The white-robed Daoist was returning to the encampment. When he arrived before the entrance to an underground cavern and was about to descend, he heard someone speak behind him. "Sect Master Yu, where have you been?"
The white-robed Daoist was startled. He had not seen anyone when he came over. Slowly turning around, he saw Cao Fangding standing in the distance. "So it is Fellow Daoist Cao."
He smiled with easy grace. "Fellow Daoist Cao, please do not call me Sect Master again. Yu cannot bear such a title. We have all become Profound Residence cultivators now, so we should address one another as fellow Daoists."
After a pause, he added, "I was looking for a place to cultivate my divine abilities. Fellow Daoist should know that our Upper Origin Sect excels at distant observation and external perception. One must observe the heavens and gaze upon the stars while cultivating; underground is no good place for that."
Cao Fangding said expressionlessly, "Then whom were you sending a radiant-light message to just now?"
The white-robed Daoist's heart jolted, but confusion showed on his face. "What radiant-light message?"
Cao Fangding offered no further explanation, merely gazing at him in silence.
The easy smile on the white-robed Daoist's face slowly faded. At last, he said in a low voice, "When did you discover it?"
Cao Fangding shook his head. "I discovered nothing beforehand. I was merely waiting for the person who might exist."
The white-robed Daoist shook his head. It seemed he had been too careless in this matter.
Yet he had had no choice. If possible, he too would have chosen a safer moment to pass on the information. But according to that person's demands, Zhang Yu's departure had to be reported immediately.
He could not disobey.
If he had done anything