Typically, Wenxin Roads test a disciple's talent and perseverance, and the difficulty is not too high, as those who take this path are usually chosen for their exceptional spiritual roots and aptitude.
But the Wenxin Road of Lingxian Sect...
He Yi thought back to the various difficult choices he had faced in that seemingly real dreamscape, feeling both surprised and impressed.
There is an old saying in the cultivation world: "Observe a sect's Wenxin Road, and you can glimpse the ethos of that sect."
Having just emerged from Wenxin Road, He Yi was astonished to immediately encounter an Immortal Peach Tree, something he had only read about in ancient texts.
At a loss for words, He Yi handed the peach leaf back to Liu Yunan.
With a respectful bow, He Yi formally said, "I am He Yi, seeking to join the ranks of Lingxian Sect."
——
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lin Xiao, who had gone to Huanyou Kingdom's cursed Yin Stone Mine to replace the sealing formation, was preparing to remove the old formation and set up a new, simpler seal.
Before doing so, he instinctively used his divine sense and Yuan energy to inspect the area thoroughly. He unexpectedly discovered something unusual.
By utilizing the formation, he could sense that something was different compared to the surrounding areas, though he couldn't discern the details. Therefore, Lin Xiao decided to venture deeper into the mines for a closer inspection.
The Yin Stone Mine was vast, with numerous crisscrossing tunnels. Lin Xiao shielded himself with Yuan energy as he explored each tunnel one by one.
He soon discovered that the mine's condition had changed since he had set up the original sealing formation.
Three years ago, after the disappearance of the Grandmaster from the mine, they had thoroughly inspected the area. Lin Xiao had also conducted a full scan after setting the seal, finding no anomalies aside from the hollow area where the Grandmaster had vanished. The rest of the tunnels showed only signs of mining, with nothing out of the ordinary.
But now, many of the tunnels were adorned with strange patterns made from Yin Stones.
Each tunnel had a different pattern, and despite observing them for a long time, Lin Xiao couldn't make sense of their purpose. It was clear that these were entirely distinct from any spiritual formations known to spiritual cultivators.
They were likely some form of Yin energy array, but because of the fundamental opposition between Yin energy and spiritual energy, the principles behind them were completely different. It was no wonder Lin Xiao couldn't decipher them.
He decided not to waste time puzzling over it and instead used a jade slip to record the shapes of these patterns.
From the traces left by the arrangements, it appeared that they had been made not too long ago, probably all at the same time.
Lin Xiao extended his hand to sense the Yin energy emanating from the stones. The distribution of energy was uneven, and it seemed that the arrays hadn't been used for some time.
He speculated that the Grandmaster and other Yin cultivators must have had a unique method of teleportation, which allowed them to vanish right before their eyes, and then later return to the Yin Stone Mine despite the seal he had placed.
However, his sealing formation outside the mine was highly sensitive, and if someone had re-entered, he should have detected it.
It seemed likely that the Yin Stone faction had acted during the time Lin Xiao was in closed-door seclusion, breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, which was about a year ago. If they had not forcefully broken the seal or triggered any disturbances, Lin Xiao, secluded in Lingxian Sect, wouldn't have noticed any significant feedback.
It was perfectly normal to miss some small external fluctuations while deeply focused on cultivation during a breakthrough.
Based on this, Lin Xiao concluded that the Yin Stone faction must have been deeply affected by the alliance army's suppression of Huanyou Kingdom's Yin Stone faction three years ago, and only now, two years later, did they resurface.
Of course, all of this was mere speculation on Lin Xiao's part, based solely on the current situation.
He meticulously recorded not only the patterns of the Yin Stone arrays but also the distribution of Yin energy across the stones. Afterward, he collected a large sack of Yin Stones to store in his private stash.
Once he had time, he planned to study these Yin Stones more thoroughly.
As the saying goes, "Know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat."
Some of the patterns were large, while others were small, scattered throughout the various tunnels. It took Lin Xiao quite some time to examine, study, and record everything.
It wasn't until noon the next day that he finished.
Having completed the recordings, Lin Xiao prepared to dismantle the old sealing formation and replace it with a new one.
He wasn't too concerned that removing the seal for a short time would give the Yin Stone faction an opening. After all, if they could enter and exit the mine without breaking or disturbing the original seal, they could likely do the same during the short time it took to replace the formation.
After dismantling the original seal, Lin Xiao set up a new one, this time using a more standard formation commonly found in the cultivation world. He had modified it, expanding its coverage to better fit the location, and then placed it over the area.
Finally, he meticulously erased any traces of the changes he had made, ensuring that nothing would raise suspicion.
Satisfied, Lin Xiao hovered in the air, gazing down at his newly placed, exceptionally ordinary sealing formation with a sense of accomplishment.
Now, if the investigators from the cultivation world came to check the mine, they wouldn't easily take notice of Lingxian Sect.
He briefly recalled his activities in Huanyou Kingdom. Aside from what he had done at the Yin Stone Mine and the village affected by Yin energy, nothing should be out of the ordinary.
After going over it again in his mind, he confirmed that everything he had done had been within the abilities of a regular cultivator from the mortal realm, so he felt reassured as he flew back to the sect.
While his current cultivation level allowed him to fly without the use of external tools, it didn't diminish his enjoyment of sword flight.
On his way back, Lin Xiao used his Locking Ring to contact Liu Yunan.
Since the return journey was rather dull, he didn't mind if Liu Yunan was busy and couldn't answer immediately. He could always try again later, as there was plenty of idle time while flying.
Surprisingly, unlike the usual multiple attempts it took to reach Liu Yunan, this time, the connection was established almost instantly.
"Liu Yunan, I've taken care of things on my end and am on my way back. How's He Yi's situation?"
"Brother Xiao! You won't believe this, but our sect's Ten Mile Peach Blossom Tree is actually an ancient legendary treasure tree!" came Liu Yunan's excited voice from the other end.
"Hmm? What treasure tree?" Lin Xiao was puzzled, as he had been asking about He Yi's situation and didn't understand how the conversation had turned to the Ten Mile Peach Blossom Tree.
"That He Yi said he'd read about it in an ancient text from the Fuzong Sect's library. The book described a treasure tree that matches our Ten Mile Peach Blossom Tree exactly! And Brother Xiao, you won't believe this—its leaves can shape-shift, and it's almost impossible to tell real from fake!" Liu Yunan was on a roll, sharing his astonishment from the previous day.