I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

Morning light filters through the gaps in the pine forest of Zhongnan Mountain, illuminating the winding mountain path.

Li Bai walked in the middle of the group, dressed in coarse cloth and a straw hat, carrying a bamboo basket of incense and candles on his shoulder. Duan Qiniang walked ahead, also dressed as a peasant woman, carrying a basket filled with dried food. Xiao Lian followed behind Li Bai, carrying a small bundle on her back, glancing back nervously from time to time. The man in blue and two other men, disguised as woodcutters, brought up the rear, carrying firewood.

The mountain path was rugged, and the stone steps were covered with moss, making them somewhat slippery underfoot. The air was filled with the scent of pine needles and earth, and occasionally a mountain bird would be startled from the forest, its flapping wings making a particularly clear sound in the silent valley. In the distance, the babbling of a stream could be heard, mingled with the rustling of the wind through the pine forest.

As Li Bai walked, he sent a wisp of his divine sense into the ground beneath his feet.

This was the first time he had tried to sense the earth's veins while moving.

The consciousness of the Foundation Establishment stage is like an invisible tendril, slowly sinking three feet, five feet, ten feet into the ground... At first, one can only perceive the outlines of soil, gravel, and tree roots, but as the consciousness continues to sink, a vague "flowing sensation" begins to appear.

That wasn't water, nor was it wind.

It's more like... a pulse.

Deep within the earth, there is a slow and heavy pulse, like the heartbeat of a sleeping giant. This pulse is not evenly distributed, but flows along certain specific "channels"—some channels are as thick as rivers, some as thin as streams, and some are completely blocked, like clogged blood vessels.

Li Bai's heart stirred.

Is this the earth's vein?

He tried attaching his consciousness to a relatively active "channel," following the pulse forward. The pulse was slow, beating only once every ten breaths, but each beating carried a gentle yet profound energy. This energy was similar to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, yet more condensed and closer to the essence of the "earth."

The group rounded a bend in the mountain and a Taoist temple appeared ahead.

The Taoist temple was small, with blue tiles and white walls, nestled behind several ancient cypress trees. Above the gate hung a faded plaque with the three characters "Qingwei Temple" written on it. The temple gate was ajar, and a few withered leaves lay on the stone steps in front of it.

Duan Qiniang stepped forward and gently knocked on the door knocker.

A moment later, the door opened. A Taoist priest, about fifty years old with gray hair and beard, peeked out. He wore a faded Taoist robe, his face was gaunt, but his eyes were unusually bright. Seeing Duan Qiniang, he smiled and said, "Benefactor Duan has arrived."

"Master Xuancheng," Duan Qiniang said, pressing her palms together in greeting, "I apologize for disturbing you."

"Don't mention it, please come in." Xuan Cheng stepped aside.

The group filed in.

The interior of the Taoist temple appeared more spacious than the exterior. The main hall enshrined the Three Pure Ones, with three sticks of incense burning in the incense burner, their smoke curling upwards. Side rooms flanked the main hall, and several vegetable plots were planted in the courtyard. A wooden bucket sat beside the well. The air was filled with a faint, yet calming, scent of sandalwood and herbs.

Xuancheng led everyone to the east wing, where three rooms had already been prepared.

"The conditions are simple, I apologize for the inconvenience," Xuancheng said.

"You're too kind, Taoist priest," Duan Qiniang said. "It's already a great blessing to have a place to stay."

After settling in, Duan Qiniang introduced Xuancheng to Li Bai.

"This is Young Master Li," Duan Qiniang said. "He has some... special questions he would like to ask the Daoist Master."

Xuan Cheng scrutinized Li Bai, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment before he suddenly frowned slightly: "Young Master Li, there seems to be a flow of spiritual energy within you?"

Li Bai was startled.

Can this Taoist priest discern his cultivation level?

"Your Excellency has keen insight," Li Bai said without denying it. "I do indeed have some knowledge of cultivation."

Xuan Cheng nodded, not pressing further, and simply said, "What would Young Master Li like to ask?"

"The earth's veins," Li Bai said bluntly. "I heard from Lady Duan that this Taoist temple is built on a node of the earth's veins?"

Xuan Cheng pondered for a moment, then gestured for Li Bai to follow him.

The two arrived at the backyard of the Taoist temple. There was a small medicinal garden there, planted with some common herbs. In the center of the garden was a well. The well opening was small, made of bluestone, and the well rim was polished smooth.

