I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 226: Five Thousand Years of Immortality, Map of the Ancient City of Kongsang!
Faced with Xie An's question, Chen Yu'er did not feel surprised. Instead, she took a big sip of wine and then looked up at the vast starry sky above her head.

Xie An noticed that Chen Yuer didn't really want to answer this question.

But this matter was of great importance to Xie An, and he was very eager to know the answer.

Gulu!

She took another sip of the liquor and finally spoke, "There's a legend about the Xiantian Great Pill in ancient times. Beiliang and Daqian are both summoning pharmacists to refine the Xiantian Great Pill, but it's extremely difficult to succeed. Moreover, even if you refine the Xiantian Great Pill, you won't be able to become a Martial Saint after taking it."

After a pause, Chen Yu'er continued, "To become a Martial Saint, besides talent, opportunity, hard work, and the Great Elixir, one also needs to do one thing—reverse metamorphosis."

Xie An was stunned. "Reverse transformation? Can you explain it in detail?"

Chen Yu'er took a sip of wine and said leisurely, "I really hate owing favors to others. Since you want to know the answer so badly, it's okay to tell you.

"The so-called reverse metamorphosis is to reach the peak of the First-Rank Grandmaster, and then cut your own bones and flesh, cut your own veins and let your blood. You will shed your mortal body from your parents, and with the nourishment of heaven and earth, you will reverse the chakra and metamorphose back to your innate body."

Xie An was shocked after hearing this.

He knew that breaking through to the Martial Saint level was extremely difficult, otherwise Martial Saints wouldn't be so rare.

But I didn't expect it to be so difficult and so cruel.

Cut bones and flesh, cut veins and let blood!

The acquired nature transforms into the innate nature!
Although Chen Yu'er only mentioned it briefly and did not give any details, Xie An felt his scalp tingling and his teeth chattering just by listening to it.

Xie An turned his head and stared blankly at the woman in front of him, suddenly feeling a bit of heartache and admiration.

After a long while, Xie An finally came to his senses. "Is this the secret method of the Martial Saint left by the founder of the Martial Dao?"

Chen Yu'er nodded, "Yes. The ninth hidden chakra in the human body is the preparation for reverse transformation.

The ancestor said that when a dragon gives birth to nine sons, all nine secret treasures are opened, all in preparation for the transformation.

However, very few people can unlock the secrets of their chakra, and even if they do... they don't dare attempt reverse metamorphosis. After all, the mortality rate is almost 100%, which is why there have been so few Martial Saints over the past thousands of years."

Xie An was shocked. "If that's the case, then why are you..."

Chen Yu'er was quite touched. She slowly stood up, her hands behind her back, and looked up at the sky. "Once the chakra is opened, even if one lives for three hundred years, one will always be a mortal, and one will never be able to get rid of the acquired bloodline. Only by reverse metamorphosis can one transform into an innate one, and only then can one possess the so-called spiritual roots, absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and begin the path to immortality."

"I, Chen Yu'er, cut my bones and severed my veins back then. My motivation was public-spirited: to fulfill my parents' last wish and end the civil strife in Beiliang. My selfish motivation was to cultivate immortality and achieve eternal life. Even if I die a hundred times, I will have no regrets."

Xie An looked at the aloof and proud figure and was deeply shocked by the woman's determination to pursue the Tao as strong as a mountain.

But what shocked Xie An even more was the secret martial arts technique created by the founder of martial arts in desperate situations!

The people in this world have no spiritual roots, but the founder of martial arts was able to create such an astonishing technique as reverse metamorphosis, which could break the Martial Saint and open up spiritual roots.

It is equivalent to the ancestor of martial arts using his own strength to open a crack in this desperate world, allowing the light of immortality to shine into this world through the crack.

It’s really amazing!

Xie An wanted more and more to find the ancestor of martial arts.

Now that the topic was open, Xie An continued to ask: "From the perspective of the founder of martial arts, how is the innate and acquired divided?"

Chen Yu'er said: "What is nurtured by heaven and earth is innate life. What is nurtured by parents is acquired life.

Almost all life in this world is born from parents, and is acquired. Logically, acquired life should also have spiritual roots, but for unknown reasons, spiritual roots are cut off in this world.

Only by transforming back into an innate life form can one reshape their spiritual roots and absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This is the last ray of opportunity for cultivation left by the ancestor of martial arts to this world."

Xie An fell into silence for a long time.

Xie An was now almost certain: the founder of the martial arts path was a cultivator, perhaps the most powerful cultivator to have emerged in this world in the past five thousand years. This person must have known why this world lacked spiritual energy and spiritual roots. Perhaps out of compassion, or perhaps for some other reason, he had created the path of the Martial Saint, reshaped spiritual roots, and left a glimmer of hope for the world.

Cutting bones and flesh, cutting veins and bleeding, it was a life-threatening situation.

For Xie An, he naturally didn't want to do something with such a low success rate.

Fortunately...Xie An has a long life!

Longevity is equivalent to having spiritual roots. One can sense and absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Thanks to this, Xie An has now stepped into the threshold of cultivating immortals, but his achievements are very small because he cannot find spiritual energy.

In comparison, Xie An felt that he was very lucky.

