Pour Wine for Your Master

The arrival of Xiaowei Mountain's fifth inner disciple heralded that dawn had broken outside. It was another morning.

Yet nothing had changed here. It was still a dim world of karst caverns. When Liu Xiaolou and Master Zhu slipped down the stalagmite and returned to the glacier world, several more people entered one after another from the inverted lava world above the cave ceiling, but none of them noticed the two of them.

Before leaving, Master Zhu looked up and asked, "Did they get up there from the pine forest?"

Liu Xiaolou nodded. "Most likely."

Master Zhu asked again, "If we climb to the top of the stalagmite, can we reach the lava river above as well?"

Liu Xiaolou thought for a moment. "It should work that way."

"How do we get across?"

"Perhaps by leaping?"

"After jumping over, with our heads pointing down?"

"Mm. Most likely."

"I really want to go up and experience it. It's freezing here, so it should be scorching over there, right?"

"Yes."

"Unfortunately, we won't be able to climb to the top of that stalagmite anytime soon."

"Actually, there should be a third route up."

"How?"

"Through Lianshan Hall."

"Really?"

"We'll try it when we get the chance."

They leaped down from the Sky Well, sank downward, and entered the cave guarded by the Thunder Eel. The eel was still restlessly putting on its strange display. Even after the two passed beneath its belly, exited the cave, and retrieved the array plate from the ceiling, its two eyes remained unfocused.

They floated upward layer by layer, emerged from the water, and lay down on the shore. Sure enough, it was already morning. The sky was bright, though the thin mist over the lake had yet to disperse.

Master Zhu sighed. "This Ancient Cave Heaven