Chapter 285

Chapter 285: The Place Name No One Knew

When Lou Yun pushed the door open and appeared in the courtyard, a servant who had long been waiting approached swiftly to report: “Respected Manor Master, Steward Dai requests an audience!”

“Steward Dai?” Lou Yun was momentarily startled, then overjoyed. “Has Dai Rong returned? Wasn’t he procuring goods down the mountain? How is he back so soon? Show him in swiftly!”

A moment later, Dai Rong entered with a hurried expression. Seeing Lou Yun, he immediately kowtowed. Lou Yun quickly reached out to lift him up. “Steward Dai, save this kind of formality in the future.”

Dai Rong raised his head. Deep concern was etched on his face. Lou Yun’s heart gave a lurch the moment he saw it; he knew Dai Rong must be troubled by something serious.

“Manor Master, this courtyard isn’t the place to talk. Might we speak privately inside?” Dai Rong stated bluntly.

“We may. Come, inside!”

The two men entered the building one after the other. Lou Yun asked, “Steward Dai, how are you back so soon? I thought it would be another couple of days before you returned!”

Dai Rong replied, “It was meant to be in a few days. However, yesterday I heard the Manor Master came looking for me. Someone notified me immediately, so I rushed back.”

Once inside Lou Yun’s room, Dai Rong turned and closed the door firmly. Only then did he approach Lou Yun, lowering his voice. “Manor Master, if I guess correctly, you sought me out to inquire about the Old Manor Master’s whereabouts?”

Seeing Dai Rong being this cautious heightened the sense of foreboding in Lou Yun’s heart. He gestured for Dai Rong to sit. “Hmm. Where exactly has Second Brother gone?”

Dai Rong appeared extremely tense at that moment. He took a deep breath before speaking. “When the Old Manor Master left, he specifically instructed me that if you, Manor Master, asked, I absolutely must not tell you where he went. However, now, I cannot adhere to that any longer.”

“Cannot tell me?” Lou Yun couldn’t help but be puzzled, but then he instantly understood the meaning behind Beichen Ming’s words. The place he was going must be extremely dangerous. And he knew Lou Yun’s character well – no matter how perilous it was, if he waited long enough and Beichen Ming didn’t return, Lou Yun would undoubtedly go searching for him.

“Yes, the Old Manor Master specifically instructed so. In fact, he was initially unwilling to even tell me where he was bound. Only after I pleaded desperately did he reluctantly reveal it.”

Lou Yun nodded. “Dai Rong, tell me now about the circumstances of Second Brother’s departure that day. Remember, the more details, the better. Do not leave out even the smallest detail!”

Lou Yun could now surmise that his Second Brother Beichen Ming’s current situation was likely very dire. As brothers, Lou Yun could not abandon him. He needed to know every detail, then go find him. Even if he couldn’t rescue him, even if they died together, at least Lou Yun would fulfill his debt of brotherly affection.

Dai Rong dared not delay. He quickly recounted the events of Beichen Ming’s departure.

It was one night, three months prior. Dai Rong had snuffed out the candle flame and was meditating cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed. Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of wind stirring within the room. His first reaction was an enemy had arrived. He snapped his eyes open, ready to face the intruder. To his surprise, the one who appeared was Beichen Ming.

At that moment, Beichen Ming’s face was grave. Having served him for decades, Dai Rong had seen this expression on his face no more than three times. Each time Beichen Ming had looked like this, it signified he faced an extremely difficult predicament.

Moreover, Beichen Ming appearing silently in Dai Rong’s private room at such an hour inevitably meant serious matters were afoot.

As expected, Beichen Ming spoke before Dai Rong could even ask. He informed Dai Rong he would be absent for a period. During this time, all matters, great and small, at the manor would fall to Dai Rong to manage, until the day either Lou Yun or Beichen Ming himself returned.

After saying this, he paused briefly. Then, Beichen Ming added: if he did not come back within six months, there was no need to wait any longer!

Hearing this, combined with Beichen Ming’s grim expression, Dai Rong urgently pressed for an explanation. Where was Beichen Ming going? What was the matter? He fervently demanded to accompany him.

Beichen Ming naturally refused. He did not even disclose his destination. He merely instructed Dai Rong that henceforth, he must dedicate himself to supporting and advising Lou Yun faithfully, treating Lou Yun precisely as he would treat Beichen Ming himself!

Ultimately, Dai Rong knelt on the floor, begging tearfully, appealing to the bond formed over decades that was both master-servant and genuine affection, pleading for Beichen Ming to reveal his destination. Moved by Dai Rong’s loyalty, Beichen Ming sighed deeply and finally disclosed the place he intended to go. Upon revealing it, however, Beichen Ming immediately regretted his words. He did not reveal the purpose for his journey there. He reiterated again and again: if Lou Yun ever asked about his whereabouts, Dai Rong must absolutely not divulge it!

Concerning the place name Beichen Ming uttered, despite Dai Rong being well-traveled, he had never heard of it. Naturally, he had no way to speculate on Beichen Ming’s purpose.

Beichen Ming had probably anticipated this, which might be why he felt safe telling Dai Rong the name. After finishing these instructions, Beichen Ming turned and vanished into the night like a wisp of smoke.

