81: underground river

As the sky was about to brighten, Mo Xuan returned, spat out the token, and went back into the spirit beast pendant.

The next day, Zhou Leren got up, left Muyan Peak, and returned the map.

Inside the spirit beast pendant, Mo Xuan was somewhat puzzled: Why hasn't anyone come to cause trouble?

The two times Zhou Leren had emerged from Muyan Peak, he had not seen anyone blocking his path, nor had he encountered anyone seeking a challenge or wanting to compete with him.

If this was the case, how could he demonstrate the wisdom and might of himself, the Old Ancestor?

Alas, novels really are deceiving... The Brocade-Clad Youth and the rest of the people: Hiss~ We always feel a malicious intent lurking... Mo Xuan secretly felt depressed, but the result remained unchanged: Zhou Leren had a smooth journey, completely unimpeded, and successfully returned the map to the Library Pavilion.

Several months later.

Nighttime.

Beside a river in Qianmo Valley, Mo Xuan, suspended in mid-air, slowly spread his Divine Sense, carefully and meticulously searching every inch of the surrounding desolate mountains and rivers.

After a long time, Mo Xuan felt depressed; there were still no clues.

He thought to himself: Could someone have beaten him to it?

Over these past few months, whenever Zhou Leren was not in the Peak Master Hall receiving instruction from Elder Qingshuang, Mo Xuan would go out at night to investigate, and a few days ago, when he found this location, he confirmed multiple times that the position recorded on the fragment was indeed here.

Yet, after several days had passed, Mo Xuan had practically dug three feet into the ground but still had found nothing.

After pondering for a moment, Mo Xuan's figure vanished, and after a long time, he returned to the original spot.

"There is no mistake, this is the place," Mo Xuan thought to himself.

After leaving just now, he had carefully compared the surrounding terrain with the records on the fragment, confirming it was correct.

Mo Xuan was unwilling. If all the time he had spent ended up being for naught, it would truly be a huge loss.

Even if someone else had taken it, there should still be residual traces, but the current state of this place did not look like an Immortal Cave belonging to the Golden Core Stage had ever existed here.

A possibility suddenly struck him. He quietly activated his Water Control talent. In his mind, only the water element remained; water vapor, water droplets, and water currents turned into an interwoven net spanning the sky, mountains, rivers, and underground.

Mo Xuan's Divine Sense surged along this net toward the river and the underground.

Since his current investigation yielded nothing, he might truly have to dig three feet into the ground to find anything.

As his Divine Sense continuously sank and deepened, Mo Xuan gradually felt strained.

"Hmm?"

After a long time, Mo Xuan uttered a sound of surprise and doubt; the water vein network he had just sensed with his talent showed a tiny gap deep underground, and had he not entered Foundation Establishment and had his talent greatly improved, he likely would have missed this subtle difference.

This spot, which was completely different from its surroundings, could not have formed naturally, therefore, the Golden Core Inheritance must certainly be located here.

Mo Xuan felt a slight joy, but then a worry arose: buried deep underground, retrieving it would not be easy.

He couldn't break through by brute force; he had to find another way, Mo Xuan pondered.

His mind followed the location of the gap, tracing the different water system networks upwards.

After a long while, Mo Xuan felt slightly relieved. Sure enough, there was a way to enter and exit; there were water system vortexes beneath the river, and if his talent sensing was accurate, those vortexes should lead to an underground river.

Calculating the time, Mo Xuan no longer hesitated, plunging into the river and swimming toward the bottom.

At the riverbed, Mo Xuan carefully sensed, chose a vortex, and dove straight in.

Following the current, he traveled continuously. After a long time, the water flow became gentle. Mo Xuan floated upwards, spreading his Divine Sense, and only after sensing no danger did he emerge completely from the water.

"An underground karst cave..."

Mo Xuan observed for a moment and thought to himself that this place truly was a world unto itself. He then quietly exited the water and continued deeper along the karst cave.

Mo Xuan took out the token formed by the fragment, remaining extremely vigilant in his heart. After all, it was a Legacy left behind by a Golden Core True Person, and even if countless years had passed, he still needed to be cautious.

Traveling all the way, Mo Xuan finally stopped at the end of the karst cave. The token glowed slightly and trembled, reacting to the stone door covered in flowing light and color at the end of the cave.

This location matched the position sensed by his talent, and with the reaction of the token, Mo Xuan confirmed that the Golden Core Inheritance was behind this stone door.

Mo Xuan did not enter rashly. After all, this was the Legacy of a human Golden Core Cultivator. As a Yao Beast, if he caused an unexpected change, he might not only fail completely but also expose himself and attract unnecessary trouble.

Furthermore, after taking this Legacy, he didn't know if the Immortal Cave would undergo other changes.

If he caused a commotion and alerted the various Sects in Qianmo Valley, he might only be able to flee the valley.

If that happened, leaving Zhou Leren alone in the Crescent Moon Sect might truly make him a Disciple of the Crescent Moon Sect permanently.

It would be better to bring Zhou Leren here and let him enter and obtain the Legacy.

Having decided on the plan, Mo Xuan put away the token and swallowed it. Without the token, the stone door immediately dimmed.

After carefully investigating the area around the stone door and finding no other Formation or traps, Mo Xuan felt slightly relieved, followed the karst cave, entered the underground river, and left the area.

Muyan Peak, Zhou Leren's dwelling.

Mo Xuan returned, and Zhou Leren rose to greet him.

"Prepare yourself, the location has been found."

Mo Xuan transmitted his voice via Divine Sense, and then entered the spirit beast pendant.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Leren's expression was excited, and his eyes were filled with joy.

He thought to himself: It had to be the Old Ancestor... After his initial happiness, his mood became somewhat complicated. Having been in the Crescent Moon Sect for several months, he was already starting to get used to staying on Muyan Peak.

The careful instruction of Elder Qingshuang, the occasional teasing from his nominal Senior Sister, plus Junior Sister Jiang Weirou also having come to find him a few times to discuss cultivation.

This was very different from what he had experienced on Jade Moon Peak.

Now that he was about to leave, Zhou Leren inevitably felt a great deal of reluctance.

"Alas~"

Zhou Leren sighed softly, as if all the sorrow of parting in his heart had turned into this one sigh, carried away by the wind.

A moment later, Zhou Leren's expression calmed down.

Even if he felt reluctant, compared to his own relatives in the Zhou Family, it was still far from enough.

Hiding his emotions so as not to reveal any flaws, Zhou Leren rose and proceeded as usual.

Several days later, nighttime.

Mo Xuan flew out from the spirit beast pendant, quietly surveyed the surroundings of Muyan Peak, and then returned to Zhou Leren's dwelling.

Under Zhou Leren's expectant gaze, he separated a subtle strand of magical power, wrapped it around Zhou Leren, and quietly left Muyan Peak, heading towards the Immortal Cave.