Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the opening door.

Perhaps behind the door was a long corridor, dim lamp stands, or winding stairs spiraling up to a magnificent underground palace filled with golden splendor and everything one could desire.

Song Qian Ji glanced at their expressions from the corner of his eye and thought these young people were extremely naive.

This wasn’t a door, but a teleportation formation.

In his previous life, he had opened secret realms three times: once landing in the blood-filled mouth of a beast about to close its jaws, once falling into a pool of burning magma, and once crashing into an ice cave so cold that breath turned to frost.

As the saying goes, “Things don’t happen more than three times.” Zi Ye Wen Shu, who had traveled with him for a while and nearly been swallowed by beasts, almost burned by magma, and nearly pierced by ice spikes, could bear it no longer and refused to let Song Qian Ji open any more teleportation doors.

Similarly, he was deprived of all rights to make choices.

For instance, when Song Qian Ji said they should instinctively take the eastern path because it had more treasures and was safer, Zi Ye Wen Shu would head west without a second word, fully utilizing Song Qian Ji’s bad luck for reverse selection.

Wei Zhen Yu scoffed: “I’m not the one doing shady things in secret, so I have nothing to regret.”

Just as Song Qian Ji raised his hand to touch the cold door ring, a loud shout came from afar: “Wait!”

In the blink of an eye, Meng He Ze had rushed to the front.

“Fellow cultivator, is he forcing you to scout ahead? He mistreated you first, so why remain loyal to him? Why not join us at Thousand Channels instead?”

A Thousand Channels Immortal Official being persuaded to join Thousand Channels?

Song Qian Ji: “…Thank you for your kindness, but that won’t be necessary.”

Wei Zhen Yu’s expression improved as if he had captured a city without bloodshed, though he tried not to appear smug: “He hasn’t finished his task, so he won’t go with you.”

Song Qian Ji thought they should both stay out and settle their differences by spitting at each other or scratching and hitting each other in a fight.

But then he heard Meng He Ze say: “I have no intention of causing you trouble. If you find yourselves in danger and need help, you can signal me for assistance.”

Wei Zhen Yu’s expression changed several times, from surprise to bewilderment, before finally saying: “You’d best look after yourself.”

Before leaving, Meng He Ze puffed out his chest and called loudly to Song Qian Ji: “Fellow cultivator, Thousand Channels welcomes you anytime!”

In broad daylight, before everyone’s eyes. Whispers arose from the crowd.

“Meng He Ze jumping out at this moment makes Wei Zhen Yu seem ‘dishonorable’ by comparison.”

“It’s just testing the waters, what’s ‘dishonorable’ about that? Those wandering cultivators follow the Wei Prince willingly, happy to be his vanguard. Great deeds require overlooking minor details.”

“Prince Wei acts flamboyant and domineering, but Thousand Channels’ Senior Brother Meng has more benevolence, proving that Prince Song is truly a benevolent ruler.”

Song Qian Ji turned his head away awkwardly.

“What are you waiting for!” Wei Zhen Yu seemed unable to listen any longer, grabbing Song Qian Ji’s arm and forcefully pushing open the door.

“Bang!”

Icy cold winds surged out, and everyone in the area felt the world spinning. Instantly swept up in the gale, they stepped into space and fell into the abyss.

When they opened their eyes again, they were standing on soft, springy grass, smelling the fragrance of green grass and flowers.

Brilliant sunlight, wildflowers everywhere, butterflies fluttering. A waterfall plunged straight down like a silver ribbon hanging on the mountainside. Three or four phoenix birds glided across the sky, their wings spreading a faint bluish light as they beat.

Dense spiritual energy formed white mist, slowly rising from the ground, drifting and floating.

The cultivators fell like dumplings into a pot, plopping down one after another, landing in this clear, moist white mist. In the instant they saw daylight again, they had entered a different world.

Everyone looked around and discovered that Wei Zhen Yu’s team had disappeared.

“Prince Wei opened the door first, so he must have been teleported elsewhere.”

“I don’t believe any place could be better than this paradise.”

“How did I do before coming in?” Meng He Ze secretly asked Ji Chen.

