Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

"There’s a faint Gold Element sensing underground there."

That day, Xiaoqiao pointed to the ground ahead once again.

"This kind of sensing can be ignored in the future," Li Ji’an replied.

For a whole year, they had searched nearly thirty percent of the area west of Fallen Dragon Ridge like a carpet.

They still hadn’t found the tomb that the Red Stone Wanderer was looking for.

However, they did find many deeply buried spirit plants, spirit iron ore, and even fragments of Magical Artifacts and Magical Treasures.

Unfortunately, the desert of Fallen Dragon Ridge had already been explored five hundred years ago, and before that, it was likely that a Great Cultivator of Core Formation or a Nascent Soul True Monarch had already been here. The spiritual objects Xiaoqiao discovered were of little value to the current Li Ji’an.

Most of them were Tier One spirit plants and spirit iron ore, with very few Tier Two, and they hadn’t found a single Tier Three yet.

Li Ji’an had expected this unless there were dangerous areas deep within Fallen Dragon Ridge. These outer regions had already been explored by countless cultivators, each showcasing their Divine Abilities. Similar to Treasure-Seeking Spirit Rats, Treasure Basins, or Treasure Hunting Secret Techniques, it was hard to leave anything for them.

As for deeper within Fallen Dragon Ridge, there were rumored traces of a Tier Three Great Demon, and Li Ji’an was unwilling to get close.

"Here, Fellow Daoists, look here. This place is where three dragons converge, and there’s a clear wind path, a potential Feng Shui treasure hole, or a superior burial ground," the Red Stone Wanderer said, staring at the compass in his hand.

Xiaoqiao and Li Ji’an exchanged a glance, showing a hint of helplessness.

Li Ji’an smiled lightly: "Fellow Daoist, this place has already been explored. It is indeed a tomb, but not the one you are looking for. You’ve checked it before."

As Zhang Tiezhu said, spending time with the Red Stone Wanderer reveals differences.

Especially regarding the tombs here, he seemed to have no memory, exploring them repeatedly.

Most people attributed his behavior to a damaged Sea of Consciousness and unclear mind, much like Chen Qingling in the past.

However, those with a keen mind could indeed find some clues within.

Zhang Tiezhu’s life experiences are considered colorful, and as a prodigy of the Immortal Dynasty, noticing anomalies is not unexpected.

The Red Stone Wanderer paid no heed to Li Ji’an’s words and dived in once more.

A moment later, he emerged disappointed.

This place was indeed an ancient tomb but had been excavated long ago.

The Red Stone Wanderer’s behavior slowed down the exploration progress of Fallen Dragon Ridge.

Until another year and a half passed.

The outer region had been fully investigated, and nearly half of the middle area had been searched.

Based on the Red Stone Wanderer’s mumblings, Li Ji’an estimated they weren’t far from their target.

The only thing that worried Li Ji’an was that recently, the Red Stone Wanderer’s mind had become increasingly unclear, his reactions more sluggish, on the brink of falling into slumber as Chen Qingling had once described.

"Fellow Daoist, we must quicken our pace. Perhaps you should rest on the Flying Boat, and we’ll call you if we find the tomb." Li Ji’an couldn’t help but say.

It wasn’t that he was worried about him sleeping for a year; he was afraid he’d want to come back all over again after waking up.

"Then... I’ll be in your care, Fellow Daoist." The Red Stone Wanderer nodded dully.

Seeing the Red Stone Wanderer meditating on the Flying Boat, Li Ji’an exhaled a sigh of relief and transmitted to Xiaoqiao, "Speed up!"

At the same time, he instructed Gugu, who was training on the edge of the depths of Fallen Dragon Ridge, to prepare to return.

In these over two years, Gugu had gained experience in Fallen Dragon Ridge.

From initially fleeing from a Tier Two Demon Beast Head-hugging Frog, to midway having the courage for a bloody fight, and now ordinary Tier Two Early Period Demon Beasts were no longer its match. Against Tier Two Middle Stage Demon Beasts, it could hold its ground. Even when facing Tier Two Late Period Demon Beasts, it could navigate deftly using its Concealment and Earth Escape talent.

Three months later.

"Uncle Li, this place where five Earth Veins converge is an excellent Feng Shui treasure."

"Moreover, there’s a natural array of Illusory Wood that ordinary cultivators would find hard to break."

That day, Xiaoqiao suddenly opened her eyes, pointing to a slope ahead.

