Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and said, “The flashlight’s beam is a temptation—or rather, a guide—for those insects. If we turn off our flashlights now and move forward in the dark, although it will be slower and the path more treacherous, compared to safety, it’s nothing at all.”
Everyone agreed, and so all the flashlights were switched off. The space instantly plunged into total darkness. Liu Dashao whispered, “I’ve walked this path with Debiao before. I can roughly sense where we are. Let me go ahead.”
Jia Zhuangyuan grunted in agreement, and Liu Dashao moved forward cautiously, followed one by one by the others, slowly advancing.
The darkness provided the best possible cover. Moreover, if any white beetles appeared, their transparent, flame-like internal organs would glow brightly, making them visible from a distance.
They slowly followed the underground river’s edge for about ten minutes when Liu Dashao felt a cool breeze coming from his left side. Before he could speak, Jia Zhuangyuan said, “I sense there might be an exit or passage on the left. There’s a draft coming from that direction.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “I feel it too. This should be the spot where the rock wall protrudes. It’s also where we encountered the American doctor and the white beetles.”
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Good. Let’s turn left here.” So, following the draft, they continued forward in the dark without turning on their lights.
After feeling their way along the protruding rock wall for about dozens of meters, the group suddenly felt the ground become much smoother, no longer littered with jagged stones. Strangely, the white beetles did not appear again, seemingly having vanished into the vast underground space. Everyone felt secretly relieved. The Americans were likely scared out of their wits by the beetles and had probably fled somewhere unknown.
After walking a while further in darkness, a faint light appeared ahead. It was distant, no bigger than a grain of rice, but emitted a strange, indescribable glow. Everyone suddenly grew very tense. Jia Zhuangyuan signaled everyone to stop and whispered, “We don’t know what that light source is. If it’s from the insects, it could be trouble. I’ll go ahead and scout. Everyone stay alert.” Without waiting for a response, he quietly moved forward alone.
As he moved away, Fan Debiao suddenly remarked, watching Jia’s awkward gait, “Actually, Old Master Jia is quite capable. He’s also a man of integrity. Whenever we encounter something unknown, he always goes ahead to scout for us.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise. He seemed a bit embarrassed and added, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m just saying what I feel.”
At this moment, Liu Dashao said, “Jia Zhuangyuan is indeed a good man,” sighing slightly.
Suddenly, Caiqingchong pointed ahead toward where Jia was scouting and said, “Everyone quick, look! Master Jia seems to be signaling us.”
They looked and saw Jia, now far ahead, repeatedly switching his flashlight on and off, apparently sending a signal. Liu Dashao said, “Let’s go over. Master Jia must have discovered something.”
Everyone responded and immediately moved toward Jia’s location.
As they approached, the once-distant light had grown to the size of a soccer ball. Now, they could see it emitted a strange purple glow, dazzling and surreal.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and continued, “The light from the flashlight is a lure, or perhaps a guide, for those insects. If we turn off our flashlights and proceed in the dark, although it will be slower and the path more treacherous, it’s nothing compared to ensuring our safety.”
Everyone agreed, and all flashlights were turned off, plunging the space into complete darkness. Liu Dashao whispered, “I’ve walked this path with De Biao before. I can roughly sense the location. Let me lead the way.”
Jia Zhuangyuan acknowledged with a hum, and Liu Dashao groped his way to the front. Everyone followed in single file, slowly moving forward.
The pitch-black space provided the best cover. Moreover, if any white beetles appeared, their transparent, flame-like innards would be visible from a distance, allowing the group to spot them immediately.
After walking along the dark riverbank for about ten minutes, Liu Dashao felt a cool breeze from his left. Just as he was about to speak, Jia Zhuangyuan said, “I sense an exit or passageway to the left. There’s a flow of air coming from there.”
Liu Dashao nodded, “I feel it too. This must be the protruding part of the cliff where we encountered the American doctor and the white beetles.”
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Alright, let’s turn left here.” The group followed the airflow, continuing in the dark without turning on their lights.
