Zhou Kai returned to Forgetfulness River City.

He stood by the bank of the great river, watching the turbid, surging waters with a grave expression. For safety, he activated the Cicada Raiment Art. His figure and features shifted rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, he wore the face of Su Tai.

He suppressed his aura to the absolute limit and performed a Water Escape technique.

Plop.

He vanished into the murky river.

Visibility was near zero, and the water was thick with interference that blocked his Divine Sense. Zhou Kai dove deeper, his heart pounding in his chest.

Suddenly, a shimmering curtain of water appeared before him, shaped like a giant bowl inverted over the riverbed.

He passed through it without resistance.

Instantly, the crushing water pressure, the bone-chilling cold, and the sense of suffocation vanished.

Zhou Kai’s feet touched solid ground.

He stood in a vast, dry underground grotto.

“So there really is a secret beneath the water!”

The air was fresh, carrying the faint, sweet scent of Spirit Qi. Most importantly… the realm suppression was completely gone!

Scattered around the grotto were ancient stone structures, crumbled and dilapidated, exuding an aura of desolate silence. Zhou Kai warily scanned his surroundings.

His gaze locked onto something floating in mid-air.

A luxurious, soft cloud couch hovered nearby. Upon it lay a mature, captivating figure, lounging in lazy splendor.

It was his cheap Master, Li Yunmian.

Zhou Kai’s heart tightened. He quickly composed himself, strode forward, and prepared to offer a formal greeting.

“Mas—”

Before the word could leave his lips, a sudden change occurred!

Li Yunmian didn’t even lift her eyelids. She merely flicked a jade-white finger with casual ease.

Whoosh!

A silent, black streak of light—impossibly fast—shot straight into “Su Tai’s” forehead.

“Ugh!”

Zhou Kai felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. He grunted, staggering.

An invisible hand seized his Consciousness Sea, freezing his thoughts into a chaotic sludge. Amidst the confusion, a tiny, ink-black rune anchored itself in the center of his mind, radiating an irresistible will that locked down his ability to speak or transmit mental messages.

It took a full breath for him to shake off the dizziness.

A stampede of ten thousand divine beasts raged through his heart.

How terrifying is the Divine Sense of a Golden Core mid-stage cultivator?! My Cicada Raiment disguise is probably as effective as being stark naked in front of her!

This woman is absolutely doing it on purpose!

She had seen through him instantly but pretended ignorance. She used a talisman to gag him just so he wouldn’t expose her identity. Why? Because she wanted free labor to scout ahead and do the dirty work!

Lazy! This Master is lazy to the bone!

Zhou Kai cursed inwardly, already plotting how he would show “proper filial respect” to this Master once his cultivation surpassed hers. He would show her the true meaning of a Rebellious Disciple!

Finally, Li Yunmian opened her eyes. She glanced at him as if looking at a complete stranger and spoke in a tone of supreme indifference.

“Since you’re here, don’t just stand around. Go scout ahead. If you encounter anyone from the Yin Ruins Sect or the Fu family, kill them without exception. Bring any opportunities you find to me.”

Her tone was as flat as if she were saying, “It’s getting cold, put on a coat.”

Zhou Kai had bitterness he couldn’t voice. He nodded stiffly—compelled by the rune.

Plop.

The water curtain rippled again.

Another figure emerged, landing lightly on the dry ground. The newcomer wore purple robes—it was Li Youci, disguised as “Xia Min.”

As soon as she landed, she spotted Li Yunmian on the cloud couch and the unremarkable “Su Tai” standing beside her.

Li Youci hurried forward. But before she could speak, Li Yunmian’s playful gaze swept over her.

Then, she turned to the controlled Zhou Kai and issued another airy command.

“Another one. Go kill her.”

Kill her?!

Zhou Kai’s brain nearly short-circuited. Cheap Master, are you joking? Do you have to screw with me like this?

His body betrayed him. Driven by the power of the talisman, his hands gripped the Chaotic Sky Hammer and swung it toward Xia Min with lethal intent.

Xia Min’s eyes widened. She quickly lowered her voice, speaking respectfully: “Elder Yunmian! I am Xia Min, the Young Miss’s maid. Seeing that the Young Miss had not returned, I came to search for her.”

