"What about Cave Number One?"
With even Cave No.2 being so formidable, what could possibly lie within Cave Number One of Xingxiu Cave?
"No one knows what Cave Number One of Xingxiu Cave looks like, not even Master Hong Ru could clarify. Perhaps Cave Number One doesn't even exist," Wen Xu said regretfully.
These were the things he had learned from Master Hong Ru before he entered Xingxiu Cave.
But when Wen Xu inquired about what exactly was in Cave No.2, the always serious Chen Hongru showed a slight fluctuation in his expression.
He said nothing.
Clearly, the experiences inside Cave No.2 were something that Chen Hong meant not to share with anyone.
This was all Wen Xu knew.
Wen Xu's words had only made everyone more curious about the upcoming adventure.
Cave No.2, which had built the most formidable Fang Venerate in the history of Beiqing, Chen Hongru, what exactly was inside it?
What kind of spiritual treasures, spiritual artifacts, or heaven-defying elixir pills were hidden inside that could lead to such a drastic transformation in Chen Hongru?
Greed, desire, and various emotions flashed through everyone's eyes like a meteor.
Yet, Ye Lingyue's feelings were different at the moment.
The most distinct part Ye Lingyue heard from Wen Xu's words was "only one person came out."
Those who could enter Cave No.2 were all genius-level figures, at least a Nine Rank Alchemist. Even they mostly never returned.
This meant that Cave No.2 was extremely dangerous, with very few being able to come out alive.
Ye Lingyue's heart raced upon hearing this; the Yi God's Void-breaking Bow was in Cave No.2!
But why didn't Chen Hongru bring the Yi God's Void-breaking Bow out with him when he emerged?
Numerous questions mingled together, causing Ye Lingyue's thoughts to be very chaotic. She always felt like she was missing something, but whenever she tried to grasp it, it felt like an invisible hand was stirring in her mind, making it even more unclear.
Suddenly, her palm was gripped by someone; strong slender fingers enclosed her delicate fingers within his hand.
Feng Xun's hand was slightly cool, but it was this slightly cool hand that gradually dispersed the gloom in Ye Lingyue's heart.
Ye Lingyue was stunned and met Feng Xun's calm gaze.
The roots of Ye Lingyue's ears turned red, wanting to pull her hand back.
"Never let go, whatever happens,"
These were the low, deep words of Feng Xun.
He could never let her disappear from under his watch again, otherwise... there is no otherwise.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I told you all this only to make you more vigilant. Inside Cave No.2, there might be treasures like never before. Unlike the other caves, once you enter Cave No.2, the Jade Engraving Array will disappear, and the only way to leave the cave is to wait for thirty days or find a way out within the cave," said Wen Xu, his words striking everyone's hearts like a warning bell.
Years later, when the few survivors of this thirty-one-person temporary adventure team had all become prominent figures across the mainland and even the planes.
Whenever someone asked, what was the most unforgettable adventure of their lives?
They would reveal a look that hovered between happiness and madness on their faces, resolutely declaring,
"Beiqing. Star Cave."
After Wen Xu spoke, he and Chen Minzhi each took out half of a Jade Carving.
When the two Jade Carvings merged together, thirty-one streaks of light flashed, surging into everyone's bodies. The interior of Cave No.3 became devoid of people; everyone had disappeared.
In the moment when the light penetrated their bodies, Ye Lingyue felt her Divine Sense flicker, and all the surrounding scenery and people vanished.
Yet, the hand gripping hers was still there.
It was not until their feet once again felt the ground beneath them that the thirty-one people found themselves in an unfamiliar cave.
The sight within Cave No.2 caught everyone off guard.
Unlike Caves No.3 and No.4, this place did not have separate pathways to the north and south; there was only one Stone Chamber.
This chamber, as Ye Lingyue had previously seen in the bottom of Cave No.4, was somewhat similar but undeniably larger; it resembled a large-scale Alchemy Room.
A chaotic, abandoned Alchemy Room.
An overturned broken Elixir Cauldron on the ground, shattered Elixir Recipes, and countless wasted elixirs.
The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, making it difficult to step forward.
In one corner of the Alchemy Room sat a corpse, still and silent.
The corpse had long since dried out, but because Cave No.2 was nearly enclosed, it had not rotted or stunk; only all the moisture from the corpse had evaporated, making it look like a mummy.
The features of the corpse were unrecognizable, but from the bulging eyes and expression, it seemed as if the corpse had died from a severe fright.
Next to the corpse, beneath a few finger bones that were left with only skin, two words were written, "Do not."
Clearly, the corpse had died before it could finish writing.
The corpse was already covered in dust, and its age and features were difficult to discern.
Yet for some reason, Ye Lingyue always felt that the corpse looked familiar.
"Hong Yuying, are you disgusted? Inspecting a corpse over and over," mocked Hong Yuying, a lady of significant status who had never seen such a ghastly corpse and could not restrain herself seeing Ye Lingyue examining it.
"Shut up, nobody thinks you're mute."
Ye Lingyue didn't look back.
She carefully checked the bones of the corpse, confirming it had not died from poisoning and had no other fatal wounds.
After inspecting the skeleton further, Ye Lingyue roughly concluded that the bones belonged to a person of about sixty or seventy years old.
"Zhiyo~" Little Zhiyo dug around next to the corpse and from under the dust, unearthed a small token.
Ye Lingyue picked up the token and saw three words written on it: "Xiahou Shu."
"Xiahou Shu, you're saying he is Chairman Xiahou, that's impossible!" exclaimed Chou Alchemist upon seeing the token.
Xiahou Venerable, the only Venerable of Daxia's Alchemist Tower had gone missing for many years; including Master Long Yu, no one in the Daxia Alchemist World knew his whereabouts, only to find out now that he had long since died a violent death in Beiqing Star Cave.
"That's right, he indeed is Chairman Xiahou, I recognize this Alchemist Robe." Chou Alchemist was an old acquaintance of Chairman Xiahou, who had disappeared around twenty years ago.
At that time, everyone thought that he had simply gone on one of his usual excursions.
Chairman Xiahou, he was the foremost figure in the Daxia Alchemist World.
His cultivation was said to be second only to that of Chen Hongru, and yet, he had died here...