Chapter 1769 — Cave Encounter, Part Two (I)

Hearing Wei Zhao's words, Tang Yun felt a stir in her heart, but she shook her head. "Better not. If Xiaoxiao found out, she'd be unhappy."

"You..." Wei Zhao did not know what to say. Tang Yun was always like this, always thinking of others' interests—just as she had accepted Xiaoxiao back then...

"What about me? Can't I be a little conflicted?" Tang Yun shot Wei Zhao a glare, then happily went off to carry the plates again.

With Ergoudan and Yu Yuanyuan's betrothal feast over, Wei Zhao now faced his second five-year appointment.

Today was the night of the full moon, and Old Man Wei had summoned Wei Zhao to his room first thing in the morning.

"Old man, you're not going to kick me down again this time, are you?" Wei Zhao joked the moment he stepped inside. In truth, he was excited and nervous. The day had finally come—he had long awaited it—yet now that it was truly here, he felt a little uneasy, afraid something might go wrong.

"You look rather nervous," Old Man Wei teased, watching him. "Kicking you down back then was out of necessity—merely honoring an agreement made years ago with your master and... with someone else."

"A little nervous, yes—after all, I've hoped for this for so many years." Wei Zhao did not conceal it. "I hope this time it succeeds."

"Heh." Old Man Wei chuckled. "By the way, about Tang Yun and the others' cultivation methods—I asked for you."

"And what was the result?" Wei Zhao asked quickly.

"No result." Old Man Wei shook his head. "My old friend has none in his possession either. You will have to find them yourself. He asked me to pass along a message."

"A message? What message?" Wei Zhao asked, frowning.

"When the cart reaches the mountain, a road will appear; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally go straight," Old Man Wei said.

"What does that mean? Why does it feel like there's something hidden in those words—something a bit mystifying?" Wei Zhao did not quite grasp his meaning.

"Heh, isn't it clear enough? He is telling you not to rack your brains over this matter. Perhaps, by some stroke of chance, the oral formulas of the inner art meant for them will turn up," Old Man Wei explained.

"Really? Is this person a fortune-teller? Why does it feel a bit unreliable?" Wei Zhao frowned.

"He really is a fortune-teller, and his readings... are no ordinary accuracy." Old Man Wei gave a bitter smile. "At least in certain matters, they truly came to pass."

"What do you mean?" The more Wei Zhao heard, the stranger it seemed.

"Years ago, he cast a hexagram for Feng Tianlong," Old Man Wei said. "He once said that the chance to defy heaven and change fate lay with Feng Xiaoxiao. In the end, she truly turned danger into safety. Before you went to the Ice Palace, even I held out little hope."

"You can't be serious?" Wei Zhao was all the more astonished.

"Heh, perhaps so." Old Man Wei nodded.

"All right." Wei Zhao asked nothing more. If Old Man Wei would not speak of something, then the time had not yet come; asking again was useless. The old fellow kept his mouth shut like a sealed bottle—Wei Zhao had learned that well since childhood.

"Go on. I know you can't wait a moment longer. I will explain things to Tang Yun for you," Old Man Wei said.

"All right!" Wei Zhao truly wanted to reach the cave a step early—even if it meant only waiting at its entrance.

Everything went as smoothly as a familiar road, and once again Wei Zhao came to stand before that cave.

Though night had not yet fallen, Wei Zhao could not resist stepping up to test it. The stone door would not open—just as he had expected—but he would have been restless had he not tried.

Since it was still early, Wei Zhao calmed himself, sat cross-legged at the cave's mouth, and began to cultivate, slowly waiting for the moment night descended...

Gradually, night fell. Wei Zhao abruptly emerged from the jade pendant space and returned to reality. He raised his head and looked at the star-bright sky, where a full moon hung in the heavens...

Wei Zhao drew a deep breath, rose to his feet, and walked toward the cave.

Looking at the stone door before the cave, Wei Zhao slowly placed his hand upon it. After a moment, he let go.

But this time it was not as it had been on his first visit to the stone door. Then, he had merely laid his hand upon it and the door had opened of itself. This time, the stone door did not open!

Wei Zhao was taken aback. Could he have miscalculated the day?

"Elder Jiao, what is going on? Why hasn't the stone door opened?" Wei Zhao had a ready-made teacher at hand, so he was in no hurry.

"The first time the stone door opens, any who are fated may enter. The second time, it has already acknowledged its master. Try circulating the Xuanyuan Dragon-Riding Art," Jiao Yazi said.

Wei Zhao nodded, did as told, and circulated the Xuanyuan Dragon-Riding Art. He placed his hand on the stone door once more—and this time, before long, the tightly shut door slowly began to rise...

"Phew..." Wei Zhao let out a breath. It seemed Jiao Yazi had been right—the stone door had indeed opened.

The sight within the door was just as it had been ten years ago, when an eight-year-old Wei Zhao first saw it. But this time he felt none of his former wonder, and spared not a glance for the things in the great hall. He walked straight around the high platform and stood before the second stone door at the back of the hall!

On the stone stele before the door were still the same words Wei Zhao had seen back then: 'Five years hence, when the divine art first takes shape, strike the door with your palm, and you may enter. If your wish is unfulfilled and the divine art incomplete, wait another five years and come to try again.'

Last time, Wei Zhao had been utterly baffled, unable to fathom what those words meant. This time, he understood: the divine art on the stele was the Xuanyuan Dragon-Riding Art. And now his art had advanced to the great perfection of the first layer—if only he had the inner art for the second layer, he could begin cultivating it!

Wei Zhao well remembered the words at the entrance—'Leave before dawn; five years hence, the stone door will open again'—and dared not waste a single moment. If he delayed, he would be trapped inside the stone door with no way out.

Without another word, Wei Zhao circulated the Xuanyuan Dragon-Riding Art within his body, then slowly pressed his palm against the stone door! He remembered clearly: the last time he had pushed at this door, it had not budged an inch!