Leaving Danhai Pavilion, Zhou Xun arrived at Shi Jingfeng's cave mansion to visit his widow, Gao Yue.

"Alchemist Zhou, what business brings you to me?" Gao Yue welcomed Zhou Xun into the cave.

After all, Zhou Xun was her daughter's master and also a high-grade alchemist, so naturally, she respected him highly.

"Daoist Gao, I have come for Wanying!" Zhou Xun said straightforwardly.

According to his original plan, he intended to stay in Qingyue Square for five more years, but his cultivation progressed beyond his expectations.

But now, he could only leave ahead of schedule.

"I will be traveling far soon and may never return to Qingyue Square!"

"Wanying is still too young to travel with me, so she can only stay here at Qingyue Square. Here are some spirit stones and elixirs that will ensure her cultivation reaches middle-stage Qi refining. I entrust them to you, Daoist Gao!"

Zhou Xun said as he took out a storage bag.

On the day, he promised Shi Jingfeng to look after his daughter, and now having to leave early, he could only make arrangements.

Inside the storage bag, Zhou Xun had placed a hundred spirit stones and all the elixirs needed for cultivation to middle-stage Qi refining.

There was also a dozen high-grade talismans, including a premium flying talisman.

Most importantly, Zhou Xun also placed a spirit gathering pill inside.

With Shi Wanying's middle-grade spiritual root aptitude, she had a high probability of breaking through to late-stage Qi refining in the future, thus fulfilling his promise to Shi Jingfeng.

"This... how could this be appropriate?" Gao Yue, upon opening the storage bag, was unsure what to do.

Spirit stones aside, the spirit gathering pill was genuinely a superb item.

It's a treasure that cannot be bought even with spirit stones.

Even within Foundation Establishment clans, only the most core disciples or those who have made significant contributions might receive it.

"Wanying is my disciple, and since I will be traveling afar, unable to care for her, I must make this arrangement in advance," Zhou Xun sighed.

"Perhaps when I settle in the future, we might meet again!" Zhou Xun thought to himself.

...

Days later, outside Qingyue Square, a cyan escape light shot up into the sky.

After announcing his departure that day, Zhou Xun left Danhai Pavilion.

Later, Patriarch Song personally came to persuade him, but Zhou Xun's mind was unwavering.

Patriarch Song did not insist, gifting Zhou Xun five hundred spirit stones as a parting gift and also a map showing the distribution of markets and clans in the Cultivation Realm of Xui Country.

With late-stage Qi refining mana driving the Cyan Light Shuttle, its speed had increased substantially.

Mana consumption reduced as well.

Originally, Zhou Xun had to stop every few hours to meditate and recover, but now, the interval had relaxed to a day.

According to the description on the map, the treasure vault was hidden within a remote mountain in the northern part of Xui Country.

The nearest market to that mountain was called Gaoyang Market.

Originally owned by the Spirit Talisman Luo Family, named Luoyun Square.

After the Luo Family's demise, it was taken over by the Gao Family and renamed Gaoyang Market.

Zhou Xun planned to head to Gaoyang Market first, rest for a while, and then proceed to the treasure vault for investigation.

...

A month later, Gaoyang Market.

On this day, a cyan light landed at the market entrance, revealing a cultivator who appeared as a middle-aged martial artist.

"Is this place... Gaoyang Market?"

This market was situated within a valley, enveloped by a quasi-third tier array, an impressive feat.

Though its scale was much smaller than Qingyue Square.

"This is indeed Gaoyang Market. Welcome, Daoist friend. Entering the market requires a deposit of ten spirit essence. When you return the token upon departure, the spirit essence will be refunded," replied a guard clad in spirit armor.

Zhou Xun nodded, took out ten spirit essence, and handed them to the guard, receiving a token crafted from spirit wood in return.

Then he stepped boldly into the market.

Inside, Zhou Xun found an inn and rented a temporary cave mansion.

Before leaving, Zhou Xun asked the innkeeper:

"Do you know where I can purchase a detailed map of the surrounding area?"

The innkeeper was a lean old man with fifth-layer Qi refining cultivation. Upon hearing Zhou Xun's inquiry, his interest piqued, and he replied with a grin:

"You're new to Gaoyang Market, I assume? As for maps, I have several kinds here,"

"One is a concise version, only describing the general location nearby, priced at five spirit essence,"

"Another is a detailed version, which not only introduces locations but also records the local mountains, rivers, and terrain, even noting when rare spirit grass or demon beasts appeared—updated monthly, priced at one spirit stone!"

