He quickly chased after the beauty to explain, leaving Dong Zhi glancing at their backs. Dong Zhi took out his phone and began dialing a number.

The signal at sea was very poor, sometimes interrupted, and most of the time the call couldn’t go through. But when it did connect, Long Shen’s calls remained unanswered, and the messages sent by Dong Zhi seemed to disappear without a trace. He comforted himself, thinking that Long Shen and the others might still be in Japan and hadn’t activated their original numbers yet. Their trip to Japan was both secretive and crucial, and until they achieved great success, nobody would know what happened.

However, the prolonged lack of contact still made Dong Zhi somewhat uneasy. He knew that Long Shen had faced countless dangers, and what seemed like a difficult situation in his eyes might be a piece of cake for Long Shen, especially with Wu Bingtian, Tang Jing, and the others on this trip. But subjective emotions like worry and anxiety didn’t diminish by half just because of rational analysis. Usually, he could calm himself by touching his Changshou Sword, but now it had no effect, and he felt even more restless.

After thinking for a moment, Dong Zhi dialed a different number. This time, luck was on his side, and both the signal and the call connected. It rang twice before someone answered on the other end.

He Yu’s long-lost but familiar voice came through.

“Xiao Dong Zhi?”

“It’s me, Lao He.” Dong Zhi naturally smiled. “How have you been lately? Are you still looking for the stone tablets?”

Although he and Long Shen were master and disciple, their relationship had become extraordinary. But strictly speaking, it was He Yu who had led him into the world of cultivation. He Yu encouraged him to study magical arts and introduced Dong Zhi to the Hezao Sect. Although they later traveled far and wide, in Dong Zhi’s heart, he always regarded He Yu as a dear brother and trusted friend, someone he could confide in.

“No, I’m on my way to Kunlun Mountain now. Something happened,” He Yu casually replied, and there was some background noise on his end, sounding like he was on a train or some other mode of transportation.

Dong Zhi was taken aback and hurriedly asked, “What happened?”

Instead of answering, He Yu asked him, “I heard your competition was on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where there was no cell phone signal. How come you’re calling? Are you trying to seek help from outside?”

Hearing his usual nonchalant tone, Dong Zhi relaxed a bit and thought that the “incident” he mentioned was probably exaggerated. So he played along and deliberately lowered his voice, saying, “Don’t mention it. The organizing committee prepared four islands, but there were zombies and an octopus monster. And in the end, there was even an island that turned into a sea serpent. Even the organizing committee didn’t expect that. Only one person from the Russian team and one person from the Japanese team survived. Haa, those Russians, we even had a meal with them at the hotel before!”

On the other end of the phone, He Yu couldn’t help but slightly open his mouth in surprise. It seemed that even he hadn’t expected Dong Zhi and his team’s journey to be so thrilling.

The person sitting next to him noticed his expression and frowned slightly, showing a questioning look. But He Yu couldn’t spare the time to answer and could only gesture at the person, continuing his conversation with Dong Zhi.

“Fuck, are those Americans that despicable? They did it on purpose, right? How are you guys? Is everyone okay?”

He Yu had also participated in exchange conferences, and their previous one had a significant level of danger as well. But compared to their usual missions, that danger was manageable. The heavy losses and the remnants of a ship like Dong Zhi’s team were rare occurrences, indicating an accident in the committee’s inadequate preparations. Due to this incident, it was unknown whether the next exchange conference would proceed as planned.

Dong Zhi: “We’re all fine. Zhang Song used a forbidden technique, so he got seriously injured, but everyone else is recovering well. And…”

He deliberately paused before saying with a smile, “We won the championship this time.”

At the other end of the phone, He Yu exclaimed, “Well done, Xiao Dong Zhi! You’ve made quite a name for yourself this time! Back when the boss refused to take you in, I was the only one with a discerning eye. I went against popular opinion, believing in your exceptional talent and outstanding aptitude. Even if you took a detour, I knew you would eventually surpass others and become a rising star, a late bloomer, a…”

“Alright, alright!” Dong Zhi’s head was spinning from his words. “It’s all thanks to you. I’ll make sure to reward you properly when I get back!”

