sweet feeling arose in Ah Niu's heart. He looked at Qin Rou with a red face, but he met her gentle and clear eyes and hurriedly lowered his head.
Su Zhiyu smiled and said," Sister Qin is right. Little Brother Luo still needs seven days to recuperate from the fire poison. He can't forcefully circulate his true energy to perform the sword control technique. It's indeed not good for long trips."”
Ah Niu said anxiously," Then what should we do? We can't delay looking for Master and Senior Brother Sheng."”
" Ah Niu, why don't you stay here and recuperate?" Ding Yuan said." I'll go to Tianchi Mountain to look for Senior Brother Sheng." I'll come back to pick you up when things are done.”
Ah Niu also understood that he couldn't use his strength now, so he became a burden to Ding Yuan. However, he felt that he was a little worried about letting Ding Yuan go to Tianchi Mountain alone to find his master and senior brother, so he reminded,"Little Brother Ding, if you encounter any trouble alone, you have to be careful.”
Ding Yuan felt Ah Niu's concern for him and felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He patted Ah Niu's thick shoulder and said,"I'll be fine. You can rest assured and recuperate here. Wait for me to come back and pick you up.”
"Brother Ding, why don't I accompany you?" Su Zhiyu suddenly said.”
"Yu 'Er, if you don't return to the mountain as soon as possible, I'm afraid Uncle Su and Auntie Shui will miss you."”
Su Zhiyu felt a sweetness in her heart. She felt that Ding Yuan had changed a lot compared to five years ago. At that time, he didn't care about what others thought, and he didn't care about others. In comparison, he liked Ding Yuan's current personality more.
She shook her head slightly and replied," It doesn't matter. It won't be too late for me to return to the Gathering Cloud Peak after you find your master and senior brother."”
Ding Yuan still shook his head." I don't think that's necessary. I can handle the matter of finding the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng alone. I don't need your help anymore. You'd better go home quickly."”
Su Zhiyu knew very well that Ding Yuan was proud and aloof by nature and did not want others to interfere in his affairs, so she did not mind. "Actually, it's rare for me to go out and want to stay outside for a few more days. I used to hear my mother say that there's snow on the back of the Cang Peak of Tianchi Mountain, but I've never seen it in the bright sky." This time, she could accompany Brother Ding to take a look with her own eyes.”
Ah Niu also advised,"Little Brother Ding, let Miss Su go with you." Her cultivation is much higher than mine, so I feel much more at ease with her accompanying you.”
How could Ding Yuan not understand the meaning behind Su Zhiyu's words? However, he did not know why he remembered the scene when she sat on the bed crying and begging him to tell her a story when she was young. He sighed and nodded in his heart."Alright, come with me.”
Su Zhiyu smiled sweetly when she saw Ding Yuan agree."Thank you, Brother Ding." His gaze turned to look at Ah Niu Xie and said,""Thank you for interceding for Zhiyu, Brother Luo.”
Ah Niu scratched his head in embarrassment and said,""You cured me of the fire poison, so I should be the one thanking you. You and Little Brother Ding have to be careful when you go to Tianchi Mountain to find Master and Senior Brother.”
Su Zhiyu had already seen through the secret between Ah Niu and Qin Rou. She smiled and said,"Don't worry, Brother Luo. We'll definitely come back to pick you up as soon as possible.”Then, his eyes swept over Qin Rou.""Sister Qin, I'll have to trouble you and Chief Escort Qin to take care of Little Brother Luo these few days.”
Qin Rou's delicate face immediately flushed red as she whispered,""Sister Su, don't worry. Young Master Luo is our Bodyguard Agency's benefactor.”
"Ah Niu, since Miss Qin has already said so, you can rest assured and recuperate here."”
How could Qin Tieshan not notice his daughter's strange behavior? He couldn't help but laugh, but it caused his wound to cough violently. Ah Niu stared blankly at Qin Tieshan, not understanding what he was laughing at.
The few of them had already made up their minds, so Ah Niu stayed in the Escort Agency to recuperate. The next morning, Green Pine Temple and Purple Sun Immortal Mansion, who had received the news, came to visit one after another. They could not help but want to get close to the younger brother of Emerald Cloud Sect. Unfortunately, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu had left long ago. Ah Niu was surrounded by several famous seniors of Hanzhou, and comments such as "young and promising" and "young hero" were endless.
On the other hand, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu had already left the territory of Hanzhou on their immortal swords. This time, they would not repeat the same mistake as yesterday. However, the distance from Heng City to Tianchi Mountain was more than ten thousand miles. Ordinary people might not even be able to reach it in two months. Even with Ding Su's cultivation, they had spent a lot of effort.
