So how could Li Ding possibly be willing to suffer such a loss?

"You can't even obey the first order I gave as the leader?" Chen Zhou said somewhat unhappily.

Hearing the change in Chen Zhou's tone, Qian Xin immediately said, "I will certainly convey the leader's instructions on this matter. I have no intention of disobeying them."

"You just need to convey this message, and specifically state that it's my intention. I don't know how long I'll be in seclusion now. During this time, you must handle the affairs of those two sects well, especially Woding and Suli. Keep a close eye on them," Chen Zhou said.

Unbeknownst to them, the two had already passed through the gate of the Hidden Dragon Sect and were now halfway up the mountain where the sect was located.

The seclusion place that Qianxin had carefully chosen for Chen Zhou was a spot halfway up the mountain of the Qianlong Sect, next to a waterfall. Because Qianlong Mountain was high in altitude and had natural barriers, what puzzled everyone was that there was a water source at the top of the mountain, but no one knew where the water came from.

This water has provided all the water for the Qianlong Sect, nourishing generations of people on Qianlong Mountain. However, no one knows where this water comes from, and Chen Zhou and Qian Xin are currently located next to a waterfall.

Chen Zhou had never seen a waterfall before, and this was the first time he had ever seen one. Looking at the waterfall in front of him, Chen Zhou felt a sense of novelty.

"We call the water of Qianlong Mountain sacred water because we once searched for its source, but to no avail. Our predecessors, and even our great-great-grandfathers, could not find it. But this water source is very clean and has nurtured us generation after generation, so we call it sacred water," Qianxin explained slowly.

"Can't find the source?" Chen Zhou asked curiously.

Every water source should have a traceable origin. Although Qianlong Mountain is high, it is not very large. So, once you reach the summit, the area should be even smaller. Could it be that you can't find the source of the water?

“Yes, you may think it’s impossible not to find it now, but once you actually reach the top of Qianlong Mountain, you’ll see that the water is quite miraculous,” Qianxin continued.

Chen Zhou nodded slightly. He knew he wouldn't have time to come over recently. After going into seclusion, he would see if he could resolve the issue of the elderly members of the Hidden Dragon Sect. Once that was resolved, and if the vampires didn't make any moves, Chen Zhou would immediately set off for the Northern Kingdom.

I've already wasted enough time at Wolong Mountain.

The task assigned to him by the Sword Cloud Sect Master has not yet been completed. Logically speaking, Chen Zhou should be approaching the Northern Kingdom by now, but he is still in the Wolong Mountain Area.

However, Chen Zhou wasn't in a hurry. The most pressing matter was resolving the issue of the Hidden Dragon Sect. After all, the Sword Cloud Sect's leader hadn't given him a precise timeframe for the matter; he just needed to finish it, but it couldn't be too late. Chen Zhou had a clear understanding of the situation and would naturally find the right balance.

"So I'll just go into seclusion here?" Chen Zhou asked, puzzled. He looked around and saw nothing but the rushing water, the rocks, and a bamboo grove. All he could hear was the sound of the waterfall crashing against the rocks; he felt nothing else.

Could it be that I went into seclusion under these circumstances?

Chen Zhou had to admit that this place was indeed quite nice as a tourist attraction. However, it was not an ideal place for seclusion! Because it was simply too beautiful, and seclusion required a place to calm the mind. Chen Zhou knew he would never be able to calm his mind in such a place, as he would always be thinking about glancing at the waterfall.

In this way, Chen Zhou would not be able to concentrate fully on his cultivation.

"No, there's a natural place you'd never guess. Come with me, sir!" Qianxin suddenly smiled and said slowly, then took a few steps forward. Chen Zhou looked in the direction Qianxin was facing, and it was indeed the waterfall!

Could it be beneath this waterfall?

Chen Zhou wondered curiously, and the next moment, he focused his mind and rushed straight towards the waterfall in front of him!

Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Zhou immediately followed behind Qian Xin. The two of them rushed towards the waterfall area, one in front of the other. Chen Zhou stared intently in Qian Xin's direction. At this moment, Qian Xin showed no intention of changing direction. Now, this direction was directly facing the waterfall, and Qian Xin was about to collide with it.

"Bang......"

Qianxin collided directly with the waterfall, instantly creating a splash. Qianxin disappeared into the waterfall. Chen Zhou wanted to continue chasing, but he wasn't ready to collide with the waterfall. Without hesitation, Chen Zhou gritted his teeth and followed Qianxin into the waterfall.

Chen Zhou went in first, so a large amount of spray fell on him. When he came into contact with the waterfall again, although the river was no longer so turbulent, he was still soaked.

"Bang...."

As soon as Chen Zhou entered, he saw that Qian Xin had stopped and was waiting for him. To Chen Zhou's surprise, Qian Xin was completely dry, without a single drop of water on her! Not even her clothes were wet!

Looking at Qianxin and then at himself, Chen Zhou realized the difference; he was completely soaked.

Moreover, the place where Chen Zhou appeared at this moment was a very vast cave!

The place was extremely quiet; Chen Zhou couldn't even hear the sound of rushing water, which puzzled him. A multitude of questions immediately flooded his mind. At this moment, Chen Zhou also realized that the true power of a Golden Core cultivator was only now being revealed before him!

Chen Zhou had previously encountered two individuals with the strength of the Golden Core stage: the Sect Master of the Sword Cloud Sect and the Great Wilderness Python. Only now did Chen Zhou realize that Qian Xin's strength seemed to surpass both of them!

Because Qianxin had been suppressing his true qi, Chen Zhou hadn't felt any pressure from it. Now, suddenly feeling the overwhelming pressure from Qianxin, Chen Zhou realized the difference.

Although they were all at the Golden Core stage, the pressure they exerted on Chen Zhou was different. After thinking about it, Chen Zhou believed that this might be due to the difference in their strength.

When he first met the Sword Cloud Sect Master, his strength was very weak, so he wasn't as sensitive to the pressure of true qi. The second time he met a Golden Core stage expert was with the Great Wilderness Python, which had only recently entered the Golden Core stage, so the pressure it exerted on Chen Zhou was only so great.

Now that Chen Zhou has reached the Enlightenment stage, he has a deeper understanding of the strength of the Golden Core stage, which is why he felt the immense pressure from that inner force.

"This is a secluded place for an elder of our Qianlong Sect. I often use this place when I'm in seclusion. I call it the Waterfall Cave. I've also set up a true energy barrier here, so it's difficult for outside noises to affect this place. Therefore, the space inside is absolutely silent," Qianxin explained as soon as Chen Zhou entered and stood still.

After listening to Qian's explanation, Chen Zhou nodded and asked, "What is a true qi barrier? And why don't you get wet at all?"