The Dragon

Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation

The next day, Gu Fuyou, along with Si Miao and Gu Huaiyou, went to visit Si Gonghou.

Si Gonghou’s injuries were more severe than Gu Fuyou had anticipated. Had it not been for the rare spiritual plants that Gu Fuyou brought back from Xian Luo, enabling Si Miao to refine Xuming and Liaoshang pills, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Not only did Si Gonghou have physical injuries, but his spiritual state was also damaged, and his mind was clouded. This was the main reason he had been unconscious.

Si Miao was eager to go underground to understand the cause of Si Gonghou’s injury, so she could treat him accordingly.

Gan and Song were standing outside the door. When the three came out, Si Miao began discussing who should venture into the underground cave.

Given that this concerned her father and the people of Ning City, she was determined to go down herself.

Seeing her determination, Gan and Song looked at Gu Huaiyou, hoping he might persuade her.

However, Gu Huaiyou said, “If you wish to go, you can, but you must take me with you.”

Si Miao responded with a gentle smile, slightly teasing, “Naturally, I won’t leave you behind.”

Gan and Song were left speechless.

Gan Fengzhong stepped forward and said, “If the young lady insists on going to the underground cave, I request to accompany you.”

Si Miao nodded in agreement, “Myself, Gu Huaiyou, Uncle Gan, and Ah Man, a total of four people…”

She paused, deep in thought. It was still unclear what they would encounter inside the cave, and four seemed insufficient, especially when considering Gu Fuyou’s lack of self-defense capabilities.

Although there were three Golden Core cultivators in the city, if they mobilized more cultivators, they were worried that Zuo Tianyi might seize the opportunity to attack, leaving the city defenseless.

Golden Core, Golden Core…

An idea struck Si Miao, and she turned to Gu Fuyou, “Ah Man, Senior Sister…”

Before Si Miao could finish, Gu Fuyou immediately declined, “No way.”

Si Miao laughed, “I haven’t finished.”

Crossing her arms, Gu Fuyou said, “I know what you’re about to say, and the answer is no. I invited Senior Sister Zhong to enjoy Ning City, not to help. It’s not proper to ask a guest to help.”

Si Miao gave Gu Fuyou a thorough look from head to toe. Feeling her suspicious gaze, Gu Fuyou stepped back defensively, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Si Miao hissed, “Gu Huaiyou, does this sound like something your silly little sister would say? When did she change?”

Gu Huaiyou chuckled. Si Miao continued, “Who was it that shamelessly went to Gushen Peak, sweet-talking just to have someone respond to your summons and assist in times of trouble?”

Gu Fuyou blinked and asked, “Did I?”

Si Miao said, “Who visited Gushen Peak constantly, saying ‘Even if I don’t like Senior Sister Zhong, she would still help out of courtesy.’? Now that there’s actual trouble, you’re being formal?”

Gu Fuyou nervously pursed her lips, “It seems like something I might have said, but… times have changed. Besides, I promised to show her around Ning City. Dragging her into this doesn’t seem right.”

Si Miao smiled, “Alright, I won’t ask you to do it. I’ll request her help myself, hoping she’ll assist out of sect loyalty. If she doesn’t, that’s fine. If she does, Ning City will owe her a favor.”

Si Miao turned to head towards Zhong Michu’s quarters.

Gu Fuyou followed close behind until they reached Zhong Michu’s door. Just as Si Miao was about to knock, Gu Fuyou interrupted, “Wait!”

“Do you really want to involve her?”

“Yes, but the decision is hers.”

As Si Miao raised her hand to knock again, Gu Fuyou said, “Wait!”

“What now?”

Stammering, Gu Fuyou said, “…Maybe I should be the one to ask.”

Si Miao silently stepped aside, allowing Gu Fuyou to approach the door. After hesitating for a moment without knocking, Si Miao decisively stepped forward and knocked on the door.

After a moment, Zhong Michu opened the door and saw the two of them. Si Miao gestured to Gu Fuyou, who glanced at Zhong Michu before lowering her gaze

Zhong Michu inquired, “What is it?”

Gu Fuyou hesitated, “Um… Senior Sister Zhong, we need to go underground and need more people. Could you…?”

Zhong Michu responded crisply, “I will.”

