Chapter Fifty-Two: The Ten-Thousand Mountains Range (9)

No matter how the journey unfolded, Zhang Ning and Meng Meng had returned safely from the abyssal gorge. In the days that followed, Zhang Ning found Miss Meng increasingly strange, or perhaps it was that her oddities could no longer be concealed. The look in her eyes changed dramatically each time she saw him—anyone unaware might well have thought this young lady was suffering from some sort of split personality.

After his initial surprise, Zhang Ning actually felt relieved. If Meng Meng had remained unfathomable and revealed no flaws, he would have had to remain constantly on guard, for a deeply scheming opponent is always to be feared.

Yet Zhang Ning had no idea of the inner turmoil Meng Meng had endured these past few days. Having witnessed the demonic side of Zhang Ning, Meng Meng felt an even greater urge to throw herself into the flames for him; the scales in her heart had long since tipped, and she had almost completely forgotten her original purpose for crossing the Ten-Thousand Mountains.

On this day, Zhang Ning finally burst out in joyous laughter. “Look! There it is—the canyon where the Moon-Reflecting Abyss lies!” He clapped his hands in excitement, and the comment section erupted in celebration. The Moon-Reflecting Abyss was simply too famous; even catching a glimpse of it from afar was enough to set one’s heart racing.

Meng Meng followed half a step behind. Over the past two days, she had finally regained some composure, and she cast a thoughtful glance at Zhang Ning.

They climbed to the top of the canyon and peered down. Below, the water shimmered, the reflections in the deep pool shifting with every ripple, as if the moon itself flowed within. Though it was still broad daylight, the depths appeared shadowy and dark, mesmerizing in their beauty yet exuding a chilling stillness that discouraged any thought of drawing near.

With a wide grin, Zhang Ning exclaimed, “See? I wasn’t exaggerating, was I? Now, let’s go down and have a look!” The comments exploded as if set alight.

“Your Highness is truly incredible!”

“You’re actually going down? Ning, you’ve already done so much!”

“Think carefully, Your Highness!!!”

“Zhang Ning, you’re being reckless.”

“Such bravado—this place really is dangerous.”

“If you prepare thoroughly, it’s not dangerous.”

“Another day, another brush with death.”

“Have powerful cultivators really perished here? It’s hard to believe—just a mere pool.”

“Sounds made up.”

“Not at all—the dangers of the Moon-Reflecting Abyss are well documented.”

“Haha, there’s that ‘well documented’ phrase again. Feels like I’m learning new slang from His Highness every day.”

“Rest up before you go, Your Highness—eat and drink your fill.”

“Isn’t he already stuffed? He’s been feasting on all kinds of exotic beast meat and insect meat these past few days!”

“That’s right—if you missed the last two episodes, you’d have no idea. Watching His Highness these days has made me admire him all the more. I’ve decided to visit the Infinity Sect myself.”

“Haha, your sudden change of direction is brilliant.”

“Me too! Watching these past few days has only deepened my respect. I’m officially following this stream now.”

“Bah! As if the Demon Lord of the Divine Cauldron would look your way. Never mind the Infinity Sect.”

“What’s the point? Didn’t His Highness say this is his last broadcast?”

“He wouldn’t abandon us!”

“Maybe not, but Zhang Ning’s streams really are entertaining.”

“He’s said he’s returning to the sect—there won’t be any more wilderness adventures.”

*Crying face*

“Can’t bear to part with His Highness.”

“The Venerable Lord of Myriad Phenomena is so aloof!”

“Are you mad?!”

“Careful, or you’ll bring trouble on your whole family.”

“It’s fine—the Venerable Lord of Myriad Phenomena isn’t that one.”

“Oh, I know who you mean.”

“So do I. The Azure Realm really is bizarre—a certain Immortal Lord is even more unreasonable and bloodthirsty than the Demon Lords.”

“It’s absurd, honestly.”

“That’s not it—the Venerable Lord of Myriad Phenomena just seems approachable. The key is, this streaming service is his domain.”

“Is that so? I had no idea.”

“Isn’t the Xiaozizai platform a subsidiary of the Grand Freedom Demon Sect? Since when is it a streaming service?”

“Xiaozizai is a streaming client developed by the Grand Freedom Demon Sect; all the other functions are just extras.”

“Isn’t it distributed free in all their cities?”

“That’s right.”

“I really didn’t know—I thought the sect just got hold of it and handed it out to us.”

“You’re so out of the loop.”

“Looks like you’re just here for the fun, not on any mission assigned by your sect.”

“Wow, you get assigned to watch streams?”

“Look! What have we caught? A spy!”

“Quoting His Highness again.”

“Go for it, Prince Zhang Ning! We want to keep watching your streams!”

“He’s going down!”

“Will the suppression of inner energy be an issue? Can he use artifacts and elixirs?”

“It only suppresses some types of inner energy. Supposedly, the effect varies depending on the energy type.”

“Really? That’s a new one.”

“A mere pool that chooses who it targets?”

“Good luck, Your Highness! Isn’t Miss Meng going with you?”

Only then did Zhang Ning notice that Meng Meng seemed to have no intention of following. He looked up and asked her.

Meng Meng, however, simply made a formal gesture and said solemnly, “I’ll wait for you here, Mister Zhang. Wishing you swift victory!”

Zhang Ning paused, a little surprised. “Alright, then—I’ll be off.” He gave her a searching look, then turned to his viewers. “There may be times at the bottom of the Moon-Reflecting Abyss when the signal’s poor—please bear with me.” Although he was addressing his audience, his mind wandered to Meng Meng. Was she planning to make a move now?

But Meng Meng had something else in mind. After parting ways with Zhang Ning, she resolutely opened a storage pouch at her waist. As the legitimate daughter of one of the most prominent righteous families in the Azure Realm, she was no less well-equipped than the heirs of any great sect, especially since her father and elder brother indulged her every whim.

She had decided it was time to end these days of torment. She would ask her brother directly why he had said what he did. Avoiding Zhang Ning, she resolved to seize the moment while he was exploring the Moon-Reflecting Abyss to get to the bottom of things.

For swift and precise communication, her brother’s divine sense transmission would be best, but with time to prepare, Meng Meng had many methods at her disposal.

What she could not possibly have foreseen was that her brother’s revelations would utterly shatter her worldview.