Chapter 65

Ding Qi now stands on one of the massive gray rocks, several zhang high, with his hands behind his back, squinting as he gazes into the distant dense forest, his face showing a look of apprehension.

"Having come this far, I can no longer advance. Otherwise, I will only end up trapped inside, just like six months ago, and never be able to come out again."

With a light tap on the massive rock beneath his feet, Ding Qi descends gracefully from the height of several zhang, muttering to himself.

After descending from the rock, Ding Qi slightly turns his body and walks to one side of the rock, his face showing a look of inquiry, as if he is about to do something.

Then, Ding Qi stops in the shadow of the rock, carefully examining a particular spot in the shadow. There, there is a strange pattern that looks like both text and a design.

Ding Qi stares at the pattern on the rock for a long time, eventually frowning: "The pattern on this rock, no matter how I look at it now, seems to be the same as the patterns that disappeared from the brocade I had. It seems that the reason I was trapped in the ancient forest at the heart of Qixia Mountain six months ago is related to this strange pattern on the rock."

Six months ago, due to the continuous consumption of the century-old herbs in his possession and the inability to find other ways to obtain more, Ding Qi couldn't help but think of the various herbs growing in Qixia Mountain and decided to enter the mountain to try his luck.

When Ding Qi went up the mountain to gather herbs, he unexpectedly found a batch of herbs that the Qingyun Sect had accumulated over a hundred years after venturing more than a hundred li into the forest. With this large quantity of herbs, Ding Qi no longer needed to work hard to dig for herbs deep in Qixia Mountain. He could take elixirs every day to cultivate.

Six months ago, when Ding Qi was unable to find other ways to obtain century-old herbs, he naturally thought of Qixia Mountain again.

Herbs growing in dense ancient forests like Qixia Mountain become older the deeper one goes. At that time, Ding Qi only ventured about a hundred li into the forest. If he could go deeper, although he didn't expect a huge harvest, he might still find a few century-old herbs by chance.

With this thought in mind, Ding Qi soon ventured deep into the heart of Qixia Mountain and indeed found a few century-old herbs after advancing more than two hundred li into the dense forest.

Just as Ding Qi was overjoyed and continued to push deeper into Qixia Mountain, hoping to find more century-old herbs, something happened that still makes him shudder in fear and confusion when he thinks about it.

Thinking about this, he looks again at the massive rock beside him and the mysterious pattern on it.

Six months ago, when Ding Qi was searching for herbs and passed this rock, he unexpectedly found that the herbs growing in the forest beyond the rock were completely different from those in the rest of Qixia Mountain.

Previously, Ding Qi had only found a few century-old herbs by chance after searching the entire Qixia Mountain. But after crossing the boundary of this rock, he was shocked to find that century-old herbs could be found quite easily in that forest.

Not only century-old herbs, but even two-century-old herbs were abundant in that forest.

At the time, upon discovering so many precious herbs in the forest, Ding Qi was overjoyed and immediately decided to gather all the herbs inside.

However, he soon realized that before he could celebrate his bountiful harvest, he needed to ensure his own survival first.

Ding Qi found that after entering the forest, he became lost. He was trapped in the forest for eight days and nights, and no matter what methods he used, he could not escape.

It was only due to an unexpected situation that he managed to escape by chance.

Ding Qi dare not imagine what would have happened to him if he had remained trapped there.

Thinking about the strange, insubstantial things he saw in the forest when he was trapped, even with his strong will, his heart shudders.

Ding Qi examines the mysterious pattern on the rock and recalls the brocade that infused him with forty years of cultivation. He has already guessed that there must be some connection between the two. After all, the mysterious symbols on the rock are too similar to the patterns that disappeared from the brocade.

Touching the brocade in his chest, Ding Qi focuses his mind, and a silver light suddenly shoots out from his chest. Soon, a brocade about a zhang in size spreads out in front of Ding Qi.

The brocade, unsupported by anything, floats in the air in front of Ding Qi, looking exactly like the brocade that originally recorded the cultivation method of innate power.

The only difference from the original brocade is that it is now several times larger.

Looking at the brocade floating quietly in front of him, Ding Qi shows no surprise. He then speaks softly to the brocade, "Small."

As soon as the word "small" leaves his lips, something strange happens.

The brocade, which is about a zhang in size, suddenly flickers with light and, under Ding Qi's command, rapidly shrinks.

Soon, the brocade, which was originally about a zhang in size, shrinks to a miniature size, no larger than the palm of his hand.

Ding Qi waves his hand at the floating light, and the object, as if it has a mind of its own, traces a silver path and lands in the palm of his outstretched hand.

Ding Qi looks at the miniature brocade in his hand, and as his mind focuses again, the brocade floats back into the air.

Then, Ding Qi lightly utters the word "big" to the floating miniature brocade.

The brocade, under the sound of Ding Qi's voice, rapidly expands. Soon, it grows much larger than its original size, until it covers the sky above Ding Qi, several zhang in size, before finally stopping its growth.

The ability of the brocade to change size at will completely defies the fundamental laws of the world.