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. Though the town was not large, it was bustling with activity. Stalls lined both sides of the streets, and cultivators came and went, trading all kinds of magical artifacts, pills, and spiritual materials.
The siblings strolled through the town, taking in its unique atmosphere. Suddenly, an argument caught their attention. Before a stall, an old man in a gray robe was arguing heatedly with the vendor.
"This so-called map to an ancient ruin is completely fake! I paid a high price for it, only to find that the markings on it are utterly useless!" the gray-robed elder said angrily.
The vendor was unconcerned. "I obtained this map from a senior adventurer. How could it be fake? Maybe you simply don't know how to read it."
Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan exchanged a glance, curiosity rising in their hearts. Chen Ruixuan whispered, "Sister, an ancient ruin sounds interesting. Let's ask about it."
Chen Siyu nodded, and the two stepped forward. Politely, Chen Siyu said to the gray-robed elder, "Sir, could you tell us about this map to the ancient ruin? We're interested in such things as well."
The gray-robed elder looked at Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan. Seeing the sincerity on their faces, he sighed. "This map is said to point to the ruins of an ancient great cultivator, where endless treasures and powerful cultivation techniques are hidden. I wanted to try my luck, but who knew I'd bought a fake?"
Chen Ruixuan asked curiously, "Then where did you hear about this ruin?"
The gray-robed elder recalled, "A few months ago, a mysterious adventurer came to town. After getting drunk in a tavern, he accidentally revealed news of this ancient ruin and even took out the map to show others. Later, the map somehow ended up in that vendor's hands."
After thinking for a moment, Chen Siyu said, "Sir, perhaps the map is not entirely useless. Maybe the method of deciphering it is wrong. May we take a look at it?"
The gray-robed elder hesitated, but finally took the map from his robes and handed it to Chen Siyu. The map had an ancient texture, with mountains, rivers, and strange symbols drawn upon it. Chen Siyu studied it closely and discovered that these symbols bore some resemblance to those she had seen in the Mysterious Ruins.
"Sister, did you figure something out?" Chen Ruixuan asked anxiously.
Chen Siyu did not answer immediately. She closed her eyes and recalled the knowledge she had gained from the Mysterious Ruins. After a while, she opened them, a flash of delight in her eyes. "These symbols seem to be an ancient code. If deciphered in a particular order, they may reveal the ruin's true location."
Both the gray-robed elder and the vendor looked astonished. The vendor quickly said, "In that case, if you two can decipher the map, I'll give it to you as a gift, to make up for my mistake."
Chen Siyu smiled. "We do not covet the map. We are merely interested in it. If we truly find the ruin, we will not keep its treasures all to ourselves."
Just as they were studying the map, a black shadow suddenly flashed through the crowd and tried to snatch it away. Chen Siyu reacted swiftly. The Five-Colored Ribbon shot out in an instant and wrapped around the shadow's arm. The shadow cried out in pain, dropping the dagger in his hand. He forcibly tore free of the ribbon, then vanished into the crowd.
Chen Ruixuan said angrily, "Sister, these people are despicable. It seems news of this ancient ruin has already drawn quite a lot of attention."
Chen Siyu nodded solemnly. "That's right. We must proceed carefully. There may be an even greater secret hidden behind this ruin, and someone is already willing to stop at nothing to obtain it." What secrets did this mysterious ancient ruin conceal? How would Chen Siyu and Chen Ruixuan deal with those harboring malicious intentions and successfully explore the ruins? Everything was filled with the unknown and challenge.
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