"Young Master Li, please look at this well," Xuan Cheng said.

Li Bai walked to the well and looked down. The well water was clear and bottomless. He released his divine sense into the well and immediately felt a "pulse" several times stronger than that on the mountain path coming from the bottom of the well. The pulse was warm and powerful, like the heart of the earth beating at the bottom of the well.

"This is..." Li Bai looked up.

"Longan," Xuancheng said. "At least, that's what our ancestors said. Back then, our patriarch traveled here and sensed that the earth's energy was exceptionally abundant, so he built a hermitage here to cultivate. Later, as the incense offerings grew, this Taoist temple was built."

"Can the Taoist priest sense the earth's veins?"

"I know a little bit," Xuancheng said. "Taoist cultivation emphasizes the unity of heaven and man. The earth's veins are the meridians of the earth, connected to celestial phenomena and human energy. I have been cultivating here for over forty years, meditating and breathing every day, and gradually I have been able to sense the flow of the earth's energy."

Li Bai's eyes lit up: "Has the Daoist priest investigated the geological veins beneath Chang'an City?"

Xuan Cheng shook his head: "Chang'an is the capital of emperors, where dragon energy gathers. The earth's veins have been suppressed by the imperial city, palaces, and the people, and it has long been unrecognizable. I went there a few times when I was young, and I only felt that the earth's energy there was obscure and chaotic, and hard to grasp."

"Obscure and chaotic..." Li Bai murmured.

"That's right," Xuan Cheng said. "However, there are some ancient books in the Taoist temple that record the scattered research of Taoist priests from the previous dynasty on the geomantic veins of Chang'an. If Young Master Li is interested, you can take a look."

"Thank you, Taoist priest."

Xuancheng led Li Bai to a study. The study was small, with several bookshelves against the wall, piled high with bamboo slips, silk books, and thread-bound books. The air was filled with the musty smell of paper and ink, mixed with a faint musty odor.

Xuan Cheng pulled out a yellowed silk scroll from the bottom shelf and carefully spread it out on the table.

The writing on the silk scroll is somewhat blurred, but still legible. It contains a simple drawing, marking the general outline of Chang'an city, along with a few winding lines.

"This is a manuscript by a Taoist priest from the former Sui Dynasty," Xuan Cheng said, pointing to the diagram. "He believed that there were nine main veins beneath Chang'an City, corresponding to the nine celestial constellations. The imperial city sat in the center, suppressing the point where the main veins converged. The other eight main veins extended in all directions, nourishing the entire city."

Li Bai carefully examined the picture.

The main veins marked on the map roughly corresponded to the thick "channels" he had sensed last night. However, the map was too simplistic and lacked many details.

"Is that all?" Li Bai asked.

"That's all," Xuan Cheng said. "The matter of ley lines is extremely mysterious. It's already quite remarkable that so little has been recorded."

Li Bai remained silent.

At this moment, the man in blue knocked on the door and came in, holding a roll of paper in his hand.

"Duan Niangzi asked me to deliver this." He handed the paper to Li Bai. "It just arrived from Chang'an."

Li Bai unrolled the paper scroll.

This is a hand-drawn map, much more detailed than Xuan Cheng's silk scroll. The map marks the main streets, wards, and palace of Chang'an, and also uses dotted lines to draw the course of several underground ditches—a drainage system built by the previous dynasty, some sections of which are still in use today.

In the corner of the picture, there is a line of small print: "Geomancer Yuan appeared in the West Market three days ago, but his movements were elusive and we were unable to make contact. We have sent people to keep watch day and night."

Li Bai compared the illustration with the silk scroll.

The course of underground ditches partially overlaps with the "channels" of the earth's veins. This is normal—when ancient people built water conservancy projects, they often chose low-lying areas with abundant groundwater, which were often also areas with active earth veins.

"Master," Li Bai suddenly asked, "how can I guide the earth's spiritual energy?"

Xuan Cheng paused for a moment, then shook his head: "Difficult, extremely difficult. Earth veins are the natural forces of heaven and earth, beyond human control. Forcibly guiding them will at best damage the meridians, and at worst cause the earth's energy to backfire, resulting in death by explosion."

"Not even a slight possibility?"

Xuan Cheng looked at Li Bai with a complex expression: "Why is Young Master Li so persistent about this?"

Li Bai did not answer.

