Chapter 61

On the border of Zhongzhou Province, a luxury bus was on the road.

Two men and a woman were sitting and chatting. The men, one old and one young, the elder had a sage-like demeanor, while the younger had a refined face. Beside them was a charming little girl.

It was Chen Fan and his group.

Chen Fan had declined the offer from Zhou Tianhao and others to send him in a car, and instead chose to travel leisurely to Dongdu. He had plenty of time and preferred to enjoy the scenery along the way. So, he traveled while sightseeing, renting a car when available, and taking a bus when not, and it took him three days to just enter Zhongzhou Province.

The little girl beside him was none other than 'Ah Xiu'.

Ah Xiu sat quietly, silent yet determined, and no matter how Chen Fan tried to send her away, she wouldn't leave. She only looked at him with her watery, beautiful eyes, pleading.

In the end, it was Master Wu who, moved by her sincerity, mustered the courage to ask Chen Fan, and Chen Fan finally tacitly agreed.

However, having this little girl along indeed made the journey much easier.

Both Chen Fan and Master Wu were people of high status, detached from the mundane world. Normally, they could just tell her to do things. On this journey, without her buying tickets, calling cars, finding hotels, and asking for directions, the two of them wouldn't have been so comfortable.

Speaking of Master Wu, Chen Fan looked at the sage-like old man with a half-smile.

Master Wu had a grand name, Wu Shanhe. Unfortunately, despite his grand name, he was quite timid.

Feeling Chen Fan's gaze, he was startled.

"Master Chen, why are you looking at me like that? I've told you everything I know."

"Hmm, really?" Chen Fan took out a gray crystal and narrowed his eyes. "What's the deal with the Yinlong Pond? Don't try to fool me with your sect's secret place nonsense. I know as much about the Yinlong Pond as you do, if not more."

Yin crystals only form in places where yin energy gathers.

Such places are the highest-level cultivation sites for certain creatures and those who cultivate yin energy. Especially on Earth, where spiritual energy is scarce, a 'Yinlong Pond' is like an oasis in the desert, often attracting certain strange beasts.

Not all creatures cultivate using spiritual energy; some are more inclined to yin energy, sha energy, or demonic energy, so various life forms exist.

If the Yinlong Pond were truly under Master Wu's control, he could have at least broken through to the Tongxuan realm with that cultivation site, rather than lingering at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm even at his age.

Wu Shanhe's body stiffened, his face a mix of fear and sorrow, and he trembled as he said:

"Master Chen, you know?"

"Speak, what's the truth?" Chen Fan's face was as calm as water.

The old man dared not play any more tricks and could only meekly say, "Actually, it does have some connection with my sect..."

"Our Yin Gui Sect's lineage actually started with a tomb raider. Our ancestor accidentally discovered a Tang Dynasty tomb in the late Qing and early Republican era, where he found a cultivation manual of a Tang Dynasty master. He treasured it and dedicated himself to cultivation, founding the Yin Gui Sect."

"By the time it reached my generation, it was already the third generation. I have two fellow disciples, and our cultivation levels are similar. Our master passed away early, so the Yin Gui Sect is basically run by the three of us."

"The Yinlong Pond was discovered by our ancestor in the 1930s. When he found this place where yin energy gathered, he was overjoyed, thinking he could break through to the Dao realm and enter the cultivation stage. But..."

At this point, a hint of fear appeared in Master Wu's eyes.

"But what?" Even Ah Xiu, who had been quiet, couldn't help but ask.

"What our ancestor didn't expect was that there was a monster living in the Yinlong Pond." Master Wu took a deep breath. "This monster is neither a snake nor a dragon. It is extremely powerful and can spew yin sha. Our ancestor fought it and was no match, retreating with severe injuries and dying before he turned fifty."

"Fortunately, the monster has always stayed in the pond and never comes out."

"Later, my master and my fellow disciples all tried to enter the pond, but it was still alive. We only managed to grab a few of these stones."

Wu Shanhe paused, looking at Chen Fan with fear.

