40: Chapter 40 Eyes on the Stone Wall

The sky was slightly bright at dawn.

At the entrance of Yangjiao Ravine, Lu Zhao and Shen Qingqiu were fully prepared and ready to depart. He Shan and the others saw them off to the old locust tree, everyone's expression grave.

"Sir, are you really not taking anyone with you?" He Shan gripped his longbow, his brows knitted together. "The Longshan Grottoes have a fierce reputation; the two of you..."

"Having more people would only be inconvenient," Lu Zhao said. "Guard the village well. Remember, for this month, no matter what news you hear, you are not to act rashly."

He looked at Yan Meng.

"Continue the training at the War Martial Hall; not a single day can be missed."

Yan Meng cupped his fists: "Understood."

He then looked at Han Meng.

"Keep a close eye on the black market. If there is any movement, report back immediately."

Han Meng grinned: "Rest assured, Sir. If those Loose Cultivators dare to come, I will ensure they never return."

Lu Zhao nodded, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.

He Shan, Yan Meng, Han Meng, Zhong Tiegu, Granny Xue, Qin Wan, Master Wen, Tian Dali, Song Shouren, A-Fei... Every familiar face showed worry, reluctance, and trust.

He cupped his fists.

"Wait for my return."

He turned and strode away.

Shen Qingqiu followed behind him, and after walking more than ten zhang, she suddenly turned back to look.

At the village entrance, everyone was still standing under the old locust tree, watching them go. The morning light spilled over them, coating them in a faint gold.

She withdrew her gaze and caught up with Lu Zhao.

The mountain path was rugged, and the two walked quickly.

Lu Zhao walked in front, his steps steady and his breathing long and even. Shen Qingqiu followed behind; although she did not know martial arts, she was proficient in the minor Formation technique of 'shortening the ground to inches,' covering a zhang or more with each step, so she did not fall behind at all.

"How much do you know about the Longshan Grottoes?" Lu Zhao asked.

Shen Qingqiu thought for a moment and said: "I heard my elders mention it years ago. It is said that in ancient times, martial Cultivators carved out grottoes in that mountain to practice in seclusion. Later, for some unknown reason, those people disappeared overnight, and the grottoes were occupied by Yao Beasts."

"What kind of Yao Beasts?"

"I'm not sure," Shen Qingqiu shook her head. "There are many rumors. Some say they are snake demons, some say bears, and others say an ancient ape that had become a spirit. But one thing is certain—of those who go in, no more than three out of ten come out alive."

Lu Zhao nodded and asked no more.

The two traveled north, crossing two mountains and wading through three streams. When the sun began to set in the west, they finally saw a solitary peak in the distance.

The mountain was not high, but it was treacherous. The cliffs on all four sides were like they had been cleaved by knives and axes, with only a winding, sheep-gut path leading up from the south. Clouds and mist swirled around the mountainside, making it impossible to see clearly.

"That is it," Shen Qingqiu said. "Longshan."

Lu Zhao stared at the mountain for a moment before suddenly saying: "There are people."

Shen Qingqiu was startled and focused her gaze.

Sure enough, near a giant rock at the foot of the mountain, shadows were faintly moving. Not just one, but three or four, sitting together as if resting.

"Loose Cultivators," Shen Qingqiu said. "Most likely they are also here for the grottoes."

Lu Zhao did not speak, only slowed his pace and continued forward.

As they got closer, they could see the group clearly.

There were four of them, three men and one woman. The men were not old, between twenty and thirty, wearing mismatched clothes with various weapons hanging from their waists. The woman was in her early twenties, with a round face and almond eyes, wearing her hair in double buns and clad in a cyan martial outfit. She was squatting on the ground poking at a pile of dry wood, seemingly trying to start a fire.

Hearing footsteps, the four of them looked up in unison.

The leader was about thirty years old, looking travel-worn. He held a thick-backed machete and scrutinized Lu Zhao and Shen Qingqiu with a wary gaze.

"Are you two also here to explore the grottoes?"

Lu Zhao nodded.

The man breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "What a coincidence, so are we. Why don't we team up? It's easier to look out for each other with more people."

Just as Shen Qingqiu was about to speak, Lu Zhao opened his mouth.

"Fine."

Shen Qingqiu was startled and looked at him.

Lu Zhao's expression remained unchanged, and he only whispered: "They are familiar with the path."

The five agreed and went up the mountain together.

The man with the machete called himself Wang Heng, a Loose Cultivator from the Black Mountain area who often made a living in various dangerous places. The other three: the thin, tall one was named Liu Qing, who wielded a pair of short halberds; the short, stout one was named Zhang Tu, who carried a butcher's knife on his back; the round-faced woman was his younger sister, named Zhang Xiao'e, who used a pair of short swords, which was said to be a family-inherited skill.