As they felt their way along the protruding rock wall and walked about a dozen meters, the ground suddenly became much smoother, no longer strewn with rocks. Strangely, the white beetles did not reappear, seemingly having flown off into the vast underground space, which made everyone secretly relieved. The Americans, presumably terrified by the white beetles, had also disappeared.
After walking a bit further in the dark, a faint light appeared in the distance, no larger than a grain of rice but emitting a strange, indescribable color. Tension rose among the group. Jia Zhuangyuan signaled everyone to stop and whispered, “We don’t know what that light is. If it’s from the beetles, we’re in trouble. I’ll go ahead and scout. Stay alert.” Without waiting for a response, he crept forward alone.
As he walked away, Fan De Biao, watching his comical gait, suddenly remarked, “Actually, Old Jia is quite capable and very loyal. He’s always the first to scout ahead whenever we encounter the unknown.”
The others looked at him in surprise. Embarrassed, he added, “Don’t look at me like that. I mean it.”
Liu Dashao sighed, “Jia Zhuangyuan is indeed a good man.”
Suddenly, Cai Qingchong pointed in the direction where Jia Zhuangyuan was scouting and said, “Look, Old Jia seems to be signaling us.”
Everyone looked and saw Jia Zhuangyuan, now far ahead, flashing his flashlight on and off as if signaling something. Liu Dashao said, “Let’s go. Old Jia must have found something.”
The group quickly moved towards Jia Zhuangyuan.
As they approached, the light grew larger, now the size of a football, and they could see it emitted a dazzling purple light.
They saw Jia Zhuangyuan crouching on the ground, holding what looked like a backpack in his left hand and a round object in his right. When they reached him, Jia Zhuangyuan, with a serious expression, held up the backpack and the object and said, “This must be a backpack left behind by the mercenaries when they were chased by the white beetles. I opened it and found some miscellaneous items, including a strange device. I’m not sure what it’s for.”
The group gathered around. The device was round, resembling a steel box. To their surprise, there was a small hole in the center that flashed red every few seconds, and there were two buttons on the sides, one white and one black.
Cai Qingchong took the device from Jia Zhuangyuan, examined it, and said, “This is an infrared detector, mainly used for mineral detection or mine detection by the military. It’s the most advanced of its kind in the world, developed by the U.S. just last year. It’s lightweight and contains the most sensitive invisible antenna.”
“A detector? What are these Americans trying to detect?” Jia Zhuangyuan frowned.
Liu Dashao snorted, “They’re probably looking for the same thing we are. That’s why these mercenaries always seem to be one step ahead. They have the world’s most advanced detection equipment. But now it’s helping us.”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded, “True, but the key is how to use it.”
Cai Qingchong smiled, “It’s not hard to use. The red light flashing in the hole indicates that the target exists. The white button is for searching, and the black one is for locating. The faster the red light flashes, the closer we are to the target. During the search, we need to keep pressing the black button. When we’re within one meter of the target, the red light will stay on, stop flashing, and we can find the target within that range.”
Everyone understood. It seemed that using this detector would help them find what they were looking for.
Cai Qingchong put the device in his backpack and said, “Although the detector can sense its presence now, based on the flashing frequency, we’re still quite far from the target. We need to keep moving forward. The detector points straight ahead.”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded, “The light ahead doesn’t seem to be from the beetles. This purple light must be emitted by some substance. According to the map, we’re in the range of the Wuji Dao Zang. Everyone, stay alert.”
The group continued forward. The purple light was so bright that it illuminated the path, making flashlights unnecessary.
After walking for less than five minutes, they finally saw that the light was coming from a cave entrance. Outside the cave seemed to be an incredibly strange world of purple light. Everyone was curious but also uneasy, not knowing what kind of unpredictable wonderland awaited them outside the cave.
When they finally stood at the cave entrance, they were all stunned by the sight outside. It felt like they had entered an unbelievable dream or a strange world. A sense of wonder, unreality, and even eeriness struck everyone simultaneously.
