Underwater Grotto-Heaven

"What is it?" Seeing Wu Zhiqi scratching his ears and cheeks, his eyes full of confusion and none of his usual arrogance or liveliness remaining, looking as though he were lost in heavy thought, Li Cha set down the Tea Cup in his hand and asked gently.

Startled awake from his thoughts by the sound, Wu Zhiqi realized he had just lost his composure before his master. A trace of embarrassment flashed across his monkey face. Scratching his furry arm, he composed himself and replied earnestly, "Master, forgive this disciple's rudeness. I... I seem to have encountered this before." He pointed at the tea on the stone table. "This flavor carries an indescribable familiarity, as if it were branded deep within my soul, yet I cannot remember when or where I encountered it. I panicked for a moment and lost my bearings. Please punish me, Master."

At those words, a sharp glint flashed through Li Cha's eyes, and his body, which had been lazily reclining against the chair back, straightened slightly. "Oh!? You have encountered it..." His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable penetrating force. Before he had even finished speaking, a vast yet gentle Spiritual Sense, like invisible mercury, had completely enveloped Wu Zhiqi.

Wu Zhiqi instantly stiffened. He felt every strand of his hair, every inch of his skin, even the magical power flowing through his bloodline, being meticulously combed through and examined by an irresistible force. He felt as though he had been stripped completely bare, with no secrets left anywhere on his body. This utterly exposed state made him extremely uncomfortable.

"Master..." Wu Zhiqi's throat bobbed, and his voice unconsciously carried a nearly imperceptible tremor and plea as he softly reminded him.

"Mm!" Li Cha seemed to notice his discomfort and withdrew his vast, ocean-like Spiritual Sense, as though nothing had happened. His fingertips lightly tapped the tabletop as he mused, "There is indeed the essence of tea. Though extremely faint, it has already intertwined with your own aura. Had today's tea not stirred it, even I might have overlooked it." His gaze fell upon Wu Zhiqi, filled with scrutiny. "When did you gain consciousness? Have you always lived nearby?" Li Cha already had a guess. This monkey's foundation was extraordinary. Perhaps, shortly after his birth, he had spent some time beside a Spiritual Tea Tree. Over time, he had absorbed a trace of its origin aura, which had merged into his foundation.

"Mm...?" Feeling his master withdraw his Spiritual Sense, Wu Zhiqi sighed in relief. Hearing the question, he searched hard through the long river of his memories. His brow furrowed, and his gaze alternated between clarity and confusion. Only after quite some time did he say uncertainly, "During the early stages of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity... the killing intent between heaven and earth soared to the skies. It was then that I muddleheadedly gained consciousness. My intelligence had not yet awakened, so I relied entirely on instinct to absorb the Essence of Sun and Moon and temper my body. As for where I lived..." He pointed at the endlessly surging river beneath their feet. "Ever since I can remember, I have always lived in this river and never left. This river is my home."

"The early stages of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity... always here..." Li Cha nodded faintly. Every clue pointed to this river. His gaze swept over the disciples standing beside him, and he made his decision. "Shi Qing, take Wu Zhiqi and Purple Spirit upstream along the river and investigate carefully. Wu Zhiqi is familiar with this place, so let him lead the way. If you discover anything unusual or encounter danger you cannot handle, return and report immediately. Do not act rashly."

"Yes, Master." Shi Qing bowed to accept the order. His face was cold and stern, as though carved from ten-thousand-year ice, and even now he displayed no unnecessary expression. Turning to Wu Zhiqi and Purple Spirit, he said concisely, "Go."

Wu Zhiqi had long been unable to hold himself back. At once, he somersaulted into the river and took the lead, his Yin Yang Eyes sweeping through the water without overlooking the slightest abnormality. A faint clear radiance spread around Shi Qing's body as he hovered three feet above the water, coordinating from the center. His Spiritual Sense spread like a net, covering dozens of miles around them. Purple Spirit followed at the rear with a cheerful smile. She appeared casual, but her Spiritual Sense was taut as a bowstring as she guarded their rear, alert to every movement from behind and above.

The three traveled upstream at great speed. The river gradually narrowed, the current became ever more turbulent, and the mountains on both banks turned steep and jagged. The dense Innate Water Spirit Qi was nearly impossible to disperse. As they flew farther and farther, drawing closer to the mist-shrouded source of the river, the familiar feeling in Wu Zhiqi's heart grew increasingly intense. Broken, forgotten images began flashing through his sea of consciousness—deep waters, hazy light, and a giant tree that gave off a soothing aura...

