Just as Mo Yu was hesitating.

A voice came from the woods behind him.

“Let him come in.”

Mo Yu paused for a moment, then temporarily withdrew the formation array.

Seeing the barrier before him fade, Zhong Zhengyuan stepped inside.

He first saw a cat and a dog, faint traces of Evil Qi lingering around them.

He looked around the island again.

Over the years, that once barren little island had transformed completely. Lush greenery met his eyes, and the faint murmur of running water could be heard.

The Tabby Cat felt timid around the sudden stranger.

Hiding behind Mo Yu, it blinked and asked, “Are you Good Human Chen’s friend?”

Zhong Zhengyuan paused. “Good Human Chen? You mean Mr. Chen?”

The Tabby Cat nodded, its gaze simple and vacant.

Zhong Zhengyuan was a bit surprised.

He hadn’t imagined Mr. Chen kept a cat.

This grotto-abode was truly impressive. Not only was it floating in the sky, but it was also full of spiritual energy, vibrantly alive. It was nothing short of a paradise.

Zhong Zhengyuan said, “I do have some acquaintance with Mr. Chen.”

The Tabby Cat asked again, “Then when will he be back?”

Zhong Zhengyuan shook his head. “I do not know much about Mr. Chen’s affairs.”

Hearing this, a hint of desolation appeared in the Tabby Cat’s eyes.

“Liar.”

The Tabby Cat muttered grumpily and then walked away to another spot.

It was angry. He had promised to take it out to play.

Mo Yu glanced at the man; with just that look, he sensed something unusual. “The Lantern Keeper from Tianji Mountain?”

Zhong Zhengyuan was taken aback by this address. “It has been quite some time since anyone has called me by that title…”

Mo Yu stood up, his expression becoming much more serious.

“Dare I ask, Daoist Priest, which lantern do you hold?”

“The main lantern.”

“…”

Mo Yu was momentarily stunned, then said respectfully, “Daoist Priest is truly noble.”

Zhong Zhengyuan waved his hand dismissively. “I am but ordinary, nothing to speak of.”

Mo Yu remained silent, simply watching him quietly.

He still believed those who sacrificed themselves for righteousness deserved great respect.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he said, “Daoist Priest, please proceed further in. You will see an ancient tree. Manyue is there.”

Zhong Zhengyuan nodded. “My thanks.”

As he walked forward, he couldn’t help but take a second look at the dog demon. Something felt off.

But he didn’t dwell on it and entered the area.

After walking a few hundred steps, Zhong Zhengyuan beheld a towering ancient tree. Strangely, though, this tree was blooming. Mostly white flowers, and among them, a single Phoenix Flower. Ground flowers blooming on a tree – how could that not be strange?

Upon closer inspection, Zhong Zhengyuan realized these blossoms held a profound secret.

“Formed by a divine ability…?”

Zhong Zhengyuan felt a sense of unreality. Just then, a leaf drifted down. That leaf transformed before Zhong Zhengyuan into a woman.

Looking at her, Zhong Zhengyuan found her even more peculiar.

Not quite human, not quite demon. Not immortal, not buddha-like.

As if she came from out of nowhere.

Yet she gave him a distinct, ineffable feeling, as if he seemed incredibly insignificant in her eyes.

Zhong Zhengyuan gathered his wits and said, “Greetings, Daoist Friend.”

Manyue smiled warmly. “He mentioned before. When the Daoist Priest arrived, he wanted me to offer you some good tea. Since he has not yet returned, I’ll fulfill that duty.”

“You are too kind, Daoist Friend. How may I address you?”

“Manyue. Daoist Priest may call me as he likes.”

Manyue raised her hand, beckoning fallen leaves which instantly wove themselves into a small table and two long benches.

She used bamboo segments as teacups. With another gesture, tea leaves floated into them. She touched her fingertip lightly, and stream water drifted over. White mist curled up immediately as the tea began to steep.

Zhong Zhengyuan exclaimed, “Daoist Friend Manyue possesses incredible divine ability…”

Manyue shook her head. “This is no divine ability, Daoist Priest Zhong. Please, have some tea.”

Zhong Zhengyuan still wished to question, but seeing the tea pushed towards him, he let it be.

He raised a bamboo cup and took a small sip.

Zhong Zhengyuan’s eyes brightened. The tea itself was not particularly special, but once the tea flowed into his stomach, it suddenly brought him an unprecedented sense of calm.

This tea was extraordinary!

It did bear some resemblance to the Enlightening Tea of the Cultivation World, yet it also seemed… different.

“Wondrous! Truly wondrous!”

Zhong Zhengyuan chuckled. “Mr. Chen has such good things, yet he’s only sharing them now.”

Manyue smiled. “He has no mind for it. I planted a few tea trees in my spare time; that is the source of this cup.”

“This journey was worthwhile.”

Zhong Zhengyuan laughed. In his life, only divination and good tea were indispensable.

After the tea,

Zhong Zhengyuan shook out several jade bottles from his sleeve.

“This is the matter Mr. Chen previously entrusted.”

Manyue glanced at them. “Manyue thanks Daoist Priest Zhong on his behalf.”

“A small matter, that’s all.”

The two drank tea and then chatted about minor, incidental matters.

Naturally, much centered on Mr. Chen; there was always plenty to discuss.

Seeing the hour was getting late, Zhong Zhengyuan prepared to leave.

Manyue gave him some tea leaves. Zhong Zhengyuan showed no refusal. Gladly accepting them, he said, “My thanks.”

Zhong Zhengyuan’s gaze fell upon the tree again. He then remarked, “Daoist Friend Manyue, that Phoenix Flower deserves extra attention. Somehow, I feel it is not benign; it seems almost ready to… break its shell.”

Manyue looked at the Phoenix Flower and nodded. “Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Friend Zhong. Manyue has been watching it.”

Zhong Zhengyuan nodded. “Then I shall take my leave.”

Zhong Zhengyuan departed Cloudtop Manor astride a Divine Crane.

As he left, he did not see Manyue again, but he did spot the cat and the dog.

Without asking further questions, Zhong Zhengyuan departed.

After traveling quite some distance, Zhong Zhengyuan finally raised his hand and began performing a divination.

“It was actually an Immortal Qilin…”

Zhong Zhengyuan was momentarily stunned. Who would have thought that the utterly unremarkable dog demon on the island possessed such an extraordinary origin?

He divined again concerning the cat demon. This yielded nothing unusual; it was just an ordinary cat spirit.

Lowering his hand, Zhong Zhengyuan thought to himself, “And that Daoist Friend Manyue…”

He raised his hand once more and began another calculation.

As he calculated, his brow furrowed.

This sensation felt strangely familiar.

“Oh no!”

Zhong Zhengyuan hastily withdrew his hand.

Immediately afterwards, he saw some of his own Merit turn into shimmering starlight and dissipate.

Zhong Zhengyuan sighed with relief. “Still fortunate; only fifty years…”

Fifty years of Merit, compared to the loss incurred when he once divined about Mr. Chen, seemed almost negligible.

Zhong Zhengyuan murmured to himself, “That Daoist Friend Manyue’s origins are also profound indeed…”

“The matter concerning the Underworld… it might just be possible.”

Lifting his head, Zhong Zhengyuan gazed at the sky. The Heavenly Dao’s order was gradually being restored. It all depended on whether Mr. Chen could accomplish his task before then.

But at least now, a thread of opportunity truly existed.