Just like when they first opened the Seven-Star Chain Lock and saw the Fengdu Ghost City in the underground canyon, the cave entrance overlooked a concave basin. In the center of the basin stood an incredible city entirely made of purple crystal, radiating unparalleled purple light that illuminated the entire underground space.
What was even more unbelievable was that around the Wuji Dao Zang was an even more bizarre underground world of flora and fauna.
Countless strange plants grew around and within the basin. In the botanical garden, they saw many never-before-seen flying insects, and among the plants, there seemed to be crawling creatures.
It took a long time for everyone to snap out of their dreamlike trance. Fan De Biao, with a dazed and enchanted look, murmured, “Are we dreaming? Where is this? Are these things real?”
Everyone was silent. No one answered him, and indeed, no one could. At that moment, everyone was questioning what they were seeing.
They stood there, watching, for a few more minutes. Finally, Liu Dashao sighed softly and said, “It seems this is the Wuji Dao Zang, truly living up to its mystical name. Let’s not be surprised anymore. What we’re seeing is real, not an illusion. Let’s find a way down.”
Everyone nodded mechanically, slowly regaining their senses.
It didn’t take long for them to find a path down—a colorful crystal-paved trail that wound its way down to the Wuji Dao Zang.
Just as they were about to step forward, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly said, “Wait, I feel something’s not right. We need to figure some things out before we go down.”
Everyone was puzzled. Liu Dashao asked, “Old Jia, what feels wrong?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s small eyes darted around as if considering how to explain. After a long silence, he finally said, “We’re about to reach the end of the Wuji Dao Zang, the final barrier of the Ninety-Nine Heavens. What feels wrong is that, unlike other cities, the Wuji Dao Zang has a living biological environment. What does that mean? The creatures here, as you’ve seen, are plants, animals, and insects we’ve never heard of or seen before. What does that imply? In short, I feel uneasy, and I can’t quite describe it. It’s like…”
He scratched his head and continued with difficulty, “It’s like this place isn’t part of our world, but some kind of illusion or alternate reality.”
Liu Dashao nodded, “I agree with Old Jia. I also feel something very strange here, something indescribable. It’s not a strong sense of unease, but just a feeling I can’t put into words.”
Throughout the journey, Liu Dashao had always shown strong foresight, so his words added a layer of gravity to the situation.
Suddenly, Liu Dashao’s hands trembled, and he said with a strange expression, “Bad news! Earlier by the dark river, I tested my energy recovery. I had regained about seventy to eighty percent, but now… I just tried to circulate my energy, and it’s all gone!”
Everyone was shocked. What was going on? Liu Dashao quickly pulled out a stack of talismans from his chest and muttered, “My talismans have lost their power too. What… what’s happening?”
Everyone’s attention turned to the yellow talismans in Liu Dashao’s hand. Indeed, the strange Taoist symbols on them had faded, losing their original brilliance.
This series of sudden changes plunged everyone into inexplicable panic. They stood there, looking at the strange and unbelievable underground world beneath them, at a loss.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I know! I know! There must be something or some force in this place that’s suppressing our abilities. It must be!”
Everyone looked at him in astonishment. After shouting, he grabbed his already messy hair, frowned, and muttered to himself, “But what could have such a strange power?”
“I think I understand,” Liu Dashao said, slapping his forehead.
Hearing him, everyone snapped out of their daze and looked at him with surprise. Liu Dashao slowly said, “The key lies in the legendary Wuji Buddha Zang, Wuji Demon Zang, and Wuji Dao Zang. We’ve always said these places are incredibly mysterious, not something humans could have built. Although we don’t want to believe in the existence of otherworldly ruins or beings, the fact is, since the dawn of humanity and recorded history, these things we refuse to believe in do exist on our planet. It’s undeniable. I believe the Ninety-Nine Heavens were built by beings from another world. The Ninety-Nine Heavens might be an ancient ruin of another world, or perhaps a gateway to another dimension, what Taoists call ‘ascension.’ Remember the Fengdu Ghost City? Look at this incredible Wuji Dao Zang. Who on Earth or in what dynasty could have built such an underground city? Who could have gathered so many mechanisms and crystals? Could such massive, whole crystals even form on Earth? The answer is absolutely not!” Liu Dashao spoke calmly, seeing that everyone seemed to be listening quietly. At that moment, the undeniable reality before their eyes made everyone accept his words, acknowledging that there are indeed inexplicable things on Earth.
