Chapter 2 The Jade of Unity:

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.

Inside the hall of an underground ruin, a group of independent cultivators were sprawled out on the ground, looking disheveled.

Not far from them, a huge dragon head stood there, its pinkish-white fangs squeezing out of its gaping maw, each as tall as an adult, its thick whiskers stretching in all directions, and its highly corrosive saliva flowing all over the ground.

The air was filled with a stench that made you dizzy.

"The demonic dragon is dead. A fatal blow." The leader climbed down from the dragon's head and announced to the group.

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

"This is all thanks to the Dragon-Slaying Sword Technique of our great predecessor!" The leader's voice suddenly rose, and he turned around and respectfully bowed to the mysterious figure standing in the shadow of the ancient dragon pillar.

The crowd erupted in an even more enthusiastic cheer.

What could be more awe-inspiring than encountering a legendary demonic dragon, and at the same time meeting a powerful swordsman with the divine skill to slay dragons?

The only regret is that the powerful being was unwilling to reveal his identity; all that could be seen was a figure wearing a hooded cloak, his face hidden in the thick black mist.

The difference in cultivation level is so great that even if you are right next to someone, you can't see them clearly because of the spiritual energy barrier between you.

Even his voice had changed; it sounded dull and sparing with words, making it impossible to guess which sage he was.

However, everyone knows in their hearts that the number of powerful beings who possess this dragon-slaying skill can be counted on one hand. They are either elders of the three major sects, or adjudicators of the cultivation world who are above all sects, or wandering immortals who are detached from worldly affairs.

These are all top-tier beings in the cultivation world. The rogue cultivators wandering in the mortal world never thought they would have the opportunity to witness them firsthand. Now, after a fleeting glimpse, they realize just how vast the gap is between themselves and the top-tier beings.

The shadowy figure changed, and a mysterious and powerful being emerged from the shadows.

The team leader quickly pressed his palm down, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The hall of the ruins was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The mysterious powerful figure walked into the middle of the crowd, but did not stop. Instead, he walked straight towards the stone gate in front of him.

That was the only passage from the underground ruins hall to the treasure cave. Just now, several dark green vines surged out of the stone door and kidnapped two expedition members.

The stone door quickly closed tightly, and the strange patterns on it seemed to be activated, flashing and emitting an evil blackish-green light.

The mysterious and powerful figure had been very interested in the patterns on the stone door from the beginning, but he seemed unsure how to decipher them and did not act rashly.

When the team leader saw the mysterious powerful figure approach the stone gate, he quickly called over several experienced veteran members of the team to come forward and discuss the patterns on the stone gate, providing the mysterious powerful figure with some reference.

One of the older healers stroked his beard: "This seems to be the script of Turape, which comes from the sea..."

The mysterious being's hand, which had been caressing the strange patterns, suddenly paused. A deep voice echoed from the black mist: "You also think it's a Turo Paradox?"

“Exactly.” The older physician perked up and immediately told him everything he knew about the Turo Paradox. “However, I am ashamed to say that I have only heard of it and do not recognize what the writing on this door is. But the Turo Paradox is very evil, and I am afraid that it cannot be forcibly broken through.”

"Hmm..." The mysterious powerhouse suddenly waved his hand, and the black mist on his body disappeared without a trace. To everyone's surprise, they saw a face that was much younger than they had imagined, looking only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.

A collective gasp immediately filled the room as the young male and female cultivators stared intently at the handsome young face, as if they wanted to bore holes through it.

Why don't they remember any top experts in the cultivation world being this young? Or is this young man a disciple of some reclusive master who just came down the mountain and they bumped into him?

However, his demeanor and bearing were completely unlike those of a greenhorn.

The team leader, being more knowledgeable, knew that powerful beings could change their appearance at will. Looking young didn't mean they were actually young; it only meant they had reached the Foundation Establishment stage early. Judging from his cold and composed demeanor, he must be at least seventy, eighty, or ninety years old, and with that imposing aura, he could easily be mistaken for an elder from any sect.

“You look so familiar, senior. I’m afraid we’ve met before,” the team leader said respectfully. “I dare not ask your name.”

"My surname is Rong." The answer was still as concise as ever, the voice younger than before, but still icy.

Allow?

The team leader was a bit confused. Where in the cultivation world could there be a top expert with the surname Rong? He thought that if the mysterious expert mentioned a surname, he could guess the expert's identity, but it turned out that it was as if he hadn't said anything at all.

It must be fake, everyone thought in unison.

The mysterious powerful figure's gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on the incense burner hanging from one person's bundle: "Are you an incense cultivator?"

Incense cultivation is a very rare category of cultivation that uses incense burners as ritual implements and incense as a medium to conjure up lifelike illusions.

The cultivation category has always been known for being useless.

"I...I am." Xiangxiu didn't expect the powerful figure to call him, so he stammered and walked out timidly.

"Do me a favor." The mysterious powerful figure pointed to the ground in front of the stone gate. "Set up an incense array here, covering the area where I'm standing now and all the strange symbols on the stone gate. Can you do that?"

A wave of oppressive force pressed down on her, almost making Xiangxiu unable to lift her neck. She managed to squeeze out a mosquito-like whisper through clenched teeth: "Yes..."

"Very good." The mysterious powerful figure nodded.

A moment later, Xiangxiu set up the incense array, and the space in front of the stone gate was shrouded in a light fragrance mist.

The mysterious and powerful being sat cross-legged, placing his hands on his knees.

The crowd retreated a foot or two, peering curiously in their direction.

I wonder what this powerful being is planning. Is it to open the stone gate? Has he already found a way to decipher the strange inscriptions on the gate? Or does he intend to force his way through?