Xuan Cheng sighed: "If we really want to try, we must proceed step by step. First, we must start with sensing and familiarize ourselves with the flow of the earth's energy; then we can try to use our own true essence as a guide to resonate with the earth's energy; and finally, we can try guiding it. Every step is extremely dangerous, and the slightest mistake could lead to annihilation."

"I understand," Li Bai said. "Taoist Master, may I borrow your temple's 'Dragon Eye'?"

Xuan Cheng hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright. But Young Master Li, please be careful."

Thank you.

Night falls.

Zhongnan Mountain was shrouded in darkness. The mountain wind howled, and the pines rustled in the breeze. Oil lamps were lit in the Taoist temple, their dim yellow light filtering through the paper windows and casting swaying shadows in the courtyard.

Li Bai came alone to the well in the backyard.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and immersed his consciousness into the well.

This time, he was no longer just sensing it, but trying to "communicate" with that pulse.

His divine sense, like a thin thread, slowly probed towards the warm energy at the bottom of the well. At first, the earth's energy showed no reaction, continuing its slow, rhythmic pulsation. Undeterred, Li Bai adjusted his true essence circulation, trying to align his spiritual energy frequency as closely as possible with the earth's rhythm.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed.

Two incense sticks' worth of time passed.

Suddenly, the earth's energy at the bottom of the well trembled slightly.

Like a sleeping giant bitten by a mosquito, it unconsciously twitched its fingers.

Li Bai was delighted and continued to adjust the frequency.

Another half hour passed, and the tremors of the earth's energy became more and more obvious. That warm power began to actively "contact" Li Bai's consciousness, like a curious child testing a strange visitor.

It's now!

Li Bai took a deep breath and slowly channeled a wisp of true essence into the earth's energy through his divine sense.

The moment the true essence came into contact with the earth's energy, a tremendous force rebounded!

The feeling was like grabbing a wild horse with your bare hands; the immense impact nearly tore Li Bai's consciousness apart. He groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but his hands remained tightly bound in a seal, his true essence circulating wildly, forcibly stabilizing the connection.

The well water began to fluctuate.

Ripples spread outwards from the calm water. A deep rumble came from the bottom of the well, like a giant beast writhing deep underground. The ground in the courtyard trembled slightly, and the leaves of the herbs in the herb garden moved without wind.

In the side room, Xuan Cheng suddenly opened his eyes.

He rushed to the window, looked towards the backyard, and said gravely, "So soon..."

Li Bai trembled all over at the well.

He felt his true essence being frantically devoured by the earth's energy, as if he had fallen into a bottomless pit. If this continued, he would be completely drained in less than a quarter of an hour.

We can't tough it out.

A sudden inspiration struck Li Bai, reminding him of fluid mechanics he had learned in college—when two fluids meet, forcibly resisting each other only consumes energy, while applying a small lateral force along the flow direction can change the direction of the entire flow field.

He immediately changed his strategy.

Instead of trying to "hold back" the earth's energy, he transformed his true essence into a fine needle and gently pierced the "side wall" where the earth's energy flowed.

The flow of earth energy shifted slightly.

Although it was only a very slight deflection, the violent devouring force was instantly reduced by more than half. Li Bai seized the opportunity and poured in more true energy, carefully guiding the flow of earth energy like a helmsman steering a ship's rudder.

The ripples in the well water gradually subsided.

The ground tremors also stopped.

But Li Bai could sense that the enormous power at the bottom of the well was now flowing slowly in a certain direction, guided by him—to a vacant lot behind the Taoist temple, a place he had predetermined.

Become!

He opened his eyes, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and smiled.

Although he only guided a tiny wisp of earth energy, although the process was extremely dangerous, and although he had already consumed 70% of his true essence, he proved that earth vein spiritual energy can indeed be guided!

This is enough.

Over the next few days, Li Bai rested in the Taoist temple during the day, studied ancient books, and discussed the knowledge of earth veins with Xuan Cheng. At night, he transformed into a ghost of the night and quietly sneaked into Chang'an City.

He avoided heavily guarded areas such as the imperial city, government offices, and military camps, focusing instead on exploring markets, wastelands, and the area beneath old riverbeds. His Foundation Establishment stage spiritual sense allowed him to perceive activity ten feet underground, while his geological knowledge helped him understand the structure and orientation of the strata.

On his first night, he discovered an active branch of the ley lines near the West Market.

