Martial Arts: The Secret Villain Starting from Huashan

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Xingchen gently turned his fingers on the mechanism. The movement was swift and precise, as if triggering an ancient puzzle. As the mechanism turned, a faint mechanical sound seemed to be heard in the alchemy room, as if some power was slowly awakening.

At that moment, the floor in the middle of the alchemy room suddenly made a slight mechanical sound, and then slowly opened, revealing a dark hole. A cold wind blew out of the hole, carrying a mysterious and ancient breath that made people feel awe.

Gongsun Lu'e looked at this scene in surprise. She had never thought that there was such a secret hidden in the alchemy room.

For a moment, her eyes were fixed on the dark cave entrance, her heart full of doubts and confusion. She didn't know where the cave led to, nor did she know what secrets were hidden inside.

Gongsun Lu'e had once been brought into this alchemy room by her father Gongsun Zhi. She was more or less familiar with every corner here. In the past, she always thought that every inch of space in the alchemy room was filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs and the heat of the fire.

However, she did not expect that right below this mysterious alchemy furnace, there was actually a bottomless cave hidden. She remembered that at that time, she was still an ignorant little girl, full of curiosity and yearning for everything.

Daddy Gongsun Zhi is always busy around the alchemy furnace in a mysterious manner, sometimes putting in rare medicinal materials, sometimes adjusting the size of the flame. Every time he refines the elixir, it seems like a solemn ceremony.

And she could only stand quietly by, watching intently, her heart filled with awe and confusion.

Now, standing in front of the cave entrance, Gongsun Lue'e felt an unprecedented shock. She recalled the time she spent in the alchemy room, and an inexplicable emotion surged in her heart.

It turned out that her father, Gongsun Zhi, not only had profound attainments in alchemy, but also took great pains to protect this secret. Gongsun Lu'e was in a state of confusion, her eyes lingering in this bottomless cave, trying to peek into the mystery within.

However, there was only darkness inside the cave, as if it was a portal to another world.

"Master Xu, is my mother in that cave?"

Gongsun Lu'e looked at Xu Xingchen beside her, her eyes flashing with complex light, with both fear and expectation, and she said tremblingly.

Because Gongsun Lu'e was very smart, and her mind was racing. Not long ago, Xu Xingchen told her in person that her mother Qiu Ganchi was not dead at all, and was framed by her father Gongsun Zhi.

In addition, her father Gongsun Zhi's mysterious behavior of often entering the alchemy room alone made her realize that this bottomless cave might be the place where her father hid secrets.

And could her mother, Qiu Ganchi, be in this bottomless cave? For a moment, the doubts in Gongsun Lue'e's heart were like being thrown into a pebble lake, causing ripples.

Why was his mother Qiu Ganchi in this cave? Was she there voluntarily or was she forced to do so? If she was forced to do so, then who had the power to trap her here?

If it was voluntary, then why did she choose to live in this dark cave?

Gongsun Lu'e's heart was filled with endless doubts and worries. She turned to look at Xu Xingchen, hoping to find the answer from his eyes. Xu Xingchen looked back at her deeply, his eyes full of sympathy and understanding.

He knew that at this moment, Gongsun Lu'e was experiencing the most critical turning point in her life.

"Miss Gongsun, I know you are full of doubts and anxiety. Don't worry. Once you go down, you will understand everything."

Xu Xingchen spoke gently, his voice gentle and calm, and he tried to calm Gongsun Lu'e's emotions.

Allowing her to face everything that was about to happen more calmly, Xu Xingchen's eyes revealed a hint of firm belief, which made Gongsun Lu'e feel an inexplicable sense of security. She knew that Xu Xingchen was not a person who made promises easily, and he must have his reasons for saying that.

"This cave is probably tens to twenty feet deep. I wonder if you can go down alone, Miss Gongsun?"

After looking inside the cave for a while, Xu Xingchen turned to ask Gongsun Lue'e about her own martial arts skills, with a hint of worry in his eyes. After all, this cave was bottomless and the process of going deeper was full of unknowns and dangers.