My own cheat should be the only exception in this world?
This secret must be kept! Never let anyone know, otherwise you will become a guinea pig in the experiment.

Just when Xie An decided to keep the secret, Chen Yu'er suddenly turned around and looked at Xie An, "You have absorbed a very small part of my innate vitality."

hiss.

Xie An took a deep breath.

Has this been discovered?

At the beginning, Xie An was cautious, so he only absorbed a very small part of it in order to verify whether the innate vital energy and spiritual energy were the same thing.

Unexpectedly, it was discovered by Chen Yuer.

Xie An immediately found an excuse, "I don't know what happened either. Maybe something happened to the excessive practice."

Chen Yu'er stared at Xie An and suddenly couldn't help laughing.

Xie An was a little nervous, "What are you laughing at?"

Chen Yu'er said, "Xie An, you have always been very cautious. But you still underestimated the methods of the Martial Saint, and even more so the perception of the innate life. Although you absorbed very little, I can sense that you took the initiative to absorb it, and it was definitely not an accident."

Xie An: “…”

Chen Yu'er continued, "When I first saw you on Stone Mountain, I sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy. If I'm not mistaken, your body is very special and has the ability to absorb spiritual energy. Otherwise, a sixth-grade master would not be able to absorb spiritual energy. If you force yourself to absorb it, you will become insane in a matter of minutes, and die from insanity."

Xie An was stunned.

Is this the innate perception of life?
Fortunately, Chen Yu'er didn't seem to sense that the Tianbao National Seal and the Seven Treasures Exquisite Box were on her.

Chen Yu'er said, "I know you've always been cautious, but after spending so much time with you, I trust Bai Hu and I'm willing to trust you too.

Because of this, I need to seriously remind you - you are the only person below the Martial Saint level I have ever seen who can absorb spiritual energy. You may also be the only exception in this world.

Perhaps because you are special, you have good luck. Not only did you get the ancient spiritual mirror, but I'm afraid even Jin Xiaotang's Seven Treasures Box is in your possession."

Xie An was not too surprised by what Chen Yuer said.

After all, Xie An had told Chen Yuer before that Xie An had tortured Jin Xiaotang into extracting information about the ancient city of Kongsang.

Since Jin Xiaotang fell into his hands, it is also reasonable to infer that the fairy box she possessed fell into Xie An's hands...

"Nothing can be hidden from Miss Chen..."

Xie An felt that since he and Chen Yu'er were going to explore the ancient city of Kongsang, and since everyone had figured it out, there was no need to hide anything. He confessed that he had indeed obtained the Seven Treasures Box and a method for cultivating immortality from it. He then showed it to Chen Yu'er.

Although Chen Yu'er was not very eager to learn this technique, she gained more trust and recognition in Xie An when she saw that he was willing to share it.

Chen Yu'er opened the Five Elements Soul Tempering Method, looked at it carefully for a while, and then returned it to Xie An. "Have you started practicing?"

Xie An said: "After absorbing a very small part of your innate vitality, I can be considered to have entered the realm of enlightenment. However, the effect is minimal. It is far from comparable to the power of a Martial Saint. I need to find sufficient spiritual energy to see a significant improvement."

Chen Yu'er nodded slightly, "The White Cloud cultivator... comes from outside the Tianhe River... This is a significant discovery..."

Next, the two people discussed and analyzed Bai Yunxiuzhe's essay.

Xie An clearly felt that the bond of trust between the two sides had become stronger. Finally, he said, "Miss Chen, please keep my ability to absorb spiritual energy a secret for me."

Chen Yu'er stared at Xie An for a long time, and finally nodded very seriously, "Yes. But you must never let anyone else know about this. Otherwise... you will suffer a catastrophic disaster."

"Thank you."

"That's not necessary. You saved my life. Although I, Chen Yu'er, am not a good person, I still know how to repay a favor. Tell me about Li Hao. What is he doing in Yunzhou?"

Xie An told the story slowly and leisurely.

After hearing this, Chen Yu'er was very curious, "Ghost Master...Kongsang Ancient City? If Li Hao is here, then the King of Huainan might be here too. If we find the King of Huainan, perhaps we can learn the true reason for his rebellion."

"I asked Xiaobai to follow him. Maybe we'll know when he comes back." Xie An said.

While waiting for Xiaobai, Xie An asked Chen Yuer whether the Martial Saint also needed spiritual energy to practice.

Chen Yu'er offered an answer: Martial Saint corresponds to the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, and there are also thirteen levels. After transforming into an innate life form, one can unlock a large reservoir of innate vital energy within the human body, but this reservoir is limited in quantity and can only sustain cultivation to the third level of Martial Saint. To further enhance one's strength, one must also absorb spiritual energy, otherwise one will be stuck at the third level of Qi Refining for life.

At this point, Xie An finally knew all the secrets of the Martial Saint.

Although the innate elixir is good and helpful in breaking through to the Martial Saint level, it cannot replace reverse metamorphosis.

Xie An felt more and more admiration for this ancestor of martial arts. He was able to create such a martial arts system in a world without spiritual energy and where spiritual roots were cut off. He was truly a peerless figure who could influence the world.

The four words "Ancestor of Martial Arts" are well deserved.

