The zombie saw Yan Chihuo and said, "So Immortal Elder Shan has arrived. Why did you come alone?" That mountain sprite had affected refinement by giving himself the surname Shan, while also styling himself the Great Immortal of Boundless Power and Desirelessness. For convenience, though, everyone simply called him Immortal Elder Shan.
At those words, Yan Chihuo immediately understood. That mountain sprite was fond of putting on airs; for him to come here alone was indeed wholly unlike his usual behavior.
His eyes shifted slightly as he said, "This immortal elder does not wish to draw attention. What, are you not welcoming me?"
The zombie hurriedly replied, "No, I absolutely did not mean that. Please enter, Immortal Elder Shan." He knew this mountain sprite was exceptionally difficult to deal with, liable to turn hostile at a moment's notice. If he suffered a grave loss at the mountain sprite's hands over this, even his master, the drought fiend, might not be willing to stand up for him on such a joyous day.
Yan Chihuo followed the two ghosts into the woods. As he trailed behind them, he secretly noted their bearings and the changes in the formation, hoping to deduce a flaw in the Ten Thousand Woods Grand Formation. Yet although he possessed Spiritual Eyes, his understanding of formations was still far too shallow. He thought until his head swam, but still found no answer.
The blue-faced, fanged evil ghost and the zombie wound this way and that ahead of him. Before long, they arrived before a stone stele. The blue-faced, fanged evil ghost took out a command tablet and waved it at the stele.
The stone stele flashed, then shifted aside, revealing a stone door. The two ghosts pushed it open and entered, revealing a flight of stone steps descending