"What's going on here?"
Xu Yun approached, her gaze landing on Chen Zhaoyun as he steadied himself. She took in the tense atmosphere, then turned to Ling Yu. "What's wrong? Why are you here?"
Ling Yu spun to face her. "That should be my question. Jie, what's going on here? Why is he inside? And where are the rest of them?"
"Calm down, Ling Yu. Breathe." Xu Yun spoke gently but firmly. "You just entered cultivation. Your mind needs to stay steady; otherwise, your spirit energy will become erratic and difficult to control. It could be dangerous. You need to get used to staying calm at all times."
Ling Yu stared at Xu Yun, feeling an unfamiliar discomfort. She hesitated, then shut her eyes, focusing on regulating her breathing. Slowly, she tried to steady herself.
Meanwhile, Chen Zhaoyun had also recovered his composure, but the sting of embarrassment lingered. He was of a higher cultivation level than Xu Yun, yet he hadn't noticed Ling Yu's unstable spirit energy until she pointed it out.
After a while, Ling Yu felt her composure return. A cool sensation washed over her, settling her mind. She exhaled loudly and turned her gaze to Chen Zhaoyun, who stood not far from them.
"Are you alright? Are you calm now?" Xu Yun placed a firm hand on Ling Yu's shoulder, making her face her directly.
Ling Yu nodded. "Yes, Jie. I am. Thank you. I never knew cultivation was this demanding. I knew it was difficult, but I never imagined it would be this tedious."
Xu Yun chuckled. "Welcome to the cultivation world."
"Now, I will answer your questions, but not here. It's dangerous." Xu Yun gestured for Ling Yu to follow her. "Come with me."
"But—"
"I know you're concerned. I understand, but trust me. It's dangerous here," Xu Yun insisted, gently steering Ling Yu away from the chambers. Then she added, "If Xuan Ge finds out you're here, I will bear the brunt. Not just me, but Chen Zhaoyun too."
Hearing that, Ling Yu hesitated. Her nose scrunched slightly. "It's Iron Wall's order?" A flicker of irritation crossed her face, but the feeling passed just as quickly as it came.
Xu Yun nodded.
Even though Ling Yu always seemed to oppose Xuan Tian's decisions, subconsciously, she trusted him—or at least, she was beginning to. Xuan Tian had never done anything to harm her, not on purpose.
She had placed her trust in him before, and he had never failed her. So, she decided to trust him again. Without further protest, she followed Xu Yun toward the stone bed chamber.
Chen Zhaoyun trailed behind them, his steps slower than usual, his thoughts heavy with unease. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, then loosened again in frustration. He had failed his duty. Which duty exactly, he wasn't sure, but he knew one thing for certain: he had failed.
He was the one who had led Ling Yu to the nine chambers. And if Xuan Tian heard about it...
Chen Zhaoyun shuddered. I don't want to let Shengzun down. And yet, I did just that. I might have ruined Shizun's hard work in earning Shengzun's trust.
He stole a glance at Xu Yun and Ling Yu ahead of him, debating whether to say something—to justify himself—but the words never came. The thought alone made his shoulders sink further. His mood darkened, weighed down by his own growing sense of failure.
The three of them entered the stone bed chamber, where Gu Tianzhu was waiting anxiously. When he saw his disciple and Ling Yu return together, his expression flickered with mixed emotions. Then his gaze landed on Chen Zhaoyun's demeanor, and his heart sank.
Gu Tianzhu knew his second disciple well. Chen Zhaoyun was not someone who could easily mask his emotions—they always showed on his face, in his posture. And right now, he looked lifeless. Something bad must have happened.
Chen Zhaoyun walked directly to where Gu Tianzhu was seated. Without a word, he plopped down beside his Shizun, keeping his head down the entire time.
Xu Yun and Ling Yu sat down on the other side of the chamber. Ling Yu stared at Xu Yun, waiting for her explanation.
Xu Yun sighed lightly before saying, "We isolated the remaining victims to ensure everyone else's safety. In cultivation, especially for those who have just formed a core, stabilization is crucial. The only way to do that is by cultivating. Since they are in a hypnotic state, they can't cultivate. That means their cores will become unstable."
Ling Yu listened intently, nodding slightly to indicate she understood.
Xu Yun continued, "Unstable Low Immortal cores will eventually explode—not only killing the owner but also everything within a hundred feet radius."
She paused, letting that sink in.
Ling Yu's eyes widened slightly. "That strong? It will even destroy this cavern?"
Xu Yun nodded. "I mean everything."
Silence fell. Ling Yu didn't know what to say. She had never considered the dangers of being an Immortal. She had only seen the joy of not growing old and wielding god-like power. She had never thought about the responsibilities that came with it.
Xu Yun continued, "The remaining nine have each been placed in separate chambers, with powerful barriers sealing them in. These barriers serve to contain the explosion if a core detonates, preventing a chain reaction that could endanger others or collapse the cavern."
"So—so all those people will explode? Because—I didn't wake them in time?" Realization dawned on Ling Yu.
She suddenly stood up. "I need to wake them now! So they can cultivate immediately!"
"Slow down." Xu Yun held Ling Yu by the shoulder, her grip firm. "We still have time. The earliest is estimated to be tomorrow around noon."
Ling Yu exhaled loudly. "But the faster I wake them up, the better."
"True," Xu Yun agreed. "But you are also important. How much spirit energy have you accumulated? We need to know that before you start waking them. Besides, you can't enter the chamber. None of us can. We need to wait for Xuan Ge to open them."
"Iron Wall? Why?" Ling Yu frowned, confused.
Xu Yun chuckled.
Ling Yu grew even more confused. "What? What's so funny?"
Xu Yun laughed. "You're really clueless, aren't you?"
Ling Yu scowled. "Tell me!"
Xu Yun continued to chuckle before sighing. "It was Xuan Ge who placed the barriers."
Ling Yu blinked. "So? Why can't anyone else open them?"
"Because he is stronger than any of us," a male voice answered from behind her.