In addition, he was not familiar with the route, so he often put away his immortal sword and looked for passers-by to ask. Along the way, the scenery gradually changed. After passing through a vast grassland, there was an endless desert in front of them. There were very few people, but they were already deep into the territory of Liaozhou.
Seeing that there were few people around, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu descended their immortal swords and flew at an altitude of only three thousand feet. Although this speed was a little slow, he could see the scenery under his feet clearly and save some energy. The two of them looked down. The yellow sand below was vast, and the dust was rolling. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, it looked extremely sad and majestic. In the distance, dusk was setting, and the stars were hanging in the plain. However, there were a few wisps of smoke rising. It was likely that merchants walking in the desert were camping.
After passing through this desert, the scenery in front of them changed again. There were endless mountain ranges, and the colors changed from green to yellow, and from yellow to white. In the end, all he could see was the snowy peaks. Even his exhaled breath instantly turned into white fog.
After flying for an entire day, the two of them felt a little tired. However, when they looked at the moonlight reflecting the snow and the ice that covered thousands of miles, they felt refreshed and heroic.
"Brother Ding, we should have passed through the Chaotic Cloud Mountain just now," said Su Zhiyu."Tianchi Mountain should be about six hundred miles north."”The clouds in the sky rolled and the cold wind whistled. Her voice was gentle and clear as it entered Ding Yuan's ears. It was as if she was talking softly in a room.
" Yes." Ding Yuan nodded." If everything goes well, we'll be able to find it in the middle of the night. I hope the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng are both there."”
"Brother Ding, do you still want to take revenge on Old Third Ba?" Su Zhiyu asked.”
Ding Yuan was stunned. If Su Zhiyu didn't mention this, he didn't know when he would remember. The strange thing was that he didn't hate Third Brother as much as before. Instead, he despised him. Perhaps it was because so many years had passed that the hatred from back then had gradually faded.
However, his mother was clearly harmed by Old Third Ba and his henchmen, and this debt would not be forgiven even after five or ten years. He shook his head and a cold light shot out from his eyes."This will happen sooner or later. Let him live for another two years.”"I told you this story five years ago. Do you still remember it?"”
Su Zhiyu rode her sword in the wind, looking like a fairy. Under the moonlight, her pair of bright eyes were like stars as she looked at Ding Yuan and said,"Brother Ding, that's our agreement. How can I forget it?”
"Promise?" Ding Yuan thought for a moment and remembered the childish words that Su Zhiyu had said that day. A smile appeared on his lips."That's just child's play. It can't be counted. Besides, if I want to take Old Third Ba's head, it's as easy as taking it out of my pocket. I don't need your help.”
"Since Zhiyu has said it, she must do it. Otherwise, won't she become a person who goes back on her word?" Su Zhiyu said. Even if Brother Ding doesn't need help, Zhiyu can still stand on the side and support you.”
Ding Yuan smiled casually, not taking Su Zhiyu's words to heart. The two of them flew for a while under the moonlight. At the end of their line of sight, they saw a majestic and magnificent snow mountain lying like a jade dragon, standing among the towering mountains. The clouds and mist on the mountainside moved like rolling waves, surrounding and protecting a towering mountain that was covered in silver.
"Look, Yu 'er, that's the Heavenly Lake Mountain." Ding Yuan pointed.”
Seeing that they had finally arrived at their destination, the two of them became spirited and sped up their True Qi to fly toward the snowy mountain. The closer he got to the Heavenly Lake Mountain, the more he felt that the mountain was majestic and the people were small. The undulating layers of snowy peaks were like thousands of silver waves, and they looked endless.
The two of them flew to a height of more than twenty thousand feet. Looking at the first peak of Tianchi Mountain, Qionglang Ridge, it was like a pillar of silver that pierced into the sky. There were almost no paths in the surrounding cliffs. Even the flying birds and spiritual apes could only sigh at the ocean halfway up the mountain. However, the ice and snow around the peak had actually disappeared, replaced by lush green grass and trees, which was exceptionally eye-catching. On the peak of the mountain, a small lake was sparkling. In this frozen world, it was actually emitting hot mist, gathering into a beautiful purple gas at the peak. The green grass by the lake was like a carpet, and the green pines and cypresses smiled proudly in the frost. If one did not personally come to this place, one would not be able to appreciate the wonders of creation.
