The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 268 Endless Abyss
Behind the town in the valley, there are towering cliffs with more than a dozen caves of varying sizes scattered below.

Each cave entrance was guarded, usually by one or two people, but now the number had increased many, especially at the largest cave, where more than a dozen men and women dressed in different clothes were gathered outside.

Some of these people were armed, while others were empty-handed, but without exception, they all had serious expressions and furrowed brows.

Inside the cave ahead, light and shadow play, jagged rocks abound, bells and gourds take on various shapes, and water droplets drip and patter, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of an ancient and mysterious world.

Deeper in, darkness reigned, oil lamps flickered dimly, occasionally casting a faint glow, and the wind howled like ghosts and wolves.

There is a cave that resembles a grand hall, with a wide and spacious area on all sides. In the middle is a simple and ancient stone platform about half a person's height, on which five people are standing.

The leader was an elderly man with a majestic build, long, flowing hair, a face as red as a jujube, and a broken left eyebrow.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, staring at a spot on the platform. The other four were doing the same, all looking at the center of the wide platform.

There was a well-like structure, about ten feet in diameter, built in an octagonal shape.

This thing was covered with a lid, made of some unknown metal, black and without any luster, but it was covered with runes, which were curved and strange, and its purpose was unknown.

"Valley Master, this abyss has never been opened. There's no way the demonic monk could have escaped from here," someone whispered.

The old man, with a face as red as a jujube, observed the edge of the lid. He saw that dust had accumulated there, almost the same color as the lid. If one did not look closely, one would think that the two were one piece. It was clear that it had not been opened for a long time.

"Judging from the marks around this Abyss Well, it's been a long time since anyone touched it. It's unlikely that the demonic monk came out from here; it's more likely that he infiltrated the valley from the outside," someone else said.

“It’s possible that outsiders have infiltrated, after all, there are more than just Changchun Valley as an entrance to the Endless Abyss. But if a demonic monk really did enter from the outside, how could the valley not have noticed?” another person said.

“I think it’s unlikely. Those so-called cracks outside are said to be extremely narrow, and many have long been filled and blocked. If they couldn’t be blocked, the demonic monk would definitely be found out if he escaped. And even if he escaped without anyone noticing, why would he come to Changchun Valley? Where can’t he spread his demonic magic?”

"That's true. If he were truly a heretical monk from elsewhere, there would be no need for him to enter the valley."

"Could it be that he's here for the Spring of Immortality? Is the evil monk coveting the spring and trying to steal it? The Spring of Immortality is showing signs of drying up and might dry up soon. Is the evil monk planning to take action against it?"

"Stealing the spring is even more impossible. What use would the evil monk have for the spring water? After drinking it, he would be unable to leave it, which would be like trapping himself. If he intended to destroy it, that would be possible, but the spring was already about to dry up, and what good would destroying the spring do?"

"The drying up of Changchun Spring is probably related to the great changes in the world. Whether the demonic monk destroys the spring or not, it will eventually disappear. There is no need for him to risk diving into the valley. I think he came out from somewhere inside the valley. Could it be that it is not the abyss passage in front of us, but a passage has also appeared in a place next to the valley?"

"Other places? That seems unlikely..."

The old man with a face as red as a jujube then said, "Stop arguing. There will be no more passages in the valley, and the chances of getting in from outside are negligible. The problem is still more serious here."

“But Valley Master, this place clearly hasn’t been opened for many years.”

The old man with a face as red as a jujube slowly shook his head: "If it really was a demonic monk who came out of here, then it might not have happened in the last few years."

"Valley Master?" The other four were shocked upon hearing this: "What does the Valley Master mean?"

The old man said calmly, "That evil monk may have been out for a long time, perhaps more than ten years, decades, or even a hundred years. He has been lurking in the valley without ever disturbing anyone. Only now has he appeared to stir up trouble. The entrance to this passage has been eroded and worn away over the years, and there is no trace of how it was opened back then."

"But Valley Master... if the demonic monk really came out long ago and has been lurking in the valley, why has he only appeared now to stir up trouble?"

