By the time the gathering wound down, it was late. Everyone arranged their transportation for the next day and spent the night as Liu Qing'er's guests. Early the next morning, they said their goodbyes and prepared to leave.
As their host, Liu Qing'er didn't hesitate. With a wave of her hand, she sent several luxury cars to take them away.
Half an hour later, Gu Chen got out of the car and boarded the High-speed Rail home.
After returning to his place in Coastal City, Gu Chen casually posted in the Group Chat to let Liu Qing'er know he had arrived safely. Ye Zhen, Li Xingming, Wang Xiaoai, and Fang Xiu soon posted the same.
Once the Group Friends learned about the Wu Ming Ruins, the first thing they did on returning home was tell their respective Transforming Strength masters.
"Master! I found a huge opportunity! I snatched a Fragmented Ancient Scroll from some tomb raiders. It describes ruins called 'Wu Ming,' and according to the scroll, they may contain Human Immortal Martial Dao cultivation methods from five or six hundred years ago—something that touches the supernatural. How does that saying go? When a little cow meets a big bull—this is some seriously badass stuff..."
The hulking Wang Xiaoai rushed into the secluded chamber, eager to report everything to his master, Wang Tianba.
"Oh? You've finally made something of yourself. You've learned to steal. So where is it?!"
Wang Xiaoai's face stiffened. He answered cautiously, "A few of us took it together. We agreed to explore the Wu Ming Ruins next month..."
Before Wang Xiaoai could finish, Wang Tianba, who had been sitting cross-legged and meditating on the blood and internal force of Pill Embracement, flung him out.
"Get lost! You don't even have the thing in your hands, so what are you so excited about? Wait until next month..."
Meanwhile, Li Xingming found his Transforming Strength master, Yang Chan, who was disguised as a beggar, and told him about the Wu Ming Ruins and Human Immortal Martial Dao. Yang Chan scratched his hair, then nodded and agreed to come along next month.
After Ye Zhen returned, he drove his flashy sports car back to the foot of the mountain. He climbed to the old Daoist temple and hammered on its wooden door.
"Hey, old Daoist! Your genius disciple Ye Liangchen has an opportunity to share with you! Come out, quick! Chances like this don't come twice!"
A blue-robed Daoist opened the door with a dark expression. At the sight of Ye Zhen's smug face, he kicked him aside. "What opportunity to attain immortality have you come to share with me, Cheng Yuheng? You even picked the middle of my nap to bang on my door! Looking for a beating, are you?!"
Ye Zhen dusted himself off and raised his chin proudly. "Of course it's an extraordinary opportunity. Would I, Ye Liangchen, settle for anything less? I met up with my Group Chat friends, and we stumbled onto a huge opportunity. We questioned some tomb raiders and learned about a mysterious place called the Wu Ming Ruins. Hidden inside is Human Immortal Martial Dao, which touches the supernatural..."
At the words "Human Immortal Martial Dao," Cheng Yuheng raised an eyebrow. He studied Ye Zhen's smug face with suspicion, then said with a peculiar expression, "Taishang Daozu above, has Heaven gone blind? I'd have called it a miracle if you went out and didn't get beaten to death on the spot. And you actually found an opportunity like this?!"
Ye Zhen's mouth curled into a grin, his chin almost pointing at the sky. "Naturally! I, Ye Liangchen, have unmatched talent and fortune!!"
Cheng Yuheng's mouth twitched. He nearly slapped the hopelessly melodramatic fool. The man was infuriating. His name was Ye Zhen, yet he insisted on calling himself "Ye Liangchen," as if begging to be punched.
After returning to Fuzhou, Fang Xiu went straight to Fang Hansong, who was temporarily serving as an instructor for an elite special forces unit. She told him everything in private and asked about the monster in the Wu Ming Ruins.
"Grandpa Fang, were those ancient tales about immortals real? Could a monster really survive for five or six hundred years?!"
Fang Hansong shrugged at her question and answered with a smile.
"Who can say? That was centuries ago. Still, I believe it's possible. The same goes for National Martial Arts. If a Pillaring Grandmaster hadn't come to exchange pointers with me, I'd have doubted anyone could train to such a powerful level. Until something unknown is confirmed, no one can say whether it's real. Since you've already made plans, there's no harm in exploring the place in a month..."
Meanwhile, in a detached villa in downtown Jiangnan, Tang Ye studied the Fragmented Ancient Scroll laid out on the table. Beside him, Liu Qing'er quietly recounted everything they had learned.
"Master, there's a monster in the sealed underground Wu Ming Ruins that isn't afraid of guns or explosives. Could someone at Transforming Strength or Pill Embracement defeat it?!"
Tang Ye replied coolly, "I'm not sure. But if guns and explosives can't hurt it, it would take at least the combat power of a Pillaring Grandmaster to reach that level. You were right not to rush in and explore. As for the Human Immortal Martial Dao the scroll says exists in the ruins, if it's real, it's undoubtedly a path beyond Pill Embracement. It has already entered the supernatural realm. We'll wait a month..."
Over the next month, Ye Zhen, Li Xingming, Wang Xiaoai, Fang Xiu, and Liu Qing'er took their training more seriously than ever. Knowing about the Wu Ming Ruins and Human Immortal Martial Dao, they wanted to prepare for any danger. They devoted most of their time and energy to National Martial Arts—stance training, sensing internal force, improving their fighting skills. Their schedules were packed.
Fortunately, all five came from fairly comfortable backgrounds. Otherwise, they could never have afforded the medicinal herbs, supplements, or free time their training consumed.
Gu Chen, the mastermind who had set this entire scenario in motion, wasn't nervous in the slightest. He wrote, occasionally checked the Group Chat or browsed the news online, and settled into an increasingly leisurely life.
Before you continue