Looking at Shi Ning's somber face, Zen Master Daming shook his head and said gently, "Shi Ning, you don't need to worry too much. Shi Chan is no ordinary person. He will surely be able to see through the demons in his heart."

Shi Ning sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Master, you don't know, but before Lingxiao Peak collapsed, Junior Brother Shi Chan could have come out safely with us. However, he was in danger and buried inside while trying to save that woman. Master, in my opinion, Junior Brother's feelings for that woman were truly extraordinary!"

"Amitabha!" Zen Master Daming chanted the Buddha's name, put his hands together, and said, "This is a calamity, a preordained calamity!"

Shi Ning pondered for a moment, then said, "I heard from Junior Brother Yuanjue and Junior Sister Huiyan that they saw that woman with the demons a long time ago. They mistook her for a human and even tried to save her. At that time, the demons said that the woman was a fox demon, so Senior Brother Yuanjue guessed that the woman might really be a fox demon. Speaking of which, I really can't see any demonic aura on her, I don't know why?"

Zen Master Da Ming closed his eyes and said with a smile, "Perhaps the woman was carrying some kind of rare treasure, which concealed her demonic aura."

Shi Ning nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and said solemnly, "If that woman is truly a fox demon, then next time we meet, this disciple will definitely not forgive her!"

Zen Master Daming smiled slightly and shook his head indifferently.

Silence returned to the meditation room. Shi Ning's expression gradually softened. He closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and was about to enter a meditative state when he heard Zen Master Daming speak softly. His voice was gentle and unreadable, saying, "Shi Ning, with your cultivation level, you still can't see that fox demon girl... She has a trace of Buddhist spiritual power in her body. In this humble monk's opinion, a long time ago, a high-ranking monk of our Buddhist sect must have enlightened her. Although it was only a few words of enlightenment, she must have believed it without a doubt. Moreover, she has no trace of killing karma."

“I think…that’s why Shi Chan was willing to get close to her.”

Shi Ning's eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes, his expression somewhat blank as he fell into deep thought.

--

East China Sea.

The boundless sea rippled with waves under the sea breeze. The azure water was clear and clean, and flocks of seagulls flew by, occasionally skimming the surface to snatch food from the sea.

Deep in the East China Sea lies an island, roughly circular in shape, though its edges are irregular. The island is about a hundred li wide at its widest point from north to south and about ninety li wide at its widest point from east to west.

The island is covered with lush greenery and blooming flowers. Tall trees stretch their branches and leaves freely in the moist sea breeze. Every now and then, many birds chirp and fly out from the branches of a large tree, only to disappear into the distant bushes in an instant, leaving behind only their clear calls, which are extremely pleasant to hear.

The island is abundant with flowers, birds, and a wide variety of animals, but there is no sign of human life whatsoever; it is an uninhabited island.

Suddenly, more than a dozen beams of light of various colors flew swiftly across the sky and stopped on the small island. The light vanished in an instant, revealing the figures of more than a dozen young men dressed in blue Taoist robes.

A dozen or so teenagers walked deeper into the island, chatting and laughing. One of them, who looked no more than eighteen or nineteen years old, spoke up: "Senior Brother Lin, this is already the seventh island. Are there really immortal vines on these islands in the East Sea?"

Senior Brother Lin shook his head and replied, "Who knows? Uncle Ying saw this proverb in some ancient book and pondered it for a long time before finally understanding it. It says that there is an immortal vine on these islands in the East Sea, and that some dragon clan is guarding it..."

Another boy chimed in, "A dragon? Senior Brother Lin, where are there any dragons left now?"

Senior Brother Lin shook his head and sighed, "Perhaps there is. You all know that Aunt Ying is obsessed with alchemy. If Master hadn't stopped her, she would have come to find him herself."

"Alright," a slightly older-looking boy said in a deep voice, "Master sent us to the East Sea to take a look, and that's enough for us. Why all the complaints?"

"yes……"

The group of teenagers exchanged glances in twos and threes, and then fell silent.

The group of teenagers remained silent for a short while before resuming their lively conversation, startling many birds and beasts along the way.

As they walked deeper into the island, the view gradually opened up, revealing a clearing about a mile in circumference in the center of the island. The clearing was covered with colorful seashells, their vibrant colors reflecting a soft glow in the sunlight.

In the center of the open space, surrounded by concentric circles of seashells, stood a pool about ten feet in diameter and a foot deep. It was empty of water, filled instead with almost liquefied spiritual energy. Within this rich spiritual energy grew a vine, its stem emerald green and its leaves, about the size of an adult's palm, displaying a myriad of colors. A trellis made of long, thin strips of jade formed a framework in the pool, and the vine climbed along it, covering the entire surface. Now, the vine was laden with fruits the size of pigeon eggs, their surfaces almost transparent white, within which iridescent light swirled, and they emitted a strange, sweet fragrance.

A group of teenagers walked to the edge of the pool on seashells, staring in disbelief at the vines in the water.

After a long while, one of the boys exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Brother Yang, is this the Undying Vine?!"

The eldest boy, his face beaming with joy, nodded and said, "That must be it. Let's hurry back to the mountain and report to our teachers."

The crowd responded in a jumble of voices and summoned their flying swords, preparing to leave, when suddenly they found that the world had darkened.

Everyone looked up in horror and saw more than a dozen dragons, each over ten zhang long, circling around them in the air, coldly staring at them.

The teenagers exchanged glances, their faces turning pale.