Li Qiang asked, "How long does it take to walk from Wondrous Dragon City to Snow Dragon City?" He didn't want to waste too much time on the journey.
A ruddy glow spread across Dan Boyu, thin face. He said excitedly, "It won't be long, not long at all. It will only take half a Jialong year. There are two paths to take. One is the normal main road, with towns and villages along the way, which is relatively safe. The other path, which we Ascetic Cultivation Road, is a training path that cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm must take. It is very difficult and has many unpredictable dangers. I wonder which path Senior would like to take?"
Without hesitation, Li Qiang replied, "Of course I'll take the Ascetic Cultivation Road! Hehe, if it's not fun, I'll fly there; if it's fun, I'll play around with it more, haha."
The cultivators inside the room found it unbelievable. He wasn't going there to train, but to have fun. What kind of cultivation method was this?
As they were talking, Bai Canglao and his son Bai Shengzhen came in from outside. Li Qiang greeted them with a smile, " Chanlao, come in! Come in!"
Bai Canglao smiled humbly and said, " Shengzhen, please pay your respects to Senior."
Bai Shengzhen bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Senior."
Bai Canglao said, "Senior, Shengzhen is going to Snow Dragon City. Hehe, this is his first time embarking on the Ascetic Cultivation Road. I specially brought him here to bid farewell to you, senior, and to thank you for your care for my son."
Li Qiang laughed, "Oh, what a coincidence! I'm also heading to Snow Dragon City. Hehe, I guess I'll have to embark on the Ascetic Cultivation Road too."
Bai Shengzhen was overjoyed. "Senior, are you also going on a long and arduous journey of asceticism? That's wonderful! Can I travel with you, senior?"
Dan Boyu said, "Okay, it'll be more lively with more people. Let's go together, the three of us."
Bai Canglao was overjoyed. With a master like Li Qiang by his side, his son would be safe. He thanked him profusely.
Xuanyuan Yiqing said from the side, "Can I go with you, senior? I also want to go to Snow Dragon City. The crafting ceremony is coming up soon, and I want to see it for myself." He no longer dared to lie to Li Qiang, but he could tell that Li Qiang was a kind-hearted person who always wanted to get some benefits out of him. He knew that he had to go with him to have a chance.
Li Qiang scratched his head and asked, "Brother Xuanyuan, are you allowed to leave Broad Pivot Court at will?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go and tell them, I'll be right back." He turned and went out the door.
The cultivators inside started chatting with Li Qiang, Li Qiang always enjoyed socializing and quickly became sworn brothers with them.
Xuanyuan Yiqing hadn't gone far when he ran into Feng Qianbao, who grabbed Feng Qianbao and asked, "Has Senior Muzi been here?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing was startled; it was the first time he had ever seen the Grand Master of the Thousand Treasures Pavilion so anxious and agitated. He hurriedly said, "Yes! Yes! Senior Muzi is in the room; he's preparing to take the Ascetic Cultivation Road to Snow Dragon City."
Feng Qianbao lowered his head and pondered for a moment, while Xuanyuan Yiqing didn't dare to breathe loudly and waited at his sides with his hands at his sides.
Feng Qianbao raised her head and stared at Xuanyuan Yiqing for a long time without saying a word. Xuanyuan Yiqing was terrified, wondering what was wrong with him, and dared not ask.
Feng Qianbao is one of the leading sect leaders of Wondrous Dragon City, and he holds absolute authority here. Cultivators in Wondrous Dragon City dare not be disrespectful in his presence.
Feng Qianbao hesitated for a moment before saying, " Yi Qing, could you find a way to go with Senior Muzi?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing was secretly delighted, but he pretended to be in a difficult position and said, "I'll give it a try. Maybe it will work. What does Pavilion Master Feng mean..." He knew that Feng Qianbao needed his help, so he deliberately pretended to be in a difficult position to test him and wait for him to explain his reason.
