No wonder this little girl seemed timid on the outskirts, yet here she dares to look around freely.
Turns out, she had already judged that there was no danger here.
"Hahaha..."
The Xu Family Ancestor couldn’t help but laugh and waved,
"Changhe, just indulge her. This girl is both clever and strange, no need for you to worry."
Not only was the Xu Family Ancestor not angry at Qing Jun’s insolence,
but he also found this girl straightforward and lovely, far more pleasing than those family youths who only knew flattery.
Xu Changhe had to give up and came to the ancestor’s side, whispering,
"Ancestor, the death of the Medicine King Valley’s cultivator is strange, what exactly..."
Xu Henshan waved slightly, and the half-section of a purple jade flute flew into his hand. He quietly sensed the residual spiritual power fluctuation and soon concluded,
"This place must be inhabited by a group of Foundation Establishment Stage demon vines. The leading demon vine should be at the middle period of Foundation Establishment, capable of shattering the purple jade flute."
"But aren’t demon vines merely low-tier spirit plants? Could there be some secret treasure here?"
Xu Changhe’s words carried a hint of inquiry.
The ancestor and the main family seemed to already have control over the situation in Songyang Cave Heaven.
But these matters were the fundamental secrets of the Xu Family, unknown to branch cultivators like him.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t dare inquire with the ancestor, but seeing the ancestor’s fondness for Qing Jun and his good mood lately, he gathered the courage to ask.
"Songyang Cave Heaven... heh."
Xu Henshan sighed softly, recalling,
"Indeed, Songyang Cave Heaven is the supreme secret place for training disciples; yet it is also a demonized place."
Xu Changhe’s eyes lit up, and he began to listen intently.
The Songyang Sect was a sect from a thousand years ago, to be precise, about fourteen hundred years.
Legend has it that at that time, the Yan and Qi kingdoms were one territory, called Donghaizhou.
Songyang Sect was the major dominator of the Donghaizhou.
Under its rule, it included what are now Nanyan, Dongyan, and most of Qi Kingdom.
Such a strong sect, its grotto heaven secret place, must have significant secrets!
Xu Henshan continued,
"Once, I found a remnant scroll in the Dragon Sleep Mountain range. It recorded that the outskirts of Songyang Cave Heaven were vast, for nurturing spirit beasts and tempering disciples. The inheritance core, however, was in the inner area."
"The inner area has three thousand Tao steles, each stele is said to be inscribed with the true essence of Songyang Sect’s Dharma method. Whether it be cultivation technique or body refining secrets, they are the foundation for the Songyang Sect’s lineage transmission! Moreover, there are five great Tao steles recording the insights left by cultivators throughout Songyang Sect’s history."
When mentioning "Tao steles," even this three-hundred-year-old man, accustomed to life and death and withered in heart, spoke with longing.
If he could comprehend the full essence of the five great Tao steles, perhaps he might have a chance to achieve the Golden Core?
And Xu Changhe was more visibly excited, he hadn’t imagined these seemingly ordinary stone tablets actually recorded the true essence of Dharma methods!
"However."
Under Xu Changfeng’s expectant gaze, Xu Henshan’s tone suddenly sank,
"What kind of terrifying power is over a thousand years? Even Nascent Soul True Monarchs find it difficult to resist. More so for these stone tablets, deprived of cultivators’ mana nourishment and frequently eroded by demon creatures. Observing these demon vines, it seems some vestiges of Tao essence still linger in the Earth Element Tao Stele..."
"This..."
Xu Changhe felt like he had been struck on the head; he hadn’t expected these steles, after all, were still quite ordinary.
With the passage of time, their true essence had dispersed, turning into mere stones.
"No wonder... no wonder the ancestor once called it the Myriad Tao Stele; in its day, various Dharma methods existed. But now..."
Xu Changhe sighed deeply internally, but a thought stirred within him.
Since the true essence of these Tao steles had dissipated, why were the prohibitions within the Myriad Tao Stele still so strong?
But seeing the ancestor closing his eyes for rest,
Xu Changhe dared not disturb him and had to respectfully withdraw.
He still savored the ancestor’s words in his mind.
This place, according to the ancestor, was clearly a holy land for imparting Tao, yet why did the ancestor call it a demonized place?
Could it be... Xu Buhui and others entered Songyang Cave Heaven, that it is related to this "demonized place"?
...
The little white fox stood at the front of the tendril, paws on hips, head raised high, looking very pretentious and lively as if borrowing the power of the vine.
King Vine was like an ink-colored dragon, swiftly carrying the three of them.
