The moment Xu Yang spoke, Qin Shuang and the other two froze. Then they all turned to look at him, their faces full of disbelief. Su Ru hesitated before saying, "Fellow Daoist Xu says he has a way? Could you explain it in detail so we can hear it?"
Xu Yang knew they were doubtful and didn't believe he had a good solution. He wasn't offended and simply replied, "This junior cultivates a body-tempering technique and has some confidence in my physical strength. I believe I have a chance of pushing open that stone door."
A glint flashed in Qin Shuang and the others' eyes. All three stared intently at Xu Yang for a long while, but couldn't find anything unusual. His body looked perfectly ordinary, showing no signs of body tempering.
They withdrew their gazes and exchanged glances, still somewhat doubtful. Seeing this, Xu Yang said no more. He rose from his chair and walked to an open space in the hall. With a low shout, he swiftly circulated the Iron Body Technique. His skin immediately turned a bluish black, and a formidable aura rolled off him.
Qin Shuang and the others were greatly surprised by Xu Yang's transformation. They hadn't expected him to truly practice a body-tempering art, much less conceal it so thoroughly that he showed not the slightest trace of it. Had Xu Yang not circulated the technique right in front of them, they would still have been suspicious and would have found no sign of it at all.
Xu Yang had given careful thought to revealing his Iron Body. From their earlier conversation, he'd realized that Qin Shuang and his wife were decent people, at least not the sort to kill him and seize his treasures. Besides, the aura of the Indestructible Golden Body Art was well concealed. They wouldn't discover its secrets and would assume it was merely an ordinary body-tempering technique.
As he thought this, Xu Yang went to a massive boulder in the hall. It was enormous and incredibly heavy, and Xu Yang looked tiny standing beside it. He reached out and gripped a crevice in the rock with both hands. His formidable strength surged, and he slowly lifted the boulder above his head.
Qin Shuang and his wife were overjoyed at the sight. With strength like that, he should be able to push open the stone door, shouldn't he? Xu Yang set the boulder back down, then walked over to Ling Feng and asked, "What do you think, Fellow Daoist Ling? Should my strength be enough to push open the stone door?"
Ling Feng stared at Xu Yang in shock. After hearing his question, he lowered his head and thought for a moment before replying, "I don't know. The stone door is even larger than that boulder. But Fellow Daoist Xu is the person most likely to push it open, so I think we can let him try." With that, Ling Feng turned to Qin Shuang and made his suggestion.
Qin Shuang lowered his head and considered it for a moment, thinking, Su Ru and I can't get inside. Even if we did, we probably couldn't push the stone door open. Our only option is to let Xu Yang give it a try. There's no better candidate—but can he really be trusted?
Xu Yang let his Iron Body fade and went to stand beside Qin Shuang, waiting for his answer. He saw Qin Shuang's expression shifting, hesitation written all over his face. Xu Yang immediately understood what he was worried about. He spoke up, "Senior, I understand your concerns. But delays could lead to trouble. There's no telling when someone else might discover the abode. If that happens, obtaining its treasures will be even harder."
"Besides, I can swear another solemn oath that I won't covet the treasures inside. What do you think, Senior?" Qin Shuang looked up and stared hard at Xu Yang. "If you don't want the treasures inside, why would you risk your life? I don't believe you're some selfless saint."
Xu Yang smiled. "Of course I'm no saint. Senior Su's Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman saved my life, and I want to repay her while I have the chance. Besides, Yaoyao is adorable, and I don't want her to become a cultivation furnace for some cultivator."
As he spoke, Xu Yang glanced at Qin Shuang again. "Also, this junior trusts that Senior won't leave me empty-handed after we succeed!"
Hearing Xu Yang's words, the three of them relaxed. Su Ru smiled and said, "We certainly won't treat you unfairly. Whether this succeeds or not, we'll reward you. But don't expect another Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman. We don't have any left."
Xu Yang looked puzzled and asked Su Ru, "The Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman is only a low-grade Talisman. How could you not have any, Senior Su? Is there something special about it?"
Qin Shuang smiled and explained, "The Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman Su Ru gave you is extremely special. My wife and I found it while exploring an Ancient Cultivator Abode. It was made by ancient cultivators, and its effects far surpass those of modern Talismans. We found only three in total. We've already used the other two, so naturally we can't give you another."
Xu Yang understood. No wonder that Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman had been so powerful—it had come from the ancient cultivators. It was said that the ancient cultivation world had flourished, with power far beyond that of the present day. The Lesser Return-to-Origin Talisman alone made that clear; modern Talismans couldn't compare to its effects. Yet for some reason, that once-prosperous ancient cultivation world had suddenly declined, leaving behind only a few ancient ruins and Ancient Cultivator Abodes, which cultivators occasionally discovered and brought back into the light.