Feng Qianbao said, "Hehe, I want to know Senior Muzi's whereabouts so I can find him at any time. If you can do that, I'll let you come to the Thousand Treasures Pavilion as a head steward in the future, how about that?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing's heart pounded. Being the Grand Steward of the Thousand Treasures Pavilion was a lucrative position, and it also offered the opportunity to learn the Thousand Treasures Pavilion's unique cultivation methods. He quickly replied, "Alright! Yi Qing will certainly do his best to complete the tasks assigned by the Pavilion Master. However, regarding Yi Qing's duties at the Broad Pivot Court..."
Feng Qianbao laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'll find someone to replace you. Keep this Law Treasure item safe, don't put it in your Storage Bag, just hang it around your neck." He handed Xuanyuan Yiqing a string of blue beads, which was Law Treasure used for tracking.
Xuanyuan Yiqing immediately understood his task, and he hesitated for a moment. "Isn't this a bad idea?"
Feng Qianbao chuckled, "It's not like I'm asking you to harm Senior Muzi, I just want to know his whereabouts. However, it's best not to let Senior Muzi know, in case he misunderstands us. Oh, and you can offer to cover the expenses along the way; I'll reimburse you when we get back. Also, when you reach Snow Dragon City, inform the experts of Extreme Chasm Cliff. This is a token from the Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Tell them who Senior Muzi is, and they'll treat you well." He patted Xuanyuan Yiqing's shoulder and said calmly, "Take care of yourself, don't disappoint me." He nodded slightly, and in a flash of white light, he vanished without a trace.
Xuanyuan Yiqing stood there blankly for a long time before muttering to himself, "I really didn't expect this... Oh well, never mind..." He turned and went back to his room.
Wondrous Dragon City is located on the edge of a vast, rocky, and desolate mountain. After leaving Wondrous Dragon City, one must cross several mountains, walk north along the edge of the primeval forest, and pass through some strange places before finally setting foot in the territory of Snow Dragon City.
After turning from the main road to the Ascetic Cultivation Road, Li Qiang and his companions had been traveling for quite some time. Along the way, Li Qiang had given the three of them some tips on cultivation, and each of them benefited differently due to their different levels of cultivation.
Dan Boyu was extremely excited; he felt incredibly lucky to be traveling with such a master.
That day, they came to a mountain hollow, Dan Boyu, "Ahead is Beiling Mountain, a famous mountain range in Linming Planet."
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed and said, "Yes, there is a Spirit Vein in Beiling Mountain that produces all kinds of treasures and spiritual objects. The Rock Flaw Spirit that Senior Muzi Zi saw last time came from here, but it is also very rare. It is said that the rocks here are nourished by the Spirit Vein and naturally contain spiritual essence, which is why there are such heavenly materials and earthly treasures."
Bai Sheng didn't speak much truth. He was a very down-to-earth young man who only smiled honestly on one side. He had the lowest level of cultivation and it was his first time coming out. He didn't understand anything. He usually only listened to what a few people were saying and couldn't get in the way. However, the young man knew how to find food. He knew many unknown spiritual fruits and spiritual leaves. As soon as he arrived at the resting place, he went to find them for everyone to eat. As time went by, even Xuanyuan Yiqing began to like him.
The four walked and talked, and soon emerged from the mountain valley and arrived at Beiling Mountain.
Beiling Mountain is a continuous range of stone mountains with towering cliffs that are both rugged and majestic. The rock face is a pale bluish-white color, interspersed with sparkling crystals. Strange plants grow in the crevices of the rock face, and clouds and mist swirl around the rock face.
Li Qiang shouted, "That's fantastic! Great!" His voice echoed through the mountains, startling a flock of unidentified birds into the sky.
Dan Boyu, " Beiling Mountain is very large, divided into the main mountain range and the secondary mountain range. Most ascetic cultivators travel from the secondary mountain range. The main mountain range is located in the center of the mountains, where the mountains naturally form a strange array. It is said that some experts have gone in to explore, but it is very difficult to find one's way inside. The central area is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, making it impossible to see what is inside. One can only leave from the air, otherwise one will be trapped inside and die."
