Cheng Qian carefully looked at Yan Zhengming's face and defended himself, "I know my limits. I won't go deep into the secret realm, nor will I touch anything inside. I just want to find the trace of the Soul Devouring Lamp..."

Yan Zhengming interrupted him slowly: "Master Tong Ru said that he might not be able to escape unscathed if he went to that place. Now you feel that you are better than him and can almost reach the sky, right?"

Cheng Qian: “…”

Yan Zhengming: "And there was Tang Zhen, who was a human when he left, but came back a hundred years later as a ghost. You think you are more cautious and knowledgeable than him, right?"

Cheng Qian said with a headache: "Brother, please just talk about the facts and don't be so sarcastic."

"Oh, okay," Yan Zhengming stopped being sarcastic and said firmly, "That won't work."

Cheng Qian did not argue with him, but just shut up and waited silently.

Millions of resentful souls offered sacrifices to spirit stones, all because of Tong Ru.

Later, Jiang Peng, who had been struggling for many years and secretly refining the Soul-Devouring Lamp, was a nominal disciple of Fuyao.

Han Yuan, the demon dragon who swore a blood oath to guard the southern border for life after catching the Soul-Devouring Lamp, is also Fu Yao's disciple.

Three generations of them are all involved, and it is impossible for them to stay out of it.

Cheng Qian didn't need to repeat these things over and over again, Yan Zhengming naturally knew them all.

Sure enough, a moment later, Yan Zhengming suddenly stood up, walked around the room like a donkey pulling a millstone, and complained, "If I had known this sect would be so troublesome, I would never have taken over the seal of the headmaster from you even if I died."

Cheng Qian knew that he had already changed his mind, so he just let him get angry without saying a word.

Seeing that no one responded, Yan Zhengming took the initiative to stir up trouble: "Are you mute? Speak!"

"I... uh," Cheng Qian thought for a moment and asked, "How about I warm your bed today?"

Yan Zhengming was furious when he heard this: "I'm talking to you about serious matters. What nonsense are you thinking about? How can this be tolerated!"

Seeing his reaction, Cheng Qian felt like a pervert who had just molested a decent woman, and rubbed his nose in embarrassment.

Yan Zhengming: "Go, go, go away!"

Cheng Qian walked out silently.

"Stop," Yan Zhengming was so annoyed by his incompetence that he hesitated for a while between face and benefits, and then he decisively said, "Who told you to get out?"

Cheng Qian: “…”

Even though he had a request to make to the head senior brother, he still felt that this guy was too difficult to serve.

"It's not impossible, but I want to go with you." Yan Zhengming coughed lightly, and then he became more serious. He said, "In a few days, Han Yuan will go south with the group of people from Baihu Villa. Shuikeng Li Yun... and your cheap disciple will stay behind to look after the house."

"Not appropriate," Cheng Qian said, "The Wishes Come True Stone is on Mount Fuyao. If you really leave, Second Senior Brother and the others may not be able to keep it."

Yan Zhengming frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, "Then we can seal the mountain again and let Li Yun and the others represent the sect to fight against the demons. This will also be considered as us making an appearance."

Cheng Qian was thinking about the unknown problems left in his soul, and he didn't dare to tell Yan Zhengming about it yet. He wanted to act alone, and he also had this consideration - the consequences of the painted soul that was cast on Han Yuan a hundred years ago were too tragic. Once bitten by a snake, he was afraid of ropes for ten years, and he was especially taboo about these spells.

Cheng Qian thought about it, and then tried to find an excuse: "We have to think about this in the long run. The blood oath was initiated by Shang Wannian, and now he is dead. We don't know the name of the new owner of White Tiger Villa. Although we have the blood oath, the disciples may not be able to control Han Yuan. Bian Xu left in anger, and we can tell from his appearance that his cultivation has stagnated. I'm afraid he won't be able to survive for many years. There is no one in the Central Plains who has any weight in his words. In this chaotic situation, you still want to close the mountain and go to the north with me. Maybe..."

Yan Zhengming stared at him in silence.

Cheng Qian said calmly: "Maybe even if I don't mind, others may not agree."

"Cheng Qian," Yan Zhengming sneered, "Don't think that I don't know what you are thinking just because of the clothes and human skin."

Cheng Qian: “…”

His patience for sweet talk finally ran out, and he frowned and said, "I'm just running errands, are you planning to stick to me forever?"

"That's right," Yan Zhengming said, "I just want to keep you under house arrest for life on Fuyao Mountain. What else do you want to say? 'Even prisoners can get some exercise', right? Yes, prisoners can get some exercise, but you can't - OK, that's what I think. Do you regret it now?"

Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming had been arguing since they were young, and he was very familiar with Yan Zhengming's unreasonable and unreasonable qualities. He was a little annoyed and was about to open his mouth to challenge him, but suddenly he found that Yan Zhengming's lips were trembling slightly, and there was almost no blood in them. His harsh voice seemed to contain deep-buried pain, vaguely like an old scar, which was hidden deep inside by his fierce appearance and cowardice.

Cheng Qian was about to say something, but suddenly he couldn't continue.

He couldn't help but hold his hand that had hidden the Ting Qian Kun, and thought to himself: "Can I trust this thing?"

Cheng Qian remained silent for so long that Yan Zhengming was almost frightened.

The words came out of his mouth without thinking. Yan Zhengming himself couldn't tell whether they were true or angry. But it didn't stop him from regretting it. His mind went blank for a moment, and he couldn't think of how to bring back the words: "I..."

"Okay." Cheng Qian suddenly said, "If you really want to follow, then go with me, but I'm afraid you'll have to go quickly and come back quickly."

Yan Zhengming stared at him blankly, still not coming to his senses.

Cheng Qian's anger was completely vented. He sighed and waved to Yan Zhengming: "Okay, stop standing there, come here."

Sect Leader Yan, who had been so aggressive and almost biting people just now, was completely subdued, and followed him into the inner room with his head lowered and eyes lowered.

The next day, Yan Zhengming announced his "hasty" decision with a clear mind, which made Li Yun suffer.

Li Yun didn't expect that so many things happened just by opening and closing his eyes. He was almost overwhelmed by the stories that could be put together to write a picture book.

He looked at his head brother expressionlessly: "So?"

Yan Zhengming said, "Take Nian Dada and Shuikeng with you and keep an eye on Han Yuan for me. Go with them. We will be back to meet you in ten days or half a month at most."

Li Yun sneered, "Yes, I have to take care of apprentices, look after children, intimidate a ruthless junior brother who is impossible to beat, and maintain the reputation of the sect, and get involved in the work of exorcising demons and defending the way of Taoism - Master, may I ask if I have three heads and six arms?"

Yan Zhengming said: "Hey, you entered the Dao with the Nine Links, you are clever and capable, I believe these will not be difficult for you."

At this time, he no longer despised him for his low level of cultivation and his lack of focus! Li Yun wanted to throw this false compliment back at the head master's face. He roared, "Get lost, whoever wants to do it can do it, I won't do it anymore! You might as well expel me from the sect!"

Li Yun, who had lived in dire straits for many years, would often shout in protest, but Yan Zhengming had long been accustomed to it and simply ignored him, turning to the puddle on the side. The puddle seemed to have not yet recovered from what happened the night before, and looked listless and without energy.

"Junior sister, come with me." Yan Zhengming said.

This was the first time that Yan Zhengming had taken the initiative to go out since he had settled in Qing'anju. He led the puddle directly to the Unknown Hall.

The shabby thatched house where Mu Chun lived still retains its original appearance. The Taoist children come to clean it every day, and the yard is very clean. Shuikeng looked at him in confusion, not knowing what this meant.

Yan Zhengming pointed at the broken wooden table with three legs and said, "Under the table are engraved the rules of my Fuyao sect. When your senior brothers entered the sect, each of them recited the rules more than 49 times. As for whether you need to abide by these rules, you can decide for yourself. The rules such as not entering the cave on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month are for the newcomers to see. Just copy them twice and don't take them too seriously."

He paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "When I send a disciple to the sect, the master should bring him to the Unknown Hall and personally give him the precepts. Although you have been a disciple for a hundred years, you have never gone through this step. Now that the master is gone, I, as his senior brother, have no choice but to take over—"

Puddle's eyes widened.

Yan Zhengming lowered his eyes and looked at her, saying: "You are cheerful by nature, but you know your limits. You don't think too much about things, and you don't overdo things. This is very good. If you can work harder and have less daydreaming in the future, your cultivation will be improved."

I heard that even when the master was giving the precepts, he would first scold her and then give the precepts. Shuikeng didn't expect that the head master would speak so highly of her and was a little at a loss for a moment.

Yan Zhengming said, "I asked you to tell your fourth senior brother that 'Fuyao has always followed the path of humanity and does not need to listen to fate.' Of course, you don't need to talk about your birth. You should have been born in blood, but you were not. You should have been born to face disasters, but you grew up safely. Grandmaster Tong Ru wanted to change the fate of the sect and the master, but now it seems that everything has failed. He only helped you unintentionally and brought you to this point. It can be seen that some things do not need to be overly obsessed. Today, I will give you the word 'natural' as a warning. I hope that no matter you are a great man who can make the monsters bow their heads, or just a useless little disciple in the sect, you will be calm about your origins and don't need to be proud or torment yourself. If you are broad-minded enough in the three thousand great ways, you will be able to return to the same path one day. Remember?"

