Chapter 408: Is This Also Peach Blossom Luck?

Lu Changsheng’s eyes shone brightly, piercing through illusions, as he continuously observed the spiritual current among the mountains.

The more he looked, the more he felt that the terrain in this area was unusual.

Each mountain peak resembled the vertebrae of a giant dragon, connected together like a dragon coiled up.

“According to the Dragon-Seeking Technique, this type of terrain is considered a Dragon Vein, meaning it must contain a large spiritual vein or rare natural treasure!”

“But how could such a spiritual vein not be occupied by a demon king?”

Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow as he looked at the terrain before him, sensing that something was off.

He took out the Jade Slip map gifted by Tiger Roar Cultivator for comparison, but this area wasn’t marked with anything special.

“What’s going on here?”

Lu Changsheng was puzzled, his eyes glowing with golden light as he constantly surveyed the land, unable to detect any signs of danger.

After thinking for a moment, he approached one of the peaks and released the Spirit-Seeking Rat.

“See if there are any treasures or dangers here.”

Lu Changsheng spoke to the Spirit-Seeking Rat.

This treasure-seeking rat not only had a keen sense for Natural Treasures but was also highly sensitive to danger.

If there was any danger, it would immediately become alert.

“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”

The Spirit-Seeking Rat nodded, sniffed around, and then rushed off in a particular direction.

Lu Changsheng followed it from afar.

After about thirty miles, they reached a valley where there were many spiritual fruit trees and a group of black-furred monkeys.

“What kind of monkeys are these?”

Lu Changsheng didn’t recognize what type of demon beasts these monkeys were.

However, he could tell they were mostly of the first and second tier, belonging to a social species of demon beasts.

The Spirit-Seeking Rat glanced warily at the monkeys ahead, too scared to approach.

After carefully observing for a moment, Lu Changsheng didn’t take any action against the monkeys.

After all, if he did, it would cause a commotion, and the demon king hunting him would notice and come after him.

He instructed the Spirit-Seeking Rat to continue searching for other treasures or signs of spiritual veins.

As he roamed the mountain range, although he didn’t encounter the demon king, he saw many demon beasts, which gradually set his mind at ease.

After all, the presence of demon beasts indicated that this mountain range was not problematic.

If it had been a dead zone with not even a single demon beast, he would have turned back immediately.

Several days later, the Spirit-Seeking Rat led him to the entrance of a cave.

It indicated that there was dense spiritual energy inside but also a presence of danger.

Using his Fiery Eyes and Source Spirit Ocular Technique, Lu Changsheng immediately detected the intense spiritual energy within the cave.

He released the Thousand-Faced Fox Puppet and entered the cave together.

Deep inside the mountain, Lu Changsheng discovered many beast skeletons and a rare Black Gold Treasure Tree entwined with fiery vines.

“Is this… the Golden Flame Vine Tree?”

Lu Changsheng instantly recognized the treasure tree before him, his expression lighting up with joy as he recalled the time he spent studying celestial plants.

He never expected that after recently obtaining a Fire Mulberry Tree, he would now come across a Golden Flame Vine Tree.

Indeed, his good fortune knew no bounds!

But in the next moment, he heard a faint sound.

A swarm of ant-like insects the size of soybeans, gleaming with black firelight, emerged from the skeletons and the base of the Golden Flame Vine Tree, attacking him.

“Ironfire Ants!?”

Instead of panic, Lu Changsheng was pleased to see these ants.

Ironfire Ants are a species of swarm insects that thrive in hot environments and feed on metal and iron ores.

On their own, a few dozen are insignificant, easily killed by even Qi Refining cultivators.

However, when they form a large swarm of thousands, their combined might is terrifying.

Together, their ferocity, penetration, fire poison, and solid defense make them comparable to fire-attribute magical treasures.

Even Golden Core cultivators would find these swarms troublesome.

Moreover, Ironfire Ants are known for producing a rare material called ‘Refined Crystal’ within their bodies.

When used in the forging of magical treasures, adding some Refined Crystal enhances the treasure’s durability, making it difficult to destroy or wear down.

Besides forging magical treasures, structures like palaces, Spirit Boats, and spirit ships could also incorporate Refined Crystals.

“The survival conditions for Ironfire Ants are very strict, so these ants likely depend on the Golden Flame Vine Tree for survival.”