Finally, Chen Yuer looked at Xie An with envy, "Xie An, you are a lucky man. You don't have to go through the reverse transformation, and you have the qualifications to cultivate immortality. When you reach the first level of Qi Refining, you will have the ability of a Martial Saint."

Xie An was happy, but he didn't express it, so as not to increase Chen Yuer's imbalance. "Miss Chen, what level of Martial Saint are you?"

Chen Yuer said, "First level, I can break through to the second level within five years. Ye Nantian is a second-level Martial Saint. I can't beat him. But his talent isn't as high as mine. If we fight again in five years, the outcome is still uncertain."

Xie An could hear that Chen Yu'er was still a little upset about the defeat in Dayin Mountain that day.

Not long after.

The white fox came back exhausted and muttered carelessly as soon as he entered the door, "I'm so tired."

Xie An took the initiative to pour a glass of water for Bai Hu and said with a smile: "I know you are tired, come and have a drink of water."

"Hehe, big brother still loves me." The white fox came over and drank a large bowl of water generously. Then he said, "Li Hao lives in the South Valley. He looks like an honored guest of the South Valley. Even the Valley Master is very respectful to him."

Chen Yu'er asked, "Have you seen the King of Huainan?"

The white fox shook his head, "No. The house where Li Hao lives is heavily guarded. There is the aura of a martial arts master in it. I dare not get close to it. Otherwise, I will alert the enemy."

Xie An looked at Chen Yuer, waiting for her answer.

Chen Yu'er shook her head. "Don't worry. Since they've come here to seek work, they won't leave easily. Once I recover from my injuries, I'll go to the South Valley and take a look."

Xie An thought for a moment, then took out a brocade box and placed it on the table. "This may help Miss Chen heal her wounds."

Chen Yu'er was curious and didn't seem to believe that anything could help the Martial Saint heal his injuries.

After opening the brocade box, Chen Yu'er was surprised. "Cold Spirit Grass."

"Have you seen the cold spirit grass?"

It’s not that Xie An is so generous, but he has absorbed ten strands of innate vitality from Chen Yuer. In comparison, the one strand of spiritual energy from the cold spirit grass seems insignificant.

Moreover, Xie An also had the idea of ​​keeping this martial saint firmly by his side and making him a great helper to himself.

Chen Yu'er said, "You said before that the Cold Spirit Grass was in the Tianlong Gang. Now you've taken it out. I can sense the spiritual energy on it, and with a little guesswork, I know what it is. Where did the Tianlong Gang get the Cold Spirit Grass from?"

"The Tianlong Gang's leader, Xiong Dali, spent a million taels of silver to buy it from Ghost Master. It's said that Ghost Master went to the ancient city of Kongsang and dug it out from inside."

Chen Yu'er said, "This world doesn't have spiritual energy. If it was really dug out by Ghost Master from Kongsang Ancient City, then it means there are things in Kongsang Ancient City that don't belong to this world, or things that are five thousand years old. This Kongsang Ancient City is worth a visit."

After watching Chen Yu'er return to the room, Xie An breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that he had gained a lot from this conversation!

If it weren't for Chen Yuer, Xie An might have needed to spend an unknown amount of time to figure all this out.

……

The next day, Xie An found Mrs. Ma.

Mrs. Ma earnestly hoped to get a positive answer from Xie An, but Xie An still said that he needed to think about it again.

If the Xiantian Pill could help Xie An become a Martial Saint, Xie An would bring Madam Ma with him without hesitation.

After chatting with Chen Yu'er, Xie An realized that the Xiantian Great Pill couldn't help anyone break through to the Martial Saint stage. He still needed to undergo a reverse metamorphosis. Xie An's enthusiasm cooled.

Moreover, Xie An does not need to undergo a transformation. He only needs to obtain enough spiritual energy and cultivate to the first level of Qi Refining Realm, which is equivalent to possessing the ability of a Martial Saint.

But Mrs. Tajima is a powerful pharmacist who can help him a lot in the future, so there is no need to refuse her immediately.

Seeing that Xie An did not refuse immediately, Mrs. Ma was still full of expectations.

The following days became peaceful again.

In addition to practicing in seclusion, Xie An also studied pharmacology with Mrs. Ma. If he had free time, he would take the white fox for a walk in the mountains outside to experience the local customs and culture.

Early that morning, Xie An was sitting cross-legged on a deserted mountain.

After several months, the five-colored lotus produced another small drop of spiritual liquid. Xie An immediately absorbed it, along with the remaining cold spiritual grass.

The Five Elements Soul Tempering Method successfully improved by two points: 17/130000.

He hurriedly practiced the Five Elements Soul Tempering Method and felt the effect.

The result... was no apparent effect.

Although Xie An was mentally prepared for this, he couldn't help feeling a sense of loss.

"It seems that cultivating immortality is still too difficult. It requires extraordinary willpower and patience. It takes time to settle down and years of hard work. Only after many years will there be obvious results."

Soon, Chen Yuer's back appeared in Xie An's mind.

Cut bones and sever tendons, cut veins and let blood, and transform back to the innate state.

What kind of heart towards the Tao is this?

I have a long life, so how can I fall behind others?