Xuanyuan Yiqing had also undergone arduous cultivation over long distances in his early years, and he had traveled this path before. He sighed, " Beiling Mountain is a treasure land. Only a very few cultivators have explored the main branch of the mountain. Most ascetic cultivators only pass by the edge of the secondary branch and dare not even go in."
Li Qiang said with great interest, "Perhaps there's a master cultivating inside, or maybe it's a formation deliberately set up."
Dan Boyu shook his head and said, "Impossible. The formation inside was formed naturally. If it were set up by a master, no one who went in could leave from the air; they would definitely be trapped and die."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "I'd like to go inside and take a look. Who's willing to come with me?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing was the first to shout, "I'll go! I'll go!" Dan Boyu naturally wanted to go too, but Bai Shengzhen smiled awkwardly. He also wanted to go, but he didn't dare to say it.
Li Qiang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright, since you two can both fly, only Brother Bai can't. I should be able to protect him. Let's go in together."
Dan Boyu looked up at the towering mountain peaks and said, "There's no way in; we can only fly over the outer ring of peaks."
Li Qiang grabbed Bai Shengzhen's arm and laughed, "Then let's fly in." He took the lead and flew upwards.
Xuanyuan Yiqing spat out his flying sword and followed closely behind, while Dan Boyu hurriedly caught up. Neither of them had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, so they had to rely on the power of their flying swords to fly.
Gradually, both Xuanyuan Yiqing and Dan Boyu felt the strain; the mountain was too high, and their skills were insufficient.
Li Qiang noticed that the two of them had fallen far behind, so he raised his hand and cast a golden light over them, shouting, "Go!" This was the first time he had teleported someone, and he had actually succeeded.
Dan Boyu exclaimed in surprise, "Senior, is this teleportation? That's amazing!"
A light mist floated around, obscuring all the scenery. Thick moss covered the ground, and strangely shaped vines climbed the stone walls. Li Qiang felt that the surroundings were very damp, and the dripping sound of water was clearly audible, making the surroundings seem even more tranquil.
Bai Shengzhen pointed to a plant and said, " Nanmu Mist Grass... this is Nanmu Mist Grass!"
Xuanyuan Yiqing turned his head and couldn't help but praise, "Hey, you have a good eye, kid. Go pick it!"
A small black grass, about the thickness of a finger and the length of a palm, sprouted from a crack in the rock; it had only one stem and one leaf.
Li Qiang knew that Nanmu Mist Grass was a highly nourishing medicinal herb that could be used to refine elixirs; it was a very rare item.
He took out a jade box and handed it to Bai Shengzhen, saying, "Brother Bai, this Nanmu Mist Grass should have Spirit Root. Be careful when digging it up."
Bai Shengzhen excited his face turned red. He took the jade box, carefully dug the Nanmu Mist Grass out of the crack in the rock, put it into the jade box, and turned around to happily hand it to Li Qiang, saying, "Senior, please keep this safe. This kind of spiritual herb is very hard to find."
Li Qiang was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Bai Shengzhen to be so generous in giving him the spiritual herb, and he couldn't help but secretly admire him. Li Qiang smiled and said, "I don't need this spiritual herb. You can keep it and use it when you have free time. If you can refine it, the effect will be even better."
Xuanyuan Yiqing also said, "Put it away, you're very lucky, kid."
Dan Boyu looked around and said, "It seems like we can go to the left. Let's try it." He took the lead and went ahead.
Li Qiang warned, "Be careful, use your flying sword for protection."
The moss on the ground was seven or eight centimeters thick, soft like a woven carpet, and the four of them groped their way forward. After passing through the chaotic stone forest, large patches of plants appeared in the white mist.
Dan Boyu breathed a sigh of relief. He sheathed his flying sword and said as he walked, "It seems like there are small trees all here. Wow... how come the ground underneath is hollow..." Suddenly, one of his feet sank deep into the ground, startling him into screaming.
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed, "How can you be so clumsy, like an ordinary person? You got stuck in such a small pit? You're really terrible."
Dan Boyu somersaulted backflipped in mid-air, escaping the pit, and laughed sheepishly, "Hehe, mistake! Mistake!"
