"The hint I gave you is that the secret code is a nursery rhyme."
Sun Lingtong gasped, "A nursery rhyme..."
"It seems useless after all. Stop wasting time, Sun Lingtong, take action with me!" Yang Chanyu transmitted secretly.
Sun Lingtong's eyes suddenly lit up, and she waved her hand at Yang Chanyu.
"I got it."
"Thank you for your reminder. I know what your secret code is."
"Just listen to me sing."
The next moment, Sun Lingtong cleared her throat and began to chant softly.
Clouds fly, clouds fly,
Flying over mountains and Cuiwei.
Streams babble around big trees,
Sunlight pours over green grass clumps.
...
Clouds fly, wind chases,
Flying over rivers and starlight.
The sky is lofty and distant, brilliant and radiant,
Clouds roll and drift as the wind blows.
...
Clouds fly, hearts tired,
Flying over rainbows and rosy clouds.
The glow in the sky gradually fades,
The moon shadows quietly embrace the darkening sky.
...
Clouds fly, dreams return,
Flying over longing and sorrow.
Mother guides you back in dreams,
Returning to your hometown for a peaceful sleep.
...
Ru Die's expression softened, and she bowed deeply to Sun Lingtong, "I apologize for misunderstanding you. Please lead me out of here."
"It's all good, it's all good," Sun Lingtong said with a smile.
The next moment, Ru Die closed her eyes and truly went into hibernation.
Sun Lingtong decisively put her into the storage bracelet.
This time, Yang Chanyu looked at him with newfound respect!
Before this journey, she had thought she would be the main force. Little did she expect Sun Lingtong's performance to continually surprise her along the way.
Yang Chanyu, filled with confusion, asked directly, "How did you know this nursery rhyme?"
Sun Lingtong chuckled, "This is the most widely spread nursery rhyme in Flying Cloud Country. It's often used by mothers to lull their children to sleep."
Yang Chanyu pressed on, "How did you know about it?"
"Reading ten thousand books, traveling ten thousand miles. Many bits of knowledge can't be gained by just reading," Sun Lingtong chuckled, though his gaze flickered for a moment.
...
A two or three-year-old Ning Zhuo huddled under the covers, crying softly.
Sun Lingtong came to the bedside, curiously asking, "Why are you crying? Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Little Ning Zhuo poked his big head out from under the covers, "I... I miss my mother."
Sun Lingtong felt his head ache. He wanted to say something comforting, but stammered, unable to speak well.
Little Ning Zhuo grew more distressed, tears streaming, "I can't sleep. Whenever I can't sleep, my mother sings to me. Can you sing to me?"
Sun Lingtong's mouth twitched, thinking, "I, a venerable cultivator of the Evil Sect, how could I... uh..."
He surrendered under the longing, hopeful gaze of little Ning Zhuo.
"Alright, alright. What should I sing? I don't know... "
"It's okay, I'll teach you. Clouds fly, clouds fly..."
Sun Lingtong sighed deeply, "Alright, I'll sing it just once. You must go to sleep afterward, understand?"
Little Ning Zhuo huddled under the covers and weakly nodded.
Sun Lingtong sat by the bed, his legs dangling naturally, slightly twisting his body, suppressing his embarrassment, and began to sing softly, "Clouds fly, clouds fly..."
"Sunlight pours over green grass clumps..."
Little Ning Zhuo suddenly interrupted, "You sang it wrong. It's 'grass clumps,' not 'grass strands.'
"Oh, oh. Let me sing it again... What was the beginning again?"
With multiple pauses and corrections, he finally finished singing it awkwardly.
Sun Lingtong was drenched in sweat.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" He looked at little Ning Zhuo's bright, round eyes and felt uneasy.
Little Ning Zhuo frowned deeply, distressed, "When my mother sings, it sounds smooth, soft, and gentle. The way you sing it makes it even harder for me to sleep."
Sun Lingtong sighed, "Then I'll sing it again."
...
Inside the Cloud Whale.
Yang Chanyu's voice pulled Sun Lingtong's mind back to reality.
She was not easily fooled. She remarked curiously, "Reading ten thousand books, traveling ten thousand miles is indeed a good principle."
"But you seem a bit too familiar with this nursery rhyme, don't you?"
"Even if someone told you about it, you shouldn't remember it so accurately and sing it so smoothly."
"It feels like you've sung it many times..."
Sun Lingtong's mouth twitched, "How could that be?!"
"Let's not discuss this anymore."
"We've got what we need. Let's proceed to the next step!"
Several days later.
At the peak of Fire Persimmon Mountain.
Ning Zhuo and others gathered there.
Zhu Xuanji and others stood guard nearby.
The group cast spells to conceal their tracks.
Then Meng Kui personally attacked, striking down the demon beasts besieging the Magma Fairy Palace, drawing their attention and creating a gap in the formation.
"Now is the time!" Zhu Xuanji and others led Ning Zhuo's group to successfully approach the Magma Fairy Palace.
Once they reached a certain distance, the palace emitted brilliant lights that drew them all inside.
The protective lights were formidable. Even the demon beasts noticed and attacked, but to no avail.
"Entering the Immortal Palace... we finally made it!" Ning Zhuo's meticulous planning paid off. Zhu Xuanji and the others' actions were within his expectations.
"Ning Zhuo, Ning Zhuo, he has finally arrived." The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was exuberant. During this time, Ning Xiaohui had made significant progress, her contributions nearing the threshold for success, close to securing a position in the Historical Records Pavilion.
"Little Zhuo is here. We need to find a chance to discreetly hand over 'The Highest Good is Like Water' to him." Sun Lingtong had infiltrated the Immortal Palace a day earlier with Yang Chanyu's help.
It had to be said that the Bukong Sect's stealth and concealment skills were truly unparalleled.
The commotion from Ning Zhuo and the others' entry attracted the attention of the cultivators who had remained in the palace.
Ning Xiaohui led the Ning Family cultivators to greet them.
Her eyes flickered, her emotions complicated, "Even if you've entered the Immortal Palace, you still can't surpass my achievements! Here, I am the leader; you are all followers!"
She scanned the crowd, her gaze lingering on Ning Zhuo.