Su Zhiyu stared at him for a long time and said,"This is the Heavenly Lake. Although Zhiyu has read about it in ancient books more than once, if she doesn't see it with her own eyes, how can she experience the true charm of this picturesque paradise?”
"That peak is obviously an extremely cold place, but why isn't the lake frozen?" Ding Yuan asked in confusion. Could it really be that this is the place where the Heavens are beautiful?"
"Judging from this scene, the Qionglang Ridge must be rich in minerals such as sulfur," Su Zhiyu said."That's why the surface is so hot that the lake water flows and the vegetation is always green." Perhaps there was lava rolling at the bottom of the mountain, but it had not acted up yet.”
"That's the reason," Ding Yuan nodded."Otherwise, who would believe that there's such a paradise in the world of ice and snow?"”
"Brother Ding, do you see a faint red mist flowing behind the Qionglang Ridge? It's flickering like a lantern." Su Zhiyu suddenly whispered.”
Ding Yuan was startled. He remembered that Qin Tieshan had told him that the Perching Phoenix Valley was on the northern side of the Qionglang Ridge. Did something really happen? Looking over, he saw a faint red light on the back of the Vast Waves Ridge, filled with a huge killing intent. However, the misty red light was only faintly visible, and it was even more difficult to see under the sunlight. If Su Zhiyu wasn't careful, she probably wouldn't have noticed.
For some reason, Ding Yuan suddenly felt a sense of danger and an extremely uncomfortable feeling. At this moment, a gust of mountain mist blew in his face. The fresh air was mixed with a faint smell of blood.
"I'm afraid there's something strange here. Let's go and take a look," said Ding Yuan.”
The two of them flew another twenty miles forward and had already crossed the peak of Qionglang Peak. The warning signs in their hearts became more and more obvious. The red waves below his feet were surging, and he did not know how deep they were. A gust of cold wind blew from below. The Snowfield Sword and the Surplus Snow Immortal Sword simultaneously emitted clear sounds. The swords trembled violently and almost lost control.
Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu quickly stabilized themselves and looked down. They felt that the bottomless red light seemed to hide endless killing intent and evil intent. Ding Yuan examined it for a moment and vaguely noticed that there were a few purple stars flickering in the red fog that covered a radius of more than a hundred miles. There were actually nine spots, and according to their location, they should be in the sky above the Perching Phoenix Valley.
"Yu 'Er, did you see the purple starlight?" Ding Yuan asked in a deep voice.”
Su Zhiyu's expression was solemn as she replied,"Big Brother Ding, if I'm not mistaken, this isn't starlight, but the light from the nine Purple-Eyed Demonic Lamps. There must be a devil cult guardian level expert guarding the area near the Perching Phoenix Valley, using nine purple-eyed devil lamps to set up the Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Array. I heard from my father that this is the Devil Sect's most powerful Devil Formation. Once you're trapped in it and you're not familiar with the formation, no matter how high your cultivation is, you'll only end up with your soul scattered and eternal damnation. Fortunately, we discovered it early. If we had stumbled into it during the day, we would have been in big trouble.”
"Didn't the Demonic Sect's great change more than twenty years ago vanish into thin air? Why is it here again?" Ding Yuan asked in surprise. It seemed that something had happened to the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng.”
Su Zhiyu shook her head." I don't know about the Central Plains. Perhaps the Demonic Sect has reappeared in the Heavenly Continent."”
"Since we're already here, we should go down and explore!" Ding Yuan chuckled.”
Su Zhiyu thought for a moment and nodded."Although the Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Formation is powerful, it's a good thing that I've studied the mysteries of various demonic formations with my father.”She wasn't boasting. Su Zhen and his wife were very knowledgeable and proficient in all kinds of miscellaneous studies. They also had research on the array formations of the various families in the Heavenly Continent. There was a saying that a tiger father does not have a dog daughter. Su Zhiyu had heard about it since she was young and was no less than any famous person in the world.
She stood in mid-air with her head lowered in deep thought. The clouds around her were misty and the moonlight and ice reflected on her beautiful jade face. She was extremely beautiful. Ding Yuan floated beside her, and his heart skipped a beat."In the past, I didn't think that Yu 'er was so beautiful and elegant. She almost surpassed Xue' er.”
As if she had figured out the crux of the matter, Su Zhiyu's lips revealed a faint smile. She extended her jade-like finger and said,"Big Brother Ding, although this Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Formation is unpredictable and has the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth, it's a pity that the person who set it up only knows a thing or two about the changes in formations. He used the nine Purple Eyed Demonic Lamps to form the Nine Palaces and the Four Symbols Formation according to the terrain of the mountain. It seemed to be ever-changing, but in fact, it was very clumsy. Although I haven't entered the formation, I'm 80% confident that I can break it.”
