Chapter 66: The Cave

“This is a backdoor left by the array master.”

As Chen Luo observed the activated pathway created by Longevity Daoist, this thought suddenly emerged in his mind.

It was residual knowledge from the mummified brain.

Indeed, this brain differed from ordinary ones; even without fully accessing it, he could perceive changes in the environment.

With the spreading glow, a circular pattern materialized within the open space between the two connected platforms. The intricate design featured diverse symbols and markings, none of which Chen Luo recognized. Strangely, however, he instinctively sensed that the formation posed no danger.

This perception contradicted his existing knowledge and understanding.

“Hurry up and stand on the central node!” both the Jade Bamboo Fairy and Daoist Heartflame simultaneously shouted to their disciples. They had brought them here with the hope that they could escape the Great Mausoleum and explore the true world outside.

Upon hearing the command, everyone swiftly moved onto the designated area. Without hesitation, Chen Luo joined them.

“Don’t forget your boxes,” reminded Longevity Daoist, specifically addressing Chen Luo.

Seeing Chen Luo, Longevity Daoist specifically reminded him, “Don’t worry, Master.”

Chen Luo patted his chest confidently, indicating that he had everything prepared.

“Let’s give it a try; perhaps we can escape,” suggested Daoist Heartflame.

As their disciples stood on the pathway, Jade Bamboo Fairy, Daoist Heartflame, and Longevity Daoist felt reassured. Daoist Heartflame then moved to the center of the formation, eager to test if they could indeed leave.

They had devoted their entire lives towards this single goal: escaping the confines of the Great Mausoleum. Alas, time was relentless, with most of their lifespans already slipping away.

Their half-lifetime of efforts merely paved the way for future generations.

‘Bone age mismatched, returning to origin.’

Chen Luo also turned his gaze ahead, feeling the familiar sensation of distortion in his mind once again.

The mummy’s brain made its assessment anew.

Finally, as the light reached its peak, a sudden jolt beneath their feet occurred, followed by a dizzying whirl. In the next moment, it felt like being pulled into a vortex, dragged forcefully towards another direction.

‘This inter-regional teleportation array is somewhat crude.’

Just before losing consciousness, Chen Luo’s thoughts echoed with the last message from the mummy’s brain.

On the ground, the black iron fragments, meticulously crafted by Longevity Daoist and his companions over half their lifetimes, shattered instantly as the portal opened.

The immortal script disintegrated, and talismans exploded.

The makeshift smuggling method, exploiting the damaged formation’s breach, was detected and repaired by the grand array.

All six young individuals vanished, while the three old masters—Longevity Daoist, Daoist Heartflame, and Jade Bamboo Fairy—were forcefully ejected from the platform opposite the entrance.

Following a burst of dazzling light, they plummeted directly from mid-air.

“As expected, no lucky breaks,” sighed Longevity Daoist.

Though he had anticipated this outcome, facing it still brought a tinge of disappointment.

“Didn’t we foresee this all along?” Daoist Heartflame remained undeterred.

He stood up, dusted off his robes, and offered a comforting word to Longevity Daoist.

“Let’s return. If we delay further, the tunnel might disappear.”

Jade Bamboo Fairy glanced at the tunnel above them, then with a graceful leap, soared out of the Great Mausoleum.

Daoist Heartflame did not linger either, swiftly following her lead.

Longevity Daoist was the last to leave. He looked back at the platform beneath his feet, knowing it would be his final visit.

‘Ah, the cultivation world…’

Longevity Daoist gazed in the direction where Chen Luo had vanished and sighed deeply, his lingering regret dispersing like wind-blown ashes.

“Senior Brother, Elder Brother Chen. Wake up.”

A familiar voice reached his ears; it was Xie Shuang, Jade Bamboo Fairy’s disciple.

Chen Luo slowly opened his eyes, the aftereffects of absorbing the mummy’s brain finally taking their toll. The excessive strain on his mental energy caused him to awaken much later than the others. Even now, he felt far from recovered.

His entire body seemed drained, head heavy and limbs weak, with double vision blurring his sight.

Suppressing the discomfort, he circulated the True Immortal Classic once, gradually easing the uneasy sensations.

“Where are we?” Chen Luo looked around.

They had been transported into a pitch-black cave, dimly lit by faint light, reminiscent of an abandoned fallout shelter.

Bookshelves lined the walls, but due to age, the books they held were riddled with insect damage, while the shelves themselves emitted a decaying scent, appearing ready to crumble at the slightest touch.

“I’m not sure either. Senior Brothers Doude and others went out to assess our surroundings but haven’t returned yet.” As Xie Shuang spoke, a hint of concern surfaced in her eyes.

Unlike Chen Luo, Xie Shuang had been raised by her master, the Jade Bamboo Fairy, from a young age and had never left her side. This sudden separation felt deeply unsettling, akin to being abandoned by a loved one.

Due to this sentiment, she grew even more attached to Chen Luo and Doude, considering them unconsciously as her closest family.

In truth, Xie Shuang did not wish to leave the Yue Kingdom.

Everyone has their own aspirations, and Xie Shuang simply desired to stay with her master, living a peaceful life.

However, the greatest obsession for the older generation, including the Jade Bamboo Fairy, was to escape the Great Mausoleum that was the Yue Kingdom. They did not want the younger generation, like Xie Shuang, to follow the same path as their predecessors.

Not wanting to disappoint her master, Xie Shuang kept her feelings unexpressed.

“Let’s go outside and take a look first.”

Chen Luo had now regained his composure.

He gently touched the ancestral tablet at his chest, entrusted to him by Longevity Daoist.

It’s still here.

Relief washed over him involuntarily.

Together, they rose and followed the cave exit.

Upon stepping outside, both were astounded by the sight before them.

The cave emerged on a small hilltop. As far as the eye could see, there stretched an ancient forest without end, its lush greenery extending continuously until it met the horizon. In the distance, mountain ridges wound like coiled dragons, dividing the vast woodland and obstructing any view beyond.

“Is this the cultivation world?” Xie Shuang inadvertently murmured aloud.

Neither Jade Bamboo Fairy nor her contemporaries knew what the outside world looked like, so naturally, they couldn’t teach Xie Shuang about it.

“There’s no one around. Are you sure those few left on their own?” Chen Luo retracted his gaze and examined the surrounding environment.

The small hill was not particularly high, surrounded by numerous brambles and shrubs. The cave entrance itself was covered with thick layers of fallen leaves. He scrutinized carefully but found no footprints nearby.

“I’m not certain,” Xie Shuang admitted with a shake of her head.

Xie Shuang shook her head. Doude and his three fellow disciples were the first to awaken. When Xie Shuang came to, she only saw Doude; the others had already ventured out ahead of her.

The information she possessed was all from what Doude shared before leaving.

“Leave a mark here, let’s search as well.”

After pondering for a moment, Chen Luo inscribed an immortal script at the cave entrance.

As he channeled spiritual energy, his head felt slightly heavy again.

“Elder Brother Chen, are you alright?” Xie Shuang asked with concern, gradually adjusting to the outside world.

She was no longer a naive young girl. Being chosen by the Jade Bamboo Fairy as her disciple, Xie Shuang undoubtedly had her exceptional qualities.

“I’m fine.” Chen Luo gently massaged his temples.

He couldn’t fully grasp his current state yet. He could distinctly feel changes occurring within his body, particularly in terms of his aptitude. However, without immediate access to any assessment tools, he could only rely on intuition to guess the extent of these transformations.

‘It should be positive changes, surely not for the worse?’