The painter asked Zhou Xuan.

Within the Earth Abyss, the Divine Lantern is forbidden to be used. At a depth of over ten thousand meters, relying on the Bone Hook Rope to climb is troublesome. If we truly engage in battle, the wandering spirits of Mingjiang Prefecture are unable to suspend in midair, nor do they have any leverage. If we really fight, they might hinder us instead.

"Lao Yun."

Zhou Xuan said, "I can freely come and go deep in the Earth Abyss with my Dragon Walk, Tiger Step. Lao Yun is also a Dragon Seeking Heavenly Master, his step technique is more exquisite than mine. If he can descend into the Earth Abyss, we might have found a great ally."

"But Mr. Yun... his incense offerings are not as glorious as they once were..."

"We have the Red Ginseng Child."

Zhou Xuan began to consider.

Speaking of the Red Ginseng Child, in the current situation, it is very precious,

If we can’t find a way to deal with "Bi Fang," Yuan Buyu can only rely on the child to bear the curse if he wants to live a few more days. If at this moment we give the child to Yun Ziliang, what if we need to use the child again in the future?

"We need to ask the Mountain Ancestor for a definitive answer."

Having thought of this, Zhou Xuan awaited the Mountain Ancestor’s whispers.

"I let you leave... why haven’t you left? Do you really want to wait for that thing in the Earth Abyss to return?"

Zhou Xuan seized the opportunity and quickly asked, "Mountain Ancestor, we are willing to rescue you, but you need to provide value—do you have a way to deal with Bi Fang?"

"Who?"

"Bi Fang."

"The storyteller god? Do you know who he is... he is my beloved colleague, a brother of mine..."

"If you want to impose conditions, then let’s call it quits; a dignified god-level entity like you, continue being a wandering spirit in the Earth Abyss."

Having said that, Zhou Xuan made a gesture to leave.

"I do have an excellent way to deal with Bi Fang."

The whisper of the Mountain Ancestor this time came at a very low volume, probably fearing punishment from the Earth Abyss.

Dare not speak loudly, for fear of disturbing the underground beings.

"You better think carefully before speaking," Zhou Xuan said. "You are also a Taoist figure, and I am the disciple directly passed down by the Tao Ancestor. I have no intention of forcibly taking your divine status, but if you deceive me—I, Zhou Xuan, am someone who dares to slay gods."

The threat in his words was quite intense.

Yet the Mountain Ancestor still had confidence, saying, "I know a lot about you; you want to deal with Bi Fang simply because he has united with seventeen god-level beings, placing a curse on you in the Heavenly Book."

"And then?"

"You want to remove the Heavenly Book curse, don’t you? The Heavenly Book curse has no solution, but if you slay Bi Fang, the wishes on the Heavenly Book will be cleared when its owner dies."

"Interestingly, the way to slay Bi Fang is not elsewhere, but within the Earth Abyss."

"There’s a way within the Earth Abyss? What way?"

"Wind Horse Sparrow."

The Mountain Ancestor said these four words even more quietly, as faint as a mosquito’s hum; if Zhou Xuan didn’t listen carefully, he might really have trouble hearing it.

Wind Horse Sparrow?

Zhou Xuan silently repeated these four words—wasn’t this the anomaly that occurred after triggering the opportunity of the fifth incense, in the Secret Realm?

"What does Wind Horse Sparrow represent?"

"It’s a hall, a hall in Jing Country that has been lost for many years. The methods of this hall can restrain Bi Fang."

At this point, the Mountain Ancestor again spoke in a very low voice, "I’ve given you the method; whether you rescue me depends on your own intentions—"

"Wind Horse Sparrow, how much do you know about this hall?"

"A lot... a lot... I was imprisoned by those bastards, became a wandering spirit for decades." The Mountain Ancestor said viciously.

"I will now contact some people."

Zhou Xuan, having reached this point in the conversation, already made a decision in his mind. He immediately took Miss Qiang and the painter, retreating to the three thousand meter point at the Earth Abyss Well Mouth.

At the three thousand meter point, Zhou Xuan and the painter’s perception returned.

Using perception, Zhou Xuan transmitted to the painter, saying, "The Mountain Ancestor is crucial; even if it uses up the Red Ginseng Child, I must rescue him."

"What if his way to deal with Bi Fang proves ineffective?" the painter asked worriedly.

"Then we’ll slay him."

Zhou Xuan said, "This is our gamble; if he can deal with Bi Fang, I will keep him; if not, I’ll slay him, seize his divine status, and imprison his soul in my Secret Realm."

"Why would you keep his soul?"

"Wind Horse Sparrow."