He Yu didn’t take advantage of the situation as he usually did, shouting about what he wanted to eat. Instead, he said, “Then you guys stay in the US for a few more days. No need to rush back. Just defeat those Americans first; otherwise, it would be a big loss this time!”

Dong Zhi keenly sensed something unusual in his words. “He Yu, what are you doing in Kunlun Mountain? Did something happen?”

“It’s related to the stone tablets, but it’s nothing major. Zong Lao and the others are there, so what could go wrong? Take your break properly. Even if you’re an apprentice, don’t become like the boss, always busy and unable to relax!” He Yu said in his usual carefree manner.

Dong Zhi thought about it and said, “Did Master and the others return to the country?”

He Yu instinctively looked up at the person beside him, seeing the person slightly shaking their head before saying, “No, he hasn’t returned yet. Don’t worry too much. The boss is much stronger than you, and there’s Boss Wu and the others. Nothing will happen. I have to go. I’m in a meeting with someone here. We’ll talk later!”

After ending the call, Dong Zhi had a pensive expression. He knew that Zong Lao was an advisor to the Special Administration Bureau and usually wouldn’t interfere in specific affairs unless something major required their intervention. Even when dealing with the Archfiend, Heavenly Demon, and even ancient monsters like Wuzhiqi, Zong Lao and the others didn’t get involved. However, He Yu specifically mentioned Zong Lao this time, indicating that the situation must have reached a certain degree of seriousness, contradicting his earlier statement of “nothing major.”

Kunlun Mountain, stone tablets, Otowa Yasuhiko…

He silently repeated these key words in his mind, trying to connect them.

……

He Yu sneezed.

Muttering a few sentences to himself, he saw the person sitting beside him remaining silent and couldn’t help but say, “Boss, Xiao Dong Zhi isn’t a fool. If I say it like this, he will eventually figure out the truth!”

Long Shen kept his eyes closed and said nothing.

At this moment, they were on their way from the capital to Kunlun Mountain. When Long Shen and the others returned from Japan, they met He Yu, who had been waiting for them in the capital. They heard the dreadful news that came from Kunlun Mountain.

Including Long Shen, no one had expected that the few words Otowa Yasuhiko uttered before his death weren’t just arrogant threats out of unwillingness, but prophecies on the verge of becoming reality.

However, Wu Bingtian lost an arm, and Li Ying and Tang Jing were severely injured, so the only person who managed to rush over with Long Shen was Yu Buhui. Song Zhicun and the others were already waiting for them on Kunlun Mountain.

With a long and arduous journey ahead and thinking about the possible situation on Kunlun Mountain right now, He Yu became so anxious that he couldn’t even focus on playing games anymore.

“That idiot Otowa! Everything started because of him. If he hadn’t already died a thousand deaths, I would crush his damn corpse to ashes! No, crushing his bones and scattering his ashes wouldn’t be enough to vent my anger. I should bury him in Nanjing and let him hear the wailing of countless ghosts every night…”

“Stop the nonsense!” In the instant Long Shen opened his eyes, a trace of annoyance flickered on his face.

Although that tiny hint of impatience quickly disappeared, He Yu was still startled. In his impression, Long Shen was always so calm and composed. He never saw him panicking, no matter how difficult the problem was. Even though the current situation was indeed urgent, Long Shen’s reaction was somewhat unusual.

“Boss,” He Yu cautiously asked, “Are you alright?”

From the capital to Kunlun Mountain, taking a plane wasn’t as convenient as taking a train. But after reaching Tibet, they would have to transfer to a car, making the journey long and winding. People with weaker constitutions couldn’t bear it. Considering this, He Yu couldn’t help but express concern. “Did you get injured in Japan?”

Long Shen seemed to realize his own slip-up. He paused for a moment, rubbed his nose bridge, and smoothed away the weariness on his brow.

“I’m fine. How is Dong Zhi doing?”

He Yu exclaimed, “They won the championship, but it was quite dangerous. There was an unexpected accident that even the organizing committee didn’t anticipate, and they almost lost their lives.”

Long Shen couldn’t help but furrow his brow again. “Is he okay?”