It was a slender "passage" extending from the direction of Zhongnan Mountain, passing through the foundation of the city wall, and winding underground in the West Market. The earth's energy around the passage was relatively active, like blood flowing in the capillaries of the human body. Li Bai used a specially made charcoal pencil to mark this location on silk, indicating the intensity and direction of the earth's energy.

On the second night, he discovered the residual fluctuations of an ancient formation beneath an abandoned garden by Qujiang Pool.

The fluctuations were extremely faint, like a candle flickering in the wind, threatening to go out at any moment. But when Li Bai's divine sense touched it, he could feel an ancient and profound aura. The formation was incomplete, with only a few basic runes still flickering underground. Li Bai carefully noted the shapes and arrangements of the runes—these might help him understand how the ancients utilized the earth's veins.

On the third night, he discovered a blocked ley line beneath an abandoned house in Yonglefang.

That ley line should have been very strong, but for some unknown reason, its middle section was blocked by a large amount of gravel and rammed earth, preventing the flow of earth energy. Upstream of the blockage, earth energy accumulated, forming a repressive and volatile energy; downstream, it dried up and became barren. Li Bai noted this point, a thought vaguely forming in his mind—if this ley line could be "unblocked" at a crucial moment, perhaps it could create a local earthquake?

The fourth night, the fifth night...

The number of dots on the silk cloth is increasing.

Li Bai began to sketch a three-dimensional "underground spiritual energy network map" in his mind. As Xuan Cheng had said, the ley lines beneath Chang'an City were indeed obscure and chaotic. The continuous layering of buildings throughout the ages—city walls, palaces, residences, and roads—layered upon layer, suppressed and altered the course of the ley lines. Some ley lines were forcibly diverted, some were severed, and some became "turbid" due to the convergence of human energy.

But in some corners, the earth's veins still retain a relatively primitive vitality.

Abandoned temples, desolate cemeteries, dried-up riverbeds, uninhabited old houses... these places are sparsely populated, the earth's veins are less disturbed, and the flow of spiritual energy is clearer.

Li Bai was like a patient spider, weaving his web little by little.

On the sixth night, he explored an area southeast of Xingqing Palace.

This is Yongjia Ward, only one ward away from Xingqing Palace. The ward is mostly filled with the residences of high-ranking officials and nobles, and is heavily guarded at night. Li Bai dared not get too close, and could only stop at a relatively secluded alley entrance, slowly sinking his consciousness into the ground.

The situation underground is very complicated.

As a royal garden, Xingqing Palace's underground had clearly undergone special treatment. Li Bai's divine sense could only perceive a "chaos"—a shielding layer formed by multiple overlapping formations, completely concealing the fluctuations of the earth's veins.

He could only explore the area around the perimeter of Xingqing Palace.

His divine sense extended outwards like tentacles, sweeping across the compacted soil, the gravel foundation, the drainage ditch... Suddenly, about three hundred paces to the southeast, his divine sense encountered an unusual fluctuation.

The fluctuations were subtle, as if they were deliberately hidden by something.

But Li Bai's divine sense had become exceptionally sharp after these days of training. He immediately detected the peculiarity of that fluctuation—pure, extremely pure, so pure that it didn't resemble naturally formed earth vein spiritual energy.

It's more like... the spiritual energy emanating from some kind of man-made object.

Moreover, the "texture" of this spiritual power felt strangely familiar to Li Bai.

A thought struck him, and he took out the jade talisman from the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom from his bosom.

The jade talisman felt warm to the touch, its surface shimmering with a faint luster. Li Bai infused the talisman with a wisp of true essence, causing it to heat up slightly and emit a spiritual energy frequency similar to the fluctuations underground.

really!

Li Bai put away the jade talisman and followed the direction of the fluctuations.

After passing through two alleys, a scene of ruins came into view.

It was an abandoned Taoist temple. Most of the walls had collapsed, the gate tower was crumbling, and the plaque lay on the ground, broken into pieces. By the moonlight, Li Bai could barely make out the words on the plaque: "Xuan...Du...Guan".

Xuandu Temple?

He remembered that Duan Qiniang had mentioned that there was indeed a Xuandu Temple in Chang'an City, which was abandoned by the previous dynasty and was said to be haunted by strange noises at night, and was considered an ominous place.

right here.

Li Bai climbed over the broken wall and entered the temple.

