Begin Treasure Hunting

The atmosphere in the square was frozen. All the forces seemed to be immobilized, their gazes shifting between the open Stone Door and each other. Greed and caution clashed fiercely, but no one dared to take the first step.

During this strange stalemate, Lin Ming remained calm and composed.

At this moment, Lin Ming turned his head slightly and whispered to Zi Yan, who was already eager to try, "Zi Yan, once we enter the main hall, the important task of finding medicinal herbs and those hidden treasures will mainly rely on you! With your extraordinary sensitivity to spiritual treasures, your search will be much faster and more accurate than ours, which is like us fumbling around like headless flies."

"Hehe, no problem at all, leave it to me!" Upon hearing this, Zi Yan's amethyst-like eyes lit up, her face full of excitement and confidence, as she patted her chest and assured him.

She's always incredibly enthusiastic and motivated when it comes to searching for rare and precious herbs—things that satisfy both her curiosity and her appetite.

Just a short while after Lin Ming finished assigning tasks in a few words, the Spatial Fluctuations at the entrance of the passage at the edge of the square began to occur frequently again, and every now and then some powerful figures with considerable auras and slightly disheveled appearances would flash out from within.

These people were clearly newcomers who, through skill or luck, deciphered the secrets of the outer Fire Passage and successfully arrived here.

As the number of powerful figures gathering increased, even the top forces that had previously managed to remain calm and observe each other were now finding it difficult to contain themselves.

The more people there are, the fiercer the competition will be. If it drags on any longer, even if there are truly Heaven Tier Dou Technique inside, countless variables will likely be added due to the large number of competitors.

The silence lasted for a moment, and finally, from the crowd, an old man who seemed to be a lone wolf at the Peak Dou Ancestor gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes, and took the lead in slowly walking towards the deep Stone Door.

He moved with extreme caution, his entire body brimming with Dou Qi, ready to respond to any possible attack at any moment.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness behind the Stone Door.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

The expected screams, energy explosions, or trap-triggered sounds did not come. Behind the Stone Door, there was only deathly silence, as if the old man had simply walked into an ordinary porch.

"Fine?!"

"No traps!"

Seeing that the leader was safe and sound, the huge weight that had been hanging over everyone's hearts was lifted, and then, the greed that had been forcibly suppressed erupted like a volcano!

"Walk!"

Almost the instant he confirmed it was safe, Lin Ming smiled slightly, let out a low shout, stomped his foot on the ground, and his figure transformed into a blurry black shadow, accelerating to the extreme as he sped towards the ruins behind the Stone Door like lightning!

Their reaction was so quick and their actions so decisive, it was as if they had been waiting for a long time!

"Keep up!"

Behind him, Zi Yan, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, Di Kong and other core members of the Five Elements Sect also followed without hesitation, their Dou Qi running to its limit. With a flash, they closely followed behind Lin Ming, like a well-trained arrow, straight into the core of the ruins!

"That cunning fellow!"

"Damn it, he beat me to it!"

Seeing Lin Ming move immediately upon finding no danger, and at such a rapid pace, the powerful figures from all sides who had just reacted and were preparing to charge in the square cursed him inwardly.

Those forces that had grudges against Lin Ming, such as the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan and the Profound Nether Sect, were especially furious.

Despite the cursing, they dared not hesitate for a moment. Someone shouted "Charge!" and the entire square instantly erupted in cheers!

Thousands upon thousands of figures surged toward the massive Stone Door like a flood bursting its banks or locusts drawn by the scent of blood. The scene was chaotic, with pushing and trampling occurring frequently.

Lin Ming and the others rushed to the front, and in the blink of an eye, they were the first to cross the heavy Stone Door threshold and enter the ruins.

However, as soon as they entered, their pace involuntarily slowed down slightly, their eyes filled with a hint of astonishment as they gazed at the magnificent scene that appeared before them.

What came into view was not the narrow passageway or single hall that one might have imagined, but a colossal palace that resembled a behemoth!

Its vastness far exceeds what the outside world can see! When people stand in this great hall, they cannot see the dome when they look up, nor can they see the edge when they look around, making them appear exceptionally small, like ants in a giant's palace.

The main hall had an extremely peculiar structure; they seemed to be located in what appeared to be a massive central hub.

Looking around, one discovers that the walls of the main hall are lined with countless deep corridors and passageways, each dark and mysterious, leading to an unknown destination, like a giant maze.

At this moment, the forces and lone experts who rushed in after them, after a brief moment of shock, scattered like a hornet's nest after an explosion. Each chose a passage that seemed "destined" or "might hold treasure," and eagerly rushed towards it in batches, fearing that if they were a step too late, the treasure would be snatched away by someone else.

"Zi Yan, can you sense anything unusual?"

Looking at these densely packed, spiderweb-like passages that seemed to have no end, Lin Ming frowned slightly.

This is only the entrance area of the giant hall; the internal structure is definitely more complex and varied. If you randomly choose a passage and rush in, it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack, relying entirely on luck. Not only will it be inefficient, but you might also miss the real treasures.

"Hmm... let me smell it carefully..."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan immediately closed her eyes. Her small nostrils twitched slightly, and an invisible, strange perception originating from the Ancient Void Dragon Royal Bloodline spread out from her like ripples on water, carefully discerning the faint aura in the air that was mixed with countless years of dust and various residual energies.