Under the unwavering gaze of the crowd, a jade pendant the size of a copper buckle rose rapidly into the air, reaching the same level as the powerful being's forehead.

"That's... a sound transmission jade pendant?"

Someone recognized the style of the jade pendant.

The sound-transmitting jade pendant is priceless. Its raw material is the precious Xihai Sound Jade. After the two symbiotic jade blanks are opened, they are made into two jade pendants. No matter how far apart they are, they can transmit sound to each other. When one speaks, the other is as if it is right in front of the ear, very clearly.

"No, that's no ordinary sound transmission jade pendant." The knowledgeable Miao doctor stroked his beard and spoke up again, "That's a Heart-to-Heart Sound Transmission Jade Pendant."

"What is a jade pendant for transmitting messages between hearts?" everyone asked hastily.

“Ordinary sound transmission jade pendants can only transmit sound, but this jade pendant can transmit ‘images’, and it consumes less spiritual energy than ordinary sound transmission jade pendants.”

"So amazing!" Everyone's eyes were opened, and some of the wealthier families were also tempted. "The Heart-to-Heart Communication Jade Pendant must be very expensive, right?"

"No, it's not expensive. It's about the same price as the regular ones, but it's rare to see on the market," the Miao doctor Xiu Dao said with a smile. "You must be wondering why the Tongxin Communication Jade Pendant is so useful and cheap, yet so few are circulating in the market?"

"Senior Miao, please stop keeping me in suspense."

"That's because the Heart-to-Heart Communication Jade Pendant can only be used between two people who are of one mind; it requires a tacit understanding between their souls," Miao Yixiu said with a smile.

Huh?

Hearts in harmony, souls in sync?

Wouldn't that mean...?

Can it only be used between like-minded couples?

The little flames of gossip in everyone's hearts suddenly ignited into a raging fire.

Could it be that they are about to meet the Daoist partner of the mysterious and powerful being?

Meeting the wife before knowing the mysterious powerful figure's name is... not impossible.

A thin but bright beam of light connected the mysterious powerful man's brow to the center of the jade pendant.

Waves of golden light spread out, vibrating the fragrant mist and creating ripples.

Gradually, a human figure appeared in the fragrant mist.

The person was dressed in white, with long, flowing hair tied in a small bun and hanging down the back of their head. Two white silk ribbons fluttered in the wind, and their silhouette inspired endless imagination.

As expected of the wife of a powerful figure, her figure and demeanor are truly divine... The curiosity of the crowd was partially satisfied.

"It is I, Rong Er." The powerful figure opened his eyes and looked at the figure in the air. His icy face softened, and a faint smile rippled in his dark pupils.

Rong Er is a false identity fabricated by Shen Bingsi. His real identity is too conspicuous and always brings him unnecessary trouble. He usually uses this name when he is out and about. If he is in contact with Rong Xie in front of outsiders, he will first give the name to the outsider to coordinate his story.

This mysterious and powerful figure was none other than Shen Bingsi, one of the three great adjudicators in the cultivation world and the master of Huanxue Manor. The figure that formed in the fragrant mist was his close friend and steward, Rong Xie.

This time, the task of exorcising the demon dragon was given by Tianjing. Shen Bingsi always went alone, and this time was no exception. Unexpectedly, when she arrived at the place, she found that the underground ruins hall was crowded with people, no less than the Three Sects Alliance. It turned out that a team of rogue cultivators had accidentally come here to search for dragons and treasures, which gave Shen Bingsi a headache.

Shen Bingsi originally intended to kill the demonic dragon and leave, but unexpectedly encountered a strange stone gate that captured two people right in front of him. He could not tolerate such provocation, and he would not leave today until he had destroyed the underground cave's lair.

"Hmm, these characters are indeed Turobi script." The figure in the fragrant mist floated down, quickly focusing on the stone gate. Illusory fingers, as delicate as water scallions, gently stroked the incised characters on the stone.

Shen Bingsi's smile faltered slightly. Although the image he transmitted was facing the stone gate, Rong Xielian ignored him and rushed over to see what was going on with those strange symbols on the stone gate.

As for everyone else around, they were all stunned by the shocking fact that Da Neng's wife was a man!

No matter how handsome and elegant his figure may be, the voice clearly belonged to a gentle man.

Although anything can happen in the cultivation world, especially among those powerful beings with long lifespans, the mainstream is still the harmony of yin and yang and male and female cultivators forming Daoist couples.

Male-male unions are extremely rare; I've never heard of any of the top practitioners having a male partner by their side.

While everyone was still wondering what was going on, Rong Xie had already deciphered the meaning of the words on the door.

He turned around, his delicate, willow-like eyebrows lowered, and a sly, self-satisfied smile curved his lips as he told Shen Bingsi the meaning of the words. He said that as long as she did as he said, she could open the stone door.

Shen Bingsi looked up at him, her arms still hanging loosely at her knees, but when she spoke, it was as if she was about to stand up and hug him. There was a thick, inseparable sense of unity between the two of them, and all the people standing around them seemed like roadside trees, serving no special purpose other than collecting dust.

"This kind of male Daoist partner isn't bad," the team leader commented in a simple and honest voice.

Shen Bingsi stood up and, following Rong Xie's instructions, placed her hand on the inscription on the door. With a burst of spiritual energy, several inscriptions turned from green to black, emanating a sinister black aura. With a "click," it seemed as if some mechanism had popped open, and the stone door slowly disappeared behind her, revealing a dark passageway.

"We did it!" the team members exclaimed in delight.

"Senior Rong's Daoist partner is indeed amazing!" the team leader praised.

Shen Bingsi, standing at the door, turned around with a look of doubt on her face, while Rong Xie, amidst the incense smoke, also looked bewildered. The two of them asked almost simultaneously, "What Daoist partner?"