"Where are you from, Brother Lu?" Wang Heng asked while walking.

"From over by Black Mountain," Lu Zhao said. "A small place, not worth mentioning."

"Oh? Where in Black Mountain? I often travel around Black Mountain too."

Lu Zhao glanced at him and said indifferently: "Yangjiao Ravine."

Wang Heng's footsteps faltered for a moment, then he smiled: "Yangjiao Ravine? Never heard of it. Small place, that's normal."

He continued walking forward, but secretly gave a wink to Liu Qing.

Liu Qing understood and slowed his pace, falling behind.

Lu Zhao saw these subtle movements, but remained calm and composed.

The mountain path became increasingly treacherous as they walked.

Eventually, there was no path left, and they had to climb up by clinging to vines on the stone wall. Wang Heng was in the lead, climbing while turning back to call out: "Watch your step! This place is very slippery!"

Lu Zhao followed behind him, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the surrounding stone walls.

There were faint traces of carving on the stone wall, seemingly grooves chiseled by humans to assist in climbing. But the marks were very old, the edges worn smooth by wind and rain, with at least several hundred years of history.

"We're here!" Wang Heng suddenly shouted.

Everyone looked up.

More than ten zhang ahead, a hole over a zhang high opened up in the stone wall, pitch-black and bottomless. The edges of the entrance were neat, clearly carved by human hands.

"This is the entrance to the grottoes," Wang Heng said. "There are many branching paths inside. This is my second time here, and I barely recognize a few of them."

He turned to look at Lu Zhao.

"Brother Lu, which way do you want to explore?"

Lu Zhao said: "Just walk around, try our luck."

Wang Heng laughed: "Alright then, follow us. We'll share whatever we find."

He was the first to dive into the entrance.

Inside the grotto, it was pitch black, and one could not see one's own fingers.

Zhang Tu lit a fire starter and held it up; the faint light barely illuminated the surrounding three feet. The group hugged the stone wall and slowly felt their way forward.

The air was damp and cold, carrying a musty, stale odor. From time to time, they stepped on soft, mushy things underfoot, not knowing if it was moss or something else.

Shen Qingqiu was walking beside Lu Zhao when she suddenly reached out and lightly tugged at his sleeve.

Lu Zhao turned his head.

Shen Qingqiu leaned to his ear and whispered extremely quietly: "Those people are acting strange. They've exchanged glances at least three times just now."

Lu Zhao nodded slightly.

He had noticed it too.

From the moment they met at the foot of the mountain, the four had been acting. Wang Heng pretended to be enthusiastic, Liu Qing's eyes flickered, Zhang Tu looked honest but kept glancing at their waists, and Zhang Xiao'e kept her head down, but every time she looked up, her gaze landed on their bundles.

This was no exploration of the grottoes; they were clearly highwaymen.

"Don't move yet," Lu Zhao whispered. "Let's see what they are up to."

The two continued walking forward.

The deeper they went into the grottoes, the more branching paths there were. Wang Heng walked very familiarly, turning this way and that without a single moment of hesitation. After walking for about the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, the path ahead suddenly opened up.

It was a stone chamber.

The stone chamber was three or four zhang in diameter and about two zhang high, with smooth walls, clearly carved by human hands. In the center stood a thick stone pillar, covered with dense, layered patterns.

"We're here," Wang Heng smiled. "This place is the center of the grottoes. It leads in all directions; you can go whichever way you want."

He looked at Lu Zhao.

"Brother Lu, which way do you plan to go?"

Lu Zhao did not answer, only stared at the stone pillar.

The patterns on the pillar were very ancient, the lines rough yet possessing an indescribable charm. He focused his gaze and suddenly his heart skipped a beat—

The patterns were actually human figures.

A person, hands held together, legs slightly bent, as if... standing in the Hun Yuan Stance!

The record on the animal hide from Uncle Ya flashed through his mind—the first layer of the "Hun Yuan Stance," the Standing Stance.

Exactly the same.

"Brother Lu?" Wang Heng's voice came.

Lu Zhao withdrew his gaze and looked at him.

Wang Heng was smiling, but that smile had a different flavor than before.

"What's the matter? Is there something interesting about this stone pillar?"

Lu Zhao said indifferently: "Just looking around."

"Then take a few more looks," Wang Heng stepped back. "Anyway, you won't be able to see it later."

Before the words had even faded, Liu Qing, Zhang Tu, and Zhang Xiao'e moved simultaneously!

