A glance from Ao Wushuang caught the expression on Su Chan’s face, and she immediately guessed what was troubling her mind. She couldn't help but chide her, "What nonsense are you thinking about?"

Su Chan snapped back to reality, forcing a dry laugh. "Master, you haven't forgotten where the Qingcheng Secret Records are hidden, have you?"

Ao Wushuang laughed and cursed playfully, "You wicked girl, how could I forget? I was only teasing you! The last time I came with Wang Yuanshan, I remember he mentioned that the Qingcheng Sect's archives are usually stored in the Laojun Pavilion. Though I don't know if things have changed over the years."

Su Chan pouted, muttering under her breath, "Does that make a difference? It’s still unreliable, isn't it?"

Ao Wushuang couldn't help but flare up in mock anger, "Nonsense! Ten years have passed. How can I guarantee the Qingcheng Secret Records are still in the same spot? Do you even want to learn this or not?"

Seeing her master getting angry, Su Chan immediately plastered on a conciliatory smile. "Don't be cross, Master. Let's go check out the Laojun Pavilion first, alright?"

Ao Wushuang huffed, retrieved a Yantian Nü Yin talisman from her robes and activated it. Only then did she glare at Su Chan with feigned anger. "Hurry up and adjust your breath! Don't let even a wisp of your aura escape. If anyone discovers that someone from the Fox Zen Sect has been here, it will throw the entire world into chaos!"

Su Chan pulled a face at Ao Wushuang, declaring smugly, "I might not have many other skills, but my ability to conceal myself and flee is second to none in this world."

Ao Wushuang snorted, then spoke with grave seriousness. "Don't you dare be careless! Mount Qingcheng is one of the cradles of Chinese Taoism, the ancestral seat of the Orthodox Unity Sect, and the stronghold of the Qingcheng Sect! Although the Qingcheng Sect's influence has been suppressed by the Orthodox Unity Sect, forcing them to relocate to Qingyang Palace, the sheer power held within Mount Qingcheng far surpasses that of other sects! If some hidden master, a dragon or a tiger, discovers even the slightest clue, we will be utterly ruined! You wouldn't want to cause trouble for Li Yundong, would you?"

Su Chan had been listening half-heartedly until that last sentence struck her hard. A sharp realization pierced her heart. I absolutely cannot bring trouble upon Yundong again! Otherwise, even if he could forgive me, I could never forgive myself.

The playful smile faded from the young girl’s face, replaced by an expression of intense solemnity.

Ao Wushuang observed this and felt a wave of relief. She knew her disciple was exceptionally gifted, but her playful and restless nature often prevented her from focusing on a single task. However, once she concentrated all her strength and attention on something, she invariably performed better than anyone else.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to escape from Yan Fang back then.

Su Chan and Ao Wushuang exchanged meaningful glances, both nodding seriously. Then, utilizing the invisibility effect of the Yantian Nü Yin, they began climbing the Thousand Steps of the Elixir Ladder.

Reaching the mountainside and passing the monumental archway of Mount Qingcheng, Ao Wushuang whispered to Su Chan, "We're almost there. I remember when I last visited, there should be two green pines just ahead. Be extra alert later; those two pines are actually Daoists from the Qingcheng Sect transformed. Their purpose is to monitor all passersby! If they detect any uninvited guests, they will immediately report it to the Daoist temple."

Su Chan marvelled, "Master, you are incredible, how did you spot that?"

Ao Wushuang gave a self-deprecating smile. "How could I spot it? Wang Yuanshan noticed. He is a Golden Body master of the orthodox Xuanmen; this kind of illusionary technique is mere child's play to him."

Su Chan secretly stuck out her tongue, her curiosity piqued: Just how powerful were the masters of the Golden Body realm?

The two continued upward along the steps, but after walking a short distance, they arrived before the archway with its sweeping eaves and dougong brackets, only to find the structure standing starkly alone on the ladder, with no trees on either side whatsoever.

Su Chan exclaimed in surprise, "Master, the two cypresses you mentioned aren't here!"

Ao Wushuang paused, perplexed. "Strange. Where have the two welcoming pines gone?"

Su Chan giggled softly. "Master, could you have misremembered?"

Ao Wushuang shook her head firmly. "Absolutely impossible! Wang Yuanshan specifically pointed out the illusionary technique of those two Daoists. How could I forget!"