"I, Xie An, should have died of a stroke, but I was blessed by heaven and was given a Taoist destiny. From a mere servant in the court, it took me thirteen years to reach where I am today. I have experienced life and death, fought against great demons, killed masters, and met martial saints. In this life, I aspire to immortality, and my heart for the Tao remains unchanged!"

No matter how great the difficulties and sufferings are, this determination must never be shaken.

Having lived two lives as a human being, if I cannot achieve immortality in this life, it would be a waste of my trip to this world.

As a result, Xie An felt his blood boiling, his spirits lifted, and he had the courage to not fear the loneliness and difficulties ahead.

……

Beijing.

Royal Palace, Qinzheng Hall.

Emperor Jingtai sat high in the chair, flipping through the pages and files.

Su Yuqing, Li Chungang and Hua Yunfeng stood respectfully in front, quietly waiting for Emperor Jingtai's reply.

The atmosphere was suffocating for a while.

Emperor Jingtai read it very seriously. After a long while, he put the scroll down, looked up and said with a smile, "This mission was done very well. Not only did we resolve the rebellion in Nanzhou, but we also dealt a heavy blow to the Northern Liang witch. We also opened up a trading port from Dayin Mountain to the South China Sea. Now we can put the Southern Tour on the agenda."

"The marriage with Beiliang is now a thing of the past. As for the rest of those who have made meritorious contributions, I will have the cabinet discuss it in detail and reward them according to their merits."

Su Yuqing bowed and said, "Thank you, Father, for your grace."

Emperor Jingtai smiled broadly, "Chun Gang Yun Feng, you have worked hard along the way. What do you want from me as a reward?"

Hua Yunfeng said, "If Your Majesty could allow me to take a look at the Imperial Palace Treasury, that would be great."

Li Chungang glared at him. "You can't just go to the Imperial Palace Treasury. This is embarrassing for His Majesty. Let's find someone else."

Hua Yunfeng scratched his head and said, "It was His Majesty who asked me to speak."

Li Chungang was about to reprimand him when he heard Emperor Jingtai laugh heartily, "No problem. Yunfeng is a man of character and always speaks frankly. I approve."

Hua Yunfeng was overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty has no other instructions, I will go right away."

Emperor Jingtai smiled and waved his hand. After Hua Yunfeng left, he said to Li Chungang, "Have you thought about the reward you want?"

Li Chungang's words were impeccable. "It is my duty to share the worries of His Majesty. How dare I ask for a reward?"

Emperor Jingtai smiled broadly, "Mr. Nan has cultivated a fine disciple. I know you also want to visit the Imperial Palace Treasury, so go with Yunfeng."

Your Majesty’s reward cannot be refused.

Li Chungang bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

Afterwards, Li Chungang bent down and stepped back, only to stand up straight and turn away after he walked out the door.

Without the presence of outsiders, Emperor Jingtai's smile became much more friendly and relaxed. "Taiping, you have worked hard in Nanyang Prefecture for the past twenty years. Among all the children, you have set a good example. You have solved a big problem for your father. If you find a son of a different family in the future, your father will take the initiative to arrange a marriage for you."

Su Yuqing smiled and said, "My son's marriage is not urgent, but I have one unwelcome request, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it."

Emperor Jingtai said, "You never ask for favors from others. Tell me."

Su Yuqing said, "The reason why the affairs of Nanzhou can go so smoothly this time is inseparable from Xie An's help. I have made it very clear in the memorial. I also ask the emperor to grant Xie An the title of Duke. A second-rank official. This will allow Xie An to serve our dynasty."

Emperor Jingtai was not surprised by this. "Since he is already a martial arts master, then of course there is nothing wrong with it. Where is he now?"

Su Yuqing said, "I have been searching for him in Qingwu County for three years but have not been able to find him. He may have gone to Yunzhou."

Emperor Jingtai waved his hand. "According to custom, the title of Duke requires a visit to the capital. However, Yunzhou is thousands of miles away from here. Father will grant you another favor. He will be exempted from the obligation to come to the capital to express his gratitude, and he can make up for it later. I grant Xie An the title of Duke Xie. In view of his previous service as the Chief Demon Suppressor, he has made great contributions to the country. This time, I will grant him the title of Chief Demon Suppressor of Yunzhou, allowing him to make new contributions to the court."

Su Yuqing thanked him: "Thank you for your grace, Father."

"The person who delivered the decree..."

"Your son is willing to go."

"allow."

After Su Yuqing left, Emperor Jingtai couldn't hide the smile on his face, "The matter of Nanzhou is finally settled."

……

Si Tianjian.

This is an inconspicuous institution that basically does not get involved in the affairs of the court.

Originally, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was under the Ministry of Rites, assisting the Ministry in studying the calendar and astronomical phenomena, helping the emperor select auspicious days, and arranging ceremonies such as offering sacrifices to heaven and enshrining the gods. Later, for unknown reasons, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau became independent from the Ministry of Rites and became its own institution.

Since then, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau has been actively recruiting all kinds of alchemists, strange people and other people from all over the world. As a result, its reputation has been damaged, and important officials in the court rarely interact with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

As for how the Sitianjian developed, very few people know.

The Imperial Observatory is located in the southeast corner of the capital, in a very inconspicuous mansion.

On the high building of the Sitianjian, twelve alchemists were operating the armillary sphere, deducing the calendar, and verifying various affairs. After compiling the books, they moved into a room.

