The giant python flailed its tongue, its two emerald eyes staring at me as it communicated, "I was originally an ordinary white snake among the many serpents of Tianmen Mountain. Years ago, a human expedition cut me in two. Just as I was about to die, Master Guigu stumbled upon me and saved me. Since then, I have followed Master Guigu, listening to his teachings, practicing, observing the precepts, and observing the rules. This has been going on for thousands of years, and I am now one of the guardians of the Sixteen Caves of Tianmen."
Master Guigu? Thousands of years?
I glared at him. "The Master Guigu you're talking about... isn't he Wang Xu, the Taoist master of diplomacy from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods?"
The giant python replied, "It is none other than our master."
I was surprised and said, "It's been thousands of years. Could it be that the master is still alive?"
The giant python said, "In his later years, our master retired to Yunmeng Mountain, now Tianmen Mountain, and passed away not long after."
Dead?
I wondered, "No way! If the master was truly dead, why would he have created sixteen caves, both real and fake, on Tianmen Mountain? Wasn't it simply to conceal his true form and prevent explorers from discovering his presence? But if he's dead, why would he go to such lengths? Could it be... that there's some unsavory treasure hidden in the Ghost Valley Cave?"
The giant python spit out its tongue, its large emerald eyes fixed on me for several seconds, terrifying me to the point of tingling. If it had opened its mouth, it could have swallowed me whole. After a long moment, it spoke, "Our master's body has decayed, but his spirit lives on in Ghost Valley Cave. That's why explorers often encounter his remains, reflected in the rock walls."
"Could it be the mystery of Guiguzi that people often talk about?" I asked in surprise.
The python nodded.
So that's how it is. The so-called Guigu Xianzhang does exist, and that is the true spirit of Master Guigu. However, ordinary people cannot perceive it with the naked eye, and can only see the remains reflected on the rock wall.
But if Guigu Master still existed in Guigu Cave, and Su Xiaoniu said that Guigu Cave was now occupied by Gui Sanniang, what would Guigu Master think? Why didn't he drive Gui Sanniang away? That's unscientific!
I asked doubtfully, "Have you heard of Gui Sanniang?"
The giant python said, "Sanniang? How could I not know her? I remember that when she was only five or six years old, she followed her parents to Tianmen Mountain for an adventure. Unfortunately, the three of them fell down the Tongtian Avenue. When I found them, her parents were already bloody and dead. Only Sanniang was left because she was held tightly by her parents, so she was safe. I brought Sanniang to Guigu Cave and explained the reason to my master. My master took Sanniang in and taught her Taoism, formations, and other strange techniques. You can also say that Sanniang is my master's last disciple."
I was shocked. Holy crap! It turns out Gui Sanniang was Guiguzi's last disciple. No wonder she also had the surname Gui. Furthermore, she even created the amazing "Ghost Gate Bagua Escape" formation. It turns out she was taught by Guiguzi. No wonder! No wonder!
This made me want to meet Gui Sanniang even more, and that Master Guiguzi. No one has seen him since he retired, let alone people in later generations. If I could meet him, maybe I could get some help from him.
The giant python spit out a letter, with a tone of contempt: "Those who are destined to see the master will be able to see him, and those who are not destined to see him will find him nowhere even if they search everywhere."
I chuckled, "But compared to Master Guigu, the person I want to find more now is not him, but her."
The giant python asked, "Are you looking for the Yin-Yang Fairy?"
I nodded.
The giant python pondered, "Just now I sensed three unusual auras heading south of the cave. Perhaps they are the ones you are looking for."
Three unusual auras? I asked doubtfully, "Are there three people?"
The giant python shook its head: "I don't know about that. I only know there are three different kinds of auras. One of them is very cold, more like a ghost."
It must be Su Xiaoniu!
As for the other two, they might be Mei Mingyou and the crazy man in black. In other words, Su Xiaoniu is very likely with the crazy man in black. Although I still don't understand why Su Xiaoniu suddenly left me and followed Mei Mingyou and the crazy man in black, I must go and get Su Xiaoniu back!
The python was very friendly. It escorted me out of the dark cave. Since jumping to the cliff opposite was extremely difficult, and the white-purple mist obstructed my vision, the python picked me up and carried me through the mist and clouds, directly through the vast forest, and across to the south and above the cave.
I just felt as if I was flying in the clouds. In the blink of an eye, I was far away from the previous cave and came to an open space on the cliff far away. Before leaving, the giant python told me that among the Sixteen Caves of Tianmen, not every cave keeper was as friendly as it was. Some cave keepers hated humans very much, so it was best to stay away from them to avoid unnecessary casualties.
I bowed in thanks. Watching the giant python dissolve into the mist like a dragon, disappearing without a trace, I couldn't help but marvel. I never imagined I'd encounter such a magical creature in a place like this. And from what it said, there are many others like it in the Sixteen Caves of Tianmen, so it's best to avoid them if you see them.
I took a deep breath. At least I was out of the Auspicious Maze now, and I no longer saw the annoying white and purple mist. Nor were there any of those auspicious unicorns Mei Mingyou and the black-clothed madman had mentioned. I looked around. The view through the woods was excellent. Aside from the occasional obstruction from the trees, there wasn't anything else.
However, I still couldn't find any trace of Su Xiaoniu. It seemed as if she had disappeared into Tianmen Mountain, which made me very depressed. I walked aimlessly in this deserted forest for a while, I don't know how long exactly, but the sun was getting more and more scorching. It was freezing cold in the Auspicious Maze before, but now it was scorching hot.
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