He was seldom so serious. Shuikeng had an illusion for a moment that the head brother was like an immortal ridge, always standing inconspicuously in the depths of Fuyao Mountain, usually covered by flowers and weeds or ice, snow and mud. Only on extremely rare occasions would he reveal his hardness and calmness that could not be disturbed by swords and knives.

Shuikeng was raised by her senior brothers. Compared to her biological father who had an ambiguous attitude and refused to acknowledge her, the head senior brother was more like her father.

Her nose suddenly felt sore, and she uttered a muffled "hmm" and said in a muffled voice, "Yes, thank you, senior brother."

Unfortunately, before she was completely moved, she saw Yan Zhengming let out a long sigh, and said with disdain and briskness: "I have finally dealt with you. Without this process, I always felt that you were a wild disciple. Now at least you have become a domesticated one... You will clean up the Unknown Hall later. I will be away for the next two days. You should follow Li Yun and learn the sect rules carefully, and don't go out and cause trouble."

Puddle: “…”

Okay, the goodness of the eldest brother is always just a fleeting glimpse, while his hateful appearance is long-lasting.

Just like that, Yan Zhengming re-sealed Fuyao Mountain, which had only been back on earth for a few days, and everyone prepared to go their separate ways again.

Han Yuan calmly watched the mountain gradually disappear into the secret realm, trying his best to memorize every detail of the scenery there, because he knew he would never be able to come back.

"Let's go," Yan Zhengming said to them, "see you in Shu in a month."

Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming flew their swords at full speed all the way without stopping for a moment, and reached the far north in one day and one night.

The passage of the powerful man triggered the warning wind chimes above the Xuanwu Hall. The disciple guarding the gate that day came out to check, but saw no one. Only a light and narrow trace of frost was left in the sky, which melted in mid-air in the blink of an eye.

After passing Xuanwu Hall and heading north, there is a vast expanse of uninhabited ice field. The boundless white connects the sky and the earth into one, and it is so grim and murderous that it is inhuman.

After flying for three days over the Arctic Icefield and the Great Abyss, the weather was getting colder and colder, and Cheng Qian had the illusion of returning to the Ice Pond in Mingming Valley. However, the Ice Pond was only a small corner after all, far less than the vast indifference of the Great Icefield and its coldness that treated all things equally, as if all hope and life would end here.

Three days later, the ice and snow came to an end, and a vast ocean suddenly came into view - the two finally arrived at the North Sea.

Yan Zhengming shook out a stone mustard seed from his sleeve. The stone mustard seed fell into the stagnant sea water and turned into a huge ship as majestic as a mountain. It sailed on its own without a helm. The hibiscus brocade, incense burner and carved bed in the cabin looked familiar, and were of the same standard as the Land of Gentleness.

Cheng Qian looked around the boat inside and out and didn't know what to say about him.

Yan Zhengming: "What are you looking for?"

"Singing girl," Cheng Qian teased him with a wooden face, "I always feel that I can hear the singing of orioles and swallows in this place any moment, singing that song you mentioned...what's it called?"

"Go to hell, this damn place is freezing," Master Yan, who was wearing a soft brocade robe and holding a folding fan, complained insincerely, "You are the one who is looking for trouble!"

Cheng Qian: “…”

Sect Master Yan leaned on the couch with his arms and legs spread out, and said in a domineering tone: "Come over and give me a leg massage!"

Cheng Qian ignored his unreasonable behavior as if it was nothing, leaning on the mast and looking out to sea.

It was clearly noon, but there was not a single light on the sea. It was like a block of pitch-black ink, a black that even the deepest abyss could not describe. The sky was also gloomy. There was not a single fish or shrimp in the water. The sea was calm, like a dead place.

Compared with here, the East China Sea, with its numerous reefs and turbulent waves, is like a noisy ditch.

No one knows how deep the North Sea is. When Cheng Qian looked down from the sea, he couldn't help but recall the feeling when he was a child, when he was standing in the back mountain and looking towards the Heart Demon Valley. Although he knew it was dangerous, he wanted to find out more.

"Who is worthy of the name of Bei Ming? They are just short-sighted mortals who are arrogant."

Cheng Qian suddenly remembered Tong Ru's words. At first he thought it was the master's cynicism and self-mockery. It was not until then that Cheng Qian was truly convinced.

When night fell, the sound of distant wind began to pass over the sea. It was like thousands of ghosts circling as it whimpered past. The ship transformed from the mustard seed was a hundred feet high, but when it came here, it looked like a small boat.

Cheng Qian stood silently on the side of the boat for a whole day and night without realizing it, and entered into a state of meditation without any warning - it's strange to say, he was born with a narrow mind, but had a special affinity with the sky and the sea. Every time he entered into a state of meditation, he was either in the sky or by the sea. Perhaps spiritual practice itself is a process of making up for what is lacking.

