Mysterious Affairs Heard in the Strange Town

After Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan left the Mystical Realm, they traveled north. Several days later, they arrived at a small town called Lingxi Town. The town wasn't large, but it was incredibly lively. The streets were lined with all sorts of stalls, and Cultivators bustled back and forth, trading various magic treasures, Pills, and spirit materials.

The siblings strolled through the town, soaking in its unique atmosphere. Suddenly, a commotion caught their attention. In front of one stall, an old man in a gray robe was arguing heatedly with the stall owner.

"This so-called ancient ruins map you sold me is completely fake! I spent a lot of money on it, only to find the markings are useless!" the old man in the gray robe exclaimed indignantly.

The stall owner, however, was unfazed. "I got this map from an adventuring senior. How could it be fake? Perhaps you just don't know how to read it."

Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan exchanged a glance, curiosity piqued. Chen Ruixuan whispered, "Sister, ancient ruins sound interesting. Let's go ask about it."

Chen Siyu nodded, and they walked over. Chen Siyu politely addressed the old man in the gray robe, "Elder, could you tell us about this ancient ruins map? We're quite interested in such things."

The old man looked at Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan, seeing their sincere expressions. He sighed and said, "Alas, this map is said to point to the ruins of an ancient powerful being, containing endless treasures and powerful cultivation techniques. I had hoped to try my luck, but it turns out I bought a fake."

Chen Ruixuan asked curiously, "Then where did you hear about these ruins?"

The old man recalled, "A few months ago, a mysterious adventurer came to town. After getting drunk at the tavern, he inadvertently revealed information about these ancient ruins and even showed off the map. Later, the map somehow ended up with that stall owner."

Chen Siyu pondered for a moment before saying, "Elder, perhaps the map isn't entirely useless, just that the method of interpretation is incorrect. May we have a look at the map?"

The old man hesitated for a moment, then took out the map from his bosom and handed it to Chen Siyu. The map was made of ancient material, depicting mountains, rivers, and strange symbols. Chen Siyu observed it closely and found that some of these symbols bore a resemblance to those she had seen in a mysterious ruin before.

"Sister, did you figure something out?" Chen Ruixuan asked anxiously.

Chen Siyu didn't answer immediately. She closed her eyes, recalling the knowledge she had gained from those mysterious ruins. After a while, she opened her eyes, a hint of surprise flashing within them. "These symbols seem to be an ancient code. If interpreted in a specific order, perhaps we can find the true location of the ruins."

The old man in the gray robe and the stall owner both looked astonished. The stall owner quickly said, "If that's the case, if you two young friends can decipher the map, I'll give it to you as compensation for my mistake."

Chen Siyu smiled and said, "We're not greedy for the map; we're just interested. If we truly find the ruins, we won't hoard the treasures within."

As they were studying the map, a dark shadow suddenly flashed through the crowd, attempting to snatch it. Chen Siyu reacted swiftly, and the Five-Colored Ribbon instantly shot out, wrapping around the shadow's arm. The shadow cried out in pain as its dagger fell. It struggled to break free from the ribbon and disappeared into the crowd.

Chen Ruixuan said angrily, "Sister, these people are despicable. It seems the news of these ancient ruins has already attracted a lot of attention."

Chen Siyu nodded with a solemn expression. "Indeed, we must proceed with caution. There are likely greater secrets hidden behind these ruins, and some people are already resorting to unscrupulous means to obtain them." What secrets lie hidden within this mysterious ancient ruin? How will Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan deal with those with ill intentions and successfully explore the ruins? Everything is filled with the unknown and challenges.