He sought to negotiate with Master Wen, but ultimately only received an ambiguous answer. On the matter of facing the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan, the clan was divided into two different opinions, and it was feared that the matter would be difficult to resolve.
Chi Xuanzhu thought for a moment, and since Lu Ziyuan was Zhong Muyu's husband, he decided to let them handle it themselves. He, as an outsider, would only help out occasionally.
Thinking of this, Chi Xuanzhu suddenly understood. When night fell and everyone was asleep, Chi Xuanzhu used magic to summon Lu Ziyuan.
At this moment, Lu Ziyuan was in no mood to sleep. As he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, he heard a voice calling him.
"who?"
The voice seemed to come from near and far, ethereal and unlike a human voice. Zhiyu, who was guarding outside, heard Lu Ziyuan's voice and immediately lifted the tent flap: "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"Someone is calling me."
Zhiyu listened carefully: "It's the sound of a wild beast, Your Highness. Could it be that you're hallucinating from excessive longing?"
"No, it's not the sound of a wild beast, I'm certain."
Zhiyu was quite helpless. They were all highly skilled guards with keen senses. How could they not hear anything?
Just then, Lu Ziyuan heard that ethereal voice again: "I am Chi Xuanzhu, Lu Ziyuan. You came alone, so do not disturb the others."
This time he heard it clearly. When Lu Ziyuan looked at Zhiyu again, he saw that Zhiyu was still in a daze. He knew that Chi Xuanzhu was transmitting his voice to him.
He had witnessed Chi Xuanzhu's abilities before, so this kind of telepathic communication was no longer surprising. He composed himself and said, "Perhaps I was too anxious. You should go and rest. I'm fine on my own."
Zhiyu agreed and left without saying anything more. After the person had gone far away, the voice came again: "Go east and enter the deep mountains. Someone will meet you there."
Following Chi Xuanzhu's words, Lu Ziyuan put on a cloak, picked up a lantern, and went out.
Although the lamp that Zhong Muyu modified was bright enough and wouldn't go out, it could only illuminate a very limited area in the vast mountains, and all you could see was pure darkness.
Lu Ziyuan walked carefully on the mountain path, but the path became smaller and smaller, until it became so steep that there was almost no path at all. After walking for so long, he still couldn't see anything.
He left marks along the way, knowing that it was easy to get lost in the deep mountains at night, and he couldn't be careless.
Just as he was questioning why he hadn't arrived yet, his toe seemed to kick a wall, but there was nothing in front of him.
Lu Ziyuan reached out and indeed felt the wall, as if there was an invisible wall blocking him. Just as he withdrew his hand, the invisible wall emitted a golden glow and slowly dissipated, revealing a strange path in front of him.
The opposite side was no longer a weed-covered forest, but a fairyland shimmering with light. Two maids came out with lanterns to greet them: "Honored guests, please come in. Our master has been waiting for you for a long time."
After entering the barrier, the scenery behind him changed. Lu Ziyuan looked around the place. Who would have thought that there was such a hidden fairyland in this inconspicuous mountain?
The maid led him to a courtyard, where a stone table was set with fine wine and delicacies under a huge flowering tree.
Chi Xuanzhu stood there, dressed in brocade robes, looking completely different from before, like an immortal.
All of this seemed so unreal that Lu Ziyuan felt like he was an immortal.
"Your Highness, please come and sit down."
Lu Ziyuan looked puzzled: "What's going on with you?"
"You mean this place? This is my cave, my true dwelling."
"What about Qingshui Village?"
"That's a personal hobby. Helping Zhong Muyu work at the restaurant is the same thing. I can't stay in the deep mountains and forests all year round."
As he spoke, Chi Xuanzhu poured him a glass of wine.
Lu Ziyuan had no appetite for drinking: "Zhong Muyu has disappeared. You can use your special abilities to contact her. Could you help me find her? Where is she?"
"Alas, as soon as I heard you were searching the mountains, I knew you had come for this matter, so I used telepathy to summon you here."
Upon hearing this, Lu Ziyuan felt a surge of excitement: "So you know where she is?"
"I know, she was kidnapped. The Spirit Clan rescued her. They won't hurt her, but they refuse to return her."
"Then I'll go and bring her back myself. Where is the Spirit Clan?"
Upon hearing Zhong Muyu's whereabouts, Lu Ziyuan became even more excited, wishing he could fly to that Spirit Clan right now to rescue her.
Chi Xuanzhu said, "A long time ago, the Spirit Clan migrated eastward to avoid their dream magic being used by villains. They now live on an island in the south of the East. I don't know the exact location, and I've never been there, but I can give you a general direction."
After saying that, Chi Xuanzhu took out an old map and handed it to Lu Ziyuan.
"You should be prepared that the Spirit Clan has lived on the island for hundreds of years without being discovered. They must have set up a defensive barrier, and you may not be able to enter easily. I will give you some help, but whether you can get there depends on your ability."
Lu Ziyuan said firmly, "No matter how many difficulties and dangers there are, I will definitely save her."
"Good, you seem quite confident. Remember to build a sturdy ship when you get back. The sea has been rough lately, so be careful."
"I will, thank you."
Lu Ziyuan put down his wine glass, stood up to say goodbye, and didn't linger for a moment.
The maid looked at the table full of food and wine with great regret: "He didn't eat a single bite."
"Let him be. Once he leaves, you guys go and change the entrance to the barrier to prevent others from coming looking for him."
...
At this moment, Lu Ziyuan hurriedly returned to the encampment, taking three steps at a time. Zhiyu discovered that he was missing and was about to gather people to look for him when she saw a figure carrying a lantern running quickly towards them.
"Your Highness? Where have you been?"
Lu Ziyuan, panting, said excitedly, "There's no need to search the mountain anymore. I've already found out Yu'er's whereabouts. We'll return to the manor immediately. Go and inform the people at the docks to prepare the largest and sturdiest ship; we're going to set sail!"
"Yes, you've found the Crimson Bamboo?"
"Yes, he lives deep in the mountains. I got the clue from him. Go and prepare."
Although Zhiyu had many questions, since Lu Ziyuan was in a hurry, he stopped asking and began to tell everyone to pack their things and go back to the mansion.
...
At dawn, Chengfeng and Zhiyu went to the dock to arrange the boats. As the Prince of Ling, Lu Ziyuan had his own ship, the largest of its kind according to his rank. However, it was a ceremonial vessel, used only on special occasions, and couldn't withstand the rough seas. When this news reached the Prince's residence, Lu Ziyuan waved his hand dismissively:
"Modify it; if you really can't modify it, tear it down and rebuild it!"
At this time, renovation is indeed the fastest method. Lu Ziyuan called over the previous craftsmen, arranged the method, and started construction. Fortunately, Zhong Muyu had left behind some blueprints and materials, which would speed up the renovation process.
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