Sitting in the room was an old Taoist priest with white hair and beard and dressed in white.

"Master Supervisor, the records of the armillary sphere are all here. Please review them."

The old Taoist priest dismissed all the servants, picked up all the pages, compared them, circled out the core information, and took out an iron object similar to a compass and carefully deduced it.

After that, the old Taoist's expression changed drastically. He immediately left the room in a hurry and went to a dark room at the back where there was no light. He knocked three times on an inconspicuous wall.

"Click".

A door suddenly opened in front.

The old Taoist priest hurried in and slowly walked along the dark passage.

After walking for dozens of meters and down a long flight of stairs, we finally arrived at an underground stone chamber.

The stone chamber was littered with corpses and bones, emitting a pungent, nauseating odor of rotting flesh. The old Taoist priest clearly despised the smell, but he didn't dare show it. He endured it and walked forward, stepping over the corpses and bones.

Finally, I came to the end of the stone chamber and saw an old man with a haggard face.

The old man was wearing ragged clothes and was so thin that only skin and bones were left. He looked very scary. But he didn't care at all. He held a spirit tablet in his hand and growled from time to time, acting crazy.

But there was a line of words clearly engraved on the token:

The spirit tablet of my beloved wife Jin Xiaotang.

"Mr. Chen."

The old Taoist priest walked up to the old man, knelt on the ground, and bowed deeply. The old man stopped growling and said hoarsely, "Have you deduced the result?"

The old Taoist priest said tremblingly: "Based on Mr. Chen's Nine Palace Box, I deduced that the Seven Treasures Exquisite Box was previously in Qingwu County and is now in Yunzhou."

The old man asked, "Did that bastard Jingtai come to ask you about this?"

The old Taoist shook his head: "No."

The old man held the spirit tablet and slowly stood up. He turned to look at the old Taoist priest and said, "Thank you for saving me from the old Emperor Jingtai and returning the Nine Palace Box to me. So, I will go to Yunzhou to put the past behind me and look forward to the future."

The old Taoist priest said, "I have prepared the luggage and will be waiting for Mr. Chen's triumphant return."

The old man asked, "Is there any movement over at Yujing Mountain?"

The old Taoist said, "No."

……

Thirty miles outside the capital is Yujing Mountain.

Welcoming a special guest.

Before going to Yunzhou to announce the imperial edict, Su Yuqing planned to visit Yujing Mountain first.

Although Yujingshan did not intervene in state affairs, and Bai Yujing did not hold an important position in the court, all the nobles and dignitaries in Daqian knew that Bai Yujing was definitely the most terrifying person in Daqian.

A blank word, even His Majesty has to avoid its name.

It can be seen.

When Daqian divided the world into thirty-six states, the horror of Yujing Mountain became even more apparent.

However, Yujing Mountain and the imperial court still get along very well. The joint establishment of the Demon Suppression Bureau is a prime example of this cooperation.

Therefore, the people of Yujing Mountain were naturally very respectful to the eldest princess Su Yuqing.

We climbed up the mountain and entered the Taoist temple on the top of the mountain.

Outside the main hall, Su Yuqing stopped and said, "Junior Su Yuqing, I would like to see Bai Yujing."

She didn't see anyone in the main hall, but she heard a woman's voice coming from inside, "Yuqing is here. I'm in seclusion and can't show up. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

Su Yuqing seemed to have a good relationship with Bai Yujing, so she wasn't in a hurry and slowly recounted the events of Qingwu County. Finally, she said, "Xie An is currently in Yunzhou. I'm going there to announce the imperial decree. Senior, do you have anything to tell Xie An?"

Su Yuqing was originally going to marry far away in Beiliang, but thanks to the support of her master Ye Nantian and Bai Yujing, she was able to go to Qingwu County. Before leaving, Bai Yujing told Su Yuqing to write a letter if she found the person who had the immortal box.

Later, Bai Yujing accepted Xie An as his disciple.

Now that he was going to Yunzhou to see Xie An again, Su Yuqing was grateful for Bai Yujing's help and naturally came here to inquire about it.

Soon, a leisurely and clear voice came from inside, "No need. Those who are destined to meet will meet naturally. Please treat Xie An well on my behalf."

Su Yuqing said: "Of course it is so."

"Take care on your journey, Yuqing."

"Senior, take care."

Su Yuqing bowed again before turning and leaving.

After Su Yuqing left, a leisurely sigh was heard in the hall.

"Five thousand years, a game of life and death. Who will be destined for eternal life..."

……

Outside Yunzhou City, Qixingzhai.

Half a year passed quickly.

Xie An's life was still the same as usual, very boring and peaceful.

That day, Xie An sat cross-legged on a hill ten miles outside Qixingzhai.

After absorbing another drop of spiritual liquid accumulated by the five-colored lotus, Xie An's Five Elements Spirit Tempering Method was also improved to 18/130000.

It takes half a year to improve by one point.

There is almost no progress...

However, Xie An was determined to live forever and never wavered in his determination.

He knew that as long as he found a large amount of spiritual energy, he could speed up his cultivation.

At present, all the information points to the ancient city of Kongsang.

Xie An could wait and endure.

