Ye Chen, alone, spent a little less than a month to once again reach the Flame Desert after leaving the True Martial Hall!

He had been here once before, so it wasn't completely unfamiliar, but he couldn't say he knew it well either.

In his hand, he held the Red Fire Treasure Map, carefully observing the routes and some special markings on it.

Because the Flame Desert is vast, and there is yellow sand everywhere.

The yellow sand moves with the wind, causing the terrain to change constantly.

Therefore, trying to pinpoint a specific location with a fragmentary map is extremely challenging.

"There's an oasis marked on the map. If I find this oasis first, it will be easier to continue exploring." Ye Chen muttered to himself, then unfolded his fastest speed.

He released his Spiritual Power, keeping track of subtle movements within a kilometer radius, ready to respond immediately to any anomalies.

The Martial Arts Celestial Eye was also activated, gazing into the distant regions!

Thus.

A few days later.

A look of excitement suddenly appeared on Ye Chen's face.

A patch of green appeared in his sight!

Ye Chen quickened his pace, swiftly flying forward.

A circular lake with a diameter of roughly a kilometer, the water was clear and blue.

There were no streams around, clearly indicating that the lake water came from underground.

And around the lake, relatively lush greenery grew.

Ye Chen stopped near the lake and didn't rush over immediately because a large number of spirit beasts were dwelling around the lake!

Once again, he took out the Red Fire Treasure Map for meticulous examination.

The Flame Desert is so vast; there must be more than one oasis. The first thing to confirm is whether the oasis marked on the Red Fire Treasure Map corresponds to the one before his eyes!

"The oasis on the map should have a giant stone, and the stone specially marked shouldn't be simple, but there's none here." Ye Chen muttered as he prepared to leave.

Suddenly.

Ye Chen sensed a hint of anomaly, suddenly raising his head to look at the clear lake.

It was early morning then, and a sliver of pale golden sunlight broke through the clouds, landing precisely in the center of the lake.

Instantly, the entire lake surface shimmered, creating ripples.

Then, a vortex appeared at the center of the lake.

A massive stone slowly rose from the center of the lake!

The spirit beasts gathered around the lake immediately retreated a distance.

Ye Chen was both shocked and delighted.

Earlier, he had used the Martial Arts Celestial Eye to observe the lake but hadn't noticed anything unusual; now such a transformation occurred, utterly baffling.

The appearance of the stone corresponded to the markings on the map!

This stone, elongated in shape, Ye Chen observed for a while, finally understanding why his Martial Arts Celestial Eye hadn't detected anything previously.

Because it wasn't a physical object, nor an illusion, but precisely speaking, a projection.

On the stone projection, some inscriptions faintly appeared, but they were extremely blurry.

It wasn't that Ye Chen couldn't see it clearly; rather, the inscriptions in the projection were inherently indistinct, as though remnants after being forcibly erased by some power.

"Roar!"

At that moment.

A spirit beast let out a low roar and pounced towards the stone projection.

Just as the spirit beast approached the stone projection, a burst of light suddenly erupted from the projection.

The beast's body was swept by the light and instantly turned to ashes, leaving not even a trace!

Ye Chen was alarmed.

The spirit beast just now had at least the strength of the Peak of Unity Realm, yet it was obliterated upon approaching the projection... what secret does this stone projection hold?

Even though Ye Chen's physical body was powerful, he dared not rashly attempt this; everything was too bizarre and unknown.

"Elder Qingyi, Master Legs, help take a look." At this time, Ye Chen opened the seal of the Sword Tomb, seeking advice from two well-versed seniors.

"Mountain Guardian Stone." Master Legs' voice echoed in Ye Chen's mind.

"What's its origin?" Ye Chen asked.

Master Legs had this habit that wasn't very good, always making people ask questions, never straightforward.

"Some powerful sects place things under the mountain of the sect, the stronger the sect, the more these things tend to be imbued by the sect's fortune. Even an ordinary stone, if treated as a Mountain Guardian Stone, can become a Spiritual Artifact, Magical Artifact, Taoist Artifact... even a Sacred Artifact after being washed for a long time by the sect's fortune.

Once at the entrance of a Super Great Teachings, I moved a stone, tsk tsk, that stone was almost becoming a Divine Artifact."

Ye Chen didn't have time for Master Legs' boasting, quickly interrupting to ask, "Master Legs, then what do you say is happening here?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the ruins of a once powerful sect. The Mountain Guardian Stone is destroyed, but a projection remains, likely due to some sect fortune still lingering. Look carefully around; the sect ruins should be nearby."

Ye Chen frowned, "This Mountain Guardian Stone projection holds enormous power; just now, a top-tier Unity Realm beast was instantly killed upon approaching."

"Use the Red Fire Treasure Map!" This time, it was Luo Qingyi who spoke.

"It seems the Red Fire Treasure Map might not be a fragmentary map of the world's fire seeds, but perhaps a token of this already destroyed sect. Try it, even if it's not, you won't die anyway; someone very strong is secretly following you, at least a Great Saint level."

Ye Chen grinned after hearing this.

Elder Qingyi's words were as courteous as ever... what did he mean by you won't die anyway.

As for the Great Saint following secretly?

No need to guess.

It's undoubtedly the Battling Monk!

Ye Chen wasn't prepared to call out the Battling Monk either; probably useless, as he'd only appear if danger befell him.

Since that was the case, Ye Chen took a deep breath, his figure flashed, rushing toward the stone projection.

As he was about to approach, a potent aura erupted from the surface of the stone projection once more.

Ye Chen immediately raised the Red Fire Treasure Map in his hand!

The turbulent aura within the stone projection instantly stabilized, and immediately after, the stone projection split open down the middle, revealing a path behind it!

Still merely a projection!

"Could this be the road leading to the sect ruins?"

Ye Chen's mind raced, then his figure flashed again, rushing forward.

When his foot landed on the steps of that path.

It was clearly just a projection, yet it felt as if stepping on real ground, incredibly mysterious.

At that moment, a sudden change occurred.

The opened stone projection instantly closed.

Ye Chen was startled, turning to look back.

The Flame Desert was gone!

There was nothing around, empty, except for a path leading to somewhere unknown.

Since he had already entered... Ye Chen gritted his teeth and continued forward, wanting to see what strangeness lay ahead!

What Ye Chen didn't know was that after he entered this eerie place, the oasis also vanished without a trace.

The Battling Monk appeared at the spot where Ye Chen had just stood, a grave expression on his face.

What's going on, he couldn't figure it out either!

"Young Master seems to have many secrets..." The Battling Monk murmured to himself.

He had been secretly following Ye Chen for protection. Sometimes, he felt like he was discovered... sometimes, Ye Chen would mysteriously disappear... now, he vanished inexplicably once more...

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