Ding Yuan listened to Su Zhiyu's explanation and seemed to have a plan in mind. He smiled and said,"Since that's the case, I'll listen to your orders and break this demonic formation!”
"We might not be able to break the formation with our cultivation, but it's not difficult to enter the Phoenix Perching Valley through this formation," Su Zhiyu said sweetly. The only thing we need to be wary of is the Demon Sect experts hiding in the formation. If they take advantage of the formation to attack us, it will be difficult.”
Ding Yuan nodded." I don't need to worry about that. Let's enter the array first." If they continued standing here, there would be no results even until dawn.”
"Brother Ding, come with me."”His body turned into a silver arc of light and shot toward the peak of Qionglang Peak. Ding Yuan also followed him with his Snowfield Sword.
###################################
In the end, Su Zhiyu didn't show up and only followed Ding Yuan and Ah Niu to Heng City. Even with her cultivation, Ding Yuan and Ah Niu did not realize that there was a person following behind them. If it wasn't for the fact that she saw Ding Yuan in a critical situation, perhaps Su Zhiyu would not have shown up until now.
Now that she heard that Ding Yuan didn't believe her, Su Zhiyu only smiled and didn't argue. Otherwise, how could she tell him everything about her?
Suddenly, Big Hong ran in with a face full of joy. He grinned and said,"Young Master Ding, Miss Su, my Chief Escort has woken up!”
The three of them came to Qin Tieshan's room. Qin Rou was sitting by the bed and said,"Father, Young Master Ding and Miss Su are here to see you!”
Qin Tieshan was lying on the bed. Although he was awake, he looked haggard. Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu struggled to sit up, but they couldn't do it and were panting. "Chief Escort Qin, you should lie down first." Su Zhiyu said hurriedly.”
"I didn't expect that I, Qin Tieshan, would be unable to move even though I've roamed the Northern Lands for decades," Qin Tieshan said with a wry smile. Young heroes, you have drawn your swords to help us and saved our Bodyguard Agency from the fire and water. I am deeply grateful!”
"Chief Escort Qin, you don't have to be so polite. Let's take care of our bodies first."”
Qin Rou moved two chairs over and invited Ding and Su to sit down. Su Zhiyu reached out and gently felt Qin Tieshan's pulse. She closed her eyes and observed for a moment before saying,"Chief Escort Qin's injuries are no longer a problem. It's just that he's exhausted a lot of Yuan Qi and needs some time to recuperate. However, we can't stay in the Escort Agency for long. Although the people from the Thunder Mountain Villa have retreated, I think they won't be satisfied and will definitely make a comeback. Chief Escort Qin, it would be best for you to rest in the Escort Agency and hide outside for a while.”
Qin Tieshan nodded with difficulty." Thank you for your reminder, Young Lady. This one is very knowledgeable."”
"Chief Escort Qin, do you know where that man surnamed Sheng is now?" Ding Yuan asked.”
Qin Tieshan's eyes suddenly became alert. He hesitated and said,""This one does not know either. I wonder why Young Master Ding asked about him?”
Ding Yuan observed his expression and guessed that Qin Tieshan most likely knew Sheng Nian's whereabouts, but he was tight-lipped and refused to tell him. He thought to himself, This old man is so stubborn. Does he think I have bad intentions?”"To tell you the truth, this man surnamed Sheng is my Senior Brother Sheng Nian." This time, Ah Niu and I went down the mountain to find his whereabouts. Senior Brother Sheng must have had his reasons for hiding his whereabouts for so many years. Fortunately, everyone in the room was not an outsider, so they would not spread this matter.”
Qin Rou was slightly startled when she heard this. She lowered her head and pondered."So Young Master Ding, Young Master Luo, and Uncle Sheng are fellow disciples. Does that mean I have to call them 'uncle'? No wonder they were so interested in Uncle Sheng and kept asking me.”Her heart felt like it was beating wildly. Fortunately, everyone was listening attentively and did not notice her abnormality.
" So Brother Sheng is the Senior Brother of Young Master Ding and Young Master Luo?" Qin Tieshan asked in surprise." Does that mean he's also a disciple of Emerald Clouds Sect?"”
Seeing that he was skeptical, Ding Yuan could not help but be a little annoyed and said,"Don't tell me Chief Escort Qin doesn't trust me?”
