Chapter 95: Into the Forbidden Depths

The moment the trio passed through the safe zone’s barrier and stepped into the forbidden depths of the back mountain, Mu Wanqing’s hand instinctively tightened around Su Liyue’s.Despite her best friend’s assurances, the crimson eyes flickering within the surrounding thickets still sent a shiver down her spine.

What unsettled her further was their journey along an eerie beast path, leading them deeper into a secluded cavern; while they claimed it was an adventure, she couldn’t help but wonder what this couple truly intended to do with her.

“Yueyue…” Mu Wanqing’s voice dropped to a whisper, her steps growing increasingly hesitant. “Are we venturing too deep? Those demonic beasts…”

To her horror, she noticed several monstrous demonic wolves, their forms as imposing as small hills, lumbering past them, yet seemingly oblivious to the trio standing so close.

“Isn’t this perfectly normal, dear?” Su Liyue playfully winked, her grip on Mu Wanqing’s hand tightening reassuringly. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare bring you on such an adventure.”

Mu Wanqing’s eyes widened. “Could it be… some incredibly potent concealment magic? Powerful enough that even Gold-tier demonic beasts can’t detect us?”

A faint twitch played at Su Liyue’s lips as her gaze flickered towards Ye Xingchen, who was currently clearing their path ahead.

‘Ugh… how was she supposed to explain this to her? She couldn’t very well reveal that this was all due to Ye Xingchen’s male form’s abilities, could she?

Besides, these ‘demonic beast cubs,’ even if they attacked all at once, probably wouldn’t even warrant a snap of Ye Xingchen’s fingers.’

“You can more or less think of it that way,” Su Liyue replied. “Remember the Master mentioned in the Dean’s office? This is a unique secret technique that esteemed elder specifically taught me.

Moreover, places like this are precisely where valuable treasures are most often hidden.”

As she spoke, she subtly gestured towards Ye Xingchen with a slight pout of her lips, inwardly chuckling at how effortlessly she could pin this “blame” on Master Ye every single time.

“The same Master who compelled Duke Xiao to personally apologize to you?” Mu Wanqing instantly recalled the events from the Dean’s office just days prior.

“No wonder you’re so confident bringing me to a place like this for an adventure. But… what exactly is this treasure you’re talking about? Even if there is a treasure, surely terrifying demonic beasts would be guarding it. With our current strength, wouldn’t we just be cannon fodder?”

“I’m not entirely sure what it is yet,” Su Liyue replied, waving a dismissive hand and giving her best friend a reassuring gesture, urging her not to worry excessively. “It could be rare medicinal herbs, or perhaps some unique ores.”

After all, her primary objectives for this expedition were twofold.

Firstly, to gather valuable herbs for some extra spending money, and secondly, to locate rare ores to address the ongoing shortage of alchemical materials.

Guided by the ‘open door’ direction revealed through divination, the trio swiftly delved deeper into the cavern’s heart.

The light around them steadily faded, and along their path, they frequently encountered various snakes, insects, rodents, and even peculiar demonic beasts that thrived solely within the shadowy confines of their nests.

As they ventured further, the ambient magical energy began to rise unsettlingly, and the air itself grew thick with a viscous, peculiar essence.

To their astonishment, faint specks of luminescence gradually began to emerge upon the cavern walls.

“These lights… could they be a type of ore?” Su Liyue squinted, meticulously recalling the textbook descriptions of various minerals in this world.

Among them, she remembered peculiar luminous ores like moonstone and flight stone, known for their ability to glow in darkness.

“Judging by this pale yellow luminescence, it appears to be moonstone,” Mu Wanqing observed, leaning closer. “It’s said to be a material frequently utilized in alchemy.”

Ye Xingchen efficiently gathered several pieces, stowing them within his storage ring, before selecting a larger fragment to hold in his palm.

“We’ll keep these for now,” he stated. “And judging by its luminosity, it should serve well as a light source.”

The faint, shimmering light pulsed in his palm, casting an ethereal glow that alternately illuminated and shadowed their faces.

As they proceeded, guided by the moonstone’s soft radiance, Ye Xingchen experienced a fleeting sense of déjà vu. This dimly glowing mine tunnel bore an uncanny resemblance to the cavernous mine in the film Castle in the Sky, where the legendary flight stones were hidden.

‘Could a floating city like that exist in this world as well? And if a beautiful princess from a Castle in the Sky were to suddenly descend from above right now, wouldn’t that make for a truly romantic encounter?’

Once the surrounding magical energy reached a certain intensity, Ye Xingchen’s brow suddenly furrowed. Deep within the dense magical currents, a distinctly different energy subtly flowed.

‘That pure, ancient aura… it was clearly spiritual energy! Could it be that a secret or a hidden passage connecting to Earth’s spirit realm lay concealed beneath this very spot?’

“The path ahead is likely to become more treacherous,” Ye Xingchen warned in a low, grave tone. “Stay close to me, and under no circumstances should you stray.”

Given Su Liyue and Mu Wanqing’s power as apprentice mages, venturing beyond the protective radius of his unique Qimen array would almost certainly render them instant prey to the surrounding demonic beasts.

Furthermore, the demonic beasts inhabiting this area far surpassed anything an apprentice mage could possibly contend with.

As the sole man and the strongest member of their party, their protection was, naturally, his undeniable responsibility.

Su Liyue, being Ye Xingchen herself, had no need for further explanation.

Mu Wanqing, however, nodded nervously, clearly grasping Ye Xingchen’s unspoken implication: as they delved deeper, they might discover not only rare treasures but also terrifying demonic creatures far beyond their wildest imaginings.

Sensing Mu Wanqing’s rising tension.

Su Liyue immediately understood. With a swift stroke of her right hand through the air, she called out, “Qizai!”

A flash of light erupted as her spiritual sword, Qizai, materialized, swiftly encircling both women in a protective sword array.

The sword hummed with a low vibration, seemingly resonating with the peculiar spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the cavern’s depths.

“Don’t be afraid,” Su Liyue reassured her. “Qizai is with us.”

She gently patted Mu Wanqing’s tense shoulder, yet her gaze remained fixed, thoughtful, upon the cavern’s shadowy interior.

‘Her spiritual sword, which had accompanied her for so many years, was now faintly trembling? Could Qizai also be sensing something unusual?’