Liu Dashao continued, “Except for Old Jia and Cai Qingchong, the five of us here experienced the Golden Ancient City incident. There, we entered a time-space wormhole and a dreamlike realm. That experience taught me that there are indeed fractured alternate dimensions, otherworldly beings, and ruins in this world. I believe the Ninety-Nine Heavens we’re in now is also some kind of otherworldly remnant. Take these crystals, for example. I don’t think they’re from Earth. The light they emit tells me they’re not the minerals we see or mine on Earth, but something similar to Earth’s crystals from another world, along with the heavy water from the Yellow Springs. Now that we’ve lost some of our abilities, I think it’s directly related to the Wuji Dao Zang we’re seeing now. In other words, the Wuji Dao Zang itself contains some substance or force that suppresses our abilities.”
Seeing everyone’s calm but numb expressions, Liu Dashao sighed softly and said, “That’s all I have to say. It’s just my personal view, not necessarily an absolute judgment.”
Jia Zhuangyuan slowly turned his eyes to me and nodded calmly, “Actually, everyone can accept your judgment. Since there’s an Earth in the universe with various intelligent beings, there must be other planets and beings in the universe. Depending on their time of formation, the intelligence of beings on different planets varies. What we’re seeing now, the Wuji Dao Zang, might indeed be a product of another world, as you said. I agree with you.”
Cai Qingchong also raised his head, nodded at Liu Dashao, and said with a bitter smile, “I agree with you too.”
Liu Dashao looked at Fan De Biao, who seemed still lost in the seemingly absurd statements. For a moment, everyone fell silent.
After a while, Cai Qingchong finally looked at Liu Dashao and turned to Jia Zhuangyuan, “What should we do now?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Jia Zhuangyuan, who seemed at a loss. After a moment of thought, Liu Dashao said, “We’ve come so far and are about to see the truth. Should we give up now, or continue?”
He looked at everyone. Fan De Biao took a deep breath and said word by word, “I choose to continue. I must see the final mystery.”
Cai Qingchong nodded slightly without speaking.
Jia Zhuangyuan then said, “I think we have no choice. Personally, I just want to complete this mission and be a normal, upright person.”
Everyone gathered around. The device was round, its exterior resembling a steel box. What surprised them was a small hole in the center, from which a red light blinked every few seconds. On either side were two buttons—one white, one black.
Caiqingchong took the device from Jia and examined it. “This is an infrared detector. It’s mainly used for mineral exploration or by the military for mine detection. It’s currently the most advanced of its kind in the world. The U.S. developed it just last year. It’s lightweight, convenient, and equipped with the most sensitive hidden antenna.”
“A detector? What were these Americans trying to find with it?” Jia Zhuangyuan frowned.
Liu Dashao snorted coldly and said, “What they’re looking for is probably what we’re after too. I guess that’s why those mercenaries always seem to be one step ahead of us—they had this advanced detection equipment. But now, it’s actually helping us.”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and said, “Yes, but the key is, how do we use it?”
Caiqingchong smiled and explained, “It’s not hard to use. Do you all see the red blinking light inside that small hole? That means the object we’re looking for is present. The white button is for searching, and the black one is for pinpointing. During the search, the faster the red light blinks, the closer we are to the target. While the red light is blinking, we must keep pressing the black button. When we’re within one meter of the target, pressing the black button will cause the red light to stay steadily on, no longer blinking. At that point, we can search within a one-meter radius to find what we’re looking for.”
Now everyone understood. As long as they used this detector, they could find the object they were instructed to locate.
