Chapter 53: Underground Palace Ruins

"Send a Firefly Gu down to investigate."

"Yes, sir."

The group temporarily halted, giving Liu Jin-xian a moment to relax. She turned to Wang Yu and asked, "Junior Brother Wang, what are your thoughts on the underground of Mount Profound Bone?"

"I am not very talented, unable to match even a fraction of Senior Sister Liu's capabilities. It's better if I don't comment."

"Heh, at least you know your place, a mere fifth-level Qi Condensation cultivator..."

"Silence!"

Liu Jin-xian's brows furrowed, and she shot the disciple a cold glare. The disciple immediately fell silent, not daring to speak further.

Wang Yu, however, was unfazed. The news of his leaving Gu Zheng-shun to join Liu Jin-xian had already spread during the five months they spent waiting for the flowers to bloom. Without the truth being exposed, quite a few senior brothers were envious of him obtaining two levels of excellent bone-wood forest. Petty squabbles like this didn't pique his interest.

"It's back!"

Skipping the small interlude, as the Firefly Gu, its rear glowing, returned, the disciple spoke.

"Senior Sister Liu, below is an underground passage similar to a mine shaft. Its exact destination is unknown, but it seems to head north, deep into the Endless Ice Plains."

"Alright, let's go down."

With the command given, everyone leaped one by one into the bottomless dark pit. Silently counting, Wang Yu immediately determined the pit's depth upon landing. It was about 1,300 meters deep. If one rode a flying artifact, it would only take five breaths to ascend. The underground temperature was low, and the cold wind was biting, but for him, it was like entering his home ground. His dark, phosphorescent eyes glowed faintly, resembling those of a wild beast. They could see directly through darkness, which also caused some hidden observers to feel a hint of suspicion.

"Ma, Xu, Fang, the three of you stay here and ensure our retreat route remains clear."

"Su Qingshan, Wang Qiu, Qiu Qing... the five of you will be the vanguard. Summon your artifacts, be careful, and don't conserve your spiritual energy."

"Yes!"

Liu Jin-xian quickly gave her orders, displaying considerable experience. She currently had eighteen late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators at her command: three staying behind, and five as the vanguard. These vanguards were not disciples from Gu Poison Peak. Instead, they were elites chosen from the scattered disciples holding Profound Bone Tokens before setting out for Mount Profound Bone, making their affiliations clear at a glance. Including Wang Yu and Liu Jin-xian, the main group consisted of twelve people.

After the last battle, although Liu Jin-xian hadn't used all her abilities, she had witnessed the power of the second-tier Divine Strength Corpse Arm. To some extent, she had formed a partnership with him. That is—to deal with Gu Zheng-shun!

This strategy was not Wang Yu's original intention; he merely went with the flow. After all, he was outnumbered, and in such circumstances, he could only submit. Asking him to join was merely to cut off his escape route. After submitting his letter of allegiance, he had no choice but to follow her to the end. This woman was deeply cunning and required much vigilance.

"Let's go."

As the group proceeded along the cavern passage, the artifacts summoned by Su Qingshan and others, mainly offensive weapons like sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, glowed with spiritual energy, dispelling the darkness. The irregular stone walls on both sides bore numerous claw marks. Besides the biting cold, there was a faint, musty smell in the air. Wang Yu discreetly took a premium Barrier-Dispelling Pill and quietly followed the others forward.

A little less than an hour later.

Someone mumbled, "The further we go, the colder it gets. Are we heading towards the Endless Ice Plains? Is this contrary to Gu Zheng-shun's secret?"

Another person agreed, "I think so too. Since the Ferocious Bone Lions and the bee swarms all emerged from underground, why haven't we encountered a single one for so long... Senior Sister Liu."

At this moment, many people had a touch of frost on their hair tips and eyebrows, and thick white vapor plumed from their mouths as they spoke, indicating the extremely low temperature.

The voices of doubt displeased Liu Jin-xian; she preferred to act decisively and independently. However, when out in the world, the opinions of the group had to be considered.

"Wait a moment," she said, then formed a strange Gu spell seal. From her cuffs, collar, dress seams, and thick black hair, a large number of centipede-like multi-legged insects spilled out, making her seem like a living human insect nest. These Gu insects were incredibly fast, disappearing into the darkness in an instant.

A moment later.

Liu Jin-xian suddenly opened her eyes, her face beaming with joy.

"Everyone, continue forward. We will reach our destination in about ten li."

With that, everyone stopped their idle chatter and quickened their pace. They encountered no dangers along the way and soon reached the aforementioned location.

At the end of the cavern passage was an enormous underground space, wide and flat, floored with ancient jade stones. The spiritual gathering patterns on the jade bricks were faint and indistinct. A cluster of underground palaces suddenly appeared before them, at least forty or fifty in number. In the center, grand steps led directly to the main hall.

Upon seeing this sight, someone blurted out, "This is... an ancient sect ruin. This area must be beneath the Endless Ice Plains, right?!"

"This—"

The dangers of the Endless Ice Plains were well known to all. Even Nascent Soul Ancestors found it difficult to traverse. The Taihu Spirit Domain and the Red Kite Demonic Domain, whose northern advance was blocked, were surrounded by sea on three sides. This area, also known as the Chaotic Ancient Sea, was home to ferocious sea beasts and full of natural dangers, cutting off all news from other regions.

Establishing a sect's old site beneath the Endless Ice Plains was something these inner disciples, many from prominent families, had never heard of. Seeing it suddenly, they were all deeply shocked.

Wang Yu secretly observed Liu Jin-xian, noticing that her eyes first showed surprise, then disappointment, before settling into a faint joy. It was clear that her emotional changes were not as calm as they appeared on the surface.

"Based on this scale, it's at most a sect established by an ancient Core Formation cultivator. All of you, remain vigilant and do not touch anything haphazardly."

With that, the group moved forward once more. Su Qingshan and the others were also awestruck by the underground palace ruins. Amidst their excitement, they no longer paid much attention to Wang Yu. In any case, for them, a group of Qi Condensation cultivators, this was an immense opportunity not to be missed.

Comparing the two, Wang Yu fell into contemplation. Liu Jin-xian might have known about the secrets of Mount Profound Bone, just like Gu Zheng-shun, and perhaps even Situ Hong knew, though it might not have met their expectations. Previously, after realizing the purpose and yield of the Profound Essence Flowers, Wang Yu had been puzzled: why was there no Foundation Establishment cultivator permanently stationed in such a treasure trove, which was also surrounded by a second-tier high-grade spiritual vein? This was illogical for demonic cultivators and for a sect. But if it was jointly concealed by multiple factions to provide a training ground and a reward for upper-middle-level disciples, then it made sense. No matter how good the Profound Essence Flowers were, they were only low-level resources. Through an exchange of benefits, given the family backgrounds of Liu Jin-xian and others, they could control it.

As for the underground palace ruins, Wang Yu leaned towards the idea that it had only recently been discovered. It was even possible that they were among the first to enter. A detailed investigation later would clarify this. He was also very interested in the place, wondering if there was a recipe for the ultimate Foundation Establishment Pill.

As they reached the grand steps, octagonal palace lamps at the top of the towering coiled dragon pillars on both sides lit up with faint blue flames, illuminating the entire underground space somewhat.