Underwater Grotto-Heaven

"What's wrong?" Li Cha set down his teacup and asked gently, seeing Wu Zhiqi scratching his ears and cheeks, his eyes full of confusion, completely devoid of his usual arrogance and agility, looking deeply troubled.

Wu Zhiqi snapped out of his thoughts at the sound, realizing his earlier lapse in front of his master. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his monkey face. He scratched his furry arm, composed himself, and replied earnestly, "Master, forgive your disciple's rudeness. I... I seem to have encountered something like this before." He pointed at the tea on the stone table. "This essence feels strangely familiar, as if branded deep in my soul, but I can't recall when or where. I lost my composure in a moment of urgency. Please punish me, Master."

Li Cha's eyes glinted sharply at this. He had been leaning lazily against his chair, but now he sat up slightly straighter. "Oh!? You've encountered it..." His voice was low but carried an undeniable penetrating force. Before the words faded, a vast yet gentle Spiritual Sense, like invisible mercury, enveloped Wu Zhiqi completely.

Wu Zhiqi froze instantly. He felt every hair, every inch of skin, even the mana flowing through his veins, being meticulously combed and examined by an irresistible force. It was as if he had been stripped bare, with no secrets left hidden. This utterly exposed state made him deeply uncomfortable.

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

"Mm." Li Cha seemed to sense his discomfort and withdrew his vast, ocean-like Spiritual Sense as if nothing had happened. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondering. "There is indeed the essence of tea, though extremely faint, already intertwined with your own aura. If today's tea hadn't stirred it, even I might have overlooked it." His gaze fell on Wu Zhiqi, probing. "When did you first gain consciousness? Have you always lived nearby?" Li Cha had a guess—this monkey had an extraordinary foundation. Perhaps at the moment of his birth, he had spent some time near a Spiritual Tea Tree, gradually absorbing a trace of its original aura into his very roots.

"Hm...?" Wu Zhiqi sighed in relief as his master withdrew his Spiritual Sense. At the question, he strained to search his long memory. Frowning, his eyes alternating between clarity and confusion, he finally said uncertainly, "At the beginning of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity... the killing aura between Heaven and Earth was overwhelming. I gained consciousness in a daze back then, but my intelligence was unformed. I just instinctively absorbed the Essence of Sun and Moon to temper my body. As for my range..." He pointed at the rushing river beneath them. "Since I can remember, I've always been in this river, never leaving. This river is my home."

"The beginning of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity... always been here..." Li Cha nodded slightly. The clues all pointed to this river. He glanced at the disciples standing nearby and made a decision. "Shi Qing, take Wu Zhiqi and Purple Spirit, and go upstream along the river to investigate carefully. Wu Zhiqi knows this area well, so let him lead. If you find anything unusual or encounter danger you can't handle, return immediately and report. Do not act rashly."

"Yes, Master." Shi Qing bowed in acknowledgment. His face was cold and stern, carved like ten-thousand-year ice, showing no extra expression. He turned to Wu Zhiqi and Purple Spirit and said simply, "Let's go."

Wu Zhiqi, already unable to contain himself, flipped into the river with a somersault to lead the way. His Yin Yang Eyes scanned underwater, missing nothing unusual. Shi Qing's body emitted a faint clear light, hovering three feet above the water, coordinating from the center, his Spiritual Sense spreading like a net covering dozens of miles. Purple Spirit followed cheerfully at the rear, appearing casual but keeping her Spiritual Sense taut, guarding against any movement from behind or above.

The three traveled swiftly upstream. The river gradually narrowed, the current grew fiercer, and the mountains on both banks became steep and rugged. The dense Innate Water Spirit Qi was almost palpable. The farther they flew, the closer they got to the misty river source, the stronger Wu Zhiqi's sense of familiarity became. Fragments of forgotten memories began to flash in his sea of consciousness—a deep, dark riverbed, hazy light, a giant tree radiating a reassuring aura...

