CHAPTER 35

— Hundred Ghost Caves —

"Take it." Su Yan glanced indifferently at Tong Tong, puzzled by her inexplicably flushed cheeks—her pale palm opened to reveal a warm yellow jade pendant, strung with colorful silk cords and a double-ringed heart-shaped clasp, exquisitely beautiful.

"For me?" Tong Tong bit her lower lip but couldn't suppress the upward curve of her mouth. Delightedly, she picked up the waist ornament, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Su Yan.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable under her gaze, Su Yan averted her eyes as if nothing were amiss. "This pendant is enchanted with a voice transmission art and a tracking art, just in case." She glanced at the plum blossom clasp Luqiu Fuyi had given Tong Tong at her waist and added in a serious tone, "Wear it properly. Don't take it off."

"Mmm... okay." Following her gaze to her waist, Tong Tong reluctantly replaced the original plum blossom clasp. In front of Su Yan, she solemnly hung the jade pendant, replying with utmost seriousness, "As long as the pendant is here, I am here! Even if the pendant is gone, I'll still be here! Don't worry, Big Senior Brother!"

—Yet, the urge to smile was impossible to shake off.

"...Hmph." Finding her expression odd, Su Yan let out a light hum, unconsciously carrying a hint of reproach.

"Children, while the Abyssal Secret Realm is quite fascinating, it is also very dangerous! You must be careful, cautious, and even more vigilant! Do not covet treasures, nor provoke conflicts with others—safety comes first! If you cannot reach the final stage, then patiently remain inside for the full three months, after which you will be automatically teleported out! So, everyone must remember: life is precious! The Buddha once said..." The speaker was Master Yuan Gui of the Tianyin Temple. If not for his bald head and deep crimson kasaya, his tone alone would have perfectly overlapped with Teacher Qingbao from Tong Tong's kindergarten days—could such a coaxing, childlike manner truly come from an enlightened monk?

"The Buddha said, 'It cannot be spoken.' Oh, Great Master! Stop rambling already! This young master can't wait to go exploring!" Young Master Ding rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, his voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Little did he know, how could a master at the Great Ascension stage possibly not hear it?

Master Yuan Gui, who had been amiably droning on about safety precautions, chanted a Buddhist mantra and fixed Ding Ding with a gaze reserved for wayward juvenile delinquents. "Young benefactor, your words are mistaken..."

Thus, after being lectured individually for half an hour, Ding Ding, with unprecedented earnestness, repeatedly promised never to interrupt the master again—almost kneeling before the monk to beg for mercy. The main reason was his inability to bear the condemning stares from all directions, especially the icy glare from his senior brother, Su Yan. Because of his interruption, the entire opening lecture had been delayed by another half hour.

Seeing his sincere attitude in admitting fault, Master Yuan Gui nodded with a smile and continued explaining the situations and corresponding strategies they might encounter in the Abyssal Secret Realm, leaving no detail untouched, meticulous to the last. Although everyone present was growing impatient, they listened attentively—despite the verbosity, it was all for the sake of their disciples' lives. How could they disregard the elders' heartfelt intentions?

Meanwhile, Tong Tong, who should have been as restless as Ding Ding, absentmindedly fiddled with the jade pendant at her waist, lost in a silly smile without the slightest hint of displeasure, drawing sidelong glances from those around her.

Finally, Master Yuan Gui ceased his lecturing. Exchanging a glance with Lin Tiefeng, both sat cross-legged on the ground, focusing their minds and gathering their energy. Two powerful surges of true essence stirred within them, their auras radiating outward, causing their robes to flutter noisily. Disciples standing nearby couldn't withstand the pressure and stepped back slightly.

Under their synchronized hand seals, a massive circular formation appeared on the ground before them. Intricate characters aligned with the Eight Trigrams positions, forming a large-scale teleportation array.

The disciples behind them moved in orderly succession into the teleportation array. With a flash of white light, their figures vanished from the spot.

"Let's go," Su Yan said softly, only to feel another warm, small hand slip into hers.

She tried to pull away awkwardly, but the hand held on tightly, unwilling to let go. Glancing sideways, she saw Tong Tong's lowered eyelashes trembling slightly, like startled butterflies—her heart softened, and she allowed Tong Tong to hold her hand as they stepped into the teleportation array.

Behind them, several gazes lingered with inscrutable meanings.

A brief sense of imbalance, darkness before their eyes, and their feet landed on solid ground. Feeling Su Yan leading her forward a few steps before releasing her hand.

Tong Tong's lips drooped in disappointment. She opened her eyes, only to be immediately stunned by the sight before her—the sky overhead was gray, with no sun, no dark clouds, only a hazy veil of dust that obscured the view into the distance. This place felt like abandoned land, where faint howls of eerie winds and ghostly shrieks could be heard, adding an inexplicable sense of gloom.

It didn't seem like the cultivation world at all—more like the legendary demon realm.

Before them stood a structure as grand and imposing as an ancient Roman colosseum, weathered and battered by wind and sand, yet its resilience stood as a testament to time. Upon closer inspection, it resembled the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, with countless dark, gaping openings. A spiraling staircase descended in layers, dividing these countless menacing maws into seven levels.

And Tong Tong and her companion stood at the very top of this structure.

Flashes of light flickered around them. Aside from those who had arrived before them, a few more people appeared nearby, though none were familiar faces.

Recalling their position when they entered the teleportation array, it seemed she and Su Yan had indeed separated from the main group.

"Senior Brother, where is this? Young Master Ding and the others haven't arrived yet. Should we wait for them?" Tong Tong asked.