Beyond the East China Sea there is the North Sea. What is beyond the North Sea?

Man cannot outgrow heaven and earth. So what existed before heaven and earth and what existed after their decline?

They use their finite bodies to explore the infinite realm, enter this extremely narrow path, and embark on such a road that is destined to lead to martyrdom. Is it just for the delusion of mortals to go to heaven and earth and change the world?

At this time, the Ting Qiankun that Shang Wannian sealed in his inner palace and the North Sea made a subtle resonance, as if they were echoing each other from time immemorial. In a trance, he heard the sound of the bell again, and the Ting Qiankun in the inner palace suddenly lit up with brilliant light. Unfortunately, it was slightly blocked by the power that Shang Wannian used to protect his soul, and fell back again.

It was unknown how long it had passed before Cheng Qian came to his senses. When he opened his eyes, he saw Yan Zhengming, steaming, leaning against the cabin, guarding him.

When Cheng Qian saw him, it was as if he had fallen back from heaven to earth. He couldn't help but feel greedy and smiled.

Cheng Qian asked, "How long has it been?"

Yan Zhengming raised his hand to wipe the moisture off his face: "It's been three whole days. I'm so bored."

"Three days?" Cheng Qian was stunned, frowned and looked around, "Without even a map, how can we find the secret realm of the Great Snow Mountain?"

"It's no use asking for a map," Yan Zhengming said. "You can't even understand a map of the sea. The stone mustard doesn't move with the current. It's attracted to places with rich air. Let's go and see. Didn't we make an appointment with them for a month? We'll think of a solution in less than two days."

Yan Zhengming came closer as he spoke, lazily put his arms around Cheng Qian's waist, leaned on him and whispered, "It's so quiet, it feels like we're the only ones left in heaven on earth."

Cheng Qian thought about the situation carefully, and suddenly he shuddered and said, "What? Then I am the only one left for you to torment. I'd better hurry up and end my life."

Yan Zhengming was calm and composed that day, and he didn't argue with a professional spoiler like him. He hugged him tighter and said softly, "When I was in the Heart Demon Valley, I thought about this more than once. It would be great if there were only you and I left in the world."

As he spoke, he closed his eyes slightly, feeling that at this moment, his heart seemed to be finally filled.

There were always gaps in the past, and the occasional turbulence would give rise to a series of wild thoughts. Even on Fuyao Mountain, Yan Zhengming would occasionally wake up from some irrelevant nightmares.

One day he dreamed that the Fuyao Sect had finally regained its position as the top ten sects and had become more prosperous, but countless beautiful female cultivators came to Fuyao Mountain one after another, looking for Cheng Qian to become their double cultivation partner. He was so angry that he woke up, and when he opened his eyes and saw Cheng Qian's peaceful sleeping face, he realized that this was just the deep resentment in his heart.

Yan Zhengming saw Cheng Qian's earlobe so close to him, and couldn't help but lick it lightly, then he opened his mouth and held it, rubbing it again and again with his canine teeth.

Cheng Qian was startled and elbowed him back. A thin layer of red quickly rose from his ears to his neck. He scolded, "What are you doing? Do you think this is Fuyao Mountain?"

Yan Zhengming let him go and laughed softly, "Before, when others told me that the Sword God Realm was full of swords and knives, I didn't believe it. Now I understand what the one-step-one-heart demon is... People are always greedy. Before, I thought, even if it's at the edge of the underworld, it would be great if I could see you again. Later, when we met again after a long separation, I thought, if you have the same heart as me, it would be great even if we never say it out loud... Now, I'm suddenly not satisfied. I want to always add a 'my' before 'Cheng Qian'."

Cheng Qian was very touched by what he said, but he teased him earnestly, "You are wavering in your mind and your cultivation is not enough, so don't blame the Sword God Realm."

Yan Zhengming: “…”

He was silent for a while, then looked at Cheng Qian seriously and asked, "Did you really not hear me pouring out my heart?"

Cheng Qian laughed out loud immediately. Yan Zhengming was so angry that he immediately made a gesture to go back to the cabin to sulk. Cheng Qian hurriedly held his hand while laughing: "Hey, brother, don't be angry, I haven't..."

His voice stopped abruptly, Cheng Qian's pupils shrank slightly, and he suddenly felt the boat under his feet accelerating. The next moment, he suddenly pulled Yan Zhengming to his side and reached out to grab the mast. At the same time, the entire ship transformed from the stone mustard seed tilted upside down.

The boundless North Sea suddenly seemed to break in the middle, splitting the world in two and creating a huge "waterfall" thousands of feet high...

Yet, amidst such a terrifying spectacle, not even the slightest sound of water could be heard.

Before Cheng Qian had time to think about it, the ship had already crossed the fault straight and flew out.