The courtyard was overgrown with waist-high weeds. Half of the roof of the main hall had collapsed, revealing rotten beams. A broken statue of a deity lay among the weeds, its face covered in moss. The air was filled with the smell of rotting wood and dust, mixed with a faint... spiritual aura.

That pure energy surge came from behind the main hall.

Li Bai walked around the main hall, and behind it was a small open space. There was a well in the open space, the opening of which was sealed by a thick bluestone slab. The slab was engraved with blurry runes, but they had been worn away and were no longer legible.

The fluctuations originate from the bottom of the well.

Li Bai walked to the well, squatted down, and placed his palm on the stone slab.

The stone slab was cold and rough. But through the stone slab, he could clearly feel the pure and subtle spiritual energy fluctuations deep at the bottom of the well—the resonance between the fluctuations and the jade talisman grew stronger and stronger, like long-lost brothers calling to each other.

He pushed the stone slab hard.

The stone slab remained motionless. It wasn't a matter of weight, but rather that the slab itself seemed to be "fixed" by some force.

Li Bai circulated his true energy, and his hands emitted a faint blue light.

"open!"

He gave a low shout and exerted force with both arms.

The stone slab creaked and groaned, dust falling from its edges. But it only lifted an inch before it could go no further. It wasn't that Li Bai lacked strength, but rather that there seemed to be an invisible barrier at the wellhead, preventing the slab from being fully opened.

Li Bai withdrew his hand, his brows furrowed.

This well is extraordinary.

There are runes on the stone slab sealing the well, a barrier at the wellhead, and spiritual energy fluctuations at the bottom of the well that are related to the Xiling Divine Kingdom... Could this also be a node related to an ancient secret realm?

He looked up at the sky.

The east was already showing the first light of dawn; daylight was approaching.

You must leave before dawn.

Li Bai took one last look at the sealed well, then turned and climbed over the wall, disappearing into the darkness before dawn.

When we returned to Qingwei Temple in Zhongnan Mountain, it was already broad daylight.

Duan Qiniang was waiting in the courtyard. When she saw him return, she breathed a sigh of relief: "How did it go?"

"I've made a discovery," Li Bai said. "I've figured out about 70% of the geological network beneath Chang'an. I've noted down the key nodes."

"That's great!" Duan Qiniang said. "Also, there's news about Master Yuan."

Li Bai's eyes lit up: "Found it?"

"We didn't find him directly, but we found out where he's been going recently," Duan Qiniang said. "Leyouyuan in the west of the city, there are several ancient tombs there, and it's said that the earth's energy is unusual. Master Yuan goes there every few days."

"Leyouyuan..." Li Bai pondered, "is not far from Xingqing Palace."

"Yes," Duan Qiniang said. "Moreover, news came from the palace yesterday that the procedures for the investiture ceremony have been finalized. It will be held in five days, on the eighth day of the fourth month, in front of the Qinzhengwuben Building in Xingqing Palace. Miss Yang... Consort Yang's phoenix palanquin will depart from Daming Palace, pass through Zhuque Avenue, go through Chunming Gate, and enter Xingqing Palace."

"What's the route?"

"It's finished." Duan Qiniang took a piece of paper out of her sleeve.

Li Bai took it and unfolded it.

The paper contained a detailed route map, marking every market, street, and intersection it passed through. The imperial carriage procession was long, guarded by imperial guards at the front and rear, and flanked by palace maids and eunuchs, so the pace of travel was not too fast.

"It takes about half an hour to get from Daming Palace to Xingqing Palace," Duan Qiniang said. "This half hour is the only chance. Once you enter Xingqing Palace, there will be no more opportunities."

Li Bai looked at the route map and tapped several key locations with his finger.

"Here, here, and here," he said. "The ley lines are active, and they're close to the route. If we could create an earthquake at these points..."

"An earthquake?" Duan Qiniang exclaimed in surprise. "That could harm innocent people!"

"It's not a real earthquake," Li Bai said. "It's just a slight ground tremor that's causing temporary chaos in the procession. And I'll control the area; it will only affect the area around the imperial carriage."

"Is it possible?"

"Let's give it a try," Li Bai said. "But before that, I need to see Master Yuan. His understanding of the geomantic veins of Chang'an may be deeper than we imagine."

"When are you going?"

"Tonight," Li Bai said, "I will visit Master Yuan at Leyou Plain."