Hidden Springs

"Huh? Something's bound in that ship," Tao Xiaosheng asked.

"You don't know," Zhang Wei asked back.

"I don't," Tao Xiaosheng answered. "Although I'm a close friend with her, she barely tells me what's up."

Zhang Wei gave a suspicious stare at Tao Xiaosheng.

At one moment, Tao Xiaosheng was behaving like the best and closest friend of Li Hua, but at another moment he was pretending to not know anything about her.

"Tao Xiaosheng, are you lying to me or is it the truth," Zhang Wei asked in a threatening voice.

"Your Highness, I can promise you that I really don't know much," Tao Xiaosheng answered, scared for his life.

In this world, how many people can handle the threatening voice of Zhang Wei? Essentially, there is none. Not even the emperor, his own father can.

Seeing that Zhang Wei was still giving him a suspicious look, Tao Xiaosheng said resignedly, "Your Highness, I don't know about the things on that ship, but I can tell you other things that you might want to know."

"I thought you knew nothing," Zhang Wei remarked.

"I know nothing," Tao Xiaosheng proudly stated. "But she's taught me many things."

Since becoming close to Li Hua, there was one thing he learned. True knowledge was when one knew the limitations of one's knowledge. He always tried to take advantage of her, but he knew that she limited many things.

The things that he knew were things that would protect him in the future and strengthen him. If he learned any more, he would only be harming himself. Which is why he would proudly say that he knew nothing rather than say that he knew something.

Shaking his head, Zhang Wei asked, "What has she taught you?"

"A man grows most tired while standing still," Tao Xiaosheng said with a wise voice as though he was an elder.

Once again, Zhang Wei shook his head. This conversation was leading to nowhere. Instead, it was going everywhere.

'Forget it,' he thought. He could always find information about her later on. They were destined to meet.

He would never forget the young lady that gave him that basket full of food, clothing, money, and a letter. He would also never forget what was written in the letter.

'An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet.'

Clearly, she was saying that they were fated to meet again. He also believed that they would meet again. And indeed, they met again.

For some reason, he wanted to go find the royal priest and see what their fates were. But then again, he also wanted to maintain that mysteriousness around their relationship.

Today, they had started off on the wrong feet. But who is to say that they would not end up on the same boat at the end of the day?

Heaving a sigh, Zhang Wei said, "You can leave now."

"Eh? You don't want to know about her," Tao Xiaosheng asked.

After all, Zhang Wei had paralyzed him to sit on dirt, dragged here, and threatened to tell things about Li Hua. Did he, Tao Xiaosheng, really just go through all those pains to end up with nothing?

Seeing Tao Xiaosheng's shocked face, Zhang Wei answered with a mysterious feel, "I have a feeling that I will learn more about Miss Li."

"Oh… I see I see," Tao Xiaosheng repeated.

After that, Tao Xiaosheng left the place. As for Zhang Wei, he stayed behind and undressed.

The place that he had dragged Tao Xiaosheng to was a hot spring. It was a very hidden but luxurious place with many health benefits. The fight that he had with Li Hua had left him with no external injuries but many internal injuries.

He never thought that she would be so strong. However, if there was a reason as to why he lost the bet, it was because he had too much confidence. He knew that Li Hua was a strong lady, but he did not think that she was only a realm lower than him.

Of course, the worst part was that she was able to hide her realm from him and disguise it as something even lower than her true realm. If not for these hidden facts, it would not be surprising to see him winning the bet.

He was an Upper Star Emperor realm holder, whereas she was just a Lower Ten Star Supreme realm holder. It would take a bit of effort, but his winning should already be determined. It was a pity that he overlooked his opponent.

However, he would only let it happen once. The next time, he would challenge her again and make her acknowledge him. After all, he still owed her two debts.

Now naked on his torso, he entered the hot spring and relaxed on the edge. In his mind, he was thinking, 'Was she also currently trying to heal herself from the fight?'

He was sure that she was internally injured just like him and probably taking the chance to heal just as he was doing so.

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Right after entering the carriage, she had the Highlord's Golden Charger fly off to the Yellow Mountains. After passing the barriers she had set up, she had the charger stop in front of a giant waterfall. It was a waterfall that could be seen from the skies for its size but looked too scary since it looked like it had no landing. (A/N: Picture it looking like Niagara Falls.)

Since it was too dangerous for any mount to land and had an open plain, no humans ever vacated there. However, no one would also ever think that below this beautifully cold waterfall, there was a hot spring with the best properties one would ever want.

In order to enter the cave that was hidden beneath the falling water though, one had to have not only exemplary qinggong but also good physical strength and a high level of the realm. Otherwise, they would be washed away by the waterfall before reaching the mouth of the cave.

As she disappeared into the cave, the Highlord's Golden Charger also flew off leaving her by herself. When walking in the maze-like cave, she thought back to how she had discovered the place.

She had been horribly injured and was running away from some enemies. However, this waterfall was geographically the worst place she could have run to. In the end, she decided to jump into the waterfall, expecting to be pushed along with the extremely forceful and dense water current.

But as though luck was on her side, her hand was able to grab onto a rock. Unexpectedly, the rock was dry so she was able to climb with the help of the rock. When she had exhausted herself from trying to defy the strengths of the waterfall, she saw that the rock she had held onto was actually dry because of a barrier.

She did not know who had set up the barrier, but it helped her and saved her life. However, after regaining her strength, she also realized that she now did not know how to leave the cave entry.

The moment she left, she would be driven by the waterfall. In the end, she decided to explore the cave. It was at that moment that she finally discovered that the cave was like a huge manor with its own intricate halls that told stories.

At some point, she finally started sensing a huge amount of spiritual energy from deeper the cave, so she decided to follow what she felt. During that day, she was happy that she was a Mid Nine Star Supreme because she did not feel the pain of hunger or thirst. If there was one thing she was most happy about this world, it was that leveling up gave you many perks.

Reaching the hot spring, she fully undressed and entered the water. She was not worried about falling asleep in the hot spring and then passing out. This hot spring was different in a way as it was able to feel the human temperature.

If the water was too hot for her, it would automatically lower its temperature. If it was too cold, it would warm up.

As she examined herself, she found that she had received lots of internal injuries. She could see from her view that there were bruises on her organs and she had a few broken ribs. However, it was not anything bad enough that the hot spring could not heal.

It had been two years since she last came to this place but she still knew everything like the back of her hand. Of course, she also recognized a few changes in this place.

If not for the barriers she had strengthened and set up, the spiritual energy would leak and many cultivators would come running to take some. She also noticed whilst walking through the halls that the carvings on the stone walls were more intricate.

She did not know how it was possible for that to happen. When using her senses, she could see that no one had entered the cave. She also knew for one that there were many things in which a human could not possibly achieve.

So, she was left to question the cave itself. However, this was going to be told on another day.

For now, she was going to spend her days recovering herself and meditate, the same as Zhang Wei.