He Yu: “They’re fine, but why didn’t you let me tell him that you’ve returned?”

Long Shen calmly said, “If he knew I came back from Japan and immediately rushed to Kunlun Mountain without a moment’s delay, he would definitely guess that the situation here is severe. He would also try to come back as soon as possible, but they must have been injured, and their return wouldn’t be of much help. It’s better to let them rest there and not worry too much.”

He Yu chuckled. “Boss, I have to admit my mistake. I thought when you took Xiao Dong Zhi as your disciple, you would push him to the limit. But you actually care for him so much. If I had known you were such a doting master, I would have shamelessly begged you to be my master!”

Long Shen knew that he was joking around to relieve the fatigue and tension of the journey, but he shook his head, clearly not in the mood to play along. He said, “Explain the details of the Lengele Gorge clearly.”

He Yu’s smile disappeared, and his expression became solemn.

That night, a loud explosion echoed from the depths of the Lengele Gorge, marking only the beginning. By then, everyone already knew that the eye of the Eight-Diagram Demon Sealing Array was on Kunlun Mountain. Therefore, the members of the Special Administration Bureau were stationed there day and night. But the closest to the gorge that night were Zong Ling and Che Bai, who naturally arrived at the scene the fastest.

As they rushed there without stopping, they encountered two people stumbling out of the gorge, looking disoriented and terrified. Despite Zong Ling and Che Bai’s attempts to stop them, a conflict broke out. The two Japanese individuals were no match for Zong Ling and Che Bai. Meanwhile, the seismic activity grew stronger. Rocks continuously rolled down from above, and the ground started to crack. With no other choice, Zong Ling and Che Bai had to bring the Japanese individuals deeper into the gorge while questioning them.

The two Japanese individuals struggled and resisted, even when facing death. Zong Ling tapped one of them on the forehead, causing them to become dazed and finally reveal all the information.

It turned out that these two individuals were named Otowa Kento, Otowa Yasuhiko’s great-grandnephew, and Yamashita Ryota, a disciple of Fujikawa Aoi.

The story began several decades ago.

As a commander during the Sino-Japanese War, Japanese imperial member Asaka Yasuhiko obtained an unidentified stone box from the Yangtze River. He went to great lengths to open the box and merge with the demonic qi sealed within it, gradually transforming his physical body into a demon. He managed to escape post-war trials and changed his name to Otowa Yasuhiko. Utilizing his connections and wealth, he built a massive business empire for himself.

Long Shen and his team learned about these events and confronted Otowa Yasuhiko in Japan, confirming the information from his own mouth.

However, what Long Shen and his team didn’t know, and what Otowa didn’t reveal, was that during the process of merging with the demonic qi in the stone box, he glimpsed an ancient war and discovered a secret unknown to anyone else.

In ancient times, the abyss of hell was connected to the human realm, and demons roamed without restraint. To suppress them, the Eight-Diagram Demon Sealing Array was created. What the array actually sealed was a passage to the abyss of hell, with its focal point located on Kunlun Mountain. Through his communication with the demonic qi in the stone box, Otowa learned that to break the array and completely unravel the seal, it wasn’t necessary to destroy all the Eight-Diagram Stone Tablets. Instead, destroying over half of them would naturally loosen the seal of the focal point. At that time, someone would need to go to the location of the focal point, destroy the sealing stone tablet, and release the beast that guarded it. Once the seal and the guardians were gone, the gates of hell would be fully opened to the human realm.

After transforming into a demon, Otowa began preparing for this plan. He collected ancient records from China that mentioned the whereabouts of the stone tablets. However, the records were vague at best and only provided clues. Cracking these clues and finding over half of the stone tablets to destroy them wasn’t an easy task. It was destined to be a search spanning decades or even centuries. However, it seemed that even fate sided with Otowa. As time went on and his fusion with the demonic qi grew deeper, he received more information within the qi. Meanwhile, the desires and impurities of the human world also affected the stone tablets. Some tablets didn’t even require his intervention and were damaged over the passage of time. For example, the stone tablet below Mount Shaohua loosened during a massive earthquake several hundred years ago, causing some demonic qi to escape westward and eventually leading to a catastrophic event that swept across Europe.