The old man gazed at him with a leisurely air: "When the seven luminaries are in the same palace, the world undergoes a great change. Those demonic monks who came from afar must have planned this moment many years ago, and even lay low until today to begin their calamity. News from Kunlun indicates that demonic monks have also appeared outside. Demonic monks have been extinct since the Qin and Han dynasties. Their reappearance must be due to the legendary great change in the world."

"Valley Master, is the legend of the distant visitors to the Endless Abyss true?" a man in black asked. He was none other than the Deputy Valley Master surnamed Zhang who had appeared at Widow Qin's house earlier.

Upon hearing this, the old man's long hair, which had been flowing freely behind him, moved without wind. After a long while, he said, "I don't know if it's true or not, but the matter of the demonic monk is true. The demonic monk will crawl out of the endless abyss to wreak havoc on the world, claiming that the Buddhist sects outside are fake and that they are the real ones. In fact... they are the demonic path, and they want to use demons to usurp the Buddhist sects in the world, then destroy Kunlun, and then drive the people of the world to become demon kingdoms."

The group fell silent for a moment, then one of them said, "Valley Master, if that demonic monk has been out for several years, where could he possibly hide without being discovered? Changchun Valley isn't very big. It's fine for a short time, but if it's been a long time, he'll need to eat and drink over the years. He can't possibly hide somewhere without moving. How could he have gone unnoticed?"

The old man said calmly, "This is actually the simplest thing. After he came out, all he had to do was kill someone in the valley and impersonate that person to continue living."

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, the expressions of the group all changed drastically.

Vice Valley Master Zhang said with a heavy expression, "Indeed, this is the most likely possibility. If one hides in the valley for a short time in the guise of a monk, it will be fine, but if it goes on for too long, one will inevitably be discovered. Only by impersonating someone from the valley can one be safer and hide for a long time."

"But who exactly is this evil monk impersonating?" another person said. "There are hundreds or even thousands of people in the valley. Over the years, it has become difficult to find him."

Another person said, "Naturally, they are impersonating those who live alone, have no family, are aloof, and have little contact with others."

"In addition, residents who are not well-known should also be their targets. After all, some people live alone, but they came from Kunlun. We still know their background."

The old man nodded: "That's right. If he wanted to impersonate someone, he would definitely look for someone who lives alone and whose past is not well known to others. As for someone who has lived in the valley for many years, things from recent years cannot be counted."

"What method did he use to impersonate someone? If it was a human skin mask or a powder disguise, it would be easy to spot him upon closer inspection."

"It's probably not that simple. Since he knows some kind of evil technique, if he peels off someone's skin and sticks it to their face, it might slowly grow back and become impossible to peel off."

"Even if it can't be peeled off, there should still be traces to follow; it's impossible to leave no trace at all."

"That's hard to say. If it's been a short time, it will definitely leave a mark, but if it's been decades or hundreds of years, then it's hard to tell anything."

Seeing the group arguing, the old man frowned: "Leave two men to guard this place, the rest of you come with me."

After a moment's decision on who would guard the mouth of the abyss, the old man led the other two deputy valley masters out of the cave.

When the people outside saw him come out, they all clasped their hands and said, "Valley Master."

The old man nodded, his gaze sweeping over the area. He was the master of the Everlasting Spring Valley, known as Changchunzi. Changchunzi was not a single person; every current master of the Everlasting Spring Valley was called by this name. When the previous master stepped down or died of old age, the successor would be the new Changchunzi.

He turned to the other two deputy valley masters and said, "I have been in seclusion for too long. You two go to the town first to cooperate with Changchun Hall in searching for the demonic monk. I will go and see how much the spring has dried up."

The two deputy valley masters nodded and left. Changchunzi walked forward and stopped at a cave entrance shaped like a leaf after a while. There were five guards there.

"Two of you come with me to see the Changchun Spring." As soon as he finished speaking, two people immediately followed.

Then we entered the cave, and it was different from the others. It was lush and green, with moss covering the walls and even some small trees growing in the crevices.

Changchunzi stopped not far away. He noticed that there was a hint of yellow mixed in with the green leaves of a small tree, and he frowned.