Qin Tieshan smiled bitterly." It's not that I don't trust you, Young Master Ding. It's just that I promised Brother Sheng that I would never tell a third person about his whereabouts. Please forgive me, Young Master Ding."”
"But Young Master Ding is Big Brother Sheng's Junior Brother. Can't Chief Escort Qin tell him?" Su Zhiyu smiled.”
Qin Tieshan was silent for a long time before he finally shook his head."Since I have promised Brother Sheng, I must keep my promise. Young Master Ding risked his life for Guan Luo Bodyguard Agency. Even if you have to take my head, I will not frown. Only this matter won't do."
His tone was firm and there was no room for negotiation. Ding Yuan had a good impression of him and felt that he was a man who kept his word. If Qin Tieshan had given in that day and told the Thunder Manor about Sheng Nian's whereabouts, none of this would have happened.
In this world, there weren't too many people like Qin Tieshan, but too few.
" Chief Escort Qin, you may not know," Ding Yuan said." But I must find Senior Brother Sheng." Recently, he had been involved in a case. The East Sea's Flat Sand Island and the Supreme Purity Palace had joined forces to go to the Emerald Cloud Mountain to ask for someone. If he did not show up, the matter would probably get bigger and bigger.”
After that, he briefly recounted the entire story. Qin Tieshan let out a long sigh after listening to it and said,""I see. But I don't think Brother Sheng is a person with bad character. On the contrary, he is a hero who is indomitable, generous, and righteous. There must be a misunderstanding."
Qin Rou said,"But this person must be Uncle Sheng without a doubt. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so coincidentally looking for the Pearl Immortal Grass."”
"Chief Escort Qin is right. I also believe that there must be some misunderstanding." But if Senior Brother Sheng and Miss Mo could not be found to confront each other, it would be useless no matter what others said.”
" Brother Sheng was also afraid that the Heavenly Thunder Manor would seek revenge on me when he left that day," Qin Tieshan said in a deep voice." That's why he left me an address. He asked me to send someone there to deliver a letter to him in an emergency."”
"What place is Senior Brother Sheng talking about?" Ding Yuan asked with a jolt of spirit.”
"In the Phoenix Valley of Qionglang Ridge, Tianchi Mountain, Liao Prefecture," Qin Tieshan replied in a low voice.”
"Perched Phoenix Valley?" This was the first time Ding Yuanshang had heard of this name. Fortunately, he was no stranger to Tianchi Mountain and its main peak, Qionglang Ridge. At the very least, he had seen it in books he had read before.
" Brother Sheng said that the Heavenly Lake Mountain is located at the northernmost border of Liao Province," Qin Tieshan explained." It stretches for thousands of miles and is covered with ice peaks and snow cliffs. Only the Phoenix Perching Valley was green all year round and picturesque. Legend has it that even phoenixes would land there and linger, hence the name Fallen Phoenix.”
At this moment, Ah Niu finished expelling the poison and changed into a new set of clothes. He heard Qin Tieshan's voice and said happily,""Chief Escort Qin has woken up. Miss Su is really amazing. She's about to become a divine doctor.”His face was much rosier than before, and he had more strength to speak.
" Ah Niu, you came at the right time," Ding Yuan said." Chief Escort Qin has just told us about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts."”
Ah Niu's eyes lit up, and he said happily,"That's great!" Little Brother Ding, we'll go find Senior Brother Sheng and Master tomorrow morning!”
"Young Master Luo, your injuries haven't healed yet. I'm afraid you can't leave yet." Qin Rou said softly.”
A sweet feeling arose in Ah Niu's heart. He looked at Qin Rou with a red face, but he met her gentle and clear eyes and hurriedly lowered his head.
Su Zhiyu smiled and said," Sister Qin is right. Little Brother Luo still needs seven days to recuperate from the fire poison. He can't forcefully circulate his true energy to perform the sword control technique. It's indeed not good for long trips."”
Ah Niu said anxiously," Then what should we do? We can't delay looking for Master and Senior Brother Sheng."”
" Ah Niu, why don't you stay here and recuperate?" Ding Yuan said." I'll go to Tianchi Mountain to look for Senior Brother Sheng." I'll come back to pick you up when things are done.”
Ah Niu also understood that he couldn't use his strength now, so he became a burden to Ding Yuan. However, he felt that he was a little worried about letting Ding Yuan go to Tianchi Mountain alone to find his master and senior brother, so he reminded,"Little Brother Ding, if you encounter any trouble alone, you have to be careful.”