Later, Fujikawa Aoi and his disciple secretly went to Changbai Mountain to destroy a stone tablet, thereby summoning the bone dragon and allowing Dong Zhi to step foot into the magnificent and fantastical realm. With the death of the bone dragon and the destruction of the stone tablet, the Special Administration Bureau embarked on a journey to uncover the secrets of the stone tablets. However, they were a few decades behind Otowa and lacked direct communication with the demonic qi like he did. They could only follow in Otowa’s footsteps, passively guarding the stone tablets.

Just when the members of the Special Administration Bureau were relieved that the stone tablets beneath Yinchuan and beneath the Huai River were protected and decided to send people to Japan to deal with Otowa Yasuhiko and resolve everything, the cunning Otowa had already anticipated their plans. He deliberately set a trap to lure Long Shen and his team to Japan, diverting the attention of the Special Administration Bureau to Japan. At the same time, he sent his own people, namely Otowa Kento and Yamashita Ryota, to Kunlun Mountain to destroy the focal point and summon the guardian beast, fully opening the passage.

Upon hearing this, Zong Ling and Che Bai felt that something was amiss and pressed Otowa Kento for answers.

“If the Eight-Diagram Demon Sealing Array requires over half of the stone tablets to loosen the seal, why were you able to open it when only three tablets were destroyed?”

Mount Changbai, Mount Shaohua, and Sanxingdui—these three places had only one damaged tablet each.

Otowa Kento had idolized Otowa Yasuhiko since he was young. The details of Otowa’s transformation into a demon were known by few in his family; Otowa Kento was one of them, indicating that he had earned Otowa Yasuhiko’s favor. Otowa even promised to infuse him with demonic qi, making him an immortal humanoid creature, once he returned from Kunlun Mountain and achieved something significant.

However, despite his rigorous training, Otowa Kento was still just a human and no match for Zong Ling and Che Bai. With a single gesture from Zong Ling, he experienced intense pain in his forehead, and his whole body was tormented as if by needles. He endured it for a while but couldn’t bear it any longer, so he confessed everything.

“There is another stone tablet that has long been destroyed… you don’t know…” Otowa Kento’s face twisted as he spoke intermittently.

“Where is it?” Zong Ling questioned sharply.

Zong Ling had always been composed and elegant, rarely showing such a sense of urgency. But now, she and Che Bai rushed toward the depths of the gorge, their figures almost becoming blurred in the wind. However, they were still not fast enough. The explosions became increasingly intense, shaking the earth and causing a brilliant light mixed with surging demonic qi to burst out. It was like a volcanic eruption—an unstoppable force!

Seeing this, the color drained from Yamashita Ryota’s face. They had escaped from that place and knew firsthand the horrifying situation there. He struggled desperately to escape, but in Che Bai’s hands, not even ten Yamashita Ryotas, let alone his master Fujikawa Aoi, could do anything.

Che Bai reached behind him and applied pressure to Yamashita’s neck. Yamashita screamed in pain, and his body went limp.

Unable to endure the excruciating pain that felt like a thousand needles piercing his heart, Otowa Kento quickened his pace of speech. “It’s beneath the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea… During World War II, when Japan was at war with the United States in the Pacific… due to a torpedo’s mistake, the stone tablet buried deep under the sea was destroyed. Both Lord Otowa and I learned about it from the messages within the demonic qi…”

Zong Ling and Che Bai exchanged glances, both revealing unmasked astonishment.

In other words, Otowa Yasuhiko had long known the specific location of the focal point, but he had kept it hidden and deliberately led the members of the Special Administration Bureau on a convoluted path.

Except for Otowa, no one else knew about the stone tablet that had long been destroyed beneath the South China Sea. Holding this trump card, Otowa had set up an enormous trap and even exploited Songen’s desire to resurrect the Heavenly Demon, pulling him into the scheme to distract the Special Administration Bureau’s attention.

