Chapter 496: Searching

Li Qi couldn't help but be surprised when he heard the name.

Mount Luofu…

Of course, he knew Mount Luofu was one of the Ghost Gates.

The Five-Directional Ghost Gates and the Five-Directional Ghost Emperors.

The Eastern Ghost Emperors, Shen Tu Yu Lei, governed Mount Dushuo.

The Northern Ghost Emperor governed Mount Luofeng.

The Central Ghost Emperor governed Mount Baodu.

The Western Ghost Emperor governed Mount Bozhong.

And… the Southern Ghost Emperor governed Mount Luofu.

Mount Luofu was originally just one mountain, called Mount Luo.

One day, a Floating Mountain drifted from the direction of the East Sea; it was said, 'Immortal Floating Mountain came to join.'

Thus, a floating peak, combined with the original Mount Luo, formed Mount Luofu. It contained fifteen ridges, twenty-two peaks, nine hundred and eighty waterfalls and springs, and an unparalleled number of caves. A poem once said:

"Four hundred cliffs line the sea, their roots connected to Penglai, shading Tiantai.

If the myriad spirits were to move to the Central Plains, Song and Hua would become but a small pile."

This poem explains its origin. The 'Records of Famous Mountains' states: "The脉 of Mount Luo comes from Dayu; Floating Mountain, an island of immortal mountains, came from the sea and joined Mount Luo, hence the name Luofu."

As one of the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens of the Dao Sect, it secretly connects to Gouqu, with a watershed island above, known as the Blessed Land of Springs. The great source of Heaven and Earth within it is strong, and cultivation there progresses a thousand miles a day.

Many powerful figures have emerged from Mount Luofu. The famous Daoist master 'Baopuzi' was a cultivator and founder of Mount Luofu, skilled in Alchemy and writing. His Pill Furnace for Alchemy was the Sun-Moon True Lead Cauldron.

He expounded the Dao of Ascension, the principles of nurturing, and the matters of gold and cinnabar. He authored thirty volumes, twenty volumes titled 'Inner Chapters' and ten volumes titled 'Outer Chapters.' He styled himself Baopuzi, and thus named his book 'Baopuzi,' a very famous Dao Sect classic, though its whereabouts are now unknown.

At the same time, this was also… the Jade Rabbit's hometown.

Li Qi, Shui Bi, and the demon dragon put away the Ghost Chariot and landed here.

This place was the outskirts of Mount Luofu. From here, one could clearly see the beauty of this Dao Sect Grotto-Heaven.

Twenty-two peaks, sharply green and uneven, with layers of cold mist and trees, immortal temples distantly nestled in cloudy peaks, and rock vines brushing the ground, creating shade.

In the depths of the white clouds, one could seemingly still see a courtyard full of overlapping green moss patches.

In the sky, one could see a Floating Mountain spanning five hundred li, covering the horizon. The Floating Mountain hung above the sky; it was an inverted mountain, wide at the top and pointed at the bottom.

At its pointed end, below it, like a reflection on the water's surface, was a similar mountain peak, but a normal one, corresponding to the Floating Mountain in the sky.

This was the complete Mount Luofu. Between the two mountains, like a reflection in a lake, or like Yin and Yang fish reflecting each other, such a strange sight was formed.

Shen Shuibi stood here, looking at the overlapping, Yin and Yang-harmonizing Mount Luo and Floating Mountain, and for a moment, she seemed lost in thought.

Li Qi didn't disturb her, and Old Ma naturally understood the atmosphere, shrinking to palm size and wrapping around Li Qi's wrist.

However, Shen Shuibi wasn't lost in thought for too long. She quickly came to, shook her head slightly, and said, "The one below is Mount Luo, which contains blessed lands. The one above is Floating Mountain, which contains spiritual springs. The place where the peaks of the two mountains touch is Zhu Ming Cave, which is the Tenth Great Grotto-Heaven. Beneath Mount Luofu is where the Ghost Gate is located. The Southern Ghost Emperor, you might not know his name, he's called Du Ziren, and we came out of his Ghost Gate."

"So, the Ghost Gates are actually interconnected?" Li Qi asked.

"You could say they're interconnected. After all, they all connect to the Underworld. However, there's still a distance; you still need to travel for a while, but the distance is much shorter than traveling directly across the world," Shen Shuibi replied.

Then, she looked at Mount Luofu in the distance and suddenly said, "Li Qi, how about we delay for a few hours and go in for a look?"

Li Qi put his hand on her shoulder and said, "What do you mean 'how about'? What's the big deal about going in for a look? I'll accompany you wherever you want to go. So, shall we go straight in?"

"Let's go straight in? However, there's no need to move stealthily and cautiously. Old Ma, you should now possess the might of a demon dragon, capable of dispelling some Yin ghosts and demons, so the journey… will be more pleasant to look at," Shen Shuibi said to Old Ma.

Old Ma's body suddenly grew larger, transforming from leaf size directly into ten zhang long, enough to carry two people.

Li Qi didn't hesitate either. He took Shen Shuibi's hand and mounted Old Ma.