Along the way, whenever they encountered any demonic plants or fierce beasts, they were all driven away by the pressuring of King Vine at the middle period of Foundation Establishment.
Chen Ye stood behind it, watching the little creature’s proud back, with a slight smile on his lips.
Truly, being influenced by those around you!
This little thing has spent so much time with Qing Jun, that it even has a few traces of Qing Jun’s personality.
However, most of his focus was directed towards the increasingly concentrated and magnificent life essence ahead.
The Wood Dao stele, it seems, is not far now.
Whether the "Wither and Thrive Mystical Light Scripture" can advance further depends directly on the Foundation Establishment major plan!
With King Vine personally escorting them, they quickly arrived at the core area of this Wood Domain.
As far as the eye could see, there was no longer the previous vine stele stone forest, but rather a vast and ancient forest center.
The place of the Wood Dao stele!
A giant stone stele about the height of three men stood quietly, this stele having a deep green hue with a gentle and calm demeanor, as if sculpted from jade.
The body of the stele was cracked, with transparent green brilliance flowing in the crevices.
A life aura so rich it was unmatched flowed continuously from the stele, gathering into the surrounding spiritual mist.
"This little white fox says the Earth Dao stele is the most intact, so why does this Wood Dao stele look far superior..."
Chen Ye was puzzled, then suddenly understood.
Indeed, it was precisely because the Earth Dao stele was preserved intact, so its inherent Dao essence was not exposed.
This Wood Dao stele, due to its damaged state, leaked power, causing this anomaly.
"Chirp chirp!"
The little white fox excitedly jumped down from the tendrils, pointed at the stele with its little claws, then pointed at Zhiwei.
This fox, as usual, is biased...
Chen Ye glared at the little white fox.
"Chirp..."
The little white fox froze for a moment, unusually a bit guilty.
After King Vine’s tendrils set them down, they slowly retracted, coiled around the branch of an ancient tree at a distance from the stele.
Chen Ye glanced at King Vine, gently patted the shoulder of the little girl beside him:
"Zhiwei, go ahead. Seize the opportunity, comprehend as much as you can, no need to force, safety first."
Zhiwei’s small face turned serious as well.
After experiencing the recent crisis, she was more eager to gain strength.
If she had cultivation, she wouldn’t let Master fall into danger, right?
"Yes, Master." Without hesitation, she walked to a place about a zhang away from the stele, sat cross-legged on a flat and gentle rock, and closed her eyes. Her fingers moved slightly, forming a simple Concentrating Spirit hand seal.
Chen Ye nodded with a smile, beginning to survey the surroundings.
"Hmm, what’s this??"
Chen Ye’s gaze involuntarily was drawn to the gnarled, dragon-like roots of the ancient tree beside the base of the stele.
"Second Tier peak Spirit Plant—Nine Aperture Spirit Fungus?!"
Chen Ye’s pupils contracted suddenly, gasping in his heart, almost losing composure!
This item is recorded in the Hundred Herbs Pill Scripture, naturally bred treasure absorbing the wood essence!
The condensed Spirit Pearl contains the purest wood origin, a supreme treasure for crafting top-tier Wood Element Spirit Pills, or directly absorbing to breakthrough bottlenecks and nourish the origin!
Its value far exceeds Longevity Juice!
Judging by its form and emitted aura, it is just a step away from Third Tier!
As a Spirit Plant cultivator, seeing such a treasure only seen in texts right before his eyes, his heart was instantly like a clawing cat filled with fervor! Almost subconsciously, he was about to reach to pick it!
But his hand stopped abruptly as if shocked by electricity upon reaching halfway!
Chen Ye’s gaze involuntarily was drawn to the gnarled, dragon-like roots of the ancient tree beside the base of the stele.
(Wait a moment for a change, didn’t write well...)
"Second Tier peak Spirit Plant—Nine Aperture Spirit Fungus?!"
Chen Ye’s pupils contracted suddenly, gasping in his heart, almost losing composure!
This item is recorded in the Hundred Herbs Pill Scripture, naturally bred treasure absorbing the wood essence!
The condensed Spirit Pearl contains the purest wood origin, a supreme treasure for crafting top-tier Wood Element Spirit Pills, or directly absorbing to breakthrough bottlenecks and nourish the origin!
Its value far exceeds Longevity Juice!
Judging by its form and emitted aura, it is just a step away from Third Tier!
As a Spirit Plant cultivator, seeing such a treasure only seen in texts right before his eyes, his heart was instantly like a clawing cat filled with fervor! Almost subconsciously, he was about to reach to pick it!
But his hand stopped abruptly as if shocked by electricity upon reaching halfway!