The leader of the cultivation alliance has a crush on me.

Song Chen awkwardly withdrew her hand, took two steps towards the door, and asked curiously, "Who are you?"

The man at the door smiled faintly. His eyes were straightforward and clear, as if he had no ulterior motives.

"I am the owner of this cottage."

After saying that, he explained his earlier reprimand: "I wasn't making a fuss over nothing, it's just that these are other people's secrets, and it's not appropriate to pry into them."

Song Chen nodded, looking apologetic: "I didn't know I couldn't touch it."

After saying that, she asked curiously, "Where is this? Did you bring me here?"

The man didn't look very old, just over twenty. He had fair skin and red lips and looked rather delicate, but his voice wasn't that of a young man: "Dagushan, it's just a coincidence that we've run into each other. You shouldn't have gone there yesterday."

After hearing this, Song Chen remembered that Song Ke was still there. She asked anxiously, "By the way, you only brought me back yesterday?"

"Did you encounter the Ghost King when you went there?"

Upon hearing the words "Ghost King," the man's expression visibly changed, revealing a mixture of disgust and apprehension.

Song Chen guessed that they knew each other, right?

"No, when I got there I only saw you lying there unconscious, I didn't see anyone else," the man said coldly.

Song Chen became even more worried upon hearing this. If they weren't there, where would they have gone?

Just then, the man walked in and said, "You seem fine, but you should leave these mountains as soon as possible."

Song Chen paused for a moment, then shook his head: "No, my sister is still in the hands of that Ghost King."

The man listened with a disbelieving expression: "Are you sure?"

Song Chen nodded: "I saw her being taken away by them with my own eyes, otherwise I wouldn't have run to that palace to look for her."

"What sect used to be there?" Song Chen asked tentatively.

The man listened in silence for a few seconds, then sighed and said, "You'd better not ask too many questions."

After saying that, he looked Song Chen up and down a few times and asked, "You're not from here, are you?"

Song Chen stared at him in astonishment, her eyes wide with surprise, her gaze becoming more wary: "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

The man chuckled softly, as if mocking, "You're not from here."

This time, he spoke with certainty, and Song Shen remained silent. The main reason was that the person in front of her seemed strange in every way. She tried to use her spiritual power to investigate, but found that she couldn't detect anything at all.

It's like two people standing face to face, one in two-dimensional space and the other in three-dimensional space, completely unrelated to each other.

She was surprised, cleared her throat, and asked, "What's your name?"

The man glanced down at her and said softly, "Zhu Heng."

Song Chen was clearly more concerned about the situation in the mountains. She was thinking about how to ask him. The man seemed kind, but he always gave people a sense of distance, as if he were a sacred person who could not be profaned.

Moreover, Zhu Heng clearly didn't want to talk much, making it difficult to know how to start the conversation.

Why did you come to the mountains?

Upon hearing this, Song Chen smiled and said, somewhat nonsensically, "Of course, it's for the spiritual energy in these mountains."

"I came here to cultivate after receiving guidance from a fellow Daoist. Who knew that my sister would be captured by that Ghost King not long after I entered the mountain?"

Zhu Heng listened with a faint smile, clearly not believing her explanation.

"Which fellow Daoist guided you? And how do you know that it is the Ghost King? There are no ghosts or monsters in this Dagu Mountain. The land of creation is only inhabited by creatures with spirits. Those filthy and turbid energies cannot enter the Taigu Mountain."

"Of course, the mountains below Taigu Mountain were originally a blessed land, but some people, once they became greedy, started killing each other."

"They're not ghosts, just some lingering obsessions."

After finishing his sentence, Zhu Heng unusually took the initiative to explain to Song Chen: "As for that so-called Ghost King you mentioned, it must just be a rumor spread by outsiders. He is just a monster who devoured others in order to gain power, and was eventually turned into a monster because of the backlash."

"You just said there are no ghosts," but before she could ask that question, Zhu Heng said, "If you're looking for him, you don't need to wander around in the mountains. He'll find you here on his own."

Song Chen asked, looking confused, "What do you mean?"

Zhu Heng glanced at her but didn't continue. Instead, he asked kindly, "Have you been fasting? Do you need to eat?"

Song Chen did abstain from grains, but she still ate, albeit in small amounts.

She was about to ask what food was available when Zhu Heng said, "There's not much to eat here, just lots of snow."

Then why are you asking this question?

Zhu Heng thought for a moment and then said, "But there are probably fish in the Heavenly Pool behind. If you need something to eat, I can try to see if I can catch a couple."

Song Chen looked puzzled: "No, you don't usually eat anything?"

Zhu Heng glanced at her, then pointed to the mark on his forehead. It was a gold and red totem, about the size of a coin, and it was impossible to tell what it depicted at a glance. It flashed twice when he pointed at it, then disappeared back into his forehead.

"What is your cultivation level?"

Zhu Heng seemed to examine Song Chen as well, then chuckled softly, saying with a hint of smugness, "This isn't my real form."

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, he felt Song Chen's shocked gaze fixed on him.

Song Chen looked at him incredulously: "...How old are you?"

"No, how did you cultivate?"

Zhu Heng seemed quite pleased with Song Chen's shock, but he maintained a calm demeanor and said, "What's the big deal? Don't make a fuss."

"Stay here by yourself and don't wander off. Otherwise, I won't be responsible if anything happens to you."

Zhu Heng left after he finished speaking.

In the darkness, a high platform stands in the center of a bamboo forest. This was formerly the Heavenly Punishment Platform and also the Altar of Sacrifice to Heaven. Four lifelike statues stand on the four sides of the platform, representing the four ancient ferocious beasts. They face away from the platform and towards the sky, as if they are about to soar into the heavens.

In the center of Tiantai is a Heavenly Pool, which is both the same as and different from the Heavenly Pool in Dagu Mountain. Legend has it that in the past, people with heavy sins would use the water of this Heavenly Pool to cleanse themselves. It can wash away people's bad things, such as evil thoughts and greed, and nourish the four ferocious beasts.

I've also heard that the Heavenly Terrace used to be ruled by a goddess who could control the four ferocious beasts and protect all living beings. Only she could communicate with the gods of Dagu Mountain.

Meanwhile, on the Heavenly Punishment Platform, the Four Ghost Kings pushed Song Ke to stand by the pool. Song Ke's gaze remained blank, staring straight at the pool water.

"What do you want to do?"

"He's a madman, and it's not surprising that a madman can do anything."

"Heh, it looks like he's about to make a move. Aren't you tempted? You've been trapped by him for so many years, this is a great opportunity."

"We've been making money for so many years, don't we understand yet?"

"Hahahaha, I understand, of course I understand. We can't separate from each other, only complete integration. But we all want to take the lead, and none of us can. In the end, it just benefits that beast."

"He was in a good mood today; he actually listened to me."

"He's just a traitor. Do you really think he has the guts to ask that person for something?"

The four ghost kings stood there, their expressions changing repeatedly. One voice after another argued incessantly, each vying for dominance. Finally, they grew increasingly angry and said in a chilling voice, "Have you all had enough of arguing?"