Old Ma's body coiled, then launched forward instantly! With the momentum of wind and thunder, he shot forward!

His speed was several times faster than before, even faster than Li Qi's cruising speed.

Indeed, professionals are professionals. Li Qi might be able to surpass Old Ma's extreme speed for a short time, but for long-distance travel, his cruising speed was still far inferior to Old Ma's.

And Old Ma, on his part, advanced rapidly, passing through the many branch mountain ranges of Mount Luofu.

These immortal mountains and Spiritual Veins usually housed many Dao Sect cultivators who practiced Alchemy, cultivated the Dao, and discussed matters of gold, cinnabar, and Ascension. It was the same now; it seemed… the collapse of Mount Luofu back then hadn't had too much of an impact on them.

Or perhaps, even if that original group of people had died out, over the years, many Dao Sect cultivators had successively come over and continued to occupy these branch Spiritual Veins.

After all, they were branch Spiritual Veins of Mount Luofu, with abundant Heaven and Earth Great Source, making the absorption of Spiritual Qi more efficient. If one could even touch the blessed lands and spiritual springs falling from Mount Luofu, that would be an even greater Opportunity.

Li Qi rode the demon dragon, Transmigrating above these immortal mountains and Spiritual Veins. Occasionally, he could feel gazes, seemingly from the people below who held no hostility towards the newcomers.

Indeed, this was originally Mount Luofu's territory. What hostility could they have?

Riding on Old Ma's back, observing the various Pill Furnaces below, as well as people exercising, chopping wood, carrying water, and rows of cultivators practicing sword forms and fist techniques, Li Qi, in a trance, actually felt that this place was vibrant and thriving.

However, only by looking at Shen Shuibi's expression could Li Qi realize that compared to Mount Luofu's heyday, what was outside was merely weeds.

Just like an imperial palace, when it was truly flourishing, it was orderly, with majestic halls, like the sun in the sky, daring no one to look up.

Now, only a few weeds had grown in the ruins of the imperial palace.

Although it could still be considered 'life,' compared to the solemn grandeur of Mount Luofu in the past…

Forget it, there's no point in talking about that.

Li Qi and the others continued to fly forward for about three hundred li.

From here, they began to enter the former mountain gate of Mount Luofu.

If they had come here a few decades ago, they would have had to stop at this point. At that time, Mount Luofu's heavenly gate was still operating, directly using magic to isolate the inside from the outside. To enter, one had to visit via the Heavenly Staircase.

But now there were no such restrictions, so they could easily see the interior grounds. All the wondrous and mysterious places, which were previously inaccessible, could now be freely explored.

As Shen Shuibi flew, she pointed to the scenery below, casually introducing the various peaks to Li Qi.

Feiyun Peak, Yu'e Peak, Magu Peak, Huizhen Peak, Huixian Peak, Jinxiu Peak, Daimao Peak…

Then, she began to identify each of the Grotto-Heavens one by one.

Yele Cave, Shixue Cave, Huangdonglong Cave, Zhuling Cave, Huangyuan Cave, Butterfly Cave, and the most famous Zhu Ming Cave, each excelling in its unique natural wonders.

In the forbidden forest, orioles chirped, butterflies flew wildly, morning flowers held dew, and the wind carried the fragrance of a hundred flowers.

On the stone cliffs, remnants of immortal robes still hung, and the wind through the pines sounded like a zither. Occasionally, the cry of a crane was heard from the mountain peak.

The waves of the cave lake rippled under the clear sky, and a single point of green mountain condensed into mist. This true realm belongs to immortals.

Li Qi looked around. As expected of a place near one of the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens of the Dao Sect, he could feel his cultivation improving just by breathing, comparable to the outer regions of Shaman God Mountain.

Not the outer regions of Shaman Dao, but the outer regions of Shaman God Mountain, next to that true divine mountain that stood in the world.

"Ah, there are some treasures over there that probably weren't collected in time. Old Ma, let's go down and take a look," Shen Shuibi suddenly said, pointing downwards.

"Treasures?" Li Qi looked in the direction Shen Shuibi was pointing.

Old Ma was very fast. As soon as Li Qi's gaze reached the spot, he had already descended and landed in the mountain stream below.

In the mountain stream, two Spiritual Plants swayed.

The Spiritual Plants resembled small mulberries, growing three to four feet tall, with red branches and leaves. They produced pods like beans on the first and fifteenth of each month, seemingly imbued with a cyclical power.

Shen Shuibi squatted down, reached out, and began to pick them. As she picked, she said, "This plant is called Vermilion Grass. Its juice is like blood and can dye a deep red. If gold or silver is thrown into its juice, and ground with a stone, it forms a round paste. When mixed with water, it becomes golden syrup and jade nectar. Drinking it prolongs life by five hundred years."

Her technique was very nimble, indicating that this wasn't her first time doing such a thing. The dexterity of her fingers surprised Li Qi. So, this is what a Jade Rabbit looks like when gathering herbs.

