nycdaug Chapter 414 The Crossroads That Appear at Will
Chapter 414 The Crossroads That Appear at Will
Xu Ning watched as Wendy suddenly became alert, muttering "Absolutely not allowed," then turned over and drank a long gulp in the Thousand Wind Pool before finally turning over and falling asleep, finally remembering what she had come in for.
After glancing at Qingyi, who had broken a pot and was now actively trying various wines from different springs, and Wendy, who was lying on the ground, Xu Ning decisively ruled them out.
Walking straight to Shen He and Master Ji, Xu Ning looked at the photos spread on the grass and said to Master Ji with a smile, "Your collection will soon have another one: the Heavenly Nail beneath the Layered Rock Abyss. How about it? Once I'm safely out of the underground, I'll take you there to take pictures."
Master Ji naturally cheered with joy.
Shen He, however, sensed a hint of danger in Xu Ning's words and said, "I'll go out with you."
Xu Ning felt a warmth in his heart and smiled, "You and Aji stay inside first. Have Qingyi open the water curtain and keep an eye on things for me. I suspect there are mind-reading spyers in this space."
“You stay in the cave. That thing can’t read your thoughts, but it might discover some flaws. If it finds any problems, just have Qingyi inform me. If I need your help, I’ll call you out.”
Shen He nodded in agreement, and Master Ji quickly packed the photos into the small cloth bag around his neck and went to call Qingyi to release the water curtain.
As Xu Ning emerged from the Hidden Dust Cave, Huanglong Yidou also stepped out of the teleportation portal first.
"Wait, no, you didn't even go through the portal, how did you get ahead of us? And there's a shortcut? You're really lucky..."
Araki Ichito was still babbling away when Hisaki Shinobu nudged him from behind, saying, "Boss, we're back again."
Araki Ichito was utterly bewildered. "This is where we just walked? We didn't look back even once, how could this be..."
Xu Ning sighed and raised his hand, saying, "I can vouch for you. Ever since you went in, my wine gourd and I have stayed here and haven't gone anywhere."
Ye Lan was the last to come out. She was taken aback when she saw Xu Ning, but then she fell into deep thought.
The portal suddenly disappeared after everyone had come out.
Araki Ichito said helplessly, "What is this? We've gone through all that trouble and come right back. Oh, it's like the Inatsume legend, where a merchant was tricked by a tanuki demon while traveling at night and ended up wandering around in the same place all night, unable to find his way out even at dawn..."
"In Liyue, this is called 'ghost wall,' we know that too," Paimon boasted, showing off the few interesting facts she had in her little brain.
Xu Ning gave Ye Lan a wink, then said to everyone, "What Yi Dou said about the raccoon demon gave me an idea. Perhaps the portal we just found wasn't the correct path. The real path must have been obscured by some kind of magic, just like the raccoon demon's illusion."
"Fortunately, there is a large fox demon in my Dust-Hidden Cave. It might still be sleeping right now. I'll call it out in a bit to help us find the real portal."
Araki Kazuto slapped his forehead. "Ha, speaking of helpers, I remember that our Araki faction has an unofficial member who is skilled at exorcising evil spirits and dispelling miasma. Let me call him out to help us find our way."
Araki Ichito spread his legs, adopted a sumo wrestling stance, then pressed one hand to the ground and roared.
"Come out, Ugly!"
A flash of golden light representing the rock element appeared in his hand, and a bull with the same thick eyebrows as him, bound with a shimenawa rope, and carrying a small roof on its back appeared in the spot, wagging its tail.
"Ah Chou, go and find a way out for the brothers!"
Ah Chou let out a "moo" and ran away with all four hooves flying.
Paimon floated silently to Shinobu's side. "He can exorcise evil spirits, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can find the path. But Shinobu, Ichito is a demon, yet he has an exorcising partner with him. It just doesn't seem right, does it?"
Hisaki smiled, his eyes crinkling, "Being slow-witted is the key to a good life, boss!"
Ah Chou quickly returned after circling around. Huang Longyidou, holding Niu Tou, muttered a few words with "Moo" and "Oh" sounds. He stood up incredulously and said, "Ah Chou said he couldn't find the way. Since there's even such a secret realm, there must be a way out. I'll go look for it again."
Xu Ning and Ye Lan exchanged another glance.
Xu Ning smiled at Yi Dou and said, "Don't worry, Ah Chou might not be good at illusions. Once my fox demon wakes up, it will naturally find its way."
There is indeed a fox spirit named Ji in Xu Ning's cave. Although it is not large, it is quite proficient in illusion magic. Ye Lan knows this.
Moreover, Xu Ning believed from beginning to end that the group had not taken the wrong path in that secret realm and had returned to the starting point.
After all, with a master like Yelan who has long been involved in various dangerous situations leading the team, and with Jiuqi Shinobu also demonstrating strong navigation skills on the way here, they shouldn't have made such a basic mistake.
So the problem is now on the table.
What purpose did some being deliberately set up a secret realm that would eventually lead back to the starting point?
It seems that apart from expending everyone's physical strength, mental energy, or emotions, this secret realm itself is of no use.
But what if this is the very purpose of this secret realm?
Therefore, Xu Ning kept emphasizing the giant fox demon in his cave and repeatedly mentioned the illusion and the path itself, just to see if that uncertain existence would arrange a new path according to the script he gave it, and continue to wear down everyone.
"If it does nothing and just intends to wait it out, we'll have to encourage it."
Xu Ning pressed down on the dragon eye of the Dust Concealment Gourd and instructed Qingyi to prepare a table of food and wine for everyone.
After the Wilderness Faction and the Travelers' Faction circled around twice without success, Xu Ning called the two groups together and then called out to Yan Fei, who was whispering with Ye Lan in the corner.
"Don't be anxious if you can't find it. We've been searching all day since this morning. Come and eat something first."
Xu Ning entered the cave and lightly picked up a table with both hands, instantly appearing in the cave with a table full of snacks to accompany the drinks. Then he went in and brought out a stack of stools.
"Don't say I'm not hospitable enough. After all, we're in a dangerous place, so I won't prepare any wine for everyone. But there's plenty of food. If you're still hungry, I'll have the cook make more. Here's a big platter for Ah Chou. I don't know what Ah Chou likes to eat, so you can serve it some food."