Aside from Long Feng, Mi Xue, Qu Meilan, and Gu Fang had also arrived. Zhang Yang had left in a hurry. They waited for him at the restaurant for a long time and, seeing he hadn't returned, Mi Xue grew worried and called Long Feng, eventually leading them here.

Li Wei had already gone to report to his unit. Before leaving, he had instructed Gu Fang to let him know immediately if there was any news of Zhang Yang.

He wasn't overly concerned about Zhang Yang’s safety; he knew Zhang Yang’s strength, but he was showing simple concern as a friend.

“Long Feng, it’s been hours. Where on earth could Zhang Yang have gone?”

The sky was beginning to darken. Hours had passed since he left after lunch, and Zhang Yang’s phone remained unreachable, his whereabouts unknown, causing a silent anxiety to prickle at Mi Xue’s heart.

“I don’t know, but don’t worry, he’ll absolutely be fine!”

Long Feng shook his head. He truly had no idea where Zhang Yang had gone. Analyzing the reactions of the people who had heard the sound earlier, Long Feng suspected Zhang Yang had gone down—down into that exposed, sealed opening, which was where he must have descended.

Long Feng could easily open the sealed area himself, but with so many people around, he couldn’t act. All he could do was wait here for Zhang Yang to return.

“Little Xue, rest assured, Young Master will be fine. He is the most formidable!”

Qu Meilan also moved to soothe Mi Xue. The last time Long Feng had inadvertently mentioned that Zhang Yang had advanced to the Fourth Level, her adoration for him had intensified, making her even more grateful that she had chosen to follow him willingly.

A Fourth Level master so young—it was unprecedented in history. Zhang Yang was destined to make his mark, remembered by countless internal energy practitioners, perhaps even breaking through to the Fifth Level and becoming a true Grandmaster.

Such a possibility was real; he was only twenty-one, incredibly young.

If that came to pass, she, as his attendant, would gain recognition too. After all, she belonged to Zhang Yang, one of his earliest followers.

Qu Meilan had more confidence in Zhang Yang than she did in herself. Gu Fang was also beside her, offering comfort to Mi Xue. Their words finally eased Mi Xue’s anxiety somewhat. She didn't fully grasp Zhang Yang’s power, but she knew ordinary people were no match for him.

Her distress was born of simple worry; she was scared because she couldn't see him.

The tourists at the West Lake Scenic Area had mostly dispersed, but the noise from the event was still the topic of conversation, with some even jumping into the hole, trying to dig it open to see what lay beneath.

What they discussed most was the legend of the White Snake. Some younger people even joked that if the White Snake emerged, she would instantly fall for someone and drag them down beneath the Leifeng Pagoda.

Such talk was, of course, mere jest. Many people were taking photos for mementos. Several individuals who clearly looked like students stood near the large opening, having their companions take pictures.

There were five young people—four men and one woman—around Mi Xue’s age. The young men kept sneaking glances at Mi Xue; she was far more beautiful than their female companion.

One of the boys earned a sharp pinch from his girlfriend, causing him to wince, simply because he had stared at Mi Xue a few times too often. Any girl would get jealous watching her boyfriend ogle another woman.

Long Feng noticed this, but simply smiled and shook his head, thinking no more of it.

“My turn! My turn! Hurry up and take mine! After this, I’m going to find the White Snake!”

A tall young man, after his companion finished snapping photos, quickly ran over, excitedly calling out beside the hole. After taking two pictures near the edge, he felt it wasn't enough and jumped into the hole himself, urging his companion to keep shooting.

The large hole Zhang Yang had created wasn't deep, but it wasn't shallow either. Standing inside, only his chest was visible above the rim, making him look as if he were buried alive.

“Ah!”

Just as he struck a pose, his companion pressed the shutter, but the young man suddenly shrieked and scrambled out of the hole, shivering violently all over.

“Zhao Kai, what are you doing? I hadn’t taken the shot yet!”

His sudden movement greatly displeased the friend helping him, who grumbled in complaint. Their camera wasn't a convenient digital one from later eras; it required film, and his maneuver had clearly wasted a shot.

“There, there was a movement! Something moved down there!”

The boy named Zhao Kai shook his head vigorously, his voice trembling as he called out. While inside, he distinctly felt the soil layer below shifting, which had terrified him into leaping out.

“What movement? What could possibly be moving here? Stop talking nonsense!”

His companion continued to complain, but by this time, Long Feng had approached, standing at the edge, staring intently below.

He could sense several familiar auras emanating from below; it seemed Zhang Yang and the others were returning.

“I’m serious, I wasn't lying! There was definitely movement below! I felt someone down there!”

Seeing his companion doubting him, Zhao Kai urgently tried to explain. His sensation was that someone was underneath, specifically digging at something.

“Someone? I doubt it’s a person. Maybe a snake. Are you going crazy dreaming of the White Snake?”

