Chapter 44 (1/2)

‘Is this… this place truly the Little Qiong Peak that I’m familiar with?’

On a trapping array formation in the periphery of the Pill Chamber, the new immortal of the Immortal Du Sect, Daoist Priest Qi Yuan, was wearing a messy Daoist robe and had a fl.u.s.tered gaze. He was looking at the three small paths in front of him while feeling at a loss and helpless.

A few days later, he still could not walk out of it…

He had actually spent many years studying the array formation. However, he had limited skills in the array formation.

After all, in the past hundreds of years, Qi Yuan had spent most of his time mending his Dao base. To study the array formation method, he had also taken the array diagrams, set them up several times, and remembered how to set them up, which was considered having initial success in enlightenment.

Therefore, when he faced the trapping chain array formations…

“Which expert set this up at the Little Qiong Peak? What plans does he have?” Qi Yuan mumbled in a low voice and tried to recall his previous itinerary.

While Qi Yuan was in a daze, and at a loss, he found another new path.

The forest up ahead was verdant. There were no misleading white mists, and the scenery was very ordinary.

Qi Yuan cautiously moved forward and very soon found something new.

There was a wooden sign hung on the treetop up ahead with three words written: ‘Are you lost?’

Qi Yuan subconsciously nodded his head before he then trembled and became vigilant.

Why did the handwriting seem so familiar?

Qi Yuan stared at the wooden sign for a while and saw another wooden sign hung on the tree behind. He took two steps forward, and there were some changes in his surrounding scenery. However, the wooden sign behind was still there.

On the wooden sign, it was written: ‘What brings you here to the Little Qiong Peak, Sir?’

“I live here!” Qi Yuan berated furiously, but his hands kept trembling.

Could it be… Could it be that this was the pa.s.sage of time as in the legends?

In ancient legends, a connate person had entered a canyon. After he had walked out from the other side of the canyon tens of thousands of years later, he had not felt that he had aged.

Could it be that such an absurd thing also happened to him?

Had the current Little Qiong Peak no longer been the Little Qiong Peak when he was still around? Had it been the Little Qiong Peak thousands or hundreds of years later?

Upon seeing that there was still a wooden sign behind, Qi Yuan once again went towards it. When he stood before the wooden sign, the surrounding scenery changed again as though it was teleportation. The array formations were changing.

Behind the wooden sign was another wooden sign.

Qi Yuan found the handwritings on those wooden signs increasingly familiar. It was as if there was a shadow following him and kept faintly asking him questions beside his ears. It was driving him to a certain trap, but he actually did not dare to retreat.

‘Are you someone from the Immortal Du Sect, Sir?

‘This array formation is to protect an important place like the Pill Chamber, and it is in accordance with the sect rules.’

Pill Chamber? He seemed to have heard it from his disciple.

‘Did you enter the Little Qiong Peak without permission, Sir?’

“Do I still need to barge? I am the Peak Leader of Little Qiong Peak!”

‘Please do not destroy the gra.s.ses and trees here. This path leads to an open s.p.a.ce without sound isolation array formations.’

Huh? This was an exit left by the person who had set up the array formation?

‘This is an improvised guide sign.’

‘The open s.p.a.ce is up ahead.’

‘You have reached. Please take three steps forward.’

Qi Yuan stopped in his tracks and subconsciously held his breath. He looked at the huge tree in front and took three steps forward doubtfully.

The scenery before his eyes changed again. An open s.p.a.ce surrounded by overgrowth appeared before his eyes. There were stacks of fallen leaves on the ground and a small table with a bucket of spiritual spring water at the side.

“What… What is this place?”

Qi Yuan saw another wooden sign up ahead and walked over. He found the handwriting on the wooden sign very familiar, and yet, he could recall where he had seen it.

‘Sir, please wait here. If I can’t rush over in time, I should be in seclusion or at a crucial period in alchemy. If you are unable to wait, you can use your immortal powers to call someone over to save you. The Little Qiong Peak sincerely welcomes your arrival, but do visit directly next time. Do not go near the Pill Chamber. Little Qiong Peak’s Peak Leader, Qi Yuan, pays respect here.’

Qi Yuan’s hands trembled, and he took two steps back before hitting onto a tree.

His retreat had unconsciously been blocked.

“Was… Was this set up by myself?”

Qi Yuan’s eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost, and his drunkenness had been obliterated instantly. He scanned the whole area and could only slightly sense his head spinning.

Could it be that that person had been possessed?

No, that was not right. Could it be because a Turbid Immortal was impure?

When he had been drinking just now, a senior from the sect had reminded him that Turbid Immortals were easily contaminated by the Earth Qi, and their Dao Heart would easily meet evil spirits.

‘Could it be… Could it be that I’m just a mental demon in the true Qi Yuan?’

Qi Yuan’s hands could not help but start trembling. He rushed to the wooden sign again to look at the handwriting on it. Then, he was in disbelief.

Wasn’t the handwriting on this wooden sign his own handwriting!?

Qi Yuan slipped and landed on his b.u.t.t on the ground, which was full of fallen leaves. He looked stunned with a fl.u.s.tered gaze, and his long, messy grayish-white hair looked even worse.

Pa.s.sage of time, Turbid Immortal, mental demon…

Pa.s.sage of time, Turbid Immortal, mental demon…

“Who am I? Could it be that I’m actually my mental demon?

“No, that is impossible. I’m not a mental demon but Qi Yuan.

“I am Qi Yuan, Qi Yuan is me. I have stepped into the pa.s.sage of time, so I cannot be a mental demon!

“No, that is not right!

“No, no…

“No…”

Qi Yuan put his hand on his head and suddenly raised his head before screaming loudly, which shocked the birds in the distance of the Little Qiong Peak. It had also occasionally made the few figures, who were pa.s.sing by in the sky, to look at the forest of the Little Qiong Peak curiously.

All of a sudden, a startled female voice was heard.

“Master?”

Qi Yuan stopped shouting and asked in a tremble, “Ling’e?”

“Master, are you trapped in the array formation?”

“Are you really Ling’e?”

“Yes, Master. How can I be fake?”

“No, no. You can be a mental demon… My mental demon…”

Outside the array formation, Lan Ling’e, who had rushed over, could not help but cup her forehead.

She was done for. Her master had been ruined by her senior brother.

She groaned in a low voice and had an idea. She quickly said, “Don’t move! There are a lot of array formations here!

“Don’t move toward Ling’e’s voice either! If you leave that small area, you cannot hear anything from the outside!

“I will go in to find you!

“However, I need to spend some time to find the array formation path to your location. Only Senior Brother can undo this array formation. This place is set up by him. Master, wait patiently for a while.”

Qi Yuan froze slightly. Very soon, he heard an ‘Aiya’ from outside.

Just now, what had his disciple said?

‘Senior Brother? This place had been set up by Changshou?’

Qi Yuan was full of doubts. Since he was lost in thoughts, he gradually calmed down.

After one hour, Lan Ling’e, who had fallen leaves on her and a badly battered face, appeared before her master with a bitter smile. She then did a Dao salute to him.

“Master, I have found you.”

Qi Yuan could not help but stare at Lan Ling’e. While being unperturbed, she executed a few Dharma spells, which were all taught by Qi Yuan.

“Master, I’m really Ling’e…”