"Which would you like, Daoist friend?"

"The latter, please!" Zhou Xun, with ample wealth, naturally didn't hesitate over a mere spirit stone.

Taking the booklet from the innkeeper, Zhou Xun began to compare it with his treasure map.

Soon, Zhou Xun locked his gaze on a place over six thousand miles away named Guya Ridge.

"Yes, that's it!"

Zhou Xun smiled, having finally found it.

Next, it's time to retrieve the treasure.

Before acquiring the treasure, he needed to make some preparations.

Even though the treasure map described the restrictions of the secret vault and detailed the spell to open it,

Considering this was a backup move for a Foundation Establishment clan's resurgence, being cautious wouldn't be excessive.

First, regarding defense talismans, he planned to refine a batch himself.

Recently, he just learned the method to refine Golden Shield Talismans.

Arriving at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Spending several hundred spirit stones, he purchased a hundred sets of premium talisman materials and some forbidden-breaking treasures.

Immediately, he returned to his temporary cave mansion and began refining defense talismans.

...

Liu Sihai was a demon hunting cultivator from Gaoyang Market.

However, his cultivation was low, only at the peak of fourth-layer Qi refining.

On this day, he was chasing a tier one low-grade Earth Rock Rat, arriving at a rocky, barren ridge spanning dozens of miles.

"In this desolate place, only Earth Attribute Earth Rock Rats would favor it!" Liu Sihai grumbled.

The rocky terrain greatly slowed his progress.

If he weren't adept at tracking techniques, he would have long lost the Earth Rock Rat.

Following the Earth Rock Rat's trail, Liu Sihai turned into a wide fissure that could accommodate a person.

The crack was very deep and fathomless.

Liu Sihai hesitated; the fissure allowed only a person to pass sideways, leaving him defenseless if the Earth Rock Rat attacked.

Thinking of the generous bounty for the Earth Rock Rat mission at the market, he gritted his teeth and ventured in.

After advancing several dozen yards, the crack widened, enough for a person to walk upright.

Continuing for several hundred yards, it opened up suddenly.

A stone hall of over ten yards appeared in front of him.

The stone hall was extremely orderly, unlike anything naturally formed, but its surroundings were enclosed, showing no signs of human habitation.

As Liu Sihai wondered where the Earth Rock Rat had gone, a mouse head popped out from the stone wall ahead—it was the Earth Spirit Rat he had been tracking.

He walked forward, realizing the stone wall was merely a blinding technique; behind it lay a hidden world.

Behind the stone wall, a shattered portal layered with restrictions was apparent, many of which were mostly ruined.

Seemingly due to tectonic movements, the restrictions here were damaged.

Portal fragments littered the ground, forming a stone nest where the Earth Rock Rat cowered, trembling.

However, Liu Sihai was now oblivious to the Earth Rock Rat.

He was overwhelmed with excitement.

"This is a Heritage Mansion, a legendary Cultivator's Abandoned Mansion!"

Liu Sihai immediately returned to Gaoyang Market, spent most of his fortune, even borrowed spirit stones on loan.

He paid handsomely to secretly buy several forbidden-breaking treasures.

When excitedly heading to retrieve the treasure, he was unaware that such forbidden-breaking treasures were already on the shopkeeper's radar.

His purchase naturally attracted attention.

Moreover, with his cultivation only at fourth-layer Qi refining.

Thus, soon after leaving Gaoyang Market, Liu Sihai was seized by several cultivators.

Under harsh interrogation, he had no choice but to reveal his discovery.

Upon getting Liu Sihai's confession, the shopkeeper was overjoyed.

"A Cultivator's Abandoned Mansion!"

He reported promptly to the clan.

Indeed, this shopkeeper was a member of the Gao Family, and Liu Sihai's shop of purchase was also owned by the Gao Family.

Thus, under the Gao Family's organization, a team of more than ten people led by a late-stage Qi refining cultivator, escorted Liu Sihai to retrieve treasure from the abandoned mansion.

On the other side, Zhou Xun spent ten days consuming all one hundred materials.

He now held more than twenty Golden Shield Talismans.

Looking at this thick stack of defense talismans, Zhou Xun felt an immense sense of security.

Twenty high-grade defense light shields would surely be a headache for even Foundation Establishment cultivators!

The next day, outside Gaoyang Market, Zhou Xun drove the Cyan Light Shuttle into the sky, heading towards Guya Ridge on the map.

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