Heavenly Sun Mountain

Heavenly Sun Mountain

Outside Storm Market, on the highway built by the Yan Kingdom.

A party of six riders emerged from the south and headed north, racing like the wind and kicking up clouds of yellow sand along the way.

This group was naturally the exploration team headed for the Ancient Battlefield Ruins.

Amid the howling wind, Xiao Liang's black-and-white hair streamed behind him. He had practiced horsemanship in the Liang Kingdom as a child, so his posture was quite skilled.

But at the moment, he was more interested in the Spirit Horse beneath him.

He reached out and stroked the Spirit Horse's mane, feeling the astonishing vitality within it.

This type of horse was much larger than an ordinary horse, with powerful bones and muscles, and hooves as large as bowls.

Even the packed-earth highway was stamped full of round pits beneath its hooves!

They had already traveled dozens of li in a short time, yet it showed no sign of fatigue. Xiao Liang noticed that as the Spirit Horse breathed, it naturally inhaled and exhaled spiritual energy.

"So this is a Spirit Horse. They say it has a trace of Flood Dragon bloodline. Perhaps the people at the market were not bragging after all!"

Xiao Liang nodded inwardly. No wonder so many great cultivators still spent the effort to raise spirit beast mounts even when they could ride swords through the air.

When traveling long distances, having a mount was simply far too convenient.

"Fellow Daoists, do you know how these Ancient Battlefield Ruins came to be? What was this place like several hundred years ago?"

Perhaps the journey had become tedious, or perhaps he wanted their later exploration to go more smoothly, but Luo Dongbao's robust voice came from the front.

Yu Guang gave a simple-minded grin and replied, "Fellow Daoist Luo, I only know that this place has existed for over four hundred years. As for what caused it, I do not know much."

"No matter. Today, Old Luo will tell you all about it." Luo Dongbao laughed heartily. "More than four hundred years ago, the cultivation force backing the Yan Kingdom was not the present Ten Thousand Demon Cavern, but an immortal Dao force known as Heavenly Sun Mountain."

"The Ten Thousand Demon Cavern and Heavenly Sun Mountain were both first-rate cultivation forces. These Ancient Battlefield Ruins were actually the place where the two sects fought their final battle, the former site of Heavenly Sun Mountain's sect!"

What!

Xiao Liang remained outwardly composed, but inwardly he was deeply shaken. He had not expected to learn news of the Ten Thousand Demon Cavern here.

"So in the end, the Ten Thousand Demon Cavern won?"

Guan Lin listened intently and murmured.

"Of course. But I hear the Ten Thousand Demon Cavern did not gain much either. Heavenly Sun Mountain's grand protective formation self-destructed, destroying the spiritual veins and sect buildings within a thousand li. Most of their true inheritance techniques were buried deep beneath the underground ruins."

"If one were fortunate enough to obtain a true inheritance, then..."

Luo Dongbao clicked his tongue in regret, his voice growing quieter and quieter before he finally changed the subject and began recounting many stories of Heavenly Sun Mountain's past.

The others listened in amazement and could not help but sigh. Even a first-rate cultivation force that had once ruled several mortal kingdoms and had Nascent Soul Stage old monsters stationed within its gates would one day fall into decline.

Baleful Qi was soaring into the sky ahead. It seemed the Ancient Battlefield Ruins were close!

Xiao Liang had maintained a low profile throughout the journey, listening and watching more while speaking little. At this moment, he stared ahead, sensing the unusually violent spiritual energy more than ten li away, and thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Luo Dongbao smacked his lips and said seemingly casually:

"For this expedition, Fellow Daoists, you must follow my command. If we gain anything, I want ninety percent, along with priority in choosing items. I wonder whether you are satisfied with this arrangement."

"Ninety percent... isn't that a bit too much? Besides, for this kind of group exploration task, isn't the usual split fifty-fifty between the employer and the team members? You never said this when we set out!"

Yu Guang's expression changed slightly, making his dark face look even darker. When it came to benefits, he could no longer pretend to be foolish.

"Has Fellow Daoist Yu forgotten that Luo has the highest cultivation, and also bears the responsibility of leading the team? What is wrong with taking a larger share?"

Luo Dongbao narrowed his eyes and spoke with a smile, but his tone had begun to turn cold.

"Even if Fellow Daoist Luo bears the responsibility of team leader, taking another twenty percent would only make seventy percent. Where does ninety percent come from? And you also want priority in choosing items. That is truly unreasonable!"

At that moment, Guan Qiu, the elder brother among the Guan siblings, also frowned and spoke.

"Hehehe, naturally, it is because of this Heavenly Mechanism Map in my hands. An unexplored region of Heavenly Sun Mountain's sect grounds may hide all manner of treasures. Are none of you tempted in the slightest?"

"Luo's asking price may be a little harsh, but that is because my initial investment was too great. If you Fellow Daoists miss this opportunity, you may miss out on a rare stroke of fortune!"

"Think about it. If I lead you in exploring that region this time, then afterward, would you not be able to go explore it on your own? This mission lasts two months. Once those two months are over, there will naturally be no more restrictions."

Luo Dongbao's tone was highly enticing. On first hearing it, it actually seemed to make some sense. The Guan siblings exchanged a glance, seemingly somewhat persuaded.

Even the seasoned Yu Guang rubbed his chin, weighing the gains and losses.

A moment later, Yu Guang saw that the others, especially Qin Long, had no objections. He could not help sighing inwardly before reluctantly nodding and agreeing to Luo Dongbao's proposal.

Only then did Luo Dongbao reveal a satisfied smile, and his tone became much warmer as they spoke.

So he was using nothing to make a fortune!

Xiao Liang sneered inwardly. No wonder Luo Dongbao had gathered a group of teammates in the Early Qi Refining Stage and mid-stage despite having an opportunity to develop such a treasure ground.

He was most likely afraid that a powerful teammate would come and take a share of the benefits.

Luo Dongbao's plan was simple: use a small guaranteed amount of Spirit Stones, along with the possible profits from the area after the mission was completed, to get everyone to work cheaply for him.

There was one crucial detail here.

From beginning to end, he had never explained the size of the area marked for exploration on his map.

If it was very small, then after the exploration team's two months were up, it would be hard to say whether they could still dig up any treasures.

But if he was doing this, was he not afraid that everyone would secretly hide treasures while exploring?

Perhaps he had some way of detecting it?

Xiao Liang shook his head. Considering his many methods, he was not afraid of any schemes the other party might have.

What surprised him, however, was that Qin Long, the white-robed female cultivator beside him who had reached the Fifth Level of Qi Refining, had remained silent from beginning to end.

She merely surveyed the scenery around them casually, as though she did not care about the division of benefits at all.

"Is this girl really here for sightseeing..."

As Xiao Liang's thoughts turned, he found it rather amusing. This expedition and training journey did not seem as though it would be too boring.

The Spirit Horses were extremely swift. As they spoke, they had already left the highway built by the Yan Kingdom and entered the forested mountains, slowing somewhat.

The Ancient Battlefield Ruins lay not far ahead, a place where demon beasts and ghosts frequently appeared.

Naturally, highways built by mortal kingdoms could not reach such a place.

"Cultivators can actually unleash such power in battle by relying on themselves. It is truly terrifying!"

The group stopped atop a small hill. Before them stretched a charred wasteland extending for a thousand li.

More than four hundred years had passed, yet the traces of that great battle still remained upon the land, like ugly scabs left after rot had healed.

This book has been signed. It is a good start. Although not many people are reading it, and I write slowly, I will write it seriously, haha.