Su Chan’s eyes darted, and she grinned. "Perhaps the Qingcheng Daoists felt embarrassed after Wang Yuanshan exposed them, so they stopped transforming into welcoming pines?"

Although Ao Wushuang didn't truly believe Su Chan's explanation, she couldn't conjure any better reasons either. She conceded, "Perhaps that's the case. Never mind that, let's keep moving forward."

The pair continued their ascent up the Elixir Ladder and finally reached Pengzu Peak, the highest point of Mount Qingcheng.

Before Su Chan stood a tower, a circular structure roughly four hundred square meters at the base, rising six stories high. The tower was circular on top and square below, embodying the concept of Tian Yuan Di Fang (Heaven is round, Earth is square). Each level had eight corners, symbolizing the Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth. The exterior was tiered, crowned with the Three Primes ornament, representing the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

Beneath this tower rested a gray stone tablet. In the moonlight, three large golden characters were clearly legible: Laojun Ge!

Su Chan felt a wave of profound solemnity wash over her, instinctively shrinking behind Ao Wushuang. She whispered, "Master, is this it?"

Ao Wushuang, however, scanned the surroundings with unconcealed astonishment. She murmured low, "This is wrong. Why is there no one here?"

Su Chan was equally puzzled. "It’s so late; shouldn't everyone be asleep?"

Ao Wushuang shook her head like a rattle drum. "Don't joke. This is Mount Qingcheng, a place comparable to Mount Longhu! Even during the dead of night, there should be night-watch Daoists on duty! How could it be completely deserted?"

Su Chan blinked. "But... Master, if there truly is no one here, wouldn't that make it easier for us to steal... uh, no, to take... uh, wouldn't it be easier for us to retrieve the Qingcheng Secret Records?"

Ao Wushuang whispered back, "That's what you'd think, but something feels distinctly off to me."

The inherent suspicion of a fox spirit surfaced in Ao Wushuang’s tone, and Su Chan immediately grew cautious, whispering back, "Then let's observe the situation first?"

Ao Wushuang nodded, and the two settled silently in a secluded corner, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

They maintained their vigil for over an hour, yet the area remained utterly still, disturbed only by the intermittent chirping of insects in the jungle. The silence of the mountain forest was almost unnerving.

Su Chan couldn't help but whisper, "Master, could it really be empty?"

Ao Wushuang dismissed the thought instantly. "No! The Laojun Pavilion is the vital repository for Qingcheng scriptures; it cannot possibly be unguarded! How could not a single night-watch Daoist pass by in over an hour?"

Su Chan murmured quietly, "Then, Master, perhaps the night-watch Daoists... were negligent in their duties?"

Ao Wushuang paused, considering. "That is a possibility. But... I still feel something is amiss, Chan'er. Wait here for a moment, I’m going to check."

Su Chan knew her master was vastly more capable than she was; even if this was a trap, Ao Wushuang could likely extricate herself. She nodded, lowering her voice with some nervousness, "Master, please be careful!"

Ao Wushuang nodded, issuing a stern warning. "If anything happens to me, do not try to rescue me. Find a way to escape. If you get out, someone can still come for me. If we both get trapped here, we’ll be calling out to heaven and earth to no avail."

Su Chan’s heart clenched upon hearing this. She grabbed Ao Wushuang's hand, pleading softly, "Master, maybe we shouldn't take the Qingcheng Secret Records after all?"

Ao Wushuang glared at her. "We've come all this way; how can we turn back now? Don't you understand the principle that an arrow on the bowstring must fly? Besides, how can one catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair?"

With that, Ao Wushuang vanished in an instant.

Su Chan watched nervously, her eyes wide, feeling time slow to an agonizing crawl; every second stretched like an eternity.

Just as she was about to lose control and go search for Ao Wushuang, she suddenly felt a fierce gust of wind rush toward her.

Startled, Su Chan prepared to defend herself, but saw Ao Wushuang materialize right beside her.

Su Chan was overjoyed, quickly grasping her hand. "Master, you’re back! You had me worried sick! Did you find anything?"

Ao Wushuang looked deeply suspicious, shaking her head. "No! In the past, the Qingcheng Sect hid the archives inside the statue of Laojun in the Laojun Pavilion. I tested it just now; the interior is completely empty. Clearly, someone has already moved the scriptures."

