You Are the Legendary Dean Feng

Fu Qian raced through the ruins without stopping.

Having walked this route twice, Fu Qian knew it like the back of his hand. He even knew exactly where the monsters would ambush him.

He encountered almost no obstacles along the way and soon reached the blood pool at the center.

From a distance, he could already see Feng Yunhong striking a pose.

After loosening up his facial muscles, Fu Qian hurried forward. The next moment, his pupils suddenly widened.

"Dean Feng... Yunhong?"

It took a full ten seconds before Feng Yunhong, still as a wax figure, finally stirred.

He drew a long breath, as if waking from a dream, then slowly opened his eyes and looked at Fu Qian.

"Who are you? It's dangerous here."

"You're Dean Feng, aren't you?"

Fu Qian didn't answer his question, instead putting on an expression of delighted surprise.

"I knew you were all right! I've finally found you!"

"You know me?"

Feng Yunhong furrowed his brow.

"Of course!"

Fu Qian nodded repeatedly.

"I saw your portrait at the academy. You haven't changed a bit over the years, so I recognized you right away."

"The academy..."

As if he'd heard something from the distant past, Feng Yunhong froze for a moment before coming to his senses and shaking his head.

"That was many years ago."

"Yes. The academy's teachers often talk about the mysterious disappearance of the Fourth Dean. It's been at least several decades now.

"I heard that Dean Li kept searching for you."

"Dean Li? You mean Li He? He became dean?"

Feng Yunhong sighed deeply, his weathered face tinged with a hint of relief.

Not bad acting, Fu Qian praised him inwardly.

"Yes, though Dean Li retired years ago. He's traveling all over now. He's always held your strength in the highest regard."

Feng Yunhong waved his hand and gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, wearing the air of a man who had seen it all.

"All worldly fame is like passing clouds."

"Speaking of which, you're a remarkable young man yourself."

He regarded Fu Qian with admiration.

"You're already at the sixth tier at such a young age, aren't you? In my day, you'd have been an absolute prodigy."

"You're too kind, Dean Feng. I'm merely standing on the shoulders of giants. Without the many years of exploration by those who came before us, the path of cultivation wouldn't be so smooth."

Fu Qian spoke modestly, then frowned as he looked at the ruined lower half of Feng Yunhong's body.

"What happened to you...? Who did this?"

"It's hard to explain in a few words. I can only blame myself for being too careless back then. This place is extremely sinister. You must be careful."

Feng Yunhong warned Fu Qian with the air of an elder.

"I understand!"

Fu Qian nodded earnestly, still gazing at Feng Yunhong's lower half with deep sorrow.

"I'll go get the others right away. We'll find a way to rescue you."

There are others?

Fu Qian's words made Feng Yunhong's eyes light up. Then he gave a carefree laugh and shook his head.

"It's kind of you to offer, but at my age, I've long since made peace with life and death. I've only managed to survive this long by sheer force of will."

"This place is full of danger at every turn. You don't need to risk your lives for me."

"Please don't say that."

Fu Qian shook his head emphatically.

"I'll go call them now. Vice Dean Li Weixuan, who came with us, is already at the peak of the fourth order. His sword heart is clear, making him the perfect counter to evil and filth. He'll surely find a way to rescue you. Just wait..."

As he comforted Feng Yunhong, Fu Qian made to leave, then suddenly stopped and furrowed his brow.

"What is it?"

Feng Yunhong narrowed his eyes and studied Fu Qian.

"Did you..."

Fu Qian looked around repeatedly, as if searching for something.

"Did you hear someone talking?"

"Someone talking? How could that be? There's no one here but us!"

Feng Yunhong looked puzzled.

"Are you sure you didn't imagine it?"

"But I really did hear something!"

Fu Qian looked confused.

"It was a woman's voice, saying over and over that she wanted to be let out. I think her name was Shui Jing... Wait, there's another voice, a man's... Chi Hesheng. How can this be?"

Fu Qian casually named two people and noticed Feng Yunhong's expression change.

"The area around the blood pool is rife with curses. Sometimes they cause hallucinations. You may have been affected."

"You'd better leave as soon as possible, before you suffer further harm."

Feng Yunhong urged Fu Qian to hurry.

"Understood. I'm leaving now!"

Fu Qian nodded and bowed to Feng Yunhong.

"Take care. I'll be right back."

"No need to hurry. I've been here for so many years. A little longer won't matter."

Feng Yunhong laughed heartily and watched Fu Qian leave, until he vanished completely into the mist.

After walking some distance, Fu Qian turned around, first using a stone tower to block the view, then quietly doubling back.

There was no way he was actually going to bring Li Weixuan and the others over.

He'd said that partly so Feng Yunhong would know more prey was on the way, keeping him from making a desperate move right then.

The other reason was to put enough pressure on the old man.

He'd specifically emphasized that Li Weixuan was at the peak of the fourth order and exceptionally perceptive, then told Feng Yunhong he'd heard cries for help.

Since even Fu Qian could hear something amiss, Feng Yunhong would surely worry about being exposed in front of Li Weixuan. If he really had a way to suppress the supernatural beings he'd swallowed, he'd have to do something.

When Fu Qian hurried back to the blood pool, Feng Yunhong had already disappeared.

In the place where he'd been standing, there was now an opening leading farther down.

This place... Fu Qian remembered the arched ceiling that had been exposed when Li Weixuan and Feng Yunhong fought.

There really was something underneath!

Fu Qian leaped over the blood pool again and went to the edge of the opening. Below, he saw crisscrossing stone beams.

Without hesitation, Fu Qian jumped down.

Speed was of the essence. Feng Yunhong wouldn't be slow to act.

He landed lightly on the huge arched stone beams and carefully inspected the interior.

The space wasn't particularly large, but it was quite tall. He was standing on the roof beams.

It was hard to imagine how a building like this had sunk underground.

Judging by its general appearance, this place had probably once been a church or something similar, but it had long since been completely transformed.

The interior presented an extremely strange sight. Most of the space was empty.

Tables, chairs, tiles, lampstands, and stained glass—all the interior furnishings had been piled up in the middle of the building.

Not only that, but the objects seemed to have been drawn together by some force, twisted into the shape of a huge four-pronged spiral.

The symbol above Blood Face's head.

Fu Qian's heart stirred. He was sure he'd found the right place.

At the center of the counterclockwise spiral stood a crude stone chair.

At that very moment, the missing Feng Yunhong was sitting on it, surrounded by waves of wailing.

That was fast!

Come to think of it, had this guy been standing up there the whole time, then come straight down to digest people after swallowing them?

He really was cautious!