Chen Guodong exhaled several mouthfuls of poison and immediately submerged. He was filled with apprehension and uncertainty. Did he know if Chuan Fang had discovered him? Perhaps not?

After all, there have been precedents. Even highly skilled plant cultivators couldn't detect the spiritual power they cultivated through their bodies. Once they stopped circulating their life-giving demonic power, they were no different from ordinary fish, and they even managed to conceal their aura.

But regardless, this accidental surveillance carries significant risks, but it could also yield substantial rewards.

Crystal mines! This is the first time I've heard of a crystal mine that's so likely to have appeared. And it's right in front of me. The narrow underwater cave is covered by layers of seaweed; it's really hard to find without getting close.

now.

"By the way, Liao Tian and Liu Zhengyuan were just killed. Their defensive magic items might have been damaged, but their storage bags should be intact. It's a pity they fell into the sea!"

Tempted, Zhang Guodong immediately darted towards the murky sea, arriving in just over ten seconds.

To Zhang Guodong's astonishment, this hundred-square-meter area of ​​sea was teeming with fish, so crowded that it was almost impossible to pass through.

A large number of fish, both herbivorous and carnivorous, the largest reaching several meters in length, greedily devoured scraps of flesh from the sea. Although the scraps were small, they seemed to be extremely delicious to these fish.

Indeed, the flesh and blood of plant cultivators contain immense life force, which is an absolute boon to ordinary sea creatures. Perhaps after consuming them, they could grow into the kings among them.

Zhang Guodong glanced at it briefly and then stopped paying attention. Although his demonic vine possessed an extremely terrifying dual-devouring attribute, and although this flesh and blood was undeniably attractive to him, Zhang Guodong didn't want to further increase his plant cultivation level, so he had no choice but to give up. Furthermore, seeing that it was human flesh, Zhang Guodong felt a bit disgusted.

It seemed like it could drain the plant cultivator dry in an instant, but it wasn't this disgusting?

A quick glance at the surface revealed no storage bag, so Zhang Guodong moved to the seabed. After searching an area spanning several square kilometers, he finally found a purple storage bag in a coral reef. Then, in the seabed sand, he discovered fragments of magical artifacts, large and small—the very same fragments of the "Fireless Demon Scorpion Needles" and the other two artifacts. They had been destroyed by a single blow from Fat Maitreya.

Even without using their full strength, high-level magical artifacts can still overpower mid-level magical artifacts; the gap between them is indeed significant, Zhang Guodong realized.

They only found one, a purple storage bag; the other was nowhere to be found. Frustrated, Zhang Guodong had no choice but to give up. Who knows if a passing fish mistook it for food and swallowed it?

We returned to the cave beneath the underwater cliff.

Zhang Guodong released his spiritual energy, just in case there were any unforeseen dangers in the cave. He moved like a fish, entering the cave. It was very dark, and many small fish were moving in and out. Clearly, this was a paradise for small coastal creatures, a haven from storms and dangers, where they could even breed.

When Zhang Guodong, this large creature, entered, they weren't afraid at all. Instead, they circled around him, full of curiosity.

Just now, Bamboo King's incredibly powerful attack actually saved the little fish here from disaster.

The cave was quite large inside, yet the seawater flowing in was very calm; Zhang Guodong even felt a slight chill within. Logically, this shouldn't be chilling; it was more likely warm and humid due to limited air circulation, resulting in a higher temperature. Furthermore, since the cave was on the seabed, seawater exchange was also limited, making it warmer than the open sea.

It is a perfect place for marine life to reproduce and seek refuge.

But there was a chilly atmosphere here.

A faint ray of light appeared overhead.

"Is there an exit?!" Zhang Guodong immediately swam upwards. The faint light rippled, definitely leading to an exit.

Zhang Guodong arrived in the blink of an eye, covering a straight-line distance of about ten meters.

With a splash, Zhang Guodong reached the surface of the water and came into contact with the relatively clear air.

Where is this?

Once out of the water, Zhang Guodong was able to see everything clearly thanks to his night vision and the reflected light. Inside the cliff, a space of over a hundred cubic meters, the area where Zhang Guodong stood was the channel through which the seawater rushed in, about ten square meters in size.

The surrounding area was a large, open, rocky area, slightly damp and smelling of the sea. It was well-ventilated and made it an excellent hiding place for people to live in.

If you're hungry, you can catch some fish in the middle of the seawater channel to fill your stomach; if you're thirsty, you can drink some purified seawater; if you're sleepy, you can place some grass and trees on this relatively flat rocky ground, and that will do.

"Liao Tian and Liu Zhengyuan are really lucky. How did they find this place? Did they find it from the bottom of the sea?" Zhang Guodong thought to himself as he looked around.

If they really started searching from the seabed, then their luck is practically off the charts.

"No!" This air didn't come from the seawater, it's light! Yes, this reflected light is coming in from the rocks. So it must have another outlet.

Zhang Guodong leaped out of the water without getting a drop of water on him.

Being grounded feels the best. Fighting at sea significantly reduces your strength! It's much safer on land.

Considering that the Bamboo King and Fat Maitreya had returned, Zhang Guodong felt it best to be cautious and hurry. Otherwise, if they found him here and cornered him, it would be a dangerous situation.