Curious, Li Qiang approached to examine it and saw a large hole in the moss on the ground, revealing a tangled network of roots. He suddenly realized, "It's hollow underneath!"
Xuanyuan Yiqing exclaimed in surprise, "This is Lingering Mist Tea Tree! So the famous Lingering Mist Tea can also be found in Beiling Mountain!"
The four of them were standing on the edge of the Lingering Mist Tea Tree. The terrain here was very peculiar. There were many cracks under the rocks, and after many vines intertwined and covered them, the fallen leaves and dust accumulated over the years, forming a layer of false land. Many small trees and plants also grew on the surface, as if it were a natural trap, and a person would fall in if they were not careful.
Bai Shengzhen said, "It's a pity I didn't have time, otherwise I would have liked to pick some more. This is Linming Planet's most famous immortal tea."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "There's no need to pick tea leaves. Look, there are tea seeds on the Lingering Mist Tea Tree that we can pick and take home. Hehe, we can plant them ourselves when we find a suitable place in the future."
Dan Boyu praised, "That's a good idea, I'll give it a try." He made a hand seal, and several faint white lights swept across the tea tree, causing tea seeds the size of peanuts to fall. He softly called out, "Collect!" The tea seeds suddenly flew into his hand, filling exactly a handful. He asked, "Senior Muzi, shall we all share some?"
Li Qiang smiled and took a dozen or so Lingering Mist Tea Seeds; such rare and precious items were hard to come by.
The four continued walking inside, and Li Qiang asked, "Is there anything powerful here?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed, "I haven't heard of it, but this place is very strange. Few cultivators dare to come in. Hehe, if it weren't for the senior here, we wouldn't dare to come in either." He didn't explain why it was strange, perhaps he himself didn't know.
After searching for several days, Li Qiang and his group realized that they could not find the center of Beiling Mountain, which was the main ridge of the mountain.
They were now walking at the bottom of a canyon. Bai Shengzhen was exhausted and pale, Xuanyuan Yiqing was also a bit worn out. Maintaining a high level of alertness for a long time had depleted their energy.
Only Li Qiang remained nonchalant, leisurely scouting ahead.
Dan Boyu couldn't hold on any longer. "Senior, can we rest for a while?"
Li Qiang then noticed their exhaustion and the picture book, and quickly said, "It was my oversight. Okay, let's rest for a bit before we go."
The bottom of the canyon is dark and damp, with almost no sunlight. Wisps of white mist drift by from time to time, and a babbling stream flows through the cracks in the rocks. Moss and wild mushrooms grow everywhere, and the air is unusually fresh and clean.
Li Qiang squatted beside a large rock, below which was a small puddle. He used his hands to catch the clear spring water flowing from the cracks in the rock, and he could feel that the water was full of Spiritual Qi.
After taking a couple of sips of the clear, sweet spring water, Li Qiang felt refreshed and couldn't help but exclaim, "The water here is wonderful; it's completely unpolluted!"
Dan Boyu was very thin, short and small, and looked even worse than Hou Pijing. He plopped down next to Li Qiang, took off his soft leather boots, and plunged one foot into the spring water. He sighed comfortably and said, "This water is so comfortable. Oh, my feet..." Before he could finish speaking, Li Qiang slapped him on the head.
Li Qiang laughed and scolded, "You're washing your feet in such a Spiritual Qi spring? You might as well take a bath... Go on down there." He gave Dan Boyu fell into the puddle below with a "plop."
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed heartily, "Old man, taking a bath is more comfortable than washing your feet, haha."
Dan Boyu chuckled, not at all angry. He splashed water on his face and said, "Bathing in the spiritual spring water is truly transformative."
Bai Shengzhen seized the time to meditate and practice his skills. His skill level was the lowest here, and he had to eat dry rations every day. He couldn't completely Grain Avoidance yet, so he had to eat something.
Dan Boyu suddenly froze, motionless, as if someone had cast Movement Method.
Xuanyuan Yiqing asked curiously, "Old Dan, what's wrong with you again? Did some monster in the water bite you...?" He was too embarrassed to continue.