“I might as well take this swarm back for Chensha to raise. When I forge my magical treasure, the Refined Crystals will be useful.”

As he looked at the thousands of Ironfire Ants before him, Lu Changsheng’s body radiated a profound light, enveloping him entirely. He then extended a large hand to gather them.

The Yin-Yang Dual Qi transformed into a smoky, misty hand, sweeping up all the ants into a small yin-yang sphere.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

As soon as the Yin-Yang Dual Qi restrained the ants, many began to self-destruct, unleashing a corrosive fire poison that caused the yin-yang sphere to shudder.

“Ironfire Ants are notoriously hard to tame. When faced with death, they’ll self-destruct. Raising them requires hatching their eggs.”

Seeing this, Lu Changsheng knew it was impossible to take the swarm back.

He immediately channeled his energy and extinguished the life force of the ants within the sphere.

If he let them self-destruct, he’d have nothing left.

By killing them directly, he could still extract some Refined Crystals afterward.

“I wonder if there are any ant eggs here.”

After dispatching the ants, Lu Changsheng examined the pile of skeletons, searching for eggs.

But after sorting through the remains, he found only remnants or discarded shells, with no sign of ant eggs.

“Sigh, Refined Crystals are indeed rare for a reason.”

Lu Changsheng sighed, then gently uprooted the Golden Flame Vine Tree.

As he lifted the tree, he noticed tiny Ironfire larvae and dark ant eggs beneath the roots.

“These are Ironfire Ant eggs?”

Lu Changsheng was elated to see the larvae and eggs.

With a faint smile, he remarked, “Yes, Ironfire Ants like hot environments, so naturally, they would live under the Golden Flame Vine Tree.”

With a wave of his hand, he used the Yin-Yang Dual Qi to gather all the ants.

Seeing that these larvae didn’t self-destruct like the previous ants, Lu Changsheng felt relieved.

He placed the larvae and eggs into his Spirit Beast Bag and then checked with his Divine Sense to ensure nothing was overlooked.

He discovered countless tiny holes beneath the Golden Flame Vine Tree, likely made by the Ironfire Ants, with dense spiritual energy seeping through.

“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”

The Spirit-Seeking Rat pointed downward, indicating a spiritual vein with a dangerous aura.

Lu Changsheng squinted as his eyes gleamed with golden light. Using the Source Spirit Ocular Technique, he discerned a strong flow of spiritual energy below, suggesting the presence of an extraordinary spiritual treasure or vein.

“Dig!”

Lu Changsheng immediately set up the Small Five Elements Reversal Formation at the cave entrance to conceal any disturbances, and began digging downward.

After several hours, he broke through layers of rock to find a hazy formation pattern sealed deep within the ground, solid and impenetrable.

“Did someone discover the spiritual vein or natural treasure below and set up a formation early on?”

Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow, surprised.

He hadn’t expected to find a formation underground.

Although he wasn’t a formation master, he had some knowledge of formations.

He could tell that the formation was definitely man-made.

Even though it was solid, there was a faint but steady flow of pure spiritual energy leaking out, suggesting the formation had existed for a long time and had become damaged.

“I noticed something unusual about the terrain earlier, like a dragon coiled up.”

“Now that there’s a formation under the land, could it be the work of a geomancer or Dragon-Seeking master?”

Lu Changsheng pondered, becoming more convinced that the mountain range held more secrets.

He suspected there might be ancient ruins or a Cave Dwelling below.

Although ancient ruins or Cave Dwellings didn’t particularly interest him,

Since he was already here and the ruins were right before him, it would be a shame not to explore.

Moreover, there could be a large spiritual vein inside, too valuable to ignore.

“Relying on brute force to break this formation might be tough.”

Lu Changsheng tested the formation with his energy.

Immediately, the formation pattern shimmered, creating ripples that pushed him back.

Then, he channeled the power of the Void Robes, letting its threads flow over his body, trying to use them to pass through the formation barrier.

But the Void Robes could only penetrate formations below the third tier.

Even though this formation had endured for ages and was damaged, it still exceeded the third tier, preventing him from passing through.

“Such a damaged formation must have weak points and flaws.”

“If I can find a flaw, I should be able to get inside.”

Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself.

He also remembered having the barrier-breaking talismans.