Zhong Michu agreed without hesitation. Gu Fuyou laughed and said, “I haven’t even said what I want to do yet.”

Zhong Michu replied, “You want me to go into the underground cave with you, right? Okay.”

Appreciating the straightforward commitment, Si Miao gratefully added, “Senior Sister, thank you for helping us this time.”

Zhong Michu shook her head, “It’s no trouble.”

Zhong Michu slightly tilted her head, the morning sun casting a golden glow on her. A strand of her black hair slid down from her pale neck. She looked at Gu Fuyou, “If she encounters danger, she would also call me.”

She spoke as if helping Gu Fuyou was her duty.

Gu Fuyou felt a bit dazed. Zhong Michu spoke seriously, and while she always spoke seriously, this time it felt more like a promise.

Gu Fuyou felt a warmth in her heart, similar to the joy she had felt when she first acquired Qimen. Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn’t help but hug Zhong Michu tightly, mumbling affectionately, “Mm, Senior Sister Zhong, you’re so kind. What do I do? I like you so much.”

Caught off guard, Zhong Michu took a step back, instinctively wanting to support Gu Fuyou. In the end, however, she merely placed her hand gently behind Gu Fuyou’s waist.

Si Miao’s stern voice broke the moment, “Ah Man.”

Gu Fuyou stiffened and immediately realized she had acted impulsively. She quickly let go of Zhong Michu, her face flushed, “Senior Sister Zhong, I was just so happy…”

Gently retracting her hand, Zhong Michu responded, “It’s okay.”

Normally, such a response from Zhong Michu would have put Gu Fuyou at ease. However, with Si Miao present, sensing her disapproving gaze, Gu Fuyou fidgeted and after a moment of silence said, “I should check if Gu Huaiyou and the others are ready.”

With that, she left.

Watching her retreat, Si Miao sighed. Just when she thought she had changed, she was still the same.

Si Miao remarked, “Ah Man sometimes doesn’t know her boundaries.”

With close friends, physical affection is normal. But with people you don’t know well, it can come off as too forward. Those who are more reserved might not like this from someone they’ve just met.

Si Miao explained this, hoping that Zhong Michu wouldn’t hold it against Gu Fuyou. Before Zhong Michu could reply, Si Miao continued, “Senior Sister, but her intentions are never bad. She’s always like this with people she’s close to.”

Zhong Michu paused, slowly turning her gaze to Si Miao. Si Miao thought she had something to say, but Zhong Michu furrowed her brows, deep in thought. Si Miao guessed she was contemplating how to tactfully express her disapproval of Gu Fuyou’s behavior.

But when Zhong Michu finally spoke, she asked, “Is she… like this with everyone?”

“Um…” Si Miao hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “That’s just her nature. She’s always been open with her feelings and gets carried away easily. But once you get to know her, you’ll see she has a big heart. If someone is kind to her, she’d go to great lengths to return the favor.”

Si Miao glanced at Zhong Michu. While her expression appeared unchanged, Si Miao subtly sensed a hint of melancholy. She added, “Senior Sister, if Ah Man ever acts inappropriately, please be patient with her. If you can’t tolerate it, make sure to clarify things with her, so she knows where she went wrong.”

Zhong Michu merely gave a silent look.

After her question, Zhong Michu remained quiet. The ensuing silence between the two became somewhat awkward, prompting Si Miao to break it. She suggested, “Senior Sister, let’s head over. Gu Huaiyou and the others should be ready.”

Zhong Michu simply acknowledged, “Mm.”

Relieved, Si Miao and Zhong Michu went to find Gu Huaiyou and the rest.

When they arrived, the group had already prepared all the necessary pills, magic tools, and talismans. After giving some brief instructions to the household staff, they headed straight for Weng Mountain.

They arrived at Weng Mountain around noon. The entrance to the spirit mine was located in a mountain cave. The cave naturally formed the shape of a door, with a shallow stream at its entrance.

Everyone crossed through the stream to enter. After a short walk, there was a wooden walkway built on one side of the mountain wall.

The group went up the walkway, and after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the walkway began to slope downward. Gan Fengzhong led the way, with Zhong Michu following behind.

The cave’s entrance was deep and dimly lit, so Gu Fuyou released a firefly lantern she had bought in the market.

