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Lingyun Cave is not far from the Qingtian Sword Sect’s main base, only a few hundred miles away.

It didn't take Xiao Ming long to arrive at the mountain range near Lingyun Cave.

However.

Looking up, the mountains beneath his feet were desolate beyond compare; not only was there no rich spiritual energy, but these mountains were also barren.

There were hardly any flowers, grass, or trees.

It was simply a desolate wasteland where not even birds would shit!

Seeing this scene, Xiao Ming immediately understood.

“I was wondering why the sect hadn’t sent powerful cultivators to occupy this resource point, even though Lingyun Cave isn’t that far from the sect. It turns out this place is too barren and remote, and no one noticed it.”

“Indeed, unless a martial artist is incredibly bored, they wouldn’t bother wandering around here.”

As he spoke, Xiao Ming pulled out a map and began searching for the location of Lingyun Cave according to the markings on it.

Very quickly.

He located a magnificent mountain.

This peak was quite large, its entire body composed of yellow earth and rock, with only a few flowers, grass, and trees on it.

Compared to the surrounding peaks, aside from its larger size, there was nothing special about it.

However.

The map clearly showed that this mountain was Lingyun Cave, and it should be hollowed out inside, a hidden wonder.

Furthermore.

Xiao Ming also saw from afar that at the top of the peak, there was a dilapidated, broken temple.

With a flicker of his body, Xiao Ming stepped onto his flying sword and shot towards the broken temple.

Whoosh!

The wind suddenly rose, then returned to normal.

Xiao Ming landed in front of the broken temple.

His gaze swept across it, revealing that the broken temple was already in a semi-collapsed state, both inside and out, covered in dense white spiderwebs.

Xiao Ming thought for a moment and did not go in to investigate. Instead, he found a relatively clean spot at the entrance and sat down cross-legged.

There were still four days until the full moon, so he only needed to wait quietly.

In the meantime, he could also consume some spirit herbs and pills to enhance his true essence.

The sun set and the moon rose.

Then the night receded, and the sun shone brightly.

This cycle repeated.

When there was only half a day left until Lingyun Cave opened.

Xiao Ming, who was refining the medicinal power within his body, suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

He saw the clouds in the sky being forcibly torn apart by surges of aura, revealing several figures.

There were five people in total.

These five people were a leading gaunt Old Weng, a full-figured Madam Bai, two Great Monks, and a cold-faced young man named Han Qingfeng.

Aside from Old Weng, who was at the Divine Sea Realm mid-stage, the remaining four were all at the Divine Sea Realm early-stage.

At the same time Xiao Ming discovered them, they also discovered Xiao Ming.

“Oh? There’s actually someone else?” Old Weng exclaimed in surprise, then led the others behind him to rush down, landing in front of Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming’s expression was cautious; he had already stood up from the ground and simultaneously tightened his grip on the tiangang sword in his hand.

He hadn't expected that someone else would also find this place!

No need to think, they must all be here for Lingyun Cave!

“Young man, who are you, and why are you here?!” Old Weng, holding a skull-headed staff, asked with a frown.

Xiao Ming was silent for a moment, then said, “Why ask why I’m here? Naturally, I’m here for the hidden treasure!”

“So you also want to enter Lingyun Cave. It seems you also have a treasure map?” Old Weng asked unhappily.

Xiao Ming snorted, which served as his answer.

Old Weng scrutinized Xiao Ming up and down. After sensing Xiao Ming’s Cultivation Level, he suddenly scoffed and said, “So your Cultivation Level is merely the Dan Lake Realm Great Perfection. Heh heh, with such weak strength, you dare to come seeking treasure. You’re truly courting death!”

Before he finished speaking.

He raised the skull-headed staff in his hand and slammed it towards Xiao Ming from a distance!

In an instant, the staff erupted with a thick black mist. From within the mist, a ferocious Divine Sea Realm early-stage evil spirit leaped out, pouncing fiercely at Xiao Ming with bared fangs and claws.

Xiao Ming showed no fear, raising his tiangang sword and delivering a heavy slash!

The next moment.

A dark golden sword shadow, two hundred meters long, formed out of thin air, then, carrying a powerful sword might, it slashed down!

“Boom!!”

The sword shadow struck, easily blasting apart the ferocious evil spirit, then continued downwards, fiercely slashing towards Old Weng’s body.

The sudden turn of events greatly startled Old Weng!

He had never expected that Xiao Ming, this mere Dan Lake Realm Great Perfection, would actually shatter his powerful evil spirit, which he had raised for many years, with a single sword strike.

That evil spirit was at the Divine Sea Realm early-stage!

Even a martial artist of the same Cultivation Level would be in a flurry facing the evil spirit, perhaps even no match for it.

Yet, Xiao Ming easily broke through, and even the dark golden sword shadow he unleashed still had power left to attack him!

In a flash of lightning, Old Weng had no time to think further and immediately threw out the skull-headed staff in his hand.

The skull-headed staff erupted with more black mist and transformed into a house-sized Black Skeleton, which bit down on Xiao Ming’s sword shadow.

With a “bang”!

The dark golden sword shadow was bitten to pieces by the Black Skeleton, but the Black Skeleton was also shaken back repeatedly, growling continuously.

“What a domineering sword shadow!”

Old Weng retrieved his Black Skeleton, which transformed back into the skull-headed staff, and he himself was filled with shock.

The remaining four people also looked surprised.

At this moment, one of the Great Monks spoke, “Although this fellow cultivator is only at the Dan Lake Realm, the strength he unleashed has reached the Divine Sea Realm, and is even stronger than an ordinary Divine Sea Realm early-stage cultivator.”

“In this humble monk’s opinion, there’s no need for us to fight and deplete our strength here. We could even form a team and explore Lingyun Cave together.”

After speaking.

He turned to Old Weng and asked with a smile, “Old Weng, what do you think?”

Old Weng, who was addressed as such, snorted coldly and said, “This kid is indeed a bit powerful; he’s a good helper.”

He implicitly agreed to Xiao Ming joining the team.

Xiao Ming sneered inwardly.

If he hadn’t displayed such formidable strength, he would probably have been silenced already.

The cultivation world is just that cruel; everything speaks through strength!

As for teaming up… Xiao Ming also didn’t want to deplete his strength here, so teaming up with them was fine. He just needed to be careful to avoid sneak attacks.

For many exploration teams, the greatest threat is not the monsters in the hidden treasure, but their own teammates!

However.

Just a sneak attack, you can instantly turn hostile, and I can secretly plot against you.

It just depends on whose skills are superior!

After the atmosphere eased, the Great Monk asked with a beaming smile, “Since we are all in the same boat now, we should naturally get to know each other. May I ask, young friend, what is your name?”

“Xiao Ming.”

Xiao Ming slowly uttered the two words.

At this time, he was not wearing the unique disciple robes of the Qingtian Sword Sect, appearing instead like a wandering rogue cultivator.

“So it’s Fellow Daoist Xiao,” the Great Monk chuckled, “This humble monk’s monastic name is Jiekong, and this one beside me is my junior brother, named Jie Chen.”

“You already know Old Weng, so I won’t introduce him. This full-figured Madam Bai is next to him, and the last fellow Daoist is named Han Qingfeng.”

Xiao Ming nodded at each of them, acknowledging their introduction.

At the same time.

He activated the system’s inspection function, and immediately, the information of these people appeared one by one: