Chapter 668: Exploration

Ding Jiao spoke in a low voice. Bai Rong glanced at him, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. After all, some things were not meant to be heard lightly. He whispered, "Does the Crown Prince have any news? This place is eerie. If the one below is too powerful, we might inadvertently offend them."

*So Bai Rong doesn't know who it is either…*

Among the three, Bai Rong was the one who had listened personally, and if anything went wrong, he would be the first to suffer. Ding Jiao naturally understood his concerns and simply whispered, "It's fine. An elder once mentioned that the one below isn't a Golden Core cultivator. If a Golden Core cultivator were screaming, would you and I still be alive? Uncle Heyun would have come out to warn us by now…"

What Bai Rong feared most was a Golden Core cultivator. Listening to matters involving ordinary Purple Mansions wouldn't harm his Pure-Hearted Fox, but if a Golden Core cultivator was involved, even his patron might not be able to protect him. "Uncle Heyun's absence means there's no danger here."

Ding Jiao gently reassured the two. He put away the jade bottle in his palm and revealed the bright white stone bead beneath it.

The stone bead was milky white, with three pale yellow lines drawn on its surface. It was merely covered by a faint glow, without any mystical radiance. Ding Jiao quietly said, "This place is so deep that even Purple Mansions can't reach the bottom. The deeper one goes, the heavier the baleful aura becomes. An ordinary Purple Mansion cultivator would only hear a faint shout. That's why I specially retrieved this ancient spiritual artifact."

"This item once belonged to the Ji Immortal lineage. It's called the 'Yin Qi Ji Earth Spoken' and has been in my residence for a long time; it's rarely used."

A hazy yellow light circulated once, sweeping across the stone wall like a shadow. Wherever it passed, the earth and stone trembled, rustling. Ding Jiao's voice was low, and his incantation was obscure and difficult to discern.

Bai Rong, meanwhile, twitched his ears, formed hand seals, and prepared himself. He chanted a low incantation, each sound like a soft sob, harsh and jarring.

The stone wall respectfully said, "Greetings, Lord!"

The voice was hoarse, like earth and stone grinding together, layered and ancient, mumbling and indistinct. There were no other reactions. Bai Rong watched thoughtfully, then chuckled.

Soon, purple light spilled from his fur, like birds, flowing around their ears. Li Zhouwei immediately felt his ears clear, and a chaotic sound emerged, growing louder and softer, from far away to near: "Bound… too tight, please… loosen it a bit!"

Ding Jiao nodded in satisfaction and instructed, "Go down and take a look around. See what the situation is like down there… Remember, you don't need to listen or see; just speak as instructed. I fear that merely seeing or hearing might scatter your divine power, and I'd have to invite another."

Hearing of such a powerful artifact, Bai Rong couldn't help but glance at it, revealing a hint of envy. He quietly said, "An ancient spiritual artifact of Earth Virtue is indeed rare. The Way of the Ji Immortals is first-rate in power; only dragon descendants like the Crown Prince could possess such a collection."

Ding Jiao waited for a moment, then gave up, handing over the stone bead with a smile.

Only then did Li Zhouwei understand their reactions. He gently took the bead and infused it with his spiritual power. The bead instantly brightened severalfold, becoming agile. The mouth on the stone wall eagerly called out:

"Minghuang, this item can hear the earth's whispers and make earth and stone speak on our behalf. However, the Ji Immortal is a paramount figure in the immortal path, and this spiritual artifact is too proud; it won't accept my demonic power. You do it."

Ding Jiao, however, seemed slightly embarrassed. He lifted his chin; his pair of dragon horns emitted a faint glow, almost the only light source in the entire chasm. He replied, "The Earth Virtue path is powerful, but this item is too ancient. Back then, cultivators crafted artifacts for their mystical properties first, not for combat. This item has no benefit in direct fighting."

Bai Rong seemed slightly puzzled, but Ding Jiao offered no explanation. He casually tossed the stone bead, which spun in mid-air. A hazy yellow light immediately emerged from the bead. Li Zhouwei frowned slightly, but Ding Jiao remained silent.

Then, with a *whoosh*, a mouth, no bigger than a palm with distinct lips and teeth, split open on the adjacent stone wall. A deep, buzzing sound emerged from it.

"It is a Ji Immortal, after all." The minor spirit within the stone wall thanked them, and its mouth immediately descended along the wall. Li Zhouwei nodded in approval, then looked at the Yin Qi Ji Earth Spoken in his hand, finding the stone bead plain and unremarkable, with no hint of its ancient spiritual artifact nature.

"Reporting, Lord… it is indeed this humble spirit, awaiting the immortal decrees of you lords."

Li Zhouwei's spiritual sense swept forth. He nodded and asked, "Are you this wall?"

"Thank you, Immortal."

"Quite interesting," Li Zhouwei mused.

Bai Rong's description was no exaggeration; the voice was agonizing, heart-wrenching, a mix of howls and shouts, as if suffering extreme torture, desperate to cry its heart out.

With each person in their respective roles, Ding Jiao finally immersed his consciousness and softly asked, "Who are you?"

Li Zhouwei felt all sounds in his ears suddenly cease. The mournful cries finally stopped, replaced by a silence so profound it made him tremble. After a full dozen breaths, a rock-splitting roar erupted heavenward, shaking the entire great chasm. The man's voice was sharp like a ghost's wail: "Who are you? Where is Yao Chenlin? Where is Yao Chenlin?! Please… loosen it! Please… loosen it!"

The force of the voice made Bai Rong groan. Li Zhouwei felt the Yin Qi Ji Earth Spoken in his hand suddenly grow heavy, and the stone bead, which had been continuously drawing spiritual power, abruptly lost connection. Ding Jiao's face turned pale.

"Poof!" A crisp sound appeared in their ears. Li Zhouwei was merely supplying spiritual power; Ding Jiao was still controlling the artifact. Seeing Ding Jiao frown, there was no need for further explanation; the minor spirit had certainly been killed by the shock. Ding Jiao said nothing, but summoned another mouth from the opposite stone wall, gave it instructions, and sent it down. His tone was slightly gloomy: "There's no Void here. Each time we summon a mountain spirit, it not only costs a lot of spiritual power but also requires re-instruction…"

Bai Rong, meanwhile, tried his best to recover, his expression complex. He whispered, "He's probably at the bottom of the chasm, an unknown distance from here. Yet, when the Crown Prince asked, he was immediately able to send his roar all the way up here using spiritual power! In mere seconds! This level of power…"

Ding Jiao clearly had the same thought, his brows furrowed. Bai Rong pondered for a moment and continued, "My Lord probably can't do it… perhaps only Great-Grandma could try…"

Xiao Chuting and others, upon reaching the Purple Mansion realm, could instantly transmit their voices across thousands of miles, but that was with the aid of the Void. It's not difficult to do once one achieves divine abilities. However, there is no Void here. For this person to rely purely on spiritual power to transmit their voice all the way up here is truly extraordinary.

The group waited for a while, then Ding Jiao spoke again, "Who are you, sir?"

After a few breaths, the man's voice indeed sounded in their ears. This time, it was much calmer, hoarse and deep, yet accompanied by grinding teeth and sounds of coughing blood: "I… am Li Xunquan."

Bai Rong was stunned, Ding Jiao looked up, and Li Zhouwei, beside them, widened his eyes slightly. The voice struck his heart like a great bell. *Li Xunquan, the Crown Prince of the former Wei-Li Dynasty!*

Bound at the bottom of the chasm was none other than Li Xunquan, the former Crown Prince of Wei-Li, whose head had hung in Danyang for nine years! Li Zhouwei raised his eyebrows and opened his golden eyes, looking at Bai Rong and Ding Jiao. Both demons showed expressions of genuine shock, not feigned. A fleeting look crossed Li Zhouwei's face, and the next moment, countless questions arose in his mind: *Is this the real Li Xunquan or a fake one…? If Li Xunquan was killed in Danyang City, why is he here… and who did this…? What is the dragon clan's purpose?*

His thoughts raced like lightning. Ding Jiao glanced at him and whispered, "Li Xunquan? I am Dongfang Ding Jiao; my grandfather is Dongfang You… Who has bound you here?"

The voice from below paused, revealing a tremor of extreme pain, hoarse and strained: "Uncle? The pain is unbearable… Please, Uncle, loosen my bonds a little!"

Li Zhouwei listened in silence. Li Xunquan had clearly only caught half of what Ding Jiao said, mistaking him for Dongfang You. Ding Jiao had a headache. He asked several more questions, but the man consistently focused only on having his bonds loosened.

After a full quarter of an hour, Dongfang Ding Jiao asked again, "What binds you? How long have you been here?"

Li Xunquan seemed to have reached his limit of pain endurance. His voice was sharp, piercing their ears: "The Fu Xi Binding Dragon Leash… Where is Yao Chenlin?! Loosen my bonds!" "Hmph…" Dongfang Ding Jiao grunted, his brows tightly furrowed. Clearly, that mountain spirit had been killed by the shock again. Endless wails echoed from below. Li Zhouwei remained silent throughout, watching quietly.

The white flood dragon paused, then said softly, "My demonic power is running low. Let's go up first."

As his words fell, the spiritual artifact beneath their feet gradually floated upward. Bai Rong also withdrew his divine ability, and all the noise and painful cries in their ears vanished. Li Zhouwei cast his gaze towards the endless chasm bottom.

Ding Jiao seemed somewhat subdued. He whispered, "Minghuang, I merely heard there was something unusual about this place, that an elder was imprisoned underground, someone my clan never mentioned. I just wanted to investigate, but I never expected it to be him…"

Strictly speaking, Dongfang You and Emperor Gong of Wei were close friends. Ding Jiao's father, Dragon King Bei Hai, addressed Emperor Gong of Wei as his uncle. Therefore, Ding Jiao should at least call Li Xunquan "Uncle." This relationship, spanning only one or two generations, was quite close and certainly warranted being called an elder.

While favors often fade with time, Dongfang Ding Jiao mentioned this connection merely to build rapport, which held no real significance for Li Zhouwei. But for Li Xunquan, it was different… Perhaps this Crown Prince had even enjoyed pleasant conversations with Dongfang You. Thus, Ding Jiao's emotions were very complex at this moment. Although he had been mentally prepared, seeing Li Xunquan in such a state still caused an emotional shift. The Crown Prince had rarely suffered any setbacks since childhood, let alone witnessing an elder imprisoned underground and being powerless to help. He only muttered, "He's already incoherent… only able to react to a few names. He must have been tormented for a very long time."

Bai Rong, whose demonic power was the most depleted, looked somewhat dispirited. He murmured, "It's been fifteen hundred years since the Wei-Li Dynasty fell. He hung in Danyang City for nine years; perhaps he was captured and brought underground after that. Fifteen hundred years of torment—no one could endure that!"

Of the two demons, Bai Rong was purely sighing in lament, but Ding Jiao felt genuine grief and indignation. The Dragon Crown Prince said coldly, "Although Emperor Qi was cruel and ruthless, the Jie clan had received favors from Emperor Gong. They only killed Uncle and a few of his followers, hanging his head in Danyang. They even secretly didn't wish to, or couldn't, kill Uncle, and certainly wouldn't torment him here. Moreover, the Qi kingdom was long ago destroyed by the Tuoba family…" "The one who imprisoned him here must be a major Northern immortal sect of today, at odds with Wei-Li, and covetous of all things Mingyang!"

Bai Rong felt a surge of panic, shouting internally: *This child isn't foolish. You're explaining it in such detail, practically naming Mount Luoxia! Ding Jiao, oh Ding Jiao…* Bai Rong knew that Mount Luoxia's relationship with the dragon clan, and even the entire demon race, was far from good. His Great Li Mountain had also suffered its share of setbacks. But Mount Luoxia was guarded by a Dao Embryo; it wasn't a lineage one could casually speak ill of!

How could Li Zhouwei not understand? Zhao was merely a plaything of the Buddhist cultivators now, and major Northern immortal sects were few and far between; one could guess by matching names. Though he noted it internally, he found it difficult to respond directly. He simply asked in a deep voice, "Your Highness, matters of Wei, Qi, Liang, and Zhao are rarely recorded in the south, making them hard to grasp… What Dao did Emperor Qi cultivate?"

Li Zhouwei now knew quite a bit, and at this question, Ding Jiao sighed, "Emperor Qi Shi Chang cultivated Xi Qi, which complements Shaoyang. They have always been coexistent. This Dao can now transform Mingyang into Shaoyang… it's exactly as you suspect."

Bai Rong heard this and, fearing Ding Jiao would mention Mount Luoxia next, quickly interjected, adding, "Precisely. The Sun can divide into Shaoyang and give birth to Xi. Xi Qi, in turn, can transform Mingyang into Shaoyang. The Dao of mutual generation is found right there."

Li Zhouwei committed this to memory. After all, he himself cultivated Mingyang, and in the future, if he encountered anyone cultivating Xi Qi, he would need to be wary. Then he saw Ding Jiao clasp his hands behind his back and say softly, "Thank you both. This matter now has a conclusion, though it's somewhat unsatisfactory. Still, I have a clear understanding now."

Ding Jiao observed their reactions, knowing his previous words had been heeded. Without further elaboration, he nodded slightly. The spiritual artifact beneath his feet flew faster and faster, transforming into a white streak that shot upwards. Ding Jiao quietly said, "However, what happened in this chasm is a secret, and not a glorious one. I ask both of you to keep this information confidential, which would also be for your own benefit."

"Of course." Li Zhouwei and Bai Rong replied. Ding Jiao smiled:

"Rest assured, both of you. There's no Void here, and I specifically chose a special day to come. Cultivators within the seas cannot discern the affairs of my dragon clan today, and those Daoist sects are arrogant, usually not concerning themselves with matters inside or outside the seas, let alone divining about us."

The meaning of his words was now even clearer; he was obviously telling them not to worry. Bai Rong nodded with a smile, while Li Zhouwei pondered his words.

"Special day…" Li Zhouwei paused slightly, then immediately understood. After a quick calculation, he praised internally: "It's the Dragon Lord's birthday today!"

When Li Zhouwei and the others went to Thunder Listening Island, Miao Ye and the others had mentioned the Dragon Lord's birthday. At that time, Li Zhouwei had asked Bai Rong about it, who said there was still half a month left.

"And counting the preceding and succeeding events, exactly twelve days have passed. The time we just spent at the bottom of the chasm coincided precisely with the second day of the second month!" He glanced at Ding Jiao. Bai Rong also remained silent. Li Zhouwei's heart was clear: *The Li Mountain Fox clan also knew this was the most suitable day… so Bai Rong hurried along, and the time the Azure Water Scaled Beast spent on the road was also calculated in advance. Ding Jiao appeared to come and go casually, but that wasn't actually the case…*