Ding Yuan felt Ah Niu's concern for him and felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He patted Ah Niu's thick shoulder and said,"I'll be fine. You can rest assured and recuperate here. Wait for me to come back and pick you up.”
"Brother Ding, why don't I accompany you?" Su Zhiyu suddenly said.”
"Yu 'Er, if you don't return to the mountain as soon as possible, I'm afraid Uncle Su and Auntie Shui will miss you."”
Su Zhiyu felt a sweetness in her heart. She felt that Ding Yuan had changed a lot compared to five years ago. At that time, he didn't care about what others thought, and he didn't care about others. In comparison, he liked Ding Yuan's current personality more.
She shook her head slightly and replied," It doesn't matter. It won't be too late for me to return to the Gathering Cloud Peak after you find your master and senior brother."”
Ding Yuan still shook his head." I don't think that's necessary. I can handle the matter of finding the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng alone. I don't need your help anymore. You'd better go home quickly."”
Su Zhiyu knew very well that Ding Yuan was proud and aloof by nature and did not want others to interfere in his affairs, so she did not mind. "Actually, it's rare for me to go out and want to stay outside for a few more days. I used to hear my mother say that there's snow on the back of the Cang Peak of Tianchi Mountain, but I've never seen it in the bright sky." This time, she could accompany Brother Ding to take a look with her own eyes.”
Ah Niu also advised,"Little Brother Ding, let Miss Su go with you." Her cultivation is much higher than mine, so I feel much more at ease with her accompanying you.”
How could Ding Yuan not understand the meaning behind Su Zhiyu's words? However, he did not know why he remembered the scene when she sat on the bed crying and begging him to tell her a story when she was young. He sighed and nodded in his heart."Alright, come with me.”
Su Zhiyu smiled sweetly when she saw Ding Yuan agree."Thank you, Brother Ding." His gaze turned to look at Ah Niu Xie and said,""Thank you for interceding for Zhiyu, Brother Luo.”
Ah Niu scratched his head in embarrassment and said,""You cured me of the fire poison, so I should be the one thanking you. You and Little Brother Ding have to be careful when you go to Tianchi Mountain to find Master and Senior Brother.”
Su Zhiyu had already seen through the secret between Ah Niu and Qin Rou. She smiled and said,"Don't worry, Brother Luo. We'll definitely come back to pick you up as soon as possible.”Then, his eyes swept over Qin Rou.""Sister Qin, I'll have to trouble you and Chief Escort Qin to take care of Little Brother Luo these few days.”
Qin Rou's delicate face immediately flushed red as she whispered,""Sister Su, don't worry. Young Master Luo is our Bodyguard Agency's benefactor.”
"Ah Niu, since Miss Qin has already said so, you can rest assured and recuperate here."”
How could Qin Tieshan not notice his daughter's strange behavior? He couldn't help but laugh, but it caused his wound to cough violently. Ah Niu stared blankly at Qin Tieshan, not understanding what he was laughing at.
The few of them had already made up their minds, so Ah Niu stayed in the Escort Agency to recuperate. The next morning, Green Pine Temple and Purple Sun Immortal Mansion, who had received the news, came to visit one after another. They could not help but want to get close to the younger brother of Emerald Cloud Sect. Unfortunately, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu had left long ago. Ah Niu was surrounded by several famous seniors of Hanzhou, and comments such as "young and promising" and "young hero" were endless.
On the other hand, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu had already left the territory of Hanzhou on their immortal swords. This time, they would not repeat the same mistake as yesterday. However, the distance from Heng City to Tianchi Mountain was more than ten thousand miles. Ordinary people might not even be able to reach it in two months. Even with Ding Su's cultivation, they had spent a lot of effort.
In addition, he was not familiar with the route, so he often put away his immortal sword and looked for passers-by to ask. Along the way, the scenery gradually changed. After passing through a vast grassland, there was an endless desert in front of them. There were very few people, but they were already deep into the territory of Liaozhou.
Seeing that there were few people around, Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu descended their immortal swords and flew at an altitude of only three thousand feet. Although this speed was a little slow, he could see the scenery under his feet clearly and save some energy. The two of them looked down. The yellow sand below was vast, and the dust was rolling. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, it looked extremely sad and majestic. In the distance, dusk was setting, and the stars were hanging in the plain. However, there were a few wisps of smoke rising. It was likely that merchants walking in the desert were camping.
After passing through this desert, the scenery in front of them changed again. There were endless mountain ranges, and the colors changed from green to yellow, and from yellow to white. In the end, all he could see was the snowy peaks. Even his exhaled breath instantly turned into white fog.
