In an instant, a beam of light descended from the sky.
The light seemed to descend from the nine heavens, piercing straight down and illuminating Qin Ning.
Immediately after, Qin Ning's body suddenly changed. He stepped forward, the light dancing with his shadow. Inside the ravine, a star formation suddenly appeared.
"Five-Star Spirit Sealing Mark, activate!"
At this moment, Qin Ning stood by the ravine and suddenly shouted.
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
The rubble in the ravine suddenly shifted, falling with a rumble. Each stone turned into dust.
The ground inside the ravine also suddenly rose.
A pentagonal platform gradually emerged.
"It seems it's still perfectly preserved!"
Qin Ning let out a sigh of relief, and the light slowly dissipated.
In the center of the platform was a path. Qin Ning didn't hesitate at all and walked straight onto the path, his figure disappearing beyond the entrance…
"Young Miss, look!"
At this moment, at a corner of Lingyun Mountain, a young man said excitedly.
"The light falling from the sky is exactly like the 'falling star' described in the treasure map!" the young man said excitedly. "There really is treasure in the Lingyun Mountain range; it's very likely that a Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal will appear!"
"Mm!"
In front of the young man was a girl of about 18 or 19, wearing a light blue long dress.
Her soft, cloud-like hair gently fluttered, her skin was supple, her eyebrows were like willow leaves, her eyes were deep, her lips rosy, and her skin fair and delicate.
This girl's figure was incredibly captivating, exuding a youthful aura. Her perfect face shone under the moonlight, also revealing a hint of coldness.
"Ye Liang!"
The girl called softly.
"Young Miss!"
Behind the girl was a short-haired young man. At this moment, he stepped forward with his head bowed.
"Is this the result of your last investigation?" the girl said coldly. "If you are careless again next time, I will punish you with three months of ancestral worship in the clan!"
"Understood!"
Hearing that, the short-haired young man bowed his head and retreated.
"Young Miss, Ye Liang has done his best. Perhaps Ye Liang didn't find it last time due to the carelessness of a subordinate!"
"Enough!"
The girl then said, "Ye Feng, go and scout for information."
"Understood!"
As they spoke, the tall and slender Ye Feng led a few people and disappeared into the night.
"Sheep's Head Ravine, this treasure map shows that this is a secret realm established by Emperor Jiuyou before he became emperor. There is a Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal there; I hope I can obtain it this time."
"Mother's illness can only be cured by the Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal."
After speaking, the girl's face revealed a determined expression.
At the same time, at another corner, Lin Yunsheng, Lin Qiaor, and their group all saw this sky-piercing light.
"Second Brother, look…"
"Mm, a heavenly phenomenon, there must be treasure!"
Lin Yunsheng said joyfully, "Let's go, we'll go over there and see!"
"Second Young Master!"
Two old men behind him suddenly stopped him, saying, "The clan leader has ordered us to capture the Azure Kui Niu. If we change course…"
"Don't worry, both of you!" Lin Yunsheng reassured them. "Nothing will happen!"
After speaking, Lin Yunsheng sped up and moved forward, the others could only follow.
Not only in these two places, but several other martial artists in Lingyun Mountain also saw that descending light. All of them were astonished and flew towards where the light appeared.
Compared to the astonishment of the crowd, Qin Ning was at this moment leisurely walking into the path.
"It seems that after tens of thousands of years, this place is still quite well preserved!"
Qin Ning said in surprise. This path led hundreds of meters deep underground. Where he had stood just now was merely the peak.
A hidden forest appeared before his eyes. The trees within it weren't overly tall, only about a dozen meters, but they were planted in perfectly straight rows.
Beyond this forest was a house made of thatch.
Seeing this house, Qin Ning nodded.
“Not bad, still the same as before…”
His nine lives and nine reincarnations had all been extraordinary existences. From his first life until now, thousands of years had passed.
In his first life, he was known as the Jiu You Great Emperor, cold, ruthless, and emotionless.
Before he became an emperor, he had once visited the Bei Ming Empire and stayed for a period. This place had also remained since then.
Qin Ning gave a faint smile and walked into the thatched hut.
The three-room thatched hut, having endured tens of thousands of years, showed no signs of age.
At this moment, in front of the thatched hut lay a wooden staff.
Seeing that wooden staff, Qin Ning smiled faintly.
“Just my luck, I don’t have a suitable weapon yet. I’ll choose you then, old friend!”
Qin Ning took the wooden staff in his hand. This staff was about a meter long and as thick as a finger. There were no spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the staff's body; it wasn't a mortal weapon or a spiritual weapon, but merely an extremely simple wooden staff.
But Qin Ning treasured it immensely. He placed the wooden staff at his waist, stepped forward, gritted his teeth, and pushed the door open.
A cloud of dust billowed down. The room was very simply furnished, consisting of a table and a few chairs.
On that table was a chessboard, with a game of chess still unfinished.
“Still the same as before, what nostalgia…”
Qin Ning didn't look at the chessboard but walked into another room.
“If I remember correctly, it should be here!”
He waved his hand, and the floor of the room suddenly split open, a wave of scorching heat slowly rising.
“Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal!”
Qin Ning’s eyes lit up with joy.
Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystals are born from Heavenly Fire. Each Spirit Crystal contains extremely intense heat, but this kind of heat can be used for alchemy, to upgrade an alchemist’s refining fire.
If an ordinary martial artist obtained a Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal, they could use it to cleanse their body and raise their cultivation realm.
But usually, no one would use it so wastefully.
Back then, even before he became an Emperor, he was already a legendary figure. Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystals were, to him at that time, merely like candy for children.
That day, he and his friends had only played there for a while. Heavy snow fell, and the two of them sat cross-legged on the ground playing chess. Because it was cold, the two of them embedded Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystals under the floor to keep warm.
“Coincidentally, there are 17 pieces!”
Seeing the Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystals neatly arranged under the floor, Qin Ning nodded.
Qin Ning took out the jade bottle he had prepared and stored each Heavenly Fire Spirit Crystal inside.
“There are still good things left!”
Qin Ning turned and left this room, going to the room on the right.
The three rooms were identical. The one on the right contained a bottle of pills. Seeing it, Qin Ning smiled.
“Nine Revolutions Jade Gold Pill!”
Qin Ning said calmly, “Fortunately, you’re still here.”
The Nine Revolutions Jade Gold Pill was a genuine spiritual pill. Spiritual pills could only be used by powerful cultivators in the Spirit Sea Realm.
But the Nine Revolutions Jade Gold Pill was different. This gold pill could help martial artists of the Nine Gates Realm condense their Heavenly Gate, open their Spirit Sea, and reach the Spirit Sea Realm.
Furthermore, it could help martial artists in the Spirit Sea Realm stably increase their cultivation by one level.
Coincidentally, there were three pills, not too many, not too few!
At this moment, inside the other pill bottles on the ground, there were several other types of spiritual pills. Qin Ning didn't pay them much mind, but knelt down to collect them.
Precisely then, a sudden shout rang out from behind him.