Chapter 223: Senior Brother, I won’t tell you
The Qiong Peak’s mountain road was blanketed in pure white snow. Originally a sacred place for the Sword Sect, Qiong Peak’s spiritual energy had become mixed due to Yuntian’s transformation into a god a hundred years ago. The thunder tribulation had struck the earth’s spiritual veins, resulting in constant snowfall throughout the year, making it impossible to fly with a sword or use spiritual awareness to navigate the area. Therefore, when Ye Anping reached the mountainside, he had no choice but to proceed on foot along the steep mountain path towards the summit.
Feng Yudie, who was half a head shorter than him, stuck close to his side, tightly clutching the hem of his clothes with her small hands. She resembled a frightened little girl, pulling her hood tightly to shield herself from the wind and snow.
After walking along the mountain path for a while, Ye Anping finally spotted the Snow Dragon Cave situated on the cliff of Qiong Peak.
Originally a natural cavern, the cave had been excavated and rebuilt into a hidden cave by Zhuang Yan several years ago. With the chaotic spiritual veins of Qiong Mountain and the concealment provided by the wind and snow, even Nascent Soul cultivators couldn’t detect it with their spiritual awareness.
Although Ye Anping knew where the Snow Dragon Cave was, Feng Yudie became suspicious when she saw the cave ahead.
“Is that it?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Ye Anping confirmed.
Seeing him nod, Feng Yudie looked around but found no distinctive landmarks—only snow-covered rocks and bare tree trunks. She couldn’t help but ask, “By the way, Master Ye… How do you know this place?”
When Ye Anping fell silent, Feng Yudie narrowed her eyes and said, “Back when the Seven Killing Sect started, you gave me a detailed map of the Tianji Castle. Guess what?”
“What?” Ye Anping inquired.
“I found another map when I was moving spirit stones in the Tianji Castle, but it wasn’t as detailed as the one you gave me,” Feng Yudie explained.
“And then at Chilong Mansion, you seemed to know in advance that something was going to happen there and took Junior Sister Pei to prepare,” She continued.
Ye Anping remained silent.
“Now this place… It doesn’t seem like the kind of information you can find by asking around in the market. Where did you get this information from?” Feng Yudie asked.
Ye Anping pursed his lips, unsure of how to respond. Finally, he said, “I won’t tell you.”
Feng Yudie’s expression fell as she fell silent, feeling a mix of curiosity and frustration.
“Be quiet. In a moment, I’ll carry you in, and you pretend to be weak, got it?”
“What? You’re carrying me again! Fine, ten thousand.”
Ye Anping pursed his lips, not bothering to negotiate with her. After all, he had the final say in the end, so he took out the jade charm Si Xuanji had given him from his storage bag and held it in his right hand before extending his hand.
“Hold it!”
“What?”
“We’ll use this jade charm together. The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators just now couldn’t figure it out, but cultivators at the Core Formation stage and above might be able to. Additionally, you’re in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and Yushuiting is in the early stage. It’s just to be safe.”
Feng Yudie curled her lips and reluctantly reached out her right hand to hold Ye Anping’s, with the jade pendant sandwiched between their palms.
“Okay.”
“Hold it tightly.”
“I know.” Feng Yudie curled her lips, spread her fingers, and intertwined them with Ye Anping’s right hand. Then, with a pause, she raised her eyebrows and smiled, “Your hands are quite warm.”
“Yours are cold.”
Ye Anping rolled his eyes at her and then pulled her into his right arm, squatting down slightly and extending his left hand behind Feng Yudie’s knees. He lifted her like a princess and weighed her again to ensure she was comfortable. As they stepped into the cave, the sound of swords being drawn echoed around them. Several early-stage foundation-building cultivators dressed in Sword Sect uniforms cautiously approached as if they had been keeping vigil around a bonfire.
The leader looked at Ye Anping and Feng Yudie in his arms and asked, “May I ask your Excellency?”
Ye Anping considered for a moment then nodded and replied, “I am Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon.”
“What’s your name?” The leader inquired.
“Ye Jun, and in my arms is my Daoist concubine, Yushuiting. She was injured just now and can’t speak,” Ye Anping explained.
“Oh… He is a member of Senior He,” the man breathed a sigh of relief, then waved his hand to signal the others to sheath their swords, “Sheath your swords. They are one of our own.”
Ye Anping nodded and bowed to the people around him, then passed them with Feng Yudie in his arms and walked into a narrow passage that looked like a mine tunnel. The passage was dimly lit by wall lamps made of spirit stones due to the chaotic spirit veins in the area.
After walking about a hundred steps inward along the passage, they arrived in front of a wooden lifting platform. Two people were standing in front of it. Seeing them approaching, one of them asked, “May I ask your Excellency?”
“Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon,” Ye Anping replied.
“Go down,” the person instructed.
“Thank you,” Ye Anping nodded, stepping onto the wooden platform. The vibration of the gears was felt beneath his feet as the platform slowly descended into the ground, with the two guards watching them disappear below.