When the stone tablet at Mount Changbai shattered, the focal point loosened, and the seal teetered on the brink of collapse—it was all predestined. However, at that time, Otowa wasn’t yet prepared. His power wasn’t strong enough, and he feared that once the seal was lifted, he would become a stepping stone for the resurrection of a Great Demon, just like Songen. He desired the power of darkness for his own ambition, not out of selfless dedication to the darkness. Hence, he sent Fujikawa Aoi, Ming Xian, and others to destroy the stone tablets and confuse the Special Administration Bureau’s investigation, while he secretly accumulated his own strength.

It was only when the Special Administration Bureau sent people to Japan to assassinate Otowa that he deemed the timing ripe to unveil the unsealing.

Unfortunately, all of his calculations and schemes were in vain. Despite his efforts, he ultimately met a tragic end. However, once the gears of fate started turning, they couldn’t be stopped. Even if Otowa Yasuhiko were still alive, he would no longer be able to control the course of events.

From the moment the two Japanese individuals entered the depths of the Lengele Gorge and completely destroyed the seal, the situation had entered an irreversible stage.

The Lengele Gorge was like spring all year round, but beneath its beautiful scenery, hidden dangers lurked. Even the closest residents dared not enter this deadly place. When Che Bai and Zong Ling arrived at the depths of the gorge, they found a huge crater on the ground, with black demonic qi gushing out incessantly.

Merely uncovering the sealed stone tablets couldn’t cause such massive destruction in a short time. The light that Che Bai and Zong Ling had seen earlier was actually a phoenix.

It was originally buried here after its death to guard the focal point, but over the long years, it had become tainted by demonic qi, gradually transforming into a demonic phoenix.

Although the phoenix was dead, its power remained formidable, especially with the influence of demonic qi. It had evolved from a guardian beast into a full-fledged demon. With the sealed stone tablets removed and the unique climate of the area, it would take some time for anyone to notice. These two Japanese individuals, acting on Otowa’s orders, came to unearth the stone tablets and use onmyoji techniques and forbidden spells to destroy them. With the phoenix no longer suppressed, it emerged with a thunderous roar, enveloped in demonic qi!

……

He Yu provided a detailed account. Although he wasn’t present at the time, he could deduce more details from Zong Ling’s descriptions. As he narrated the events to Long Shen and Yu Buhui, it still conveyed the intense danger they faced at the time.

“So, Che Bai perished along with the phoenix?” Yu Buhui spoke softly upon hearing this.

He Yu nodded and sighed. “The phoenix is, after all, a divine beast, and it had fully transformed into a demon. The situation was critical, and the seal had already been destroyed, rendering it impossible to contain. Zong Lao said that Che Bai was already nearing the end of his life, so now he rests in peace. However, although the phoenix is dead, the passage still remains. Currently, the Special Administration Bureau, Mount Longhu, Maoshan, Yueming Palace, and my master, among many others, have already rushed over. It’s said that they are temporarily setting up a formation to control the situation, but we don’t know if they can seal the abyssal passage.”

“Let’s go and see for ourselves,” Long Shen calmly concluded the conversation.

He Yu hesitated to speak further, but Yu Buhui gave him a meaningful look, and he understood, keeping silent.

While Long Shen was resting with his eyes closed and didn’t get off the car, the vehicle stopped at a gas station. He Yu and Yu Buhui entered a supermarket one after another and took the opportunity of buying things to have a private conversation.

“Why do I feel like something is off with the boss? Did he encounter something in Japan?” He Yu asked.

“He was the one who fought against Otowa, so he might have been injured, but he didn’t show it in front of us,” Yu Buhui said. “You should know him. He keeps everything to himself and won’t reveal anything until the very last moment. Maybe you should inform his disciple privately and let him come back as soon as possible. His presence might bring some normalcy to shixiong.”

Although Long Shen had mentioned that he had no sect, no master, and no father, Yu Buhui referred to him as “shixiong”. He Yu seemed accustomed to this term and didn’t find it inappropriate.

He Yu rubbed his chin and said, “The boss told us to let Xiao Dong Zhi rest properly. Even if he comes, he won’t be able to help much.”

Yu Buhui responded, “Having loved ones around is always better than having strangers. I think shixiong simply doesn’t want him to worry, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t want him to come.”

He Yu: ?????