Su Chan asked curiously, "Master, how did you know the scriptures were hidden there?"

Ao Wushuang let out a dry chuckle. "When I was touring this mountain with Wang Yuanshan previously, I was just as playful and reckless as you are now. I suggested we explore the Qingcheng Sect, and we ended up finding their archive location. However, the defenses back then were incredibly tight, with night-patrolling Daoists frequently making their rounds. Furthermore, the area was protected by arrays."

As she spoke, Ao Wushuang’s expression grew grim. "But this time, I found not only were there no night-watch Daoists, but the surrounding arrays also seem to have lost their efficacy."

Su Chan considered this, whispering, "Then, Master, what should we do now?"

Ao Wushuang thought for a moment. "Let's go check the Celestial Master Cave next. If the Qingcheng Sect was moving the archives, that would be the logical place."

Su Chan asked quietly, "Could they have been moved to Qingyang Palace?"

Ao Wushuang shook her head. "No. Scriptures must remain near the ancestral seat; that is the founding instruction of every cultivation sect. People can leave, but these foundational texts do not move, unless a catastrophe threatening the annihilation of the entire sect has occurred!"

Su Chan blinked. "Then let’s go check the Celestial Master Cave?"

Ao Wushuang nodded. The two stood up and flew swiftly down the mountain, arriving near the Celestial Master Cave of the main Qingcheng Temple.

Su Chan observed that the Celestial Master Cave was surrounded by mountains on three sides and faced a ravine on the fourth. In front was the main hall, the Sanqing Hall, and behind that, the smaller Sanhuang Hall. The Celestial Master Cave itself lay behind the Sanhuang Hall. Before the cave entrance stood an ancient tree, towering over fifty meters high, majestic and magnificent.

Su Chan inwardly gasped at the spiritual splendor and grandeur of this Daoist sanctuary, but just as she was marveling, she suddenly detected a scent of blood hanging in the air.

Su Chan paused, instinctively whispering, "Master, did you smell something?"

Ao Wushuang frowned as well. "A scent of blood?"

They exchanged a look, both seeing surprise reflected in the other’s eyes. "How can there be the smell of blood near the sacred Celestial Master Cave?"

Su Chan looked around. The silence now made her spine tingle. The young girl felt a flutter of panic and whispered, "Master, let's go back. Let's stop looking for the Qingcheng Secret Records. I have a very bad feeling about this!"

Ao Wushuang's face was grave. "Precisely because something feels wrong, we must investigate thoroughly! There is no reason for the area around the Celestial Master Cave to be without Daoists either! Come, let's go see!"

Saying this, she took the lead, walking forward. Su Chan clung tightly to the edge of Ao Wushuang's robe, following cautiously behind, her eyes scanning the surroundings nervously and vigilantly.

They had walked a short distance when Ao Wushuang suddenly stopped. She crouched down, scraped her finger across the bluestone path, and then brought it close to her nose to sniff.

In the moonlight, Su Chan could see a patch of dark black on Ao Wushuang's fingertip—clearly a smear of blood!

Su Chan gasped, "Is that blood?"

Ao Wushuang’s face was stern as she nodded. "Indeed."

With that, Ao Wushuang led Su Chan onward. They walked along the wall, finding overturned incense burners, severed swords, broken whisk brooms, and scattered bloodstains everywhere. The deeper they went, the more blood there was, and the more chaotic the scene became.

Su Chan’s pretty face turned pale with horror. She clung close to Ao Wushuang’s back, afraid to look around, keeping her head down. But she noticed that the bloodstains on the bluestone floor were thickening, as if a rich, crimson carpet had been laid down, making it seem as though the two of them were stepping, step by step, from the mortal world into an Asura's hell.

The little girl grew increasingly frightened, her body trembling uncontrollably. Just as she was about to grab Ao Wushuang’s hand to urge her to leave, she suddenly realized her Master had stopped, standing perfectly still.

Su Chan started, tugging at Ao Wushuang and whispering, "Master, what is it?"

Ao Wushuang remained silent, seemingly turned to stone.

Su Chan bravely poked her head out from behind her Master and looked. The sight made her whole body violently shake, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Su Chan felt as if she were staring at a vision of Hell. She stammered, her voice trembling, "H-how... how could this be?"