The Evil Pool
The protection of the back mountain of Lingshan is indeed very weak.
However, this is only natural. When attacking, everyone tries to fight from the front, not from the back. Even if a few cultivators have the ability to enter the back mountain, it is difficult for them to form a united force.
Zhang Xuezhou waved to the Buddha Son Shigong, who lived in the back mountain area and was responsible for patrolling.
"Don't get me into trouble! We made an excuse to go back to Mount Ling, but the sect leader is still watching us!"
Upon seeing Zhang Xuezhou and Divine Lord Zhenyuan enter Lingshan, the Buddha Son Shigong was understandably anxious.
He returned to Mount Ling as he wished, but the Buddha Son Shigong had not yet made any meritorious contributions. If he were to be harmed by Zhang Xuezhou and others, the probability of him being in trouble would be very high.
However, even if the Buddha Son Shigong were to shout or take action at this moment, he wouldn't do it.
Firstly, he couldn't defeat the two of them, and secondly, Buddha Son Shigong were still hoping to cooperate, so why would they break off relations at this time?
"Don't worry, we're just going to the Wind Cave to check things out. We won't attack recklessly. Just pretend you never saw us," Zhang Xuezhou said. "You should also make preparations. We're just waiting for the Emperor and Empress to arrive before we begin our campaign!"
How much longer?
The Buddha Son Shigong Zhang Xuezhou, who began asking about the timing of the immortals' attack on Mount Ling.
"It will take her at least a day or two to get here from the Southern Jambudvipa Continent, and then she'll rest and adjust. I estimate she might be able to make her move in three days," Zhang Xuezhou guessed.
"Three days, right?"
Buddha Son Shigong took a deep breath, indicating that he was aware of the time, and then couldn't help but ask Zhang Xuezhou and the others which direction they would emerge from after entering Mount Ling, so that he wouldn't meet them in the wrong direction.
"I have a bell that can release smoke, fire, and poisonous sand. You'd better dress warmly so you don't get exhausted before the battle even starts!"
Zhang Xuezhou made an agreement and kindly explained to the Buddha Son Shigong how to protect himself and how to stand out among the Western Sect monks.
"Okay, I'm sure I'll be fine this time!"
Buddha Son Shigong accepted with gratitude, feeling that the cooperation between the two parties had already reached a very high level.
As for Divine Lord Zhenyuan, there's not much hope. He's someone who can fight Zhunti Jiaozhu head-on, so even if Zhenyuan Shenjun wanted to play along, he couldn't.
"Then it's settled. Let's go scout out the terrain first!"
Zhang Xuezhou pointed, and then he and Divine Lord Zhenyuan flew towards the Bifeng Cave on Mount Ling.
What's so interesting about investigating the Bifeng Cave?
As the two figures disappeared into the back mountain, the Buddha Son Shigong watched them disappear in a flash, and couldn't help but press his temples again.
He ran quickly for several miles and found Vishnu patrolling on the other side.
"There must be something inside the Wind Cave; that Zhang Shengzi has been inside before!"
Vishnu's response left Buddha Son Shigong with mixed feelings. After participating in the Kunlun Grand Gathering, he was no longer able to participate in the subsequent struggles, and the grand gathering involving the Wind Cave had no connection with Zhang Xuezhou.
Vishnu and his companions, however, staged a fake match against Zhang Xuezhou in the Wind Cave.
"Think about it again. He remained silent for almost half a month before finally joining you, thus achieving the second position at Ling Mountain?"
"Right!"
Where did he go in the past two weeks?
"It must be at the end of the wind cave!"
"The winds there are the strongest; he couldn't have held out for that long!"
You mean?
"Things tend to reverse at their extremes. Behind that windy area, things might be calm, or even harbor something special!"
That's true, but we...
Buddha Son Shigong and Vishnu continued their discussion and quickly deduced the answer, but Vishnu hesitated and looked at Buddha Son Shigong.
Knowing the answer is one thing; having the ability to go there is another.
Among their Buddhist followers, it is highly likely that only the Buddha's disciples could withstand the devastation of the wind, while the others would find it difficult to overcome.
"How about we team up with Tathagata?" Vishnu suggested.
"That guy is a decent man, and he's more stubborn than an ox when it comes to following religious rules. How can we cooperate with him?" said the Buddha Son Shigong.
"Let's say we discovered something unusual at the Wind Cave, but we're unable to investigate. We'll send him to check it out. Someone as responsible as him will definitely cooperate," Vishnu said. "Once he goes in and sees the situation clearly, he'll surely tell us everything!"
"Alright!"
The Buddha Son Shigong nodded.
Vishnu was the weakest in terms of individual strength, but he could come up with some clever ideas from time to time, Buddha Son Shigong thought this arrangement was fine.
After exchanging words, Vishnu began his journey towards the area where the Buddha's son was stationed.
"This is it! Just go straight through!"
"The winds here are quite fierce; currently, there are probably no more than ten cultivators who can pass through!"
Although the wind cave was pitch black and any attempt to light a fire would be extinguished, Zhang Xuezhou only needed to repeat the memory to reach the original location by following the original route.
When they entered the Bifeng Cave again, the wind was blowing extremely fiercely. Even Divine Lord Zhenyuan couldn't help but gasp for breath, feeling that Zhang Xuezhou really went wherever there was high risk.
This is a place that no normal person would even consider traveling through, even if they had the ability. They might not even know how far the journey is, and it would be quite normal to die there if there's no way back.
Divine Lord Zhenyuan felt that Zhang Xuezhou was also a suicidal person. He must not have had the strength he has now when he came here before. The possibility of a normal cultivator losing his life by playing around like Zhang Xuezhou is very high.
"There are others?"
He followed behind Zhang Xuezhou, ready to investigate. Just as the relentless wind was making Divine Lord Zhenyuan somewhat uncomfortable, he suddenly saw the view ahead clear up, and the wind that had been cutting into his body disappeared without a trace.
Large open areas are visible here, and you can even see a spring.
To Divine Lord Zhenyuan's surprise, someone had already arrived. Seeing the person soaking in the spring water, Divine Lord Zhenyuan glanced at Zhang Xuezhou and felt that Zhang Xuezhou's good spot had been ruined.
"Hey, wake up!"
Divine Lord Zhenyuan looked surprised, and Zhang Xuezhou wasn't much better off.
He stepped forward and saw that both the Daoist Ran Deng and the Buddha's disciple were soaking in the spring water.
The Daoist Ran Deng remained silent, while the Buddha's disciple stared at the sky in complete silence, seemingly lost in his own world.
Zhang Xuezhou pulled the Daoist Ran Deng out of the water. Apart from his old face, the rest of his body was soaked until it was white and tender, and he didn't look old at all.
He slapped the Daoist Ran Deng twice, but the Daoist Ran Deng showed no signs of waking up.
When Zhang Xuezhou grabbed the Buddha's son and slapped him twice, he saw the Buddha's son's wooden eyes twitch slightly.
What are you two doing here?
The body of the Daoist Ran Deng changed, while the body of the Buddha's son remained in a youthful and robust state, and was not turned into a child.
Zhang Xuezhou asked a question, and the Buddha's neck made a series of creaking sounds, as if his body was so heavy that he could hardly speak.
"The Evil Pool devours and refines body-building cultivators... In the Eight Treasures Merit Pool, one can... mold a human body!"
After a long pause, the Buddha's disciple finally gritted his teeth and spoke.
When he looked at the spring, his eyes did not show any appreciation for the heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but rather a hint of fear, as if he had just narrowly escaped from the spring.