The moonlight was like water, spilling onto the shimmering lake surface, as if draped in a layer of silver gauze. The distant mountains and nearby lake complemented each other, with cicadas singing softly in the distance, and the pavilion serene like a painting.
Leaning against the railing, Lu Jin'an gently swirled the wine cup between his fingers and softly spoke, "Master, what do you think those living people I found in the Ruins Cave Heaven are?"
The Grotto Heaven has a long history of existence, either a gift from the Yunding Continent to cultivators or a treasure left by those who transcended this world.
The former is more common.
However, whether natural or man-made by powerful beings, apart from the mutant beasts that have always lived there, no 'living people' have been found.
This is because the environment inside is unsuitable for cultivators to survive: the higher the level of the Grotto Heaven, the faster the spiritual power consumption, and it is isolated from external nature's spiritual energy, unable to replenish.
About a year and a half ago, after Wandao Sect and Hengshui Academy, one of the Seven Schools, jointly obtained the exploration rights to this Holy Level Cave Heaven from the competition, casualties far exceeding previous explorations in Holy Level Cave Heavens occurred.
And as the leader of the team, Lu Jin'an discovered Lin Mu and dozens of mysterious people conversing with him while covering the retreat of others.
At that time, Lin Mu was just a small cultivator in the late-stage Condensation Realm, but strangely, within the power of the mysterious people, not only was his spiritual power not depleted, but he was also not crushed into a bloody mist by the energy contained within the Holy Level Cave Heaven.
He was not discovered while eavesdropping, so, with an investigative mindset, he followed Lin Mu from another exit of the Grotto Heaven to the Nanzhuo Domain and stayed there for a year and a half.
Unfortunately, apart from learning about the conspiracy of a group of people claiming to be from the Cloud Peak Upper Realm, he did not obtain any information about the mysterious people from Lin Mu's mouth.
Therefore, after recounting his experiences in the Nanzhuo Domain, Lu Jin'an somewhat looked forward to learning something from his master, a Great Cultivator in the Divine Presence Realm.
At this moment, Pei Wanyu was sitting on the stone bench with her legs closed. Due to not arranging the hem, the slit of her bathrobe slipped down on both sides, exposing her ample but still beautiful fair thighs to the air, reflecting a delicate glow.
Lu Jin'an glanced at the base of the thighs that were almost visible, then looked at her expression; although the master, lost in thought, was still seductive and charming, the seriousness of being a teacher added a touch of allure.
After staring for a while, he shifted his gaze to her slightly opened collar, where the graceful curve of her neck extended downward, tightly wrapped in a white robe, exuding a profound and heart-stopping attraction.
Although the stone table was not very high, its lower rim could still rest on the edge, lightly tapping up and down with every sip, like ripples on the lake under the moonlight.
Lu Jin'an narrowed his eyes, perhaps due to the slight chill by the lake at night; he could clearly see a seemingly more enticing curve outlined on her silky bathrobe.
Pei Wanyu, sipping her wine in contemplation, seemed unaware of her apprentice's almost pinched gaze. After putting down the wine cup again, she spoke softly, "After learning about the dangers from the cultivators who retreated initially, the high officials of each sect conducted investigations.
But even the Tianyan Pavilion couldn't draw a conclusion."
Taking advantage of Dong Han's moment pouring wine, she turned her head to look at her apprentice, whose appearance and figure were both outstanding: "So even though we now know there's a mysterious presence in the Grotto Heaven, it's unlikely to reach a conclusion.
But without a doubt, it's related to those self-proclaimed superior beings from the Upper Realm."
Lu Jin'an chuckled, "Master, you just stated the obvious."
Pei Wanyu's eyes narrowed, the curve of her mouth combined with the beauty mark under her right lip adding allure, but her voice carried a subtle aggression: "Are you mocking me, suggesting that being older has dulled my mind?
Calling me 'the old one' around Xia Ming, are you dissatisfied with me?"
"Master, you surely misheard." Lu Jin'an stood up, saying seriously, "I clearly said, 'Master, you are still charming'."
"Still saying I'm old?"
"I just like them big." Lu Jin'an insinuated, sincerely, "I don't like them unless they're big."
"So does that include Zhu Nanzhi?" Pei Wanyu leaned forward slightly, the heavy presence on the table edge seemingly weighty.
"Not as good as Master," Lu Jin'an honestly said, "but much better than Senior Sister."
"Qingyue is...," Pei Wanyu's tone shifted, "Are you okay with speaking about my daughter like that?"
"Still using that excuse?" Lu Jin'an chuckled, discreetly glancing at the virginity mark slipping from her left arm, "Do you think I would believe it?"
"Don't we look alike?"
"I don't know!" Lu Jin'an replied directly, thinking that since he first met Mu Qingyue, she had always had a black cloth over her eyes; he hadn't seen her remove it all these years, how could he know?
He used to earnestly ask his master about her relationship with Mu Qingyue but never received an answer, leading him to guess that this secret was likely beyond his reach... due to insufficient strength.
Lu Jin'an lowered his eyelids slightly and changed the subject: "Did you retaliate against the Upper Realm because of Lin Mu?"
Pei Wanyu gently shook her head: "First, we do not know how long the Upper Realm has been executing this plan; second, there's no need to alert them prematurely.
As you said, it's another era of great competition."
Pausing slightly, she continued: "Especially since they who claim to be from the Upper Realm are not just the Upper Realm of the Human Clan. Combined with the mysterious crowd in the Grotto Heaven, tearing off the mask at this stage holds no benefit."
"Hmm." Lu Jin'an nodded, turning to look at the shimmering lake, a mocking voice escaping him, "Those self-proclaimed from the Upper Realm may not easily interfere in mortal matters, so they probably use methods like these to seize destiny from the Mortal World for their use, thereby becoming a true upper realm fairyland."
"Indeed." Pei Wanyu's eyes dimmed slightly, and after a long silence, she spoke again, "The Upper Realm is very strong, and we do not know how many special talents they have possessed..."
She turned her head to look at Lu Jin'an: "If discovered, naturally, they should be killed, because once they grow, they are likely to be controlled by the Upper Realm.
But in this era of great competition, killing such talent means waiting hundreds or thousands of years, and nobody can guarantee what changes will occur during this period..."
Pei Wanyu gently swirled the wine in her cup, "Though you managed to detach yourself from Lin Mu's causal chains, killing him and potentially special physique Xiao Li might not mean you have escaped from the greater destiny of Yunding Continent."
"Becoming stronger is good enough." Lu Jin'an moved to the stone table, placed his wine cup on the table, straightened his back, and looked into his master's enticing eyes, speaking resolutely—
"I alone shall shoulder the myriad of causalities born from killing them."
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Author: Thank you, reader 20201021181447323, for your reward of 300 coins.