"Master Chen, I really didn't mean to deceive you, but... I was afraid you wouldn't believe it."

"That monster is like a dragon, which is why our ancestor named the deep pond 'Yinlong Pond.' He saw it in the 1930s, and it was already over ten meters long. By now, it must be over a hundred years old."

"Is that true?" Ah Xiu's mouth opened in disbelief.

Chen Fan and Lin Hu, though powerful, were still within the realm of human understanding. After all, martial arts experts are shown on TV, leaping and bounding, possessing inner strength, and breaking platforms with a single palm strike, which is acceptable.

But a dragon that has lived for over a hundred years... that's just too absurd.

Is there no science at all?

"That's not a dragon, just a yin snake," Chen Fan said coolly. "A true dragon can summon wind and rain, control the elements, and is a life form above the innate level. For a yin snake to reach the dragon level, it would take at least five hundred years."

"Master Chen, you know about it?" Wu Shanhe was stunned.

"Of course I do," Chen Fan said disdainfully. "A mere yin snake scares you so much."

To cultivate to the point where it can spew yin sha, be over ten meters long, and live for over a hundred years, this yin snake must have already reached the Tongxuan stage.

However, the Tongxuan stage for a celestial beast is different from that of a cultivator.

Cultivators have various magical treasures and powerful techniques, which are far beyond the capabilities of a beast that relies solely on its physical strength and natural abilities.

"But I'm only at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm. Even with a jade marrow magical tool, dealing with this yin snake would be difficult."

Chen Fan frowned.

"Either I break through to the late-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm and use powerful techniques beyond my realm, or I need to refine the Thunder Shock Talisman further and add a powerful spell."

The Thunder Shock Talisman is a jade marrow magical tool. Since Chen Fan used the Demon-Dispelling Divine Thunder to break Wu Master's ghost jar, he named it his first magical tool on Earth.

Thinking about this, Chen Fan decided to temporarily not go to Dongdu and find a place to refine the magical tool.

So, he asked Wu Shanhe, "Is there any place nearby suitable for cultivation? Preferably one where I can easily buy some cultivation materials?"

"A place suitable for cultivation?" Wu Shanhe was taken aback, then suddenly slapped his head. "Not far from here is Jiuding City, the largest gathering place for Chinese medicinal herbs in Zhongzhou. It is known as one of the four major medicinal capitals of China, with numerous medicinal herb vendors gathered there year-round."

"Oh?" Chen Fan's eyes lit up.

He had heard of Jiuding City in his previous life, and it was indeed a famous wholesale market for Chinese medicinal herbs.

Previously, Chen Fan wanted to buy some precious herbs to boost his cultivation, but Chuzhou was a small place, and even a thirty-year-old ginseng was rare, let alone a hundred-year-old herb.

If he could find enough herbs, Chen Fan could not only improve his cultivation further,

but also use certain special methods to assist in refining the Thunder Shock Talisman.

"Alright, let's go to Jiuding City." Chen Fan decided.

If he could find enough herbs, Chen Fan could not only improve his cultivation further,

but also use certain special methods to assist in refining the Thunder Shock Talisman.

"Alright, let's go to Jiuding City." Chen Fan decided.

PS: Thanks to 1888 for closing your eyes and thinking of you, 1000 for your one-mindedness and the dream of a fleeting life, 588 for the vast universe 159 and the seven thousand star domains, 1120 for the dark v blood lord, 1120 for the general, 1120 for the third伏, 1120 for Chen Feng, 1120 for the spring gathering and autumn parting, 1120 for 0 Xiao Mai 0, 1120 for the book friend 1606271, 1120 for the book friend 1501140, 1120 for the helpless soul, 1120 for the spring wheat not disturbing people, 1120 for ivandog, 1120 for the cold sky Lin, 1120 for Zhou 1 Fei 3 Jia 2, and 1120 for the mass Tan Ying for their support.

Uh, today's update is a bit late, I'm sorry. After three consecutive days of intense writing, the author is quite drained and needs to rest. But don't worry, in a few days, there will be a lively and energetic author again O(∩_∩)O.

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