Pulling away the covering vegetation, they discovered that the ruined structures visible were only a small part of the complete hall. The grand hall had mostly collapsed due to the long passage of time.
The main structure of the hall was white jade, but the true appearance of this building from thousands of years ago could no longer be seen, crushed into ruins by the years.
Even so, it could not stop the three factions’ enthusiasm for excavating the ruins.
It was obvious that the scale of this hall in its lifetime was definitely not a place where ordinary people lived. Especially when they dug up a smashed plaque at the main entrance of the hall, and after piecing it together, the faint characters “Cloud Palace” could be seen.
The plaque undoubtedly proved that this hall was once the residence of an immortal. How could a group of people not be excited, all hoping to find the immortal’s relics.
Even Long Xingyun, Qin Jue, and Cui You joined the excavation team, casting aside all dignity and image, focusing solely on digging and searching.
Tian Yu, Xiang Lanxuan, and Meng Po stood at a high place watching, or rather, observing the actions of the people below.
After some time, once the excitement of the three had stabilised, they gradually sensed something was amiss. After scanning her eyes several times over the busy crowd at the scene, Xiang Lanxuan asked, “Where did A Shiheng and the other two go?”
Tian Yu and Meng Po were startled, then also searched with their eyes, and found them absent.
At this point, Meng Po said thoughtfully, “We rushed over here in such haste, it seems we left him behind without a care.”
Tian Yu and Xiang Lanxuan looked at each other speechlessly. It seemed this was indeed the case.
Just then, the three sensed movement and turned to look back one after another. They saw three people slowly walking up from the edge of the mountain. It was none other than Yu Qing and his two companions, with Liu Piaopiao appearing behind them at the end.
They had actually returned on their own initiative? The leaders of the three factions were quite surprised.
Tian Yu immediately waved his hand to signal, and Liu Piaopiao quickly hurried to his side and saluted.
Tian Yu asked her, “What was with you lot dawdling at the back?”
Liu Piaopiao immediately reported, “Returning to the Third Cave Master, everyone suddenly swarmed over here. I also wanted to follow, but noticed that everyone had left those three behind without a care. This subordinate felt that these three still needed watching, so I kept them under control and escorted them all the way here.”
Hearing these words, whether it was Tian Yu, Xiang Lanxuan, or Meng Po, they all nodded slightly, quite satisfied with Liu Piaopiao’s performance.
They also felt that this was indeed their own oversight. In a moment of excitement, they had actually forgotten about A Shiheng and the other two. Liu Piaopiao had essentially helped them plug the leak in time.
Once Liu Piaopiao’s explanation came out, no one would think that it was Yu Qing and the other two who had actively wanted to return.
This was also Yu Qing’s intention.
Yu Qing felt that all four of them returning together would easily arouse suspicion. He also thought that since they had already decided to return either way, they could not return too cheaply. In the end, he decided they still needed to gain some benefit, so he might as well let Liu Piaopiao have the advantage.
There was a bit of a thief not leaving empty-handed about it.
The reason was simple. Next, they would be staying in Little Cloud Space for nearly a year. The three of them, master and brothers, truly had no one to rely on here. The more Liu Piaopiao was favoured and used, the greater the help she could be to them.
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie deeply agreed after hearing this, also feeling that this was how it should be.
Liu Piaopiao had initially been somewhat disdainful, but after understanding, she tacitly accepted taking advantage of the three, and thus this scene had unfolded.
Because of this, Tian Yu could not help but size Liu Piaopiao up and down a few more times, with a rather surprised meaning.
He had previously only treated Liu Piaopiao as someone found to identify people, not taking her seriously at all. It was only at this moment that he began to see her in a somewhat different light.
The group from Thousand Streams Mountain, including himself, had all been blinded by the immortal’s legacy treasures, rushing over in haste to compete. Were not the other two families the same? Yet contrary to all expectations, it was this single female demon who was more composed and calm than everyone else, not blinded by greed for profit. Rare, rare, truly rare.
However, in the end, he still slightly furrowed his brow.
And at this time, Yu Qing and the other two, seeing the excavation scene in the ruins, were also quite moved. People all share the same confidence, what if they themselves could find a treasure?
After itching to try for a while, Yu Qing finally could not help but stride towards the ruins. His two senior brothers naturally would not be polite either.
Tian Yu swept a cold glance and immediately shouted, “Halt!”
The three master and brothers turned back to look, and only stopped when they realised he was indeed speaking to them.
Tian Yu said coldly, “What do you think you are doing?”
Yu Qing gave a dry laugh, “Many hands make light work. The three of us feel embarrassed just standing around watching. We are willing to serve as dogs and horses.”
Xiang Lanxuan spoke up, “I say, Tanhua Lang, you are after all the world’s number one talent, capable of writing compositions that worry for the country and the people. Can you not speak so obsequiously? It is truly nauseating to hear, disgusting.”
“…” Yu Qing was speechless. So what if he was the world’s number one talent? Was he not even allowed to say a few soft words?
The Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie at his side both felt embarrassed for him. The two simply could not understand how this fellow, Old Fifteen, had passed the imperial examination. As for cheating, the two believed it even less. Why would he go looking for trouble to make himself so wretched?
Liu Piaopiao also could not help but glance at Yu Qing. She shared the same feeling as Xiang Lanxuan. Back when she had heard the great name of the world’s number one talent, Tanhua Lang, she had admired him for so long. Yet it turned out he was such a person. It truly was a bit nauseating.
