Chapter 70

Cave Abode

Zhao Liangde seemed even more surprised than Zhang Tianyuan. Everyone knew his father's surname, after all, he himself was surnamed Zhao, and in most cases, children followed their father's surname, a rule that had been in place for thousands of years.

However, no one knew his mother's surname, as she always used his father's surname outside.

As for Zhang Tianyuan mentioning Shenluo Village, it was even more unbelievable. This secret was known only to his family, and outsiders had no idea at all.

Seeing Zhao Liangde's surprised expression, Zhang Tianyuan knew he had probably guessed right. If he had known this earlier, he should have called Zhao Danfeng over. This was truly a case of "searching high and low without success, but finding it easily when least expected."

"Who exactly are you? Could you also be from that village?" Zhao Liangde became wary.

Zhang Tianyuan smiled and said, "To be honest, I just came out of Shenluo Valley, so I know about your parents. The reason we bid on that Mi Fu calligraphy was to find clues about your parents."

"I see... Actually, the reason Su Ya bid on that calligraphy was to please my father. She used to work in our village, but was later fired by my father for some misconduct. If I must say, she could be considered my stepmother. My mother died early, and my father was always lonely, so she took advantage of the situation. Who would have thought that her only goal in marrying my father was for his wealth." Zhao Liangde sighed, "Both my father and mother are suffering from strange illnesses and may not live much longer."

"What! According to their ages, they shouldn't be too old, right? They should be less than thirty, right?" Zhang Tianyuan was surprised.

"My father is 28 this year, not much older than you. But for some reason, after leaving Shenluo Valley, his health has been poor, and he has been seriously ill recently. Oh, and I am not their biological child, but an adopted one," Zhao Liangde added.

"Take me to see him quickly. I have important matters to discuss with him, and he must not be in any danger." Zhang Tianyuan was anxious, knowing that illness was the most troublesome thing, and could lead to death at any moment.

He didn't mention Zhao Danfeng because he couldn't fully trust Zhao Liangde. If Zhang Su Ya was after the wealth, could Zhao Liangde have the same motive? If he found out that Zhao Danfeng was his father's biological daughter, who knew what he might do. It was better not to let him know.

"Alright." Zhao Liangde didn't object, as his purpose in bringing Zhang Tianyuan here was to let his father meet this person.

As they entered Wudao Village, they were greeted by a sense of ancient simplicity and naturalness. Various Song Dynasty-style buildings were scattered across the green landscape, creating a tranquil and natural atmosphere, giving one a feeling of transcending the mundane world.

There were no modern transportation tools here, and the use of mobile phones and computers was strictly prohibited. It was like a living Song Dynasty village, only more beautiful.

Workers dressed in Taoist robes or Song Dynasty clothing were either working in the fields or in handicraft workshops.

These were all Zhao family properties. Someone had once suggested turning the area into a tourist resort, but Zhao Liangde's father rejected the idea. He had spent a large sum of money to buy the land, wanting to live a life away from the modern city. If it were turned into a tourist resort, it would lose its essence.

The materials used for the buildings were all of the ancient type, whether bricks or tiles, all made using ancient techniques, and the houses were built in the same way. It must have been a massive project at the time.

Zhang Tianyuan noticed that the people here were happy, content, relaxed, and free, without the busy and hurried appearance of office workers outside.

Office workers' faces were often tired and helpless, while these people always wore smiles.

It was like a modern version of the Peach Blossom Spring!

As they went deeper into the village, Zhang Tianyuan was even more shocked. He saw a large courtyard, not necessarily luxurious, but definitely more beautiful than any modern villa.

Zhang Tianyuan had been to Fulong Beach and seen the buildings there, but compared to this, they were far inferior.

"Are these stones, wood, and bricks all old artifacts?" Zhang Tianyuan could sense the powerful earth qi emanating from the buildings and couldn't help but ask.

"Exactly. To gather these materials, my father spent a lot of money, buying old artifacts from auctions all over the place. Unfortunately, most of them are from the Ming and Qing dynasties. What my father really wanted were Song Dynasty artifacts," Zhao Liangde explained.

"I see, impressive. This place looks like a huge Taoist sanctuary, with the essence of 'Tao' in every architectural style!" Zhang Tianyuan marveled.

