Cave Abode

Having made an arrangement with Duobao, Bai Ze followed Guang Chengzi's guidance toward his own cave abode.

Duobao's cave abode happened to be not far from his.

After passing through layers upon layers of dense bamboo groves that resembled purple jade, a towering mountain came into view.

The entire mountain was like green jade, stretching straight into the heavens with no end in sight, no different from Kunlun Mountain.

But how was that possible?

He was now atop Kunlun Mountain. How could a second Kunlun Mountain appear?

Seeing the confusion in Bai Ze's eyes, Guang Chengzi smiled and explained,

"The cave abodes our masters chose for us were all formed by moving over the places where we had originally been born.

But you are different. You were born beneath Kunlun Mountain, and there is only one Kunlun Mountain in the entire Primordial World.

Therefore, Martial Uncle specially went to the Chaos Sea to seek out a star with traits similar to Kunlun Mountain, to serve as your cave abode.

Meanwhile, my master went to your birthplace and used great divine powers to cut that place away, then refined and fused it with the star Martial Uncle had found.

It was not fully completed until a few years ago."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ze looked toward the jade mountain and gently brushed his hand over it, sensing the mysterious laws that had given birth to him. Warmth rose faintly in his heart.

He had never expected that, before he had even taken a master, the Celestial Venerables would be so attentive, specially spending a hundred years searching the Chaos Sea for a star and joining forces to create the cave abode best suited to him.

How could he not be moved?

He turned toward the courtyard behind him, clasped his hands in a gesture resembling taiji, and gave a long bow. "This junior thanks the two Celestial Venerables."

Duobao and Guang Chengzi exchanged a glance. Though Bai Ze had not yet become a disciple, in their hearts, once he had entered the little courtyard, he was family.

Seeing such emotional upheaval from Bai Ze, who was usually extremely cautious and determined not to become entangled in karma, both of them smiled knowingly.

Bai Ze looked at Guang Chengzi and asked, "May I ask, Dao Brother, I see that the courtyard is exceedingly vast. My cave abode in particular is no different in size from Kunlun Mountain,

and yet the little courtyard is within Kunlun Mountain. How can it possibly contain all this?"

Guang Chengzi smiled and explained, "Kunlun Mountain is not merely a single mountain peak. Because of its special nature, the mountainside serves as a boundary; everything from the mountainside to the summit lies within another space.

And within this space are scattered secret realms of all sizes.

After our masters came here, however, they used great divine powers to consolidate and refine countless small spaces, eventually turning them into the courtyard you now see."

A trace of surprise flashed through Bai Ze's eyes. If that was the case, then didn't Kunlun Mountain belong to the Three Pure Ones alone?

Then what about my Blood Bodhi? What about the Huangzhong Plum?

"Dao Brother, do you mean that only we are atop Kunlun Mountain, with no other living beings here?"

Guang Chengzi shook his head. "Not so. Our masters are not overbearing people. Aside from us, the Qilin Clan also lives on this mountain.

It is simply that we are at the summit, while they reside in a secret realm on the other side behind the mountain."

Bai Ze let out a long breath of relief. Fortunately, the Qilin Clan was still here. Though their location differed somewhat, it was fine as long as the general situation remained correct!

"So that's how it is. I thought we were the only family here."

Bai Ze revealed a relieved smile.

Guang Chengzi said, "Naturally. All things possess spirits, especially the Qilin Clan. They are auspicious beasts personally enlightened by the Heavenly Dao after Great God Pangu opened the heavens. It would ultimately be improper to drive them away without cause."

"Dao Brother speaks truly. Why not step into the cave and have a chat?"

Guang Chengzi nodded. When he arrived before the cave abode and saw the words Bai Ze Cave written above it, his brows furrowed slightly.

Bai Ze was somewhat puzzled. The name of this cave abode had been written when it first came into being. Though the calligraphy was not particularly elegant, it was at least neat.

Yet Guang Chengzi stood at the entrance staring at those words, looking as though he wanted to speak but hesitated.

Could my handwriting really be that ugly?

After pondering for a moment, he stepped forward to Guang Chengzi's side and asked doubtfully, "Dao Brother, is there some problem with my writing?"

Guang Chengzi slowly shook his head. Then he turned to Bai Ze, his expression somewhat conflicted. "Junior Brother Bai Ze, could this cave abode be given another name?"

Suspicion filled Bai Ze's eyes. Deeply puzzled, he turned to look at Duobao beside him.

He sent a voice transmission. "What does Dao Brother Guang Chengzi mean? Is my writing really that ugly?"

Duobao opened his eyes to a slit and quietly transmitted back, "My cave abode is called Treasure Cave, Huanglong's is called Dragon Lake, and Senior Brother's is called Purple Bamboo."

The confusion in Bai Ze's eyes deepened. He was utterly at sea. "So what does that mean?"

Duobao transmitted helplessly, "Senior Brother chose all those names himself, and every one of them has two characters!"

Bai Ze immediately understood. It was obsessive-compulsive disorder!

No wonder Guang Chengzi had looked so conflicted. No wonder he had been so persistent when teaching.

The name of this cave abode had merely been chosen on a whim. Whether it was changed or not did not matter to him.

Besides, he did not mind doing Guang Chengzi a favor.

Having understood everything, Bai Ze looked at Guang Chengzi and smiled.

"Dao Brother, I merely chose this name casually. If Dao Brother has a better suggestion, we can change it."

A faint smile appeared on Guang Chengzi's face. He nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Then how about..."

"White Cave!"

Bai Ze's eye twitched. What kind of name is that? Why not Black Hole while we're at it!

In the future, when they declared their origins before a battle, others would say, "I am a disciple of so-and-so, master of Bright Moon Cave, so-and-so."

When it came to him, it would become, "I am under the Three Pure Ones, Bai Ze, master of White Cave..."

That name had no grandeur at all, and it was awkward as hell!

Seeing Bai Ze's embarrassed expression, Guang Chengzi asked doubtfully, "Junior Brother, do you find it unsuitable?"

Bai Ze smiled. What could he say? Before someone hopeless at naming things, anything he said would be useless.

Just as he was about to shake his head and say it was quite good, an inspiration suddenly flashed through his mind.

He looked at Guang Chengzi hesitantly. "Senior Brother, White Cave is indeed a fine name, easily recognized at a glance.

But this little brother has suddenly thought of an idea...

How about Hidden Abode instead?

What does Dao Brother think?"

Guang Chengzi nodded slightly. As long as it had two characters, it was fine.

Then he looked at Bai Ze and smiled. "Then let it be called Hidden Abode. The name does suit your cautious temperament!"

Bai Ze smiled, then swept out a hand, erasing the three words Bai Ze Cave and replacing them with two large characters—Hidden Abode!

When Guang Chengzi saw those two characters, he instantly felt much more comfortable and at ease.

Then, at Bai Ze's invitation, they entered the cave abode together. After chatting briefly, Guang Chengzi bade Bai Ze farewell.

After leaving the cave abode, Duobao looked at Guang Chengzi with confusion.

"Senior Brother, although Bai Ze's cave abode was indeed refined jointly by Master and Martial Uncle, with Master and Martial Uncle's strength, it should not have taken a hundred years!

Why did you tell him that Master and the others spent a full hundred years on it?"

Guang Chengzi gazed toward the horizon and gave a soft laugh.

"Didn't you notice? No matter how we interact or joke around with Bai Ze, he can handle it all with ease.

But haven't you noticed as well? No matter what we do for him, he always wants to repay us. That is very abnormal!"