Dai Yuan pressed her lips together in a smile and asked meaningfully, "So, how was it?"
Yang Kai blushed for once and let out a sheepish laugh. "Not bad, not bad. As expected of the Dark Star's most famous beauty—skin like silk, clearly well taken care of."
Seeing Yang Kai actually start talking about such things, Dai Yuan immediately couldn't take it anymore. She gave a light huff, said no more on the subject, and led Yang Kai and Yang Yan into the mountain's inner passage.
Once inside the passage, Dai Yuan pressed her palm against the stone wall. With a surge of her Saint Yuan, the jade pendant that had previously shot inward reappeared in her hand. Then the gaping stone wall silently sealed itself shut.
"Please follow me." Dai Yuan called from the front, leading Yang Kai and Yang Yan through the network of inner passages.
After advancing roughly a hundred zhang, an enormous cavern suddenly opened up before them. It spanned nearly a thousand zhang across, as if the entire interior of Thousand Illusion Peak had been hollowed out. The cavern was vast and utterly empty, bearing not the slightest trace of artificial craftsmanship. Yang Kai looked around in astonishment, discovering that this cavern was entirely natural—it had not been carved by human hands. Above, thick and thin pillars of dark red stone hung inverted from the ceiling like pointed stakes, looking as though they could come crashing down at any moment. The sight was extremely perilous.
Below the cavern floor, similar pillars rose from the ground, making the entire space resemble a disordered stone forest—labyrinthine and complex.
"A natural grand array!" After sweeping her gaze across the pillars above and below, Yang Yan suddenly exclaimed, her beautiful eyes lighting up brilliantly. She stopped dead in her tracks.
"As expected, nothing can escape Miss Yang Yan's eyes." Dai Yuan also halted, turning back to give Yang Yan a look of genuine admiration before explaining. "You're correct. Within this cavern of Thousand Illusion Peak, there is indeed a natural formation array. However, it only possesses some illusory effects—it doesn't have much real power."
Yang Yan continued studying her surroundings for a good while before asking, "Someone modified this natural formation array later on?"
"Mm. It was the person who lived here before, at Thousand Illusion Peak..." Dai Yuan's eyes dimmed briefly, as if something had crossed her mind, but the shadow passed in an instant. She continued, "That person had some knowledge of formation arrays, so he modified the natural array here, giving it not only illusory properties but also the ability to repel enemies."
"Can I go in and take a look?" Yang Yan asked, clearly interested in the natural formation array.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Yang Kai put on a stern face and scolded her.
No matter what, this was Dai Yuan's dwelling. How could someone freely probe another person's formations? That was an easy way to cause offense.
But Dai Yuan smiled gently. "Brother Yang, please don't say that. Since Miss Yang Yan has knowledge of formation arrays, it's only natural for her to be interested. After all, natural formation arrays are exceedingly rare and difficult to form. Miss Yang Yan is welcome to enter, of course. It's just that I myself don't fully understand this array. Ever since the senior who previously lived here passed away, I've been unable to do anything with it despite residing here—I only know one safe path in and out. If Miss Yang Yan could crack this array, uncover its essential principles, and then teach me, I would be truly grateful."
"So that's how it is!" Yang Kai's expression eased. Since Dai Yuan intended to make use of Yang Yan's expertise, he had no further grounds to object. He simply looked at Yang Yan and asked, "Is that alright?"
Yang Yan pouted but didn't answer. Wrapped in her black robe, she flickered once and vanished among the pillars.
Yang Kai couldn't help but smile bitterly. He knew he had underestimated Yang Yan's abilities, and she was clearly offended by it.
Seeing Yang Yan's confident display, Dai Yuan's eyes brightened with quiet anticipation.
"Let's go. Don't worry about her—this is your territory now anyway. She'll come out on her own once she's done studying." Yang Kai gave Dai Yuan a helpless smile.
"Alright." Dai Yuan had no objections. She continued leading Yang Kai through the maze of pillars.
Before long, the two crossed through the cavern and entered another inner passage. After walking a short distance further, they arrived at a stone chamber.
The moment he stepped inside, Yang Kai's expression shifted. The air was thick with the fragrance of pills and medicinal herbs, and within the chamber stood five or six pill furnaces of various sizes.
Only then did he remember—Dai Yuan was also an alchemist!
Wei Guchang had mentioned this before, back at the Flowing Flame Sand Field. And the reason Dai Yuan had known about the Red Candle Fruit was precisely because she was an alchemist herself.
However, since she had sought his help with alchemy, her own level couldn't be too high. Yang Kai was well aware of this but chose not to point it out.
"I'm afraid everything here is beneath Brother Yang's notice," Dai Yuan said with a smile.
"Not at all. Your place here is a hidden paradise—far better than Dragon Cave Mountain." Yang Kai gave a laugh.
"Brother Yang..." Dai Yuan suddenly called out softly, her beautiful eyes fixed straight on him. "Is it true that in the outside world, there really are Void King grade alchemists?"
Yang Kai glanced at her and suddenly realized that many people on the Dark Star seemed fascinated by the outside world. He had been asked questions like this more than once or twice already.