Zhang Er Gou, with the experience from before, did not directly sit on the ground like the first time.
After carefully examining the secret chamber, he discovered a raised platform in the center.
It was one step higher than the rest of the floor, clearly meant for cultivation and meditation.
Zhang Er Gou surmised that the chamber was not originally built for imprisonment, but rather for cultivation, hence the elevated platform.
Zhang Er Gou walked onto the platform and slowly sat down. He was much more vigilant now, but as soon as he sat, before he could react, a powerful suction force pulled him.
Zhang Er Gou was startled and struggled to stand up, but the situation exceeded his expectations.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from the suction force. In fact, the more he struggled, the stronger it became; his efforts were futile.
Zhang Er Gou panicked. Would this mysterious secret chamber swallow him?
After struggling for a while, his body remained firmly fixed on the platform. Zhang Er Gou simply stopped resisting.
To his surprise, as he relaxed, the suction force vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Zhang Er Gou was overjoyed and cautiously prepared to escape during this brief respite.
The thought was beautiful, but reality was cruel.
As soon as he moved, his entire body was again pulled down with immense force. This time, the suction was even stronger, as if punishing Zhang Er Gou for not following the rules.
Zhang Er Gou sat down with a bitter and helpless expression, relaxing his body and ceasing any further futile struggles.
"What the hell is this?"
Zhang Er Gou cursed bitterly, sitting helplessly on the platform with no solution.
After sitting down, he hadn't used his spiritual energy to protect himself. He hadn't felt anything during the struggle against the suction force, but now, with his relaxation, the bone-chilling cold returned.
Zhang Er Gou dared not be careless and immediately began circulating his cultivation technique. The spiritual energy in his body surged outwards, and the bone-chilling cold began to subside slightly.
...
"Eldest and Second Martial Aunts, please think of something quickly. Er Gou has been captured by someone, and there's no news at all. Aren't you worried?"
Lin Yue Ru and the others, seeing Chi Yu and Chi Ling's indifferent expressions, were naturally anxious.
Xiao Qing Yu, being straightforward, couldn't hold back. These two women were matchmaking for Zhang Er Gou here; weren't they worried at all?
Lin Yi Chen and the others also looked at the two women, sharing the same thoughts as Xiao Qing Yu.
Upon hearing this, Chi Yu and Chi Ling exchanged a smile and looked at the youngsters before them, feeling gratified for Zhang Er Gou.
This brat could make these youngsters worry about him; it seemed he had a way with people.
Lin Yue Ru, disregarding her shyness, also looked at Chi Yu and Chi Ling with urgency. They had come to Zhang Er Gou's masters for help.
After so much time had passed, it was unknown whether Zhang Er Gou was safe or in danger.
They were naturally very anxious.
"Little ones, don't worry. We know about Zhang Er Gou's situation. The circumstances are quite complex, and it's not convenient for us sisters to intervene. However, you don't need to worry too much; that brat Zhang Er Gou is safe right now."
Chi Yu's confident tone reassured Zhang Er Gou's friends.
However, without seeing Zhang Er Gou, they were still somewhat worried.
"Zhang Er Gou, a disciple of Ling Yu Peak, in the Inner Sect Challenge, due to excessive force, accidentally killed someone. After investigation by the Disciplinary Peak, it was determined to be unintentional. Therefore, Zhang Er Gou is sentenced to one month of solitary confinement in the Cold Ice Cave for his transgression."
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed throughout the Inner Sect, its resonance lingering...
"One month of solitary confinement in the Cold Ice Cave!"
Disciples in the Inner Sect who had heard of the Cold Ice Cave gasped. The Cold Ice Cave was no place for humans.
They hadn't expected the Disciplinary Peak to be so severe this time, imprisoning Zhang Er Gou in the Cold Ice Cave for a month.
Disciples who were unfamiliar with the Cold Ice Cave lamented.
Lin Yi Chen, Xiao Qing Yu, Lin Yue Ru, Wang Teng, and Lu Xiao Yu had naturally never heard of the Cold Ice Cave. Upon hearing that Zhang Er Gou was sentenced to one month of solitary confinement there, their faces showed expressions of relief.
But unlike them, when Chi Yu and Chi Ling heard the voice, their expressions immediately changed drastically.
"Sister, you entertain these youngsters. I'll go to the Disciplinary Peak to find Senior Brother Jin and see what this old man intends."
Neither Chi Yu nor Chi Ling had anticipated that Jin Yuan would sentence Zhang Er Gou to solitary confinement in the Cold Ice Cave for such a long period.
Their understanding of the Cold Ice Cave was naturally far beyond that of ordinary disciples and elders.
They knew the dangers involved, and at that moment, Chi Yu was truly panicked.
With a flash, she left a beautiful afterimage and disappeared from Ling Yu Peak.
When Chi Yu arrived at the Disciplinary Peak, Jin Yuan was in the main hall preparing to lecture the disciples.
Since he had finally emerged from seclusion, he naturally wanted to meet the disciples, otherwise, it would be too irresponsible.
...
"Senior Brother Jin, what is the meaning of this sentence? Are you truly trying to take my disciple Zhang Er Gou's life?"
Before Jin Yuan could speak, a graceful figure flashed into the Disciplinary Peak's main hall. Chi Yu approached Jin Yuan, her face extremely grim.
Jin Yuan's face flushed with embarrassment. Chi Yu wasn't giving him any face at all. Couldn't she see he was about to impart cultivation techniques to the disciples?
To question him directly in front of so many disciples was a grave insult.
However, knowing Chi Yu's status, he naturally wouldn't show her any displeasure. He coughed and waved for the disciples to disperse.
Only then did he face Chi Yu and say solemnly, "Junior Sister, you may not know, but before you arrived, I had already taken Zhang Er Gou to the Cold Ice Cave."
"What?" Chi Yu exclaimed in shock, her voice becoming somewhat sharp.
"Junior Sister, do not be hasty. I sentenced Zhang Er Gou to solitary confinement in the Cold Ice Cave for one month, and I am confident that the lad can emerge unharmed."
"Junior Sister, your disciple is not simple. You probably do not know him well."
Indeed, Chi Yu did not know Zhang Er Gou well. Before he entered the Inner Sect, she had only met him two or three times, and they hadn't had much interaction.
After he entered the Inner Sect, Chi Yu was solely focused on Zhang Er Gou's body refinement, and she hadn't paid much attention to his cultivation techniques or skills.
Hearing Jin Yuan's words now, could there be another hidden reason?
Seeing Chi Yu's expression, Jin Yuan knew he had guessed correctly; she truly didn't know Zhang Er Gou well enough.
"Junior Sister, do you know what kind of spiritual root your disciple possesses?"
Jin Yuan asked Chi Yu to confirm his suspicion.
"I haven't carefully inquired about that with the boy," Chi Yu replied with a look of embarrassment. Being a master to this extent was also a dereliction of duty.
"That's precisely it. In fact, it wasn't my idea to send Zhang Er Gou to the Cold Ice Cave. It was those few individuals who saw Zhang Er Gou's spiritual root."
"Then they hinted to me that if that lad entered the Cold Ice Cave, he might gain unexpected benefits."
Jin Yuan said cryptically, and Chi Yu naturally understood his meaning.
"Those few individuals?"
Chi Yu hadn't expected her precious disciple to attract the attention of those people...