Chen Xiao watched the fellow fall asleep and didn't hold back, kicking it awake.
"Why did you kick me!"
Shi Ling woke up with a face full of morning grumpiness, then said blankly, "Huh? How did I get here?"
"What are you playing dumb for? You fell asleep for less than a minute and you're already confused? I'm asking you a question, what else did the King of Luling say to you?"
Chen Xiao asked impatiently.
"What King of Luling? What are you talking about?"
Shi Ling's bewilderment deepened, turning into a look of utter confusion.
"Didn't you just tell me that the King of Luling asked you to pass a message to me, something about the bottom of the Forgetfulness River, the Nine Peaks Abyss..."
Seeing Shi Ling's demeanor, Chen Xiao felt a bit puzzled.
"What Forgetfulness River bottom, Nine Peaks Abyss... I've never said anything like that, and I haven't even seen the King of Luling. He certainly didn't ask me to pass a message to you."
Shi Ling said earnestly.
Chen Xiao was stunned and a possibility occurred to him.
Could it be that the King of Luling had possessed Shi Ling just now, using Shi Ling's mouth to remind him?
With this thought, Chen Xiao wanted to go to the King of Luling's Six Harmonies Palace immediately to find out.
However, after a lot of effort, Chen Xiao could not re-enter that underground palace.
Even the Eight Gates Array seemed to have vanished.
Chen Xiao was filled with suspicion and a myriad of questions, but no one could give him answers.
As it stood, he could only make a trip to the Nine Peaks Abyss and the Forgetfulness River bottom... two places Chen Xiao had no idea where they were.
And if the King of Luling was telling the truth, these two places, plus the one beneath Ice Fire Island, would mean Chen Xiao had collected five sacred relics.
Therefore, no matter what, he had to visit these two places.
It was already late at night, and Chen Xiao had no intention of sleeping. He sat by the array and began to cultivate.
It wasn't until dawn that he left the basement.
After breakfast, Chen Xiao stayed at home honestly, not going anywhere.
Lin Jie had called ahead, saying she would come over in the morning to deliver the property deed to Chen Xiao.
Chen Xiao took advantage of this time to give some pointers to Gu Yu Tong, who was his eldest disciple after all.
Due to yesterday's events, the school decided to give a three-day holiday. Gu Yu Tong didn't have to go to school and could stay with her master, making her as happy as if she had transformed.
Happy times were always brief. Around nine in the morning, Lin Jie arrived, snatching Chen Xiao away from Gu Yu Tong.
"Chen Xiao, most of the houses in the park are empty now. There's still one last person who's being difficult and refusing to sell his villa to us."
Lin Jie pouted.
Gu Yu Tong, standing beside them, really wanted to remind her: "Auntie, at your age, this expression isn't very suitable..."
Chen Xiao paid no mind to Lin Jie's expression and asked, "Which villa? What kind of person is the owner?"
"It's Villa Number 42."
Lin Jie said, "The owner is an old man, living alone. He's quite eccentric, with no children or relatives, and seemingly no friends. The security guards say they've never seen him interact with anyone."
Hearing Lin Jie's description, Chen Xiao also found it strange. However, for someone to afford a house in Shan Hai Yi Pin, it at least indicated he was very wealthy.
At this moment, Gu Yu Tong's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Ah, I know! It's that eccentric grandpa!"
"You know him?"
Chen Xiao was slightly taken aback and looked at Gu Yu Tong.
Gu Yu Tong shook her head, "Sort of. We haven't spoken, but when we meet, I'll nod to him, and he'll smile and nod back at me."
Lin Jie immediately cried out, "This old fellow, he wouldn't be a pervert, would he? Little sister, you have to be careful! Don't be careless just because he's old! In this society, you never know who you'll meet!"
Chen Xiao wasn't worried about the old man being a pervert. After all, Gu Yu Tong was already at the Golden Core stage, and there weren't many perverts who could get close to her.
"Auntie, please don't say that. Although that grandpa is eccentric, I can feel that he's not the kind of person you're talking about."
Gu Yu Tong defended the old man.
"Auntie?"
Lin Jie was stunned. She no longer cared about the old man. All she was thinking about was one thing: "Am I that old?"
At this moment, Gu Yu Tong lowered her voice and said to Chen Xiao, "Master, that grandpa is indeed very eccentric. I can't sense any aura from him."
"Can't sense any aura?"
Chen Xiao's brows furrowed sharply. "Tong Tong, what do you mean by that? Are you saying he's dead?"
"No, no, no, Master, that's not what I mean."
Gu Yu Tong quickly explained, "Since I started cultivating the Su Nu Xin Jing, I can sense a unique aura from everyone. But from that grandpa, I can't sense anything at all. He seems very clean, very pure."
After hearing Gu Yu Tong's words, Chen Xiao suddenly asked, "Is it like this?"
As he spoke, Chen Xiao suppressed all his aura and hid it.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's this feeling!"
Gu Yu Tong exclaimed with wide eyes.
Chen Xiao shook his head with a wry smile, "Silly girl, the reason you can't sense his aura is because he has completely hidden it. This indicates two things."
"Firstly, he is also a cultivator, and his cultivation level is at least above yours."
"Secondly, you've been exposed. He has likely seen through you and that's why he smiled and nodded at you."
Hearing this, Gu Yu Tong felt a chill run down her spine.
Chen Xiao also hadn't expected that there was a hidden expert right beside him.
"Huh? Chen Xiao, what are you guys talking about? Who is this little sister?"
Lin Jie asked blankly.
"Sister Lin, you don't need to worry about this. It has nothing to do with you."
Chen Xiao shook his head, not wanting to explain.
"Sister Lin, I'd like to visit that old gentleman and talk to him personally."
With a tiger sleeping beside the bed, how could he rest easy?
After knowing about the old man's existence, Chen Xiao immediately felt uneasy.
Because this could mean that he wasn't the only one who knew the secret of the underground dragon脉.
"Alright, I'll take you there now. You can talk to him properly."
Lin Jie said cheerfully.
"Master, I want to go too..."
Gu Yu Tong said with a look of longing.
"Alright, then you can come with me."
Chen Xiao thought about it and agreed.
Since he had taken Gu Yu Tong as his disciple, he hadn't really taught her much.
Perhaps this would be a good opportunity...