"Senior Disciple Brother!" Wu Zhiqi burst out of the water, sending up a spray, gesticulating excitedly. "I remember! At the river source, there's a deeply hidden Underwater Grotto-Heaven! When I first gained consciousness, still ignorant, I dwelled in that grotto! There... there's a big tree there, and its aura is almost exactly the same as the tea Master brewed!"

A faint, barely perceptible ripple crossed Shi Qing's icy face. He decided on the spot: "Good! Purple Spirit, go quickly and report to Master, explaining the situation in detail. I'll go with Junior Disciple Brother Wu Zhiqi to the river source and confirm the grotto's entrance."

"Alright, Senior Disciple Brother, be careful. Don't hog all the good stuff while I'm gone!" Purple Spirit replied playfully, then turned into a streak of purple light, speeding back along the path.

Wu Zhiqi, impatient, led Shi Qing back into the icy river. This time, with a clear goal and memories awakened in his blood, he moved like a fish, nimbly weaving through the dark underwater canyons and rapids, charging straight upstream toward the source.

"Master, Master... Senior Disciple Brother and the others found something!" Purple Spirit's lively, crisp voice carried from afar, arriving before she did, breaking the tranquility near the thatched cottage.

Li Cha slowly opened his half-closed eyes, watching his disciple fly in like a joyful spirit bird, her small face flushed from the rapid flight. Without ceremony, she grabbed another untouched cup of Spiritual Tea from the stone table in front of Li Cha, downed it in one gulp, and let out a long sigh.

"Slow down. What did you find?" Li Cha asked with a hint of a smile, watching this lively disciple.

Purple Spirit wiped her mouth and reported excitedly, "Junior Disciple Brother Wu Zhiqi remembered! He said there's a hidden Underwater Grotto-Heaven at the river source, where he lived when he was first born! Inside, there's a giant tree with an aura very similar to the tea we drank!"

"Underwater Grotto-Heaven... a Spiritual Root..." A glint of understanding and anticipation flashed in Li Cha's eyes. He stood up, waving his sleeve. "Alright, in that case, let's go see what kind of spiritual object can resonate with my tea."

Qing Xuan, Lianyi, and Forget Worry, who had been waiting nearby, perked up immediately. The group boarded Forget Worry's broad, comfortable back. Forget Worry let out a low roar, clouds forming beneath his Four Legs, and rose into the air. Guided by Purple Spirit, they turned into a streak of light, speeding toward the river source.

Just as they arrived above the river source—a deep pool surrounded by towering mountains, its water a dark, unfathomable green—before they could investigate thoroughly—

"BOOM!!!"

A thunderous roar shattered the calm surface of the pool. Two figures shot backward out of the water in a somewhat disheveled state, sending up a torrent of spray. It was Shi Qing and Wu Zhiqi, who had just dived in to investigate!

Shi Qing's white robes were stained with water and mud. Though his face remained expressionless, his hand gripping the Mountain Splitting Axe and his slightly disordered aura showed he had just been through a tough fight. Wu Zhiqi looked even worse, his golden fur plastered wetly to his body, baring his teeth, tightly gripping his Primordial Iron Staff, looking both wary and unwilling to back down.

"Master." "Master!" The two steadied themselves. Seeing Li Cha standing on Forget Worry's back, they suppressed their surging energy and stepped forward to bow, faces tinged with shame.

Li Cha's gaze swept over them. Seeing Shi Qing's usually icy face betray a hint of barely noticeable embarrassment, and the battle-hungry Wu Zhiqi looking so deflated, he couldn't help but find it amusing. At the same time, a long-dormant interest stirred deep within him. One was usually cold and steady, the other born with a fighting spirit—both were outstanding among Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals. For them to both come out on the losing end...

"Trouble?" Li Cha asked calmly, but a glint of keen interest flashed in his eyes. Since arriving in the Primordial World, he had spent his time meditating on the Dao, planting tea, savoring it, and teaching his disciples. Though he felt at ease, he had lacked some real "action." Now, an "opponent" that could make his senior and junior disciples retreat together piqued his curiosity.

Li Cha stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the fierce mountain wind. His gaze fell on the deep pool below, as if trying to pierce through the layers of water to see what was truly hidden beneath.