Li Qiang was also very curious.
Suddenly, Dan Boyu let out a miserable scream and leaped out of the water with a splash, landing on a rock.
Everyone suddenly saw a black creature, as thick as a finger and several feet long, tightly wrapped around his thigh, its slender triangular head biting at the base of his thigh. Dan Boyu's face had turned bluish-black, and he was staring blankly at the ground, unable to utter a single word.
Xuanyuan Yiqing's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm, " Iron-Scaled Thread! It's over, it's the Iron-Scaled Thread!"
Li Qiang grabbed the Iron-Scaled Thread with lightning speed, unleashing his Divine Yi Power. With a series of crisp cracking sounds, the incredibly hard Iron-Scaled Thread was crushed to pieces.
Li Qiang didn't dare to delay for a moment. He quickly took out a Cold Marrow Scale and fed it to Dan Boyu, saying, "Brother Xuanyuan, quickly help him sit up so he can circulate his energy."
As expected of the antidote from Heavenly Melody City, the Cold Marrow Scale quickly dissipated the dark aura on Dan Boyu's face. He soon regained consciousness, repeatedly saying, "Luckily! Lucky! I never expected there to be Iron-Scaled Thread in the spring water; I was almost done for."
Xuanyuan Yiqing poked at the remnants of the Iron-Scaled Thread with a twig, exclaiming in surprise, " The Iron-Scaled Thread have incredibly tough skin and bones; even ordinary flying swords can't cut through them. Senior, you actually managed to crush them! Truly amazing... Ah, where there are Iron-Scaled Thread, there must be treasures. What is it that attracts it to wait in the water?"
Li Qiang said, "I never expected there to be such a poisonous substance in the water. It's all my fault for being careless."
Dan Boyu hurriedly said, "Oh dear, senior, please don't say that. Anything can happen on the Ascetic Cultivation Road. Who knew that Iron-Scaled Thread were hidden here?"
Startled by their noise, Bai Shengzhen stood up and walked over, asking, "Senior, what happened?"
Li Qiang briefly explained the situation, and Bai Shengzhen said, "Senior, could you drain the water from the puddle below?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed and said, "No need for you to take action, senior. Let me do it." He took out a jade talisman, held it in his palm, chanted a few incantations, and tossed it into the water.
A whirlpool appeared on the water's surface, and the spring water in the pit rapidly spread outwards. Soon, the spring water was drained, revealing a large pit about half a person's depth, filled with crisscrossing white roots.
Dan Boyu said, "This is Sweet Thorn Stalk. Strange, Sweet Thorn Stalk aren't exactly treasures, so why would Iron-Scaled Thread be guarding this place?"
This was the first time Li Qiang had heard of Sweet Thorn Stalk, and he asked, "What is Sweet Thorn Stalk *?"
Bai Shengzhen jumped into the pit, snapped off a stalk, and handed it to Li Qiang: " The Sweet Thorn Stalk is delicious, senior, please try it."
Li Qiang thought it looked like a white radish. He tried taking a bite; it was crisp, sweet, and indeed very delicious. He exclaimed repeatedly, "Mmm, it's really delicious, the taste is wonderful!"
Xuanyuan Yiqing asked in confusion, "That's strange. This is the first time I've ever seen such a thick Sweet Thorn Stalk. It's so rare. This stuff tastes better than dry rations. Brother Bai, you can collect some."
Li Qiang really liked the taste of Sweet Thorn Stalk. He said, "Get me some, I like it."
Bai Shengzhen didn't need Li Qiang to tell her; she had already collected them one by one, and soon the Sweet Thorn Stalk in the puddle were all cleared away, revealing the light red rocks underneath.
Bai Shengzhen jumped up and laughed, "There are so many Sweet Thorn Stalk! My Storage Bag is almost full."
Xuanyuan Yiqing stared intently at the bottom of the pit. Dan Boyu chuckled, "Brother, could it be that the stones down there are edible? Haha." Xuanyuan Yiqing didn't answer. He jumped into the pit, squatted down, and kept stroking the stone with his hands. After a while, he said with a joyful expression, " Even Pure Red Stone! It should be Even Pure Red Stone. I didn't expect it to be so big. Senior, there's a treasure inside this stone!"