Caiqingchong placed the device into his backpack and said, “Although the detector can sense the object’s presence, judging from the blinking frequency, we’re still quite far from it. We need to keep moving forward. The device indicates the object is directly ahead.”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and said, “The light ahead doesn’t seem to be from the insects. This purple glow must be coming from some kind of material. According to the map, we should now be approaching the entrance to the Infinite Dao Zang. Everyone, stay alert.”
So, the group continued forward. The purple glow was dazzlingly bright. The remaining path was illuminated so well that even their flashlights were unnecessary.
They walked for no more than five minutes when they finally saw clearly ahead: a cave entrance. The purple light was indeed coming from outside the cave, as if the world beyond was bathed in an incredibly strange purple glow. Everyone felt a mix of curiosity and unease, unsure what kind of unknown wonders or dangers awaited beyond the cave mouth.
When they finally stood at the cave entrance, the entire group was stunned by the sight before them, as if they had stepped into an unbelievable dream or an alien world. A strange, surreal, even eerie feeling simultaneously gripped each of them.
It was just like when they had first unlocked the Seven Star Locks and, after crossing the underground canyon, first laid eyes on the ghost city of Fengdu. Below the cave mouth was a basin-shaped depression, and at its center stood an incredible city—entirely constructed from purple crystal. Now, this unimaginable city radiated unparalleled purple light, illuminating the entire underground space.
Even more incredible was the fact that surrounding the Infinite Dao Zang was an even more extraordinary underground ecosystem of flora and fauna.
Strange plants grew all around and within the basin, and among them, they saw many never-before-seen flying insects. Between the plants, they could glimpse crawling creatures moving about.
It was a long while before they could recover from the dreamlike daze. Fan Debiao stared, eyes wide and unfocused, at the fantastical scene below and murmured, “Tell me we’re not dreaming. Where is this? Are these things real?”
Everyone remained silent, no one answering—because no one could answer. At that moment, everyone was questioning whether what they were seeing was real.
They stood there, staring, for a few more minutes before Liu Dashao finally sighed softly and said, “It seems this is indeed the Infinite Dao Zang. It lives up to its legendary name. Everyone, stop questioning. What you see is real, not a fantasy. Let’s find a way down.”
Everyone nodded mechanically, slowly regaining their senses.
It didn’t take long to find the descent—a path seemingly man-made, paved with colorful crystal stones, winding its way down to the Infinite Dao Zang below.
Just as everyone was about to step forward, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly said, “Wait. I have a bad feeling. We should figure some things out before going down.”
Everyone was startled. Liu Dashao asked, “Master, what feels wrong?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s small eyes darted as he seemed to be considering how to explain. After a moment’s silence, he finally spoke, “We’re on the verge of reaching the final barrier of the Infinite Dao Zang—the ninety-ninth heaven. What feels wrong is this: other cities and the Infinite Dao Zang differ in one obvious way—the Infinite Dao Zang has a living biological environment. That means something. You’ve seen the creatures here—plants, animals, insects—none of which we’ve ever seen or heard of before. What does that mean? In short, I have a very bad feeling, but I can’t quite describe it. It’s as if…”
He scratched his head, struggling to continue, “As if this place isn’t of this world, but some illusion or another dimension.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “I agree with Master Jia. I also feel something strange here—something I can’t quite put into words. I’m not feeling intense fear, but there’s definitely something unsettling.”
Throughout the journey, Liu Dashao had always shown strong foresight, so his words added a new layer of gravity to the group’s mood.
Suddenly, Liu Dashao’s hands trembled and he wore a strange expression. “No good! Back at the underground river, I tested my abilities and found I had recovered about seventy to eighty percent of my power. But now… just now, when I tried to summon my energy, I found I’ve lost all my abilities!”
Everyone’s hearts sank. What was happening? Liu Dashao hurriedly pulled out a stack of talismans from his chest and muttered, “Even my talismans have lost their power. What… what’s going on?”
