Yunxi nodded.
"I understand."
Then she swept her sleeve and opened the ward. Not long after it opened, Menglan Jun appeared before Yunxi. His exquisitely beautiful, androgynous face had dimmed considerably. Yunxi asked in surprise:
"Lan Jun, what happened?"
Menglan Jun rubbed his brow and said:
"Ranxi, I found the essence crystal, but it won't be easy to take."
"Come in and talk."
The two sat beneath the Peach Blossom Tree as before, and Menglan Jun recounted his search for the essence crystal over the past two years.
"The situation was almost exactly as you predicted. The Blue Hat Illusion Fungus had indeed hidden its essence crystal very deeply—one thousand meters beneath this oasis, embedded within a Teleportation Formation.
"I tried to remove the essence crystal, but the formation showed signs of collapse. If the essence crystal is gone and the Teleportation Formation is destroyed, we won't be able to leave this place. That's why I came to discuss it with you and see what we should do. We can't possibly trap ourselves here to death just for the sake of a breakthrough."
Menglan Jun was truly helpless. This was clearly the Blue Hat Illusion Fungus's escape route. If they wanted its essence crystal, they had to be prepared to be trapped here forever. If they left its way out untouched, they might still have a chance to leave.
However, Menglan Jun believed that the sentient Blue Hat Illusion Fungus would not readily allow others to use its power to escape. Thus, he had not acted rashly and had come to seek Ranxi's help. After all, when it came to formations, human cultivators were still more skilled.
"I understand. I'll go take a look with you."
After saying that, she beckoned to Dian Dian and Lili.
Dian Dian obediently jumped