Chapter 644 539: "Shang Miaoyan, you want to take advantage of my predicament! To think I trusted you...

Following the densest aura of Spiritual Qi, Pei Yuhang arrived at a lotus pond in the center of the Abyssal Sea Palace's Medicinal Garden.

The pond's turquoise water rippled gently. Dotted amongst the overlapping lotus pads were pink and white lotus flowers, each petal shimmering with a lustrous Spiritual Light.

Just by standing here, Pei Yuhang felt a cool, refreshing comfort wash over his entire body.

The lotus pads and flowers in this pond were of immense benefit to a Divine Soul.

"This is it..."

Pei Yuhang muttered to himself, a hint of anticipation on his face.

He closed his eyes, his powerful Divine Sense spreading out like a tide to meticulously search every inch of the water.

Unfortunately, even after sweeping the area three times with his Divine Sense, Pei Yuhang found no trace of the Rebirth Lotus Root.

'Did someone beat me to it?'

He sighed softly, his thin lips pressed into a line.

The Rebirth Lotus Root could forge a new, physical body for a Divine Soul, and many of the old monsters who had come to the Abyssal Sea Palace were nearing the end of their lifespans.

A young body forged from the lotus root would be tantamount to a second chance at life for them.

So, Pei Yuhang wouldn't be surprised if a powerhouse had gotten to it first.

With a light wave of his sleeve, Pei Yuhang collected all the lotus pads and flowers in the pond.

These were all Spiritual Objects that were highly beneficial to a Divine Soul. If he truly couldn't find the Rebirth Lotus Root, they could serve as a backup plan for Chen Tiansheng to switch his cultivation to the Ghost Dao.

When he reached the rear of the Medicinal Garden, Shang Miaoyan was already waiting for him.

She was leaning against an ancient tree, her dress fluttering in the wind like the petals of a red lotus.

Seeing Pei Yuhang approach, she immediately moved to greet him, then keenly noticed the lingering worry in his eyes.

As if guessing the reason, she said softly, "Don't worry, Xiaohan. The good are always looked after by fate."

"Right. We need to meet up with Qianqian and the others as soon as possible. Let's go."

Pei Yuhang led Shang Miaoyan to a cliff face at the rear of the Medicinal Garden, where a Teleportation Array was set up. It appeared to be the exit.

Suddenly, he felt a soft warmth envelop his hand.

Pei Yuhang looked down to see Shang Miaoyan's fair fingers carefully lacing through his own, her movements as gentle as if she were afraid of startling him.

"I'm just... trying to make sure we don't get teleported to different places."

She kept her head down, the tips of her ears turning a faint pink as her voice trailed off.

Pei Yuhang was silent for a moment, but ultimately, he didn't pull his hand away from Shang Miaoyan's.

The two of them flickered and vanished into the Teleportation Array.

When they opened their eyes again, Pei Yuhang and Shang Miaoyan found themselves at a crossroads.

Before them lay three paths, far more ornate than the tedious, claustrophobic corridors they had just left.

One was filled with exotic flowers and rare plants, looking vibrant and full of life.

Another glittered with jewels and treasures, emanating an overwhelmingly auspicious air.

And from the third, the music of a zither drifted out. Countless lifelike Beauty Jade Statues stood guard on either side, silently beckoning travelers forward.

A Spiritual Light swirled in Shang Miaoyan's eyes as she used her Pupil Technique to carefully inspect the three paths, but she was unable to see through their illusions.

She frowned slightly, turning to Pei Yuhang to ask in a low voice,

"Xiaohan, which path should we take?"

Pei Yuhang's gaze was solemn, his eyes sweeping back and forth across the three paths with a flicker of vigilance.

"Something feels off about all of them. Let's take the fourth path—back the way we came.

According to the map fragment from the Golden Mirror Wanderer, we can bypass this area and head deeper into the Abyssal Sea Palace. It'll just be a longer walk."

The Abyssal Sea Palace was mysterious and unpredictable. Pei Yuhang didn't want to take any risks; he just wanted to find Yueqiu and Qianqian and bring them back to safety as quickly as possible.

Hearing this, however, the corners of Shang Miaoyan's lips curled up slightly, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.

"Is that so? Actually... I feel a certain fondness for that path surrounded by beauties..."

Her slender finger gestured toward the path of lilting zither music and smiling Beauty Jade Statues. "Of course, if you wanted to go down that path with me, Xiaohan, that would be fine too," she whispered.

"Childish."

Pei Yuhang shot her a look, not bothering to entertain Shang Miaoyan's banter, and turned to walk away.

However—

But the instant he turned, a clear, ringing sword cry suddenly echoed from deep within the "path of beauties"!

ZING—!

The sword's cry reverberated, sharp as ice shattering on a Cold Spring.

Pei Yuhang froze mid-step, his pupils constricting violently.

"This Sword Qi... It's Xiaoxiao!"

Pei Yuhang's voice trembled as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his Silent Sword. His normally stern expression was instantly replaced by frantic urgency.

"Xiaoxiao? You mean your young disciple, Yu Xiaoyan?"

Pei Yuhang had no time to answer. Overcome with worry for his young disciple, he shot forward without a second thought, his body a blur of motion as he charged straight down the "path of beauties."

"Wait for me, Xiaohan!"

Shang Miaoyan watched his retreating back, her red lips pursed, but she ultimately hurried to follow.

At the entrance to the path, the zither music played on, soft and eerie. The smile on the foremost Beauty Jade Statue widened with delight.

The moment Pei Yuhang stepped onto the path surrounded by beauties, the zither music ahead suddenly grew frantic.

Then the surrounding candlelight was extinguished, plunging the area into darkness and silence.

He narrowed his eyes, wary. Suddenly, he sensed something brush past in front of him and instinctively swung his sword, only to cut through empty air.

Just then, something soft and warm pressed against his back, and an intoxicating fragrance wafted to his nostrils.

"Brother Sword Immortal, won't you join this humble one for a glass of wine?"

The cloyingly sweet voice poured into Pei Yuhang's ears like fine wine, making the resolve of his very Sword Bone go weak.

'This is bad... This place can actually stir one's desires!'

Pei Yuhang bit his lip, letting the sharp pain restore clarity to his eyes.

"Don't struggle, Brother Sword Immortal... You're so tired. Just lie down and let us sisters attend to you..."

In the darkness, Pei Yuhang felt hands from all directions tugging at his robes.