Zhou Xuan said, "This hall is too mysterious, Miss Qiang doesn’t know which hall it actually is. Moreover, I’ve lit the incense for this hall—without someone from this hall to guide me, this incense might never be cultivated even in a lifetime."

"I think the Great Scholar’s plan is very thorough, so let’s do it this way."

The painter agreed as well, descending to the Extreme Abyss to rescue the Mountain Ancestor.

"You wait for me here, while I bring Lao Yun into the well."

Zhou Xuan set off... with his Divine Soul Day Trip...

...

After Zhou Xuan’s divine soul appeared at the mouth of the Earth Abyss Well, he shifted forms again, revealing his true body. He spoke to Yun Ziliang, "Lao Yun—the Mountain Ancestor is in the deepest part of the Earth Abyss; he has been imprisoned and made a wandering spirit for decades."

"Ah? Is the thing below the Earth Abyss that vicious?"

"Maybe it’s not vicious, but rather has unique abilities."

Zhou Xuan relayed Miss Qiang’s words to Yun Ziliang.

Yun Ziliang immediately understood—the Mother of Earth Abyss has methods unfamiliar to the people of Jing Country.

"Lao Yun, come with me into the well to rescue the Mountain Ancestor."

"Me? Rescue the Mountain Ancestor?"

Yun Ziliang pointed at his own nose, looking incredulous.

"Use the Red Ginseng Child to restore your body, to rekindle your Dragon Seeking Tao." Zhou Xuan said.

"This child should be reserved for your master..." Yun Ziliang said.

"If you don’t sacrifice the child, you can’t catch the wolf; use it."

Zhou Xuan spoke again.

"Then I won’t be polite."

Having a mutilated body for three hundred years, Yun Ziliang, a Dragon Seeking Heavenly Master, has been hiding and enduring in a painting, nearly losing his last bit of confidence.

Now, with his body restoration method within reach, Yun Ziliang was certainly excited. He was eager, and said to "Big Child, Three Child" with a smile, "Apologies to the two children..."

The Red Ginseng Child immediately sat dejectedly on the ground.

"Alas, it must die in the end."

"Big Child, there’s nothing good in being alive."

"Not necessarily; there are kaleidoscopes to play with."

"Stop with the nonsense; let’s say goodbye."

Big Child, Three Child suddenly put on a brave face, clenched their fists, encouraging themselves.

"Whoa!"

"Ha!"

"Big Child, let’s be good brothers again in the next life."

"Yes." Big Child controlled the child’s right hand, clenched into a fist, expressing agreement.

"Stop the idle talk, Blood Well, grab these two children’s souls, let them experience what it means to entertain till death."

Upon Zhou Xuan’s command, a red glow flashed between his brows, and the hand of the Blood Well extended to capture the souls of "Big Child, Three Child" from the Red Ginseng Child into the Secret Realm.

Without souls, the Red Ginseng Child lost its vitality, becoming a red human-shaped ginseng, which Lao Yun then began to consume greedily, without any psychological burden.

He ate heartily, and red light flashed on his body, with the rapid return of life force to his broken body.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xuan didn’t idle; he asked Li Chengfeng, "Old Li, you are a Heavenly God University Scholar, knowledgeable and insightful. Let me ask you, does Jing Country have a hall symbolized by ’Wind Horse Sparrow’..."

"What? What Wind Horse Sparrow?"

Li Chengfeng’s gaze was crystal clear without any "knowledge impurities," clearly unaware of the existence of this hall.

"It seems as I suspected, whether the Mountain Ancestor can slay Bi Fang or not, his soul must be captured—the hall of the fifth incense is too peculiar. Without a guide from this hall, it’s unlikely to find another person in the world who knows how to cultivate this hall’s ways."

While contemplating, Zhou Xuan watched Yun Ziliang.

The Red Ginseng Child had been completely consumed, while Yun Ziliang’s body now flashed not with red light, but with Golden Light of the Dragon.

As dragons continued to roar in the sky, this former Nine Incenses Dragon Seeking Grandmaster of Hidden Dragon Mountain had once again taken his place.

"Without Dragon Seeking Qi, you cannot see the True Dragon. Acupoint Mountain Ancestor, Mystic Sky True Sect."

Though Yun Ziliang had always been quite laid-back, at this moment, a hint of overbearing intent surfaced in his gaze.

He pointed towards Jingchuan Prefecture with one hand, "Jingshan Dragon, I, Yun Ziliang, have seen daylight again; where do you hide, come swiftly to see me."

With a rumble, from the distant Jingchuan Prefecture, a dragon-shaped lightning bolt struck down...