"Oh?" Li Ji’an’s expression shifted, and his Divine Sense immediately explored toward where Xiaoqiao pointed.

Indeed, there was no anomaly regarding Divine Sense, yet when taking a certain scripture as a reference, the Divine Sense within didn’t observe it.

This indicated that his Divine Sense went there was affected.

"Explore again!" Li Ji’an felt some anticipation.

Xiaoqiao immediately closed her eyes, connecting her Power of Earth Spirit to the spiritual mechanism here.

A moment later, she opened her eyes, somewhat embarrassed: "I can’t, Uncle Li. The burial is very deep, and my Power of Earth Spirit cannot reach it."

"So deep?" Li Ji’an raised an eyebrow.

Without hesitation, he woke up the Red Stone Wanderer.

"Taoist Friend Red Stone, there’s an unknown tomb here."

After three months of meditation, the Red Stone Wanderer’s state had improved a bit, and upon hearing there was a tomb, his eyes instantly glowed.

"There’s a tomb here? No wonder this place couldn’t be found; it was protected by such a natural array."

"Please, Fellow Daoists, step back. I shall use the Earth-boring Technique!"

Instantly, dust soared as the Red Stone Wanderer dug in the direction Xiaoqiao indicated, like a drilling machine.

An hour later, Li Ji’an finally received a transmission. He instructed Xiaoqiao to stay above and descended into the tunnel with a Tier Two Late Period Spirit Talisman to find the Red Stone Wanderer.

"Fellow Daoist Li, it’s correct; it is this tomb. I sensed it."

"But there’s still a tomb restriction here, and I can’t do anything about it."

As soon as they reached the bottom, Red Stone Wanderer hurried over, excitement brimming.

Li Ji’an vigilantly examined the stone door in front of him, sensing a familiar ancient aura, similar to the one at the stone tomb from where he got the talisman legacy.

After carefully perceiving the restriction outside, he nodded secretly.

Fortunately, after countless years, the restriction had eroded significantly, and his Tier Two Breaking Ban Talisman could dismantle it.

Subsequently, he carefully sensed the Red Stone Wanderer’s state. Other than the excitement and agitation, there was no other change.

"This Breaking Ban Talisman is for you, Fellow Daoist," Li Ji’an handed a Tier Two Late Period Breaking Ban Talisman to the Red Stone Wanderer.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!" the Red Stone Wanderer accepted the Breaking Ban Talisman, full of joy.

Before the words finished, he had already activated the Breaking Ban Talisman.

With a rumble~

The stone door fell like stone.

Simultaneously, the scene inside came into Li Ji’an’s view.

Not much different from most tombs in the desert.

Inside was merely a simple stone room, lacking the palaces and structures of ancient sect remnants.

However, besides a skeleton in the center, there were four dust-covered corpses around in the stone house.

Li Ji’an didn’t rush in. Instead, without any stinginess, he first activated a Tier Two Late Period Golden Bell Talisman, protecting himself, then stood outside the stone door to observe inside.

The Red Stone Wanderer, upon seeing the state of the stone room, appeared as if his Sea of Consciousness took a massive hit, his entire being trembling violently before his body suddenly became heavy, and his expression instantly turned dull, moving mechanically towards the skeleton in the center of the stone room.

"It’s right!" Seeing this, Li Ji’an’s expression stiffened, and a hint of delight appeared on his face.

With a thud~

However, the next scene made Li Ji’an narrow his eyes.

The Red Stone Wanderer slowly moved to the center skeleton in the stone room, then knelt and pressed his head against the skeleton, not lifting it for a long time.

"Master, Xiaoying has finally found you!"

After a long silence, the Red Stone Wanderer spoke in a voice Li Ji’an had never heard before.

Moreover, the voice was female, warm, and nostalgic.

Immediately afterward, though already mentally prepared, Li Ji’an was stunned by the scene in front of him.

He saw the Red Stone Wanderer slowly get up, wipe his face, and remove an almost transparent mask.

On the mask, a drop of Essence Blood flowed, flickering.

As the mask was detached, Li Ji’an’s Divine Sense sensed that the original scruffy, aged face of the Red Stone Wanderer was replaced by a delicate and beautiful countenance.

At the same time, the scruffy Daoist Robe was replaced by an exquisite cyan Magic Robe.

"Master, Xiaoying will soon accompany you," She whispered and suddenly turned, bowing gracefully to Li Ji’an.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for helping Xiaoying find the Master."