“Valley Master, these branches and moss haven’t been green for the past ten years, and this year it’s even worse,” someone said.

Changchunzi looked at the moss again. Although it appeared green at first glance, upon closer inspection, the moss was actually turning yellowish-brown underneath, giving it a somewhat withered look.

He said, "The spring is drying up, and the vegetation in this cave is already showing..."

The two people behind him remained silent, their faces showing fear and helplessness.

Changchunzi said, "There's no need to panic. Actually, it's a good thing. You might be able to get out of this valley after drinking the spring water."

One of them said, "Valley Master, I was thinking that if the world had undergone a great change, shouldn't this spring water have become even more abundant? How come it has withered?"

Changchunzi said, "Disrupting the old will give rise to the new. The old will naturally decay, and perhaps a better spring will appear elsewhere, rather than this Changchun Spring becoming more magical."

As he spoke, he walked deeper into the cave, where the interior became increasingly tranquil, with exquisite and beautiful scenery.

Just a few dozen breaths later, a "tick-tock" sound came from ahead.

Changchunzi paused slightly: "This is..."

The person behind him said with a wry smile, "Valley Master, the original trickle of Changchun Spring has turned into a drop of water, and it takes a long time for a single drop to fall. We can't even collect half a pot of it in a year."

Changchunzi said, "Has it really come to this?"

He quickened his pace and soon arrived inside. What greeted his eyes was a breathtaking view of lush greenery and naturally formed scenery, a place of pristine beauty and wild charm.

A pebble path leads to the innermost part of the pool, where a large crystal sculpture sits, with a beautiful crystal spout-shaped piece connecting to a crevice in the rock.

Changchunzi stepped forward and saw a dozen small silver pots in the crystal pool, one of which was facing the crystal spout above.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Is this all the storage we've accumulated over the past few decades?"

The person beside him nodded in agreement: "Valley Master, because no outsiders have entered the valley for nearly sixty years, and the people from Kunlun seem to be waiting for a major change in the world, they are unwilling to drink the water of the Everlasting Spring rashly, so they have accumulated so much."

Changchunzi sighed, "Legend has it that this place used to be connected to a pool to collect spring water, but since the Qin and Han dynasties, pots have been used instead. However, when I came to the valley, I could get a pot a year, but now there isn't even half a pot left?"

The person beside him said, "Valley Master, that's right. But right now, whether you drink a lot or a little, it won't make much of a difference, will it? Drinking more after you've already drunk it won't have any effect, and those who don't want to drink it don't care about this spring water at all."

Changchunzi shook his head, his gaze fixed on the silver jugs: "That's not necessarily true, this spring water..."

He stopped abruptly, pondered for a moment, and said, "We must keep a close watch on this spring. No one is allowed to touch it without permission, and we must also guard against the evil monk coming to destroy it." The person beside him looked surprised upon hearing this, and was indifferent to it. This spring was actually quite useless at the moment, and he didn't know why the other party cared about it so much.

Changchunzi glanced at the kettle in the pool again, then walked out with his hands behind his back. After leaving the cave, he looked at the sky and saw that it was already evening. After thinking for a moment, he headed straight for the town ahead...

Zhong Ling was practicing her martial arts in her room when she saw the setting sun shining into the room. She slowly stopped breathing and said, "Your Highness, it's getting late. I'll cook you a meal."

Zhao Ti stood by the window: "Aren't you afraid the evil monk will come if we go out?"

Zhong Ling shook her head, then nodded: "I'm a little scared, but we can't not cook, otherwise we'll starve to death before the evil monk even arrives."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "I'll go with you. We can just make something simple."

Zhong Ling hesitated, looking at Zhao Ti: "Your Highness, can we... can we still get out?"

Zhao Ti said, "It's hard to say. What if we can't get out?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling blushed slightly, but then became somewhat flustered: "Your Highness, we came to find Sister Wan'er. If we can't get out, how can we find her?"

