Chapter 102: The Art of the Flying Bird

That entire afternoon, we were kept busy. Master was constantly on the phone, one call after another, all inquiries about the Ghost Path sect and the matter of the Dragon Lock Well.

Time flew quickly, and as night gradually fell, we stayed inside the room for a few more hours, tidied up, and when it was just past midnight, nearly one a.m., we finally left the hotel.

Neither Master nor I took a taxi; we simply picked up a couple of bicycles by the roadside and rode swiftly toward the Dragon Lock Well. Along the way, Master and I kept glancing left and right, feeling like thieves. However, it was already late at night, and hardly anyone was on the streets—only a few young people, since the nightlife was just beginning.

We rode fast all the way. Upon reaching the Dragon Lock Well, we approached it. Master squatted down and placed his backpack beside the well. I looked at him and asked, “Master, what are we going to do now?”

Master made a shushing gesture, glanced around cautiously, looking even more like a thief, then said quietly, “Keep your voice down. I’m going to take a look down there. You stay here and keep watch for anyone.”

I was momentarily stunned but replied with a quick “Okay.” Before I could react further, Master grabbed his bag and jumped down into the well. I was dumbfounded. He hadn’t even mentioned he was going to go down!

I leaned on the edge of the well, staring into the pitch-black depths below, feeling a bit worried. Covering my mouth, I whispered, “Master, can you hear me?”

After a while, Master’s voice echoed up from inside the well: “I’m fine. You just keep watch up there.”

Hearing his voice, I finally exhaled in relief. Glancing at the thick iron chains beside me, I felt an inexplicable chill. Sitting by the well, I scanned the surroundings. Thankfully, no one passed by. Out of boredom, I picked up a few stones from the ground and started playing the little game of picking stones I used to enjoy as a child.

“Master doesn’t say when he’ll come back, just leaves me here alone. How boring!” I muttered to myself while tossing the stones.

Just as I finished speaking, a sudden sound came from the well, and a figure shot out in a flash. Startled, I jumped up lightning-fast, ready to defend myself.

But as my eyes adjusted, I saw it was Master, soaking wet, standing right in front of me. I straightened up and hurried over, asking anxiously, “Master, what happened to you?”

Master waved his hand, patting his dripping hair, and said, “I went down to take a look. There’s an underground river flowing at the bottom of the well and a long passage veering to the right. I’m not sure where it leads. I set up a ‘Flying Bird’ spell down there to observe quietly. It should guide us deeper into the passage.”

I nodded and pulled a pack of tissues from my pocket to dry him off. Master smiled slightly, and we went to sit in the nearby pavilion. Master softly chanted, and an image appeared on the table—a bird’s-eye view of a bird flying forward.

I watched as the bird sped ahead through the dark, endless passage. Master rested his chin on his hand, concentrating on the bird’s flight on the display.

The bird flew swiftly for over half an hour, yet the passage showed no sign of an end. A shiver ran through me as I thought, “What on earth is this place? It still hasn’t reached the end.”

Master furrowed his brow while watching the image. Suddenly, the display flickered and blurred. The bird seemed to encounter something frightening, darting desperately through the tunnel. After a moment, the image vanished completely.

Master hurriedly leaned closer and pointed at the stone table. With a loud crack, the table split into two pieces, startling me. Master’s eyebrows knitted tightly as he stared at the broken stone surface.

Suddenly, a terrifying roar echoed around us, and the Dragon Lock Well began to bubble and gurgle ominously.

Master whipped his head around and exclaimed, “Not good!”

In a blur, Master was at the well’s edge. With a slight twist of his finger, a blue lotus flower appeared above the well. With a sharp palm strike, the lotus shot down into the well’s depths, and the eerie sounds vanished.

I stood behind Master, frowning, and asked, “Master, what’s going on?”

He shook his head and said, “Let’s go back and talk.”

I agreed, and we mounted the bicycles to return to the hotel. It was nearly three a.m. by then. Once back in the room and the door closed behind us, Master immediately said, “Something’s wrong.”

I looked at him nervously and asked, “Master, what happened?”

Master sat down and explained, “There’s more than one dragon inside the Dragon Lock Well. At least two or more, and they’re all evil dragons sealed away for their misdeeds—not from the Nine Dragons clan.”

I was shocked and stared at him. “Master, how do you know this?”

“When I went down, I used the ‘Path’s Eye’ to take a look. But the images I saw left me uneasy. I faintly saw a large figure at the end of the iron chains inside the well. It was massive but unclear. For safety, I used the ‘Flying Bird’ spell to continue exploring the passage. But just now, I distinctly sensed a terrifying murderous aura. If I’m right, one of those evil dragons has broken free from its chains. It’s probably connected to the forces behind Ghost Mountain. This is serious. Why would a missing person case involve so many factions? What exactly are they planning? And where did they take Cao Wen?”

Master’s voice trailed off, as if asking himself, mumbling quietly. I watched his furrowed brow and asked, “What should we do, Master? Do you know the origin of that evil dragon?”

He sighed and said, “We’ll take it one step at a time. I can’t be sure of its identity yet. But this can’t drag on any longer. It’s likely that the Ghost Path sect is helping that evil dragon escape so they can harness its power.”

I nodded silently, my mind filled with confusion. Since Cao Wen’s disappearance, everything had become a tangled mystery with no clear clues.

I sat on the edge of the bed, head bowed in silence. Master was quiet too, and the room was eerily still. Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind—something I had seen during Master’s ‘Primordial Spirit’ spell.

I immediately spoke to Master, “Hey, Master, do you remember the bead that Ghost Mountain held? The one white on the outside and golden inside?”

Master blinked, looking puzzled, then nodded. “Yes, I remember. Why?”

I brightened. “Do you remember Ghost Mountain saying he had to personally deliver that bead to someone in the North Sea’s Sea Eye?”

Master paused, then slapped his thigh and said, “Ah, of course! Why didn’t I think of that? If he’s going to deliver it himself, then Ghost Mountain must come to Beijing. We can quietly follow him and find out the origin of that evil dragon.”

He looked at me and gave my head a playful pat. I was stunned, rubbing my head as he smiled and said, “You’re useful after all. We almost missed an important clue.”

I gave a wry smile and rubbed my head again. Then Master took out his phone and called Li Xin. After a moment, Li Xin answered, sounding groggy as if awakened abruptly. “Hello, Senior, it’s so late. Aren’t you asleep yet?”

Master smiled awkwardly and said, “Sorry to bother you at this hour.”

“No problem, Senior. You don’t have to be so polite with me. If you need any help, just say the word,” Li Xin replied.

Master nodded and said, “Could you help me check on Ghost Mountain’s recent movements? The more detailed, the better.”

Li Xin quickly responded, “Got it. I’ll let you know as soon as I find anything.”

I heard slippers scraping on the floor, then Master said “Alright” and hung up. After a short while, his phone rang again.