After clearing away his distracting thoughts, Xie An called up the panel to check the progress of other health-preserving exercises.

[Ming Yu Gong: Xiao Han 525/600]

[Xuanwu Breathing Method (Postnatal Fourth Level): 200/10000]

"I'm almost done with the twenty-three solar terms of Mingyu Gong, but my progress in Xuanwu breathing is slow. However, this breathing method may lead to the Xiantian realm, so it's still worth looking forward to."

After collecting his thoughts, Xie An circulated the Nine Yuan Return to One technique, looked inward at his internal organs, and checked his progress in martial arts.

"Although the Nine Elements Return to One method is exquisite, I have remained at the level of a sixth-grade Grandmaster for the past six months, with no sign of progressing further."

Xie An has actually worked very hard in the past six months, but practicing the secret treasures is not an easy task.

If a large secret treasure is broken through in just half a year, that would be too exaggerated.

Although there was no breakthrough, everything was under Xie An's control and progressed steadily.

Xie An let out a long sigh, slowly stood up, and looked at the starry sky and bright moon in the distance, his eyes bright and sharp.

rustle~
A light sound of footsteps approached quickly, as fast as lightning.

But Xie An was not surprised.

He knew that the white fox who had gone out to check the situation had returned.

Over the past six months, the white fox had completed its second metamorphosis, further strengthening it to the level of a seventh-grade master. With greater intelligence, speed, and strength, it could easily overwhelm a seventh-grade master human martial artist.

Even if you meet a fifth-grade master, you can't catch up with it.

Therefore, Xie An arranged for it to travel back and forth between various gangs outside Yunzhou City for a long time to gather information.

He has become Xie An's little detective expert.

Speaking of which, Xie An was still very surprised that the shedding happened to the white fox.

The white fox only needs to eat more of the precious bones and inner core of the big monster, etc., to speed up the improvement of its strength, and after reaching a certain critical point, it will undergo a transformation.

The process of molting is very strange: all the hair will fall off and a layer of skin will be shed.

It's similar to a snake shedding its skin.

During the period of shedding, it is almost like being dead.

But after molting, they will grow back more special and beautiful hair, and their life will be elevated to a higher level. It is extremely magical.

Not long after, the white fox appeared in Xie An's sight, calling out "Brother" from a distance.

How boring are the days of cultivation?
It is very comforting to have something to call yourself "big brother".

Xie An instinctively smiled, and soon the white fox scurried onto Xie An's shoulder, hugged Xie An's neck with great joy, and rubbed its head against Xie An's chin.

Very comfortable.

Xie An wished that the other party would rub him a few more times.

After a long while, Xie An asked, "What's the situation in Nanshan Valley and Zhenwu Sect?"

In the past six months, Xie An has spent most of his time in seclusion, studying pharmacology, and exchanging martial arts experiences with Chen Yu'er and discussing the issue of immortality.

The dirty work of investigating the situation was given to the white fox.

Of course, Xie An did not treat the white fox badly. He often took the white fox to Yunhuang to kill big monsters to improve its strength as a reward.

The white fox really lived up to expectations. "There are two martial arts masters in the South Valley, and there are about four martial arts masters in the Zhenwu Sect. They all have connections with Ghost Master and have treasures like the Cold Spirit Grass in their collections."

By the way, the surrounding black markets have been leaking news about the ancient city of Kongsang recently... and are selling maps of the city for exorbitant prices. Countless chivalrous men are vying for them, forming expedition teams and claiming they're going to Kongsang to find their immortal destiny.

Xie An was greatly surprised when he heard this.

The ancient city of Kongsang carries all of Xie An’s hopes for finding spiritual energy.

What if someone else gets there first?

This ghost is really a troublemaker.

No matter how calm Xie An was, he was no longer calm at this moment. "Where can I buy a map?"

White Fox said: "They are sold in all major black markets. They are selling like crazy."

After weighing the pros and cons for a moment, Xie An said, "Let's go to the Tianlong Gang's black market and buy a copy to take a look at."

Xie An felt that this map must be explosive, but he still had to buy a copy to take a look at it so as not to fall behind.

This place was not far from the headquarters of the Tianlong Gang. Xie An immediately changed into a younger appearance and rushed to the Tianlong Gang's black market with Baihu overnight. He found that the place was overcrowded with thousands of Jianghu knights.

These knights dressed in a variety of styles, some were from the Central Plains, some were from Yunzhou, some were from Huangzhou, some were from Youzhou... and even their dialects were varied.

Everyone's eyes were shining, and they rushed to buy the map of Kongsang Ancient City.

Maps are sold at every stall.

Many vendors made a lot of money.

Xie An strolled around for a while and was immediately approached by several vendors, who suggested that he might need a map, saying that it was cheap and he could buy one for just a few dozen taels.

A few dozen taels... for Xie An today, it's nothing more than a drop of water.

Xie An simply stopped bargaining and went straight to six stalls, buying six maps each.

Finally, Xie An was still worried, so he found a small vendor who was not busy with the business and bought the seventh map. He asked the old vendor, "Brother, where did you get this map?"

The vendor said, "I can't tell you that."

Xie An felt that it must be something complicated.

Xie An immediately took out a piece of precious silver that shone with silver light and handed it to the old vendor. "Brother, please tell the truth."

