First Meeting with a Sect Leader: A Hidden Sanctuary, Masks Must Come Off Before Entering the Island

Li Xian said calmly, "Please lead the way, elders." The black and white envoys went ahead. The cavern shimmered with multicolored halos, blue one moment and yellow the next. Stalactites formed all manner of shapes, carrying a faint fragrance, while the occasional plink of water made the place wonderfully peaceful.

Looking closely, he realized it had been formed from a mine. Li Xian had once been a miner and could judge the jade deposits within. This cavern must have held plentiful jade, including unusual Jade Cores. Could this be an abandoned mine? They followed the envoys for several li, and the passage grew wider and brighter. Trees, grass, and fruit trees gradually appeared around them.

Zhao Yingqiong wondered, Jade City actually has such a marvelous place? I've lived here for years and visited all its unusual buildings, yet I've never even heard of this hidden wonder. It's so secluded that probably no one in the northern or eastern districts knows about it. Yet these foreign Flower Thieves discovered it early, occupied it, and pocketed all the benefits. I'll have Li Xian sound them out first. She nudged him with a muffled sound.

Understanding her meaning, Li Xian said, "It's hard to imagine what extraordinary talent the sect leader possesses, to discover such a marvelous place." The black envoy said, "The sect leader practices an art called Seeking the Hidden Depths. Outsiders can hardly perceive natural wonders like this, but through the mysteries of martial arts, the sect leader discovered it long ago. This has always been the sect leader's private residence and was never revealed. Only because an important sect event is upon us has it been opened for the gathering. Though it lies within Jade City, it belongs to the sect leader alone."

Li Xian smiled. "Then we're fortunate