"Mr. Zhang, please take a look around. This place is large, and you can enjoy it. I'll go inform my father and see if he has time to meet you," Zhao Liangde said with a smile.

"Alright, go ahead. I'll look around here," Zhang Tianyuan nodded.

After Zhao Liangde left, Zhang Tianyuan walked through the walls filled with historical traces. He gently touched the patterns and carvings, a luxury only the wealthy could afford. It seemed that Zhao Danfeng's parents had indeed made a fortune after leaving Shenluo Valley, and perhaps they had taken advantage of the reform and opening-up, becoming one of the first to get rich. Unfortunately, they were now seriously ill, and there was no one to turn to for help.

After waiting for a while, Zhao Liangde still hadn't returned, and Zhang Tianyuan became impatient. Since he had nothing to do, he decided to explore the area. As long as he didn't go too far, he wouldn't get lost.

Besides, he had Shenluo, the little eagle, with him. If he did get lost, Shenluo could help him find his way from the sky. The sky wouldn't lead him wrong.

As he thought, he became less concerned and started wandering around. In this unfamiliar place, he felt a sense of familiarity and intimacy, perhaps due to the earth qi. He felt a connection with the walls, the corridors, and the stones, as if he were part of the architecture.

Immersed in this, he suddenly sensed a very powerful source of earth qi. Although it was strong, it wasn't as terrifying as the one in the Qin Mausoleum. It seemed to be absorbable, and he needed this level of earth qi to enhance the Six-Word True Formula. Without hesitation, he headed towards the source.

This place turned out to be a cave built into the mountain, with the words "Shenluo True Person" carved above it.

Damn, could there really be cultivators?

Zhang Tianyuan usually didn't believe in ghosts or gods, but having read many cultivation novels, he sometimes indulged in wild thoughts. Seeing a place that looked like something from a novel, he couldn't help but imagine.

Of course, he didn't really believe in such things.

There was no one around, and only a few Taoist-robed people had glanced at him when he first arrived. Near the cave, there was no one.

Should he go in?

Zhang Tianyuan hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist his curiosity and stepped into the cave.

As soon as he entered, he couldn't help but moan in comfort. It was too wonderful, like a fish that had been in a drought suddenly jumping into water. The feeling was indescribably beautiful.

The air was filled with the essence of earth qi, clear and pure, resonating with the earth qi in his body and quickly merging into his dantian, starting the same fusion process as before.

It was like a person who had just crossed a desert and found a clear lake, jumping into it. The body's lack of water was quickly replenished, and the person felt as if they had come back to life.

Compared to the earth qi he had absorbed from antiques before, this was much stronger.

Elixir of the Immortals? No, it wasn't like drinking something, but more like taking a bath in the life-giving spring of the immortal realm. This feeling was hard to describe. All the pores on his body opened up, breathing in and out joyfully.

It was said that during the climax of intimacy, one's mind would go blank, and they would experience a feeling of being between life and death. Zhang Tianyuan had had sexual experiences before, but compared to this, they were nothing. This was truly a feeling of being between life and death, too wonderful to think about anything else, just absorbing the earth qi.

If someone were to observe him at this moment, they would surely laugh, as Zhang Tianyuan's expression looked like he was experiencing a climax, and his body was trembling. Fortunately, no one was there, or it would have been embarrassing.

Shenluo was flapping its wings around Zhang Tianyuan, also appearing very excited. It seemed to be sensing Zhang Tianyuan's absorption of earth qi and was indirectly affected. Its eyes became sharper, and its feathers more lustrous.

If before it was a small eagle with a white hue and some mixed feathers, now it was a completely snow-white, beautiful little eagle that made one want to touch it.

The power of earth qi was something Zhang Tianyuan didn't fully understand. He thought it was just part of the Six-Word True Formula, but in fact, earth qi was the essence of the entire planet. Absorbing it was a rare opportunity for any living being on Earth.

While absorbing the earth qi, Zhang Tianyuan didn't notice that the cave was actually very large, divided into inner and outer chambers. From deep within the cave, there came a few coughs and the sound of someone speaking, but Zhang Tianyuan didn't hear them, as he was completely immersed in the blissful state.