The jade slip described the formation protecting the ancient cave abode and included a map to it.

The formation notes were rough. None of the three rogue cultivators seemed to know much about formations; they had apparently pieced together possible ways to break it from what little they knew.

"So Zhao Pin'er wasn't lying about everything. It's close to Nine Perches Market, too. The Barbarian Bull Beast could take me there and back in a morning." Holding the jade slip, Gu Changhuan recalled how confidently he had argued that Qingzhou was too recently developed for an ancient cave abode to be likely. That was embarrassing.

He had no shortage of Spirit Stones, treasures, or cultivation inheritances. Why not tell Grandfather about it and do something for the clan?

After taking stock of all his spoils, Gu Changhuan could not help but sigh at his sudden windfall.

The haul came to 3,657 low-grade Spirit Stones, the high-grade first-tier Soil Element Flag, three middle-grade first-tier artifacts, and seven low-grade first-tier artifacts.

Having finished taking stock, Gu Changhuan took the jade slip and sought out Gu Wanhao.

Upon inspecting the contents of the slip, Gu Wanhao was likewise gripped by intense excitement. The descriptions within did not appear fabricated; many of the finer details were such that no one could describe them without having witnessed them firsthand.

It was precisely for this reason that he was so thrilled. A genuine Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode often yielded vast rewards.

Artifacts, cultivation arts, Pills, Spirit Stones... no clan could have too many, least of all the Gu Clan.

Gu Wanhao was so excited that he wanted to investigate that very day. He even refused to take Gu Changhuan along.

An extra passenger would slow his flying sword down, he said.

Gu Changhuan could only watch him stride out of Wanbao Pill Pavilion, full of energy.

Once clear of Nine Perches Market, Gu Wanhao first executed a wide circuit on his flying sword to ensure no one was trailing him before turning toward his destination.

When he was still roughly ten li from the reported site of the cave abode, he stowed his flying sword, masked his aura, and proceeded forward using the Divine Movement Technique.

"An ancient cave abode in a place like this? Strange." Gu Wanhao frowned at the barren expanse of stone pillars. Spiritual Qi was scarce here, and few people came.

Keeping his guard high, Gu Wanhao swept the area with his Divine Sense and slowly approached the designated location.

The stone forest was exceptionally vast. Even with the map to guide him, Gu Wanhao nearly lost his way.

Everywhere he looked were bare stone pillars of much the same shape. There was almost nothing to guide him.

Here it was!

He stopped before an unremarkable pillar, drew his sword, and thrust.

The spirit sword passed through the pillar without the slightest obstruction, yet left no mark upon the stone whatsoever.

This stone pillar was nothing more than an illusion!

Yet from any angle, the pillar appeared entirely solid. Had he not touched it, no one would have suspected it was merely a phantom, especially since the pillar even cast a shadow.

Feeling slightly more at ease, Gu Wanhao gripped his sword and stepped directly into the pillar.

True enough, the entrance to the Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode lay precisely behind the illusory stone pillar.

It was pitch-black inside. Instead of taking out a luminous pearl, Gu Wanhao directed Spiritual Power into his eyes so he could see in the dark. His Divine Sense found a white stone door at the end of a long passage.

At the door, Gu Wanhao struck with his sword again. Before the blade could touch the stone, blue light threw it back.

"It appears this formation activates automatically upon receiving an attack."

Gu Wanhao produced a Second-Tier Middle Grade spiritual talisman. It was a metal-attribute talisman, known for its formidable offensive power among talismans of its tier.

Upon activation, the talisman erupted in dazzling golden light before coalescing into a sphere roughly the size of a cooking pot, hurtling directly toward the formation.

Yet it remained entirely futile. The formation did not so much as flicker.

Gu Wanhao could readily sense the surging water-attribute spiritual qi contained within the barrier. Zhao Pin'er and her companions had guessed correctly-the formation was indeed water-attributed, and its grade was at least Third-Tier Lower Grade.

He would not be breaking through today. Still, the owner was probably a Purple Mansion cultivator, which was good news. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could not afford a third-tier formation.

With this realization, he resolved to report the good news to the patriarch so they could return with sufficient force to investigate the cave abode together.

Back at Nine Perches Market, Gu Changhuan was waiting in the courtyard for Gu Wanhao's return.

After a while, Gu Wanhao came hurrying back, looking delighted.

He brought a heavy hand down on Gu Changhuan's shoulder with a hearty slap.

"You've done the clan another great service, Changhuan!"

It was clear that the Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode was real, and judging by all indications, it belonged to someone far beyond an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Is it an abode left behind by a Purple Mansion Realm expert?" Gu Changhuan asked.

Gu Wanhao stroked his beard.

"The defensive formation is at least low-grade third-tier. I've asked the Patriarch to bring Shiwen to White Ram Slope at a quarter past seven tomorrow morning. Three Foundation Establishment cultivators should be able to break through by force, with no one inside directing the formation!"

Gu Wanhao was clearly determined to get into that cave abode.

"You can come along this time. See a little of the world."

Gu Changhuan had been quietly pondering how to convince Gu Wanhao to bring him along, and was pleasantly surprised when the elder offered it of his own accord.

"By the way, do Changde and the others know anything about this cave abode?"

Gu Wanhao asked abruptly.

"Don't worry, Grandfather. Brother Changde and the others don't know. But the clan elder following me probably heard what Zhao Pin'er said.

"Still, I thought she was lying until I saw the map. Surely they wouldn't have believed her either?"

Gu Wanhao shook his head. He did not know whom the Patriarch had sent, but it must have been a ninth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator. Taking the next step was desperately hard for someone at that level. They would seize on any information that might help them reach Foundation Establishment. Perhaps they were already investigating Zhao Pin'er's movements.

If the cultivator present at that time had overheard Zhao Pin'er, believed her claims, and allowed greed to take root...

At this thought, a sudden chill ran down Gu Wanhao's spine: they had nearly pushed Gu Changhuan into mortal peril!

Gazing at the completely unharmed youth standing before him, Gu Wanhao felt a deep wave of lingering emotion.

Prompted by this realization, Gu Wanhao swiftly activated another communication talisman.

Meanwhile, at Emerald Maple Mountain.

Gu Wanchang had just fetched a treasure for breaking formations from the treasury. Before he could notify Gu Shiwen, another message talisman arrived.

Upon closer inspection, he saw it had been sent by Gu Wanhao.

"Could something have happened to alter the plan?"