Everyone’s attention turned to the yellow talismans in Liu Dashao’s hands. Indeed, the Daoist symbols once drawn on them had completely faded, leaving them devoid of their former mystical glow.
This sudden series of changes threw everyone into a state of inexplicable panic. They gazed down at the strange, otherworldly underground landscape, feeling utterly lost.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I get it! I get it! There must be something or some force in this place suppressing our abilities. It must be!”
Everyone looked at him in shock. After saying this, he grabbed his already messy hair, furrowed his brow, and muttered to himself, “But what kind of thing could have such strange power?”
“I think I understand,” Liu Dashao suddenly said, slapping his head.
Everyone turned their dazed gazes toward him as Liu Dashao slowly explained, “The key lies in these three legendary places—the Infinite Buddha Zang, the Infinite Demon Zang, and the Infinite Dao Zang. We’ve always said these places are beyond comprehension, not something humans could have built. Yet, although we’ve been reluctant to believe in the existence of otherworldly ruins or beings, the truth is that since the dawn of humanity and recorded history, these things we’ve refused to believe in have indeed existed on Earth. We can’t deny that. I believe the ninety-ninth heaven was built by beings from another world. It might be an ancient ruin from that world, or perhaps a place where a portal to another dimension was opened—a place where Daoist immortality was achieved. Remember the ghost city of Fengdu? Now look at this incredible Infinite Dao Zang. In all of human history, has any person or dynasty ever had the power to construct such an underground city? Could anyone have gathered so many mechanisms and crystals? Could such massive, single pieces of crystal even form naturally on Earth? The answer is absolutely no!”
Liu Dashao spoke calmly, and as he looked around, he saw that everyone was listening quietly. At that moment, everyone, based on what they had seen and experienced, silently accepted his words and acknowledged the existence of inexplicable phenomena on Earth.
Liu Dashao continued, “Except for Master Jia and Caiqingchong, the five of us here experienced the Golden Ancient City incident last time. There, we entered a time-space wormhole and a dreamlike illusion. That experience taught me that there are indeed parallel dimensions and otherworldly beings and ruins in this world. I believe the ninety-ninth heaven we’re in now is also a relic from another world. Take these crystals, for example—I believe they’re not from Earth. The light they emit tells me they’re not minerals found or mined on Earth, but rather something from another world that resembles Earth’s crystals. The same goes for the heavy water from the Yellow Spring. Our loss of abilities, I believe, is directly related to this Infinite Dao Zang. In other words, the Infinite Dao Zang itself contains some substance or force that suppresses our abilities.”
Seeing the stunned silence on everyone’s faces, Liu Dashao exhaled softly and sighed, “That’s all I have to say. It’s just my personal view and might not be absolutely accurate.”
Jia Zhuangyuan slowly turned his gaze toward Liu Dashao and nodded calmly, saying, “Actually, everyone already accepts your judgment in their hearts. If there’s one Earth in the universe, with all kinds of intelligent life growing on it, then there must be other planets and other life forms in the universe. Depending on when they formed, the intelligence of life on different planets varies. What we’re seeing now—the Infinite Dao Zang—could indeed be a product of another world, as you said. I personally agree with you.”
Caiqingchong then lifted his head, nodded at Liu Dashao, and said with a bitter smile, “I agree with you too.”
Liu Dashao looked at Fan Debiao, who still seemed dazed by what had just been said. For a moment, everyone fell silent.
After a while, Caiqingchong finally looked at Liu Dashao and turned to Jia Zhuangyuan and asked, “Now what do we do?”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan, who had lowered his head, seemingly at a loss. Liu Dashao thought for a moment and said, “We’ve come all this way through countless hardships. We’re finally about to see the truth. Tell me, should we give up now, or keep going?”
He looked at each person in turn. Fan Debiao took a deep breath and said slowly, “I choose to keep going. I must see the final mystery.”
Caiqingchong nodded slightly without speaking.
At this moment, Jia Zhuangyuan raised his head and said, “I think we don’t have a choice. As for me personally, I just want to complete this mission and become a normal person who can walk in the light.”
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