The old man immediately revealed a greedy expression when he saw the precious silver. Finally, he took the precious silver with a sullen look and whispered, "I won't hide it from you. It's not easy for us peddlers to sell things on a regular basis. We don't have our own supply channels, so we usually go to Dakang Wharf to buy goods, and then distribute them to various black markets to sell. Master Zhu Jiu of Dakang Wharf has great magical powers. His supply of goods is well-connected, supporting hundreds of thousands of peddlers outside our city. I got this map from Master Zhu Jiu."

"Thank you, bro."

Xie An said goodbye and left.

After leaving the Tianlong Gang, Xie An came to a deserted mountain area, took out the tinder he carried with him, blew twice, and flames came out of it. Xie An carefully compared the map with the Qifen map and found that they were generally similar, but with different details.

It is difficult to tell true from false.

But there is one place that appears on every map.

Daliangshan.

The difference lies in the route after crossing Daliang Mountain.

Xie An remembered that there was also a Daliang Mountain in the map drawn by Jin Xiaotang, but the route was different from that in this Qifen map.

From this, we can infer that this map is half true and half false, and has a certain degree of authenticity.

The person who first took out this map must have known some information about the ancient city of Kongsang. Otherwise, it would be impossible for it to match Jin Xiaotang's map.

How could there be such a coincidence in the world?
Then the problem is coming.

What is the other party trying to do?
Even if they wanted to create chaos and confuse the public, they didn't need to create a half-truthful map, right? Wouldn't it be enough to just create a fake map?

"Go back first!"

Xie An put away the map, quickly returned to Qili Village, and found Mrs. Ma.

It turned out that Mrs. Ma also had several maps in her hands.

Madam Ma: “…”

Xie An: “…”

After a moment of embarrassment, Xie An asked, "Does Madam Ma know Mr. Zhu Jiu from Dakang Wharf?"

Madam Ma said, "I know. Master Zhu Jiu manages the largest water transport outside Yunzhou City. Countless peddlers and hawkers buy goods from Master Zhu Jiu and then distribute them to other places."

Xie An was delighted to hear this. "Madam, please tell me who Master Zhu Jiu is and how powerful he is."

After hearing Mrs. Ma's narration, Xie An understood the general situation.

Master Zhu Jiu has always been mysterious. Although he is not the boss of the three major gangs outside Yunzhou City, he has an extremely high status. The leaders of the three major gangs are very respectful to Master Zhu Jiu. Moreover, many of the businesses of the three major gangs are circulated through Master Zhu Jiu.

As for Mr. Zhu Jiu's strength, Mrs. Ma didn't know.

Finally, Madam Ma asked, "Why is Third Master asking this?"

"The origin of this map comes from Master Zhu Jiu."

Madam Ma was greatly surprised when she heard this. "It was made by Master Zhu Jiu... so this map is likely to be real."

"Why?"

"Because Master Zhu Jiu is a businessman, I've met him several times. He values ​​credibility above all else and never sells false information or counterfeit or inferior goods. This is the foundation of Master Zhu Jiu's reputation within and outside of Yunzhou, and he wouldn't joke about his own reputation."

Xie An was stunned.

Judging from Madam Ma's tone, people inside and outside Yunzhou have great trust in Master Zhu Jiu. It seems that Master Zhu Jiu made his fortune by relying on his strong reputation.

Could this map be real?
But each map was different, which made Xie An very confused.

Xie An said goodbye to Mrs. Ma and hurried towards his own yard. As soon as he entered, he saw Chen Yuer practicing with a spear in the yard.

Not drinking...

Xie An was very happy when he saw this. "Is Miss Chen's injury healed?"

Chen Yu'er put away the bloody spear and said, "Almost done. Did you get any information?"

In the past six months, Xie An and Chen Yuer agreed to go to the ancient city of Kongsang together. The Martial Saint was also very concerned about this matter and discussed it with Xie An late at night many times.

Xie An opened the map and told Chen Yuer what had happened in detail.

Chen Yu'er was also confused after hearing this. "Go get the map that Jin Xiaotang drew and compare it with it."

Xie An already had this idea, so he went into the room, took out the map, spread it out on the long table in the living room, and compared it carefully with Chen Yuer.

Finally, it was discovered that all maps depicted the first half of Daliang Mountain in exactly the same way. However, after leaving Daliang Mountain, many different routes emerged, and Jin Xiaotang's route was one of them.

This really stumped the two of them.

Xie An said: "I think... why don't we go find Master Zhu Jiu, maybe he knows the inside story."

When he was in the Tianlong Gang, Xie An wanted to go directly to Dakang Wharf.

But out of caution, Xie An held back.

There are many martial arts masters in Yunzhou.

Even Xie An, a sixth-rank master, might not be able to suppress him.

It would definitely be enough to bring along Chen Yuer, the Martial Saint.

Chen Yuer readily agreed.

Xie An continued, "Madam Ma has met Master Zhu Jiu. Taking Madam Ma with us will save us from taking detours and make things easier. What do you think?"

Chen Yuer said, "Okay."

……

Dakang Wharf.