Although Dai Rong rushed out immediately after, Beichen Ming’s figure was already gone.

Having heard Dai Rong’s account, Lou Yun now sought only one answer. Frowning, he asked: “What place exactly did Second Brother mention?”

“Thousand Layer Cave!”

“Thousand Layer Cave?” Lou Yun’s brows knit together fiercely. “You haven’t heard of that name? Hearing it now, it doesn’t sound like a particularly obscure place!”

Dai Rong shook his head repeatedly like a rattle-drum. “It’s shameful. Though I have traveled many places on Spirit Weapon Star with the Old Manor Master over the years, I truly have never heard of it. Moreover, upon hearing the name then, my reaction was the same as yours, Manor Master. I thought such a name should carry some notability. Yet, after the Old Manor Master departed, I began inquiring about this place everywhere. Unexpectedly, no one had heard of it!”

“Thousand Layer Cave, Thousand Layer Cave!”

Lou Yun repeated the three words, rolling them over in his mind. He was utterly certain he personally had never heard of such a place.

Dai Rong continued, “Manor Master, the Old Manor Master has been gone for three full months. He said if he did not return within half a year, there was no need to wait. Now only three months remain. Where is this Thousand Layer Cave? How far is it from Yulu Mountain Manor…”

Before he could finish, Lou Yun cut him off, “I know. Rest assured, I will depart tomorrow to search for this place. Since it has a name, someone must know it. I refuse to believe it cannot be found!”

Upon hearing this, Dai Rong suddenly fell to his knees with a thump. “Manor Master, please, I beg you! You must bring the Old Manor Master back safely!”

Lou Yun hastily reached out to help Dai Rong up. He was deeply moved by this depth of loyalty between master and servant.

“Rest easy. Even at the cost of my life, I will bring Second Brother back alive! However, I too must impose a condition. Should anyone inquire about my whereabouts, you must never breathe a word of it.”

“Yes, yes, understood! It is known, Manor Master! And should you truly find this place… do take utmost care yourself!”

“Hmm. Understood. Very well, you may attend to your duties now. Do not trouble yourself further with Second Brother’s matter. Leave it to me.”

Dai Rong bowed respectfully once more before finally withdrawing. The moment he left, Lou Yun urgently rifled through various maps stored within his own mind. Scrutinizing them carefully, he found no record whatsoever of the Thousand Layer Cave – not even anything remotely similar.

Initially, he had considered discussing it with Chang Xiang, but upon second thought, Chang Xiang wasn’t even from Spirit Weapon Star. It was even less likely he would know.

Lou Yun found himself unable to sit still. He left his room and paced around the manor complex. Every person he encountered, he would strike up casual conversation, feigning nonchalance while inevitably asking if they knew anything about the Thousand Layer Cave. The result was greatly disappointing: no one, including his own clansmen, had any knowledge of it!

Though he now knew where his Second Brother had gone, he still had no clue as to the location of this Thousand Layer Cave. Lou Yun became increasingly anxious. Especially since three months had already elapsed since Beichen Ming’s departure—precisely half the six-month deadline Beichen Ming had set. If this Thousand Layer Cave was truly remote, there was no guarantee Lou Yun could even reach it within the remaining three months!

If Big Brother Leng Cangqiong had been present, with his vast experience, perhaps he would know the location of the Thousand Layer Cave. Sadly, Big Brother too was absent.

Lou Yun also pondered whether Big Brother had accompanied Second to this so-called Thousand Layer Cave, but his mind drew a blank. However, he fervently hoped his two older brothers had not gone together. If they had jointly ventured to this place, and considering their combined formidable strength – both possessing immense power – they were still unable to leave, then that spoke volumes about just how dangerous this Thousand Layer Cave must be!

His most urgent task was locating the Thousand Layer Cave. Since this place eluded the knowledge of most, perhaps only those of extremely high cultivation possessed the information.

Lou Yun began mentally searching through individuals he knew who had extraordinarily high cultivation. Though he could think of several besides Big and Second Brother, the realms were insufficient: the Three Brothers of the Lu Family were next highest, followed by the Alliance Leader and Weapon Lords of the Divine Weapon Alliance.

The Alliance Leader and Weapon Lords were merely at the Heaven-level realm. Though considered formidable by many, against someone already at the emperor rank (emperor rank) like Second Brother, they were insignificant. Thus, they likely wouldn’t know.

As for the Three Brothers of the Lu Family, they were practically perpetual recluses on their island, deeply engrossed in studying formation arrays. They rarely ever left the island and probably didn’t know either. Yet, the thought of them suddenly sparked an idea!

He recalled the last time he and Big Brother had forcibly entered the brothers’ hideout on Carefree Island (Carefree Island). They became trapped within a formation artfully laid by the three siblings.

At the time, both friends felt only half a day, or at most one full day, had passed while trapped inside the formation. Unbeknownst to them, nearly half a month elapsed. This was because within the formation, the innate senses (innate senses) became chaotic, incapable of accurately judging time. So… could it be the Thousand Layer Cave Second Brother went to wasn’t an actual place at all? Could it simply be the name of some formation technique? Was it possible Second Brother entered such a formation, became trapped due to lacking the knowledge to dispel it, and hence couldn’t escape?