Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

Li Si offered his insight: "Exploring the dragon veins is certainly important, but cultivating one's character and temperament during spiritual practice should not be neglected. Only by advancing both character and strength can one better meet future challenges."

Yang Ling clapped his hands excitedly: "Then it's decided! Next stop, searching for the dragon vein!"

Xu Fu reminded everyone, "The journey to find the dragon veins may be fraught with many unknown dangers. We must be fully prepared."

Seeing the enthusiasm of the crowd, Ziya was also moved by their courage and determination: "Since you have made your decision, I will certainly do my best to help you in a timely manner. This jade flute, besides warning of danger, can also serve as a guide to help you find clues to the dragon vein."

After hearing this, everyone thanked Ziya. They understood that having a companion like Ziya gave them more confidence no matter what difficulties they faced.

Ying Zheng rose and gazed into the distance, his voice firm and resolute: "Then, let us begin our preparations! The journey along the Dragon Vein will be a new beginning. No matter what storms lie ahead, we will forge ahead bravely and face them together!"

After determining their next destination, the group immediately began making meticulous preparations. As agreed, Ziya also offered his assistance, using his jade flute to sense the exact location of the dragon vein.

"The jade flute trembled slightly, as if the aura of the dragon vein was echoing my flute playing." Ziya closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then opened them and pointed northeast. "The clue to the dragon vein should be in that direction."

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng immediately ordered the troops to prepare and set off. The group embarked on their journey to the northeast.

Several days later, they arrived at a valley shrouded in mist. The valley was filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, and cranes danced gracefully, making it seem like a fairyland.

"Could this place be the legendary dragon vein?" Xu Fu exclaimed in amazement.

“They should be not far apart. I can feel that the spiritual energy here is much richer than in other places.” Ziya held the jade flute and solemnly looked around.

Yang Ling looked around curiously: "What exactly does a dragon vein look like? Does it resemble a giant dragon lurking underground?"

“Dragon veins are not physical entities, but rather the convergence point of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. They are formless and intangible, yet they can nourish all things,” Li Si explained patiently.

As the group walked and talked, suddenly a dazzling light screen appeared in front of them, like a natural barrier.

"This is... a barrier?" Xuanzhenzi frowned. "It seems that the Dragon Vein Land is not easily entered."

Ying Zheng stepped forward to touch the light barrier, but was gently pushed away by a soft force: "This barrier doesn't seem to harm anyone; it's just preventing us from advancing."

“Let me try.” Xu Fu said, taking out an ancient talisman from his sleeve. After chanting an incantation, the talisman transformed into a stream of light and flew towards the light barrier. However, the talisman vanished the moment it touched the light barrier, as if it had never existed.

“This barrier is extraordinary; it will probably require a special method to break it,” Xu Fu said, frowning.

Ziya pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "I remember! Ancient texts record that dragon vein barriers are formed naturally by heaven and earth, and cannot be broken by human power. However, there is a strange stone called the 'Dragon Roar Stone,' which can resonate with the dragon vein, thereby opening the barrier."

"Dragon's Roar Stone? This is a rare treasure! Where should we look for it?" Yang Ling exclaimed. Ying Zheng, however, seemed confident: "Since there's such a legend, the Dragon's Roar Stone must be extraordinary. Let's split up and search, and find it before nightfall."

Everyone nodded in agreement and then dispersed to search the valley carefully. After a difficult search, they finally found the Dragon's Roar Stone, which shimmered with a faint glow, at the foot of a cliff. It was shaped like a dragon's head, and its surface was covered with strange patterns, as if it contained the power of a dragon vein.

Xu Fu carefully picked up the Dragon Roar Stone: "This is it! Let's go back and try it out!"

The group quickly returned to the barrier with the Dragon's Roar Stone. Guided by Ziya, Xu Fu placed the Dragon's Roar Stone before the barrier and chanted an incantation to activate its power. The Dragon's Roar Stone emitted a melodious dragon's roar, resonating with the barrier. As the sound echoed, the barrier gradually became transparent and eventually dissipated completely.

"We succeeded! Let's go in!" Yang Ling exclaimed excitedly and stepped into the area where the barrier had been located.

The group followed closely behind, traversing the area that had been sealed off by the barrier, and arrived at the entrance to a mysterious cave. The cave's interior was dark and deep, like a gateway to another world, inspiring awe.

"Is this where the dragon vein is located?" Ying Zheng asked, gazing into the depths of the cave.

“That should be correct,” Ziya nodded. “However, we must proceed with caution, as dragon veins are often accompanied by unknown dangers.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and cautiously entered the cave. They discovered that the cave walls were inlaid with countless luminous gems and crystals, shimmering brilliantly in the dim light. The light emitted by these gems and crystals illuminated the entire cave, prompting them to marvel at the wonders of nature.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, waves of rich spiritual energy washed over them. They felt as if their bodies were enveloped and nourished by this energy, and their cultivation had made significant progress! This further convinced them that they had found the true dragon vein.

However, just as they were about to reach the depths of the cave, a powerful energy barrier suddenly appeared before them. This barrier emitted a dazzling light and a powerful pressure, making it impossible for them to approach.

"Is this... the protective power of the dragon vein?" Li Si exclaimed in amazement. "Truly extraordinary!"

Ying Zheng took a deep breath and said, "Now that we've come this far, we can't give up easily. Let's all work together to find a way to break through this barrier!"

After much deliberation before the barrier, Xu Fu suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "I remember! Ancient texts record a formation called the 'Eight Formations of Heavenly Dragons' that can break this type of barrier. We need eight people to stand in specific positions and recite incantations to activate the formation."

Fortunately, there were eight of them present, so they quickly took their positions as Xu Fu instructed and began chanting the incantation. As the incantation echoed and spiritual energy gathered, the "Eight Heavenly Dragons Formation" gradually activated and emitted powerful energy fluctuations. This energy fluctuation resonated with the barrier, gradually weakening its power. Finally, with everyone working together, the barrier was successfully broken!

After the barrier disappeared, they finally saw the legendary dragon vein—a winding, radiant river of energy! It resembled a giant dragon coiled deep within a cave, exuding endless spiritual energy and vitality.

"This is the Dragon Vein! It's magnificent!" Yang Ling exclaimed as he approached the Dragon Vein and reached out to touch it. The moment his fingers touched it, a warm and powerful force instantly surged into his body, giving him an unprecedented feeling of comfort and fullness. The others followed Yang Ling's example, touching the Dragon Vein and experiencing the wondrous changes it brought.

Nourished by the dragon vein, everyone's cultivation level improved significantly. They felt as if they had merged with this world, becoming an indispensable part of the universe. This feeling filled them with confidence and anticipation for their cultivation path! (End of Chapter)