Chapter 106: Second Exploration of the Dragon-Locking Well

I looked at my master with a puzzled expression. He frowned slightly, checked the time, and said, "They've arrived. Get ready."

Upon hearing this, I immediately sharpened my focus and glanced outside. My master stood up and began to walk out, and I followed right behind him. Li Muyang, who had been lingering around, tagged along behind us, trotting like a loyal puppy. My master glanced back at him and said, "Kid, watch yourself."

Li Muyang gave a goofy grin and nodded. Soon, we reached a secluded spot outside the airport. My master leaned against a tree, a cigarette between his fingers, taking occasional puffs while peering toward the airport terminal. I looked at him speechlessly and remarked, "Master, is this really what you call a 'secluded spot'? It certainly is... well, secluded."

He looked at me, then scanned the surroundings, and replied while holding his cigarette, "What's the matter? It’s well-ventilated here."

"Uh... alright then."

He rolled his eyes at me. Li Muyang, who had been silent, stood beside me and asked with a smile, "Senior, could I trouble you for one?"

My master paused, looked at Li Muyang, and said, "Why is a kid smoking? No, absolutely not. Move along."

Li Muyang took the rejection with an awkward laugh. My master flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushed it under his heel, and said, "They're here."

I looked toward the airport. A group of people dressed entirely in black emerged. I estimated there were about fifteen to twenty of them. They were expressionless, walking in total silence. The man in the lead had his hands behind his back and wore a black robe. My master pointed at him and said, "That is Guishan."

I nodded. Li Muyang, standing next to me, foolishly asked, "Senior, what is Guishan? Is it a mountain?"

My master and I both froze at this. He shook his head and replied, "Did the Qi family send a clown to help us? Guishan is a person, not a mountain."

Li Muyang nodded, completely unfazed by the remark. Before long, Guishan’s group boarded a bus parked in a conspicuous spot, as if it had been waiting specifically for them. My master gave me a look. I nodded, and we headed out. We hailed a taxi, and the three of us piled in. My master pointed at the bus ahead and told the driver, "Follow that vehicle."

The driver looked at my master with suspicion but said nothing, starting the engine and trailing the bus. We maintained a steady distance. The bus was clearly heading toward Beixinqiao. My master remained silent the entire time, his gaze fixed on the vehicle in front of us.

After a while, the bus pulled over, and my master signaled our driver to stop a short distance away. After paying the fare, we got out. My master led us carefully as we tracked the disciples of the Ghost Sect. I saw Guishan adjust his hood, survey his surroundings, and then give a few orders to his companions before heading down into the Suolong Well with two of them.

My master glanced at me, and I understood immediately. The Black and White Fish were already restless on my arms, waiting for my command. My master took a deep breath and strode directly toward the Suolong Well. The remaining Ghost Sect disciples were standing guard nearby. Seeing us, they assumed we were ordinary passersby and paid us no mind. However, I noticed one of them frown, look at us intently, and then grow alert, calling out to the others, "Come here! Quickly, come here!"

The other disciples hurried over. My master approached them with a blank expression. I didn't say a word; the Black and White Fish shot out, hovering above their heads. The white fish bloomed with a brilliant radiance, swallowing everything in the vicinity and blinding their vision. Pedestrians nearby gasped in shock, stopping in their tracks to pull out their phones and start recording. My master and I didn't care.

As the white light flared, my master lunged into the center of the group, knocking down seven or eight of them in a flurry of movements. I was not to be outdone; with a flick of my fingers, the black fish descended, splitting into several forms and slamming into the remaining disciples. In an instant, every one of them was knocked unconscious. I recalled the Black and White Fish, and my master brushed off his sleeves, turning to me with a grin. "Kid, we're going to be quite the sensation today, haha."

I smiled slightly and looked at the crowd gathered around us. Li Muyang stood in the back, stunned by our swift display of force. My master laughed and said to him, "Kid, are you coming down with us, or are you staying up here? Hmm... never mind, just stay here."

After a moment of thought, my master decided it was best for Li Muyang to remain on the surface. He gestured for the dazed boy to come closer. Li Muyang walked over stiffly and asked, "W-what is it, Senior?"

My master leaned in close, speaking in a voice only the three of us could hear. "I have a task for you."

"Huh? What task, Senior?" Li Muyang asked, looking confused.

My master patted him on the shoulder. "See the crowd gathered around us?"

Li Muyang nodded. My master continued, "Your job is to convince them that we are filming a movie. If word gets out to the public about what's really happening, it’ll be a disaster. Can you handle that?"

Li Muyang looked at the onlookers, stood up straight, and gave my master a salute. "Mission accepted!"

His gesture made both my master and me chuckle. My master nodded and said, "It's in your hands then. If we haven't returned by nightfall, you should head back on your own."

Li Muyang looked at him with confusion, but my master offered no explanation. With a faint smile, he headed toward the edge of the Suolong Well with me. Under the gaze of the crowd, we jumped in one after the other. More gasps erupted from the bystanders. As I fell, I heard Li Muyang shout at the top of his lungs, "We’re filming a movie!"

His voice was quickly swallowed by the depth of the Suolong Well. My master landed first, and I followed. He caught me as I touched down. As he had described, the interior featured a long, dark underground river and a path filled with mud and sand. I glanced at the route and asked, "Master, which way?"

He pointed to the right, and we moved forward together. We traveled quickly, and soon three silhouettes appeared ahead. My master glanced at them, stopped, and whispered, "Don't follow too closely."

I nodded and asked in a low voice, "Master, won't they notice us?"

He shook his head. "I used a concealment spell. With Guishan's current strength, he won't be able to detect us, provided we keep our distance. I want to see exactly what he is planning."

I agreed, and we continued on. Guishan and his two companions didn't slow down; they walked in silence, and we kept our distance behind them.

About three hours later, Guishan stopped and looked back. My master and I ducked into the shadows. Once Guishan was satisfied that no one was following, he felt along the stone wall and pressed a hidden mechanism. A circular glow of light appeared ahead. My master frowned slightly, saying, "There’s a secret realm here? Could the thing trapped in the Suolong Well be inside?"

Hearing this, I grew even more curious. Guishan and his men stepped into the light. The moment they disappeared inside, we followed suit, entering the secret realm just as the light faded.

Upon entering, the scene shifted entirely. The surroundings were plunged into darkness, and a fierce wind whipped through my hair. The underground river had vanished, replaced by a vast, cracked, and desolate landscape devoid of any signs of life. My master looked ahead and said, "Kid, this might be a bit troublesome."

I turned to him in confusion, but he only offered a small smile. "This is our final destination. Since we're here, we might as well see it through. Come on, let's keep following them."

I nodded and followed them deeper into the void.