Li Qiang was also very curious. He jumped down and asked, "What is this Even Pure Red Stone?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing looked somewhat excited. He said, " The Even Pure Red Stone is a kind of rare stone produced near Spirit Vein. These stones often harbor certain spiritual insects. For example, the Rock Flaw Spirit I saw last time came from Even Pure Red Stone. Of course, not every red stone contains one. Generally, Even Pure Red Stone is only about the size of a human head, but this red stone... hehe, I don't know exactly how big it is."
Li Qiang estimated that the pale reddish-brown stone occupied the bottom of the pit, measuring about five meters in diameter—a huge rock. He laughed and said, "I'll try to get it out. You guys step back a bit."
He has always been very curious; what it is doesn't matter, what matters is that it broadens his horizons.
Xuanyuan Yiqing called out and hurriedly stepped aside. The three of them squeezed behind a rock and watched quietly.
Li Qiang drew his Star-Absorbing Sword, enveloping it along the surface of the red stone. He slowly rose into the air and softly shouted, "Rise!"
A muffled boom echoed through the canyon, and the rocks that touched the Sword Qi shattered and scattered in all directions. The huge red rock, enveloped in a net of light, slowly rose from the ground.
Bai Shengzhen was stunned. He murmured, "Amazing! Amazing! Truly amazing!"
Before long, the Even Pure Red Stone was suspended in the air.
Li Qiang asked, "What should we do with such a big rock?"
Xuanyuan Yiqing hesitated and said, "This... Senior, I don't know what to do either. I've never seen such a large red stone before."
Dan Boyu chuckled and said, "Then why did you ask the senior to bring the stone out?"
Li Qiang moved aside and carefully placed the red stone on top of the two giant rocks before sheathing the Star-Absorbing Sword. He laughed, "Now that we've got it, let's not put it back. Let's study it first. Hehe, this thing is interesting." He had already sensed that there was a spiritual object inside the red stone, but he didn't know what it was.
Xuanyuan Yiqing unleashed his flying sword, attempting to cut the red stone. Sparks flew everywhere, and only some stone dust fell from the stone. He sighed, "Such a hard stone; my flying sword cannot cut it."
Dan Boyu also tried it out with his own flying sword, and shook his head, saying, "Difficult! Difficult! Difficult! Mine won't work either. It seems we'll have to ask you for help, senior."
Li Qiang tried to cut it with the Star-Absorbing Sword, and it felt like cutting tofu with a knife. He quickly shaved away the uneven surface of the red stone, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the Even Pure Red Stone was shaped into a sphere about three meters in diameter.
Li Qiang sheathed his Star-Absorbing Sword. He was a meticulous person and did not want to act rashly. He saw that the red stone was warm and smooth, with faint red threads hidden in its texture. The entire red stone was like jelly. Li Qiang used his Divine Sense to probe into the red stone and found that there was a living thing wriggling on the right side.
Xuanyuan Yiqing asked with a smile, "Is there anything inside?"
Li Qiang nodded and said, "There is indeed something there, but I don't know what it is. I'll cut it open to take a look... Hmm? I hope it's not some harmful thing."
Xuanyuan Yiqing said, "That's impossible. The spiritual objects inside the Red Stone are all treasures."
Li Qiang said no more and carefully controlled his sword to cut down. In a short time, the red stone was cut into a stone ball the size of a football, which was semi-transparent and you could vaguely see something moving inside.
Everyone got excited, wondering what kind of treasure was inside.
Xuanyuan Yiqing's mouth was practically watering. His eyes gleamed as he said, "Be careful, it might be a Rock Flaw Spirit. That's priceless!"
Li Qiang held the red stone in one hand, while the fingertips of his other hand emitted slender Sword-Ray as he carefully pondered it.
As the stone became increasingly transparent, the contents inside became clearer. Xuanyuan Yiqing exclaimed in surprise, "My God! What is this? It's so beautiful!"