Though small, these firefly lanterns were quite useful. Once infused with a little spiritual power, the firefly would fly and emit light from its belly.

Back then, when she had made tens of millions of spirit stones, she impulsively bought a bunch of these firefly lanterns. Gu Fuyou gave one to each person.

The firefly lantern would always follow the person who infused it with spiritual power. In an instant, five firefly lanterns flew up, illuminating the dark passage.

The wooden walkway ended, revealing the actual ground. On both sides of the wall, there were traces of man-made excavations. In the yellow-brown rock, one could faintly see the snow-white and transparent raw spirit stones.

Gu Fuyou asked, “Si Miao, where’s the underground cave?”

Gan Fengzhong led everyone to turn two corners, away from the stream. Ahead, there were signs of rock collapse. Large rocks piled up, and a gap large enough for one person to pass was made on the left side.

Si Miao replied, “It’s just ahead.”

Crossing the piled rocks, there was a tunnel about four meters wide in front, seemingly bottomless.

The group flew down with the wind. After descending about a meter deep, the tunnel began to slope, becoming more and more level. When they could walk on the ground, it became spacious. Still, it was a long passageway that seemed endless.

They continued forward, the passageway began to twist with many intersections. After walking for what felt like a long time, they found themselves back where they started.

They tried four times in total, but each time, they ended up at the starting point.

Gan Fengzhong said, “Just like the previous times, we keep going in circles.”

Gu Fuyou pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s try one more time.”

Though everyone felt that it would still be the same, they followed her instruction.

This time, with Gu Fuyou leading, they walked once again and still returned to the starting point.

Gan Fengzhong sighed, “Still the same.”

However, Si Miao frowned, saying, “It’s different this time; the path is longer.”

Gu responded with a nod, “Yes.”

In reality, Gan Fengzhong, having a higher level of cultivation than the other two, should have noticed it. But he had come here so many times, with the same result each time, that he took it for granted and didn’t pay attention to these details.

Si Miao inquired, “Ah Man, do you have an idea?”

Gu Fuyou, with an excited posture, exclaimed, “It’s the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams formation!”

She couldn’t help but get excited. This was the formation recorded on the first page of the half-book she had, called Qimen. Now, she encountered it by chance and had the opportunity to try it herself.

Gu then asked, “Is it an ancient formation?”

Gu Fuyou nodded, “It was originally used in wars between two armies. It has countless variations and can block millions of elite soldiers. Later, it was slightly modified for use by ordinary people, setting up eight gates, with twists and turns, making it difficult to enter and leave.”

This is the essence of the ancient formation. Some say it’s powerful, but this formation won’t actively harm anyone. Yet, some say it’s weak, but it uses the entire mountain peak as a barrier, and the entire spirit mine provides spiritual power for its operation. If one wants to forcibly destroy it, at least a cultivator in the Hallow Void stage with the ability to move mountains and overturn seas is required.

Yet, sometimes, direct destruction isn’t an option. It’s like a mechanism treasure box. If you want the treasure inside, you need the key. Destroy the box, and you risk destroying the treasure within.

So, the only way for the group to rescue those trapped within was to solve the formation.

Gu Fuyou crossed her arms and said smugly, “It shows that mere cultivation isn’t enough; you also need brains.”

Si Miao said, “Yes, yes, yes, you’re the smartest, you’re the most talented, so how do we get in?”

Gu Fuyou didn’t answer. Si Miao nudged Gu Huaiyou with her elbow, and Gu Huaiyou also laughed, “Ah Man is so capable, she must have figured it out.”

Gan Fengzhong also said, “What we all missed, Third Miss noticed at a glance.”

Gu Fuyou glanced towards Zhong Michu. The latter stood at the back, seemingly detached from the situation, not saying anything.

After a brief moment, without receiving any praise from Zhong Michu, Gu Fuyou’s enthusiasm waned. Suddenly, solving the formation didn’t seem as interesting anymore.

She lost interest in showing off and said directly, “The Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams has eight gates: Rest, Life, Injury, Obstruction, Scenery, Death, Shock, and Open. We need to find one to enter.”

Si Miao inquired, “Which gate?”

Gu Fuyou glanced at Zhong Michu again and pouted, “Exit from the gate of Birth and enter through the gate of Death. Exit from the gate of Birth and enter through the gate of Death.”