Zhao Ti stroked his chin and laughed, "Getting out isn't too difficult, but since we've come all this way, we can't just listen to what the people in the valley say. We should search the place ourselves to see if Wanqing is there or not, and also the Changchun Spring. We can get some water and taste it before we leave."

Zhong Ling nodded in agreement, then carefully opened the door, looked outside, and went out. Zhao Ti followed her into the courtyard.

The kitchen was located to the side of the outbuildings. As soon as the two arrived in front, they heard footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard.

Zhong Ling asked, "Your Highness, have people from Changchun Hall arrived?"

Just then, a knock came from outside: "Please open the door. We are from Changchun Hall, here to investigate the traces of the evil monk."

Zhao Ti gestured, and Zhong Ling ran over to open the courtyard gate. They saw that the man in the lead was the same short-bearded man they had seen when registering to receive the items.

The man, followed by more than ten people, laughed and said, "You two don't need to investigate. It's impossible for him to be a demon monk in disguise. But you should check the courtyard and the house. That demon monk is highly skilled in martial arts. He might be hiding somewhere that you haven't discovered."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling asked curiously, "Can the demonic monk impersonate others? Won't the people around him recognize him?"

The short-bearded man said, "Miss, you don't know this. It's not something I can explain here. Anyway, you two couldn't possibly be a demonic monk in disguise, so there's no need to worry about it."

Zhong Ling nodded, and Zhao Ti smiled slightly: "Please, everyone, hurry up and check."

The short-bearded man and his men searched the place thoroughly but found nothing. As they walked out, he said, "Remember to be careful at night. If you hear any disturbance, call for help immediately. You two are too young to be a match for the evil monk. Don't be reckless; seeking help is the best course of action."

Zhong Ling nodded vigorously, watched the group leave, and then locked the wooden gate of the courtyard tightly. She asked in confusion, "Your Highness, why did they say that the two of us couldn't possibly be the demonic monk in disguise?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "It seems that the evil monk has been infiltrating the valley for a long time, I don't know how many years. He has only just come out to cause trouble. We are newcomers, how could we be the evil monk in disguise?"

Zhong Ling said, "I see, Your Highness. Does that mean we are not suspected at all?"

Zhao Ti nodded: "That's true, but..."

He chuckled as he said this, "Hurry up and cook, then go back inside and don't come out again."

At this moment, the lightning ferret darted out of the leather pouch at Zhong Ling's waist, leaped onto her shoulder, and stared warily at Zhao Ti.

Zhao Ti looked at Xiao Diao: "Don't run around. Just stay by Miss Zhong's side. If you go out, you might get beaten to death. If the evil monk catches you and converts you, you'll never have freedom again."

The sable didn't know what Zhao Ti was talking about, but it felt like he was threatening or intimidating it. Its eyes lit up, it stretched out its claws, and made a "woofing" sound.

Seeing this, Zhao Ti reached out and picked it up, stroked it a couple of times, and the mink angrily kicked its four paws, but couldn't break free no matter what it did. It bared its little white teeth and snorted angrily.

Zhao Ti said calmly, "If you don't listen, I'll cook you into soup, so I won't have to worry about you running off and letting someone else benefit from it."

Zhong Ling said, "Diao'er, listen to Your Highness. Your Highness is doing this for your own good. He doesn't want you to run around and get caught."

The sable then became a little more obedient, but its eyes darted around, and it suddenly stopped moving, pretending to be dead.

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "Everyone says that sables can play dead, but this is the first time I've ever seen one. Since that's the case, I'll treat it as if it's dead." As he spoke, he hung the sable on his waist, its long tail swaying gently, like a unique ornament.

After a short while, Zhong Ling finished preparing the food, and it was completely dark. The two went back to their room, ate their meal, and then began practicing their martial arts.

Zhong Ling had already mastered the Everlasting Youth and Longevity Technique, with Zhao Ti guiding and protecting her. When it was time to rest at midnight, he suddenly squinted and looked out the window.

Just then, a night wind picked up outside, dark clouds covered the moon, and the wind rattled the windowpanes.

"Young Master..." Zhong Ling noticed the change in Zhao Ti's expression and changed her form of address, calling out softly.

