Chapter 604: Small Lake Stone Formation

Mount Tian was in sight. Like a colossal sword piercing the sky, it was magnificent and grand. Immortal clouds enveloped the mountain, where countless ancient halls stood, and dense arrays of immortal restrictions shimmered with strange light.

Qin Sang saw a streak of light, like a shooting star, fly into Mount Tian, breaking through a light barrier and entering an ancient hall. He knew then that other Nascent Soul grandmasters must have arrived.

Dongyang Bo, seemingly fearing discovery, prematurely ceased his magical flight, concealed his aura, and cautiously traversed the mountain forests to approach Mount Tian. Later, he moved to the back of the mountain, walking uphill discreetly but still at an incredibly fast pace.

Carried along by Dongyang Bo, Qin Sang had no control over his movements, viewing the scenery of Mount Tian as if on a quick tour, secretly speculating about the purpose of Dongyang Bo and Chen Yan's arrival here. He wondered why they needed to be so secretive.

As they neared halfway up the mountain, Dongyang Bo paused slightly, looked around for a moment, and then turned to the left. To the left was actually a sheer cliff face, but upon closer inspection, a hidden path was revealed. A narrow stone path, evidently man-made, wound along the cliff, yet it blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

At the other end of the stone path was a valley bursting with flowers! The valley floor was gentle and covered with an abundance of flowers and plants, forming a breathtaking sea of vibrant colors. In the center of this floral expanse lay a small lake. The small lake resembled a pearl embedded within a cluster of flowers. Its surface was exceptionally calm and crystal clear, reflecting the sea of clouds and the outline of Mount Tian.

*Thud!*

Qin Sang suddenly felt his body tense as Dongyang Bo casually threw him onto a patch of flowers and grass by the lakeside. Caught off guard, Qin Sang stumbled, barely managed to steady himself, and then realized several figures had suddenly appeared beside him. He saw it was Qiu Mubai, Mu Yifeng, and two others. The four had appeared out of nowhere. Despite their proximity, Qin Sang hadn't sensed them at all; he only saw them after being thrown there. Moreover, looking out from where he stood, the view was no different from before. The methods of the Nascent Soul grandmasters were truly astonishing.

Qiu Mubai and the others also looked at Qin Sang with surprise. Their marks were connected, and they had been found by Dongyang Bo and brought here shortly after entering the inner hall. They had been waiting for a while and were curious about what Qin Sang had encountered, given his late arrival.

"Senior Brother Qiu, Senior Brother Mu…" Qin Sang greeted each of them.

Mu Yifeng stepped forward, giving Qin Sang a punch, his expression a mix of worry and excitement as he pressed, "Where have you been, kid? Why are you only showing up now? I thought you…"

Qin Sang glanced back. Dongyang Bo stood by the lake, occasionally looking at the small lake, then raising his head to gaze beyond the mountain. Qiu Mubai and the others were all there, but Chen Yan was absent, presumably having gone out to search for him.

Qin Sang explained softly, "As soon as I entered the inner hall, I fell into an illusion array. The illusions inside were terrifying, just like the real world. At first, I thought everything was real and couldn't find any flaws. It was only when I noticed something was wrong that I realized it was an illusion array, but I was powerless to escape. It was an ancient immortal array, beyond my current cultivation level to break through. Fortunately, Grandmaster rescued me, or I would definitely have been trapped and died in there…"

"You're really unlucky!" Mu Yifeng felt a shiver of fear for Qin Sang. The other four had landed on the outer fragments and hadn't encountered any dangers, while Qin Sang had run into such a low-probability event.

"Thankfully, it was just an illusion array—a blessing in disguise!" Mu Yifeng exclaimed.

"What was that ancient immortal array like? Junior Brother Qin, can you tell us about it?" Ji Qing asked, his face full of curiosity. Qiu Mubai and Yu Wansen were also very interested. The legends of Ziwei Palace had long captivated them, and each harbored the ambition of acquiring ancient cultivation treasures. They were fortunate enough to enter while in the False Core stage, but they hadn't seen anything before being brought here. They didn't dare to go anywhere else and were very curious about the outside.

Qin Sang shook his head repeatedly, his expression solemn. "Immortal arrays are terrifying; don't be curious! What I fell into was merely a remnant array. There must be countless similar places in Ziwei Palace that could easily kill us. Absolutely do not wander off; just stay put and wait…"

Before he could finish, Qin Sang suddenly felt a gentle breeze and immediately fell silent. He turned around to see Chen Yan standing by the lake, having appeared unnoticed.

Dongyang Bo pointed at Qin Sang and said to Chen Yan, "This wretched disciple fell into the Sword Mark Mountain over there and was trapped by an illusion array. He accidentally stumbled upon a weak point, which allowed this old man to sense the mark's fluctuation. Fortunately, it didn't delay your important matter, Miss, otherwise this old man would have taken his dog life right here!"

Chen Yan glanced at Qin Sang and said indifferently, "It's good that he's found; let's not cause any further complications. All five elemental beast seals are here, Daoist Dongyang. Shouldn't we be moving now?"

Dongyang Bo turned and looked up at the peak of Mount Tian. Qin Sang and the others followed Dongyang Bo's gaze, but saw nothing but white clouds.

Dongyang Bo seemed to have discerned something. He said in a deep voice, "Not many people have arrived yet, especially since Old Daoist Zhenyi isn't here. He's probably more concerned about the war than treasure hunting. We still have plenty of time. Come with me…"

With that, Dongyang Bo flicked his sleeve, and the water of the small lake suddenly parted to either side, revealing a set of white jade steps at the bottom. The steps led to a circular stone altar in the very center of the lakebed.

Dongyang Bo led the way, and Qin Sang and the others were involuntarily drawn to follow him down, with Miss Chen Yan bringing up the rear. Dongyang Bo then took out a square white jade seal and pressed it into the exact center of the circular stone altar. Only then did Qin Sang and the others notice a groove there, perfectly shaped for the jade seal, which fit snugly.

In an instant, the stone altar suddenly glowed, and restrictions emerged. "Miss Chen Yan, please," Dongyang Bo said, taking out the stone seal and gesturing for everyone to step onto the altar.

Chen Yan nodded noncommittally and stepped onto the stone altar, then asked, "From here, can we truly reach the place where my master disappeared?"

Dongyang Bo chuckled. "We've already come this far; I wouldn't deceive you, would I? Miss Chen Yan, have you forgotten when I first met you all those years ago? At that time, my cultivation was far inferior to your master's, yet my speed wasn't slower than yours. That was thanks to this shortcut."

Chen Yan nodded noncommittally, then asked, "Don't we need to set up an array to conceal this place?"

"No need." Dongyang Bo shook his head. "I know you're eager to save your master, Miss, and caution is good. Rest assured, this place allows exit but no entry. To activate the restrictions on this altar, only the jade seal in my hand will suffice. Those old foxes are all cunning; setting up an array here would only alert them."

The six stood in the center of the stone altar. Dongyang Bo raised the stone seal. Under the activation of true essence, the seal activated the restrictions on the altar. White light erupted from the ground like a funnel, directly drawing Qin Sang and the others into the earth.

The six vanished from their spot, and the stone altar and small lake reverted to their original state. Qin Sang's vision flickered between light and darkness. When he regained his senses, he found himself standing in a dimly lit underground passage.