“This shows that you are blessed with immense fortune, Senior Brother Fang.”

Lu Yang stepped forward tactfully to offer his congratulations, appearing even more delighted than if he had collected the map pieces himself. “Chen Yachong spent centuries without finding the other two map fragments, yet you collected them all in just one trip. What does this mean? It means you have an affinity with this map.”

“Indeed, indeed. This is certainly an auspicious omen.” Meng Jingzhou also stepped forward to offer his congratulations.

The two were eloquent, speaking in turns and praising Fang Jin as if he were Heaven’s chosen one.

The three jade silk map pieces overlapped, revealing the map’s true appearance.

The map depicted a place called the Green Lotus Mountain Range, with a circle drawn in the middle, indicating that something was likely there.

“Where’s the Green Lotus Mountain Range?” Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exchanged blank looks. They were unfamiliar with the names of mountain ranges. Where in the Great Xia is this?

“Green Lotus Mountain Range...” Fang Jin knitted his brow. He vaguely recalled the name.

“If I recall correctly, Green Lotus Mountain Range was its name during the Great Qian era.

“During the Great Yu era, it was called the River North Hills.

“Now, in the Great Xia era, it’s called the Heavenly River Plains.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exchanged odd looks. It seems it’s not just the name that has changed.

“That’s perfectly normal. Don’t forget, during the Great Qian and Great Yu eras, there were many cultivators too, and they fought with even less restraint, frequently altering the landforms,” Fang Jin explained. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

“After over three hundred thousand years, human activity has completely changed the world, and even the blue sea can turn into mulberry fields. Maps from back then are entirely different from today’s.”

Fang Jin was very knowledgeable about old maps. He could clearly remember the changes in cartography from the Great Qian era to the Great Xia era. This old map would only be useful in Fang Jin’s hands. Even if other cultivators obtained it, they could only stare at it helplessly.

“Let’s go. We’ll take a look at the Heavenly River Plains.” With the old map in hand, Fang Jin’s interest was piqued.

Since I’ve collected the pieces of this archaic map through an unbelievable coincidence, perhaps it’s just as Junior Brother Lu has said—I have an affinity with this treasure.

~~~

The Heavenly River Plains were lush with water and grass, with cattle and sheep everywhere. When the three descended, they startled a flock of sheep, which bleated as they scattered, leaving behind a trail of dung.

One fearless lamb charged at the three as it bleated, only to be quickly snatched away by its mother.

Fang Jin pointed at the large circle marked on the archaic map. “It should be roughly around here.”

He extended his spiritual consciousness, scanning every inch of the surrounding area, and found something unusual underground. “It seems there’s a secret domain underground. Let’s dig it open and have a look.”

“Why do we have to dig? Can’t Old Lu just eat the dirt?” Meng Jingzhou proposed.

Lu Yang gave him a kick. This place is covered in sheep droppings. You eat the damn dirt!

Fang Jin and Lu Yang both used Heaven-Earth Dharma Manifestation, while Meng Jingzhou summoned his dharma manifestation. The three titans crouched down and began digging.

After digging to a depth of about two thousand meters, they struck a stone. The stone seemed embedded in this space. Even when they removed the earth beneath it, the stone didn’t fall. Their attempts to move it also failed.

Fang Jin infused spirit energy into the stone, and complex, archaic, and mysterious patterns appeared on its surface. Then a powerful suction force erupted from the stone, drawing all three of them inside.

When the three came to their senses, they were surrounded by pitch-black darkness.

“This place seems to suppress spiritual consciousness; we can’t use it.”

Meng Jingzhou raised his hand and ignited pure yang fire, illuminating the space.

“A cave?”

The three found themselves in a hollow but damp cave. Not a trace of wind could be felt, indicating the cave was sealed.

“Is there some treasure in here?”

Fang Jin was about to step forward when he heard Lu Yang’s voice.

“Senior Brother Fang, don’t go any further!”

Fang Jin halted in his tracks. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s a restriction in front of you. If you go forward, it will trigger, and it’s very dangerous!” Lu Yang warned with a grave face.

Startled, Fang Jin hastily pulled back his left foot. He crouched down to examine the area and discovered that there were indeed incomprehensible runes ahead, though they were incomplete.

“This cave seems to be filled with restrictions, but someone forced their way in and damaged these runes.” Lu Yang presented the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s words as his own conjecture.

Even if these runes were damaged, they still contained terrifying power and were not something they could touch.

“This style of setting up restrictions looks like the Epoch Immortal’s work,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy mused, rubbing her chin. “Since his original form is a tree, he always liked to store things underground, and it was very troublesome to find them.

“Xiao Yangzi, go forward. Some fool has already scouted the path for you, and the restrictions blocking the road have been destroyed. As long as you don’t touch them, you’ll be fine.

“This little trinket at the end of the cave was probably made by the Epoch Immortal.”

Lu Yang cautiously navigated around the restrictions, leading Fang Jin and Meng Jingzhou to the deepest part of the cave, where they found a fist-sized metal box on a high platform.

Fang Jin used his spirit energy to form a large hand, reaching out to retrieve the metal box. It felt heavy in his hand.

“This is made of immortal metal?!” Fang Jin was stunned. If it’s made of immortal metal, then the box is at least an immortal treasure forged by a half-immortal. There’s even a slim chance that it might be an immortal artifact forged by an immortal!

“Immortal Fairy, for what purpose did the Epoch Immortal craft this metal box?”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy contemplated in frustration. “The little trinkets the Epoch Immortal crafted all looked similar. I always mixed them up. But judging by the style of this metal box, it appears to be an immortal artifact that can slow down time.”

Lu Yang was taken aback. An immortal artifact that can slow time? That sounds incredibly impressive. As expected of the Epoch Immortal, his immortal artifacts have such powerful effects.

“If you wish to use this box, you need a chant. ‘Everlasting is honored, Epoch is king’—no, no, that’s not it. It should be ‘Stars revolve at my command; seasons change in an instant’—no, that’s not it either. What was it, again?”

“Why don’t we ask the Epoch Immortal?” Lu Yang suggested. If we can’t remember, we can just ask him directly.

“No need. Going back and forth is too troublesome. Flip open Immortals’ Quotes, pick out what the Epoch Immortal had said, and read them line by line. The mantra must be in there.”

“Alright then...”

After flipping through it for a long time, Fang Jin still couldn’t figure out how to use the metal box. “Never mind. Shifu and the Grand Elder are experienced and knowledgeable. We’ll take it back for them to examine.”

The metal box belonged to the Epoch Immortal. Logically speaking, it should be returned to its owner. However, given Lu Yang’s status, asking for it wasn’t appropriate. It would require the intervention of a higher-up from his sect.

When I get back, I’ll inform Big Senior Sister and ask her to find a way to claim it and return it to the Epoch Immortal.

“Old Lu, this metal box isn’t dangerous, right?” Meng Jingzhou asked, still uneasy.

“It shouldn’t be dangerous. It’s good stuff left by the Epoch Immortal.”

“That’s good then.”

~~~

“Little Tian, do you think sending Little Meng and Little Lu to the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect for two months of unpaid labor was too harsh a punishment?” Third Elder had been feeling torn lately. He had wanted to discuss it with Yun Zhi, but he couldn’t find her, so he talked about it with Gan Tian instead.

Gan Tian inwardly lampooned, I thought you had made use of this opportunity to send them to the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect so that they can learn Heaven-Earth Dharma Manifestation and the Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation. So it really was just to punish them?

“Do you want me to call the Second-in-Command back? I’ll go get him!” Yun Mengmeng volunteered.