If he could find a flaw or weak point in the formation, he could use the barrier-breaking talisman and the Void Robes to slip inside.

“Let’s get to work!”

Lu Changsheng urged the Spirit-Seeking Rat while focusing his own golden gaze to find the area where the spiritual energy was leaking the most.

The greater the leak, the more damaged the formation.

After spending three days, Lu Changsheng finally located a weak point in the ground formation.

He recalled the Spirit-Seeking Rat to the Spirit Pet Bag, then activated a barrier-breaking talisman. As it shone, the Void Robes flowed, pulling him through the formation.

“Buzz!”

Lu Changsheng found himself in a massive underground palace.

It was vast, with no end in sight, seemingly naturally formed, without any signs of human construction.

But Lu Changsheng immediately sensed something was wrong.

Spiritual energy!

The spiritual energy here was dense and misty, almost like a fog in the air.

Lu Changsheng had never experienced such concentrated spiritual energy before; it was invigorating.

“It really is a Third-Tier spiritual vein. Someone sealed the entire spiritual vein of this mountain range here.”

Lu Changsheng’s expression changed slightly as he realized the situation.

His eyes gleamed as he gazed at the deathly still underground palace, moving towards the source of the spiritual energy—the core of the spiritual vein.

“This underground palace is vast!”

Lu Changsheng proceeded cautiously, feeling like the palace was a boundless, labyrinth-like maze.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally approached the source of the spiritual vein.

But his path ended abruptly, a huge abyss blocking his way.

The misty spiritual energy surged out from the abyss in torrents.

“This…”

Lu Changsheng’s heart couldn’t help but tremble.

He was already deep underground within the palace, but now there was an even deeper, bottomless abyss here.

It was utterly terrifying.

“What kind of terrain is this?”

At that moment, Lu Changsheng felt that his Top-Tier second-level Dragon-Seeking skills weren’t enough.

He couldn’t make sense of the scene before him.

He even suspected that the previously observed dragon-coiled terrain outside had been influenced by this situation, forming into what he saw.

Lu Changsheng’s eyes glowed golden as two beams of light shot into the abyss, trying to see what was below.

He saw the surging spiritual vein below, glittering faintly in the darkness.

“Wait, a coffin?”

Lu Changsheng’s pupils suddenly contracted.

In the depths of the abyss, a crystal coffin was drifting up and down, glimmering with a crystalline light.

“All the spiritual energy is nourishing that crystal coffin!?”

Lu Changsheng vaguely grasped the situation, shocked.

Such a grand setup!

Sealing a Third-Tier spiritual vein to nurture a coffin.

“What’s inside this coffin?”

Lu Changsheng’s curiosity was piqued.

Even though the coffin appeared to be made of crystal, its contents were obscured.

Not even his Fiery Eyes could see through it.

“Could it be a corpse?”

Lu Changsheng speculated.

Considering the ancient formation and the underground palace, whatever was inside must have been sealed away for many years.

Even if it hadn’t been ten thousand years, a millennium was likely. Over such a long time, even a Nascent Soul True Lord would have turned to dust.

Could it be a method for refining corpses?

But if it was, the one who set this up would have long turned to ashes.

Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes, continuously speculating.

He wondered if there was some celestial material inside.

After all, in the cultivation world, there were people with strange quirks, and it wasn’t unusual for someone to store treasures in a coffin.

Lu Changsheng pondered whether he should test his luck and see what was in the ancient coffin.

“Forget it. Let’s leave the coffin aside for now. There could be unexpected consequences if I open it.”

After thinking for a moment, Lu Changsheng decided to delve into the abyss to extract the spiritual vein core.

If he could obtain the core of the spiritual vein below, this trip would have been immensely rewarding.

He lifted his hand, channeling his energy to form a large but invisible hand that reached for the crystal coffin floating in the abyss.

“So heavy!”

Instantly, Lu Changsheng felt the weight of the ancient coffin, as heavy as a mountain.

“Yin-Yang Dual Qi, Great Seizing Hand!”

He directly used his divine ability, Yin-Yang Dual Qi, to grip the crystal coffin and lift it up.

“Boom!”

As soon as he lifted the ancient coffin out of the abyss, a cold, piercing aura spread out.

“Someone’s inside?”