After flying for an entire day, the two of them felt a little tired. However, when they looked at the moonlight reflecting the snow and the ice that covered thousands of miles, they felt refreshed and heroic.
"Brother Ding, we should have passed through the Chaotic Cloud Mountain just now," said Su Zhiyu."Tianchi Mountain should be about six hundred miles north."”The clouds in the sky rolled and the cold wind whistled. Her voice was gentle and clear as it entered Ding Yuan's ears. It was as if she was talking softly in a room.
" Yes." Ding Yuan nodded." If everything goes well, we'll be able to find it in the middle of the night. I hope the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng are both there."”
"Brother Ding, do you still want to take revenge on Old Third Ba?" Su Zhiyu asked.”
Ding Yuan was stunned. If Su Zhiyu didn't mention this, he didn't know when he would remember. The strange thing was that he didn't hate Third Brother as much as before. Instead, he despised him. Perhaps it was because so many years had passed that the hatred from back then had gradually faded.
However, his mother was clearly harmed by Old Third Ba and his henchmen, and this debt would not be forgiven even after five or ten years. He shook his head and a cold light shot out from his eyes."This will happen sooner or later. Let him live for another two years.”"I told you this story five years ago. Do you still remember it?"”
Su Zhiyu rode her sword in the wind, looking like a fairy. Under the moonlight, her pair of bright eyes were like stars as she looked at Ding Yuan and said,"Brother Ding, that's our agreement. How can I forget it?”
"Promise?" Ding Yuan thought for a moment and remembered the childish words that Su Zhiyu had said that day. A smile appeared on his lips."That's just child's play. It can't be counted. Besides, if I want to take Old Third Ba's head, it's as easy as taking it out of my pocket. I don't need your help.”
"Since Zhiyu has said it, she must do it. Otherwise, won't she become a person who goes back on her word?" Su Zhiyu said. Even if Brother Ding doesn't need help, Zhiyu can still stand on the side and support you.”
Ding Yuan smiled casually, not taking Su Zhiyu's words to heart. The two of them flew for a while under the moonlight. At the end of their line of sight, they saw a majestic and magnificent snow mountain lying like a jade dragon, standing among the towering mountains. The clouds and mist on the mountainside moved like rolling waves, surrounding and protecting a towering mountain that was covered in silver.
"Look, Yu 'er, that's the Heavenly Lake Mountain." Ding Yuan pointed.”
Seeing that they had finally arrived at their destination, the two of them became spirited and sped up their True Qi to fly toward the snowy mountain. The closer he got to the Heavenly Lake Mountain, the more he felt that the mountain was majestic and the people were small. The undulating layers of snowy peaks were like thousands of silver waves, and they looked endless.
The two of them flew to a height of more than twenty thousand feet. Looking at the first peak of Tianchi Mountain, Qionglang Ridge, it was like a pillar of silver that pierced into the sky. There were almost no paths in the surrounding cliffs. Even the flying birds and spiritual apes could only sigh at the ocean halfway up the mountain. However, the ice and snow around the peak had actually disappeared, replaced by lush green grass and trees, which was exceptionally eye-catching. On the peak of the mountain, a small lake was sparkling. In this frozen world, it was actually emitting hot mist, gathering into a beautiful purple gas at the peak. The green grass by the lake was like a carpet, and the green pines and cypresses smiled proudly in the frost. If one did not personally come to this place, one would not be able to appreciate the wonders of creation.
Su Zhiyu stared at him for a long time and said,"This is the Heavenly Lake. Although Zhiyu has read about it in ancient books more than once, if she doesn't see it with her own eyes, how can she experience the true charm of this picturesque paradise?”
"That peak is obviously an extremely cold place, but why isn't the lake frozen?" Ding Yuan asked in confusion. Could it really be that this is the place where the Heavens are beautiful?"
"Judging from this scene, the Qionglang Ridge must be rich in minerals such as sulfur," Su Zhiyu said."That's why the surface is so hot that the lake water flows and the vegetation is always green." Perhaps there was lava rolling at the bottom of the mountain, but it had not acted up yet.”
"That's the reason," Ding Yuan nodded."Otherwise, who would believe that there's such a paradise in the world of ice and snow?"”
"Brother Ding, do you see a faint red mist flowing behind the Qionglang Ridge? It's flickering like a lantern." Su Zhiyu suddenly whispered.”