"The Hundred Ghost Caves [Bai Gui Ku]. No need to wait." Su Yan's reply remained as concise as ever. However, seeing Tong Tong's bewildered gaze, she sighed softly and patiently explained, "Legends say the Abyssal Secret Realm is an ancient hidden land left behind by the Profound Sect, built specifically to train disciples in dealing with demonic sects. So, aside from spiritual herbs and treasures, it's filled with countless demons and monsters. Due to the restriction that only cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage can enter, the great predecessors couldn't fully explore its secrets, leaving it as a trial ground for younger disciples.

The first trial is called Hundred Ghost Caves, where a hundred types of malevolent ghosts are imprisoned. The difficulty increases from the top level downward, with the seventh level housing the most troublesome ghosts—and, of course, the richest hidden treasures.

The sect's orders are to pair up in groups of two. We'll act on our own." After finishing, Su Yan raised an eyebrow at Tong Tong, who visibly perked up at the mention of "treasures." "Or perhaps you'd prefer to team up with Junior Brother Ding?"

"Huh? No, no, no! I want to be with you!" Clinging to Su Yan's arm, Tong Tong blurted out the words, her face instantly flushing as red as an apple. Her smile stiffened abruptly, and she cursed herself inwardly: Idiot, why did you say something so easily misunderstood?! It's like... like a confession? Oh heavens, the big iceberg probably thinks I like... Well, okay, maybe, possibly, perhaps, there's a tiny bit of truth to that... just a tiny bit!

Thinking this, Tong Tong nervously lowered her head, not daring to look at Su Yan's expression. She felt waves of embarrassment and awkwardness creeping into her heart, and the other's silence seemed to swallow her whole.

After what felt like an eternity, just as she was about to despair and let go of Su Yan's arm, she heard that cool, clear voice say, "Alright."

She snapped her head up, searching for those dark eyes, but only met the elegant profile of Su Yan's face. The corner of those pale pink lips seemed to curve into a gentle arc, making her heart feel as if it were melting in a pool of spring water.

Seizing the opportunity, the emboldened Tong Tong shamelessly took Su Yan's hand, grinning so widely that her sharp little canine tooth on the right side showed. "Senior Brother~ Let's go to the seventh level, okay? Please~? Pretty please~?"

"...Mm." Su Yan felt she was becoming increasingly indulgent towards this clumsy girl, just like how she hadn't shaken off her unruly hand this time. Perhaps it would become even more serious—so serious that when she saw her innocent, almost foolish smile, her heart would also fill with joy, and the corners of her lips would unconsciously lift...

However, this feeling wasn't bad at all.

Hand in hand, they arrived at the seventh floor and casually chose an entrance to step into.

The onlookers, seeing that someone else had made a choice and even dared to challenge the most difficult level—a man and woman who looked frail at that—paused their discussions and each selected suitable entrances to enter.

Ding Ding and He Gu, who arrived a moment later than Tong Tong and her companion, were teleported alongside two other groups from Chonghua.

After some discussion, Ding Ding and He Gu chose the fifth floor, while Bai Jingjing and Liu Ya, without a hint of modesty, opted for the seventh floor. As for the team of Lu Xianrou and Xiang Wu, a disagreement arose—one wanted to go to the seventh floor, while the other insisted on accompanying Ding Ding's group.

In the end, unable to withstand Xiang Wu's sudden stubbornness, Lu Xianrou compromised and went to the fifth floor.

Thus, the three groups from Chonghua split into two teams.

Later, those from Nichang Valley and Qianyu Sect who teleported in all unhesitatingly headed to the seventh floor, including the two teams from Bingyan Island—as if someone had deliberately arranged it, they all entered different cave entrances. At least in the first trial, these people would have no chance of encountering one another.

"Senior Brother, why didn't they install any lighting inside?" Complaining as she spoke, she released Cookie from her spirit beast pouch. The pitch-black cave was instantly illuminated by a faint white glow, revealing the damp ground and the uneven, pockmarked walls on either side, seemingly left behind by intense battles.

The little creature, once again forced to showcase its new "special move," disdainfully rubbed against a relatively dry section of the wall to wipe off the dirty water it had touched. Its golden eyes shifted, and it suddenly leaped into the air, landing on Tong Tong's shoulder and back. Curling itself into a small ball, it clung to the collar of her robe, its furry head nuzzling affectionately against her neck. Instantly, Tong Tong's irritation melted away, and she conceded, "Alright, alright, stay put and don't move around! You lazy, gluttonous little thing, I wonder who you take after..."

—'Like master, like pet... This little one is just like you, isn't it?'

Hearing her scold Cookie, Su Yan glanced at her lightly, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips. Without a word, she extended her spiritual sense outward, remaining vigilant to the surroundings.

After walking for a short while, the ground grew increasingly damp, and the soles of their shoes seemed to stick to the muddy earth. In the air, a faint scent of decay and a hint of bl0od drifted toward them.

Her eyes turning cold, Su Yan leisurely drew her Changhong Sword and whispered a warning, "Be careful."

"Hmm?" Tong Tong, who had been holding Cookie while observing the walls for any murals that could serve as clues or works of art, now gripped her Biling Sword with one hand. With her other free hand, she quietly grasped a corner of Su Yan's robe—since her right hand was occupied with the sword and she couldn't hold his left hand, she inwardly lamented: 'Why am I not left-handed? Then I could hold Senior Brother's hand...'

—As for whether Senior Brother Su Yan would allow her to hold his hand and fight together, Tong Tong hadn't considered that yet, because something more important had caught her attention: Could someone tell her—what on earth were these terrifying creatures jumping around in various mismatched clothes, but clearly lacking a "monitor" on their shoulders?

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