The Invisible Eyes

The airship continued its steady journey across the boundless sea of clouds.

Pale golden sunlight slanted down from the west, turning the surging clouds into a soft, warm white.

A long wind swept across from above, rustling the fabric of clothes as it brushed the deck before quickly disappearing beyond the ship's side.

Lu Yang and Mu Yunxue stood on the deck, listening to Ding Ran and Deng Qi arguing endlessly.

Lu Yang's lips curled up slightly; he was in a rather pleasant mood.

I didn't expect there to be an Easter egg!

Both sides have their own version of events, each claiming to be right. Since he didn't witness it firsthand, he certainly doesn't know the specifics of what happened.

Both sides' arguments made some valid points.

Good grief, it's Werewolf, huh?

He turned his head to look at Mu Yunxue beside him, and asked with a smile, "Senior Sister Mu, who do you think is lying?"

Mu Yunxue has always shown little interest in the affairs of others.

While Ding Ran and Deng Qi were arguing, she was concentrating on comprehending the Metal Dao, and her gaze was somewhat unfocused. She only found the argument between the two groups quite noisy.

When Lu Yang suddenly asked her a question, she snapped out of her daze and glanced at Lu Yang.

A faint hint of helplessness appeared on her usually expressionless, cool, and pretty face.

This expression, appearing on Mu Yunxue's usually expressionless face, made her seem exceptionally vivid.

Lu Yang saw this and his eyes lit up.

A corner of his icy expression occasionally softens, which is quite interesting.

Mu Yunxue said softly, "Junior Brother Lu is so bored."

Lu Yang shrugged and said with a smile, "People aren't cultivation machines. It's good to do some silly things occasionally, isn't it?"

Mu Yunxue tilted her head, glanced at Lu Yang, and a thoughtful look appeared in her deep, clear eyes.

Her jet-black hair was blown by the wind, brushing over her pale shoulders before slowly falling back down.

After a few moments of silence, she shook her head, her tone calm yet earnest. "I enjoy enlightenment, I enjoy cultivation."

Lu Yang: "..."

Well, talking to this ice block about these things is like casting pearls before swine.

He shook his head and said, "Then Senior Sister Mu should go and cultivate."

Mu Yunxue glanced at Lu Yang, but did not turn to leave.

She stared intently at Lu Yang, her cool voice carrying a hint of inquiry. "Are you angry?"

Lu Yang paused, glanced at her, and then laughed, somewhat annoyed. "Senior Sister Mu, do you think I'm that petty? I just feel that since Senior Sister Mu isn't interested, standing here is just a waste of time..."

Lu Yang paused, a half-smile playing on his lips, "However... what Senior Sister Mu said surprised me quite a bit. Are you worried I'll be angry?"

Mu Yunxue looked at Lu Yang, and without hesitation, nodded. "Yes, I don't want you to be angry."

Lu Yang: "..."

Wow, this ice cube is quite the charmer!

He immediately looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, his expression quickly shifting to a faint melancholy.

The moment Lu Yang showed that expression, the surrounding light seemed to dim a bit, and even the wind that swept across the deck became quieter.

Mu Yunxue felt a strange emptiness in her heart, and a slight sense of panic arose within her.

Junior Brother Lu... is he really angry?

Lu Yang's voice rang out at the right moment, tinged with a hint of melancholy. "Senior Sister Mu is too cold, and I'm a little sad. If Senior Sister could let me pat your head, I might cheer up."

Mu Yunxue: "..."

She didn't say anything, she just looked at Lu Yang quietly.

Those clear, cold eyes were completely still, as calm as a deep pool.

Lu Yang originally wanted to keep up the act for a while longer, but Mu Yunxue's unwavering gaze made him feel a little uncomfortable.

He coughed lightly, his melancholy expression vanishing, and said frankly, "Just kidding."

Mu Yunxue slightly shifted her gaze, her cherry lips seeming to curve into a fleeting, barely perceptible smile before returning to her usual calm.

Ding Ran, Deng Qi, and the others. "..."

They were all a little creeped out by what they saw.

Is this... appropriate??

We're having a serious discussion here!

And it's something that concerns one's life and fortune!

You two are doing something quite different, flirting and bantering away as if no one else is around?!

For a moment, Ding Ran, Deng Qi, and the other disciples of Ten Thousand Beast Mountain all fell silent, feeling that arguing was pointless.

Lu Yang noticed the strange looks from Ding Ran and the others, raised an eyebrow, and asked calmly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ding Ran and the others were momentarily at a loss for words.

What could they say to this mysterious and noble young man?