Qin Shuang and his wife had discovered an Ancient Cultivator Abode and found the Lesser Return-to-Origin Talismans inside. Unfortunately, there had only been three, and they'd all been used. Xu Yang couldn't help feeling regretful. At a critical moment, a Talisman like that could save a life.
Now that everything had been said openly, neither side had any reservations. After discussing it, they decided Qin Shuang would take Xu Yang and Ling Feng to the abode, while Su Ru stayed behind to look after Yaoyao.
To avoid any further delay, Qin Shuang didn't waste time. He took Xu Yang and the others out of the cave. Once they reached the edge of the camp, Qin Shuang flipped his hand and produced a Flying Boat. It hovered in the air and quickly grew larger. Xu Yang and Ling Feng leapt aboard, and under Qin Shuang's control, it flew north.
Standing inside the Flying Boat, Xu Yang looked around and saw that its interior was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, exquisitely decorated. It even had tables, chairs, and beds for passengers to rest on. It was far better than the Flying Boat Huo Lian had piloted before.
Flying Boats were dedicated flying Dharma Artifacts. They came in different sizes and could move at tremendous speed, though they had little offensive power and fairly strong defenses. The smallest could carry only its owner, but was still much faster than flying on a sword. Large Flying Boats were not only beautifully decorated but also had spacious interiors, enough to carry dozens of people.
Qin Shuang's Flying Boat was quite impressive. It was a high-grade model that could carry around ten people. It could be powered by Spirit Stones or controlled with True Essence. True Essence was the power within Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, formed when Gang Qi liquefied. That was why Flying Boats were generally a hallmark of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. Golden Core Realm cultivators usually flew on Dharma Artifacts, using specialized flying Dharma Artifacts only for long-distance travel.
As expected of a dedicated flying Dharma Artifact, the Flying Boat moved at astonishing speed, far faster than a Flying Sword. Under Qin Shuang's control, it sped toward their destination. A short while later, Qin Shuang took out more than a dozen Spirit Stones and placed them in the Flying Boat's core. Seeing Xu Yang's curious expression, he explained, "Flying Boats consume too much True Essence. I can sustain it, but we'll reach the abode soon, and I'd rather stay at full strength. So I have to use Spirit Stones instead!"
Hearing this, Xu Yang nodded. "Senior has thought this through. I'm impressed. Where exactly is the abode? Please tell me more."
At Xu Yang's question, Ling Feng spoke up from beside them. "I'll explain. The abode is in Dongyi Prefecture, Yue Kingdom. There's a steep mountain in Dongyi Prefecture called Snake Mountain. The abode is in one of its valleys."
"Snake Mountain! Are there a lot of snakes and insects there? Otherwise, why would it have that name?" Xu Yang asked, looking puzzled.
"Fellow Daoist Xu is right. Snake Mountain is crawling with all kinds of snake-type demonic beasts, most of them venomous. If you're bitten, the poison will be a real nuisance. Fortunately, they're all low-level demonic beasts. The strongest only reach the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, and none at the Foundation Establishment Realm have ever been found there. That makes Snake Mountain a prime hunting ground for Qi Refining cultivators. Cultivators often go there to gain experience," Ling Feng explained.
Xu Yang was surprised. He asked Ling Feng, "Yue Kingdom is the territory of the Demonic Path's Blood Refining Sect. Do those demonic cultivators allow other cultivators to enter their lands?"
Ling Feng smiled. "Righteous Path cultivators aren't allowed, but cultivators under the Demon Fire Sect and the Loose Cultivator Alliance can enter." Xu Yang looked enlightened. So there were other cultivators in Yue Kingdom after all.
Now that he knew the situation, Xu Yang asked no more questions. He exchanged a few words with Qin Shuang and Ling Feng, then went to sit cross-legged and regulate his breathing. They would soon be entering an abode left behind by an ancient senior. Who knew what dangers awaited them inside? It was best to get himself into the right condition.
Seeing what Xu Yang was doing, Qin Shuang and Ling Feng also went aside to meditate. The Flying Boat fell quiet. After a full day of flight, Xu Yang and the others finally reached Snake Mountain.
Under Qin Shuang's control, the Flying Boat landed on a flat patch of ground. The three of them quickly disembarked and followed Ling Feng toward the abode. On the way, Xu Yang looked around and saw snake tracks everywhere. Venomous snakes of every color slithered through the area.
Fortunately, these snakes weren't very strong, reaching only the Third Layer of Qi Refining. The three of them dispatched them with ease. But as they ventured deeper, the demonic beasts grew stronger, and Xu Yang had already spotted one at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.
Fortunately, Xu Yang didn't need to fight them. Ling Feng dealt with every one of them by himself. Only after Ling Feng made his move did Xu Yang realize he was a Metal-attribute cultivator. The spells he used were all Metal-element spells. Golden spears and arrows hovered around him, shooting out in a rain of stabs whenever a demonic beast approached, piercing it full of holes. Xu Yang clicked his tongue again and again, gaining a deeper understanding of Ling Feng's strength.
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