The next day.
Chen Ye woke up early, with Zhiwei still sound asleep in his arms, her eyebrows relaxed, a night’s rest dissipating some of the gloom.
Carefully, he withdrew his arm, tucking the quilt in for her before getting out of bed.
"Not bad, my disciple, even while sleeping, she’s so adorable..."
Chen Ye looked at his disciple’s sweet sleeping face with satisfaction, at this moment, he didn’t want her to grow up.
Just like this, curled up under the master’s wings, isn’t it nice?
Back then, in the slums, he hoped his disciple would grow up quickly so he could rely on her.
But now, his thoughts were completely the opposite.
He washed up quietly, preparing to meditate in the courtyard for a moment, when Zhiwei on the bed slowly awoke.
She rubbed her eyes, saw Chen Ye, and was stunned for a moment, then remembered how her master coaxed her to sleep last night, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Master..." She sat up, her voice still a little hoarse from sleep.
"Awake? Yesterday, Aunt Mao told me there’s been progress regarding the Heart Slaughter Cave."
Chen Ye smiled faintly, his expression slightly serious,
"According to the plan, you need to go in together. Prepare well for the upcoming days."
Upon hearing this, Zhiwei’s eyes became determined: "I understand, Master."
Can’t let Master sacrifice in vain!
Just as they were talking, the Communication Jade Pendant on Chen Ye’s waist lit up slightly; it was a message from Mao Qingzhu.
He sent his Divine Sense inside, quickly browsing through it, a smile appearing on his face.
"Sister Qingzhu indeed has a way."
Putting away the jade pendant, Chen Ye explained to Zhiwei,
"She said the one in charge of watching the Heart Slaughter Cave entrance array formation is a cousin she’s quite close with. She has already made arrangements. After Qing Jun is led into the entrance area by Mao Yanyu, there will be a moment for the array inspection. Seizing the opportunity when Mao Yanyu’s attention is on Qing Jun, her cousin will briefly open a side door on the restriction, at which point you’ll need to sneak in and rendezvous with Qing Jun."
The Mao Family’s management of the Heart Slaughter Cave was not strict.
This is because the Heart Slaughter Cave is within the Divine Mist Valley, and every Mao family member has multiple opportunities to enter it.
The Mao family hopes more clan members can obtain more Flying Swords from the Heart Slaughter Cave to strengthen the family.
Therefore, within the Mao family, the Heart Slaughter Cave isn’t particularly secretive.
And this time, the guard rotation happened to be a good friend who Mao Qingzhu had known since childhood.
But though she made it sound simple, likely a lot of benefits were promised to this cousin, prompting her to take such a risk.
"Isn’t this too risky?"
Zhiwei felt a bit worried,
"What if we’re discovered by Senior Mao Yanyu..."
"No worries."
Chen Ye reassured her,
"Mao Yanyu is strict, but his attention will be entirely on Qing Jun, ensuring her state before entering the cave. Moreover, Qing Jun will help you too. The key is for you to seize the moment, conceal your breath, and strike accurately."
Zhiwei took a deep breath and nodded heavily:
"I understand, Master!"
This matter is significant, affecting both her ability to secure inheritance, and her master’s plans, and... she cannot let her master sacrifice for her again.
With so much at stake, she cannot afford to make a mistake!
Seeing his eldest disciple’s tense little face, Chen Ye, worried she was too stressed, comforted her:
"Even if discovered, it doesn’t matter. To the Mao family, it’s merely a faint chance of obtaining a Second Tier Flying Sword."
"But this... damages Master’s reputation," Zhiwei whispered, this being her biggest worry.
Chen Ye smiled freely: "What does it matter what people say, after all that’s done? Besides, the Heart Slaughter Cave is someone else’s dissolution place; the Mao family’s occupation of a burial site is no less unreasonable... In the Cultivation Realm, names and reasons aren’t crucial, strength is what matters."
"Is... that so?"
Zhiwei raised her little face, looking silently at her master, and softly said,
"Master is right. If Zhiwei is bound by rules and constraints, it’ll be hard to achieve what I really want, right?"
Chen Ye nodded: "Exactly. But never forget to maintain a balance, lest you fall into the Demon Path."
After detailing the specifics to Zhiwei.
Chen Ye instructed his eldest disciple to train less and maintain a calm heart, to prepare for the Heart Slaughter Cave.
Zhiwei, though inclined to train, listened to her master’s advice.
After all,
her concern for the Heart Slaughter Cave was greater than even Chen Ye’s.
"I mustn’t let Master down!"
...
Finally, the day Qing Jun was to enter the Heart Slaughter Cave arrived.
The sky was barely lit, the mist in the Divine Mist Valley thicker than usual.
With Mao Qingzhu leading the way, Chen Ye and Zhiwei skillfully evaded the Mao family’s restrictions, waiting outside the Heart Slaughter Cave.
It was located at a cliff.
Below the cliff, an endless mist without a discernible bottom.
Endless Sword Qi, rolling within the mist.
"The mist of Divine Mist Valley is the source of the Mist Forest’s fog... When I was young, the mist here was much denser. Now it’s slowly thinning."
Mao Qingzhu explained, sighing.
Over the years, the Heart Slaughter Cave had been in decline, and despite the Mao family’s endless maintenance of the Grand Array, it couldn’t stop the array’s decay.
Back then,
had the Mao family resolved to seal the mountain, not even a Golden Core True Man could challenge them.
This was the confidence the Mao family had in secluding themselves.
Even if others knew of the Mao family’s Heart Slaughter Cave, they were helpless before the Divine Mist Array.
Chen Ye couldn’t help but feel impressed at hearing this.
This Mao ancestor, to have such divine fortune.
If he possessed the Divine Mist Valley, dwelling there with his two disciples for a hundred years before emerging, wouldn’t he be invincible...
"The Sword Qi is so intense, I wonder how many Flying Swords are actually in the Heart Slaughter Cave."
Zhiwei whispered, for both her and Qing Jun’s Canchen and Xiaohan originated from the Heart Slaughter Cave.