Zhao Ti's lips curled up slightly, just then a soft creak came from the door outside.

Zhong Ling's face turned deathly pale. She said, "I...I'll go see what's going on..."

Zhao Ti shook his head and gestured for her to be quiet, and Zhong Ling immediately fell silent.

After a while, there was no further sound from outside. Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Let's go."

Zhong Ling stammered, "What, what's gone?"

Zhao Ti said, "It could be a demonic monk, or it could be someone else."

Zhong Ling's face turned pale with fright: "Your Highness, I, I..."

Zhao Ti stood up and said, "Come with me and take a look."

The two went out of the house and saw that the door was intact and the bolt was not open. They had no idea where the slight creaking sound had come from.

Zhong Ling looked at Zhao Ti: "Your Highness, why does the door seem unchanged?"

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment: "Let's rest."

Zhong Ling said nervously, "Your Highness, I'm a little scared."

Zhao Ti glanced at her and said, "Since you're scared, you can sleep here with me tonight."

Zhong Ling was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then lowered her head, clasped her hands together, and said in a barely audible voice, "I will obey Your Highness..."

A moment later, the two of them fell asleep fully clothed on the couch. The little sable lay between them, its head resting on its tail, sleeping soundly. Zhong Ling, however, couldn't fall asleep at all.

Her eyes were wide open, her heart pounding wildly. She thought that His Highness and Sister Wan'er were a couple, and she should call her brother-in-law. How did she end up sleeping with His Highness?
Recalling the time when they were going up and down the mountain stream and the stone wall, when His Highness carried her and felt her body being felt by the other, her face flushed and burned.

She stole a glance at Zhao Ti and saw that he was sleeping soundly. She gently bit her lip, as if she had thought of something. She pressed her legs together tightly, covered her face with her hands, and looked extremely shy.

Before he knew it, it was broad daylight. Zhao Ti slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and saw that Zhong Ling beside him was already fast asleep. After a moment's thought, he quietly got out of bed and walked outside.

After wandering around the yard, just as I was about to go into the kitchen to see what I could have for breakfast, I suddenly heard a hawker's cry from afar: "Selling dreams! Selling dreams! There are strange merchants in this world who specialize in selling absurd dreams to comfort the disheartened..."

Hmm? Zhao Ti frowned. Yesterday, Chunniang said that the residents of the town should not be allowed to go out on the street for the time being, and that Changchun Hall should check each house. There are quite a few people in the town, so they should not have finished checking yet. Why did this old Taoist priest come out?
The cries of vendors grew closer and closer, reaching the front of the courtyard, when suddenly someone shouted from behind, "Master Baishi, why did you sneak out? Your house hasn't been checked yet..."

The old Taoist priest ignored him and continued hawking his wares. The footsteps behind him hurried up and caught up in a moment. Then someone said, "Master Baishi, don't break the rules. Hurry home and let us check it out."

The old Taoist priest said unhappily, "What are you doing? Why are you pulling on my sleeve? This Taoist robe of mine is newly washed. If you tear it, you will have to pay for it."

Then someone said, "If the Taoist priest comes back with us, we won't argue anymore. But if we go any further, we'll argue again."

The old Taoist priest angrily retorted, "Tearing my robe is one thing, but why are you pulling my beard and even grabbing my face? Do you think I'm wearing a human skin mask?"

Someone replied, "Master Baishi, since you refuse to go home, we'll have to check here first, and then we'll go to Master Baishi's house to investigate."

The old Taoist priest said with dissatisfaction, "White Stone, White Stone, what White Stone? I had a dream last night. In the dream, my Taoist name was not White Stone, but Yellow Dragon Taoist."

"Huanglong Daoist? Master Baishi, stop talking nonsense and quickly take a closer look at us."

"What are you looking at? Can't you see that my hair and beard are yellow? What else should I be called if not Huanglong Daoren?"

"Alright, alright, Master Huanglong, don't move. Let us see what's below your ears."

Zhao Ti listened to the commotion outside from inside the courtyard, his eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a thoughtful expression.

(End of this chapter)