“Hahaha!”

His companions burst into laughter, yet even as they laughed, they couldn't help glancing toward the hole. Mi Xue had now walked up to the rim as well, standing beside Long Feng and looking down.

This girl was arguably the most beautiful they had ever seen, but the young men were too timid to approach.

It was fortunate they hadn't done so. With Zhang Yang absent, Long Feng would permit no danger to come near Mi Xue, not even a slight one. If these people dared to speak carelessly, Long Feng would surely throw them down the mountain—thrown from that height, they’d be lucky to escape severely injured.

“Crash!”

A sudden sound erupted from the hole, much louder this time, heard by many people.

The boys who had just been laughing at Zhao Kai quickly gathered around, staring at the large opening, which was now noticeably deeper. All of them shivered unnaturally, a shared thought rising among them.

Could there truly be a White Snake beneath the Leifeng Pagoda?

It wasn't just them; other surrounding tourists also crowded closer, peering down the hole.

“Swish!”

A white shadow suddenly leaped out, startling everyone outside. Some people let out sharp shrieks, and a few timid girls backed away sharply, nearly falling onto the ground.

Once everyone got a clear look, they realized the figure that emerged was a small, adorable white pet ferret, not the large snake they had anticipated.

Still, a pet ferret emerging from beneath the Leifeng Pagoda was certainly a strange, once-in-a-lifetime tale.

That wasn't all. After the ferret bolted out, another shadow crawled out from within. This time, it was a beautiful white horse, though it looked somewhat disheveled, with noticeable wounds on its legs.

After the horse emerged, another head poked out. This time, it was a person.

Unfortunately, this person looked even more battered than the horse. His clothes were shredded, and he carried a canvas bag on his back. Beyond the fact that he was a young man, little else could be discerned.

A ferret, a horse, and a man emerging from beneath the Leifeng Pagoda completely stunned everyone present.

“Zhang Yang!”

Staring blankly at Zhang Yang, Mi Xue suddenly cried out, throwing herself into his arms. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.

Zhang Yang’s condition was truly chaotic. She had never seen him look this way before. He had several visible wounds, and seeing them felt like a knife twisting in her heart, causing her tears to fall even harder.

“What, what happened to you all?”

Even Long Feng was startled. Zhang Yang’s appearance was completely unexpected. In his memory, aside from the time he fought the Golden Crest Python, Zhang Yang had never looked this wretched.

That was because their cultivation was lower then; with increased power, even when facing powerful enemies, they could maintain their composure—and their attire.

Zhang Yang’s current state, without exaggeration, made him look like a beggar.

“It’s a long story. We’ll talk when we get back!”

Zhang Yang looked at the crowd outside, shaking his head helplessly, and murmured a few comforting words to Mi Xue. While comforting her, they began moving away. There were indeed too many people here; it wasn't a suitable place to linger.

Gu Fang and the others quickly stepped back, while the tourists watched them in astonishment. Only after they moved far away did the murmuring begin.

Someone emerging from beneath the Leifeng Pagoda was certainly a marvel, and not just one person—there was a white horse and a pet ferret. Seeing a ferret and a horse at the Leifeng Pagoda felt inherently odd.

This was only because they hadn't seen Wuying, who was currently sleeping soundly in the canvas bag. Had they seen him, there would have been an added rat to the tally.

What astonished them most, however, was the beautiful woman’s reaction. Mi Xue throwing herself into Zhang Yang’s arms and weeping made many men intensely jealous. Zhang Yang looked so disheveled; every man there felt superior to him.

Many loudly lamented that another beautiful flower had wilted onto cow dung.

After discussing this, the tourists remembered that Zhang Yang and his group had crawled out from below. Since they came from below, there must be a place down there large enough to hold them.

Some bolder ones began discussing whether they should venture down for a look.

Before they could finalize their plans, the West Lake Scenic Area staff returned and quickly sealed off the area, ushering all the tourists away.

Later, it was rumored that the West Lake Scenic Area staff discovered a subterranean palace below, unearthing several Buddha statues and sutras. These artifacts were sealed away to be displayed after the Leifeng Pagoda was rebuilt.

There were also secret rumors that, besides the subterranean palace, there was a very deep underground labyrinth beneath, with no discernible exit.

This maze was so deep that the armed police had to be dispatched to investigate and ascertain the truth.

What exactly was uncovered during the investigation remained unknown even to the West Lake Scenic Area personnel. Some suggested the White Snake was trapped in the deepest parts of the maze, eternally suppressed by Fa Hai, and the armed police retreated after failing to rescue her.

Others whispered that the underworld was a treasure trove, containing riches hidden by rebels in the past, and these treasures had been removed rather than put on display.

Whatever the stories, they were for later. Zhang Yang, having left the Leifeng Pagoda, quickly returned to the villa with Gu Fang and the others to change into clean clothes.

Fourth Update