“Very well. No matter where Brother Song is hiding, if he saw how you acted, he would certainly praise your righteousness, courage, and magnanimity!” Ji Chen picked a wildflower. “This underground palace is indeed perfect for farming. No wonder Brother Song wanted to come here!”

“Even if he wanted to take the underground palace and bring it back for farming, he should have told me.” Meng He Ze frowned, muttering, “He never lets others know what he’s thinking, and doesn’t believe others can help him.”

At least Song Qian Ji hadn’t thought about taking the underground palace back for farming.

When he fell, he had his sword in hand, mobilized the Undying Spring, gathered spiritual energy, and prepared to face any danger.

Then nothing happened. His feet landed on solid ground in an open square.

The sky appeared blood-red. At the edge of his vision, sixteen pillars surrounded the circular square, as if supporting the heavens.

Incredible—they had arrived directly at the center of the underground palace, the hiding place of the core inheritance.

Was it Wei Zhen Yu’s good luck that overcame his bad luck? Or was it as Wu Xiang said, that in this life his fate was thick and golden light protected him?

After brief confusion, the silver-armored team once again formed neat ranks.

Wei Zhen Yu transmitted his voice: “Aren’t you a talisman master? Why carry a sword? Who do you plan to kill?”

Song Qian Ji calmly put away his sword: “…It’s a decorative item, meant for psychological comfort.”

Wei Zhen Yu’s eyes seemed to say, keep making things up, let’s see what else you can come up with.

An unremarkable small sparrow circled down, letting out two mournful cries before landing on someone’s shoulder.

That person stepped forward to report to Wei Zhen Yu: “This place has not a trace of spiritual energy, yet the pressure is extremely heavy. The spirit sparrow refuses to fly high.”

After speaking, he glanced at Song Qian Ji, as if blaming him for his bad luck.

“If it won’t fly, so be it.” Wei Zhen Yu slightly raised his chin. “We have someone to scout ahead. Let’s go.”

The final words were directed at Song Qian Ji.

…So my purpose is to be “as useful as a bird.”

But being able to have long-lost, rare freedom of choice, Song Qian Ji was in a good mood: “Let’s first greet the senior of the secret realm.”

He raised his hand and scattered a handful of wheat grains: “Those behind, be careful not to step on these.”

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

Li Ci Quan couldn’t help but say: “Daoist Friend Song, do you think the senior is a bird?”

Zhu Sheng shouted: “What tricks are you playing!”

Song Qian Ji: “Now we can go.”

Wei Zhen Yu’s face remained expressionless, so the small pile of wheat grains was bypassed by everyone, creating a rather comical scene.

“Walk faster,” Wei Zhen Yu urged.

Song Qian Ji smiled and strolled, looking back as he walked: “My cultivation is weak, so I can’t walk quickly. Is Prince Wei in a hurry?”

Wei Zhen Yu: “I am.”

Song Qian Ji: “After entering the secret realm, Prince Wei didn’t take beast cores or pick spirit herbs, but headed straight for the underground palace with a clear goal. I suppose within this palace is something Prince Wei desires most?”

Wei Zhen Yu: “So what if it is?”

“Such important information, who told Prince Wei about it? If they knew, why didn’t they take it themselves but leave it for you? Aren’t you afraid they deliberately set a trap to lure you here?”

“You’re very concerned about my affairs?” Wei Zhen Yu lowered his voice. “I could kill you instantly, yet you dare concern yourself with my business?!”

Wei Zhen Yu felt regret in his heart. Earlier, he must have been crazy to think this man resembled that person.

When had that person ever been so talkative?

It was all the fault of those spirits. Yes, after seeing too many illusions, he couldn’t distinguish truth from falsehood.

At first, Wei Zhen Yu had felt an inexplicable sense of closeness to Song Yin. This feeling hadn’t made him relax; rather, it made him more vigilant.

He habitually assumed “traps” and “conspiracies.” After learning the other’s intentions, there was little annoyance in his heart; instead, a great weight was lifted.

How could he meet someone like Song Qian Ji, unless he was an assassin?

His confidant suggested exposing the other’s identity, but Wei Zhen Yu didn’t want to do so.

Song Qian Ji could keep an assassin by his side, confident and composed, calmly eating food prepared by the assassin.

He felt he could do the same.