Lu Yang smiled slightly, his gaze first sweeping over Deng Qi, then landing on Ding Ran, and he held out his hand. "Give it to me."

Ding Ran was taken aback at first, then realized that Lu Yang was referring to the Nine Heavens Golden-Winged Peng Egg in his hand.

Although he was nervous and apprehensive, he didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately handed over the beast egg.

Lu Yang took the beast egg; it felt slightly cool to the touch and had a considerable weight to it.

He weighed the beast egg in his hand, then said softly, "Wang Da, bring Deng Qi over."

Deng Qi was taken aback. Before he could say anything, flames appeared out of thin air, enveloping him in a blazing crimson light.

The next instant, he felt a blur before his eyes, and he landed steadily on the deck.

Ding Ran stared intently at Deng Qi, his gaze chilling and filled with deep-seated hatred.

Deng Qi felt a tremor in his heart under that gaze, but his expression remained one of mixed grief and disappointment as he looked at Ding Ran.

His face was naturally kind and honest, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, making him easy to like.

At this moment, with this expression on his face, he truly looked like a pitiful person betrayed by his closest friend.

A faint hope even stirred within him.

Could it be that... because he said the Nine Heavens Golden-Winged Peng Egg originally belonged to him, this important figure's favor is now falling on his shoulders?!

If that's really the case, then I really should thank Ding Ran!

If Ding Ran hadn't provoked this important figure, he wouldn't have dared to approach a flying ship of this caliber!

Deng Qi's mind raced: If he accepted this favor, what should he do?

This kind of important figure has a background far exceeding that of Ten Thousand Beast Mountain; he might even be a holy son or immortal seed from some Immortal Sect Holy Land.

Why not take the initiative and beg to become his servant?

Deng Qi didn't see anything wrong with being a servant.

On the contrary, becoming this important man's servant was an incredible fortuitous opportunity for him!

I didn't see any of their servants. One was the Wood Dao True Person, who could heal Foundation Establishment cultivator who was on the verge of death in a few breaths, and the other was even Nascent Soul True Lord!

Even if he obtained the Nine Heavens Golden-Winged Peng egg and it hatched successfully, he might not have enough resources to raise it to the Nascent Soul Realm!

If one could use this opportunity to get close to this young master, that would be a meteoric rise to power!

As Deng Qi was pondering how to begin, he heard a soft chuckle, "You're quite the actor, aren't you?"

Deng Qi was taken aback and looked at Lu Yang with some confusion.

What came into view was Lu Yang's face, which had a half-smile on it.

Deng Qi's mind went blank for a moment, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

Fear filled his entire being almost instantly.

However, being a man of deep cunning, he forcibly suppressed his surging panic in a mere breath. A look of grief and indignation, mixed with disbelief, appeared in his eyes. "Young... Young Master! Do you really believe this Bandit Cultivator's lies? He's a liar!"

Ding Ran, standing to the side, felt a surge of joy, a sense of relief at surviving a calamity.

Although he didn't understand why this young master trusted him, it was naturally a great thing for him!

He forcibly suppressed the urge to kill Deng Qi on the spot, and coldly said, "Deng Qi, you beast! Do you think this young master is unable to distinguish right from wrong?!"

Deng Qi's expression froze instantly, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

He felt like he had shot himself in the foot.

Ding Ran's question was extremely tricky.

Saying "yes" is certainly not acceptable, but saying "no" would be tantamount to admitting that Ding Ran was not lying!

It's not in my best interest no matter what!

He opened his mouth to defend himself, but Lu Yang waved his hand and said casually, "The secret realm is outside Azure Cloud Ravine, right? Inside the secret realm is the Ruins of a Golden Core True Person."

Deng Qi: "??????"

Ding Ran: "????"

Their expressions froze simultaneously, their eyes filled with shock.

Because what Lu Yang said was absolutely correct!

The place where they discovered the secret realm was right outside Azure Cloud Ravine, and the origin of that secret realm was indeed the Ruins of a Golden Core True Person!

Based on the clues left in the Ruins, they roughly deduced that the Golden Core True Person seemed to have come from Jing Province and originally lived in the Heaven Severing Mountain Range area.

Later, it seems that the Golden Core True Person encountered some powerful enemy and fled all the way to the vicinity of Azure Cloud Ravine, where he was eventually mortally wounded and died, leaving behind a secret realm before his life and cultivation vanished.

But the problem is... there were clearly only Ding Ran and Deng Qi in that secret realm back then!

How did this young master know all this?!

The two felt a chill run down their spines, as if an invisible pair of eyes were silently watching them from the very beginning.