It was approximately four hundred miles from Qixing Village. It was located on the banks of the Chang River, the largest river in Yunzhou. As it was the largest wharf on the Chang River, the ship traffic was extremely busy, and trade was thriving. There were thousands of boats of all sizes at Matou, and porters and other people waiting at the wharf, making it a bustling place.

This wharf is much more prosperous than the county seat of Qingwu County.

Not far from the pier, there is an exceptionally imposing seven-story building, which is where Master Zhu Jiu lives.

The house was packed with people, and countless dignitaries came to visit, but none of them could even see Mr. Zhu Jiu.

In a courtyard living room adjacent to a seven-story building, the sounds of birdsong and swallows danced, accompanied by the unceasing sound of drums and music. Rows of beauties dressed in cool silks danced gracefully. A portly man, rich in appearance and elegantly dressed, sat at the head of the table, drinking and watching the beauties dance. He waved his hand, and a row of beauties filed forward, taking turns sitting on his lap, calling him "Master," offering to feed him wine, his hands caressing them.

It's like living a fairy-like life.

This person is Master Zhu Jiu.

He has money.

It is said that he is rich enough to rival a country.

At that moment, the sound of the zither faded, and the girls stopped dancing and dispersed. Only a beautiful woman in a pink translucent silk dress was left sitting next to the zither, looking at Master Zhu Jiu coquettishly.

Master Zhu Jiu saw the woman's stunning beauty and graceful figure, and his mouth watered. "This courtesan, adorned with red lanterns, is truly breathtakingly beautiful. I once spent a hundred thousand taels of silver, but still couldn't get Miss Liu to come to my house for a conversation. But today, thanks to a map, I've been able to get Miss Liu to come out of Yunzhou City and sing for me at my humble abode. I'm truly blessed."

Facing Master Zhu Jiu's drooling appearance, Miss Liu showed no expression and said calmly, "It is said that Master Zhu Jiu is as rich as a country. If I were to be tempted by money, Master Jiu would look down on me."

Master Zhu Jiu didn't take the initiative to approach Miss Liu to take advantage of her, but maintained a respectful attitude towards her, as if he was in awe of this courtesan. "So, why is Miss Liu willing to visit my humble abode this time?"

Although Miss Liu appears aloof on the outside, she is naturally charming. Her every frown and smile reveals a charming allure that is simply captivating. "To be honest, Master Jiu, I have followed my father since I was a child and have learned some martial arts. I heard that Master Jiu was selling maps on a large scale, so I wanted to come and ask him about it."

Master Zhu Jiu looked at Miss Liu's figure with great desire, "If Miss Liu is willing to spend the night with me, I will tell you everything I know."

Miss Liu smiled and said, "There are already more than forty expedition teams outside, all rushing to Daliang Mountain. Master Jiu, are you trying to tell me that every route is correct?"

Master Zhu Jiu drank his wine, his eyes fixed on Miss Liu's rising and falling chest. "After a night of passion, I will naturally tell Miss Liu."

Miss Liu used all her skills to become charming and seductive, making people want to fall at her feet immediately. However, Master Zhu Jiu was very strong-willed and insisted on spending the night together. In the end, Miss Liu was a little frustrated and left in anger.

After leaving the Zhu Mansion, Miss Liu's expression immediately turned cold, revealing an expression of immense disdain. "What a mean-spirited person! Master Zhu Jiu, you dare to spend the night with me, Liu Ruyan? You're not even worthy enough to carry my shoes. I, the Saint of the Red Lantern Tribe, am doing you a great favor by leaving the city and coming here. I didn't expect you to be so tactless. If you don't tell me about the map, I, the Red Lantern Tribe, will find another way."

On the surface, Hongdengzhao was the largest brothel in Yunzhou's thirty-six prefectures, with numerous branches. In reality, Hongdengzhao was a top-tier, registered martial arts sect. Located in Yunzhou City, the most prosperous city in the entire state, its status was naturally extraordinary.

Liu Ruyan, a saintly maiden, held the title of oiran, but in reality, she was helping the Red Lanterns gather information and establish connections with officials. Her inner pride remained. After all, she was a martial arts master.

Just as Liu Ruyan was about to board the carriage, she suddenly saw a young man approaching with two women. Both women were wearing veils. One of the veiled women had a graceful and elegant demeanor, a figure so slender and graceful that Liu Ruyan felt ashamed of herself. She couldn't help but stare at the woman twice.

This woman is naturally Chen Yuer.

But Liu Ruyan didn't see it, and finally got into the carriage angrily, muttering: I guess it's another seductive bitch from some martial arts sect who went to ask Master Zhu Jiu for information about the map.

Liu Ruyan didn't think this woman would succeed, so she cursed inwardly: Just wait to have sex with that disgusting man Zhu Jiuye.

In fact, Liu Ruyan greatly underestimated Chen Yuer.

There are indeed two martial arts masters in the Zhu Mansion, who are guards hired by Master Zhu Jiu at a high price.

But at this moment, the two master guards were tied up and lying on the ground like dead pigs.

Master Zhu Jiu was also pressed to the ground with his head stepped on by Chen Yu'er, unable to move.

Xie An secretly sighed that it was much easier to do things with the Martial Saint as his thug.

Xie An calmed down and said to Master Zhu Jiu fiercely, "Tell me, why did you release so many different maps?"

(End of this chapter)