Lingyin Sect, North Mountain Gate.
The giant square before the mountain gate was crowded with people, various Spiritual Ships and Magical Artifacts floating in the air, banners fluttering, the atmosphere tense and foreboding.
The Lingyin Sect’s team heading to Songyang Cave Heaven was gathered here.
Chen Ye, Zhiwei, and Bu Feifan blended in among dozens of summoned Sinful Cultivators, completely unremarkable.
Zhiwei could have attracted much attention.
After all, such a beautiful young girl always caught the eye, especially in this expedition to the Grotto Heaven.
Unfortunately,
The little girl was tightly wrapped in a black robe by her master, so others would just assume she was a short, dwarfish cultivator.
Chen Ye quietly reached his hand into the black robe, holding his disciple’s small hand.
The disciple was slightly startled, then quickly tightened her grip on her master’s large hand, her body quietly moving much closer.
Chen Ye looked out.
In the square of the mountain gate,
Besides the Lingyin Sect, there were teams from various large families under the governance of Lingyin Sect, each cultivator looking eager to fight, full of morale.
The Grotto Heaven was dangerous, but it was still a Grotto Heaven!
Cultivators have always been about competing with the heavens, so why fear life and death?
Honestly, Chen Ye was different from normal cultivators; he had always been well-behaved and just wanted to cultivate steadily.
This was because he had a "golden finger," so there was no need to compete with other cultivators.
Moreover, he had two disciples, who were both comforting and a vulnerability...
Seeing this scene,
Chen Ye felt slightly reassured.
It was clear that the Lingyin Sect took the second exploration of Songyang Cave Heaven very seriously.
He first looked at the Lingyin Sect’s team.
Leading them was Wei Shu, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and behind him were seven sect disciples, all Inner Sect disciples in the late stage of Qi Cultivation.
Wei Shu was conversing with others, stroking his beard with a smile, genteel and refined, nothing like his formerly ruthless demeanor.
Seeing Chen Ye looking over, he even smiled kindly and said something quietly to the cultivator beside him, even pointing at Chen Ye midway.
That cultivator looked over, sized up Chen Ye, memorized his appearance, then turned back to continue talking with Wei Shu.
"Heh..."
Chen Ye tugged the corner of his mouth and looked at the disciples behind Wei Shu.
These disciples were all Inner Sect disciples!
From this detail, Chen Ye deduced a crucial piece of information.
Why would the Lingyin Sect rather send the more talented and fewer Inner Sect disciples to risk danger and not the more numerous Outer Sect disciples?
Thus,
Chen Ye inferred that within Songyang Cave Heaven, the risk level was extremely high; cultivators below the late stage of Qi Cultivation would likely face certain death!
Therefore, sending Outer Sect disciples would be merely as cannon fodder; it would be better not to send them.
Just capture some Loose Cultivators to serve as cannon fodder instead.
"Taoist Friend Chen, look over there."
Bu Feifan whispered, indicating another direction with a nod,
"That is the legendary Xu Henshan. His lifespan should be nearly over, and he’s looking to the Grotto Heaven to find an opportunity to form a Core."
Following his gaze, Chen Ye saw on an exceptionally luxurious Blue Luan Flying Ship, Xu Henshan leaning on a cane, eyes closed in meditation.
Behind him stood several young cultivators in attendance.
But there was no sign of Qing Jun.
"An opportunity for Core Formation?" Chen Ye’s eyes scanned the crowd but still didn’t see Qing Jun; she was most likely inside the ship.
This little girl had always been timid, probably scared to face so many strangers.
Bu Feifan nodded knowingly:
"Of course! It’s said that the Xu Family’s Family Head entered Songyang Cave Heaven long ago. Others suspect that the Xu Family knows the secrets of Songyang Cave Heaven, which is why they’re bold enough to let the Family Head enter the Grotto Heaven; now, even the Old Ancestor wants to enter!"
Hearing this, Chen Ye was somewhat puzzled.
Two months ago, he learned from Mao Qingzhu’s words that Xu Buhui had indeed gone to Songyang Cave Heaven. Thus, Mao Qingzhu took the chance to bring Qing Jun back to the Xu Family.
Now, Xu Henshan also entered the Grotto Heaven.
Observing the Xu Family’s actions, it seemed they genuinely knew some secrets.
"Suspect? The Xu Family definitely knows!"
Another person sneered; it was Iron Tiger!
He approached Chen Ye familiarly, as if nothing had happened two months ago:
"The mountain where the Xu Family resides, Dragon Sleep Mountain, was the mountain gate of the Songyang Sect a thousand years ago! Songyang Sect, Songyang Cave Heaven... who could believe there’s no connection?"
Seeing Iron Tiger approaching,
Bu Feifan shrank back a bit, showing a hint of fear.
Chen Ye nodded slightly to him, then looked at Iron Tiger: "What do you mean by that, Taoist Friend?"
Iron Tiger chuckled, raising an eyebrow: "What could I mean? I’m not here to trouble you! We’re all cannon fodder; why make things hard for each other?"
Bu Feifan, feeling emboldened with Chen Ye backing him, retorted:
"Two months ago, when you were troubling Taoist Friend Chen, your attitude wasn’t like this! You’re just currying favor with the strong!"
Iron Tiger’s face looked somewhat awkward but said nothing, retreating back.
"No matter... I’m too lazy to bother with him; that day, he was probably following someone else’s orders."
Chen Ye understood that Iron Tiger was directed by others to give him a warning.
But understanding is one thing.
If he hadn’t been able to defeat Iron Tiger back then, he’d probably have been tormented by him.
"Hmph! Taoist Friend Chen, it’s better to associate less with such fierce people. You never know, they might stab you in the back for their own interests in the Grotto Heaven."
Bu Feifan spoke disdainfully, his expression indignant.
"Master..."
Zhiwei, insightful by nature, heard their conversation and guessed that her master had been targeted during this period.
She couldn’t help but grip her master’s hand a bit tighter, lifting her head slightly, a glimmer of her eyes falling on Iron Tiger.