Chu Feng accepted the wine but did not drink it. Instead, he said, "To be honest with you, Senior, I cannot stay here long. If there is anything I can help you with, please tell me directly. I will do my best."
"But if I truly cannot help you, please let me leave."
"The reason is that I did not come to the Kong Heavenly Clan alone. I have a brother, and he is still inside the Kong Heavenly Clan right now."
"Moreover, the fact that I entered the Beiyang Mountain Range has very likely been exposed. I am afraid that if too much time passes, my brother will be in danger."
"Oh?" Upon hearing those words, Ying Mingchao set down the wine as well and said, "Since that is the case, then I shall speak frankly."
"The side effects of my forbidden technique are severe. After a thousand years, I have only recovered this much. To fully recover, I have no idea how long it will take."
"And you cannot help me. In this Hundred Refinements Mortal Realm, there is only one person who can."
"Go find that person and tell her that I am trapped here. She will surely come to save me."
"Provided, of course, that she is still alive." At this point, Ying Mingchao's tone grew somewhat melancholy.
That was understandable, for from his words, Chu Feng could tell that this person was the only hope of rescuing him now, and that the two of them seemed to share a deep bond.
"Who is this person?" Chu Feng asked.
"Zi Xunyi of the Demon Extinction Cave," Ying Mingchao replied.
"Is this place easy to find?" Chu Feng asked.
"Ask around. I believe most people know where the Demon Extinction Cave is. As long as she is still alive, she will definitely be inside the Demon Extinction Cave."
"However, the Demon Extinction Cave is not easy to navigate. It is filled with traps, mechanisms, and ancient killing formations. I will verbally pass on a route to you. Follow this route, and you can go straight to the depths of the Demon Extinction Cave." After that, Ying Mingchao verbally described to Chu Feng the route for avoiding all the mechanisms and killing formations within the Demon Extinction Cave.
"Kid, if you can get me out of here, I will grant you wealth and glory, acknowledge you as my brother, and no one in the Hundred Refinements Mortal Realm will dare bully you again," Ying Mingchao promised Chu Feng.
"Even without such promises, I will still do my best," Chu Feng said.
"Why?" Ying Mingchao asked.
"Meeting by chance is fate. Besides, you trust me so deeply. Simply for the sake of that trust, I ought to handle this matter well for you, Senior," Chu Feng said.
"Good, how straightforward. Based on what you have said, and the wine you left me, even if you did not do this for me, I should reward you."
"It is just a pity that my entire body is bound by the forbidden technique, and I cannot even give you the treasures on my person."
"But I swear, once I break free of these bindings in the future, I will give you a treasure that will satisfy you," Ying Mingchao said.
"I appreciate your kind intentions, Senior."
"But a life hangs in the balance. I cannot disregard my brother's safety. If you have nothing further to instruct, then I shall take my leave," Chu Feng said.
"There is nothing more to say. Go. Oh, and..."
"Be extremely careful," Ying Mingchao said.
"I will." Chu Feng clasped his fists in a cupped-fist salute, then turned to leave.
However, when Chu Feng returned to the entrance of the long corridor, he did not simply walk away.
"Why are you stopping?" Her Majesty asked, puzzled.
"I have very likely been exposed. It is entirely possible that the Kong Heavenly Clan already suspects me. If I leave like this, it will be very difficult to get away, and it might even bring trouble to Wang Qiang," Chu Feng said.
"But what can be done about it now?" Her Majesty asked.
"No, there may still be a way to salvage this." As he spoke, Chu Feng began setting up a formation.
In short order, a formation had been laid out by Chu Feng. It took the shape of a small figure—more accurately, it resembled a spiritual body.
It stood only half a foot tall, its body semi-transparent and without a clear outline, yet it carried an aura remarkably similar to Chu Feng's.
"You intend to use this formation to deceive them?" Her Majesty suddenly understood.
"I hope it works." Chu Feng first stored the formation figure in his sleeve, then activated the Concealment Array to turn himself invisible before stepping out.
At the next moment, deep within the Beiyang Mountain Range, at the spot where Chu Feng had originally entered, the massive gate slowly rose once again and opened automatically.