"Your Majesty, the space within this underground world is extremely chaotic, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location of Fang, Zhou, and Yang. Therefore, while we can ascertain their situation, we can't determine their precise location," Zhuge Ming's words caused Lin Qian to furrow his brows.
This situation had become troublesome. Originally, Lin Qian had ventured into this underground world to investigate and resolve the mysterious occurrences in the Southern Domain's Nine Provinces, intending to use this experience as a form of personal training.
To ensure safety, he had brought the three elders along, thinking that if anything went wrong, they would be there to assist him.
But now, he had somehow lost the three elders. Lin Qian had no way of knowing their exact location.
"These three elders are my grandfather's loyal followers and close brothers in arms. Yet, because of me, they're lost..." Lin Qian rubbed his forehead, feeling embarrassed.
According to Zhuge Ming's explanation, this situation likely stemmed from the chaotic nature of the space within this underground world. Since this space wasn't a small world but still had its own unique structure, it existed beneath the Soul Martial Continent in a strange and complex way.
Zhuge Ming theorized that the passage into the underground world would lead to different locations within the space, depending on when one exited. The spatial fluctuations within the passage likely changed over time.
For instance, Lin Qian had left the passage at a certain time, arriving in this ancient forest world beneath the surface. The three elders, exiting at a later time, ended up in a completely different area.
However, Zhuge Ming could confirm that Lin Qian was indeed in a region beneath the Southern Domain's Nine Provinces. As for the three elders, their whereabouts remained unknown.
In Lin Qian's mind, Zhuge Ming's remorseful voice echoed: "If I had considered this possibility earlier, I would have advised Your Majesty to spend more time in the passage, observing it carefully before entering the underground world. That way, you wouldn't have to worry about these issues now."
"It's not your fault, so stop blaming yourself," Lin Qian said, trying to comfort him. "Since the three elders have gotten lost, we'll just have to find a way to bring them back."
With nothing else to do, Lin Qian explained the situation to the three elders through the golden communication token.
Receiving the news, Fang Shuiwen clicked his tongue in amazement. "The young master's methods are truly extraordinary. To be able to observe the surrounding environment and even compare the concentration of spiritual energy through this token... It's incredible."
"This must be the work of the mysterious Heavenly Craftsmen Division under the young master," Zhou Yi'an chuckled, recalling something amusing.
Yang Guixiang, who was standing nearby, understood what Zhou Yi'an was laughing about.
Back then, they had thought that with Lin Qian's extraordinary talent, they should train him to become a well-rounded expert.
Fang Shuiwen and Yang Guixiang had teamed up to teach Lin Qian, believing that with their combined skills—one excelling in crafting, one in alchemy, and the third in formation arts—they could shape Lin Qian into a versatile genius.
But after Zhou Yi'an had seen Lin Qian's aptitude in those areas, he had laughed, claiming that Lin Qian couldn't be the all-rounder they had envisioned.
Fang Shuiwen and Yang Guixiang hadn't believed him and insisted on teaching Lin Qian themselves. Lin Qian had admitted that he had no talent in those fields, but they hadn't taken him seriously.
Finally, Lin Qian had reluctantly agreed to learn from them under their persistent urging.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After a series of continuous explosions, Fang Shuiwen and Yang Guixiang had no choice but to give up their plan, amid Zhou Yi'an's gleeful laughter. They feared that if they continued to force Lin Qian to learn, he might end up blowing himself up one day.
Fang Shuiwen and Yang Guixiang couldn't understand it. Lin Qian's talent in cultivation was extraordinary, so why was he so hopeless in alchemy, crafting, and formation arts?
They had seen many geniuses in the Central Domain—cultivators who, in addition to excelling in their martial arts, were also adept in crafting, alchemy, or formation arts. Yet, compared to Lin Qian, they believed his talent in cultivation far surpassed them all.
"It seems no one is perfect. The young master is a peerless talent in combat, but in these other areas, he has significant shortcomings. In a way, it's fair," Fang Shuiwen had eventually concluded, finally at peace with the situation.
Lin Qian's talent in cultivation and combat was so overwhelming that if he had been equally gifted in those other areas, it would have been simply too frightening.
"So, what do we do now?" Yang Guixiang asked, looking to his two old friends for answers.
Fang Shuiwen stowed away the communication token and gazed into the distance. "What else can we do? We'll just take it one step at a time."
"Come to think of it, it's been a long time since the three of us went adventuring together, hasn't it?" Zhou Yi'an said with a smile, also looking into the distance. "What do you think? How about we treat this underground world as our long-overdue training ground?"
His suggestion brought a gleam of excitement to Yang Guixiang's eyes. "That's a great idea! We've seen just about everything worth seeing in the Southern Domain. Now that we've been given this unknown world, it would be a shame not to explore it thoroughly."
Fang Shuiwen nodded in agreement. "But to be safe, we should leave something behind," Yang Guixiang said thoughtfully. "It's a good habit we picked up from our master, and we shouldn't abandon it. What do you think we should leave behind?"
Zhou Yi'an chuckled, stomping the ground with enough force to create a small pit. Then, he placed the communication token Lin Qian had given him into the pit, covering it with soil and erasing all traces of it.
This way, if they encountered any danger, Lin Qian would be able to locate them through the communication token.
With that done, the three elders took to the air and disappeared into the unknown expanse of the underground world.