Looking at the extremely dark cave, the walls were extremely smooth without even a single raised point for traction. A cold breath emanated from the cave entrance, which made people feel an inexplicable fear.

Moreover, it is estimated to be twenty to thirty feet deep. With Gongsun Lu'e's cultivation level, she would definitely not be able to go down.

Gongsun Lu'e stood at the entrance of the cave, staring at the darkness below. Her heart was filled with helplessness and unwillingness. She knew that with her level of Qinggong skills, she would not be able to go down into such a slippery cave.

"With my Qinggong skills, I'm afraid there's no way."

There was a hint of regret and loss in Gongsun Lu'e's voice. She shook her head helplessly and sighed secretly in her heart. She longed to explore this cave and find out about her mother Qiu Ganchi.

But her ability was limited, and for a moment, Gongsun Lu'e's heart was filled with resentment and frustration.

"If Miss Gongsun doesn't mind, I will take her down with me."

Xu Xingchen smiled faintly and said softly.

He was well aware of the danger of the cave, and also understood Gongsun Lu'e's inner desire and helplessness.

When Gongsun Lu'e heard Xu Xingchen's proposal, a warm feeling surged in her heart. She raised her little head and looked into Xu Xingchen's eyes that were full of trust and determination. The fear and uneasiness in her heart gradually dissipated.

"Then... I'll have to trouble Master Xu."

There was a hint of shyness and gratitude in Gongsun Lu'e's voice. She knew that she could not face this challenge alone, and the appearance of Xu Xingchen was like a ray of light in the darkness, giving her hope and courage.

"Miss Gongsun, let's go down now."

Then, Xu Xingchen smiled faintly. His movements were gentle and slow, as if he was handling an inestimable precious treasure, full of delicacy and patience. He stretched out his right hand, gently wrapped his arms around Gongsun Lu'e's slender and soft waist, and held her in his arms.

At this moment, Gongsun Lu'e's delicate body stiffened for a moment. She had never expected that Xu Xingchen beside her would touch her so intimately. Caught off guard, she let out a delicate cry.

"what!"

The voice was full of surprise and subtle panic.

A blush quickly appeared on Gongsun Lu'e's delicate face, like the first rays of dawn. Shyness and surprise were intertwined in her eyes, and her eyes wandered back and forth between Xu Xingchen's face and arms.

He seemed to be seeking a reasonable explanation, yet was afraid that his reaction would be too inappropriate.

Gongsun Lu'e had lived in the isolated Jueqing Valley since she was a child and had never had such close contact with a man. When Xu Xingchen suddenly hugged her in his arms, she instantly felt an unprecedented strong masculine scent coming towards her.

This breath was strong and unique, completely different from the female world that Gongsun Lue'e was familiar with in the past. It carried an indescribable attraction that made her heart beat faster instantly.

Her breathing became rapid. Feeling the strength and warmth of Xu Xingchen's arms, a shyness and nervousness she had never experienced before filled her whole body. Her eyes drooped unconsciously, avoiding Xu Xingchen's gaze, and her pretty face was stained with a deep blush at this moment.

Gongsun Lu'e's heart was filled with complex emotions. On the one hand, there was sudden shyness and embarrassment, and on the other hand, there was a sense of novelty about this kind of intimate contact.

Although she knew very well that such behavior was not allowed in the Jueqing Valley, she could not deny that the sense of security and protection given by Xu Xingchen made her heart beat unconsciously. This feeling was completely new to Gongsun Lue'e and was an emotional awakening.

Gongsun Lu'e's breathing quickened slightly. She had never been in such close contact with the opposite sex before, especially in this completely unexpected situation. Her heart was beating like a deer. Although she knew that Xu Xingchen did this just to protect her, her female instinct made her feel unprecedented nervousness and shyness.

She tried to keep her eyes calm, but her beating heart betrayed her inner feelings. At this moment, she was like an ordinary girl, experiencing the throbbing of first love.