Her mind was racing. Auntie’s Divine Sense must have seen through Zhou Kai’s disguise. But whose Divine Sense is stronger? Has she seen through my True Body too?

Li Yunmian’s gaze flicked between “Su Tai” and “Xia Min.”

She chuckled inwardly. These two little ones are truly amusing.

On the surface, however, she remained impassive. She withdrew the killing command but didn’t release her control over Zhou Kai. She let him stand there, stiff as a board, the massive hammer frozen just three feet from Xia Min’s face.

Only when Xia Min feigned terror—pale face, trembling body—did Li Yunmian let out a light laugh and dissolve the Restriction.

The three of them proceeded deeper into the grotto.

Soon, a massive stone gate, dozens of zhang high, loomed before them. It had been blasted open by brute force long ago; the shattered doors bore the erosion of centuries.

Passing through the gate, the scene beyond made both Zhou Kai and Li Youci freeze.

The space opened up into a colossal cavern. The “ceiling” was a translucent, flowing curtain of water. Through it, they could see the murky river above, the shadows of swimming beasts, and even blurred glimpses of the distant Five Elements Trial Grounds.

This place… is a surveillance center for the entire Secret Realm!

ROAR!

A series of violent snarls shattered their awe.

From the shadows, several strange beasts charged out. They were covered in blue-black scales and radiated power—Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage.

Li Yunmian acted as if they didn’t exist. She beckoned to Xia Min, her voice dripping with languor.

“Little girl, come here. Massage my shoulders.”

Then, she jerked her chin toward the charging beasts and ordered Zhou Kai: “You. Go deal with those things. They’re cluttering my view.”

Zhou Kai: “…”

What could he say?

He could only accept his fate. He hoisted the Chaotic Sky Hammer and charged.

CLANG!

The hammer collided with a beast’s claws, erupting in a deafening metallic screech. A shockwave blasted outward.

On the sidelines, Li Yunmian narrowed her eyes in pleasure, enjoying Xia Min’s somewhat stiff massage. She spoke idly.

“Little Xia Min, why do I feel like you’re very concerned about that kid from the Yin Ruins Sect? Your eyes keep darting toward him. Are you afraid he’ll get hurt? Does your heart ache for him?”

Li Youci’s hands seized up. Her cheeks burned.

She felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance but dared not show it. She could only play dumb. “Elder, you jest. Xia Min is only worried… that he might lose and disturb the Elder’s rest.”

“Is that so?” Li Yunmian murmured. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was pitched perfectly to reach Zhou Kai’s ears. “This Yin Ruins kid is strange. He doesn’t command Yin Corpses or play with ghosts. Instead, his hammer technique is quite skillful, and his strength is brute. Tsk tsk…”

In the thick of battle, Zhou Kai’s eye twitched. He ground his teeth so hard they nearly cracked.

If not for his powerful physique and Dual Cultivation gains, these Foundation Establishment beasts would have flattened him by now!

This old woman is doing this on purpose!

He vented his fury on the beasts. The Chaotic Sky Hammer danced like a storm, each strike carrying the weight of a mountain. He smashed the beasts back step by step, scales flying, bone shattering.

After a bitter fight, Zhou Kai smashed the last beast’s head into pulp.

He stood there panting, his Vitality churning, his murderous aura rolling off him in waves.

Trouble dealt with, the trio moved deeper.

They passed through a field of ruins until the view opened up completely.

An immense, wordless stone stele stood in the center of the underground space. It was indescribably majestic, connecting the river above to the earth veins below. It was gray-white and ancient, radiating a boundless, profound fluctuation as if it had stood there since the beginning of time.

And beneath that colossal stele, two figures sat cross-legged.

An Aura Pressure belonging to the Golden Core Stage, and another belonging to the Foundation Establishment Stage, rolled toward them.

Zhou Kai’s pupils contracted to pinpoints. He stared dead at the Foundation Establishment figure.

Fu Weilun!

And beside him, emitting the terrifying Golden Core pressure, was an old man Zhou Kai didn’t recognize!