Although the Peach Blossom Spring within the Nine-Story Pagoda could allow him to hide instantly, a mishap could expose it… Guan Chuan knew that revealing the secret to the elder was a foolish thing to do unless absolutely necessary.

Zhang Guodong began searching for another way out inside the cliff.

Following the path of the faint light's reflection, Zhang Guodong quickly found what appeared to be a man-made passage, but it was located overhead and wouldn't be easily noticed unless one looked up.

The height of several meters had no effect on Zhang Guodong whatsoever.

With a flick of his toes, Zhang Guodong flew up to the overhead passage.

The beginning section involved several turns. The builders seemed to be concealing or reducing the passage's reflection of light. One left turn followed by another. Zhang Guodong, however, was inwardly thrilled.

Perhaps this is the passage leading to the crystal mine? It was indeed carved by hand, and although the smooth cuts have endured tens of thousands of years, the traces are still visible.

Generally speaking, crystal mines are buried very deep underground. When Zhang Guodong and Qingzhu went to dig for crystals that time, they went underground for a long time. They didn't know the exact number of meters, but it was definitely very deep.

"Follow this passage down, and you'll definitely reach the crystal mine, the vein! Liao Tian, ​​you've really done me a huge favor this time. Considering you provided this vein, and considering your tragic end and death, I'll let bygones be bygones regarding your offense against 'Purple Smoke'!" Zhang Guodong said generously.

Ziyan, this woman, is a direct disciple of Lord Youlan, one of the five giants of the Southwest Textile Market. Her status is far higher than Zhang Guodong's. As the saying goes, she has impeccable connections. Zhang Guodong, on the other hand, is a nobody who has struggled and risen step by step. But no matter how he rises, Zhang Guodong can never compare to someone with such a powerful backing.

But the problem is that Zhang Guodong ruined Ziyan's chastity, and then ran away without taking responsibility.

This connection made Zhang Guodong's feelings towards Ziyan quite complicated. At the very least, he disliked anyone bullying her. He couldn't let Liu Zhengyuan get away with bullying a woman he was connected with.

Unexpectedly, a Cheng Yaojin appeared out of nowhere, and the two brothers died in a confused and ambiguous manner. Now, Zhang Guodong doesn't even need to lift a finger. This is purely a case of getting the better of someone and then complaining.

Liu Zhengyuan wanted to taste the beauty's charms. But unfortunately, the magical artifacts around Ziyan's neck and below were incredibly powerful, and Liu Zhengyuan didn't gain any advantage.

As Zhang Guodong was walking, the space in front of him suddenly opened up. A cave dwelling appeared on the side of the passage.

The inside was no longer dark; instead, a huge luminous pearl was embedded above the cave entrance, illuminating the area with brilliant light.

"What's inside this cave? A treasure room?"

Zhang Guodong, confirming there seemed to be no danger, stepped forward. His eyes lit up; there were also luminous pearls inside, each the size of a fist—extremely rare.

Surprisingly, it wasn't very big. It was just a small, randomly dug cave, with only one room. Everything was laid out before you. It was a cave for resting.

Inside, there was only a stone bed and some pottery jars and other storage items, nothing particularly unusual. Oh, right, there was a tattered painting lying in the corner. Zhang Guodong's eyes lit up. He walked over and picked it up.

But the tear was fresh, probably made by Liao Tian or Liu Zhengyuan. It should have been on the wall originally! Yes, there was a nail-like protrusion on the wall where the painting was hung.

Could that protrusion have some purpose? Zhang Guodong even tried to twist it, but he crushed it in one go. It was just an ordinary stone protrusion with no other meaning.

Zhang Guodong chuckled to himself, saying he'd probably watched too many treasure hunt videos.

Looking at the painting in his hand, it is just a "Sea Flower Picture" which should have been created casually by the artist. It looks grand and magnificent, which is breathtaking.

The vast ocean, with towering waves, features a gigantic monster churning within, chasing an unidentified large fish. Beyond that, the image conveys no other meaning.

Besides, can a picture that can be torn up so easily really be considered a treasure? However, it has been preserved for quite some time.

"It's better than nothing; although it's broken, it might sell for a good price as an 'antique'."

It is absolutely true that ancient artifacts, even if they are not of great use, are still very valuable.

I'll take this tattered painting.

Zhang Guodong left the small cave and walked down and forward again.

The existing star stones on both walls, used for lighting, have run out of energy, but new star stones are placed next to them, probably put there by Liao Tian and Liu Zhengyuan, so that Zhang Guodong wouldn't have to add more.

Filled with excitement, Zhang Guodong walked on and on, and somehow the road seemed to turn and then go uphill.

"Is this crystal mine on the surface? Did the owner of this place play a prank? Going down first and then up?" Zhang Guodong wondered.

While still wondering and wondering, Zhang Guodong encountered another cave. But this cave was several times larger than the one he had just seen, and it contained more than one room.

The inscription above reads "Medicine Garden" in small seal script.

A medicinal herb garden? Zhang Guodong was stunned. The crystal mine was underground, and the underground passages had a more concentrated life force energy than the outside world, but it was definitely not a good place to grow and cultivate medicinal herbs—that was common sense.

But the fact that a medicinal herb garden appeared here suggests it could only be someone's cultivation place, not some other kind of place.

mine?

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