For money, or a lost infant, for various reasons, Ji You agreed to go into the mountains with Yuan Chen.
Before entering the mountains, he needed to prepare, so he found a secluded spot and began to recover his Divine Thought and Spiritual Qi.
“We are only going into the mountains to find someone. No matter what we see, don’t touch anything.”
Yuan Chen nodded after hearing this, and said with a serious expression, “I understand, Brother-in-law. We’ll come out once we find my sister.”
Ji You’s mouth twitched, “I won’t break my promise. You don’t need to sell your sister.”
“More relatives, more paths. My father told me that…”
Yuan Chen mumbled, “Besides, my sister is not only very beautiful, but also very gentle.”
“I don’t like gentle ones.”
“?”
Ji You was too lazy to waste words with him and closed his eyes, beginning to attempt Heavenly Dao Induction again.
Because whether in the mountains or becoming a bandit after leaving, cultivation is always the most important thing, there is no doubt about that.
But just like the previous times, he still failed.
Even though his Divine Thought had been strengthened after training, its intensity was far beyond the Tianshu Academy period, but it still felt like falling into a quagmire, unable to advance an inch no matter how much he struggled.
Whether it was an illusion or excessive caution, Ji You always felt that the Heavenly Dao here seemed different from the Heavenly Dao outside.
Qingyun World, perhaps, has never been fully controlled by the Human Race.
Ji You’s golden Divine Thought roamed the Void Realm for a long time, seeing no trace of light, only feeling a desolate stillness.
A moment later, he quietly regained his senses, his mind a blank.
Yuan Chen was looking at the book “Sky Soaring” in his hand, and was somewhat surprised when Ji You opened his eyes and golden light flashed in them.
“Your eyes can glow?”
“It’s a sign that Divine Thought has broken through its limits.” Ji You restrained the light in his eyes.
Yuan Chen came from Dan Sect and practiced the Dao of Alchemy, but as a young man, at his age, he was more interested in fighting, which is why he was so immersed in the folk novels.
In his opinion, a Sword Immortal who could travel a thousand li with a single sword was what he wanted to be, not someone who sat in front of a Pill Furnace every day, performing Alchemy and making medicine.
Ji You was the first sword-wielding cultivator he had encountered, so he had many curiosities.
“When I came to Beisha Town before, I also saw some cultivators trying to cultivate the Dao, but they gave up after one try.”
“Because the Heavenly Dao cannot be sensed here.”
Yuan Chen looked at him after hearing this, “But they are not like you, desperately trying to train their Divine Thought every day. Last time I asked you what training Divine Thought could do, and you didn’t tell me.”
Ji You thought for a moment and then said, “Divine Thought is actually the carrier for human beings to sense the Heavenly Dao, but many cultivators think it’s enough as long as it’s usable, and they don’t deliberately train their Divine Thought.”
“What about you?”
“I am a Dual Cultivation practitioner of martial arts, and I need to control more swords to increase my chances of winning in combat. Every additional sword is a burden on Divine Thought, so I need stronger Divine Thought. Although I cannot comprehend the Dao here, it is very suitable for the training of Divine Thought.”
Yuan Chen remembered his figure of seven swords flying and slashing, and became even more satisfied with the brother-in-law he found for his sister.
Just then, Luo You walked over and glanced at the two of them.
Ji You immediately got up, knowing it was time to enter the mountains.
Yuan Chen also patted his rear, revealing a solemn expression, and followed Ji You and Luo You into an old mining tunnel.
This mining tunnel was only one person tall, and after entering, one couldn’t even stand straight. It was winding and extremely oppressive.
“This mine tunnel was dug through hundreds of years ago. I only heard the older generation of miners mention it in their idle chats.”
“At that time, Hongshan Mine was not controlled by an Immortal Sect, but belonged to a Worldly Family.”
“After digging through here, that Worldly Family quickly sent cultivators over, and after a long investigation, they sealed this place, no longer allowing anyone to enter.”
“Later, Hongshan Mine was shut down for a long time until it was reopened by Tianshu Academy in recent years, and that’s why we came here to work.”
After hundreds of years of excavation, the underground tunnels of Hongshan Mine were intricate and interconnected. If no one led the way, it would be a huge maze.
Luo You held a lamp while reminding the two to change direction.
At this moment, Ji You paused slightly and glanced at Luo You, who then turned to look at Ji You.
As their eyes met, Luo You was a little nervous, “We… don’t easily trust cultivators.”
“You are doing the right thing. Cultivators are not worth trusting.”
“You don’t seem like a cultivator.”
Ji You smiled, “I’m also a rogue cultivator. I originally wanted to become a bandit, but my family couldn’t survive, so I had no choice but to join an Immortal Sect.”
Luo You thought for a moment and then said, “After you enter the mountains, we will clear this place, take what should be taken, and leave what should be left.”
“Thank you.”
Yuan Chen followed behind, looking at Ji You and then at Luo You, feeling that although he understood every word they said, it was as if it was encrypted.
Brother Ji once said that sometimes the brain is quite useful.
But he tried using it now and still felt utterly bewildered.
After a long time, the three passed through a long mining tunnel, and upon exiting, they found themselves in a dim and primitive mountain forest.
Giant towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, and the vegetation was lush, with hardly any exposed ground visible.
Ji You had never seen such tall and sturdy ancient trees, and some even had deep crimson in the crevices of their trunks.
Luo You said he had never been here either, so he didn't know the exact direction, but he knew that the place they were looking for was probably to the west.
Then, he bid farewell to Ji You and Yuan Chen and re-entered the mine tunnel.
Ji You looked around and couldn't help but exclaim, “This place… definitely has a Granny Spirit.”
Yuan Chen didn’t understand and instead looked at Ji You, “Brother Ji, what exactly were you and Luo You talking about in the mine tunnel?”
Ji You walked forward, gripping his sword, and said, “Have you ever wondered how he knew the route, given that this mine tunnel has been sealed for a hundred years?”
“Oh, right.”
“Actually, ever since the Evil Seed emerged from the ruins, they have been thinking about ways to escape, but they didn’t tell us the truth when we asked.”
Ji You swung his hand and chopped down an ancient tree blocking their path, “They didn’t think about rushing out head-on, but rather planned to use the mine tunnel to break through the mountain wall and escape. This mine tunnel leading into the mountains was discovered by them during their exploration.”
Yuan Chen’s eyes widened upon hearing this, “No wonder they were panicked but not overly desperate. What did he mean by clearing the mine tunnel then?”
“After we leave, they will leave some things as markers. If something absolutely unavoidable happens, we can use their escape tunnel along the way to get out.”
“I also want to train my Divine Thought!”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen silently made a decision in his heart.
And just as the two continued westward, a huge roar suddenly came from not far ahead.
Intense Evil Qi suddenly surged out, overwhelming everything.
Yuan Chen held his breath, “They found the entrance to the ruins…”
Ji You stopped, turned around, and walked towards the mine tunnel, “I have a bad feeling. Let’s retreat. I’ll become a bandit, and you go home and make long-term plans.”
“Brother-in-law, you promised me you’d save my sister. You can’t go back on your word.”