She wanted to ask, was this still that Tanhua Lang who had claimed to write the three characters “The World is Good” for an immortal?
Originally, based on rumours, one would think he should be a peerlessly talented scholar. After all, he claimed to be an immortal. That really did not match up with this vulgar little moustached man before her eyes.
Meng Po also turned his head and said, “Come back and wait at the side. We do not lack the help of you three!”
To put it plainly, they were not their people. Letting these three fellows mix in to pick up leaks, none of the families could be at ease. Even a fool could see that the three of them were also covetous.
With nothing to say in reply, what else could they do? Apart from watching longingly with a few more glances, the three master and brothers had no choice but to withdraw and stand aside.
Tian Yu suddenly gestured with his head towards Liu Piaopiao, then jumped down from the high place and strolled away.
Liu Piaopiao was slightly startled, then followed after him.
Moving slightly away from the others, Tian Yu stopped beneath a tree. When Liu Piaopiao came over, he then said in a low voice, “You did wrong, do you know?”
Liu Piaopiao was stunned, then cupped her hands and said, “Please correct me, Third Cave Master.”
Tian Yu continued in a low voice, “Just now, those three fell into your hands. You should have first taken them away and hidden them, then come to secretly report to me afterwards. Do you understand?”
Liu Piaopiao naturally understood his meaning, but this was not what Yu Qing and the other two wanted. For Yu Qing and the other two, that would have been dangerous. Yet she could not reveal the truth, so she could only cup her hands in apology and say, “This little demon was ignorant. Third Cave Master, please forgive me.”
Tian Yu glanced at her indifferently, “Forget it. You do not even know what is going on with Thousand Streams Mountain. I cannot blame you for not thinking of it. Just pay attention next time. Right, what was your name again?”
Liu Piaopiao hurriedly replied, “This little demon is Liu Piaopiao.”
Tian Yu: “Very well. For now, stay by my side and await orders.” Having said this, he left with his hands behind his back.
On the other side, Xiang Lanxuan and Meng Po also successively landed beside Yu Qing.
Xiang Lanxuan gestured towards Liu Piaopiao, “Tanhua Lang, that female demon did not coerce you into doing anything, did she?”
Yu Qing blinked and said, “Even without coercion we would have come ourselves. The entrance and exit are sealed. Where could we run?”
Xiang Lanxuan: “Did that female demon not ask you anything else, such as what treasures are in this Little Cloud Space?”
Yu Qing shook his head, “No.”
Nan Zhu also interjected, “Truly not.”
Xiang Lanxuan ignored the fatty and said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “You should know what treasures are in Little Cloud Space, right?”
Yu Qing was caught between laughter and tears, “We only wanted to come in to search for treasure. We truly do not know what treasures are inside.”
Xiang Lanxuan chuckled, “Surely not? Yunxi came out from Little Cloud Space. She knows best what is in Little Cloud Space. If it were truly so desolate and barren with nothing at all, would there be any need to tell you the location of Little Cloud Space? To play a joke on you, to let you make a boring trip to this remote mountain wilderness?”
Yu Qing sighed and said, “What will it take for you to believe us?”
Tian Yu’s voice suddenly came, “If you could simply die, we would certainly believe you.”
Meng Po: “A Shiheng, the time left for you is not much. For now, we will tentatively believe that what you said is true. But if we search the entire immortal residence and find nothing, then we can only think of some other way on you.”
Yu Qing glared and said, “You swore an oath before. As long as I told you where the entrance to Little Cloud Space was, you would guarantee our safety. Do you intend to go back on your word? Are you not afraid of heavenly retribution?”
Tian Yu sneered, “If we had not sworn an oath, do you think you could still be standing before us speaking so glibly? We would have long since pried your mouth open to question you. Guaranteeing your safety does not equal not taking measures to make you speak the truth!”
The three master and brothers’ faces darkened. Yu Qing said word by word, “Regarding the situation here, we truly know nothing at all.”
Tian Yu, Meng Po, and Xiang Lanxuan all remained noncommittal…
With just this one hall ruin, the group had not finished digging even by evening. The three factions had already sent people to chop trees, preparing to make torches, clearly intending to continue through the night.
“Digging for so long, not even a single ornament seen. Looking at this situation, it seems the items inside this hall were moved out before it collapsed. Sigh, I am not searching anymore!”
After toiling for an entire day, Long Xingyun lost patience. His background was not that of someone who did this kind of work. He waved his hand and quit.
Qin Jue was quite patient, but with Long Xingyun leaving, he and Cui You had no choice but to follow.
It was not so easy for the three to leave the scene. Tian Yu had people search the three of them carefully, confirming they were not hiding anything privately before letting them leave.
Tian Yu ordered the three not to leave this mountain.
Coming down from the mountain top, the three met people bringing torches up. They asked for some torches, searched around the mountainside for a while, found a cave, and went in to rest.
In an unfamiliar place, they dared not all rest at once, taking turns keeping watch.
As the night deepened, the sounds of people rummaging on the mountain still came without cease.
When it was Qin Jue’s turn to keep watch, he replaced the dying torch, looked at the two sitting cross-legged in meditation, and sat on the ground leaning against the cave wall, pondering and considering the current situation.
Suddenly, a look of astonishment gradually appeared on his face, his gaze staring fixedly at the opposite cave wall.
He saw that the plant roots on the cave wall had actually gathered and twisted themselves into a line of characters: To obtain the immortal treasure, keep silent and speak not. Proceed to the bottom of the cave!