"Senior Disciple Brother!" Wu Zhiqi burst from the water, sending up a spray as he waved his arms excitedly. "I remember now! It was at the river's source! There is a deeply hidden Underwater Grotto-Heaven there! When I had only just gained consciousness and my intelligence was still clouded, I lived inside that grotto-heaven! There... there was a great tree there. The aura it gave off was almost exactly the same as the taste of Master's tea!"

At last, an almost imperceptible change appeared on Shi Qing's icy face. He made a prompt decision. "Good! Purple Spirit, return at once and report to Master. Explain the situation here in detail. Junior Brother Wu Zhiqi and I will first investigate the river's source and confirm the entrance to the grotto-heaven."

"Alright, Senior Disciple Brother. Be careful, and don't snatch up all the good things while I'm gone!" Purple Spirit replied playfully, transforming into a streak of purple light and speeding back along their route.

Wu Zhiqi, meanwhile, impatiently led Shi Qing back into the frigid river. This time, his goal was clear. Relying on memories awakened within his bloodline, he moved as nimbly as a fish through the dark underwater gorges and rapids, charging upstream toward the source.

"Master, Master... Senior Disciple Brother and the others found something!" Purple Spirit's lively, crisp voice carried over from far away. Before she arrived, her voice had already broken the quiet beside the thatched cottage.

Li Cha slowly opened his half-closed eyes and watched his disciple fly toward him like a joyful spirit sparrow, her little face still flushed from her rapid flight. Without ceremony, she grabbed another untouched cup of spiritual tea from the stone table before Li Cha and drank it in one gulp, then let out a long breath.

"Slow down. What did you find?" Li Cha asked with a faint smile as he looked at this lively disciple.

Purple Spirit wiped her mouth and reported excitedly, "Junior Brother Wu Zhiqi remembered! He said there is a hidden Underwater Grotto-Heaven at the river's source, and he lived there when he was first born! There is a great tree inside, and the essence it gives off is very similar to the tea we drank!"

"Underwater Grotto-Heaven... spiritual root..." A flash of understanding and anticipation passed through Li Cha's eyes. He rose to his feet and swept his sleeve. "Good. In that case, let us go see what kind of spiritual treasure can resonate with my tea."

Qing Xuan, Lianyi, and Forget Worry, who stood waiting nearby, immediately perked up as well. The group climbed onto Forget Worry's broad, comfortable back. Forget Worry let out a low roar, clouds forming beneath his four feet as he rose into the air. Guided by Purple Spirit, he transformed into a streak of light and raced toward the river's source.

Just as they flew over the river's source, they saw a deep pool surrounded by towering mountains. Its waters were dark jade, and its depths were unfathomable. Before they could investigate closely—

"Boom!!!"

With a tremendous explosion, the tranquil pool suddenly erupted. Two figures shot backward from beneath the water in a rather sorry state, sending spray flying across the sky. They were Shi Qing and Wu Zhiqi, who had gone underwater to investigate earlier!

Shi Qing's white robes were stained with water and mud. Though his expression remained blank, the hand tightly gripping the Mountain Splitting Axe and his slightly disordered breath showed that he had just undergone no easy battle. Wu Zhiqi looked even more bedraggled. His golden fur clung wetly to his body, and he bared his teeth while gripping his Primordial Iron Staff, looking as though he faced a formidable enemy and was deeply unwilling to accept defeat.

"Master." "Master!" Once the two stabilized themselves and saw Li Cha standing atop Forget Worry's back, they immediately suppressed the churning blood and qi within them and stepped forward to pay their respects, both wearing somewhat ashamed expressions.

Li Cha's gaze swept over the two of them. In particular, when he saw even Shi Qing's ten-thousand-year-iceberg face reveal a trace of barely noticeable embarrassment, while the battle-hungry Wu Zhiqi had suffered such a setback, he could not help finding it somewhat amusing. At the same time, a long-dormant interest deep within him was stirred. One was usually cold, stern, and steady, while the other was born brimming with fighting spirit. Both were outstanding among Grand Unity Golden Immortals, yet they had both suffered at once...

"Ran into trouble?" Li Cha's tone was calm, but an imperceptible glint passed through the depths of his eyes. Since arriving in the Primordial World, he had studied mysteries and comprehended the Dao, grown tea and savored it, and guided his disciples. Though he found it carefree, there had always been a lack of real excitement. Now, an "opponent" who could make his eldest disciple and youngest disciple join hands yet still return defeated had piqued his interest.

Li Cha stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the fierce mountain wind. His gaze fell upon the dark, profound pool below, as though he intended to pierce through layer upon layer of water and see the true form hidden beneath.