Provided this “Song Yin” stopped talking so much.

The sky’s color remained unchanged, and the towering stone pillars in the distance seemed forever unreachable.

“Prince Wei, don’t be angry. I’ll say no more.” Song Qian Ji pointed with his hand. “Look.”

Wei Zhen Yu looked down to see that the pile of wheat grains still lay quietly on the ground.

Everyone’s expressions changed simultaneously.

“Zhu Sheng,” Wei Zhen Yu said.

Zhu Sheng understood and swung his blade at the stone tiles.

The blade’s light disappeared upon touching the ground as if absorbed by an invisible force. Complex patterns flashed across the rough stone tiles.

Song Qian Ji turned back and beckoned to Li Ci Quan: “Formation Master Li, it seems we’ve entered a maze formation. Think of something quickly.”

Li Ci Quan stared at the pile of wheat, his face grim: “How could this be? As soon as I entered this place, I left markers. This place has no spiritual energy, so how could it support the operation of a large formation?”

Checking for traces of formations when entering a new environment is a basic practice for a formation master.

Li Ci Quan took out a formation disk to probe the spiritual energy lines, saying guiltily: “I was careless. There are symbols carved into the ground. All spiritual energy in the formation is locked in the underground formation base, making the base even more solid.”

Wei Zhen Yu showed no intention of blaming him, only looking at the formation disk and roughly estimating several positions: “Step back.”

Everyone retreated.

“You want to force your way through, breaking the formation by force?” Song Qian Ji didn’t retreat. “Not knowing what lies ahead, let’s save some spiritual energy first.”

Wei Zhen Yu handed him the sword hilt: “You think you can do better? Then you do it.”

Song Qian Ji didn’t take it but pulled Li Ci Quan aside: “Legend has it that the Blood River Patriarch was a master of both formations and talismans. The formations and talismans here are combined with extreme precision, complementing each other. Neither can be missing, or the operation would be impaired and the formation lines would break.”

Li Ci Quan said in a daze: “The Patriarch was incredibly powerful. I certainly cannot break this formation.”

Song Qian Ji handed him a stack of talisman paper: “I made some new talismans recently. This talisman has no offensive power or defensive strength, but no matter what talisman the opponent uses, you just need to use this one. It can adhere to the opponent’s talisman, disrupting the talisman power within, like this.”

Song Qian Ji then took out a miasma-avoiding talisman. The two talismans stuck together with a crisp crackle, burning together in mid-air and turning to ash in an instant.

Li Ci Quan was shocked, his face saying, “What useless trash is this?”

“Daoist Friend Song, this talisman doesn’t seem very practical. Its power is even less than an explosive talisman. Besides, who would stand still waiting for you to stick it on them? If you can hit them, why use talismans at all?”

Song Qian Ji looked skyward—raising children was exhausting.

He pointed to the symbols on the ground: “Explosion isn’t the key point. This formation is too precise, with formations and talismans interlocking. Just find a few key points, break one link, and they’ll break layer by layer.”

Li Ci Quan exclaimed with an “Ah!”: “The strongest formation must be attacked from within.”

Moments later, a series of explosions rang out, shaking heaven and earth.

Under the cover of the massive explosions, Li Ci Quan said: “Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Friend Song.”

“You’re the one who broke the formation. Why thank me?”

Li Ci Quan smiled bitterly: “With your knowledge, would you consider leaving darkness for light?”

Song Qian Ji: “Hmm?”

Li Ci Quan looked at Song Qian Ji with unspoken words, sighed, and left, as if painfully regretful.

The dust gradually settled.

The ground revealed a staircase leading underground, about twenty zhang wide. Like a gaping mouth, mocking them for circling in place, passing the entrance without knowing.

“You’re quite capable.” Wei Zhen Yu stared directly at Song Qian Ji. “Besides formations and talismans, what else can you do?”

Song Qian Ji understood now that not only the wandering cultivators’ team but Wei Zhen Yu also considered him an assassin.

What was Wei Zhen Yu thinking? Seeing spirits at night without killing them, keeping an assassin without killing him.

Had he converted to Buddhism?

However, being suspected as an assassin was better than being recognized as Song Qian Ji himself.

“I can cook,” he said.