Liu Qing's short halberds swept horizontally, aiming straight for Lu Zhao's lower back! Zhang Tu's butcher's knife slashed directly at Shen Qingqiu's face! Zhang Xiao'e's twin swords struck out together, sealing off Lu Zhao's retreat!

Their coordination was seamless; they were clearly old hands.

But Lu Zhao was faster.

His figure flickered, and he had already escaped the encirclement of the three, taking the opportunity to strike Liu Qing in the chest with a palm!

"Bang!"

Liu Qing flew backward, crashed into the stone wall, spewed blood from his mouth, and his short halberds fell from his hands to the ground.

At the same time, a yellow light flew from Shen Qingqiu's sleeve, striking Zhang Tu squarely in the face. Zhang Tu screamed, covered his face, and stumbled back, his butcher's knife clattering to the ground. The yellow light was a talisman, sizzling as it stuck to his face, burning his flesh black.

Zhang Xiao'e's twin swords missed their mark, and seeing the situation was bad, she turned and ran.

After running three steps, Lu Zhao was already blocking her path.

She gritted her teeth and thrust her twin swords again!

Lu Zhao dodged sideways and casually slapped her on the shoulder. She let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground, struggling to get up, only to find that half of her body was numb and she could not move.

Wang Heng's face turned deathly pale.

He had never imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man would be so tough!

"Who... who are you people!" his voice trembled.

Lu Zhao ignored him and only looked at Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu nodded, walked up to Wang Heng, picked up his dropped machete, and weighed it in her hand.

"Speak," she said. "Who sent you?"

Wang Heng's lips trembled: "No... no one..."

Shen Qingqiu sighed.

"Are you going to tell me yourself, or do you want me to use Soul Searching?" She paused. "Although I don't specialize in the Soul Dao, I can still perform Soul Searching on a Qi Refining second-stage Loose Cultivator."

Wang Heng's face turned white.

The technique of Soul Searching, at best, turned one into an idiot, and at worst, killed one on the spot.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" he shouted. "It... it was people from the Xuanshuang Sect! They told us to guard the foot of the mountain, and if we saw any strangers entering the grottoes, to... to kill them!"

Lu Zhao's gaze sharpened.

"Xuanshuang Sect? How did they know someone would come?"

"I... I don't know!" Wang Heng said. "That person came to find us half a month ago, gave us a deposit, and said that as long as we killed someone coming from the direction of Yangjiao Ravine, we would get triple the reward upon reporting back! We... we were just greedy for money..."

Half a month ago.

That was when Lu Wenyuan had asked to meet him.

The Xuanshuang Sect had been watching him for a long time.

Lu Zhao was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "What was that person's status in the Xuanshuang Sect?"

Wang Heng shook his head: "I don't know! He was wearing a black robe, his face covered, revealing only his eyes. But when he spoke, that Aura... it was at least the Foundation Establishment Stage!"

Foundation Establishment Stage.

Lu Zhao and Shen Qingqiu exchanged a look.

"Anything else?"

"No... nothing else!" Wang Heng said. "That's all we know! Please spare our lives! We were forced into this!"

Lu Zhao did not speak.

He walked to the stone pillar and reached out to touch the patterns.

The rough stone surface, the warm touch, as if it still retained the body heat of the person who had stood in the stance thousands of years ago.

He closed his eyes.

In his spiritual platform, it suddenly cleared.

The incantations for the first layer of the "Hun Yuan Stance" gushed out like a spring, verifying against the patterns on the stone pillar, and merging with each other. The previously vague key points were now suddenly clear.

He opened his eyes.

"Let's go," he said.

Shen Qingqiu was startled: "What about these people..."

"Tie them up and leave them here," Lu Zhao said. "They won't die, and they can't run away."

Wang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and was about to thank him, when he suddenly widened his eyes.

Behind Lu Zhao, those ancient patterns on the stone pillar actually began to emit a faint golden light! The golden light flowed, spreading along the stone pillar, and finally converged into an eye—

A closed eye.

That eye slowly opened.

Golden light burst forth, illuminating the stone chamber as bright as day! Wang Heng and the others screamed, covering their eyes and rolling on the ground. Shen Qingqiu retreated several steps, and several talismans flew from her sleeve, setting up a light shield in front of her.

But Lu Zhao did not move.

He only felt that the eye was looking at him—not looking at his face, but looking inside him, looking at his Meridians, looking at his Qi and blood, looking at that "heart of the martial ancestor"!

An ancient voice echoed in the stone chamber.

"Sixty years... finally, someone has come."

The golden light faded.

On the stone pillar, the eye slowly closed.

But at the base of the stone pillar, a crack opened silently, revealing a stone staircase leading downward, pitch-black and unknown where it led.