Ding Yuan was startled. He remembered that Qin Tieshan had told him that the Perching Phoenix Valley was on the northern side of the Qionglang Ridge. Did something really happen? Looking over, he saw a faint red light on the back of the Vast Waves Ridge, filled with a huge killing intent. However, the misty red light was only faintly visible, and it was even more difficult to see under the sunlight. If Su Zhiyu wasn't careful, she probably wouldn't have noticed.
For some reason, Ding Yuan suddenly felt a sense of danger and an extremely uncomfortable feeling. At this moment, a gust of mountain mist blew in his face. The fresh air was mixed with a faint smell of blood.
"I'm afraid there's something strange here. Let's go and take a look," said Ding Yuan.”
The two of them flew another twenty miles forward and had already crossed the peak of Qionglang Peak. The warning signs in their hearts became more and more obvious. The red waves below his feet were surging, and he did not know how deep they were. A gust of cold wind blew from below. The Snowfield Sword and the Surplus Snow Immortal Sword simultaneously emitted clear sounds. The swords trembled violently and almost lost control.
Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu quickly stabilized themselves and looked down. They felt that the bottomless red light seemed to hide endless killing intent and evil intent. Ding Yuan examined it for a moment and vaguely noticed that there were a few purple stars flickering in the red fog that covered a radius of more than a hundred miles. There were actually nine spots, and according to their location, they should be in the sky above the Perching Phoenix Valley.
"Yu 'Er, did you see the purple starlight?" Ding Yuan asked in a deep voice.”
Su Zhiyu's expression was solemn as she replied,"Big Brother Ding, if I'm not mistaken, this isn't starlight, but the light from the nine Purple-Eyed Demonic Lamps. There must be a devil cult guardian level expert guarding the area near the Perching Phoenix Valley, using nine purple-eyed devil lamps to set up the Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Array. I heard from my father that this is the Devil Sect's most powerful Devil Formation. Once you're trapped in it and you're not familiar with the formation, no matter how high your cultivation is, you'll only end up with your soul scattered and eternal damnation. Fortunately, we discovered it early. If we had stumbled into it during the day, we would have been in big trouble.”
"Didn't the Demonic Sect's great change more than twenty years ago vanish into thin air? Why is it here again?" Ding Yuan asked in surprise. It seemed that something had happened to the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng.”
Su Zhiyu shook her head." I don't know about the Central Plains. Perhaps the Demonic Sect has reappeared in the Heavenly Continent."”
"Since we're already here, we should go down and explore!" Ding Yuan chuckled.”
Su Zhiyu thought for a moment and nodded."Although the Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Formation is powerful, it's a good thing that I've studied the mysteries of various demonic formations with my father.”She wasn't boasting. Su Zhen and his wife were very knowledgeable and proficient in all kinds of miscellaneous studies. They also had research on the array formations of the various families in the Heavenly Continent. There was a saying that a tiger father does not have a dog daughter. Su Zhiyu had heard about it since she was young and was no less than any famous person in the world.
She stood in mid-air with her head lowered in deep thought. The clouds around her were misty and the moonlight and ice reflected on her beautiful jade face. She was extremely beautiful. Ding Yuan floated beside her, and his heart skipped a beat."In the past, I didn't think that Yu 'er was so beautiful and elegant. She almost surpassed Xue' er.”
As if she had figured out the crux of the matter, Su Zhiyu's lips revealed a faint smile. She extended her jade-like finger and said,"Big Brother Ding, although this Nine Light Soul Extinguishing Formation is unpredictable and has the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth, it's a pity that the person who set it up only knows a thing or two about the changes in formations. He used the nine Purple Eyed Demonic Lamps to form the Nine Palaces and the Four Symbols Formation according to the terrain of the mountain. It seemed to be ever-changing, but in fact, it was very clumsy. Although I haven't entered the formation, I'm 80% confident that I can break it.”
Ding Yuan listened to Su Zhiyu's explanation and seemed to have a plan in mind. He smiled and said,"Since that's the case, I'll listen to your orders and break this demonic formation!”
"We might not be able to break the formation with our cultivation, but it's not difficult to enter the Phoenix Perching Valley through this formation," Su Zhiyu said sweetly. The only thing we need to be wary of is the Demon Sect experts hiding in the formation. If they take advantage of the formation to attack us, it will be difficult.”
Ding Yuan nodded." I don't need to worry about that. Let's enter the array first." If they continued standing here, there would be no results even until dawn.”
"Brother Ding, come with me."”His body turned into a silver arc of light and shot toward the peak of Qionglang Peak. Ding Yuan also followed him with his Snowfield Sword.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]