However, the Jade Rabbit seemed unaware of Li Qi's gaze and continued to look at another Spiritual Plant nearby, saying, "The one next to it is Revival Grass, also known as Earth Gall. Its leaves are like mustard, and its flowers are like ground tea. When crushed with a clam and applied, it can bring the dead back to life. This is a Spiritual Plant unique to the Ghost Gate's location, and it's very useful."

"But while it's said to bring the dead back to life, it actually only temporarily recalls the soul. If the soul has already turned into a ghost, or if the body is completely severed, it cannot be revived. However, it's an excellent tranquilizing medicine for Alchemy. When traveling far, it can stabilize the Yin Spirit, preventing it from drifting too far."

Li Qi had a slight understanding of herbs, but it was all theoretical knowledge. He had memorized various processing methods and harvesting techniques, but he had never actually tried them. He would most likely ruin them upon touch. So, he didn't act but watched Shen Shuibi gather herbs from the side.

A Jade Rabbit pounding medicine must be this adorable, right?

After a few minutes, Shen Shuibi finished collecting the two Spiritual Plants, packed them, then stood up and clapped her hands to dust them off.

After her body was repaired by the emperor fluid paste and years of recent recuperation, her Immaculate Body had mostly recovered, so the dust merely floated on the surface and naturally fell off with a clap.

"What are you collecting these for? They're all Rank Seven Spiritual Plants; it shouldn't be hard to buy them," Li Qi stepped forward and asked.

Shen Shuibi rolled her eyes at him: "What foolish talk. Now that Mount Luofu is being rebuilt, everything is in disarray, and it's a time when money is scarce. You don't even want things you can pick up for free on the roadside? Do you really think you're so extravagant?"

Li Qi felt embarrassed by her words and didn't know what to say.

"Now that I've returned here, although my heart aches, I can still distinguish the situation. There are still many places where money is needed. Why not take this Opportunity to pick up as many of these things as possible? Later, I also plan to go into the mountain gate to see how many treasures are left and bring them all back," Shen Shuibi said.

Li Qi was speechless. He had thought Shen Shuibi came here out of nostalgia, wanting to see the place where she grew up. He hadn't expected her thoughts to be so practical, actually planning to scour her own home for every last bit of its remaining assets…

However, it was also appropriate.

What use would they be if left here? It would be better to take them all back, which could also ease the longing of the people of Mount Luofu. If they found something of commemorative value, they could also take it back to the mountain gate for proper preservation, which was better than leaving it here.

Thinking of this, Li Qi also nodded and said, "That's how it should be. Then let's search around and see what else remains in the mountain, and bring it all back."

"Okay, separate ways?" Shen Shuibi suggested.

Li Qi began his habitual planning: "Hmm, the three of us will search three directions, with due north and southeast as boundaries. You go north, I'll go southeast, and the rest goes to Old Ma. He runs fast. Let's not touch the central area for now. I see faint golden light and sharp Qi rising there, suggesting something inauspicious. Once we've mostly collected the things outside, we'll team up and go inside."

"As for Spiritual Plants and such, Old Ma and I can't handle them, so we'll just mark them for you. Spiritual Plants marked with Yin Qi are left for you," Li Qi arranged the operation.

Shen Shuibi and Old Ma naturally had no problems. After understanding how to divide the work, the two people and one demon dragon quickly split up and began to patrol the area around Mount Luofu.

They didn't conceal their movements along the way, especially Old Ma, who brazenly emanated his Dragon Qi to ward off surrounding Yin ghosts and demons.

Li Qi was now Rank Six, and Shen Shuibi was even Rank Five. Although they didn't deliberately release their pressure when moving, their every action carried the Dao, which was the effect of the manifestation of the small Heaven and Earth. This had no direct effect, but it brought a special temperament, so nothing would be so foolish as to attack them.

However, to outsiders, this scene of scavenging looked particularly like a bandit raid.

…Actually, there was no difference from bandits. They scraped the ground three feet deep, taking all kinds of Spiritual Plants, divine metal ores, abandoned ruins, Spiritual Artifacts, Talismanic Incantations, and even Talismans.

Shen Shuibi gracefully glided through the sky, controlling threads of Qi, leaving nothing behind as everything was tied by the threads and carried away.

Li Qi, on the other hand, followed the practice of a Shaman. He stomped his foot directly, summoning the local Mountain Spirits and Anomolus Spirits, asking them to help search the mountain, and in return, he would grant them cultivation methods afterward.

Thus, the Anomolus Spirits throughout the mountain went to run errands for Li Qi.

Only Old Ma was like an ox. He couldn't command Mountain Spirits or Anomolus Spirits, nor was he as quick-eyed and nimble as Shen Shuibi, so he could only run faster.

However, while they were searching the mountain, in those Daoist temples on the outskirts of Mount Luofu—

This Daoist temple was very desolate, with only one Old Taoist, two young Taoists, three rooms, and one hall, forming a circle, with no special decorations.

The Old Taoist within muttered to himself, looked up at the sky, then looked towards Mount Luofu, his face filled with worry: "Alas, Mount Luofu has always treated people well. How is it that now, after its Ascension and disappearance, someone is still digging up their grave?"

(Only a dozen more monthly votes…)