A moment later, Zi Yan opened her eyes, pointed her fair finger to the left front, and said with a tone of uncertainty but also certainty, "Over there! I can smell a very faint medicinal herb scent, very ancient, but the quality seems to be extremely high... However, it seems to be very far away, and the scent is very faint, as if it is mostly blocked by something."

"It's good to have a direction! Just follow your instincts!" A hint of joy flashed in Lin Ming's eyes as he quickly said. Having a clue is better than running around blindly.

"Okay, come with me!"

Zi Yan nodded, carefully discerning the direction from which the faint Medicinal Fragrance emanated. Her small face was full of seriousness. Then, with a swift movement, she transformed into a purple shadow and took the lead in heading towards a seemingly inconspicuous and even somewhat secluded passage on the left side of the main hall.

Seeing this, Lin Ming and the others had no doubts and hurriedly followed, their Dou Qi surging within them.

The passageways inside the giant hall were equally astonishingly spacious; even several people could walk side by side without feeling crowded. Lin Ming and his companions increased their speed, soaring through the passageways like nimble birds darting through a vast pipe.

Along the way, they could also see other powerful individuals who had chosen the same or adjacent paths to search for treasure.

Most of these people cast wary glances at Lin Ming's group, which seemed to possess considerable power. However, perhaps sensing that Lin Ming and his companions were not to be trifled with, or perhaps eager to find their own opportunities, none of them dared to disturb or provoke them.

Along the sides of these interconnected passageways, there are occasionally some Stone Chamber or small pavilions that are clearly man-made.

Whenever such a place appears, it almost immediately attracts a large group of powerful figures who are like bandits. With red eyes, they rush in without regard for anything else, followed by a series of loud clattering and banging as they rummage through the attic, as if they want to dig up the entire attic.

Although such actions seem rather barbaric and destructive, in the early stages of this chaotic exploration of the ruins, some lucky individuals did manage to find scrolls or jade pieces. Occasionally, bursts of joyful cheers would erupt.

"Haha! High-grade Profound Tier Dou Technique!"

"I found it! It's a cultivation Cultivation Method!"

"Damn it, just a Yellow Tier one, what bad luck!"

The sounds of noise, laughter, and curses echoed intermittently through the passage. From the excited shouts of those who had obtained the treasures, it was clear that the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills they had found were generally not very high-level; at present, the top-tier ones had only just reached the Earth Tier Low-grade Rank.

However, even so, the person who obtains Earth Tier Dou Technique or Cultivation Method will still instantly attract countless fiery and greedy gazes from all around. If it weren't for the occasion and the strength of the other party, a bloody struggle would probably break out immediately.

For many small and medium-sized forces and lone powerful individuals, Earth Tier is already a precious heirloom.

Following the direction of the medicinal scent that Zi Yan sensed, Lin Ming and his group continued their journey. After flying at high speed through this maze-like corridor for nearly the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Zi Yan, who was leading the way, gradually slowed down and finally came to a complete stop.

"Arrive?"

Seeing Zi Yan stop, Lin Ming and the others' gazes instantly sharpened, all turning towards the front.

There, the passage didn't continue; instead, it was blocked by a door.

It was an extremely ancient-looking Stone Door, unlike the massive main Stone Door outside, it appeared understated and simple.

The Stone Door gate is made of a dark blue-green rock, covered with thick moss. Its bluish-green color exudes a damp and decaying aura, allowing one to clearly feel the marks left by the long years that have passed.

The Stone Door was tightly shut, so tightly sealed that it would have been easy to miss it in this intricate passageway if Zi Yan hadn't led the way.

"This is it!"

Zi Yan pointed her little finger at the moss-covered Stone Door, sniffed hard through her small nose, and showed a look of certainty and anticipation on her face.

"The aroma of medicinal herbs is strongest here! Although it's mostly blocked by the Stone Door, the fragrance of those herbs, accumulated over countless years, is unmistakable! This must be where the original owner of the ruins stored the herbs. I just wonder... after all these years, have the herbs inside lost their medicinal properties or simply spoiled due to the passage of time?"

As she finished speaking, a hint of worry appeared on her small face. After all, even the best medicinal herbs cannot withstand the erosion of time.

"Don't worry, it shouldn't be." Lin Ming shook his head, his tone quite certain.

"A Dou Sheng Expert possesses extraordinary abilities and has numerous methods to permanently store medicinal herbs and maintain their medicinal properties. Setting up special Space-Time Restriction, sealing them in Jade Box, or cultivating them in spiritual soil are all common methods."

As Lin Ming spoke, he slowly walked forward to the Stone Door.

At this moment, Lin Ming did not immediately push it open. Instead, he carefully released his Soul Power, like the most sophisticated scanner, to thoroughly examine the Stone Door and the surrounding area. After confirming that he had not found any hidden traps or offensive Restriction, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"It seems the owner of the ruins didn't set up many defenses here. Perhaps these medicinal herbs weren't the most precious things to him," Lin Ming said slowly.

Without hesitation, he placed his hands on the cold, rough Stone Door and was then forcefully pushed by Lin Ming!

"Rumble..."

The heavy Stone Door creaked and groaned as dust and moss fell slowly through the silent passage. A richer, purer, and more complex ancient aroma, a blend of countless exotic Medicinal Fragrance, burst forth like a fine wine sealed for millennia, instantly invigorating everyone present!

Smelling the aroma of the mixed medicinal herbs, a hint of joy flashed in Lin Ming's eyes. Without hesitation, he increased the force in his hands, pushing the Stone Door open completely.