Lu Changsheng saw a woman lying inside the crystal coffin.

Her entire body resembled ice, completely snow-white, with an exquisitely beautiful face covered in a thin layer of frost, making it hard to see her true appearance.

But even so, it was clear that she was an exceptionally stunning beauty.

Her body was graceful, lying still, as if she were asleep, or perhaps a cold corpse.

“A female corpse?”

Lu Changsheng stared at the woman in the coffin, unsure and wary.

He hadn’t expected the coffin to contain an actual corpse.

Moreover, the woman looked lifelike, as serene as a sleeping beauty, not appearing dead at all.

What’s going on here?

Did someone bury themselves here?

“Mmm~”

The female corpse let out a faint, weak murmur, sounding childlike and pleasant.

The frost on her face and body melted as her eyes slowly opened, full of confusion and innocence.

“Alive!?”

Lu Changsheng was shocked to hear the sound.

He hadn’t expected the woman in the coffin to wake up.

Could she be a Divine Transformation True Venerable, capable of living for a thousand years?

But the woman didn’t emit any spiritual pressure or energy fluctuations, only a cold, icy aura.

Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng got a clear look at her appearance.

She looked around sixteen or seventeen, with delicate, perfect features that could only be described as breathtaking.

Her stunning beauty was tinged with a childlike innocence and confusion.

Her dreamy eyes seemed newly awakened, devoid of any impurities, as clear as a spring in a remote mountain.

Her skin was pale, not a rosy white but a bloodless, ghostly white.

Her lips were also colorless, giving her a frail and pitiable appearance.

Even someone like Lu Changsheng, who had seen countless beauties, couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for her.

It was a natural human response toward something so pure and beautiful.

And Lu, being who he was, was always a little more caring toward the world’s beauty.

“Dad~”

The girl’s innocent, bewildered eyes saw Lu Changsheng, and she made a sniffing motion like a cat before trying to hug him.

“What the—”

Even though Lu Changsheng found the girl incredibly beautiful and pitiful, making him want to protect her,

He hadn’t figured out what was going on with this female corpse.

Rationality told him there was something seriously wrong with her!

If she got too close, who knew what dangers might arise.

Without thinking, he slapped at her with a hand condensed from his energy.

“Boom!”

The female corpse was struck by Lu Changsheng’s energy hand and was sent flying back into the abyss.

“Huh, what was that?”

Lu Changsheng was stunned, watching her fly back with a bewildered expression.

How could she be so weak?

Even an ordinary refined corpse nurtured for a thousand years in a place like this wouldn’t be this weak.

Just then, the Peach Blossom Gu on his forehead sent a mysterious sensation, indicating Peach Blossom Luck.

“???”

Lu Changsheng was dumbfounded by the sensation.

Is this Peach Blossom Luck?

Damn, this really is messed up!

Other people find supreme legacies and opportunities when they explore ancient ruins.

But all I find are girls?

“Wooo—”

At that moment, a faint, sobbing sound came from the abyss.

“Dad, it’s so dark. Bing’er is scared.”

Lu Changsheng listened carefully and immediately recognized it as the voice of the girl from earlier.

The voice was filled with innocence and sadness, making him feel like he had bullied a little girl, causing overwhelming guilt.

“What is all this?”

Lu Changsheng was at a loss, completely unable to make sense of the situation.

His golden eyes shone as he peered into the abyss, seeing the sorrowful tears of the helpless girl.

Her eyes were still wide and innocent, like those of a newborn, seemingly not faking.

A moment later…

“Sigh, I’ve always had a soft heart.”

Lu Changsheng sighed internally, feeling resigned as he approached the spiritual vein core.

“Dad, Bing’er will be good, I promise…”

The girl’s pure, terrified eyes looked at Lu Changsheng, weakly pleading.

“???”

Lu Changsheng frowned and asked, “I’m not your dad. What’s your name?”

“Not Dad?”

The girl looked confused and lost upon hearing this.

Then her eyes turned red, and she broke down, crying helplessly in Lu Changsheng’s arms, “Does Dad not want Bing’er anymore? Wahhh…”

“…”

Lu Changsheng suddenly felt the coldness emanating from the girl’s delicate body.

He looked down at the crying, pitiful girl in his arms and noticed a pair of sharp fangs inside her slightly open mouth.